The Reluctant First Lady

by Venita Ellick

  She asked Mavis and Kathy at the same time, “Okay, on a scale of one to ten, how’s the day going so far?”

  Without looking up from her work, Mavis said, “We’ve been pretty busy, but we’re very glad the Grand Old Fund-Raiser is behind us.”

  “Me, too. Maybe now we can get back to our regular work routine that has been slip-slidin’ away.” Ashley broke into song for the past part of her declaration.

  At her desk, Ashley took out her iPhone and pulled up her calendar while calling Robert to schedule the meeting he mentioned the night before. Now she had time to be curious about why he wanted to meet with her.

  Robert’s secretary answered the phone. “Hey, Pamela, it’s Ashley. Is Robert available? He asked me to call.”

  “I’ll check. Heard everything went well last night, yeah? I wouldn’t have you upsetting him.” This was said in a very stern voice and a lovely Irish accent.

  “Who, me? Upset Robert? Really, Pamela, you should be worried about him upsetting me. Whatever would make you think I’m a troublemaker?” Ashley laughed.

  “Don’t be putting me on; I read the newspaper, don’t you know. Hang on and I’ll get him for you.” Pamela put her on hold.

  Robert’s deep voice came on the line immediately. “How’s my favorite muse this morning? You did it again. I’ve already received half a dozen calls complimenting you on last night’s affair.”

  “Glad you’re pleased. Even though it’s an irritating cliché, you know it takes a village, blah, blah, blah.”

  “Well, every village needs its muse, and you’re mine.”

  “I promised I’d call so we could set up that meeting. How urgent is it?”

  “Nothing terribly urgent but definitely something I want to talk to you about.”

  “You want to give me a hint?”

  “I’d rather talk about it in person. I know with Christmas coming up and then the inauguration on the horizon, you’re undoubtedly swamped right now. Why don’t we set up a meeting for some time at the end of January or the first of February?”

  “If it can wait that long, it’d be a big help. I’m trying to wrap up things here at the museum. I’m planning to leave for Washington the week before Christmas, and I won’t be returning until after the inauguration. Max will be in charge during my absence. You know, he’s a curator worth his weight in gold. I would not have been able to take off so much time during Michael’s campaign without having Max to back me up. How’s the first week in February look for you?”

  “Right now, it looks fine. How about February seventh at ten in the morning?” Robert asked.

  “I’m making a notation on my calendar as we speak.”

  “I’m doing the same. Listen, Ashley, I hope you’re able to put the museum out of your mind while you’re in Washington.”

  “I intend to try and do just that. I trust Max completely. He’s one you should keep your eye on. I’m excited and looking forward to the swearing-in ceremony. It’s such a historic and momentous occasion for Michael, our family, and the country. I’m so proud of him; he’ll be a wonderful president. I don’t think people truly realize what a great man he is. He’s everything this country needs. Just wait until you see him in action.”

  “I know how proud you are of Michael, and I think you’re right—he’s exactly what this country needs right now.”

  “Oh, I almost forgot to tell you the good news, Robert. We’ve already taken in over six and half million dollars from the Black Tie Dinner. When I get back, I’ll have a more accurate picture of the money raised from last night’s event.

  “Are you and Audrey getting out of the city for the holidays?” Ashley asked.

  “Yes, we’re planning to spend the holidays at our home in Vermont. All of the kids and grandkids are coming home for Christmas, and we always look forward to being with all of them. How about your family? Will you be together at Christmas this year?”

  “That’s the plan. Jeremy and Juliette are coming to Washington for Christmas; then of course, they’ll be back for the inauguration.”

  “I’ll be watching with the rest of the country and the world, so behave yourself,” Robert joked.

  “I’ll do my best. See you in February.”

  That night, when Ashley was back in her apartment and nestled into her comfy chair, she punched in Michael’s private number. She was hoping for a nice, long chat with her husband. Unfortunately his message machine came on.

  “Hi, honey. I just wanted to touch base with you about my arrangements to return to Washington. I have about a month off. I was planning to come next week and stay until after the inauguration. I’m looking forward to spending time with you even though I know you’ll be extremely busy.

  “The fund-raiser went off without a hitch, thank goodness. The only thing missing was you, and I’m not saying that to make you feel guilty; I just miss you. Call me if you get a chance. I hope you’re holding up under all the pressure. I can’t imagine all the meetings and briefings you must be having. Hope to talk to you soon. I love you.”

  23

  Michael listened to Ashley’s voice on his message machine after the phone rang, but he was in no mood to deal with her so didn’t pick up. Instead he sat in his favorite chair looking at the press clipping of his wife dancing in the arms of none other than Geoffrey Carruthers. He didn’t trust himself to keep the anger out of his voice. Where Ashley was concerned, he knew he lost his ability to be reasonable. He was far too jealous where she was concerned, but he’d always tried to hide it. To no one, he said, “Yeah, I’ll just bet she missed me. It sure didn’t look like it from the picture in the newspaper. You and Geoffrey looked way too cozy.”

