A/N: Thank you everyone for all of the awesome reviews. I'm glad people are interested in seeing where this goes. Hopefully I won't disappoint. Please enjoy the latest installment.
Chapter Two
"Daddy stop taking my food," Emily insists with a tiny giggle. Frank managed to sneak two apple slices off of Emily's plate before his daughter caught him. "Have Mommy make you breakfast if you want apples." The five-year-old moves the plate just out of her father's reach just as Claire comes into the kitchen.
"Daddy can make his own breakfast," Claire says with her back turned. She grabs a carton of orange juice from the fridge and spins around. Emily sees her mother and gasps, prompting Frank to furrow his eyebrows.
"Daddy, look!" Emily says and gestures to Claire. Frank glances at his wife whose lower half is hidden by the counter.
"What am I looking at?" Frank asks. Emily nearly rolls her eyes and hops out of her chair. She bypasses her father and gently grabs her mother's arm, dragging her towards Frank.
"Look Francis," Emily snaps at her father, pointing her finger at her mother's stomach. Her tone of voice and demeanor mirror her mother. Claire and Frank raise their eyebrows at their daughter calling her father by his first name.
Claire coughs back a laugh and turns to the side, showing her husband what Emily sees. It's barely noticeable—the tiniest swell of her abdomen. Someone who didn't know any better could assume Claire ate a big meal or wore too tight of a shirt. Unfortunately, this accelerates their timeline. If their five-year-old daughter noticed, it won't be too long before someone else does.
"Oh," Frank says while hiding his smile in the rim of his coffee mug. Claire sits next to him with Emily following.
"We have to decide how we want to go public, Francis," Claire tells him. She grabs the remaining apple slices off of the plate and pops them in her mouth.
"Why don't you yell at Mommy for taking your food?" Frank asks his daughter.
"Her and my sister need it, you don't," Emily informs her father and hops off the chair, grabbing her backpack to signal she's ready to leave. Frank stares slack-jawed at his daughter's response. Claire polishes off her orange juice and stands up. She's taking Emily to school now that her morning sickness has slightly diminished.
"I'll drop her off and come back for our meeting," Claire informs her husband. He reaches to grab her hand, squeezing it.
"Claire don't get out of the car. We don't need you photographed from the side right now." Claire nods in understanding and walks away from her husband, letting her hand gradually slip out of his.
Three weeks ago, Claire, Frank, Seth and Doug had a meeting to discuss options to reveal the pregnancy. They agreed to put a pin in the meeting until Claire started showing, which is a risky move: there has to be something there for people to see, but if the wrong person sees it, then waiting will have been for nothing.
"Did anybody see you?" Frank asks Claire when she arrives at the Oval. Seth and Doug are already waiting, each registering why they are having this meeting when they see the Vice President.
"No, I stayed in the car. I made Emily promise not to tell her friends, but we might only have a few days." Claire moves aside some pillows so she can sit on the couch.
"I think the best way to do this is to have the two of you speaking together at an event," Seth begins, looking from Frank to Claire.
"Not a press conference," Frank interjects, knowing Claire shot down the notion before.
"No, more of a fundraiser or a rally, either one will work. And I don't think the girl should be there. This needs to be about the two of you," Doug says. Frank lifts his eyebrows at the way his chief of staff chose to address their daughter.
"Doesn't Emily play into what we are trying to sell? A long-awaited sibling for our daughter?" Claire asks Doug.
"We can involve her later. Maybe a formal, family interview if we need to," Seth says. "My suggestion would be your scheduled address at the Sentinel next week. South Carolina offers a personal touch for the two of you."
South Carolina is a bittersweet place for them. The last time they were in Frank's home state was during the primary and their separation. Through LeeAnn, Claire released a long-buried photo of Frank's father shaking hands with a known Klan's member. Due to the inevitable fallout, Frank lost, and Claire used the opportunity to propose her as his running mate.
It is also the place where they flourished. Their house is still there, as is the church they got married and renewed their vows in. Announcing the long-anticipated arrival of their second child in Frank's home state has a certain symbolism to it.
