Madam President (44 page)

Dev clapped Lauren's shoulder, squeezing gently. "I'm sorry."

Lauren reached up at patted Dev's hand. "Don't be sorry. It just wasn't meant to be. I'm not even sorry," she admitted. "He wanted a wife. And I wanted to have a career and a playmate, and we just couldn't make it all work. Judd's not a bad guy. We just weren't good for each other."

Lauren was leaving out a lot, and she knew it. But what little anger or frustration she had over her failed marriage was long since gone. And, in truth, it had mostly been directed towards herself anyway. There was no reason to dig up old bones now.

The blonde woman nervously tugged on her glasses, glad to have Dev's close, supportive presence. "I just have no idea why he's here. Judd's not a social kind of guy. He wouldn't just drop by the White House at eight in the evening on a Sunday night to say hello."

"You don't know for certain-"

Another knock indicated Judd and Michael were back. "Come in," Dev called.

Michael marched into the room with Judd Radison following somewhat reluctantly behind him. He quickly introduced Devlyn, who gave Judd a firm handshake, hoping her frank appraisal of the man wasn't as obvious as it felt.

Dev had to give him credit, he was a more handsome man than his photograph had made him seem. Judd was dressed in slacks with a neatly pressed crease down the front, and a navy sport coat. He had short, curly, brown hair and dark blue eyes that constantly flickered around the room as he walked, taking in the wonderful architecture and beautiful furnishings that characterized the White House.

Dev quietly dismissed Michael, making sure he left two agents immediately outside the living room, so that Mr. Radison would have an escort ready whenever he left. Which, despite his harmless demeanor, she hoped would be soon.

"Hello, Lauri." Judd smiled weakly at his ex-wife and gave her a tentative hug, which she returned just as awkwardly.

Dev blinked. The unease between the former couple was palpable.
They were
married
to each other? I'm less standoffish with my hair stylist!

"Hello, Judd." The embrace loosened enough for Lauren to look at his face. She regarded him silently for a moment, and tears began to well in both their eyes.

Something was happening; Dev could see it. She felt confused and anxious at the same time.
I guess they do know each other.

Lauren finally pulled away from Judd, the familiar scent of his after-shave lingering in the air. "Let's sit." She left her hand on his forearm as she directed him to the couch. "Tell me what's the matter," she said gently, feeling sick to her stomach.
Oh, God.
Something was very wrong. Judd's eyes never lied. Despite the fact that his lips could be significantly less reliable.

The man sat down and studied his shoes for a moment.

Lauren perched on the coffee table in front of the sofa and, with pleading eyes, wordlessly held out her hand to Dev.

Dev wouldn't have moved faster if she were on fire. With an enormous sense of relief she stepped forward and took Lauren's hand.

Judd glanced up, surprised by the scene in front of him. His thick brows drew together as he focused on the women's linked fingers and the positions of their bodies. There was no space between them. "Are you two... um...?" He gestured vaguely, and Lauren nodded. "Wow," he breathed, clearly in awe. "Not according to your dad."

The writer had always suspected that Judd and her father remained friends after the divorce. She'd just never had confirmation before now. And frankly, she hadn't been interested enough to ever ask. "It's a sort of recent development, Judd. Now, tell me what's wrong. I can see that something is. Are you in some sort of trouble?"

"No! It's not that. I... um... I moved to Falls Church, Virginia, last month. Took a job at a small architectural firm there. I guess we're sort of neighbors."

"Okay." Lauren drew out the word, rapidly losing patience. She'd forgotten about Judd's penchant for beating around the bush. "And you showed up at the White House to tell me that? C'mon, Judd."

"Your father called me an hour ago. I came right over." He looked at Dev, a little unnerved by her presence. But not enough that he wanted to drag this out any longer. "He wanted me to come and tell you in person, Lauri, so he wouldn't have to tell you on the phone." A deep breath. "Your mo-"

"She finally did it, right?" The color drained from her face as she said the words. "Oh, God," she whispered to herself.
She finally got what she wanted .
Her stomach threatened to rebel, and she wasn't sure whether she should feel relieved for her mother or appalled by what she'd done. At the moment all she could feel was sick.

Judd nodded quickly, glad for the moment not to have to say the actual words. His forehead was sweaty and his hands were shaped in fists. "I'm so sorry, Lauri. Your dad, he... um... he wants you to call him as soon as you can. She died a couple of hours ago. He didn't want you to be alone."

"She's not alone!" Dev interrupted, her voice cracking with emotion. "She's not."

Lauren pulled her hand from the older woman's, despite the death grip Dev had on her fingers. Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around her stomach in mute comfort. Her chin quivered slightly, and Dev's chest constricted at the sight. "I don't... don't feel so well."

Lauren's complexion was taking on a slightly green tinge, and tears swam in her soft gray eyes.

"C'mon, sweetheart. I think we need to get you to the bathroom." Dev put her arm around Lauren and began to help her up.

