"Bridget,"
She turned away from her conversation, hearing Sam behind her.
"Happy Birthday Mr. President."
"Thanks. Have you seen my wife at all?"
"I saw her come in, then I think I saw her leave."
"Okay, thank you." Sam headed around the room. His eyes landed on Gracie, who was leaning against a wall and flirting with a boy, Congressman Newman's son. Sam held back a growl and walked over to his daughter. "Gracie,"
"Hi Dad." she smiled. "This is Ben Newman."
"I know who he is. Nice to see you."
"Nice to see you sir. Happy Birthday."
"Thanks. Gracie, where'd your mom go?"
"Uh... I saw her in the hallway with Grandma. Then she came in and then left."
"Okay. I'll talk to you later." Sam headed for the door and looked around the hallway. If he was Ainsley, where would he go? A smile formed on his face and Sam quickly headed through the halls and out into the Rose Garden. He found Ainsley sitting on a bench, her arms wrapped around herself. Sam held back a sigh and sat down next to her. She gave him a smile but Sam could see the tears in her eyes. He shrugged his jacket off and wrapped it around Ainsley's shoulders as she leaned into him, burying her face into his shoulder.
"Ainse, what happened?"
"Just my mother being her usual self." she sniffed.
"What did she say?"
"I told her about the baby and she asked if it was yours and I said yes, not to get me upset and she..." Ainsley stopped, feeling more tears trail down her cheeks. Sam pulled her away from him and cupped her face in his hands, wiping her cheeks gently.
"Honey, what happened?"
"She brought up the miscarriage." she said barely above a whisper. Sam closed his eyes, trying to block out the unwanted memory. When Gracie had been about three years old, Sam and Ainsley had found out she was pregnant again. They had been overjoyed by the news and had been waiting to tell everyone until Ainsley had been about four months along. Sam had been in a meeting when his mother called him, telling him that Ainsley was in the hospital. She had tripped near the top of the stairs in their house and had fallen. Ainsley was fine, she had a sprain wrist but the fall had resulted in her having a miscarriage. By the time they were ready to try to have a baby again, Sam had been running for Governor and that was when they decided no more kids.
"Sam,"
He snapped out of his thoughts and stared at his wife.
"You know your mother, has to try and make everything seem like a negative idea."
"I worry about it happening again Sam."
"Honey, you're not going to have another miscarriage. There was nothing wrong. You just had a bad fall, that was it."
"That's not the point. So many things could go wrong."
"You know, you were so happy about the baby."
"And I am Sam!" Ainsley exclaimed. "I just... I won't believe the baby's okay until he or she is here."
"I know." he pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back. "I know."
"Come on. Let's go back to your party."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'm fine." Ainsley wiped her eyes and Sam stood up, holding a hand down to her. She took it and he pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her. Ainsley sighed, burying her face in the crook of his neck.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, stop worrying."
"I can't help but worry when these things happen." Sam muttered.
"It's not a big deal."
"To me it is. I hate seeing you like this."
"Well, I'm fine honey."
"Okay."
-------------------------TWW--------------------
"Are you listening to me?"
Sam turned his attention back to his wife, who was staring up at him.
"What?"
"What are you stari—" Ainsley looked over her shoulder and saw Gracie dancing slowly with Ben. "Stop."
"He's touching her."
"Grow up."
"I'm saying something to her."
"Sam,"
"Look at them!" he exclaimed. "He's... doing things to her!"
"...they're dancing. We are also doing that."
"Yes but we've also been married for sixteen years."
"Oh you need to be married to someone to dance with them?"
Sam fidgeted and Ainsley shook her head.
"She's happy. Nothing seems to be bothering her. Leave her alone."
"No..."
"Why?"
"Because she's only like... five." Sam mumbled.
"Yeah, like ten years ago." Ainsley snorted, putting her head on Sam's chest.
"Ainse!"
"What?"
"He's... let me go."
"Stop," Ainsley tightened her grip on Sam and he turned them around so he wasn't facing their daughter. "Oh they look so cute together!"
"He's... he's... I used to think he was a good kid!" he exclaimed.
"And he's a convict now that he kissed your daughter right?"
"Damn straight."
"Get a life."
-------------------------TWW------------------
Ainsley glanced up when she heard Gracie walk in, then looked over at Sam, who was glaring at the Sports section of the Washington Post.
"What's his problem?" she asked, nodding at her father. Ainsley just looked back down at her breakfast, leaving Gracie slightly confused.
"Have fun last night?" Sam asked.
"Yeah. How about you?"
"I don't know."
"What did I do?"
"What makes you think you did anything? Were you doing something you shouldn't have been doing?"
"No."
"Then you're okay."
"He saw you kissing the Newman kid." Ainsley said.
"You go through guys like you go through underwear." Sam commented.
"He wasn't happy."
"There was that Roman dude, idiot boy, and now Newman's son, who might I add, is a Republican."
"Okay, Chris wasn't Roman. Jerry just doesn't apply himself and Ben is very nice. And might I add, you're married to a Republican." Gracie said.
"That's different."
"No it's not."
"Yes it is because I've slowly converted your mother and I have all hopes of making you into a Democrat and I don't need some pretty boy Republican changing that." Sam said. "Eat your breakfast, then get to school and Alex is going to be keeping a close eye on you that you don't cut class and sneak off to make out with some other guy."
"Dad!"
"What?"
"I..." Gracie let out a groan and buried her face in her hands. "You're so embarrassing!"
"It's your mother in here. Oh and the dog's in the corner but he doesn't talk so I don't think this conversation is leaving the room."
"You are so..."
Sam put the paper down and waited for Gracie to come up with a word.
"Worrisome!" she finally exclaimed. Sam raised an eyebrow. "Er... maybe... I don't know what you are but you're annoying me!"
"Excuse me?"
"I am allowed to see guys. Right Mom?"
Ainsley shrugged, not wanting to get into the middle of it.
"Ah, I knew you'd take his side!" Gracie exclaimed. "I'm just..."
"You can join a convent." Sam suggested.
"Good, I'll start today."
"Fantastic. Have a good day at school."
"Have a good day blowing up some country."
"I'm sure I will. I'll see you later."
"Bye Mom."
"Bye sweetie."
Gracie stomped out of the room and Ainsley reached over and smacked Sam hard on the arm.
"What the hell was that for?" he yelped.
"For acting like that!"