“Be ready tomorrow morning,” I said. “And prepare yourself to have a good time.”
“You too. Thank you for agreeing to do this. I’ll see you in the morning. Rest well.”
I was excited about going away with Michelle for a few days. It was exactly what I needed and I was sure everyone in the White House could manage without me for a few days.
The 7.5 million dollar farmhouse mansion we stayed in, in Long Island, was less than 4,000 square feet. The house sat on nearly 35 acres of well-manicured land and the sandy beach was less than a half mile away. More than anything, the whole place offered us nothing but privacy and serenity. It felt so good to be here, and this place was ten times better than Camp David. A wine vineyard was on the property and the thick green grass and willow trees added much beauty. Michelle and I sat on a cozy porch that wrapped around the house with our wineglasses full. She had on a strapless sundress with no shoes, looking sexy as ever. A checkerboard game was on a small table between us and we had just started to play. Because of the soothing, slightly breezy temperature, my shirt was off but a cap was on my head. I had on sweatpants, socks and sandals. I was very comfortable, and if I could live in a place like this for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t have any complaints.
“Your move,” she said as I stared at the checkerboard. “What’s taking you so long to make a move?”
By looking at the board, I had already planned the next ten moves in my head. I didn’t even know what her moves would be, but there was no way I would lose.
“I’m just thinking about my moves, before I make them. Be quiet and give me a minute.”
“Sorry, but that would be called cheating. How can you strategize, before the game is played?”
“That’s how you do it, if you want to win. Don’t you know how to win?”
Michelle got up and came to sit on my lap. She wrapped my arms around her and held her hands with mine.
“How can you ask me a question like that?” she said. “I’m always a winner, especially when I’m with you.”
She turned her head to give me a kiss. I knew she was trying to distract me; I teased her about it.
“Distract you how?” she asked. “I’m just sitting on your lap, trying to look at the board from a different angle.”
“No, you’re sitting on my lap with no bra or panties on, kissing on me and trying to get me focused on other things so I don’t win this game. I’m already hip to what you’re doing.”
“If I wanted to distract you, trust me I know so many other ways to do it. It has nothing to do with me not wearing a bra or panties, and everything to do with what I’m planning to cook. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so I got plans, baby. Big plans and I hope you like fish.”
“I do, so why don’t you go ahead and hook me up. I’m starving and those pancakes you made earlier could’ve been a little bit bigger.”
She cocked her head back. “Are you complaining? I hope not, because you sure weren’t complaining while you were eating them.”
“That’s because I knew how sweet the syrup would be.”
Michelle laughed, knowing I was referring to her syrup. She went inside and started on dinner. That gave me a chance to check-in with Andrew. He’d called earlier, but I didn’t answer the phone because Michelle and I were busy. He followed up with a text message, telling me it wasn’t important but to call him when I had time.
“What’s good?” I asked him.
“Hopefully, you are. Are you enjoying yourself?”
“As a matter of fact, I am. This place is real nice, quiet and peaceful. Been a minute since I’ve heard nothing but birds chirping.”
“I understand how that is and you won’t hear many of them chirping in this environment. I called to let you know the verdict came in a few hours ago on that cop case. He was found guilty. Can you believe the jury got it right? I know you’re glad about that and so am I.”
“Very glad. I was told about most of the evidence against him and I’m so grateful to the jury for getting it right this time. Maybe things are starting to change? I guess we’ll soon see.”
“Yes, we will. I won’t keep you, sir. Be sure to tell Michelle I said hello.”
I told Andrew I would, and after tossing back more wine, I went inside to check on Michelle. She was in the kitchen, seasoning the fish and rinsing some vegetables. I eased up from behind her and secured my arms around her waist. As I placed delicate kisses along the side of her neck, she tilted her head.
“We’re never going to eat, if you keep interrupting me to do this. At least let me get the fish into the oven.”
“The fish can wait.” I lowered the top part of her sundress underneath her firm breasts, exposing them. She turned to face me and as we kissed again, I lifted her on top of the sink. My mouth dropped to her left breast that I squeezed and gently sucked. She squirmed while wrapping her legs around me to hold on.
“Ju . . . Just take me to the bedroom,” she said. “Like I said before, we’re never going to eat.”
We ate and then some. Made love, watched TV, danced to soft music, played board games, chilled by the fireplace, bathed together, walked down to the beach and raced each other in the yard. I had the time of my life with Michelle, and after three long days together, I knew exactly what my next move had to be.
President of the United States
Stephen C. Jefferson
Michelle and I returned to Washington on a high note. She had to go pick up her kids from her sister’s place and I was already back in the Oval Office getting an update on what had been happening for the past three days. Nothing real severe, but there were a few storms that caused damage on the East Coast, some people were upset about the guilty verdict and a couple of fights had ensued when a group of White Supremacists gathered in the streets in support of the cop. Worldwide, a terrorist organization had been making threats about attacking the United States, but that was nothing new. We had very good intelligence, and it was nearly impossible for anything like 9/11 to occur in the United States again. Another bridge had collapsed, but there were no injuries. I had to get busy on infrastructure and I also had to finalize what I’d decided about Mr. McNeil. After that, it was all about me and Raynetta. I picked up the phone and dialed out on my private line.
