Page 80 of State of the Union (First Family 3)

“Try really hard.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Babe, I texted Terry to tell him what’s going on, and he suggests we release a brief statement before the media catches wind.”

“I haven’t even told my sisters or Celia or my mother.”

“Do you want me to text them?”

“I guess,” she said, becoming resigned to the fact that this was really happening.

“This is what I’m saying to them. ‘Hi there and sorry for the group text, but Sam slipped on ice, fell in the parking lot at work yesterday and managed to fracture her hip. She’s having surgery this afternoon at GW and will be here three to four days. She is not happy about this, as you can imagine. Please pray for both of us.’”

“Look at you, joining the comedians,” she said as Anderson snickered. “I’ll remember all the people who thought this was funny. There’s nothing wrong with my rusty steak knife.”

“Duly noted,” Nick said. “I sent it.”

“You should tell Eli and Scotty, too.”

He pushed some buttons on the phone. “Done.”

Sam’s phone rang with a call from Tracy.

Sam answered with one of her dad’s trademark sayings. “Kelly’s Pool Hall, eight ball speaking.”

“Seriously, Sam?”

“Yep.”

“Jeez…”

“I know. No sex for weeks.” She took great pleasure in watching Nick’s smile fade. “Nick is just realizing that.”

“Figures that’s what you’re thinking about.”

“I’m thinking about a lot of things, and none of them are good.”

“This is not gonna be pretty,” Tracy said.

“No, it isn’t, but I will be.”

“Well, that’s a given.”

“Trace! Four to six weeks!”

“Ugh. That blows.”

“Totally.”

Anderson, who’d stepped out of the room, returned with a female doctor.

“I gotta go. Nick will keep you posted.”

“Love you.”

“You, too.”

Chapter Fifteen

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