Chapter 5

The usual protocol for state dinners was forgotten as Paula, Lisa, Kate, Jordan, Caroline, Naomi, and the rest of Gwen’s friends flocked to her side. The guests at the dinner smiled broadly as they watched the age old custom of women congratulating one of their own on her pregnancy. That was one reaction that was the same in every culture the world over. Somehow it made President Hammer appear more like everyone else, while at the same time, gaining her even more respect and love from those watching.

A woman that inspired a man such as Steve Hammer to publicly profess his love and even shed tears was not common by any stretch! A man that that was confident and strong enough to bare his soul as well as his vulnerability to his wife and to the world was far from ordinary! The legend that was Gwen and Steve Hammer simply grew. They did not posture and pose to create a false image. They were genuine, they were human, and they were special. All of those in the room and watching from around the world could feel it.

Reaction back home in the States was varied. Many Washington politicians spoke about how inappropriate it was for President Hammer and her husband to publicly display their affection the way they did. The same politicians, however, declined to comment further when it became apparent that the American public strongly supported the expressiveness of their president. The internet came alive as people shared opinions in blogs and on social media. Americans had leaders to be proud of, and proud they were!

The President of the United States is pregnant! Newspapers, television, and the internet feasted on the events of the past 36 hours in Hungary. When interviews aired with some of the women and children that had been trapped with Steve Hammer and his son, American pride ratcheted up a few more notches. Those involved all spoke of the incredible strength and resolve displayed by both the President’s husband and her son, who had remained steadfastly at his father’s side throughout the entire ordeal. None of those interviewed had any doubt that without the seemingly superhuman efforts of Steve Hammer, everyone would have perished.

That President Hammer and her husband were extremely emotional and very affectionate was apparent and totally acceptable to the American public. Look at what the two had endured and accomplished within a few hours of landing in Hungary! Even the President’s most outspoken critics in Congress finally began to appreciate just how golden the citizens of the United States considered the First Couple.

Gwen received the good wishes and congratulations of her inner circle for several minutes. “How far along are you, Dear?” asked her beaming grandmother, Caroline.

“Just two days, Grandma,” replied Gwen with a grin.

“T-t-that can’t be,” stuttered Caroline. “There’s no way you could be sure that you’re pregnant and you certainly wouldn’t know the gender of the baby. Is this a joke or something?”

“Grandma, she has a much better way of knowing than any medical test ever devised,” asserted Kate. “That old blind woman told you that you were carrying Steve’s son, didn’t she, Gwen?”

“We can’t let that get out,” responded Gwen. “People will think I’m crazy for believing a fortune teller.”

“They’ll still wonder when your due date turns out be nine months from yesterday,” pointed out Lisa. “Did anyone tell you that we went back and searched for that old woman and couldn’t find her? No one even admits to ever having seen her.”

“I won’t try to understand it, but I’ll always be grateful to her for telling me how to find Steve and Saint,” replied Gwen. “I know I didn’t dream it, and without her guidance, they would have perished.”

“How about Saint’s future bride?” chuckled Kate. “That little girl is adorable and her parents are like super brains. Her mother’s an astrophysicist and her father’s both a seismologist and a geologist.”

“That’s the couple sitting at our table?” asked a surprised Caroline. “You think Saint will marry their little girl? They’re only children!”

“They may wait twenty years, more or less, Mom, but ‘it’s been written’, as they say. Saint and that beautiful little girl will spend their lives together and we couldn’t prevent it if we tried,” replied Paula as she beamed at her newly pregnant daughter. “The Gods have long smiled on Gwen and Steve, and now they’re grinning at Saint.”

Paula had known some very bad hours as she knelt beside Gwen during the search for Saint and Steve. On the ride from the airport to the hotel in Budapest that morning, Paula had offered her apologies to Gwen for losing track of Saint. Her guilt had been almost unbearable as she had knelt and prayed next to her daughter for the safe return of Gwen’s husband and son.

“Gwen, I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am that I allowed Saint to leave the tent. I wasn’t watching him as closely as I should have been. I didn’t even see Ruth and Theresa leave. I let you and Steve down, and it almost cost their lives,” sobbed Paula.

“Mom! Don’t ever think that. Saint had a date with destiny and there was nothing you could have done to prevent it. He and Lena were destined to meet and begin working together to help others,” responded Gwen emphatically. “I’m sorry that it caused you so much distress and guilt, but it had to happen. I understand that now. There are forces at play that we’ll never understand, but please know this. You did nothing wrong. The Gods laugh at our attempts to alter it. Just be proud that Saint, Lena, Steve, and the rest of the people that were trapped were able to rise to the occasion and persevere. If Saint hadn’t gone with Lena, they’d all be dead.”

