A Sense of Wonder

The gloves came off after the primaries. Attack ads were run around the clock, insults were slung, misleading facts were circulated and the talking heads spewed their toxic lies, but despite the unending personal attacks, Paulina did not buckle under the pressure, because if Thomas Henderson and his supporters wanted to spend millions of dollars attacking her, then so be it. That was, after all, the Republican Party’s favorite tactic. It was what they had done when John Kerry ran against George W. Bush in 2004. It was the reason that the Tea Party Movement took off as well as it did within the GOP. It was the reason why the Republicans regained control of the House and Senate in the 2014 elections. Throwing money at the situation had always made things better for them, and they were confident that their millions would be enough to secure the Senate seat for their candidate, and there was a time when Paulina genuinely worried that her campaign wouldn’t be able to stay afloat, not with how much money the Republicans were pumping into Henderson’s campaign. She didn’t have access to as much money as he did. She had unions on her side, not multinational corporations, but despite that daunting difference, the Balcázar campaign made due.

They were strategic about how they invested their money. They couldn’t afford to be careless. That was why Paulina did as many interviews as she did. It was free publicity, it was an effective way of getting her message out there, especially since Thomas didn’t take advantage of the medium. The only interviews he ever did were with CNN and FOX News and conservative media. He stayed where he felt comfortable, where he could remain on message. Only once did he allow himself to be interviewed by another news outlet, he did a segment for 60 Minutes on CBS, and it was a massive disaster. His team had thought it’d be a great way to reach out to moderates and independents, they figured they could exploit the program for their own benefit, but a couple minutes into the interview it all fell apart, five minutes into it and people were reminded of when Sarah Palin sat down with Katie Couric. From then on, Thomas stuck to where he was safe, and that was a fact that Paulina exploited. She was on all the major networks, she regularly made the rounds on the cable news channels, she was on PBS, she did NPR, she was interviewed on talk radio, she sat down for interviews with printed newspapers and online media, and on top of all that, she used the fact that she was multilingual to her benefit, because while Thomas exclusively interviewed in English, she crossed over into the Spanish speaking market. She went on their talk shows and news programs and radio stations, she became a source of pride for the Hispanic community in California, but more than that, she became a well-known figure throughout the entire country, because she wasn’t just being interviewed by the local news stations, she was being interviewed in Univision and Telemundo’s prime time slots, she was being put on the talk shows that were aired nationwide, and some of them were even aired internationally to Latin America and that exposure was worth millions.

And it wasn’t just in English and Spanish that she was conducting interviews, she was also doing them with the Mandarin language media in California, something that her team had initially hesitated about, but that she had adamantly pushed for. She had been learning the language throughout the last four years, having decided that in global politics, English and Spanish were not enough. She had to learn another language, and although she had always wanted to learn French, she decided against it. The new language had to be from Asia. It had to either be Korean or Japanese or Mandarin, because they were powerful in the current global economy, and since Mandarin had nearly a billion native speakers, Paulina committed herself to learning it. She took lessons at a community college, she had weekly sessions with a private tutor, and one of the other staffers for Senator Stevenson helped her practice her conversational skills. It was hard work taking on such a rich and complex language, and after four years, Paulina still had plenty of work ahead of her in its mastery, but she was proficient enough to understand and be understood, and her efforts were greatly appreciated.

Had Paulina spoken other languages, she would’ve gladly conducted interviews in them, but since she didn’t, she did the next best thing, she showed up with trusted translators and did her absolute best to get her message out there. There were certain Republicans that criticized her interview tactics, there were even some conservatives who labeled her unpatriotic, because according to them, an American politician should only do business in English. They criticized her the same way that they criticized John Kerry for speaking French, but she didn’t care what they thought. She wasn’t going to stop being multilingual simply because someone was offended by the fact that she was fluent in two languages and proficient in one, their ignorance was their problem, not hers. So she kept speaking Spanish and Mandarin, she kept reaching out to the different communities in California, because celebrating the cultural diversity of Californians was important to her. That was why she visited Synagogues and Mosques and Temples and Churches, that was why she sometimes ate food that she wasn’t entirely sure about, that was why she sat down for one on one conversations with people, because she wanted to learn more about them, about their cultures, about the issues that mattered to them and the problems they faced.

It was through putting herself out there that she gained voters, it was through having honest conversations that she shone, because she didn’t have anything to hide. She wasn’t running because she wanted to make millions off lobbyist or because she had wealthy backers that would reward her handsomely. She was running because she believed in California. She was running because she genuinely believed that its best days were still to come, and that belief, that commitment strongly resonated with others. It even managed to inspire some that had long been apathetic towards politics. There was just something about her that demanded to be recognized, she was a force to be reckoned with and that was why, a week before the election, on the day of the final debate against Thomas Henderson, the polls had her up by six.

They were a hard fought six points and were by all means unexpected. The candidates had spent the last two months trading off being in the lead, one week Paulina was up by two, the next week Thomas was. So the campaigns fully expected that the election would be decided by a narrow margin, they believed that every single vote was going to matter, but there was Paulina, pulling ahead. She surprised her supporters and the pundits and the GOP. She even surprised herself, because in her mind, the race was going to be too close to call, every single vote would have to be counted before a winner was announced. That was what she expected from the election. That was why she had a hard time believing the news when her most trusted personal aide delivered it to her.

“Very funny,” she told him as she set down the weights. “What are the actual numbers?”

“Those are it.”

“They can’t be,” she said as she grabbed her towel from the bench. “I was only up by two last week.”

“And now you’re up by six, Ma’am.” He held up the newspapers as evidence. “It’s been confirmed by the LA Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Sacramento Bee, and several others.”

“Let me see those then.” She wiped the sweat from her face before reaching for the newspapers. “Thanks, Jeff.”

She knew she was being unreasonable. If Jeffrey said she was up by six, then she was up by six. He wasn’t going to jeopardize his position by lying to her about poll numbers, to do so would’ve been fucking idiotic, but despite that, Paulina was hesitant about accepting the numbers because six points was huge. No one had expected there to be a six point lead in the race. Not the Republicans. Not the Democrats. Not even the political consultants that each side had hired. They had projected that the race would be decided by two points on Election Day. That was their professional opinion, that was what years of experience had made them believe, but there was Paulina, pulling ahead and she had to see that with her own eyes. She had to make sure that it wasn’t some delusion brought about by her sleep deprivation.

As such, she immersed herself in the articles, she read them thoroughly and when she finished, she had the same look on her face that she’d had when she received her congratulatory first at Oxford. Her brow was furrowed, her nose a bit scrunched up – by all means, it was a confused look, but oddly enough, there was a massive smile on her face. It was a perplexingly joyful moment and after the initial shock wore off, she began to laugh.

