November 24, 2020
"I can finally get some work done without your daughter poking her nose into my business."
"Toby, when she pokes her nose in, it's because she has an idea. She's proven that she knows of what she speaks." Sam stated.
"She's too young to know as much as she does. She's a bigger freak than you!"
"She watched Mara in action during her formative years. It rubbed off on her, her killer instinct is as sharp as Mar's."
"She annoys me."
"Toby, everyone annoys you. So what week are you taking off?"
"I'll take the second week of December."
"Go put it on the schedule now. So what did you come in here for?"
Jacob noticed Jenna's cell phone on the counter and checked to see where she was. He stepped out on the patio and smiled when he saw her entering the crystal blue waters. They had been in Anguilla for three days and he understood why Sam and Mara loved it so much. It was like being on your own private island where clothes were optional. He didn't think he'd ever get tired of seeing Jenna in nothing but a tiny thong. This trip marked many firsts for him. His first trip to Anguilla, the first time on a private beach, the first time he made love in the surf and on the sand and the first time he placed a call to Sam.
Sam had just come back from a quick lunch with Mara and was working on finding a Secretary of Agriculture when his phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hi Mr. Seaborn, it's Jacob."
"Hi Jacob, is something wrong?"
"No Sir, everything is great in fact. I understand why you never want to leave this paradise."
"Yes, it's heaven on earth. What can I do for you?"
"Sir, I should have done this in person, but I love your daughter with all my heart and I'd like your permission to ask her to marry me tonight."
"It's about bloody time! Jacob you've waited thirteen years, you have to be the most patient man on earth. I'd be thrilled to welcome you to the family, son."
"Thank you so much Sir, I promise I'll make her happy."
"I know you will Jacob. Please stop calling me Sir though, it's Sam."
"Yes Sir... I mean Sam. Well I better hang up before she notices me on the phone."
"I hope she says yes."
"Me too, me too, bye."
Jacob put the phone down, poured them each a glass of lemonade and brought it out to the beach. Jenna was just leaving the water. She took a long sip and then picked up her bottle of sunscreen.
"Care to apply this to my entire body?"
"It's a tough job but I guess I'm the only one around who can do it." Jacob chuckled.
"You can start with my breasts." She purred.
"Your wife is the most annoying, pain in the ass, know it all bitch that ever lived!" Josh shrieked as he walked in to Sam's office.
"Tough tutoring session?" Sam asked with a smirk.
"I can't wait to call an air strike on her!"
"Take a few deep breaths, finish my coffee and tell me what the hell happened." Sam replied calmly.
"We've spent almost two weeks dealing with situations that require immediate action. Then she gives me a situation and reams me out for suggesting the military gets involved. She spent twenty minutes lecturing me on using diplomacy. "
"What was the situation?"
After Josh gave him all the information, he sighed. "Josh, the first question you are suppose to ask yourself is, will diplomatic measures work. If you had asked yourself that Mara wouldn't have gone gazebo on your ass. She was testing you to see if you were really getting a hand on things and all you did was show her you thought brute force was the answer. Did you really think or did you just assume it would be the same as the other situations you'd been working on?"
"I listened but I guess I assumed too."
"Josh, you can't assume anything in there. I'm counting on you to give me an informed opinion."
"Sam, I suck at this!"
"Then you are just going to have to learn how to not suck! Josh, I have faith in you. You've got to check your ego at the door and absorb everything you can from one of the world's foremost authorities. Mara would have never agreed to this if she thought you were hopeless! She knows what you are capable of and giving her far less than your best is going to bring out the beast in her."
Sam's phone rang and he picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Sam, I want the real Josh to show up tomorrow, not his idiot pod!"
"Yes dear, I'll be home for dinner. I have some news for you."
"I hope it's good news after suffering through One Fry today."
"It is, see you later."
Sam hung up the phone, smiled and gave his attention back to Josh.
"Mara wants the real Josh to show up tomorrow not pod Josh."
"How about you go over there right before my session and go down on her so she'll be in a better mood for my lesson."
"Do you really think she wouldn't see right through that little plan?"
"Maybe but even if she did she'd still be coming off a high and be a little distracted."
"Josh, sex doesn't have that lasting effect on her. Why do you think she withholds on me when she's really pissed? It drives me insane but it doesn't frustrate her."
"Did you have to go marry the world's most complicated woman?"
"Yeah, now let's get back to staffing."
"What are you guys doing for Thanksgiving?" He asked.
"Nothing, Mara isn't even doing a turkey."
"I keep forgetting you celebrate Thanksgiving in October. So we are working on Friday then?"
"Yes, now can we get back to filling my cabinet."
Meanwhile, Ginger was sitting behind Sam's desk in his senate office reading the notes Debbie had sent her about running the President's office. She'd hired Joy from the embassy as one of the research secretaries. The present scheduling secretary's assistant accepted the scheduling secretary position and recommended her own assistant from the communications department. After meeting with her for thirty minutes Ginger hired her. She still needed another research secretary and she wondered if she would ever fill the social position.
