“Mrs. Nelson is here, Mr. President,” Terry said.
“Any sign of Sam?” Nick asked as the clock ticked toward eight thirty. The reception for their invited guests was an hour in with no sign of his first lady.
“Not yet, but Lindsey texted to say they got their guy.”
“That’s good news.” Before he went to say hello to Mrs. Nelson, he took a second to check his BlackBerry, hoping for a message from Sam.
Nothing.
Damn it.
“What’s wrong, Dad?” Scotty asked when he joined him. “You’re making a face.”
“Just wondering if Mom will make it in time.”
“She said she’d be here.”
“She was supposed to be here an hour ago.”
“I saw on Twitter that the police shot and killed the guy who was raping and murdering women in the park. That’s probably why she’s late.”
“I hope she wasn’t the one who shot him,” Nick said, thinking of the trauma of taking the young man’s life and how much Ramsey already hated her.
“I read it was a sharpshooter.”
“Thank goodness for that.”
“Besides, she’s still on desk duty.”
Nick glanced at his son. “How much you want to bet she was there when it went down?”
“I don’t take bets I can’t win.”
“That’s my boy.”
“Congrats on your new vice president.”
“Thanks, buddy. We got her sworn in before the State of the Union, which was the goal. What’s Twitter saying about her?”
“People are excited about having a female VP, although the word ‘inexperienced’ is used a lot when your names are mentioned.”
“I guess we’ll have to prove ourselves to them the old-fashioned way, by getting the job done.” Nick put an arm around Scotty’s shoulders. “Come with me to say hello to Mrs. Nelson.”
The crowd parted to let them through to Gloria Nelson and her daughter Camille.
Gloria hugged him. “It’s so nice to see you again, Mr. President.”
“You as well, and please, call me Nick.”
“Thank you, Nick, for the kind invitation to be here tonight.”
“We’re delighted to have you. Scotty, you remember Mrs. Nelson and her daughter Mrs. Rothschild.”
Scotty shook hands with them. “It’s good to see you again. I hope you and your family are doing all right.”
“Thank you, Scotty,” Gloria said. “It’s nice to see you, too. And we’re doing as well as can be expected. Good days and bad days.”
“I know how hard it is. I just lost my grandpa.” He quickly added, “Not that it’s the same thing as losing your husband.”
“Grief is grief, my boy, and it stinks no matter who’s been lost.”
Scotty smiled up at her. “Yes, it sure does.”
“It’s very kind of you to think of us.”
“It’s kind of hard not to think of you guys every day, living where we are now.”
Gloria tossed her head back and laughed hard. “Oh my goodness. How cute are you?”
“I don’t mean any disrespect.”
“None taken. The facts are what they are, and you’re a very sweet young man.” To Nick, she said, “This boy’s going places.”
“We agree,” Nick said, giving his son a warm smile.
“If I pass eighth-grade algebra, that is.”
“I hated algebra and all things math,” Camille said. “What is the point of it all?”
“Thank you,” Scotty said, offering her a fist bump in solidarity that she eagerly returned.
“Have you found the secret passageways in the residence yet?” Camille asked him.
Scotty’s eyes lit up. “There’re secret passageways?”
“Buy me a drink, and I’ll tell you all about them.”
“Later, Dad.”
“What an impressive young man,” Gloria said after they had headed for the bar. “That’s the hardest I’ve laughed since David passed.”
“We love him. He’s everything to us and makes us laugh every day.”
“I can see why you adore him. How’s Sam doing? I couldn’t believe when I heard about her broken hip.”
“It’s been an ordeal, but she’s this close to back to normal and should be here any minute. They had a huge bust this afternoon, a guy they’ve been after for weeks.”
“What an impressive family you have, Mr. President.”
“Thank you. You’ll hear me talk tonight about how I finally have it all now that I have them.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
As Nick scanned the crowded room full of familiar faces, he saw no sign of the one face he most wanted to see, with just thirty minutes until he was expected in the House chamber. Would she make it in time?
Sam was in a cold sweat, stuffed into a tiny basement bathroom in the Capitol that Vernon had known about, trying to whip herself into first lady shape in time to face the public. Shelby had met her, bringing the hair-and-makeup team from the White House.
“Time check,” Sam said.
“Eight thirty-five,” Shelby said.
“Ugh, Nick is going to be so pissed I’m this late.”
“He’ll understand,” Shelby said. “You got your guy.”
Would he, though? He’d clearly said this was one of the few first lady command performances, and she couldn’t show up looking like she’d been dragged through horse manure. After she’d changed into the red dress Marcus had sent, she slid her feet into her one pair of Louboutins and took a few steps, testing whether her hip would allow for the heels.