“How the hell did this happen?” she mused aloud. “I thought – well, it doesn’t matter what I thought, I was fucking wrong, but still. We’re up by six. Six fucking points.” She looked up at him. “Can you believe it? One week left and this happens. Not that I’m complaining. Believe me, I’m glad we’re up by six and not Henderson, but this was just so unexpected. All the consultants said we were going to go into Election Day in a dead head, that was what I anticipated, but here are the numbers.” She glanced down at the SF Chronicle one was last time. “And you know what? I want to widen the gap, because if we could get six, then there’s no reason why we can’t do eight or ten. We just have to make these last days count. It’s time to go into overdrive, which means I should probably go get ready. I’ve exercised enough for today.”

“How long have you been here, Ma’am?”

“Since a little after four.”

“But you went to bed almost at midnight.”

“We both know I’m not much in the way of sleeping nowadays,” she replied as she stood up. She honestly couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a decent night’s sleep. “And anyway, we both know I’m insufferable without my morning workout. Now I’m going to head upstairs, I should be ready within the hour and then leave to the diner for the campaign stop.” She gathered her belongings into her beat up gym bag. “Take a nap while you wait,” she told him. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us. And thanks again for bringing the papers.”

Having been a personal aide for several years, Paulina made sure to treat her aide in the manner that she had been treated. She knew firsthand how difficult it was to look after another person, because being a personal aide wasn’t just about taking notes at meetings or typing up briefings or taking calls, it was about anticipating all of the other person’s needs, it was about arranging meals, providing companionship and just generally ensuring that the person in charge was well looked after. It was stressful and time consuming work, which was why she made a point of thanking him regularly, because she wanted to make sure that he felt his work was appreciated and that his time was valued. He was the person that she was in closest contact with throughout the day, he was her constant companion, and he had a huge impact on how her days went, so she felt it was only right to be considerate of him and to treat him with kindness and respect, because personal aides weren’t just another member of staff, they become friends and confidants. Jeffrey was to her what Reggie Love was to President Obama or what Huma Abedin was to Hillary Clinton.

And he knew that.

He knew that he was indispensable to her and he prided himself on that, because he’d come a long way since the start of the campaign. In the beginning, he had been a mere intern who worked at the Los Angeles headquarters. He canvassed, he worked phone banks, he prepped for rallies – that was what he did. That was what his life revolved around, and he knew it was good experience, he knew that working on a campaign would reflect well on his law school applications, but it wasn’t enough for him. He felt that he had more to contribute, that his abilities weren’t being put to use, but then one day he managed to get close enough to Paulina to be helpful, and he made such a good impression that she offered him a position as one of her aides. It was a little overwhelming at first, but in time he caught his stride. In time, he became her most trusted aide. It was hard work gaining her confidence and securing the position, especially since there were several other aides vying for her attention, but he was committed to his work as her personal assistant and more than that, he was determined to follow her to Washington. That was why he worked so tirelessly, he wanted to secure himself a place at her side in the Senate, he wanted to make a name for himself there, because he didn’t have an old family name or powerful connections. He only had his work ethic and integrity, and he had to make the most of them, so he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to her, her campaign became his life, and it was that level of commitment that kept him at her side.

Roughly an hour after having given her the papers, Jeffrey stood outside her hotel room. She had told him that she would give him a call once she was ready, but he preferred to be there early. That way he could tell her that he was already there and they could be on their way. He hoped that she would call him soon, but had a feeling that it would be quite some time before she did, because he hear her talking on the phone. Her voice wasn’t clear, the words were muffled by the door, but he could distinctly hear the tone with which she spoke and judging by that alone, he had a feeling she was talking with Francis.

And sure enough, she was.

“I know, right?” she smiled brightly as she spoke. “When I found out I couldn’t believe it either. I thought Jeffrey was messing around, which is ridiculous since he would never joke about something so serious, but still, I couldn’t wrap my head around it, because the consultants have always said that the election results were going to be really close and the poll numbers have always been tight, so it was hard to imagine that we could be up by six, but we are! And I know this might sound a little greedy, but I want to be up by ten.”

“Why stop there?” he asked, an amused little smile adorning his face. “Let’s do twelve.”

“Now you’re just being silly,” she said, teasingly.

“You’re absolutely right.” He did his best to sound serious. “What was I even thinking? Twelve if a silly number. No one would take you serious if you won by twelve points. You know what you should aim for?”

“What?”

“Fourteen.”

“That’s a respectable number.” She fought back a laugh. “No one would fuck with someone who won by fourteen points.”

“Exactly!” exclaimed Francis. “If you won by that much, you’d run the Senate.”

“I’d be the HBIC.”

“You would,” agreed Francis. “And now you have to win by fourteen. Otherwise, I won’t be able to be seen with you in Washington.”

“Is that so?”

“Mhm.” He was full on grinning. “So if you value our friendship, there better be a fourteen point gap.”

“I’ll do you one better,” she said, “I’ll win by sixteen.”

“Now you’re just being ridiculous.”

Almost as if on cue, they burst into laughter. They laughed without measure, not caring it was only seven in the morning. It didn’t matter to them whether or not their noisiness woke anyone up. The only thing that mattered was that they were having a moment. It had been nearly a week and a half since they had last seen each other, which doesn’t sound like a particularly long time, but that was the longest they had gone without seeing each other since the start of the campaign. Francis was always nearby. Most of the time, he was even at her side. He had been there during the long bus drives throughout the state. He had been the practice audience for her speeches. He was her unwavering companion, the only person that truly knew everything that was going on inside her head. He had been at all the campaign stops with her, and it was actually at one of the stops in Central California that they had to separate.

It wasn’t because Francis decided to stick around or because she had grown tired of having him around. It was because the Deputy Director of the region had undergone emergency surgery to have her appendix taken out, and Central California couldn’t be left without a Director, and her Campaign Manager didn’t think any of the staff there were ready for the responsibility, so it was decided that Francis would stay there until the end of the campaign. He would run things for them there and it seemed like a good idea at the time, Francis had helped his cousins in running their campaigns and he had been involved in his father’s, but Central California didn’t suit him. It was nice enough and there was a hell of a lot to do, but he felt his talents were best suited to helping Paulina directly. After all, that was why he’d gone on leave from his position as Middlesex County’s District Attorney. He had left his work to be her right hand man, but now he was stuck in Central California and as much as he hated it, he didn’t complain about it to her. She had enough on her mind.

“Pinche (fucking) Francisco, you need to come back,” she told him once their laughter subsided. “This campaign isn’t the same with you up north.”

“It’s not for much longer though.” He reminded her. “This is over in a week.”

“I know, but still,” she went on. “Don’t you understand that I need my shit talking partner?”

“What are you going on about?” He was glad they weren’t Skyping, otherwise she would’ve seen the massive grin on his face and would’ve known how pleased he was at being missed. “We still talk shit.”

“Not with the same frequency.”

“True enough.” He rubbed his tired eyes as he sat on the edge of his bed. “Do you remember that night when we stayed up watching Henderson’s interview with 60 Minutes?”

“How could I forget? We even started a drinking game.”

“That’s right.” He smiled at the memory. “Every time he called you a socialist we took a shot.”

