Reggie stared at the embossed invitation and didn't know what to do. She had no business going, but the curious part of her had made her keep the invitation rather than merely throwing it away. Clint probably would have picked it out of the garbage had she thrown it away because he wanted her to go to the party.

Ironic that Mark Sway, now Anthony Cameron, and his family had settled not all that far from Memphis in Lexington, Kentucky. She had received a handful of cryptic phone calls from Mark over the past seven years, but they really had not spoken since he had left Memphis with his mother, now Debra, and brother, Ricky, now Scott.

Little Ricky had recovered just fine once they'd gotten to Phoenix. He would be starting his second year of high school this fall. Dianne had gone on to graduate from college on the six year plan and had a good and stable job as a counselor for abused women and children. Reggie couldn't think of a more fitting job for the woman honestly and was glad that however small she had a hand in getting her to where she was today. Reggie knew the Sway's had been on a road to ruin living as they had been seven years ago.

Reggie buzzed into Clint on the interoffice intercom. "Clint?"

"Yes, Reggie," the quiet and rather shy secretary replied.

"Mark on my schedule that I will be gone Friday and Monday." She could almost hear his shit eating grin crawl to his lips. "I will be on vacation, but will have my cell phone with me if you need me."

"Done and I'm glad to see you're taking some time off. You deserve it. You have a couple of appointments, but I'll schedule them for either this Wednesday or Thursday or next week."

"Thanks, Clint, you are the best," she said sweetly taking her finger off the button that controlled her end of the intercom. She swiveled around in her chair to look out the window. It was going to be another muggy Memphis day. Clint was right, though, she deserved some time off. She had not really taken any time off since graduating from law school eleven years ago.

She had wanted to after everything with the Sway's and Jerome Clifford, but had needed to keep busy to keep her mind off Mark and his family. The not knowing would have slowly killed her had she taken time off.

***

Reggie stood in front of her hotel room's bathroom mirror looking at her reflection. She was dressed in a stylish green silk tank dress. It was fitted, emphasizing the curve of her breasts and hips before falling just above her knee. At almost sixty years old she probably had no business wearing such a dress, but she had bought it for this day and she was going to wear it. Besides, she thought as she looked at her figure, she still looked pretty damned good, especially considering all she had been through.

Her naturally curly deep auburn hair had proven difficult to tame today and so she was wearing it down. Some gel and other hair products helped calm the curls down a bit, but it was still curly. She touched up her lipstick and then glanced at her wristwatch as she twisted the lipstick tube down and capping it once again. It was time to go. The rest of her make up was simple, she had a good complexion and a pair of bright green eyes that did not require her to wear a lot of make up.

She hoped she was not taking a risk going to Mark's graduation today. Seven years had passed since Jerome Clifford's death and much had changed since then. Reverend Roy had run for the Senate spot vacated by the late Boyd Boyette and won. He had kindly kept Reggie, off the record via blind copies, abreast of the Sway family over the years. The pair exchanged Christmas cards every year. Reggie was always impressed when she received his and it was actually signed by him not by some intern or factory line embossed.

Word had it he had his eyes on the Louisiana governor's spot next. Reggie would not doubt that he would win that spot. Hell, Reggie had to admit after following his career rather closely once she had gotten to know the man that she would vote for him if he were running in Tennessee.

She entered the high school gymnasium as discreetly as she could. The last thing she wanted to do was stand out. She had thought on what to tell anyone should they ask who she was there to see graduate and decided she would find out first which child they were there for and just name someone else. Reggie was old enough to be Mark and Ricky's grandmother, and would not mind claiming to be that except that she would be afraid of jeopardizing their safety.

Taking a seat near the top of the set of bleachers where she fidgeted nervously with her hair. The commencement ceremony program was in her lap. She felt someone sit down next to her and she sat up straight, nervous. Here it comes, she thought. The gymnasium was not even full enough to warrant anyone sitting right next to her. She closed her eyes and said a little prayer that it not be someone who recognized her. Luckily for Reggie, her picture and association with the Sway / Boyette situation had been left out of the papers, but there were still a few who knew.

"Why, Miss Love, what a surprise finding you here," said a familiar voice despite seven years having passed since hearing it up close and personal. She had heard it in sound bytes on the news over the years.

She turned to face him. "Why Roy," she drawled politely. It had driven then US Attorney J. "Reverend" Roy Foltrigg absolutely crazy that Reggie had called him by his name when they first met. So the dig served two purposes, a little teasing as well as not causing any attention to them. His last name was too well known whether she used Senator or Mister to not stand out. "You are the last person I expected to see here."

"I could say the same about you, Reggie. It seems we both were among young Anthony's honored guests."