  He’d been working in his office when Jack dropped the press clipping on his desk. He appeared unaffected in front of Jack; in fact, he was furious and seething inside. Not only was his wife not with him, she was on the front page of the society section dancing with one of the world’s best-known playboys, and the caption underneath the picture was irresponsible journalism at its best. The caption insinuated something was going on between his wife and Geoffrey Carruthers, which he knew in his heart was not the case. To make matters worse, the reporter had used a moniker, “the Reluctant First Lady”; the nickname was bound to stick and be picked up by other newspapers and the media.

  He knew he was being unfair. Ashley was most certainly performing her duties as the director of the museum; it was part of her job. He couldn’t fault her for that. It was this crazy world where the media started rumors deliberately to sell their product without assuming any of the responsibility to the people they slandered. They didn’t care what potential damage and pain they might cause with their innuendos and lies.

  Still, it hurt. He wanted Ashley with him to share his presidency, not in another town living a separate life from him. Yet, to be fair, he knew he didn’t have the right to insist she follow him when he was unwilling to do the same for her. She was right when she reminded him that they’d lived apart for years when he was in Congress and the Senate.

  He was looking forward to having Ashley with him for a solid month. Maybe she’d see that living in Washington wasn’t so bad. Maybe she’d realize how much they were missing by not being together on a daily basis; just maybe she would come to her senses. Yeah, right. That was a hell of a lot of maybes.

  Now he felt guilty that he hadn’t picked up the phone when she called. He needed to get a grip on his jealousy. It was unfair and unwarranted. He dialed her number and after one ring heard Ashley pick up.

  “Hi, there. Sorry I missed your call. Sounds like the fund-raiser went well. Are you feeling a letdown?”

  “Absolutely not. I’m thankful it’s over. It went well, and I’m pretty sure we topped last year’s revenues. I’m exhausted, but it’s a good exhausted if there is such a thing. I’m looking forward to my visit with you and having some time with our kids. Plus, there’s this very special event I’m attending that’s a tradition after a president has been ele
cted. At least, I’ve been told it’s special, but then my sources aren’t all that reliable,” Ashley teased. “I’m planning to fly to Washington on December fourteenth and will return a few days after the inauguration.”

  “Honey, that’s great. I’m looking forward to having you here, if only for a few weeks. It’s been hectic with all of the meetings and prep for the transition. Between meeting with potential cabinet members and dealing with the many issues of our country, there’s never any time to relax, but then I knew that going into this job. Did you see the announcement about the director of protocol on television?”

  “I did. It seemed to go well; it looked like your camp had all the contingencies under control. Have you had a lot of fallout from the announcement? You know I don’t follow the polls; how did you fare?”

  “The press is all over the map about my announcement. It’s a new concept, a change from past practice, and it takes a lot of time for most people to adjust to change. The majority are still having trouble understanding why you rejected a role that every other president’s wife has accepted. The politicians who are in my camp think creating the new position was a good idea, given your decision. The staunch conservatives will never understand the position you’ve taken and are pretty sure you’re on a fast train to hell. Overall, the poll numbers don’t look all that different.

  “Honey, after the holidays I need to start organizing and packing my things for my move to the White House. Will you help me while you’re here? I’d love for you to take a look at the residence and make it as homey as possible. It will be my home for the next four years, and like it or not, when you and the kids visit, it’ll be your home too.”

  “Of course I’ll help you. Plus, I’ll be there to help organize things after the move. I know the residence is a lovely place. Mrs. Nelson was kind enough to send me pictures of the various rooms and floor plans. Although personally, I wouldn’t want to live at the same place where I work. I’ll try to make it a comfortable place for you to hang your hat even if it’s usually a baseball cap. And, you’re absolutely right, when the kids and I visit, we’ll be staying there, too, so it needs to feel homey.

  “As far as the White House being our home, the place that always feels the most like home to me is our California house. I look forward to the time when we both retire and move back there permanently.”

  Michael said, “Do you believe either of us will ever be able to retire? Somehow I find that hard to imagine.”

  “I don’t think of it in terms of retirement as much as I think about us shifting gears and doing something different. I think whatever we do we’ll always be involved in something. It’s having the choice to be involved or not that appeals to me.”

  “Yeah, that appeals to me, too. And, we’ll live in the same state and the same house at the same time. You don’t think it will ruin our marriage, do you?” Michael teased.

  “Oh, I think we’ll be able to manage. We’ve managed so far.”

  “I’m really looking forward to you being here, far more than you know,” Michael confessed.

  “And, I’m looking forward to being there. Try not to work yourself into the ground. I’ll see you in about a week. Goodnight, honey. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Ash.”

  After hanging up, Ashley realized Michael hadn’t said a word about the picture in the newspaper. She was sure he’d seen it. He was either still too furious to talk about it or had decided to chalk it up to being part of her job. She wished she felt more comfortable talking about things like the damn picture openly. They were both trying to act as normal as possible, but the strain was always there just under the surface.

