ANOTHER UPDATE. ENJOY
Sleepless nights were nothing new to Elizabeth. Being the President of the United States came with the perk of an endless list of things to worry about – avoiding wars with multiple countries, managing temper tantrums from senators and congressmen, and natural disaster after natural disaster were just a few of those things. She'd memorized the grooves on the ceiling of their bedroom in the Residence, and she'd quite often wondered if her predecessors could easily recall the same ceiling. Normally, even when she left the office in the early morning hours, Henry would stir, and check in with her. Sometimes she needed to vent, other times, she needed to nestle into his chest, where he'd stroke her arm. He'd completely wake up if she needed him, rubbing sleep out of his eyes as he sat up against the headboard, prepping her pillows as she changed so the bed was ready for her exhausted body. Other times, she just wanted to curl up and marvel in the way in his sleep, he instinctually pulled her towards him as he settled back into sleep.
Last night, she'd tiptoed into the bathroom, getting directly into the shower to rinse her clothes and then her body from the vomit. She wouldn't have known what to say about it. He didn't know she'd read the interview. And she didn't think she could tell him. But she didn't know how she would keep it from him. She kept state secrets like the most secure safe. But the news last night had pushed past secrets and settled into her soul. And he could read her soul. After climbing into bed, she'd spent the first half of the few hours remaining in the night attempting to push the knowledge so far down that he might not see it. She didn't think that would change anything. But she tried.
The second half she'd spent trying to figure out what she was supposed to do next. The words from the interview haunted her, her imagination projecting horrific images each time she closed her eyes, even just a blink. She couldn't accept it. And, she'd reasoned, if she couldn't accept it, how would she fix it? How would she help Emma? How could she take care of her little girl if she couldn't reason through even what Emma had gone through? She knew factually what had happened. But she couldn't process it. If she couldn't, how on earth would Emma ever?
Her imagination had been having a field day on her brain that at first she thought the noise was just that – imagination. But then she heard it again.
Small and hushed giggling.
Coming from the living room suite just outside of her bedroom. She turned over and looked at the clock, which read 4:30, and she quietly slipped out of bed, pulling her silk robe around her. She needed something to wrap herself in as she quietly opened the bedroom door.
And she heard it again. A sound she'd missed for years.
Emma's giggle. The couch faced away from their bedroom door, and she could see the long, messy curls that disappeared under a blanket wrapped around Emma's shoulders. A movie played on the TV in front of the couch. Bess' eyes ran down the length of the couch, where Jason lounged, his head darting between the TV and glancing over at his sister.
She watched as Emma turned to her brother and whispered, "You're so right, Jase."
Jason nodded, "Of course I am. I'm always right." Then he leaned farther across the couch, stretching. "Did you doubt me?" He whispered back to her. Then he glanced back, and saw her standing there.
"I'm sorry, Mom. We just wanted to watch a movie and this is the most comfortable couch in this whole building." He said smartly.
Bess tensed as Emma turned around to face her for a second, then turned back to the TV. Assuming she'd ruined the whole scene, Bess walked across the room to the back of the couch where Jason was sitting. "I wasn't sleeping anyway. Whatcha watching?"
And surprise hit Bess when it was Emma who responded, "The Lion King." Of course, her daughter didn't bother giving her another look, but at least she wasn't met with silence.
"I decided to come here instead of going back to the dorm tonight." Jason said, "And Emma was still up, so I thought watching something dumb with my kid sister would be better than scrolling through my phone." He paused, like he was giving Emma a chance to say something, but when she remained focused on the movie, he looked up at Elizabeth and said, "We can move somewhere else if we're keeping you up – you know, since you're running the country today and everything."
Bess crossed over and sat on the arm of the couch, playfully messing up his hair as she said, "I'm just mad you didn't invite me to the party." Then, glancing at the movie, she asked, "What made you pick this one?"
"I remember Emma used to watch this without stopping when she was younger so much that she would annoy me running around and singing it all the time."
Bess met Jason's gaze with amazement. "So, is it a well-kept secret that you get sappy after 2am?"
"I'm never sappy." He said, giving her a quick knowing look before reverting to his usual uninterested façade. A façade Bess knew he'd let down to try and reach out to his sister.
Emma giggled again, and glanced at Jason.
"I told you." He said knowingly.
"What's so funny?" Bess asked, hoping her entering into the conversation wouldn't put Emma's walls back up that Bess found herself up against in most of their interactions.
"Jason said that Russell is your Zazu." Emma said, with a small smile on her face. Small, but something. "And, it's the best thing I've heard in a while."
Bess laughed, humored at her son's observation. "Oh dear, you're right."
Jason nodded his head to affirm himself yet again, and inched away from the edge of the couch, gesturing for her to slide down into the corner. She wedged in, her shoulder gladly welcoming her son's head as the kids turned their gaze back to the movie. She lightly placed a kiss on his forehead, which was rewarded with a slight smile and rolling eyes. And she whispered, "Thank you, slugger." He shrugged and settled against her. Soon his body relaxed into a light sleep. Bess wondered if he'd been trying to stay awake to watch out for his sister, but when Bess came in, he felt like he could give that responsibility over to her. A responsibility that Bess could do hopefully without pushing her daughter further away from her.
From her vantage point, Bess watched Emma out of the corner of her eye. She was wearing the same sweatshirt from the day before, and she had one of the throws wrapped around her tiny body. Her blue eyes glittered from the light of the television, and Bess could've watched her daughter for hours, the way the corners of her mouth turned up with small smiles at the humorous moments, the way her forehead scrunched, her eyebrows raised, or the way she'd cover her eyes and giggle whenever the loud-mouthed bird came up on the screen – and Bess laughed with the comparison as well. Maybe that would help her with Russell's intensity. Imagining him as a blue bird while he gave her the morning report would perhaps help with the forced intensity he delivered and expected her to adopt.
Maybe a half hour later, Bess saw the bedroom door open, and a wide-eyed Henry entered, taking in the incredible scene while he tied his robe. Bess raised her eyebrows, indicating her own surprise at the circumstance, then mouthing, "Be cool" as he meandered out, making his presence known as he cleared his throat. Emma turned around quickly, offered him a weak and tired smile before turning back to the television.
"Anybody remember that we have a huge theatre at our disposal?" He joked, taking a seat in his armchair next to Emma's side of the couch.
That got Emma's attention, who looked at him with surprise, "Wait, really?" She looked over at Elizabeth, amazement coming to her face before she looked back to Henry.
"Yup." He said, "One of the perks of the job."
"Cool" Emma said, turning her attention back to the movie, where she continued to mouth the words she'd learned by heart as a child.
Henry sent Bess an impressed look, and an approving nod as they tried to settle into pretending to watch the movie instead of the girl on the couch. They both watched Emma's eyes slowly drift closed, fluttering once or twice before her head fell against the side of the couch, her body finally giving up on the fight against sleep.
Henry mouthed, "Nice" to Bess, who gave a tentative thumbs up sign back to him. Bess grabbed the remote before the movie ended, and restarted the movie with little to no quiet space in between. If this movie helped her daughter sleep finally, they would play this non-stop as long as needed.
Then Henry looked at Bess and whispered, "Sleep. I'm awake."
Bess nodded, pulling Jason close as she settled in, her eyes slowly falling asleep as responsibility passed once again.