Frank and Claire lock eyes with each other, nodding in agreement. What Seth is proposing might be their best way to connect with the public on a personal level.
"Go ahead and set it up," Frank tells Seth and Doug. The two men excuse themselves shortly after. Claire walks over and sits in her usual spot on her husband's desk. A grin tugs at Frank's lips as he watches her gracefully perch herself on top of his desk. "You better enjoy that while you still can."
Claire smirks and glides a hand over her stomach.
"Francis, I think we should get Tom to write our remarks for the announcement." Frank furrows his eyebrows at his wife's suggestion. He doesn't trust Tom as much as Claire does and with good reason. The writer betrayed them once with how he wrote his book, and again when he tried to sell it to the highest bidder. When Frank and Claire brought Tom back into the fold, it was so they could keep an eye on him, not tell him their secrets like before.
"Are you sure you want to trust him?" Claire gives a mixture of a nod and shrug.
"There are very few people who understand us. Meechum was one, Tom is another." Frank manages a sad smile at the mention of their former bodyguard.
"Alright." Frank relents mostly because he's letting his wife dictate how this plays out. Claire leans over and brushes a kiss to his cheek.
"Thank you." She hops off his desk and makes her way towards the office door. "And Francis?"
"What?"
"If Doug ever refers to our daughter as 'the girl' in front of me again, I will bury him." Frank nods in agreement. Doug's treatment of Emily has been bothering Claire for a while, and he's been neglecting to do anything about it. Normally, he would let Claire take care of it herself, but Doug would be more inclined to listen if it is coming from Frank.
"I will talk to him."
Frank and Claire had an important meeting with the Cabinet they couldn't reschedule, so they broke their usual protocol and had the nanny scoop Emily up from school. Claire arrives back to the residence ahead of her husband and their daughter is nowhere to be found.
"Emily?" Claire yells. Anxiety rises in her when she doesn't hear an immediate response. Their daughter should've been home from school by now. "Emily, are you home?"
"I'm in my room, Mommy!" Emily shouts back. Claire breathes a sigh of relief. She decides to leave her daughter be for the time being and get some work done. A few hours later, Frank comes into the residence just as Claire is finishing up dinner.
"Where's Emily?" Frank asks. Usually the five-year-old is playing in the living room when he arrives home.
"She's in her room. Something is going on with her, Francis," Claire says.
"How do you mean?" Claire hands him a glass of wine and nudges him towards the table.
"I can just tell she's keeping something from us. Emily, it's time for dinner!" Claire watches Emily ease out of her room, clutching her rabbit tightly in her hand. The rabbit is a tell-tale sign something is bothering the five-year-old. It only appears when their daughter needs comfort.
"Why do you have that, Em?" Frank asks, hoping to get a confession out of Emily. Emily shrugs and sets the rabbit on the empty chair next to her.
"I want Bunny to eat with us," Emily mumbles. Claire's eyes slide over to Frank's and he gestures for her to probe further.
"Is something bothering you, Emily?" Claire asks. Emily stares at her food while shaking her head. "Are you sure?"
"Uh huh."
"Toys don't belong at the table, so go put Bunny away," Frank says. Emily clutches the rabbit to her chest while her eyes become glassy with tears.
"Emily, what's wrong?" Claire asks. Emily reaches for Claire instead of Frank like she typically does when she's upset.
"I tell the secret," Emily sobs. Frank's eyes widen and he looks at Claire with apprehension. He knew they couldn't trust their daughter to keep the pregnancy to herself.
"Why would you do that, Em?" Frank asks while trying to keep the anger out of his voice. Emily sniffs loudly and rests her head on Claire's chest.
"My teacher ask me. She saw Mommy throw up when she drop me off at school. She think Mommy was sick. I'm sorry Mommy and Daddy!" Emily wipes her eyes with the back of her hand.
