Notes: In honor of Téa Leoni Day…some tributes to Elizabeth McCord.
CHAPTER 3
It was like a reunion of sorts for Elizabeth. Mike B., Jay and Blake were obviously there as they still worked for her. But, she wasn't expecting Nadine, Matt, Daisy and Russell to be joining them as well.
All eyes were on Elizabeth but she didn't seem to notice. Henry loved watching her work a room. Her captivating personality making everyone she spoke to know that they mattered and what they wanted to say to her mattered. He smiled as he watched thinking she has no idea just how beautiful she is inside and out.
They eventually sat down with Conrad and Lydia for dinner while the kids sat at the table next to them, her staff and former staff right behind them. Everyone watched her closely knowing a panic attack could come on at any minute. They had an extra room set aside, just in case. Aside from Henry, Nadine was best at handling her attacks. Unbeknownst to Elizabeth, it would be her former chief of staff's job to help her leave the room, if necessary.
Almost immediately after sitting down, Elizabeth began to scan the room looking for them. But, she couldn't see them.
Conrad leaned over "Don't be nervous, they are here. Take a breath and settle, you are with those that love you most."
She gave him the short smile. "Thank you for always being by my side. I have never said this to you but nobody could ever replace my father in my life. You have done an amazing job of being like a father to me when I have always needed it. I want you to know how much I appreciate that."
"Bess, from the first day I met you on that bench at UVA, I knew you were strong and confident. You instantly became one of my closest friends. I just had to pave the path a little bit. I knew from the day I asked, well, more like told you, that you were going to be Secretary of State, I knew you would end up being my predecessor in the White House. I am very proud of you. Our work in changing the world for better is done and it is time to celebrate."
With that the screen came down and a video began to play. Andy Grammar's song, "Don't Give Up On Me" played over photos of her greeting children on their trip to Africa and dancing with them, clips of her "What America Means to Me" speech, with schoolchildren all across America, holding babies at county fairs. It ended with one of her favorite photos of her with her own children when they were young at a playground just outside of the UVA campus. Jason still a toddler barely walking. She was holding him on her hip crouching down as Stevie and Allie hung on to her from behind.
The lights shone on the podium and there stood her three babies, all grown up. In a rare moment, the girls stood behind their brother as he spoke to the audience.
"To the rest of the world, she is President McCord. But, to the three of us," he paused and turned to look at the screen, "she is 'Mom.' Elizabeth McCord is the warmth in our days and our guiding light at night. She has been our diaper changer, our lunch maker, our homework helper, our essay editor, our birthday celebrator, our nagger, Allie's model, our peacekeeper and at times our "meanest Mother ever." Everyone chuckled. "But, she has always been our source of inspiration, pride and happiness. Mom, we brought some friends with us here tonight."
Elizabeth eyes widened as she looked at Henry and he shrugged like he had no idea. He did have no idea but now he knew she would never believe him.
The light moved to a podium off to the left surprising everyone. Elizabeth took a breath and said, "Oh My God." There stood a young Chinese woman. "My name is Shin-pei. You may just remember me as the bratty Chinese girl who tried to stay in America." Everyone chuckled. "But, President McCord saw more than that in me. She helped me find my family when I had lost my mother." The photo of Shin-pei and her sister, Emily in front of the Lincoln Memorial came up on the screen. Elizabeth started to well up with tears. She had kept in touch with Shin-pei but had no clue she was here. Seeing her as an adult, successful and now a mother gave her a sense of enormous pride.
"She taught me to be proud of my country and do what was right to make it better for future generations. In turn, making the world a better place. I am now a successful engineer with a growing business. But, most importantly, I have a family of my own, the image changed to a photo of Shin-pei with her husband and two young daughters in Tiananmen Square. President McCord, thank you for saving my life."
Elizabeth dabbed her eyes with her napkin. Henry smiled at her as did Conrad.
The light moved to another corner of the room. There stood two teenagers. Esther and Simon, Father Laurent's great niece and nephew. Henry's mouth fell open in shock. Up on the screen a photo of them with Father Adisa, when they arrived in America, not too long ago.
