BOOK SEVEN
Burgess Meets the President – a short story
"Try to brighten up, Kim," Adam Ruzek said. They were in Washington DC, making their way through the airport, having just arrived from Chicago. The next morning, Kim was due at the White House to meet the President, who would present her with the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor for her actions on that infamous night at the Lakeside Mall.
"I can't be bright about being forced to do something I don't want to do, Adam," Kim said. They were at baggage claim, where she stood with her arms folded and a sullen look on her face. "I told Erin I didn't want recognition for it. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to relive it. I did what I did that night because it had to be done. Yes, I know she passed that on to Miller, but ultimately no one seems to have given a fuck how I feel. Right now, I'd rather be in the bullpen working than standing here."
"Even with Gonzalez?" he quipped.
"Stop it!" she laughed, which had of course been his intention. "I like Raquel. You like Raquel. You just enjoy making jokes at her expense because she looks tougher than you do."
Adam laughed loudly. "Savage, Kim. Savage."
"True, though," she grinned. "By the sound of it, she did a great job looking after Z while she recovered. Or, started recovering I guess I should say."
Only a few days earlier, Zelina Vega had returned to work after being shot in the back. She was making progress on her road to recovery, and was now well enough to be able to sit at a desk all day without the pain from her healing trapezius muscle getting too much to bear. Her return had been a morale boost for the Intelligence team, which was now complete again.
Kim knew that wouldn't be the case for long, however. Erin was pregnant, although apart from Jay, Kim was the only member if the team who knew. As she had been taken into confidence, she hadn't even told Adam. It wouldn't be long before Erin started to show, and at that point Chicago PD regulations required her to place herself on light duties. In practical terms, she that meant she would have to be at the 21st full time, while the rest of the unit worked crime scenes.
That was for the future though. The more immediate concern was the White House visit. Much as she resented being forced to go through with it despite both Sergeant Lindsay and Deputy Superintendent Miller knowing that she didn't want to, she supposed she was going to have to resolve herself to it. She could hardly adopt a miserable attitude while meeting the President. No, she would have to be polite and gracious.
"Here's your case," Adam said, pointing at the luggage that was coming through on the conveyor. Inside was Kim's full dress uniform. The next day, she would need it.
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The next morning, there had been time for nice breakfast in the hotel's restaurant before Adam and Kim had needed to get back to their room to prepare for their White House visit. Now, with Adam sitting behind her on the bed, wearing his best black suit with a white shirt and a dark blue tie, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her uniform looked impeccable, in her opinion.
"I think I'm set, Adam. How do I look?"
"You look like you'll appear smarter than the President when they take whatever pictures they want to take."
"Ugh, I forgot they're going to want to photograph everything too. I'm going to have to stand there and make nice with someone I didn't even vote for, while I get an award I don't want, for the sake of publicity. Remind me again why I work for the Police Department?"
Adam got up and joined her, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, Kim. Positive today, remember? You're a cop because you want to help good people and put bad people in jail, and you're very good at doing it. As for today, try to see the positive in it. Seeing a female cop being commended by the President for bravery might inspire some young girls to want to become cops. That has to make it worthwhile, right?"
"Yeah, I guess it does," Kim admitted. "I'm glad the invite was for Kim Burgess plus one. I'd have probably been on the way back to Chicago by now if you hadn't been here to keep me going."
"So you're good now, right? We're doing this?"
Kim smiled at him. "We're doing it. It'll be a cool pic to show Alex once he's old enough to understand, I guess. 'This is the day your mom met the President.' I'll keep that in mind when I have to smile. Hope he's doing okay."
Adam laughed. "Are you kidding me? He's with your folks. He'll be having the time of his life. Now, let's go and see if the car we were told to expect is here yet. For a VIP like my girl, it had better be."
She gave him a warning glance. "Don't start."
Laughing again, he led the way to the door.
-----
Upon arriving at the White House, Kim had discovered that there were two other officers there to receive the same award. Both were men, and one was in a wheelchair after being shot in the back while on duty, she learned. The mention of being shot in the back and seeing how devastating it could be made her think of Zelina of course, who escaped her brush with death with minor consequences by comparison.
Seeing the poor guy there with his wife to push him around made Kim feel even worse about the award she was receiving. In her mind, there was no proof that her actions that night had saved a single life, let alone the dozens that some people wanted to credit her with. She had shot and killed two suspects that had needed shooting and killing, and that was that. She hadn't even been injured in the process, unless a cut on her cheek counted.
A staffer showed them through the White House to an office outside of the Oval. Kim found the building impressive of course, but not overly so, and she wasn't daunted by it. Pomp and circumstance meant little to her. She had noticed Adam looking around at everything though, enjoying the visit a lot more than she was. It would be over soon, she told herself.
Waiting outside the Oval Office was a bit of an experience she had to admit. Her dislike of the whole situation aside, she was about to enter the room where the most powerful person in the world worked, and meet that person. It was only human to find that daunting.
After nearly ten minutes went by, spent in a very awkward silence since everyone seemed to consider it inappropriate to talk, the Oval Office door opened and a smartly dressed man with white hair came out, closing the door behind him.
"Good morning. I'm Eric Bischoff, the President's Chief of Staff. The President is almost ready to see you now."
He went on to explain the procedure that was about to take place, and how to address the commander-in-chief. The procedure was different to what Kim had expected. As far as she knew, in the past the person who was being awarded walked into the Oval, shook hands with the President, received their medal, exchanged a few words, had a picture taken, and got the hell out of there. But apparently the current President wanted more than that.
"You're going to talk for a few minutes," was how Bischoff put it.
Great, Kim said, feeling her hands make fists behind her back for a second as she politely stood to attention. Maybe they could have her record a campaign message for re-election too? That was about the only way things could get any worse.
"I'll check if the President is ready," Bischoff said before disappearing through the door.
Kim was able to sneak a look at Adam that probably conveyed a message like 'I want to die'. In response, he gave her a look that offered reassurance that she could get through it.
The door opened again, and Bischoff came back out. "We'll start with Officer Kimberly Burgess," he said, looking at Kim, for she was the only woman in uniform.
Kim took a deep breath, telling herself that going first was better than going last - at least she didn't have to stand around waiting any longer. She didn't like the way her stomach suddenly knotted up though. Now that the moment was at hand, meeting the President was making her very nervous – not a feeling that she was accustomed to. Whether she liked it or not, it was time to go through with it. She walked towards the door to the Oval, putting a professionally pleasant look on her face.
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A/N: Okay, so I kind of swerved you guys a bit when I said there was a seventh book in the planning stage, in that it's only a two part short story. But don't worry, there is also an eighth book coming, which will be back to the style of the first six books – a full story featuring all of the characters.
I did have some requested to tell the story of Kim's visit to the White House, so I decided to do it. How do you think her meeting with the President will go?