"It's okay, Emily. It's not your fault, it's mine," Claire reassures her daughter. "A few days ago, I thought my morning sickness had passed when I dropped Emily off. As soon as she left the car, I had to get out and throw up. One of the agents has the worst coffee breath. Someone must have seen me."
"Okay…is this going to affect our plan?" Frank asks his wife. Claire tightens her hold on Emily as she shrugs.
"I don't think so, but we can't hold off much longer."
"Am I in trouble?" Emily asks her parents. Frank shakes his head.
"No Em, you did the right thing. We are going to South Carolina next week so we can tell everyone about the baby. Do you think you can hold off on telling anyone else until then?" Emily makes a serious face and nods.
"Yes, Daddy. I not tell anyone." Claire releases her grip on her daughter so Emily can return to her chair. They don't expect Emily to lie for them, especially at her age.
"Can you go put Bunny in your room now?" Claire asks. Emily reluctantly agrees and hops off her chair, grabbing her rabbit and tossing him into her room.
Claire skips their nightly cigarette and elects to take a bath instead. After changing into her pajamas, she slips under the covers and cracks open her book. Frank comes in a while later, having already changed into his pajamas in his room.
"We should discuss bringing your stuff in here," Claire offhandedly mentions, not bothering to look up from her book. "We are going to need somewhere to put the nursery."
As part of their agreement, Frank and Claire agreed not to set anything up for the baby until she's at least six months along. However, they are still going to need Frank's room cleared out before any furniture can go into the room.
"Are you comfortable with that?" Frank asks. Since Frank and Claire moved into the White House nearly two-and-a-half years ago, they've been in separate rooms. Claire claimed it was merely a cold that started the seismic shift in their marriage, but Frank knew it ran deeper than that. He wouldn't want to pressure her into sharing a room again if it's going to end up right where they were.
"You spend most nights in here anyways. If you are comfortable with it, then so am I." Frank reaches over, gesturing for her to move into his outstretched arm. Claire obliges, scooting closer to him in bed. His fingertips skim over her stomach, drawing lazy circles on the silk fabric of her pajamas.
"You know, my room has the bigger closet," Frank mumbles and glances down at Claire. Claire smirks and rests her head on his chest.
"Goodnight Francis."
"Goodnight." Frank reaches over and turns out the light, plummeting the room into darkness.
Right as Frank is about to slip under the surface of sleep, he hears one of their cell phones vibrate against the wooden nightstand. Claire is still suctioned to his side, fast asleep. He won't be able to move without waking her.
"Claire?" He asks, nudging her softly. Frank leans his body towards his side of the bed, eliciting a groan from his wife.
It's his phone ringing. Frank tries one more time to maneuver his body towards the table. Claire rolls off of him, taking his pillow with her. Frank scoops up his phone, tilting his head in confusion when he sees it's Seth calling.
"Seth, what's going on? It's late," Frank says, trying to keep his voice down so he doesn't wake up his wife.
"We have a leak," Seth says. Frank sighs heavily into the phone.
"Alright. Grab Doug and come to the residence. I'll get Claire." Seth agrees and Frank hangs up the phone. He gently reaches over, shaking Claire awake.
"Francis, what is it?" Claire asks.
"Seth and Doug are coming up. Apparently, someone is talking to the press." Claire's lips collapse into a frown. She assumes it has to be someone from Emily's school that talked. Frank hands his wife her matching silk robe for her to toss over her shoulders. By the time Frank and Claire get into the living room, Seth and Doug are already waiting.
"Try and keep your voice down, Emily is sleeping," Frank reminds the two men. "Do we know where the leak is coming from?"
"No, but what they have is thin. It's a fishing expedition, sir," Doug says for him and Seth.
"How do you know?" Claire asks. Seth hands her his tablet to skim through.
"Just based on what they have. The photo is very blurry, you can't definitively make out that it's you in the picture," Seth tells her.
"Are you sure this is me?" Claire asks, showing Frank the photo featured in the article. It's a side shot of some woman showing more than Claire is at the moment. The photo is obscured so the reader can barely even see the person's face.
