Day Four
"Ma'am?" Blake hovered in the doorway of Elizabeth McCord's office. She stood behind her desk, surrounded by papers, and peered up at him over her glasses.
"Peter Bass?" She asked him.
"His on line three, Ma'am." Blake nodded toward her phone.
"The phone?" She asked with raised eyebrows. "It's not a big enough deal for him to come in?"
"Well, he's at the hospital. His wife is having a baby." Blake explained.
"Right now?" Elizabeth was completely stunned.
"They pulled him out of the delivery room."
"Jesus!" She exclaimed. "I gotta remember that next time I complain about how this job interferes in my life!"
"He's on line three." Blake repeated.
"Right!" She said reaching for the phone, and lifting it as Blake returned to his desk.
"Madam Secretary?"
"Peter, for God's sake, tell me this isn't your first child." She began without preamble.
"Well, ma'am, it is our third, but . . ."
"You're right of course. Doesn't make a difference, does it?"
"No, ma'am, but it seems like the world doesn't care about our little lives, now does it?"
"Not generally. Listen, is she close delivery?"
"Doctors guess in the next few hours, but you never know."
"No, you don't." She sighed. "I'll keep it short. What do I need to know? And for the sake of your wife, give me the shortest version possible."
"It's mostly about regional control. We've got the TAK pretty much everywhere demanding their place at the table."
"It was my understanding that the Kurdistan Freedom Fighters were a small force. I was told they were not able to make an impact."
"That was probably true a year ago - maybe even a few months ago, but they've been gaining power. People are unhappy, and the recent situation with refugees have put immense pressure on just about every country from here to all of Eastern Europe."
"You think they'd be willing to sit down at any point?"
"I think so. I'll work things on this end, but it will need to be at a neutral location - otherwise we'll spend all our time and energy trying to come up with a mutually acceptable location. I recommend meeting outside of Turkey."
"Yes." She agreed. "And I think we should fast track everything; see if we can't get a meeting before next week."
"Next week!"
"I've found if you can move things quickly enough, it unsettles everyone just enough to make negotiations easier. It shifts the balance of power our way."
"I guess I'm relieved you didn't suggest we get them to the table before my baby is born."
"Well, that would be unreasonable." She said with a laugh. "On the other hand . . ."
"I'll see what I can do, Ma'am."
"Go back to your wife. Be there when that baby is born or she'll never forgive me. Thank you, Peter."
"I serve at the pleasure, Madam Secretary."
***MS***
"Croatia?" Elizabeth settled into the couch in her office as Nadine sat in the chair opposite her.
"It would be the simplest plan. We were already scheduled to be there next week for your goodwill tour. From a security standpoint it makes things a lot easier on your staff, and it is definitely a neutral point for everyone involved."
Elizabeth rubbed the back of her neck, considering her chief of staff's suggestion. "It would be a win for Croatia, too. They wouldn't object - they aren't accustomed to a seat at the big game. And I guess, moving the trip forward a few days, won't impact my schedule too much - it's not like I'm going to be seeing my family any time soon." She sighed. "Go ahead, see what we can arrange, and keep me updated."
"Yes, ma'am." Nadine said rising. "Blake asked me to remind you that you are expected in Russell Jackson's office in about twenty minutes."
"Yes, thank you." Elizabeth rose and followed Nadine out. Blake rose from his desk, handing her several files.
"You've got twenty minutes . . ."
"I know, Blake. Don't worry. I'll be at Mr. Jackson's office on time." She interrupted, but Blake shook his head.
"No, ma'am. I wasn't worried about that. I was just going to point out to you, that you have twenty minutes - so if you wanted something to eat or to make a phone call home - there's nothing else pressing until then."
She glanced at the clock, but shook her head seeing it was 4:27 p.m. "Damn! I was supposed to call Henry at 3:00 p.m. He's got a lecture now. I didn't even get a chance to explain!"
"Is there anything I can do?" He asked. "I could grab you something from the mess or I could dash over to that place on Third?"
"No." She smiled a Blake. "Thank you. I'm just going to take a minute and then head over to Russell's office. Will you let my detail know I should be ready in ten?"
"Yes, Madam Secretary."
Elizabeth closed her outer door and returned to her office. She didn't know why she was bothering to close the door. It wasn't like she was going to get Henry on the phone. She started to send him a simple text, but then changed her mind, and dialed his number.
"Hey, Baby." She said as his answering machine kicked on. "I'm really sorry about missing your call. I know I promised no matter what, but this job has a way of completely destroying my track record on promises kept." She sighed, suddenly overwhelmed with a sadness she couldn't quite name. "I've got at least three more meetings today, so I probably won't make it home. Things have kind of . . . well, I suppose you can get the gist of it on the news eventually. I'm just . . . I'm really sorry. I'll call later or you call me. I don't care what time it is - if it is within my power, I'll take your call." She glanced at the clock. "I gotta go now. Kiss the kids and I'll talk to you later, I hope. Henry . . ." She struggled for words to express all she felt. "I really miss the sound of your voice, and you." She gave a chuckle. "I love you, babe."
Hanging up her cell phone, she turned to her desk, gathering up her papers, and hoping that things would settle down enough for her to spend at least eight hours with her family. She was starting to slump into a sort of pathetic despair when she remembered Peter Bass, the ambassador to Turkey, stepping away from his wife as their child was being born to take her call.
***MS***
Day Five
"So, what are you wearing?"
"The same thing you saw yesterday." She said into her phone.
"I didn't see you yesterday." Henry pointed out. "And it looks unlikely that I'm gonna see you today. So come on, baby, whatcha wearing?" He laughed.
