Author's Note: The following is a 'free-write' based on the Book of McNamara. The chapter's called 'One's on the Way' for several reasons. The President, David Owens, is from Topeka, Kansas. In the Loretta Lynn song, One's on the Way, the city Topeka is mentioned. The story is based on an unexpected trip Presidential Aide Suzanne McNamara Gibbs needs to make with the President and his family. The reason for the story is to develop the "Suzanne" character outside of NCIS.
McNamara Rule: Pack Tight, Travel Light!
The Executive Office of the President called the trio, The Big Three, meaning that no one could outmatch, out skill or outwit the intellect of Political Strategist Claudia Bailey, Seasoned Executive Linda Person, and newcomer Suzanne Gibbs, his Scheduler and Executive Aide. When given a task from the President of the United States, it would be completed beyond expectation. The main task was Scheduling. Suzanne's responsibilities incorporated both research and scheduling duties Office of the President. They lovingly pepped, teased, and uplifted one another.
It was Friday, and the ladies were discussing weekend plans. Linda was the elder of the group. Grandchildren were the main activity of her weekend, spending time with her grand babies.
Next was Claudia; she was the worker of the group. Her responsibilities included 'spinning,' or appearing on television news on Sundays. "I don't mind; long as I accrue comp time..." Claudia chuckled. A slow weekend, 'Claude' planned to enjoy an actual Saturday and Sunday away from work.
"No spinning this weekend; I am actually going to the Divisional game: Washington v. Dallas..." holding the tickets in her hand.
"I've been trying to get end zone tickets for that game since October…" Suzanne typed.
"I'm seeing one of DE's…" Claudia admitted. "Met him at an event. He gave me a pass."
"Sounds interesting…" Linda raised an eyebrow.
Suzanne was the newbie, "Newlywed" as Claudia affectionately nicknamed her. 'We all know what she's doing this weekend…' Before she could answer, the President left from the library, tossing on Suzanne's desk an itinerary for the weekend.
"You're packed for this weekend, right?"
Surprised, Suzanne chuckled at first, thinking it was a joke. Family vacation was on his itinerary, not hers. Her primary responsibility: travel arrangements for both foreign and domestic trips regarding governmental affairs.
"Where…in my job description am I supposed to accompany you on a family vacation, Mr. President?"
"One of your responsibilities, Mrs. Gibbs…"
'Mrs. Gibbs? Oh, hell…' she thought. He continued.
"…is to accompany and assist the President with duties associated with the Office of the President as needed." Owens concluded.
"Do you have a to-go bag ready?"
"No, Mr. President." Suzanne honestly answered. "I honestly thought it was a scheduled private vacation with your family, without your scheduler." He groaned in exasperation. "I had my bag sent to the cleaners."
"Linda, please redirect all Mrs. Gibbs' calls to voice mail." His solitary finger pointed at Suzanne. "You have two hours to pack. Two bags: one for this trip and an extra one for the next. First warning. Don't let this happen again." He returned to his library and closed the door.
"Now, where am I going?" Suzanne checked his schedule against his. Finally, she landed on the destination. Her smile immediately changed into panic, the eyes bulged, moving to and fro. The facial expressions were priceless; Linda often said the eyes never lied.
"Topeka?!" She sighed.
"Oh, you're meeting Senior about the David Robert Owens Jr Library." Claudia chuckled.
"The library? The President has already agreed: begins inside the Brown Historical Site in Downtown Topeka…" Checking her tablet, flicking her finger for notes and reading verbatim. "Interactive walking site…continues along SE and Kansas Avenue on the future building at the end of SE and Kansas Ave."
"Ironic how Topeka was the center of important Civil Rights legislation and the birthplace of an African-American President?" Linda sipped on her coffee. "Washburn wants to align with the Owens legacy."
"Done before my time." Suzanne nodded, searching for her car keys and purse. "The President was delighted by the offer."
"You're meeting the parents this weekend." Not even a student of Catholicism, Claudia signified in movement the blessings of God be upon her that weekend through the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. "Heh. Good luck on impressing Senior."
"Why are you needed in Topeka?" Jethro Gibbs hated last-minute trips, especially on a rare three day holiday weekend. It was usually him who postponed the fun; he sympathized with the ex-wives who lived moment-to-moment.
"I don't know…" Suzanne quickly gathered clothing, wearing her cordless device to speak and hear. "It might be the library. Claudia mentioned Owens' father. Hell, I might have to play Nanny for the kids! I don't have a clue!"
"Oh! What do you wear in Kansas?!" She groaned in frustration, and clothes are piled around the bed. Too many clothes for a three day trip! Travel light; right. Coming from Army roots, she knew how to pack light, right, and tight for three days.
