Chapter 3 #4
Jameson nodded.
"That's kind of weird for you, isn't it?" Marianne asked.
"No. And yes, a little. Sometimes it's hard for Dana and me to talk as openly as we once did. That's all."
"I understand."
"I know you do. It's not unlike me and you," Jameson said.
Marianne sighed.
Jameson smiled. "When I think about it, I have a few 'best' friends. They all play different roles for me."
"A few?"
"Yeah. Your mom is my best friend."
Marianne smiled.
"She really is," Jameson said. "She's the best friend I've ever had—the person I can say anything to. It's what made me fall in love with her."
"Really?"
"Surprised?"
"No."
"We just fit. I didn't think about what I was going to say. I didn't edit myself. And I missed her the minute I walked out the door. I still do. But she's also my wife. And sometimes, making our marriage work can be a little stressful. My friendship with Claire has helped."
"JD, you know you can talk to me about anything—even you and Mom."
"Sure. But she is your mom, Marianne."
"Yeah. I get it."
"And she's Dana's hero," Jameson said. "It's like you talking to me about Scott. You can. He's my cousin and my childhood best friend. It makes it a little?—"
"Awkward?"
"That works," Jameson said, chuckling.
Marianne nodded.
"It's good for you to strike up a friendship with El. Seriously. Like it's been great for your mom having Cassidy close."
"They are close, aren't they?"
"Yeah. And I'm grateful for that."
"Worried about Mom?"
Jameson sighed.
"JD?"
"I always worry about your mom."
"But something has you more concerned than usual. Is it political stuff?"
"No."
"JD?"
Jameson exhaled slowly. "Don't underestimate how much your dad's death affected your mom."
"I know she's worried about everyone."
"Sure. Your dad was part of her life since she was a kid. She had three kids with him—went through the loss of a child with him."
"He put her through hell, JD."
"I don't think that's how your mom would describe things."
"Because she never wants to hurt us."
"True. But that isn't the only reason," Jameson said. "She loved Jonathan. Not the way she loves me. But she does, Marianne. And always loved her. It's hard for her."
"You didn’t really come to see Maddie get her cast off or to check on Jonah."
Jameson shrugged. "Your mom needs a little time without me underfoot."
"I doubt that."
"Don't," Jameson said. "Pearl is spending the weekend helping Dana unpack at her new house. Cassidy invited Candace and Coop to spend the afternoon at her house tomorrow."
"I'm sure Coop is devastated."
Jameson laughed. "It'll be good for all of them—Cassidy, too."
"You mean because Alex is coming to Connecticut?"
"Like I said, we all need a break from our spouses sometimes."
"When did you say that?"
"Just now."
They both laughed.
"Sounds like a party," Scott said as he entered the kitchen. "Hey, JD."
"Hey."
"Jay!" Maddie yelled excitedly.
"Hey, kiddo. How's the arm?"
Maddie huffed. "Still broken."
Jameson laughed. "I'm sorry."
Maddie shrugged. "But I get my cast off on Monday! But I have to wait two more weeks to play any sports.”
"I heard."
Maddie grinned. "I got to stay home from school yesterday because of the doctor."
"I thought you liked school."
"Well, yeah. But Mom baked all day, and she made Nana's lasagna."
Marianne was so much like Candace it made Jameson want to laugh again.
Candace tended to gravitate to the kitchen when Cooper was injured or sick.
It was both a way to help him feel better and to keep her hands busy.
Apparently, Marianne had inherited that trait, along with Candace's tendency to argue first before accepting help.
Jameson looked at Marianne. "You're holding out on me."
"What?" Marianne asked.
Jameson held up her coffee mug. "Coffee without baked goods?"
Marianne rolled her eyes.
Maddie giggled.
"Need I remind you that three children live in this house... and Scott?"
"Hey!" Scott said.
Maddie looked up at him. "You eat a lot of Mom's brownies."
Jameson bit her lip to keep from laughing. She could only imagine what Shell would say.
"I barely got a brownie," Scott said.
"Sounds like a personal problem," Jameson muttered.
Marianne chuckled.
Maddie stepped closer to Jameson and whispered into her ear. "There are cookies left."
Jameson opened her eyes wider.
Maddie held out her good hand. "Come on, Jay. I'll show you where Mom hides them," she whispered.
Marianne shook her head and laughed.
"Where are they going?" Scott asked.