"I'm fine," Lauren insisted unconvincingly, but she didn't stop Dev from guiding her to her feet. "I need to call daddy." Just then her stomach lurched harder, and she bent at the waist and groaned quietly. "God, I think I'm going to be sick." She'd forgotten all about Judd, who was still sitting on the sofa, wishing he were somewhere else, and her legs felt shaky.

"I know." Dev took charge of the situation, trying not to think about how she'd felt when Jane had told her about Samantha. "Let me help you."
I need to help you.
As soon as Lauren was far enough away from the coffee table for Dev to get a good grip on her, the older woman held her around the waist and quickly started walking them to the bathroom. "Please wait," she called back to Judd without looking over her shoulder. "I'll be out in a moment."

Her tone of voice made it clear that it would be wise for him to do as she asked. Judd nodded reluctantly.

When the bathroom door opened Lauren rushed forward and fell to her knees, retching violently into the toilet.

Dev grabbed her glasses just before Lauren lost them. Quickly shoving them into her pocket, she held back Lauren's fair hair with one hand and stroked her back with the other, offering quiet words of comfort.

When she was finished, Lauren sat back on her heels. She was shivering a little, but she did feel much better. Dev handed her a cool glass of water and she rinsed her mouth out with the first sip, spitting it into the toilet and flushing it. Lauren greedily drank the rest of the glass down in one long swallow.

"Better?"

Dev's fingers were massaging her neck. She sighed at the coolness against her clammy skin. "Yeah. Much." Lauren grabbed a tissue and wiped her mouth. "Thank you so much." She exhaled raggedly. "This... it would be worse alone." Reaching behind her, she hugged Dev's legs.

"You don't have to thank me, honey. This is what friends do.”
And you won't ever face anything like this alone - not if I can help it.

CHAPTER VIII

August 2021

 
      
Sunday, August 1
^st

L
AUREN'S FINGERS TYPED steadily across the keyboard as the kids played on the floor with Gremlin. A quick command had allowed her to disable the voice recognition input system. Now she was doing her work the old-fashioned way. But she didn't want to add to the noise in the room by talking over it. God only knew what the computer would do with the background noise that ranged from quiet giggles to levels just above a jumbo jet, depending on what mood struck the kids and dog.

Right now, Gremlin was bouncing around them, yapping and barking and squirming between their legs as they played. To anyone else, his display would have seemed like that of a truly happy canine. But to Lauren's eyes, it was crystal clear that the pooch still wasn't himself. She was beginning to wonder if Dev wasn't right. Maybe he did need a doggy shrink.
But the kids do seem to make him
happy.
If Lauren was sure of one thing in this life, it was that Grem was completely in love with the Marlowe children. She snorted inwardly.
You're not the only one, buddy.

Since she and Dev had returned home from her mother's funeral, the writer found herself using any excuse to spend a little extra time with the children, not to mention their mother. Dev had been wonderful. And Lauren was quite certain that if it hadn't been for her constant support and comfort... She shook her head, forcing herself to stop considering the painful thought. Dev had been there for her every step of the way, exceeding the expectations she'd previously placed on a friendship, much less a romance.

Dev had pulled out all the stops, even managing to make sure that the family wasn't besieged by the Press at the funeral and during the quick burial service in the graveyard. The President of the United State's attendance alone was an invitation for chaos. But Dev had made it clear that she
would
stand by Lauren during this very emotional time. And that no one would 'suffer' because of her presence. Lauren had felt a pang deep in her chest when she heard the self-recrimination in Dev's voice. But the Press had been mostly absent and she wondered what favors Dev had called in just to make it happen.

It wasn't until they were back home in Washington, DC, that a reporter caught Lauren and Dev on their way out of the White House and inquired as to the cause of her mother's death. To her dismay, the writer had burst into tears. Dev's growled 'No comment', coupled with a feral glare that would melt steel, had sent the reporter scurrying, and she hadn't been asked a question about it since.

Even with the constant pressure, Dev had been a total rock. When the President's popularity took a five point dive during her trip with Lauren to Tennessee, she'd brushed it off with her typical graciousness, assuring Lauren that the numbers would rebound as her tax cut package cleared the House.

Lauren felt the beginnings of tears. But they weren't sad ones. This time it was simple awe and appreciation over a relationship and a woman she'd come to count on and care about deeply that brought them to her eyes. She reached under her glasses and caught the tears on the tip of her finger. With a sniff, she wiped them away before they could fall and allowed a bittersweet smile to cross her lips. Despite the events of the last two weeks, Lauren had never been happier.

She glanced at the children, who were now settling down with Gremlin and arguing over which cartoons to watch. Dev was very careful about what her children where exposed to when she was away from the residence. The television set was firmly locked on channels appropriate to their ages.

The writer also knew that Dev preferred that the children play games or read over watching television. Lauren clicked the off switch, placed her handheld computer on the table, and moved over to the floor with the kids. "Hi, guys."

They immediately stopped fussing when she joined them. "Hiya, Lauren!" Christopher grinned at the writer and scrunched up his nose as his face turned bright red.

Lauren smiled back.
You're too damned cute for your own good, Christopher. Just like your mama.

Aaron simply scooted over closer to Lauren, slipping his hand into hers, then placing his head in the crook of her arm.