January 5, 2020

The day Mara had been dreading for years finally arrived on a crisp cool January evening. The doorbell rang and Leo and the current Chair of the DNC were on the other side. Mara answered the door and briefly toyed with the idea of slamming it shut and exclaiming they had moved. Leo wasn't exactly sure what Mara was thinking, but he knew she was debating closing the door on them.

"Hello Mara, you've met Phil Chopard before haven't you?"

"Yes Leo I have, hello Phil. What can I do for you?"

"Is Sam home?"

"No." Mara lied.

"Hey Sweetie who's at the door?" Sam asked as he came out of the kitchen.

"Nice try Mara. Hi Sam." Leo called from the door.

Sam walked over to the door when he heard Leo's voice. As soon as he saw Phil he knew why Mara didn't want to welcome them inside. He kissed her neck and asked them to have a seat.

"Sam, I need a drink, can I interest anyone in one?"

"Some coffee would be good. "Leo replied.

"I'll have some water." Phil stated.

"I'll have whatever you're having sweetie."

Sam rolled his eyes at Mara when he saw the tumbler full of Jack Daniels. He guessed she'd poured him a double and hers looked like a quadruple. She drained half the glass in her first sip and he gave her a look She responded by giving him a fake smile.

"So how is Jenna doing?" Leo inquired.

"Excellent, she defended her master's thesis before Christmas and is just finishing up her course work. She'll be done in March."

"Didn't you do a master's at Oxford Mara?"

"You know I did Leo. I'm sure you didn't come all the way out here for a chit chat Leopold."

"Sam, you've got an impressive record as a Senator and judging by your landslide victory in the last election you are enormously popular with Maryland voters. Have you given any thought to furthering your political career?"

"I've given it some thought Phil, as Leo knows. Do you have any thing specific in mind for me?"

Leo took a note out of his pocket and handed it to Sam. He read it and smiled softly, the memory of the first time he heard the words came floating back into his memory. He handed Mara the note. She opened it and recognized Jed's writing immediately. She didn't have to read the note to know what it said. She read it anyway: Sam, Don't be scared, you can do it. I believe in you. Jed.

Mara handed Sam the note back and finished the rest of her drink.

"Sam, the DNC would like you to run for President. We can't officially support you until after the convention but we think you are the best candidate for the job.."

"Thanks, I'd have to talk this over with my family. Can I get back to you in a week?"

"That would be fine Sam. I look forward to hearing from you. It's getting late we should leave. Thank you for the drink Mara, it was nice seeing you again."

"Drive safely Phil." Mara replied and stood up.

"I'm going to finish my coffee Phil. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Leo stated.

Sam walked Phil to the door and sat on the couch beside Mara. She was drinking his drink and looking straight through Leo. Sam gave Leo a sympathetic smile which elicited a chuckle from Leo.

"Mara, you knew this day would be coming." Leo said gently.

"That doesn't make it any easier to hear Leo. Am I so awful for wanting to keep my husband to myself? I don't sleep well when he's not in bed with me and you're asking me to send him off to a different town every night for what 10 months? "

"I know it's going to be hard Mara but..."

"But nothing Leo, this isn't even my damn country so you can't appeal to my sense of duty. I'm telling you both now, that I'm not going more than a few days without seeing my husband. The country better understand that they aren't getting a First Lady either. I've got a job, thank you very much."

"Mar, we can work out a schedule. I promised you that my family would always be my first priority and I have no intention of changing my priorities. I also don't expect you to give up your career to be a First Lady. You've never suited the East Wing. I can see you in the Sit. room but not hosting an arts tea or dedicating a monument. We'll make this work our way Baby."

"I'm going to make you sign a contract and get Ainsley to witness it."

"You two are the strangest couple I've ever met in my life."

"Thanks Leo, we try hard to be the best."

Leo shook his head at them both and finished his coffee. They talked about Matthew, Jenna and Mallory's two children for about an hour until Leo wished them a good night and let himself out. Sam locked the door, brought the glasses in to the kitchen and left them in the sink.

"Come to bed my love."

"Why? I'm not going to be able to sleep a wink."

"Me either but our bed is more comfortable than the couch."

"Sam, I don't want to compete for your attention."

"You'd win you know."

"After eighteen years, I bloody well better."

"Come to bed and we can start discussing your terms."

"You can be on the road one day a week." Mara stated as she got comfortable in his arms.

Sam kissed the top of her head. "If I actually thought that would work..."

