A/N: Here's the next chapter! It features a bit of a time jump to when Donna is sworn into Congress. It also will have a big twist at the end that will set up the rest of the story. Hope you enjoy, please read and review!
Chapter 6: I Do Solemnly Swear…
The transition period between Election Day and January 3 passed quickly. Donna made sure that she spent equal time at home and at work, knowing that late nights were going to become a reality when she actually started working on Capitol Hill.
Speaking of Capitol Hill, Donna had been notified of her new office location: Suite 2231 in the Rayburn House Office Building. She could move in as soon Congress went on recess in December. She would also maintain a district office in Silver Spring, which she wisely chose Willow to head. Splitting her time between the district office and Capitol Hill was something she intended to do to maintain a relationship with her constituents.
Having an office meant that she had to think seriously about hiring staff. She and Annabeth were going over this one afternoon in her Silver Spring district office, which would be her transition office until January.
"So, I definitely want Cole to come aboard as Deputy Chief of Staff. That is, of course, if it's all right with you." Donna said to Annabeth as they sat in her expansive office with resumes on one end of the coffee table and takeout Chinese on the other.
"Of course it's all right with me," Annabeth replied. "He's good at his job, and I want him working right alongside me."
"All right," Donna said, writing Cole's name down beside DCOS. "What about a legislative director?"
"I liked the girl we interviewed last week. What was her name, Jamie somebody?"
"Jamie Calley." Donna filled in. "Cliff Calley's niece."
"You don't think that's gonna look weird to people? You hiring the niece of your old boyfriend? She's a Republican, for crying out loud."
"But she's got a good resume, and I thought you said you wanted to go outside the boundaries of political parties."
"It's a good idea in theory, but in practice?"
"She's a legislative director, not a political director. I think she'll be mostly impartial."
"If you say so," Annabeth said. "She is the most qualified."
"Okay, then. Jamie for LD and she can hire and vet her own staff." She sighed. "Now what about communications?"
"I know Madison said she got an offer to work in the city again." Annabeth pointed out. "That leaves us free to make Leila a combination communications director and press secretary. I think she's earned it."
"I think that's a good idea. But let's give her a deputy so she's not completely in over her head."
Annabeth smiled at Donna's knowing look. "You know who we should hire, don't you?"
"Yeah. I do."
"Who?"
"Molly Ziegler."
Annabeth laughed for a minute. Then, her mouth dropped. "You're serious?"
"She's almost done with college. She's done a lot with Madison on the campaign. She's more than proven she can hold her own. It's not as if we haven't hired congressional aides that young before."
"Yeah, but we're not talking about an aide. We're talking about a named position."
"Well, maybe we don't give her a title. Yet."
"Or maybe we can. Deputy press secretary. I know that's usually reserved for senators, but who says a Representative can't have one? And she can work at an aide's pay level until she finishes school. It can work."
"Annabeth, you're a genius!" Donna grinned, hugging her. "And then Tracy'll stay on social media out in the district office, Brett can be a caseworker, and Ryan my scheduler/office manager."
"Done," Annabeth said with a grin. "Donna, I think we've got ourselves a crackerjack staff."
The next step was telling their new staff. Jamie was enthusiastically grateful, Cole was neutral but excited nonetheless, Brett was excited and honored, and Leila, though apprehensive, soon accepted.
Molly was the last one told. Donna called her personally to tell her about her new position.
"So, I'll be an aide, but...a member of the communications staff?" Molly asked as she sat in her dorm room at Hopkins.
"Yes," Donna replied from her office. "Eventually, when you've finished school, I want to name you a deputy press secretary under Leila. She'll be directly overseeing your work."
"So, I report to Leila, Leila reports to Annabeth, and Annabeth reports to you?"
"That's right." Donna paused. "Molly, I want you to know...this isn't nepotism."
"I didn't think it was."
"I wouldn't be practically promoting you if I didn't think you were up for the job. Annabeth agrees with me. You've more than proven yourself over the last eleven months. So, what do you say? You wanna come serve your country?"
"I don't know what to say," Molly admitted. "I better call my mom."
"So you can ask her for advice?" Donna asked.
"No, so I can tell her that we'll be seeing each other in the city a lot more often."
Donna grinned. "Does that mean…"
"Yeah, it does, Congresswoman-Elect," Molly said. "I'd be proud to serve my country."
…
Days turned into weeks, and soon it was the day before Donna's official swearing-in, and her first day in Congress. She would be sworn in with all Representatives first, before the Speaker would swear her in privately for the benefit of her family and staff.
But before she was sworn in, Donna was sitting in a doctor's office, watching as her grandchild moved around on an ultrasound screen.
