sinking ships - succession

chapter fourteen

        Two weeks passed.

She was going to Virginia with her father to pick the next president. She was on the family jet in the back with Roman and Shiv.

She sat at the table across from Roman while Shiv sat on the couch. Roman studied Rose who had a bright aura as she was typing on her phone (she was actually texting Lukas).

"So is this whole 'I'm bright and shiny again' thing going to last?" Roman asked. "Or this like some denial stage? You aren't going to like break down and be embarrassing again, are you?"

Roman said the rude words but there was a worried undertone to them he couldn't hide. It made her form a small smile before she kicked him underneath the table, "I'm never embarrassing."

"Ow," he rubbed his shin before he teased. "And how could I forget? Of course you can't be when your little Miss Perfect over there."

"Perfect, Rome?" Shiv rolled her eyes. "No one is perfect."

"Well, I mean, I am," Roman bragged and Rose chuckled as the jet landed.

Once they got off the jet, Shiv asked their father if she could ride in the car with him. He had denied her which made her smirk.

"Sorry, Pinky. That's reserved for Rosie."

_____

             When they got there, she had chatted up some of the candidates. Well, the candidates had practically swarmed her because they knew the real key to getting an in with her father was impressing daddy's little girl.

        Then Roman and Shiv pulled her aside as Roman showed her an invitation on his phone, "Did you know Mom is getting remarried?"

          "Yeah," Rose shrugged. "She wanted to give me fair warning."

           Rose rolled her eyes. She recalled her mother called her last week and told her about it.

            "It won't make you too sad, will it?" her mother questioned.

             "Why would it make me sad, Mom?"

          "Well, it might make you think of Jack and your father told me you were in a bad place about it," she said. "And you've never been one to worry about. You're like your father in that regard."

             "I'm fine, Mom," Rose said as she formed a small smile. "And congrats."

            "Thank you and, please, cheer up at the wedding, dear," Caroline said. "You didn't get such a beautiful face just to ruin it with a frown."

           Rose chuckled before she bit her lip, "I don't think that'll be a problem, Mom."

          "No?" Caroline questioned before she smiled. "Does this have anything to do with a man?"

          "Mom," Rose blushed with a smile. "I'm not getting into this with you."

          "Fine, fine," she said before she interrogated. "But will you be bringing this man to the wedding?"

          "Mom!"

        _____

That night after chatting with some of the presidential candidates, she was now in her room. She was lying on her stomach on the bed and she propped her head up with her elbows while she talked to Lukas on the phone.