************

"So tell us a little more about your friends, Charisma," Margaret asked as they sat at the breakfast table that same morning. "I have to admit to being more than a little intrigued."

Charisma had to wonder why Margaret was suddenly intrigued, but had to admit that she hadn't been around much in the past few days either. With three grandparents that didn't get to see Adam nearly as often as they'd like to, Charisma had taken advantage of the built-in, willing babysitting and already started her political glad-handing. So she hadn't been around much more than to say good morning before she left for the day, usually not making it back until just before dinner. That time was spent catching up on everyone's day, and then it was back to work for her for a few more hours before falling into bed beside Kent for a bit of sleep before waking up to start it all over again.

And wasn't that weird? She and Kent rarely shared a bed anymore - hadn't since Adam had been born if the truth were told... except when they were here in her mother's home. Still, since she had fought so hard to be allowed to sleep together at Okasa's before they were married, she wasn't about to tell her mother any differently. And since Kent didn't seem to mind nor did he demand anything from her, she was content to keep the status quo.

All this flashed through her mind briefly as she considered Margaret's request, which she had to admit was a valid one. After all, before Esmeralda had come into her life, she'd never given much thought to her friends - or the lack thereof - in Washington. There it was all about the movers and shakers - who you knew and who knew you. Meeting Esmeralda had changed that... at least in part.

"Charisma?" Okasa finally nudged her. "Margaret asked...."

"I know, Mama. I'm trying to decide what to say." Her words caused more than one set of eyebrows to go up.

"Are they that unusual?" Margaret asked curiously.

"In some ways, yes," Charisma replied honestly. "They're not like anyone I have ever met before."

"Why?"

Now Charisma's eyebrows jumped onto her forehead, but she considered the question before she spoke. "I'm not sure," she said slowly. "I don't think it's because of our different economic circumstances even though that is considerable; I think it's just them. They're *real* people, if you know what I mean... something I don't see a lot of in my line of work."

"How did you meet them? I mean, I know you said the one was a custodian in your building, but they don't come in until after you are long gone, do they?"

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Charisma said wryly. "But I pull a lot of late nights trying to finish the work I can't get to during the day with all the meetings and committees and whatnot constantly interrupting. So I did actually meet Es while I was working."

"Tell us about it."

Charisma let her eyes unfocus on the room around her and turned her sight inward, thinking back on the first day Esmeralda had walked into her office... and into her life.

************

A knock sounded on her door and Charisma glanced at the clock, frowning. Who on earth was left to disturb her this late at night? Before she could invite them in... or dismiss them, for that matter... the door opened and a honey gold head peeked around the frame.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Senator. I didn't realize that anyone was still here. I can come back...."

"If you didn't know anyone was here, why did you knock?" Charisma asked sharply, blue eyes boring into green that met hers steadily.

"I always knock before entering any room here, Senator. It's considered polite and I never know if someone might be working late. My work is somewhat noisy. I don't just barge into any of the offices I clean in case I'm interrupting something."

Charisma blinked, wondering what kinds of things this woman might have interrupted in her line of work and realizing she'd just been thoroughly dressed down by the custodian in front of her who took such care of maintaining her office space. But instead of becoming angry, it made her thoughtful. "What's your name?"

"Esmeralda," the young woman answered.

"Well, Esmeralda - I think you've been doing a magnificent job here," motioning around the room. "Don't let me keep you from your work."

"Yes, Senator," Esmeralda nodded and pushed the door open further, pulling her cart in behind her. Charisma watched her for a few more minutes as she started her cleaning routine, recognizing a serenity about Esmeralda that she'd rarely seen outside of church on the odd occasion she went. Then Charisma went back to her own work, ready to wrap things up for the evening.

************

"This went on for several weeks before we actually spoke again. And when we did, we started talking... like friends do. Not at first, of course, but eventually we were talking about *real* things... important things. And then she fell ill."

"By fell ill, I'm assuming you don't mean she got a cold," Margaret commented, seeing an odd look in Charisma's expression. Charisma shook her head.

"No, it certainly wasn't a cold." She bit her lip thoughtfully and picked up her coffee cup. "I don't know what it was - my colleagues and I were never told. But I do know she was out for a long time; whatever it was almost killed her."

"Wait... she made friends with other Senators?"

"Esmeralda has made a friend of most of the people on our floor - Senators and aides alike. If you've worked late enough to be there when the cleaning staff comes in, you've probably made friends with Esmeralda. She's just the kind of person who attracts people to her."

"And she told you that this illness nearly killed her?"

"She did - but we also saw how wan and gaunt she was when she returned to work. Whatever it was, it took a lot out of her. She's still recovering, truth be told."

"And you're sure she was actually sick - that it wasn't drugs or something similar?"

Charisma's face flushed crimson with the anger that washed over her, but before she could speak, Kent answered Margaret's accusation. "Mother! That was completely uncalled for! Maybe you should try giving people the benefit of the doubt instead of judging them sight unseen. You might be happier and your life might be more than just an endless round of affairs. You might actually find some real friends," he finished before he rose and strode from the table. Margaret's jaw dropped in response to his tirade, but before she could recover to make a waspish reply, Charisma spoke calmly.

