43 / Jia

Jia stood by and watched as everyone else in the Governors

Mansion seemed to be busy. The nurses bustled back and forth,
speaking in low tones as they set up equipment in one of the guest
rooms. A special mattress was brought in, placed on top of the bed,
and Timothy and Elises baby was laid on it. Governor Tedesco had a
grim look on his face as he put his arm around Elise. Even after
relinquishing her newborn to the medical professionals, Elise wouldnt
leave the room. Finally, Dr. Scott convinced the nurses to allow Elise
to remain with her child.
Elise left her husbands side and lay on the bed with the infant,
cradling him as best she could, with all the tubes that seemed to be
sticking out of its tiny body.
Jia tapped Timothy Jr on the shoulder. (He was the only one who
had been standing still for any amount of time. He looked like he
didnt know what to do with himself.) Whats wrong with the baby?
she said in a near-whisper, forgetting temporarily the tragic reason for
which she had come to the Mansion.

II dont know for sure, said Timothy Jr. Somethings wrong

with its brain, I think.

Oh, said Jia.

What happened to Demas? Timothy Jr asked turning to face
Jia, his eyes wide with worry.
Jia closed her eyes briefly as the image of her husband whom
she had just married five months ago lying on the ground outside
the entrance of Tedesco Industries resurfaced. She shuddered

momentarily and swallowed the sob that arose in her throat. I dont
know, I dont know, she choked. He worked late last night, and was
shot just as he was leaving. Tears started to trickle down her cheeks.
I just dont know who would do this to him, she said as she sank
back down onto the couch.

Me neither, Timothy Jr muttered.

Later that afternoon, after Jia told Governor Tedesco what she
knew about what had happened to her husband, Peter Miller showed
up at the Governors Mansion. Jia jumped up when he stepped in the
doorway of the sitting room where she had been talking with her
father-in-law.

Peter, she said. Is everythingokay?

Okay is the best way of putting things right now, Peter said
squinting behind his glasses. He looked past her at his former boss
still sitting in an armchair by the couch.

Director Miller, the governor greeted him with a curt nod.

Ah, its actually vice-president now, Peter said adjusting his
glasses and stepping fully into the room.

Dont expect me to congratulate you, Governor Tedesco said.

What brings you here?

I thought that since, Peter started then quickly stopped. He

noted the weariness in Gov. Tedescos eyes. Well, I just figured it
was my duty to let you know what is going on with your son
considering the situation as it is.

Thank you for stopping by, said the governor. But Jia informed
me several hours ago what happened to Demas.

What are the doctors saying? Jia interjected before Governor

Tedesco could dismiss Peter.

They have him on a ventilator right now. The bullet tore through
his ribcage and is lodged in his left lung. He lost a lot of blood. They
were able to get him a transfusion, but hes still unconscious and they
havent tried to wake him up. Peter sighed before continuing. They
are going to go into surgery to try to save his lung, but if that doesnt
work theyll have to see about a transplant.
Jia felt her knees go weak. She sat back down on the couch
slowly. She felt nauseous just thinking about lung surgery or a
transplant.

I know this is hard for youfor all of us, Peter said. But the
good thing is hes alive. It could have been so much worse.
Jia just nodded, her face ashen.

The thing is who would want to get rid of him? Governor

Tedesco asked quietly.
Besides you, of course? was the first thing Peter thought of
saying. But he mentally chastised himself.Let the past stay in the
past. I dont know, he shrugged. The security cameras caught
someone lurking around the building yesterday evening shortly
before the time they estimate he was shot. But the police dont have
any specifics on who it may be. Theyre still searching the woods
around the building.
Peter got up suddenly. Ill let you know if something comes up.
He fished in his pocket for a business card. Heres my new number
so we can stay in touch, he said offering it to Governor Tedesco, who
just stared at it almost as though he couldnt see it, leaving Peter to
wonder what else was on his mind.

Peter set the business card down on the small table beside the
couch, gave another one to Jia, and then turned and left.

