The President

by Parker Hudson

  Abruptly, the vice president stood and said, “Before this becomes a holy roller service, I’m repeating that I think you’re just all wrong, William. The second worldview is obviously correct. If there’s really a God, how could he or she allow all the murder and violence and mess in this world? That’s no god I want to worship. We’re on our own, William, and you’re leading people back to syrupy but disastrous myths. We’ve got to believe in ourselves and in no one else—particularly not in some unseen and uncaring God.

  “So count me off the team. I’m not going to quit my job, for obvious reasons. You’ve made this change, not me. So you can take the heat and the disaster. My staff is already hard at work distancing me from all of this nonsense as fast as they can. Call me when there’s some official function we have to do together, William. Otherwise I guess as of this morning we’re officially ‘divorced,’ and I’ll be in my office at the Capitol doing my best to be ready to be president when you resign in November. Those of you who find out that this is all smoke and mirrors and want to get back to real work are welcome to join us. Good luck, William. You’ll need it.”

  As she turned to leave, Robert Valdez rose. “She’s right, William. You’re off the charts. I’m joining Patricia right now, to help her get ready. I hope the rest of you will come with us.”

  The two of them walked out of the Oval Office without looking back.

  William looked down and said quietly, “There goes the nucleus for the secular humanist government in exile, across the Mall, waiting. This really will be an interesting nine months.”

  “I’ll see a few more cards on this side of the Mall,” Foreign Policy Advisor Sandra Van Huyck said with a smile, and everyone was surprised by her gambling metaphor. Looking around she explained. “My dad was a deacon in our church who lived in mortal fear that the preacher would stop by on a Thursday night when he and his buddies were always playing poker in our basement. So I’m actually a good Baptist who can quote the Bible and figure the odds on drawing to a straight.”

  “Thank you, Sandy. We may need both of those talents, along with your foreign policy skills, before it’s over. I hope you’re here permanently.”

  “We’ll see. This is all pretty new. But I’m game to see what happens next.”

  All eyes now turned to Ted Braxton, the President’s oldest friend among his advisors, who had not yet said a word.

  He acknowledged the looks and then said, “I decided last night that I’m staying, but it’s not because I had some conversion on the road or saw a bright light. I’m staying because of the courage it took you to say and do what you did, which struck me hard, and because of thirty-five years of friendship.

  “Now this morning you’ve talked about us having to make a choice. Well, I may not be able to do that in a month, or ever. I may never be a Christian like you are, William. Maybe I will, but maybe not. And I differ with you on one thing. I think you may need some folks on this team who aren’t committed as much as you, but who can still share most of your vision—for balance and perspective.

  “And I do promise one hundred percent loyalty. If I can’t go along with something, I’ll tell you. Until then, I’m totally on the team, and I won’t be talking to anyone about anything out of school. So I’m still here if you want me, ready to help you try and fix this old country, not so much because I believe in God, William, but because I believe in you.”

  William was moved by his old friend’s words and his confidence. He reached out and shook Ted’s hand. “Agreed. And I’m sure you’re right. Just tell me you won’t fight what you see God do, and if it looks like he’s doing good things, you’ll also consider joining that team as well.”

  “Deal,” Ted said.

  Everyone sat back, and William exhaled. “Well, now that we’ve decided who’s still here, I want to get us together with the men and women who were the real brains behind last nights speech. You have much more practical government experience than they do, but they bring the perspective I think is so important if we’re truly going to do God’s work, and not just be noisy, ineffective politicians for another year or more.

  “I’ve asked them, and I’m asking you, to come for lunch tomorrow, and we’ll begin integrating these two groups into one team under Jerry’s leadership. And since Lanier asked, let me give all of you a couple of titles that you might find interesting about how God has intervened in the life of this country right from the beginning.

