when we got married. Look, I know we more or less lead separate lives these days but that’s what this fast paced life isall about. You have your career. I never interfered with what you wanted to do when you wanted to do it. I tried not to make demands on you. I know how you hate politics. But for Christ’s sake, Julia, this is the vice presidency. I could even be president some day.”
“Don’t grovel, Mitch. It’s very unbecoming. You made a fool of me with all those women you chased around with. I know about them all. This whole town has been chittering about you for years.” I should tell him now that I have AIDS . Why am I so unwilling to say the words aloud? I should be sticking a knife in his gut for what he’s done to me. Charles said this wasn’t the time.
Mitch’s face lost some of its color. “I’m not going to deny it, Julia. But, I was discreet. It’s your fault. You were never home. You never wanted to go anywhere or do anything. You turned into some old frump. And let’s not forget how tired you always were and how many headaches you had. What was I supposed to do? You need to take your share of the blame for that, too.”
“I’m not willing to take the blame for anything, Mitch. No one forced you to have affairs. They’re going to vet you big time. How long do you think that make-believe background of yours is going to hold up? Voters don’t like it when their politicians lie to them. You lied. You made up a phony background. You pretended to be something you’re not. You’ll be fodder for the press from now till the election in November. They’re going to find out about all those women you had affairs with. Give it up now.”
“Oh, I get it. You’re right, Julia, sometimes I am stupid. You’re having an affair yourself, aren’t you? Who is it, one of the pretty doctors you hang out with? One of the guys who speaks your language that I’m too stupid to understand? That’s it, isn’t it? Well, they’ll be vetting you right along with me. How’s that going to look to your board of directors? Now, let’s get serious here.”
Julia poured herself a second cup of coffee. “Yes, let’s get serious. I went to the bank yesterday. You’ve taken three quarters of a million dollars over the years from my account. Where did it go, Mitch? What did you do with it? Like I said, I closed out the account and I’m going to close out the others, too. You can live on your salary and might I also remind you, this is my house, left to me by my father. I can kick your ass out of here any time I want to.” She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for her husband’s reply.”
“You told me the money was at my disposal. I used it for things. Golf memberships don’t come cheap. Clothing isn’t cheap. Cars aren’t cheap. The cost of dining out is astronomical. I didn’t steal your money, Julia. You insisted on putting my name on your accounts when we got married. You said what was yours was mine. I believed you. Are you saying you lied to me?”
He was right, she’d done just what he said. But she’d been in love back then and believed her husband loved her. “The well’s gone dry. You’ll have to live on your salary. I meant it when I said I wanted a divorce.”
“Well, I don’t want a divorce, and I will fight you. I want this nomination, Julia, and I want you at my side when I accept it.”
Julia pretended to think on the matter. Charles would say she overplayed her hand and now she had to backpedal. “I’ll tell you what, Mitch. I promise to rethink my feelings but on one condition. I want you to sit down at the table right now and list every single woman you slept with from the day we got married, and the dates and how long the affairs lasted. Just for the record, I am not nor have I ever had an affair. The FBI can vet me from now till the end of time and I will come out clean. Unlike you, I honored my marriage vows. Take it or leave it, you son of a bitch!”
“You
“Don’t grovel, Mitch. It’s very unbecoming. You made a fool of me with all those women you chased around with. I know about them all. This whole town has been chittering about you for years.” I should tell him now that I have AIDS . Why am I so unwilling to say the words aloud? I should be sticking a knife in his gut for what he’s done to me. Charles said this wasn’t the time.
Mitch’s face lost some of its color. “I’m not going to deny it, Julia. But, I was discreet. It’s your fault. You were never home. You never wanted to go anywhere or do anything. You turned into some old frump. And let’s not forget how tired you always were and how many headaches you had. What was I supposed to do? You need to take your share of the blame for that, too.”
“I’m not willing to take the blame for anything, Mitch. No one forced you to have affairs. They’re going to vet you big time. How long do you think that make-believe background of yours is going to hold up? Voters don’t like it when their politicians lie to them. You lied. You made up a phony background. You pretended to be something you’re not. You’ll be fodder for the press from now till the election in November. They’re going to find out about all those women you had affairs with. Give it up now.”
“Oh, I get it. You’re right, Julia, sometimes I am stupid. You’re having an affair yourself, aren’t you? Who is it, one of the pretty doctors you hang out with? One of the guys who speaks your language that I’m too stupid to understand? That’s it, isn’t it? Well, they’ll be vetting you right along with me. How’s that going to look to your board of directors? Now, let’s get serious here.”
Julia poured herself a second cup of coffee. “Yes, let’s get serious. I went to the bank yesterday. You’ve taken three quarters of a million dollars over the years from my account. Where did it go, Mitch? What did you do with it? Like I said, I closed out the account and I’m going to close out the others, too. You can live on your salary and might I also remind you, this is my house, left to me by my father. I can kick your ass out of here any time I want to.” She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for her husband’s reply.”
“You told me the money was at my disposal. I used it for things. Golf memberships don’t come cheap. Clothing isn’t cheap. Cars aren’t cheap. The cost of dining out is astronomical. I didn’t steal your money, Julia. You insisted on putting my name on your accounts when we got married. You said what was yours was mine. I believed you. Are you saying you lied to me?”
He was right, she’d done just what he said. But she’d been in love back then and believed her husband loved her. “The well’s gone dry. You’ll have to live on your salary. I meant it when I said I wanted a divorce.”
“Well, I don’t want a divorce, and I will fight you. I want this nomination, Julia, and I want you at my side when I accept it.”
Julia pretended to think on the matter. Charles would say she overplayed her hand and now she had to backpedal. “I’ll tell you what, Mitch. I promise to rethink my feelings but on one condition. I want you to sit down at the table right now and list every single woman you slept with from the day we got married, and the dates and how long the affairs lasted. Just for the record, I am not nor have I ever had an affair. The FBI can vet me from now till the end of time and I will come out clean. Unlike you, I honored my marriage vows. Take it or leave it, you son of a bitch!”
“You
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