“There you are.” Mom came up beside me, her pretty face wearing a bright smile, revealing the dimples I had inherited. She seemed to be everywhere, all at once.
“How did you find me so quickly?” I gave her a hug.
“I was watching for you.” She moved my hair off my shoulder. “You’re late.”
Putting my hair back, I smiled. “I have wonderful news. Dr. Erdman is considering me for a residency position at GUH.”
Her blue eyes shone. “That’s wonderful!” She had always been proud of me, though she’d spent most of my life pursuing her own career and dreams. She wasn’t absent from my life, just busy. It had been easy to throw myself into my studies since she had no expectations of me being like other children and teenagers. I was never involved in sports or extracurricular activities. Just school, school, and more school.
“Your father is here somewhere,” she said, looking around the room. “You just missed the Bushes. They were here for about thirty minutes.”
“I’m sorry I missed them.”
“You should be,” she teased. “It isn’t every day that you’re invited to the White House.”
I laughed and shook my head, having lost track of how many times I’d been in the White House in 1861. “You’re right.”
She gave me a more serious look. “You need to take some time off before you get burnt out. Have a little fun now and again, Meg.”
“This coming from you,” I teased back. “One of the hardest-working women I’ve ever met.”
“I blame myself for your lack of a social life. And me, the Social Secretary of the President!”
I squeezed her arm and shook my head. “We both like our careers. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Oh! I see your father, and he’s speaking to someone I want you to meet.” Mom led the way across the room, greeting a few representatives and senators and directing a staff member to refresh the shrimp platter.
Near the large portrait of George Washington hanging proudly on the east wall, we found my father. To the outside world, he was retired General Jonathan Clarke, current Assistant Secretary of the Navy for energy, installation, and environment.To me, he was Dad. He stood erect and proud, wearing a black tuxedo, speaking to a young man also wearing a tuxedo.
When we approached, they both looked our way.
“Meg!” Dad kissed my cheek as I reached up and took his arm. His head was balding, but he still looked dignified to me. “I was hoping you could make it.”
“Sorry I’m late.”
“No trouble.” He turned his attention back to the young man he was speaking to. “You’re just in time to meet Congressman Wallace.”
“Congressman?” I studied the young man a little closer, surprised that he didn’t look much older than me.
Mr. Wallace extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Clarke,” he said. “My name is Seth.”
“Please,” I told him, returning his firm grasp, “call me Meg. You’re a congressman?”
“The youngest by three days,” he said with a disarming smile. “Well, unless you count William Claiborne, who started his service in 1797 and was possibly three years younger than me.” He shrugged, a teasing gleam in his eyes. “But there’s no solid proof.”
“Meg can relate to being the youngest at her profession, as well,” Mom said with pride. “She is set to graduate medical school at the age of twenty-one.”
Seth looked duly impressed. “Then we have a lot in common.” He was physically fit and handsome in his tuxedo, and his blond hair, blue eyes, and tan made me think of a Ken doll and not a stuffy congressman.
“I hate to run,” Mom said, “but I need to make sure that shrimp is being taken care of. We don’t want anyone getting sick.”
“And I see a senator I need to speak to,” Dad said. “Don’t forget to visit the Pentagon when you get a chance,” he told Seth. “The renovations in Wedge One are underway, and as amember of the Committee of Military Construction, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the project.”
“I’ll definitely come by soon.” Seth became all business. “I’ll have my aide call your office and set up an appointment.”
“Great. It was nice to see you again.” Dad touched my shoulder as he walked away, leaving me to speak to Seth.
One glance in my mother’s direction told me she was watching Seth and me closely, and I had the distinct feeling she had set up this little meeting. She’d been trying to set me up on dates for the past year, but she had no idea why I was being stubborn. I wasn’t going to let my heart get entangled in romance before my final decision. It would only make things more complicated—and they were already complicated enough.
