Albert and Carmen joined Lorraine and the Phoenix family at the penthouse, the sparkling view of the Manhattan night twinkling just outside the window. Griffin had a catering crew come in with fresh Maine lobsters and Kobe beef, both cooked to perfection and served with a fresh kale salad, buttery asparagus spears and scalloped potatoes that were creamy beneath a crispy, golden-brown crust.

Albert shook his head as he shoved a full claw of lobster meat into his mouth, butter dripping down his chin. “Delicious,” he couldn't wait to say, “the best I’ve ever had.”

Griffin and Lorraine shared a secret, satisfied smile.

Carmen looked around the penthouse. “I just love this place. I wish we could make it out here more often.”

“Once you're in the governor’s mansion,” Lorraine said, “you won’t even remember this little dump.” Griffin looked at her with feigned offense, but Lorraine could only shrug and take a sip of Cristal. “Sorry, honey, but it’s not the governor’s mansion.”

“That’s right,” Albert said. “No strings.”

They all shared a chuckle, even Ashe. This attracted Albert’s attention. “You seem to be doing well, young man.”

“Thank you, sir,” Ashe said. “I feel well.”

Albert and Carmen glanced at one another, impressed. Jeremy glanced over from his attention to Kayla, feeding her more than himself.

Carmen asked Ashe, “You think you might like to go into politics someday? Those speeches you wrote were just great and you’re so handsome and charismatic.” Ashe’s pale cheeks turned pink and he turned away, the adults chuckling under their breath.

“I was thinking about writing and directing a play,” Ashe said. “I had one idea in mind … ” He glanced at Lorraine and Lorraine back at him, and Ashe cheerfully went on, “… But, I’m still thinking it over. I’ll come up with something.”

“Something amazing,” Lorraine said with a confident and gentle smile.

Lorraine asked them, “Have you two thought about kids?”

That question broke the tension and inspired another surprised chuckle from the table. “After the campaign,” Albert said, and Carmen smiled and nodded to agree. But, there was something in Carmen’s smile that worried Lorraine, something uncertain about it, untrue.

Jeremy glared at Albert and Carmen, just a quick and silent shot, but it didn’t escape Lorraine’s attention or Griffin’s … or Albert’s. Albert smiled at Jeremy. “It’s always good to see you, Jeremy. The children seem to be thriving under your care.”

Jeremy smiled. “No better than the people of Denver under yours. Next, the whole state.”

“We’ll see,” Carmen said with a cautionary smile.

Albert said, “It’s good to see such a … a progressive attitude. A lot of families would be a lot more closed-minded about who they let care for their children … their same-sex children.”

“It’s not a problem,” Griffin said, his voice quick and certain. “Jeremy has our complete confidence.”

“Which he’s earned,” Lorraine added, “and continues to earn with daily excellence.”

“Outstanding,” Albert said, cutting into his steak. “We’re really making progress.”

“We sure are. Think of all those conservative voters who would go against you two just because you’re an interracial couple. And, I mean, black and Mexican? Not exactly a pair to draw to for your average conservative voter. I mean, talk about regressive, right? And then there are all those family values jerks who are probably still pissy about poor Mrs. Jenkins, — ” Jermey said.

“Jeremy,” Griffin said with an angry snap in his voice. It was a quick burst, restrained, but sharp enough to quiet the table. Jeremy sat in a disgraced silence, awkward, before clearing his throat.

“I should get Kayla into her bath,” Jeremy said, “if you’ll excuse me.”

“Indeed,” Griffin said, watching as Jeremy scooped up the child and walked her quickly out of the dining room. Griffin turned to Albert. “I apologize, Albert. That was quite rude, you shouldn’t have been exposed to that.”

Lorraine was quick to say, “Jeremy’s really a good guy, he’s great with the kids and a good friend. But, he’s been working too hard lately. I keep telling him to take some time off, get out a little, blow off some steam.”

“I don’t doubt he’d be blowing something off,” Albert said, eyes still on his plate as he finished off his steak.

Carmen said, “Albert, there’s a child at the table.”

Albert glanced down at Ashe. “My apologies, young man.”

Ashe shrugged and turned to Griffin. “May I be excused?”

“Yes you may,” Griffin said, Ashe quietly getting up from the table and stepping out of the room.

“He’s quite something, that young man. You both should be very proud … of both kids, I mean,” Albert said.

Lorraine and Griffin nodded, hands reaching out to cup the other.

“I’m glad we’re alone though,” Albert said. “There is something I think we should discuss.”

I knew it, Lorraine told herself, of course it was more than just a visit.

