Chapter 8
Noah and Brianna are up and out with us on our way to the White House. We are going to
TRY to join everyone for the brunch then they’re going to nap (God willing) while I read
Josh the riot act for not coming home last night.
“Donna, I’m sure he’s fine.” Sara assures me.
“I’m sure he is too, Mom.” I agree. “But he won’t be by the time I’m done with him.”
Sara chuckles. “I’m sure his body is punishing him quite sufficiently this morning, but I’ll
enjoy watching the floor show.”
We get through security, which is no small feat with all our paraphernalia; diaper bags, a
double stroller, garment bags, etc. and head up to the residence.
“There they are!” Liz beams and rushes over to see the kids. “They’ve gotten so big,
Donna, what have you been feeding them?”
“Republicans.” I joke.
“Diced and sliced, no doubt.” Liz tosses it back to me. “We’ve got brunch laid out for
everyone as they arrive. We’re trying to keep it casual as opposed to the rest of the day
which will be regimented and full of protocol.”
“I can’t wait.” I lean down to unbuckle the belts currently holding my children in check. Once
they’re out of the strollers, all bets are off. “Which one do you want?” I ask my mother in law.
“Brianna, hands down.” She smiles.
It’s a well known fact that while both of our children are as busy as you’d expect any
children this age to be, it’s Noah that’s both a trouble maker and a destroyer of property. In
the White House, it’s the latter part that’s going to be an issue.
“Noah, how about some eggs?” I try to lure him with me using food. It usually works.
“Ummm…Liz? Has anybody seen Josh or Mike this morning?”
“You haven’t seen…?”
“Shhhh…I don’t want to panic Ellie. It’s more than likely they are passed out in the building
here somewhere but I don’t know how to go about searching without…”
“Say no more.” Liz smiles and has a brief conversation with one of the Secret Service
agents who talks into his wrist and gives Liz a nod. “They’ll be located in short order.”
“Thank you.” I tell her sincerely. I’m going to kill them both; after the wedding of course.
Ellie deserves to have her dream wedding with her dream man. I think we’ll both make
lovely widows.
“Mrs. Weston? We have no record of them leaving the building. We’re doing a room by
room now.” One of the agents reports.
Liz and I exchange wry glances. “They’re never going to live this down.” Liz concludes.
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Mike has been pacing back and forth for a good hour, I swear.
“Sit down, would you? With my concussion I’m seeing four of you and with all four of you
pacing back and forth I’m getting dizzy.” I request.
“I’ve got to get out of here.”
“And you will, but you’re not going to be able to pace your way out so sit the hell down!”
Mike slumps to the floor. “This is supposed to be a perfect day; a day we remember for the
rest of our lives.”
“It will be. The only goal for today is to get you and Ellie married. As long as the day ends
with you and Ellie legally married, anything else is just gravy.” I opine.
Mike looks at me like I’ve grown another head. It’s possible I have. It has been swelling
quite a bit. “What?”
“When did you get all eloquent and philosophical?”
I shrug. “It’s what Donna told me on our wedding day when I was having a nutty.”
That makes Mike laugh. “Now that I believe. You were nervous? I don’t remember you
being nervous.”
“Not on the day. On our wedding day I was just excited and happy, but the day before I was
a mess. What if I wasn’t good at being a husband? What if I screwed things up and lost
Donna forever? What if Donna wised up during the night and made a run for it? A million
doubts and questions were running through my head.”
“Then how did you get over it?”
“I went over to CJ’s at 1 in the morning and talked to Donna.” I smile at the memory. “She
told me what I just told you, but I didn’t even need to hear that. Once I saw her face,
everything inside me just calmed down. I knew it was right and that everything was going to
be okay.” I shrug.
“Man, Josh…I never knew you were such a girl.” He teases and we both laugh.
“I feel it’s safe to make that confession now since we’re both going to die here in the White
House kitchen store room.” I shoot back and he groans.
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“I think it’s time to say something to Ellie.” Liz advises.
“No, no, no.” I shake my head adamantly. “We know they’re in the building. We know they’
re together. I am not panicking the bride.”
“Any luck?” CJ asks quietly.
“Not yet.” I report. “Luckily, things are so chaotic around here that nobody seems to notice
the extra Secret Service activity.”
“There has to be a simple explanation.” CJ reasons. “There are only a limited number of
things that would motivate the guys to move from their comfy spots near the alcohol.”
“Right.” Liz agrees. “They were forbidden access to Donna and Ellie.” She begins to tick
them off. “They were cut off from alcohol.”
“Chris said everyone else started drifting off when the food and alcohol was depleted.” I
share.
“That wouldn’t be enough to stop Mike and Josh. They know where all the bottles are
buried around here.” CJ engages in a pun.
“We’ve already checked the mess.” Liz chimes in. “But it couldn’t hurt to go through it once
more; especially if they were…indisposed.”
“She means unconscious.” I translate and CJ laughs. “I’ll make sure Abbey and Ellie are
okay with the twins and we’ll take another sweep of the place.”
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“Idiot boys!” I call out once again. This has become tedious and it’s cutting into my wedding
prep time. It takes serious time and effort to look good enough to brief on a White House
Wedding.
“Do you really think they’ll respond to that?” Liz asks laughing.
“They’ll respond to whatever I call them if they know what’s good for them!” I raise my voice
a little louder. Donna is calling out for Josh and opening all the doors and cupboards in her
path. The thought of Josh, curled up and passed out in some kitchen cupboard cracks me
up.
“What?” Donna asks defensively.
“You really think he’s in one of those?” I point to the cupboard door she’s holding open to
peer inside.
“He’s with Mike.” She answers like that explains her methods and I’m sad to say it kind of
does.
“They’re not here.” Liz says quietly. “I think we may have to consider a less pleasant
alternative.”
“Like what?” I ask.
“Like…maybe Mike got cold feet and Josh is trying to talk him back from the ledge?”
“No way.” Donna says decisively. “Mike is excited about marrying Ellie.”
“No doubt.” Liz holds up her hands. “I’m just not as convinced that he’s excited about
marrying Ellie in front of international audience that’s gearing up for this event.”
Donna and I exchange considering looks then simultaneously shake our heads ‘no’.
“If they made a run for it, they wouldn’t still be in the building.” I theorize.
“They’re passed out someplace ridiculous.” Donna adds. “And God help Josh if he has a
pair of panties around his neck.” She mutters.
I’m not sure what that’s about, but I decide some things are just better left alone.
“We’ve checked all the doors and pantries down here.” Liz shares.
