Elizabeth watched out the window of the limo, as it made its way toward the cemetery. Tears flowed freely down her face as she laid her head on her husband's shoulder tightly holding onto his hand. She was trying so hard to be strong for her family but the loss was starting to take a toll on her emotionally. Stevie, Alison and Jason all sat quietly waiting to reach their destination. Pulling up to the grave site Elizabeth didn't notice when the car come to a stop.
"Babe were here," Henry quietly told her.
Nodding her head she sat quietly and waited for the door of the car to open. Henry exited first followed by Stevie, Alison, and then Jason. Elizabeth sat there for a moment longer: getting out of that car would mean saying goodbye to her parents and she wasn't ready for that yet.
"Honey, we have to go," Henry got back in the car and sat next to her.
She shook her head no he rubbed circles on her back not wanting to rush her.
"Babe. it's time," he gently told her. "You are not alone we will get thru this together."
Nodding her head yes she finally got out of the car. Elizabeth's emotion were all over the place, one minute she was numb, the next she was angry, but most of the all she wanted to do was climb into bed and stay there. As she climbed out of the car she saw the faces of her children she knew they needed her, and she had to do this.
Stevie, Jason and Alison all surrounded their parents as they walked from the car up to the tent and chairs that had been set up for the funeral. Elizabeth kept her head down not wanting to see the faces of sorrow that surrounded her. She looked up for the first time once seated in the front row, while they waited for the two caskets to be placed in the fresh dug graves in front of them.
*********MS*****
Earlier...
Henry sat at his desk, grading papers, when a knock at the door startled him. Getting up; he looked out noticing the car with the Commonwealth of Virginia emblem on it. He walked over to the door and opened it.
"Hello, can I help you?" He greeted the gentleman at the door.
"My name is Robert McLaughlin. I am the Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Virginia. I need to speak with Elizabeth Falkner McCord, please." The gentleman told Henry.
"I'm sorry but she is not home at the moment. I'm her husband can I help you?" Henry responded his heart racing. "Can I ask what this is about?"
Waiting for the man to answer, he opened the door wider inviting the man inside, showing him to a chair in the home office. Henry knew that if the medical examiner was there the news was not going to be good.
"Do you know when your wife will return? I have some very difficult news I need to inform her of." The older gentleman told Henry.
"Sir given my wife's job, it is hard to determine when she will be home. Being the Secretary of State keeps her very busy, if you are here to deliver bad news I need to know. I think it would be better if I were the one who gave her whatever news you are here to delivery.
Sitting there quietly for a moment contemplating the Medical Examiner finally spoke up. Perhaps it would be best if you delivery the news to her. I have an obligation to notify the family, and you certainly qualify, but if you would rather I can speak to her.
Giving Henry a moment to prepare himself he delivered the news. "I am sorry to tell you this but your wife's parents, Scott and Donna Falkner, were killed in an auto accident last night."
Henry gasped, "No."
"They were returning from a dinner party with some friends and were hit by a drunk driver." He explained. "They were killed instantly along with the driver of the other car. I am so sorry for your loss." After giving Henry time to process the news the medical examiner spoke again. "I will need for someone to come to the morgue and identify the your in-laws' remains. I will also need the name and phone number of the funeral home who will be taking care of the arrangements. I will leave my card if one of you could give me a call and let me know when you have the funeral home information we can also set a time for identification."
"Thank you," Henry quietly told him.
Standing up the older man pulled a card out of his wallet and handed it to Henry. "Please give me a call after speaking with your wife."
Shaking his hand Henry walked the man to the door, and showed him out. Walking back into the office he sank down in the chair the man had just vacated and put his head in his hands.
How am I going to tell her ? She is not going to take this well he thought to himself. He knew the close relationship his wife had with her parents and this news was going to be devastating to her - to the whole family. What will this do to the kids? He thought to himself. They loved their grandparents. Since losing his mother three years ago, he and his mother-in-law had became close. Scott and Donna had even talked about moving to DC to be closer to the kids, and of course, their only daughter.
Still sitting with his head in his hands, tears flowed freely down his face. Do I go to the office and tell her? Then everyone in the office would know and it could cause a problem. Do I wait until she gets home? Lord only knows when that would be. His mind was going a mile a minute. Sending up a prayer, he came up with a plan. Wiping his eyes he pulled out his phone and typed out a text
-Hey babe are you free to come have lunch with me at home?-
He waited hoping she say yes.
While waiting for his wife to answer his text he knew he would need to have them clear her scheduled she would be in no shape to return to work after he told her. There was only two people who would be able to do that, and wouldn't ask a bunch of questions. Picking up the phone he dialed a familiar number knowing this couldn't be done in a text.
"Dr. McCord?" Blake answered his cell phone.
"Hey, Blake can you talk for a minute without my wife hearing?" Henry asked anxiously.
"Yes, the Secretary is at the White House with the President and Mr. Jackson." Blake answered back.
"Blake, I need my wife's scheduled cleared for the remainder of the day today, and the rest of the week- possibly into next week. We have had a family emergency which she is not aware of yet. He emphasized the word not so the young man would catch on. Can you do that?" Henry asked.
"Are the kids okay?" Blake asked quickly. "I will need to bring Nadine in on this also, if that is okay?"
