The Phoenix family had dinner at the penthouse that night. Jeremy fixed one of his famous casseroles and a nice garden salad with warm almond dressing. Lorraine was feeding Kayla, happily forgoing her own meal for the pleasure of wearing half of Kayla’s.

Jeremy ate silently, much less enthusiastic and flamboyant than in months past, never mind years. Lorraine and Griffin kept exchanging glances, but neither of them cared to broach the subject over dinner.

Instead, Griffin said, “That was a great press conference today, honey. You knocked it out of the park again.”

“Sorry about talking up Albert’s campaign like that, I didn’t think — ”

“Well, it wasn't the best thing to associate ourselves with his run for governor, that’s true. But, you’re old friends and he was there with us in Denver, there’s no secret about that. But, I’d like to keep politics out of it, for obvious reasons.”

“Yes, definitely,” Lorraine said. “They only muck things up.”

“Talk about draining the swamp,” Griffin said, having a sip of Stella Artois to wash down his casserole. “They take the swamp with them where ever they go.”

Jeremy looked down at his plate until Ashe said to him, “Jeremy, are you all right?”

Jeremy was quick to snap out of it. “I … yes, I’m fine, Ashe, sorry, I … just a little distracted, that’s all.”

Griffin asked, “What’s up, Jer? Anything we can help out with?”

“That’s sweet, Grif, really, but … I’m fine, just a bit … ”

“Distracted?” Lorraine guessed.

“Right, exactly.”

Griffin returned his attention to Lorraine. “You seemed a little distracted, too, Lorraine, in those first few seconds of the press conference.”

Lorraine knew what he was talking about, but it was another subject she would just as soon have left alone, especially in front of the kids. She also knew Griffin saw it as a teachable moment for Ashe and for her as well. Lorraine saw it as a lesson for Jeremy, too.

“I guess I was a little disoriented by it all, maybe intimidated. But, it passed quickly enough. And of course I had nothing at all to worry about, just my own nerves really.”

“That’s right,” Griffin said. “It can be scary to make a big move like this one, there’s a lot at risk for us all. But, we’re taking those risks together, that’s why we don’t have anything to fear.”

Jeremy’s eyes shifted up from his plate, but they returned quickly and he kept eating in silence.

After dinner, Griffin was playing with the kids in the living room, he and Ashe role-playing as unicorns at Kayla’s fanciful command. Lorraine helped Jeremy with the dishes, putting away the leftovers and cleaning up the table.

“Jeremy, I appreciate how much you care, I really do. But, I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about. What are the odds that something like that would happen twice?”

“Better than you think,” Jeremy said in an urgent whisper. “There are copycats, more and more people getting pissed off at you, at him.”

“Jeremy — ”

“You don’t know what it was like, Lorraine, standing over your body. You were so pale, even more than usual, all that blood, God it was horrifying. And a lot of it was my fault — ”

“No, Jeremy — ”

“You said so yourself. I encouraged you to take those early risks, to write that letter, to date Griffin, and it’s worked out great and that’s great. But, what if it didn’t? What if that ambulance had been just a couple minutes later?”

Lorraine smiled, setting a comforting hand on his arm. “But it wasn’t, Jeremy.”

“What about this time? What about the next time?”

“There isn’t any this time, Jer, and there won’t be any next time, either. Nothing like that is going to happen again.”

“You don’t know that.”

After a long uncertain second, Lorraine had to say, “No, I can’t say for sure.”

“And you have kids now. Even Ashe was on that stage when the shooting happened.”

Lorraine’s smile disappeared. “You know how I feel about that, Jeremy. I wish you wouldn't bring it up. I didn’t mean to endanger him, I’d never do that.”

“But losing you is endangering him, Lo’. You’re a parent now, you owe them everything you’ve got, don’t you? Aren’t they the most important thing?”

Lorraine didn't have to think about it for long. “Of course they are, my family is everything to me and you’re family, too, Jeremy.”

“And that’s … that’s beautiful, Lo’. I … I just want it to stay that way.”

“It will,” Lorraine said, “of course it will.” But, both knew the futility of that promise, though neither one could know how right Jeremy was, or what kind of peril awaited them all.