Yes, Mr President

by Jean-Luc Cheri

  His eyebrows rose. “Wow. I’m surprised he’s not pissed at her.”

  “He’s not happy, but he knows it’s not true.”

  “Are you sure it isn’t?”

  “Jamie, April’s not having an affair with the President.”

  “Would you know if she was? Isn’t that the point of an affair, to keep it quiet?”

  “Trust me, I would know.”

  “Don’t be so sure. Sometimes you can’t tell about people.”

  “I would. Hey, I have to take a shower and get ready for the meeting.”

  His eyes lit up. “Want some company in the shower?” He grinned.

  I laughed. “Sorry, no time for that.”

  “I could come back later.”

  I smiled. “You just won’t give up, will you?” I held the door open.

  “Never.” He smiled and backed out into the hall.

  “Bye, Jamie.” I was just about to close the door when I remembered. “Oh, wait a second.”

  He grinned. “You’ve changed your mind about the shower?”

  “No, I just wanted to tell you something important.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Remember that guy in the park? The one who attacked me and you kicked in the face?”

  “Yeah?”

  “If you see him again, stay away from him.”

  He looked puzzled. “Why should I stay away from him?”

  “I can’t tell you, but he’s much more dangerous than we thought.”

  “Dangerous?”

  “Yes. Like I said, I can’t talk about it, but I ran into him yesterday and... Well, I can’t talk about it but just trust me, ok? If you see him, stay away.”

  “You ran into him yesterday?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where?”

  “I can’t tell you.”

  “Did he attack you again?”

  “No, he didn’t recognize me.”

  “Well, trust me, if I run into him, he’s going to wish I hadn’t.”

  “Jamie, please don’t say that.”

  “I’m sorry, but when I think about what he could have done to you if I hadn’t shown up, it pisses me off.”

  “I know, but you don’t want to mess with this guy. If you see him, call me.”

  “How about if I kick his ass, then call you?”

  I smiled and shook my head. “You’re incorrigible.”

  He grinned. “That’s what I hear.”

  “Bye, Jamie.”

  “Bye, Sarah. Remember to tell April to call me.” He gave me a wave as I shut the door.

  Chapter 43

  An hour later, the four of us were sitting around the table in the Oval Office. April was dabbing her eyes with a tissue as the President and McGraw looked on. McGraw looked like he wanted to reach across the table and strangle her, but the President just stared at her intently.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “You should be sorry,” McGraw said forcefully.

  “Jack,” the President said, and McGraw sat back in his chair.

  “April, talk to me,” the President said. “Why did you say those things?”

  She stared at him sadly without replying.

  “I think you owe me an explanation, don’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Go on.”

  “I was jealous.”

  “Jealous of who?”

  “Of Sarah.”

  “Why were you jealous of Sarah?”

  “Because the guy I liked seemed to like her better, and then I saw you with her. I just wished I was her.”

  McGraw leaned forward again. “For the record, Miss Masterson, there’s nothing going on between the President and Miss Hayes. It’s important that you keep that in mind.”

  April ignored him. “So, I just figured that if I was having an affair with the President, Jamie would like me too.”

  The President stared at her. “That doesn’t make sense.”

  “It does if you’re drunk,” she replied.

  He rested his hands on his knees. “Okay, let’s discuss where we go from here. I suggest we have a joint news conference tomorrow and clear the air.”

  “Sir,” McGraw said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea, you two sharing the same television screen. If people see you together, they may get the wrong idea.”

  “They’ve already gotten the wrong idea, Jack. I need to stand up and face this with the truth.”

  “The truth?” McGraw said, glancing at me. “You sure you want to go there?”

  “Careful, Jack,” the President said sternly.

  McGraw sat back again. “I’m just saying that if you get out in front of the television cameras and discuss this subject, you may be asked questions you don’t want to answer.”

  “I’ll be fine. April, do you agree to that?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Miss Masterson,” McGraw said, fixing his steely gaze on her, “if we’re going to do this, I’m going to need two things from you tomorrow.”

  “What’s that?”

  “First of all, you’re going to have to resign your internship.”

  She sighed. “I expected that.”

  “Secondly, I want you to stick to the truth, but I don’t want any of that truth to involve Miss Hayes, either directly or indirectly. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The President reached over and rested his hand on hers. “April, it’s going to be okay. Once they find out there’s nothing to this story, the press will forget all about you. I promise.”

  “Thank you, sir. You’re a kind man.”

  Chapter 44

  I watched the news conference in the Press Secretary’s office, just down the hall from where it was held in the Press Room. I would have preferred to be there, but McGraw told me he didn’t want me anywhere near any reporters.

  It began with the Press Secretary, Maggie Michaels, reading a brief introductory statement. She explained there would be an opportunity to ask questions following the prepared statements.

