Executive Orders

CH 08 | Conflicts of Interests

Chapter 08

He flipped open a new folder and handed out sheets of paper to both of them.

"We'll probably want to wait until at least the holiday season has really gotten underway - and it would probably be best to wait until after all is said and done - but in the meanwhile, I hope that neither one of you mind that I've taken the liberty of getting started on a list of potential candidates for the president to be seen with during the campaign. These are the top three."

A little color came into Cyrus' face as both Fitz and Olivia glanced down at the first name on the list. They both then simultaneously turned their eyes on him in what was a possibly ominous stare, but definitely an unhappy one that made him quake a little in his proverbial boots.

At least he hoped it was only a stare. Better a stare than a glare, he told himself.

Fitz's eyes had gone a deep, dark stormy slate-blue, but Olivia spoke before he could.

"Hear him out first, Fitz. I'm sure that Cyrus has good reasons - and explanations, I'm sure." And they had better be good ones, her eyes said.

"Elizabeth North?" Fitz's eyes went glacial, but it still wasn't a full out glare, Cyrus reassured himself. That meant that the president was still open to the idea of a reasonable explanation. Probably.

"Yes, I do. She's the Chairperson of the RNC. She's pretty, blond and -"

"Republican." Olivia and Fitz finished his sentence together.

"Republican." Cyrus nodded. "Say what you want - and I know, Mr. President, that you'll have plenty to say - but before you do, remember that you can't discount the base - not totally."

Fitz's response was a wordless sound of disgust, but otherwise, he said nothing.

Cyrus relaxed an inch, but no more than that. "No one is asking you to ask her to wear your class ring, or to make out with her behind the bleachers."

He ignored the look Olivia shot him.

"At some point, you're going to have to start making nice with her anyway once the re-election campaign begins - officially or unofficially - so why not sooner rather than later?"

In the quiet that followed his words, Cyrus watched as Fitz and Olivia looked at one another and found himself witness once again to the bond that they shared - one that apparently didn't even require words any more. As their eyes met and held for a moment, Cyrus could have sworn that an entire conversation passed between them.

A part of Fitz knew that Cyrus was right in his assessment of Elizabeth North's usefulness, but that didn't mean that he had to like it. He'd already had an overdose of the woman when he'd flown in to help Karen's Habitat For Humanity convocation during last year's unexpected storm in the Boston area. She'd shown up uninvited and he was still annoyed at her behavior from start to finish.

Olivia knew Fitz's frustration and it matched hers; the rational part of her knew that Cyrus was only trying to be helpful - but it didn't change her opinion about the other woman. She hadn't liked Elizabeth's interference any more than Fitz had. The idea of Fitz having to deal with her on a one on one basis sent a twist to her gut.

But like it or not, Cyrus was right. Elizabeth North was a necessary cog in the Republican machine and Fitz could do worse than trying to get along with her this time around.

Fitz could read and follow Olivia's thinking processes, knowing that her focus was on his campaign. It was important to him too, but there were other things on his mind as well. Olivia might be able to separate the campaign from the two of them, but Fitz found that he couldn't - and more importantly - he didn't want to.