Sitting across from Gwen in the limo was Hanna Kiss. She was obviously confused, so she asked Gwen the question she had puzzled over since the rescue. “Could you please explain something to my husband and me? You have called us family several times, and have spoken of our little Lena being a queen. You’re very gracious and I’m not objecting, but Adam and I quite bewildered; we do not understand what you mean.”

“This is going to sound crazy, but I’ll tell you the short version,” answered Gwen as she formulated her response while checking to be sure that Lena and Saint were watching a video playing on a hand held device and not listening to the adult conversation. “The day after our wedding, Steve and I, along with some friends, visited a local fair. Inside one of the tents was an old blind woman that told fortunes. She took my hand and knew who I was immediately. Then she told me that I had conceived a son a few hours earlier and that he would grow to become an even greater warrior than his father. I learned that she was accurate about me being pregnant, and that it was a son. She also told me that my unborn son’s queen had not yet been conceived.

“Last night, after spending the day performing surgery on many badly injured children, I stopped in the patient tent to check on my patients. A small form in a dark corner grabbed my wrist and addressed me as her queen. I knew immediately that it was the same blind fortune teller I had seen at that fair! I have no idea how she came to be in that small Hungarian town, but she told me that Steve and Saint were in grave danger and I had to pray to St. Stephen for their safe return. She also told me that Saint had now met his future queen. Without trying to sound presumptuous, I believe that Lena and Saint are destined, by whatever forces control the universe, to fall in love, marry, and accomplish things together that we can’t even imagine.”

As Gwen spoke, Hanna and Adam Kiss exchanged significant glances. “Was this an old woman without eyes? Did she appear to be well over the century mark?” asked Hanna, and Gwen nodded in the affirmative. “Adam and I either met her or someone very similar in a tent at a small fair in Budapest a week ago. She told us that we had to go to that small town immediately. She predicted a catastrophe and told us that we would know what to do when it happened. She insisted that in spite of the danger to Lena, we had to take her with us.

“Adam had been following the seismic activity in that area and had already determined an earthquake was a distinct possibility. Of course, no one in the government would listen to him, so we did travel to the town to see how we could help, and because of what the old crone, and I mean that with respect, we took Lena with us. Your story certainly makes sense to Adam and me. As a woman and mother, I believe it without reservation. As an astrophysicist, I am finding science and logic cannot always explain why things happen as they do. In science, the more discoveries we make, the more we learn that there are further mysteries as yet unexplained.”

Gwen hadn’t revealed that the old woman had also informed her that she was pregnant. Steve deserved to be the first person to hear her news, so she never mentioned that portion of the old woman’s prediction.

Once Steve let the cat out of the bag at the state dinner, Gwen spent several minutes chatting with her delighted friends and relatives. Then she broke away to apologize to the Hungarian President and his wife. The President’s wife refused to accept the apology.

“That was the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen. It was perfect because it was real and it was heartfelt,” proclaimed the teary eyed matron. “You, your friends, family, and company have done Hungary a tremendous service. You appeared out of nowhere when we needed you. You asked for nothing and gave everything. The people of Hungary will never forget your kindness and humanity. You are more than the President of the United States. You are a beacon of light for the world. You are truly our Queen!”

With that statement, the President’s wife curtsied slowly. Not being a stupid man, her husband bowed deeply and held his position until his wife had returned to an upright position.

“We are not following the program, but that’s fine,” stated President Áder just before he stepped up to a microphone and secured everyone’s attention. “My friends, I would like a moment of your time before we begin dining. We all saw how President Hammer, her husband, family, friends, and her company responded to the catastrophe that so recently befell us. I understand that it is against American law to bestow any form of nobility on their president, but I would like to offer the greatest honor I can think of. President Hammer, please come forward and accept your certificate of Hungarian citizenship!

“This is neither ceremonial, nor honorary. It is full citizenship for President Hammer, her husband, and her immediate family. I know of no greater honor I can bestow. I hope you will accept it, along with the love and gratitude of the people of Hungary.” finished the President.

Gwen accepted the certificate before using the back of her hand to rid her eyes of moisture. “This is an honor we never expected, but one we will always cherish. Grandmother Caroline was born here and has family in Hungary, whom we still hope to visit. It has been our great honor to have the ability and finances to be able to help the wonderful people we’ve met.

“It also demonstrates why Steve and I will never place Lady in Red in a blind trust. We need a large income stream as we expand our responses to disasters around the globe. I saw firsthand what a difference Lady in Red can make. We’ll continue to respond and work to improve on it in any way we can.

