Page 44 of State of Affairs (First Family 1)

Nick returned to the Oval Office and placed a call to Secretary Ruskin’s wife, Marilyn.

“Mr. President,” she said, “thank you so much for calling.”

“I’m so sorry for the need to call to reassure you that we’re doing everything we can to ensure the safe return of your husband and the others involved in this incident.”

“I appreciate that,” she said, sounding tearful. “Marty would want you focused on the agents and the others on the plane ahead of him.”

“We’re focused on bringing all of them home safely. I’ll make sure you’re kept informed of what’s going on.”

“Thank you again for calling, Mr. President. It means a lot to my family and me.”

“We’ll be in touch.”

He made calls to the distraught families of everyone else involved in the incident, did his best to reassure them and was emotionally drained by the time he was finished. A quick check of his watch indicated it was nearly party time at home, where he longed to be.

Terry came into the office. “Did you finish the calls?”

“Yes, and you’d never believe how much fun that was.”

“I can only imagine.”

“I want to call Sam. Am I allowed to use my phone?”

“I have a new, secure BlackBerry for you.”

“Ugh, back to the BlackBerry, huh?”

“Afraid so. It’s that or nothing, my friend. They’re going to want Sam to have one too.”

Nick cracked up laughing. “Good luck with that. If the phone doesn’t slap shut, she doesn’t want it.”

“It’s one of the few things they’ll probably insist on, since she’ll be talking frequently to you.”

“We’ll make it work.” Somehow. Maybe she could use a secure phone for anything to do with him and her duties as first lady, and her regular phone for work and personal contacts. Using the new BlackBerry, he made the call to Sam’s cell phone, hoping she’d take the call from a number that would show up on caller ID as unavailable.

It rang four times before she answered with a breathless hello.

“Hey, it’s me.”

“Hey! How’s it going?”

He was so damn glad to hear her voice. No one had ever been able to calm him with just a few words the way she could. “It’s going. Tense. How are things there?”

“The six-year-old excitement is off the charts. Eli predicted the twins are going to spontaneously combust before the day is over.”

Nick chuckled as he imagined the scene and desperately wished he were there to see it. Missing something like the twins’ birthday party was exactly why he’d made the decision to sit out the next election cycle. He didn’t want to miss anything with them or Scotty, who’d be playing high school hockey by this time next year. “Did you tell them how sorry I am to miss it?”

“I did, and they understand. I told them you’d celebrate with them when you got home.”

“It makes me sick to miss it.”

“There’ll be so many other years, Nick. Try not to let it upset you.”

“I’m trying.” He fiddled with a pen while he talked to her. “I’m worried about the other parents hassling you for pictures and shit.”

“Shelby and Lilia already thought of that. Lilia prepared something to hand out to each of the parents as they come in. Lilia cleared it with Trevor and Terry.”

“I’m glad they’ve got that covered,” he said, relieved to know she wouldn’t be bothered in her own home because of his job.