“Do you mind if we wait with you?”
“Of course.” The woman gathered up some of the things they had strewn across other chairs. “And Kyla was chipper. You know how she is, contractions don’t slow her down. Cyrus on the other hand . . .”
“What’s wrong with Cyrus?” I cleared my throat, surprised I’d spoken up.
“He hates hospitals,” Karen explained. “I think being here for so long was starting to get to him.”
“Maybe they could give him something for his nerves?” Maddie suggested.
“Oh no, he’d never take those.” Karen shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. “Just a case of the daddy jitters. He’ll man up and deal with it. It’s not him that’s going through surgery, right?”
Maddie smiled but I could see the wheels turning behind those giant eyes. She was concerned and worried by how easily Cyrus’s sweet mother-in-law brushed a serious ego under the rug. Either Cyrus had done a better job pretending around his extended family or they honestly dismissed this sign that something was wrong. It wouldn’t be the first family that didn’t see past the façade of PTSD.
My thoughts were a jumble of things as I half listened to Maddie and Karen chat while stopping to answer Korbin’s questions about the characters on the television.
“He doesn’t normally watch this much television but I figured this was a special occasion.” Karen frowned as Mickey Mouse did something called a Hotdog Dance.
My eyes glazed over as I watched Korbin bop along with the music and thought about how Cyrus was really feeling, the way his family seemed to have no clue he was dealing with something very serious.
Could I tell him to get help or to find someone to talk to? It felt incredibly hypocritical considering that I hadn’t found a professional to share with yet. There were thousands of psychiatrists in the D.C. area alone. But who was trustworthy? And how could I know they would be the real deal and able to help and not just some quack that was waiting to collect insurance money?
I had no idea how long I’d been sitting there grasping Maddie’s hand on one side while gripping the paper bag from the burger shop. It wasn’t until a chime filled the waiting area that tore my gaze away from the laminated wood floors.
“What was that?” I looked around and noticed a bunch of excited smiles.
“It means a baby was born.” Karen shook Frank’s arm until he stirred in his chair.
“No creamer,” he muttered.
“Wake up Frank. Wake up, you’re still asleep.” Karen shook his arm again. “The bell chimed. I bet it was Savannah making her debut.”
“What?” The man blinked like an old owl wearing crooked glasses. “She had the baby?”
“I think so!”
“Think? You don’t know yet?” The man had a mustache that reminded me of a walrus. It bobbed as he spoke and I was waiting for him to suck it in his mouth and then spit it back out at us. “You should’ve waited to wake me once you were sure.”
“At least pretend to be a little excited!” Karen elbowed him in the gut. “Savannah will be our first granddaughter.”
“But we don’t know if that was even her!” Frank looked at us. “Are you waiting for a friend?”
“For your granddaughter,” I explained.
“Oh?” He blinked at me and then Maddie. “Oh. You’re Jake Simmon! And the President’s daughter. Forgive me, dear. I can’t think of your name right now.”
“I’m Maddie.” She offered a small smile. “Would you like to go ask the nurse who that bell was for?”
“I’m sure they’ll tell us if it was.”
A woman in scrubs came over to the group and nodded at us before turning to Kyla’s parents. “Karen Philmont?”
“Yes, that’s me.” Karen smiled up at the nurse.
“Ma’am, Kyla would like for you to come back to the operating room.” The nurse wasn’t smiling and my stomach took a turn south.
“I thought she could only have one person with her.” Karen shot a confused look at her husband.
“Yes, ma’am. Cyrus had an accident on the way to surgery. He’s being admitted for his back. It looks like he’s going to need to have surgery today as well.”
“Oh my God.” Karen covered her mouth. “Is he okay?”
“He’s in a lot of pain and they’re administering medication to help.” She held her hand out to Karen. “We need to hurry. Kyla is ready for the c-section and I’m sure she wants you with her.”
“Of course.” She pushed her purse at Frank and stood up. “Watch Korbin. I’ll let you know as soon as the baby is here.”
“Go,” Frank urged. “She needs you.”
“Ma’am, is anyone with Cyrus?” I stood up and touched the nurse’s shoulder.
“I’m not sure. If you go ask at the desk they will be able to direct you to where he is.” Her eyes darted to where the Secret Service agents were standing.
“Thank you.” I watched as the nurse escorted Karen through a set of doors that another nurse buzzed them through.
“Please go check on Cyrus. His family is in the air and I hate the thought of him being alone.” Frank stood up and reached out to shake my hand. “Karen can be a bit oblivious at times, but I know that Cyrus is having a rough time. He needs a friend with him now.”
“Yes, sir.” I turned on my heel and headed for the desk while Maddie told Korbin she’d see him soon.
“Excuse me,” I said. One of the nurses looked up at me with a bored expression. “Can you tell me where they’ve taken Cyrus Holland?”
“Are you a family member?”
“No, ma’am. He’s a friend. We served in Afghanistan together and I was here for the birth of their daughter. I was told that there was an accident and he might need someone with him.”
“You won’t be allowed back to his room and I can’t release any information to someone that isn’t family.”
I clenched my hands into fists and fought to keep from slamming them against the counter.
