The Oval Office ✓ (Book One)

Chapter Sixty Eight

  Kyle- as a soon to be former president, won't have a choice. He'll be required to have protection for the rest of his life. Though I was highly, highly encouraged to keep mine, it's optional.

I spend a few seconds staring at myself in the mirror. For the first time in a while, I don't look like I was just ran over. The bags under my eyes are less pronounced than usual. My scars are completely healed, now just looking like discolored blotches. The cut on my forehead that was once deep is now just a line.

  My lips and skin are now as soft as they were before, whereas when I'd just gotten back, both were dry and bleeding. My hair- while in need of being cut, is clean. It was so oily by the time I got out because I hadn't showered at all in seven days, and it was two more before I had a real one again. Brushing it was an absolute hell, as I hadn't done that for seven days either, but Kendra was determined. By the time she'd finished working her magic, it was back to normal.

  I take a deep breath, stepping out into the hallway. It's an unusually hot day for this time of year, and when the sun hits my face, it nearly blinds me. I slide into the motorcade, grateful that heat can't pass through the windows- because if this were a normal car, the buckles would be hot enough to give me third degree burns. I put a headphone in with one ear out- something that was conditioned into me all those years ago at the fbi academy.

  "Don't be fucking stupid." I remember the instructor saying. "You might as well just say 'come and get me' if you put both in."

  And he was right- sort of. The same danger factor doesn't apply now but regardless, it sticks. The ride- as expected, goes by without issue, and I'm back at the White House in minutes. In one week, we will officially move out of the residence and back into our D.C mansion. Marisol will move in days after that, and it'll be up to her whether or not to appoint a Vice President to fill her role for just a couple of months. There's no law saying you have to have one, so if I were her- I wouldn't bother.

  I step out of the car, telling Ella I just have to take care of something real quick, and it's true. I scan my fingerprint and walk through the bedroom doors, eyes scanning my desk for a specific piece of paper. When I find it, I quickly grab it and walk a couple of doors down.

  "Have you told her yet?" I ask the social worker. She shakes her head no in response. Mina is sitting on the floor, engrossed in some Nickelodeon show. "Mina-" I try to snap her out of it but fail.

  "Mina I whisper yell, finally grabbing her attention.

  "What is it?" She pauses the show, twisting around to face me.

  I hesitate for a second and the child can see it in my face. Once I show her this piece of paper, it's over. She'll officially be our daughter forever.

  Yesterday, he and I talked about it even more. We agreed to give her a private life away from the eyes of the media if we went through with it. That she should be able to chose for herself whenever she's old enough if she wants to be in the public eye or not. I've seen children of celebrities go even crazier than their parents because they used them for money from a young age. I never want to be like that and I'm holding myself to it. I'll slap the shit out of myself if I turn into one of those moms.

  I smile, sitting down in front of her. "Well Kyle and I.. we thought a lot about what you asked. We decided that if you still... are sure you only want us then..." I show her the piece of paper. She's incredibly smart for her age, especially considering where she was the first six years of her life. I wonder if she was taught to read by a maid- or if she snuck the books herself. During Prince Ahmad's reign, women were allowed to read, but only very restricted literature.

   Her eyes scan over just the top line, and she instantly squeals in excitement.

     SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FAMILY COURT
DOMESTIC RELATIONS BRANCH – ADOPTION

  "There's still.. so much more paperwork to go to make it permanent but if you just sign here we get temporary custody." I say, and she hugs me before I can continue. I hug her back without hesitation this time, and that's when I feel it.

  That feeling mother's describe as instantly loving somebody you barely know- to the point you'd take a bullet for them right there if you had to. I pull back after a few seconds. "I have to go to.. the Vice President'a inauguration but I can come back in an hour."

  "Okayyy." She giggles. The social worker eyes me on the way out, a "thank you" look on her face. I imagine she's been on edge for a while, waiting on my response before deciding whether or not to move her into foster care. I'm glad we made that decision when we did, because if we'd waited any longer, that's exactly where she would be.

  I check the time and there's still another hour or so until the inauguration, so I plop down in a sitting room overlooking the south lawn. A reporter and cameraman from every major news station is present- some still setting up, while others are already on air, babbling on about one thing or another to fill the time until she takes her oath of office for the second time in just two years.

  Before the Vice presidency, she was the attorney general of California, and a Damn good one.

  Time passes by quickly, so when I feel like I've only been daydreaming for five minutes, I'm informed that it's almost time. I rise, walking down to my position beside where Marisol will be standing. If you don't count the reporters, the only people present are some high rankings senators and representatives- and the Supreme Court; including, of course- the Chief Justice that'll be swearing her in.

  The images of what happened at her last inauguration pass through my head briefly, but I push them away. That one had a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people- this one only has about a hundred.

  A minute or so later, Marisol walks out. Her kids are with her today- along with Joe.

  I did not see that one coming. Even if they've only been together for a couple of weeks, the media'll try to make it into something bigger.

  "Is President Wells's lawyer now the first first-man?"

  I can see the headlines now, and the thought sticks so much that I barely hear the Chief Justice as he starts talking. "Place your left hand on the Bible and repeat the oath." He hands it to Joe, and Marisol does, tucking a piece of hair behind her ears before reciting the oath she's memorized.

  "I- Marisol Valeria-Rodriguez, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States... so help me god."