Shout-out to reader13lovesbooks who requested a follow up to chapter 1 of this fic. In her review, she suggested that it might be interesting to read other characters' reactions to Emily's news, and well, I agree! This is certainly something that I want to explore, so here we go...
If there's anything you want me to write, just hit me up and let me know. I'm happy to make you guys happy!
/
Here's the thing about an office romance:
Everyone's up in everyone else's business, and there's also the fact of the matter that Aaron Shore and Emily Rhodes are highly prominent figures in the White House. He's a Special Advisor to POTUS and she's the Chief of Staff. Between them and the Press Secretary, Seth, they're the President's people. His main interns go as far as to call them the Golden Trio. But that's neither here or there.
Seth finds this incredibly funny and kind of fucking awesome at the same time. He's a big Harry Potter fan, who prides himself on being a Gryffindor. It's pretty cool if that's what people think of them.
So, here stands with a smirk on his face and his arms folded around his chest, as two of his colleagues and friends pop into his office. "Oh hello," he greets them. "Em. Aaron."
"Hey Seth, so the President wants to make a statement about-" starts Emily, getting right down to business, only to be interrupted by the wave of Seth's hand.
"I'm already a few steps ahead of you, Em. It's been take care of."
Emily nods. "Thanks." She's looking kind of pale, observes Seth, and he wonders if the rumors are true. And then she's gone, within a flash of second.
"So."
"So?" Aaron cocks an eyebrow at Seth.
"Is it true?"
"What're you talking about?"
Seth slaps his hand against his against his desk so hard that a little bobble head figure of President Kirkman takes a tumble to the floor. "I knew it!" He exclaims. "It's true!"
"What?"
"You knocked her up!"
"No comment," says Aaron in all seriousness.
Seth laughs. He's the damn White House Press Secretary; it's his job to pass out all those 'no comment' statements, and who the hell does Aaron think he is, lying to Seth's face? It's ridiculous. Apparently, one of the interns saw Emily running into the ladies' room and heard her throwing up in one of the bathroom stalls. Of course, the stupid intern also gossiped about it, and Seth's just waiting to get her name so that he can take appropriate action. He refrains the urge to crack his knuckles at the thought of it. Emily's his family, and he's not okay with anyone doing anything to hurt her. He'll certainly handle this.
"Some two bit gossip rag already called to ask whether it's true," says Seth, exasperatedly. "They also asked if Miss Rhodes is having an affair with POTUS..." He remembers choking on a sip of water, at the question, and also took three deep breaths, reminding himself that as Kirkman's Press Secretary, it wouldn't have been right to tell a reporter to fuck off, no matter how fucking stupid that reporter may have been. He thinks it's the stupid intern's fault for spreading stupid rumors.
"No fucking way," hisses Aaron.
Seth nods vehemently. "Yes, fucking way, as in yes, that's what someone's said," he says. At the same time, he also decides that he's gonna figure out a way to get the traitorous intern fired. "The idiot also asked whether Kirkman was happy about having a third kid..."
"WHAT THE HELL-"
"I buried it, though. I may or may not have also passive aggressively threatened to ruin that wannabe journalist's nonexistent career in the process of squishing the story..." He looks extremely pleased at that.
The look of disgust on Aaron's face is clearly visible. He looks like he's ready to punch someone or something, and Seth hopes and prays that the big guy doesn't accidentally on purpose hurt him, the innocent Press Secretary, in the process. He hasn't done anything wrong, of course, but Aaron looks like he's in need of an outlet to channel his anger onto, and unfortunately, Seth is the closest living thing next to him. Speaking of living things, he also wonders if this is the right time to ask about the pregnancy rumors. He opens his mouth to voice his question only for Aaron to say something before the other man is able to say anything at all.
"The baby's due in September." There's a hint of fire behind his eyes as he says this. "And bloody hell, of course, it's mine."
Seth slaps his friend on the back, and pours them both an early morning celebratory drink. He spends the rest of his day, grinning. He also happens to pull up a few online baby stuff catalogs, on his computer, and orders a few things. In neutral colors, obviously. Not that he's ever going to admit it, but Emily and Aaron mean the world to him. They're easily his best friends. They've easily replaced his other friends; friends who don't have faith in Kirkman's presidency. Friends who don't understand how fucking hard it is to be Press Secretary.
/
As soon as he became POTUS, Tom Kirkman realized just how heavy the crown was. It made him realize how he was responsible for so many people other than himself and his family; so many different people whose lives were being turned upside down because of circumstances and him.
