Lucille greeted everyone as she walked past them holding her laptop bag and a drink holder with four coffees. She walked into the conference room surprised to see that Oliver was already waiting.

He poked his head up from the files he was looking down at. "Good morning Lucille", he greeted.

"Good morning sir. I didn't expect to see you here this early", she responded placing her things down on the table.

He thanked her as she handed him one of the coffees she bought. She unpacked her laptop a few seats away from Oliver and sat down.

"So what is it that has you so intrigued this morning sir?"

"You", he stated plainly.

"Excuse me", she managed to get out.

"Did you know you have the same initials of President Johnson?"

Lucille chuckled nervously. "Yes sir. LBJ. Sometimes I like to think that my love for politics was inevitable for that very reason."

"I had a background check done on you", he admitted.

Lucille's palms began to perspire. "Why would you do that?", she asked.

"I was trying to make myself understand why someone with your skills and mindset was working here as a social media coordinator", he said. "I thought maybe you were just here as a mole for Thatcher Hayes but there's no connection there."

"Wow", was all she could say. It's not that Lucille didn't see how talented she was.. Oliver Reed just had a shitty staff.

"I mean you could be working somewhere where you make actual money. You know that right?"

Lucille smiled politely. "Maybe I do know that but in the line of work that I wanna do it's all about who you know."

Oliver was about to ask her what she meant but he got sidetracked when he heard the door to the conference room being opened.

Jancy walked in and Alexis walked in right behind her. Lucille offered both of them coffee but only Alexis accepted. Lucille sat back and waited to see what Jancy was about to say.

"Sir, I apologize. I figured Lucille could write the speech since she seemed to be so gifted on the subject of perception and politics but I was wrong."

Both Oliver and Alexis looked at Lucille as Jancy continued to speak.

She opened up her laptop. "Lucky for you I was able to draft one up. I'll pull it up so we can--"

Oliver interrupted. "I have the speech that Lucille and Alexis wrote right here."

Jancy looked up from her laptop. "Come again?"

"Oh, you never got it?", Lucille asked pretending to check her email outbox. "Maybe there was an Internet problem on my end or something."

"Yeah I bet", Jancy said through clenched teeth.

Oliver looked at the situation unravelling before him. Lucille was definitely a clever girl. So quick-witted. An opportunist in fact. She's the type of person who should've been running his campaign.

"Whatever's going on with you two needs to end now", he stated. "We have work to do."

"Yes, Mr. Reed", Lucille said.

Jancy nodded.

After editing was done, Oliver excused himself. He had more important things to tend to. The speech was now perfect and after that convention his poll numbers will rise faster than gas prices in 2008.

Lucille and Alexis started chatting with one another.

"You must think you're so clever huh?", Jancy questioned. "You picked the wrong person to have as an enemy."

Lucille giggled to herself as Jancy stormed out of the room. She and Alexis stood up. They were gathering their things to go to their work stations.

"So tomorrow I was gonna come in early and get some work done. Maybe find Mr. Reed's next audience and start on another speech."

Alexis pouted her lips. "I don't know. My boyfriend and I are long distance since he's in law school right now and he's coming home tonight."

Lucille nodded. "I understand. My boyfriend left this morning to go offshore", she stated, a hint of sadness in her tone.

She looked at Alexis. "You should take the day off. I'll cover for you."

"Really?", Alexis asked. "You're the best", she said hugging Lucille.

* * *

Without Aaron at the apartment, Lucille felt so lonely. She wanted to get a puppy to keep her company but it was against the building rules.

After she showered, she popped a bowl of popcorn and curled up on the sofa watching reruns of A Different World until she dozed off. The sound of her phone ringing woke her up. She slid the screen to answer it.

"Hello", she said inaudibly.

"Baby you sleeping?", Aaron asked. "It's only 7:30."

"No, Aaron, I wasn't sleeping", she replied sarcastically.

"Well I'll let you go then Ms. Attitude", he answered.

Lucille giggled. "Don't be like that. I miss you already."

"I miss you too", Aaron said. "And in more ways than one", he mumbled causing Lucille to giggle again.

"Don't start."

"What're you wearing?", he asked in a low voice.

"Aaron, I will hang up on you", she threatened.

"Come on, baby. We haven't had phone sex since the first year we started dating", he said. "Damn that was a good year", he said more to himself than to her.

"Aaron no", Lucille said laughing.

"Baby please", he begged.

"Goodnight Aaron", she said. She pressed the lock button on her phone which ended the call.

She picked up the remote to find something else to watch. Her phone rang seconds later. She kept her eyes glued to the tv as she slid the screen on her phone to answer it.

"Aaron I'm not having phone sex with you."

"Lucille?", a deep voice questioned into the speaker of her phone.

Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. She did not just say that to who she thought she said it to.

Fuck my life, she thought to herself

"Mr. Reed, umm, hi, how are you?"

"Is this a bad time?", he asked awkwardly. "We can talk tomorrow."

Lucille closed her eyes as she rubbed her temples. "No sir, it's fine. Um what is it?"

I'm going to kill Aaron.

"Earlier today, you said for the line of work that you wanna be in its all about who you know. What exactly is it that you want to do?"

"Is that really why you called?", Lucille asked.

She didn't mean for it to come out the way it did. Before he could say anything she answered.

"I want to be a political correspondent on a national news network."

"Well why do you think you need to know someone?", he asked. "You're very intelligent and a quick thinker also."

"One, I'm a female. Females already have to work twice as hard as men to get what we want."

"Okay but--"

Lucille cut him off. "If that's not bad enough, two, I am African American. When people see black people on the news it's because they are the news not because they're a political correspondent."

"Our country has at least evolved a little bit from its racist history", he insisted.