“Without a doubt, that was one of the worst ideas we’ve ever had.”

“Not even! You were cracking up!”

“Of course I was. I was fucking drunk.”

“We weren’t supposed to get drunk though. I figured he’d only call you a socialist a couple times, but that was his go to. Whenever he didn’t know what to say, he’d just talk shit.”

“I wish he would’ve had a little variety with his shit talking. Maybe that way we wouldn’t have gotten so drunk. I had a horrible hangover the next morning.”

“And we had to campaign all day.”

“Ugh.” She scrunched her nose. “It was fucking awful. I still don’t know how we got through that. There was a campaign stop at that dog park and then afterwards we went to the retirement home and then a regular park and we had that rally and then a fundraising dinner – my head hurts just thinking about all that.” She sighed softly. “Despite that, it was fun though. We need to do that during the next time.”

“Your reelection?”

“Nope,” she replied. “When you make your bid.”

“Does this mean that Madam Senator will do me the honor of campaigning for me?”

“But of course,” she confirmed. “I fully intend to be a valued asset to your campaign.”

“You’re just saying that because you want me in the Senate with you so that we can talk shit about other Senators.”

“Not even,” she pretended to be offended. “I genuinely think you would be an incredible public servant for the people of Massachusetts, but since you brought it up, it might be fun to talk shit in the Senate. It’d be like The Office. We could make faces at each other. We’d be like –”

“Jim and Pam,” he finished the thought for her.

Her cheeks flooded with color as she tried to fight back a smile. She wasn’t going to say Jim and Pam. They were an excellent choice, there was no arguing that, but they were a very romantic choice and she didn’t want to, even though she did (kind of), but Francis said it and now she was looking like an absolute idiot and she was so glad he couldn’t see her blush.

“It’ll be a good time.” She looked at herself in the mirror, wanting to make sure that her hair looked impeccable, and when she did, she saw the clock glaring at her. “Damn it!”

“What happened?” he asked, genuinely concerned. “You alright?”

“I am,” she assured. “It’s just that I lost track of time. I’m supposed to go to a diner today and I told Jeffrey that I’d call him and I should’ve –”

“Knowing him, he’s already waiting outside.”

“He’s a good kid,” she said as she slipped on her heels. “I actually want to take him to Washington with me if this works out, but enough of that, I should get going. And I bet you have to go to, Mr. Deputy Director.”

“Is that your way of telling me that I need to get my ass to work?”

“It is.” She confirmed with a little smirk.

“Better get to it then.” He scratched the base of his neck. “I’d hate to piss off my boss. She’s a real hard ass.”

“Aye pobresito (oh, poor you),” she said, sarcastically. “You have such a hard life. How you manage is beyond me.”

“Beyond me as well,” he said, and she could feel him smirking. “I suppose it must be the Irish in me.”

“I suppose it must. And now that that’s settled, I’ll be on my way.”

“You’ve got a long day of kissing babies and shaking hands, ahead of you.”

“And also a debate,” she reminded.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about it. I actually organized a viewing party for the regional office, so you better put him to shame otherwise you’re going to have very disappointed supporters.”

“As if I could fuck up in a foreign policy debate.” She scoffed. “The economy was the one to worry about, but domestic and foreign policy are where I shine.”

“Always so humble . . .”

“It’s arguably my best quality,” she said, smiling. “Now I really do have to do. I’ll call after the debate.”

“And I’ll anxiously await that call,” he joked. “But seriously, good luck. This is the last debate and I wish I could be there, but you know how it is.”

“I know.” She hated the fact that he wasn’t going to be at her side. He was her official sparring partner, her warm up for the main event. “The campaign needs you up there. I get that, but it would’ve nice to have you here.”

“Jen sure picked a bad time to have appendicitis.” He paused a moment, and sure enough, she laughed. “She should’ve been more considerate of us. At least held off until after tonight’s debate. I mean, doesn’t she know you need me in the dressing room? But whatever, life goes on and I know you’ve gonna be fantastic. You always are.” He cleared his throat. “Call me when you get a chance later.”

“I will,” she promised. “And one last thing, do you remember how I told you about that rally we’re having in SF this weekend?”

“Of course.”

“Well I was thinking that since we’re driving up early on Saturday that we might be able to fit in a stop in Modesto or Fresno. That way I can have a little face time with the voters before Election Day. And I know this is incredibly last minute, I don’t need a rally or anything big, just a park event or something at a diner would work or whatever else the team up there thinks might be best.” She knew she was asking for a lot. She was only giving him three days warning, but she wanted to touch base with the voters in Central California. She didn’t want them to feel left out since she would be visiting all the major cities in the last few days. And if she was being completely honest, she also wanted to spend time with Francis before Election Day arrived. “What do you think? Is this doable?”

“If it’s what you want, it is.” He told her. “Just call me later with more details so I know what time to schedule it for.”

“Will do. I’ll ask Anne what time will work.”

“Have you run this by her?” he asked.

“Not yet, but she’ll definitely be up for it. She’s always saying we need more voter outreach events so she’ll sign off on this. There’s no reason for her not to, but who knows, she might have other plans for me on that day so I’ll let you know what she says later. For now, I really have to get going because I keep saying that I am but I’m still fucking talking.” She laughed awkwardly. “I’ll call you later. Okay? We’ll Skype and figure things out for Saturday.” She paused briefly before adding. “One last thing, please tell the staff up there that I think they’re doing an incredible job, and thanks again for taking over up there, Francisco. I know you don’t particularly like Central California, but –”

“Anything for you, Aurelia.” He told her. “Now go kick some ass.”

Shortly thereafter, they finally hung up and Paulina exited her hotel room. She was met outside by Jeffrey, who had a messenger bag packed with various files along with mineral waters and snacks for Paulina. He prided himself on being overly prepared, it was his duty to anticipate her needs and he took those duties very seriously. His life revolved around hers, she was his politician, his ticket to Washington and he would do anything he could to ensure her comfort, even if it meant lugging around a heavy messenger bag all day. It was a small price to pay to keep her comfortable. And when she exited her room, he greeted her warmly and then proceeded to accompany her down the hall. They spoke quietly as they walked, wanting to go over the game plan for the morning. The first item on the itinerary was her daily briefing with Anne Curtsinger and Michael Fitzgerald, the former was her Campaign Manager, the latter her Special Assistant. They were both with her as a result of a promise they had made Ted Kennedy. Anne had gotten her start as a Campaign Manager with Ted and in years since then, had managed successful campaigns at the state and federal level. For his part, Michael was a cousin of Ted’s who was gifted in the art of politics. He had been involved in the family business since he was a child, and instead of pursuing office, he had devoted himself to assisting his family members in doing so. He preferred the behind the scenes work, it suited him.