"Yes, the kids are fine. My wife's parents were killed in a car accident last night." Henry knew he could trust Blake. "I will call Nadine myself, and fill her in. If you could go ahead and start clearing the schedule. Oh and I sent my wife a text asking her to come have lunch at home with me, but instead I will be telling her that her parents are dead." The word dead hung in the air. I am hoping that if she doesn't have anything on her schedule to worry about, she will come on home. I don't want to wait any longer than I have to - to give her the news."
"Oh...I am so sorry, I will start getting her schedule cleared and figure out a way to get her home when she comes back." Blake assured him.
"Thanks Blake. I really appreciate it," Henry hung up the phone looking to see if he had a text from his wife. Going into his contacts he found Nadine's number and dialed it.
"This is Nadine," she answered the phone.
"Nadine, this is Henry McCord,"
"Oh! Dr. McCord, how can I help you?" She asked him confused as to why he was calling her.
"I need my wife's schedule cleared for the remainder of today and the rest of the week and possible into next week." He explained to her. "I have already spoken with Blake and he is working on today's schedule.
"Can I ask why?" A confused Nadine asked.
"My wife doesn't know yet, but her parents were killed in an accident late last night." He told his wife's Chief of Staff.
"Oh no, I am so sorry." Nadine's heart dropped. "Blake and I will take care of everything here, you take care of your family."
"Thank you Nadine." Henry didn't really care for his wife's Chief of Staff when they first took office but she had grown on him. He knows that no matter how bad she and Elizabeth butt heads over policy she always has my wife's best interest at heart.
"If there is anything you need please let us know," She told him. "Also if you could let us know when the funeral will be, I'm sure the staff would like to attend also a press statement will need to be released at some point but it can wait for now."
"I will and if you could see about getting my wife home I would appreciate that." He told her. "I will let you know when we are ready to release a press statement."
"I will do my best," She hung up as Daisy and Matt came into her office.
"Why is the Secretary's schedule being cleared?" Daisy asked "Is there something we need to know?"
"It's nothing you need to know as of right now I will let you know when you do." Nadine tried to keep the frustration out of her voice. "Now, back to work."
Daisy and Matt walked out of Nadine's office shaking their heads, they didn't buy Nadine's answer. But both knew better than to push Nadine with more questions. They also knew better than to ask Blake - he wouldn't tell them anything he was loyal to his boss.
Nadine knew there was one person more she needed to let know what was going on. Picking up her office phone she hit the button for the White House Chief of Staff's office. He must have been sitting at his desk or at least close by given he answered on the third ring.
"Russell Jackson," He answered.
"Mr. Jackson, this is Nadine Toliver. We are working on clearing her schedule starting today through the rest of the week and possibly into next week. Could you please brief the President? I would appreciate it, the Secretary has left for the day. Also, we went ahead and informed Under Secretary Berry so he can be prepared incase anything comes up. He will assume the duties of the office until her return. We have been asked by Dr. McCord not to bother the Secretary unless it a matter of life or death." Nadine explained to Jackson.
"What is going on that she needs that much time off?" Russell Jackson asked Nadine.
"I'm sorry Mr. Jackson I am not at liberty to say at this time." Nadine tried to keep her voice calm.
"I am the Chief of Staff for the President I need to know what is going on. The President is going to ask me, and I want to have an answer." Anger in Russell's voice.
"Sir, her parents were killed in an auto accident but she does not know what has happened just yet." Nadine's voice soft.
"Oh," Russell didn't know what to say. "Okay, keep my informed please, thanks for letting me know." He hung up the phone.
Elizabeth McCord walked through the hallways of the White House to her waiting SUV with bounce in her step. She had just averted a war with North Korea, and the President had actually give her a compliment. Fred held the door open for her as she got in. Feeling her phone vibrate she looked down at her cell phone seeing it was a text from Henry. Reading the text she smiled typing a response.
-Hey babe lunch sounds good we might even have time for an afternoon delight be home soon. -
After sending the text she dialed a familiar number.
"Secretary McCord's office," Blake sounded so professional when he answered the phone.
"Blake, my man, how are things at the office?" She asked with a questioning tone.
"Actually ma'am it seems as though it's a slow day here at the office." Blake told her trying to keep his voice even.
"Good! I am going home to have lunch with my husband, call my cell if you need me. But Blake try not to need me for at least the next hour or two okay?" Giggling she hung up, she loved messing with her assistant.
Blake sat there looking at the phone, his heart felt heavy. She sounded so happy. It broke his heart to know that her happiness was about to be shattered. Blake was not a religious man but he sent up a prayer for his boss and her family.
Pushing the button Elizabeth lowered the divider between her and her detail. "Change of plan's gentleman, I am going home to have lunch with my husband." She told them.
"Yes, ma'am," Frank talked into his arm piece letting the rest of the detail know about the change of plans.
Henry sat at his desk watching the cursor on his screen blink, he was lost in his own thoughts. Hearing his phone beep, he looked down at the incoming message. He smiled as he read her text, oh babe, he thought to himself. Getting up he walked into the kitchen pulling out the Chinese takeout menu he placed an order for their regular. He figured he needed to keep it as normal as possible until he got the courage to deliver the news.
Henry was in the kitchen trying to keep himself busy, while he waited on the arrival of his wife and food. He had just walked into the living room placing the silverware and two bottle's of water on the table. He didn't hear his wife come though the front door.