The Other Daughter- part 34
Rating: teen
Disclaimers: see part 1
A/N: Feedback please!
Thursday morning, CJ, Leo, and Molly trudged into the West Wing. Owing to the fact that it was Veteran's Day, Molly was spending the day with Leo. Mary had been called the week before by her supervisor on the Mall to see if she would come down and help out with the influx of visitors.
"Hey Joshie," Molly called to her favourite West Wing staffer.
"Hey Small Fry," he smiled as he walked over and scooped her up in his arms. "Where's your sister?"
"She got called into work since they're going to be busy," Molly explained.
"They do that?" Josh questioned.
"Only for the top ten rated guides," Leo added.
"Wow, she's good then," Josh concluded.
"She's the best," Molly boasted. "She's really good with veterans."
Leo and CJ went there separate directions with a squeeze of hands. Molly waved and followed her father into his office. She set her bag on the table and took of her coat. She was sporting her black and pink box pleat skirt, white tights, black shoes, a white blouse, and a pink cardigan; punk but appropriate for the White House, something which Leo insisted on if she was spending the day there.
"So what are you gonna do?" Leo asked as he hung up her coat.
"I have my book," she smiled. CJ gave her Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the day before at her party, "and I have my essay I have to write for tomorrow. I have my coloring pencils and drawing pad; I won't be a bother, I promise."
"I know you won't Sweet Pea."
"Leo," Margaret called as she popped her head into his office, "the President wants to see Molly."
"You know the way?" he asked with a smiled.
"Yup; I know the way." She hopped down and skipped out the door.
The little girl pranced down the hall causing each somber secret service agent to crack a faint smile as she passed.
"Hello Mrs. Landingham," Molly smiled as she came to a stop in front of the older woman's desk.
"Hello Molly. How are you today?"
"I'm well, thank you. Margaret said the President wanted to see me?"
"He does; Happy Birthday, by the way. Would you like a cookie?"
"I would and thank you. I'm 10 now."
"Is the birthday girl here yet?" the President yelled.
"Go on in sweetheart." Molly took her cookie and skipped into the Oval Office.
"Hello Molly. Happy Birthday!" Jed boomed.
"Thank you." She gave Jed one of her 'Million Dollar Smiles' and his heart melted.
"I have something for you," he said as he reached into his brief case and pulled out a small box. "Your Dad said you were doing your First Communion so Abbey and I thought this might be appropriate." He handed the box to Molly. She unwrapped the box and opened it.
"It's so pretty," she smiled when she opened the little box. Inside was a small gold crucifix. "Will you put it on me?" she asked with her big blue eyes.
Jed nodded. He pushed her long blond hair to the side and put the necklace around her little neck.
"It's lovely; thank you." She went up on her toes and kissed his cheek.
"You are quite welcome. How was your party?"
Molly went on to recount her birthday party the day before with great detail. Jed laughed at the thought of his best friend at the movies with his three daughters, 10 little girls and his girlfriend but knew full well he had a good time in the process.
"Well, I have to work," he said as he dismissed her.
"Thank you again, Mr. President." Molly waved to the older man and skipped out the door. Jed smiled at the sight.
When Molly got back to Leo's office, she found the door closed so she went to Margaret's section.
"Does he have a meeting?" she asked the red-headed woman.
"The Vice-President just showed up," she explained.
"Alright. I'm gonna go work in Sam's office. Can you tell my Daddy?"
"Sure, Sweetie. I'll tell him."
Molly made her way over to Sam's office where the door was open. Sam was busy writing at his desk.
"Hey Sammy, can I work in here?"
"Work work? Because I have to finish these remarks for the President to give tonight at a Veteran's thing."
"I have an essay I have to write; I will bug you for a pad of paper and a pencil and that will be it," she said with an affirmative nod.
Sam handed her a yellow pad of paper and a pencil. The little girl took both of the offered objects and sat down on the floor next to table in the office and set herself to work.
She methodically made her thought web and outline for her essay before starting to write. Sam was fascinated by the little girl; she was working so intently that he had to ask what she was doing; by the look on her face, she could have been crafting a draft for the State of the Union.
"The subject is 'What Veteran's Day means for Me'." She held up her thought web and outline for him to see.
"And what does Veteran's Day mean for you Ms. McGarry?"
"It means honouring and remembering soldiers who fought for America when most of them didn't need to; remembering men like my Papa Tom and Papa Jack who fought in World War II and being grateful to men like my Daddy and Agent Smith and Rodney who still serve this country," she explained.
"And who are Papa Jack and Papa Tom?"
"Papa Jack was my Mommy's Daddy; he fought in Europe and Papa Tom was Daddy's Daddy. He fought in the Pacific," the little girl explained." Agent Smith is Daddy's Secret Service agent at work; he was a soldier in Panama and Rodney guards Uncle Jed's office."
"I would very much like to read it when you're done."
The little girl simply smiled and nodded at the young speech writer. "I'll tell Mallory you were nice to me; she likes you, you know."
Sam smiled and blushed a bit before turning back to his work.
Both Sam and Molly worked for half an hour by which time Sam was finished his remarks and Molly was finished her first draft.
"Let's go for a walk and then I'll edit for you," he offered as he extended his hand to the little girl. Molly and Sam walked hand in hand to the Mess where he bought her a cookie and a juice before making the walk back to the West Wing.
"So Mallory likes me?" he prodded.
"Yeah, but she's scared to date you because of what happened between her Mom and Daddy; that she'll fall in love and one day you won't be there," the little girl explained.
"She told you that?"
"Well, not with words or anything like that, but a girl can tell these things."
"How do I show her that I won't do that?"
"Who am I, Oprah? You have to figure that one out on your own."
"I'd say more of a Dear Abbey sort," Sam shot back.
The pair laughed at their joke; Sam Seaborn was fast becoming a big brother to Molly and he did quite enjoy it.
"Let me see this essay of yours."
Molly handed Sam her essay; she seemed a bit nervous in doing so.
"It's ok; I'll be gentle," he assured.
What Veteran's Day Means to Me- By Molly McGarry
Veteran's Day was created by Woodrow Wilson after World War I as a way to honour and remember the soldiers who served and in some cases, died, during the war. The day chosen was November 11 because that was the day the Armistice was signed the year before.
America didn't have to join the war; in fact they didn't until April 1917, nearly three years after the war started. America joined the war because they wanted to help their allies: England, France and Belgium. They wanted to serve and protect their friends.
For me, Veteran's Day means remembering and honouring those who served and protected and who serve and protect our country and our allies. It's about saying thank you to people who did something very brave, often very far from home. It takes a lot of courage to leave home to go fight for someone else country, especially when you don't have a connection there, but millions of soldiers in our history did this very thing.
This Veteran's Day, I will be remembering my papas Jack MacKenzie and Tom McGarry, both soldiers in the army during World War II, one in Europe, the other in the Pacific. I will be saying thank you to Rodney Johnson, a marine who guards my uncle's office, Agent Peter Smith, a Secret Service agent who keeps my Daddy safe at work, Admiral Percy Fitzwallace who keeps our country safe, even though most people don't know it, and last but not least, my Daddy, Leo McGarry, who was a pilot in Viet-Nam and now works to make our country a better place for everyone.
"What do you think?" she asked as she cocked her head and fidgeted where she stood.
Sam looked at the little girl before him.
"You wrote from the heart; that's hard to do sometimes."
"You like it?" She looked at him with bright blue eyes.
"Don't change a word."