“What time should I meet you?” I asked.
“I should have him with me around six, no later than seven,” he said.
“Your time needs to be precise, because I don’t have time to waste.”
“Six thirty, Mr. President. See you then.”
I ended the call, but I was almost late as I sat in my office, trying to catch up on everything. Raynetta was nowhere to be found, and when I went to her office earlier, I was told her and Emme wouldn’t be back until eight. I needed to hurry up and get this over with, so I left the Oval Office and had one of my Secret Service agents take me to my special hideout—the bunker. I hoped this was the last time I had to go there, and after Mr. McNeil was out of the picture, I expected many things to change. The grip around many members of Congress would loosen; no question it would be easier for me to get things done. I wondered what had taken me so long to do this, and at this point, I knew this was something Raynetta wanted too. She had said so, and when she’d mentioned how much she wished he was dead, I knew she meant it.
With a new tailored suit on, I strutted down the long, concrete hallway that was partially dark. All I could hear was dripping water and laughter. I recognized the laugh, and when I opened the door to the muggy room where Mr. McNeil was being held, that was when I saw Alex standing next to him with his arms folded. Reminding me of 007, he had on an olive green T-shirt, camouflage pants and black combat boots that were unlaced. His white skin was so tanned it looked baked and there was a quirky smirk on his face. No question he got a kick out of doing shit like this. That’s why it was imperative for me to keep him on my team, no matter what had happened between him and Raynetta. I didn’t blame him for pu
rsuing her; she should have rejected him. I’d told her he was dead, but deep down, I suspected she always knew there was more to his abrupt disappearance.
“This guy is hilarious,” Alex said. “I don’t ever think I’ve seen an old man cry this much. I don’t know if the tears are real or fake.”
I looked at Mr. McNeil who sat in the chair in his white, dingy drawers and socks. He had urinated on himself and the stench was prominent. His whole face was red; I wasn’t sure if that was due to Alex punching him or from him sobbing so much.
“Listen, for once in your life listen to me,” he said. “My family won’t like this and you can bet your last dollar they will seek you out and come after you. You won’t get away with this, boy, and how is killing me going to help you?”
I sighed and contracted my eyes as I looked at his pathetic self.
“You remind me so much of your grandson, Tyler, as he sat in the same chair attacking me and trying to pretend how brave he was. Killing you is going to feel like the best piece of pussy I’ve had, and trust me when I say I’ve had some darn good pussy. Your family won’t miss you and let’s be realistic here. As soon as your body is discovered, they’re all going to rush to their lawyers, and your lawyers too, to figure out how to divvy up your good fortune. You should’ve left me alone, Mr. McNeil. And continuously hurting Raynetta’s feelings was the last straw. Say your prayers, old man. You do have a little more time to repent.”
“Not much time,” Alex said, before lifting his Glock 9 and circling it on Mr. McNeil’s temple. The second he opened his mouth to speak, Alex pulled back on the trigger and blew his damn brains out. His body hit the floor; I looked at him and thought . . . problem solved.
“This was too easy,” Alex said. “How many days do you want to pass before the word gets out about this?”
I shrugged. “A day, maybe two. Or you can wait until I leave the country. Just make it look like a robbery. I assume you already know the criminals who can go down for this. If not, I know a young man, Malik, who would be a good candidate. Just let me know and we can work something out.”
“I’ll let you know, but I have two other idiots in mind. You’ll appreciate them much more, because they just joined one of those racists groups that’s been stirring up trouble across the country. They already have several robbery charges against them, and one of the idiots went to prison for beating his wife and kid.”
“Sounds like you may want to move in that direction then. Thanks for your help with this and be sure to clean up real good down here.”
Alex saluted me. As I made my way towards the door, he cleared his throat. “Don’t forget to tell Raynetta I said hello. Does she still ask about me?”
“Hell no,” I said and turned to cut my eyes at him. “It’s over and you should’ve been ashamed of yourself for falling for her. She’s good, but not that good.”
“That’s your opinion, not mine.”
Alex winked and as I walked out the door, I told him to tell General Stiles hello for me. He laughed again and promised he would.
Nearly an hour later, I returned to the White House. Raynetta was back, and when I peeked into her office, she was sitting behind her desk, typing on her computer.
“Come in,” she said. “And close the door behind you. I don’t want to be interrupted by Emme. She knows she runs her mouth too much. Sometimes, I can’t get anything done.”
“A person like that is right up your alley. You run your mouth too, so I don’t know what you’re complaining for.”
“You may be right about that, but have a seat. I’ve been looking for you. Where were you?”
I sat on the sofa and placed my hands behind my head. “I disappeared for a few days. Needed to get away from here and relax.”
“You did need to get away from the White House, because you’ve been wearing yourself out. Where did you go and did you go alone?”
I swallowed then answered her question. “I went to a quiet place in Long Island. I didn’t go alone. Michelle was with me.”
