The Only Exception

CHAPTER 18

Trey’s door whooshed open, and he stood there with his hair disheveled, probably from raking his hands through it so many times. His face was flustered, but he smiled when he saw me.

“Well, Miss Remy, you do clean up well.”

I smirked. “Can we just get this over with?”

He grabbed a small suitcase near him and closed the door, locking it behind him. With his free hand he took my hand and we walked to the elevator. “I see you even lost the eyebrow ring for the day.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think the governor would appreciate seeing your girlfriend with a facial piercing.”

He squeezed my hand, watching the elevator doors open to the underground garage. “You don’t need to try and change yourself to impress my dad. You never did that for me, and that’s what I love about you. That you are your own person.”

I put my hand to my chest in mock shock. “My, my, Mr. Chapman I do believe you just admitted that you love me for my liberal ways.”

He shook his head and stopped at his Mustang, opening the trunk and tossing in our bags. “Don’t get too ahead of yourself. I said that I love you for you, not for your politics.”

***

Trey’s family lived in a wealthy suburb of Chicago. I tried to do a quick Internet search about where they lived before we left, but I got nothing more than a suburb with an average income that was over twice the amount of what my parent’s house cost.

Trey was pretty silent for most of the ride; only making a few comments about the songs on the radio and keeping his hand on mine. We took the north suburbs exit off the highway and after a few more miles of driving, Trey pulled onto a long, tree-lined road full of perfectly manicured lawns and houses made of all brick and had large, white pillars in front of them. I was sure that one of them had to be his, but he kept driving. He finally turned down another road and pulled up to a large, wrought iron fence that stretched as far as the eye can see.

“Do you all live on a golf course or country club community or something?”

Trey stopped at the gate, rolling down his window and pressing a few numbers on the keypad. The gate slowly cranked open, and Trey rolled up his window. “No, this is just my house.” He didn’t have his normal, slightly cocky tone; more like he was defeated.

“Is everything okay?” I squeezed his hand and watched his jaw clench. He always had a poker face, but I’d never seen him so tense.

“It should be. After we talk to Dad.” He glanced at me and flashed a small smile. Not his usual big grin. Everything wasn’t okay.

I turned and looked out the front window just when Trey’s house came into view. Let me rephrase that, it wasn’t a house but more like a McMansion that was probably bigger than the White House. A circular driveway curved around a large fountain that added to the house’s palatial feel. There were three floors of French windows, each with black shudders and even a balcony off of several of the windows on the second floor. My parent’s house was white, but not like Trey’s house. This one was stark white and looked like someone power washed it every day.

When Trey pulled around to the side it revealed an expansive six-car garage, and from the cobblestone driveway I could see the edges of an in-ground swimming pool and a yard that was the size of an eighteen hole golf course. It probably could have been one with how perfectly green and landscaped the yard was with a rainbow’s array of flowers.

Trey pulled the car into park and stared out the front window. “Just please don’t make any smartass comments about the house.”

My mouth gaped open. Was that what he thought of me? “I wasn’t. I think it’s beautiful,” I stammered.

He turned off the ignition with a big sigh and then turned to me. The weight of the world looked like it was all reflected in his green eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be a jerk. I’m just nervous. This has never happened before. I’ve never done anything to qualify a meeting with Dad.”

I put my hand on his thigh and squeezed it lightly. “Look, whatever happens we will get through it. We can’t change what happened, but we will move forward. We can do this together.”

Finally, his smile made an appearance. “Did anyone ever tell you that you would make a great politician?”

I leaned in closer, inhaling the scent of his expensive cologne. “The Democratic Party has been calling me every day.”

He nuzzled his nose against mine. “You had me until the D word.”

I placed a quick kiss on his lips. “Then we better get inside before my phone starts buzzing off the hook from all my advisors.”

He pushed his door open and climbed out, running over to the other side of the car and opening my door. I let him take my hand to help me out and followed him to get our bags out of the trunk.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Trey asked, slinging our bags over his shoulder and grabbing my hand with his free one.