“Excuse me ma’am.” Tony took a step forward and held out his badge. “The Vice President’s son needs to see Mr. Holland as soon as possible.”
A mulish look formed on the woman’s face and she lifted her chin. “I don’t care if he’s the President. Only family members are allowed back with the patients.”
“I’d be happy to call my father and see if he can reach the head surgeon.” Maddie sidled up on my right side. “But I don’t think we really need to bother him.”
The nurse’s mouth gaped open like a fish.
“You’re just doing your job, but Mr. Holland’s family won’t be here for several hours. He needs someone with him right now. Cyrus’s wife is about to have a c-section and he suffers from PTSD. Having a familiar face with him right now would go a long way.”
I looked at Maddie, shocked that she had announced to the world Cyrus had PTSD. That wasn’t something that you told strangers. They would look at Cyrus differently now, treat him differently. How could she treat it so carelessly?
“Considering what you just told me, I can see how he might benefit from a good friend.” The nurse stood up and motioned for me to follow. “I think we can get one of you back to your friend with no trouble.”
“I’ll go.” I stepped away from Maddie.
“Are you sure?” She looked up at me with worried eyes.
My anger bubbled just under the surface and I didn’t trust myself to respond. Is that how she thought of me? As damaged goods?
“Jake?” She reached out and grabbed my hand.
“I need to get to Cyrus.” I didn’t look back at her.
“Stop, Jake,” she whispered. “Jake! What did I do wrong?”
“You don’t know he has PTSD.” I lowered my voice. “They’re going to put that in his record now. Anyone would be upset right now. His wife is having a baby while he’s being prepped for surgery.”
“I just assumed—”
“Did Kyla tell you he had PTSD?”
“No, but he has all the symptoms and she said he’d been having a hard time.” Her eyes were wide and her skin was pale. “I just wanted him to have someone there for him. If I was him I’d be scared.”
“Well, I’m going.” I heaved a deep breath in frustration.
“I’ll be right here if you need anything.” She bit her bottom lip and there was no hiding the pain in her eyes. “I’ll text you as soon as we hear about Kyla and Savannah.”
“Thanks.” I tried to reel in my frustration.
“I don’t like it when you’re mad at me, Jake.” She squeezed my fingers.
“I’ll let you know what’s happening with Cyrus.” I pecked her cheek before turning to follow the nurse.
My stomach churned as we walked the hallways and I had a brief moment of doubt as anxiety gripped my chest. Maybe I should have stayed in the maternity ward that sparkled with hope instead of diving into the depths of despair.
I looked back over my shoulder and saw Maddie watching me with a heartbroken expression.
Chapter 19
Maddie
“No questions about my personal life.” I looked at the television reporter sitting in the chair across from me.
“You’re a politician, Maddie. You don’t have a personal life.” The woman looked in a small mirror as she touched up her lipstick. “Everything is free rein.”
“Sally, I’m not a politician.” I shook my head. “I’m here to talk about a charity. Anything else is off limits.”
“We just want to hear that you’re happy, dear. Give the public what they want and they’ll repay you by donating to your little charity.” She looked up at me from under false eyelashes. “Use your little relationship to promote your agenda.”
I tried to swallow the bile in my throat. The thought of using something so personal to push an agenda was disgusting. Especially when things between me and Jake had felt so . . . askew. He acted like things were fine but they weren’t.
“Fifteen seconds.” One of the directors hollered across the stage. Marilyn tossed her mirror and lipstick in a basket under her desk.
One of the stage hands counted down the last few seconds and the theme music started.
“We’re here today with Maddie McGuire, America’s First Daughter. In the last segment we addressed the charity that you are currently focusing on.”
“Yes, the Returning Combat Veterans Affairs.” I ignored the television sets pointed in our direction so we could see what we looked like. Nothing messed with your head as much as seeing your live interview happening in front of you.
“You’ve just finished your first house for the program.” The other woman smiled politely at me.
“Yes, the family was just able to move in a little over a week ago.” I smiled widely. “It was very rewarding to see them settled.”
“A press release went out announcing the birth of their newest child. Were you present?” She smiled.
“Well, I was at the hospital, waiting on the happy news.”
“Is it true that the father had an accident that resulted in him missing the birth of his new daughter?”
“Cyrus Holland is a multiple amputee survivor and he needed more surgery. Unfortunately it couldn’t wait any longer.” I worked to stay relaxed in my seat. I could only hope that I hadn’t overstepped my bounds. “I’ve been told that he is doing very well, as is his wife and the new baby.”
“That’s good to hear. Now, is it true that Holland served with your boyfriend?” Her pleasant smile looked so innocent.
“If you’re referring to Jake Simmon, then yes, Mr. Holland did serve with him in Afghanistan.” My cheeks were starting to hurt from my fake smile and a tick developed in my left eye. Things had been rough between me and Jake since the hospital. He refused to talk about it, but I knew I’d upset him.
“Do you worry that this may look like favoritism?” Again, that bright cheery smile only served to increase my desire to deck the woman.
