Sam showered, got dressed in jeans and a sweater and then called the chief usher, Gideon Lawson.
“Good morning, Sam,” he said, pleasing her with the use of her first name.
“How do you know it’s me?”
His soft chuckle came through the phone. “The call is from the residence, and I happen to know you haven’t left for work yet.”
“In other words, you’re running a very elaborate spying operation.”
“‘Spying’ is such a strong word for observing.”
“I see,” she said, smiling. She liked this guy. “I was wondering if you and the kitchen wizards could whip up a little picnic to go for three people and a couple of kiddos.”
“We can take care of that for you. Any special requests?”
“My sisters will want salad, and I’ve been thinking about that chicken salad sandwich I had last week for days. The kids would love some chicken and mac ’n’ cheese.”
“Got it. We’ll have it ready for you at noon.”
“You’re the best. Thank you.”
“Not working today?”
“I’m taking a day off. Maybe a couple of days. We’ll see.”
“Good for you. Enjoy the break. See you at noon.”
“Thanks, Gideon.”
“Always a pleasure.”
How lucky were they to have such great people to call on for anything they needed? Everyone who worked at the White House was so nice and gracious. They made living in the most famous house on earth such a fun experience. She would be honest and say she hadn’t expected it to be quite so amazing when they moved in, but the staff had made them feel truly at home there, and she would always appreciate the effort they made every day.
She went downstairs and stopped short when she realized Vernon was waiting for her. “Whoops. I knew I forgot something.”
“I was wondering where you were.”
“I’m taking a brief leave of absence from work.”
“Everything all right?”
“Apparently, I didn’t take enough time after my brother-in-law died.” She shrugged. “So I’m taking a short break.”
“I see. For what it’s worth, I think that’s a good idea.”
“It’s worth a lot coming from you,” Sam said with a warm smile for the agent who’d become a friend. “I’ll be heading to my sister Angela’s house a little after noon.”
“Sounds good. We’ll be ready.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure, ma’am.”
Sam left him with a playful scowl for the ma’am, which made her feel a hundred years old, even if she’d heard it every day since Nick became president. She walked toward her East Wing office, thinking that she probably should’ve told Lilia that she would be stopping by.
Oh well, she thought. Incoming…
The receptionist’s eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw Sam come into the suite. She stood so abruptly that she nearly spilled her coffee. “Mrs. Cappuano. How nice to see you!”
“You as well. Are you new?”
“I am. I’m Kaitlyn. It’s so nice to meet you.”
Sam shook her outstretched hand. “Likewise. I’m going to pop in to say hello to Lilia.”
“She’ll be thrilled to see you.”
“Hey, Sam,” Roni Connolly said as she came into the office.
Sam gave her friend a quick hug. “You look wonderful,” Sam said, noting that Roni’s pregnancy was starting to show.
“Thanks. Nothing fits anymore, but otherwise, I’m doing well.”
“I was going to say hi to Lilia. Want to join us?”
“Sure,” Roni said, following Sam to Lilia’s office.
Her chief of staff lit up with a surprised smile when she saw Sam, making Sam realize she needed to come by more often.
“Mrs. Cappuano,” Lilia said. “How nice to see you.”
“It’s Sam, and it’s nice to see you, too.”
Roni closed the door as Sam sat in one of Lilia’s plush visitor chairs. Everything Lilia touched was classy, even her office chairs.
“What brings you by on a workday?” Lilia asked.
“I’m taking a bit of time off,” Sam said. “Things have been intense lately.”
“Indeed,” Lilia said. “I’m glad you’re taking a break. How’s Angela?”
“Doing okay, I guess. Tracy and I are going there at lunchtime to check on her.”
“I think of her all the time,” Lilia said with a sigh.
“Me, too,” Roni said.
“Thank you. She’s lucky to be surrounded by an amazing group of family and friends.”
“Please let her know we’re thinking of her,” Lilia said.
“I will. So what goes on here?”
“We’re working on some social media posts for you and fielding media requests about the situation with Nick’s mother.”
“We have nothing to say about that,” Sam said.
“Which is what we’ve been telling them,” Roni said.
“What’s the latest with her? Have you heard?” Sam asked.
“Just that she’s awaiting arraignment,” Lilia said.
“I love that she spent the night in jail,” Sam said. “Does that make me a bad person?”
“In light of the president’s history with her, I would say that makes you human,” Lilia said.
“Agreed,” Roni said. “Whatever happens now, she deserves it.”
“How crazy is the thing with the Joint Chiefs?” Sam asked tentatively.
“It’s big,” Lilia said. “And unprecedented. The West Wing is on fire. The primary goal today is to assure the rest of the world that the Cappuano government is intact and that the perpetrators of this scheme will be punished.”
Sam grimaced. “I can’t believe this happened.”
“It’s disgusting,” Lilia said. “I hope they all go to prison for the rest of their lives.”
“That’d be good,” Sam said, “but will it happen?”
“People are saying it should,” Roni said.
“On both sides of the aisle?”
“Surprisingly, yes,” Roni said. “The Constitution is very clear on presidential succession. Your husband was confirmed by the Senate to be the vice president. It’s that simple.”
“And that complicated when the president died,” Sam said, “and the unelected vice president became president.”
“Yes,” Lilia said, “but there’s no question of who the president is or who the president should be. They had no right to do what they did.”
“Won’t it make people wonder, though?” That concern had been on her mind since she first heard about the Joint Chiefs’ scheme. “When the nation’s top military officers basically have no confidence in the administration, why should regular people?”
“It’s apt to have a bit of a ripple effect at first,” Lilia conceded, “but his polling numbers are exceptional since the State of the Union, and with both sides deriding the actions of the Joint Chiefs, he should be fine.”