  24

  Michael stood before the Chief Justice with his hand placed on his father’s Bible. The words he was about to speak had been spoken many times before, and he was quite certain that every man who had stood in this place before him and took the oath of office did so with pure and sincere intentions. He repeated the oath after the Chief Justice’s words.

  “I, Michael Taylor, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the 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.”

  It was such a short, simple statement yet one that would forever change his life and the history of a nation. He was humbled by the ceremony and fought against the emotions that swelled in his throat and threatened to choke him. He felt the weight for the leadership of the country shift from the current president to himself. The responsibility for the greatest nation on earth now lay in his hands.

  His senses were heightened; he could smell Ashley’s perfume; he could hear Jeremy and Juliette whispering. He knew his family was proud of him and had faith in his ability to carry the heavy charge just placed on his shoulders.

  Michael shook hands with the Chief Justice and turned to kiss Ashley and hug each of the twins before he moved to stand before the podium to deliver his inaugural address.

  “Vice President Hughes, Chief Justice Campbell, President Nelson, Vice President McClain, my family, distinguished guests, and all of our nation’s citizens both here and abroad, you have just witnessed a ceremony that has been conducted for over two hundred years. Our nation is unparalleled in its ability to transfer successfully the seat of leadership from one leader to the next in a peaceful fashion, and as such we share a tradition of continuity.

  “We live in the greatest nation on earth. No other nation can claim the ethnic diversity we enjoy in the United States. Our very differences give us our strength. We are a country composed of people from every other country on earth, yet we stand as a testimony to the world that people from diverse backgrounds, religions, and philosophies can live together in peace, prosperity, and hard times and still have the capacity to achieve great things. Dr. Martin Luther King saw this vision, this rainbow coalition, and knew it for what it was and could be. Our differences bind rather than divide us.

  “A great nation such as ours demands the highest standards for its government. We must shine our light brightly into the night sky so our message of unity can stand as a witness for others. We are a civilization who will not be broken by hardships that come our way, for it is when Americans are challenged that they show the strength of character they truly possess.

  “Each of us has a choice every day to make a difference, whether at home, at work, in our community, or in the world. We can choose to extend kindness and civility to others, to reach out to those who need our help and support, and thereby to live in peace and harmony with our fellow man. I believe Americans will always choose the high road and extend a helping hand to those in need. We recognize the truth in the saying ‘Except by the grace of God, there go I.’

  “I have pledged to keep my promises. They were not empty rhetoric or campaign slogans to get your vote. I stand behind the words I’ve spoken. We will take care of our sick and elderly. Healthcare, ample food, and financial security are the rights of every American. The elderly should not have to worry about whether a system they have contributed to their entire lives will disappear. A wise society recognizes the treasure of information, advice, and wisdom that lie within our parents and grandparents and should act as advocates on their behalf.

  “We will provide the best education system possible for our children, for they are our future citizens and leaders. Our job is see that all children, no matter their background, reach their full potential and to assist them in becoming seekers of knowledge. It’s never as easy as saying the words, but the job can be done.

  “I will fight lawlessness and misconduct wherever I find it, whether in the form of unethical business practices, senseless violence, drug warfare, or threats of terrorism. We will search out the perpetrators of hate crimes, and with every means available to us, we will hold the lawbreakers accountable for their actions. It must be clear that, while I seek peace, I will fiercely defend our freedoms and our way of life.

 
“A prosperous nation needs to be prosperous for all of its citizens, not just a few. We have much to do in the area of creating jobs and stimulating our economy. However, we will continue to labor until the job is done, and the people who want to work will be given that opportunity.

  “Throughout my campaign, I referred to the silent majority and challenged them to stand up and be heard, and they didn’t disappoint me. More people voted in this election than in any previous election in history. All ages and ethnic groups took up the challenge and decided to have a greater influence on their government and their country. Now, we must work together. We must be strong advocates for America. It is our job to assure the survival of freedom in this global community in which we all live.

  “We are the keepers of our inalienable rights as passed down to us by the authors of the Declaration of Independence. Our job is to pass these freedoms and traditions on to our children. We must maintain their heritage so they can carry the torch after us. We hold their future in our hands, and we must gently carry it until we can lay it down for them to pick up. We are all part of history, and history will judge how well we did our job, how well we preserved our planet, society, and our children’s heritage.

  “God bless you, and God bless America.”

  There was no turning back from his role in history. Now it begins. Relatively few men in the history of the United States had been charged with similar duties and powers.

  He turned and grasped Ashley’s hand and, with fingers intertwined, raised their arms together as they stood before all of those gathered to witness history in the making. The applause was enthusiastic and heartfelt. Both he and Ashley turned to include Jeremy and Juliette. They wanted them to share in this moment. Their family had always been close, and Michael felt his victory belonged to them all.