Author's Recap:
Previously, Suzanne and Jethro discussed personal safety-his concern about her safety abroad while on assignment with the President. His suspicions were on point when Suzanne and the President, in Washington at a school assembly, confronted, she dissuaded a teenager with a razor blade. She learned that she must leave immediately for a state funeral, leaving Jethro with no choice but to call in favor to Dash from the Secret Service.
The latest installment topics:
Team 'Ya-Ya;'
The Gender Gap;
Concession;
Note: There are references to several songs in the story. The lyrics, highlighted in BOLD print, is to aid the reader to experience how music influences an individual's mood and weaves into a story line naturally.
Suzanne and Claudia were briefed on new security rules, the discussion led by President Owens.
"It is the interest of our Administration to…do what you have to do for family. You are family." She was angry upon learning the news, speechless, feeling deflated.
"I wonder what brought that on…" Claudia questioned.
"Oh, I know who arranged our security detail…" Suzanne muttered. "That manipulative bastard!"
She clicked furiously on her tablet an email message to her husband: giibbslj after their sit-rep.
"Finished briefing with POTUS, who recited verbatim a rule. THANKS FOR MAKING MY JOB EVEN MORE DIFFICULT!"
Not technically savvy, even Jethro knew of capital letters; his wife was angry.
"So watching Suzanne's 'six' makes me a sexist bastard?"
Good friend Tobias Fornell from the FBI met up with Vance and Jethro for happy hour and a male-only forum on modern-day feminism. He always called Suzanne 'Skirt,' thriving on her strong reaction to a sexist nickname.
"Now, Suzanne's pissed with me…and I mean pissed." He traced the rim of his bar glass with his finger. "She's not answering my phone calls—going straight to voice mail."
The successful marriage stuff remained unfamiliar territory with Jethro, despite three previous attempts. He described Suzanne as a hybrid, her personal attitude very traditional while the professional endeavors kept in stride with an individual from 'Generation X.'
"You really underestimate the 'Skirt', Gibbs." Fornell smirked and sipped his beer.
"Calling Dash makes it seem like she needs to be handled with care." Leon replied. "It doesn't go well with a woman who works for the President."
"Tell me you wouldn't do the same thing for a woman in your life?" The men were silent.
"And that's what I thought…" Jethro sipped on his bourbon, motioned the bartender for another round.
"What are going to do, other than apologize?" Vance asked. "You can't drink the problem away."
"Suzanne has the quote from President Carter on her desk …'" Vance and Tobias listened, waited in anticipation for a nugget of Jethro's homespun wisdom.
"I'll apologize for calling Dash, but make no mistake: Suzanne's not a man; she is a woman, a working woman. I'm okay with that."
"No, you're not." Leon grinned, laughed, and shook his head. "You're not okay with this by a long shot."
"You need to talk with your wife, Gibbs, not at her." Tobias suggested.
She remained quieter than usual, pondering and recalling the source of her anger. While others napped on Air Force One, she worked. Suzanne prayed almost all the 14 hour flight, asked for understanding her own emotions, why she felt betrayed by Jethro. She stared out into space, quietly observed the people in Australia during the motorcade.
She listened to I am Woman while flipping through electronic files on her tablet. The President, First Lady, and Dash were in the secondary car, while Claudia and Suzanne rode in the primary car. On ground, Suzanne noticed several missed messages on both her personal and work phone, all from Jethro.
For the Advance Department, nicknamed 'Team Ya-Ya from the Sisterhood novel,' it was the morning anthem. Each day in the office, Linda played empowerment songs. Each member picked a personal favorite to add in the 'music queue.' The Helen Reddy tune was Linda's, while Claudia selected Sisters are Doing it For Themselves. Suzanne selected Respect, the classic Aretha Franklin tune.
"And I'll come back even stronger; not a novice any longer; cause you deepened the conviction in my soul…Oh yes, I am wise…but it's wisdom born of pain…"She softly sang.
"Gibbs!"
Suzanne sang a little louder.
"If I have to I can do anything…I am strong; I am invincible; I am woman."
Claudia chuckled, tugging her headphones. "Suzanne, answer your phone!"
Her colleague noticed Jethro's name and number; Suzanne selected the not available feature on her cellphone and tossed it in her carry on bag.
"You know that was your husband."
"I better not talk to him, not now..." Suzanne rolled her eyes, tilted her head.
The anger continued rising. Suzanne grumbled.
"Claudia, I am married to someone who thinks because I'm a woman who is weak! I'm far from a weakling!"
Claudia just listened to the rant.
"You know how it is, woman-to-woman..."
Claudia understood Suzanne's annoyance with Jethro, remembering her own experience with Will. Both were mid 70's children and influenced by ethnic and gender change during childhood. To compare feminism between the two, Suzanne definitely tipped the scale while Claudia evenly distributed the weight.
"We're a new generation of women—academically, physically, and socially capable, perhaps more capable than our formidable opponents. This Administration proves it! He's appointing more women in cabinet posts than men! The part that really stinks is we have our own gender questioning our capabilities, providing obstacles..." Suzanne removed her glasses, pinched the upper part of her nose, and sighed heavily.
"Claudia, I just want respect for what I do, for what women give in the workforce."
Claudia's advice-solicited or otherwise-was always direct and to the point. The subject was Jethro and his "caveman ways."
"You knew what Gibbs was about before you two got married! Accept him for it."
Suzanne cut her eyes, sucked her teeth; it was unsaid acknowledgment Claudia was right.
