Chapter 15
Under Art's gentle but firm pressure, Wanda finally gave in and agreed to go out to dinner. Knowing he would keep his eye on the time, she just relaxed and was surprised at how easily she could do it.
A well chilled martini made it considerably easier. After that, there was an excellent French onion soup, a crisp salad and chicken cacciatore. By the time Wanda got through that, there was not even the faintest trace of tension. There was also no room left for dessert.
With her coffee, Wanda chose Benedictine and brandy while Art opted for brandy straight. She had no thought of elections or opponents or time. Instead, her mind was as filled with a warm peace as her belly was with good food.
She was actually surprised when she heard Art tell her it was time to go. These were the hours she had dreaded all day, that last wait before the results came in. But the waiting was just about over now, by the time they got back to the apartment, poured a couple of drinks and turned on the television, the count would be underway and the results starting to come in.
"Thanks dear," Wanda said as they walked to the car, "for not asking me even once whether I was nervous."
"Thanks hell," he shrugged. "I was so nervous myself I guess I just forgot to ask you."
"You're a liar, my darling," she squeezed his arm, "and I love you so much I may even marry you after all."
"You'd better, lady," he glowered, "or what I'll do to you right here in the parking lot will get more space on page one tomorrow than the election."
"Promises, promises," she shrugged as he held the door open for her.
"Nice pair of legs you got there, ma'm," he winked as she slid onto the seat with her skirt riding up a little to provide a display of nicely filled nylons. "Are they a matched set?"
"I believe they are," she answered, "but I'm not really sure. Perhaps you wouldn't mind checking when we get home."
"Sorry, lady, I'll be too busy watching television." He closed the door after her and hurried around the car to get in on the other side.
"Why the sudden interest in television?" she asked with mock seriousness when he got in. "I didn't realize you were a Batman fan."
"Batman has nothing to do with it, lady. There's this sexy broad running for council and I want to see how she makes out. You see, I've got something on her."
"Liar," she laughed, "you haven't had anything on her since this morning."
"Is that a complaint?" he asked with a threatening gesture in her direction.
"It sure is," she sighed. "I think I could actually get to like that game in time."
Ten minutes later they were home. While Wanda tuned the television set, Art poured a pair of very big drinks.
As the sound came on, a commentator was still delivering a long winded preliminary report. He discussed the campaign, the issues, the effect of the day's weather on what appeared to be a very light vote, and anything else that he felt would make him sound more erudite.
Eventually though, he did get around to the votes as the camera swung from him to cover the big scoreboard about which he had been raving.
Pointing out for the third time that these were only very early and scattered results, he finally started quoting figures.
In the race for the mayor's chair, the incumbent was running well ahead at the start with an edge of 417 to 285.
"There goes that race," Wanda commented. "Paulson gets his biggest support downtown and those polls were suburban. He'll run away with it."
Her own ward was next to be reported on and Wanda held her breath.
"In Ward Seven," he enthused, "where a member of the fair sex, attractive former social worker Wanda Tupper is attempting to unseat incumbent Joe Carson, we have a promise of a close race.
"At the present time, with just five polls heard from, Carson...."
Wanda stopped listening then and turned her attention to the board that had just been picked up by the camera. It showed Carson 211 Tupper 196.
"You're right in there sweetheart," Art hugged her with gusto.
"Brace yourself for a long evening of watching and waiting, darling," she answered. "If it stays this close, we may both be nervous wrecks by the time we get the answer."
The next couple of wards were of less interest to her. When Mike's ward flashed on the screen, she felt tears in her eyes. He was trailing by 187 to 108. Only then did she realize that she cared more about Mike and Sam making it than she did about herself.
The results in Sam's Ward cheered her up a lot. He was off and running with the score in his favor by 203 to 162.
"I'm happy for Sam," Wanda said quietly, "but I could cry to see this happening to Mike."
"Don't, darling," he held her closely. "Mike's a big boy now. He knew what this was all about and he took a shot at it just like you did. He'll still have his job and he's young enough to take another shot at it later. It's all a part of the making of the man."
Ten minutes later, they took a second look at the various boards. Paulson was increasing his lead and even the commentator admitted that he seemed to be on his way back in with an increased majority.
While he still talked about the probability of the mayor being returned to office, the camera moved back to the board and Wanda read the results from her ward.
This time, it was Carson 386, Tupper 381.
"Please forgive me darling," Wanda smiled almost guiltily, "but I think I need another drink."
With a laugh, Art got up to get it for her. He looked stunned when he realized that his drink was less than half gone.
Within a half hour, a few things became obvious. Mayor Paulson had been returned to office in something like a landslide. Mike was definitely beaten with the machine man leading by better than two to one. Sam, on the other hand, was pulling farther and farther ahead of his opponents and seemed to be a cinch to win.
A full hour after the polls closed, Wanda was still engaged in a neck and neck race with Joe Carson. Now, the count read: Carson 983, Tupper 980.
The next time the camera hit her board, Art unloosed a shrill yell of delight. This time it was Carson 1,154, Tupper 1,163.
"You're going to do it, darling," he squeezed her in a bear hug.
"Not with all those broken ribs, I'm not," she panted.
"I'm sorry dear," he apologized, "I guess I got carried away."
"I love you for it darling, do it any time you like."
When she took a break from watching the results, Wanda phoned Sam Gold's number. He answered the phone and after congratulating him, she asked to speak to Mike.
He sounded much better than she had expected he would. When she finished the call and turned back to Art, his eyes told her she had done the right thing by phoning. She thanked him with a kiss.
The next report showed Carson leading by seventeen votes. Twenty minutes later he had stretched that lead to thirty-two. On the next count, the difference reached forty-seven.
While the commentator fought to keep interest alive by talking about the close race in Ward seven, Wanda told herself the race was over and she had lost.
For just a moment, she thought about it. Relief flooded over her then, the kind of relief she knew she wouldn't have found in winning the election.
She knew she had done everything that could have been asked of her and now it was over. Somewhere, she knew, Joe Carson was watching the same results and sweating blood as he wondered whether this was the end of everything he knew. The thought gave her more than enough satisfaction.
Beside her, Art continued to peer at the television as if by staring harder he could somehow influence the vote count. She was so filled with love that it was difficult to contain it all. She reached for him and pressed her mouth against his in a spontaneous expression of pure love.
When the phone rang, she hurried to answer it. It was a reporter calling to get her reaction to the suspense of the tight race. She surprised him by giving a statement in which she conceded the election.
Finishing that call, she phoned the other paper and gave a similar statement to an equally amazed reporter. When she completed that call, Wanda left the phone off the hook.
"Anyone for bed?" she asked with a smile that came from deep inside., "Hey," Art protested, "you can't quit now, you got a real chance to win this yet."
"Darling," she sat on his lap as she talked, "would you believe that's the last thing in the world I want? My future is filled with important things like marrying the man I love, having babies and being very happy. I can't waste my time listening to dull election results."
Just then, there were more results. This time, Carson had a lead of just over a hundred votes. The smile Wanda wore couldn't be questioned, it was too sincere to be doubted.
"Come to bed, darling and make love to me. I've won."
"You know, sweetheart," Art replied, "I really think you have."
"Of course I have, dear. I'm a very winning woman."