The Broken Road (The Broken Series) (7 page)

I
switched lines and issued my standard greeting, still deeply entrenched in the
case files scattered across my desk. “Senior and Long Term Care, Kristine
speaking.”

“Hi
Kristine. It’s Julianne from the John Heinz Foundation. I’m calling with some
good news… You've been selected to be our next senate fellow. The decision was
unanimous. Congratulations!”

I
looked up from the case files as Julianne’s words seeped into my scattered brain.
I sank into my chair as tears pricked my eyes. I felt…
completely terrified
.
I took a deep, steadying breath. “Thank you, Julianne. I feel truly honored,
but I’m a little surprised you’ve chosen me. Would you mind terribly if I took
twenty-four hours to think about this before accepting the position?” I cringed.
I suspected most people would be jumping for joy.

“Of
course. Why don’t you give me a call back in a couple of days?” Julianne
encouraged.

“Thanks,
Julianne,” I responded gratefully.

I
told no one. I simply packed my things and walked out of the office. I stopped
briefly at my house to change clothes and grab a bottle of water. Then I drove
to the base of Mount Helena. I sat and stared at the mountain before easing out
of the jeep to stretch my legs. I knew it wasn’t wise to hike by myself, but I
needed to be alone with my thoughts, and I needed a level of clarity that could
only be gained at the top of a mountain. So I forced my concerns aside, chose
the steepest trail, and began hiking.

My
lungs and legs were burning by the time I made it to the top. I sat on a smooth
patch of ground as I guzzled my water. I gazed out over the valley, admiring
how pretty Helena looked nestled into the base of the mountains. I closed my
eyes and savored the warm scent of pine that gently enveloped me as I lay
against the cold ground.

I
lowered the mental shields I had erected at the office and allowed the
fellowship to permeate my thoughts. When I could no longer feel the sun on my
face, I made my decision, committed myself to that decision, and slowly opened
my eyes. I was surprised by how low the sun had fallen. It was entirely too
late to be hiking the mountain alone. I jogged down the trail until the sun
completely disappeared and it was no longer safe to run. As I eased to a
cautious walk, I wondered whether the foreboding I felt was the result of being
alone on a dark mountain trail or whether it was the decision I had made at the
top.

*
* * * * *

I
called my parents first. They tried to be supportive, but my mom sounded sad,
and my dad voiced a number of concerns. We had always lived within a few hours
of each other, so this separation was going to prove difficult for all of us. I
tried to reassure them and promised to drive down to see them as soon as I
could.

My
cousin, Lexie, was next on my list. Lexie and I grew up next door to each other.
We had practically been friends since birth. Although we currently lived an
hour and a half apart, we were closer now than ever before. We slayed demons
together… the kind that haunted dreams, as was the case with my ex-husband… and
the kind that dragged us through hospitals, as was the case with her kidney
failure. A kidney transplant turned things around six months ago.

Lexie
picked up on the first ring. “Hey, cuz! What’s up?”

I
swallowed nervously. “Hey, Lex. I’m calling to let you know I was offered the
fellowship in DC. I’ve decided to accept.”

The
line was quiet as Lexie processed the news. Finally, she spoke. “Congratulations,
honey. I’m really happy for you.” She didn’t sound happy. She sounded sad.

I
panicked and immediately began back pedaling. “Oh, God. I can’t believe I’m
doing this. Am I really doing this? Do you think I’m making the right decision?
What should I do?”

Lexie
chuckled softly. “Krissy, we’ve been over this a number of times. It will be
good for you to get away for a while. You won’t have to worry about running
into Tom, Michael, or Justin when you’re in DC; and just think about how good
this is going to look on your resume. Didn’t you tell me your boss offered to
hold your job for you?”

“Yes.”

“Then
you have nothing to lose by going. We’ll all still be here when you return home.”

I
sighed, once again resigned to the idea of moving. “Thankfully, it’s only a
year. You will come visit me.” It wasn’t a question. It was a demand.

“Of
course. I’ll give you just enough time to learn your way around, then I’ll come
out to visit. I promise.”

And,
with that reassurance, I called Julianne to accept the fellowship position.

Julianne
said she would send a formal letter offering me the position. Then she recited
a long list of things for me to do. I would have to return to DC to secure an
apartment and interview senators. I was surprised to learn that I would get to
choose the senator I worked for. Julianne assured me that the senators would be
jockeying for me, given my experience and the fact that it was the foundation,
not the senators, paying my salary.

My
free time was quickly consumed with research on U.S. senators and apartments in
Virginia. It wasn’t long before I had a binder full of notes. Countless lists
littered my office, my jeep, and the front of my refrigerator.

*
* * * * *

I
returned to DC a few weeks later. My flights were uneventful, boring even. I
didn’t sit by any women who felt compelled to share their life stories and no
one bled on me. For these reasons alone, I considered both flights a success.

As
with my previous trip, I managed to make a spectacle of myself while exiting the
airport. I caused a human traffic jam in the exit doors of the main terminal. I
didn’t mean to, but the cool, air conditioned airport had left me completely
unprepared for the crushing heat that met me at the door.

The
air was so oppressive that it was nearly impossible to breathe. I froze, just
outside the doorway, and glanced down at my feet. I was certain I had just
stepped into a warm puddle of water, but my sandals were perfectly dry. That’s
when I realized it wasn’t just my feet. My entire body was drenched by the
humidity. I had never felt anything like it.

Habib’s
voice broke through the confusion. “Kristine, I’m over here!”

I
slowly wheeled my luggage toward his cab. I was still marveling at how wet my
feet felt.

Habib
smiled. With a polite bow, he opened the front passenger door for me.

A
welcome blast of cold air greeted me as I folded myself into his car. “Thanks,
Habib. It’s good to see you again.”