“Not this one.” Donna pulls on a door but it’s locked.
“It’s locked Donna. If we can’t get in, Mike and Josh certainly couldn’t get in.” Liz reasons.
“There’s no way they could lock themselves into the store room!”
Donna and I exchange another look before we pound on the door.
“Josh! Mike!” Donna screams. “Are you in there?! Joshua Lyman, you better answer me
damn it!”
I continue to pound on the door.
“Stop the damn pounding. You’re making my head hurt.” Josh answers weakly from the
other side.
“Thank God!” Liz laughs. She summons an agent and explains the situation…as best she
can.
“Is Mike in there with you?” Donna shouts back and pounds some more.
“Of course he is. I promised you I’d stick close to him. Stop the pounding.” He requests
again.
“Your head hurts because you’re hung over.” Donna points out angrily.
“My head hurts because I hurt my head.” He disputes.
“How did you hurt your…Joshua is your face damaged?” Ooooh, Donna sounds pissed.
“Your concern over my well being is touching.” Josh is pouting, I can tell.
“Open the damn door!” Mike begs.
It takes the agents a couple minutes, but they manage to free the accidental prisoners from
the store room.
“Thank God!” Mike nearly falls to his knees in gratitude for his release. He looks up at one
of the agents. “I will never bad mouth treasury again, as God as my witness.”
“You’re welcome, Agent Casper.” I think the Secret Service agents’ mouth twitches. He’s
very cute.
“Oh, Joshua.” Donna is shaking her head in despair. “How could you do that to your face?
You have to be on television and in wedding photos within hours!”
“You think I did this to myself on purpose?” He asks incredulously. “That I was sitting
around last night wondering what I could do to get out of the wedding photos and
embarrass myself on national television today?”
“International television.” Liz, Donna, and I respond simultaneously.
“Whatever.” He throws his hands up. “I am in desperate need of some aspirin.”
“And some make up.” Donna adds.
“Can we put off the lecture for now?” Josh takes Donna’s hands in his. “I’m tired, in pain,
and I haven’t seen you or the kids in forever.”
That does it. I have no doubt that my sister in crime will find some way to exact retribution
for this scare later, but he knows how to soften her up just as well as she knows what
buttons of his to push. Any mention of the kids has Donna melting like butter.
“Let’s go find our children and get you cleaned up. Mike, you’d better do some cleaning up
yourself. You’re expected for the luncheon soon.”
“Not to mention the fact that I’ve had to pee for hours now.” Mike tells us as he makes
tracks up toward the residence.
No doubt about it, ladies and gentlemen, this is going to be quite a day.
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9.
I hiss quickly when Donna examines my head wound. Oh, it’s a wound, I assure you.
“Sorry, baby, but I have to get a good look at it.” She apologizes. Her earlier ire at finding
Mike and I stuck in the storeroom has all but dissipated as she sees my injury is a little
more than superficial.
“Oh Joshua.” She breathes. “I think this is going to need to get stitched.”
“Tomorrow.” I say quickly.
“Tomorrow is Christmas.”
“We do not have time for me to sit in an emergency room today.”
“Josh, this place is crawling with doctors.” She reminds me. “Dr. Bartlet, Dr. Griffith, the
White House doctor, the President’s personal physician. You can get it stitched right in this
building. How did it happen anyway?”
“Not long after we got stuck last night, someone came and pounded on the door. In our
haste to GET to the door and get out of there, we collided. I hit my head on the shelves.”
“Oh…really?”
What? That’s her guilty tone.
“Yeah.”
“That was us. Ellie was looking for chips.” She winces.
I roll my eyes and sigh. I’d be more indignant about that whole thing and find a way to
blame this on them, but quite frankly, I’m just too tired to.
She leans forward and I close my eyes as I feel her lips on my forehead. I keep them closed
for just a little longer than I need to. I’m trying to get a quick wink of sleep here.
“Why don’t you get this stitched, skip brunch and try to sleep a bit down in Toby or Leo’s
office?” she suggests. My Donnatella is always looking out for me. To this day, I still don’t
know how I got so lucky. “I’ll forego my seat in the make up artist’s seat today for you, if I
have to. We REALLY can’t have you looking like that on international television, Joshua.”
“I had a good excuse though.”
“There’s no such thing today. This is going to end up on a White House newsreel and in 50
years, you’ll be the best man that showed up looking like the Little Rascals.”
We both look over to the bedroom door as it opens and admits Matt and Scott. He takes
one look at me and grins like a hyena. “You asshole.”
“How do you know this didn’t happen in a manly bar brawl last night?” I immediately counter.
“DID that happen in a manly bar brawl last night?”
“And if it did,” Scott jumps in. “is there video?”
“Not as such, no.”
“You sound like Ainsley.” Donna says.
“I find that a compliment only in so much as she’s family.” I grumble.
“Come on.” Matt says dragging me off where I was sitting on the bed. “Let’s get that taken
care of. There’s no way I’m letting you go around today with a black eye. What’s the other
guy look like?”
“Fine.”
“You’re sure?”
“I took the brunt of it.”
Donna kisses me again and relinquishes me into Matt’s care. Nobody says boo to us as we
leave the Residence, partly I’m sure because I’m not supposed to BE here this morning. I’m
supposed to be with the best man.
“We have our work cut out for us.” Scott says.
“I need a bagel.” I grumble and follow dutifully behind.
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“I’m going to puke.” Ellie says.
“You are not.” Liz replies from her position in the manicurist’s chair.
“I really am. I can’t go through with this.” She insists.
“You’re getting cold feet?” I ask as the stylist curls my hair. I’ve tried to tell him it’s not going
to stay, but he seemed insulted by the mere thought of his creation not holding up.
“Only about the televised in front of the world part.” She replies. She does look a little…
peaked. Maybe she really is going to throw up.
“Just don’t think about the cameras.” Liz shrugs.
“Easy for you to say.” Ellie shoots back. “You didn’t have to go through this.”
“No, I just had to do it in front of New Hampshire.” She concedes.
“Well, Ellie,” I say. “Speaking as someone who likewise typically ‘gets thirsty’ when my
husband is in front of a camera and makes herself scarce, I plan on just taking deep
breaths and focusing on my man at the end of the aisle. Once you get to Mike, Ellie, he’ll
take care of the rest.”
“No,” she says shaking her head definitively. “This whole thing freaks him out. He probably
wants to puke too.”
“But his instincts always seem to be to shield you and protect you and that’s just what he’ll
do.” I nod with a confidence I’m not sure I feel. “The ONLY thing that matters today, Ellie, is
that at the end of the day, you’ll be married to Mike. That’s it. Everything else is gravy.”
