Chapter 43 - Stevie
She heard the chatter before she opened her eyes. But, they opened quickly.
"Don't worry baby sister. Mommy will be here soon. She is just tired and needs to sleep."
Stevie smiled, shot out of bed and threw on her robe before her 3 year old attempted to pick up her younger sister.
She peeked into the pink nursery. "Hey sweetheart, is Amelia awake?"
"She is Mommy, but she definitely needs a diaper change. I already went potty."
Stevie lifted the one year old out of her crib and placed her on top of the changing table. While changing her, Eliza asked a million questions.
Stevie answered every one of them. The last one, "Is Grandpa home today?"
"I don't think so baby but tomorrow is election day. We will see him then."
"I can't wait. I miss him." She answered back.
"I miss him too. I think Gram is going to be home all day but she is going to be very busy. I will call Blake and see if we can squeeze in lunch or dinner with her. How does that sound?"
"That would be fun."
The three of them headed downstairs for breakfast. Stevie was sort of off on Mondays. Sometimes she would work from home. She was grateful that her job had given her Monday sand Fridays off. It made being a singe parent a lot easier. The rest of the week she had the babysitter. However, during campaign season she really missed the company. Mike B. had deemed her more of a liability than an asset so she spent much of the campaign at home. She was getting used to it being just her and the girls. Once Amelia was born, she was so busy being a Mom, she didn't have time for much else so Andrew just faded away.
She gave each of the girls some waffles and melon and dialed Blake on the phone.
He answered groggily, "Hey."
Stevie furrowed her brow like her mother. "Hey, you okay?"
"Barely any sleep and one cup is not enough coffee today. Your Mom is in the Situation Room where she may remain all day. The one day out of the year that she can't be in there," he answered. "I've got Mike B. breathing down my neck like a pack of bison in the winter at Yellowstone."
"That's a weird analogy but okay. Eliza would love to see her even for a few minutes. Might give her a good break too. What time? Don't tell her. Make it a surprise." She said hopefully.
"Depends. I was going to call you. Are you working tomorrow? Is the babysitter coming?" he said hastily.
"No, it's election day, Blake. But, yes I booked her to help. I am NOT taking Hope. My hands are a little full right now."
"Oh no. Will and Annie have Hope for the week. Do you want to do a couple of campaign stops with your Mom? Women's rally tonight in Pittsburgh. Your Aunts will be there so there's that. But, she would love the time with you and the girls. Your Dad just left for Florida. Fly back to Charlottesville tonight and begin the day at the farmhouse tomorrow. So, all of you can vote as a family tomorrow. Sound good? Wheels up at 5pm, okay?"
Stevie looked around the disaster that was her home. "Is it okay with Mike B.?"
"He'll have to deal. I think it is time you got back out there with her." Blake looked up at Jay who was smiling. He was against Mike B.'s decision the whole time. The family needed to show they were stronger together.
"Yeah, sure. Let me pack them up and ask the sitter if she can join us."
"Great. See you at 5!" Blake answered. He hung up the phone and Jay said, "Nice work! This should get her over the finish line and get the media off the 'Where's Stevie hiding?' storyline."
Stevie sat back down with a smile on her face. Blake was right. She was ready. Her grief over Dmitri's death that hit her like a rock months ago, was finally gone. She was a busy but accomplished working mother. It was time to show the world how her own mother raised intelligent and strong women. Besides the girls would be thrilled to get out of the house and see family.
She hastily cleaned the house while the girls napped. Packed bags for all of them. One set would go with them the other would be taken to the house in Charlottesville.
Their babysitter Abby was thrilled to be going on the trip with them. She was excited to meet the extended family and the horses that Eliza talked about all the time.
4:30pm came and they hustled out of the car at the White House and made their way directly to Marine One that would take them to Andrews. The girls were strapped into their seats and they waited for Elizabeth. They were dressed in matching red and blue outfits. Both had on navy dress coats. Amelia was wearing a blue wool bonnet that matched her coat.
