Chapter 1

It was the eve before the big, family State Department trip. This time it would five countries, in two weeks, in Africa. Since school just let out for summer, the whole family was tagging along with her. She and her staff had been working for days making sure each and every detail was checked. Not just the McCord's were going by Jay and Daisy were bringing their girls as well. Arriving through the door of the McCord home, she threw her bag down and kicked off her shoes at the coat tree. She couldn't wait to get out of her royal blue dress that hugged her waist and dropped just above her knees. She looked at the time on the oven. 9:25 glowed back at her.

The kitchen was clean and empty as she opened the fridge in search of leftovers and listened to the commotion upstairs.

The rest of the McCord's were busy packing upstairs. She closed the refrigerator and decided to join them. She packed herself the night before knowing tonight would be chaotic with the kids.

Elizabeth snuck by the kids' rooms quietly making her way to greet Henry in their room. He walked out of the closet and smiled at her, "Hey Babe, you ready to go?"

"Yes, after I get some sleep," she reached out and Henry took her in his arms.

"Not everything fits in my suitcase," Alison whined as she entered their bedroom, catching her parents just finishing a kiss. "Okay, nevermind."

Elizabeth laughed and said to Henry, "Can you go help her?"

"My shorts are dirty from this week." Jason stated as he and his father passed through the bedroom doorway. Henry rolled his eyes at Elizabeth.

"Seriously, Jayce? You didn't do your laundry this week?" Elizabeth said, throwing her travel makeup in her packed suitcase.

"It's Thursday. Friday is my laundry day," he said, shrugging his shoulders at her.

"But, you have known for three months we were taking this trip and leaving tomorrow."

"We're staying at the nicest hotel in Morocco tomorrow night. I will use their laundry service and it will still be Friday!" His mother threw him a look. He grinned and said, "Here. It will still be Friday here." He said good night and walked out of her room.

She yelled behind him, "That gets billed back to me so you will be paying for it out of your allowance."

Morning brought more chaos. Breakfast for everyone. Clean up. Snacks for the plane even though the plane had whatever they wanted.

Jason shoved two boxes of granola bars in his backpack.

"Jayce, ease up. I made sure the plane had all your favorite snacks," Elizabeth was pouring her coffee into hers and Henry's travel mugs.

"Oreos?" he asked.

"Multiple packages." She answered laughing at him.

Henry carried Elizabeth's suitcase down the stairs. "You will survive this trip. A little culture in your diet isn't so bad. Go help your sisters with their luggage."

Jason rolled his eyes at his Dad but headed to the front of the house.

"Babe, why is this so heavy?" he struggled on the last step.

"It's a long two weeks of both professional and personal. Two completely different wardrobes," she smiled at him.

He put his arms around her and kissed her, "Did you bring the good stuff?"

"I did," she smiled back at him as the phone rang.

"Okay, motorcade is here. All of you have your passports?" she asked the kids as she was going through her briefcase making sure she had a file she needed.

Each of them handed them to her at the same time as Jason complained, "You are the Secretary of State. It's ridiculous that we have to carry these things."

"You're not the Queen of England, Jason," Stevie fired back at him.

She ignored them and ran to her desk to grab the file she needed. As they stood there watching her.

When she turned around, she was surprised they hadn't walked out yet, "C'mon guys, let's go. You are in the second car. Daisy has some things to go over with me in the car," she rushed them out the door.

The thickness of D.C. summer humidity hit them as they walked out of the house.

Stevie complained about her hair getting frizzy and Elizabeth said to her, "You will be pining for this after two weeks in the heat of Africa. Now, please just get in the car."

Henry finished loading bags with the detail and then got behind Elizabeth as she got in the car.

She leaned her head back on the headrest and complained to Henry, "That was a lot of work."

Henry said back to her, "Can you imagine if those two miscarriages worked out? We'd be a family of seven getting out the door."

Elizabeth glared at him and shook her head looking back at Daisy, who was in the third row with Joanna in the car seat.

"Morning, Joanna Baby!" she said. "Are you ready for your big trip?" The baby smiled back at her.

"How about you Daisy? You as nervous as you were on our last trip to Africa?" Elizabeth chuckled.

"As long as the plane flies smoothly this time, I'll be fine," she answered.