  “Jerry, you and Chris should draft statements about the resignations of Bob and Robert. I’m sure the vice president will be saying plenty on her own, and we need to get something out pretty quickly. We’ll consider over the next week how we want to reorganize the Cabinet. The press will be trying to get quotes out of all of us, and we’ll be questioned on all sides. But remember that many others have been waiting and praying, like Jerry’s mother, for someone to have the courage to say what we’re saying.

  “We’ve got to defend daily against a bunker mentality. It’s not us against them. Let’s be wise in dealing with everyone but keep God’s joy in our hearts, remembering that he’s in charge and that he’s using us. We’ve got a huge mission, but in just the last hour we’ve already doubled the size of his team. If we keep that up every hour for nine months, we really will turn this country around!”

  As the president started to rise, Jerry touched his knee. “Mr. President, you and I started together this morning with a prayer. Let’s end with one as well.”

  “You’re right, Jerry. Why don’t you start, and anyone else who wishes to, please join in.”

  THE MEDITERRANEAN—The group of officers involved with the ship’s investigation and recommendations on the twin incidents of the near collision and the death of Petty Officer Simpson were concluding their final meeting in the captain’s cabin.

  “If everyone is in agreement on the final draft,” said Captain Robertson, “we’ll type it and forward it to the admiral. He may then decide that a further investigation is required, which I imagine would occur at our next port call. All right? My thanks to each of you.”

  The officers rose to leave, and a few moments later in the passageway the operations officer stopped the weapons officer.

  “I guess you’re pretty happy with your brother’s speech last night. Did you have anything to do with his attack on homosexuals?” asked Dobbs.

  Hugh turned around in the narrow confines of the passage and faced his fellow department head. “Not directly, Thomas. And I haven’t even read what he said—just the news summary on the ship’s broadcast. But you and I both know how I feel on the subject, though I’ve really done my best to give credit where it’s due.”

  “Thanks for your condescending hypocrisy.”

  “Hypocrisy?”

  “Yes. You’ve got a double standard on the issue of gays and women. I’ve seen how you look at and nuzzle up to Lieutenant Slocum. It wouldn’t surprise me if there weren’t some late-night footsteps in forward officers country!”

  Hugh, enraged by the accusation, as well as the guilt of the near-truth, moved closer to Dobbs, who didn’t budge. “Listen, Thomas, my conscience is clear on that one. First, Teri’s a great woman, but we haven’t done anything, understand. And, to set your record straight, if I can use that word with you, I’ve told her pretty much the same thing that I just tried to tell you—the issue for me is not whether women or homosexuals are capable of performing most all naval operations. The issue is all the other stuff that apparently goes with it, like this conversation, and all the people walking around on the fantail every night holding hands and whatever, and Chief Ellis’s lawsuit, and everyone hot and bothered in some way. That’s the very simple reason why I don’t think you or Teri ought to be here, because it distracts all of us from what we’re supposed to be doing. And I can argue that point before we ever get into what the Bible says about your activities or the role of women. So you and I differ, but I certainly didn’t write William’s speech, and I’m not using a double standard, except t
o say that unlike you, Teri can’t change being a woman.”

  “The Bible. Your whole family is full of Christian bigots who hate people for what they are.”

  “Thomas, I don’t know that much yet about Christianity—my brother and sister would probably doubt whether I’m even a Christian. But I know that both of them, if I can use them as Christians, focus on what people do, not on who they are. They’re as far from bigots as you can get, in my book, so just back off with all your politically correct double-speak. Okay?”

  “We’ll see who’s speaking double in November, when your brother resigns and is out on the street, and those who really care about the future of this country and progress are in power again.”

  Hugh turned and started to walk away, then stopped. “All right, Thomas, that’s fine by me. Just calm down some before then, or you’ll blow a gasket. At times you’re a pretty decent guy, but you make it really hard to get past the scarlet ‘H’ on your chest!”

