Free Look to the Rainbow by Lynn Murphy Page A

me to do a story about that…part of his life?”
     
         “Why wouldn’t he?” Bobby took the story from her, scanned over it, and said, “This looks great. When the election is over I might have to keep you as a regular feature writer.”
     
         Tara tried to smile. “That would be nice. Well, I’m leaving in about an hour.”
     
         “Have fun. And get both of those stories while you’re gone.”
     
         The love of his life. Mary Katherine had never been a friend to Alise, so was it possible she had gotten it wrong? She drove  to the airport and  as she boarded her flight two thoughts played over and over. One, she was looking forward to seeing Kel, and two, she really didn’t want to interview him about his late wife.
     

 
     
    Chapter Nine
     
         Tara was on familiar territory when she left Hartsfield Jackson airport. She had missed rush hour traffic and drove toward downtown Atlanta without much difficulty. She turned into her parents’ neighborhood and pulled in the driveway. Her mother would be waiting and excited to see her. She climbed out of the car and grabbed her suitcase and was starting up the front walk as her brother Jack pulled up in his red convertible. He sprinted across the yard and grabbed her suitcase.
     
         “Mom will kill me if you are carrying that when I’m here,” he said, kissing her cheek.
     
         “It’s not that heavy, I’m only here for a couple of days.”
     
         “Still.” They laughed. Their mother was adamant that he be a gentleman at all costs.
     
         Julia greeted her children with smiles and hugs. “I’m so excited about going to the debate tonight,” she said as Tara came back downstairs. “I’ve never been to one before. Mostly I want to see if Senator O’Brien is anything like his father.”
     
         Jack said, “Mom, you do realize it’s a debate, not a social event. You won’t be conversing with the man over cocktails.”
     
        “Yes, Jack, I do realize that.” His mother swatted at him and he playfully ducked out of the way.
     
         “Is Daddy coming?” Tara asked.
     
         “He is, but he’s grumbling about it.”
     
         “Well, I’m going to go meet up with the O’Brien entourage, but I’ll see you there.”
     
         She hugged them both and drove downtown. She valet parked her car at the Renaissance Hotel and went into the lobby where she asked directions to where Kel was going to be meeting with local business leaders to discuss his economic policies. As she entered the conference room, he looked up and saw her and abandoned the conversation he was having with John and Skip and came to meet her.
     
         Without thinking, he put his arms around her and kissed her. More than once. A photographer snapped a picture and then as if suddenly noticing they weren’t the only ones in the room, they broke their embrace and stepped away from each other.
     
         “Why am I afraid I just became the news?” she said.
     
         “At least maybe they’ll stop asking if I’ve got one foot in the grave,” he said.
     
         “I heard you weren’t feeling well. How are you?” They started walking toward the others as the audience started filing in.
     
         “Not a hundred per cent. But better.”
     
         She greeted John and Skip and hugged Kimberly and they took their seats as Skip welcomed everyone and turned the floor over to Kel. He fielded questions and outlined ideas and policies he’d like to see put in motion and again she marveled at how well thought out his answers were and how easily he seemed to discuss any topic. She got the sense from the way they responded to Kel that he would have their support.
     
         They left the Renaissance and toured a local factory where Kel talked with the workers, went to lunch and met with a group of local ministers and religious leaders and went back to the hotel for