Everybody's Son by Thrity Umrigar

Author:Thrity Umrigar
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2016-03-03T05:00:00+00:00

BOOK THREE

November 2012

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Anton Coleman stood before the microphone, blinded by the flash of the cameras. A trickle of sweat ran down his face. It was hot under the klieg lights. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his parents standing in the wings, the wattage of David’s smile even brighter than the stage lights. He tried to think, but it was impossible, his thoughts scrambled by the raucous crowd chanting his last name over and over again. Anton smiled his toothy grin, and their cheers grew even louder. He ran his fingers through his hair in a nervous gesture and flashed an imploring look at Uncle Connor, who was standing at the bottom of the stage, part of the cheering crowd. For the next thirty seconds, the sound of their celebration mixed with the sound of the floor monitors pleading for quiet.

“Thank you,” Anton said. “Thank you. Thanks. Please.” He made a gesture with his hand, at once placating and commanding, asking them to take their seats. “Wow,” he said as the crowd fell silent. “What a night. Friends, we have made history tonight.” And with that, they were back on their feet, stomping, cheering, hooting in the Hilton ballroom.

Anton turned slightly to his right, to where his father was standing just out of the line of vision. David was pumping both fists in the air, looking happier than he had on any previous election night that Anton could remember. Anton laughed spontaneously, different from the slightly strained smiles and grins with which he had greeted his supporters as he’d strode through the room a few minutes earlier. It had been David’s idea that Anton personally thank and greet all the campaign workers from the floor before making his acceptance speech, and although Anton had agreed at once, these interactions never came easily to him. Unlike his father, who had grown to genuinely love the glad-handing with voters, Anton was a wonk, focused on what he wanted to accomplish once he got into the attorney general’s office. The election was simply the means to an end. Throughout the campaign, Anton had been acutely aware of a slightly ironic internal critic who mocked him as he tried to play the role of politician. He had, after all, grown up in the age of Barack Obama’s cool and Jon Stewart’s puncturing wit, and the internal critic seemed to be lodged permanently in his body.

What he had no doubt about, however, was his vow to clean up the AG’s office.

He pulled his carefully prepared speech out of his pocket and cleared his throat. He had practiced the victory speech enough times to have it memorized. He would begin by thanking his parents and repeating that their state had made history tonight by electing the first father-son team as governor and attorney general. Then he’d get into the laundry list of challenges that lay ahead of them.

They were finally quiet, waiting for him. He opened his mouth to speak and found that he couldn’t.

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