Marianne shrugged.
"Why are they going into the basement?" Scott asked.
Marianne shrugged again.
"What are you hiding?" he asked lightly.
Marianne winked.
"You put brownies in the pickle cabinet, didn't you?" he asked.
Marianne had learned from the best: her mother and Pearl.
When she was little, Candace kept a pantry cabinet in the basement where she stored canned and jarred vegetables and fruits from the garden.
When Candace baked, she always hid some of the sweets in the cabinet.
That ensured they didn't disappear the day she baked them.
Pearl always did the same thing. Marianne followed their lead.
"Didn't you ever wonder how brownies and cookies appear a day after everything has been eaten?" Marianne asked.
"I just thought... Wait. You hid them?"
Marianne winked.
"You held out on me, too!"
Marianne reached out and patted Scott's belly. "Protecting my investment," she teased.
His mouth opened. Then he laughed. "What else don't I know?" he asked.
Marianne shrugged.
"How do my kids know about this hiding spot, and I don't?"
"Not kids," Marianne corrected him. "Kid." She grinned. "Maddie is?—"
"Mini Candace."
"Mini Candace?"
"Yeah. She'll probably end up being president, too. Or a spy. A cookie spy."
Marianne giggled. "God help us all."
The White House
"Sorry. I know you'd planned to leave a little early," Candace said.
"Don't apologize," Alex said. "You wouldn't have called me back if it wasn't important."
"No." Candace sighed. "I know you've been worried about someone close to me."
Alex sighed.
"Jen came to see me earlier. It was unscheduled."
"Problems setting the groundwork with the Chinese?"
"No. But chatter. People seem to know my intentions before I've decided whether to make them known."
Alex nodded.
"You're not surprised," Candace observed.
"No. Neither are you."
"I wish I could claim to be."
"Are you rethinking your invitation to President Li?"
"No," Candace replied.
"But?"
"Call it a gut feeling."
"Go on," Alex said.
"We both know there are always leaks. This is something else."
Alex scratched her brow. "What are you thinking?"
"I understand that once you assume the reins at the CIA, you won't have as much freedom of movement."
"No. That's one reason I hesitated at the request."
"I know," Candace said. "Right now, Alex, I'm not sure who I trust."
"Jen?"
"Yes. I trust Jen. Maybe that's na?ve, to trust my gut?—"
"Candace, believe me; your gut is usually the best guidance."
"I wish I felt that way."
Alex smiled. "You have more people in your ear than I do, Candace. Not just advisers and cabinet secretaries. It's political operatives and congressional leaders. And you have a lot going on personally right now. The more noise, the harder it is to know what your gut is saying."
Candace shook her head. "How do you do it?"
"I don't always do it well. I did—years ago—before I met Cass. Before everything... Well, before." She smiled. "Don't you think that's one reason JD left for the weekend?"
"What?"
"Candace, no one knows you better than JD."
"True."
"You need to be away from so much chatter. Away from everyone's two cents."
Candace chuckled. It seemed everyone was willing to give her their two cents, if not ten dollars' worth of advice and opinions.
"I realize this is a little ironic for me to do... But here are my two cents."
Candace raised a brow.
"Don't make any judgments or decisions about what might be happening or who is involved—not this weekend. Try to set it aside as much as you can for the next couple of days."
Candace groaned.
"You know I'm right. When you come back to this office on Monday, you'll have a better sense of what your gut is telling you. If you need to talk about it, talk to Cass tomorrow. Not as your press secretary."
Candace nodded. "That's worth more than two cents."
Candace looked toward the windows. Beyond the glass, the South Lawn was quiet, almost deceptively so.
"You think I should sit on this," Candace said.
"No," Alex replied. "Sometimes setting things aside for a while helps the picture come into focus. You know that. I've watched you do it thousands of times."
"This feels?—"
"Different. I know."
"Someone is always trying to undermine my authority and my agenda," Candace said. "I know that. This is about something more than my presidency or the things I've laid out as priorities."
"I know. What aren't you telling me?" Alex asked.
"This is... It might sound crazy."
"Candace, I have five kids and Claire Brackett for a sister-in-law. Crazy is my middle name."
Candace chuckled.
"Tell me," Alex said.
"I'm worried that someone wants to embolden me in order to?—"
"Undermine you."
"Yes."
Alex took a breath. "Makes sense."