For the first time since she started working for Sam, almost nineteen years ago Ginger, was dreading going to work each morning. Ryan had noticed her lack of enthusiasm but she never wanted to talk about what was bothering her. Samantha knew something was wrong and decided to do something about it, behind her mother's back. She had asked Ginger if she could drop by after school. She skipped her last period class and walked into the office. Her mother had her head down on the desk and she didn't look happy.
"Headache Mom?"
"Hey Sweetie, yeah I have a headache. How did your math test go?"
"It went really well, I got my history essay back too."
"A?"
"Of course, do I ever get another grade in history?"
"No, do you want to quit school and be my social secretary?"
"Really, that would be so...wait a second, the social secretary schedules and accepts events on the President's behalf right?"
Ginger knew her daughter had clued in already but answered her anyway, "Yes."
"That would involve Aunty Mara, probably an angry Aunty Mara so I think I'll stick with school."
"This job is going to be the death of me." Ginger sighed.
"I'll let you get back to work. I'm going to sit at your desk."
Sam waited a few minutes and once she was sure her Mom was not going to come out she gave Matty a call on his cell .
"Hey Sam, what's up?"
"I need a favour from you."
"What?"
"Can I have your Dad's private cell number, I need to talk to him."
"He's still in the transition office, try this number first. If he doesn't pick up then here is the cell number."
"Thanks Matty, you want to go see a movie tonight?"
"Sure, I should be home in fifteen minutes, call me."
"Kay."
Samantha tried the office number and was taken aback when Sam answered.
"Hi ya, Uncle Sam."
"Sam my darling, how are you?"
"Not good actually."
"What's wrong? Can I help you?"
"Sam, my mom is miserable. I've never seen her like this. If you were anyone else, I'd tell her she had to quit to save her sanity. You have to figure out a way to make this better or I will tell her to quit."
"Sweetie, I had no idea she was miserable. Do you know what is bothering her?"
"She's overwhelmed and totally stressed out. Have you ever heard of a head hunter Sam? Trying to find a social secretary is killing her. She's your assistant not the head of HR!"
"Don't worry, I'll take care of this. I can't loose your Mom."
"Do something quickly."
"Thanks for calling me. I promise I won't let your Mom know you called."
"Kay, bye."
"Bye Sam."
Sam made a few calls and looked at the calendar in his office. He looked at his watch and called Mara to let her know that he'd be a little late for dinner and headed over to his senate office. When he arrived he waved at Rachel and gave Samantha a hug. He headed to his office and looked at Ginger through his open door, she looked exhausted, miserable and frazzled.
"Hey gorgeous!"
Ginger looked up and put a fake smile on, "Sam, what are you doing here?"
"I was sitting in my office and realized I owed you a huge apology."
"Huh?"
"I insisted that Josh and Toby took a week off before transition was over so they had time to relax and refresh themselves. I forgot that you've been working your ass off for me without a break. Take the rest of the week off and on Monday I want you to advise me of what week you are going to take."
"But Sam there is so..."
"Don't worry about it, don't worry about anything. Now scram before I tie you up and carry you out over my shoulder."
Ginger laughed for the first time in a week. "Thanks boss, happy Thanksgiving."
Sam gave her a big hug and a kiss, "Happy Thanksgiving Ginger Ale."
When Sam walked into the mansion Mara and Matty were already eating. Sam gave his wife a kiss and went to get his dinner. He sat down and was allowed to have a few bites before the questions started.
"So why were you late?"
"I'll tell you later. How was school Matty?"
"Fine, I'm bored out of my mind still though. Could you both think about letting me be home, well actually embassy schooled? Jenna got to do all these independent studies that were interesting and challenging."
"I promise we'll think about it. So what was your good news Samuel?"
"Jacob call me to ask for Jenna's hand in marriage."
"No way!" Matty exclaimed.
"God, I hope she says yes."
"Me too." Sam replied.
"Do you think I'll get to be in the bridal party?"
"I don't know Sweetie, but I wouldn't be surprised if you are."
"Oh geez, I better get going, see you later."
"Matty, you have school tomorrow so be home by ten."
"Yes Mommy."
"Where is he going?"
"To the movies with Sam. So why were you late?"
"I stopped by to give Ginger the rest of the week off and to tell her I wanted her to take a week off too."
"That was a good idea, she came over to ask me for a job the other day."
"She looked so miserable when I walked into the office. I can't loose her."
"Then I suggest you let her off the hook for hiring the secretaries."
"Yeah, I'm handing that responsibility over to professionals."
"That's the best idea you've had in some time."
Sam looked at his watch and smiled, "So we have the house to ourselves for almost four hours. How about a debate Mrs. Seaborn?"
"I'll think about it after I have a long relaxing bubble bath."
"Can I join you?"
"Sam, I want to relax not have tub sex."
"I promise to behave, I'll even give you a neck massage. Hmm I have to make a call then I'll join you."
