Madame President - Tara Sue Me Page 0,58
would go one of two ways. They could join with the other to oppose her and get nothing done, or they could join with her and together they could become the instigators for real change. She asked them to consider which option their constituents would prefer. So without the bipartisan power plays, work was actually able to take place.
She takes a seat and smooths her skirt. I straighten my back and slip into my television persona. Maybe I’m not as different from Anna as I thought. After all, don’t we all wear masks at some point in our lives?
“Thank you all for joining us at GBNC,” I say, smiling at the camera when I’m told to start. “We’re at the White House, for what is the first of an additional four interviews with the enigma that is President Anna Fitzpatrick.”
I shift slightly to face her better, reminding myself the entire time to be more self-aware today when I’m with her than I was the last time. Unlike the interview we had in the GBNC studios, these next four will be at the White House and the lights are not dimmed like they were then.
“Thank you again, President Fitzpatrick.” I flash her a smile and she simply nods in return. “I recognize how busy you are, and we truly appreciate you taking the time to sit down with us so we can get to know you better. Tell me what you think when people say you’re an enigma?”
She laughs softly and I’m reminded of my thoughts only minutes before about how rarely I made her laugh. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t count making her laugh in the middle of an interview. However, since I was behind the director to begin with in that race, I decide all bets are off, and it counts.
“What do I think?” she asks. “I think people need to read more mystery novels if that’s what they’re looking for. There’s nothing mysterious about me.”
“I guess the American public and I will have to agree to disagree with you, Madame President.”
“Why you? Do you think I’m an enigma, Mr. Hazar?” she surprises me by asking back. It’s not unheard of for the interviewee to get a question or two in, but Anna didn’t ask me any questions during the last interview. Silly me, expecting her to behave the same. I wonder if she thought to trip me up by asking me a question or two?
Anna’s smart, though, it wouldn’t make her look good if she tried to make me mess up. She had to have something else in mind when she asked. I look in her eyes, and like I’d recently discovered, the answer is there waiting for me. Today, her eyes are a bit flirtatious, and as soon as I realize that, I know where she’s going.
Our previous interview was so well received because of the so-called chemistry between us. Anna is working that angle now. She’s tipping the scales toward fun. Preforming a chemistry experiment, one might say.
I grin in agreement and we’re off.
Two hours later, I’m still in the library. Anna left when the interview ended, over an hour ago, but I stayed behind to chat with the guys from GBNC as they packed up. That’s one reason, anyway. The other is to talk with George to hear his thoughts on how today’s interview went. At the moment, he’s in a far corner talking with Nicole. Trying to work out a time for the next interview.
GBNC doesn’t plan to schedule when they’ll run the set of four interviews until filming is complete. Probably because of the very thing George and Nicole are discussing now. How to fit one more thing into Anna’s already packed schedule.
They must finally agree on something because Nicole nods and writes something down in the binder she always has with her. I asked Anna once why her secretary didn’t use a tablet. Her nonreply didn’t leave me with warm fuzzies about the state of our national security.
“How do you think it went?” I ask George as he walks across the room to me. I, personally, think it went even better than the last one, but I want to hear as much from his lips.
“Good job, Navin,” he says. “You really pulled it off today. Repeat that three more times and Rainer might not grit his teeth every time he hears your name.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Her
White House Library
Washington DC
Two weeks after our second additional interview, I walk into the library where everything and everyone