  RALEIGH—As the U. S. Network special report on what had happened to the president came to an end, Graham Prescott clicked off the television in their den and turned in his chair to Mary and their children. “It’s hard to believe that in twenty-four hours my emotions could go from so high to so low,” he said.

  “All that footage from our previous interviews, cut and edited to make it look like William is just a puppet of his older sister’s mind control,” Mary agreed in disgust.

  “So now you’re a ‘high priestess,’ huh Mom?” Tim kidded his mother. “And why was Rebecca’s boyfriend on so much?”

  “I’m not sure,” Mary replied. She turned to her husband. “You know, Graham, Bruce really just repeated much of what William said at Christmas. But it was the way he said it, like he was describing someone catching a terminal disease—a tragedy he had to recount to the world. I wonder if Rebecca agrees with him?”

  “I don’t know. At least your parents came out of it okay. And they didn’t say too much about Hugh or Jennifer,” Graham volunteered.

  “Yes, I was interested to discover that Mom was the last sane Harrison. The family’s apparently gone downhill ever since, at least according to Leslie Sloane and Ryan Denning.”

  “Boy, after what the vice president said,” Tim got up to finish his homework, “do you think Uncle William will ever let her back in the White House?”

  “I think he has to,” Mary said. “After all, she is the vice president of the country. But you’re right, she wasn’t too kind. And she twisted what’s happened this last year to make it seem like the legislative stalemate was because of William’s weak leadership and because he spent too much time reading the Bible, which really makes me angry.”

  Sarah, who had said virtually nothing all night, stood up and, her voice slightly raised, blurted out, “Angry? What about me? Does anyone care how I feel? I don’t even want to go to school tomorrow! We looked like idiots! It’s one thing to believe in Jesus—but it’s another to use it to try to change the government. No one will even speak to Tim and me, I bet—our parents are Christian reactionaries! Why can’t you just leave something alone for once!” and Sarah stormed out of the den.

  Mary looked at Graham. “What did we do? We don’t call ourselves reactionaries—that’s what they said.”

  Graham tried to smile as Tim followed his sister up the stairs. “I guess there’s not much difference in Sarah’s mind. The television has spoken, and we’re the bad guys.”

  “But that should be an honor—”

  “Mary, maybe for you, or us. But Sarah’s still seventeen, and frankly she hasn’t seemed very happy for weeks now. Have you noticed how short she’s been with everyone? So this maybe just set her off. I think she probably needs a little extra time and understanding right now.”

  Mary paused and thought for a moment. “I guess you’re right—she has been on edge. Hopefully she’ll cool off, and tomorrow I’ll speak with her again.”

  Upstairs Sarah was sitting on her bed, trying to study, but almost overwhelmed by all the emotions swirling within her, from Matthew’s insistence to her mother’s outspokenness to her own guilt over giving in to him and criticizing her. Next to her bed the phone rang.

  “Hey, it’s me.”

  “Oh, hi Katherine.”

  “You don’t sound very happy to hear me.”

  Sarah paused, trying to fight back tears which had suddenly filled her eyes. “Well, because of your dad and my mom, I’m now a freak in a freakish family of ‘Christian reactionaries’ trying to like subvert our government from within the president’s mind. And I’m so mortified I may be sick at home for the rest of the school year, but other than that, everything is fine.”

  “Oh, come on, cousin. It’s not that bad!”

  “Yes it is, here in the real world. You can at least live in the White House, where no one will bother you. But I have to deal with kids who think my mom’s a witch or something.”

  “No way. You should have heard some of the kids at my school today,” Katherine answered. “I’m sure they were just repeating what their parents said, but I got some pretty weird stares, laughs, and comments. But I guess I expect it a little bit—the Bible says to expect it, if you’re doing God’s work.”

  Sarah exploded. “The Bible says! The Bible says! I think if I hear that one more time I’ll scream!” It was all she could do to keep from hanging up on Katherine.