"Margaret, that was completely unfair and if you think about it... a somewhat stupid accusation of someone you've never even met. The government does random drug testing every week - they would have caught Esmeralda long before her illness if she'd been a user."

"I was thinking that she could be using her so-called illness to her advantage. After all, that building is full of people with secrets whose careers could be permanently destroyed if those secrets got out. And you know there are people who would pay a lot of money to know them."

"Margaret, Es is a custodian - despite 'National Security', she's privy to every government secret put on paper if she really wants to discover it. And God only knows what she's learned about the men and women she works for - people talk and she's a listener... besides which, garbage can be very telling. And yet nothing I've shared with her has ever even been whispered about in the hallways, and I've never heard anything about anyone else there... beyond the normal political crap which was there long before Es ever made an appearance in the building. Maybe you should consider your need to condemn a stranger like that. Now if you'll excuse me...." glancing at her mother before she rose and followed Kent's path out of the room.

Margaret looked at Okasa and Patrick plaintively. "I thought it a fair question. After all...."

"After all, Margaret, maybe you should wait until you meet her. Esmeralda might pleasantly surprise you. And I won't have you making her feel unwelcome here."

Okasa bit her lip to keep from showing the anger she felt. Charisma had finally found a friend outside the political arena she felt she could trust, and Margaret was doing her best to destroy that before she had even met the other woman. Instead, she rose and began to clear the table of the breakfast dishes Kent and Charisma had left behind. Patrick remained silent, eating the remainder of his food while allowing Margaret to wonder just what kind of boundaries she'd overstepped and how to go about repairing them.

Meanwhile, Charisma had followed Kent upstairs into their room where Adam was still soundly sleeping. The past few days' activities with his grandparents had worn him out and Charisma was thankful he'd been spared the little scene downstairs. She found Kent sitting on the floor by their son's bed just watching him sleep. Charisma took a seat beside him and lightly bumped his shoulder with hers.

"You all right?"

Kent glanced at her briefly before returning his attention to Adam. "Yeah. She just... she makes me so angry when she does things like that. Just because she got taken in once...."

"Your dad?" knowing it for the truth. Simon Rockwell had been a scoundrel - a charming scoundrel, but a scoundrel nonetheless. And his duplicity had colored every human interaction Margaret had had since his defection when Kent was still much younger.

"Yeah," he sighed. "I'm sorry she attacked your friend. I'm looking forward to meeting her... them."

"I think you'll like them, Kent. They're good people. I'm glad they weren't here to hear your mother's accusations, though. I get the feeling Saphira would have cleaned her clock one good time."

"She some kind of tough broad or something?" Kent joked with a twinkle in his eye.

Charisma smirked. "Well, she's a waitress in a diner, so I'm sure she can hold her own. But she's very protective of Esmeralda - they're very protective of one another. I'm pretty sure if Saphira had heard your mother's tirade, we'd be picking bits of her up from around the room for the next few days."

"That would be something to try and explain to an ER doctor," he quipped as Adam slowly blinked his eyes open. "Morning, Little Man," he greeted, chuckling when Adam leaped into his arms and snuggled into his neck. "You got a kiss for Mama before we go potty?"

Adam leaned over and nuzzled Charisma's cheek, then tucked himself back into Kent's body. Kent and Charisma exchanged looks, then Kent eased to his feet. "Guess that's my cue," he said as he moved into the connecting bathroom. "You going out today?"

Charisma leaned over and made up Adam's bed, then turned her attention to theirs. "No. I'm not sure what time the girls expect to arrive and I'd like to be here to meet them when they do."

"I can certainly understand that, especially after what happened downstairs."

"Thank you for that, by the way. You didn't have to say anything to your mother, but I appreciate you saying that to her."

She could hear the shrug in his voice when he answered. "It needed to be said."

Before Charisma could continue the conversation, Adam ran out of the bathroom, obviously much more awake than he had been scant minutes before. He latched on to Charisma's leg, and she reached down to tickle him. He squealed and tried to get away without actually losing his grip on her. Kent laughed at the picture they made as he leaned on the doorjamb of the bathroom.

"I've never seen a kid wake up like that boy does."

"Mama, bre'fas?" Adam asked, blue eyes looking at her adoringly. She touched her finger to the tip of his nose and smiled, watching his nose crinkle up in response.

"You hungry, son?" she queried, knowing the answer before his head started nodding vigorously. "Let's go downstairs and see what Gramma has for you to eat. How does that sound?"

"YUM!" causing Kent and Charisma both to laugh out loud.

"I guess that means yes," Kent said as he pushed off the doorway and moved to the bed. "I'll finish up here," gesturing to the partially made bed, "and meet you downstairs in a few minutes."

Charisma nodded, and laid a hand on his arm. "Are you all right?"

He patted her hand awkwardly and bent down to pick up the throw pillows. "I will be," he assured her. "Go on now, before Adam starts chewing on your leg."

Charisma smiled and took Adam's hand. They headed downstairs without a backwards glance.