Chapter 2:
You are not here and I stumble.
Inside the Oval Office.
Mackenzie was calling Rod like she said she would. She dialed the number of Rod's apartment in New York and waited until somebody picked up. It was a woman….
Woman- hello, this is Rod Calloway's residence… Who is speaking?
Mac was stunned to hear that a woman was answering Rod's phone… and the weirdest thoughts came to her head. With a tone of voice that was ruder than she intended said…
Mac- This is President Mackenzie Allen…
The woman on the other side of the phone got nervous and exited at the same time.
Woman- oh! Madame President… is an honor to talk to you.
Mac rolled her eyes wishing she could execute that woman if she touched Rod in any way.
Mac- thanks. May I talk to my husband, please?
Woman- I'm sorry… but Mr. Calloway is in the shower…
Mac almost fell from her chair. Why was Rod taking a shower if there was a woman in his apartment? What the hell was going on?
Mac- then what the hell are YOU doing there?
The woman suddenly understood what Mac was thinking and she rushed to explain everything.
Woman- ma'am President… I'm just cleaning the apartment. I'm the new maid. That's all.
Deep down, Mac knew the woman was probably telling the truth. There were no indications of the contrary. Plus, common sense told her not to freak out unless she knew for certain that Rod was cheating on her. She took a deep breath and said…
Mac- whatever… Can you tell my husband to call me back as soon as he cans?… Thank you…Without even waiting for an answer, Mac hung up the phone and decided to go back to her duties.
A couple of hours later…The President was talking to her Chief of Staff about a decision she had just made.
Mac- I won't do anything to stop the closure of the Exess base.
Jim was a bit surprised. He wasn't sure if that was exactly the right decision but he figured that President Allen would have special consideration to her home state.
Jim- Are you sure about that, ma'am? It might cost you valuable votes in Connecticut.
Mac- yeah… I know… but I can't let my personal feelings or interest interfere with what's best for the country.
Jim- that's right… I'll tell Kelly to prepare a statement for the press…
Jim stood up and then Mackenzie added.
Mac- Jim… Make sure the workers of the base get an appropriate monetary compensation for the lost of their jobs.
Jim- of course… I'll prepare the paperwork necessary to make that order effective.
Mac- whenever you have the papers ready bring them to me so I can sign then…
Vince Taylor suddenly entered in the Oval Office.
Vince- excuse me, Madame President, the First Gentleman is on the phone… line 2Mac- great… thanks
She picked up the phone and Vince and Jim left the Oval Office.
Mac- hello Rod…
Rod- hi… they told me you called…
Mac- yes… I called you, but some girl answered.
She tried her best to sound like she wasn't completely jealous about that fact.
Rod- oh… yes… my new cleaning lady.
Mac- right… it surprised me because I didn't know you hired someone.
She tried to sound very casual but her suspicions were evident.
Rod- I had to honey… my place here was a mess… but that's such a trivial matter… why would I bother you talking to you about my employees?
Mac- you are right about that…
Just when Mackenzie was beginning to think that maybe Rod wasn't cheating on her after all… he said the words that no man should ever said when he is trying to prove that the woman who answered the phone is just the cleaning lady.
Rod- by the way… I won't be able to go home today… I'll have to go tomorrow morning. Things got really complicated at work… I'm sorry.
Mac was furious. That wasn't what she needed right now. She had a country to run and she didn't need her husband to cause her more stress and to add more disappointments and worries to her already complicated life.
Mac- Rod, you can't keep doing this to me! You are never here… and I don't know what are you doing, or WHOM are you doing….
Rod interrupted her, very offended by the insinuation.
Rod- I'm not cheating on you! I would never do that to you! And don't you think you would have find out by now if I were cheating?
He had a point… the press would have caught Rod if he were cheating. And Mac knew that in her mind. However, she couldn't be reasonable when her marriage was in jeopardy.
Mac- I can't believe you, Rod! I'm not sure if I can trust you…Rod was getting very upset. He couldn't believe Mac would accuse him of cheating. Didn't she know him at all?
Rod- maybe you are just paranoid because you are the one who is cheating!
Mac- Go to hell, Rod!
Mac froze when she saw that Jim was standing in there. He had just entered to the Oval Office to give her a message.
Jim- I'm so sorry Madame President… I just came to tell you that Mike Stanton is waiting for you. He's with Vince in the Roosevelt Room.
Mac felt very uncomfortable with the situation. Jim heard her send Rod to hell… she didn't want anyone to know about her problems with her husband. She talked to Rod again.
Mac- listen Rod... I have to go… I'll talk to you when you get home.
She got up and noticed that Jim was still looking at her. In a warning tone she said…
Mac- Don't even ask…
Jim raised his arms defensibly.
Jim- I wasn't planning to ask anything, ma'am…
He watched Mac as she left to have her talk with Mike Stanton. Jim knew that it was wrong, but in that moment he couldn't help smiling a little bit.
That night. In the residence. Mac's Room.
Mac's little daughter, Amy, had been having more nightmares than usual lately… probably because she really missed her parents since her father was in New York most of the time and her mother was incredibly busy. So, that night Mac had allowed Amy to sleep in her room. Mother and daughter were trying to fall sleep but Amy suddenly said…
Amy- mom… Is daddy coming to see my play?