I let out a deep breath that I didn’t know I was holding in. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

I followed him along the rose-lined path to the front door. It was framed by white columns and a balcony sat overhead. Trey rang the doorbell and chimes that sounded like “Hail to the Chief” rang from inside. I thought the song was just reserved for when the president walked into the room, but it could have been for any political figure, or the governor was just very cocky. I didn’t want to think which one it was.

I was surprised when a woman I recognized as Trey’s mom answered the front door. I figured they would have servants for that. She looked just like she did on TV with bottle-blonde hair, a big white smile, and a meticulously cut, pink skirt suit.

“Trey, it’s so good to see you!” She gushed and then her green eyes trailed over to me. “And this must be Monica Remy, who we’ve heard so much about.”

I was hoping all good things, but by the tone of Trey’s conversation with his dad that morning, I doubted it.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Chapman.” I extend my hand and she took it, shaking it briefly.

“Oh, please, call me Mindy!” she said, taking a step back and motioning us inside.

I followed Trey into the impressive foyer with wooden floors at my feet and a large, crystal chandelier above us. To my left was a grand staircase and to the right was a formal parlor with furniture that looked like it was straight out of a nineteenth century tea room.

Trey scanned the room. “Where’s Dad?”

Mindy rung her hands together. “He is in the study right now, but he should be joining us for lunch then you all can talk business.” She turned toward a small hallway, her heels clicking as she walked down it. “Nadia made hummus wraps and Niçoise salad.”

Trey took my hand and we followed Mindy down the hallway until we entered a large living room. The room was so big it could have fit an entire college lecture hall in it. Floor-to-ceiling windows stared back at me, letting in the afternoon sunlight. There were two L-shaped leather couches and two recliners that faced a huge, brick fireplace that was framed with the two built in bookshelves, full of books. Above that hung a giant flat screen TV. I mentally wondered how much governors made and then remembered from my Internet search, that his dad was some sort of a hedge fund guy before he got into politics, and his mom came from money. I gulped, wondering what they thought of Trey’s redheaded girlfriend wearing a skirt from the clearance rack at Target.

Trey dropped our bags on one of the couches and then put his arm around my waist, pressing his lips to my ear. “Don’t let all of this intimidate you.”

“I’ll try,” I whispered, hoping his mom didn’t see us. She didn’t look at me with disgust exactly, but I didn’t want her to think Trey was dating a big slut either by putting my arms around him or even thinking about kissing him in front of her.

He squeezed my side and led me to the dining room, which also had floor-to-ceiling windows that faced out onto the sprawling backyard. The white dining room table was covered in a linen tablecloth with a crystal chandelier reflecting off an array of white plates and clear bowls full of salad, fruits, and some things in small bowls that looked like tar.

“Is it just going to be the four of us for lunch?” I asked, staring down at the assortment of food that adorned the table. It looked like it was enough for an army.

“Yes, it is, I believe.” Mindy tilted her head like I just asked her the most off-the-wall question.

“You remember, I told you Trigg is working on the East Coast and Tripp is at Dartmouth,” Trey covered nicely, sensing my faux pas..

“Oh, heh, right, silly me.” I took a seat next to Trey and quickly put a cloth napkin on my lap. I needed to stop talking. I was already afraid to ask which fork I was supposed to use, and I didn’t want to make an even bigger fool of myself.

Just as Trey and Mindy sat, the governor walked in. Just his very presence took my breath away. He exuded power with his navy three-piece suit, salt and pepper crew cut, and slightly orange tan. His facial lines were drawn in what looked like a permanent scowl, but when he turned and saw Trey a smile lit up his face that looked eerily similar to Trey’s trademark, political smile.

“Trey, my boy, glad to see you here!”

Trey stood up, and they briskly shook hands as if they were some sort of business partners instead of father and son.

“And this must be the lovely Miss Remy.” The governor’s dark green eyes locked on me, and I instantly sprung up from my chair, knocking it back into the large china cabinet behind me. It caused a few of the crystal dishes inside to rattle.

