7. The Crux

EVANGELINE

Bailey pulls the car out in front of the National Archives Museum, a large Greek-inspired building with wide stone steps that lead up to the columned entrance, making me regret wearing high-heeled boots. It's not as large as the National Portrait Museum, but it's impressive and intimidating nonetheless. Bailey senses my hesitation, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror.

"The building won't bite," he teases.

"What about the people inside?" I challenge.

"That I can't guarantee," he laughs softly, "but you strike me as someone who's not afraid to bite back, so…" He trails off while unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Bailey…" I stop him before he gets out, his eyes meeting mine again in the rearview mirror.

I hesitate because I feel like I should just let it go, but the need to know is overwhelming, so I ask anyway. "Why didn't you say something to Darren when you recognized me?"

Bailey"s shoulders sink as if he's letting out a breath. "Why didn't you tell Darren?"

"I didn't want Darren to think badly of his father. Well, any more than he already did… or me," I admit the last part quietly.

That's the crux of the situation: I did care what Darren thought of me and perhaps, just perhaps, that was why I was so angry at him. An anger that has faded now to almost an echo.

Bailey's quiet for a moment and I almost take it as my sign to get out, but then he speaks. "I worked for Senator Walker, not Darren."

It feels like we were both being loyal to Kerry for different reasons.

I nod, meeting his eyes in the rearview mirror one last time before he gets out to open the door for me. The wind whips my trench coat around my calves. I tighten the belt against my waist and make my way inside.

Nothing could have prepared me for the rotunda of the National Archives Museum.

When I was in elementary school, we took a field trip to the state capital in Phoenix. I remembered sitting on the bus, giddy at the fact that I didn't have to be in a classroom that day. I was going to see something important. It didn't disappoint, and maybe I was the only kid to cling to every word of our tour guide, but it was the soaring dome ceilings and the murals that gave me this feeling of being a part of something bigger.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Audrina Elwood catches me gaping at the murals, and I quickly close my mouth.

Her silver hair is pinned back, and she's wearing an impeccably tailored beige dress with a collar that exposes enough to see a delicate gold chain around her slender neck. She seems to blend into the room, whereas I stand out with my bold blue trench coat and black high heeled boots that are loud against the tile.

"Yes," I say, trying not to seem so… simple.

She smiles at me sweetly and takes my hand, her thumb brushing over my wedding band. "This is interesting," she says, inspecting the gold band with dice for a diamond.

I retract my hand. "Darren's an interesting man," I say.

Audrina laughs. "That is true."

We pass a large crowd of people lined up behind velvet ropes that lead to a display that I only catch a glimpse of as we pass.

"Is that the Declaration of Independence?"

"Yes, feel free to stay and look afterwards."

I crane my neck to look further, but we're too far away for me to see anything substantial.

Audrina shows the security guard her credentials, and he steps aside.

"I'm so glad you decided to be involved with the charity," she says over the noise of my loud heels hitting the tile as we make our way down the long hallway. "It was only right that a Walker be on the board, and Darren isn't cut out for charity work."

"Well, I'm not sure how much I can commit. I've never done this kind of charity work before," I explain.

"What kind have you done?" she inquires, picking up on my meaning.

"I've volunteered at a food bank for the past few Thanksgivings."

She stops in front of an office door. "That's wonderful, especially on a holiday."

She smiles and then opens the door. Behind a desk is a woman not much younger than Audrina.

"Bethany York, this is Evangeline Walker," Audrina introduces us.

She stretches out her hand. "Yes, Darren's wife, so nice to officially meet you. We didn't get a chance at the charity event."

"Very nice to meet you." As I shake her hand, I can't help remembering the game Darren and I played at the charity event.

"Darren said you were retiring."

Bethany doesn't look old enough to retire, but I don't suppose she works here for the money. Her office is decorated with a delicate looking yellow wallpaper that brightens up the space – especially with all the dark wood furniture.

She gestures for me to take a seat on the couch adjacent to the desk.

"That's true. My tenure ends just before the holidays."

"Can I take your coat?" Audrina asks, before I take a seat.

I shrug off my coat, handing it to Audrina, and regretting my short black pleated skirt and pink cashmere sweater. I did it on purpose because I already knew what they thought of me, but so far, they've both been pleasant. At least they have Darren's best interests at heart, and I can understand the scrutiny. I'm an outsider.

"How interesting it must be to work here." I take a seat, crossing my legs and setting my purse on the floor.

"It is," she says with a melancholy tone. "And as rewarding as it has been, I'm looking forward to devoting my time to do more charity work."

Audrina takes a seat next to me on the couch.

"What do board members do?" I look between the two of them, feeling a bit foolish, but I need to know what I'm signing up for.

"We ensure the foundation is sustainable. Some of our Board members have backgrounds in ethics, finance, and law, who all help with that," Audrina explains.

"I'm afraid I don't have any of that experience. I thought it was fundraising, donations, things like that," I explain, feeling a bit dumb.

"Oh no, I didn't mean to make it sound complicated. Of course we do all of that, and Merrill was very hands on. She would personally deliver donation items to the safe houses on occasion." Audrina's expression softens at the mention of Darren's mother.

"She sounds like a wonderful woman," I say, smoothing out the creases in my skirt.

"Oh, she was," Bethany adds with a fond smile. "The Abigail Pershing Foundation was her third child."

"Kerry was considered her first child," she laughs, "and Darren of course. Merrill always put family first, but she really threw herself into making the foundation successful."

"What—" I struggle to find the words. "What happened to Abigail?"

"Darren didn't tell you anything, did he?" Audrina asks.

Bethany shakes her head. "He's like his mother in that way, the two of them were always secretive together," she declares, but with a fondness.

"Secretive?" I ask.

"Just that the two of them seemed to be in their own world when they were together, like a bubble. Merrill was always protective of him, you know, with Kerry being in the public eye," Bethany explains. "People can be cruel, especially newspapers, and they seemed to have such an interest in Darren."

"And Abigail?"

"It was in the papers, so tragic," Bethany shakes her head with a sigh.

"Abigail was working on the phones for Kerry's campaign. Merrill didn't know her husband was abusive until he came in one night looking for Abigail, making accusations." Bethany's expression is somber when she continues. "Merrill was devastated when she heard. She blamed herself."

I feel bad for asking, for bringing them back to a memory of Merrill that was unpleasant.

"She created the foundation in her name," Audrina finishes with a solemn smile, "and she didn't stop until she recruited all of us." Audrina laughs, the mood lightening. "I think she felt that was the right thing to do."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up something painful for you."

"It's okay. I don't get to talk about Merrill much. All of the papers were interested in Kerry, which is understandable, but I wish they would have known what a magnetic person Merrill was," Bethany sighs, and I can see the regret in her eyes. That was Darren's worry as well, that all the focus was on Kerry and his mother would be forgotten. At least the foundation can be her legacy.

"Well," Bethany claps her hands together signaling the topic closed. She's thorough in her explanation of how the foundation works, and what organizations they partner with. I'm more interested in the safe houses, because that sounds like something I can really help with.

"The Board meets once a month. If you'd like to see how the operations work and where you might be able to apply your skills, we'd love to have you," Bethany offers.

"We reconvene after the holidays. I'll send you all the details," Audrina explains and then stands, signaling our meeting is over.

"Thank you. I'll be in touch," I offer, shaking Audrina's hand, but before I retrieve my coat, Bethany stops me.

"If you don't mind staying, I have something Darren said you'd be interested in," she says with a twinkle in her eyes.