Together, Anne and Michael were Ted’s final gift to Paulina. They were his way of ensuring that she would be well looked after during her first campaign. He was her guardian angel. He had helped her get into Harvard, he set her up with Professor Warren, he secured her a position with the late Senator Stevenson, he had gone out of his way to open doors for her, and she wished he was still alive so that she could hug him and thank him for having put his good name on the line for her, because she wasn’t naïve enough to think she could’ve done it on her own. Politics is all about knowing the right people, and in the brief time they knew each other, Ted went out of his way to ensure that she would be well connected. He believed in her so much that he put his reputation on the line for her, and that was one of the reasons why she worked as hard as she did. She needed to prove to herself that he hadn’t misplaced in his trust her, she had to prove that she was good enough, that was why she had multiple events lined up every single day, that was why she didn’t sleep well, her energy – her life was devoted to the campaign. It was the most important thing in her life, and she had to win because losing wasn’t an option.

“After the meeting, you have the breakfast event. It’s currently scheduled for two hours, though it could potentially go up to three if you want it to. There’s some wiggle room to work with. When the breakfast in Long Beach ends, we’ll drive over to the Cathedral in LA for the Day of the Dead mass and one on one time with the Archbishop. He’ll want to know what mass you’ll be able to attend on Sunday.”

“I’ve decided on two.”

“Two?” He didn’t understand why she would go to mass twice. It wasn’t like she had plenty of time available, and even if she did, mass twice in a day was excessive.

“One in English, the other in Spanish. Anne thought it’d be best.” She glanced over at the elevator panel and slightly grimaced when she saw they were nearing the lobby. “What’s after the Cathedral? Was I cleared for Olvera Street or was there no time?”

“Time was made.” He informed her. “Not as much as we had hoped for, but between events you have about an hour and a half, which means there’s an hour available for Olvera Street.”

“An hour,” she repeated to herself. “Well, I suppose that’s better than nothing. There’s at least time to eat.” She glanced once more at the panel, they were on the first floor. Just one more left . . . “After that we have the tour of East Los Angeles College, right?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“And after that, the debate.” It was then that the elevator stopped, and when the doors opened, she no longer looked tired or stressed out, she was poised and powerful – the charismatic candidate that inspired others. “Let’s go widen that lead, Jeffrey.”

That said, they stepped into the open and were almost instantly swarmed by journalists and their cameramen. Only five years earlier Paulina had abhorred cameras and anything to do with the media, they were a nuisance that prevented her from living her life, but now . . . now, she used them to her advantage. After all, they weren’t from the tabloids, they were respectable journalists and as such they had to be treated with respect and more importantly, they had to be humored. That was why she joked around with them, why she smiled and answered their questions even when she wasn’t in the mood for it. That was why they preferred covering her campaign over Thomas’, because Thomas never truly engaged them in conversation. He would smile and wave and give them standard lines from the campaign playbook. He never went off script, which was exactly what his Campaign Manager wanted but was an absolute nightmare for the journalists. And sometimes even getting those sound bites proved difficult, because there had been more than one occasion in which Thomas’ bodyguards roughed up members of the press. They were known for being confrontational and it was that comportment that called to mind similar instances that had occurred during Michelle Bachmann’s 2012 Presidential bid, but despite the risk to their personal wellbeing, the journalist continued to question Thomas outside of official interviews.

It was their journalistic duty. They had committed themselves to the pursuit of truth and they weren’t going to back down. So they kept asking their questions and Thomas kept delivering his standard replies and Paulina spoke candidly with them. They were free publicity for her and she wasn’t going to let it go to waste. That was why she spoke with them during her walk to the campaign bus, and when she reached it, she bid them farewell and invited them to join her for breakfast. Not that they needed inviting. They’d already committed to covering the breakfast event at the local diner. It wasn’t hard hitting journalism, nowhere as exciting as rallies or debates, but they were the ones charged with covering her campaign, and wherever she went, they went.

When she entered the bus, she was greeted with applause. Her staff members had gathered in the common area to congratulate her on her six point lead. They didn’t normally do things like that, whenever she was up by one or two, they congratulated her, but didn’t make a spectacle of it. Because what’s the point in celebrating a one or two point lead? That was to narrow a margin, it could change far too easily, but six points were massive. Six points were unlike anything she had ever experienced in the general election. During the primaries, she had won by a fourteen point lead, but that had been amongst her fellow Democrats. Those fourteen points were nowhere near as satisfying as being up by six against a Republican, and everyone knew that. And since those six points had bene so unprecedented, they decided that they had to commemorate it by applauding her.

Paulina couldn’t help but grin as she stepped further into the bus. She stopped to speak with all her staff members, to thank them for their applause and for helping her secure the lead. There wasn’t much staff aboard, she preferred to keep the numbers below ten so as to not overcrowd the limited space. That was why she only allowed staff members who were absolutely crucial to the day’s activities onboard, and since the day was going to be so public event heavy, she had Janet and Ember accompanying her. Janet was the official Press Secretary for the campaign, Ember was the Deputy Press Secretary. Alongside them was Darrell Wilkinson, the Deputy Director of Los Angeles County. He had personally set up the breakfast event as well as coordinated with the East Los Angeles College Student Leadership for Paulina’s visit in the afternoon. As such, he was going to travel with her for the day and brief her whenever necessary. And since there was going to be a debate later that evening, Fadilah Hashim was on the bus. She was Paulina’s top Policy Advisor. Fadilah had previously worked with the late Senator Stevenson for two decades as her Legislative Director, and she was one of the first people that Paulina asked to join the campaign. The final two staff members were Anne and Michael. They – like Jeffrey – were always at her side. They weren’t staff that rotated in and out of the bus, they were permanent fixtures. They were her most trusted counsel and after she finished speaking with the other staff members, she moved towards the back of the common area where the pair stood proudly.

“There she is!” exclaimed Michael. “Tell me, how does it feel to be up by six?”

“A hell of a lot better than being down by two,” replied Paulina. “Can you believe it though? All the analysts kept saying it’d come down to two points, that the gap would never widen more than that, but here we are with a six point lead.”

“But just because we’ve secured that lead that doesn’t mean we can settle.” Anne warned.

“Come on, Anne,” said Paulina. “You should know me better than that. I’m not settling. If anything, this will make me work even harder, because if a six point lead is possible, then surely the same goes for an eight or ten point lead. Although to be honest, I promised Francis that I’d win by fourteen so that’s what I’m aiming for.”

“Fourteen?” repeated Anne. She had been worried that her candidate would allow the six points to get to her head, that she would get lazy and not put in as much effort, but there she was, going on about widening the lead and Anne was relieved to see that her candidate hungered for more. “It’s a little ambitious, but certainly doable. Let’s make it happen.”

“Those poor bastards are scrambling to close the gap and here we are plotting to widen it.” Michael commented. “You gotta love politics.”

“There’s no better sport.” Anne added, smirking slightly. And she truly believed that. In her opinion, there was nothing like the thrill of the campaign. That was why she never accepted official staff positions in Washington. To do so would’ve been to condemn herself to misery. “Now let’s start our meeting. There’s a lot to go over.”