"Suz…" Jethro chuckled at the small ramblings. For a moment, her concentration span were a combination of many thoughts. In the short amount of time, she settled on the wardrobe. The clothes were in the bag. Her "essentials"—toiletries, underclothing, exercise clothing, walking/running shoes, and even spare towels, washcloths- she always kept spares at work.
"Suzanne, be yourself. The family will adore you much as I do." Jethro reminded her of positive traits she possessed—honesty, compassion, trustworthiness, and most of all, friendliness. "That is what Owens sees in you."
'Don't thank me: thank Suzanne from the office. She went shopping for you four.' David Owens returned from the Williamsburg trip, reminding them that it was his personal aide who selected the gifts.
The older three viewed Suzanne as just 'weird." She sang old songs in her office—always something they never heard. Suzanne had some rapport but just allowed the necessary space. Twin sons David and Christopher were high school sophomores, both handsome and splitting images of their father. David was not the politician; Christopher was more politically active. Eldest daughter Mackenzie was an eighth grader who only wanted to be known as Mac Owens, not Dave and Chris' sister or President and Mrs. Owens' daughter.
The youngest, Jessica, was drawn to the quirkiness. The most outgoing of the Presidential children, she was the first to introduce herself to Suzanne. Age 7, all she knew of the man was 'Daddy.' The third grader recognized the word "President" from History class and understood it was an important job. Jess didn't fully grasp how it affected her, just that two nice people sat in class with her every day and that they whispered Penny loafer. She was known to sneak down to EOP-Executive Office of the President- from the residence to spend time with Mrs. Person, Mrs. Bailey and "Q." Linda was the Grandma. Claudia was the auntie. To Jess, Suzanne was her playmate and confidant. She remembered Suzanne as the person who brought the cool stuff back from the trip. During a residence meeting, Jessica introduced herself.
"Why does my daddy call you Q?" Asked the precious one at their first meeting, an informal meeting in the residence.
"It's my nickname." She simply answered. "Just like he calls you Double R." Both Jessica and Suzanne smiled.
"Thank you for Hans and Helga." Jessica remembered the present Suzanne bought during the first overnighter, her first assignment. A friend from the merchandise department at the local theme park sent the two bears upon Suzanne's request.
"You are welcome!" Suzanne replied, laughed. "They're friends of mine who lived in Williamsburg. They're actually from the Black Forest in this country called Germany."
"Well, my name is Jessica Catherine Owens." She said. "I was named after my Grandma."
"And my name is Suzanne McNamara Gibbs."
The President just observed, appreciated the time she took with Jessica; it was genuine. Suzanne spoke to the youngster honestly, gently.
"You have a funny middle name." Jessica chuckled.
"My middle name is actually Denise. When I met Mr. Gibbs, I used my old last name as my middle name. I was named after my Grandma too."
"Oh." Jessica simply said. "You got married." She noticed Suzanne's rings. "His name is Gunny?" Suzanne stifled her laugh.
"I…I think your parents might want you to call him Agent Gibbs if you should ever meet him."
"Is Gunny a bad word?"
"It's not, Sweetheart. It just doesn't sound right when you first meet someone. Okay?" The two nodded in agreement. "Maybe later on, it will be okay to call him Gunny."
"Guess what? I can name words beginning with the letter Q..." Jessica said proudly, sitting closer to Suzanne.
"I bet you can!" Suzanne replied.
"You know what? My sister says she's too big to play dollies with me. My brothers say I'm too little and might get hurt playing football." Jessica pouted. "It's not fun being 7 years old. There's no one to play with."
"You know what? My brothers said the same thing to me too." Suzanne responded. "Now, I'm a grown up too, just like they are!"
"How many brothers do you have?"
"I have two." She scooped Jessica into her lap. "I remember what it was like." She gently fixed her hair in the ponytail. "They love you. They play a little rough and are afraid they'll hurt their baby sister."
"Maybe one day...you can come play with me?" Jessica asked.
"If it's okay with your parents, sure, I will. I don't have little girls in my family, so…it'll be fun."
"You have nephews?"
"I have six nephews!" Suzanne laughed. She glanced at the clock, noticed the time.
"Are you done with your homework, Jess?"
"I have to read today. 30 minutes."
"Ah, it's DEAR time." Suzanne tapped her side, urging Jessica to sit closer. "We drop everything and read together? Then, you'll have to go to sleep for school tomorrow. Okay?"
"I'll get one from my bookcase!"
Suzanne returned as the President ordered—two adequately packed to-go bags and her workbags. She promptly returned 45 minutes ahead of schedule. She knocked twice briefly before opening the front door.
