Dev's posture instantly relaxed. "Thank you." She leaned over and gently kissed Lauren on the lips, allowing the contact to linger and then deepen. Dev didn't pull back until she felt the rise and fall of Lauren's chest begin to grow uneven, and her own breathing was ragged.
Lauren groaned softly when the lips against hers disappeared. "Have I ever told you what a great kisser you are?"
Dev smiled roguishly. "No. But feel free to do so. In great detail. You are a writer after all."
Lauren's eyebrows crawled up her forehead and disappeared behind pale bangs. "No, thanks. I was just checking."
"Brat." Dev stuck out her tongue.
Lauren chuckled, then poked the box. "So what do we have here? Something for me?" she hinted.
Dev repositioned the box on her lap. "Well, actually, with your permission, I was planning on making an addition to the family tradition, which is the second thing I needed to ask you about. Here, this is for you." Dev handed the box to her lover. "It's sort of an unofficial welcome to the family."
"Whoa." Lauren jaw dropped open in surprise at the weight of the box. "You didn't have to..." She stopped when she lifted off the lid and released the rich aroma of vanilla into the air. Inside the box were two white candles and one blue, each about four inches in diameter and ten inches long. Carefully, Lauren moved aside the candles to find the source of the weight: three sturdy, silver candleholders. "They're beautiful," she whispered, picking up one of the candleholders. ‘Anna Gallager Strayer' was engraved in bold letters across its front. She sucked in a surprised breath, feeling tears spring into her eyes so quickly that she was helpless to stop them.
Dev reached out slowly and pulled Lauren close to her. "I love you. I want to put those up with the rest of my family. Is that all right with you?"
Lauren sank into Dev's embrace. "I love you too," she breathed softly, then sniffed. The writer pulled away and cupped Dev's cheek, tenderly brushing a prominent cheekbone. "Are you sure, honey?" she whispered emotionally. "I'm not really-"
The President placed her finger over Lauren's lips to quiet her protests. "No, this is a tradition to celebrate the lives of the people who have touched us. The people who love us. And the people we want to remember. You belong there now. You belong there just as much as David and Beth do, or Emma, or Amy. We're adding one for Liza this year, too."
A blonde head nodded once. "Thank you," she whispered when Dev's finger dropped from her lips. Lauren smiled affectionately at Dev, wishing she could put into words how special it made her feel to belong to Dev's clan, whom she loved more than she would have believed possible. She sniffed again. "I... I don't know what to say."
Dev hugged her close and scooted down to get comfortable and make it clear she intended to stay there for a while and hold her lover. "You could tell me that you'll get that baby picture back from Wayne," she teased, placing a kiss on soft, fair tresses.
Lauren laughed and pinched Dev's belly. "Nuh uh. It's too cute not to share. Suffer, Madam President."
Monday, November 22nd
"Good morning, Madam President. Good morning, Lauren." Liza handed Dev a file and her mug of coffee. They were in the Oval Office, Dev sitting behind her massive wooden desk, with Lauren sitting several paces away in a high-backed, leather, upholstered chair. They were together, but lost in their own work, as Lauren prepared questions she had for an interview later that afternoon, and Dev mentally went over a short speech she was giving that morning about the new healthcare reforms she intended to officially propose in January 2022.
"It's a light day today, Madam President," Liza continued. "First, you have to pardon a turkey."
Dev looked up from her folder, and Lauren snickered, taking a quick shot of the surprised look on the President's face. "Excuse me?" Dev suddenly began paying closer attention. "Did I hear you say that I was pardoning a turkey?"
A soft click and muffled chuckle indicated that Lauren had just captured the surprised look on Dev's face on film again.
Liza grinned, but refrained from asking Dev if she had ever bothered watching anything any of the past Presidents did. She didn't think it would be a wise career move. "Yes, ma'am, it's a Thanksgiving tradition," Liza explained patiently, somehow looking at and speaking to Dev while entering something into her hand-held organizer. "The President always pardons a turkey; then it's sent to live at the zoo."
Dev tossed her pencil down and retrieved a pen, opening the file Liza had given her. "Liza, if I pardon the turkey, what will I be having for Thanksgiving dinner?"
"Turkey, of course; just not the one you pardon." Liza struggled for words, not sure how to explain this rather bizarre ritual. She finally settled on saying, "It's just a tradition. Vegetarians and children love it."
"Not my kids," Dev snorted. "They're carnivores and not ashamed to admit it."
"Especially Aaron," Lauren chimed in. "That boy could eat an entire turkey himself. I swear he's going to be a sumo wrestler when he grows up."