"We aren't sure, no. The article speculates that Tom Yates is the father," Doug adds. Claire scrolls down to see a picture of her and Tom standing next to each other at a campaign event from about a year ago.
"Apparently, I'm five months along with a girl. They know more about this baby than I do," Claire comments and hands the tablet to Frank.
"Can we shut this down?" Frank asks. He knows this article means nothing, but it gets people talking, especially since it's in a widely circulated magazine.
"It's doubtful, sir. The editor only showed me this because he's a friend. I would advise we just let it run and not comment on it," Seth says.
"Is South Carolina even an option anymore?" Claire asks Seth and Doug. She's willing to scrap the whole idea if it means they can remain in control of the narrative.
"Yes, I believe we can still make it work. I think you just need to keep a low-profile until then," Doug tells Claire.
"You mean, stay at the White House?" Claire asks.
"More or less. You don't have to completely quarantine yourself, but just be careful," Seth tells her. Frank reaches over and skims his hand down Claire's arm.
"Thank you. Let us know if something comes of this," Frank says. Frank and Claire watch Seth and Doug leave the residence. "Are you sure you're comfortable with the idea?" Claire turns so she is facing him, letting his hand fall from her side. She's secretly wondering if he's referring to the Sentinel announcement or the baby as a whole.
"Yes. We're committed now." Frank gives her a nod and they start walking back towards Claire's bedroom, interlocking their fingers on the way.
"Francis, what do you think of this?" Claire asks, holding a maroon t-shirt dress up to her frame. They are on the plane to South Carolina and Claire is going over outfit choices for the announcement. Frank glances up from his paperwork while Emily sets her crayon down.
"What's wrong with what you are wearing?" Frank asks. Claire looks down at her black-and-white pantsuit she threw on this morning before they boarded the plane.
"I was thinking of something more...noticeable." Emily walks over to the choices her mother has laid out on the couch across from her father's desk. There's a gunmetal gray dress with a belt cinched around the waist, a white bolero dress, the maroon dress Claire is holding and another navy wrap dress.
"I'm not good at this sort of thing—" Frank trails off, watching his daughter carefully scrutinizing Claire's choices. Claire's eyes follow her husband's, seeing Emily start making piles on the couch.
"Mommy, not this one," Emily tosses aside the navy dress. "Can I have that?" Claire hands Emily the maroon dress she has in her hands. The five-year-old sets it down with the navy dress.
"What was wrong with that one?" Claire asks out of curiosity.
"I don't like it," Emily bluntly states. "Pick one of these, Mommy." The five-year-old points to the white and gray options left on the couch. Claire is happy to oblige her daughter, wanting Emily to know her opinion matters. They don't want her to feel shut out.
"I like the gray one with the belt. What do you think?" Claire defers her question to Emily instead of Frank. Emily nods and hands Claire the dress to change into.
"What are you wearing, Daddy?" Emily asks.
"This...I think." Frank gestures to the suit he has on.
"No." Emily shakes her head and maneuvers around her mother to where Claire laid out some suit options. "Wear...this one." Emily points to the famous navy-blue suit Frank wears on important occasions.
"She really is your daughter," Frank comments to Claire. Claire smiles and hands Frank his suit while stamping a kiss to his cheek.
As soon as they get off Air Force One, the Underwoods' are marshaled into a car, taking them to the Sentinel.
"Did Tom send you over his remarks?" Claire asks Frank.
"Yes. They are good." Claire nods in agreement and takes a pen from her purse to revise a fragment of Tom's speech.
"Did Doug provide you with an updated guest list?"
"No. Why?" Claire digs in her folder and pulls a piece of paper out, showing him the highlighted names that are causing her concern.
"Why on earth are they coming?" Frank asks, taking the list from her. He's referring to Bill and Annette Shepherd, billionaire siblings who wield a lot of power in shaping Washington politics and policy. The Underwoods' and Shepherds' have worked together behind-the-scenes since Frank first got elected to Congress. Claire and Annette went to school together and have a complicated, often-strained relationship.
