Out of everyone at the airport Starbucks, she wasn’t exactly expecting to see a presidential candidate and she tried to cover her surprise with another sip of her latte. It burned her tongue as she waved him over, a masked cough against the lid. “Nice to see you, too, Mr. Church. Getting back from somewhere?” She cleared her throat and finally spoke when he sits at her table. “Oh, no, I’m waiting for a drop off,” and then when she realized that sounded suspicious, she added, “just from my brother. Passport. I’m off to spend a little time with my family in France.” She finished the explanation with a smile, gaze falling to the assortment of bags trailing with him. Then a polite offer that might give them a little more time to chat. “Is your ride here? I’ve still got a few minutes, would you like some help with your bags?”
“Oh, ain’t I always,” he replied, his well-worn passport resting naturally in his inside jacket pocket. It didn’t seem like they stamped your travel documents anymore, a good thing when he would’ve filled his out about 6 months ago. But a shame when it came to there being any kind of significance in air travel, he got on planes like he was flagging a taxi. “That was so clumsy I’m inclined to believe you Ms Kane. I’m sure it’d be way more discreet if you were on one of them secret spy missions.” A holiday would be nice now, he’d have probably spent the whole summer out the country if he wasn’t in this race. “It’s still pulling around, but don’t worry yourself. Mind keeping me company until then?”
1966: TJ is born in Fort Worth, Texas. His mother was forced to give him up. His father never acknowledged his birth. He spent a few of his early months with a family who jumped to adopt him, until realising his heritage, all they left him with was two first names - Trey given to him by his birth mother, Jackson by his first and only family. He spent the rest of his childhood in foster placements and group homes.
1982: The starting quarterback for his high school team, TJ first begins to get spotted outside of his hometown. Scouts from local Texas colleges start appearing at his games, not before long there’s national D1 scouts filling up the crowds. By the time he graduates, he has his pick of colleges.
1984: TJ decides to stick to him hometown, choose to go to Texas A&M for college. The first string quarterback picks up an injury and TJ never lets him win his place back. He leads out the XXX for 3 years before graduating early and entering the 1992 NFL Draft.
1988: Originally expected to be one of the first picks, TJ ends up not being selected until the second round on account of information about his troubled childhood coming to light. The press catches wind of some juvenile charges for shoplifting and burglary, TJ began to believe he wasn’t going to be picked at all. The Dallas Cowboys take a chance on a hometown hero (and they desperately needed a new QB).
1992: In his fourth season, TJ leads the Cowboys all the way to the Superbowl where he picks up the only ring of his career.
2001: Already known for his volunteering and charitable donations, TJ formalises his work with after-school programs and the foster system into his own foundation - the TJ Church Foundation.
2005: TJ meets his future wife at an event in DC, they’re married within a year.
2006: After 18 seasons leading the Cowboys, TJ retires from being a professional footballer.
2007: TJ gets divorced.
2008: After being involved in Texas Republican politics (almost entirely through donations), his political reputation becomes suddenly nationwide after being asked to speak at the Republican National Convention. It wasn’t a prime spot, but his message a new, modern party spread quickly across YouTube and cable news. In the 15 minutes of excitement he was even suggested as a potential VP for Romney.
2009: The after-school program run by the TJ Church foundation has spread through every public school in Texas. In the same year, he meets Lucia Mendez, and his time is far more spent in DC than it is Dallas.
2010: The first chatter about getting TJ to run for office began in the halls of Westminster and the backrooms of the Texas legislature. Although they were hoping he would target the House or the Senate, TJ’s focus was still very much on Texas. Instead he began to explore a late entry in the Texas Gubernatorial race.
2011: Despite joining late, TJ narrowly wins the Texas governor race, bringing together a coalition of voters never seen before in a Texas race. He moves back permanently to the state, breaking up with Lucia in the process.
