2

Inside the bedroom of a couple in their early sixties, the woman was seated up on the bed beside her sleeping husband, her phone in her hands.

She was watching a video that had surfaced online, with an exhausted expression on her face. “Not again.” She mumbled.”

The video showed Andra dancing in her tomboy outfit at a stripper stand. The clubbists surrounded her, cheering her on as she entertained them. As she danced, she pulled off her oversized t-shirt to reveal her upper body clad in a sports bra, leaving her taut stomach exposed.

The cheers from the people increased and the gleeful noisy sound forced the sleeping man to wake up.

“Sorry dear,” Mrs. Duke apologized. “It’s just that, this video concerns us. Though I wish you would not have to see it. I mean, not again.”

Mr. Duke sat up, rubbing his sleepy eyes. “Don’t tell me it’s Andra again.” He said as she brought the phone closer to him so that he would be able to easily view it.

In the clip currently playing, an already intoxicated Andra, accepted a can of liquor from a man and was emptying it down her system as the cheers intensified. She pulled a random guy up before her and started dancing seductively against him. The excited man joined her and seized the privilege to touch her in inappropriate places to more cheers of approval and applause from the crowd.

Duke’s face reddened with anger. “Can you see what she’s doing again?” he bit out.

“Hmm. You don’t want to see the comments.” She said.

“Let me see.”

“Let it go.”

“Let me see, Carla.” He insisted.

“They are not good,” Carla warned.

“I said let me see.” Duke insisted sharply, forcing her to concede.

She scrolled up the video and it stopped playing as she brought up the comment section. There were already about three hundred comments and the number was steadily rising.

“When was this even posted?”

“Some time ago. From the time stamp on this blog, about one hour ago.”

“And all these people are here already.” He stated, astonished.

“You’re a politician. Can’t you see the heading? ‘Disgraceful daughter of Duke who will probably disgrace this city if you vote for him.”

Duke growled low in barely contained anger as his eyes scanned the comment section. “Just look at this.” He said, his eyes fixed on a comment that he painfully read aloud. “A man who cannot control his wayward daughter cannot control this city.” He scrolled down and began reading random comments. “Sir Duke should kiss his aspirations as the mayor of Auckland goodbye.” Duke shook his head and read more comments; “He must first control his useless daughter before he can control us,” “He should just withdraw his candidacy.” “The people of Auckland must be wise in their voting because we cannot let a wayward father turn this city into a wayward one.”

“There is one positive comment here and probably more if you take the time to go through,” Carla said, in a bid to lighten his burden. “One here says ‘Her stupid lifestyle has nothing to do with her dad.’

“Apparently, the majority wins the vote.” Duke refuted and expanded the comment she had just read which held some contesting replies. Duke read out the first one. “Maybe not, but it shows how incompetent he will be.”

He looked at his wife and threw his hands up in exasperation. “I cannot take this anymore, Carla. Get off this video, please.”

Carla did as he asked and placed the phone beside her on the bed.

“I will not let this girl ruin my career.” Duke fumed. “She cannot just destroy everything I stand for.”

“You need to calm down.”

“She is ruining my public image.” He snapped.

Carla placed a palm gently on his chest, trying to calm him down. He took a deep breath and released it.

“I have tried everything.” He lamented. “I have threatened to disown her. I have threatened to lock her up in a psychiatric home. Yet nothing works. I have grounded her multiple times, especially when she was younger. Now she is twenty-four. I cannot punish her anymore. She is an adult. I can only talk. If I get her to live on her own, it will get worse because my access to her will be limited and she will be comfortable out there, ruining my image with her stupid lifestyle. The worst thing is, she has refused to do anything with her life. How can a graduate of law decide not to attend law school and become a certified lawyer? Neither will she agree to get a job. So she stays idle and fills up her days with partying. If Andra is not going swimming, she is partying or throwing one at some event center. I cannot take this anymore, especially her tomboyish ways.”

“Well, hopefully, someone will marry her and all this will end,” Carla said hopefully, her voice laced with exhaustion.

“When” I mean, how soon? With her reputation, who will marry her? I am a man and I will tell you that no responsible man will look at Andra and marry her. I for sure will not marry someone so wayward. Not back in my youth, not now. This girl will end my career if I don’t do something about it.”

The couple was silent in their thoughts about the situation for a while.

“I have big plans for this city,” Duke said. “You know that, right?”

“Yes, dear, I know.”

“I must do something urgent about this situation because elections are around the corner.”

“So what are we going to do? I can barely talk to her because she will always remind me that I’m not her mother. What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know.” He said thoughtfully. “For now, I don’t know…I don’t…” Duke paused as an idea lighted up his eyes.

Carla noticed his optimistic looks. “Sweetheart, what is it?” she asked curiously.

“I know what to do.” He said. “Thanks for mentioning marriage.”

“I don’t get it.”

“I’ll contract someone to marry her,” he said resolutely.

“What?”

“Just until the campaign period and finally the elections. By my calculations, it should be for a year.”

“You’re not serious.”

“I am dead serious.”

“She will not agree.”

Duke smiled wryly. “Nobody is expecting her to agree, but it will happen. Oh, yes, it will happen. Now all I have to do is find the right man. Sleep tight, my wife.”

“This is absurd.” She pointed out.

“Well, an absurd situation deserves an absurd solution.” He said determinedly. Then he turned on his side and returned to sleep.

Carla observed the resolute expression on his face and knew that he was serious about his decision. She found the decision preposterous. Nevertheless, she didn’t see what else she could do. She let it be and laid down beside him, taking solace in the thought that at least a solution was in their face, however absurd it sounded.