"Gracie, go upstairs."
"Why?"
"Because I said so. Now go!"
"What's in the paper?" Gracie asked.
"None of your business." Ainsley snapped, highly uncharacteristic of her. "Honey, we'll talk later."
Gracie glared at her and then stomped upstairs.
"Why don't you read it out loud." Emily suggested.
"Could America's Favorite Family be Falling Apart?" Ainsley read the title and under it was a picture of her and Sam at the dinner last night.
"Not just the title Ainsley."
"At yesterday's state dinner, President and Mrs. Seaborn were seen arguing before they joined the dinner. After they were announced, they sat together for a few minutes then the First Lady quickly left. Usually the First Family sticks together at functions but it seems as though the president nor his wife wanted anything to do with each other last night. Actually it seems as though they haven't wanted anything to do with each other for a while now." Ainsley paused and looked up. "Who comes up with this?"
"Stacey Shepard." Alex said. "Nasty woman."
"She was the one that wrote that other article!" Ainsley exclaimed.
"What article?" Emily asked.
"The one where Ainsley was having an affair with the VP." Alex said.
"Ainsley!"
"I was not! This is what started this whole stupid fight with me and Sam! Well... actually it was that bill he signed. I disagreed with it... and we started debating, which turned into fighting, then he saw the article..."
"Will you start from the beginning?" Emily asked. Ainsley took a deep breath and sighed.
"Sam and I have been getting into stupid fights lately. They haven't meant anything. But they have gotten me upset. About two weeks ago Sam signed a bill to get gun control laws passed. We started debating over it, which led into fighting and he just gave up and sat down at his desk. The paper was sitting there, big headline that I was cheating on him with his best friend who is also the vice president. He, of course, totally went off on me and wouldn't give me a chance to talk it over. Sam got Josh into the room and punched him. Josh and I tried to tell him that we weren't having any affair and he had to calm down. He did and said he was sorry. Josh got over it. I didn't. I was mad at him. I wanted to talk this over but he said that he didn't want to. Two days ago, I hadn't been around at all. I was at some meeting and when I finally came back to the residence Sam made a quip about me probably sneaking around with some other guy and that's why I hadn't been home. We started fighting again and I finally left the room. He came after me and said he was sorry, that he had a rough day and it slipped. I didn't forgive him and that's when I realized we needed some time away from each other. So last night before the state dinner I told him that I was coming down here. He tried to get me to stay but I wouldn't have any of it."
"So what are you going to do?" Emily asked once Ainsley was finished.
"We're trying to work things out. We just... for some reason we're fighting over everything now and this stupid article has sent us over the edge."
"How about a divorce?"
"No! That is absolutely out of the question. Neither of us want that."
"Well it might not be what you want but it might be for the best."
"It's not Mom. Believe me it's not."
------------TWW-----------
Next day...
"Mom?"
Ainsley looked up as she heard a knock on the door and Gracie poked her head in.
"Hey, come here."
Gracie closed the door behind her and plopped down on Ainsley's bed.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Nothing."
"Mom,"
"It's nothing Gracie."
"It must be something if you and Grandma and Uncle Alex keep talking about it and there's something in the papers."
Ainsley sighed and rubbed her forehead.
"Gracie..."
"Why can't you just tell me?"
"I don't want to worry you."
"I'm worried now." Gracie said. "Daddy's not dying is he?"
"What! No! Oh honey! No Daddy's fine. I just... we... your dad, he said some things and I got upset and we just need some time apart."
"Are you getting a divorce?"
"No. Why?"
"Well... you guys have been fighting a lot."
"It just some things have been said and we both need some time to cool off. Actually, we're going to be going home in a few days." Ainsley said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Nothing's wrong honey. Everything's fine. We were talking yesterday morning. Okay?"
Gracie nodded and Ainsley pulled her into a hug.
"Grandma said dinner's ready."
"Okay. Let's go." they walked out of the room and went downstairs.
"Ainsley, sweetheart!" Emily called. Ainsley turned into the living room, which they rarely used, and gaped. Standing by the fireplace, was a man around her age.
"Mother, who is this and why is he in my house?" she asked.
"You don't remember Ryan?"
"Oh dear God..." Ainsley murmured. "Ryan Greene?"
"Hey Ainsley." he smiled. "And who is this adorable, little girl?"
Gracie eyes widened slightly. Did this... guy just call her adorable and little? Ainsley gave a weak smile and wrapped an arm around Gracie's shoulders.
"This is my daughter, Gracie. Gracie, this is Ryan Greene, an old friend of mine."