Albert went on, “I’ve heard from the school board, way way up … ”

Lorraine leaned forward in his pause. “And?”

Albert shrugged, taking a sip of his merlot. “They’re not happy about this project of yours, Lorraine, Griffin, they’re not happy at all.”

“And why’s that?” Griffin asked.

Albert explained, “It’s a threat to them, obviously.”

“Lemme guess,” Lorraine said, “funding.”

“Of course! Suppose your learning centers are a big hit. Let’s say grades suddenly go up in correlation to the work your centers are doing.”

“That’d be a good thing,” Lorraine said.

Albert shook his head. “It would only prove how ineffective the public school system is, Lorraine, make them look foolish, make the government that sponsors them look foolish.”

Griffin looked on, his shifting eyes telling Lorraine that he was also putting it together faster than Albert could describe it.

“Then their funding disappears,” Lorraine said.

Now Albert was nodding. “Then attention gets turned to the crime stats. Crime goes down, funding for local police goes down.”

Griffin threw his napkin down onto his plate. “What kind of goddamned government are we running here? It takes a rock star and a near-murder to save the libraries, but meanwhile every other social service is being gutted.”

“I don’t make the rules, Griffin.”

“It’s just as bad to play by them, Albert.”

Carmen said, “Um, this is such a lovely dinner. I hate to spoil it with shop talk.”

Albert ignored her, addressing Griffin and Lorraine in a more stern and urgent tone. “They suggested you might be better off donating to the school board, the way you did with the library. Maybe a yearly rally in the same mode — ”

“No,” Griffin said. “The school board is about as corrupt as you can get, from the municipal offices straight up to Washington D.C. I’m not doing any more business with them.”

“That’s just as well,” Albert said, “because after another two years, there may not be a public school system and that’ll be as much to your credit as anyone’s.”

Lorraine and Griffin shared a worried glance but said nothing.

“The public school system’s failing as it is,” Griffin said. “If this forces an evolution in the way they do business, the way they serve the needs of this nation’s children, then so be it.”

Albert sighed. “Okay, fine, that’s … that’s your choice. But, you know what’s going to happen, right? They’re going to privatize the school system the same way they’re doing the prison system.”

“I always said — ”

“Now it’ll be more true than ever,” Albert said. “If you think our government mishandles the educational system, wait until the Catholic Church starts running it. Not to mention what happens when Coke or Disney take over. So-called public schools will cost a fortune that most people won’t have. The streets will be littered with ignorant thugs … of all races, mind you … crime goes up, education goes down. Soon enough, education will be strictly for the wealthy, the entitled, the powerful, while the rest of the country gets swept under the rug.”

Lorraine couldn’t entirely disagree with Albert’s reasoning, but she was unwilling to simply give up her dream or deny its potential power.

Griffin said, “The problem, Albert, is that if they’re going to privatize the school system the way they’re doing the prisons, as you describe, then no amount of money pouring into that department will keep it truly public. If anything, Phoenix Enterprises would only be buying into that system, encouraging it, and that’s not something we’re willing to do.”

Carmen glanced at Lorraine, but neither dared to interrupt.

“On the other hand,” Griffin went on, “if they privatize those schools, the need for our learning centers will be all the greater, all the more urgent. Either way, it only makes sense to move forward.”

Lorraine added, “And as a former participant in the library system, the savior of the public libraries, I think of what your posters said, we’d love it if you’d throw us your support.”

Albert’s eyes lit up. “My … my public support?”

Griffin smiled, reading Lorraine’s gambit. “Of course. You’re the education candidate, Albert, it only makes sense.”

“Unless the school board is paying your freight,” Lorraine said. “But we know you’d never be in anybody’s back pocket like that.”

The blood drained from Carmen’s brown face, her red lips twitching over her teeth.

“Well, I have accepted a variety of donations,” Albert said. “But, that’s not to say I’m under any direct influence one way or the other.”

“Excellent,” Lorraine said, “we knew you’d want to help.”

Albert choked out an awkward chuckle. “And here I thought this was just a friendly visit.”

* * *

After dinner, Jeremy was nervously folding Ashe’s clothes as Lorraine stepped into his room. “You doin’ okay?”

“I … I’m so sorry, Lo’, I shouldn’t have said anything, I know that.”

“It probably would have been best,” Lorraine had to admit.

“The way Griffin … I mean, Mr. Phoenix was glaring at me. I’m fired, aren’t I?”

Lorraine broke a crooked smile. “No, Jeremy, no, but … we are a little worried about you. You’re so tense, highly strung.”