"How about four days campaigning, three days at home then the reverse the following week."

"That could work."

"You're going to have to take Matty to Disney World before you start all of this. He's not going to understand why we can't go in June."

"I will and I'll book two weeks off in May for our beach house getaway."

"We do three weeks Sam."

"Come on Mara, two weeks is a long time during a Presidential campaign."

"Samuel, you begrudge me 7 lousy days after 18 years of marriage?"

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Turn everything around so you sound right and I sound like a world class creep if I don't agree."

"You'd be a jackass too."

"Mar, this isn't going to be easy is it?"

"Nope, you also have to be home every Sunday."

"As part of the 3 or 4 days or in addition to?"

"I'll give you a break, part of is fine."

"Anything else?"

"You will not miss Birthdays and you will not tell anyone to handle me. You understand that I can't campaign for you, even if I wanted to. Matty and Jenna will not be dragged into this. No press when you are ours."

"Is that all?"

"I'm sure I'll think of a lot more. Are you sure you really want to do this?"

"I do, I want to be President Mara, I want to change the way this country is run."

"Then God help us both because we are going to need it."

Sam chuckled softly and left a kiss on her neck. "Go to sleep Mara."

"You're going to have to talk to Josh and Toby."

"I know, I'll call them in the morning. Go to sleep."

Sam woke up the next morning to an empty bed and sighed. He took a shower, got dressed and went down to the kitchen. Mara was sitting at the counter still in her PJ's sipping out of a mug.

"Tell me that is not coffee."

Mara gave him a look like he was insane. "Hot chocolate, I heard the coffee maker turn on though."

Sam poured himself a large mug of coffee and looked into the fridge. He took out two eggs and a loaf of bread. Mara heard the eggs crack but didn't look up to see what he was doing.

"So how many French toasts do you want?"

"Three, did you put cinnamon in with the egg?"

"Yeah, do you want to go wake Matty up?"

"No let him sleep, he rather have cereal in the morning anyway. Well I guess New Hampshire and Iowa are out."

"Iowa is, I might be able to squeak into New Hampshire."

"Sam, Josh has a contract with Capitol Beat, what if it's up in June? You're screwed."

"Didn't he start just as we got back from Anguilla? That was the end of January."

"I don't remember."

"I'll find out when I call him. Think he'd be up now?"

"Sam, eat breakfast first. It's not even eight yet."

Sam flipped the French toast and took out maple syrup for himself and Aunt Jemima Lite for Mara. After all these years, he still found it hard to believe that she hated pure maple syrup. They ate breakfast in silence. Sam washed the dishes, poured her a glass of orange juice and picked up the phone. She gave him a look and went to lie down on the couch.

"Hello?"

"Hey Donna is Josh up?"

"He will be in a minute. Noah go wake your Dad up and tell him Sam is on the phone."

Noah turned around and yelled for Josh.

"Noah, I could have done that myself. Now go upstairs and wake him up."

A minute later Josh picked up the phone, still half asleep. "What Sam."

"I need you to run my Presidential campaign."

"Yeah sure, I'll call you later. Kay?"

Sam figured he'd give Josh ten minutes to realize what he had agreed to then call him back.

Josh got out of bed and padded downstairs to the kitchen. He poured himself a cup of coffee, tousled Noah's hair and gave Donna a kiss."

"So what did Sam want?"

"He wanted me to run his Presidential campaign." Josh said through a yawn.

The look on Donna's face told Josh that he should repeat what he had just said to himself. Donna watched him wondering how long it would take him to clue in. She could almost see his thought process from beginning tothe end when his dropped jaw.

"Holy crap! I need to call Sam back."

"Ya think?'

"Shut up Donna."

"Dad, it's rude to tell Mom to shut up."

"Noah is correct Joshua. I believe you owe me an apology."

"Sorry I was rude to you." Josh replied as he picked up the phone and dialed Sam.

"Hello."

"Hey you caught me half asleep."

"No really? You didn't seem too enthusiastic to me so I called Toby and..."

"Sam that's not funny. So you're really going to do this?"

"Yeah we are really going to do this. When are you available."

"I'll start pulling up all the filing dates for the primaries as soon as I get off the phone with you. We need to hire a staff, we need a base of operations, we need to start fund raising, we need you to announce..."

"Whoa Josh, what about your contract with Capitol Beat?"

"My last show is the first Saturday of February. Hey you can announce on my last show."