"I don't know. I haven't heard from Annette since the gun bill failed." Frank bites his lip while he studies the list.
"We can use them."
"Yes, we can."
Of all the people Claire and Frank have spared with the past, the Shepherds' are by far the most dangerous. They have the capital and influence in Washington that many people can only dream of.
Frank, Claire and Emily exit the car away from the crowds gathering in and around the Sentinel. Secret Service clears a staging area for them to prepare. Tom, Doug and Seth are already waiting. Claire hands Tom her revisions to his speech in case he wants to make any last-minute changes.
"Daddy, am I going out there with you and Mommy?" Emily asks. The toddler changed into her favorite camel-colored dress and had Claire pin back her brunette hair.
"You can at the very end. You have to wait for Mom or me to call you, though." Frank doesn't want their daughter charging the stage at the wrong moment. Their announcement has been carefully choreographed with little margin for error.
"I want you to watch us from back here and wait for my signal," Claire tells Emily. Contrary to what Doug said, Claire wants their daughter involved. This is about their family, and Emily is an essential part of that.
"Okay," Emily says.
Claire approaches Frank, who always steps away before a big speech to run through everything privately. She adjusts his tie, smirking when he lets out an irritated sigh.
"Shall we rehearse?" Frank asks. Claire nods and listens as Frank begins reading off the paper he's holding.
Ten minutes later, Seth interrupts them, letting Frank know it's time for him to take the stage.
"Warm them up for me," Claire comments. Frank reaches over and pinches her cheek. Claire follows him over to where Emily is impatiently waiting with Tom near the curtain.
"Please welcome my friend, President Francis J. Underwood to the stage," The dean of the Sentinel announces. Frank steps out as the crowd erupts in applause. He shakes the dean's hand and poses for a few obligatory pictures.
"Thank you. I'm so happy to be back at the Sentinel. It has helped shape me into the person and President I am today. I learned so much throughout my four years here about honor, discipline—what it means to be a decent soldier and person."
From the wings, Claire and Emily watch Frank deliver his speech. The five-year-old is leaning on her mother's leg, completely enrapt by her father's remarks.
"South Carolina and the Sentinel are an integral piece of my history. During my tenure here, I began my political career as this state's youngest state legislator. My wife and I got married at the church in Gaffney, not too far from where we are now. We still have a house in Gaffney, where our daughter took her first steps in. Claire and I feel a deep sense of pride and loyalty to the people of South Carolina, which is why we wanted to make an important announcement here, instead of Washington. I'm sure you would rather hear from my wife instead of me, so I will turn it over to her. It is my pleasure to introduce my beautiful wife, the First Lady and Vice President of the United States, Claire Underwood!"
"Go Mommy!" Emily gently pushes Claire forward. Claire steps into view with her hand resting on her stomach, rubbing it. She hears the clicking noise of several cameras intensify as she steps closer to her husband. Frank presses a firm kiss to her lips and stands beside her.
"We are so happy to have received such a warm welcome from the Sentinel!" Claire yells over the applause. "Francis and I couldn't think of a better place to announce we are expecting our second child than right here, in South Carolina." She waits for the initial shock to die down amongst the crowd. "We couldn't be more excited to welcome another baby into our family, and finally give Emily the sibling she's been asking for. And we want to thank everyone for their well-wishes and support, both on a personal and professional level. Thank you!"
Claire is wondering why Frank doesn't have his hand on her stomach like they rehearsed. She glances back, ever-so-slightly gesturing to him. Thankfully, Frank receives the message and wraps his arm around her waist while the crowd cheers. His hand doesn't come in contact with her abdomen, instead he chooses to rest it on her side.
"God bless the Sentinel! And God bless the United States of America! Thank you!" Frank yells just as Emily comes out on stage to stand next to her parents. The three of them wave to the crowd chanting "Underwood." Frank is the first to walk towards the side of the stage, gripping Claire's hand tightly. Emily follows, waving to the crowd until she's behind the curtain with her parents.
