The Presiden't Men

20 December

8.42 am

Chevy Chase, MD

The snow-covered Wisconsin Avenue was busy with people. No one knew that there was quite a commotion at the Parking Level of the Chevy Chase Center. The presidential detail of Secret Service Agents was doing the last check of the location. A cracking sound in every earpiece announced that a dispatch was on its way. And they didn't have to wait long.

"Eagle is two minutes away."

And surely enough, two minutes later an unmarked SUV rolled into the parking lot. Another two minutes later, presidential aide Billy Thompson opened the door, and Jim Marino, President of the United States climbed out of the car. Chief of Staff, Lou Thornton and Communications Director, Zachary Robbins followed him.

"Sir, why am I here, again?" Lou asked the president.

"You are my Chief of Staff, thus my chief advisor, Lou, could you please shut the whining and behave like a… you know, like a woman of your stature," the president told her.

"Yes, sir. But with all due respect, you cannot expect me to advise you on jewelry," Lou told him.

"You know, I'm starting to think that the "with all due respect" phrase is overused and thus became meaningless. Am I the leader of the free world or am I not, Lou?" the president asked the younger woman.

"Yes, you are, Mr. President," Lou said with a nod.

"And which part of 'shut the whining' wasn't clear enough?" the president asked then.

"Okay, sir, but please don't fire me if Mrs. Marino doesn't like the diamonds I chose for her," Lou added with a smirk.

"You know, I was elected two years ago and I'm still trying to figure out why I made you my Chief of Staff," the president quipped, when they boarded the elevator.

"Well, sir, may I remind you that you didn't want to. You picked Josh but he refused," Lou retorted. "And may I add that it seems like we are in the same boat because I'm still trying to figure out why I said yes."

"I know that women like to have the last word, Lou, but I'm still the leader of the free world, do you think there will come a day when I shall have the last word?" the president asked, sharing a quick smile with Zack Robbins.

"Sure, sir," Lou said and the three of them burst into laughter. Even Billy and the agents allowed themselves a smile.

The same day

9.15 am

Eisenhower Executive Office Building

Washington, D.C.

"Donna! Donna!" the reporters screamed her name.

"Calm down, calm down!" Donnatella Moss, Press Secretary for the Office of the Vice President walked to her lectern.

"Did you see the pictures of…?"

"What kind of…?"

"Is the picture…?"

Donna put up her hand and the assembled members of the Press Corps quieted down a bit.

"Yes, I have seen the pictures and yes, they aren't faked. Vice President Sam Seaborn asked me to inform you that yesterday evening he proposed and Ms. Hayes said yes," Donna imparted. "Later…" she wanted to continue but was interrupted.

"When is the wedding?"

"What did the President say?"

"What did his kids say?"

"Later today, he will be ready to take some questions. The President doesn't know yet, although looking at you lot, I doubt that this fact will be true any longer," Donna remarked dryly, earning smiles from the members of the media. "Joshua and Claudia know about their father's engagement."

"Are they happy about it?"

"What did they say?"

"When will he…"

"Okay, calm down, folks!" Donna commanded them again. "I didn't speak to Joshua and Claudia today and even if I would have, I wouldn't tell you a word about their feelings and you know that. And that's all, I guess."

"Donna! What do you think of it?" Sissy Zane asked her. "After all, she is a Republican."

"I heartily congratulated them. And yes, I know that Ms. Hayes is a Republican. But she is also a beautiful, smart and kind woman."

"What do you think; will this have an impact on bipartisanship on the Hill?"

"Well, you have to ask the Hill about that," Donna said smiling and then wanted to leave the podium.

TBC