"Josh I think I need to announce before that. If I remember right there are 5 or 6 primaries before Michigan and that's before the tenth."

"You have a point. Let me go look up the filing dates while you call Toby. Get him to come down today. We'll start tonight over dinner. Your dining room can be our war room."

"Kay, I'll call you after I speak to Toby."

"Mara, can I send the jet to go pick up Toby?" Sam asked as he left the kitchen.

"Whatever." Mara mumbled.

"Please tell me you aren't going to be like this for the next nine years?"

"I'm in a bad mood so deal with it or get the hell out of my face."

"I give up, I'm going to the study."

Sam had just finished talking to Toby when Matthew poked his head in the study.

"Morning Daddy, I thought I heard your voice. How come you aren't at work yet?"

"I had work to do here first. There is a vote at two so I'll go in shortly. Sit down Matty, I want to talk to you."

"What's up Dad?"

"What's your schedule like at school next week? Any tests or assignments due?"

"No, are we going somewhere?"

"Yeah. What I'm about to tell you can't leave this room son. Jenna doesn't even know yet so I need you to ..."

"Forget what you're going to tell me."

"I've decided to run for President. It means I'm going to be away on the campaign trail for most of each week. It means that there is no way we can go to Disney World in June. So I thought we'd go next week instead."

"Wow, Mommy isn't going to be very happy when you tell her. She gets miffed when you are late for dinner."

"She's not very happy but she understands that running is very important to me. I've wanted to be President since I worked for Grandpa Jed."

"Is Mom going to go with us?"

"I'd like her to but I don't know if she'll be able to. Hopefully she can join us on the weekend. Do you have any questions?"

"Not now but I'm sure I'll think of something later. Who knows you are going to run?"

"Mom, Uncle Josh, Aunty Donna, Uncle Toby and Uncle Leo."

"You better tell Jenna or she'll be mad."

Sam looked at his watch, did the math and decided he'd try to speak to Jenna. He was just about to hang up when the phone was picked up.

"Hello."

"Hi Sweetie, I thought you weren't home."

"I was doing laundry. Nice to hear from you. How's Mar and Matty doing?"

"Pretty good, you want to talk to Matty for a minute?"

"Sure."

Matthew talked to Jenna for five minutes then went downstairs to have breakfast. He noticed his mother on the couch and watched her for a minute. She seemed sad to him so he decided to cheer her up.

"Mommy."

"Yes my love?"

"I promise that when Daddy is on the road I'll give you lots of extra hugs so you don't get so sad."

"Oh Sweetie, you are the best son in the world. I love you so much. Now come give me a hug."

Matthew wrapped his arms around her, thrilled that he could make her so happy. "I love you too Mommy."

"So what kind of cereal do you want today?"

"Sugar Corn Pops. Are you coming to Disney with Daddy and I?"

"I'll have to meet you down there. Maybe I can fly in Wednesday night, If not I'll be there Thursday night."

"It's cool, today is a PA day and I get to spend next week in Disney."

"Sometimes I wonder where we got you. Your Dad and I both loved school."

"It's boring, we never do anything challenging."

"I'll talk to your teacher at the next conference. Come on I'll pour you a bowl of cereal."

"Can we make cookies later?"

"Sure, double chocolate or toffee or..."

"Plain old chocolate chip cookies are my favourite."

"Then that's what we'll make."

Sam made it to the Capitol just in time for the vote. After the vote he called Ginger into his office to tell her the news. She seemed relieved that Sam didn't want her to go on the road with him. Carol surprised him when she told him she'd be happy to be his press secretary as long as it meant she didn't have to leave Washington. Her decision put a dent in his plans but he'd have to deal with it. He made it home in time for dinner and Mara seemed to be in a better mood. Toby and Josh arrived mid dinner and Mara talked mostly about Mandy. After dinner, Mara packed up a large tin of cookies and told Sam they were going over to Ainsley's to draw up the contract.

"What contract? Toby asked as the door closed.

"Oh yeah, I guess I should have mentioned Mara's conditions."

"I'm going to need a drink for this." Toby muttered.

"You'll want a double."

"Sam?" Josh asked as he felt a headache starting.

"I can't involve the kids, can't have her public support, can't miss birthdays, I have to be home on Sundays and I can't be on the road more than four days a week. Actually I'm suppose to alternate four days on the road one week, four days home the next. "

"Sam, 3 days a week is impossible. Four is bad enough but there is no way we can do three. I'll have to talk to Mara."

