Page 18 of State of Grace (First Family 2)

“Did you hear that?” Sam asked Andy.

“I did. We’ll take care of it tomorrow. I’ll let you know when he’s been served.”

“Thanks again, Andy.”

“Happy to help. Could I speak to Nick for a second?”

“Sure, hang on.” Sam handed her phone to Nick. “He wants to talk to you.”

Leaving Nick to speak to his friend in private, Sam went back to the kitchen and found Shelby Hill and her son, Noah, had joined the group. Shelby had agreed to be the White House social secretary and had hired a nanny to help with Noah during work hours. They’d set up a playroom on the third floor of the residence that Noah, Alden and Aubrey were enjoying.

“How was your day, Mrs. Hill?” Sam asked her close friend, whose face was red and puffy from crying.

“Wonderful and awful. The news of the shooting has broken my heart.”

They kept their voices down so the children wouldn’t overhear them.

“I know. Mine, too. I worry about people going numb to the violence because it’s so much a part of our everyday lives.”

“It’s unbearable. Babies going to see Santa.” Tears ran down Shelby’s cheeks that Noah adorably wiped away. “Thank you, sweet boy. Mama is sad tonight.”

“Go home and snuggle with your husband,” Sam said, hugging her friend.

“That’s the plan, but I wanted to see my other babies before I left. How cute is Scotty with that dog?”

“Adorable.” Skippy was glued to Scotty at all times, and when he wasn’t home, the dog came looking for Sam, which everyone found hilarious. Now that Scotty had finished eating, the dog had moved to his lap. Before long, she’d be too big for anyone’s lap, but Sam suspected that wouldn’t matter to Scotty, who was madly in love with the puppy.

Usually, this was Sam’s favorite time of the day—home with her husband and children, even if the home was new to them. But tonight, she couldn’t escape the dark cloud of despair that hung over everything after the day’s events. They went through the motions with the Littles, overseeing baths and pajamas and story time, all the while protecting them from the heartbreak that had seized the country. Alden and Aubrey had already been through enough heartbreak recently. They didn’t need any more.

After the twins were settled in the bed they still shared despite having their own rooms at the White House, Sam and Nick went to check on Scotty and found him snuggled up to Skippy in his bed.

“I thought we agreed she’s not allowed in the bed,” Nick said, seemingly trying to be stern and failing miserably. They could both see how happy the dog made their son.

“I tried telling her she’s not allowed, but she keeps ending up here.”

“You’re supposed to be in charge,” Nick said.

“She has a mind of her own.”

“Typical woman,” Nick muttered with a wink and smile for his wife.

“Easy, mister,” Sam said. “Push over and let me in.”

Scotty rolled his eyes but made room for her to sit next to him, her back against his pillows.

“How’re you doing?”

He shrugged. “It’s hard to make sense of someone shooting kids who were there to see Santa.”

“Sure is,” Nick said, sighing as he stretched out across the foot of the bed.

“Why would someone do that?” Scotty asked.

“We’re fairly certain there was a mental health component, as there often is when these things happen.”

“How does someone with mental health problems end up with a gun so they can do that to so many people?”

“That’s a very good question and one the FBI and ATF will be investigating.”

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