Chapter 21: Face the Nation
As breakfast was finished, she got up and headed out of the room. She was followed close behind by a pair of raven-haired children, aged ten and six. They walked through the galleries until they came to the media room.
Brooke took a seat on a well-used but comfortable couch. She watched as Nomi took a seat on a nearby couch and Ellis took a seat on the floor. Brooke smiled at the two of her nine grandchildren and reached for the TV remote.
"Are we watching a moving, Grammy Brooke?" Ellis asked.
Brooke shook her head, "No, we're watching Face the Nation," she said.
"What's Face the Nation?" Ellis asked.
"A show where adults just talk," Nomi said.
Ellis nodded, "Is that the show where they go, you're not the father?" he asked.
Nomi giggled, Brooke looked at her grandson wide-eyed, "Ellis, how do you know about that show?" she asked.
"Sawyer and Keni watch it," Ellis said.
"Well, Ellis, you're too young to be watching that show," Brooke said.
Ellis nodded, "Yes, Grammy Brooke," he said.
Brooke turned on the large TV. She set the channel to the right channel and placed the remote down and watched the TV. The host babbled on about the last segment. Then he changed, and the graphics changed.
"Today we're interviewing one of the newest women in the House of Representatives. Joining our own Candace Rollins in an exclusive interview, The Democratic Congress Woman from North Carolina Isabella Scott," the TV Host said while looking directly into the camera.
Brooke smiled as the screen changed to show a blonde woman looking at the camera.
"Good Morning, today we're talking to Freshman Congresswoman Isabella Scott from North Carolina," Candace Rollin said and turned to face Isabella Scott. In the Beaulieu Manor media room, the two raven-haired children sat up and took notice of the woman sitting in the chair.
"Momma?" Nomi asked.
"Is that Momma?" Ellis asked.
"Yes, it's your Momma," Brooke said.
"Thank You, Congresswoman Scott, for this chance to talk," Rollins said.
"You're welcome, Candace, and thank you for having me today," Izzy said.
"You're also welcome," Rollin said, "Since taking office you've been making a name for yourself in some media outlets. What's your response to that?"
Izzy nodded a bit, "Some people are rather engrossed with my misspent youth. Something I've been quite honest about and several of my constituents applauded me for. Since I was showing honesty and responsibility. They called it being a good role model. But, the media, on the whole, seems more interested in my past, rather than the work I've been doing for my constituents and my educational background," she said.
"Education let's explore that," Rollins said, "You graduated Yale Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, and went to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill for an MBA. Why such different schools?"
"I was married, a mother and my husband had a good job in his family business. I decided to get my MBA and I also worked for Senator McMichael. I made these choices, so I was able to raise my daughter and son," Izzy said.
"Family, you've often spoken about the importance of family. Your own history with family is somewhat checkered. You had your oldest child while still in high school. You also stated that he passed away when he was three months old. Your older sister has been documented the issue with drugs and alcohol, as well as your mother. How does that make you a good role model for young women?" Rollins asked.
"Funny, how it always come down to this? My sister has been sober for close to twenty years. It's a hard-daily struggle for her, and she has health issues brought on by her past. As for my mother, she has struggled, but remained sober for close to thirty years, again it's a struggle. As for me, it shows that with hard work you can still get ahead. By being honest about it, I'm showing young people, men, women, non-binary, cis, need I go on? That you must take responsibility for your actions. I had to own up to my decisions, and my life did change. Before my son died, I was changing my choice of going to Yale. I hate to say this, the only reason I went to Yale was that my son died," Izzy said.
"Very well, last year you were the only member of Congress named to a hottest woman's list, and you didn't speak against being named, or request your name being removed from the list. Do you think this is showing a good example for young women?" Rollin asked.
Izzy took a deep breath. Brooke saw her second oldest daughter was starting to get angry. Izzy had a temper, there was no denying it. She had good control of it, but it was explosive when it was let loose. Also, Izzy was a trained martial artist, and could easily snap Candace Rollins in two, before anyone could react. There was color coming to her ears. Suddenly, Brooke noted, the color faded.
"When I heard I was named to that before the mentioned list, to be honest, I was flattered. Yes, in high school and undergrad I did some modeling work, it was for one company, and before you ask it was my mother's company. I did it only because it was for her, and it was for family.