“There was a certain amount of attention on yours and Josh’s wedding.” Ellie notes.
“There was.” I nod again. “That’s how I got through it. The Receiving line was suspiciously
similar to a rope line.”
“I think I’ll faint if the Receiving line is really an hour.” She groans.
“I don’t blame you.” I empathize. “I won’t be at all disappointed if my children choose that
moment to need to be escorted out.”
“You suck.” Zoey chimes in. “None of us have that luxury. Liz’s kids are older.”
“It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that I’ll need to escort my husband out.” Liz mutters
and an uncomfortable silence falls over the room.
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“I feel like a girl.” Josh mutters.
“Take a pill; you get this stuff every time you go on t.v.” I say.
“You may be able to cover up the black eye, but bandage or no bandage you can’t cover
up the head wound.”
“I love how you keep calling it a ‘wound’ like you got bludgeoned or something.”
“I did!”
“I thought you said you guys tripped over each other.”
“And then I got bludgeoned by a shelf.” He insists. We’re the only two in his office, as I’m
trying to cover up this ghastly bruise on his face. I honestly don’t know how I ended up in
charge of the actual makeup application. It’s not like I have a clue in hell what I’m doing. I’m
gay, but I’m not a drag queen or anything. Scott and Chris are off helping Mike…well, I
think Chris is ‘helping him take the edge off.’ He had a flask of something or other. I didn’t
ask. It seems like Josh and I can’t say the right thing to Chris lately.
“You’ve always had a flair for the dramatic.” I chuckle.
“And you’ve just had flair.” He shoots back.
“Oh, cranky AND injured?” I smirk. “That’s a great combination for you. You should be oh
so pleasant today.”
“After this I’m passing out on Toby’s couch. The crankiness will pass.”
“Josh, I’ve been waiting for your crankiness to pass since the third grade.”
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“Ginger!”
I turn around at the sound of CJ’s voice in the bullpen and smile.
“Wow! You look incredible!” she smiles at me. I love CJ. Though she’s way higher up than
us in the pecking order, she always acts like one of the girls and has always treated us like
that. She’s surrounded by men all day; Carol says it makes her nuts.
“Thanks, CJ.” I smile. “Did you need something?”
“No, I just saw you in here.”
“I was thinking about stashing my stuff in my desk, but with all the people that are going to
be here, I’m thinking I might just put it all in Toby’s office. He’s going to lock the door.”
“I don’t think they’re letting anyone back here.”
“Better to be safe than sorry.” I shrug. “Plus, I don’t have to carry it.” And upon thinking
about it, I’ll have a place to hide. A certain ex-boyfriend of mine is in the wedding party and I’
m going to have to be in the vicinity of him and….HER, though I don’t say any of this to CJ.
“Well, I’ve got a bunch of briefings to do tonight, so save me a spot at the bar, sister.”
“Will do.” I smile as CJ leaves the bullpen. I head into Toby’s office and stash my stuff
behind his desk, intent on closing the door on my way out, so as not to wake Josh, who
seems to be snoring on the couch. It makes me nuts that men get to take like 15 minutes to
get ready for something like this.
Wait….is he wearing makeup? You know what? I don’t want to know. I remember the
morning his assistant found him passed out drunk on his office floor with women’s
underwear around his neck. Nothing this man does surprises me.
I’m about to leave the office when, unfortunate circumstances of all unfortunate
circumstances, my ex-boyfriend himself flies through the door. He stops dead when he
sees me standing there and we stay there looking at each other like we’re stuck in cement.
He looks good in a tux. And he’s going to be with HER all night. My stomach turns over and
I wish I already had a few drinks in me to get through this awkward moment.
“Hey.” He says quietly.
“Hey.” Don’t start crying, don’t start crying, don’t start crying. It’s been a while since we
broke up, but it still hurts. I really loved him; I still do. We were good together and his
breaking up with me came completely out of the blue. I really thought we were heading for
something more.
“What are you doing back here?”
“This is where I work.”
“Tonight?”
“No, but I was leaving stuff in…you know what? It’s none of your business.”
“I was just curious.” He says quickly. I’m getting my Jersey up here.
“Well, I have every right to be here. YOU on the other hand should not be back here. It’s
me that should be asking you that question.”
“I’m a United States Congressman, I have clearance to be back here. And I’m here to wake
up Josh so he has enough time to get ready.”
I look at him for a moment then turn to the snoring Deputy Chief of Staff. “JOSH!” I bellow
and he sits right up with the most atrocious bed head I’ve ever seen on him.
“What’d Sam screw up now?” He says immediately and I stifle a chuckle. THAT’S his first
instinct when he wakes up in this building…well, okay, I really can’t say I blame him.
“Nothing…yet.” I reply. “But give him time, the night’s young.” Josh smiles at me and rubs
his eyes. “I think it’s time for you to get ready. I think you just rubbed some of your makeup
off there, princess.” Chris chuckles and I glare at him.
Jerk.
“Shit. Matt’s gonna kill me.”
“Do you have a black eye?” I ask him.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I’ll tell you later. I’m too tired to get into it now.”
“Okay.” I shrug. I move to leave the office, but Jackass is still standing there. “Excuse me,
Congressman.” I drip professionalism and his eyes widen and he steps out of my way. I
smile demurely at him and then slam the door on my way out.
Asshole.
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“She hates me.” I say with a heavy sigh dropping down onto the couch next to Josh.
“She misses you.” He replies, standing up and stretching.
“Really? She said that?”
“Not to me, to Jackie.”
“She looks good.” I say looking out Toby’s office window and catching a glimpse of Ginger
leaving the bullpen…very quickly.
“I imagine your girlfriend does too.” Josh says dryly.
“Yeah.” I say after a moment, but I don’t quite meet his eyes.
He narrows his eyes a bit and looks at me. “Chris.” He says.
“What?”
“What’s going on?”
Many, many, many things, old friend.
“Nothing.” I say instead.
“Okay.” He says with a heavy sigh then yawn. He gave up too easily there; he must be
tired. “I’ve got to get dressed.”
“And fix your makeup.” I chuckle standing up.
“Shut up, Asshole.” He grumbles as I follow him out of the office. For a moment there, it
feels like old times.
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10.
“Daddy!” Linebacker Noah comes careening into my legs in his unique way of greeting me.
He does this whether we’ve been apart for five days or five minutes. He wraps his little
hands around my legs and stands on my feet while he attempts to climb up my body. I love
it.
