Hannah climbing off the couch wakes me up with a start. Jaimie’s already standing and meets my confused look with the explanation, “Hannah has to go to the bathroom.”

“Oh,” I mutter, rubbing my eyes as they walk away together. The last time she went was the senior living home. The girl holds it like a camel.

Rising up I trudge to my phone. I feel like I could sleep for days. “So many people, I have to scroll to see them all. Jesus,” I mutter to myself.

I almost set it down but it rings in my hand. Swiping I answer, “Hey Dad.”

“Justin! Thank God. We’ve been trying to get ahold of you. How are you?”

“I’m okay,” I exhale, sitting on the stool by my kitchen island and rubbing my eyes, both from exhaustion and a desire to avoid this. I’m a take-care-of-it-myself kind of guy and sometimes it bugs me how close our family is. A bigger part of me would kill for any single one of them if they were in danger.

“Is she there with you?”

“Where else would she be?”

Dad barks, “Well, you never called us! How should we know?”

It’s always we with him. Mom’s the same. It’s like they’re one person and I secretly hate it for a reason I’ll never tell them. “I need some time. I’m sure you can imagine this is a big deal.”

He huffs and announces, “I should say it is. Why won’t you let us help?”

“Dad, it just happened. I want her to get used to me. I want her to know her father.” My chest twists up and I shake it off, walking over to stare out at the cityscape view. “She just lost her mother. Introducing her to everyone is too much today.”

“I can’t argue with that logic,” he whispers. Mom says something in the background and he tells me, “Your mother wants to talk to you.”

“No, Dad…”

“Justin! Are you okay? Your father won’t say it but he’s worried about you. You gave your seat up.”

“I wasn’t going to win, Mom. I was running as an Independent. They never win.”

“Oh stop it. You were winning them over, honey. You know you were. Oh Justin, but I’m so proud of you!” She starts weeping and I close my eyes.

“Mom…”

“I’m just so proud! And so surprised!”

Gotta laugh at that. Through a grin I tell her, “Yeah, I’m sure you’re not the only one feeling that way.”

“At least Jason was there for you. I’m so glad you called him, at least. God, if you weren’t born a twin I don’t want to think about how alone you’d keep yourself.”

“Mom.”

“At least my sister and her family were able to help a little, too. But I have to admit I was a bit jealous they saw Hannah first. When can we meet Hannah?”

Smiling at Mom’s emotional rambling I glance over and see Jaimie returning with Hannah in her arms. The sight of them stills me and I say into the phone, “Mom, I’ve gotta go put my daughter to bed.”

I said that on purpose for the reaction I knew it would receive.

“Your daughter! My lord, I never thought I’d hear those words from you!”

I laugh, “I love you, Mom. I’ll call soon.”

“Call tomorrow!!!”

“We’ll see.” Hanging up I throw my phone on the couch, walking to them. Jaimie hands her to me. “You tired?” Hannah nods, long eyelashes at half-mast. “Okay, let’s get you to bed.”

“I’ll grab her pajamas.” Jaimie walks to the wreck of clothes on the floor and picks through it while I watch her bend over.

“Hannah, can you change your own clothes?”

“Duh,” she answers with an eye roll.

Jaimie stifles a laugh and I cut an amused glance to her. She follows us into my bedroom and I set Hannah standing on the bed. “I’ll leave the women alone for a moment then.”

In a few minutes Jaimie calls me back in. She waits nearby while I tuck Hannah in, her skin and hair looking so bright against the black pillowcase and comforter.

“We’re going shopping tomorrow. Have to get you your own bed.”

She’s too tired to care, eyes growing heavier by the second. She holds up Lou for me to kiss, and I do it because I can tell it’s a habit of hers. Tanny must have kissed that doll the last time. And the hundreds before that. I’m learning how to roll with the punches more quickly. “Sweet dreams, Hannah.”

“Goodnight, Hannah,” Jaimie says, a few paces back.

“Night,” she whispers, burrowing into Lou, her mother’s photo in her other hand.

I’ve gotta walk backwards out of my bedroom, I’m in such disbelief. There’s a little girl who shares my blood lying right there.

In case she gets scared, I leave the door open and find Jaimie in the hallway waiting for me. “I’m going home.”

Oh no, you don’t. I’m not ready to let you go yet.

“Stay.”

Those smoky charcoal eyes search mine. She glances to my lips and whispers, “Okay. A little longer.”

We open a bottle of Opus One and while I pour, Jaimie watches me like she’s not sure what to say. “I was going to open this when I won. It ain’t cheap.”

“Oh!”

“No, don’t look so sad. It’s okay. I guess it just wasn’t my time. It’s not like I lost and they hated me. I forfeited.”

She takes her wine goblet from my hand and watches me replace the cork and set the bottle aside. A beautiful smile appears and with conviction she offers a toast. “To the next election where you’ll dominate.”

Chuckling, I tap my goblet to hers and we drink, our eyes locked together. I think she got even sexier after I saw her maternal side because I can’t stop staring at the woman. She licks the red wine from her bottom lip, smile changing.

“Do it again.”

“Justin, not tonight.”

On a devilish smirk I ask, “You really think that’s all I want? Ever?”

“I have no idea what you want.” Her eyes darken.

I lean against the shiny black kitchen counter I paid a fortune to install. “I want to make a difference. All those things I said in my speeches, I want to make them real. And if I can’t from Washington, I’ll fight like hell to get it done here.”

“Like help the homeless shelters,” she quietly offers. “I saw the video, Justin. I saw what you did.”

My jaw tightens. “I didn’t know I was being filmed.”

“I have no doubt of that.”

“I was trying to see what no one will tell you. How it really is.”

“And what did you discover?”

“You’re invisible to a lot of people when you’re broke and dirty. It doesn’t feel good to be invisible, and it becomes easier to believe you’re not worth looking at. You forget there’s a way out, especially when you’re treated like dog shit. Anyway, I could talk about this stuff all night.”

Jaimie raises her glass to her lips and smiles. “Then talk about it. I’m not bored.”

That’s like pouring lighter fluid on hungry coals for me. I launch into how I’ll make it happen, and she and I exchange ideas. The conversation expands to include all the topics I’ve been preaching about that need change. Jaimie keeps throwing out suggestions that further inspire me. She’s good at building on what I’ve presented and offering a solution when I hit a wall. We go through this bottle of wine and then open another, the air crackling with passionate brainstorming. I see her laughing over something stupid I said and the sound makes me go quiet.

“What?” she smiles. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’re beautiful.”

Her smile shifts a little. “Justin…”

I shut her up with a kiss, running my hands down her side as she responds. Pulling away I search her eyes. “Stay here tonight.”