Page 173 of State of Affairs (First Family 1)

The next day, Nick and Sam were waiting with Scotty at the door to the South Portico when the Secret Service delivered the twins from school. They shot out of the car and into the arms of Sam and Nick, while the White House photographer captured the moment for posterity.

“Dad has another surprise for us, but he wouldn’t tell me what it is until you guys got home,” Scotty told the twins. He looked up at his father. “Now can you tell us?”

“Almost,” Nick said with a mysterious smile. “Everyone in The Beast for a quick ride if you want to find out what the surprise is.”

Groaning, Scotty led the way down the steps and into the car. He had the twins belted into booster seats in the time it took Sam and Nick to join them. Scotty would turn fourteen that weekend and was having his classmates over for a pool-and-bowling party at the White House. He was playing it down as no big deal, but they knew how excited he was to share his new home with his friends.

The kids were giddy with excitement on the short ride toward a prearranged meeting. They’d gone round and round with the shelter until they finally settled on a Lab mix-breed puppy, who’d been found wandering the streets a few weeks earlier. She’d been malnourished and filthy when she was found, but the shelter had nursed her back to full health and was delighted that the president’s family wanted to adopt her.

They’d discussed going to the shelter versus having the dog delivered to the White House, but they’d wanted Scotty to have the full experience of going to the shelter and signing the paperwork that made the puppy his.

A small contingent of press and the ever-present White House photographer were accompanying them.

Sam looked over at Nick, who was almost as excited as the kids were. He’d wanted this for Scotty almost as much as Scotty wanted it for himself.

They were almost to their destination when Sam got a text from Darren that made her heart sink.

Hearing that Roni took a leave of absence from work. No one has talked to her, but she sent me a cryptic reply that she’s “taking some time away.” Not really sure what that means, but that’s all I know.

Thanks for the update. I hope she’s okay.

Me too.

Sam sent a message to Roni. Heard you’re taking some time away. I hope you’re okay and wanted you to know two things—I can wait for you to start the job until you are ready, and if you need anything, please call me. I’m here.

Poor Roni had been through such an ordeal since her husband, Patrick, had been killed in a random shooting. Sam hoped Roni was doing something that brought her comfort.

The car rolled to a stop outside the shelter.

When Scotty saw where they were, he let out a shout of excitement that drew Sam’s attention away from her phone and her worries about her new friend.

“We’re at the pound! Oh my God, it’s happening!”

Sam had never seen him happier about anything.

“What’s a pound?” Alden asked.

“It’s a place where they take dogs and cats who have no homes and help them find families.” Scotty freed the twins from their car seats and bent to look outside to see what was happening with the Secret Service. “Can they hurry up already? Don’t they know I’ve waited all my life for this?”

Sam smiled at Nick, who was equally delighted with Scotty’s reaction to their big surprise.

“Before I forget to say thank you for this…” He looked at them with his heart in his eyes. “Thank you so much.”

“Anything for you, pal,” Nick said.

“Well, not anything,” Sam said.

“Just about,” Nick said as he fist-bumped his son.

“Have we had a complete role reversal here or something?” Sam asked.

“He’s the president,” Scotty said. “He can do whatever he wants.”

“Um, no, I actually can’t.”

“Just about,” Scotty said with a cheeky grin that was so similar to Nick’s that you’d never believe they weren’t biological father and son. They were father and son in every way that mattered.

Scotty was about to spontaneously combust by the time the doors opened and the Secret Service escorted them inside, where the staff was giddy with excitement as they greeted the first family. Sam enjoyed watching Scotty make an effort to be polite when he really wanted to tell them to get on with it. In that way, he was very much her son.