Commander in Chief

by J. A. Armstrong

  “You can consider it executive privilege.” Candace walked behind her desk and retrieved a box.

  “What is it?”

  Candace laughed. “I guess elves don’t have x-ray vision. Open it.”

  Jameson tore the wrapping from the box and lifted the cover. She smiled at the contents. “Candace…”

  “Who knew I was such a great photographer?”

  Jameson lifted the framed photo from the box and let her eyes sweep over the faces behind the glass. Candace had snapped it at the annual Fourth of July party. Jameson was sitting by the pool with Cooper, Spencer, Maddie, and JJ. “Thank you.”

  “Thank you,” Candace said. “You are an amazing parent, Jameson. I don’t ever want you to doubt how much this family loves you and needs you—not just me—all of us.”

  Jameson pulled Candace down and kissed her. “I need you too.”

  “Well, then I guess it works out for all of us.”

  “I guess so.”

  Candace held out her hand. “What do you say we go see who’s running the asylum?”

  “That’s easy.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah. Shell thinks she is. Marianne lets her think it.”

  Candace laughed. “Probably accurate. What do you think about Scott and Marianne?”

  “About time, I’d say.” She walked hand in hand with Candace. “I’m happy. I still miss him, though.”

  “Rick?”

  Jameson nodded.

  “Me too,” Candace said. “Me too.”

  Jameson stopped Candace.

  “What?”

  Jameson kissed her in reply. “Merry Christmas,” Jameson whispered. “Next year we’ll have a few more trees to decorate.”

  “And, a few more hands to help,” Candace said.

  Jameson smiled. “Good thing we’re moving into a bigger house.”

  ***

  December 31st

  Marianne sipped her glass of wine thoughtfully. Jameson had been quiet all evening. She wondered what was on her friend’s mind. “Want to talk about it?”

  “I was just thinking that you’d probably be moving soon.”

  “Soon?” Marianne shook her head. “We’re not getting married tomorrow.”

  “No, but I would imagine that you and Scott will be staying at his house.”

  “Actually, I was hoping maybe you and Mom would be okay with us living here until you come home.”

  Jameson was surprised.

  “Unless that’s a problem,” Marianne said.

  “Of course not.”

  “Scott’s place is small for four people. That’s why Shell sold it.”

  “Even smaller when it becomes five.”

  “That’s not happening any time soon,” Marianne said. “I’m not ready for that just yet. I think we need some time to be a family first before we add to that.”

  “Aren’t you already?”

  “Yes, but you know as well as I do that living with someone changes things.”

  “Can’t argue with that.”

  “When it’s meant to happen, it will happen,” Marianne said.

  Jameson nodded.

  “Are you ready to head back to Washington?”

  “Define ready,” Jameson replied.

  “Nervous?” Marianne inquired.

  “Not really.” It surprised Jameson that she felt little anxiety about living in the White House. Home would be wherever Candace and Cooper were. She loved the house in Schoharie. For Candace and Jameson, this place would always feel the most like home. It’s where they had fallen in love. It’s where Candace had spent the happiest times of her childhood. Priceless memories were attached to every nook and cranny of the old house. Familiar, friendly ghosts greeted you at every turn. “I’ll miss this place.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Marianne said. “I will too when the time comes. So, make sure Mom gets two terms.”

  Jameson laughed. “I’ll let her know how you feel.”

  “JD?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Do you think Pearl will be okay? I mean, with Mom being so far away all the time?”

  Jameson wasn’t sure how to answer that question. Candace had spent long weeks in Washington when she was in the Senate. She was home most weekends. This had been home. That was about to change. “I’ve thought about that.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I thought I’d suggest that Pearl come with us.”

  “You’re serious.”

  “Why not? The third floor is ours to use. There’s more than enough room for her to have space. And, honestly, Marianne? I think it’d be good for both of us. I worry about Coop when we travel without him. He’s used to having you or Pearl nearby.”

  Marianne understood.

  “You look sad,” Jameson said.

  “Cooper…”

  “You and Coop have a special bond.”

  “Like Spencer with you,” Marianne said. “I’d be lying if I told you part of me hoped Mom would lose.”

