Vernon handed them tissues, which they gratefully accepted.
“I’d ask how they’re doing…” Vernon said.
Sam shook her head and found there were no words, even for him.
“I’ll go to the Metro, Vernon,” Freddie said when they were settled in the back seat of the SUV.
“Got it.”
As they pulled away from the curb, Freddie put his hand on top of Sam’s.
She turned her hand to clasp his, thankful for his steadfast support through the few ups and many downs of this difficult career. On days like this, she wondered if she could bear to go back for more tomorrow.
They rode in silence until Vernon pulled up to the Shaw-Howard University Metro station.
Freddie looked over at her. “Will you be okay?”
“Of course I will. What choice do I have? We have to be okay so that we can make things okay for them. Not that they’ll ever be okay again, but we can help get justice for them. If you need to take some time tomorrow, go ahead.”
“Thanks. I’ll let you know, and you do the same. After these last couple of weeks, no one would blame you if you took a month off.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
He released her hand with a final squeeze and got out of the SUV. “Call if you need me during the night.”
“I will.”
He shut the door and took off at a jog toward the station, always eager to get home to his wife.
As Vernon drove her home, she caught him taking occasional glances at her in the mirror, checking to make sure she was all right.
“It’s always so much worse when it’s kids,” she said after a long silence.
“I know.”
“And to find out that their parole officers lost track of them. I fear that’s going to haunt us all.”
“It might,” Vernon said, “but maybe it should.”
“Yeah, I guess, but it’s just another hit on top of all the others.”
“I know it’s almost impossible but try to leave it all behind and get some rest tonight.”
“I’ll try.”
He pulled up to the door at the White House a short time later, and when George, one of the ushers, came out to greet her, she wondered if Vernon had called ahead to say she was in rough shape. Her suspicions were confirmed when Nick followed George out the door.
“I’ve got this, George,” Nick said as he helped her out of the car. He put his arm around her and took her inside and straight up the stairs to the residence.
“I really need to see my kids.”
“They’re asleep. They all conked out early.”
“That’s okay. I can still kiss them good night.” She stopped first at the twins’ room, adjusted their covers and kissed their soft, sweet heads and whispered that she loved them. Then she went to Scotty’s room and did the same with him, giving Skippy, the dog, a pat on the head before she left them to sleep.
They went into their room and closed the door, sealing off the outside world for a few precious hours.
“I hate that I haven’t seen them in two days and missed a whole weekend with them. What kind of mother does that make me?”