The first thing on the agenda was the poll numbers. Five minutes were allotted to discuss and celebrate the lead, then the subject was promptly set aside so they could go over what was happening in the other regions. Since Anne was the Campaign Manager she kept in regular contact with the regional Deputy Directors. They informed her of the day to day operations, events that were officially hosted by the campaign, how voter outreach initiatives were going and what the general feel of the community was. Paulina was a monumental success in Northern California. So much so that the Republicans scaled back on their presence in the region. They knew that there was no chance in hell they were going to get a lead or even close the gap there. That was why they strategically relocated staff to Central and Southern California, where the resources might have an impact. That was why it was so important for Francis to remain in Central California until the end of the campaign. He had to rally the staff to make every day count and to secure every single vote possible. That was what Darrell was doing in Los Angeles, what Bryan was doing in San Diego, what Monique was doing in the Inland Empire, and what countless other dedicated Deputy Directors were doing in their respective counties. They were courting every single last voter, they were getting Paulina’s message out there, and on that morning, Anne brought up the requests that had been made to her. All the Deputy Directors wanted Paulina to make one last stop in their respective areas before Election Day, they wanted to show the voters that she hadn’t forgotten about them, and it was at that moment that Paulina mentioned that she wanted to make a stop in Modesto that weekend.

“What do you think?” inquired Paulina. “Would we be able to make an appearance on Saturday?”

“You already have three events that day.” Anne reminded. “And they’re not short events. You’re visiting with an Oakland Youth Leadership program, you have a rally in San Francisco, and then in the evening you have a dinner with the Governor.”

“What about Sunday?” It was as she finished asking that question that she realized how idiotic it sounded. “Never mind. Sunday doesn’t work. I have mass that day and I can’t back out. The Archbishop is going to bless me in the Cathedral and I have to be there for that. I have to.” She pursed her lips, trying to figure out how they could possibly fit in a stop to Central California. “What if we don’t have an actual event?” she asked. “What if instead of driving up at five in the morning like we were planning to, we go up at two. If we did that we could stop at Modesto for breakfast and –”

“Have an impromptu meet and greet.” Anne smiled, pleased with the idea. “You’ll join people at their tables, have coffee, share some laughs, and then at around . . . let’s say ten, we’ll leave.”

“Will that give us enough time to get to Oakland?” Paulina asked.

“More than enough.” Anne assured.

“Then we’ll leave at ten.” Paulina couldn’t help but grin. “What do you think, Michael?”

“I think you’re overextending yourself.” He never beat around the bush. “It’s fine to want to connect with voters. I understand that, really I do. It’s just that this is too much. You already have three set events, that’s not counting the interviews you’re going to be doing, and now you want to leave three hours earlier, knowing full well that you won’t sleep during the bus drive because you’re going to be too busy prepping and I just think it’d be best for the campaign if you were able to somewhat rest.”

“There’s no time for that right now.” Paulina told him. “And you don’t have to worry, I’m okay. I sleep.”

He cocked his brow.

“I get enough to get by.” It was a half-truth. “Would it make you feel better if I took a sleep aid?”

“It would.” He had been involved in politics long enough to know that a well-rested candidate was a better performing one.

“Then I’ll have my brother get me some from the store.” She was glad that had been resolved. “Now that that’s settled, what else is going on? Or is today’s meeting a short one?”

“When are they ever?” Anne nearly laughed. “There are still a few other topics that need going over, but we’re almost at the diner, so we’ll get to most of them later, but right now Michael and I have to discuss a very serious issue with you.”

“What’s going on?” Paulina’s smile vanished. “Has that fucker gone after my family? Is there a new attack ad out?”

“Yes, but that’s a discussion for after breakfast.” Anne reached into her briefcase and pulled out a manila envelope. “It’s a security issue.”

“Not this again.” Paulina groaned.

“Yes, this.” Michael stated. “You can’t keep dismissing these threats.”

“Michael’s right.” Anne said, curtly. “Look, it was easy to cast these aside during the primaries. The threats weren’t that serious. They were more ridiculous than malicious, but these have been getting progressively worse. They’re no longer just saying that they’re going to assault you or give you a beating to remind you of your place, now they’re threatening to take your life and they’re being incredibly descriptive about how they’ll do it. In fact, there’s one individual who has written multiple times explaining how he wants to carve your heart out and burn it because you are the devil’s whore.” She scrunched her nose in distaste as she uttered the insult. “And I’ve attempted to locate this individual so charges could be pressed or to at least know who it is, but the mailing address changes constantly and we haven’t been able to –”

“They’re not going to do anything to me.” Paulina cut her off. “They just want to scare me. That’s it. They want to make me uncomfortable, they want to make me quit, but I’m not going to. I refuse to be threatened by pathetic men who hide behind letters and computers. Fuck them.” There was a part of her that was genuinely worried, but she was more pissed off anything. “Fuck their threats. They’re meaningless, because none of them will ever have the guts to actually carry them out. Now what’s next?”

“We can’t be sure of that,” argued Anne. “While I agree that many of them won’t actually carry out their threats, there’s always the possibility that some might, and we can’t risk your safety, especially not with the increase in volume of letters.”

“I’ll be fine,” said Paulina, stubbornly.

“You need protection.” Anne firmly stated.

“Why?” asked Paulina. “You’re acting like I’m campaigning through Pablo Escobar era Colombia or in drug cartel controlled territories in Mexico. I’m not. I’m campaigning in California. And at every single rally and event, there are always cops around. They’re always there. You know that. You’re the one that always pulls me aside to thank them.”

“They’re there to ensure nothing gets out of hand.” Anne clarified. “Not to protect you.”

“Then I’ll protect myself.” Paulina declared. “I don’t need anyone doing that for me. I’ve got it handled.”

“You’re acting like a stubborn child!” Michael was red in the face. “You’re acting like things don’t happen in California. But need I remind you what happened to my cousin?”

“Michael –”

“We thought he’d be okay,” Michael went on. “The family thought nothing was going to happen to him, that the threats were just empty threats being made by assholes who wanted to scare us after what happened to Jack, but we were wrong and we lost Bobby because of that. We lost because he refused personal bodyguards.”

“All you Kennedys sound the same,” began Paulina. “All you –”

“Because we’ve been around long enough to recognize valid threats!” He sat forward in his seat. “And you can dismiss this as nonsense, but it’s not. And just because the campaign is winding down that doesn’t mean no attempt will be made.”

Just then, the bus came to a stop. They had arrived at the diner and almost instantly, the crowd swarmed them. Paulina could hear as they chanted her name, she could hear their applause. Their energy demanded her best face, and despite the fact that Michael and Anne’s warnings were playing in her head, she forced a camera ready smile onto her lips.

“We’ll discuss this later,” she told them, appearing completely unaffected by their conversation. She stood up and ran a hand over the front of her dress in an attempt to smooth out imaginary wrinkles, but before she turned to leave, she said one last thing. “If there is currently any direct threat to my parents or family, I want it taken care of. I don’t care what it costs, just get it done.”

