My apologies for the delay. Life just got busy. This one is long but I hope you still enjoy it.
Chapter 46 – Henry
The light shone through the sheer curtains, he opened his eyes slightly. Then, closed them immediately. The headache giving him the worst light sensitivity. He wanted to get up to close the drapes they forgot to close in their haste the night before. He also thought he should brush his teeth. But, the golden locks of Elizabeth were splayed across his chest and she was still sound asleep. An all too familiar position that never got old even after more than 30 years together.
He looked at the clock. 7:30 glared back at him. They were both still naked not bothering to put clothes back on the night before. Ohh the night before, he began to think back. He felt his manhood grow just thinking about it and her. After all this time, she was as sexy now as she was when they first met. Her body was next to his, with her head on his chest, her arm across his stomach and her hand hanging in between his legs. He slowly adjusted his body.
As planned, she began to stir, her hand slowly running up his shaft as she was barely awake. She lifted her head and whispered "Oh God. The sun is really bright in here."
Henry gently moved her hair out from her face. "I was going to get up and close the drapes but you were sound asleep."
Her hand tightened on him, "So, what were you thinking about instead?"
"Hmmm…last night," he groaned back as she moved up and kissed him moving herself on top of him, "how much time you got?"
She glanced at the clock while moving her wetness to the tip of him. "I got an hour, if I go with the messy bun. My first meeting is at 9am."
He ran his hands down the smooth sides of her stomach and rested them on her hips, moving herself down on him. He growled back, "You sure your headache isn't too bad? Because I love the messy bun and late Saturdays."
Despite their headaches, they got back into it from the night before. She rode him while he played with her breasts until he was just about, then he flipped her and charged into her. The weight of his body was heavy but comforting on top of her. He stopped for a moment and stared down at her. There was never a moment that he didn't cherish all of her. She was beautiful on the inside and out. He was always so proud of her but this week was particularly trying and she handled it with such grace. He gently ran the back of his hand down her cheek.
"What?" she asked as he stilled inside of her.
"Nothing, just still wondering after all these years how I got so lucky," he whispered and leaned down to nibble the sweet spot on her neck,
She pulled her legs up and wrapped them around him. He began to move again as she said laughing, "That makes two of us." They moved together as one until they were both satisfied but still exhausted.
Henry cleaned up, brushed his teeth and dressed in his gray sweatpants and a navy t-shirt. He leaned over her on the bed to kiss her neck. She had fallen back asleep on her stomach with her hair splayed over her arm that was bent up to her head.
"Babe, c'mon. You only have a half hour to shower and get downstairs," he whispered in her ear, kissed her neck and rubbed her bare back. The warmth of his hand on her back woke her up. She turned over and smiled up at him. The kind of smile he knew all too well.
"Save it for later, babe. You have to get moving. There's Tylenol and water on the nightstand," he kissed her and left the room.
He made his way to the kitchen and made them each toast and coffee. The staff had the morning off today since they worked later last night. He placed both of their plates at the round table. He grabbed the morning's Chronicle from in front of the door.
"No pancakes?" he turned and Elizabeth stood there pouting in her navy pants and white dress blouse.
"You don't have time but we can always do brinner, tonight!" he laughed as they both sat down.
"Breakfast for dinner? I am always in. No kids today, either?" she asked taking a bite of her toast.
Since becoming President, he took an even bigger role of taking care of the kids than he did when she was Secretary of State.
"Stevie asked about coming over later to see us before we left. I think I saw a 3pm phone call with Allie on your schedule today. Nothing with Jace. He's getting ready for finals," he answered her without looking up from the paper.
"Have you talked to him at all this week?" she asked.
"I did yesterday. He's fine." He glanced up at her and she had the pouty look on her face again. "C'mon, don't be upset that your call with Allie had to be scheduled. She called Blake yesterday for you and you were in the thick of things. She asked for a half hour so he scheduled it for today when you have more time to talk."
"A whole half hour! I haven't spoken to her in three days." He sensed the grouchy attitude and thought she is definitely exhausted and hungover.
"Okay. I will call her and Jace to see if they can chat tonight," he answered to make her smile.
"I love you," she grabbed her coffee, kissed him and grabbed her other piece of toast and she was out the door. He watched her walk away still madly in love with her.
He and Hope went for a run after breakfast. He showered and then headed down to his office. Evan would be there later this morning to just go over some things for the week since he and Elizabeth were making the unexpected trip to California.
"Morning Evan," he said walking through the door.
"Morning Henry, I got confirmation from Blake this morning that you and President McCord will have time to visit with two of the units while you are at the base. The draft of your speech is on your desk. Unable to snag you a flight though!" he said with a smirk on his face.
"Stop rubbing it in that they don't let me do that anymore. You have no idea what I would give for a quick jaunt up in a Hornet to pull some G's. What's Elizabeth's schedule like this afternoon? I think I will go to Annie's soccer game with Stevie. Any chance she can make it? She needs some family time," he asked.
"I will talk to Blake to see if it can be arranged."
