Part 5
PRESENT – 2 DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION; FINISHING THE CONVERSATION
WITH SAM
“Tell me, do you ever get tired of Donna being right all the time and you being
wrong?” Sam asked his friend when Josh finished telling his story. Josh
grimaced. “Seriously, you were so far off base there. You know that right?”
“No, sir, I don’t. It bought us some time, kept everyone safe and got you in the
White House.”
“We could have got it done anyway. We would have got it done, but I guess that’
s water under the bridge at this point. We need to have a game plan moving
forward.”
“There is no plan, sir. We’re going back to D.C. and I’m going to take some time
off; drop out of sight for awhile. Then, like rabid dogs, these assholes will
rapidly lose interest in me and move on to a more visible target.”
“No, that’s not the plan…First, you’re going to sign this.” Sam handed him a
paper. Josh quickly skimmed it and saw it was a Presidential authorization for
Secret Service protection for senior Presidential advisor Joshua Lyman and his
family. “Being President-elect has its’ privileges. Next, you’re doing a sit down
with Danny who will be here tomorrow morning. We are going to tell him all
about this story and generate some media which will be followed up by a
personal statement from my office.”
“Sam-“
“Shut up. You tried this your way; now we’re doing it mine. I’m telling you that by
the time we’re done with this, West Virginia White Pride is going to be feeling so
much heat that they’re going to think they’re in an oven set to ‘broil’.”
“Sir, I think you need to re-consider that course of action. The first 100 days in
office are the most critical and you can’t waste the political capitol you have
protecting your friends.”
“The hell I can’t. I had a gifted campaign director, who risked his life getting me
elected by the way, who told me that crime legislation should be one of my first
major pushes out of the gate. I think he’s right and I think this is the perfect
example of how it affects American citizens. They want a fight? Fine, let’s bring
it to them.”
“Someone has watched ‘The Untouchables’ too many times.” Josh mused out
loud. “I promised Donna I wouldn’t work in the White House. I’m already in
enough trouble with my wife, I can’t break this promise.”
“It says senior advisor. You can advise me from your cell phone sitting on a
beach for all I care; but you’re going to take it and you’re going to sign this.”
Sam insisted. “I’ll work it out with Donna.” Josh raised his eyebrows in doubt.
“Okay, Ainsley will work it out with Donna.”
“I really don’t think this is a good idea.” Josh protested.
“I really don’t care. We’ll call it an executive order. Sign the paper, Josh.” Sam
held his gaze until Josh picked up the pen.
“You know, for a guy who was pretty concerned about taking on the
authoritative role of the President just a few short months ago, you’ve certainly
adjusted to the part.” Josh told him as he signed the paper and handed it to
Sam.
“I swear, if you ever keep something like this from me again…” Sam gave him a
look and Josh swore he could see a little of Jed Bartlet in it.
“Yes, sir, Mr. President-elect.”
“Damn right.” Sam replied with a wicked grin that made female hearts swoon
across the country.
“Boy, are you stupid!” come the dulcet tones of CJ Cregg Concannon.
“CJ, so good of you to join us.” Josh states as he gets up from the table he’s
been seated at with Danny Concannon. Instead of the hug he’s anticipating,
she hits him upside the head with her purse. “Yeah, I didn’t miss that so much.”
“We’re trying to work here, Ceej. Can you wait until I’m done interviewing him
before you maim him?” Danny asks without missing a beat in his note taking.
“Another 10 minutes…maybe 20.” Danny turned back to Josh. “How have the
kids handled all this?”
CJ remained silent, but took a seat at their table; both men ignored her for the
time being.
“At present, they believe that we need extra security because of our proximity to
the First Family elect. AJ has fought us on it a bit, but Noah goes along with
everything very well. I’m afraid with this story coming out soon we’re going to
have to have a serious discussion in the very near future.”
“Tell me about the statement Sam’s- sorry, the President-elect’s office is putting
out this week.”
“The President-elect is asking certain members of Congress to send him a bill
that will make it easier for law enforcement to arrest and convict on conspiracy
charges. The problem has usually centered on the right to free speech; even
deplorable, ignorant Neanderthals like the members of the West Virginia White
Pride have the right to free speech. So how do we allow for free speech while
protecting American citizens from the violent results of attacks provoked by that
speech?” Josh was in his element now. Danny didn’t have to ask a thing; he just
kept writing.
