a machiavellian girl

[TEXT: ?] - Already made up your mind about the bill? [TEXT: ?] - Also, I think I just found the best takoyaki in DC 

[TEXT: prince charming] - I’ve had my mind made up since they announced it

[TEXT: prince charming] - not that it matters!

“I don’t know. I figured that with this bill people won’t shut up about, you’d be spending all day answering phones and emails, your whole office running around like headless chickens.” The idea of it amused him greatly - all the privileged twenty somethings she had told him about at length actually being forced to do their jobs and bemoaning every second of it. “Though I have to say, from the sounds of things, the porn might actually be a better use of the guy’s time.” He set the wine list aside and shrugged, grabbing his glass of water for a small sip.

At the pointed, barely-disguised complaint, Adam couldn’t help but smile a little ruefully. “Yeah, I’ve been stuck in meetings for days, it feels like. You know I hate to cancel on you, it’s nothing personal. Just that the people of Virginia need my attention.” He had a clearly affected tone, a clear bit of pride there that was sure to make Kit roll her eyes, but he didn’t care - he loved his job, still. “But I don’t think you’d be interested in any of my stories. Just a lot of arguing, but nothing entertaining. It might be more fun if we threw more punches like they did back when - knocking people out in the Senate floor.” 

He shrugged, picking up the wine list again and just scanning it again before he went with the exact same choice he always made. “Mom called last night, talked my ear off. Complaining because you never pick up your phone.” He gave her a look, though it was one clearly rooted in amusement. “Would it kill you to text her?”

“You’re supposed to say: ‘you’re more important than every other person in Virginia’, not the other way around.” Her tone is chiding but exaggerated, an eye roll punctuates the dramatics of the sentence, before she lets a smile fall back into place. For all her heavy sighs, there was something to be said about the fact that Adam actually enjoyed his place in the Senate. It was one of many things she admired in her brother, his determination, not that she’d say that in favor of another biting comment.

“Besides, I try to avoid answering the phones when at all possible.” She might be an intern, but for the moment she was no one’s secretary, and the phone could only ring for so long before another harried intern picked it up with a glare in her direction. “I can try to make an exception for mom.” She’d only avoided the myriad of voicemails on account of having to listen to them all say the same exact thing about how she should come home more often, have dinner with the family. It was something she’d been really meaning to do, it wasn’t like McLean was impossibly far from them. “But I can text her.”

Not right now of course, this was reserved for the bottle of wine the sommelier tried to push on them and just a few more jokes about their lives- as though it wasn’t something every other American would die to live. “Can I pay you to punch someone on the floor?” The tailspin that would be caused would be enough to keep everyone entertained for a month. “You can pick your target, I’m just dying for some new drama.”

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: i don’t think i hate anyone on planet earth as much as i hate him.

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: not grumpy. it’s just really stupid.

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: jackson, parker, jackson parker & jp all work just fine.

[ SMS ➫ jackson, parker, jackson parker ]: wow, dan really. 

[ SMS ➫ jackson, parker, jackson parker ]: i thought i’d hold most hated

[ SMS ➫ jackson, parker, jackson parker ]: it was my personal victory

@kitconnelly

Since they were both in Washington, dinners out together had become a tradition - something they could use to connect and get away from work’s bullshit without trying to nurse hangovers. Granted, it wasn’t as though McLean was terribly far away, prohibiting them from seeing the rest of the family, but it was easier to simply go across town - not to mention of all of his immediate family, Kit was the one who best shared Adam’s taste in food.

The jump back into work after the holidays had left them both busy, postponing their start-of-the-month dinner by over a week. There was no denying Adam was worn down by the time he made it to their table at Sonoma, poring over the wine list even though they both knew he was never all that interested in wine. “Don’t think I’ve actually seen you since Christmas. I don’t think I’ve slept since Christmas, either.” An exaggeration to the highest degree, of course, considering he had had a fairly leisurely holiday recess. He looked up from the exorbitant wine list for a moment. “How crazy is it getting around your neck of the woods? Any secrets you care to share with your favorite brother?”

There was something about coming back that always left her exhausted. It wasn’t that the work load was unmanageable, far from it- but getting back into the habit of having to wake up early and shuffle papers as if there wasn’t anything she’d rather be doing. She’d been pestering him for a few days to get back into the routine- after all it was past January first and she’d hardly seen him. There were many things Kit could pass on, but spending some extra hours with her older brother was not one.

“Crazy isn’t the word I’d use.” She sighed, albeit a little bit too heavily for the dramatics, “Unless you’re pairing it with boring.” The only real excitement she found in work, was when gossip was flying through the office, being traded as currency next to the coffee maker. As far as that was concerned- there hadn’t been anything exciting in weeks. “Unless the secret you were hoping for was about a white house intern watching porn on his government desk top.” Which she was pretty certain wasn’t the sort of thing that would help a Senator. “I’m assuming you have some good stories- seeing how you cancelled on me last week.”

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: yeah well dan’s an asshole who watches porn in the office and sometimes comes in high.

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: so I don’t really give a fuck what he says

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: ehhhh sometimes you kinda ARE the worst

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: right right, sorry you can’t control your alcohol intake.

