Chapter 1
(Male Model Laurence Nicotra as my vision of what President Jaxon Allen looks like)
Jaxon
"Ugh." I groaned in protest as I rolled over and slapped the alarm to silence the offensive racket it was making before throwing the pillow off my head and rubbing my tired eyes. It's exactly 4 a.m. in the morning, and I dragged myself out of bed and headed for my en-suite bathroom. Any minute now David was going to be coming through my bedrooms doors whether I was ready or not with Colin bouncing happily behind him holding another one of his life altering protein shakes. According to him and his current men's health Guru, I must drink all of the blended concoction before he puts me through the tortures of my daily workout. The only nice thing I have to say about the entire exercise routine is that I'm fit enough to dodge bullets if need be.
Thank the good lord that dodging gunfire or crazy people trying to put an end to my term in office before it's my time to go hasn't cropped up so far. As a matter of fact, I am humbled by the fact that America has voted for me to begin my second term in office as their President. One would think that after a full day of pageantry and speeches. Spending hours outdoors on the streets of Washington D.C., in the freezing January weather as I thanked America for giving me the privilege to lead them for another four years would entitle a man to a day off.
But of course not, it's business as usual. So, here I am at the butt crack of dawn to get ready for my day. First on my agenda is my workout with Colin, my personal trainer. My daily kickboxing sparring match with David, the lead Secret Service Agent of my security detail is also included in the two hour long session. Then it's off to the showers where I'll make myself presentable for the rest of my day. By 7 a.m., I'll be seated for breakfast with the girls followed by sending them off to school.
Once again David will join me as I make my way to the Oval Office where I'll meet with Chenille, my personal secretary and review my schedule for the day and read my morning reports of events happening in the nation and around the world since the time I went to bed the night before. I'll move on from there to meet with my National Security Advisor and get the classified briefings on issues that may pose a possible threat to the nation's security. Congressional and legislative meetings will take up the remainder of my morning.
Then of course I have to squeeze lunch in with whomever it is who is vying for 15 minutes of my time for me to hear about whatever the issues or concerns that will warrant my attention within the upcoming days. After all of this I will most likely spend the remainder of the day on the phone talking to leaders around the world. By early evening, I will make an appearance to greet people visiting the White House which is one of the favorite things to do on despite my hectic schedule.
Dinnertime to late evening is spent with my girls, Elizabeth who is seventeen and Catherine who is sixteen. I'm eternally grateful that my children are as grounded and level headed as they are. Many parents of teenagers, especially teenage girls compares raising them to living in hostile territory filled IED scattered all over the place. My girls have grown up under the pressure and scrutiny of the entire world, and they had to do so without the guidance of a mother. In the early years after colon cancer suddenly ripped Heather away from us. My mother had stepped in as their maternal figure for a time, then it had been left up to me and a promise to my deceased wife to raise them to the best of my ability and never let a day go by that they didn't feel loved.
My first two years in office had been a trial for me. Not only did I have to deal with all the responsibilities that came with running a country. I had to pull up my big boy pants and stay strong as I also dealt with the sudden death of my wife, grieving prepubescent girls, and the whole world watching the tragedy of my life unfold right before their eyes. Despite all of the pain and those dark days of guilt and misery eating me alive, I'd managed to shield the girls from most of it and let them heal their wounded hearts in moderate privacy. I was able to be a dad, the country had understood when I literally put my office on hold in order to be there for my children.
I'm not going to sugar coat anything, because the entire situation with the death of my wife according to my poll managers seemed to have endeared me to the public hence my unprecedented victory at the polls for my second term in office. I'm sorry to say that I could've cared less about the American people at the time. My wife, my best friend, the one person who knew the real me was gone. The mother of my children, my confidant, my number one cheerleader from the very first day in college had received the diagnosis to colon cancer six weeks into my first year in office.
Three months later after all the chemotherapy and surgeries, she was fighting just to breathe on her own. It would take another two months before she couldn't fight anymore and she passed away in a haze of pain medication and promises from me to never let the girls forget the remarkable woman she was. Heather left her beauty, her grace, her intelligence and her poise behind in the form of our daughters. Although, they'll always be my little girls, I recognized the fact that they were young women now.
Elizabeth was on the cusp of going away to college and Catherine was busy paving her own road towards the halls of higher education as well. They're both honor students in that prestigious private school they attend. Elizabeth wanted to pursue her Medical Doctorate and go into research. I am sure that decision is influenced by her mother, and Catherine wanted to pursue law. God bless her, we've had many a heated debate over the collective issues that have passed my desk and those I have presented to congress myself. Catherine would make a fine attorney, just as her sister will make a brilliant researcher. Her work so far on a high school level is impressive, I am sure they will continue to make both Heather and I proud.