Lucille scrunched her eyebrows up, trying to keep herself from getting upset. She felt a rant coming on about being a black female in America but she toned it down.

"Mr. Reed, when you're black not only do you have to try twice as hard, but you have to try twice as hard just to get half of the recognition as a non-colored person."

"And if you don't see that there are still racial issues in this country that need to be addressed, you won't receive a vote from one citizen of color."

"Well I have your vote, right?"

Lucille smirked. "You have to earn it, Mr. Reed."

By the tone of her voice, Oliver could tell she was smiling. "You don't have to call me Mr. Reed. We're not in the office."

"It's informal", she stated.

"Me calling you after hours to talk about your career goals is informal enough", he countered.

"Well that's true", she said. "Why did you want to know about that anyway?"

"Maybe I can help. Are you looking to stay local or would you be willing to relocate?"

Lucille has never actually thought about that.

"Well my boyfriend--"

"Aaron", Oliver chuckled.

Lucille grinned as her cheeks heated up. She was still embarrassed.

"Yes Aaron. He works offshore and I never actually thought about having to relocate. I'm such an idiot."

"You're not an idiot, you're far from it", Oliver stated.

"Ugh, I need a drink", she muttered.

Oliver chuckled. "The drinking age is 21, Lucille."

"Very funny, Mr. Reed, but I am 26 years old."

"I know, I have your file", he informed. "I just like making fun of you. You really look like a college kid."

"I don't know if I should take that as an insult or not?"

"I just think you should dress like a woman", he stated.

Lucille shifted on the sofa. "What do you mean?"

"The patterned sweaters don't really help your case. If you want to be taken seriously, you have to dress like so."

"I'll keep that in mind", Lucille responded.

"Well it's getting late. Goodnight Lucille."

"Goodnight.. Oliver."

Oliver slid his phone into his coat pocket. It was 8:30 at night and he was just leaving the campaign headquarters. He was practicing his speech.

As soon as he stepped foot into his home, his wife, Anne Katherine was starting an argument.

"You are never here anymore, Oliver", she yelled. "Our son needs his father."

"Can you lower your voice?", he questioned.

"Lower my voice? Lower my voice? You know what.. Get out."

She started pushing him back towards the door.

"Since you wanna be at your campaign headquarters so much, why don't you sleep there? Or wherever the hell you want to sleep! You're not sleeping here. You can come back when you realize you have a family who needs you more than the state of Texas does."

"Daddy", a faint voice said from the top the stair case.

Oliver walked over to the stair case. "Hey buddy", he said.

Oliver watched as his son walked slowly down the stairs. He attached himself to his father's leg. Oliver picked him up.

"Daddy's gotta go to work, Noah."

"But it's night time", he whispered resting his head on his dad's shoulder.

Oliver carried him upstairs to his bedroom.

"I'll be back tomorrow. I promise."

He tucked him into bed and kissed his forehead. "I love you, Noah."

Oliver walked downstairs and over to Anne Katherine who was standing waiting at the door.

"I love you. I'm trying to do better for you and Noah, I am."

"Goodnight Oliver."

* * *

Lucille woke up the next morning with one goal at hand. And that was to not look like a college student. She decided to wear a white blouse with a navy blue blazer and gray pants. The pants were a little snug. She hadn't worn them since about two years ago. They would have to do until she could make time to go shopping for new clothes.

She showed up early to work as planned. While she was working on an ad, her laptop died. She looked through her bag for her charger but it wasn't there. She tried to think back to the last place she used her laptop.

"The conference room", she mumbled to herself.

She walked down the hall and over to the big wooden doors. She tried to push them open but they wouldn't budge. They were locked.

"Is somebody in there?", she asked loudly, followed by knocking on the door.

"Is anybody in there?"

The door slowly inched open, revealing Oliver. He looked disheveled. His hair looked tousled.

"Mr. Reed", Lucille questioned as he walked away.

"Good morning Lucille", he greeted.

She walked in and saw there was a blanket on the couch in the back of the room.

"Did you sleep here?"

Oliver ran his fingers through his unkempt hair before taking a seat on the couch. "Yes I did."

Lucille placed her bag down at the table before walking to the sofa. She stood in front of him with her arms resting at her side.

"Do you want to talk about it?", she asked.

He shrugged his shoulders to her, not saying a word. He was just now noticing her clothes. She looked like an adult today. He was just wondering how she'd gotten in those pants.

"Well why are you sleeping here?", she asked.

"My wife says I spend too much time here so I may as well sleep here."

"If you're having problems at home.. with your wife you need to fix it."

Oliver grunted. "You women drive me crazy. How is it always the man's fault?"

Lucille rolled her eyes. "You need her on your side if you're going to win this election. Perception is--"

"Everything", he said cutting her off. "I know."

"Then apologize to her. Tell her that you were only thinking of yourself, which is likely when it comes to men. Make her feel better because you need her. She's your wife."

Oliver shook his head. "I never know what to say."

Lucille sat next to him on the sofa. "Practice on me."

Oliver laughed. "You can't be serious."

"As a heart attack", she stated.

She took his hands. "Oliver, it bothers me that you spend all your time working on your campaign for governor", she said in a snooty voice. "Have you forgotten you have a family?"

Oliver smirked. "So that's your impression of my wife?"

Lucille grinned before getting back into character. "I am waiting for your apology."

"Anne Katherine, sweetheart, I'm trying to make a name for myself. I only want you to think that I'm good enough for you."

"You are good enough for me. I just wish you were around more."

"I love you and our son and I only want what's best for us."

Lucille nodded. "That's good. Now go home and apologize", she urged.

Oliver stood up to leave. "Thanks, I owe you one."

"Comb your hair and we'll be even", Lucille replied.

They both laughed. "See you later, Lucille."