THE PRESIDENT'S MEN
The same day
7.42 P.M.
Number One Observatory Circle/the VP’s Residence
“Uncle Josh and Leo are here!” a young boy announced, standing in front of a window.
“Okay, but you have to go to your room for a while, I have some things to talk over with Uncle Josh,” a calm voice answered him. His father’s who was still sitting at the dinner table.
“Okay, Dad, but you promised us a night at the observatory!” Josh reminded his father.
“I know, Uncle Josh will be there with you, I won’t be able to make it,” Sam Seaborn told his son.
“Dad!” Josh complained.
“No use, Joshua. I don’t have time today. I’m glad I could make it to dinner,” he murmured.
“I’m glad you made it to dinner, Daddy,” came another voice from the other end of the table.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Sam stood up, rounded the table and kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “It’s been a long day for all of us,” he sighed.
“Are you tired, Daddy?” Claudia asked worried.
“Nothing to worry about, sweetheart. But, you know–” Sam gestured around with his hands. His late wife always understood what that meant, and it seemed his daughter shared this ability with her mother.
“Where is Ainsley? I thought she would have dinner with us,” Claudia asked.
“Well, it’s politics,” Sam said with a sigh.
“They cannot tell you whom to marry!” Claudia cried out indignantly.
“No, they can’t tell him that,” a new voice said. “But they can tell him not to have Ainsley over until he married her.”
“Uncle Josh!” Claudia exclaimed and went to hug his father’s best friend, his brother’s namesake. “Hi, Leo,” she greeted then the young boy standing next to her Uncle Josh.
“Hi, Claudia! Daddy, can I go with Josh?” the young boy looked up at his father pleadingly.
“Of course. Uncle Sam wants me talk into something, so we will need a few minutes. Then I’ll take the three of you to the observatory. If you want to come too, that is,” he asked Claudia.
“Yes, I want to come. I’ll leave you alone. Daddy, if you see Ainsley today, tell her I’m really sorry she wasn’t here today for dinner. I missed her,” she added in a whisper when she hugged her father.
“Sure, sweetheart,” Sam said after kissing her forehead. He watched his little girl leave the room and then turned to Josh. “She misses her mother. You want something to drink?”
“A beer, maybe,” Josh told the steward.
“A coffee for me, Peter,” Sam said after the steward asked him if he wanted something too.
“How ya doing, Mr. President?” Josh asked him with a crooked smile.
“Gosh, if you start calling me that I’m gonna prosecute you,” Sam said with a mock sternness in his voice.
“Well, you’ve got to get used to it. You were sworn-in by the Chief Justice. You are the President of the United States. Besides, you cannot prosecute me, you tend to forget I’m an Associate Professor of Administrative Law at Georgetown and know my rights,” Josh told him with another smile.
“How was your day?” Sam asked him, after stifling a yawn.
“Calm and without any stress until you called me,” Josh confessed.
“Well, that beats my day,” Sam returned the confession. “I’m so tired I could fall asleep at the spot.”
“Why don’t you lie down for an hour?” Josh suggested. “They will wake you if something happens.”
“Josh, there is an ongoing investigation about the assassination of the President of the United States…” Sam began, but Josh interrupted him.
“Well, I don’t see you on the scene, and you are sure as hell not the director of the FBI, so that doesn’t require your attention unless there is some news. In which case they would wake you up,” Josh told him.
“There is a funeral to be organized…” Sam started again.
“Well, as far as I’m informed, Donna, Jessie and a girl named Tallulah are responsible for that,” Josh countered.
“And there is a situation on the other side of the globe…” Sam wanted to begin again.
“Yeah, but you have the Situation Room and your best people of the Armed Forces not to mention your Chief of Staff. They’ll call you if the situation requires your attendance,” Josh told him.
“And there are my children…” Sam continued.
“Who would be taken care of by me if only you would let me,” Josh quipped.
“And there is Ainsley…” Sam trailed off.
“Ainsley, who of all people, would understand that you need that nap,” Josh retorted. “Have her come to the White House in an hour and lie down until she arrives.”
“Thanks, Josh. And now to the real reason I wanted to talk to you…” Sam started but was again interrupted by Josh.
“And there is a no to that question, Mr. President,” Josh told him. “But if you want my advice on the new Vice President, I’m ready to put in my two cents.”