Amy had gotten a part in the school play and she wanted her parents to be there. Mac had no idea if Rod would show up, so, half sleep, answered…
Mac- he is going to try, honey…
Amy- and will you come to see me?
Mac- I'm going to try, honey…
Amy was very disappointed. She barely saw her parents anymore.
Amy- You always say that… never mind! Is a stupid play anyway…Mac was fully awake now. She looked worriedly at her daughter and very seriously said.
Mac- don't say that, Amy… I bet is a nice play and you will be great… I'll do my best to go… I promise you that unless I have an emergency I'll go… I really want to see you play…
But Amy was in a bad mood and there was no way to make her feel better.
Amy- is ok… I'm not even the star… I have a stupid small part.
Mac- Amy! You may not be the star but your part is very important too…
Amy- I just play the housekeeper…
Mac- and that's important… The Housekeeper gets everything done, sees everything, hears everything, knows everything…
Amy- but I'm only have like two lines…
Mac- Well… that's because your character knows how to keep a secret… and that's important.
Amy smiled feeling satisfied with that.
Amy- you are right! I can't wait to tell daddy I got an important part after all… I'm the one who keeps all the secrets! Is daddy coming tomorrow?
Mac- he said so… now go to sleep…
But Amy didn't want to sleep… she wanted to ask her mother everything she had in her head.
Amy- mom... are you and daddy getting divorced?
Mac startled and she got very serious again.
Mac- no! Why do you think that?
Mac could imagine why… but she wanted to hear that from Amy.
Amy- A boy in my class told me that his parents are divorced… and he says that divorce means that your daddy lives in a different house than your mommy… and it also means that your mommy and daddy are sad and yell all the time…
Mac- Amy… your daddy lives in a different house only because he works in a different city… we explained you that… remember?
Amy- but I heard Becca and Horace taking once, and they said that you are daddy were in trouble and you were probably getting divorce…
Mac was now very mad… she would have to talk very seriously with the twins.
Mac- Becca and Horace don't know what they are talking about! Your father and I are fine.
That was, at least, what Mac hoped with all her heart.
Amy- so… Do you love daddy?
Mac- I'll always love your father… now go to sleep!
The next morning… Vince's office.
Vince was talking on the phone with a judge of the Supreme Court.
Vince- I know what the Supreme Court decided… but I have in my hands an executive order, given by President Mackenzie Allen, which says very clearly that Linda Bodum's execution MUST be cancelled… (He paused to hear the judge's response and then continued talking) well… because it's unconstitutional to execute a person with an IQ lower than the normal… you know that! (He paused again and then continued) yes! That's what I'm saying… President Allen granted Linda Bodum pardon… (Another long pause, and then Vince continued again) of course… We will send you the executive order with the President's signature right now… have a nice day.
He hung up the phone and saw Jim standing in there.
Jim- hi Vince… I have to give the President the papers she needs to sign.
Vince looked in his desk, found some papers and handed them to Jim.
Vince- here you have… I need the one about Linda Bodum to be signed urgently…
Jim- ok… I'll give it to the President right now… Where is the President by the way?
Vince- In the residence… doing her exercises.
Everybody knew that Mackenzie was really into sports and that she always exercised when she could… specially when she was nervous or stressed and needed to clear out her head. Even thought she preferred outdoor activities (which she still practiced from time to time), it was more practical to her (due to security reasons) to exercise indoors and she had turned one of the residence's rooms into a gym. Jim nodded…
Jim- ok… Thank you, Vince.
The residence. The President's gym.
Mac was running on a treadmill. She was so focused in her exercises and so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't hear Jim, who shyly entered in the room. Jim, since Mac hadn't noticed yet, took a few seconds to watch her… she was wearing a simple T-shirt and shorts and she had her hair neatly tied up with a pony-tail. She didn't look very presidential, but Jim couldn't help thinking that she was very sexy when she worked out (even when she was sweating and had her face red). Jim knew that he had to let the President know that he was there, so he cleared her throat and said…
Jim- excuse me, Madame President…Mac startled at first, then she got down the treadmill to find out what Jim wanted.
Mac- hi Jim… is something wrong?
Jim- no ma'am… I just needed you to sign these papers right now…
Jim handed her the papers and a pen… Mac examined them for a few minutes and Jim couldn't stop staring at her while she read the papers.
Mac- well… everything seems to be in order…
Mackenzie noticed that Jim was looking at her in a estrange way. She looked at him with curiosity, wondering what was wrong with Jim who lately stared at her more than he should.
Mac- is something wrong, Jim?
Jim- no, ma'am… here you have a pen to sign the papers…
Mac- ok…
She smiled and took the pen to sign the papers. After signing them, Mackenzie and Jim made eye contact for a few seconds. He couldn't control him self anymore… throwing all his common sense away, he leaned towards Mac and kissed her on the lips.
To be continued…Hi! Thank you to the people who read this and reviewed! It meant a lot to me… thank you so much!
And don't worry! I think Mac belongs with Rod… she won't end up with Jim… but I'm just trying to make things more interesting…