44 / Deon
Deon spent all night talking to Mark Wesley, the reporter for
the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Mark had been waiting for a while
before Deon showed up at the park and his laptop battery was about
to die, so they moved to the newspaper headquarters after most of
the employees had left for the day. Mark said only a small night crew
would be there.
Sequestered in a corner office with no windows, Deon and Mark
talked into the early morning hours. Mark kept asking some questions
over and over again. Questions like: Why are you doing this? Youve
worked for the governor all these years. Why are you choosing to
come forward now?
Deon had to think about that one for a moment. He sat back in his
seat and stared at the dirt caked on his boots. He wasnt sure if he
should reveal his true motives. He wasnt even sure what his true
motives were. Finally, he just said, Im tired of living a lie which
was mostly true. He also thought that line would play well with the
public.
Another question Mark asked Deon was if he was willing to be
named as a source in the report which Mark planned to have
published within three days. Deon wasnt sure about that one either,
so he just said, no. He figured he could easily change that in the
future.
When the interview (or interrogation, as Deon would put it) was
over, Deon decided to go and visit his wife in the hospital, but he
didnt know which hospital the emergency crew had taken her to.
Besides that, he needed to get home and get out of his blood-

smeared clothes before someone noticed and started asking

questions.
He took a taxi to his Cape Cod single style home in the affluent
Windsor Farms neighborhood of Richmond a house that Governor
Tedesco had given to him and Killeena as a wedding gift. Deon now
began to think of it as a bribe a reward for his loyalty.
After showering and changing his clothes, he turned the TV on as
he wolfed down a bowl of cereal. That was when he heard the news
about Governor Tedescos son being shot outside the Tedesco
Industries headquarters. The news anchor said law enforcement
agents were canvassing the woods surrounding the complex for
clues regarding the shooter.
Deon rubbed his knuckles nervously as he listened to the news
report. One part of him wanted to be able to say, Serves him right;
now one of his own suffers. But, he knew that was wrong.
Pushing the matter out of his mind, Deon reached for the phone
and checked the messages. Fortunately, there was one from
emergency services. The operator said she was calling to reach a
relative of someone who had been in an accident and was now
hospitalized. Good, thought Deon. At least he didnt have to call
around to find out where they had taken his wife.
............

No, her wounds arent life-threatening, the nurse told Deon after
he arrived at St. Marys Hospital a few hours later. She suffered a
concussion and a few broken ribs. Shes been mostly unconscious,
but shes starting to wake up now, although she only stays awake for
a minute or two at a time.

Has she had any visitors? asked Deon as he leaned on the

desk in the information center.

The nurse clicked on the computer a couple times before saying,
No, she hasnt.

Can I go in and see her now?

Sure, go ahead. No loud noises and no bright lights though. She
will probably suffer from headaches for a while.

Okay, said Deon as he turned to walk down the hall. He found

room 522 and pushed the door open softly. The dark, cool interior of
the room contrasted with the bright, clean whiteness of the hall
outside. A green curtain was hung up around the hospital bed. Deon
pushed it aside slowly.
Killeena was awake, staring up at the ceiling. She had a huge
bandage covering the right side of her forehead, and her arms
extended on the pale green blanket bore dark red bruises. At the
sound of the curtain opening, Killeena turned her head slightly and
looked at Deon.

Hey, Deon said quietly.

Killeena swallowed hard. Why she started, but her voice
cracked. Her brow furrowed in concentration, and she tried again.
Why didnt you tell me that you were working for him?
No, Deon thought. I dont want to have this conversation
now. You knew I was working for him, he said patting her hands
which were folded across her waist.
Killeena shook her head stiffly as it rested on the pillow. Not like
that, she said. You were on his side all along. How? Why? Her
eyelids fluttered closed, then snapped open again as she drifted on
the brink of consciousness.

Dont worry, Deon told her. You just get your rest. Im on your
side now. I finished what you were going to do. Youll see.

You did? Killeenas speech slurred as she slipped back below

the blanket of consciousness.
Deon sat down to wait.

