by D J Small
Val’s eyebrows knitted together. She hadn’t heard about those programs. Most of the time, Val pretended to be aloof about the work Summer did for the foundation, but in truth she was quite aware of the first two programs her father had mentioned, however, she didn’t know anything about the mental health program or the one for homeless vets. “Wait, where did these programs come from?”
Ken smiled a little and replied, “They’ve been around since she became chairperson of the foundation, but she doesn’t talk about them publicly. The Veterans and Families division of the foundation are highly publicized, but the sub-programs are ones she keeps quiet about.”
The mention of the two programs brought up a concern Val hadn’t thought about in a long time, and for the first time in two years, she thought about Summer’s mental state. “Is Summer getting help?”
Ken shrugged. “Sweetheart, I don’t know. Matt and Cassandra never talk about her when I speak to them.”
Val gave a slight nod. Before Summer had left she thought something might have been wrong with her mentally, but she never got a chance to broach the subject because Summer would yell at her or belittle her anytime Val was close by. “Do you think Summer has PTSD? After her crash I thought she may be dealing with something like it, but she wouldn’t talk to me.”
Ken drew in a deep breath then slowly blew it out. “Taking a look at all she’s been through, and her behavior over the last two years, it would explain everything.”
Val pressed her lips together and bit the inside of her bottom one. All the signs had been there, and she hadn’t done anything. Summer had turned into someone she didn’t recognize right in front of her, and Val had allowed it to happen. Letting Summer take her pain out on her in whatever way she had wanted to because Val thought it would help, but it seemed to have done more damage than good.
Before Val could fall deeper into her thoughts about Summer’s mental health, and examine everything from Summer’s crash until present, the door to the Oval opened and Addison walked in. “The Italian president is ten minutes out. Time for you to go to the North Portico.”
Val smiled at her. “Thank you, Addison. I’ll be there in a minute.” Addison gave her a brief nod, then exited the office.
She and her dad stood up, and he said, “Whatever your reason is for bringing her here, I hope it’s a damn good one. It’s raising more questions about you two, and I don’t think you’ll be able to dodge them this time around.”
Val glowered playfully at him. “Thank you for your concern, dad.” She then gave his cheek a quick peck. “I’ll see you inside.”
The two of them walked out of the Oval Office, and though she needed to play the gracious host for the Italian president, Val continued to think about Summer. The reason why she had brought her to D.C. didn’t outweigh the possibility of Summer needing help. Val gave her head a slight shake. Thinking about Summer and her mental health would have to wait until later, but she knew she would continue to think about it because it was Summer.
~~~
The thunderous beat of her heart was all Summer could hear as she stood in the reception line to greet Val, President Benedetti, and his wife. There were two couples before her, and once they were through the entrance the Marine dressed in his formal uniform would announce her. Summer felt a bead of sweat roll between her shoulder blades before it was absorbed by the linen dress shirt she had on. The urge to tug at her collar grew the closer it got to her announcement.
In the blink of an eye, it was her turn to be received by Val and the Italian president in the Blue Room.
“Colonel Summer Hawkins, United States Air Force, retired.”
Summer didn’t hear the announcement. Her vision started to darken around the edges, and it felt like she wasn’t drawing in enough oxygen to breathe. The collar of her shirt began to choke her, and before she could claw it off someone grabbed her arm and dragged her away. Summer tried to fight the person off, but not being completely coherent put her at a disadvantage.
“Glass of water, now,” Summer heard Addison order. It took her a moment to realize that they were in the holding room the food from the kitchen was being brought up to. Addison forced the glass into Summer’s hand. “Drink.”
Summer did as she was told, and once the glass was almost empty she lowered it, drawing in a deep breath. She wasn’t close to having an anxiety attack anymore, but her heart still raced, and she felt detached from her surroundings. After placing the glass on a nearby table, Summer undid her tie and unbuttoned the top button of her dress shirt. She could breathe easier now.
“How long have you been having panic attacks?”
Summer picked up the glass, which had been refilled by one of the waitstaff, and took a long drink from it. The slight mention of the incident caused her heart rate to increase. “I don’t have panic attacks,” she said as she set the glass down.
Out the corner of her eye, Summer saw Addison take a step forward, but then she took one back. “I typically would agree with that, but considering I just saw you one the verge of having one, I’m inclined to say otherwise.” Summer swallowed hard as Addison continued. “Summer, what’s going on with you? Because the Summer I know wouldn’t be hiding out in some side room. She’d be in the Blue Room strutting around as though she owned the place, ready to punch someone in the face for looking at Val’s ass.”
“There is nothing wrong with me,” Summer snapped as she turned her head sharply in Addison’s direction. “I had a moment. That’s all. Just a fucking moment.”
Summer squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed the back of her neck. The last thing she wanted to do was hash out her issues with Addison. She grunted softly. Doing that would lead to Addison telling Val everything. The brief thought of Val brought Summer back to the present and she scowled. “Who the hell was checking out Val’s ass?” Addison began to chuckle, and Summer narrowed her eyes. “I’m not playing, Addison. Give me a name, right now.”
