On a Night Lie This

February 17, 2022

Boston, Massachusetts

Orlando Scott was profoundly nervous as he stepped towards the podium to begin his press conference. A part of him wished he had never found himself in this position.

Before he spoke, he quickly thought back to the year before, when friends and colleagues in the Boston legal community urged him to run for governor of Massachusetts. Virtually everyone at Meltzer & Keller had encouraged him to throw his hat into the ring; he was charismatic, likable, had a firm command of the issues, and prior to this past week, stood a very good chance of becoming the Bay State's second African-American governor after Deval Patrick.

Orlando mistakenly believed that he had taken every step possible to keep the story about his relationship and child with Cate McIntosh from becoming a matter of public record; he wondered who could have leaked the news to the Boston press, generating three straight days of intensely negative media coverage and numerous calls for him to suspend his gubernatorial campaign. His campaign manager, Jack McDermott, was furious that Orlando didn't tell him about his son last August, at the outset of the campaign. Orlando couldn't really explain at the time.

Now, in front of numerous local and national news reporters, as well as members of the Australian press curious about a political scandal involving one of their own, Orlando had to.

Taking a quiet breath, he began to speak.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," he said, looking stern and serious in his black suit, navy blue tie and white shirt. "As you can imagine, the past seventy-two hours have been tremendously stressful for me and my family. The rumors have been ugly, and the speculation has been endless. I'm here this morning to try to set the record straight.

"Eleven years ago, I met a young woman named Cate McIntosh, who attended Boston University at the time. We struck up a pretty fast friendship, a friendship that later became romantic...and still later, became intimate.

"That summer, after Cate returned to her native Australia, she informed me that she was pregnant, and that she wished to go through with the pregnancy. Contrary to what has been reported in the press, at no time did I pressure Cate to have the pregnancy terminated, and at no time did I refuse to provide financial support. To the contrary, over the course of the past decade I have provided as much financial support as possible to Cate, as she raised our son in Australia while she pursued a career in sports."

Orlando paused.

"As it so happens, today, February 17, is our son's tenth birthday. Cate and I certainly wish that our son's birthday could have been celebrated under happier circumstances, without rampant media speculation over whether he was wanted and whether he was abandoned. I consider these erroneous reports to be an attack not only upon myself, but also upon Cate and our son.

"Let me be clear: I will not, under any circumstances, suspend my campaign. The issues are too important for me to walk away from the political battlefield. I will not be driven out of this race by rumors, innuendo and half-truths.

"At this time, I would like to introduce another individual who wishes to set the record straight about my past. Cate?"

Suddenly, Cate and Lachlah McIntosh emerged from a side door, Cate wearing a bright blue dress and Lachlan dressed in a navy blue jacket, white shirt, striped yellow and blue tie and light-brown pants. Some reporters gasped at the strong resemblance Lachlan bore to his father in person.

"Good morning, and good evening to those of you watching this press conference in Australia. My name is Cate McIntosh, and for those of you who do not know, I'm the head coach for the Sydney Uni Flames of the Women's National Basketball League in Australia.

"In 2007, I received a scholarship to play for the Boston University women's basketball team, and in the spring of 2011, just before I graduated, I met Orlando at a concert and, as he noted, we quickly became friends. Our friendship gradually became something more, and eventually I became pregnant. Our careers and lives were very different, so we decided not to get married, but we both vowed to do as much as we could for our child.

"Ten years ago today, I gave birth to our son, Lachlan. He was raised with love and care by me and my family, and with full financial support from Orlando. Orlando has also visited us on numerous occasions over the past decade to spend time with our son.

"I am absolutely horrified by the false media reports about Orlando. These reports have painted a picture of this man that could not be further from the truth. Orlando is a loving, caring, gentle and compassionate man-I consider myself extremely lucky to have met him. Though I obviously cannot vote in your election, I think he'd make an outstanding governor.

"These past few days have placed a great burden on my family. As much as I love being a coach, my number one priority when I get up in the morning is to be the best mum possible for my son. I'll fight like hell for my son, and that means fighting those who would smear and denigrate my son's father.

"This child-this child you see right here-came into this world through love. It was not through a 'fling' or a 'tryst,' as has been reported. It was through love. That's the truth. I just wish it had been reported as such. Thank you."

Cate left the podium without taking questions, but she made a point of embracing Orlando before walking back through the side door, to dispel another report that she was jealous of his rising political stardom. Orlando returned to the podium and took another quiet breath.

"And with that, I'm ready to take your questions."

Brian Kenneally, veteran political reporter for the ABS Boston affiliate, just couldn't help himself.

"Mr. Scott, if you're elected, will you promise the voters that you won't go on any trade missions to Australia?"