The Reluctant First Lady

by Venita Ellick

  © 2013 Venita Ellick

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction, which is neither endorsed nor connected to any persons, businesses, or organizations. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales, save those allowed by law, is entirely coincidental.

  The Reluctant First Lady

  Brown Books Publishing Group

  16250 Knoll Trail Drive, Suite 205

  Dallas, Texas 75248

  www.BrownBooks.com

  (972) 381-0009

  A New Era in Publishing™

  ISBN 978-1-61254-133-4

  LCCN 2013939405

  Printed in the United States10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  For more information or to contact the author, please go to www.VenitaEllick.com

  This book is dedicated to the four men who have enriched my life beyond measure: my husband, David, and our sons, Eric, Michael, and Sean

  Table of Contents

  Author’s Note

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Author’s Note

  In this book, I have used real newscasters and comedians to report on completely fabricated news and situations that occur in the book. The conversations and jokes expressed by them are purely fictional. This story has no direct or indirect connection to them in any way.

  Prologue

  Damn it, Ashley, be reasonable.” Michael raked his hand through his hair.

  “Reasonable? You’ve got to be kidding. I’ve never lied to you. From the beginning, I’ve made it abundantly clear I’m not interested in being involved in your political life. Why do you refuse to believe me?” Ashley shook her head in despair.

  “I agreed to campaign on your behalf because I believe in you, Michael. I know if you’re elected, you’ll be a great president. But not once have I said I would give up my job and follow you to Washington. It’s not like I’m going to change my mind at the final hour. I’ve said it from the beginning, and you and your campaign team need to deal with it. The public should know that I’m not part of the package. I feel dishonest every time I appear on stage with you. When are you going to let everyone know the truth?”

  Ashley watched Michael’s jaw stiffen. After more than two decades of marriage, she knew the signs of his anger every bit as well as he knew hers. She could read his facial expressions and body language like a road map. He didn’t vocalize his displeasure or anger to the public or those he worked with; it wasn’t his nature. Usually only his family saw his emotional side.

  “You realize your decision could harm me politically and could hinder my ability to be an effective president. I’m not asking you to give up your career. I’m just asking you to put it on hold while I’m in office. I know that’s asking a lot. I know how dedicated you are to your career and how you love the museum. Other First Ladies have had careers they loved, but when their husbands entered politics or were elected, they stepped up to serve their country right alongside them.”

  “Michael, this isn’t about duty to my country. I never offered to serve; you did. I’ve never liked politics; you do. I love you and I want this for you because I know you’ll be an amazing president. But all this is your dream, not mine.” Ashley touched his arm, trying to bridge the gap growing between them. “Please, tell your team the truth. The longer you wait, the more likely someone will find out, and the press will have a field day.”

  “I can’t believe you aren’t going to change your mind. We’ve reached crossroads before where we’ve held differing opinions, but you’ve always compromised for the good of our marriage and our family’s sake. If I’m elected, maybe you’ll see things in a different light.”

  Ashley shook her head. “Not this time. You’re making a mistake if you think I will.”

  Michael sighed and tried to smile at his beautiful but very stubborn wife. “We should get back out there. The results should be announced anytime. Otherwise they may begin to suspect we’ve been in our room for more than a break,” he teased.

  “Before we go, I want you to know, if this country is as smart as I think they are, you will be the next president of the United States. I’m so proud of you. I wish I could be what you want me to be, but I just can’t. I’ve said it repeatedly throughout the years—politics is a dirty field of play, and I want nothing to do with it.

  “Now, let’s go see if things are still going in your favor.” Ashley stopped him before he opened the door to the outer suite. “Honey, I really do want you to win. I am and have always been your biggest supporter.”

  1

  Chuck, sorry to interrupt,” Brian Williams cut in, “but NBC has just called the race in favor of Senator Michael Taylor. California has put Senator Taylor over the top, giving him the two hundred and seventy electoral votes required to win the presidency. To repeat, NBC has just called the presidential race in favor of Senator Michael Taylor. He will become the forty-fifth president of the United States.”

  Ashley watched as pandemonium erupted in the hotel suite. Her family and Michael’s campaign team cheered, clapped, and exchanged hugs. They were overcome with the kind of exhilaration and elation that follows a long, hard-fought campaign. For the last eighteen months, they’d worked tirelessly because they believed the best candidate, the best man for the country’s highest leadership position, was the intelligent and ethical man who’d just been elected.