“It’s not them they’re interested in.” Anne stood. “They might run attack ads regarding them, but no one’s made a threat on their lives. It’s you they’re after. You’re the one that –”

“We’ll discuss this later.” Pauline repeated, firmly. “Right now, I have voters to charm. Excuse me.”

Before anything further could be said, she exited the back room. Her head was held high, she looked every bit the part of the confident candidate, but the truth was that the conversation had left her shaken. She knew there were people that wanted her dead. She’d known ever since she started the campaign. About a week and a half into it, she received her first death threat. It was a poorly written note that had been put together from newspaper cutouts. There were multiple misspellings and several grammatical errors. It amused her more than it scared her, but as time went on, the letters became more professional and she became targeted by leading anti-abortion groups. They were the groups that targeted abortion clinics nationwide wide, they were the same groups that had targeted Dr. Tiller before he had been murdered during a Sunday church service.

When those groups began targeting her, she became afraid. They had her picture on their Wanted Dead or Alive posters, they bombarded her with letters and images of aborted fetuses, and they worked against her in conservative Californian communities in which they knew it was possible to sway voters. They treated her the same way that they had treated the late Senator Stevenson, and there were times when she would lay awake at night wondering if they would ever do anything, there were nights when she remembered the bomb threats the Senator received in the late nineties, but as much as those thoughts troubled her, she forced them aside because there was work to do.

That was why she acted so nonchalant during the conversation, she didn’t want to make the threats a priority or give them more power over her. There were more important issues at hand and she wasn’t about to waste her limited time on the pricks that wanted her taken out. Those pricks could go fuck themselves, because her day was going to be devoted to her duties, not to stressing out over their threats. That was why she walked out of the conference room with her head held high and the moment he saw her, Jeffrey leapt to his feet. He followed her closely, knowing that it was his duty to be at her side at all times. The other staff members were already in position, everyone knew the part they had to play and the moment they saw her, they sprang into action. Darrell waited for her at the front of the bus, since it was his event, he was meant to follow her and Jeffrey out. Janet and Ember were prepared to give statements to the various news outlets, they would speak to them while Paulina entertained the crowd and it was through them that they would be granted access to the candidate. As for Fadilah, she remained aboard the bus, preparing talking points for the debate later on. She was diligent with her work, wanting to have all the facts down so as to give Paulina accurate and concise details and since the foreign policy debate was to be the last of the campaign, she was determined to prepare her candidate to the absolute best of her abilities.

The moment she stepped outside, the crowd went wild. They’d been out there a long time, some had shown up two hours early and despite their sleep deprivation, they cheered her on. They chanted her name, called out to her, declared their love, and as they did that, she couldn’t help but linger in the doorway a moment. The fact that she had supporters never ceased to amaze her. Ever since she was little she imagined what it would feel like to have crowds chant her name, she would even set up little rallies in front of her relatives or stuffed animals so that she could practice speaking in front of an audience. She had always longed for supporters, it was one of her life’s greatest ambitions and now she had that. Now it was a reality, but even though it was part of her day to day life, she didn’t take it for granted. Their trust and support was far too precious to be nonchalant over. It was because of their faith in her that she had gotten as far as she had. There were two established politicians that ran in the Democratic primary, they had long illustrious careers, but the people didn’t pick them, they picked her. She was a gamble, she knew that, they knew that, but it was okay.

Being a gamble just made her work harder.

It made her appreciate things more.

And so she stood there in the morning light, smiling. Her eyes twinkled with joy as looked upon her supporters, and the smiles they gifted her were enough to make her forget all about the threats on her life. She didn’t give a fuck if so and so thought she was a whore. What mattered was that she had the crowd’s approval, what mattered was that they believed in her, and eager to surround herself with their positivity, she moved from the doorway and immersed herself in them. She shook hands, hugged strangers, and even let some of them kiss her cheeks. It was mostly old ladies who opted to greet her like that, they were affectionate in their approval and she was only too happy to humor them. If they wanted to kiss her so be it, if they wanted to pat her back and tell her that she was a dear child then she would smile, because she had to make every moment with them count. In an ideal setting, she would’ve been able to have breakfast with each voter, she would’ve been able to truly connect with them, but she didn’t have that much time, she didn’t have ten minutes for each of them. That was why she made the most of the limited time they had. She moved through the crowd, engaging as many people as she could in conversation, and when she spoke with them, she made them feel as if they were the most important person in the world. They felt her undivided attention, she wasn’t glancing around, trying to figure out who to talk to next. Her gaze was on them, the rest of the world didn’t matter, what mattered was their conversation and that meant a lot to people.

And more importantly, it left a lasting good impression. It made voters feel that they were backing a candidate who genuinely cared about them and their opinions. They felt that they were actually being heard, and that was the campaigns greatest asset. That was why Anne scheduled multiple events on a daily basis. They wanted to get Paulina out there. They needed her constantly engaging voters. The campaign worked best when she did, because she had been born with an ability to endear herself to others, and that ability, coupled with her intelligence and good looks made her a force to be reckoned with. That was why she campaigned as hard as she did, she needed to secure votes, she needed to ensure her victory, and it didn’t matter if she was tired or fighting a cold. She had to be out there, she had to be in the thick of it, and so she spent her morning campaigning while having her breakfast. She went from table to table, conversing with people from all walks of life and taking the time to answer questions from the press.

When her time at the diner came to an end, she stopped to pose for photos with the staff and owners, and after the snaps had been taken, she climbed back aboard her campaign bus to begin the drive over to the Cathedral. By the time she arrived, several members were already there. Her mother had rallied together relatives to attend mass. They were mostly her aunts and a couple uncles, as well as her Abuelita Fabiola. She was nearing eighty, but the vivacious woman made a point of attending as many of her granddaughter’s events as she could. Also in attendance was Adrian and his nineteen month old daughter, Gabriella. The bright eyed toddler was by far the person that Paulina was happiest to see. She absolutely adored her goddaughter. There was nothing that couldn’t be made better by one of her toothy smiles. That was why Paulina joyously exclaimed her name, and when Gabriella heard her godmother’s voice, she turned in its direction and then took off in a sprint.

“Nina (godmother)!” she cried gleefully.

Paulina didn’t hesitate in scooping Gabriella into her arms. She held the toddler close and placed kisses all over her face, not caring if she made a spectacle of herself. She was always affectionate when it came to her nieces and nephews, there was nothing she would not do for them, but if she was to be perfectly honest, Gabriella held a bigger place in her heart than the others. Not that it could be helped. Paulina had more invested in Gabriella than she did in Isabel or Ronaldo or Catalina or Dominic. Paulina had invested part of herself in Gabriella. Her brother and Thomas had approached her about their desire to become fathers, they asked her if she would donate her eggs so that they have a chance at a family of their own. Had she not had closure from Harry and her miscarriage, she would’ve never been able to bring herself to donate, but she had gotten passed that as best as she ever would and when the time came she donated her eggs, and her brothers had an amazing little girl. They had a beautiful child who was kind and inquisitive, they finally had their little family, and Paulina had a niece who had her eyes and her curls and who sometimes had slumber parties with her and Theodora. It was a great trade off, and despite the fact that conservatives went crazy on her for having donated her eggs to an interracial gay couple, she never regretted it. Their bigoted minds could talk all the shit they wanted, they could run attack ads about her actively working to destroy traditional marriage, they could waste their fucking money however they saw fit, because what mattered to her was that her brothers had finally had a little girl to love and cherish, what mattered to her was that she had an adorable goddaughter to dote on.

