Page 81 of State of Grace (First Family 2)

“I can’t imagine how strange it must be to call the most iconic house in the world home.”

“I need to stop by Ninth Street and get a box of family ornaments I packed to bring to the White House, but somehow they didn’t make it into the move. I’m afraid that if I go there, I’m not going to want to leave.”

“Do you hate living at the White House? You can tell me the truth.”

“No, I don’t hate it. It’s like the most luxurious hotel on earth. Last night, we ordered pizza for Eli at one in the morning, and the butlers were right there twenty minutes later, rolling in a cart with a midnight snack fit for a king.”

“I’d be in big trouble if I had that kind of service available to me.”

“Maybe if you did, you’d finally gain the nine hundred pounds you deserve to weigh.”

“You’re being a nasty cow again.”

“Better than a filthy pig.”

“That’s your opinion.”

“Oink, oink.”

“Mooooo. Anyway, about the White House…”

“I don’t hate it, but it doesn’t feel like home.”

“It’ll take a while.”

“I’m sure it will. I keep telling myself that the only thing that matters is where Nick and the kids are. That’s home. The building doesn’t matter.”

“In most cases, I’d say that’s true, but when you live at the White House, the building matters.”

“I guess. I don’t want you to think I’m complaining, because I’m really not. It’s a beautiful place to live, and I’m so proud of Nick for having this incredible opportunity, even if it scares the crap out of me, too.”

“What scares you?”

“He literally has the weight of the world on his shoulders, for one thing. The other night, there was an incident with pirates attacking ships in the Gulf of Suez that required him to spend hours in the Situation Room in the middle of the night. I don’t even know where the Gulf of Suez is or what goes on there.”

“He’s got great people helping him.”

“Does he, though? A lot of those great people were Nelson’s people. Are they loyal to Nick? Will they do right by him or focus on their own agendas? That’s another thing I worry about, in addition to the increased risk to his safety simply because of the office he holds and how he came to be there. A lot of people are outraged that he was never elected, and now he’s president.”

“He’s going to prove to them, one situation at a time, that they’re lucky to have him.”

Sam shrugged. “I guess.”

“He said all the right things yesterday after the shooting. That’ll matter to those who were directly affected and everyone who’s looking for someone to make sense of it.”

“Shooting babies in line to see Santa will never make sense.”

“No, it won’t.” He looked over at her. “You want me to go with you to Ninth Street?”

“That’s okay, but thanks for asking.”

Chapter Fifteen

They arrived in Paula’s neighborhood a few minutes later and parked a block from her house as the afternoon light began to wane. The short days in December were downright depressing, Sam thought as they hoofed it through the cold toward Paula’s house.

“I suppose you’re going to make me ask Pam’s best friend if she knew about the affair.”

“Haven’t decided yet.”