2015: After 5 mostly successful years as Governor, TJ decides not to run again, choosing instead to return to DC and beg for Lucia back. He didn’t know what to expect, to find that she was pregnant would have been his last guess. Despite that, he.’s determined to be with her again. He adopts Matteo at birth, proposing to Lucia soon after.
Early 2018: After 3 years focused again on his foundation - expanding their after-school program nationwide and starting adoption awareness campaigns - TJ realises that he is frustrated by the pace of change and feels compelled to return to politics. With a strong incumbent in the Senate, and the House seeming like a step down, a crazy idea to aim for the 2020 Presidential race starts to form. After looking for counsel from many senior members of the party, his mind is made up. On telling Lucia, after promising years ago to never put his political career ahead of their relationship again, she breaks up with him.
Late 2018: TJ officially announces his campaign with a speech at the Cowboys stadium, it’s completely packed. The first directive from his campaign manager, he can’t win another election without a partner. He immediately starts to look for a girlfriend, finding the perfect candidate in Delilah Connelly-Calhoun.
Two halloween costumes in a day needn’t been an extensive performance. That was until the body paint had been pulled out and no number of showers in the world had managed to strip him of all his blue troll skin. Mid-party he had noticed a particularly egregious spot up the back of his neck, as if he was Han Solo slowly being possessed by the Creature from the Blue Lagoon, slithering its way up his back.
Excusing himself from the proceedings, he had dipped into the nearest bathroom in vain hope of cleaning himself up. A handful of wet paper towels and a sink full of off-blue water later, very little process had been made. He forgave his past self for missing it as there appeared no way for his arm to tangle itself around his neck at such an angle.
As the door swung open he hastily tried to dump his sodden makeshift cleaning supplies into the bin to no avail.
Never one to say no to his son, and of course accompanying him trick or treatin’, TJ goes all out for their Halloween costumes. He calls in a costume designer friend to put together Troll outfits for Matteo, @luciaxmendez and himself. Matteo refuses to take it off to go to bed that night.
“President? Man, could you imagine. Even if that wasn’t completely insane, what a thankless job. I’ll stick to being able to throw my own money at problems and actually have something happen.”
She’d run out to pick up breakfast to take to Scott who’d had to suffer through a morning ‘tour’ of the capitol from her father. Naturally, Lilah was in a hurry. She wanted to spend as much time as she could with her husband while he was here, and she needed to rescue him from Mike. The taxi pulled up and she was balancing the coffees on top of the box of pastries and opened the door. Before she could close it and give the driver her address, it was blocked by a very tall and somewhat familiar looking man. Her eyes narrowed and his rushed excuse. “And my husband’s home from Afghanistan for this week only, you’re welcome to share but my stop is first.” She slid over to make room for him in the car. “Which senators are you meeting?”
“That could be classified information,” he replied, though pulling a folded piece of scrap paper from the inside pocket of his jacket. “Cornyn, McCain and....Chambliss,” he answered, with a slight stumble over the names. “Heard of them?” he asked, in a way that might’ve been patronising coming from most others in this town but not from someone so clearly out of depth. “How long has he been out there?” TJ eventually asked, eyeing the coffee she was holding. He’d ignored the comment originally, but only as it was some sort of dig. He had the utmost respect for those that served - it was his intention to enlist if he hadn’t been drafted.
“No I totally admit, this is your cab but I overslept and now I have Senators waiting for me and they’re about the only people I wouldn’t let wait for me,” TJ rattled off, desperately trying to get his cuff links on while his large frame stopped the taxi door from closing. “I’ll give you $500 for it, or we can share it, or both?” he bargained.