45 / Timothy
A dark cloud seemed to descend on the Governors Mansion.
Timothy wasnt sure if it really was the weather or just the way he felt
and the way everybody close to him seemed to be feeling. The
wearying days dragged onward, and the babys condition got no
better. Nurses and doctors scurried about the mansion, their morbid
faces tilted downward. They seemed to be on a death watch. Elise
refused to leave the babys side all day and all night. She often tried
to play with the pale brown-skinned baby boy, but the vacant look in
his eyes the few times his eyes were actually open long enough
was disheartening.
Timothy thought he could easily distract himself in the work of his
office. Of course, after releasing a statement regarding the condition
of his son, Demas, there was much to be done, but even governing
had lost its glamour. The babys condition weighed on him heavily,
and, honestly, he couldnt understand why.
Now, he admitted to himself that he was a cold even ruthless,
at times individual. He had always been able to compartmentalize
and push aside those things that held him back. As he sat alone in
his office, a light rain drizzling against the window, he remembered
some of those times: the day when he shocked Killeena by telling her
that he was calling off their marriage plans; the day when he found
out that Helenes father was a former governors brother; the day
when he signed the deal to take over a smaller military contractor; the
day during his Senate campaign when he decided that he wouldnt
condemn rumors against his opponent which he knew to be false. He
also recognized now that he had done the very same thing when
Demas snatched Tedesco Industries out from under his grip with

the shiny new prospect of a presidential bid in his future, he was able
to pretty much push the company and Demas to his peripheral vision.
Timothy wondered why he couldnt do the same with the baby
whom Elise had named Oliver Jr. I dont even know the child. He may
not even be mine. If hes going to die, why cant I just let it go?
The only thing that he kept coming up with was that there must be
something really special between him and Elise. Perhaps he loved
her in a way that he never loved Helene. Maybe he didnt want Elise
to be hurt by losing a child.
Timothy got up from his desk with his fists clenched. I dont want
this child to die, his insides screamed. He decided to go downstairs to
ask the medics for the dozenth time if there was anything more they
could do.
............
Timothys discussion with the doctor on duty left him feeling just
as helpless and concerned as before. Even though he normally
worked three to four more hours each day during the week, he was
so weary that he decided to call it a day. He trudged into the library
where the fireplace had been lit and Dr. Nathaniel Scott and Elises
mother, Lynda, were sitting and talking in low tones.
Dr. Scott looked up when Timothy walked in. Is something
wrong?
Timothy shook his head dismissively. No, he said as he took a
seat in one of the plush reading chairs and quickly became absorbed
in his own thoughts again. A few minutes later perhaps because
his thoughts had become far too heavy for him too contain he
blurted out, I dont see how this could happen? He immediately bit
his lip because he hadnt meant to say anything out loud.

Nathaniel and Lynda looked at him. What could happen? said

Nathaniel.

This, said Timothy waving his hand in exasperation. The baby,

Olivers child, this disease
Lynda and Nathaniel shared a glance.

We know the child is yours, Lynda said quietly.

Timothy stopped talking for a moment and just stared at them,
then he said in a near whisper, What?

We know that you are the father of my daughters child, Lynda

said slowly as she got up and sat down in a seat closer to him.
Nathaniel closed the door to the library and came and joined them,
folding his arms and looking perplexed.
Timothy wondered how long they had known. He opened his
mouth but didnt say anything.

Are you saying you didnt know? Nathaniel said.

I thought it might have been, but we never made sure, Timothy
said.

Well, we did, Nathaniel said as he and Lynda shared another

glance. Timothy wondered what was going on between them as a
cold and unyielding silence settled in the room. The only noise was
the now steady rhythm of the rain against the large library windows.
Massive, troubled clouds rumbled across a sky the same dark grey
as Timothys eyes. He noticed a strange look pass over Lyndas face
as though she had just realized something horrifying, but he didnt
ask what it might be.

So, it is what it is, Timothy said at length. What Elise and I did
was wrong and it was mostly my fault. I knew I was crossing a

line He looked up at Nathaniel and Lynda to see if he was saying

what needed to be said but was met with impassive stares. He let his
gaze drop and shrugged. It still doesnt change the fact that the baby
is suffering and no one seems to be able to do anything about it.
There was another drag of silence before Lynda said in a slow,
tired voice. Sometimes, God allows tragic things to happen in
response to our wrongdoing.

That makes no sense, Timothy said angrily.

Yes, it does, Nathaniel interjected. Its called punishment.
Then tell me why an innocent baby is dying. If theyre my sins,
then shouldnt I be the one suffering.
Nathaniel opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a
loud crack of thunder. They all glanced around as the lights in the
library flickered.

You are suffering, Nathaniel said.

And Elise is too, Lynda added.