“Hey, buddy! How you doing today? Are you ready for the wedding?” I ask while I hoist him
up to my waist.
“No!” Noah shouts ferociously. In addition to his issues with walking down the aisle, we also
discovered he doesn’t care for his wedding clothes. Donna got him the cutest little tux and
he looks adorable in it…right up until the point where he strips it off piece by piece. He hid
the bow tie. It took us hours to find it. No, no…no DNA test necessary.
“Daddy?” Another voice hits me from below, but this one is quieter and sweeter as she tugs
on my pant leg.
“There’s my Princess.” In a practiced move, I lean down to hoist Brianna up to my waist as
well. All I need is Donna now and my world would be complete.
“Daddy got Owie?” Brianna carefully touches my head wound.
“It’s okay.” I tell her bravely even though it hurts like a son of a bitch.
“Kiss it.” She pronounces before she does just that, making me heart melt. This miniature
Donna has me wrapped around her finger as firmly as her mother does. “All bedder.”
“Thanks.” I kiss her back and she giggles.
“You look much better.” Donna proclaims and kisses me too. “The First Lady does nice
work.” She examines the stitches.
“She’s got no bedside manner, I can tell you that.”
“I’m sure you were very brave.” Donna attempts to placate me. “Here. She gave me this
flesh colored bandage to cover the stitches. This way they won’t show on TV or in the
pictures.”
“Ouch! Damn it, Donna!”
“Damn it!” Noah repeats clear as day. Donna’s eyes go wide with horror.
“Joshua!”
“It hurt, okay?”
“You are such a baby.” Donna chastises me and takes Noah out of my arms.
“Give me my son back!” I protest.
“Not while you’re teaching him to swear.”
“Donna…”
“And let me just say that while you’re using that kind of language around our
impressionable children there will be no sex for you either.” She threatens.
“No sex.” Noah repeats and I have to literally bite my lips to keep from cracking up. If I so
much as laugh with my eyes right now, I’ll be dead before my body hits the floor.
“Oh. My. God. NOW look what you’ve done!”
“I didn’t do THAT!” I point to Noah who is repeating ‘no sex’ like it’s now his favorite nursery
rhyme.
“You made me do it.” She whirls around on her high heels which provide a perfect
showcase for incredible legs and marches away with our son; presumably to stuff his mouth
with peanut butter, or superglue his lips together.
“Mama mad.” Brianna informs me.
“Just a bit, yeah.” I kiss her again because she’s just so damn cute and get waylaid by Mike.
“I need to talk to you.” He says urgently. “Come with me.”
“Uh-uh. I’ve got Brianna. Besides the last time I left with you I ended up locked in a store
room and requiring medical attention.”
“Seriously, Josh. Please.” Mike looks like he’s hyperventilating.
“Let me find someone to take Briana.” I sigh, but Mike takes the decision right out of my
hands.
“Chris will watch her. He’s great with females.” Mike hands my daughter to Chris over my
mild protests and marches my out of the room with him.
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Why does he have to be so damn cute? He’s playing with Briana like she’s his own
daughter. He has no trouble making a fool of himself for her and it’s captivating to watch.
Speaking of making a fool of himself, here comes the piranha. What does he see in her?
Doesn’t he realize she’s just using him to further her political agenda and help John
Hoynes? I edge a little closer to hear the conversation.
“I can’t. I’m watching Bri.”
“Let someone else watch the kid. Governor Tillman wants to meet you.” She tells him.
“I promised Josh I’d watch BRI,” He emphasizes her name as opposed to calling her kid.
Good for him. “So unless you want to introduce the TWO of us to Governor Tillman…”
“Fine. Choose babysitting over your career. That’s a great decision.” She stomps off. Good
riddance.
“Hi.” Busted by a baby. Brianna waves to me when she catches my eye and Chris turns to
see who she’s waving at.
“Hi, beautiful.” I wave back. “She gets bigger every day, I swear.”
“I know.” Chris agrees and tosses her up gently in the air. “It’s amazing.”
“Better be careful. If she gets sick and starts throwing up…” I warn.
He immediately sets her back down despite her requests for ‘up’. “Good point. Thanks.” He
smiles at me and my heart goes into double time. “Want to join us for a bit?” He pats the
spot next to him on the couch. I pretend to ponder it for a minute then sit down before he
changes his mind.
“You’re really good with her.” I offer.
“Kids are easy.” Chris replies. “They accept you for who you are and it takes very little to
make them happy.”
“There ARE some adults who are like that too.” I remind him and he shrugs before looking
back at my face.
“Maybe.” His lips twitch. I like seeing that expression on his face. It’s been too long.
“You’re so jaded lately.”
“It’s hard to be in Washington for any length of time and not be jaded.”
“No, it’s hard to be in Washington any length of time and be naïve. You can manage D.C.
and not get jaded. You didn’t used to be that way.”
“Things change.” He looks back down at the floor.
“Then maybe you can change them back.” I suggest. “I know any number of people who’d
be happy to help you change them back.”
“You think?” He asks me seriously.
“I know.” I reply. Our faces are about twelve inches apart when Brianna pops up in between
us.
“Swing, Chwis. Swing!”
“Okay, doll, but Ginger has to help us.” He looks over at me teasingly.
“Pease? Pease?” Brianna’s pleas are getting louder.
“Pease?” Chris echoes his charge.
“Fine.” I surrender and take Brianna’s little hand in mine; Chris does the same.
“One…Two…Three…SWING!” Chris announces and we swing the delighted girl between
us gently. Brianna squeals with delight.
“More!” She begs. Chris and I share an amused grin and swing the Lyman Princess again
and again.
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“Take a breath.” He tells me. Like breathing is going to help at this point.
“I’m breathing too much. I’m going to hyperventilate and pass out with the whole world
watching.” I complain.
“The whole world?” He laughs. “Who the hell do you think you are, Prince Charles?”
“YOU were the one telling me there’d be an international audience!”
“Well, yeah, you’re marrying the daughter of the President of the United States. The
pictures and some B roll will play all internationally, but it’s not like the people in Australia
are going to be glued to their sets, Mike.”
“They will be if I pass out and the wedding has to be called off.”
“That’s true.”
“You are NOT. HELPING.” I shout.
“Maybe I should get Matt?” He offers.
“NO!” I insist. “You’re the best man. It is your DUTY to talk me off the ledge here!”
“Okay…you’re talking metaphorically, right?” He asks and I roll my eyes.
“Do you see me on a fucking ledge here, Lyman?”