"Fine but if you start anything I will hut you."
Sam went into the kitchen and gave Ainsley a call asking her to help him out with his latest plan. It took him ten minutes and a fair amount of money to convince Ainsley to do his bidding. He hurried upstairs, shed his clothes and slid into the tub behind Mara. He started massaging her neck and gradually worked his way down her body.
"Sam, my neck isn't that far down." Mara muttered with her eyes still closed.
Sam returned his hands to her neck, "I wonder what Jenna and Jacob are doing right now?"
"Hopefully, they are having hot sex celebrating their engagement." Mara replied, forgetting who she was talking to.
Sam's fingers stopped moving immediately. "Well that just killed the mood, you can have your bath back to yourself."
Mara rolled her eyes and sunk down further into the bubbles. When she was finished she dried off, grabbed the bottle of her satsuma orange body lotion and wandered the house naked until she found her husband.
"Moisturize me."
Sam grinned until he heard Jenna saying the same thing in his mind. The grin disappeared from his face and he clinically applied the lotion to her entire body and handed her the bottle back. Mara gave him a strange look, shrugged her shoulders and went upstairs to change for bed. She came back down ten minutes later in her silk pajamas and sat on the other end of the couch reading.
Matty came home a little after ten, handed his Mom the last of his Junior Mints and explained the plot of the movie to them.
"Mommy?"
"Yes my love?"
"Are we doing anything for Yankee Thanksgiving?"
"Nope."
"No turkey, no gingerbread cake?"
"Nope."
"It's Thanksgiving day for Dad though."
"If your Dad wants to spend 6 hours in the kitchen he is welcome to. I'm having dinner at the Old Ebbitt."
"Could you please make gingerbread cake for me? You know how much I love it! Please Mommy?"
Mara groaned, she could never resist her son in full pleading mode. "I'll think about it."
"Think about how much it would please your only son."
"Matty, you are laying it on a little too thick. Not another word or I'll change my mind."
"Kay, I'm going to get ready for bed. Are you going to tuck me in?"
"Yes, holler when you are ready."
"You know, gingerbread would make your only husband really happy too."
"Not you too! I should have never spoiled you rotten. Making a holiday dinner with all the fixings is exhausting, especially with no help and just the three of us."
"I can live without everything but the cake."
"I said I'd think about it."
Half an hour later Matty announced he was ready for bed.
"I'm going to bed too, don't stay up too late."
The next day, Ginger was flipping through the TV channels when there was a knock on her door. She got up, looked through the window and blinked.
"Ainsley what are you doing here?"
"I came to pick you up. Hurry or we'll be late."
"Late for what?"
"A full day at the spa for us both courtesy of Samuel Norman Seaborn."
"Really, wow! I just have to put shoes on and leave a note for Sam."
"I don't think I've ever had a day at the spa." Ginger gushed once in the car.
"Your kidding! Yeah you did, remember when Mara took us for CJ's birthday a few years ago?"
"I remember I stayed home with a temperature and an aching body."
"Oh, well you'll enjoy this. You can pick out any treatments you want. I'd recommend the facial, full body massage, hot rock treatment and the floral soak. We don't have to do the same thing but it is more fun having someone to talk to."
"All of that sounds amazing to me. How long will we be there?"
"If we add a mani and pedi and include lunch we should be there until five."
"Well we have to eat, I haven't even had breakfast."
"There's a McDonald's up the street, I think we can still make breakfast."
Ainsley ordered breakfast for them both in the drive thru and they ate it on the way to the spa. Ginger fell asleep so many times that Ainsley started to call her Sleepy.
"I don't ever recall feeling that relaxed in my entire life." Ginger said on the way home.
"I still can't get over how quickly you kept falling asleep."
"Well when all the stress has left your body you feel pretty fantastic. Thank you so much for taking me to the spa."
"You're welcome, I think I'll demand Sam send me back for my birthday."
"I can't wait that long, I'll tell Sam I want a spa day every few months for Christmas."
"That's an even better idea. Well here we are, I had fun today Sleepy."
"Me too Ainsley, we'll have to do this again. Have a good Thanksgiving."
"You too, see ya."
Ginger almost floated up the stairs and into her house. Ryan has just arrived home and gave his wife a long kiss.
"You look radiant, our daughter tells me Sam sent you to a spa."
"Yes, he wants to make sure I don't quit on him. This was a good way to ensure that. I can't remember when I felt this relaxed. I fell asleep several times during the different massages."
"Mom I ordered dinner, it's staying warm in the oven. I'll get it ready."
"Thanks Sweetie."
Sam picked up the phone and called the mansion.
"Hello?"
"Hi Matty, is your Dad home yet?"
"No, is something wrong?"
"No, just tell him that he did good."
"What?"
"He'll understand."
"Kay, talk to you later."
When Sam arrived home, Matty passed on the message which put a smile on his Dad's face. He was starting to have faith that transition wasn't going to kill them.