HENRY MCCORD hung up the phone with a heavy sigh. There were some things that he had grudgingly come to accept. He understood that the complications of their lives had tripled when Elizabeth had become Secretary of State, but having her gone for days on end was never easy. And he'd learned that a five minute phone call between meetings was better than enduring forever without even the sound of her sweet voice. Still, it was hard to accept her occasional absences from his daily life.
He left his home office, wandering through the house aimlessly. He paused leaning against the edge of the sofa watching the screen as Jason played a video game.
"Wanna play?" Jason asked, glancing over his shoulder at his father.
"Nah." He responded. Sighing he turned and sat at the table next to Alison who had her homework spread out over the table.
"What are you working on?" He asked her.
"Chem." She said without looking up.
"Oh." He exhaled slowly and picked at the edge of a place setting.
"What's wrong?" She asked, sitting back from her homework to study him with giant brown eyes.
"Nothing's wrong." He answered quickly. "Who said anything is wrong?"
The back door opened, letting in a bitter wind and Stevie entered shaking snow off her coat as she did.
"Well, I'm completely over winter." She said, hanging up her coat. "It is freezing out."
"Duh." Jason called from the family room. "That's kind of how snow works, genius."
"Thanks, professor." She rolled her eyes at her little brother. "Living up to all the teen boy stereotypes tonight?"
"Yep."
"And every day." Alison said laughing.
"Dad!" Jason moaned. "They are double-teaming me again!"
"What?" Henry said, glancing around the room. "Hey, Stevie! When'd you get home?"
The three of them looked at each other and Stevie shook her head. "Just now. You alright, Pops?"
Henry blushed, as Stevie walked into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator.
"Don't call me that." He protested.
"Sorry, old man but it appears you fell asleep mid-conversation again." She studied the open refrigerator. "What's the dinner situation?"
"Dinner? Hmmm?" He mocked her. "I can't remember what that is?"
Stevie rolled her eyes. "Don't be overly sensitive."
"He's suffering Mom withdrawals." Alison explained.
"Oh, no. How bad?" She closed the refrigerator and leaned against the counter.
"Four days." Jason said, glancing away from the game. "He's deteriorating quickly."
"What? I am not."
"Sighing?" Stevie asked.
"Yep." Alison said as she wrote an equation on her paper. "And wandering around the house."
"Level two then, or maybe three?" Stevie asked her siblings.
"Three!" Jason said.
"What are you talking about?" Henry asked.
"Henry McCord's levels of Wife-Sickness."
"Wife-Sickness? That's not a word."
"Jason made it up." Alison explained. "His ego is fragile so we accepted it."
"It's like homesickness but much more specific." Jason said, pausing his game. "It has five levels."
"Do you put this much thought into your school work?" Henry asked.
"God no!" Jason's eyes grew wide with shock. "Why would I want to justify the existence of a corrupt system by putting in any effort? If I tried in school it would confirm its value!"
"Dad, why? Why do you do that?" Stevie asked. "Aren't you suffering enough? You get him all wound up and we have to listen!"
"Don't blame me!" Henry huffed. "You brought it up."
"Irritation." Alison said, glancing up from her book. "Definitely level three."
"Stop that." He turned to her but she just raised her eyebrow at him, and mouthed the word "three" to Stevie who nodded her head in agreement.
Jason rose and walked to the table, leaning against the back of the couch, he shook his head at his father.
"Level one is when you say things like, 'Mom's got a busy week.' And 'We all have to pitch in'."
"It's your 'We-can-get-through-this-together and let's-stay-positive mode." Stevie added.
"Level two is when it starts to turn." Alison said setting down her pencil. "You still say positive things but you sound sad when you say them. 'Now, guys, you got to understand that Mom's working hard'." She imitated her father, her eyes huge with sadness.
"Level three?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest, clearly irritated.
"Sighing. Irritability. Listlessness. And general patheticness." Jason said.
"And you stay up late." Stevie added.
"And either eat everything in sight or nothing at all." Alison told him. "Stage Four is when you don't eat or sleep, and say almost nothing."
"You've given up reassuring us at that point." Stevie clarified. "And you are just trying to keep it together. Plus, you feel guilty because you have been cranky with us and are irritated with Mom, even though you know it isn't her fault."
"Well, I don't think I want to hear about Stage Five." He said. They grew silent, the teasing gone - the room suddenly filled with heaviness.
"Iran." Stevie said finally breaking the silence. "That's Level Five. We added it."
"Oh." He said, considering this thoughtfully.
It was hard for him to picture things from their perspective. He tried to - tried very hard to always consider things from their point of view. Both he and Elizabeth were determined to ensure their children were independent, strong and good. The world need more humans who at their core were decent, kind and respectful. But still, he could never imagine his own quiet mother a world leader. How would it have impacted his life? How would it have shaped him?
"Great job, Stevie!" Jason complained, interrupting his thoughts. "You kicked him right into Level Four. He's all broody now!"
"What about going out?" He asked them suddenly.
"What?" Alison asked confused.
"For dinner. I'm hungry and sitting around here is lame. Let's go to that place with all those stupid appetizers and the arcade games."
"Chuck E Cheese?" Jason asked in disbelief.
"God, no!" His father said. "No, that one in Manassas."
"Chester's?" Alison asked.
"Yes! That's it! Remember? We went there on your fifteenth, Noodle."
"That was fun." She said smiling. "But it's like half an hour away."
"So? You got a date?" He laughed. "I know I don't. C'mon, let's go! It might cheer me up and kick me back to level one." He winked at them.
"Get your coats!"
Alison and Jason both headed upstairs but Stevie stayed where she was. "Dad, I'm sorry." She hung her head shamefully. "I didn't mean to . . ."
He rose and pulled her into a quick hug. "It's okay, sweetheart." He kissed her forehead. "It's not your fault."
"Do you really think that Mom is doing okay?"
"Your Mom is fine." He said stepping back, his hands on her shoulders. "And I am, too. We are managing it. And she's tough, hon. You know that."
"Yeah." She agreed. "I'm sorry I brought it up."
He smiled warmly at her. "It lives pretty close to the surface of my heart, Stephanie. It's not like you're digging deep."
She shrugged her shoulders at him. "Mine too, I guess."
He kissed her forehead. "Get your coat. I've got a score to settle with your brother. He shall not remain the King of Skeeball after tonight!"