Read Online The Reluctant First Lady by Venita Ellick - Free Book Online
Authors: Venita Ellick
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hand-me-down.
• Tours come through your house daily.
• Trying to get a good parking spot is a bitch.
“I’ll bet you can never get a good parking spot at the White House.” Letterman grinned. “I’d hate that. Next.
• You can’t run around in your pajamas.
• You can’t paint your house any color you want.
“Here again, don’t you hate it when you live in a neighborhood and there’s some kind of organized rules saying what color you can paint your house? If I want to paint my house lime green, it’s my business.
• Creepy secret service guys are always around talking into their wrists
“And finally,
• Your favorite take-out restaurant won’t deliver to your address.”
Michael’s advisors turned off the bank of television sets with the prerecorded newscasts they’d been watching. Each of the networks, the cable news channels, and the special interest groups were all true to form in their opinions and responses. It was going to take some quick thinking, a lot of tact, and a little luck to put the unleashed monster back in its cage, if that were even possible.
9
After the press conference, Michael and Ashley were unusually quiet as they returned to their suite. Maintaining their public persona of togetherness and support was taking its toll on both of them. Once behind closed doors, they were free to release their pent-up emotions and remove their public cloaks.
Ashley sat down on the sofa and waited for Michael to join her. Instead he sat on the arm of a chair across the room, distancing himself from her. “It’s almost impossible to express how angry and disappointed I am. I’ve probably experienced every other emotion where you’re concerned, but never this heartrending disappointment. You’ve taken the focus off of my election and the work I hope to accomplish.”
Ashley stood up, kinetic energy surging through her body. “I’m sorry, I truly am. I’ve lost count of the number of times I tried to get you to discuss this with me before the election. Or how many times I’ve urged you to brainstorm possible solutions. What you said at the press conference evidently isn’t true. You don’t respect my right to make my own decision. You want me to succumb to your way of thinking.
“You keep talking about how my decision is going to affect you and your presidency. I recognize that’s a huge focus for you; how could it not be? The presidency is as big as it gets. But what I don’t hear you saying is that you’re going to miss me, just me. I’m disappointed in you too.”
“Then it appears we’re at a stalemate, and we have nothing else to say to one another,” Michael shot back.
“Not true. I have something to say. I’m out of here. I’m leaving immediately for New York. I’ve given you all of the time I can afford. I’ve been gone off and on from my job for over a year to help campaign for you. No matter what I do, it’s never enough.
“When you first ran for Congress, we agreed to try to make things work for both of us. We said we’d always put our family first. You followed your dreams, and I supported you. I’ve never done anything to give you the impression that I wanted to live in your shadow, so acting like my decision is something new is disingenuous.”
Ashley was furious. At times like this, she felt like calling off their marriage. Before things escalated, she left the room and headed to the bedroom to start packing. If only she didn’t love the thick-headed dope, it would make things a lot easier. Now all she wanted was just to get away, from Washington, from politics, and from him. Maybe absence would make their hearts grow fonder.
She wondered if Michael would follow her into the bedroom and try to ease the tension between them before she left. A soft click of the outer suite’s door dispelled any hope of that.
So, that was it? He left without saying a word. Ashley’s heart plummeted. Where were they headed? She
• Tours come through your house daily.
• Trying to get a good parking spot is a bitch.
“I’ll bet you can never get a good parking spot at the White House.” Letterman grinned. “I’d hate that. Next.
• You can’t run around in your pajamas.
• You can’t paint your house any color you want.
“Here again, don’t you hate it when you live in a neighborhood and there’s some kind of organized rules saying what color you can paint your house? If I want to paint my house lime green, it’s my business.
• Creepy secret service guys are always around talking into their wrists
“And finally,
• Your favorite take-out restaurant won’t deliver to your address.”
Michael’s advisors turned off the bank of television sets with the prerecorded newscasts they’d been watching. Each of the networks, the cable news channels, and the special interest groups were all true to form in their opinions and responses. It was going to take some quick thinking, a lot of tact, and a little luck to put the unleashed monster back in its cage, if that were even possible.
9
After the press conference, Michael and Ashley were unusually quiet as they returned to their suite. Maintaining their public persona of togetherness and support was taking its toll on both of them. Once behind closed doors, they were free to release their pent-up emotions and remove their public cloaks.
Ashley sat down on the sofa and waited for Michael to join her. Instead he sat on the arm of a chair across the room, distancing himself from her. “It’s almost impossible to express how angry and disappointed I am. I’ve probably experienced every other emotion where you’re concerned, but never this heartrending disappointment. You’ve taken the focus off of my election and the work I hope to accomplish.”
Ashley stood up, kinetic energy surging through her body. “I’m sorry, I truly am. I’ve lost count of the number of times I tried to get you to discuss this with me before the election. Or how many times I’ve urged you to brainstorm possible solutions. What you said at the press conference evidently isn’t true. You don’t respect my right to make my own decision. You want me to succumb to your way of thinking.
“You keep talking about how my decision is going to affect you and your presidency. I recognize that’s a huge focus for you; how could it not be? The presidency is as big as it gets. But what I don’t hear you saying is that you’re going to miss me, just me. I’m disappointed in you too.”
“Then it appears we’re at a stalemate, and we have nothing else to say to one another,” Michael shot back.
“Not true. I have something to say. I’m out of here. I’m leaving immediately for New York. I’ve given you all of the time I can afford. I’ve been gone off and on from my job for over a year to help campaign for you. No matter what I do, it’s never enough.
“When you first ran for Congress, we agreed to try to make things work for both of us. We said we’d always put our family first. You followed your dreams, and I supported you. I’ve never done anything to give you the impression that I wanted to live in your shadow, so acting like my decision is something new is disingenuous.”
Ashley was furious. At times like this, she felt like calling off their marriage. Before things escalated, she left the room and headed to the bedroom to start packing. If only she didn’t love the thick-headed dope, it would make things a lot easier. Now all she wanted was just to get away, from Washington, from politics, and from him. Maybe absence would make their hearts grow fonder.
She wondered if Michael would follow her into the bedroom and try to ease the tension between them before she left. A soft click of the outer suite’s door dispelled any hope of that.
So, that was it? He left without saying a word. Ashley’s heart plummeted. Where were they headed? She
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