Elizabeth scurried out to the helicopter. She had spent all day in the Situation Room with a hostage situation. It was resolved to a point where she could get back on the campaign. But, as she walked out she missed her family. She definitely was not prepared to be traveling alone and she wished Mike B. would let Stevie join her.
She greeted the Marine at the foot of the steps. He smirked when he saluted her and she asked him. "What's going on?" But, he didn't hear her over the rotors anyways.
Elizabeth took the steps and turned to the seats and almost fell into a puddle. There were her grandbabies smiling back at her and laughing,
'Surprise! We are going with you!" Eliza yelled.
"What?! Seriously? Just to Andrews or the whole trip?" Elizabeth turned to give Stevie the biggest hug. She hadn't seen her in over a week and a half.
"Whole trip, Mom. Blake and Jay thought it would be good for everyone and I agreed." Stevie smiled at her. She had been in therapy the last few months to deal with her grief and being a single mother. Elizabeth was thrilled to see her brilliant smile again.
Stevie looked at her watch. Air Force One was touching down right on time. The girls just finished eating and Amelia was snacking on some Puffs. Elizabeth grabbed a handful from the can, saying to Stevie "I love these things."
Stevie shook her head at her mother, "If only the world saw you at these times."
Elizabeth laughed, "They'd never elect me." She turned to Mike B. who scowled at her.
They stepped off onto the stairs of the plane and Maureen and Erin were there amongst hundreds of others to greet them. They had been moved into Elizabeth's car by the advance team. But, when they saw the girls they could hardly contain themselves.
The babysitter put the girls' seats in the car as their Aunts got out to hug them all so over tight.
Maureen held on to Stevie as long as she could, "Are you okay?"
"I am doing much better, thank you. Getting used to being on my own with the girls and it is very tiring. But, they are soo good."
"Well, if you want help just say the word and I will come down." Maureen answered her.
"Seriously? We would love to have you visit. The house is huge and so quiet when the girls go to bed at night now that Jason is back at school."
They all got back in the car and it took a few minutes for Elizabeth to catch up to them.
Erin played with the girls and kept them occupied while they waited.
She said to Stevie, "I don't mind coming down to help out either. Maybe Sarah and I can make a vacation of it."
"That would be amazing." Stevie answered just as Elizabeth got in the car.
"What could be more amazing than a McCord Women's Rally in Pittsburgh?" she asked.
Maureen answered, "Well, really not much. But, we offered to come down and spend sometime helping Stevie with the girls and keeping her company."
"That would be really special. Let me take it up with your brother. I am sure he will be thrilled." Elizabeth was beaming. Any help they could get with Stevie and the girls would be huge.
Arriving at the rally location, Elizabeth and Stevie greeted supporters while the others and the babysitter took the girls inside. Finishing the line to the entrance, Elizabeth put her arm around Stevie.
A local reporter, shouted out to them, "Stevie, how are you and girls doing?" Elizabeth turned with the Mama Bear look on her face. But, Stevie stopped and took a step back towards the reporter. "We are doing well. Although, I was disappointed in their father's actions, all of us still miss him everyday. But, the girls and are getting along just fine. I am so very grateful to have them in my life. We are thrilled to be here at home in Pittsburgh for the women's rally. Supporting my mother and their Grammie tonight and tomorrow is a priority for me so we can give all children a better future."
She turned back and Elizabeth beamed at her. She thought to herself, "Maybe she is my mini."
They stepped inside the waiting room in the arena and there was the other surprise. Alison was holding Amelia. She beamed as she hugged her mother and sister. "Wouldn't be a women's rally without all of us here, right?"
They could hear the Governor of Pennsylvania speaking to introduce the family. The family made their way to the stage. A campaign photographer getting great shots from behind all of the McCord women heading to the stage arm in arm. Maureen turned to Elizabeth and said "If my parents could see us now."
By the time, they got to the farmhouse it was late. After 10pm to be exact. Elizabeth was whisked to the office above the barn. It was built once she became President for classified meetings. Henry and Jason came out to the motorcade to help Stevie with the girls. Stevie's agent, Cecilè, scooped Eliza out of her car seat and handed her over to Henry. Jason and the sitter carried the bags in while Stevie brought Amelia into the house.
