—Mabel—
I turned.
A woman clad in a red dress approached me.
My eyes lit up as I instantly recognized the President’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Dr. Evelyn Hart.
“Hello.” She extended a hand. “I'm Dr. Hart.”
“Mabel Parker.” I took it with a smile.
“I love your dress.” She gestured with her glass.
“Thank you,” I breathed. “You look stunning yourself, the red is commanding and very fitting for someone shaping the country’s future.”
She chuckled softly, a hint of color creeping into her cheeks. “You know how Washington works. Half science. Half statement.”
“Of course.”
We both sipped our drinks and gazed at the painting.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.” I admired the brush strokes. “The first Air Force One—Columbine II. A Lockheed Constellation, if I remember correctly. Eisenho
