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Nicolas said, “Yes, I’ve spoken with him. He’s perfectly comfortable with lying low for a few weeks. I told him that I was trying to figure out what happened between you and me. We agreed to be in contact later when I know more about the future.”
I lowered my head toward the table and said, “Thank you, Sir.”
“We’ll take it slow. I need to earn your trust back, and at the same time, bolster my trust in myself.”
Instead of holding back, I decided to follow my impulses. I rose from my chair and stepped to my Master’s side of the table. He looked up at me with a questioning glance, and I leaned down to share a kiss. It was brief, but the emotion and symbolism were powerful. We were back together, ready to try one more time.
Before I could sit, my cellphone rang. It was Steven. He told me that he received a call at home from the mayor. I had a summons to the city council chambers at 9:00 a.m. the following day. The mayor wanted me there to help plan his response to recent events.
* * *
My palms began to sweat as I drove to city hall the next morning. At the end of our date the night before, Nicolas congratulated me on my progress in the city government. I assured him that it was primarily due to his influence, and I told him that I needed his presence to help me remain calm when a crisis like the shooting erupted.
We kissed passionately at my car to end the night. It was hard, but we mutually decided to avoid spending the night together, and I told Nicolas I would call as soon as my city hall meeting concluded.
The last time I saw the mayor’s office, I was a child of ten, accompanying my father with a special request to skirt around the city’s zoning laws. A new office building was on the horizon, and my father was a significant investor.
I stopped at the city hall’s information desk, and an intern quickly ushered me upstairs to the mayor’s office. The word office was somewhat misleading. It was a suite of offices. The city manager, assistant city manager, and head of operations all maintained their workspaces in the suite. The secretary acted as a gatekeeper for the entire group.
Bonnie Edmunds, the secretary, beamed at me. “Mr. Rowley, so good to meet you. The mayor has been pacing back and forth in his office all morning, waiting for you.” She buzzed the mayor’s office, but she was too late. He was already walking down the hall in my direction.
Mayor Alex Reynolds was one year into his fourth term. He was in his late 60s, and he had a fight on his hand over safety concerns. Arguably, it was the biggest crisis of his entire time in office.
The mayor reached out to shake my hand with a tight-lipped smile. “Mr. Rowley, I knew your father well. You have that same steely gaze as he did.”
I countered with a shy smile and a firm handshake. “I’m not so sure about that, but I’m pleased to meet you. Our committee is working diligently to help move your administration’s policies forward.”
The bright smile evolved into a gentle grin. “And you speak with such confidence and intelligence. I do have a request for you.”
“Anything I can do to help.”
The mayor didn’t invite me to sit. I soon understood the meeting would be a brief one. The mayor explained that he had at least ten other individuals backed up, waiting for his attention to their specific interests.
“Mr. Rowley, your family has always represented stability in our community,” said the Mayor. “With the Rowley name on so many public structures and institutions, I do believe your fellow citizens associate you with security and safety.”
“It is kind of you to say that.”
“I’m not just saying that. A specific reputation precedes you, and I would like to ask you to appear with me at a press conference to discuss this latest tragedy. Perhaps you can announce that you’re heading our special committee to address the problem. You can follow that with a few strong, confident statements to reassure your fellow citizens.”
Multiple answers raced through my mind. I wanted to say something like, “I have no experience,” or, “Our committee hasn’t completed its work,” or protest that I was not a practiced public speaker. Instead, I understood that the proper action would be to follow up on my pledge of support.
The mayor didn’t give me a significant amount of time to consider my options. He informed me that the press conference would happen at 2:00 p.m. on the steps of city hall.
I called Nicolas immediately after the meeting with the mayor and informed him that I was likely to make an appearance on the evening news. He did his best to offer support and a heartfelt, “You’ll hit the ball out of the park.”
Nicolas offered to have lunch, but I was already in the process of planning a quick meal with as many committee members as I could pull together. I didn’t want to speak for seven other people without consulting them first.
Video cameras representing the local TV news ringed the venerable granite steps of the city hall. A reporter from the newspaper and representatives of at least three radio stations attended the event, too.
The mayor’s office had plenty of practice mobilizing the media. Reporters introduced themselves to me, shook my hand, and encouraged me to speak clearly and slowly. I began to feel like I was auditioning for an anchorman position.
The mayor spoke first. He was photogenic. He had robust facial features that would look good on the TV screen. He still sported a full head of silver-grey hair, contrasting well with his charcoal grey suit.
Unfortunately, when the mayor opened his mouth, his words were hesitant. The content was honest, but the mayor’s tone and body language told a somewhat different story. I winced when he tried to explain that the city government’s response would ensure the streets were safe. He said that he would take the reins to lead us toward a better tomorrow in a weak voice.
I listened between the lines and heard, “If you believe this one, then I’ve got something else to sell you.”
After speaking for approximately ten minutes, Mayor Reynolds introduced me. I didn’t plan to talk long, and I had a simple message to deliver. I didn’t bring notes. It was easy to remember what I wanted to say.