  April went first, explaining as best she could what happened, leaving me out of it, of course. She talked about how the President took his job seriously, and how it was well-known through the intern ranks that he wouldn’t tolerate any flirting. “Not that we didn’t think about it,” she added with a wistful smile, eliciting a few chuckles from the press corps. She came close to tears when she apologized to the President for what she had said, and then once again when she announced that she was resigning her internship.

  Then it was the President’s turn, and he started off by listing April’s accomplishments in the short time she had been working for him. He explained that even though she was only an intern, she provided essential duties that allowed the West Wing to function properly. And he was sorry that circumstances forced him to accept her resignation, but she had a bright future ahead of her, and would get his letter of recommendation for any position she applied for after graduation.

  “She’s a good person,” the President said, looking directly into the camera. “A good person who made a mistake. I’ve forgiven her, and I hope my fellow Americans do the same. If we all had to carry the mistakes of our youth with us, we would never be able to move forward. Thank you. We’ll take your questions now.”

  Most of the early questions were directed towards April, and she did well, giving further explanation to her earlier statement.

  A female reporter near the front asked, “Miss Masterson, can you give us the identity of the man in the video, the one you were trying to impress?”

  “No, I don’t think that’s pertinent to this discussion. It wouldn’t be fair to him.”

  “Do you plan on seeing him again?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Miss Masterson,” a male reporter asked, “you mentioned that the President didn’t tolerate any flirting by the interns. Can you give us an example of that intolerance?”

  She gave him a puzzled look. “Example?”r />
  “How did you know he was intolerant?”

  “All the other interns said he was. They told me about a girl who had been fired a year ago because she–”

  The Press Secretary stepped forward and rested her hand on April’s shoulder, stopping her in mid-sentence. She leaned into the microphone.

  “I’m sorry, but we’re not going to discuss the disciplining of specific employees. It’s sufficient to say that such behavior is not acceptable, and it was dealt with when it occurred.”

  “Mr. President,” a familiar reporter from television asked, “do you see this incident as a potential warning sign of what could happen in a situation where a young, unmarried President is working close with these impressionable girls? Are you afraid that others may make up stories too?”

  The President stepped to the mike. “First of all, Roger, I think we’ve all seen that whether or not a President is married has nothing to do with this issue. Secondly, these aren’t girls. They’re intelligent, career oriented, college-educated woman. I expect them to do the jobs they’re hired to do, and no, I’m not afraid of them. As we’ve seen today, examination of the facts will overcome unfounded rumor every time.”

  Another reporter raised his hand. “Mr. President, how much contact do you have with the interns on a daily basis?”

  “It varies, depending on their job. Some, I don’t see at all. Others I see daily.”

  “Are you friendly with them?”

  The President thought about the question for a moment, and April stepped forward. “Can I answer this one?”

  The President stepped back, giving April room at the podium.

  “The answer to your question is no,” she said, “The President is not friendly with us. He’s cold and distant, and doesn’t converse with us, other than business-related communication. But that’s okay. He’s busy running a country. He doesn’t have time to be our friends. We understand that. So, you’re getting the wrong impression if you think he’s chatting up the interns, because that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

  A striking woman raised her hand. “Mr. President, someone else brought up the point that you were young and single. Is there anyone special in your life?” She smiled.

  The President didn’t return her smile. “I won’t be commenting on my personal life.”

  “What are your plans, Miss Masterson?”

  “Go back to school, get my degree, and hope people don’t remember me.”

  A twitter of laughter went through the reporters.

  Maggie stepped forward. “That’s all the questions we have time for. Thank you for attending.”

  Chapter 45

  The news conference seemed to diffuse the situation, and although some in the opposition party claimed that April had been coerced into recanting her story, most people who saw her performance in front of the cameras found her to be honest and genuine. Surprisingly, one of the President’s staunchest supporters was Senator Quinn, who told the press she had personally witnessed the President’s interaction with his intern staff, and the thought of him being involved romantically with any of them was patently ridiculous.

  April flew back to Boston to be with her family, and we talked on the phone every night. I told her I had spoken with Jamie and he wanted her to call him, but she was cool to the idea, telling me she wanted to move on. My dad called to find out what was really happening, and I had to convince him that everything was fine. I wished that I could tell him about my trip to Paris, but that would bring up too many questions, so I had to remain silent.

  With the Euro Accord just over a week away, the President’s schedule was hectic, and we didn’t have a chance to be together, other than talking briefly in his office. And even there, we kept the talk mostly business, not wanting a repeat of what happened with April walking in on us.

  That’s why I was surprised when I was summoned to the Oval Office on Thursday after lunch. When I walked in, I was even more surprised to discover the President, McGraw, and Luger sitting around the table. They stood as I entered.

  “Sarah, close the door and have a seat,” the President said.

  I did as he asked, and then said, “What’s going on?”

  “Chief Luger wanted to ask you some questions about the men who attacked you.”

  “Okay.” I turned to Luger and gave him a tentative smile. “Ask away.”