"Good morning Mr. President. I trust you slept well and you're prepared for your morning workout." David stated the minute I set foot outside of the walk in closet.
"I slept just fine. Thank you David. How are you this morning?" I replied as I sat down on the divan to put on my trainers.
"The same old, same old Sir. I recall we have to have a discussion sometime today about changes in your security detail. But that can wait, Colin is waiting with your morning shake." He held my bedroom door open for me after scanning the hallway with a mischievous smile on his face.
"You know as head of my security, you can do something about me having to drink those things." I mumbled as I swept by him and into the silent hallway.
David did have the audacity to laugh outright in my face. If he wasn't the only other person other than my late wife whom I considered my best friend, I'd have him removed from my security line up and send to Antarctica or somewhere equally unappealing. "It is because of me that you drink those protein, vitamin shakes. They are good for you and your physician swears they are keeping your immune system healthy, and we all want you healthy now don't we?"
Flipping him off, I continued on my way to the indoor gym with the idiot whistling happily away behind me. I nodded a greeting to other agents I passed on my way to my destination. This house never sleeps. Some days, I feel like an awestruck little kid as I wandered the halls and looked at the portraits of all the other men who served in this very office before me. I wondered sometimes if it was a joke. Was it meant for me to be here in the ranks of such greatness? Was I worthy?
"Ah...There you are President Allen. Here, drink up so we can remain on schedule." Colin shoved the chilled tumbler filled to capacity with a thick cream colored liquid in my hand.
"So I take it Vanilla is the flavor today." I mumbled before putting the container to my mouth and began chugging the contents praying that the taste wouldn't linger in my mouth.
"Yes, Sir. Vanilla protein power, pineapples, bananas, your multivitamins, omega oils, echinacea, garlic, ginger root, and vanilla almond milk. Simple but packed with everything you need to make the most of your exercise routine." He responded as he took the empty glass from my hand. I had to take a minute to allow the concoction to settle before I started my warm up stretches. I didn't want that shake coming back up through my nose when I bend over to stretch my legs and back.
Between Colin and David, both men put me through a grueling exercise routine with a little too much glee written all over the smug faces. I was wet from head to toe, sweat dripped off my body like someone had hosed me down with a water hose. But I had to admit, I felt great. My heart is pumping and my mind is clear. I'm ready to tackle my day. Hopefully there was nothing to stressful to deal with today. The last four years have been taxing, but I'd set out to do what I'd wanted to do.
Health care coverage free or at low cost for those who otherwise couldn't afford it. Further legalizing the rights of LGBTQ couples and their fight for equality. Holding on to social security and medicare benefits by the skin of our teeth, and my greatest accomplishment was to bring our military boys and girls out of the desert and back to their bases and families with a solid peace treaty in place. Every accomplishment had it's cost though. With every win it felt like I had to fight with the very pieces of my soul to get things done. Sometimes I was left down to the bone exhausted and weary. Many times I felt like just packing my children and telling Congress to go fuck themselves.
But I couldn't do that. I'd made a promise to the people of this wonderful country and I aim to keep it. They've elected me to serve them for another four years in office, and I was going to give them the best I can until the day I step down and hand the reigns over to whomever wins the office. I thanked Colin for not killing me and wished him a good day. David once again escorted me to my bedroom and I showered and dressed for the day.
By the time I was done, David, bless his efficient heart was right there waiting for me, shaved and impeccably dressed in his dark suit. The wire for his earpiece discreetly tucked behind his ear and the stereotypical mirrored Ray Ban sunglasses in place on his face. I know for a fact that the man is completely straight and I'm a coward. As much as David manages to send my heart fluttering, I would never dare act upon those feelings. The same feelings I have spent more than twenty-five years ignoring and ruthlessly pushing them into the deepest, darkest closet of my mind. I can't even say the word bi-sexual out loud to my own face.
Shaking my head at myself, I went to walk out into the hall but David stopped me with a hand on my arm. "Jaxon, remember to make some time for me on your schedule today. I really need to talk to you about something I've decided to do."
A frown creased my face as I looked at my friend. I knew whatever it is he wants to tell me is serious, because he only uses my name when the issue between us of a personal nature. "Sure David, we'll talk right after I see the girls off to school. May I ask if everything is alright with you?"
"Yeah Jax, everything is alright with me. It's just about some changes I need to make, is all. We'll talk more about it later. Those gorgeous girls of yours are waiting." He gave me a smile as he slapped me on my shoulder. He motioned me to walk ahead of him like always and we set off to go see my babies before the disappeared for the day. I can only hope that whatever changes David needed to make either in his personal life or work life won't permanently take my friend away from me.