“I missed you so much, mi Gabriellita!” she said once she’d finished kissing the little girl’s cheeks. “I haven’t seen you in four whole days!”

“Silly nina!” giggled Gabriella as she touched her godmother’s face. “We play?”

“After church,” replied Paulina. “Right now we have to go visit Diosito, but when we’re done, you and papa and Abuelita are going to go with me to la Placita Olvera. And we’re gonna have some tacos and play. That good?”

Gabriella nodded enthusiastically.

“Does that mean they gave you the afternoon off?” Adrian spoke up. Fatherhood suited him, he looked more handsome than ever.

“I wish,” said Paulina. “I was hoping for at least two hours, but I only got cleared for one.”

“That’s not so bad.” He told her. “It’s enough time to walk around and grab some food. By the way, thanks for completely ignoring me.”

“Ignore you?” she repeated. “Don’t be ridiculous! I was getting around to saying hello. I just had to give Gabriellita some besitos (kisses). Because how could I not greet her first? I swear she’s more beautiful than a rosa de castilla (Castilian rose)!”

“She is.” Adrian proudly stated. He was constantly in awe of his daughters. There were days when he would wake up thinking that she was nothing more than a dream, but then he would see her sleeping between him and Thomas, and he felt like the luckiest man in the entire world. She was their little girl. The perfect blend of Thomas and the Balcázars. “But it’s not like that’s a surprise. I mean, have you seen her fathers? She was destined for cuteness.”

“That she was,” agreed Paulina. “And I’m so grateful you guys were able to make it today.”

“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” said Adrian. “It’s not every day a Balcázar gets blessed by an Archbishop.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You look good by the way.”

“Thanks. I’m using a new concealer for my bags. It takes forever to put on, but there’s no arguing with results.” She was going to go on a little further, but then she saw her mom shoot her a look. “And now I’ve got to say hi to everyone else, otherwise mom’s going to pinch me. Let’s go, Gabriellita!”

“Go! Go!” chanted the little girl, smiling brightly all the while.

Paulina balanced Gabriella on her hip as she made the rounds with her family. She hugged and kissed her relatives, thanked them for joining her at the Cathedral and once the initial greetings were done with, they started talking. For the most parts, her aunts and mother led the conversation, and truth be told, Paulina was fine with it. She’d spoken enough during the breakfast event and with two events still to go and a debate, there was plenty more talking to do. For now she was content to just stand there and listen as her aunts and uncles filled her in on how her cousins were doing and how proud the family in Mexico was. She would’ve been happy to stand there all day listening to them, but their family time was interrupted by a Cathedral employee who announced that it was time for them to go inside. A bench at the front had been reserved for Paulina and her family. On any other Wednesday that wouldn’t have been necessary, but since it was the Day of the Dead, the Cathedral was crowded. It was almost as packed as it was during Easter Mass or Palm Sunday, which was unusual, because normally the Day of the Dead drew a big crowd. It was a day when people had to show up early to get a good seat, but even if they showed up late, they would still be able to find a place to sit, but because it was the Day of the Dead and because it had been announced that Paulina would be in attendance, more Angelinos showed up than usual. In fact, there were even people from other counties there that wanted to have a look at the Senate candidate.

Paulina walked into the church still carrying her goddaughter. She had tried to put Gabriella down, but the little girl wouldn’t have it. She didn’t see her aunt often, so when she did, she expected quality time and since Paulina wasn’t in the habit of refusing Gabriella, she balanced her on her left hip as they walked inside, that way she could keep her right arm free. She wasn’t sure if people were going to want to shake her hand while she made her way to her seat, but she was always ready to meet new people and sure enough, when she walked inside, the people she passed, eagerly stretched out their hands for her to shake. She smiled warmly as she shook their hands and bid them good afternoon and buenas tardes. She tried not to make too much of a spectacle of herself. That would come after mass, not before it, but the people wanted to greet her and so she shook hands until the usher cut in and told the people that that was enough. They were in a Cathedral, not some red carpet event. They had to wait until mass ended, then they would be at liberty to swarm her.

About ten minutes after the Balcázars settled into their seats, the music began and the procession was on its way. The entire congregation stood as the Archbishop made his way down the aisle, they did the sign of the cross as he walked by and when he reached the front he stole a look at Paulina and offered her a welcoming smile. He was an ardent supporter of hers. He might not have agreed with her views on abortion and homosexuality, but her commitment to the poor and to the immigrant community were what won him over. Throughout the last four years, he had worked alongside her and the late Senator Stevenson, so he knew that her commitment was ongoing, it hadn’t just flared up for the election season. It was due to that commitment that he ignored the conservative voices in the church that urged him to stay away from her. In his heart, she knew that she was the right choice and he gladly endorsed her.

It wasn’t until the end of mass that the Archbishop announced that Paulina was in attendance. He called on the congregation to pray for her and for the campaign. He was a passionate man that spoke so beautifully that he could’ve very easily had himself a career in politics, but his faith was his true love and calling, his faith could move mountains and he called on others to support her in her plight. He called on them to offer their prayers, to bless her, to vote, and as he did so, she stood in the front, facing the congregation. She stood there until the Archbishop asked everyone to rise so that he could exit the building to greet everyone outside. As he walked by her, he told her to meet him out front so that she could also speak with the congregation. She gladly did so, and unfortunately that time she had to leave Gabriella behind. She had to go in candidate mode, she had to focus on the voters. Her family would have to wait until Olvera Street.

Sure enough, when Paulina stationed herself outside the Cathedral, she was swarmed. There was a large crowd of people waiting to talk and take pictures with her, some of them just wanted to hold her. There were parents who were undocumented and who told her that she gave them hope for what their children could accomplish in the future. Some of them had tears in their eyes as they spoke to her, mothers and fathers alike were overcome with emotion and in their turn, she hugged each of them and told them that they were doing a wonderful job with their children, that the sacrifices they made weren’t going unnoticed and when the parents brought up their kids, she told them to work hard at whatever it was they were passionate about and to do right by their parents.

The Archbishop had hoped to have a private meeting with Paulina, he only needed twenty or so minutes of her time, but as he watched her engage the congregation he knew that he couldn’t pull her apart. It wouldn’t have been right to deprive her of that precious time with them. Instead he waited until Anne announced that it was time to leave, and as Paulina walked back to the parking structure, he asked her what time he ought to expect her for mass on Sunday and after she told him, he asked her to make some time for him between masses and before she left, he gave her and the rest of her family, his blessing.