“Most industrialized countries in the world are ahead of the US in legislating
speech that incites violence. In Canada, advocating genocide or inciting hatred
against any 'identifiable group' is an indictable offense. You’ll find similar
criminal codes in France, Germany, Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom and
many other countries.”
“So you’re saying we’re behind the ball on this issue internationally?” Danny
asked.
“I’m saying that the United States should reassert itself as a leader in human
rights and set an example for criminalizing speech that incites violence. The
President-elect is committed to keeping the citizens of this country from being
harmed as a result of hateful speech which is used to provoke violent behavior.”
“When these people who have threatened you and your family are caught, what
kind of punishment do you think would be appropriate?”
“Luckily for them, I don’t have input on that decision, but this isn’t about me and
my family. The President-elect reduced crime and made daily life safer for the
citizens of California when he was Governor and he will do the same thing
nationwide as President. America is a pluralistic society, and we do best when
we embrace that pluralism instead rejecting certain factions.”
“Thanks Josh. I got all I need.” Danny turned off his recorder and closed his
notebook. “You really doing okay?”
“It’s been a pretty stressful campaign, but things are starting to look up. The
President-elect has really lit a fire under the FBI and the consensus seems to
be that it’s only a matter of time until these assholes are under lock and key.”
“You didn’t actually answer my question there, Josh.” Danny noted.
“I’m skating on thin ice right now Danny. I feel like one more crack and Donna
will be checking me into a padded room.” Josh admitted.
“Yet another reason you might have leveled with your friends and gotten some
support.” CJ interjected.
“It wasn’t a personal insult, CJ. I did what I thought was best for my family and
my friends. However, I will admit that I’m glad that it’s all in the open now. The
President elect has been like an avenging angel ever since he found out.”
“He seems to have adjusted to his new role very well.” Danny stated.
“He’s going to be great, Danny, I mean really great. I thought he was good
before, but something happened during the campaign and he just caught fire.
Who’d have thought, eh CJ?”
“You did, mi amour. That’s 3 men you’ve helped put in the White House. I’m
afraid your ego may grow to even larger proportions, if that’s possible. How
about using your considerable skill to put a woman in the White House?” CJ
proposed.
“Maybe someday, but AJ won’t be eligible to run for another 30 years and by
then I may be too old to hit the campaign trail. Or have you changed your mind
about running?” Josh teased. He had tried many times to convince CJ to run for
office, but she never wavered.
“Not on your life…sorry, that was thoughtless of me.” CJ was instantly contrite. “I
didn’t-“
“Please don’t tiptoe around me Claudia. I wouldn’t know how to take that from
you.” Josh reasoned. CJ smiled and relaxed a bit.
“Mr. Lyman?” They were interrupted by one of the security agents. “I just
received word from one of my people that your daughter has made an
unescorted trip out of the building. We don’t think she’s gone far, but-“
“You’ve lost her?” Josh was on his feet in an instant and heading toward the
hotel lobby with CJ and Danny in tow.
“We didn’t lose her; she deliberately evaded our agent. She’s only been
missing 2-3 minutes. This is the danger we talked about in not telling her the
specific reasons behind additional security.”
“Find my daughter first; lecture me on my parenting later.” Josh snapped. They
were joined in the lobby by Donna and another agent.
“Josh?!” Donna couldn’t get the words out.
“It’s going to be okay, Donna. She just slipped out a minute ago, she won’t have
gone far and then we are going to have a serious conversation with both our
children.” Donna nodded her agreement. They had had serious disagreements
about what to tell the kids and it had been Donna who had fought to keep them
ignorant of as much as possible. She just couldn’t tell the children their lives
might be in danger or explain the hateful things that were being said about their
family.
Josh paced and Donna stayed within reach of the lead agent so she could
overhear the reports he was getting. In reality, the whole event lasted less than
ten minutes, but for two worried parents, it seemed significantly longer. The
female agent who had been assigned to AJ returned through the lobby doors,
leading a sullen AJ by the elbow. Donna and Josh both let out a sigh of relief
and enveloped their daughter in a hug.
“I just wanted to be by myself for few minutes.” AJ explained. “I’ve been followed
for months and I just wanted a little privacy. It wasn’t like I was with Caitlin.” She
reasoned thinking if she wasn’t with the eldest Seaborn daughter she really didn’
t need security anyway.
“Abigail Joan Lyman you know-“ Donna was stopped mid-sentence by her
husband.