"Mr. President, I want to apologize…"
He motioned to close the door and to step further inside the office.
"I have a reputation to protect, Q." He smiled. "You didn't know about the trip, so I didn't expect you to have a to-go bag ready."
"I don't understand…"
"I wanted you to escort us this weekend because it's both family and personally related." He continued. "It is about the library in Topeka and my father."
On the plane ride, Jess insisted that Suzanne sat beside her.
"I can't wait to see Nana and Granddad!" She squirmed in the seat.
"Has it been a long time?"
"Since Thanksgiving." There was a pause. "A lot's happened! We had two snow days! I got my report card and made all A's! Daddy hired you, I lost a tooth…"
Thank God, Suzanne thought. She was not necessarily in trouble. She needed Jess to reveal more.
"Is that why your daddy wanted me to come with you all this weekend, to meet your grandparents?" Suzanne whispered. "I work for your parents. I'm not really part of the family."
"Mom and Daddy said that if anything happens to me, that I can tell you and Gunny Gibbs in case of an emergency!" Jessica wore a charm bracelet with various charms. Upon careful inspection, the charm opened and the telephone number is engraved.
"Well…Granddad wanted to meet you. That's what Daddy told Mom the other day." Jessica confirmed.
She relaxed further in the seat, with her right hand covering her eyes and taking an extended sigh of relief. A myriad of thoughts crossed her mind about the upcoming conversation or conversations. Take a pick, she chuckled softly. 'What haven't I done out of protocol?'
· 'I dress too casually for the Presidential Assistant?'
When she boarded on the plane, the professional clothing remained on—pinstripe pants, red long-sleeved oxford with grey neckerchief, a blue sweater and matching red flat dress shoes. The family donned denim clothing and sneakers.
· 'I speak off record too much with the President, give unsolicited advice.'
During the European junket, Suzanne Gibbs was quoted alone when asked about Measure 591, the legislature regarding environmental legislation. In frustration, perfectly communicated and emphasized as her opinion alone, not of the White House, she reiterated the merits of the bold methods for reversing some damage caused by robbing the earth of natural and human resources by creating eco-friendlier solutions to economic growth and reinvestment in domestic infrastructure. "And our legislators wonder as to why our industrialized nation lags behind in educational and economic development. Take a lead from our European counterparts who began the Industrial Age…"
· 'I picked up Jessica in a regular car? I hang out with her after hours?'
Both the President and Mrs. Owens were in meetings, and she was asked by Secret Service to pick up Jess from school. Suzanne drove an alternate car instead of the red Karmann Ghia: her mother's non-descriptive blue station wagon with two-wheel drive. When asked by the security staff, Suzanne mentioned her mother's visit and insistence on driving the newer model for impending weather. A second car, an escort, was needed for protocol. The agents followed Suzanne in their sedan back to the residence.
· 'My hours are only 7 to 5 pm—nothing more, nothing else.'
Others left but Suzanne stayed with the precocious 7 year old, socks off, sitting by the fireplace. "This is my favorite book…" Suzanne smiled as she touched at the cover, remembering with fondness the first time she read the Jack Ezra Keats' classic, The Snowy Day. "I was six years old and lived in Hawaii. It was always nice and warm there, and I wore shorts and t-shirts to school all year round! Well, we went to Kentucky to see my grandma on Easter break, and it snowed that Friday when we got there! Mom went to the store to get me some warm clothes and gloves! Grandma had the book, and we read the book that night. The next day, I wore an outfit just like Peter's! That was the first time I ever got to play in the snow!" Jessica was perfectly fine, with an adult, supervised.
"Secret Service has the key for the hollowed charms. See?" Jessica replied. The ingenious catch was how it contained information. Suzanne's information was stored in a silver teddy bear, with small initials GSMG on its side. "That's why you could pick me up at school that snow day in your mom's car."
The plane made its descent into the airport. Waiting were special agencies in Topeka and the President's parents—Mr. and Mrs. David Owens Sr. Suzanne heard the President immediately asking for her presence whenever possible.
"I guess you get to see your grandparents first, Jess." She smiled.
"You'll love them, Susie." Jessica said. "Because I love them and I love you." Happily, she jumped from her seat and joined her older siblings, waving goodbye.
"Mr. President, I'm still uncertain as to why I'm on your family vacation…"
The two stepped off to the side to speak further on the matter.
"My dad likes to meet everyone on staff, significantly the ones who are 'free spirits.'" He chuckled. "Since you're the last new hire…" The President and Suzanne continued their walk towards David Owens the elder. Nervous, Suzanne's last thought as she approached Senior Owens was, 'Lord, Give me strength…'