  “But that’s what you used to say. Now I believe you were right. The Bible does have good stuff, Sarah. This is me, cousin. You should chill out a little.”

  Sarah let out a long sigh. “I...I’m sorry, Katherine. It’s just this whole week has been so crazy. I’m just not prepared to like be crucified tomorrow for what my parents do.”

  “You’ll survive. Just don’t let them get under your skin. Anyway, how’d you like Dad’s speech?”

  “Oh, it was okay. I guess I really did admire him for saying all that. Was he nervous? I’d have been scared to death!”

  “Yeah, I think he was pretty nervous. But we all helped him write it, and we prayed a lot before he went to the Capitol.”

  “You helped?”

  “And Robert. He came home for it.”

  “Cool.”

  “Yeah. Listen, how’s Matthew?”

  Sarah paused. She wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about Matthew right then. “He’s...uh, fine. Fine.”

  There was something about Sarah’s voice. A bolt hit Katherine. “Sarah, did you sleep with him?”

  Sarah thought about lying but realized she wouldn’t get away with it She lowered her voice. “Uh...yeah. I guess it’s been eight or nine times.”

  “Eight or nine times?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good heavens. What was it like?”

  “I don’t know—like that computer, only much better. Matthew and I really love each other.”

  “Love?”

  “Yes. He’s wonderful to me. He’s like told me how much he loves me every day this week.”

  “I’ll bet he has. And what have you two got planned this weekend?”

  “He wants to spend Saturday in a hotel, but I told him no.”

  “Finally! Sarah, this is crazy. Remember what I said about my friends saying sex takes over? And you said no way. Well? And how are you going to feel if your future husband someday asks you about all this?”

  “Maybe Matthew will be my husband.”

  “Probably he won’t. You told me it would be years and years before we’re married.”

  “Well...maybe it’s not perfect. But I’ve done it. We’ve done it. So that’s that. I’ve been thinking: do you know anything about getting birth control pills?

  “Sarah, no. You’ve got to stop now, no matter that you’ve done it. Stop, and tell Matthew you’ve both got to stop.”

  Sarah laughed. “And never see the bo—man I love ever again?”

  “Maybe. If that’s his decision. Who cares? It’s you, Sarah, I’m worried about. Listen, our youth group leader said last
Sunday that you can always tell the difference between lust and love because lust takes and love gives. It sounds to me like you’re in love and Matthew is in lust.”

  “Look, just lay off him, okay? Whatever we’ve done I wanted it myself, too. And what do you know about it anyway? How’s your love life been lately?”

  “You’re right, Sarah, on that one. Score one for you. But someday the right man will come along. You’re right that it probably won’t be real soon. But I pray I’ll still be able to say I haven’t done what you’ve done, that I saved that experience to share first and only with him.”

  “Wonderful. Have you thought about writing romance novels? And what am I supposed to do, even if I wanted to? I’ve done it!”

  “The Bi—I mean, I think God is always ready for us to start over again with a clean page, if we ask to be forgiven.”

  “Well, that’s fine, but I don’t really feel any need to be forgiven. We’re just doing what everyone else is doing, and not everyone can go to hell!”

  “Um, I don’t remember any restrictions on its size.” Katherine had to smile, despite the serious nature of their discussion. “Look, we’re not supposed to do what God says not to do. It’s that simple. I know you’ll regret it.”

  “And I feel just fine, so get off my case, okay? Matthew and I will do whatever we think is right. God must have created love in the first place, and we love each other. So just cool it.”

  “Okay, cousin, I’ll cool it.”

  “And don’t you dare say anything to your mom or dad,” Sarah added.

  “I won’t, though we all ought to be praying for you.”

  “Pray for the homeless people in Yugoslavia, Katherine. I’m telling you, Matthew and I know what we’re doing.”

  “Fine. But I’m still going to pray for you.”

  “If you want.”

  “I do. I’ve got a bunch of homework left after that stupid show. I’ll call again in a few days.”