Habib
loaded my luggage into the trunk before joining me in the front seat. “Where
are you staying this time?”

I
pulled the hotel confirmation from my laptop bag. “The Holiday Inn in Alexandria.
It’s located on King Street.”

Habib
nodded as he pulled away from the airport. “I know the hotel. I’m surprised you’re
not staying in DC.”

“This
hotel is located near the apartments I’m considering. I wanted to get a feel
for the neighborhood.” I stared at the waves of heat shimmering off the road. “It
is crazy hot here!” Goose bumps pricked my arms from the air conditioning.
Suddenly, I wasn’t hot. I was ridiculously cold. I pulled the pashmina from my
laptop bag and wrapped it around my shoulders.  

Habib
offered a sympathetic nod. “The heat is unbearable here in the summer. You will
like fall much better.” He glanced over at me, noticed the pashmina, and
chuckled. “Congratulations on your new job. Are you happy you’re moving to DC?”

“Thanks,
Habib. I feel more nervous than anything. DC is very different from Montana.”

Habib
smiled knowingly. “Different is not always a bad thing.”

I
nodded, then gazed out the window as I tried to get a feel for the state I
would soon call home. I pulled a binder out of my bag and nervously reviewed
the list of appointments I had scheduled. I looked up from the binder as I returned
my attention to Habib. “What’s your availability over the next few days?”

Habib
shot me a quick smile. “My schedule is flexible.”

I
closed the binder and leaned my head against the seat with a soft sigh. “The
next five days are going to be insanely busy. I’m interviewing five senators
tomorrow, and I need to find an apartment, preferably in the Alexandria area.
I'm worried I won’t find a place to live in such a short amount of time.”

“I'm
happy to drive you to your appointments. Everything will be fine, Kristine. You
will like it here. You'll see.” Habib smiled reassuringly.

We
pulled up to the Holiday Inn a few minutes later. I dug through my purse for
some cash. I handed Habib the cab fare and a rather large tip. “Thanks, Habib.”

Habib
shoved the money in his pocket. He handed me a blank receipt before opening the
car door. “What time should I pick you up tomorrow?”

I
met Habib at the back of the car. “My senate interviews start at eight in the
morning.  What time do you recommend we leave here, given rush hour traffic?”

Habib
set my suitcase on the ground, then closed the trunk. “I will meet you here at
six-thirty, just to be safe. I do not want to make you late for your
interviews.”

I
balanced my laptop bag on top of my suitcase and started walking toward the
hotel. “Thanks, Habib. I’ll see you then!”

The
first thing I did after I checked into my hotel room was jump in the shower. I
couldn’t function with that sticky residue from the humidity suffocating my
skin. I slipped into a comfy pair of yoga pants and a tank top before ordering a
tomato, basil, and mozzarella sandwich on ciabatta bread from room service. I
kicked my feet up on the desk and picked at my sandwich while mulling over the
notes I had compiled on each of the senators. I felt a tinge of excitement when
it dawned on me that I would soon be working for one of these five men. When I
finally drifted off to sleep, I was still questioning which one.

*
* * * * *

Habib
was already waiting in the lobby when I took the elevator down. He was standing
by a large window, wearing khaki pants, a white polo shirt, and brown loafers.
This appeared to be his standard attire.

Habib
smiled and nodded when he saw me approach from the elevator. “Good morning,
Kristine. You look nice.”

I
was wearing a navy dress suit with a pencil skirt, a white camisole, and modest
two-inch navy heels. I smoothed my hands over my suit jacket nervously. “Thank
you, Habib. I really appreciate you getting up so early to drive me into DC.”

Habib
smiled as he turned toward the door. “I’m looking forward to the drive in
today.”

I
walked alongside Habib until the lobby doors slid open. My feet stalled as a
wrecking ball of humidity bowled me over. I shook my head in wonder.

We
were surrounded by a thick white haze, which evoked memories of driving through
the clouds in Glacier National Park. I smiled gratefully at Habib, who was
politely holding the passenger door open for me.

I
watched with wide eyes as Habib nudged his way into traffic. He didn’t appear
the least bit concerned by the cars that were driving mere inches from his or
the snail’s pace at which they moved.

He
glanced at me as he eased onto the exit for I-395. “I am curious about the
senators you are meeting with today. Do you know which senate buildings you
need to go to?”

I
nodded. “I scheduled interviews with five senators: Senator Kennedy, Senator
Rockefeller, Senator Baucus, Senator Burns, and Senator Reed; so I’ll be
bouncing between all three senate buildings. If you don’t mind, I’d like you to
drop me off in front of the Dirksen Building. My last interview is in the Hart
building. I should be done sometime around five o’clock.”

Habib
smiled. “I will be waiting outside the Hart Building at five o’clock. Don’t
worry if you run late. I will wait for you. You can call me if you need me to
come sooner. Do you still have my business card?”

I
nodded, then smiled as Habib handed me another business card. I tucked the card
into my purse and turned my attention to the interlocking cars that were crawling
up the road. I shuddered at the sight. I would soon have to face this drive
into DC on my own.

My
thoughts drifted to the senators I was about to interview. Each of them
displayed some level of commitment to aging or health policy, although
Rockefeller and Kennedy stood head and shoulders above the rest when it came to
health care. This commitment was important to me, but so were their committee
assignments. I wanted to work for a senator who was appointed to the Senate
Finance Committee; the HELP Committee; or the Sub-committee on Aging. Two of
the senators on my list were from Montana, and four of the five represented
rural states, which increased the likelihood I would work on aging and health
care legislation that would benefit Montanans.

I
opened my binder, sifted through my research on the senators, and scratched in
a few more interview questions.

Habib
occasionally called my attention to the road as he offered advice about how
best to approach what would soon become my regular commute.