"On a personal note, as I was growing up, I was always compared to my older sister. I was the other, and it may be me feel good for being recognized for me, and not just being an inferior version of my sister or even her sidekick.
"Yes, it was discussed if I should speak up against being named to that list. It was decided to say nothing. It was some small internet magazine and if I spoke up against something like that, even if the upside in the long term would have gotten them free publicity and traffic and would be counter to me speaking out against them. Notice I don't even mention their name.
"What also got missed is through the whole discussion about me being the "Hottest Congresswoman" is what I've done to help the lives of my constituents in my first year in office. I've also been named to several most influential forty under forty lists.
"Funny how the fourth estate chooses to focus on the titillation and not the real goods," Izzy said.
Brooke smiled, that was Izzy. She never backed down and was strange for the political person someone that spoke her mind. Izzy was also one that attacked when she saw an advantage. Yet, Brooke wondered if Izzy opened herself up to a media attack with that comment.
"You mentioned your Mother, Brooke Davis, and her company. So, it would be fair to say you have never wanted for anything in your life?" Rollins asked.
"You're implying I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth?" Izzy asked.
"That is what most people believe," Rollins said.
"I wasn't born rich, as people would lead you to believe," Izzy said, "My Mother is Nouveau riche."
"That is what the research says," Rollins replied.
"Well it's incomplete," Izzy said.
"Could you please fill us in on the missing parts?" Rollin asked.
"It's simple I was born my Mother's Sophomore Year at The Fashion Institute of Technology; my sister was born her freshman year. My Mother was married incredibly young to my father, and it wasn't a good marriage. They lived very bare-bones, and I was a surprise, so they weren't ready for me, and I had to share a crib with my older sister for a while. The apartment was two rooms, not two bedrooms, in a run-down building. They had to walk as sometimes funding a metro-card was not in the budget.
"My mother did have some success in college, but she earned it. She put many hours in to get where she was. Just like I have, everything I've done was through hard work. An example is I could have easily gotten a job working for my Mother and would have had a comfortable easy life. Here I am discussing with you about being in Congress," Izzy said.
Rollins nodded, "Thank you for coming on today Congresswoman Scott," she said.
"You're welcome," Izzy said.
The picture on the screen changed. Brooke turned the TV off and put the remote down. She let out a heavy sigh and looked over to her grandchildren. Izzy's daughter and son.
"Momma wasn't very happy," Nomi said.
Brooke shook her head, "No, she wasn't very happy," Brooke sighed, "But she didn't yell."
"That's never fun when Momma yells," Nomi said.
"I miss Momma," Ellis said.
Nomi nodded, "I miss Momma too," she said.
Brooke looked at them and nodded, "I miss her as well," she said, "I also miss your Dad as well."
The younger kids nodded. Brooke looked them over and saw they were downcast. "Let's go find your aunts," Brooke said.
Nomi smiled, and Ellis just nodded his head. Brooke stood up and looked her grandkids over.
"What are we doing, Grammy Brooke?" Ellis asked.
"Well Ellis," Brooke said, "We're first going to find your aunts."
"Then?" Ellis asked.
Brooke got down to Ellis' level, "Then, Ellis, we're going to the freezer and get ice cream," she said.
"Ice cream!" Ellis yelled.
"Yes, ice cream," Brooke said, with bright eyes.
Nomi nodded and followed her grandma and brother out of the media room. Brooke looked over her shoulder at her granddaughter.
"What's wrong, Nomi?" Brooke asked.
"Oh nothing, Grammy Brooke," Nomi said.
"Are you sure, Nomi?" Brooke asked.
"Yes, Grammy Brooke," Nomi said, "Put Papa Luke wouldn't want us to have ice cream this early."
"We don't have to tell Papa Luke, do we?" Brooke asked, with a bit of a devilish tone in her voice.
"Nomi don't tell Papa Luke on us," Ellis said.
"Yeah Nomi, we just want to have fun," Brooke said, mimicking Ellis' tone.
"I guess not," Nomi said.
"Yay!" Ellis said.
Brooke smiled, "Now let's first find Sassy and Keni," she said and led the kids through the galleries.