what I was hoping for!’ Christina squealed with obvious delight. ‘Thank you! Each and every one of you! You are all just so amazing!’
The entire room clapped and cheered and lined up to receive their grateful hug.
‘Where’s the baby?’ Emily hissed. A little too loudly, Miriam thought. ‘Even in L.A. – which I previously thought was the most fucked-up place ever – women bring actual babies to a viewing party!’
Miriam was scanning the room when she felt her phone vibrate. Worried that it was one of the kid’s schools, she pulled it out. A meeting reminder. She’d set it when she first started working at Skadden so she never forgot the weekly lunch meeting, where the partners would take turns presenting their case updates to everyone else. Twelve-thirty on the dot, every Wednesday. She had hated that meeting, absolutely dreaded it, but for some reason, she had never deleted the automatic reminder. Now she looked around the beautiful room at all the beautiful plants and the stylish women, nibbling gourmet treats and sipping morning cocktails, and she felt a pang of yearning for that drab conference room with its droning partners and dry turkey club sandwiches. Only for a split second. But still.
Emily raised her champagne glass. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m fine sipping and not seeing, but good God.’
They were interrupted by Ashley, who was cradling an armful of the most sumptuous-looking cashmere blankets in a very tender way.
‘Oh! Is that baby Rose?’ Miriam cried, moving closer for a peek just as Emily stepped away.
Ashley looked confused. ‘What? Oh, this?’ She tossed the pile on the couch, and both women gasped. Ashley stared at Miriam and Emily as if they were crazy. ‘Those are gifts.’
‘Got it,’ Miriam said.
‘Listen, do you two have a minute? It would be so great if you could help me hand out the favors. We had white S’well water bottles personalized with “Rose,” and we had them wrapped with a bottle of Whispering Angel for each guest. Get it? Rose and Rosé? They’re so cute.’
‘Got to keep our sip going,’ Emily said, raising her eyebrows in Miriam’s direction.
Miriam shot Emily a warning look and turned to Ashley. ‘Of course. We would love to help.’
KAROLINA
Karolina was sick of playing the good girl. What the hell had Trip done other than remind her that she had no rights? She was still in limbo and without any substantive information. How long was she expected to hide away in Greenwich, playing nicely, as instructed, in hopes of seeing Harry?
She could not get out of bed. Her comforter was made from eiderdown, but it seemed to weigh a thousand pounds. As did her legs, which felt barely strong enough to take her the ten feet to the bathroom. She hadn’t showered in two full days and nights; there was stubble in unacceptable places and a furry feeling to her tongue. She knew this was depression. She’d had a bout with it during her endless struggle to conceive, but this felt ten times worse.
Since even holding the remote was too exhausting, Karolina couldn’t turn off CNN, where it was obviously a slow-news day because they were looping coverage on the new health care bill Graham was spearheading. So-called experts on both side of the bill kept appearing and disappearing from Anderson Cooper’s table, arguing whether the bill would singlehandedly save or disastrously ruin the United States for all eternity. She had watched it four times over now. No one said anything new or interesting. She would so much rather be watching Ellen or Bravo or nothing at all, but the remote was lost somewhere in the impossibly heavy comforter, and it would take too much energy to find it. Exhausted, Karolina stared at the hideous modern light fixture Graham had chosen when they bought the house. The sleek automated blinds made the room feel about as warm as a hospital ward. One day, if she could ever find the motivation, she would rip them out and everything else too.
Karolina didn’t even realize she had fallen asleep until she awoke to the sound of Graham’s voice.
‘Graham?’ she nearly shouted, bolting upright faster than she’d thought possible.
He didn’t answer. Karolina looked around the room, but all was just as she had left it. And then she saw him: alone at Anderson Cooper’s table, the rest of the talking heads cleared out so the man himself could have the full stage.
‘I hear what you’re saying, Anderson, I do,’ Graham said, nodding gravely. ‘And that’s a concern for me as well – and all Americans. But now is the time for us to put our hesitation and fear aside and do what we all know is right.’
Karolina collapsed back against her pillows and exhaled. When had he gotten that suit? She bought all of his clothes, and she was certain she’d never seen that one before. Even more irritatingly, it looked great on him.
The show went to commercial break, and Karolina made a serious attempt to find the remote – no one should have to endure the sight and sound of her estranged husband on television while trying to wallow in self-pity. It had been nearly three weeks since she’d seen him, but it felt like three years.
‘If you’re just joining us, I’m here with Senator Graham Hartwell, the junior Democratic senator from the state of New York and the sponsor of the Hartwell–Connolly Bill. Senator, thanks for joining me.’
‘Always a pleasure, Anderson.’ Graham offered an easy smile. He was completely comfortable on live national TV. Hell, he was completely comfortable everywhere.
‘So, before the break we were discussing the impact the Hartwell–Connolly Bill will have on a specific population. How will your bill offer protection when Republicans want mental health and addiction provisions removed from standard coverage?’
Graham appeared to consider. ‘Well, you know, Anderson, I think Americans are more concerned about mental health and addiction than those of us in Washington would like to think. Take my own personal situation, for example. As you may have heard, my wife got in some serious trouble earlier this month.’
The camera zoomed in on Anderson’s face, which registered shock and then unbridled joy, in that order. Had the senator just willingly brought up his famous wife’s very notorious DUI? Had he actually uttered the words ‘as you may have heard’ to address the single most covered topic in the United States so far in the month of January? Was there a political pundit or journalist or comedian or talk show host or news anchor or gossip columnist who hadn’t commented on Karolina’s run-in with the law? Jimmy Fallon had dedicated an entire opening monologue to it.
Anderson collected himself – it wasn’t easy to surprise the Silver Fox, and if the circumstances had been different, Karolina would have admired Graham for it. ‘Yes, of course,’ he said, his voice reflecting the gravitas of the situation. ‘I’m sure it hasn’t been easy.’
‘Most certainly not. My wife is very ill. It’s taken me a long time to understand that alcoholism is an illness, but I do now. That said, she has had every opportunity to get help – certainly many more chances than the average American ever has, I recognize that – but still she continues on with this risky behavior. I’ve
