Congressman Richard Turner, 30 (L,R)

“Richard, your 4:15 is here” Luna said as she walked into her best friend and boss’s office. The room was small, smaller than her bedroom back home. It felt like her boss had played Tetris with the room’s decor as nearly every inch of the wall was covered with frames, a mixture of landscape paintings Richard had found and photos with different political groups back in Rhode Island. The bulk of the room was taken up by a large wooden desk littered with stacks of paper and toys Richard had found to fiddle with while he read. Richard himself was sitting at the desk, his sandy blond eyebrows lifting in surprise at her announcement.

“I thought we were done for the afternoon?” He asked. “I asked for a few hours to prepare for the dinner with the Maryland group”

“I asked you about this one this morning. She represents some Political Action Committee I’d never heard of before today, the Hosts for an Open Future. Her name is Genet Grant, and she offered enough to meet our fundraising goals for the next three months just for meeting her today” She emphasized the end, moving her hands as she spoke. Her amber dress rippled a bit with the movement

He sighed, putting his pen down “I guess it’s too late now. What do we know about her group? Being able to throw around money like this usually comes with a cost, and these PAC names can mean anything. Good people usually can’t offer six hundred thousand dollars for a meeting.”

She took some notes out of her pants pocket and took a moment to unfold them. “They seemed fine actually, their website doesn’t give much detail but just talks about “improving the legal and financial structure protecting marriage equality”. I wasn’t able to find any details about their donor list, but it looks like they’re just shopping for someone to introduce their bills.”

“Well, I guess it doesn’t hurt to take their money for a thirty, forty minute meeting.” He glanced at the neon clock showing 4:17 on his desk, adjusting his green striped tie as he did so. He looked behind Luna at the door with guilt. “I’ve already held her up for too long, you can send her in.” Luna smiled at him and went back to the office’s lobby, leaving the door ajar before a dark haired, unusually curvy woman with mediterranean features wearing a red sundress.

He leaned over the desk to offer a handshake as she came in. “Mrs.Grant, it’s good to meet you. Feel free to have a set anywhere.” She took one of the leatherette chairs across from him before he continued. “What exactly can I help you with?” He was distracted at first by her chest, but did his best to regain eye contact as she spoke.

“Congressman Turner, it’s good to meet you. I was hoping you’d be able to help my organization expand the rights surrounding marriage equality.” She said, beaming at him as she began to take papers out of a briefcase he hadn’t noticed when she came in.

“Are you talking about issues like discrimination in adoption? I’ve worked with some of my constituents on that, and I’d be glad to help with something larger on that front.” He responded, his nerves calming. He hadn’t liked the surprise this meeting had been, but this was like some of his favorite cases after law school.

“That was something that brought you to my attention, but I wanted to focus on a different subject. I’d like your help expanding marriage beyond two people.”

The silence in the room as she stated this, so matter-of-factly, broke the mood of the room. Richard ’s previously calmed nerves snapped as he realized this woman was about to kill his reelection. “I-I’m sorry”. He stammered. “I don’t think I’d be able to help you with something like that. This is my first term in Congress, I don’t want it to be my last. Two person marriage is as popular as anything in this country, and it’s been around forever. I can’t bring back powerful men marrying and controlling multiple women, I’d have religious groups and women uniting against me.” He rose through his defense, gaining strength in his voice as he continued the argument to get this woman out of his office.

But she had no plans to leave just yet. “Actually”. She said, laying out a thick stack of paper on the desk from her briefcase. “The laws preventing multiple people from getting married were written around the same time as prohibition. That had a lot more protection than this, and they still struck it down. This is more achievable than you think.

Also, you’d mentioned earlier that you’d helped people adopt, despite the backlash. I’m sure you did it because you’re a good man, but a part of you enjoyed the fight, didn’t you. If they tried to paint you as the antichrist, you’re telling me you wouldn’t revel in that fight?” She narrowed her eyes, lowering her voice at the end, trying to worm her way through his defensiveness.

He tried to keep his poker face as he imagined it, the interviews that all the cable networks would beg him for. “All this is assuming that women will suddenly want to share men.”

She scoffed. “You’re still not listening. You just keep describing polygyny, when I want your help with polygamy. I don’t care if it's five women, three men, or a dozen people that love each other, I just want to give them a chance. But I understand your resistance. You’re saying that the thing you’re worried about most is how women would react to it?” She asked, beginning to grow smug. She had him right where she needed him “What if I find women that you already know and work with that would support this. Let’s say, eight women. Would you work with me then?”

“No.” Richard said flatly. “Anecdotes aren’t data. I can’t make a decision like this based on the words of eight people. But I’d at least let them speak. For now though, I think we’re done for today."

“I can work with that, Congressman.” She fished an envelope out of her briefcase and tossed it on his desk. “I offered support from my organization in exchange for this meeting. Inside this you’ll find the routing details for three million dollars. I look forward to our next meeting.” With that, she stood up out of the leatherette chair and strutted out of his office,

Richard sat there, stunned. His right hand fumbled around his desk for something to focus his hands on. That woman, Genet, was insane. Rich, but insane. Luna came back into his office and asked him how it went and he simply showed her the contents of the envelope. “What do you think we should do next?” Luna asked her friend and boss.

“For now, nothing. I think she’ll approach us again in a few weeks and we’ll need to be cautious. Until then-” He paused, seeing a shadow out of the corner of his eye from the edge of his office. “I’ll be right back.” He walked over to the doorway. No sooner had he done this, but a mauve wave crested into the room. It caught him and dragged him down, before enveloping Luna and the rest of the room.