"Thanks," he headed into his office. Not ten minutes later there was a small knock at the doorframe.
He looked up and there was his wife, leaning against the frame staring at him. He wasn't expecting her to be there.
"Hey," his brow furrowed at her wondering what she was doing there.
She stepped in and closed the door.
"Barely a word to me. She only answered me when I had questions and didn't even look at me. Do you know how awkward that is?" she asked.
"Do you know how awkward it was for you to question her new boyfriend and basically let your displeasure be known last night? I told you that you pushed it too far!" he answered her. This was one of the few moments in life when Elizabeth was wrong and he literally had to point it out to her.
"Are you saying I need to apologize?" she asked crossing her arms and giving him the look.
He was one of the few people on the planet that did not back down to her. He took his glasses off and twirled them in his hands. "Yes."
Elizabeth threw her head back. "Henry, it's been a long week. Isabelle and I have to work hand in hand. I can't have drama from her."
"Then go apologize to her and you won't." he put his glasses back on and went back to reading his speech.
Elizabeth got up to leave, he checked a message on his phone, just as she got to the door, he said, "Change in your schedule. Annie's team is in the semifinals at school today. Games at 2. Be ready to go at 1:45."
She smiled at him as he grinned back at her and said, "You're welcome."
That night they were back in their room packing for their early morning flight the next day.
It was after nine, as the whole family came back to the house for pizza. Annie had two friends join her. Henry and Will had taken the kids down to the bowling alley while Elizabeth, Stevie and Melanie cleaned up the kitchen. Elizabeth and Stevie also FaceTimed both Allie and Jason, which put her in a much better mood.
"You know it has been a while since we have taken a long trip on the plane together," he said as he helped Elizabeth close her stuffed suitcase.
"I can't wait to take a walk on the beach and see the sunset more than once. Three days out of this house with very few formal events! Jay and Blake were ecstatic today." She said to him putting her makeup in her carry-on bag.
"I was getting to the fact that the flight is long and we might be able to sneak some time alone," he smiled as he placed his clothes in his bag.
"Mile-high club, baby!" she was more than a little ecstatic, "It's one of my favorite perks of this job!"
He leaned in to kiss her. She kissed him back and pulled away. She loved the taste of him, always lingering on his bottom lip a bit.
"However, I am a little sad at how happy Hope was to go with Annie tonight. I think she loves her more than us."
"What dog wouldn't love Annie more than us? She gives her like 50 treats each time. I am just hoping we don't come back to a 200 pound dog," he chuckled.
Elizabeth laughed with him, "True."
The next morning, he met Elizabeth at the private entrance. She spent time with Isabelle that morning on the investigation and her personal life.
As she walked up to greet him, her staff behind her, Henry reached around the side of her waist. He could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't happy.
"You okay? How did that go?" he asked.
"Let's talk on the plane." She rolled her eyes at him as they walked out the door. The media greeted them outside the door. Elizabeth stopped to greet them. Just a few questions today since it was raining. Henry held the black umbrella over both of them as they headed to Marine One. Before stepping onboard Henry always stopped and saluted with the Marines who were serving that day. Inside the house with no crowds around, he would often stop and talk to them getting to know each one by name. They both had made friends with most of them.
The flight to Andrews was quiet. Once on Air Force One, and in her private area, Elizabeth headed straight for her seat, Henry took the one next to her with Blake and Daisy across from her. She looked out the window at the raindrops falling. Nothing was said. She never made eye contact with any of them including Henry.
He reached over and placed his hand on the sleeve of her navy suit jacket. Her hair was half up while the rest waved down like golden sunshine brightening a gloomy day. Too bad the mood didn't match the color of her hair right now, he thought. He looked to the back of her. Everyone knew how upset she was, Daisy and Blake hadn't said a word to her since they left. Once the plane reached its' altitude, they unbuckled and headed to her private office.
Closing the door, "Babe, it can't be that bad? Did you apologize?" he asked.
She never turned to look back at him. "I did. She tendered her resignation."
Henry was aghast. "What? That's crazy. She can't be serious. Over you giving Isaac a hard time last night? Does she know how many times you and I have gone back and forth with Conrad? It's part of the job."
He couldn't imagine the thought of Elizabeth working without Isabelle at her side. They were like Conrad and Elizabeth, quite possibly closer. More like sisters than friends.
She just stood there staring at him, not sure what to say. He reached out and held her. This was not a time for her to be losing her closest ally besides him. The last confidante from "the inner sanctum." As he has done for more than thirty years, he waited. He waited for her to talk. He always knew when she needed that from him.
She said to him, "Last night had nothing to do with it. "
Henry's brow furrowed. 'What? She's resigning because of the mess-ups on this case? Elizabeth, you can not let her do that!"
Elizabeth pulled away and stepped past Henry. He turned to look at her as she turned to lean her back on her desk. It was then that he saw the hurt in her eyes but the slight smile on her face. Her blue eyes meeting his dark eyes. That's when he knew. The unspoken language between them.
"No, seriously?" He began to almost laugh, then noticed she wasn't laughing. "They're getting married?" He was just as shocked as she was when Isabelle told her.