"It would seem so." She reached over and straightened his tie, offering him a smile as she looked into his eyes. She laid the palm of her hand against his shirt front. A similar gesture to the one she had done the very last time she had seen him in person. "So are we the divorced grandparents?"

"I don't know that anyone would believe we are divorced, Reggie. Not if you touch me like that."

"Why, Roy, that touch? I was just being polite and straightening your tie. I take it you're here without an entourage, so didn't have anyone to make sure you were fit as a fiddle when you left your hotel room."

He placed his hand over hers and lifted it from his shirt front. He kissed it politely before laying their joined hands against his leg right at his knee. Reggie glanced at their joined hands, making no effort to pull away or separate them for now.

Senator Foltrigg was dressed impeccably in a well tailored double-breasted suit that had been tailored to fit his tall form perfectly. The white shirt with thin navy stripes was nicely pressed and the collar was lightly starched, just enough to stay looking crisp throughout the day. The navy tie with tiny burgundy spots on it was silk and probably the only thing about his ensemble that was obviously expensive. Even his dress shoes were like any other man's black dress shoe.

"So, how have you been, Reggie? You're looking good."

She shook her head slightly, but she could not deny his compliment felt good. "Just fine, Roy. You? Keeping busy I'm sure."

"Oh you know it. What are you doing after the commencement ceremony?"

"Well, there's a party at Mark's house. I have not decided whether I should go."

"Well, I was counting on your being here. I assumed if I had been invited you had been as well. Maybe you would like to have dinner with me."

"Is this business or personal, Roy?"

"Strictly personal, Reggie. I have had no reason to come to Memphis I'm sorry to say."

"I know that. Your business is in D.C. now."

"Yes, it is. I miss Louisiana, Reggie," he admitted.

Reggie opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped short by the graduation ceremony beginning. She had brought a camera and hoped Roy would not think her a sap for taking a picture of Mark as he received his diploma. She really didn't care and to be honest she was happy that Mark was graduating today. Reggie had an idea that had the events that happened seven years not occurred Mark Sway's life would have taken a very wrong turn. He had gotten out, escaped relatively unscathed and so far as she could tell had walked the straight and narrow since leaving Memphis.

The ceremony was too long, but Roy's hand stayed joined with hers for the ceremony's duration. Reggie wondered a time or two if any of his constituents knew that Roy was here. Would reporters find out and take their picture? That was just what Roy Foltrigg needed, his picture taken with a fifty-nine year old divorcee who was a recovering alcoholic and who still worked in the same piece of shit, simple office she was working in ten years ago.

It was her past combined with her lack of sophistication that forced Reggie not to accept Roy's telephone calls after he had left Memphis. He was persistent at first, though never stepped outside the boundaries of professionalism. He had sent flowers once he had won the Senate seat, but the accompanying card merely thanked her for her help. He might not have won if Mark Sway had not ventured upon Jerome Clifford that fateful day. She hated to admit it, but she still had that small florist's card. She was a sentimental person and it was not as if she received flowers with a personalized card from United States Senators every day.

She glanced around the high school's gymnasium and was glad Roy was here with her. She was glad that she had bought the dress she was wearing for this occasion, too. Even dressed down, Roy Foltrigg was intimidating. Neither of them stood out, most looking at them would probably in fact believe one of the graduates was their grandchild.

Reggie did have a grandchild, three of them, two boys and a girl. She had seen each of them once at the baptismal ceremonies and that was the extent of her involvement with her son or daughter's families. They were at least to a point now where they exchanged cards around holidays and talked periodically over the telephoned.

Reggie was unwilling to push either of her children too far and they seemed unwilling or uncertain themselves about how to go about bridging the gap between them. They had come over the years to see their father for the scumbag he truly was, but just because they knew now that Reggie had not been entirely in the wrong did not mean the past was easily corrected - or forgotten.

Forgiving was not the issue for her children. Reggie had found forgiving far easier than forgetting. Hurtful words cut deep and created wounds that seemed to fester at the most inopportune times. Like now. Reggie felt the warmth of Roy's hand joined with hers and knew despite accepting his dinner invitation that after today they would go back to their respective lives. For Roy's sake, Reggie could do no other than that.

***

After the commencement ceremony, Reggie and Roy made their way out of the gymnasium. The school had air conditioning, but when you pack that many people into a room together it did not do much good. Reggie was grateful for the slight breeze once outside. The comfortable hand holding she and Roy had engaged in during the ceremony had ended almost as soon as it was over. Reggie knew better than to expect anything like that from him standing out here in a group of people where anyone could notice who he was on a moment's notice.

Chances were slim, she realized, that anyone in Lexington would have a particular reason to notice him. The Boyette case had not received as much national attention as it had in both Memphis and New Orleans. And there were many people who did not recognize congressman from their home state let alone those from other states.