I winced and put my hand out. “Yes, I am. It’s nice to meet you, Governor Chapman.”

He took my hand and shook it firmly, like I expected a politician would with the large, bleached grin still on his face. “No need to be nervous, Miss Remy, and please call me Kirk.”

I nodded my head up and down rapidly like a bobble head. “Okay.”

He let go of my hand and then walked to the head of the table, taking his seat. I waited until he sat down before I pulled my chair back from the wall and sat down as well.

I watched the governor meticulously pick out a hummus wrap from a plate garnished with parsley and scoop some salad onto his plate. He put everything on it counter clockwise, and Mindy never took something until after the governor had already put it on his plate.

“Miss Remy,” the governor’s deep voice carried over the table.

I was so lost in the trance of watching the food being served that when the governor said my name I gasped and jumped in my seat. He had to think I was a bumbling idiot. I needed to keep my cool, but I’d never been in the presence of someone that probably had a preconceived notion that I was trouble.

I cleared my throat and made sure I was firmly in my seat before I responded. “Yes, sir?”

“No need to be scared. I’m not going to bite.”

I swallowed hard, nodding profusely. “Oh, I know. I’m sorry. I’m just a bit nervous. I don’t usually sit down with a governor for lunch.”

“There is no need to be nervous. Just think of me as any other guy.”

That was easy for him to say. He wasn’t in my shoes. I also secretly thought he knew I didn’t vote for him and was waiting to take me down like he was vetoing a bill.

“Okay, sir, I’ll try.”

Trey put his hand on my leg and squeezed it under the table. That didn’t do anything to help my nerves. It just made every fiber of my body aware that his hand was on my leg, and his parents were still in the room.

“Dad, I’ve told you that Monica is also a Political Science major, and she double majors in Women’s Studies.”

Oh great, he had to bring that up. Now the governor probably had it in his head that I was a liberal feminist who burned my bras at pro-choice rallies.

The governor nodded, tilting his head ever so slightly. “That’s an interesting choice of a double major. What do you plan on doing with that?”

I fiddled with the napkin on my lap, my knees shaking. I knew what my answer usually was, but I didn’t know how he would take it. So I just blurted it anyway. “I want to do something with women’s issues in a non-profit arena. Possibly lobbying for NOW or a group like that.”

I actually knew that NOW didn’t endorse the governor and was a huge opposer of his, but I couldn’t think of a women’s organization that supported him.

“That’s a bold choice of a career path. Have you set up any internships or job shadows?” He didn’t miss a beat. It was like he already had his questions planned before I could answer.

I looked at Trey, hoping he would save me, but he was busy stuffing his face with one of the orange globs on his plate.

“Oh, no, not yet. I’m just trying to get through my sophomore year before I start looking.”

The governor seemed to take that as a good enough answer, nodding and taking a bite of something on his plate.

The rest of the lunch conversation focused around Trey and his classes instead of on me. I was waiting for the big punch line, for someone to bring up the fight, but no one said a word. I could barely eat just waiting for the governor to ask what the hell I was doing with his son and kick me out. But the more I didn’t eat the longer I just sat there while everyone finished their meals.

The governor clasped his hands together. “Well, it looks like you’re done, Trey. Would you join me in the study?”

“Sure, Dad.” He flashed his political grin and stood up, leaving his plate in front of him.

I reached over and grabbed the empty plate. “Don’t worry I’ll get your dishes for you.”

Mindy laughed, her soft voice carrying over the table. “Oh, honey, don’t worry about that. Nadia will get them.”

Nadia? The same lady who made the food had to clean it up? I set Trey’s plate back down slowly.

Trey leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “Don’t worry, we shouldn’t be too long.”

The governor was already up from the table and standing behind his chair. “Yes, hopefully this should be quick and painless. Mindy can show you to your room in the meantime.”

“Okay.” I slowly stood up and faced the smiling men. I didn’t know what awaited Trey in the study, but I was just as nervous about what would happen after.