Look to the Rainbow

For Pat, even though he refuses to be a cover  model.

Chapter One

     “Am I the only person who never saw this coming?” Kelly O’Brien turned away from the window of his study. Occupying the space were his best friend and brother in-law John Lansing, his brother Ross and close friend Evan Jones. Over the years most of the important conversations he’d had with all of them had at least started in this room. The last important conversation, before the one that was about to begin, had been about his decision to run for the office of President of the United States. And now, in the middle of that campaign, his daughter Janet had dropped a bombshell.

     “Did you really think Janet would never grow up and decide to get married?” This question came from Ross.

     “Of course I thought she’d get married one day. And I realize she’s grown up.” Kel started to pace the room, a familiar sign to the others that this was a situation that was going to take some contemplation to accept.

     Evan said, “So the problem is that it’s Alan she wants to marry?”  He glanced at John, who so far hadn’t said anything, even though Alan Lansing was his younger brother.

     “This is going to sound terrible, but yes. Yes. Janet just announces over dinner that she’s in love with
 Alan
and they want to get married and we’re all supposed to just toast them with champagne and not have any questions or reservations?”

     John spoke up for the first time since Janet had shocked them all between the dinner and dessert courses. “I’m not exactly sure what your reservations are, at least not so far as the potential groom being Alan. If you consider this from any other parent’s position, he’s a good looking surgeon from a wealthy family who apparently loves your daughter. And also apparently, your daughter has fallen in love with him.”

     “Alan is sixteen years older than she is.”

     Evan said “So you’d object to anyone who was older than she is?”

     Kel sighed. “The whole thing doesn’t seem…awkward to anyone else? The age difference does bother me, but what bothers me more is that Alan is like a younger brother to me and now my daughter wants to marry him. And I didn’t have a clue she was even dating him.”

     “So what is really the problem? That you didn’t know she was seeing anyone or that the person is Alan, which makes you feel like your daughter wants to marry your brother?”

     “Evan, listen to how that sounds,” Kel said.

     Evan laughed. “Even the tabloids would have a tough time making a story out of that Kel.  Maybe it does feel strange, given your relationship with Alan. But at least you have the advantage of knowing who your daughter would be marrying.  And the issue of age should be irrelevant. Would you object if she fell in love with a stranger who was older than she was? Would it be a big deal, say, if
you
happened to fall for someone who was much younger than you are?”

     “Since I have no intention of ‘falling’ for someone, I can’t answer that.” Kel had been single for the last fifteen years since his troubled marriage had ended with his wife’s unexpected death in a plane crash. By all accounts he had done a more than admirable job raising his two children, Janet and her brother Jim, on his own while serving as the senator from Rhode Island. The movie star handsome senator could easily have had his choice of women who would love to be the second Mrs. Kelly O’Brien. But Kel’s once idealistic view of marriage had been shattered by his wife’s infidelity. He’d dated some, but kept those relationships casual. Added to the memory of his broken heart was the issue of his health; Kel had been a type I diabetic for years.  Since Alise’s reaction to the disease had been profoundly negative Kel was hesitant to let anyone know about his condition.  He was even more adamant about keeping it quiet since his bid for the Presidency had begun. There had been several incidences in the past that had been alarming, even a coma, but for the last several years the disease had been under control. Evan was considered an expert on the disease, having been leading research on diabetic comas during the time Kel had fallen into one. By chance he had been on call when Kel had been brought in. He had formed a friendship with John and Ross as they waited for Kel to wake up. The friendship had continued for years, elevating Evan and his wife Mary Katherine to honorary family status. Kel trusted Evan to be confidential about his illness, he trusted him as a friend even more.

     “I don’t think I want to talk about this anymore right now,” Kel said. ”I’ve suddenly got more than the campaign on my mind. Let’s go see what the rest of the family is doing instead.”

     “You can’t avoid this forever, Kel,” John said.

     “But I can at least until tomorrow.” Kel shook his head and left the room.

     Evan was the first to stand.  “Interesting.”

     Ross said, “Alan and Janet or Kel’s reaction?”

     Evan considered that question. “Both, actually, Dr. O’Brien.” He turned to John. “Did you know Alan was dating Janet?”

     “No,” John said, “ but then I’ve been on the campaign trail with Kel. I don’t think anyone knew. Not even my mother.”

     “Even more interesting,” Evan said as the three of them walked out of the study.

     Janet sat on the terrace with her cousins Casey Lansing and Sara O’Brien. The three of them made quite an arresting sight, as they were all beautiful. Janet had inherited her grandmother Fiona’s Titian colored hair and the startling O’Brien blue eyes. Sara also had those same blue eyes that James O’Brien had once had, and the jet black hair the rest of the O’Brien children had been born with. Casey was the exception. She and her brother Seamus had been adopted, but Seamus was as dark haired and blue eyed as if he’d been their mother’s natural child. Casey stood out in the O’Brien ranks with her honey colored tresses and jade green eyes, often to her dismay, but she was as lovely as the others even if she didn’t look like them.

     “Daddy’s reaction wasn’t quite what I expected,” Janet said.

     “What did you think he’d do?” Sara laughed. “You just sort of tossed it out there- Alan and I have been seeing each other behind everybody’s backs and by the way we want to get married.”

     “That isn’t what I said, Sara. And I expected him to be happy and maybe make a toast or something.”

     “So when he said, ‘you’re not getting married’ and left the table you were surprised?” Casey shook her head. “ Sara and I didn’t even know. You really should have at least told us.”

     “I  know. I should have told everyone. But it wasn’t as if we planned on this happening. I agreed to go to one of Lily’s charity events. Daddy was campaigning, Jim was at school. None of our friends were there, so Alan was the only person there I could have a real conversation with. We started dancing and I just suddenly noticed how nice it was to be dancing with him. We went for a walk on The Cliff Walk, and he kissed me in the moonlight…and that was it. We both just fell in love. Is that crazy?”

     “No,” Casey said. “It’s romantic.”

     “But,” Sara said, “ it is a little like marrying a member of your family.”

     All three of them laughed. “But don’t you think it’s hard to date when you’re part of this family?” Casey asked. “You meet a guy you really like, go out a few times, and you’re thinking he could be the one, things are going well. Then he asks the question that kills the romance- ‘When do I get to meet your grandfather?’ Or your uncle. And then once again you realize you’ve been used by someone who wants your family connections, not you. Everyone I go out with just seems to want to Gramps or Kel to further his career. At least Alan’s not interested in your trust fund.”

     “Maybe I’ve just always been in love with him. Sort of like Kim and John. And no one said anything when they got married.”

     “Mother and Daddy were much closer in age than you and Alan,” Casey pointed out. “But I do think it’s possible for you to have  been in love with him for a long time and just not known it.”

     Sara said, “Of course you’d think that Case, since you’ve been in love with Evan forever.”

     “Sara. Please don’t go there.” Casey did have romantic feelings for Evan but only Sara and Janet were privy to that information.