“Are you going to Olvera Street in the bus or do you want to come with us?” Adrian asked as they reached the parking level.

“With you guys,” she answered. “But is it alright if Jeffrey comes to?”

“That kid goes everywhere with you. Give him a little break.”

“Very funny, menso (dumbie).” She scrunched her nose at him. “Believe it or not, I need him with me. I’ve become quite useless on my own since the campaign started.”

“You’ve always been a little useless.” He teased.

“Watch it,” she warned with a smile. “Now I’m gonna go tell Anne that we’re going to be riding with you.” She walked over to the bus, and almost immediately after she told Anne of her plan, Anne disapproved of it. “But why not?” asked Paulina.

“Because we have a conversation pending.” Anne stated. “Or have you forgotten?”

“Of course I haven’t,” replied Paulina in a low voice. “But I think it’d be beneficial to my mood to spend some time with my family.”

“I believe that time would be better spent on the bus, where we can have that conversation and when it’s done, you can prep for the debate.”

“I’ll have time to prep while we drive over to that school.” Paulina argued. “Now I’m going to go with my family and if you absolutely need me for something, call me. But let me have at least these ten minutes just with them. I’ve been good these last few days, I think I deserve that.”

“Go on then,” said Anne. “But the moment you get back on this bus, we’re –”

“We are,” promised Paulina. “Thanks Anne!”

She ran back to the Sorento, where her brother had just finished strapping in Gabriella. Jeffrey had been offered to sit down already, but he waited outside. He wasn’t going to go in until Paulina was there, force of habit. Once she showed up, she climbed into the back with Gabriella, Jeffrey sat in the front with Adrian, and they were soon on their way to the Placita Olvera. The moment they pulled into the parking lot, Gabriella’s eyes widened. It was beautifully decorated for El Dia de los Muertos, and she was fascinated by the vibrant colors and delicious smells that filled the air. As was Paulina. It was one of her favorite places to go to. As a child, her parents had always taken her to the Placita. It was where most of the family baptized their children, where they went for the Dia de los Muertos and to celebrate Mexico’s independence day, it was a great place to hear great music and to eat delicious and to do arts and crafts, and Paulina was glad to be sharing the tradition with her niece and to be there with her family. She might have only been approved for an hour, but she made that hour count. They ate, they laughed, at one point they sat at the plaza listening to the mariachi and one of the mariachis approached her and asked her to sing. She was a horrible singer, but her family was clapping and urging her on, soon others were doing the same and she got on that stage and belted out her own rendition of Deja Que Salga la Luna (Let the Moon Come Out). It was her grandmother’s favorite song, it was the song that her deceased husband Aureliano had serenaded her during their youth and throughout their marriage, and so Paulina sang it for her Abuelita Fabiola. And when she finished, her grandmother ran to her and placed several kisses all over her cheeks.

“Cantas igual de feo que to abuelito (you sing just as bad as your grandfather used to).” Fabiola commented. “Pero que hermosos se ven cantando (but you both look so beautiful singing).”

Paulina laughed and shook her head as she hugged her grandmother. Her precious viejita (old woman: affectionate term for grandmother) was always talking shit but she loved her with all her heart, and she was so pumped that she wanted to sing another song, but then she saw Jeffrey motioning for her to come closer. Her time at Olvera Street had come to an end. She hugged and kissed her relatives goodbye. Her mother was going to the debate later, but she wasn’t going to see anyone else until Sunday. Some of them she might not see until election night. When her goodbyes were finished, she followed Jeffrey back to the bus and the moment she stepped inside, Michael ushered her into the conference room with Anne.

Once more, they tried to convince her of the necessity of taking on security personnel, they literally laid out the threats in front of her, they covered the entire table and there was still a stack that hadn’t been poured on there, but Paulina was obstinate. To her, security personnel was a sign of weakness. It was showing her harassers that she took them seriously, and she didn’t want to give those pricks the satisfaction of knowing they’d gotten to her. Not to mention, she didn’t want a buffer between herself and her supporters. That would create a barrier between them and she wanted to remain accessible to them. She wanted them to feel comfortable enough to walk right up to her and have a conversation. That was, after all, what her campaign was all about, and she kept making that point over and over again.

“I get that you’re worried about my safety. Truly, I do. You want to make sure that I’ll make it to Election Day and that everything will be okay, and I’m grateful for that. That’s why you’re my advisors, but I feel strongly about taking on bodyguards. I don’t want to be like Henderson. I don’t want to have to worry about one of my guards getting out of line and harming a member of the press.”

“That would never happen.” Michael argued.

“They’re only human,” said Paulina. “One slip up is all it takes to fuck things up. And you know what? We might be up by six but if there’s any sort of scandal, that lead could easily vanish. So I’m sorry, but I don’t want to do anything that might jeopardize that.”

“But it’s your safety.” Anne stated. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“I can look after myself just fine.” Paulina shifted in her seat. “I once had some asshole break into my home because he wanted to hack my electronics. He was a big guy, way taller than me and broad shouldered. But you know how that turned out? I knocked the fucker out. All it took was a baseball bat to send him falling.”

“He wasn’t armed.” Anne reminded. “The ones threatening you are.” She paused briefly, hoping that would sway Paulina, when it didn’t she said, “Look, I understand that you don’t want to appear weak. You don’t want to give those bastards the satisfaction of knowing that they unnerved you, but your safety is more important than your pride.”

“I . . .” Paulina began to protest.”

“It is,” said Anne, sharply. “There are a lot of people counting on you. You know that. Don’t you? There are people whose livelihoods depend on you winning this election, there are people who need you to get your ass to Washington so that you can legislate in their favor. The least you can do is take security threats seriously.”

“Anne –”

“You owe it to them.”

That was it. There was no arguing that. She owed it to her staffers, her supporters, and her loved ones to keep herself safe. It was the least she could do for them, and she knew that, even her pride recognized that. It was furious that she was going to agree to bodyguards, it wanted to argue that she had it all under control, that if someone pulled a gun on her she’d be alright, but her pride didn’t do that. It recognized the truth in Anne’s words.

“Alright,” she said, her voice low. “How soon can you get them?”

“There are a few local agencies that friends of mine have used. If we go with them, I could have bodyguards by tomorrow morning.”

“I’d rather go with an agency that you’ve worked with.”

“Then they would be here tomorrow evening,” replied Anne. “A friend of mine, he used to be in the Secret Service, started his own security agency. They’re based in Washington and I’ve never had any trouble with them, but like I said, I wouldn’t be able to get them here until tomorrow evening, perhaps even the morning after. And I would very much prefer if we had someone with you for the Planned Parenthood rally tomorrow.”

“I’ll be fine,” said Paulina. “Not like anything’s gonna happen. Now onto more urgent business. I want to see the new attack ad Henderson launched.”