Once again, her mother had ran into someone she knew in the streets of D.C. - honestly, how that woman got around to doing what she was supposed to when she was supposed to was a mystery to Katherine. Debra had spent many years in the city and, apparently, knew most of its population, so it really shouldn’t have been a surprise to her daughter when she started a conversation about how’s your husband, kids do grow up so fast! and oh, in this economy…for the third time that day. Without so much as a low “be right back” mumble, Katherine gracefully slid away from the pair of women chatting on the sidewalk and started window-shopping just for the sake of it. She could not believe her luck when a shop’s door swung open and almost slammed against her nose - if she hadn’t been as quick and swift… “Fuck–” she exclaimed, taken aback for a moment before scrutiniing the other’s face. “Do I know you?”
Back to back meetings he had instructed his assistant. He wanted to meet every Congressman willing to sit down with him and get out of DC as quickly as possible. Hopefully to never return again. But no, he had long winding hours to fill and no real desire to spend it sitting in his hotel room, or to stray that far from the Capitol. It was lucky that unbridled spending was one of his best skills, often at a great pace in and out of stores. “I’d be surprised if you didn’t,” he replied after a moment’s pause, dusting off his suit jacket as if she had run into him.
questions about any topic or facet of my character in 2009 - their outlook on current events, what they’ve been up to, their ideas about the future, their feelings on jobs, relationships, or anything else!
NAME: TJ Church
AGE IN AU: Thirty-five
OCCUPATION: Retired football player.
MARITAL STATUS: Engaged (to Megan Fox)
LIVING ARRANGEMENT: In between mansions as he remodels his I don’t know I’m getting divorced in a year house
THE YEAR IS 2009. WHAT WAS YOUR CHARACTER LIKE BACK THEN?
10 years ago TJ was at a real turning point in his life. He had just retired from playing football, was recently engaged and still hadn’t worked out what was next. He hadn’t yet set up his foundation so even the charity work he was doing, a growing after-school program across Texas, felt unfocused. Achieving everything you’ve ever wanted to by the age of 35 was overrated. All his pundit gigs are feeling meaningless and he turned down an opportunity to stay on as a coach. The one thing he did enjoy was the speaking tour for the memoir he put out shortly after retiring, so he’s extended it, including dates in DC where he also intends to schedule in some meetings with Congressmen to discuss extending his after-school program nationwide.
He hasn’t yet mellowed out yet from being the star quarterback, still unused to not being the centre of attention. He’s far more arrogant, self-centered and lacks some serious self-awareness. The prospect of his upcoming marriage and the chance at a family his calming him down slightly though he has enjoyed the attention that has come with their relationship.
“Queen, maybe, depends on what kinda government we are setting up.” Lilah pursed her lips, as if considering. It was a nice idea, fleeing the mess that was this country for somewhere warm and peaceful without all of the pressure and politics. But she knew she could never give it up, Lilah would be bored out of her mind after a week of peace. But he didn’t need to know that, she could play dream girl as much as anyone. Rising up on her toes, Lilah pressed a kiss to his lips. “Everyone deserves a break, especially you. Let’s be normal for at least one day, we can watch a movie and drink beer and just be us, without any of the politics.”
What even was their normal? It wasn’t what they were designed for, as a couple that is. One placed together as an anchor in the midst of chaos. He hadn’t had the time nor the will to view their relationship outside of the mayhem. It was the first time he wanted to. “First one to mention politics loses...and has a forfeit,” he challenged. He sensed she was competitive, in the political world at least, perhaps they had that in common outside it too. “And as much as I love in you in that jersey, at some point it’s gonna be coming off,” he added in low tones in her ear as he lay a kiss on her neck. “How’s that all sound?”
The problem sometimes with being a dual citizen was having two separate passports and the United States being a pain in the ass if you happened to forget the ‘right’ one on the counter at home. TSA stopped her at the security gate, refusing to believe Anne Kane, Director of National Intelligence, who presented her badge and French passport, could really be a resident of the USA flying to Paris on her birthday (while using up her vacation days). So, she was now sitting next to the baggage claim Starbucks in Dulles International Airport waiting for her brother. Fine Gardening magazine in hand, and pumpkin spiced latte dangerously close to her elbow. She glanced up over the top of the article on ‘Discovering Fun and Unusual Houseplants’, catching the attention of someone familiar. “If you don’t want coffee they sell souvenir mugs on that green shelf, you know. I saw one for New York next to the one for D.C.”