“There’s freaking ledges all over this building, Casper. What I need to know is do I need to
physically keep you off them or do you just need a shot of Whiskey right now?”
Hmmmm…I pause to consider this. Maybe a shot of Whiskey is just what I need. Not
enough for me to get drunk but just enough to calm my nerves. “Whiskey.” I decide.
“Good enough.” Josh nods and runs off to fetch the liquid courage. The speed with which
he returns with the bottle of Whiskey and two shot glasses make me think he was prepared
for this meltdown of mine. It’s not that I’m unsure about marrying Ellie; that part I’m
completely confident in. It’s this fishbowl thing I’d like to desperately avoid. Ellie would too, I
know. We just need to get through a few hours and then we’ll be entirely alone for a
week…with the Secret Service FAR in the background.
Josh pours us both a shot and we slam them down like we were still in college.
“Wait a second. I know why I’m drinking, but why are you drinking?”
“My head hurts like a son of a bitch.” He admits.
“How many stitches?” I ask him because the band aid covering it prevents me from
counting them myself.
“Six, but I think it really only needed four. The other two were just an opportunity for Mrs. B
to torture me a bit.”
“She does seem to enjoy that.” I smile. I’m feeling better already.
“Let’s take the bottle someplace quiet until they need us for pictures. We’ll sit down and
kick back for a bit before the circus starts.”
“You’re a good friend Joshua.” I tell him.
“It’s mutual, Michael.” He laughs and I join in. I can do this. I know I can…mostly.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
“You’re looking for this one?” Ginger asks me from the doorway. She points to where my
daughter is perched on Chris Wick’s shoulders. Well, well, well…
“I am, but I hate to break up this charming picture.” I smile and wiggle my eyebrows. Ginger
blushes and Chris looks down at the floor to avoid my gaze. Curiouser and curiouser.
“Come on Princess Brianna. It’s time to put on your pretty for the pictures.”
Brianna is a ham for the cameras and she loves her ‘wedding dress’ so I’m perplexed when
she refuses to come down off her perch.
“No. Chwis.”
“Chris will play with you after you’re dressed.” I try to reason with her.
“No. Chwis.”
“We can help you get her dressed.” Chris offers. “It looks like you have your hands full
already.” He indicates how I’m presently wrestling my son into his mini tux.
“Damn it!” He shouts and now MY face turns red.
“He got that from Josh.” I tell them quickly. “Now you listen young man. It’s time to put your
special clothes on for pictures. Daddy will be there too. It’ll be fun.”
“No, damn it.”I hang my head in shame. With my luck he’ll be shouting ‘damn it’ all the way
down the aisle in front of the international press.
“Have a cookie, Noah.” I press the cookie to his mouth hoping to keep it too busy to repeat
the other phrase he copied today.
Chris and Ginger both laugh and set Brianna down next to us where we engage in a team
dressing of two toddlers. Every time Noah utters ‘damn it’ I shove another cookie into his
mouth.
“Uh, Donna?” Ginger speaks up.
“What?”
“Aren’t you worried that giving him a cookie is encouraging him to repeat that phrase?”
“Huh?” Both kids are dressed and look adorable so we better take the pictures fast. “Time
for pictures guys. Let’s go.”
“I mean, every time he says…that, you give him a cookie so according to Pavlov…” Ginger
continues.
I freeze in my tracks. “Shit.”
“SHIT!” Noah repeats and claps for himself which sends Chris and Ginger into
uncontrollable laughter. Just shoot me now.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
I fidget with my veil once more as there’s a knock at the door. With wink and a nod, Liz
opens the door and exits silently. We’re taking pictures before the ceremony so my dress
won’t be a surprise when Mike sees me walking down the aisle with dad. So I arranged for a
private showing with just the two of us before we get blinded by the flashes from the
cameras.
Mike steps in and I’m surprised by his calm demeanor. He could at least have the courtesy
to act as nervous as I feel. The he spots me in the corner and his eyes turn glassy.
“Eleanor. I’ve seen you looking beautiful before but this is…You’re a Goddess.”
Okay, that settled most of my nerves. “I wanted to look good so you’d think you were
getting a good deal despite all this White House craziness.” I hold my hands out for him and
he hurries over to take them in his.
“I knew I was getting a great deal before I saw you in that dress.” He says gallantly. “Now I
think I must be dreaming. There’s no way a woman as smart and funny and gorgeous as
you would voluntarily shackle herself to me for life.”
“You’re wrong.” I assure him. “My only regret is that we didn’t just run to the nearest Elvis
impersonator in Vegas and tell everyone we got married after the fact.”
“No.” Mike shakes his head. “I won’t lie. I wish our wedding wasn’t quite this high profile, but
there’s no way I’d give up this moment for some tacky thing in Vegas. I get to stand up in
front of all our family and friends and tell them how much I love you. How we’ll be bound to
each other for the rest of our lives. I’m not getting cheated out of that.”
“That might be the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me, Mike. What brought all this
on?” I think my whole face is beaming.
“Maybe it was the two shots of Whiskey.” He ponders.
“WHAT?!”
“The last one was like an hour ago.” He hastens to explain. “I was nervous and Josh
thought…”
“Josh?!”
“He was right. I’m not drunk. I’m not even buzzed. I’m just relaxed and excited. Let’s go get
married, beautiful.” He leans in and kisses me gently.
“Sounds like a plan, Agent Casper.” I kiss him back with just a little more heat. The hell with
my makeup. “The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you can help me get out of this
dress.” I tease. I don’t know what makes me say that when we have hours ahead of us
before we’re alone. It’s just that after Mike’s little speech back there, I’m feeling…amorous.
Mike looks like he may need another shot of Whiskey. Hell we might both need one…and
that’s just fine.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Chapter 11
“What, are you like adopting her now?” the very shrew-ish Amy Gardner demands of Chris
as we hover outside the East Room. Brianna is still clinging to Chris and he’s holding onto
her while trying not to wrinkle her dress. Once she was all ready, Brianna insisted on
staying with Chris, since Noah needed a lecture on ‘grown up words’ and ‘kids words,’ Chris
and I volunteered to bring Brianna down and wait until everyone needed to get into place.
“She’s my niece.” He replies.
“Sort of.” Amy scoffs.
“She’s my NIECE.” Chris says again dropping his tone a bit a bit.
“And she is…” Amy asks arching a brow and gesturing towards me. I know she knows who I
am. She’s seen me around the White House. She probably just wants to hear Chris explain
it; so would I, quite frankly.