Elizabeth slipped back into the house an hour later. Henry met her in the kitchen with a bowl of cereal.
"Ohh, you beautiful man." she grinned at him.
"Everything okay?" he asked her giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Not even close. How was your day?" she deflected and it didn't go unnoticed.
"It was great. I really think we can hammer this thing home tomorrow, Babe. Might be the biggest numbers of any incumb…"
She raised her hand up and shook her head. "Don't jinx it, Henry! Are the kids in bed?"
He chuckled and told her Jason was studying and the girls had crashed together in Stevie's room. Elizabeth frowned, she put the bowl in the kitchen sink and said, "I'm going to go see Jason." Henry thought it must be something big if she is deflecting and avoiding.
She woke up, sitting up breathing heavy and sweating. In a brief moment, Stevie forgot where she was. The familiar surrounding room came to her. She checked beside her and Allie was still asleep, with her phone in her hand. She had been texting with Liam when they fell asleep. He would be meeting them in Washington later in the day. Stevie sometimes wished she had a companion but at the same time she was enjoying the time to herself.
She slid Allie's phone out of her hand. Unplugged her own…5:20am brightened on her phone. She sighed and plugged Allie's phone in. The girls would be up soon so not worth trying to go back to sleep.
She made her way down the stairs to the kitchen and turned on the coffee. It was going to be the longest day. She pulled the hair ribbon off her wrist and pulled her hair into a bun. She stared out the window and could see her mother's dark body flanked by agents making her way back from the barn.
The door opened and the cold, autumn morning air made it's way in.
"Hey, Mom." she whispered. She handed her mother a cup of coffee.
"A little early for you to be working on Election Day?"
"The world does not stop because it's America's election day. Well, at least, not always," her mother's eye gazed downward. She knew that look.
"Everything okay, Mom?" she asked.
Elizabeth looked up at her daughter sitting across from her at the table. "You tell me. Why are you up at 5:20? When I was a young mother I took all the sleep I could get."
"Well, you still had your husband in your life and not haunting your dreams," she made the same eye gaze her mother did.
Elizabeth tilted her head to catch her daughter's eyes. "Oh Stevie, I'm so sorry."
"It's…" she hesitated as she often does when admitting something to her mother, "it's not every night. I don't know if I am overthinking my mistake and maybe that's why it happens. There are days where I play the whole thing back in my head wondering how I could have been so stupid. You and I even talked about it."
Elizabeth finished her sip of coffee. "We did. But, I don't think this was a mistake. You followed your heart and it brought you two of the greatest gifts in life. I believe I told you that sometimes you have to risk everything to gain everything. You risked everything and he gave you everything in return."
"Thanks, Mom.' She quietly answered.
There was a pause and Elizabeth turned to look out the window.
"Sun's coming up. Wanna go for a ride?"
"Mom, you haven't ridden out of the ring since becoming President," she laughed.
"Yeah but Cecilè is here today and she loves to go for a ride. I also have intel that she has her riding boots with her. Let's go. I will wake Dad and tell him to keep an ear for the girls."
The rode across the property, the only rule was Elizabeth could not take off in the front. She had to stay between agents. Good thing they have two agents that could ride. When they got to the top of the mountain they sat and watched the rest of the sunrise.
She didn't look at her daughter at all, just stared ahead at the pinkish orange beauty of the sky before them.
"Almost right from the first week they were gone, my parents were in my dreams. It's more frequent in the beginning because it's the only thing on your mind. It goes away in time and then they come back at different times. Often my mother is there at the important times, the personal stuff. The night before each of you were born, my birthday sometimes on the rest of your birthdays. My father at the more life moments, career moments. The night before I was elected, both times."
Stevie stopped her, "So, just last night?"
"Yes, but I always look forward to them. Regardless of how your marriage ended, you and Dmitri loved each other at some point. There is proof of that back at the house. Embrace those dreams, Stevie. They will help you to heal."
One of the agents moved their horse a step closer to them. She turned, "Gonna be a big day. Let's head back. "
Stevie looked to her mother, "Can I run?"
"Go ahead, baby. We'll catch up to you."