What was the use of a private jet if the private terminal was shut down. He hadn’t even brought a baseball cap so he’d spent an hour trying to escape through customs, bags the size of all 99 counties of Iowa centre stage of each selfie no doubt. And then, typically, his car hadn’t gotten the message and he had to wait for it to drive to the main building with nothing but a corner table at a Starbucks for cover. He could imagine a few of his staff, and his girlfriend, chiding him for wasting this face time. Screw it. Just as he thought he was hidden, he accidentally made eye contact with a lady across the store. “Oh, Director Kane, boy am I glad it’s you,” he answered, moving over to her table to not be shouting across the store, “Love their coffee but I’m not planning on being here long so I didn’t buy anything. You picking someone up?”
In Leon’s defence, he’d been publicly afflicted with the election madness only once. Maybe some three people knew he was dumb enough to do it a second time. Until the news went public, he had some kind of moral high ground to stand on here.
Not by much, of course, because the 2016 primaries had no shortage of people like William Bell. Such was America—a country full of people like William Bell.
Leon shook his head, this time in genuine sympathy. He occasionally forgot that TJ was used to football stadiums and cult worship, and Sunday dinners with Michael Connelly. Godlike celebrity rather than the dog-eat-rat underhandedness of the Hill. “What I’m saying,” he said, lowering his voice, “is that you could go be lord of the island—hell, even of whatever state you pick off a map. You can leave this behind in a second.”
TJ, he thought bitterly, had nothing to prove.
“Unlike the rest of the suckers in the race, you don’t have to be president to be king.”
It’d gotten to the point where people trusted the Nigerian princes in their email inboxes more than the politicians in their capital. So surely knowing that there was a candidate in the race that wasn’t using it as a springboard for a cushy lobbyist job or a talking head position at whatever network would take them or the kind of celebrity status that one viral twitter clip provided. There were very people learning his name for the first time, no book advance or talking engagement that would make a difference to his bank balance.
But then to paint his run as some kind of selfless act suggested a level of self-confidence even chanting stadiums couldn’t fill his ego with. He didn’t need to become President but there was a prize in that oval for everybody. Despite now being a philanthropist for over half the time he played football, he never more than the quarterback. Never more, never less. That is why tens of thousands of fans didn’t make him think he was important enough to be President. But a half dozen career statesman whispered in his ear and yes, maybe, he had something special to offer.
“Right...so I’m doing this, or I’m not doing it at all. I don’t need to run for anything, and there’s easier titles to get if that’s all this was.” The honesty felt good off his tongue. “But I actually, perhaps because I’m a fool, think that I know how to make this country better and I am the best person to make that happen.” Maybe he should’ve started daytime drinking with former Presidential candidates before today.
“Sorry, I forgot I’m talking to my twelve year old niece.” When Joe found out TJ Church was running for President, he figured all those injuries playing football must’ve finally gotten to his head. Selfishly, Joe doesn’t want TJ to drop out just yet for he’d yet to meet Kanye and Jay-Z. “Let me try this again: look on the bright side, pumpkin,” he begins, imitating the voice people use to talk to kids, “you’re not doing too bad for someone whose skin is darker than a latte in a crowd of white chocolate mocha frappe’s.”
Even with company it appeared he was still celebrating his pity party in solitary. There wasn’t much sympathy going around for extremely wealthy and famous football players who couldn’t also end up as President. “Huh maybe we are alike, both have a face for radio.” It couldn’t be that, it that was still an issue then how exactly had he made it this far in life? It was a coward’s way out to blame failures on things out of your control. “Your 12 year old niece has also never lived in a world without a black President, I think there’s a few things I can address first.”