  Jameson listened without comment. Marianne’s admission didn’t surprise her. When she and Candace had first started their relationship, Jameson would never have dreamed that Marianne would become the closest to them as a couple. Rick’s death had devastated everyone. If there was any purpose to the loss, Jameson believed it had been the relationship she shared with Marianne now.

  “I can’t imagine not seeing Coop,” Marianne said. “Or you.”

  “You know, you can come visit any time,” Jameson said.

  “I know. We both know that won’t be as often as we’d like.”

  “For what it’s worth, I will miss you too.”

  Marianne smiled. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

  Jameson held her breath. At least, she won’t be offering me sperm.

  “Are you okay?” Marianne asked.

  “Yeah, I was just thinking about something Jonah said. What’s up?”

  “When we set a date—me and Scott, that is,” Marianne hesitated.

  “Yeah? You want to get married on the South Lawn?” Jameson teased.

  “No, thank you.” Marianne laughed.

  “The Oval Office?”

  “I’ll leave that one to you and Mom.”

  Jameson grinned evilly.

  “You are a little touched, JD. Forget I said that.”

  Jameson laughed. “Okay, so no White House weddings.”

  “Not that white house anyway.” Oh, just tell her. “I was wondering if, when the time comes, if you would be willing to stand up for me.”

  Jameson was speechless.

  “Uh, JD?”

  “I would love to. I just thought you’d ask Shell.”

  “Well, the truth is; I think Scott will want you to stand with him,” Marianne confessed. “And, if that happens, I will ask Mom. But I needed you to know that I want you there. I know we don’t say it much; you really are my best friend, JD. I don’t think I would have survived Rick’s death without you and Mom.”

  “You would have.”

  “Maybe. I’m glad I didn’t have to.”

  “Me too.”

  “Are you really going to ask Pearl to move to DC?”

  “That depends on your mom.”

  “You haven’t said anything to her?”

  “Not yet. I thought I’d bring it up tonight.”

  “What do you think she’ll say?”

  “I don’t know,” Jameson admitted. “I guess, we’ll see.”

  ***

  Candace rocked Amanda in her arms. Shell’s twins were as different as they were alike. Brody seemed to be able to fall asleep amid chaos and noise. Amanda needed to be comforted to rest. Brody was already independent at the tender age of seven-months-old. He could entertain himself and everyone else in the room. In more ways than Candace could count, Brody reminded her of Shell. Amanda preferred the closeness of another person. Not that Candace objected, she reveled in the ability to hold her grandchildren. Amanda, much like Spencer, h
ad gravitated to her Nana immediately. If Candace was in the room, the infant sought her embrace. Candace cooed to the infant and Amanda smiled.

  “She doesn’t want anyone but Candace when we’re here, not even you,” Melanie commented to Jameson.

  Jameson smiled. “Babies aren’t that different from adults in a lot of ways.”

  “You mean that eventually, we all need someone to change our diapers?” Michelle joked.

  “I guess that does even the playing field. No, I meant that babies are people. They fit with certain people the same way we do,” Jameson offered.

  “Uh-huh. Maybe. I’ve always thought Spencer was like your own personal growth,” Michelle said.

  Jameson grinned.

  Melanie rolled her eyes. “Gross, Shell.”

  “What? The moment he laid eyes on JD, he forgot about the rest of us,” Michelle said.

  “That’s not true,” Jameson said. “He’s still his Nana’s boy.” She looked over to see Cooper and Spencer hovering over Candace. “See?”

  “Yeah, I know. I think all the kids would live with you two if we let them.”

  Jameson laughed. “That’s because we’re the grandparents,” she said. “We get to bandage all the boo-boos and play with them.”

  “And, Coop?” Michelle asked.

  Jameson beamed. “Cooper jumps at every chance he gets to sleep at one of your houses. It’s just the way it goes, Shell. They don’t love us more, just differently.”

  “I guess,” Michelle commented. She shrugged and made her way over to Jonah.

  “JD?” Melanie began.

  “Yeah?”

  “Feel like a walk?”

  “A walk?”

