White House Autumn by Ellen Emerson White

Author:Ellen Emerson White [White, Ellen Emerson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-312-37489-1
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: 2008-12-26T16:00:00+00:00

BETH TOOK AN evening shuttle down, the White House sending a car to the airport to pick her up. Meg was just as happy to stay at home, and avoid her agents. She waited downstairs in the Diplomatic Reception Room, slouching on a yellow sofa. Since she wasn’t in the family quarters, her agents were around, but at least they weren’t making themselves obvious.

“Miss Shulman is arriving, Miss Powers,” a Marine guard told her from the door.

“Thank you.” She went through the vestibule and outside to the edge of the South Drive.

One of the inevitable black cars pulled up and Beth got out.

“Hi,” she said, grinning.

Meg grinned back, especially at her rust felt hat, a small feather in the band. “Nice hat.”

“Fall,” Beth said, and glanced around. “I was kind of expecting photographers.”

“Disappointed?” Meg asked.

“Yeah, actually.” She picked up her overnight bag and a Barnes & Noble bag, and they looked at each other. “Never done much hugging, have we?”

God, no. “Not really,” Meg said.

Beth nodded. “Well. No point in starting now.”

Definitely not.

Beth’s grin came back. “Then again, what the hell?” She gave Meg a quick hug, then continued past her into the house.

“You’re really weird,” Meg said, following her.

“But, oh so charming,” Beth said.

Depending upon one’s definition.

Beth stopped on the red carpet outside the Diplomatic Reception Room, looking up and down the Ground Floor Corridor at the Presidential Seal, and the portraits of First Ladies. “This place could grow on me.”

“Oh, yeah,” Meg said. “It’s terrific.”

Beth pointed at the paintings of Jacqueline Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt. “Those don’t impress you?”

They kind of did, but Meg shook her head.

“That’s what I like about you,” Beth said, draping her arm over Meg’s shoulders. “You’re so much fun to be with.” She took her arm away. “Your brothers here?”

Meg gestured towards the ceiling. “Yeah, up there somewhere. Dad’s still at the hospital.”

“How’s your mother?” Beth asked.

Meg shook her head, crossing the hall to the main staircase.

They found Steven and Neal in the solarium with Trudy, watching an old Star Wars movie.

“Hi, Mrs. Donovan,” Beth said cheerfully. “Hi, guys.” She hefted the bookstore bag. “Better turn that off—it’s present time.”

“Candy?” Meg guessed.

Beth laughed. “Can’t pull the wool over your eyes, can I?”

“How was your flight, Beth?” Trudy asked.

“Well, exhausting,” Beth said, “but—”

Meg nodded. “The whole hour and a half.”

“Yeah, with a good night’s rest, I’ll probably be okay,” Beth said. “But, my God, I remember my last trip to Zimbabwe—”

Trudy laughed, standing up. “I have some brownies and cocoa downstairs waiting for all of you.”

“Not,” Beth said, “double chocolate with butterscotch chips.”

Trudy nodded, smiling.

“Invite me more often,” Beth said to Meg.

“No, don’t worry,” Trudy said, as Meg moved to help her. “You four just wait up here.”

Beth sat down on the couch next to Steven and Neal. “How are you guys? You holding up okay?”

They both shrugged.

“What do you think of the hat, Steven?” she asked.

He shrugged again. “Pretty dumb.”

“I agree.” Beth put it on Neal’s head, and Neal actually laughed—a sound Meg hadn’t heard for almost a week.

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