Should be fine wasn’t enough for Sam. “This kind of thing was why I was so glad when he decided not to run.” She could trust these women with her true thoughts. “I hate that people are gunning for him when all he’s doing is the best he can in an enormously difficult situation.”
“He’s doing great,” Roni said, “and regular people see that. What the Joint Chiefs did is a betrayal of their oaths to defend the Constitution. Trevor, Christina and the communications department are doing an excellent job of keeping the focus where it belongs—on them and what they did.”
“That’s good. It’s just so stressful. Everything is so stressful.” Sam looked up in time to see them exchange glances. “Don’t do that. I’m fine. I swear. It’s just a lot.”
“Yes, it certainly is,” Lilia said with an empathetic expression.
Sam spent the next hour discussing pending commitments, social media posts and other first lady details, including the upcoming National Association of Police Organization’s TOP COPS keynote speech they were writing for her to deliver in May.
“Did you get the email I forwarded about you officially being nominated for a TOP COPS Award?” Lilia asked.
“I saw something about that. I still wish they’d pick someone else.”
“It’s a huge and very well-deserved honor,” Roni said.
“If you say so,” Sam said, already embarrassed about the attention that would come with the award.
“We say so,” Lilia said with a smile.
“I appreciate all you guys do for me.”
“It’s our pleasure to support you,” Lilia said.
“How are the wedding plans coming along?” Sam asked Lilia.
Her face flushed with a rosy blush. “Very well. While you’re here, I wanted to ask if you might be an attendant on behalf of Harry, who said, ‘Please ask Sam because she’s like a sister to me, and you love her, too.’ If I promise to keep dress fittings to a minimum and prohibit any sort of inane games at the shower, would you consider it?”
“Lilia,” Sam said, amused and touched. “I’d be honored.” She would also be an attendant in Lindsey and Terry’s wedding, while Nick was Terry’s best man. Nick was right when he said it was shaping up to be a busy summer.
“Thank you. I can’t believe the president and first lady will be in my wedding party.”
“Believe it. We love you, and we love Harry. We’re thrilled to be part of your big day. I trust you’ll tell me what you need when you need it?”
“I’ve got you covered, as always.”
“Thank God for you.”
A few minutes later, Sam and Roni got up to leave.
“Roni, could I have a quick moment?” Sam asked.
“Of course. Come in.” She led Sam into her office, which featured an antique typewriter on a shelf and several awards that Sam took a closer look at.
“Those are from when I worked on my college newspaper.”
“Very impressive.” Sam turned to her friend. “Derek told Nick you guys are officially seeing each other, and I just want you to know that I think it’s wonderful.”
“Oh, thank you,” Roni said with a small smile. “It’s all so strange, you know?” She placed a hand on her pregnant belly. “Everything has changed since Patrick died, and it’s probably way too soon, but…” She shrugged. “Derek makes me smile again.”
“I love that for you. For both of you. You’ve been through so much.”
“It’s made it easier for me to open this door, because he understands what I’m going through like no one else in my life ever could.”
“I’m so glad you have that kind of support.”
“He’s been great, and my Wild Widows have, too. It’s amazing how all these new people have come into my life, and a few I thought would be there forever have kind of faded away.”
“People don’t know how to handle a loss like yours.”
“Too bad for them. How do they think I feel?”
“That’s right. I’m glad you’re surrounding yourself with people who can show you the way forward. Derek is a wonderful guy, and Maeve is just delightful.”
“I’m madly in love with her.”
Sam hugged Roni. “I’m so happy for you, and I wish you guys all the best.”
“Thank you for the good wishes. I fear that some people might not understand what I’m doing with Derek so soon after losing Patrick.”
“They don’t need to understand. As long as it works for you, that’s what matters.”
“That’s what I tell myself. And it’s really nothing more than very close friendship at this point.”
“You’re doing great, and I’m proud of you for surviving something that would’ve wrecked most people.”
“It did wreck me, and it continues to. From what my widow friends tell me, it always will. But Patrick wouldn’t want his death to ruin my life, so I’m trying not to let that happen.”
“Good for you. Keep me posted on how it’s going with Derek.”
“I will. Thanks for caring.”
“I really do. About both of you and Maeve.”
“Thanks, Sam.”
“We’ll talk again soon.”
“Look forward to it.”
Sam left the East Wing feeling as if things were under control there thanks to her wonderful colleagues. Without them, there was no way she could’ve continued in her job with the MPD while serving as first lady. Thanks to social media, she was able to look active and engaged in the job even when she wasn’t. Not really, anyway.
She followed the now-familiar path to the West Wing, where she was always greeted with reverence. It would’ve been amusing to her anywhere else, but it was just another reminder of how much their lives had changed.
“Is he free?” Sam asked the admin outside the Oval.
“Yes, ma’am, he is. Go right in.”
“Remind me of your name.”
“It’s Ginger.”
Oh right, she should’ve remembered her from his VP office. “Thank you, Ginger.”
“Of course, ma’am.”
It was a ma’am kind of day. That’s what she got for staying home from work.
Sam gave a quick knock on the door to the Oval Office and then stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
Nick looked up from what he was doing, and the pleasure that overtook his expression would probably be the single best second of her day. As he got up from the Resolute Desk to come to her, Sam was amazed at the butterflies that still invaded her belly any time he was near.
“Hello, Mrs. C,” he said, kissing her. “How’s your day off going?”
“Not bad. How’s your day from hell going?”
“Could be worse, I suppose.”
Sam smiled and reached up to caress his face. “Anything I can do to make things better?”
“You already did just by walking through that door.”