“To that end, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Jason Hunter, my sister’s husband. He’s the one that pretty much created Lady in Red’s disaster response plan and took it international a few short years ago. Please stand, Jason, and be recognized. I was amazed at how quickly his team arrived in place and how well planned it was. We’re all in his debt!”

Lisa positively beamed with pride as Jason stood during a long and thunderous applause. It was quite apparent that the people of Hungary felt Lady in Red had handled the disaster extremely well, and much of that credit belonged to Jason.

“All of the men traveling in our group rolled up their sleeves and immediately went to work to help rescue survivors, as well as recover bodies,” stated Gwen proudly as she gestured towards the tables containing her friends. “My good friends, Dr. Laura Watson and Dr. Charlotte Marsh utilized their training and knowledge to save lives, lessen pain, and prevent scarring and disfigurement. The other women in my group assisted us in many ways as they helped care for the injured and directed efforts to set up the facilities that were so badly needed.”

Once again, Gwen waited for the applause to subside before continuing. “I need to thank Adam and Hanna Kiss for their kindness and support when things were darkest for me personally. Finally, I want to thank my husband, Steve, who followed Saint and Lena Kiss into that building because he was needed, and that’s what he does. I have not had the opportunity to hear the particulars about that long night in the crumbling tunnels beneath the collapsing buildings, but I’ve heard enough to know that no one would have survived if it weren’t for his strength, courage, wisdom, and leadership. The world now has a better idea of the kind of man he is, and why I love him without any reservations or conditions. I firmly believe that he is absolutely the best of us all!”

Everyone, including Gwen’s family and friends stood and gave a long and thunderous ovation as Steve nodded and even blushed a little. His experience entertaining before large crowds did nothing to prevent his humility from shining through. His discomfort was obvious and somewhat amusing to those watching. Gwen’s praise and the standing ovation had placed him in the spotlight. He had spent much of his life working to keep Gwen front and center and he was obviously a little flustered at being singled out for his heroics.

The people back home in the United States simply couldn’t get enough information regarding their beautiful president, her warrior husband, and the family that had given so much to help a town in the remote hills of Hungary. How had President Hammer known to abandon the site where her husband and son had entered the building and to search for them hundreds of yards up the street?

What of the incredible stories being told by the survivors of the ordeal? By all accounts, Steve Hammer had used ingenious leverage and brute strength to move boulders and huge rocks to allow passage through the crumbling tunnel under the town. Every survivor had roughly the same story. They had watched in stunned amazement as Steve, often assisted by his young son and the frail blonde girl, forced and dug their way through tons of debris to reach the basement of the old church. Then, while huddled on the cold stone floor, a young woman had delivered a baby boy, which Steve had tenderly swathed in his own shirt before presenting him to his exhausted but much relieved mother. When Chip had finally descended in the rescue basket, the group agreed unanimously that the new mother and baby should be the first to be lifted to safety. Saint and Lena had insisted that they remain underground till the end, leaving only when Steve was their last companion in the old church.

The significance of the name the young mother chose for her son was the topic of a great deal of discussion. It seems the child was to be christened Saint Steven, after the two Americans who had risked so much and worked so hard to enable her to live and to give birth to her child. That the child had been born in Saint Stephen’s Church was the icing on the cake! Viewers across the country and the world marveled at the incredible harmony of the situation.

The internet came alive with groups on every continent that pledged to support President Hammer and her efforts to bring peace and understanding to the world. Politicians who had been openly critical of her actions were inundated with messages of protest and outrage for their lack of support. The citizens of the United States had the enormous good fortune to have Gwen Hammer serving them as President, and they began making their feelings known to their elected representatives.

Budapest was a city in anticipation. People had been streaming in for several days as the first concert ever given in Budapest by ‘Lady in Red’ drew near. Hotels were filled and travelers were allowed to camp in parks and side streets as the population of the city soared. The day after the state dinner saw the city teeming with humanity as citizens and visitors from all over Central Europe and the world converged on the Hungarian capital for the evening concert.

Banners began appearing all over the city declaring President Hammer to be the ‘Queen of Peace’. Tee shirts suddenly appeared everywhere with the Lady in Red Logo and the words ‘We Come in Peace World Tour’ on the back with a list of cities included in the tour. On the front was an image of Gwen as she knelt in the small mountain cemetery with the declaration ‘Queen of Peace’ written above it.

As Gwen led her musicians on stage at Hero’s Square, she saw hundreds of thousands of adoring fans wearing the shirt as they chanted her name. As she moved to the front of the stage to speak to the crowd, the entire audience dropped to a knee in surprising unison as everyone briefly bowed their heads.

