Page 1 of Endless First Kisses

Prologue

Looking up, five steps below the makeshift stage brightly decorated in red, white, and blue, and the Stars and Stripes waving majestically in the background, she wondered why she agreed to be there. The sound booming out of the giant speakers on the sides of the stage was deafening.

“Aren’t I just about the luckiest father alive?” The smartly dressed man on the stage bellowed at the end of his introductory remarks meticulously thanking all the public officials present in the town hall gathering. Slowing down in a perfectly timed call and response rhythm with the rapturous audience.

The officials in the front row were pleased to be known and see their names being mentioned. On a first name basis with a rising star. What more could they ask for? They looked at their neighbors with graciousness. They didn’t see the note containing all the names that his aide had slipped on the podium.

The women screamed. Some of them fainted. The Senator made it a point to stop and draw attention to them. The ones that didn’t faint felt guilty for having missed out on the opportunity to have the eyes of the attractive man planted on their being instead of the cursory glances he showered the crowd with. The most charismatic politician since John F. Kennedy. The men envied and detested him. They still came along anyway to witness history in the making, and to keep their wives in line. To remind them they would still have to go back to their life rooted in the everyday reality of 21st Century America. This might be their very last chance to see him up close before he moved on to grander stages.

“My daughter, Caroline, is here in the audience. Sweetheart, why don’t you come on up here?” The father gestured toward her in the front row seat. He had promised not to put her on the spot. And he broke his promise. As he had done so many times before. She was mortified.

“You see, my daughter is quite shy. Not unlike me. You have all seen her grow up before your eyes as I have had the honor and privilege of representing you all these years. She has made the exception to be present here today…”

It was real. Her father, the famous Senator Brandon McKenzie, had done it again. It was her fault to trust him. She had indeed made the exception to be present to celebrate his election to the US Senate after having served in the State Assembly for a little over four years. A man in a hurry, and destined for greatness, many believed.

Knowing she couldn’t escape and astutely aware of a camera being present on her face, Caroline smiled broadly and waved her hand gracefully. Such refined mannerisms that warmed the Senator’s heart. She had the knack for it. Like a princess among her subjects. He had raised her for such a moment. It had done wonders for his political ambition. If he could raise such an elegant young woman, imagine what he could… All the possibilities were open for any constituent’s yearning for better times.

The Senator had so much hope for his daughter. She had his natural charisma and the arresting quality of a feminine beauty coming of age and exploding into prominence. A young woman all mothers could be proud of and any hot blooded men could lust for and admire.

The crowd hushed and spontaneously broke out into a chant. “Caroline! Caroline! Caroline!” The Senator clapped his hands keeping up with the rhythm of the crowd. By far his proudest accomplishment. The best gift he could ever ask for if he knew how and who to ask. Politics comes natural and easy to him. It is a peoples’ business, and he couldn’t have enough of the people. Every woman that looked at him and shook his hand felt known by him, as if they were on a micro-second date. Submitting to his charm, their eyes wandering in delight as he smiled and winked at them generously.

Caroline trotted up the stage quickly in her royal blue dress. Maintaining an upright posture the whole time and walking side to side on the stage waving to the crowd that continued to chant her name. She was perfect. She stood by her father’s side after kissing him on his cheek and hugging her step-mother, who she hadn’t spoken to in months and was standing on the left side.

The perfect ensemble of color and beauty on the stage as the adoring fans gave a standing ovation once more. The Senator’s red tie picked out to go with the red one-piece dress his second wife wore for the special occasion, starchily pressed white shirt flown in from New York City, and a navy blue Ermenegildo Zegna suit flown in from Italy. Gone were the everyday man attire of blue shirt and jeans and a union light brown jacket. This was a coming out party for Brandon McKenzie, and he wasn’t holding anything back.

There, framed on either side by two young women of spectacular beauty, the Senator continued gushing about the accomplishments of his daughter and the bright future that awaited her.

“Now, I have heard a few whispers wondering how was it that such a special human being, my precious daughter, could come out of the chaos that has been my life?” The crowd laughed. Brandon McKenzie was an expert in self-deprecating humor.

“Well, my daughter has been a responsible and truly outstanding citizen. I couldn’t possibly take all the credit. Compassionate about the world, caring and dedicated to the well-being of all those around her. Caroline, I want to thank you for the excellent example you set for young girls all across this great state of ours and across the country.”

The Senator looked on and shook his head with such earnestness. Caroline continued to smile, fixing her hands in front of her. Assuming the neutral and non-threatening stance. “Thank you, daddy,” she said. Her voice was swamped by the rapturous applause.

“Now, before I embarrass her further... Let me say there are a lot of young men around here wondering about my daughter.” He stopped and chuckled. Another nervous laughter reverberated across the hall. “All I can say is keep away. She is going to have a busy final semester to finish her college education at Harvard and plan for the future. I for one, and I am sure all of you agree, can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.”

Senator Brandon McKenzie was in his prime. Part comedian, part everyday man, part humble servant, and a huge part of ambition and drive. Caroline stood by his right side and basked in the glow of a blowout victory that was long ordained. The competition had no chance. Marking the beginning of a new life for their family.

As much as Caroline liked the spotlight and gushing remarks, she felt suffocated. She couldn’t wait until she left the stage. The pretense of being the innocent little girl was a heavy burden to bear. Does he know and pretends not to know? Or, does he have no clue about her life? She wondered as she listened attentively and looked around the crowd. There was an art to pretending to be the lovely little daughter. Looking innocent and pure, and smiling warmly. And Caroline has had years of practice doing the same in the limelight while keeping her true self for the after hours.

Yet she stood there watching her father with pride as he mesmerized his constituents about the promise of tomorrow, and followed up with shaking hands and taking selfies with the lucky few that made it to the front of the line. Women hugged her affectionately and men reached between the layers of bodies to touch her anywhere they could. It was all part of the deal of being the daughter of one of the most famous politicians in the country. She promised to herself to never do this again.

All the turmoil about the new wife, who looked more like Caroline’s sister on the stage mimicking most of her moves with excessive enthusiasm, was forgotten about for the brief instant of time. It was a time of celebration. The day of reckoning was nowhere in sight, and any thought of escape was swamped inside the hall thundering with loud music and louder screams. There was still plenty of time to smile and pretend to be happy.

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