Shaking my head, I open my mouth to tell him I’ll answer his questions now, but Cal interjects. “No, she’ll answer your questions here. I won’t have my wife going to some filthy police station where you house a bunch of criminals.” The officer looks at me to confirm this request.

“It’s fine, officer. I wasn’t in the home at the time, so I’m really not shaken up by it. Just a little stunned.” My voice is smooth and even, proving that I’m not all that rattled by the break-in. Truth is, it does scare me and I am rattled a little that someone was in my home, but I don’t want to appear dramatic in front of Cal. He gestures for us to head toward the kitchen where the damage is minimal and we can take a seat. Cal places a firm hand against my back and leads me in. Once we’re all seated and situated, the questioning begins.

“Where were you prior to entering the home, Mrs. Fitzgerald?”

“I was out shopping and having some coffee with a friend,” I reply.

“Who was the friend you were with?” He doesn’t look up as he’s asking the questions, just keeps writing on his notepad. I’m curious to know what he’s jotting down so feverishly.

“Catherine Williams.”

“Do you know what time you left the house?” Scribble, scribble, scribble.

I pause trying to remember exactly when I left the house. “Um, I’d say I left at about eleven fifteen.”

“And did you go directly to the mall?”

“You went to the mall?” Cal asks. I can tell he’s trying to hide his disgust at the thought of shopping somewhere so common in front of the officer. After all, he’s a potential voter, but I detect it nonetheless.

“No,” I say looking at Cal. Turning my attention back to the officer who is now looking at the two of us, I say, “I met Catherine at Saks 5th Avenue, and yes, I did go directly there.”

“And at what time did you come home?” He doesn’t seem fazed by Cal’s odd question, which is good I suppose. I just want to get this over with so they can locate who did this. I also want to get my house back in order.

“I pulled into the garage at about three twenty if I had to guess at a time. I’m not sure exactly, but I think it was somewhere between three and three thirty.” I remember looking at my watch at the coffee shop and it was two forty-five. I began plotting an excuse to ditch Catherine and go home. I hate shopping with her, but now I’m thankful I did. If I hadn’t, I could have been home when someone broke in and trashed our home.

“Hmmm.” Is all he says. My eyebrows furrow in confusion, trying to decipher what ‘hmmmm’ means. Cal must be on the same page, because he voices his concerns.

“What does ‘hmmm’ mean exactly, officer?” he asks directly, seeming a little annoyed.

“It’s just pretty brazen to break into a house in broad daylight. Especially a senator’s house where there’s sure to be an alarm. Are you certain that you set the alarm before leaving, because it never went off.” I was puzzled by this as well. After the adrenaline had subsided slightly once the police got here, I noticed it was too quiet. That’s when I picked up on the fact that the alarm never sounded. I spoke of this concern earlier.

I nod to emphasize my answer. “I’m positive. I do it every time I walk out of the door. It’s habit, really.”

“Okay, we’ll need to look at the system to see if anything was tampered with. We’re going to keep questioning your neighbors to see if they saw anything out of the ordinary today.” He moves to stand up but pauses. “Is there anyone out there that might have a grudge against you, Senator?”

Cal huffs out a little laugh. “I’m a senator; of course I have people that don’t like me. Have you seen the Congressional approval ratings?” He flashes the officer his signature smile. The one that tells people he’s trustworthy, humble, and relatable. At least that’s what the team of advisors told him during his senatorial campaign last election.

The officer laughs at his joke, but I get a sense that Cal is avoiding the question for a reason. “You might have a point there, sir.” Standing up all the way, he holds his hand out to Cal. “If I have any more questions or updates, I’ll be in touch.” They shake hands before I stand and do the same.

“Thank you, officer.” Cal replies.

He walks off, but my house is still in shambles and people are picking through every piece of debris littering the floor looking for clues as to who did this. It’s the violation of personal space that has me upset.

“Let’s get out of here while they clean the place up,” Cal says in my ear. I pull the corners of my mouth up slightly and nod.

We’ve been driving around aimlessly for thirty minutes now, neither of us really saying much. Both of us are locked in our own thoughts, probably running through the same questions. Who would have done this? Why? And where are they now? The car comes to a slow stop somewhere off the beaten path in a wooded area. It’s actually quite serene, and despite everything going on right now, I’m able to take it in and enjoy it. Being that it’s early fall, the trees are starting to change colors, displaying various shades of yellow and orange. In a few weeks, bright red will be in the mix, creating the perfect backdrop. I love this time of year. The air is crisp, the breeze is cool, and the days seem shorter.

“We’re going to hire security,” Cal says, pulling me from the beautiful scenery.

“Do you think it’s necessary? It could be a random thing. People’s homes get broken into every day.”

“Are you questioning my decision making, Elizabeth?” His voice is quiet, but that’s where the warning lies. The break-in must have my brain in a fog. I know better than to question a decision he’s already made in his mind. Summoning up all of my focus, I snap back into my role as the perfect Stepford wife.

“Of course not, dear. I think you’re right. We don’t know who did it and he’s still out there. It’s better to be safe than sorry.” I look at him with warm eyes and offer him a small grin. This seems to appease him and the tiny fire of anger lying behind his eyes burns out and he smiles in return.

Looking ahead out of the windshield he says, “We were going to need to hire someone soon anyway, so this just sped it up a bit.” He glances back at me gauging me for a reaction. The only one that comes is confusion which I’m sure is evident by the frown marking my face and the tilt of my head. He explains, “I’m throwing my hat in the race. I’ll be announcing my intention to run for president tomorrow.”

My eyes widen in surprise. I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut, my diaphragm aching and my lungs struggling for air. My outward appearance displays none of those feelings, but internally I’m panicking. Most men would think to discuss such a life altering decision with their partner, but not my husband. He makes the decisions for us. I never have a say in anything of importance. So why does this stun me then? Cal raises an expectant eyebrow at me. Swallowing hard, I work to cool my features. “Wow, that’s fantastic, Cal.” Surprisingly, my voice is even, showing confidence in his choice. Like a programmed robot, I grab both sides of his face with my hands, lean across the console and give him a kiss.

He immediately responds, grabbing me by the nape of my neck and deepening the kiss. His tongue is punishing and demanding as it enters my mouth, always taking. A few moments later, I hear the click of my seat belt and feel the release of it. He grasps my hips with both hands and pulls me up and over the center console, situating me on his lap. He roughly pulls the skirt of my dress up around my hips so that I’m able to widen my legs to straddle his lap. Squeezing my eyes shut tightly, I mentally prepare myself for what’s next.

My mind goes on autopilot as I move through the motions. Every so often I’m aware of what he’s doing; when he grabs my breast painfully hard, or moves my panties harshly to the side. All other movements and actions are blocked out. I’ve perfected the acts required to ensure he’s pleased, so I don’t have to put much thought or effort into these events. Fortunately for me, after a few minutes I can tell he’s close. He squeezes my ass with both hands so hard I have to suck in a breath as I move up and down his shaft. With two more thrusts, he halts my movements by holding me down against his hips as he fills me with his release. His lips find my neck as he mumbles inaudible words. Pulling away, I push the hair off of his forehead and give him a kiss before moving off of him and taking my seat.