Rachel's POV:
Most 10th graders look forward to their field trip to the White House. Well not me.
When your father is Joshua Lyman Chief of Staff and your mother is Donna Lyman Chief of Staff for the First Lady the White House becomes a second home.
My parents love politics, and have worked at the White House many times. The 1st time that my parents worked for the White House was when my Grandfather Jeb Bartlet (who is not really my grandfather)was president. My mother and father met because of politics and have been a team ever since. I memorized the Constitution before I read Charlotte's Web (against my mother's likening) and I love spending time in my parents offices or with their secretaries when I go to the White House. There is always so much going on you can never be board.
My aunt CJ and Aunt Ainsley love to tell me stories of my parents in their early White House days; back when my mother was his secretary. Apparently the rest of the world knew my parents should get together before they realized themselves. CJ talks about their playful banter, there half said language, how my dad gets riled up and mom is the only one that can bring him back to earth and so much more. The joke is I could totally believe the stories because they still act the same and that is why my dad could not know that my school was coming to the White House. I do not want my dad to make a scene.
If my Dad knew I was coming to the White House he would insist on giving the tour and embarrassing me, because that is just what parents do. Then he would convince Uncle Sam to come and talk to the group when there is so many more important things for the President of the United States of America to do than to talk to his God-Daughters class. And this is why I only told Mom.
Sam's POV:
Here I am in Senior staff, even after 6 months of being President; it is weird to be the one listening and not doing the talking. Josh sometimes gets annoyed with me because I try to write my own speeches against his better judgment and of course he is right. Working in the White House reminds me of the days of the Bartlet administration, Toby is still the Chief of Communications, and CJ is still the Press secretary and Josh is my Chief of Staff. President Bartlet always said the best way to pick your Chief of Staff was to give the position to your best friend who is smarter than you who you trust with your life and only Josh fits that Bill.
Today so far has been the quietest day I have ever had working in the White House, no one's attacked America there is no country threatening another country, the Board of the Post Office doesn't even have a controversial stamp they want us to approve of. Too bad Ainsley is in New York promoting education, I can tell that we are going to have little today and I would love to spend my time off with my family. Maybe Jay will have little homework today, we might be able to see a movie or play catch like we did before I was President. I was brought back into reality when I hear Josh say "Sir, there is not much going on today and I know how much you liked being with the people when we were on our campaign trail, why not go sit in the Roosevelt Room and meet the tours as they go through."
"Wow, Josh that is probably one of the lest stupid ideas you have had in a long time." said a really surprised CJ.
"Ok, I will be in the Roosevelt Room, Josh come and get me if anything goes wrong. You are all dismissed." After a chorus of Thank you Mr. President's they exit my office. Once I leave the oval office I realize that I am a little nervous, I do not want to mess up and make anyone's trip to the White House miserable. Josh must of sensed my uneasiness because he said "Sam you will do fine" when I walk past him in the hall. When I got to the Roosevelt Room I settle in a chair and wait for the first group to come in.
Donna's POV:
I love working for the 1st lady, Ainsley is such a great person and a great boss. Being her Chief of Staff is a hard job but I am surrounded by people who I respect and they respect me, I am not Donna Josh's secretary I am Donna Chief of Staff for one of the most important woman in the world.
The first Lady is in New York promoting education right now so I am holding down the fort. I was surprised when Congresswoman Zoey Young of Massachusetts came to my office to tell me that I need to warn Josh that the Bill on Suitable School Fitness was going to be introduced to Congress when it was back in session in a week. I need to warn Josh.
Rachel's POV:
Our School buses have just arrived to the White House. Our Social Studies teacher is telling us to look at the flag pole, the American Flag was flying telling us the President is at home. is fangirling over the White House, you would think this field trip would be less exciting for after going on it for like a decade. goes back to the group of female S.S teachers once she realizes that no one is listening to her. I hear her and the other S.S. teachers gossiping about how President Seaborne is one of the most attractive Presidents this country has ever had. And if that was not enough to make me gag I hear them say that his Chief of Staff Joshua is one of the most influential men in the world and he is also one of the sexiest men too. Kill me know!
Finally our tour started. Good thing we are the 1st tour of the day I do not know how much more I could handle hearing the teachers gossip. We start in the main entrance were we are met by our guide Madelyn, she is around 50 and is a good tour guide, I just happen to know more about the White House than her. When we near the Roosevelt Room I start to feel at home, we are near the part of the building which is like my second home, the West Wing.
Sam's POV:
I start to hear the 1st group coming toward the Roosevelt room. I look around the room quickly and look at the picture of Theodore Roosevelt, I am not making the same mistake twice.(In the Pilot Sam has to give a tour to Mallory, Leo's daughters class and he says the Roosevelt room was named after Franklin D. Roosevelt and that the chairs where made of drift wood from Pirate Ships) The door opens and I hear the Tour Guide say "This is the Roosevelt Room, named after Theodore Roosevelt. Sorry Mr. President I did not see you there. Do you want us to leave?"
"No, it is perfectly ok Madelyn you did not know I was going to be here to meet with some of the tour groups."