Simon began, "Our great Uncle was a friend and professor of Dr. McCord, Father Laurent Adisa. Back in her first year of Secretary of State, Elizabeth McCord saved the lives of many children, including us. Laurent went to great lengths to get a few moments to speak with then Secretary McCord to save us from the violence in our homeland of the Republic of West Africa. We had been traveling with our mother from place to place, fleeing conflict sometimes looking for just a safe spot to sleep for the night. Food was scarce. President McCord stuck her neck out, so to speak, and nearly ruined President Dalton's presidency, to save our lives. However, her undeniable intelligence and keen street sense, she quickly turned the game around which put an end to the violence. We eventually went to school and are now attending university here in America."
She heard him before she saw him. His voice was so familiar to her. Just like his father. "When I first met President McCord, I may have gotten in trouble for jokingly asking her if she was from 'The Great Satan.'" The audience chuckled as the light moved across the screen and to the other side of the room. He was a vision of his father and now all grown up. Elizabeth sighed and sat back in her seat as Conrad and Henry smiled at her. She was relieved, not panicked at all. A sense of calm came over her.
"My name is Abdul Javani, the son of Zayhed Javani. President McCord, came to my home to meet with my father, the Iranian Foreign Minister at the time. It was a bold and courageous move to save our country. You may remember President McCord talking about me following the coup that killed my father and her agent, Fred Cole and almost killed both she and I. For a long time she has worried about how that moment affected me.' He paused and made eye contact with her.
"President McCord, I am here tonight to tell the world how you and my father inspired me." He turned to the audience when the photo on the screen changed to one Elizabeth had never seen.
It was taken that night. The boys had wanted a photo with her and as secretive as her mission was, she just couldn't say no to them although their father tried. But, she rebuked him saying "Just don't show it to anyone until after I am gone and things are settled." However, the photo had never been made public until now.
She stared past Abdul at the photo. There were the five of them just before the attack, beaming at the camera so two boys could cherish that moment forever. It would be the last photo of Javani. Elizabeth's tears flowed as she could envision Fred taking the photo and saying "Say cheese!" His voice and image still etched in her mind as if it was yesterday.
Henry leaned over and whispered, "Are you okay?" in her ear. She simply nodded, took a deep breath and relaxed herself.
"My instinct that night was to rush to my father's side. My father lay motionless in front of me on the floor. President McCord was trapped under her motionless agent, Mr. Cole. She somehow managed to keep her eyes on me the whole time. Had you not told me to stay down, I would have died beside my father. Perhaps, you may have died trying to stop me. I like to think both our lives were saved that night."
Henry slid his hand onto Elizabeth's thigh, but to his surprise she was more relaxed than he expected. She had a look of pride on her face. She took his hand in hers under the table.
"My father was an amazing person. I remember overhearing him telling my mother that President McCord was coming to visit and she had once called him a 'metaphorical dance partner.'"
Elizabeth leaned up in her chair and rested her chin in her hand, smiling at the conversation they once had in the kitchen of the Canadian embassy.
"Had my father lived, they would have worked as a team towards a more peaceful world for all of us. President McCord it has been inspiring to watch you continue to work on not only the peace deal my father gave his life for, but also making the world the better place both you and he wanted for children. In honor of both my father and you, I am soon to graduate from university with a degree in International Relations. I hope to continue the work of both of you. President McCord, thank you for saving my life and the countless lives of other children."
The audience began to cheer as the light made its' way back to the podium.
There were her girls and Conrad. She hadn't even noticed him slip away from the table. Classic spy craft, she thought to herself.
"You can see the many reasons, we are so proud of our mother. Without further adieu, we are thrilled to present, Mom, with the lifetime humanitarian award."
Elizabeth turned to move out of her seat. Henry leaned in and kissed her cheek. As she approached the podium, Conrad handed her the award and hugged her possibly tighter than all three of her children did.
She stepped the podium placing the award to her side, still holding a tissue in her hands. She held up her cards, "Well, I had a speech prepared but after that…" she took the cards and placed them face down. The audience laughed. Her staff, particularly Jay, threw their heads down and groaned. She was going off script, AGAIN.