“Well, okay, you don’t want to be my Chief of Staff, but you could be my Vice President,” Sam tried to persuade his best friend.
“Under no circumstances, Mr. President,” Josh refused. “You know why I stepped off of the political stage. There is no change in that situation and even if there would be I wouldn’t jeopardize it again.”
“Donna’s far too pigheaded,” Sam said with a sad smile.
“She told me last week that there isn’t a day you don’t bring the subject up,” Josh said with a smile.
“Well, Josh, that’s what friends are for. I mean you two are still in love with each other why would she…” Sam trailed off and then looked back at Josh again. “What about Senior Advisor to the President?”
“Sam, for the last time, no politics for me. Besides, what if Will and I don’t agree on something? Whose advice would you follow? It would be catastrophic to the White House and to you if you would be dragged into petty fights about who is or who has been right,” Josh added.
“Are you completely sure?” Sam tried a last time. “You could shape the future.”
“I am shaping the future, Sam. I’m teaching the next generation,” Josh told him.
The same day
9.42 P.M.
The Steam Pipe Trunk Distribution Venue
Ainsley knocked on the door of her former office and while she was waiting for a response, she reminisced about her first day.
“Come in!” A somewhat familiar voice called, and Ainsley stepped in with a frown on her face.
“Charlie?” she asked hesitantly.
“Yes, ma’am,” Charlie Young answered.
“Holy Hannah!” Ainsley exclaimed. “You are not calling me ma’am!” she told the younger man.
“Yes, ma’am. Sorry, Ms. Hayes,” Charlie corrected himself. “What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to take a trip down memory lane while I was waiting for the President,” Ainsley explained. “Charlie, aren’t you a senior counsel in the White House? I mean, you’ve been working here for two years while I was White House Counsel and two years in this administration too,” she asked then, speaking pretty fast.
“That’s true, Ms. Hayes,” Charlie said with a smile.
“And you are still here in the steam pipe trunk distribution venue?” Ainsley asked back, not being able to hide her incredulity.
“It’s a nice place,” Charlie said, showing around. “Especially, since they installed the air-conditioning.”
“Who was your decorator?” Ainsley asked, taking a good look around.
“A lady named Zoey,” Charlie answered with a wide grin on his face.
“Well, you are one lucky man,” Ainsley answered.
“Not unlike the President himself,” Charlie complimented.
“Thank you, Charlie. How is Zoey?” she asked then.
“Getting back into the routine again,” Charlie chuckled. “We are having our second baby in three months,” he added proudly.
“That’s great!” Ainsley exclaimed. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you, Ms. Hayes,” Charlie said. “Does the President know that you are here?”
“What are you working on?” Ainsley asked in the same second and then they shared a laugh. “Will saw me coming down,” she answered then.
“I help vetting vice-presidential candidates,” Charlie told her.
“Is there anyone I know?” Ainsley asked.
“Sorry, I’m not allowed to talk about it,” Charlie refused politely.
“Are there any women among the candidates?” Ainsley pressed on.
Charlie glanced at her with an arched eyebrow and then shook his head.
“I’m not allowed to talk about it, Ms. Hayes,” he repeated and was quite glad when a knock on the door interrupted their conversation. “Come in!” he shouted, and a young woman stepped inside.
“Oh, sorry, I can come back later,” Tal apologized. “I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“No, it’s okay, Tal. This is Ms. Hayes,” Charlie introduced them. “Ms. Hayes, this is Tallulah Turner, assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff.”
“Ainsley Hayes, nice to meet you, Tallulah,” Ainsley greeted the woman and stretched out her hand. The gesture was met with an awestruck glare from Tallulah.
“Tallulah Turner. Sorry, ma’am, I’m a bit star-struck,” Tal apologized after finally taking Ainsley’s hand. “I’m a fan.”
“Really?” Ainsley asked back, blushing slightly.
“Yes, ma’am.” Tal nodded and then turned to Charlie. “I should really come back later.”
“No, no!” Ainsley smiled. “I was the one who showed up unexpectedly. I’ll go back to Will’s office and wait for the President there.”
“He is still in the Situation Room,” Tal imparted. “And I just wanted to thank Charlie for his help with the Bible.”
“No problem,” Charlie said with a smile. “I had my fair share of the insanity. I’m glad I could be of service.”
GO TO PART FIVE