Chapter Twenty-Nine
Sam had spent her entire adult life working with victims of violent crime, but nothing could’ve prepared her to meet with the grieving families of those killed in Des Moines.
The children who died had ranged in age from six months to ten years, and the adults were twenty to eighty.
They’d included parents, grandparents and volunteers who’d left their homes that morning to help bring the magic of Christmas to local schoolchildren and their younger siblings.
In an elementary school gymnasium, they hugged devastated parents and siblings, listened to them talk about the children they’d lost and offered all the compassion and empathy they possibly could, knowing it would never be enough to soothe shattered hearts.
“Thank you so much for coming,” a tearful mother named Cath said. She’d lost her six-year-old daughter and four-year-old son. “The kids were so excited for Christmas. What are we supposed to do now?” She looked at Sam for answers she simply didn’t have.
“What were their names?” Sam asked, dabbing at tears that refused to quit. She’d stopped trying to contain them when it quickly became clear that nothing could stop them.
“Julia and Mason,” Cath said. “Julia was in first grade and Mason in preschool. He was so excited to come to Sissy’s school to meet Santa.”
“Do you have pictures?” she asked, even though she’d seen pictures of all the victims.
Cath produced photos of her blond, blue-eyed children.
Sam studied them, wondering how their mother would possibly survive losing them. How did anyone survive such a thing? “They’re beautiful.”
“It makes me feel better to know they’re together wherever they are now. They were inseparable when they were here.”
Sam held the woman’s hand. “I’m so, so sorry for your loss. I wish there was something else I could say.”
“There isn’t anything anyone can say. I just wish we lived in a country where things like this didn’t happen.”
“I wish that, too.”
“I hope people won’t forget about what happened here. I hope something will change.”
The other family members echoed that comment over and over, and by the time they were back on the plane, heading home after three excruciating hours on the ground, Nick was on fire with determination to try to do something, anything to make it stop.
“After the holidays, we’re going to give this issue some time and attention,” he said.
“We’re going to try to do something. I don’t want to ever again have to do what we did today. ”
While Sam wholeheartedly supported his desire to fix an issue that had vexed previous administrations and Congresses, she understood better than most how difficult that challenge would be.
But if anyone was up for it, Nick was, especially if he stuck to his determination not to run in the next election.
Having nothing to lose might make him the perfect president to find a way to bring about real change on the emotionally charged issue.
During the flight, he asked her to go with him to speak briefly to the small group of media traveling with them.
Sam’s inclination was to avoid the media, but she went with him because she sensed he needed the extra support after the grueling day.
The reporters in the back of the plane sat up straighter when they walked into their part of the cabin.
“I wanted to just say that Sam and I were deeply moved by the families we met today. Their grief is overwhelming, and our hearts are broken for them. Part of my job as president is to be the comforter-in-chief, and that’s a role I willingly embrace, but at times like this, when it’s something that shouldn’t have happened, I’m also angry.
I’m angry as a father, as a man, as a human being and as the president.
I can’t believe there isn’t a way to find a path to common sense gun legislation that zeroes in on the people who simply shouldn’t be in possession of a weapon that can do what was done in Des Moines.
We face an uphill battle, but it’s one I’m willing to undertake if it means Sam and I never again have to do what we did today.
After the holidays, my administration will be addressing this issue on every possible front.
While I’m well aware we may not succeed, doing nothing simply isn’t an option. That’s all I wanted to say.”
They threw questions at him, and Nick answered every one with patience and thoughtfulness and the empathy that made her love him so fiercely. He spoke from his heart, and she had to believe that sincerity would connect with the American people when they saw the footage and read his comments.
Marine One landed on the White House lawn at just after five o’clock, which got them home in time to eat dinner with their own children, for whom they were ever more thankful after the dreadful day they’d spent with grieving families.
“Was it awful?” Scotty asked after they’d had dinner as a family, watched a movie with the twins and gotten them off to bed with four stories.
Skippy was curled up in Scotty’s lap as he petted her.
“Yeah, it was,” Nick said. “I’m glad we decided it would be better for you to sit this one out.”
“I wouldn’t know what to say to people after something like that,” Scotty said.
“All you can do is listen and let them know you care,” Sam said. “That’s what we tried to do.”
“I’m sure it meant a lot to them that you went there,” Scotty said.
“We hope so,” Nick said.
“I saw what you said on the plane,” Scotty said. “You’re trending on Twitter. People are tired of this crap. They want something done about it.”
“Not everyone would agree,” Nick said, “but I’m determined to put together the best possible group to home in on mental health considerations, criminal background checks and other sensible things that can be done.
I want responsible gun owners to be able to carry on with no interference.
They aren’t the ones we’re concerned about. ”
“I think as long as you keep saying that, you may actually get somewhere,” Scotty said.
They spent the weekend with the kids and Elijah, who returned home from Princeton for a monthlong break from college.
On Saturday morning, they had Sam’s nieces and nephews as well as Shelby and Noah to the White House to decorate ornaments and make Christmas cookies.
Having a pastry chef on staff came in handy when Florence taught the kids how to apply fondant and decorations that made their cookies into works of art.
Sunday afternoon, they entertained the families of the White House staff and then played multiple competitive games in the bowling alley with the kids before settling in to watch Elf together in the theater.
By Monday morning, Sam felt rested and ready to do battle to keep the Littles with them where they belonged.
Celia stayed with the kids while Sam, Nick and Elijah went to court. A custody battle that involved the president and first lady of the United States was bound to draw some attention, but they weren’t prepared for the massive media presence outside the courthouse.
Apparently, the Secret Service had expected it. They got the three of them inside and delivered to the appropriate courtroom with a minimal amount of fuss.
“Sometimes, having Secret Service protection doesn’t suck,” Sam said to Nick when they were inside the courtroom, where Andy and two of his associates greeted them with handshakes.
“No matter what happens, just stay calm and remember the law is on our side,” Andy said before Sam, Nick and Elijah took a seat in the front row behind their attorneys.
The courtroom was soon called to order with the judge hearing from the attorneys on both sides, each making a case for why the Armstrong twins would be better off with their clients.
“The Cappuano family has provided a loving home for the children since the night of their parents’ murder.
Their older brother, Elijah, who was appointed by his father and stepmother to be the twins’ guardian in the event of their deaths, is in daily contact with the twins and their custodial guardians.
In addition, due to their proximity to President and Mrs. Cappuano, the twins are afforded world-class security through the Secret Service.
I’d go so far as to say that the twins are among the safest children in the world—and they’re among the most loved.
“As a longtime friend of both President and Mrs. Cappuano, I can assure the court these are two people who’ve never been happier than since their son, Scotty, the twins and Elijah have come into their lives.
It’s important to note that prior to the apprehension of their parents’ killer, Mrs. Cappuano, in her capacity as the lieutenant of the MPD Homicide division, had contact with Mrs. Dennis as well as her daughter, Monique Lawson.