“I think I can do this,” she said to Shelby as she emerged from the stall with her work clothes in a bundle under her arm.
“Do what?”
“Wear the heels. First time since the break.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“Hell no, but I’m going with it.”
Shelby took Sam’s work clothes and put them in her huge tote bag.
Davida and Ginger, the White House hairstylist and makeup queen, appeared with a chair and the equipment they needed to make her presentable. Usually, she saw them one at a time, but with no time to spare, they attacked from the front and back, working with intense focus to get the job done quickly.
It was ludicrous, she knew, to be preparing for such an important event in a basement bathroom in the Capitol. Traditional first ladies probably spent an entire day getting ready for the State of the Union. She experienced yet another twinge of anxiety, knowing she’d never be a traditional first lady.
The only thing that mattered to her was being there for Nick.
“Shelby.”
“Yes?”
“Can you please fish the BlackBerry out of my coat pocket and hand it to me?”
Shelby found the phone and gave it to Sam, who couldn’t move properly to make the call.
“Um, could you please dial star six nine?”
The three women giggled.
“That’s my husband’s idea of funny. Please don’t tell anyone that.”
“We never would, ma’am,” Ginger said. “And I think that’s so cute.”
“That’s us,” Sam said. “So cute.”
Shelby made the call and handed the phone back to Sam.
She wondered if Nick would be able hear his phone ring with so many people around him.
“Hey,” he said, sounding relieved to hear from her.
“So sorry I missed the reception, but I’m in the basement of the Capitol getting ready, and I’ll be there for the speech.”
“You’re in the basement?”
“Vernon knew of a bathroom down here where I could get ready without attracting an audience.”
“Only you, Samantha.”
“I know. I was just thinking about how traditional first ladies probably spend an entire day preparing for this event.”
“I bet there’s never been one who caught a murderer on the same day as the State of the Union.”
“That is probably a first.”
“Congrats, babe. I’m glad you got him.”
“Thanks. I think.”
“I heard it got complicated.”
“That’s one word for it. I’ll tell you about it later. In the meantime, tonight is about you and your big speech. I can’t wait to hear it. Are you okay?”
“I am now. My first lady is in the basement. All is well.”
“Sorry to make you wonder if I would make it in time.”
“I was never worried. I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me.”
“Davida and Ginger are doing what they can to scrub the feral out of me.”
His low chuckle made her smile. “I’ll see you out there.”
“Yes, you will. I love you so much, and I’m so proud of you, Mr. President. I can’t wait for the rest of the world to see what I see when I look at you.”
“Thanks, babe. See you soon and love you, too.”
Sam ended the call and handed the phone to Shelby.
“I say it all the time, but y’all are too cute,” Shelby said.
“We’re not cute,” Sam said, her lip turned up.
“You are,” Davida said. “The cutest.”
“Whatever you guys say.”
When she was as presentable as possible, she thanked Davida and Ginger for the road call and followed Vernon to the elevator. Ten steps in, she deeply regretted the heels.
“What’s wrong?” Shelby asked when they were in the elevator.
“The heels might’ve been a mistake.”
“Do ya think?”
Sam made a face at her friend. “You think any heels that aren’t pink are a mistake.”
“True, but it’s too soon for you to be wearing heels.” She reached into the massive pink purse she never left home without and pulled out a pair of black flats. “Trade you?”
“God bless you, woman.”
“I do what I can for the people,” Shelby said, smirking.
Sam laughed as she swapped out the shoes, handing the priceless heels to Shelby, who stashed them in her bag. “That line is trademarked, but I’ll allow it in this case.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Friends and family like Shelby would never know what it meant to her—and Nick—that they could be themselves with them amid the maelstrom that surrounded them since Nick became president—and even before that, if Sam was being honest. “Thanks for all you do, Shelby. I appreciate you so, so much.”
“I love you—and your family. Everything I do for you is a pleasure.”
Before she got off the elevator to step onto the world stage, she hugged her friend and then took her by the hand to keep her close for the next phase of the evening.
“FLOTUS arriving,” Vernon said into his radio.
Thankfully, he knew just where she needed to be.
Sam wasn’t surprised to see Lilia waiting for her outside a closed door.
“This is the balcony where you’ll sit in the front row,” Vernon said.
“You’ll be with Scotty, Mrs. Nelson and several of your other invited guests,” Lilia added. “I’ll go with you and introduce you to everyone.”
“Stay close,” Sam said to Shelby and Lilia.
“We’ve got you covered,” Lilia said.
“Do I look okay?” she asked Lilia.
“You look beautiful, as always.”
“It took a village.”
With her village supporting her, Sam felt as ready as she’d ever be to face the world as first lady of the United States.