  “Just to the kitchen.”

  “No wine for you,” Jameson said.

  “Ha-ha, I was thinking a change of scenery.”

  Jameson nodded. She could easily understand a need to escape the quiet rumble in the living room.

  “I was kind of surprised that you wanted us all here on New Year’s Eve,” Melanie said as they walked.

  “It’s our last hoorah before the inauguration,” Jameson explained. “When we head back to DC, it’ll be complete chaos for three weeks. After that? I think it’ll be a while before we get back here for any amount of time.”

  “I’d say I can imagine, but I can’t.”

  Jameson laughed. “It’s a bit surreal—the whole thing. Candace has meetings all day, every single day when we get back. Cassidy’s coming up next Friday to work on the speech with her.”

  Melanie nodded. “You don’t look happy about that.”

  “What? No,” Jameson said. “It’s not that at all. I have meetings all that week too.”

  “Really?”

  “I have to hire a staff.”

  “You’ve done that before,” Melanie said.

  “Yeah, of architects and engineers, not social secretaries and politicos.”

  “Candace can help.”

  “She can. She’s so busy, Mel. I want to be able to handle it. I need to be able to keep this off her plate.”

  “What about Dana?” Melanie asked.

  Jameson sighed. “Becoming Press Secretary is nothing to sneeze at. She’s got her hands full.”

  Melanie considered Jameson’s situation. “Why don’t you ask Shell to come down for a week or so?”

  “Shell?”

  “Why not Shell? You worked together on the campaign. She’d love it.”

  “I think you and Shell have enough to deal with.”

  Melanie shrugged off Jameson’s assessment. “You mean because we’re having a baby or is it because Jonah is going to relocate?”

  “Both.”

  “Well, neither is happening in the next month, JD.”

  Jameson groaned. She was hesitant to ask for Michelle’s help. It was one of the reasons she hadn’t said much to Candace about the anxiety she felt in hiring staff and setting her agenda as First Lady. Candace would likely make the same suggestion. The last thing that Jameson desired was to add any stress to Michelle and Melanie’s life. They had seven-month-old twins, Melanie had plenty to handle at the architectural firm, and now, Melanie was pregnant. That added another wrinkle.

  “You’d be doing me a favor,” Melanie said with a chuckle.

  “A favor?”

  “I love Shell more than anything. She’s bored out of her mind, JD. Shell is a great mom. She needs more than bottles and diapers to fill her days.”

  Jameson sighed. “What about you?”

  “Me?”

  “You’ll have three sooner than you think. What about your career? I mean, Mel, three little ones?”

  “I’m not leaving the firm, JD. I will have to pull back on travel. I know that complicates things with Jonah looking to open a second office, but…”

  “Family first, Mel.”

  “Yeah. Shell and I aren’t built to be stay at home moms. We have to find a balance between us. I think Shell would like to be home more than she wants to be away from the kids. She needs something for herself too. Helping you in some capacity—JD, I think that might be the ticket. She misses you a lot.”

  “She misses her mom and the campaign trail.”

  Melanie shook her head. “Yes, but she misses you too.”

  Jameson was confused.

  “JD, you and Shell used to be the best of friends.”

  “What do you mean, used to be?”

  “I just mean that you’ve become closer to Marianne and Jonah than you were once. I think sometimes Shell feels a bit like she’s been relegated to playing second fiddle.”

  Jameson’s heart dropped rapidly. Shell meant the world to Jameson. They’d bonded immediately. “That’s not true at all.”

  “I know that,” Melanie said. “Think about it, though. When you and Shell were first friends, Marianne was in Texas and you two were still bumping heads. Shell was your protector.”

  True.

  “Jonah was still at school in California,” Melanie reminded Jameson. “You hadn’t gotten a chance to get to know him yet.”

  “Yeah, but…”

  “I’m just saying that things have changed,” Melanie explained.

  “I love Shell.”

  Melanie smiled. “I know you do. I remember having my life threatened when we started dating.”

  Jameson sniggered. “That’s a bit of a stretch.”