[ SMS ➫ didn’t get a sweater ]: he thought he was being so smooth

[ SMS ➫ didn’t get a sweater ]: you seem awfully grumpy about being called king. &yet i’m the worst???

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: haha. very funny. I’ve never once said that.

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: now that would be a sight for sore eyes. I didn’t even think you could behave. 

[ SMS ➫ didn’t get a sweater ]: you don’t have to say it dan says it for you

[ SMS ➫ didn’t get a sweater ]: i do a perfectly fine job of behaving what are you talking about

[ SMS ➫ didn’t get a sweater ]: and besides i know how to act in front of parents you make it sound like im the worst

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: drinking, talking, other than that complete blank.

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: you didn’t miss much, lot’s of passive aggressive talk.

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: my mom made great food tho, should of invited you.

[ SMS ➫ didn’t get a sweater ]: you didn’t wow them all by telling them you claimed king of the interns

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: lucky.

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: parts of it. I remember parts of it but, I think I see where your coming from.

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: Mom, dad and both of my brothers but the eldest lives here.

[ SMS ➫ didn’t get a sweater ]: which parts do you remember exactly?

[ SMS ➫ didn’t get a sweater ]: besides the egg nog

@kitconnelly

[ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: how was the holiday and the post holiday madness? [ SMS ➫ kit kittredge ]: because lemme’ tell you having my entire family in Washington was CRAZY.

[ SMS ➫ didn’t get a sweater ]: it was fine. just fancy parties

[ SMS ➫ didn’t get a sweater ]: you were at the vps you know what they’re like. assuming you remember that night.

(Just kidding.)

Merry Christmas, baby sister.

I wouldn’t open it in public if I were you.

Merry Christmas,

“And the booze,” Natalie adds pointedly. “Say what you will about the VP and his cradle-robbed trophy wife, but they know how to throw a mother fucking party. I’ve already shoved three bottles of Cristal in my bag.” Nick hardly protested as she did it, too; undoubtedly, his turning of the cheek would become his Christmas gift to her later. “God, I would cut off my own fucking toe to find out where all their money comes from.” Remembering his and Solis’ little threat to her just a few months before, she adds sarcastically, “I’m sure it’s all perfectly legal, of course.”

“Oh of course.” Such sarcasm at some point came to a double edged sword, but she wasn’t involved in most of the family dealings, and at the end of the day it wasn’t worth much more to her than another drink of wine. With everyone else at the party tonight she wasn’t particularly worried about her own name ending up on front page of Natalie’s tabloid. That could always go to someone else whispering in a corner. ”American politics- you know, upstanding and transparent.” And something else about family values, she’d hear in a stump speech next week. “But now that you bring up Cristal, we should probably find a fourth bottle.”

Freddie did a mock-double take, glancing over her shoulder at the nearest trestle table, currently overladen with Rachael Ray-approved amounts of frosted treats. Delicious as those were, there was no way she didn’t prefer Junior Connelley’s version.

“Thirty bucks says everyone else here is too repressed to make any kind of a scene,” said Freddie. She wondered if there should be an exception made for Senator Connelly too, but familial loyalty was Kit’s private business. “Although it’s a bet I’d be happy to lose.”

Quico didn’t believe in auras, or energy, or whatever it was that made feng shui a thing, but he knew people gave off feelings, and hers said there’s somewhere better I could be. It was an age difference, probably. Room full of folks that skewed 40s, and he was one of them, and this was the best possible way he had to spend his Christmas Eve, no contest. Even with his sister’s kids up in Jersey, two six-year-olds and their video letter to Santa. Even with tomorrow’s early morning flight. 

He skipped over the thought and reached for the tray of wine glasses, a red that stuck to the sides when the motion made it swirl around. “Careful,” he said. “Sometimes it’s coal.” He, too, tucked a smile into his cheek. The wine made his throat warm. “God, I hope it’s not coal again.” 

A smirk curled at the corner of her lips, his joke just shy of tacky. Maybe its the charm, maybe she’s just feeling friendly, but she doesn’t immediately think of the best way to hit back- prove she’s got some weight in the game. “I’ll never get coal,” the expression of angel should have told him that. In the land of unforgivable deeds, a twenty year old with the occasional late night was far from the worst of them.

Juliette smiled slightly when the young woman spoke.  “Either way is fine with me,” she told her.  “I’ve never been picky.  Oh no, I definitely didn’t come just for the presents.  Though I do love giving them.  That’s really the best part of the holiday.  Seeing the way your friends and family have their faces light up because of something you surprised them with is absolutely priceless.”  She shrugged slightly then, her hair falling back behind her shoulder.  “What about you?”

She’d never been the most subtle of gift givers, usually just buying the first thing that the recipient had mentioned wanting when it came time for the holiday season. She didn’t much see the purpose, replenishing her mother’s perfume collection or something equally forgettable come January. But apparently the woman in front of her didn’t share that sentiment. “The open bar.” She decides, leaning in as though its something mischievous and not the reason half the people came to the party. “And I have no problem with just receiving presents, so it works.”