"Old friend?" Ryan laughed. "Ainse, we were quite the couple in our day."
Gracie's eyes went even wider. Only her father called her mother 'Ainse.' And... couple?
"Yes but that was a long time ago Ryan." Ainsley smiled politely. "Why are you here?"
"I've kept in touch with your mother," Ryan flashed Emily a charming smile, "and she had invited me over for dinner tonight. I didn't know you were in town."
"Yes well I needed to get away from my busy life. Mother, can I talk to you in the other room for a minute?"
Emily followed her daughter into the hallway.
"What are you doing?" Ainsley hissed. "Actually I know what you're doing! And I'm not taking part in it."
"Ainsley..."
"Sam and I aren't divorced. We're not getting divorced. And then you call Ryan Greene, who I haven't heard from in a million years, to come and... and... sweep me off my feet!"
"Ainsley..." Emily was interrupted again but this time it was from the doorbell.
"Oh Jesus Christ! Who else did you invite?" Ainsley stomped over to the door and swung it open. She stood there for a second, a look of shock plastered on her face.
"I kn—" Sam was cut off by Ainsley kissing him fiercely.
"I'm sorry." she mumbled. "I shouldn't have run out like that."
"No. You had every right. I shouldn't have blown up at you like that. I know you said a few days..."
"This was enough. What are you doing here?"
"I told Debbie to reschedule all my meetings for today and tomorrow. Friday, I go to Italy and I... well I figured that you and Gracie could come with me. Half vacation/half business," Sam said.
"Who's running the country?"
---------TWW---------
"Donnatella!" Josh yelled.
"Joshua, I am not your assistant anymore so do not bellow for me like that." she said as she came into the Oval Office.
"Help me! God I have never hated Sam anymore than I do right now."
"How did you two ever get elected?"
"Our good looks."
"You know, I'm actually going to buy that." Donna said.
-----------TWW------------
"Have you lost your mind?" Ainsley laughed quietly.
"Yes." Sam said, a serious look on his face. "Because I almost lost you."
Ainsley shook her head and kissed him again.
"No. You didn't. I was being stupid."
"No you weren't. I was."
"No."
"Yes."
Before they could get into a debate over it, Gracie walked out into the hallway.
"Dad!" she rushed over and Sam let Ainsley go and pulled Gracie into a tight hug.
"Do you mind introducing us?"
Ainsley turned around and groaned inwardly. In Sam's shocking, yet somehow romantic, arrival, Ainsley had forgotten Ryan was there.
"Oh yes. Sweetheart, this is Ryan Greene, an old friend of mine. Ryan, this is my husband,"
"I know who he is." Ryan snapped. "I'm surprised you don't have a bunch of people bustling around you now, obeying your every word."
Olivia came out of the kitchen and smiled seeing Sam there.
"Good evening Mr. President."
"Good evening Olivia. Please, it's Sam. I'm not the president right now. Just spending some time with my family."
"How noble." Ryan sneered. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. I didn't hear the trumpets sound."
"He's a very hardcore Republican." Ainsley whispered to Sam.
"Well it was... very nice to meet you." Sam said. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"
"Well honey, my mother thought that we were no longer together and was trying to get Ryan to sweep me off my feet." Ainsley said.
"Oh. Well, I'm here so..."
"Ryan, you must stay for dinner. Olivia made your favorite." Emily interrupted.
"Please stay." Sam added. "I would like to get to know you."
"I'd rather not but... I was here to speak with Emily so I suppose I'll stay." Ryan said.
"Wonderful!" Emily smiled. "We'll go into the dining room."
Ryan and Emily quickly went into the dining room. Ainsley rolled her eyes at Sam and he leaned down and kissed her quickly.
"Go. I'll be in there in a few minutes." he said. Ainsley nodded and disappeared into the room. "So how's my favorite daughter doing?"
"Dad, I'm your only daughter." Gracie laughed.
"Oh that's right." Sam smiled, kissing her forehead. "I've missed you."
"I missed you too. Me and Uncle Alex were bored yesterday so we went fishing."
"Really? Where?"
"In the backyard."
"I should've known. Anything back there this year?"
"I caught this ugly looking fish so I threw it back."
"Oh it was ugly. Hey did I tell you about the time when Danny Concannon bought your Aunt CJ a goldfish because..."
"Because Uncle Josh said she liked Goldfish and Danny didn't know he meant the cracker. Yeah Daddy. You've told me." Gracie said.
"Oh. Right. Well let's see what your grandmother has in store for us, shall we?" Sam extended his arm and Gracie linked her own through it.
"She doesn't like you right now."
"She never has."