“A very good friend of mind.” He finishes. On the one hand, I’m happy he came to my
defense like that; on the other, I still wish there was ‘girl’ in front of the word friend.
“You make quite the family picture.” Amy says stiffly and for a moment, my heart melts a bit
at the memory that I once saw he and I going in this direction.
“Amy…”
“How long am I supposed to occupy Governor Tillman for?” she demands cutting him off.
“Oh, just be your normal charming self with him and I’m sure he’ll stay riveted.” Chris snaps.
“I’m in the wedding party, Amy. I can’t talk to him before the wedding.”
“You need to get your priorities straight and keep your eye on the prize.” Amy tosses back.
“It’s how you end up HERE.” She says gesturing around her. I assume she’s referring to the
White House. “I’ll see you after the ceremony.” She tosses a look back at me and saunters
back into the East Room.
“Well, she’s…unpleasant.” I say.
He watches her walk away for a second, shrugs and turns back to me. He smiles a bit and I’
m trying to remember if he smiled at all during his conversation with her. “She’s stressed
out.”
“She certainly doesn’t bring out the best in you.” I say glibly. Hey, I’m the woman scorned
here, I think I can be a little bitchy.
“I guess not.” He says softly. There was a time when I could easily read between the lines
of what he was saying, but not now.
“Save me a dance later?” I offer as I turn to walk away.
He smiles widely. “I’d like that.”
As I walk away, I hear a bit of his conversation with Brianna.
“Well, Princess Bri, it’s almost time for the big show.”
“Ariel!”
“No,” He chuckles. “not Little Mermaid.”
I chuckle as I head over to join Jackie, Bonny, Carol, Cathy and Margaret. My eyes catch
Amy Gardner adamantly chatting it up with the Secretary of Treasury and I have a hard
time picturing she and Chris in the family picture.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
“You shouldn’t look this beautiful, Donnatella; its bad form to show up the bride on her
wedding day.”
She smiles widely at me and I think I’m the luckiest man on the planet. My wife, the mother
of my children, my soulmate, she gets more beautiful every time I see her.
“I only want to make the most handsome guy in the room look good.” She replies linking her
arm with mine.
“That’s not what you were thinking this morning.” I chuckle.
“It was my fear talking.” She says. “I was very worried about you. Nobody seemed to know
where you were.”
“Believe me, if I had the means, I would have called.” We walk quietly for a bit towards the
East Room where all the girls are lining up with the kids.
“What are you thinking about?” she says quietly as I spy Chris trying, and failing, to fend off
both our kids.
“The luckiest day of my life.” I say softly.
“And what day was that?” she asks coyly.
There are so many since I met her, including our wedding day, I think, but since she’s
looking for an answer, “The day I met you.” I smile. She smiles in response and her eyes
start tearing up. “The last place I expected to find you was Matt’s office. I thought I was
going to have to stalk Ainsley to find out more about you.”
She looks like she wants to reply, but doesn’t trust herself. I squeeze her hand and the
protocol officer heads over to shoo us all into place. I look down at my kids. “Don’t screw
up.” I point down at them.
“Screw up!” Noah smiles and claps, Donna sighs, the protocol officer looks like she wants
to jump out a window.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
I come bounding down the hall fast as I can. Does the world NOT understand I have
something to do today? I mean, I’m the President of the United States and certainly the
party starts when I get there…but not today.
Ellie’s standing outside the East Room with Zoey, Donna, Liz, Abbey, the twins and that
tight ass from protocol…I’m mean…actually, I don’t know her name.
Ellie turns to look at me and gives me the most radiant smile. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen
her happier. In the Catholic Church, in order to get married, you have to take a pre cana
class that’s all about being married and what it means and all that crap. What nobody
prepares you for is what happens to fathers of daughters, especially on their wedding day.
“Who had 15 minutes?” Abbey quips looking at her watch and back over to me.
“All right, sweet knees, enough.”
The twins screech when they see me and come running at me with all the force and energy
of a couple of comets. The tight ass from protocol tut tuts over getting their clothes
wrinkled. Do you believe that? *I* just got tut-tutted.
After Brianna spends a few moments swinging from my neck as I try to put her down, I
finally straighten up and look at my Eleanor.
“I’m ready, Daddy.” She smiles softly. She hasn’t called me ‘Daddy’ since she was 12.
Daughters are absolutely heartbreaking.
“Come here.” I say and lead her away from the crowd. The protocol tight ass looks like she’
s going to open her mouth, but I see Abbey glare at her and she fades against the wall
instead.
“You sure you want to go through with this?”
“Dad!” Ellie groans.
“I’m just saying, many people work for me. I can get you out of it.”
“I love him, Dad.” She means that with all her heart. Her heart that USED to be filled with
me.
Should have locked the three of them in a dungeon.
“All right.” I say and offer her my arm as the protocol tight ass lines us up.
Abbey’s first, then Donna, Zoey, the twins and Liz. The protocol tight ass steps away down
the hall a bit. Donna keeps turning around to check out the kids, who are, for moment,
standing at attention with their pillow (with fake rings) and basket of flower petals. They
suddenly seem to be taking their jobs very seriously. They’ll be a much bigger hit than me
and Ellie.
“It’s fine, Donna.” Liz says.
Donna takes a deep breath. “I’m terrified of what they’re about to do.”
“I’m on it.” Liz assures with a nod. “If I have to walk down with them I will.”
“I’m not sure THAT’S going to go over well.” Donna chuckles with a glance down the
corridor at the protocol tight ass.
“There is no way that stuffy protocol Nazi is going to stop the President of the United State’
s daughter during her sister’s wedding to correct her, not if she wants to be employed in
the morning.”
Damn. That was impressive. I love how my girls decide all on their own who I fire and who I
don’t. Must be nice to be able to make those kinds of decisions.
Pacabell’s Canon in D begins and the doors to the East Room open.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
I smiled my way all the way down the aisle. There’re flashbulbs everywhere. My face starts
to hurt from this big smile I’ve got. Half way down the aisle I saw the guys standing up front.
They look hot. There are SO many people here. I hope my kids don’t get completely
freaked out.
I toss a look over at my husband who’s smiling widely at me, he winks at me when I get to
the end of the aisle. As soon as I get to my spot, I immediately turn and look down the aisle,
craning my head to try to check on my kids. I can’t decide if it’s good or bad that I can’t see
them.
Zoey glides down the aisle next, smiling the whole way. She’s a pro at this stuff.
Then I see my kids the same time there’s a collective “Aw” and smiles and murmurs.
Yeah. Those are my kids!
