The President's Men
December 21
5.35 pm
The Ziegler-Wyatt House
"It's Josh," Toby shouted when he opened the door.
"Tell him to go away! You are in no condition to help his little President," Andie shouted back but then appeared in the hallway.
"I'm here on behalf of the President, Andie, but he didn't send me to get Toby," Josh told the Senator.
"He didn't? Why doesn't he want Toby?" Andie got angry.
"Because he knows that Toby doesn't want to and because Will wouldn't be comfortable with him," Josh explained.
"Will is still his Chief of Staff?" Toby asked Josh, a frown appearing on his face. "Why is Will his Chief of Staff? What about you?"
"I don't want the job. Okay, that might not be true," Josh added after Andie threw him a skeptical look. "I can't have the job."
"Is this because of Donna?" Toby asked his friend.
"No, Toby, at least not just because of her. Do I need to tell you that I will do anything, and really anything to see my boy grow up?" Josh looked his friend in the eye.
"No, you don't need to tell me about that," Toby said.
"Listen, I like standing around in the hallway, but it's kinda getting cold here," Josh said.
"Of course," Toby and Andie said in unison and then they led Josh into the living room.
Josh looked around and then he noticed that the relative still of the hallway gave way to a somewhat disturbing cacophony coming from upstairs.
"Is that Eminem?" Josh asked Andie.
"Yeah, Huck likes him," Andie admitted with a sigh.
"And U2," Josh stated with a grin.
"Molly's taste is somewhat better," Toby added with a grin similar to Josh'.
"Fifteen years ago, I thought that Eminem was only a trend, a thing that would go away," Josh said.
"Yeah, teenagers are still wild about him. Don't know why," Toby confessed.
"What was that about your condition?" Josh asked Toby. "Is there something I should know about?"
"Josh, I really don't…" Toby began, but Andie interrupted him.
"He is your friend. You will need him," she urged Toby.
"Okay, okay," Toby gave in. "I was diagnosed with gastric cancer. It happened last week, that's why I didn't tell you."
Josh looked at Toby and then at Andie and then back at Toby.
"I don't know what to say. What do the doctors say? Tell me you have consulted more than one doctor," Josh said.
"Yes, two doctors. They said the same. I have four to six months," Toby said, trying to sound impassive while Josh was staring at him, still not believing what he just heard.
"You… I… I don't know what to say, Toby," Josh whispered.
"You don't have to say anything, Josh," Andie reassured him, reaching out for Toby's hand. "We know that you will stand by us whatever happens."
"That's right." Josh nodded. "If there is anything I can do for you, Toby…" he offered.
"You could promise me to take care of my family," Toby said.
"I will. I will take care of them," Josh promised.
"Okay, let's talk about something else!" Toby said then, trying to sound casual. "Why did Sam send you?"
"I don't know if…" Josh began, but Toby cut him off.
"We don't want to anything to change because of this, Josh. The twins don't even know," he said. "I'm gone when I'm gone, until then business as usual. Why did the President send you?"
"Listen, this is a delicate matter and if you are not comfortable about answering my question you can just show me the door, okay?" Josh warned them.
"Spill it, Josh," Andie urged him.
"Andie, I know that Toby asked you many times. Have you ever thought about actually doing it? I mean remarrying him?" Josh said fast, trying to hide his nervousness.
His question made the two laughing out loud. They looked at each other, and Josh saw the love and tenderness in their eyes.
"You already did, right?" he asked then insecurely.
"Yes, Josh. She said yes when I asked her for the 100th time," Toby said with a proud smile. "It happened only two years ago, but we did marry."
"That's great!" Josh exclaimed, beaming at the couple in front of him.
"Why is Sam concerned about our marriage?" Andie asked.
"We are vetting candidates," Josh sobered.
"What kind of candidates?" Andie asked.
"Vice Presidential candidates, honey," Toby whispered. "And I don't know if her chances are better," he told Josh.
"We are ready to fight for her, Toby," Josh informed his friend.
"Really?" Toby asked him, slightly taken aback.
"Besides, she wasn't your wife when you were sentenced," Josh said in a low voice.
"I won't denounce him publicly, Josh," Andie protested.
"And you don't have to, Andie. You are his wife, nobody wants you to denounce him," Josh reassured her. "But it might get ugly," he admitted.