“Let’s take this upstairs.” He turned to one of their agents and asked them to
have Noah brought to their suite. By the time they arrived upstairs, Noah was
already waiting for them.
Josh sat the children down on either side of him while Donna sat across from
the trio.
“We need to talk to you about some things that have happened and the reason
we need to take security very seriously right now.” Josh started to outline, in
very general terms, what the threat was to their family and what everyone was
doing to help keep them safe. Both kids were visibly shaken, but AJ, realizing
what her impromptu solo trip really meant today started crying.
“I’m sorry Daddy, I didn’t mean to scare you guys, I just wanted to go the shop
next store for a little while by myself. I won’t do it again, I promise.” Josh pulled
her closer.
“I know you won’t, AJ. You didn’t know the whole story, and that was our
decision. There are going to be a lot of people who will want to talk to us over
the next few days, maybe weeks, as this story comes out. Most people are
going to be wonderful; supportive and caring, but there will be some people who
will say hateful things, horrible things about me and our family. You need to
know those hateful people aren’t anyone we are going to pay attention to or
respond to.”
“Your Dad and I have very smart people working for us who will keep us safe,
but we need to listen to these people; each of us needs to listen and obey their
rules. Do you both understand?” Donna added.
Both children nodded as there was a knock at the door which was quickly
opened to admit Sam and Ainsley Seaborn.
“We heard y’all were having a party down here.” Ainsley smiled. “Abigail, next
time you want to go shopping, come get me. You know how I love to shop.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” AJ smiled through her tears. Sam knelt in front of the kids.
“I promise you two that I will do everything possible to make sure your family
stays safe. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.” AJ answers.
“When you move into the White House, can’t you have your men just shoot
those guys who want to hurt us?” Noah asked him.
“That’s not how it works, kiddo, but we can make sure those guys go to jail and
never hurt anybody again.” Sam looked over at Josh. “Danny tells me you gave
him quite the exclusive. You ready to do this?”
“Yeah. It feels good to be going on the offense for a change. You may have
been right about that.”
“Just remember that next time you’re tempted to doubt your Commander in
Chief.”
“I think I’ve created a monster.” Josh groused.
“We’ve got pizza coming upstairs and the Matthews are joining us too. We
invited CJ and Danny but I don’t know if they want to brave the kid zone.”
Ainsley told them. CJ and Danny were enjoying some ‘couple time’ while their
son stayed with Danny’s family.
“Well, I am.” Josh replied. “And I’m hungry too. I get especially hungry when the
President-elect is buying. Let’s go.” Everyone rose to go get pizza, but AJ
stayed behind and asked her mother to wait.
“This has been what all the fights have been about, isn’t it? With you and Dad?”
“Yes, AJ. We’ve had some pretty heated arguments about how to take care of
our family, but you need to know that there has never been a minute that I
considered leaving your dad or divorcing…never. It hurt me very much that you
thought that I might. I love your Dad with all my heart and have loved him as
long as I can remember. Nothing is going to change that.”
“I heard you tell him that he was being selfish; that he was only thinking of
himself and what he wanted. You told him he couldn’t be Sam’s Chief of Staff.”
AJ saw the question in her mother’s eyes. “It was the night we were in Illinois
when we got back after the convention.” Donna nodded her encouragement to
AJ to continue. “Dad was so sad after that. I thought you were making him quit
politics because you didn’t want to do it anymore; or because you didn’t believe
in Sam anymore…I was really mad at you.”
“I know.” AJ looked up at Donna in surprise. “I know you Abigail, better than you
know yourself, and I know how much you love and admire your father. He told
me you asked him if we were going to divorce and he told me about the gossip
you’d been hearing. I’m sorry you heard such garbage. People who love each
other still disagree and still fight. Your dad and I have argued with each other
since the day we met, so I don’t see that ever changing, but that doesn’t mean
our marriage is in trouble. I know that’s hard to understand.”
“I think I understand what you’re saying. I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry for
having a bad attitude around you. It wasn’t your fault and I’m sorry I blamed
you.” Donna held her daughter in her arms and enjoyed the moment of peace
between them. AJ had always seemed to be more Josh’s daughter than hers,
but she knew her daughter loved her and had been genuinely troubled by the
strain in the family.
“Hungry?” she asked AJ as she pulled her out of the embrace.
“I could eat pizza.”