Look to the Rainbow by Lynn Murphy

he certainly hadn’t given her that impression.  And he didn’t seem at all to her to be the kind of man who wanted an ‘occasional fling.’
     
         She gathered her computer and purse and left the office. Bobby had told her to talk to other people about Kel and Alise. So she would. She’d just start with Lily and Molly.
     
     
     
         Skip told them they would land in Miami in roughly thirty minutes. Kel turned to John and said, “Bobby wants Tara to do a story in Newsworthy about my relationship with Alise.”
     
         John looked up from his Blackberry. “Why would that be helpful to you?         
     
         “ Because he doesn’t have any idea what really happened. In his house Alise became a recognized saint the day she died.”
     
         John said, “I tend to shut her out when she rambles on. Does she talk about Alise a lot?”
     
         Kimberly laughed. “Constantly.  I wish I could shut her out.”
     
         “I know he thinks if we portray me as the poor grieving widower it will work in my favor. But I’m against presenting myself as something I am not, just to try and win votes.”
     
         “How does he propose to do that, given the headlines today?”
     
         “I have no idea. But someone is going to have to veto that article, because I’m not doing it.”
     
         He looked out the window as Skip began to prepare his descent and reflected on his life with Alise. He had loved her, more than life itself. Discovering that she had been unfaithful had destroyed almost all of his dreams for the future.  He had focused on his children and his political career and when she died, he had gone on doing just that. He allowed himself to start dreaming again. And recently, to consider the possibility of loving someone again.
     
     
     
          Tara sat in front of the fire with Lily and Molly after dinner. “This may be something neither of you wants to talk about, but Bobby wants me to do a story about Kel and Alise.”
     
         Lily said, “Did Bobby say why?”
     
         “He thinks people need to know that the reason why Kel is single is because Alise was the love of his life. He thinks people will be more sympathetic to him, the ones who keep criticizing him for not having a wife.”
     
         “That’s ridiculous!” Molly replied. “Where was Bobby back then?”
     
         Lily took in the strained look on Tara’s face and said, “Bobby’s perspective may not be the same as everyone else’s.”
     
          “I am supposed to have lunch with Debby tomorrow. Bobby set it up. Kel does not want to do this story, but Bobby is insisting.”
     
         “Tell him that,” Molly said. “Tell Kel this is not your idea.”
     
          “He knows it isn’t. I haven’t talked to him today. But I would like to hear what both of you thought about Alise.  Bobby and Debby seem convinced that this is the romance of the century.”
     
         “Kel was completely in love with her. But a lot of things happened and by the time she died, the marriage was in trouble. I could sit here and tell you stories all night, and I can say without questions that I was never terribly fond of her, but I really think you should hear what happened from Kel.” Molly turned to Lily. “Don’t you think so?”
     
          Lily said, “I do, especially given that she’s involved with Kel herself. Alise , bless her heart, just never quite fit in this family.”
     
         She understood that they didn’t want to talk about Alise, but Lily did pull out an album that had several photos of Alise, including some pictures of Kel and Alise on their wedding day and with Jim and Janet when they were babies. Alise had been stunningly beautiful, exactly the kind of woman you would expect Kel to married to. In the photographs they looked like a Hollywood golden couple, all beautiful and perfectly