Election Day

There's a lot more to this story, and I'll post the next section next week. We promises, Precious. Yes, we promises. Gollum.

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“Alice, I have some… bad news.” The man had the haggard look of one who hasn’t been able to sleep well for a long time. Too many meetings, too much stress and strain - and Alice was willing to bet that he hadn’t been eating at nights when they were apart, either. He had put far too much into this campaign.

Gently, she touched his hand, wishing there was something more she could do to comfort him. “I know. We lost the election. But it’ll be alright, Philip. It’s not the end of the world.” She gave him a smile, but felt it fade a little when he looked away, ashamed expression on his face.

“No, that’s not… I mean, yes I did lose, but that’s not all there is to it. I put everything into this campaign, Alice. All my savings - everything. When I lost, I lost everything.” He studied his knees for a minute, then sighed and looked into his fiance’s face. “I’m a poor man now. I would understand if you wanted to delay the wedding or….” He trailed off, and the shadow of pain that crossed his face was so sharp, the woman could almost feel it herself. She held his hand tighter.

“That doesn’t matter. You still have your job, and once you’ve recovered from this, we’ll be able to start saving again.”

The silence that settled between them was too heavy, too thick. Slowly, Philip shook his tired head. “My contract will be terminated in two months, with no opportunity for rehiring for 12 months after discharge. I’ll have to start over.”

The air conditioning unit hummed into life in the silence after his words and sent a chill crawling down the back of Alice’s neck. Starting over. It wasn’t a bad, scary thing like cancer or a criminal record, but it wasn’t something she’d imagined Philip ever needing to do. She glanced out the window. The sun was still shining, as if nothing at all had changed.

“What about your family?”

Philip shook his head again. “My father is completely senile. You know that. He’ll cut me off for losing this election - he already doesn’t like that I’m marrying you.” Disgust twisted his usually handsome features as he spat the words mockingly. “All because you’re not ‘old money.’ Ridiculous.”

Alice felt the meaning of their situation sink in at last. He had nothing. They had her income, and were planning to marry in less than three months. He would have no job, no savings, and no prospects. He expected her to leave, now that he had nothing to offer her. Nothing but himself.

She took his hand between both of hers and pulled herself closer to him. It didn’t matter. She didn’t care that he would have nothing. They would survive.

“Then we’ll build a new family. We’ll make it.”

Slowly, his fingers closed around hers, and hope bloomed on his face in the most incredulous, endearing way she could imagine. They would not have nothing. And even if love didn’t put food on the table, it would certainly make life more livable.