  Despite her earnest and impassioned exchange with Michael earlier, Ashley was the first to reach him. She put her arms around her husband’s neck. “Mr. President, let me be the first to congratulate you.” She hugged him tight and kissed him while she whispered in his ear, “I never doubted you for a moment. Now, the real work begins, eh?”

  Jeremy, who was as tall as his father and just as good-looking, said, “My turn,” as he jostled his mother aside and hugged his father. “It’s nice to know our system of government works. The best man ruled the day after all. Yea for democracy.” Jeremy, who was as exhausted as everyone else, even for a healthy twenty-one year old, started chanting a silly “Go Dad, Go Dad, Go Dad” in a syncopated rhythm imitating a geeky dance move that involved circling his fists in front of his body.

  Juliette, Jeremy’s twin,
kissed her father’s cheek. “I’m so proud of you, Daddy. Now, the country will know what we’ve always known—what an incredible man you are. I’m sorry I bitched about all the hard work and the fact that you were never at home. Have you given any thought as to how you’re going to deal with Mom’s decision?”

  “Not yet, but don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.” Less than five minutes had passed since the presidential race had been called, since his elation had soared, since the euphoria in the room had carried him into a warm embrace and, with lightning speed, dumped him back in reality.

  He looked over at Ashley and wondered what he could say that would change her mind. Throughout their twenty-four years of marriage, they’d had many discussions about their goals and professions. Their love for one another was rooted deeply, and despite their differences, they were each other’s best friend and confidant. They’d always supported one another’s passions. For Michael, it was politics; for Ashley, it was art and being the director of a prestigious museum. How could they, or anyone, have known when they were starting out just how far each of them would go in their respective professions?

  Champagne was served to everyone in the room. Ed Branton, Michael’s campaign manager and future chief of staff, announced a toast. Ed raised his glass, “To the next president of the United States. May he learn, despite his work ethic, that there really are only twenty-four hours in a day. To you, Mr. President.”

  Everyone raised a glass to salute the newly elected president and then downed the cold, bubbly beverage. The adrenaline in the room was running at a fevered high, and the excitement and exuberance began to energize even the most exhausted in their midst.

  Jack Sutton, the campaign’s communication director and future press secretary, announced, “Michael, President Nelson is on the line. He’d like to speak to you.”

  Everyone present knew what the phone call meant. Concession. Michael walked over to Jack and took the receiver.

  “Hello, Mr. President. Yes, I just heard the news. Thank you.” Michael listened to President Nelson, knowing everybody wished he would put the call on speakerphone.

  “I appreciate that,” Michael responded. “I’ll be looking forward to working with you during the transition. I wish you and your family nothing but the best. Thanks again. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Michael turned to the room full of expectant faces. “President Nelson has offered us full cooperation as we transition into the White House, so we can hit the ground running.

  “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to look over my acceptance speech one last time.”

  He wasn’t normally nervous before a speech, but the seed of reality his daughter had planted in his mind about Ashley kept nagging at him, and he wanted some time alone. He wondered, now that he’d been elected, what Ashley was thinking.

  Ashley had been wonderful on the campaign trail. She had taken time away from her busy schedule at the museum to go on the road to support him. She had been magnificent, and he appreciated all of the time she’d given him. There had been several times she was unable to appear with him, but fortunately her absences hadn’t been that obvious. It was imperative that the two of them sit down as soon as possible and hash this out.

  With his speech polished to his satisfaction, they headed down to the ballroom.

  Ashley had the twins in tow—although at their height and age, it looked more like they were pulling her along. Ed and Jack were organizing the rest of the presidential party that would appear on stage after he’d given his acceptance speech. Everything had been choreographed for Michael’s appearance before the crowd gathered in the ballroom and for viewers watching at home.

  As the elevator descended to the ballroom floor, Michael could see Ashley was deep in thought. He wished he had time to take her aside and find out what was going through that lovely head of hers. The expression on her face was extremely readable to him. She didn’t like acting a part, and the mere fact that she was appearing with him on stage was most likely the cause for her pensive expression.

  Just give me tonight, he silently prayed. Then, we’ll have a chance to talk and try and work through our differences.

  2

  Behind the curtain, Michael waited with his family for their stage cue. The heavy brocade curtains did little to suppress the noise generated by his loyal supporters. The throng of people, so exuberant in its display of emotions, began to cheer and chant “Taylor, Taylor, Taylor.”

  The First Family stepped onto the stage to thunderous applause. The sound of camera lenses snapping and lights flashing from thousands of cameras gave the stage a surreal quality reminiscent of a sixties psychedelic light show. Television crews and reporters inched forward to capture the moment for the majority of the voters who were at home watching the proceedings on television.

