“I’m holding.”
Nick picked up the call from Julie.
“Senator and Mrs. O’Connor are here, sir.”
“Please show them in and ask Terry to join us.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. President.”
“Showtime,” he said to Sam as he went to greet Graham and Laine with hugs.
They hugged Sam and had a few minutes to marvel at the turn of events before they were due in the East Room for the announcement.
“Well, this is a fine mess you’ve gotten us into, Mr. President,” Laine said with a warm smile. She wore a navy blue dress and had her gray hair swept up into an elegant knot. “I can’t recall the last time I wore makeup for anyone.”
“I appreciate you both,” Nick said. “More than you’ll ever know.”
“It’s an honor, my love,” Laine said. “We’re so proud of you and proud to stand by you and Sam on this wild ride.”
“Hopefully, it’ll be a little less wild now that I’ll have adult supervision,” Nick said.
They were laughing when Terry came in.
“What’s so funny?”
“I was just thanking Mom and Dad for showing up to whip us into shape,” Nick said.
“And I was about to say you don’t need that, but I’m happy to do what I can to help,” Graham said.
Five minutes later, they walked to the East Room together.
On the way, Sam gave Nick’s hand a squeeze.
He glanced down at her. “You good?”
“I am. You?”
“I am if you are.”
The White House photographer, Adrian Fenty, snapped photos of them and the O’Connors as they waited for the signal to take the stage together.
Nick turned to Graham, smoothed his hands over the older man’s lapels and straightened a tie that didn’t need straightening. “Thanks again.”
“Anything for you, kid.”
When Nick and Sam walked into the room with the O’Connors, a ripple of chatter went through the reporters and staffers who’d gathered for the announcement.
With Sam, Graham and Laine standing to his right, Nick read the prepared statement off the teleprompter. “Twenty years ago, when John O’Connor first brought me home to his family’s farm in Leesburg, Virginia, I had no idea what to expect there. Me, the son of teenagers raised by a grandmother, spending time at the home of a United States Senator and his family. What would I talk to them about? Turns out, we talked about everything. Every. Single. Thing. Sitting around their dining room table during that first visit, I found something I’d needed more than I realized: a family. Since then, Graham, Laine, Terry, Lizbeth and our beloved John have been part of every era of my life, and it seemed only fitting, when I needed a new vice president, that I extend my hand to the man whose belief in me led to me holding this office in the first place. I’m delighted to announce that I’ve asked retired Senator Graham O’Connor to be the next vice president of the United States, and he has accepted my offer. More importantly, the magnificent Laine O’Connor has agreed to serve as second lady for the remainder of my term.”
Smiling, Nick glanced at the couple who’d been the closest thing to parents he’d ever had until his dad had later taken a more active role in his life. “It is the honor of my lifetime to have you both by my side on this journey, and I can’t wait to work with you on behalf of the American people.”
He led a round of applause for Graham and Laine and then offered the microphone to Graham to say a few words.
“Mr. President, Sam… Laine and I are humbled by your faith in us, and we pledge to support you both in any way we can in the years ahead. Coming out of retirement to be your vice president and second lady is the honor of our lifetimes. We couldn’t be prouder of you both and of our son Terry, your chief of staff.”
Nick noticed that Scotty had slipped into the back of the room, giving Nick a thumbs-up and a grin. “We’ll take a few questions.”
“Mr. President, what do you have to say about your former vice president and any potential charges she might face?”
