Distraction - Bruce Sterling [81]
“Stop trying to provoke me. You’re being childish.”
They turned the corner onto Marlborough Street. This was his home street, it was where he lived. Time to try a fresh angle. “Look, Moira, I’m truly sorry about your feelings for the Senator. Campaigns are very intense, they make people do crazy things sometimes. But the campaign’s long behind us now, and you need to reassess your position. You and I, we’ve been good friends, we ran a great campaign together, and we shouldn’t become enemies. Be reasonable.”
“I’m not reasonable. I’m in love.”
“Think about it. I know that you’re out of my krewe, I accept that, but I can still make things easy for you. I offered to let you stay at my own house, rent-free. Wasn’t that the act of a friend? If you’re worried about a job, we can work out something with the local FedDems. You can take a party post during the off-season. When the next campaign comes around, hey, you were the spokesperson for Bambakias! You’ll have a big rep next time, you’ll have some clout. All you have to do is keep your skirt on.”
“I really hate you for that.”
“Look, you don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do. You’re disgusting. You’ve gone too far this time. I really hate you.”
“I’m telling you this for your own good! Look, she knows. You want to make enemies, well, you’ve made a big one. The wronged woman is on to you.”
“So what? I know that she knows.”
“She’s a Senator’s wife now, and she’s on to you. If you cross her again, she’ll crush you like a bug!”
Moira barked with laughter. “What’s she supposed to do? Shoot me?”
Oscar sighed. “She’ll out you on the college lesbian thing.”
Moira gaped in wounded astonishment. “What is this, the twentieth century? Nobody gives a damn about that!”
“She’ll leak it. She’ll leak it with major-league spin. Nobody leaks like Lorena. She’ll kiss up to the Capitol press at some overclass cotillion, and they’ll out you like a vampire in daylight.”
“Oh yeah? Well, I’m a press liaison, and if she outs me, I’ll out you. I’ll out you and your genius creep girlfriend!” She jabbed at him with a red-nailed finger. “Ha! You can’t threaten me, you manipulative scumbag. I don’t even care what happens to me! But I can kick over your applecart, that’s for sure. You’re not even human! You don’t even have a birthday! I’ll leak you and that creep ugly scientist, and when I’m done, she’ll day the rue she … oh hell … she’ll rue the day she ever met you.”
“This is pathetic,” Oscar said. “You’ve really lost it!”
“I’m strong.” Moira lifted her chin. “My love has made me strong.”
“What the hell are you carrying on about, anyway? You haven’t even been near the guy in six weeks.”
Her eyes brimmed with triumphant tears. “We trade email!”
Oscar groaned. “So that’s it. Well, we’ll soon put a stop to that. You’re completely irrational! I can’t have you blackmailing me, just so that you can ruin the career of the man that I put into office. It’s unconscionable! To hell with you! Do your worst.”
“I’ll do it! I will! I’ll wipe you out.”
Oscar stopped short on the sidewalk. She stamped onward, then turned on her heel, her eyes wild.
“This is my house,” Oscar pointed out.
“Oh.”
“Look, why don’t you come inside? Let’s have a cup of coffee. I know it hurts to have a bad love affair. You can get over that. Just concentrate on something else.”
“What do you think I am, a wax dummy?” She shoved him. “You creep.”
There was a loud banging noise from across the street. Oscar ignored it. He had one last pitch here, and he thought it would work. If he could get her inside the house with him, she’d sit down and cry. If she cried, she’d confess everything. She’d pass her crisis. She’d get over it.
Another loud bang. A big chip of brick flew from his arched doorway. “Oh hell!” he complained. “Look at my house!”
Another bang. “Ouch,” Moira remarked. Her purse had spun off her shoulder. She picked it up and looked at it. A