Page 95 of State of the Union (First Family 3)

Stahl refused to meet with any of them, so that’d been a dead end. Farnsworth and Malone did the interview with Darren that put a spotlight on Stahl’s malfeasance as they assured the public they’d be looking into everything he’d ever done. That seemed to take some of the heat off the recent revelations that had come to light after the arrest of Daniella Brown.

Sam’s friend Roni Connolly started as the new communications director in Sam’s White House office, and Sam and Nick attended the first meeting of Nick’s new task force on gun violence at which he pledged his full support to working with leaders on all levels to come up with sensible policies to address the problem. The Senate, back from holiday recess, took up the nomination of Gretchen Henderson to be Nick’s vice president, and the White House dealt with the blowback about yet another unelected official, not to mention one who was even more inexperienced than the president, possibly leading the country as vice president.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Sam stood by Nick’s side in the Roosevelt Room as he delivered remarks on the enduring legacy of the civil rights leader.

“Martin Luther King Jr. wanted us to believe that we could do better, be better, and in some ways, we have. In others, we have a very long way to go to achieve the goals he set for us with his stirring words and unflinching commitment to equality for all. We are a better nation because of Dr. King and his sacrifice, and we owe him a debt we can never fully repay. Every time we reach out a hand in friendship and compassion to someone whose life experiences are different from ours, I’d like to think we make him proud.”

Sam listened to him with so much pride for his stirring words and the passion with which he delivered them. The more she watched him embrace the presidency, the more she loved him—and she wouldn’t have thought that was possible.

After his remarks, they attended a reception for civil rights leaders and members of the King family in the East Room.

Later that afternoon, Sam was relieved to head for the elevator to get back upstairs, where she could get off her aching hip. How much longer would she be constrained by her stupid injury? “This is getting so old,” Sam said as she leaned against the wall of the elevator, relieved to take weight off the healing joint.

“You’re so much better than you were,” Nick replied. “Back to desk duty tomorrow. Are you excited?”

“Can’t wait to get back to normal, although I’ve kept up fairly well with everything these last few weeks. We’re at a complete standstill with the Olsen case, and I’m ready to start from scratch on that.” Detectives had continued to canvass the Rock Creek Park area every day at four o’clock, looking for people who might’ve seen Audrey on the day of her murder. Only one person had recognized her from the photos officers had shown them, but the woman hadn’t seen anything that could help them. “It’s so frustrating to have nothing to go on.”

“I’m sure you guys will figure it out.”

“The further we get from the day it happened, the less likely that becomes. I want to be able to tell Audrey’s mother what happened to her only child.”

Eli came out of his room, wearing a backpack and pulling a rolling suitcase. He was on his way back to Princeton for the spring semester. “You guys aren’t going to believe what happened.”

“What?” Sam said, almost afraid to ask.

“Remember when I told you about my former girlfriend, Candace?”

“Of course,” Nick said. “What about her?”

“She turned eighteen today, and the first thing she did was call me.” The young man had tears in his eyes. “She apologized for the ordeal her parents put me through and said she’s never stopped thinking about me or caring about me.” Her parents had had him charged with statutory rape when he was seventeen and Candace was fifteen, after they learned the two of them had been having sex. He hadn’t seen or talked to the young woman he loved in the three years since then.

Sam hugged him. “I’m so happy for you, Eli.”

“I still can’t believe it. I was so hoping I’d hear from her.”

“This is such great news,” Nick said, hugging him.

“I’m going to call her back from the car, but I wanted to say goodbye to you guys, Scotty and the twins before I go.” He hugged them both again. “Thank you for a great Christmas and vacation, for the adventure of living in the White House, for the family you’ve given me and the twins, for all of it. I, um, well… I love you guys.”

Sam was ridiculously moved by his heartfelt words. “We love you, too. So much. We can’t wait to have you home again.”

“Especially for spring break so you can go to Bora Bora, right?” he asked with a cheeky grin.

“You said that, not us,” Sam said.

They shared a laugh before he went to find Scotty and the twins to say his goodbyes.

The entire family went downstairs, Sam and Nick via the elevator since stairs were still a challenge for her, to see off Eli. Before he got into the Secret Service SUV for the ride back to Princeton, he hugged them all again, giving extra attention to the twins, who clung to him.

“I’ll be back in a couple of weeks,” he told them. “I promise. And I’ll FaceTime tonight at bedtime.”

He held them for five more minutes before they were ready to let him go.

Sam wiped away a tear as she watched them. The poor babies had been through so much, and Eli was their bridge between the past and the present. It was always hard for them to let him go when he had to return to school. And she could see that it broke his heart to leave them.

“Love you guys all the way to the moon and back again,” Eli said as he kissed them both and wiped away their tears. “I’ll be back before you miss me.”

Aubrey shook her head. “No, you won’t. I already miss you.”