Addison’s chuckles turned into full-blown laughter, and Summer continued to glare at her. When she finally calmed down, Addison moved closer to Summer and started to fix her tie and shirt. She smiled. “It’s nice to know there are some parts of the old Summer in there.” Her smile dropped and a question shined in her eyes. “Is this because of the crash?”
Every muscle in Summer’s body tensed up upon hearing the question and she moved away from Addison. As she finished tying her tie, she tried not to think about it. If she thought about the question it would probably cause her to have something worse than an anxiety attack, and would most likely result in a complete mental breakdown. “Take me back to the reception line.”
“Summer…” Addison started cautiously, “I don’t think you should be at tonight’s dinner.”
Summer glared at Addison. “Then go tell your fucking boss that. She wanted me here, so I’m going to fucking show up. What happens afterwards is on her.”
Summer headed for the door, and once it had closed behind her, she drew in a deep, measured breath. All she had to do was make it through the reception, then she would be sitting at a table, and as soon as the toasts were made she planned to leave.
Summer walked down the corridor, and when she reached the entryway for the Blue Room the Marine who had been calling out the announcements looked surprised to see her again. Summer shot him a glare, and he quickly stood at attention and announced, “Colonel Summer Hawkins, United States Air Force, retired.”
Summer took several deep breaths as she forced her legs to move. Once she was through the entryway, breathing and moving became a little bit easier, but she dreaded shaking hands with the Italian president and Val. Her palms were covered in sweat. When she reached President Benedetti, he and his wife were cordial, and Summer managed to articulate a somewhat intelligent greeting. However, her interaction with Val wasn’t as smooth. Summer took hold of her hand, and as she shook it, Val asked softly, “What happened? Are you okay?”
Summer gave her a forced smile. “I’m do
ing well, Madam President. Thank you for asking.”
The concern in Val’s eyes wasn’t lost on Summer, but she released her hand and walked over to the staff member who waited to show her to her table. More than a dozen glances were cast in her direction, and them along with the proceeding whispers, made Summer clench her jaw. The social and political elite of Washington D.C. were nothing but gossips, and her presence at the state dinner would fuel the rumor mill for the next few months. Summer balled her hands up as anxiety started to regain its hold on her. The uneasiness worsened when Summer saw her tablemates for the evening. She would be sharing a table with not just her parents, but also Val’s.
Summer thanked the woman, and as she sat down between her mother and Becky, she tried not scowl at the trap she had unknowingly fallen into. “Are you certain you want to start the evening off like this?” her dad asked as Summer reached for her glass of wine. She glared at him. “What happened during your reception?”
All eyes were on her, and Summer could feel every one of them. She took a long drink of her wine, hoping it would settle some of her anxiety. Placing the glass back on the table, she replied, “Nothing.”
“Didn’t seem like nothing,” Matthew commented, and Summer set her jaw as her hands squeezed into tighter fists underneath the table.
Not wanting to give her and Val’s parents another subject that would more than likely cause her to have an anxiety attack, Summer decided to look around the dining room instead of boring holes into her dinnerware. The moment she lifted her eyes, her gaze met Ken’s, and his scrutinizing gaze unnerved her. She swallowed hard and retrieved her glass for a second time, taking another long drink from it. It would take a lot more wine for her to get through this dinner, especially sitting with her and Val’s parents, but she planned to find some way to get out of it sooner rather than later. With each passing moment her anxiety worsened, and Summer knew the longer she stayed the more likely it was her exit would be one she would have no control over.
Being at a public function like this put a tremendous amount of stress on her, and not because she didn’t want to be there, but because of the rumors that were sure to follow. People were already talking about an imaginary reconciliation between her and Val, and in the end, those rumors wouldn’t help either of them. They would probably lead to another scandal Summer would inevitably drag Val into. Summer finished her wine and lifted the glass, signaling to the waiter that she needed a refill.
A young man came over with a bottle of wine, and Summer actively ignored the four sets of eyes watching her. If they wanted her to get through this without causing a scene, the alcohol was needed. When the young man had finished filling her glass, Summer was tempted to tell him to leave the bottle, but thought better of it because of who she sat with. She took a drink from her wineglass, then let out a slow breath. This was one dinner. That was all. She could get through this.
~~~
Val felt guilty for not having eaten more of her dinner. The White House chef had created a culinary masterpiece, but she had tasted little of it. She was too worried about Summer.
The delay in her announcement had angered Val at first, but her earlier conversation with her father caused her to put it in check, and her worries were made no better when she shook Summer’s hand. The appendage had been drenched with sweat. Val had also noticed how tense Summer was and it only added to her worry. No matter the situation, Summer was usually the epitome of calm and exuded an annoying amount of confidence, but this version of the colonel seemed to be skittish and not quite together, something Val had never seen before.
No longer interested in her dinner, Val turned in her chair and motioned for one of the waiters to come over to her. The man smiled as he walked over to where she sat. “Madam President, what can I help you with? Is your meal all right?”
Val returned the smile and said, “The meal is perfect. I was actually wondering if you could tell Ms. Connors to come see me, please. Tell her it is important.”
The man gave a curt nod. “Right away, ma’am.”