The strong whooshing of the heartbeat filled the room. Donna closed her eyes. The first time she had heard the heartbeat at 10 weeks, she had had to leave the room, the reality of the situation weighing her and causing her to break down in tears. But this was Anna's second ultrasound, and while she was still having trouble adjusting to the fact that her sixteen-year-old daughter was to become a mother herself, the adjustment was growing easier with each passing day.
"Look, Mom," Anna said in awe. "Look at the little hands and the fingers. And can you see the heart?"
"Yeah, I can, sweetheart," Donna replied, coming up to take her hand. "I remember when I first saw you and your sister on an ultrasound. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before."
"Got that right."
Anna's new obstetrician, a woman in her mid-forties with blonde hair, smiled at the exchange. While Donna had asked Anna if she wanted to go to her own OB/GYN, Dr. Corwin, Anna said she preferred to start fresh. It would feel weird going to the same doctor who delivered her, she said. And so, she had gone to one of the other physicians in the same practice as her mother's, Dr. Nora Manley.
"So, I think we can find out gender at this appointment if you'd like to know." Dr. Manley told Anna with a smile on her face. "Would you?"
Anna looked over at her mom.
"It's up to you, honey," Donna told her.
"What about the father? Does he want to know?"
"I think he does. Um, he couldn't make today's appointment, but he usually comes." True to his word, Ben had stuck by Anna's side and was excited about the upcoming arrival of his child. Mike still needed a little work, but Lucia was just as excited as her son.
"Do you want to wait so you can find out together? Or how about this. I can write it down for you, and that way you and him can decide when to find out."
"Yeah, that sounds good."
An hour later, Anna went over to Ben's with the envelope clutched in hand. They sat down on the porch.
"So...the gender's in here?" Ben said.
"Yeah. So, do you want to know?"
Ben nodded-hesitantly at first, then more vigorously. "Yeah, I do."
"Okay." Anna smiled, opening the envelope. "Ready?"
"Ready," Ben replied.
They turned over the paper, and grinned widely, before kissing.
"It's a boy!" Anna squealed.
And when Anna went to tell her family, they couldn't have been more delighted.
"About time we had another boy in this family!" Matty said.
"You're right about that, son," Josh said, ruffling his hair before hugging his daughter.
"So," Donna asked once they were all settled, "Any names yet?"
"We know exactly what we're gonna name him," Anna told them. "But we're gonna keep it a surprise for when he's born."
…
The next day was the big day. The kids had gotten to take the day off of school to watch their mother be sworn in. Annabeth had arranged for a private ceremony following the mass swearing-in so they could get photos.
Anna had stressed for hours the night before about what to wear. More importantly, what to wear that wouldn't make her pregnancy noticeable, but would also fit. Luckily, Donna had realized her predicament and helped her find a purple dress from her own closet, from her long-past days of professional maternity clothes. Anna would forever be grateful to her mother.
Donna herself was dressed in a conservative dark red pantsuit with a white blouse and her favorite pearl necklace. She, Josh, and the kids arrived at the Capitol around 11:30 am, where they met Annabeth.
"You look great!" Annabeth greeted Donna as they hugged. "How ya doing?"
"A little nervous, but overall pretty good," Donna responded truthfully.
"Okay. So, they'll start with the voting of Speaker Kimbrough-a formality, of course. Then, they'll swear you all in en masse. Then, we'll all go off to the side and wait in alphabetical order for them to do the private ceremonies for the freshmen. Any questions?"
"No." They all replied.
"Good." Annabeth nodded. Just then, the doors to the House chamber opened, and people started filing in.
"You ready, baby?" Josh said, squeezing Donna's arm.
Donna took a deep breath. It had all led up to this.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
Then, all seven of them walked into the House chamber for the events of the afternoon.
Everything moved very quickly after the House was called to order at noon sharp. Once they had all voted (and Donna felt a particular sense of pride as she cast her very first vote as a member-elect of the House), Speaker Jane Kimbrough of the Democratic Party in Minnesota was sworn in for another term. She was the very first female Speaker of the House.
Then, all the Representatives stood and took the Oath of Office together.
Once the applause had died down, everyone began to filter into the hallway for the freshmen swear-ins. As they were going in alphabetical order, Donna and her group weren't called into the Speaker's office until around 1:30.
"Good afternoon, Madam Speaker." Donna greeted politely as she and everyone else stepped through the door.
"Good afternoon, Donna." The Speaker replied. She wasn't just being polite; she had gotten to know Donna very well during her time in the First Lady's office. "And who do we have here?"