Then, everyone starts cracking up.
Oh shit.
Noah is marching purposefully right down the aisle, just like he was told to. Brianna on the
other hand is taking one step and dropping one flower petal, taking one step and dropping
one flower petal. Liz is smiling and gently nudging her along.
The protocol Nazi looks like she’s going to have puppies.
Noah gets about half way down the aisle before he notices his sister isn’t with him and turns
around. He huffs and marches right back to her. He stops in front of her, grabs a handful of
flower petals and drops them unceremoniously onto the floor.
Brianna shrieks.
He grabs another handful and walks down the aisle, she follows him with her hand out and
demanding, in her own toddler way, that he return the petals.
He spikes them like a football onto the floor.
He grabs another handful.
She pushes him over.
I just want to die.
Josh is cracking up.
He’s not going to think this is so funny when this is replayed in 150 languages all over the
world that’s for sure.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Those kids totally helped alleviate the tension in me right now. Donna looks like she wants
the floor to swallow her up, but Josh is laughing loudly next to me. It seems like everyone
finds it funny as well.
With the help of Liz, the kids finally make it down the aisle, but Brianna goes running to her
mother in tears. Noah stands in his assigned spot holding his pillow and looking very
solemn.
Liz takes her spot and the wedding march begins to play. Everyone rises. It’s not until Josh
whispers “Just breathe” in my ear that I realize I wasn’t.
Ellie begins to glide slowly down the aisle on her father’s arm. My mother bursts into tears
in the front row. Josh’s mother pats her shoulder absently. When I lock eyes with Ellie,
everything and everyone around her seems to get fuzzy and I see only her.
I already knew she looked beautiful today, but now she seems to glow too, her inner light
shining brighter than a star.
Yes, I realize I sound like some kind of…I don’t know…poet or something.
As she reaches me, we’re supposed to turn and stand in specific spots, but I’ve got a gun
so that protocol psycho can kiss my ass. I take Ellie’s hand and she looks grateful as we
turn to the Chief Justice of the United States.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
12.
“Uh…Ellie? Should I get your mother?” Donna asks hesitantly from the other side of the
bathroom stall.
“No, I’m sure it’s just from nerves. I’ve had this problem all week.” I explain.
“All…week?” Donna repeats.
“Can you blame me? You know how I hate the spotlight and I’ve been alone in the spotlight
all week!” I tell her as I exit the stall and run some cold water to splash on my face.
“Right.” Donna agrees hesitantly. “But…ummm…I don’t know how to put this but…”
“What?”
“Could there be another explanation?”
“Like what? Getting food poisoning every day for a week?” I laugh. “That would be
extremely unlikely. The only other thing that would explain the symptoms would be…” I pale
and sit down promptly on the floor before I hurl again.
“Yeah.” Donna wets a hand towel and presses it carefully on my neck.
“I can’t be pregnant, Donna. I can’t be.”
“I’m sorry to be blunt, but have you and Mike…not had sex?”
“Donna…” I whine in an excellent imitation of Josh. “It’s my wedding night.”
“Sound like perfect timing to me.”
“Donna!”
“You’ll be finished with med school in the spring and you’ll have the whole summer to enjoy
the baby…IF you’re pregnant.” She amends quickly.
“I’ve got to find out if I am or not. How am I going to do that?” I’m now officially panicked. “I’m
in the White House on Christmas Eve!”
“And in the hands of lesser mortals…” Donna replies smiling. I think the ego thing must be
contagious in the Lyman family.
“What do you mean?” I ask point blank. My mind is too frozen to figure out what she’s
alluding to.
“Your mother is a physician who passes out condoms, lollipops, and Band-Aids at the free
clinic…?” She hints.
“If you’re right it’s too late for the condom, and too early for lollipops or Band-Aids.” I remind
her.
“It’s not out of the realm of possibility that she’d have pregnancy tests in her medical stash
here.”
“Oh…OH!” I shout as I get her drift. Of course she’s right. “But I can’t exactly slip away and
rummage through mom’s stuff.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Donna assures me. “Now when you see my signal, come meet me back
here.”
“What’s the signal?” I ask.
“I’ll tug on my ear while I’m looking at you.” She explains. “Go back to the reception and act
like there’s nothing wrong. We’ll get this figured out in no time.”
“Right. Pretend there’s nothing wrong.” I nod and think to myself that my acting talent is
nowhere near good enough to pull this off, so I’ll have to stay around strangers as much as
possible.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
“Dr. Bartlet asked me to get something out of her medical bag for her. Ellie is feeling a little
shaky.” I explain with a winning smile. I’ve been walking all around the residence for the
past few days with nobody so much as blinking at me, so I don’t anticipate any trouble, but I
can’t help the anxious feeling I have while lying to the Secret Service.
They let me pass through to Dr. Bartlet’s office without a word. Obstacle one: Get into Dr.
Bartlet’s office unimpeded; accomplished. I could be the next Jack Bauer…except for the
torture. No way could I handle or hand out torture.
I start rummaging through Dr. Bartlet’s office and it doesn’t take me long to find the small
pregnancy test kits. I grab one, then a second for safe measure, and lacking anywhere
else to put them, stuff them into the top of my stocking; praying the garters will hold them
up and that the boxes won’t rip my hose. Obstacle Two: Find a pregnancy test (or two in
this case) and conceal them on my person; accomplished.
Now I’ll just get back to the reception, give Ellie the signal and help her take the tests.
Compared to the first part of this mission, the rest of this will be a snap. I shake my dress
out a bit and paste a casual look on my face, when I hear a voice behind me.
“Why are you hiding pregnancy tests in your stockings, Donna Lyman?”
Obstacle Three: Escape Dr. Bartlet’s office with the pregnancy tests undetected;
Failed…big time!
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
It was simply coincidence that I came into my office tonight. One of the guests had come
down with a migraine and since I had something here to treat them with I slipped out of the
reception briefly to get it. Imagine my shock when I saw Donna pilfering not one, but two
pregnancy tests. So I ask her about it.
“There’s a perfectly reasonable explanation.” She assures me.
“Let’s hear it.” I lean back against the doorjamb.
“I’ll tell it to you…as soon as I think of it.” She mutters.
“Donna…please tell me you haven’t risked your health, and your very life, by attempting to
get pregnant again.” I ask quietly.
“No! No, I swear! That’s not it at all. I could never put Josh through anything like that
again.” She adds hastily. “Besides, we’re very happy with the family we have.”
I believe her. Yet there are two pregnancy tests stuck in her stockings.