"That was so cool!" Emily exclaims and jumps to high five Tom. Claire doesn't match Emily's enthusiasm. It bothers her that her husband went off-script at a crucial moment for them. Their marriage is already scrutinized enough in public, he should know better than anyone the significance of body language. The announcement is going to be analyzed on every major news outlet and pundits will be searching for any excuse to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Frank and Claire's relationship.
"We should go and greet everyone," Claire says to her husband. Frank nods in agreement and rests his hand on her back.
"I'm due in December, around Christmas," Claire says with a hand on her stomach. Frank stands behind her, gliding his hand up her spine. So far, Frank has played the role of expectant father beautifully to the crowd. He's within steps of Claire, shaking various constituents' hands and smiling through anyone attempting to give him advice.
It's weird for Frank to see his wife being so open and public with this pregnancy even if she's merely doing it to further their agenda. When Claire was pregnant with Emily, she kept it hidden for the first six months. The only reason the public knew about the first pregnancy was because the reporter Frank was sleeping with leaked it. Claire and Frank never went on record to confirm they were expecting at the time, but they didn't have to. Claire stopped showing up at events and was photographed running with a stroller in the park a few months later.
Frank is falling back on his more pragmatic side when it comes to his wife's pregnancy. He fears Claire is getting too excited about the prospect of a second child, which is so unlike her. Usually, she's the more level-headed of the two of them. They could lose the baby at any time, and Claire needs to be mindful of that. Reminding her of the fact won't do them any good. For now, he just has to let this play out and hope the public will latch onto the idea so they can get their maternity leave bill passed.
"Claire, Frank, congratulations," Annette Shepherd says when her and Bill catch up to the First Couple.
"Thank you," Claire mutters as she accepts a kiss on the cheek from Bill. Frank does the same to Annette.
"We saw your little girl up there. She is so beautiful. Looks just like you," Annette says. Bill and Frank shake hands. Claire isn't fooled by Annette's kind words. The two women have known each other long enough to filter through the pleasantries.
"Thankfully, she resembles Claire and not me," Frank adds with a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Bill, let's get a drink and let the women catch up."
"Alright Frank," Bill steps away from Annette and Claire, following Frank over to the bar. Annette steps closer to Claire, not wanting anyone to hear what she's about to say.
"I heard your maternity bill is flatlining," Annette whispers. She glances down at Claire's swollen abdomen. "The baby is a nice touch."
"You always taught me to go for the long con." A photographer walks by, catching Claire and Annette chatting with each other.
"Excuse me, can we have a photo of the two of you together?" The photographer asks. Claire and Annette oblige, putting their arms around each other while smiling for the camera. "Thank you."
"It would be in your best interest to support us, Annette. We've proven ourselves to be a necessary ally to you in the White House," Claire says.
"I think it would be in your best interest to let the bill...and your baby die a painless death." Annette starts to walk away, but Claire forcefully grabs her arm, captivating the brunette woman's attention.
"Don't make Francis and I your enemies. We don't want to go down that road again. We are offering you a partnership, a direct line to the President and Vice President whenever you and Bill need it. It would be silly for you to throw that away. Imagine all we can accomplish together."
Claire walks away to find Emily and Tom, leaving a stunned Annette in her wake. She's confident this won't be the last time her and Frank will cross pass with the Shepherds', but Claire isn't worried. Bill is a reasonable man who won't squander a lucrative opportunity when he sees it. Annette will fall in line with her brother. Otherwise, he won't hesitate to leave her with nothing.
"Hey Mommy, where's Daddy?" Emily asks. She's sitting at a barstool with Tom, giggling at whatever the writer just told her.
"He's talking to an old friend." Claire meets her husband's eyes across the bar and gives him a nod. Frank winks back at her and wraps up his conversation with Bill. "Emily, please go get your daddy. Tell him I'm tired and it's time to leave."
"Okay, I'll see you later, Tom!" Emily hops off the stool and makes her way through the crowd, smiling at the adults who are smiling at her.