"I don't want your last months…" Andie turned to Toby.
"Andie, listen to me! You are about to become the first female Vice President. You don't get this chance twice. You'll do everything, and I mean everything, they tell you in order to really become the Vice President," Toby told her, squeezing her hand. "I don't mind the newspapers and the news cycles. You can weather them, of that I'm sure, nothing else matters. Fortunately, our kids don't like watching the news and even if they did, I'm ready to discuss this with them.
"Toby…" Andie wanted to protest but was cut off by Toby again.
"Andie. For the first time in your life do what I tell you, please," he whispered.
December 21
9.35 pm
Number One Observatory Circle
"They threw you out of the Situation Room?" Sam heard when he stepped into the sitting room later that evening.
"You talked to Will?" he asked back.
"He said you were there. Every time I called, he said you are in the Situation Room. If I didn't know you better I might have thought you were trying to avoid me," Ainsley said, coming forward to hug him. "Hi," she whispered and then kissed him gently on the lips.
"Hi," Sam whispered back after the kiss. "They are in bed?"
"Yes. Claudia is still up, so say good night to her and then we can continue this interesting conversation about your little obsession with the Situation Room," she said with a smile that made Sam's heart beat faster.
"I'll be right back," he promised and then hurried upstairs.
He said good night to his daughter, tucked her in, kissed her forehead and then switched off the light. He found Ainsley with two glasses of red wine in her hands.
"Thanks," he said after she handed her a glass. "This is exactly what I need," he sighed, sitting down.
"So, why were you in the Situation Room?" Ainsley asked.
"I can't tell you everything, Ainsley. As much as I wanted to, you don't have the code-word clearance for that," Sam pointed out.
"I know, I know," Ainsley said. "I just want you to switch off, Sam," she whispered. "You are working hard but you have to know that you cannot be everywhere. And you have to rest. And I don't only mean the sleeping part. You have to clear your mind. You have to be able to switch off."
"I don't know how to do that," Sam confessed.
"Well, we'll sit here and listen to Michael Bublé for a bit and see if that's gonna work or not. If not, I have a Plan B," Ainsley in a sultry voice.
"We should skip Mr. Bublé and go with Plan B," Sam said with a boyish grin.
"No, Mr. President. We'll sit here, sipping at our wine, listening to Michael Bublé and maybe then we will proceed with Plan B," Ainsley told him, smacking his upper arm playfully.
"How comes that you are here?" Sam asked after a minute of comfortable silence in which he was thinking about last week when he and Ainsley danced to Sway.
"Bob told me he could bring me in so that no one knows. I like him," Ainsley admitted. "He is fun."
"Bob Rosskovich is fun?" Sam asked back lazily, already feeling the beneficial effects of the wine and the relaxing music.
"Yes, he is fun. And he smuggled me in," Ainsley said and then giggled.
"Okay," Sam gave in. "Tell me about your day."
"I was at the court today," Ainsley told him. "You don't want to hear about that."
"Okay, then talk to me about anything. I just want to hear your voice," Sam whispered.
"All right. I was talking to Claudia. She wants to be a bridesmaid. I thought I could ask Molly, too."
"Did Will tell you that I'm considering Andie Wyatt for Vice President?" Sam asked his fiancée.
"No, he didn't tell me. Are you seriously considering her or is this just a… scheme?" Ainsley asked.
"I was seriously considering her," Sam told Ainsley. "I sent Josh to her and he returned with good news and bad news," he said, massaging his temples.
"Do you have a headache?" Ainsley asked him.
"Andie will be my Vice President," Sam avoided answering the question. "But Josh told me something else too. Toby was diagnosed with gastric cancer," Sam added in a whisper.
"Oh, Sam!" Ainsley exclaimed. She took his glass away and hugged him tight. "Everything is gonna be alright, baby," she whispered into his ear.
"He has two to six months. That's what the doctors… say," Sam said, his voice failing him. "I…"
"Sssh, baby. Everything will work out. Toby has a good life. He has two wonderful children and he was able to be there for them," Ainsley said while gently rocking Sam's body.
"I know," Sam sniffed. "But it's not fair."
"It's never fair, Sam," Ainsley said. "You will be there for him and only that matters."
"Thank you for being there for me, Ainsley," Sam whispered back.
TBC