"Well, I've got these really uncomfortable heels on but they are designer, so complaining about them makes me seem kind of low class."
"My kind of gal." He teased her.
"What about the kids?" She asked him, rubbing a hand over her face.
"You wanna talk about the kids at three in the morning?"
"No." She sighed. "God, I'm tired. You must be too. Aren't you exhausted?"
"Yes, but something about the sound of your voice perks me right up. So what can you tell me about it?"
"You've seen it already. Turkey is blown up, but it looks like we can get the leaders of the TAK to sit down with us."
"In Croatia?" He said laughing. "Talk about unpredictable! It's supposed to be gorgeous there."
"I've been told. I don't suppose you've got a free week?"
"Tragically, no." He told her. "I could probably bail out on exams, but Allison will want at least one of us at the concert."
"Oh, God!" Elizabeth sat upright. "I completely forgot! Oh! Poor Noodle! I promised her! I am the worst mother on the planet."
"Well, there was a lady who left her baby outside the Saves-A-Lot, so you might not be at the tip top of the list . . ."
"Is she mad?"
"Currently, she's asleep and unaware." He told her. "Don't worry, babe. She'll have other concerts."
"What do you think the odds are I'm gonna make it to one of them?"
"She might not notice. The lights on stage are really bright."
"Sure, it's hard to spot me and my entourage." She pointed out.
"What's going on?" He asked her. "It's not like you to be so down. Is there more than what I'm seeing on the news."
"Well, there's always more than you see on the news, but it's nothing like that."
"So I shouldn't get the kids in a bomb shelter?" He asked.
"Not this week." She sighed. "I'm just getting tired of all the things I miss. The kids are going to be grown tomorrow, and all they will remember are all the times I wasn't there. And I miss you."
"It's just a bad week, baby. Things will even out again. They always do."
"Not lately. It seems like things are always just on the edge of disaster." She exhaled. "I'm sorry. You probably didn't wake up at three in the morning to listen to me complain."
"No, I was hoping for some serious sexy talk." He told her. "But I'll take what I can get. Now, tell me you are a bad mother again, but say it really slowly."
"Henry Patrick McCord! What would Father Bryan say?"
"I don't think you want to travel down that road, darlin'. He's got some pretty old-school ideas about husbands and wives. You'd probably be pretty ticked by any of his comments on this issue."
"That might be true." She yawned. "You should sleep. I'll hang up."
"You should sleep, too. What's the ETA on that anyway?"
"Well, we've got this phone call in about fifteen minutes and after that I'll probably catch a nap. We've got a strategy meeting in the morning."
"That seems reasonable." He yawned. "You never said anything about the baby, though."
"A girl. They named her Rebecca, I think. Fortunately, she didn't make her appearance until after her father managed to arrange a tenuous meeting between people bound and determined to destroy the world they live in - so she's got good sense right from the get-go."
"Their first?"
"Third. They have two boys and I think the oldest one is seven."
"Well, there's not a lot of social life in Turkey." He offered.
"The entire country, Henry?" She laughed. "Three little ones. Remember how exhausting it was?"
"Yeah. Remember that time that all three of them got the flu? God, that was the worst."
"You got it too."
"That's right! I forgot!" He shook his head at the memory. "It's the only time I remember you having to call anyone for help. Did my Mom come? I can't remember."
"No." Elizabeth said softly. "Your parents were on that cruise that your Dad complained about. I called Juliet."
"Oh." He said quietly. "That's right. I remember now."
"I should go." She said, when the silence between them became too oppressive for her to manage. "It's late, and I'm gonna get pulled away any minute now."
"Elizabeth . . ."
"No, I'm fine. I'm sorry about . . .I'm sorry I'm in such a crappy mood."
"I'm in a pretty crappy mood myself. I'm lying here in this big empty bed."
"Well, at least I won't steal the covers from you."
"Elizabeth, you okay?" He asked gently.
"Yes. Just tired and cranky. Remember when I was pregnant with Jason and had that complete meltdown over . . . I can't remember. What was it? Something stupid. Anyway, I was standing in the middle of the family room completely losing it, and you picked me up - and tucked me into bed."
"It was peanuts. I put peanuts in Stevie's lunch."
"Oh! How stupid! Peanuts! It's worse than I remembered it! That's right. She had a kid in her class who was allergic, and I went ballistic about it." She sighed. "You are a patient man, Henry McCord."
"Well, it was sort of my fault you were pregnant. Although, I can't lay claim to your exhaustion this time around, but if I was there, I would most definitely put you to bed. I'd probably even let you sleep." He said with a laugh.
"That sounds . . ." Her voice faded and he could hear the distant sound of voices.
"I better go." She said quietly. "I'll call you tomorrow, when I can."
"You mean today." He corrected. "Listen, babe, catch a little bit of sleep, you'll be able to function better when you do."
"I will. I love you, Henry."
"I love you, too."
She hung up the phone and rose, straightening her skirt as she did. She reached for her blazer and slid her arms into it, as she followed Blake out of her office and into the conference room, where her weary staff waited. Drawing in a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders, and said, "How's the slumber party going? Any hijinks I missed?"
"Just your usual exhausted but brilliant minds pulling the world back from the edge of disaster kind of stuff." Jay offered with a shrug.
"Nice." She said nodding her head at Jay. "That's pretty damn sharp for nearly four in the morning."
"Well, ma'am, I've got a baby at home, so sleep hasn't been a part of the equation for awhile now."
"Way to look at things glass half full." She said with a smile. "Now, let's see if we can't arrange this deal, and grab ten minutes of sleep before the next crisis."