"That won't work, she doesn't want to be handled. All communication with her has to come from me directly."

"Then call her at Ainsley's now." Toby grumbled.

Sam came back fifteen minutes later with a plate of cookies, shaking his head.

"Don't tell me, she wouldn't cave." Josh groaned.

"No she agreed, she reminded me that I have to take two weeks off in May for Anquilla."

"Two weeks? Is she trying to kill us?" Toby exclaimed.

"Hey she wants three weeks, I'm a jackass for not giving her a lousy week after 18 years of marriage. She also told me that we could have the 7th floor of Canada Place as headquarters."

"What's the rent?" Josh asked.

"A dollar a month. It's already Internet wired, there are about 40 desk sets and we can use the conference room on the empty 8th floor. Ainsley is going to write the contract up tomorrow."

"Wow, that leaves us with very little overhead. She's a pain in the ass but she comes in handy every so often."

"Josh, only I get to call her a pain in the ass. She's done a hell of a lot for you buddy."

"Sorry, so back to the primary schedule."

At ten Mara and Matty returned. Matty went upstairs to get ready for bed and Mara dropped a contract in front of Sam.

"Sign it."

Sam started reading the contract.

"What you don't trust me Samuel?"

"It's not that, I'd like to know what the conditions are. How will I know if I'm breaking the contract, if I don't know what's in it."

"Fine, give Matty ten minutes then go tuck him in. I'm going to read, don't be up all night. Good night Toby and Josh."

"Night Mara." They replied in unison.

Mara glanced sideways at Sam when he slid into bed a little after midnight. She finished reading the chapter she was on then closed her book.

"So you sent the hooligans home?"

"Yes I did. Your cookies were quite delicious."

"Matty and I made them this afternoon."

"I figured he helped because there are lots of extra chocolate chips."

"He kept dumping them in, even when I told him we had enough. He said you can never have enough chocolate. He formed them all and put them on baking sheets. We had fun."

"I'm sorry I missed it. Thanks for Canada Place, it solves one logistical nightmare, not to mention saving us a ton of money."

"I can't support you so the least I can do is give you a roof and four walls."

Mara cuddled up to Sam and he sighed, "I'm really going to miss you beautiful. How will I ever get a decent nights sleep?"

"I'll be using sleeping pills. You on the other hand will probably be so tired each night you'll fall asleep fully clothed."

"I didn't notice it in the contract but I'll call you every day."

"What do you think carrying a new dedicated cell phone was for. Only Jenna, Matty and I will have the number."

"Oh, We've decided that I should announce right after we get back from Disney. You'll be at my press conference right?"

"I can't Sam, my presence can be seen as the Canadian government endorsing a candidate. I'm going to talk to the Prime Minister and find out if I can even go as your wife to fund raisers. I can't solicit funds but I'm hoping I can eat a dinner with you."

"Shit, this is going to be even more complicated than I imagined."

"Sweetie when is anything ever easy for us? Which by the way, is why I'm positive you are going to win the election. My life would be too easy if you lost, you could go back to teaching and I'd have you to myself 24/7."

Sam chuckled, "So using your logic, I'll be President for two terms then."

"Of course, eight years in a fish bowl is worse than four."

"Geez I can tell Josh and Toby that we don't have to try very hard because I'm destined to win."

"Go ahead tell them, they'll laugh you out of the room. So what were you saying about Carol?"

"She doesn't want to leave Washington so I need someone to do press with the knowledge that they won't be coming to the White House."

"I don't blame her Sam, she has a family to think of. I can't believe Donna is letting Josh run away and join your circus. You forget that when you were all trekking across the country for Jed you were all young and single. You didn't have families to worry about. It's a good thing you wanted Ginger to stay here because as much as she loves ya, she loves her family more."

"She looked relieved when I told her. I guess we need to find crazy 30 year olds who will work 24/27 for peanuts."

"You should see if any of your old students are interested in working for the campaign."

"That is a brilliant idea. Ginger has the e-mail lists, I can compose a message and get her to send it out for me."

"It's more work for Ginger but you should get her to send one at a time, no cc's."

"Yeah that would look better. You sure you don't want to be my consultant?"

"I'm positive Samuel. Good night."

Mara tossed and turned a few times before wrapping her arms around Sam and using him as her pillow. Sam kissed the top of her head and ran his fingers through her slightly damp hair. Mara was asleep quickly but the excitement of the day kept Sam awake for another hour.