Today, Tom Kirkman breathes a sigh of relief. He's been worried about Emily. Her bravery and intelligence have always astounded him and he's so damn proud of her, but today he feels a heavy burden being lift off his chest. He's been so damn worried. This whole Designated Survivor business has turned his life upside down, and Emily has been affected just as much as Alex and the children.
He's never brought it up but he's heard from Alex that Emily's boyfriend proposed to her the morning following the attack on the Capitol and by evening time, she'd said no to him. In that moment, Tom didn't know why she refused, but he'd had a sinking feeling it was because she was putting duty over love, and sacrifice over the pursuit of her personal happiness. It wasn't right, it wasn't fair that she wouldn't get to live the life she wanted all because of duty.
The mere thought of her choice had broken his already cracked heart. He'd always wanted more for her.
But today, he's happy to hear that she's happy with Aaron.
"We're having a baby," she says, and he's ready to fist pump. He's speculated over the nature of her relationship with his previous Chief of Staff. They've never really talked about it. It's always been one of those 'I kind of know what's going on, but I don't think I should ask for more information' situations on Kirkman's end.
The smile on Tom's face is genuine, and he pulls Emily over for a quick hug. "Congratulations!"
/
Penny Kirkman is extremely displeased to overhear her mommy and daddy talking about Emily and Aaron expanding their family. She's happy about the baby, but she's extremely sad that Aaron didn't follow through on his promise of telling her the news firsthand. He'd promised. She still remembers when he came to visit her when her mom and dad were out of town, and she asked him where babies came from (a question which he'd actively evaded). Then she'd asked him when he and Emily were going to have a baby, and he'd said he didn't know. Or something along those lines.
But, today Emily and Aaron are coming over for dinner, and Penny's decided she's going to confront them. She plans on being angry and she is- for a good thirty-three minutes and fourteen seconds. Until her mommy and Emily exchange those sly secret grown up lady looks, and next thing she knows, the room is empty, except for her and Aaron.
She narrows her eyes at him.
He looks apologetic. "Pen, I'm sorry," he says.
She shakes her head.
"We planned on telling you, but we told your dad first, because he's our boss, and well, your mom kinda already knew and that dumb-ah," he stops in his tracks. He really shouldn't be using the word 'dumb-ass' around a kid. "Seth found out too." He tells her he's sorry, and he really did want to tell her before someone else did. Or in this case, he wanted to tell her before she overheard from someone else.
Penny brightens up at that and asks Aaron whether the baby is going to be a girl. Aaron tells her that they don't know, but they'll find out.
"I think she's a girl," she says, her face scrunching up in deep thought.
Aaron shrugs. He personally think he's having a son, but so far, all the women in his life, have told him that the Baby Shore is going to be a little girl. He's more than okay with that.
/
They really don't plan on telling anyone else about the baby. Their families know, and the Kirkmans know, and Seth, whose arguably, their best friend, is in on it too. There's no one else that they really need to tell, but even the best of plans sometimes find ways to go awry. Emily's walking out of her doctor's office, with her handbag full of prenatal vitamins and whatnot. She's tired, but she needs to get back to work.
She's about to leave, when suddenly Kimble Hookstraten comes into her line of sight. "Oh hello, Miss Rhodes," she says.
Emily is taken by surprise. Little did she know that she and the Congresswoman shared the same doctor, but it's Washington, and it makes sense in some way. Everyone knows everyone in a town like this. They exchange quick 'hellos' and 'how are yous', and Hookstraten is about to walk into the doctor's examination room, when the nurse calls Emily's name, rushing over to tell her that she's forgotten something.
"Your sonogram pictures!" says the nurse in a low tone, but that damage is done, and the office is small enough for her voice to carry across the room, and then there's also the fact that there are only two patients in the room.
The Secretary of Education walks back over.
"It's a secret," begins Emily, and then she backtracks. "Not a secret. But no one's supposed to know right now." She's at the receiving end of one of those 'how stupid do you think I am?' looks.
Hookstraten raises an eyebrow but she doesn't say anything. However, before Emily goes, she tells him to convey her congratulations along to Aaron. She's always liked that boy and it's nice to hear some happy news from the White House every now and then.
Emily finds this strange because it's Kimble freaking Hookstraten, who apparently keeps tabs on her relationship with Aaron (that's not really public knowledge at the moment), but then again, Hookstraten knows everything.
/
I wasn't sure whether I wanted to post this as a continuation of this story or as a separate one-shot, but I decided to post it here. In all likelihood, this won't be a very long story, but I'm already working on chapter 3, which I hope to post soon, depending on how everything goes and what kind of response I get from you guys.
Also, check out my stories "maybe a baby" and "mama knows best," if you haven't already. I'd LOVE to get some feedback.
And hey, please leave a review here, if you can :)