"I thought your speech was convincing enough," Tom tells Claire. "The President on the other hand—"
"You don't think people bought it?" The author is incredibly perceptive, and Claire likes to tap into that from time to time. It helps her and Frank see something they are otherwise blind to, even if it has to do with each other. Tom shrugs, offering little explanation.
"They might. I think they will believe you because you want them to. You have that effect on people, especially the President."
Frank and Emily join Tom and Claire before she is able to ask him to elaborate.
"Em said you are ready to go," Frank says to Claire.
"Yes. Are you finished getting your accolades?" He smirks at the mischievous glint in his wife's cerulean eyes.
"The rest can wait. Let's get going." Frank and Claire bid Tom goodnight with Emily scampering ahead in front of them. On the way out, the First Couple glad-hand a few stragglers who are waiting to congratulate them.
On the way back to the hotel, Emily falls asleep in her chair, the excitement of the day finally tuckering the little girl out. Frank glides his hand over his wife's palm, grinning when she clasps his hand.
"I thought today went well," Frank comments. Claire squeezes his hand and internally chooses her words carefully.
"It did. I just wish—" She lets the words die on her lips, but Frank already heard them.
"What?"
"You would've stuck to what we rehearsed." It's a minor scolding on her part to let her husband know she's frustrated.
"You're right. Did your conversation with Annette go anywhere?" Claire senses his thumb skim over her knuckles as she relaxes into the leather cushion of the limo.
"She's going to be tough to get on board, but I expect nothing less."
"Same with Bill. We can keep pushing. I'm sure there's a favor to be owed."
The next morning, Frank, Claire and Emily are on a plane back to Washington. Emily is occupied with getting some homework done while Frank and Claire are eating breakfast in the conference room of Air Force One.
"Ma'am, the paper you requested," one of the stewards says, handing Claire a copy of today's Washington Herald.
"Thank you," Claire accepts the paper and turns to the front page. "Oh no."
Frank looks up, wondering what his wife is frowning at. Claire angles the paper towards him, tilting her head towards the concerning headline.
Rumors of Trouble Brewing Amongst President and Vice President Amid Announcement of Baby No. 2
"President and Vice President Underwood were at the Sentinel yesterday, the former alma mater of the Commander in Chief's when they announced they are expecting their second child," Claire reads. "Many people at the event reported a certain disconnect between the First Couple, most notably when President Underwood put a 'stiff' arm around the pregnant Vice President." Frank tries not to wither under the intensity of his wife's glare. "This isn't the first time there's been reports of marital strife between the Underwoods', the pair famously reconciled after the President was shot in early 2016. The First Couple already share a daughter, Emily, 5, and the Vice President is due in December. The Washington Herald has reached out to the White House Communications Office for comment on this matter but did not receive a response back at press time."
Claire all but throws the newspaper down and takes her reading glasses off.
"Claire, we can't pay attention to things like this. You know that better than anyone." Frank doesn't comprehend why his wife is getting so upset about one article in the Herald. She's never cared about what people wrote about her in the past.
"Public perception is the whole reason why we are doing this, Francis." Claire tries in vain to maintain the volume of her voice. Emily is in the other room with the door open.
"This has to be the Shepherds." Bill and Annette have an excisable amount of influence over the media in Washington. One of them could've easily planted this article.
"Are we together on this, Francis?" Claire asks. Her question extends far beyond the negative press they are receiving. She needs to know if he's dedicated to the bill and baby. Frank looks insulted she would ask him that question.
"Yes, we are together, Claire." Claire backs up in her chair and stands.
"Then fix this." Frank watches her go into his office where Emily is and slam the door shut. He grabs up his phone and calls Seth on speed dial.
"Seth it's me," Frank begins. "I think we need to move forward with an interview."
A/N 2: That's it! You guys can pretty much guess where the next chapter is going. I'm probably going to have to extend beyond my five-chapter estimation for this just because I don't want to rush anything. (I'm guessing maybe six or seven chapters?) Please leave your thoughts and I promise I'll have something for you guys soon!