Rachel's POV:
You have to be kidding me. I can see and the other female teachers mouths drop and you can tell they are not thinking school appropriately, grows. I am hoping that Uncle Sam does not see me because he would mention this to Dad and embarrass me in front of the kids I will be graduating with. If he tells my dad then I will tell Aunt Ainsley that the S.S. teachers voted for Uncle Sam because they liked his butt. I can only imagine her reaction.
Sam's POV:
When I see all the happy faces looking back at me I decide that this was a brilliant idea. I also decided that I need to say something before the silence becomes awkward, "Hello everyone I am Samuel Seaborne President of the United States of America. I have been given the honor to serve this wonderful country in the way that many Politicians dream of; the people do not realize how hard being the president really is. My staff and I come here early every morning and will sometimes have to stay here until the next. National Emergencies can pop up at any time; there are always Americans in some country that are awake. As President it is my job to protect the people but, I am also just one of the people myself. I am married, I have a son and I was born in this country and I would do anything to protect this country. Does anyone have questions about being President?"
"Is there really a red phone on your desk that will give the clear signal to bomb Russia if you dial it." asks one of the kids.
"No, our relationship with Russia is better than it was during the cold war so we did not need to keep the phone." I answered.
"If you were not president right know, what would you be doing?" asked another kid.
"I would probably be Chief of Communications, during the Bartlet administration I was Deputy Chief of Communications and I loved it," I answered.
"Who is your most valuable person in the White House to you and what is their job" asked another kid.
"I value all the staff. I value my wife Ainsley because she will always stand at my side and point out when I am wrong, I value Danny Concannon because I do not know anyone who can deal with all of the reporters like he does, I value CJ Concannon who can handle any mess, weather it is international or Congressional, I value Toby Ziegler who writes a lot of my speeches because sadly I do not have enough time to write them myself, I value Josh Lyman my Chief of Staff because he keeps this whole administration on track and is my best friend, I value Josh's wife Donna, she is the Chief of Staff for my wife and she is amazing at it; she not only is amazing at work, she is a wonderful mother and is the only person who can calm down her husband, "I say.
"The President is right and Sir you are my best friend too," says Josh who is standing in the door frame. I did not realize he was standing there. "Sir but you forgot a group of people you value," says Josh
"Who?"
"Sir you forgot the people. They are the ones who put us into office, they are the one we are fighting to protect. Sir without them there would be no reason to have a government." says Josh. I do forget sometimes that at the end of the day I am here to serve the people. "Does anyone here know the Preamble to the constitution?" asks Josh "Come on you guys look like your 10th graders, you have all learned U.S history, what is the preamble? Anyone?"
A woman who must be one of the teacher chaperons nudges the girl in front of her which I just noticed looked like Josh's daughter and the teacher then says "Come on you heard Mr. Lyman, and I know you know the Preamble. Say it Rachel." It is Rachel Lyman I look at Josh and I can tell that a million things are going through his head but he is not letting his emotion show. I want to find a way to take the attention off of Rachel but I know it is no use.
Rachel's POV:
Everyone is looking at me, including my father. I am not my mother but I can read his mind and I am not surprised when he says nothing. I realize that there is no way out of this, I am resisting the preamble of the Constitution to the President of the United States. It is kina scary even though I think of the President as my Uncle, here goes nothing " We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
"Good job Rachel I am proud of you," says my father. "The government is here to enforce the Constitution, We want to have a perfect union, establish justice for all people, keep the people safe and give the people of the United States the Freedoms and Liberties that they deserve."
"Thanks." I look around and see everyone is still looking at me. I look at my father and give him the look saying thank you I will explain later, and tell them you are my father. I can tell he gets my message because he smiles.
"The President was right before when he said the people who work here at the White House might seem out of the ordinary but we have kinda normal lives, just ask Rachel. She can tell you how it is to having both of your parents working at the White House right Rachel Lyman."
"Yes Dad I can tell them how your excuses for running 10 minutes late to pick me up from school was because you were stuck in the situation room debating how we can stop Russia without using military force. I could also tell them that I have gone to 12 balls in 1 day with some of the most powerful people in the world present. I could tell them that I know 3 presidents personally and they treat me like family. I could tell them so much more but it is nice to boast". When I finish talking I notice that my dad's face has the biggest smile on it. Then I notice that my mom is walking into the room.
Donna's POV:
I see Josh and the President with a tour group in the Roosevelt Room and my heart melts. Josh has the biggest smile on his face and so does Rachel. It looks like everyone in the room was happy but I really needed to tell Josh what Zoey told me. "Josh I need to talk with you" Josh turns around and his smile gets bigger.
"And what is the pleasure that brings you Mrs. Lyman to the West Wing?" asked my handsome husband.
"I will tell you outside."Then I gave him the look to hurry up. And he gave me the famous smirk.
"Before I leave I just want to tell you guys that you need to follow your own career path, you will never enjoy working unless you are working for your Passion. Nice talking to you guys. Rachel don't forget we are going out tonight," says Josh. And with that he follows me out of the door. Guess he knows about Rachel.
Rachel's POV:
President Seaborne asks us if we have any more questions but before we could ask anything my dad pocks his head into the room and says "Sir, "and with that Uncle Sam left the room. We finished our tour but no one really cared what the tour guide was saying. When we got to the buses I went back to my seat; people kept on telling me how lucky I was to have such cool parents. But it was nothing new, I already knew I had the best parents in the world.