"My husband, Josh, who I think you've met, and our children: Abby, Anna, Matthew, we call him Matty, and Leo. And also my staff."
"How wonderful to meet all of you." Speaker Kimbrough said. "Isn't this something?"
"Yes, ma'am." All four kids chorused.
Josh put his arm around Donna's shoulders. "We're all very proud of her."
"Ready to make history?"
"Yes, ma'am. I am."
Josh moved to take the Bible, and Donna placed her left hand on the Bible and her right in the air.
"Repeat after me. I, Donnatella Moss Lyman, do solemnly swear…"
"I, Donnatella Moss Lyman, do solemnly swear…" Donna repeated solemnly, yet confidently.
"That I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States.."
"That I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States.."
"Against all enemies, foreign and domestic;"
"Against all enemies, foreign and domestic;"
"That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same,"
"That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same,"
"That I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion,"
"That I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion,"
"And that I will well and faithfully discharge…"
"And that I will well and faithfully discharge…"
"the duties of the office on which I am about to enter."
"The duties of the office on which I am about to enter."
"So help me God."
"So help me God." Donna finished strongly.
"Congratulations, Congresswoman Lyman." Speaker Kimbrough said, shaking her hand warmly. Applause and cheers broke out from the group.
Josh kissed Donna deeply before Donna embraced her children. Then, they all posed for a picture.
Once the festivities of the day had come and gone, Donna bid goodbye to Josh and the kids, who got on the Metro to head home. It was then that she was able to walk over to the Rayburn Building to her new office suite. She arrived at the door pretty quickly and stepped back to read the words on the newly engraved plate:
Donnatella Lyman
(D-MD)
U.S. House of Representatives
Donna smiled quietly, then took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
Annabeth had told her that there were only 18 full-time and 4 part-time employees on staff. That being said, it looked like all 22 were running around, answering phones, and setting up the office.
Cole was standing on a chair, directing everyone to where they were in the busy suite. Suddenly, he noticed Donna.
"Everyone! Congresswoman Lyman!" He announced.
Everyone erupted into cheers, giving her a standing ovation. Annabeth could see Donna and Ryan near the back of the suite, near what she assumed was her own office.
She smiled and waved, as everyone began to chant, "Speech! Speech!"
The room quieted down as Donna raised her hand. "All right! It's a pleasure to meet you all, if we haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. This is an extraordinary job to have, and I speak from experience of being on your side of the equation. Most of you know that I began my career as a White House staffer, and so I know about the hours, and the workload. That being said, we are all going to work together in this office to enact as much change as possible in the span of these two years. So, without further ado...let's get to work!"
Everyone cheered again, as Donna made her way back to her office.
"Nice speech, boss," Ryan said.
"Thanks, Ryan. That goes for you, too. You and Annabeth."
"Yes, ma'am," Annabeth said immediately.
"God, we're not gonna start that, are we?" Donna said.
"At least in the office, we are," Annabeth replied.
Ryan opened the door. "Your office, Congresswoman."
Donna stepped into a beautiful, ornate office. It had dark red paint, an oak desk, and a sitting area for three people. It was, in many ways, an expanded version of the office Donna had had in the State House.
"It's beautiful." Donna breathed.
"It's all yours." Annabeth said, coming up beside her. "You did this."
Donna nodded. She smiled, hugged Annabeth, and walked towards her desk. She stood behind it, letting in all the emotion of the moment.
…
Five days later:
Donna's alarm beeped, the soft glare of her phone announcing that it was 5:45 AM.
She rolled out of bed, ready to face the day-her third full day in Congress. They had a stimulus bill debate scheduled, and Donna also had two committee meetings with her recently assigned committees: a subcommittee of Appropriations (unheard of for a Freshman) and a meeting of Education and Labor. Education and Labor was headed by Matt Skinner, so at least she had a few friends in this Congress.
She turned on the shower, the warm water splashing against the wall of their walk-in en suite. As she mentally ran through her day, going through her daily shower routine, it occurred to her that she hadn't done a self-check in a while.
While most doctors didn't recommend breast self-exams as a reliable early detection method anymore, she had been doing it every month since she was 21, and she wasn't about to stop now.
Starting with her left side, she carefully pressed against the skin, searching for any lumps or anything out of the ordinary. Not feeling anything, she switched to the right breast, and that's when she felt it.
A hard mass the size of a marble.
It wasn't huge, but it was noticeable. She let go and started again, coming up with the same conclusion.
She froze in the middle of her shower, the quickly cooling water cascading over her body.
"Oh, my God." She whispered quietly.
A/N: And here we have the second part of what happens in this story! Please let me know what you thought!
