Page 103 of State of Grace (First Family 2)

“I’ll try. Thanks for everything, Sam.”

“We love you guys. We’ll do whatever we can for you.”

“We love you, too. Your support means everything to me.”

“Try to get some rest.”

“You, too.”

She left him at the door to his room and went to knock on Scotty’s door.

“Enter.”

Sam stepped into a room that looked remarkably similar to his room on Ninth Street. He had the Caps game on the TV as he did homework. “You put up your posters.”

“Yeah, Eli helped me do it earlier.”

“Looks like home.”

“Starting to feel like it, too.”

She went in to sit on the edge of his bed. “I’m glad to hear that. How’d school go today?”

“Another day in paradise.”

“That’s one of my lines, and it’s trademarked.”

He rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say.” After a pause, he said, “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“This custody thing with the twins…”

“I don’t want you to worry about that.”

“I’m worried. It’s the weirdest thing. They’ve only been with us for a couple of months, and it’s already like they’ve been here forever.”

“I know. We feel the same way.”

“We can’t lose them,” Scotty said, his chin quivering.

Sam moved closer to hug him. “We’re not going to lose them. Andy says our case is really strong because their parents were very clear about who they wanted to be their guardian. Eli gets to decide where they live and make all the important decisions for them.”

“But now that Dad is president, the judge might think they’re in danger or something.”

His concern made her sad and mad at the people causing it. “They have the best security in the world looking out for them.”

“I love our family,” Scotty said softly. “It’s the family I’ve always wanted.”

“Same, buddy. Dad and I will fight to keep everything just the way it is. I don’t want you to worry.”

“I can’t help it. I love them—and Eli. For the first time in my life, I have siblings. I don’t want to lose them.”

“You won’t.”

He hadn’t let her hug him that tightly since he became a teenager who disdained maternal affection. But he clung to her just as tightly.

“It’s going to be okay,” she said. “I promise.” As she said those words, she prayed it was a promise she could keep.

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