As Time Goes By: A BWWM Interracial Romance (5 page)

“The press conference was taped earlier. I’ll be by at seven
to pick you up,” he assured her before hanging up.

 She sat in front of the TV and turned it on. The man she
was crazy about had taped a press conference and going to address the city she
also loved. She suddenly felt all warm and fuzzy inside. If anyone could fix
Detroit’s problems, Arnold could. But having dreams was one thing. Getting
elected in a city where much of the population was black, was quite another.
They had already elected two black mayors in succession. Could a third be far
behind? And if so, what chance did the Caucasian Arnold have? There had been
ongoing suggestions in Detroit of police brutality toward young black males,
just as there had been in the rest of the country. Many people thought that a
black mayor was better equipped to deal with such issues, whereas a white mayor
might be somewhat out of touch.

 Arnold’s face was suddenly front and center on her TV
screen. But she was both shocked and dismayed by the lack of black faces that
he had assembled to be his initial lection team. The three fledgling staff
around him at the mike where all white. She frowned. It was one thing to vote
for a white guy who was influenced by black advisors. But it was quite another
to vote for a white guy surrounded with white advisors. She decided in her
heart of hearts that Arnold needed a very stiff talking to.

 XXX

“I really like this restaurant,” Marg whispered, reaching
across the table to clasp his outstretched hand. “But you’re going to need
every penny here on in for the campaign trail. Sometimes, eating at a much
cheaper greasy spoon, or fiery hot spicy Caribbean mom and pop can be a blast
of fun.”

 “About that,” Arnold said, his countenance changing for the
worse. “Daryl, my brother and number one fan, says that our present mayor will
try to hang onto his job by stressing a ‘return to family values.’ The other
challenger, Nevil Johnston, has already declared his platform. His slogan is ‘a
job for everyone.’ I’m kind of late out of the gate and being boxed in.”

A fear began to creep over her. She was smart enough to know
that politics was a game of perception, and that votes were where you found
them. A lot of Detroit’s citizens were upset with the present mayor David Dodds,
and his record of raising taxes while frittering away the city’s money on
projects that were ill-advised and counter-productive. It was also obvious that
the mayor had fudged the numbers to make it appear as though his programs had
been both cost effective and wildly successful. Still, regardless of the
present mayor’s shortcomings, he was black, and he understood only too well the
issues facing the city. Police brutality against black men…half the city’s
inner core rotting in decay…a hundred thousand stray dogs taking over the
city…high unemployment and a skyrocketing crime rate that was amongst the
highest in the whole damn country. On the flip side of the coin, however,
Arnold was prepared to argue that for a man who supposedly understood the city
so well, so very little had been done to address the problems. Arnold’s
platform of change was going to emphasize that David’s programs hadn’t worked
then and couldn’t work now, and that a newer fresher approach was what was
needed.

 The good news for both men was that the other challenger,
Nevil, was touting a platform that while catchy, seemed so very unrealistic. A
job for everybody? Just how in the hell was he going to accomplish that?

 Still, for all of Arnold’s bravado, and all of David’s
bluster, the fact remained that citizens were liable to make the campaign about
whatever the politicians decided it should be about. The economic platforms,
once tried and tested stalwarts in any election campaign, were bound to fall
ironically by the way side. Nobody really believed there was anything any damn
mayor could do about the shocking problems facing the city. The State of
Michigan was stepping in to take over the city’s finances and to try and reign
in the horrific debt load crushing the sea of red ink on their pathetic books.
They had lost over a third of their revenues to fleeing businesses, and another
fifteen per cent to boarded up, dilapidated homes whose present unemployed
owners could no longer afford land taxes or out of touch mortgages. All told, a
fifty percent gutting of their tax base was not just something a city could
walk away from unscathed. There were going to be heavy casualties, and David
Dodd’s assertion that Detroit should undertake ‘a return to family values,’ a
stroke of genius in that it clouded the harsh realities while giving drowning
citizens something to cling to. The suggestion that the economy, standard of
living, and quality of life would all bounce back if family values were to
strengthen was a gamble that was bound to pay off to some degree. And Arnold’s
anticipated hat tossing into the ring didn’t do anything to put a damper on the
present mayor’s re-election plans.