Raynetta had finally stopped typing to give me her full attention. She swooped her long hair behind her ears and sat up straight.
“Soooo, why did you take her with you? Is your relationship with her getting serious?”
“More serious than I thought it would ever get, but that doesn’t mean I want to marry her.”
“Well, what does it mean, Stephen? Are you in love with her and are you here to ask me for a divorce?”
It pained me to say it, but I had to. “Yes, I am in love with her, and eventually, I want you to divorce me. I don’t want you to stay here, unless you want to. I do intend to spend more of my down time with Michelle. I know that’s going to make you uncomfortable and I don’t want you to feel embarrassed by media reports or any other reporting that may occur when the two of us are together. I hope you understand the two of us can’t go on like this, and no matter what, I will always care about you.”
Raynetta slowly closed her eyes. She remained quiet while gathering her thoughts. Finally, she opened her eyes and stood. After walking my way, she sat on the sofa next to me. A glassy film covered her eyes and her lips quivered as she spoke.
“Do whatever makes you happy, Stephen. I can’t fight with a woman who has your heart, but I wish she would’ve let us work through this without interfering. She’s had a hold on you for a long time. I predicted a while back your feelings would change about her. I don’t want to be here while the two of you spend time together, so expect me to make my exit soon. I haven’t a clue how to break the news to everyone, but I guess you have that all figured out too.”
I slowly nodded and reached for her hands that were clenched together. I brought her hand to my mouth and kissed the back of it. “Thanks for understanding. We’ll discuss later how to finalize everything, and if you want to talk more about this, let out your frustrations or whatever, I’m here to listen.”
Raynetta stood and walked to the door. She opened it, signaling for me to go. I stood and as soon as I got to the door, she reached for my hand. She leaned in to plant a soft kiss on my lips. I didn’t back away from it—it was short and sweet.
“I’ll have my lawyer get the divorce papers to you soon,” she said. “Be sure to check your desk, and just so you know, this hurts, but I’m okay with bringing closure to this too.”
I nodded, and after I walked off, Raynetta closed the door. I heard her crying. It wasn’t a good feeling, but we both knew this day was destined.
President’s Mother
Teresa Jefferson
After the incident with Malik, Stephen had been conducting himself like a changed man. He was gearing up for a long trip out of the country; I surely was going to miss him. I’d spoken to him last night and he broke the news to me about him and Raynetta getting a divorce. I wanted to call her and offer my condolences, but I was so sure the last person she wanted to hear from was me.
Unfortunately, sometimes, marriages just didn’t work out. Neither Stephen nor Raynetta put forth the effort to really change things around and this was the end result. I’d seen this day coming many years ago. Yes, Stephen was an asshole, but he needed a stronger woman by his side. Not only that, but a trustworthy one too. Raynetta had never been loyal to him and being pretty wasn’t enough. I wasn’t so sure if Michelle would be any better, and as a matter of fact, I didn’t have much faith in her. Nonetheless, I wanted to wipe the slate clean and give her a chance. I’d called her earlier to patch things up with her, especially since she and Stephen planned on spending more time together. He seemed to adore her, and even though he admitted to being in love, I wasn’t sold on that either. What I did know was, as a woman myself, she really loved him. I could tell by her actions and by how happy she’d sounded over the phone. I managed to persuade her to have dinner with me this evening so we could patch up our mistakes from the past and try to get along better for the sake of making Stephen’s life a whole lot more peaceful. Maybe it would be easier for me to get along bet
ter with her than I’d gotten along with Raynetta. Lord knows I’d butted heads with her a lot, but that was because I never thought she was Stephen’s soulmate. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, so I made a decision to reach out to her. She answered, sounding real upbeat for someone who was in the process of getting a divorce.
“Should I bring over the champagne so we can celebrate or what?” I asked.
“If it pleases you to know, I’ve already been celebrating. What did you think I was going to do, Teresa? Crawl underneath a rock or die? No, thank you. I promise you I will bounce back from this. Stephen isn’t the last man on earth.”
“No, he’s not, and I’m sure you will bounce back quickly. You should because you never really cared much for Stephen anyway. I hate to be cruel at a time like this, but I am so glad the marriage is finally coming to an end. It was years wasted. I haven’t a clue what you or Stephen was thinking when it pertains to love, and I’m not even sure if he really loves Michelle. But time will surely tell. There are things about her that concern me too, but at least—”
“Teresa, I really don’t care to hear about Michelle. I also don’t want to discuss how I define love and since you’re so glad our marriage is finally over, I’ll send you some wine for you to celebrate. One good thing about this whole thing is I don’t have to deal with you any longer. Consider this as goodbye and please lose my number.”
She had the nerve to hang up on me. I started to call her back and really hurt her feelings, but I decided against it. I’d gotten what I ultimately wanted, and I had no reason to be upset about anything else.
Later that day, I picked up Michelle in my silver Mercedes around four in the afternoon. We had plans to go to a new seafood restaurant by her place and she spoke about how delicious it was when she got in the car.
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