“Of course I am! You’re embarking on this new project, the kids are getting older every day, and they’re not the only ones — ”

“Take it easy, Jer, it’s all gonna be fine.” After a brief but measured pause, Lorraine said, “Griffin and I were both thinking you should take a little vacation.”

“Lorraine, no, please — ”

“Just a vacation, Jer. Anywhere you want, on us. Two weeks, all expenses paid.”

“Lorraine, I … I can’t let you down like that. What about the kids?”

“We’ll fly their grandparents in, they’ve been dying for some time with the kids anyway.” Jeremy stood there, dumbfounded by his lack of any alternative. “What do you think, Paris? Spain is gorgeous this time of year. Hawaii’s always beautiful.”

But, Jeremy said, “How about if I take a little time to think about it? The world’s a pretty big place, and I haven’t seen most of it.”

“Sure, Jer, no rush. I just don’t want you to wait too long. It’ll be good for you to get away.”

“Okay, yeah,” Jeremy said without a speck of joy or anticipation, “that sounds … that sounds great.”

* * *

Later that night, Griffin tucked Ashe in while Lorraine spent time with Kayla. She was fidgety as always, but tiredness was slowly overtaking her iron, toddler will. Lorraine ran her through the usual games, including identifying objects and having rudimentary conversations that only the two of them could properly understand.

With Kayla fading fast, Lorraine carried her quietly down the hall to Ashe’s bedroom door, his and his father’s voices leaking out from the dark room. As Lorraine got closer, she could see Griffin sitting on the corner of his son’s bed, moonlight streaming in through the window.

“It’s great having a kid sister, isn’t it?”

“Sure is. She’s so cool.” Ashe said lovingly.

Griffin smiled. “Y’know, Ashe, everything I’ve got, everything I’ll ever have, I have for you. It’s all going to be yours someday, yours and your sister’s. But, there’s one thing you have that I never had and that I’ll never have; a sibling. It’s a special thing, somebody of your own blood, somebody to depend on, somebody who can depend on you …”

Ashe said, “It’s okay, Dad. I’ll always take care of her, be there for her.”

“I know you will, son. I know you’ll be a good brother, just the same way you’re such a good son. I’m proud of you, Ashe. I always have been and I always will be.”

Lorraine stood in the hallway, Kayla falling asleep in her arms. The baby’s warmth poured into her chest, and her own heartbeat seemed to sync up with the child’s. Lorraine wouldn't have been surprised to find that all four of their heartbeats were perfectly matched, beating as one.

After a tender silence, Ashe said, “Someday, she’s gonna be an actress and I’m gonna direct her in the movies. We’ll both win an Oscar, just watch.”

“I don’t doubt it for an instant,” Griffin said in a low, rumbly voice. “I can’t wait to see it.”

“Maybe the snowman comedy. Remember, from Denver, when we were throwing snowballs?” he reminisced.

Griffin chuckled. “Sure I do, Ashe. That was a fun day.”

Ashe nodded with a genuine smile, so comfortable on his face. For that, Lorraine was profoundly grateful, even more so to have had a part in helping to make it happen. All Lorraine wanted was the chance to keep playing that part in his life, in all their lives, for the rest of her life.

But, something inside Lorraine told her that it just wasn’t going to be that easy. And she wasn't the only one.

Ashe seemed to hesitate before asking his father, “Are we going to lose them, too, Dad? The same way we lost Mom?”

Lorraine’s heart skipped, a pang of sentiment shooting through her chest. Griffin said, “No, Ashe, no.”

“But you don’t know that! You can’t promise.”

“Okay, you’re right, that’s true. And I don’t promise, Ashe, I don’t. I don’t promise that you won’t lose me either, or that we … well, or that we won’t lose you or Kayla. But, that’s the way life is, buddy. There are no guarantees, you and I both know that. We have to live anyway, right? I know the way we live, it’s … it’s a bit different than most people … ”

“I’m going to school now,” Ashe said, “just like normal kids.”

“There’s nothing about you that’s abnormal, Ashe, there never was. You’re exceptional. And I’m glad you’re in school with other kids. Because we still have to face the same things everybody faces; bullies, institutions, challenges of all sorts. And we always face them, don’t we?”

Ashe nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Even … even when one of those challenges … is death.” It cast a pallor over their conversation, Lorraine’s heart sinking just a bit.

Ashe said, “Yes, that’s right.”

“So if you ask me, will we lose them? The answer, the true answer, is yes, we will. But not for a long, long time, Ashe. And in the meantime, we’ll have so many good times, so many laughs and tears. We’ll share our lives, Ashe, the way family is meant to do, as well as we can for as long as we can. That I can promise you.”