Gwen was temporarily speechless as she looked over the many thousands of people paying her the greatest respect possible. Unable to form words, she simply began bowing and curtsying to the huge crowd as she motioned for them to stand. As her fans returned to their feet, they began a thunderous ovation which continued for several minutes.

The giant jumbotrons clearly showed the tears that streaked down Gwen’s cheeks as she smiled and waved to the adoring masses. Gwen then turned and hurried back to grab Steve’s hand and tug him to the front, only to have the crowd’s approval swell even louder. Gwen gestured toward Steve and stepped back, indicating she was turning the stage over to him. Smiling, Steve waved a few times before moving upstage to Gwen. He took her in his arms and kissed her passionately. By this time the audience was in a total frenzy as cheers, screams, yells, and applause swept across the entire city. Thousands of couples fell into each other’s arms, caught up in the spirit of their Queen’s and Warrior’s devotion.

Then Steve pulled the sweater he had been wearing over his head to reveal that he was wearing the same tee shirt as most of the audience! Gwen showed her surprise, bringing her hands to her mouth. Steve then gestured to the rest of the musicians on the stage and Gwen soon saw that every man there was wearing the same shirt. The huge audience loved it as the jumbotrons flashed the scene on stage to the masses.

Charlie nodded and suddenly the music began. Gwen had never felt so inspired for a performance as she began strutting across the stage for her signature opening number. A million and a half people who were crammed into every possible space, rooftop, balcony and window within half a mile of the stage joined Gwen as she began ‘We Will Rock You’. By the time Steve and Charlie moved to the front with their guitars to segue into ‘We Are the Champions’ the entire city was captivated by their Queen as she gave the enormous crowd the performance of her life.

Every song was well received. Jack Timberline worked in his hits while Kathy Perrine was cheered mightily when she performed her chart toppers. The loudest cheers were reserved for Jordan as she demonstrated why she was the top selling artist in the world, delivering some of her biggest hits. Jordan’s songs had received the loudest ovations until Gwen performed ‘Hate Myself for Loving You’.

Steve and Charlie led in with their guitars while Jordan and Kathy did back-up vocals for Gwen. All three women pranced around the stage in sync as Gwen delivered one of the songs the huge crowd had waited so long to hear. Gwen gained energy from the crowd and delivered a searing, sexy, emotional rendition of her hit. Millions of people danced and sang along with her as she pranced across the stage, singling out individual fans with gestures and singing lines directly to them as she belted out the song. It went so well that Charlie signaled to the group to immediately go through the entire song a second time. Thousands of fans had gained the feeling that President Hammer had sung directly to them!

Gwen conferred with her friends during a break and at the beginning of the last set, she and Steve performed ‘Billie Jean’ complete with the dance routine they’d made so famous. As soon as the crowd realized what Gwen and Steve were performing, they began a thunderous applause. The band had to play the intro several times before the din abated enough to allow Gwen and Steve to be heard. By the time they ended their performance, the entire city reverberated with the cheers, whistles, and applause of the euphoric audience.

The concert lasted almost an hour longer than any the group had previously performed simply because the audience was so large, receptive, and appreciative. By the time Charlie signaled to the rest that there was no more to give, Steve realized that they had been performing for almost six hours and the crowd appeared to be even larger by the time they ended than it had been when they had begun.

“I know I’ve been saying this a lot on this tour, but I’ll say it again,” announced Charlie to the exhausted musicians. “That was the absolutely best performance I’ve ever been involved with, or have ever seen. Everyone played and sang their asses off for six hours. Lady in Red may just release a live triple CD box set, as well as a video. Proceeds would go to the World Health Organization, and the sum will be substantial. Once again, I have to thank all of you for joining us for this tour, and for giving it your best.”

“I’ve been talking to my publicist and my accountants back in the states,” revealed Kathy Perrine. “The downloads and sales of my music have sharply increased since I joined this tour. I’m going to make rather large donations to a few charities when I get back home. I’ve always been pretty selfish and self-centered. I refused a lot of requests for appearances to help some pretty good causes, and now I’m ashamed that I did.

“Seeing what President Hammer and Lady in Red do for people around the world has opened my eyes. I was a bit skeptical that anyone could be as generous and caring as Lady in Red was reputed to be. I’m a believer now. I’ve come to realize that the talent and opportunities I’ve been given come with responsibility. This tour is the best thing I’ve ever done on so many levels. I have to thank all of you for allowing me to be a part of it and for helping me see the big picture.”