Val turned back to the table, and President Benedetti leaned over to whisper, “Is everything all right?”
Val smiled at him. “Yes, everything is fine. I just need to speak with my chief of staff about a matter I suddenly remembered.”
President Benedetti laughed. “Madam President, I know you loathe such statements, but you’re supposed to be entertaining the visiting head of state, not working.”
Val laughed with him as she nodded in agreement. “Fair enough, sir. It isn’t something that will take up too much off my time.”
“Val, I hope you know I’m only teasing,” President Benedetti commented. “I know part of your country has been through a catastrophic event.”
Val’s set her mouth in a grim line as the levity left the conversation, and empathy for the people of California replaced it. “Yes, they have, but we’re going to help them through this and get the state back on its feet.”
President Benedetti raised his wine glass. “To the people of California.”
“To the people of California,” Val returned as she lifted her glass and tapped the edge of it lightly against his before taking a drink from it. Right as she was placing the glass on the table, Addison appeared next to her. “Madam President, is something wrong?”
Val motioned for Addison to bring her head closer to hers and asked in a quiet voice, “How is Summer doing? I’m worried about her.”
“She is doing fine. I’m keeping an eye on her,” Addison replied with no hesitation.
Val’s eyebrows furrowed as she eyed her chief of staff skeptically. “What does that mean? It doesn’t lessen my worry any just to let you know.”
“Madam President, the two of us whispering back and forth is drawing unnecessary attention,” Addison stated. “It looks like we’re discussing a national crisis.” She gave Val a pointed look. “We can talk about Summer later.”
Val scowled and retorted, “I’m going to appoint a new chief of staff.”
Addison grunted and countered, “We both know I’m the only one who can deal with your fickle ass.” Val arched her eyebrow, daring her to repeat the statement again. To her credit, Addison managed to look contrite as she mumbled an apology. “My apologies, President Hawkins.”
Val chuckled as Addison walked away, but her worries continued to bother her. For the rest of dinner, Val did her best to be the ideal host while trying to get a good look at Summer, but her seat at the main table didn’t give her a good vantage point. After her fifth attempt, Val resigned to the fact that she would have to trust Addison with Summer because she wasn’t in any position to help her.
Once dessert was finished, Val and President Benedetti stood and she announced they would be leading the guests to the East Room for an intimate concert. As they were leaving the dining room, Val finally got a good look at Summer, and it took her less than a second to realize something wasn’t right. It became apparent to Val that Summer was beyond drunk when she noticed the way she swayed as she rose from her seat. Val stopped walking, bringing the procession to a halt, and motioned for Addison to come over to her.
“Madam President, this is an inopportune time for you to—”
“Get her out of here,” Val ordered in a forced whisper. “Get her out of here now, Addison.”
Addison drew in a deep breath. “Ma’am, it would be unwise. People will notice her absence.”
“It was unwise for her to be here in the first place,” Val argued quietly. “I was being vindictive and I shouldn’t have done it, so get her out of here, Addison. That’s an order from the president.”
“Yes, Madam President,” Addison said, barely concealing her displeasure at Val’s demand.
Val hated pulling rank on Addison, but in this case, she didn’t care. Summer needed to be spared the public embarrassment. Val watched as Addison and a Secret Service agent approached Summer. At first, she put up a fight, but then Addison whispered something to her and S
ummer nodded. The agent escorted her out of the dining room using one of the hidden entrances.
Relieved Summer would be going back up to the Residence, Val smiled at President Benedetti. “I apologize. Shall we head into the East Room? I hear we have a lovely entertainer tonight.” President Benedetti flashed her a reassuring smile and the two of them led the guests out of the dining room and down the Cross Hall to get to the East Room where the rest of the festivities would be held.
Chapter Six
The Washington Monument blurred as Summer stared at it from her spot on the Truman Balcony. There was a possibility the alcohol in her system caused her vision to blur, but she had also been staring at the building for the last half-hour. All she could think about was getting the hell out of the White House and out of D.C. Her current location had her in a dangerous state of mind, and it would only be a matter of hours, possibly minutes, before it all imploded on her.
Being escorted out of the state dinner had been an embarrassment, but at the same time Summer was grateful for the move, and without a doubt she knew she had Val to thank for it. It seemed no matter how terrible things were between them, Val still knew when she was in over her head, but it wouldn’t have gotten that far had Val seen what was right in front of her.
Summer exhaled a long, drawn out breath and polished off her drink. When she had gotten up to the Residence the first thing she did was take off that stupid uniform then she raided Val’s liquor cabinet and found a bottle of expensive scotch, which she was halfway through. The door for the balcony opened and her dad walked onto it as Summer reached for the bottle and poured more liquor into her glass.
“You know,” her dad began as he walked over to the railing and leaned against it, “I’ve always enjoyed the view from the Truman. I mean, it is a peaceful spot, but looking out at that monument makes you realize you’re a part of something bigger.” Summer grunted. Being a part of something bigger wasn’t in her plans. All she wanted to do was get out of D.C. and lose herself in booze and isolation. “You shouldn’t have been at that state dinner,” Matt said as he turned to face her.
