Alice looks at me for several seconds

“This has to be a joke right ?”

“No “

“So why didn’t it show up in her file ?”

“Maybe because it was a long time ago and it happened in England”

Alice sighs “ This isn’t good Tina

– she likes Kate – she’s spoken to her on the phone and she really likes her – we have been feeding Bette with a lot of Kate’s op pieces in which she really goes into bat for us and for another 4 years of a democrat in the White House “

“How likely do you think it is that she will still want her when she finds out that she has a past with me ?”

We start walking again “I don’t know Tina – she got over how she felt about Helena. That was recent and she had read all the reports about what a crazy and volatile relationship the two of you had. She managed to deal with that and she does really care about Helena now. “ Alice sighs “I don’t know Tina

– she’s your wife – things seem to be much better between the two of you “

“It is – the holiday we had was just so good for the pair of us and Ella had a blast”

“So maybe she is not going to hit the roof about Kate “

“Maybe

– she doesn’t like surprises and this will be one for her “

“You have a past

– its been dragged up before and I have read almost everything Kate Arden has written and broadcast for the past decade and she is a firm fan of you and everything that you have done- even the stuff that you got the most of a hiding for. She is a died in the wool democrat and she wants this gig and I think she would be really good for us. In fact I think we should have appointed her years ago – it’s a shame that she’s only going to get a year in the job but with luck she will have a good time and maybe Peggy will see what Bette, CJ, Henry and I see – that she’s brilliant and she will be good for the President “