It was only then that Elizabeth chuckled a bit too. "She's retiring. She wants out. She wants to live her life with him and not have the pressure of the CIA and not being able to talk about her work on her back."
Elizabeth looked down. "I can't exactly tell her that I won't accept. I get it. There were so, so many days I've wanted to quit. The stress of not being able to talk about your job is overwhelming. I mean I am happy for her, but Henry, I will miss her so much. She's my sidekick. Besides you, there is nobody…NOBODY…I trust more." She sighed.
He went to her and wrapped his arms around her just as she said to him. "And yes, she is going to marry the guise of Satan!"
They both laughed. Doing what he does best for her, he looked at his watch. "Listen, you don't have a meeting for a few hours. Everybody is exhausted. Let's go lay down in the private quarters and actually sleep for a bit."
She nodded her head and took his hand.
Five hours later they were landing in California. Meetings were held and they now just had base business to do for the next few days.
After greetings were done, the staff was settling into to the massive guest house on the base. Henry was unpacking their suitcases while Elizabeth changed out of her clothes. She came out of the bathroom and he stopped what he was doing. There she stood in capri jeans and his Marines shirt.
"Is that my shirt?" He asked her with a side grin on his face.
She looked down as if to check, "Yes," in a guilty tone making her way passed him toward her suitcase.
He grabbed her around the waist and sat on the bed moving her, so she was standing between his legs. He looked at her, her blonde locks falling beside her face, she was smiling and trying hard not to laugh.
"My favorite shirt and somehow it was packed in YOUR suitcase?" he tickled the spot on her side.
She cringed, laughing, "Yes!"
He had her and he flipped her over on to the bed. "I think it might be my favorite thing that you wear." He ran his hand just under her the shirt along her flat stomach.
"Oh yeah,' she beamed at him and bit her bottom lip. So much for their walk on the beach.
The day was a crisp, Autumn day for Southern California. The sun beamed down on them. Elizabeth and Henry stood beside the family of Sgt. Stacey Tull. Her flag-draped casket was wheeled into the church. Henry and the other Marines along with Greg Tull saluted as she was brought by. He glanced at his wife, her head was down with her hair pulled back into a low bun. A tribute to all women serving in the military. A lone tear escaping from her eye as she caught Sgt. Tull's two young son's saluting their mother as she was wheeled by them. Their younger sister dressed in a black short-sleeve dress with a pink headband in her hair, clinging to her father's leg and her blankie.
The service was beautiful. The only sound you could hear was the slight sniffing of the packed congregation as "On Eagle's Wings" was beautifully sung. At the conclusion, normally, Elizabeth would say something. In honor of Henry being a Marine, she took a pass on the duty and was honored to have him stand in her place. She knew this wasn't easy but it was his suggestion. She had no problem obliging.
He approached the altar, Henry stopped and genuflected before the altar. He stepped up to the pulpit. Stoic in his navy suit with a dark tie, Elizabeth was proud of him.
He cleared his throat.
"'The things that we love tell us the things that we are.' Thomas Aquinas.
Master Sargeant Gregory Tull, when talking to some fellow Marines that know both of you, that quote kept resonating back to me. Your wife was a remarkable woman, who cared deeply about her world and deeply about her country, and you the same. However, not even those loves could hold a candle to the love you both felt for each other and your children. I am told that with the two of you there was no beginning nor end. A constant ebb and flow of support that you gave to each other in your unending desire to make this world a better place. "
Elizabeth watched him intently, she knew this is where he struggled to hold back the tears.
He choked back a bit. "Michael, Patrick and Maeve, President McCord and I want you to know there is no greater love than that of a parent to a child. Your mother gave her life so that all of you and so many other children could have a safer and better life in this world. I want you to remember that on your good days when you laugh at memories with her and also on the sad days that you will miss her more than your heart can take. I can't promise you that this will not hurt, but I can promise you that you will always be proud of her and everything she was to you." He looked up to the crowd in the Church. "Sargeant Stacey Tull gave her life in an effort to not just protect the rights of freedom for Americans but the basic human right to freedom for all people. For that we all need to be grateful."
He came off the altar, genuflected turned and saluted her casket. He placed his hand on it as he walked by.
At the cemetery, they sat behind the family, Elizabeth caught a glance at her husband. He stared straight ahead, his hair a little grayer now. His face still so handsome but developing the lines of age or stress that came with living in the White House. The 21-gun salute began and they jumped a little at each one, something nobody ever got used to. The flag was presented to Sargeant Tull's mother, who sobbed as the Marine placed it in her arms. Elizabeth rose from her seat to speak the private words of a President to the family of the fallen.
The next morning, they were leaving the guest house to head back to Washington. Elizabeth followed Henry down the stairs inside the house. She was admiring his back side, when they got to the bottom, she stepped in front of him, reaching her hand up on his check feeling the roughness, she kissed him. "You didn't shave," she whispered to him.
"Nope," he smiled back at her.
"Hmmm," she said as they walked out the door.