  “Maybe, but trust me; I know how much you care about her. She loved spending time with you during the election. It meant a lot to her, JD. You know Shell; she’s not one to express her feelings the way Jonah or Marianne will. She shows it by teasing you endlessly.”

  Jameson sighed. She’d been surprised when Melanie and Michelle had started seeing each other. She was protective of Shell. Their friendship was something she treasured. Jameson had always thought of Michelle a bit like a younger sister; a younger, annoying sister who she would walk through fire for over and over again. But Shell was more than that. She was also Jameson’s step-daughter, and Jameson would do anything to keep her family safe and happy. Taking a moment to think about it, she hadn’t made much one-on-one time for Shell for a while. She shook her head regretfully.

  “Hey, JD… Shell knows you love her. I just think she misses you. You two were inseparable once.”

  “Are you sure you would be okay with me asking? I’d need her in DC during the week, at least a few days for the next month or two.”

  Melanie grinned. “Totally okay. Laura is still here. Marianne is here if I need anything, JD. Ask Shell. I think it might be what you both need right now.”

  Jameson nodded. Maybe it is.

  ***

  “You disappeared for a while,” Candace commented.

  “What do you think about me asking Shell to help with setting up my office in the White House?”

  Candace grinned. “I think it would be good for both of you.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Is there some reason you don’t want to ask?”

 
; “Truthfully?”

  Candace nodded.

  “I feel kind of funny. If I’d known about Mel’s pregnancy, I might have reconsidered suggesting Jonah make the move to DC.”

  “I see.”

  “You disagree?” Jameson wondered.

  “I wouldn’t say that. Jameson, the kids might be kids to me, but they’re adults—capable adults—all of them.”

  “I know that.”

  “I would be willing to bet that Shell is driving Melanie insane.”

  Jameson was curious. “Why? Did Mel say something to you?”

  “No, but Shell was droning on and on about Melanie slowing down.”

  “Oh, boy.”

  Candace grinned. “You know how Shell is. She talks a good game.”

  “If she’s worried, what makes you think she’ll accept my offer?”

  “She loves the twins, Jameson. She’s bored.”

  “That’s what Mel said.”

  “Shell has always needed a million moving parts to keep her sane. She came out of the womb that way.” Candace chuckled. “Jonah was content to play by himself or to sit with a single task for hours. Marianne, well, you know Marianne.”

  Jameson laughed.

  “Shell? Shell’s interests have always been endless. She has so much energy. She needs to put it all somewhere. And, if you want to know the truth, I think she’s struggling with what she wants to do.”

  “What do you mean?” Jameson asked.

  “She feels guilty for being away from the twins, but she needs an outlet. Finding a balance isn’t easy.”

  “Speaking from experience?”

  “I am.” Candace fluffed the pillow behind her head and pulled Jameson close. “I felt guilty whenever I had to leave them. I still do.”

  “I know.” Jameson did know. She didn’t need any visions of the past to understand that Candace often felt torn. She saw it daily with Cooper. Candace and Cooper loved each other so much it sometimes took Jameson’s breath away to watch them together. There were many nights when Candace came home from a long day at work or on the campaign trail and sat on the edge of Cooper’s bed watching him sleep. Jameson felt Candace’s inner battle. She was sure that it had been the same with The Three Stooges.

  “Sometimes, I wonder if I would do it all the same way again,” Candace confessed.

  “You would.”

  Candace smiled. She would. That was the truth. It was strange when she thought about it. She knew that her path had not been to be at home with her children all day, each day. She tried to be present when it mattered. She carved out quality time for all her children; at least, she did her best to make time. She would put anything aside if one of them needed her. But Candace needs more than a homemaker’s life. She’d always felt a modicum of guilt over that reality. She admired Pearl. Pearl had spent a lifetime nurturing her family, Candace included. Candace could barely recall a milestone that Pearl hadn’t been present for. Pearl had bandaged almost every scraped knee, dried Candace’s tears after a broken heart, listened to Candace’s dreams and comforted her after nightmares. Pearl had done that with each of Candace’s children and grandchildren. Part of Candace wished she could find contentment in that life. And, part of her feared she’d failed in some way as a parent because she couldn’t.