Dev sighed and took a sip of her coffee as she read through the rest of her agenda. "So, basically, it's become tradition for the President to give the country the bird on Thanksgiving?"
Liza and Lauren both rolled their eyes, but still burst out laughing at Dev's lame joke, as the President searched her desk for something.
Dev's assistant recovered first and glanced at Lauren, who just shrugged. "I guess you could say that."
"But don't say it in front of a live microphone, Madam President," Lauren suggested, taking a few more pictures, including a very nice one of Dev and Liza together looking over something on the desk.
"Picky, picky." Dev snorted without looking up. "You're starting to sound more and more like David everyday."
"David is a very wise man," Lauren teased.
"How much did he pay you to say that?"
"Nothing. But he did get on my good side by donating a photograph of your college dorm room. Now I know where Aaron gets his slob tendencies."
"Very funny." Dev looked up from the document she was reading. "Take note that two people shared that room, and one side of it was neat and clean, while the other was a vile pigsty. Then go have a good look at David's office and tell me which side of the room was mine. Those are his sweat socks lying on the floor in the picture."
Lauren rose to her feet and put her hands on her hips. She narrowed her eyes. "How did you know there were sweat socks on the floor in that picture?"
"Because the entire time David and I roomed together, there were sweat socks on the floor. And what's really scary is that part of me believes they were the same pair."
Lauren and Liza both went ‘Ewwwww' at the same time.
Dev shivered. "I know."
David strode into the room, his face buried in a file as he did so, causing him to run right into Lauren. "Oh, sorry." He tucked the file under his arm as he looked around the room at the grinning women. David began chewing his mustache nervously. "Uh oh. Those smiles are nothing but trouble. I've seen my wife, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law, all in the same room together, smiling just like that. The next day our den was painted lavender."
"You're right, David. You should be afraid of us all." Dev didn't let Lauren's sniggers deter her. "But in this instance," she looked up, tapping her pen on the desk, "we were discussing turkeys, and your name just naturally popped up."
David gave a fake laugh, complete with raised upper lip. He lifted the file folder. "If you're not nice to me, I won't tell you what Santa got you for Christmas."
"I already know what Santa got me for Christmas." A satisfied grin curled Dev's lips. "It's the same thing I got for my birthday," she informed David casually, her eyes never straying to Lauren, who still blushed a bright red.
David looked between the women for an explanation, but gave up quickly. "Yeah, okay. But his elves also just delivered the Republican and Democrat-suggested amendments to your DNA Registration Act."
Dev jumped up from her desk and joined David, peering down at the file
. "What did it cost me?"
"Just the first time offender clause. And ..." David paused, looking so completely pleased with himself that Dev thought he might burst. He couldn't help but puff up his chest. "We also managed to rewrite it so that it has the full support of the NRA and all of the major law enforcement advocacy groups. You, Madam President, are a very popular person at the moment. Your latest numbers just came in, and it looks like you've finally gotten past that bombing mess. Christmas is going to be good to you, Dev. Lots of people will be wanting to ride on your coattails."
Dev scowled. "And I thought my coattails where short and unpopular."
David tilted his head up as he exclaimed, "Ha!"
Dev jumped back, her eyes widening just a little.
"That's why I'm here. I make them long and popular ."
Lauren regarded David carefully. "What did Beth put in your cereal this morning, David?"
Dev rolled her eyes. "Don't pay any attention to that. He always falls in love with himself every time he does a good job." Dev gave her Chief of Staff a ghost of a wink.
Liza glanced at her watch. "Shall we go pardon a turkey, ma'am?"
Dev stood and retrieved her jacket. By rote, David moved forward and took it from her hands, helping her shrug into it and smoothing the sleeves.
"Wonderful job, David," Dev said softly, all teasing gone from her voice.
The tall man picked a piece of lint from Dev's navy blue jacket. "You deserved this one, Dev," he answered back equally quietly. "It's a good piece of legislation."
Dev nodded and cleared her throat, breaking the intimate moment between friends. "By all means, let's go save a fowl, little life." She looked at Liza and Lauren whose faces remained impassive. "Oh, come on, that deserved at least a little groan." She encouraged them by making a ‘hurry up' motion with her hands until she got the desired response. "Thank you. Now that didn't hurt, did it?"
* * *
Lauren found Dev in the music room that had been added and decorated during Bill Clinton's administration. It displayed instruments donated by some of America's most respected musicians. The walls were adorned with an eclectic combination of gold records, sheet music signed by Broadway's great composers, photographs of artists who had visited or performed at the White House over the years, and painters' renditions of singers and musicians ranging from Louis Armstrong to John Denver to Kathleen Battle. Dev had it outfitted with the latest electronic equipment, and the room was now a music lover's and a techno geek's delight.
