THE PRESIDENT'S MEN
The same day
10.22 P.M.
The Chief of Staff’s Room
Sam and Will stepped into the room, still talking about the investigation and the surprising facts they just learned in the Situation Room. Will was trying to persuade Sam not to go public with the information, but Sam told him he had to.
Both of them stopped talking when they perceived a slight movement coming from the sofa. Sam looked questioningly at Will, but he was just as perplexed as the President. Then it hit him. Sending a mischievous smile at his boss, he sent Sam to the sofa.
“Ainsley?” Sam asked dumbfounded after he saw who was lying under the blanket.
“Hmmm?” Ainsley asked back, opening her left eye to see who called her.
“Hi!” Sam greeted her with a smile. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m waiting for you, Dumbo,” Ainsley sat up, sounding indignant.
“I told Bob to tell you that you shouldn’t wait for me. I didn’t know when I would be able to come up from the Situation Room,” Sam said, kneeling down in front of the sofa. Will, with a huge smile on his face, hurried out of the room.
“Well, I stayed and now you are here, too. Why was I asked here today, Sam?” Ainsley asked then.
“I missed you at dinner,” Sam whispered and then pulled Ainsley into a hug. She looked into his eyes, and their lips met in a kiss.
“I missed you, too,” Ainsley confessed after the kiss was over. “How are the kids?”
“They are with Josh. Claudia asked me to tell you she missed you at dinner too,” Sam told his fiancée, after sitting down on the sofa, taking her hand into his. “You should’ve seen her,” he continued with a chuckle, “she was so angry when she thought that they would forbid me to marry you.”
“They?” Ainsley said, her eyes a bit foggy. Claudia’s love and trust meant a great deal to her. At first, she didn’t know if she would be a good mom for the twins, and she only said yes to Sam because of the conversation Claudia and she had earlier.
“Daddy told Uncle Josh that you said no.” Claudia turned to Ainsley when Sam ran after an upset Joshua.
“That’s true,” Ainsley told the girl.
“Why?” Claudia wanted to know. “I mean you two are in love with each other, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I love Sam. But I don’t think I’m ready to become a mommy. Don’t get me wrong, I like you and Joshua and I think that the two of you are good kids, but I don’t know if I can be a good mommy to you,” Ainsley explained.
“Why?” Claudia asked. “You said you liked us. That’s enough. Everything else is a matter of time,” Claudia said, speaking with wisdom beyond her years. “Aunt Donna said no one was born to be a good daddy or mommy. People had to grow into those roles.”
“Donna told you that?” Ainsley asked the little girl.
“Not me. He told Daddy after Mommy died,” Claudia imparted. “I wasn’t eavesdropping. They were talking in front of my room,” she added hurriedly. “I think Daddy is sad because you said no.”
“Well, if he would ask me again, I think I would say yes,” Ainsley said, winking at the girl. Claudia returned the wink with a smile, and two days later, Sam asked Ainsley again.
“Yeah, I don’t think she knows who they are, but she was so angry with them,” Sam explained.
“I love you, Sam,” Ainsley told him, and Sam squeezed her hand before returning the confession.
December 21
0.12 A.M.
Donna’s Home
Donna stepped into the flat, trying to make no sound at all. She wriggled out of her heavy winter cloak and pulled off her boots, cursing under her breath when she accidentally dropped one of the boots.
“We are here, Donna,” she heard Josh’s voice.
“Who is we?” Donna hurried into the living room,
Josh and Leo were laying on the sofa, the seven-year old boy already asleep, his father still glued to the TV.
“He was waiting for you,” Josh explained. “How is Sam?”
“I thought you met him,” Donna said, after dropping a gentle kiss on her son’s forehead. She was inclined to kiss Josh too, but that was out of question. She set the rules; she wasn’t allowed to break them. “He refused to tell me anything,” Donna said, trying to hide her trepidation.
Josh got up and picking his son up from the sofa, he carried him into his room. Coming back, he found Donna on the sofa, her legs wrapped into the blanket her son used five minutes ago.
“I said no,” Josh said simply. “He offered several positions, but I said no every time.”
Donna was able to breathe regularly again and she let out a sigh of relief. She didn’t bother to hide it this time, there was no use.
“Why?” she asked then.
“Donna, you told me I was on probation. Besides, I was just as frightened by what Dr. Gage told us as you. I want to see Leo grow up, I want to be there for him. If that means I have to avoid stress then that’s what I’m doing,” Josh explained.
“So you didn’t say no because of me?” Donna asked, trying to sound impassionate.
Josh looked at her searchingly, trying to figure out if he should tell the truth or not. Donna was still a mystery to him, after all these years working and living together.
“I think I should go home,” he finally decided to avoid answering the question.
“You haven’t answered the question, Josh,” Donna warned him.
“What do you want me to say?” Josh asked, suddenly feeling very tired. “That I miss you every day, that I’m so madly in love with you after all these years that I feel physical pain when you are this close to me and I can’t touch you? Yes, I said no because of you. At least, that was part of my no. Leo was the other part. You two are so important to me that the sense of duty to serve my country pales in comparison. I love the two of you so much that I would give up everything else that’s important to me just to have you back in my life 24/7. And now, I’m leaving,” with this he turned and wanted to leave the living room.
“Josh?” Donna’s voice stopped him. He didn’t dare to turn, he didn’t want to see her again. This Saturday had been excruciating enough. He already met Donna in the morning when he picked up Leo, then again at lunch time when she came to his flat to hug Leo, after learning the fate the of the President of the United States. Seeing Donna three times on a day made him miserable enough. He decided to ignore the call and continued his way to the hall.
“You could stay for the night,” he heard Donna’s voice from just behind.
He finally turned and found himself face to face with her. This was the last straw. He pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her longingly.
“Don’t go home,” Donna whispered after they broke the kiss.
Josh, as much as he wanted to stay, didn’t want half-solutions.
“If I stay, I stay forever, Donna. No half-solutions for me. I don’t want that. Call me when you are ready to take me back into your life,” he said and then let go off Donna. He put on his shoes and cloak and left the flat, feeling the physical pain he was talking about.
GO TO PART SIX