“My brother Daryl feels that my lack of a wife might hurt
me.”

Marg could feel her temperature rise and her heart thump
like crazy. Was he suggesting what she thought he was suggesting? It was then
and there she realized she was actually over the moon for him. To even consider
marrying a man after dating for only two weeks seemed tenuous at best, even if
she had of known him from way before that. But if he was going to ask her, she
was definitely going to say yes. Hot guys were always plentiful, but hot guys
like Arnold were few and far between. She was determined to keep her marriage
minded fingers continually wrapped around his giant cock until he finally gave
up.

“Tell me more,” she said, trying to prod him to elaborate.

 He continued. “The fact I was divorced and had no children
will give David’s campaign slogan more traction. Suddenly, I become the target
while he surrounds himself on stage with a wife of thirty years, and six kids
with over twenty grand kids. That gives voters a warm and fuzzy feeling
inside.”

A strange feeling began to take hold of Marg. He was only
spitting words out without actually bringing her into the picture. She sought
more clarity. “Are you saying that you and I dating might be negative aspect to
your campaign?”

“Could be,” he answered honestly. “But while dating a single
gal and losing points on the family side, I could score a lot of points with
you on my arm on the racial side. There are definitely more plusses to having a
black woman on my team than on the sidelines.”

An excitement began to brew within her. She felt like she
was on a roller coaster, one minute in danger of losing him, and the next
becoming an asset to him.

Still, the clarity was not in focus. She wanted a much clearer
picture of his intentions. “Speaking of race, you do know don’t you, that all
of your current election team is white. Most of those voting will be black. It
makes it seem that you are not even making an effort to-”

“That’s why I’d like you to take over as my campaign
manager.”

His words floored her. It wasn’t exactly the marriage
proposal she was day dreaming about, but it was a powerful nudge in the right
direction. She felt she must mean the world to him and have his uttermost
confidence for him to give her such a vital role. Was he serious?

 “Say again?”

 “You heard me hon. I think you should take over as my
campaign manager. My brother Daryl said he would run my campaign but only if I
couldn’t find someone else suitable, but I think you’d be perfect for the job.”

 His words floored her. Could a marriage proposal be far
behind? Or was she just becoming the queen of wishful thinking. At any rate,
she knew she needed to play along. Some men were adamant about doing things in
steps. “Wow. Just like that? You really think I’m qualified?”

 “Actually,” he said, “it will kill two birds with one
stone. It will give visibility to my efforts to represent the black community
and to hear their voices. It will also give us the opportunity to either hide
our relationship, or use it to our advantage. A campaign manager is supposed to
be around her candidate 24/7, mapping out strategy, and so reporters and
everyday people won’t find it strange if you are always around, or staying at
my place or staying at hotels with me.”

 She displayed a mock frown. “You’re still not saying
whether or not you think I’m qualified. I never even went to college. As for
having me around, perhaps as your girlfriend as well, you’re not saying you’re
ashamed of me, are you?”

 “Not at all. But realities are realities. Women voters
might cast a ballot based on who is more of a family man and who looks like
less of a hustler. But college is overrated. Detroit is filled right now with
college grads who can’t get a job to save their lives. Still, me having a
girlfriend might make me look like some kind of hustler. We might have to hide
our sexual relationship. Voter’s expectations are often unrealistic and
woefully unfair.”

 “You’re hardly a hustler. So far you’ve been the man of my
dreams.” She tried to manufacture a sparkle in her eyes to aid her message,
hopeful he would take the bait.

 “And we could play that angle,” he reciprocated. “The point
is, that there would always be a black face at my side and it would belong
there because you would be my campaign manager. That would take care of the
race issue and might hide the fact we are sleeping together.”