“Is this for some kind of practical joke you’re playing on Mike and Ellie?” I wonder.
“Uh, yeah, yes. That’s exactly what it is.” She nods and edges toward the door. I stand up
straight and completely block her path.
“That doesn’t make sense.” I shake my head back at her slowly. “If it were for a joke, you’d
have just asked me for the tests so someone really does need a test. Someone you’re
close enough to, that you’d risk stealing them out of my office. Someone who couldn’t come
up here and get them herself. Someone who…Donna? Are those for anyone I’m related
to?”
“Ma’am…” Her eyes beg me not to press.
“Perhaps someone wearing white today?” I ask knowing Ellie has been nauseous all week.
“Ma’am, please!”
“Come on, Donnatella.” I instruct her after grabbing the migraine medication for our guest.
“If I’m going to be a grandmother again, I want to know about it firsthand.”
“So much for being Jack Bauer.” She mutters, but walks back to the reception with me.
When Ellie sees Donna, her eyes light up. Then she notices I’m with Donna and she turns
beet red. I’m happily surprised, though, to see her graciously excuse herself from her
present company and walk over to join us, head held high.
“Ellie, your train is falling a bit. Let’s step into the ladies room and fix you up.” I suggest and
she nods. Once inside, Donna quickly locks the door. Whether or not Ellie is pregnant is
going to be a secret shared by the three of us…at least for now.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
The midnight chimes begin to ring and I take a moment to simply absorb all this.
Our friends and family surround us. I’m wearing the most beautiful dress imaginable
dancing to an incredible orchestra that is playing “Unforgettable”. It’s an appropriate song
given the news I’m about to share.
As the clock strikes midnight, I lean in and whisper the news that he’s going to be a dad. He
looks shocked for a minute before he breaks into an ‘unforgettable’ smile and kisses the
hell out of me. I think he’s pleased at the news.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
“You summoned me?” Chris asks with a wary expression.
“I asked you to come.” I correct him as the rest of our foursome appears. “There he is. The
man of the hour; the son-in-law of the President of the United States.” I swear to God, Mike
Casper, veteran FBI Agent, pales at my comment.
“You’re the best man. You’re supposed to keep me calm, not freak me out.”
“Nah, that was just before the ceremony. Now it’s Ellie’s job.” I correct him too. I pass out
the glasses of champagne to my friends. “First to Mike and Ellie Casper. May they know
nothing but the joys that marriage and family brings.”
We all take a drink though Mike chokes a bit.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Nothing! It’s just that we may find out about the joys of family sooner than we’d planned.”
Mike grins from ear to ear. “Ellie just told me.”
“That’s fantastic!” I embrace Mike as much as two manly men are allowed. Matt and Chris
follow suit. “She just told you!”
“She just found out herself.” Mike admits. “You’re going to want to ask your wife for details
later.” He tells me but waves off my obvious questions.
“To the newest little Agent Casper!” Chris grins and offers the toast.
“Hear, hear!” Matt chuckles and we all drink again. The others start to move back toward
the party but I stop them.
“Guys?” I get their attention. They all stop and wonder back when I say nothing further.
“What is it, Josh?” Mike asks quietly.
“I just want to…” I begin but get choked up. I discussed this with Donna and she seemed to
think it was a good idea, but now that I’m standing in front of these guys I wonder if I should
have gotten another guy’s opinion instead of Donna’s. The only problem with that is that
the guy whose opinion I would have asked would have been in this group anyway so…
“Josh?” Chris prompts me.
“I was…uh…talking to Donna a couple days ago; shared some stuff with her and she
thought it might be a good idea if I shared it with you.” There. Now it’s Donna’s idea and if it
crashes and burns I can blame it on her.
“Is everything okay with you two? The kids?” Matt follows up. All of them have their
concerned faces on so I smile in what I hope is a reassuring manner.
“We’re all fine.” I add verbally. “It’s just that…at Christmas time I’m always reminded
of…well, THAT Christmas and what each of you did for me to help me pull through that
living nightmare.” I choke up again.
“Hey, Josh…” Mike is more uncomfortable than me right now and I didn’t think that was
possible. It makes me chuckle.
“Mike.” I interrupt him. “This is important to me to say.”
He nods and closes his mouth.
“I know we’ve been through a lot of ups and downs lately, but I want each of you to know
that doesn’t affect how much I trust and respect you; how much I value our friendship. If it
hadn’t been for you and Donna…I wouldn’t have made it through that Christmas alive. I
know that.”
Now all of them look uncomfortable and that’s the last thing I want. “All I want to say is that I
look around me THIS Christmas and all I see are these wonderful things and this wonderful
life that I’d have missed if it hadn’t been for you guys. So…thanks. I’m lucky to have you as
my friends. To a new year together.”
“Once in awhile, I see proof of the 760.” Chris tells me. “To a new year and all that it brings
each of us; alone and together.”
Mike and Matt echo the toast. It’s the first time Chris has moved to include himself with us
and it makes my chest tight.
“Okay, okay.” I wave off the nostalgia and emotion. “Let’s get this man back to his wife.”
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I’m married. I’m a married man. I have a wife. I am a husband and I have a wife.
“I know you have a wife. Most of the world knows you have a wife.” Josh mutters to me.
“You don’t have to keep repeating it.”
“I said that out loud?” I question.
“You did.” He nods. “You’ve got that ‘deer in the headlights’ expression again. It was gone
for awhile, but now it’s back. Should I go get the whiskey?”
“Nah.” We’ve made it through all the tough stuff; the ceremony, the receiving line with all its
damn protocol, and the formal dinner and dancing. Now it’s just literally icing on the cake.” I
take a deep breath. “Tomorrow at this time Ellie and I will be blessedly alone at an
undisclosed location.”
Josh chuckles. “I have visions of you two in an underground bunker when you use phrases
like that.”
“Believe me, an underground bunker would be preferable to one more formal event.”
“Luckily for you both, you have to endure neither another formal event nor a honeymoon in
a bunker.” Josh claps me on the shoulder. “Go find your bride for a dance or two. By then
you can escape relatively unnoticed.”
“No wonder people say you’re a brilliant strategist.” I smile and cut in on my wife as she’s
dancing with the ambassador of someplace or another. Her face blushes when I turn her in
a fast circle and whisper what I’d like to do with her once we’re alone.
She looks up at me with love shining in her eyes and I realize I would do ANYTHING for this
woman and the child she’s carrying; simply anything. Just a little bit longer and we’re out of
here. I have never felt so ‘high’ in my life.
The End.