“So good. Lijah says we can go to the zoo today. Do you want to go?”
Sam wanted to but wasn’t sure she could. She needed to see Gigi at some point. “Let me see what’s going on first.” She returned Aubrey to her seat and kissed the top of Alden’s head. “How’s my favorite little boy today?”
“Good,” Alden said around a mouthful of Apple Jacks.
The kids were always happiest when Elijah was home, and to his credit, he gave them his full attention when he was there. More than a month after the tragic loss of their parents, the twins were settling into their new normal, but Sam worried about how they’d take the news that they’d be moving—again.
“Where’s Nick?” Sam asked.
“He left about an hour ago.” Elijah handed her a folded piece of paper. “He asked me to give you this.”
Didn’t want to wake you when you rarely get to sleep in. Gone to “the office” for a few hours. Will be home as soon as I can. Let’s do something with the kids later. Love you.
Sam folded the note and tucked it into her shirt pocket to add to her collection of keepsakes from him. “He’ll be home a little later, so why don’t you guys do the zoo this morning, and then we’ll all do something later? Whatever you guys want.”
“Should I wake up Scotty for the zoo?” Elijah asked.
“I think he’d want to go.” Scotty was usually up for anything that involved Elijah and the twins.
“Are you… you know, doing okay?” Elijah asked, his expression troubled as he glanced at the morning editions of the Post and the Star that had banner headlines about the goings-on overnight. They must’ve had to move heaven and earth to get the news into the morning papers when it happened so late.
“Hanging in there.”
Elijah sent the twins upstairs to brush their teeth and wash their faces. “I’ll be up in a minute to help you figure out what to wear to the zoo.”
They scampered off, leaving Sam alone with him. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“I was thinking… after you guys left last night… You’re going to have so much to deal with. I’d totally understand if you wanted to make other plans for the kids.”
“What? No way. That’s not happening. We love them, Elijah. I promise they’ll continue to be very well cared for no matter where we’re living or what our jobs are.”
“I’m not worried about that so much as the imposition on you and Nick with so many other demands on your time.”
Forcing herself to stay calm, Sam poured a cup of coffee and sat at the table with him. “I know I speak for Nick when I tell you the twins, Scotty and you will be foremost on our minds as we make this transition. We’re going to do everything we can to make this work for all of us. I promise you that. Not having them stay with us at the White House would never occur to any of us, Elijah. Nick would resign from office before he’d give them up voluntarily.”
He seemed to sag somewhat, maybe with relief. “They’re doing so well, better than I ever could’ve imagined after what they’ve been through.”
“They’re doing great. They still have their rough moments, for sure, but those seem to be less often than they were, and the therapist has been very good for them. She said they’re opening up more than they were at first.”
“Yes, I talked to her last week, and she said the same thing to me. She said they’re doing as well as can be expected after such a trauma. It makes me sad to think they won’t remember much about my dad and Cleo. They loved them so much.” Elijah had been the result of his father’s first marriage, and he’d been close to his father and stepmother, Cleo. He’d had a somewhat strained relationship with his own mother.
“They’ll remember that, Elijah. They will.”
“I hope so.”
“Please don’t ever worry about how they fit into our family. They are our family, and so are you. That’s never going to change.”
“Thank you,” he said softly. “I have no idea what would’ve become of us if you guys hadn’t stepped up for the kids the way you did.”
“Me meeting them at the worst moment of their lives was fate. I believe that, and Nick does too. We love them, Elijah. We love you all.”
Swallowing hard, he said, “We love you guys too.” He stood and took the kids’ bowls to the sink, washed them and left them drying on the rack. “I’d better go make sure they’re not getting into mischief up there.”
“If I had to guess, you’ll find them bouncing on Scotty, trying to wake him up.”
“Ah,” he said, smiling. “Good to know. He’s so great with them.”
“He loves being a big brother and having a big brother.”
“He’s an awesome kid.”
“So are you. You’re doing an excellent job as the kids’ guardian.”
“Only because I have excellent help. You guys and Shelby, your whole family, your friends… Everyone has been so good to us.”
“That’s what family does for family. Shelby has already been in touch this morning, and the kids’ party is still on for tomorrow. She’s got everything covered.”
“You all are the best. Thank you again.”
“Don’t worry about anything, okay?”
“I’ll try not to. Now I’d better go save Scotty.”
After he left the room, Sam had to take a couple of deep breaths to calm her racing heart. The thought of the twins being anywhere but with them was unthinkable. It had taken only a matter of days for them to become an essential part of their family.
Raised voices in the living room had Sam getting up to see what was going on. Her sisters were standing in the doorway, arguing with Nate, one of the Secret Service agents.
“We’re on the list!” Tracy said. “You’re supposed to let us in.”
“There’s going to be a new list,” Nate said. “I’m not authorized to let anyone in.”
“It’s okay, Nate. My sisters and Shelby should be on any authorized list.”
Nate stepped aside to let them pass.
“I’m sorry about her,” Angela said to Nate, gesturing to Tracy. “You’re just doing your job.”
“No problem, ma’am.”
“I hate when they call me ma’am,” Angela said. “It makes me feel nine hundred years old.”
They came over to Sam and wrapped her up in a group hug.
“Let’s go in the kitchen,” Sam said.
They could speak in private there. The minute the kitchen door closed behind Tracy, the two of them were silent-screaming as they jumped up and down like idiots. Well, Tracy did most of the jumping. Since she was expecting her third child, Angela was in no condition to jump.
“Holy, holy, holy shit,” Tracy said. “Tell us everything. Don’t leave out a single detail.”
Sam made another pot of coffee, poured some seltzer for Angela and then joined them at the table to tell them the whole story, from the second Nick got The Call last night, through the swearing-in to waking up this morning as the nation’s new first lady.
“You looked so calm and composed in the pictures,” Angela said. “You had to be melting down on the inside.”