LA CANDIDATE

HUIS CLOS*

*Behind closed doors

"Est-tu contente? Cela t'amuse t-il de m'humilier ainsi?"

"Humiliate you? Don't you think it's the hospital mocking charity? Can't you support my dreams like a good-intentioned husband?"

"I support the fact we don't share the same political views, religion, and diet," Alexis paused and turned his tongue before saying the unthinkable. Thus, the word bed remained tucked away in his saliva. "I think that's already a mark of respect. Who has ever heard of a wife running for president against her husband? What is wrong with you, Severine?"

"There's Hilary Clinton in the US," Noëm said.

Alexis turned his glare at his son, "Pardon, she went into politics after her husband did two terms. At least she had that respect and decency."

"Is this debate really about the right timing, or is it more about your fear of me having a chance of winning?" Severine said as she forked a piece of her bavette.

"How about Ségolène Royal?" Noëm interjected before the tone rose.

Ségolène Royal ran for the French presidential in 2007. She lost her partner and father of four children, with whom she spent twenty-nine years. Whether misplaced ego or fruit of mere lassitude, Ségolène and François announced their separation one month after the election, which François Hollande won.

Alexis put down his fork, "I see which side you're on, Noëm."

"To be fair, I don't care. I think Mom has the right to do the election. Can I leave the table?" Noëm asked, and Severine nodded.

Politics rhythmed every meal since Noëm could remember. Long and sometimes virulent discussions built the teens' vision. Noëm knew more about the world and geopolitics than some politicians seen on TV. Strangely enough, his parents never tried to sway his views.

Noëm regained his bedroom and took out his XFlip.

Message from XOXO: Are you ok?

The news was out his parents were running against each other. Even though there were other candidates, all eyes were on the Lafarge.

RR Republican Reformist versus the CL Consensus Liberal. The rumble had always been, but the Lafarge made history by having three tenors of the most significant political parties coexist in the same family.

Opponents already attacked, saying voting for any Lafarge came back to selling the country out to the same entity.

Of course, Pierre took it upon himself to defend his family. "It's called democracy," he retorted to anyone who brought up the hot topic. A political dinosaur, the patriarch of the Lafarge family, knew how to kill a clash.

Noëm was spared. Enrolled in Kensington Boys' School in London, his family shenanigans left him unaffected until now. The pressure was palpable because he was older and potentially a president's son.

What are you going to do? Are you going to tell them?

No, Noëm wrote.

What if the press finds out? I think it's better if you tell them.

You don't understand. My parents won't accept it, Noëm replied.

They have no choice. It's who you are. You should tell your mom, at least.

Of the two, Severine was the most diplomatic. His father, a born and raised Catholic, didn't mind other genres or sexual orientations as long as it didn't concern anyone in their household.

One could be gay, lesbian, bi, pan, or identify as any genre elsewhere. For Noëm, it felt like an excommunication.

He loved God, but he was sure to burn in hell like the citizens of Sodom and Gomorra, according to the scriptures.

I think my mom knows.

How?

She's much more intuitive than my father.

Noëm continued to write while Alexis left the table. His bruised ego couldn't stand to see Severine's serene face. Severine shuddered at the slamming front door and the screeching tires of his car that sounded Alexis' departure.

"Le repas était t-il à votre goût madame?"

"Oui, Louis, il était excellent. Pouvez-vous m'apporter mon verre dans mon bureau."

"Oui, madame."

Severine retired to her study and began to outline her official responses to the media. Though an entire staff worked to coordinate her statements, Severine added her personal touches. As she refined and edited her declarations, Alexis arrived at his oasis.

"I can't; she's so insufferable. I don't know how I married her."

"You were reeled in by her perfection like everyone else," Cara replied, closing the door to her bedroom.

"She's a monster. Everything she does seems calculated to the inch of her life." Alexis said, untying his tie and throwing it to the ground before sitting at the edge of the bed.

"I told you my sister is perfect. Severine has always been like that," Cara said as she pressed her fingers on his shoulders.

Alexis rolled his head from side to side. Cara's massages were so appeasing, like her person.

"If she wins, it's not just me who loses; it's us all. Doesn't your sister have weaknesses that can help us? Haven't you seen or heard anything since she opened the campaign headquarters?"

"You should know better than me. You've shared the same house for over a decade. I only found out whose signature she had when a few began to declare it themselves on TV. She gives most directives face-to-face. Everyone has to deposit their phone outside meeting rooms after a thorough body check by security. Files are encrypted with limited access. That's how paranoid she is."

Alexis sighed, "Putain, c'est un cauchemar."

"Stop thinking about her. You're with me now," Cara said, hugging him from behind. The man turned and made her fall back on the bed. "Aren't you tired of being her dog?" Alexis said while holding Caras's hands above her head.

"I'm well-fed. Severine paid my tuition. Thanks to her, I speak four languages. I did all my internships in CAC40 companies. I owe her a lot."

Traitors.

Alexis knew he could trust no one in the attrition warfare that opposed him and his wife.

"Can I trust you, Cara?" Alexis said, letting go of her hands.

"I love you, Alexis, and no, I will not choose my sister over you, trust me," Cara said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Alexis leaned to kiss her. He knew it was a lie, but from her lips, he consciously translated her words as truth.

In their adulterous story, knowing which of the two manipulated the other was tricky.

All one could attest was neither deserved one's pity.

In the meantime, Severine didn't bother herself to find out her husband's whereabouts. Such thoughts were futile. Gone were the days when she agonized, knowing fake meetings filled his agenda.

Though cautious, everyone knew about Alexis' infidelities that began on his wedding day. A bridesmaid, a babysitter, and a waitress, Severine had no choice but to reduce or cut ties with female friends.

Only Cara remained in her entourage. A teen at the time of her sister's wedding, Alexis had limited interactions with her. Once eighteen, Cara studied abroad. She was one of the few women Severine trusted. Severine cherished her sister, who convinced her that good still existed. In reality, Cara's presence in the couple's life was as old as the current election, but it was sufficient for the woman to succumb to the playboy Alexis incarnated.

Protective, Severine could kill for her sister's sake. Not once did she think her beloved sibling could stab her first.

WC: 2305