 His casually tossed word ‘might’ got stuck in her ears. She
was suddenly desperate for him to confirm that their courting relationship
would not be put on ice, but would rather continue unabated. “I’d prefer
honesty, but since nobody but my immediate family really knows I’m dating you, then
yes, maybe we should keep it that way. We can still continue to be intimate,
but of course in secret and no one would be the wiser. Our relationship would
continue to grow and I would have a paying job, finally and you would have a
slice of the black vote because your manager would be black.”

“Exactly.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. Still, secrets had a way of
being exposed. If they were caught having an open relationship, that would put
more pressure on him to make such a relationship permanent if there were to be
a voter backlash. “Except, you know what they say. Whatever can go wrong, will
go wrong,” she said, seeking clarification.

“Campaigns rarely work out the way they’re supposed to,”
Arnold said, agreeing with her assessment. “I’m prepared for whatever comes my
way.”

“In that case, maybe we should make our dating public from
the onset. You don’t want to give the appearance of dishonesty if they should
find out about us later on.”

“Still,” he answered, the tone of his voice almost
protesting.“Some may think I only gave you the job because we’re lovers. That
might give David ammunition to smear me in his family values campaign, and make
me look like I’d give city jobs to friends, girlfriends and family if I won.”

“I see your point. Well, for now we can keep it a secret
unless and until someone with a big mouth finds out about us. Then we can
always cross that bridge when we come to it. Of course, there is a third
alternative. As I hinted at earlier, we could get married. That would change
the dynamics of the whole campaign altogether. Get you off the hook where being
wild and single was concerned, and put you on the bandwagon where family values
was concerned.”

 Her words floored him. He turned to face her and let his
hands rest on her shoulders. Her fork had been toying with her dessert. She
dropped her fork and let her hands rest encouragingly on his arms. Then she let
him kiss her softly and gaze into her big brown eyes. She held her breath as he
started to speak.

 “Nothing would please me more than being married to such a
special and attractive woman as you. You have so much love to give and are so
charming and fun to be with. But our relationship is just starting out. We need
to give it more time. The next time I get married, I want it to be for life,
and I want it to be with someone I adore, trust and love. You easily fit all
those requirements. But I think it is way too soon. Couples can get married
anytime. That’s the easy part. Messy divorces later on is the hard part. I
think dating a girl for at least six months before proposing is something I’m
more comfortable with.”

 “Are you saying you don’t think we’d make it as a married
couple?” she said, almost angrily, trying not to show contempt for his
reasoning. She was now in anguish. She had done it to herself again, fallen
head over heels for some guy who was going to use her to get elected as mayor,
but after that? After that??? She began to kick herself in earnest. Why hadn’t
she listened more to her intuitive younger sister? And why hadn’t she guarded
her wayward heart more carefully and craftily?

 “Not saying we wouldn’t make a good couple. The truth is we
make a great couple,” he whispered tactfully. “In fact, I think we’d make the
perfect married couple. But it is just so soon in the relationship to be sure.
We need, as I said, more time.Good things come to those that wait. And don’t
forget. I’m growing to be so head over heels in love with you that I couldn’t
leave you if I tried.”

Marg smiled. Honesty and being reassuring were two of his
strong suits. His assertion that he could never leave her was like a life
preserver tossed at a drowning woman. If they ever did get married, she knew
he’d be a keeper.

“As to your platform?”

“Pardon? A platform?”

She stared at Arnold incredulously. Then she read him the
riot act. “Don’t tell me you were all so fired ready to make such a rookie
political mistake such as only responding to what other candidates have to say?
You need to have your own agenda. You know, an intriguing, common sense
platform for the voters of Detroit that makes sense to them and that they can
resonate with. What would you do if you became mayor? And most importantly of
all. How would you pay for it? What programs would be a priority to you and
what programs would you let slide to the back burner. You need to be able to
explain how the city might be able to afford your initiatives, after all,
that’s what made Detroit bankrupt in the first place, so much wild politicians
making off the cuff, expensive promises that they didn’t have a clue as to how
they would pay for such things.”