She felt his hand at the small of her back and turned her attentions from Mark to the man beside her. She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and smiled at him, turning slightly into his touch. "Why Roy, you certainly are throwing caution to the wind."

He looked at her and Reggie saw his blue-gray eyes very clearly. She saw no reservation in them, which made her curious. Why was she so worried and he was not? "What's there to be cautious about? Aside from the two of us being here at all, that is."

Perhaps he had gotten to confident or comfortable with his senator's seat and was forgetting for a moment he had ambitions to run for governor someday soon. "Being seen with me here. Someone might snap a picture of us and later, when they have it developed realize who we are."

"I highly doubt that, Reggie, since we aren't standing anywhere near any graduates. We won't be able to talk to him here anyway," he said inclining his head in Mark's direction where he stood with his friends. "Why don't we go get a drink before the party?"

"I already accepted your dinner invitation, I am not sure if accepting an offer of drinks is overly wise, Roy."

"Aw, Reggie, it's just a drink and you don't have anyone else to spend your time with until the party starts."

"Well, since you put it that way, I suppose going with you is acceptable. But you do know I don't drink, right?"

"Of course, that was horribly thoughtless of me, Reggie. I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know, Roy, I was just making sure. I assumed you had me thoroughly checked out seven years ago, but I didn't want you surprised when I ordered a Diet Coke."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Reggie."

"Well, let's get that drink, Roy."

She looked in Mark's direction. "He's fine, Reggie. I have a feeling he knows you're here."

"We're here, you mean?"

"I think my invite was a joke, Reggie. Yours, on the other hand, was not."

"Then why did you come, Reverend?"

"I thought that part was rather obvious, Miss Love. I knew you would not be able to stay away."

"You came all this way for little ol' me, Roy? Why do I find that hard to believe?"

"I cannot answer that question for you, as I have yet to figure out the way your mind works, Reggie. I had hoped I would have had the chance to, but you have cut me off at every pass. So here I am, neutral territory, you are Reggie and I am Roy."

"You will always be who and what you are, Roy. Being here today does not change that."

"Let me worry about that, Reggie."

"I can't help but worry about it, Roy. I won't be responsible for destroying your career."

"I think you underestimate yourself, Reggie," he said his hand at the small of her back pressing her into motion. "I don't think you could destroy much of anything. Hell, I'm a Senator in part thanks to you. If that is your idea of destroying my career, I invite you to destroy it some more."

He walked her to her car, opened the door for her as she slid in. "Where are you staying the night, Reggie?"

"Roy, I've agreed to a pre-party drink and dinner, nothing else."

"Miss Love, get your mind out of the gutter. I was merely going to offer to follow you back to your hotel and drive you." She felt the heat on her face following Roy's charming smile. Dear Lord, she was blushing like a girl not an almost sixty-year-old divorced mother and grandmother.

"That would be nice. Does that mean the Senator is here alone?"

"The Senator is alone, Reggie. This was one meeting I wanted to conduct without eyewitnesses."

"Were you afraid I would turn you down?"

"I was a little, yes. I am unaccustomed to being on unsure footing."

"I will just bet you are. Everything's already done for you, all the work, by the time you get everything. It was that way even when you were US Attorney I bet."

"Yes, for the most part. I spent about fifteen years up until we met doing as little as humanly possible to actually put my law degree to use."

"Shame on you."

He bowed his head and then raised it, and Reggie caught her breath. He looked very much like the cat that had eaten the canary, complete with smug and pleased grin on his face. "I did what I do best, Reggie. I won't apologize for that."

Reggie slid out of her car and tugged on his necktie, drawing his face down closer to his. She kissed him lightly, her lashes dropped in a coy manner as she drew away from the brief touch of lips. She would dwell later on why she had done such a thing. "I never asked for an apology, Reverend Roy. It's one of the things I admired about you when we met."

"Oh really?"

"Really," she said with a wink, releasing his tie and taking her seat once again in her car. "I'll see you at my hotel in a few minutes then." His hand on the door handle, he paused in closing her door. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, I just realized I don't know which hotel you're staying at."

"Residence Inn."

"Good, that's not too far from where I'm staying."

She was tempted to ask which hotel he was staying at, but she was unsure if he made the statement to get her to ask or not so refrained. "I'll see you in a few minutes." She drew the door closed and then as an afterthought rolled her window down. "Oh and Roy?"

"Yes, Reggie," he said already having taken a few steps away from her car.

"Don't make me wait, I might just go on to the party without you."

He smiled and shook his head slightly. "Well, we wouldn't want that now would we. I'll be right behind you, Reggie."