"Everyone knows about Gibbs' story. It's common knowledge, not really talked about if you know what I mean..." Claudia whispered, grasped Suzanne's forearm, and looked directly in her eyes. "He's going to be loyal, overprotective too when it comes to the love of his life."
"You landed the most eligible bachelor with NCIS besides Dr. Mallard and that...Tony DiNozzo…derailing every middle-aged woman's hope of becoming the next Mrs. Jethro Gibbs."
"I was in school, minding my damn business…" Suzanne replied, implied that he pursued. "The last thing I wanted was a relationship."
"We know…" Claudia continued. "By summer, the scuttle bug was about you and Special Agent Gibbs, in love."
"Jethro is a good husband." Suzanne emphasized, rested in the seat and appeared less agitated. "He is brave, honest, romantic, even shy—shier than me!" She laughed. "He's stuck in the 50's, thinking I am too radical."
"Suzanne, you cannot be a full-time feminist at work and at home. Sometimes, there needs to be a concession." The motorcade stopped at their hotel. The parties emerged from the vehicles. It was time for work. Quickly, the two joined along the President.
"I need you to finish up the remarks, Claudia." The President ordered. "Work with Q on these notes."
"Yes, Mr. President."
"Q, sit-rep from P?"
"Here it is, Mr. President." She passed handwritten remarks. He stopped walking, glanced at the document, nodded, and tucking it in his suit coat. He asked the others to move on and specifically asked Claudia to wait with Kay, leaving Suzanne, the President and Dash alone.
"Very good. Have you spoken to Gunny?"
"Not yet, Mr. President." Suzanne replied. A curious expression crossed her brow, racking her brain, wondering why the President asked.
"Talk to your husband, Gibbs." He signed several pieces of paper, continued speaking. "Happy life, happy wife, happy Administration…you're pissed off about assigned detail. Suck it up. Accept it; it's happening. Move on."
"Yes, Mr. President."
"But speak with him after you and Claudia are done with the remarks."
"Yes, Sir."
"It's because I'm the President; I know everything!" He grinned.
The brief conversation allowed Claudia to elaborate more on the word concession. By the time Suzanne reached her colleague, their personal conversation resumed.
"Gibbs is older than you, seen and experienced more than you have in this world. Your husband is not a sexist; he is acting like a husband. Give Gunny a break."
There were times Suzanne used his basement for art-related tasks, like frames for canvas work and dowels for her handmade quilts. Gibbs clicked the on button to his radio and heard classic John Lennon, not a usual music staple in his domain. The song, Woman,immediately reminded him of Suzanne—her mind, her mouth, her smile, her welcoming brown eyes, and even her hearty laugh.
Woman please let me explain,
I never mean(t) to cause you sorrow or pain,
So let me tell you again and again and again,
I love you (yeah, yeah) now and forever,
He called one last time, hoped after several hours she cooled off. It is after 2 AM in Washington, where the time was 18:00 in Brisbane.
"Hi, Jethro."
"Hi. Were you asleep?"
"Not yet. I just finished taking a shower." Suzanne said. "It was a long day. Claudia and I are just talking, finishing up these notes for tomorrow's service."
"Hi, Gunny." Claudia said loudly.
"You should be sleeping."
Suzanne heard the music in the background, recognized the ballad's message on forgiveness.
I was dreaming of the past,
And my heart was beating fast.
She soon understood Jethro's rationale for his behavior: Shannon and Kelly. He vowed to protect Suzanne before God. It was a promise Jethro made to Him at the wedding, his brothers-in-law, and his mentor Mike Franks to 'protect the women and children.' What happened to the girls would never happen to anyone else he loved.
"We're still married?"
I didn't mean to hurt you.
I'm sorry that I made you cry.
Oh no, I didn't want to hurt you.
I'm just a jealous guy.
"Of course, we're still married!" A moment passed in the conversation.
"Maybe…I can decipher your chicken scratch called handwriting." Claudia excused herself from the room. "If you need me, I'll be in the suite, giving out oxygen." Suzanne chuckled.
"Lewis has stressed out about the speech, while Dash is creating a new security schedule…" she added.
"What I did was just out of concern…"
I was trying to catch your eyes,
though that you was trying to hide.
I was swallowing my pain,
I was swallowing my pain.
"Jethro, I just would like your respect for what I do." She confessed. "It's not an easy job, and…" Suzanne paused, choosing the words carefully.
"We need to walk together, not apart." She didn't wait for a response before finishing her thought.
"I support you; I need you to support me too."
A moment passed when the following request from Jethro surprised Suzanne.
"Forgive me?"
"Always." She sweetly whispered.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Susie." Jethro continued. "And I am proud of you, if I haven't mentioned it lately."
"It's been a while." Suzanne eased herself into the bed. "Thank you."
"I've noticed it more since it's been quiet at work—you being always on the run." Jethro said. "Made me think about all the times I was deployed…had someone waiting for me, worrying about me."
"I guess I haven't been around enough…" Suzanne recognized. "In the past four months, I've been home…what…maybe two weeks?"
"Well, it's not like we both work 9 to 5 jobs."
"What do we do?" She posed a solution, a compromise. "You're obviously not comfortable with a deployed spouse."
"Rule 70." Jethro whispered. "Adjust to changing times but hold on to unchanging principle."
"Okay." Suzanne quietly laughed. "Using my quote from Jimmy Carter?"
"Look, you're definitely different from any woman I've…"
"Married? Divorced? Dated?"
"I accept your career. I accept your ambition, but I will not accept you in harm's way." Jethro detailed his thoughts.
"I love you, Suzanne, and…"
"I love you too, Sweetie." She interrupted.
"Marriage is work." Jethro concluded. "We're going to make ours work."