  The next First Family worked the stage, walking first to one side and then the other. The networks used the time to continue their commentary about the president-elect and Mrs. Taylor.

  NBC’s Brian Williams began. “The wait is over. Here we have our next president of the United States, Senator Michael Taylor, and his lovely wife, Ashley, accompanied by their twins, Jeremy and Juliette.

  “President-elect Taylor so far has a 52 percent lead over President Nelson’s 48 percent, which is far outside the margin predicted by the polls.”

  Tom Brokaw cut in. “Some interesting background about President-elect Taylor. Many of you may know he did his undergraduate work at the University of California at Davis, receiving degrees in both political science and sociology. He went on to the University of California at Berkeley’s Law School, Boalt Hall, where he graduated at the top of his class. He was promptly recruited by the San Francisco district attorney’s office.

  “He’s had a meteoric rise in politics. After working for the district attorney’s office for four years, he ran for Congress and won. He served three terms as a congressman from California and would probably have been re-elected if Senator Jim Burke hadn’t died. With Burke’s Senate seat available, Governor Feinman selected Representative Taylor to serve as Burke’s replacement. He readily won the special election to fill the senator’s seat, then ran for another term, and won again.”

  Savannah Guthrie added, “Mrs. Taylor is also very accomplished. She attended UC Berkeley and has a bachelor’s degree in art history and a master’s degree in museum studies. She’s worked for the Cameron Museum of Art’s chain since she was in graduate school while also giving birth to their twins. That took a lot of juggling. I’d say she’s one dedicated woman when she wants something. It’s rare to see two such high-powered careers in one family. I’d like to know their secret for keeping everything in balance.”

  Brokaw added, “The twins are twenty-one. Their son, Jeremy, is in his fourth year at Berkeley. He’s majoring in criminology while Juliette attends Stanford and is an environmental studies major. I wouldn’t relish being in their home during any football games between the two rival schools. One can only imagine the competitive atmosphere that occurs during those times. Maybe that’s how President-elect Taylor became such a gifted politician. He’s had to run interference between his children all these years.”

  As the president-elect kissed his wife and hugged his children before they left the stage, Fox News weighed in.

  Sean Hannity announced, “President-elect Taylor comes into office with very little political experience. He’s the third youngest president to be elected. He has no executive background or foreign policy experience. This leaves our country vulnerable on many levels, despite picking a senior and experienced senator as his running mate.”

  Bret Baier added, “I’m sure it was Senator Hughes’s overall experience, and specifically his leadership on the foreign relations and appropriations committees, that made him the top choice for the vice-president slot. Still, it amazes me that President-elect Taylor got elected with such little political experience. Although it’s hard to deny his charisma. I don’t think anyone would argue
with that.”

  Bill O’Reilly smiled and shook his head. “He’s eye candy. He got the women’s vote because of his looks. The Democratic Party is always trying to revive the Kennedy legacy of Camelot. With President-elect Taylor and his beautiful wife, Ashley, they’ve come as close to achieving that goal as possible.”

  Hannity nodded in agreement. “I think it should also be noted that the newly elected president is the first president to have graduated from Berkeley’s Boalt Law School. Coming from Berkeley, does that tell us anything about the direction the future president might try to take this country?”

  O’Reilly said, “Look, coming from Berkeley, which is well known for being very left of liberal, I think pretty much guarantees us that President-elect Taylor will have a strong liberal, socialist agenda.”

  As Ashley and the twins left the stage, Michael approached the podium. As the newly elected president stood waiting to speak before the jubilant assembly, he reflected on the steady and deliberate path that had brought him to this particular moment in time. He’d campaigned hard on his unwavering belief in the American people and the democratic system of government. He hoped he’d conveyed his integrity each time he spoke, no matter the size or composition of his audience. He believed the timing for his place in the roll call of presidents was perfect.

  The handsome president-elect smiled at the exuberant crowd and spoke his first words,

  “I want to thank you all . . .”

  3

  Backstage, Ashley was tormented with guilt for the part she was playing in what she believed was an elaborate ruse. She hated that she’d been put in this position, hated that she was going to throw a monkey wrench into her husband’s new administration, and mostly hated that she’d allowed this deception to go on for so long.

  She walked over to where Ed and Jack were standing. “I know you don’t want to deal with the position I’m taking in regards to being the First Lady, but there’s got to be some way to break it to the public. Michael convinced you if he was elected, I would change my mind. That’s not going to happen. I went along with all of you during the campaign, but now Michael’s been elected, and I really believe it’s time to let the public know.”