  “We’re trying to figure out what they wanted from you,” Luger said, “hoping it will give us a clue to what they’re planning. Can you go over what they said to you, and maybe try to think of something you forgot?”

  I did my best to remember what the two men had said and did during the attack in the park. When I was done, the President looked at me with fresh concern.

  “Now,” Luger said, “as far as Jamie Barnes is concerned, do you know how we can reach him?”

  “That’s his last name? I didn’t know. I guess you can find him at Filibuster’s, where he’s a waiter.”

  “I sent a couple of agents there to talk to him, but he’s taken some time off.”

  I nodded. “He told me that he didn’t want to get involved with the media.”

  “When’s the last time you talked to him?”

  “Sunday night, when I got back from Paris.”

  “Did you call him?”

  “No, I don’t have his number. He stopped by my apartment. He was trying to get hold of April, and her place was surrounded by reporters.”

  Suddenly, a terrible thought occurred to me. “I hope he’s all right.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “I warned him about the guy who attacked me. I didn’t give him any details, but I just told him to stay away from the guy if he saw him. And he was saying things like he was going to kick his ass if he ran into him. You don’t think something happened to him, do you?”

  “I doubt it. He wouldn’t have given notice at work that he was taking time off if something bad happened to him.”

  I relaxed. “You’re right.”

  “Sarah,” Luger said, “the reason we’re asking these questions is because we’re concerned for your safety. If this is our guy, he had a reason to come after you, and we can’t be sure he still doesn’t have a reason.”

  “Why would he want me?”

  “That’s what we’re trying to figure out. Is there anyone other than April who knows about your relationship with the President?”

  I shook my head. “No.”

  “What about Jamie?”

  “No. The only way he would have known is if April told him, and she swore she didn’t.”

  “Okay. Either way, we feel it would be safer if we moved you to a different location, at least temporarily.”

  “You mean a new apartment?”

  “No, someplace completely different.”

  “Are you sending me home?”

  McGraw leaned forward. “That was my suggestion, but it was vetoed.” He glanced at the President, who ignored him.

  “As you know, the Euro Accord has been moved to Camp David for security reasons. It gives us more leeway for using different locations within the perimeter.”

  “Yes, I did hear that.”

  “Well, since we already have a Secret Service presence in place, we figured you could spend the week out there.”

  “What about my job?”

  The President spoke. “We could courier your letters out to you each day, and pick up the ones you’ve completed. Plus, I’ll be able to visit you on the weekend.”

  That sealed the deal for me. “Okay, when do I leave?”

  “We’ll have someone pick you up at your apartment this evening,” Luger said. “Be packed and ready by seven.”

  “How long do you think I’ll be there?”

  The three men glanced between each other. The President nodded, and then Luger spoke. “It’s becoming clear that the Euro Accord is going to be when the attempt is going to be made. That’s the real reason we moved it to Camp David.”

 
; “Then you should cancel it.”

  “Sarah,” the President said, “we can’t cancel it. Ten European leaders have made time in their busy schedules to fly in for the occasion. They’ve all been prodded and wheedled to come on board. If we cancel it, we could lose the pact.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “But I have to care. I’m not going to let some gun-for-hire dictate the foreign policy of this country.”

  I realized I was wasting my time. I turned to Luger. “Are you sure you can stop him?”

  “We’ll do everything possible.”

  I sighed. “Maybe I should stay in my apartment. Maybe take a few walks in the park at night. You know, lure him out if he’s after me.”

  “That’s not funny, Sarah,” the President said sternly.

  “Fine. I’ll be ready at seven.”

  Chapter 46

  When the knock came on my door at seven sharp, I smiled when I saw who was waiting. It was Mario, the agent who drove me to the airport in Paris.

  “Mario,” I said, “I see they’re still giving you the crap work.” I grinned.

  He blushed slightly. “You ready to go?”

  “All ready.” I had my suitcase and a tote bag. He took the suitcase without asking, and I followed him down to the car.

  It was an hour and a half drive up to Camp David, and we spent the trip talking. I asked him about growing up in Pittsburgh, and he was curious what it was like in San Jose. We discovered we had both lost our mothers – his to a drunk driver when he was ten. He told me he didn’t know what would be worse, having his mom go sudden like his did, or to have her suffer like mine did.

  “Ever been to Camp David before?” he asked.

  “No, this is my first visit.”

  “It’s nice.”

  “That’s what I hear. Is it secure?”

  He raised an eyebrow and looked at me. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “It’s one of the most secure facilities in the country. Not only is it surrounded by a large, multiple-stage electric security fence, it’s also a Navy installation, guarded by an elite unit of hand-picked Marines. Plus, there are anti-aircraft and anti-missile batteries surrounding it. And that’s just the security they talk about. There’s stuff there that’s classified way above my pay grade. No one’s getting in unless they’re allowed in, believe me.”