“Jake and I had absolutely no say in who received the home. There are a lot of different points that go into the decision process. Mr. Holland suffered extreme injuries that will keep him from having a full-time job. The fact that they had a child and another on the way with no home to call their own, also factored into the decision.”
“But perhaps his name attracted the powers that be.” She leaned forward a bit, hungry to make a story out of nothing.
“The family had been chosen before we even started helping build the house as far as I am aware.” I narrowed my gaze. “And I wouldn’t be any less happy if the home had gone to another deserving soldier and their family.”
“Well, I have to ask you how your new relationship with Jake Simmon is progressing. Photos of you two are circulating around the world.” A picture of us holding hands and walking down a sidewalk flashed on the screen behind us before being replaced of an image where we were embracing at the construction site. “People absolutely love seeing you together. Before you know it they’ll have some cute couple nickname for you.”
I fought to not gag and I knew my smile slipped because there was a gleam of victory in the reporter’s eyes.
“Anything happening between the two of us will remain between us.”
“Just a little girl talk? Between me and you, how are things going between you?”
“I tell you what, Sally. You tell me how your relationship is going. We can trade stories.” It was mean, because as far as I knew, the woman was going through a divorce.
“Oh, my life is so boring. No one wants to hear about that.”
“Your husband, is he still working for NBC? What’s his name again?”
If Sally could spit venom from her eyes, I’d be dead. I might as well be sitting across from a dilophosaurus in a blond wig.
“Would you like to talk about the bill you’re proposing? I have it on good authority that the Vice President is opposing your stance. She feels that it opens up other companies to serious trouble.”
“The bill is still in the early stages. We want to present the best possible bill for the House to vote on. Nothing is finalized so I can’t imagine what the Vice President would be opposed to. We don’t have anything official for her to oppose.” I braced my arms on the table and smiled.
“Perhaps it’s not the bill she opposes?” Marilyn leaned forward. “We all know that the Vice President doesn’t stand for things to be out of order. Perhaps she’s not happy with her son’s choice in girlfriends.”
“I’m sure that our Vice President would never stoop to oppose a bill just because she disliked the person that wrote the bill.” I shook my head dismissively.
“Then the Vice President approves of your relationship with her son?”
“You’d have to ask her that, Marilyn.”
“I’ll do that, Miss McGuire.” There was an evil glint in the interviewer’s eye that made my stomach clench.
“Right now most of my attention is focused on spotlighting the RCVA and their efforts to help our returning soldiers. These men and women deserve our respect and need our help.”
“Indeed, a very worthy cause. The link for the website is posted at the bottom of your television screens and we’ll also have more information over on our website.” The credit music started playing.
“Please check out the website. They’re always looking for volunteers.” I smiled brightly.
“We’ll be back in a few with an up-and-coming Democratic star.”
The theme music started and Sally looked at me with pure venom in her eyes. “You’re a real bitch, McGuire. You know I’m going through a divorce.”
“And I told you I didn’t want to discuss my private life. I did nothing you didn’t do.” I reached around and turned off my mic before pulling it free from my jacket. I leaned toward the reporter and lowered my voice. “And you haven’t seen me be a bitch yet.”
“We’ll see how you feel after my interview with VP Simmon.”
I dropped the mic on the table and walked off.
If I didn’t get out of that studio quickly I would end up with an assault charge on my record.
I stretched in my seat and fought a yawn. We’d had interviews at all the papers in D.C. before going to Boston and New York. I couldn’t even remember all of the different shows we’d been on over the last few weeks.
“How much longer?” I ground my palms against my eyes.
“It’s another six hours before we get to D.C., ma’am,” the driver explained from the front seat.
I looked over at Jake. “Why don’t we stop? I need a bed and real food. Not fast food.”
“That is a great idea.” Jake grabbed my hand and brought it up to his mouth to kiss my fingers. The warmth of his kiss did wonders to loosen the chains around my heart. “I don’t think I’m meant to sit in the backseat of a vehicle for this long.”
He let go of my fingers and massaged his knee. He had his cane today and I knew that meant all of the traveling was catching up with him. He seemed to do better when he had steady movement in his schedule. His normal day included a good amount of exercise.
“There’s a small inn not far from here, Miss McGuire. Your father stayed there during one of his campaigns, so we already know the layout.” The agent in the front passenger seat turned to look at me. “It has a small restaurant downstairs that served some decent pub grub.”
“That sounds perfect,” Jake responded.
“You were on one of Daddy’s tours?” I smiled at the older man.
“Yes ma’am. His first presidential campaign.” His grin was fast. “Was a real treat to see him work a crowd.”
“He has that je ne sais quoi.” I shook my head. “There’s no explaining that special something that attracts people.”
“I’d say the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.” He turned around in his seat so didn’t see my ridiculous expression.
“You really don’t want your face to freeze that way,” Jake whispered.
I turned and glared at him. It wasn’t like he wouldn’t understand my shock. My father could talk to anyone or a room full of thousands of people and they all left feeling special. Even during the debates, his opponents seemed taken in by his charisma. That wasn’t something I possessed. No. Instead of elegantly finding a way to deflect questions, I did something bitchy like turn the tables on the reporter.
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