The writer entered quietly, enjoying the soft sounds of Vivaldi that filled the room. It wasn't until she was nearly on top of Dev that she realized the woman was sound asleep in a large, padded recliner.
"It's been a busy life, hasn't it, honey?" Lauren said softly, gently brushing her fingers through Dev's hair. The President had been running herself to near exhaustion trying to wrap everything up as best she could, just so she could start all over again on January first.
Lauren smiled down at her lover, and gently increased the pressure of her fingers moving across Dev's forehead. "Devlyn?" she cooed in a hushed voice. "Darlin'?"
"Hmmm?"
"Your mom and dad are due in about an hour from now."
Dev's eyes remained closed as she reached for Lauren and tugged her onto her lap. She wrapped her arms around the smaller woman and nuzzled a sensitive spot behind Lauren's ear. "I'm not speaking to my mother," she said softly, her voice rough with sleep. "She gave you that nasty, little picture."
"That is a perfectly charming, bare-naked baby picture. I love it."
"My mother is a troublemaker."
Lauren waggled her finger at Dev. "Your mother is a wonderful, kind, sweet woman."
A single blue eye opened very slowly and looked into the smiling face that Dev adored. "Do you have a fever? Are you delusional?"
"Dunno; maybe you should check."
Dev's hand worked its way under Lauren's T-shirt. "Oooo, that's nice and warm."
Lauren wrapped her arms around Dev's neck, which started a mini make-out session that neither one wanted to end anytime soon. Dev groaned and threaded her fingers in Lauren's hair, crushing her lips against hers.
"Oh, yeah, they got it all figured out, Frank." Janet clapped her hands together. "I knew that book was a good idea!"
Lauren's head snapped up, and suddenly the arms around her were gone and she was toppling backwards. The dark-haired woman tried to grab her, but it was too late, and Lauren's bottom hit the floor with a glorious thump that was immediately followed with a not so glorious "Ouch!"
Dev grimaced as she leaned over and helped Lauren to her feet, "I'm sorry, sweetheart."
Lauren rubbed her backside, mumbling something about Janet learning to knock. "S'okay."
Dev gave Lauren's backside a little pat "Weren't you the one who, not two minutes ago, called her a wonderful, kind and sweet woman."
"How nice of you, dear." Janet Marlowe beamed at Lauren and opened her arms to the blonde for a hug. "I knew there was a reason I liked you so much."
Lauren moved over to Janet and gave her a hearty hug. "Welcome back, Janet. Dev was just saying how thrilled she was that you dug up those old photographs." Gray eyes danced with mischief. "I hope you brought the other ones we talked about."
Janet winked. "And more."
"Oh, yippie," Dev groaned, watching Lauren give her father a hug. Dev fell in after Lauren and gave both her parents hugs. She elbowed her father. "I'm so doomed."
"You sure are, Devil. But it's a good kind of doomed." He leaned in close and whispered in Dev's ear, "That's a fine young woman you've set your sights on. Or your mother wouldn't think so highly of her."
Dev pulled back and looked into her father's eyes, soaking up the acceptance she'd always seen in the blue-green depths. "That means a lot, Dad, knowing that you and mom like her."
"She's a sweetie, and your mom adores her."
"Good." Devlyn glanced over at Lauren and her mother who were chatting conspiratorially. She looked back to her father. "I'm going to propose to her on Christmas Eve." Dev raised her finger to her dad. "But don't you dare tell mom," she whispered urgently. "There is no way she could keep from spilling the beans. David and I are having a hard enough time keeping it from Beth. And the fact that I'm so nervous I'm ready to swallow my tongue isn't helping at all."
"Devlyn, that's wonderful. And I promise, not a word to your mother." He wrapped his arm around his daughter's shoulders and began leading her out the door. Frank had grandchildren to spoil, after all.
Lauren and Janet looked up to find they were alone in the room. Bewildered, they glanced around for a few seconds then shrugged and sat down on the sofa, laughing and continuing their conversation.
Frank nudged his daughter. "Your mom will have a wonderful time planning a wedding. Thank God our stock portfolio is healthy."
"It's more than healthy, and you know it," Dev snorted. "But I sure hope mom wants to do something, because there is no way I'll have time." She sighed again. "If I had to do it, we'd end up getting married in front of a Justice of the Peace. Hey," she nudged her father back. "You weren't due for another hour or so, and how did you find us?" Dev looked around, noticing for the first time that her parents didn't have a Secret Service escort.
"Lord, you know your mother. She told that sturdy, young agent who wanted to walk us around the halls to go find someone else to guard, that she wasn't going to steal the china."
Madam President Page 50