After what seemed like a very short night’s rest, Gwen’s friends and family joined her for the journey to her grandmother’s birth place, which was just thirty miles from the small town that had been demolished by the recent earthquake. Caroline Varga had been born nearly eighty years ago in the small town of Encs, northeast of Budapest.

As the motorcade drove down the main street of the town, hundreds of residents waved flags and cheered. Never before had Encs had such important visitors and everyone was eager to demonstrate their appreciation to the Americans.

The motorcade stopped in front of the town’s best hotel and soon Gwen and her family were sitting in a private dining room with seven people who had been complete strangers only minutes earlier.

Steve had been unable to conceal his surprise when he met Agnes Varga. The family resemblance with Paula and her daughters was obvious. While she spoke English very well, she appeared hesitant and nervous. Her grandfather, Marcell Varga, was not suffering from the same shyness as his granddaughter. He was unable to speak English, however, so he insisted that Agnes stand at his side and interpret for him.

After being introduced, Marcell explained how he had gathered six of Caroline Varga’s closest relatives to accompany him to meet his American relatives. He explained that Caroline was his first cousin, as their fathers had been brothers. As everyone knew, Caroline’s immediate family had left for America over seventy years ago. Since he was her only cousin his descendants would be her closest family members remaining in Hungary.

Caroline beamed as she hugged her cousin and his family and then introduced her family. “My daughter, Diane, didn’t make the trip, but this is my daughter Paula. Next to her are her daughters Lisa, Kate, and Gwen. My granddaughter Stephanie is the pretty girl standing next to...”

That was as far as Caroline managed before Marcell interrupted with a hearty laugh and began speaking rapidly in Hungarian. When he finally stopped talking, Agnes began translating his thoughts into English. “Grandfather finds it very funny that you introduce the President of the United States simply as your granddaughter. She is the most famous, most beautiful woman in the world, yet to you she is simply Gwen.

“He is very proud of how well his cousin Caroline and her family have done since emigrating to the United States. He often boasts to anyone that will listen that his cousin twice removed is the Lady in Red, the President of the United States, and is also now known as the Queen of Peace. We are all very proud to be related to such inspirational, generous people.

“I apologize! We should have knelt when we first met,” suddenly worried the beautiful young woman. “I explained to Grandfather that we should, but we forgot when you came into the room and greeted us so graciously. We were very excited to meet you. Would it be acceptable if we knelt now?”

“No! Please don’t,” responded Gwen catching Agnes’s elbows just as she began to kneel. “You’re family! I don’t expect anyone to kneel before me, and certainly not family. I would like a nice hug from each of you. You’re such a beautiful young woman!”

“I think we may have discovered the face for Lady in Red Productions here in Hungary, and perhaps beyond,” suggested Stephanie as she waited her turn to hug the young woman. “With a little promotion with Gwen, Kate, and Lisa, she could become our Hungarian face for the Lady in Red.”

“That’s a great idea!” responded a smiling Kate. “That’s why you’re heading up our European division. You’re always looking for opportunities to promote and improve the company.”

“I guess we’re getting ahead of ourselves and everyone is wondering what we’re talking about, so let’s explain everything,” offered Stephanie. “Lady in Red Productions is going to make Encs a production center for the Lady in Red clothing line. We’ve already obtained the necessary permits and signed a very long term lease on almost fifteen acres of land.

“We’ll build a state of the art clothing manufacturing facility here. We’ll hire and train locals and pay them a very good wage. We’re going to create the ‘Caroline Varga Collection’. Doesn’t that have a great ring to it? The designs will be unique from those made in our other facilities, and the quality will be top-notch.”

Gwen’s grandmother was in tears by the time Stephanie finished explaining Lady in Red’s plans for the area. Agnes quickly translated Lady in Red’s intentions to her relatives so they would understand the tears that were flowing down Caroline’s cheeks.

“I wish your grandfather had lived to see this,” sobbed Caroline as she hugged Stephanie. Then she embraced her daughter and granddaughters, along with their husbands and Jordan and Charlie. “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me! What an honor! I guess I’ll be coming back here pretty often to keep an eye on things, and to visit my relatives.”

“That’s right, Grandma,” agreed Lisa. “We’re having a nice home built not far from the factory for you, or any of the family to use when we’re here. You should come over here as often as you like.”

“We’re glad that we’ve made you happy, Grandma,” stated Gwen with a big smile. “We wanted to honor you for quite some time. This seemed the perfect opportunity. Now let’s have a nice lunch before Stephanie addresses the media. This’ll probably get Congress all worked up again, but we don’t really care, do we.”

Steve was standing in line for the buffet lunch when Agnes Varga approached him. “How’s our little cousin doing?” asked Steve as he held his arms out to hug the young woman.

“You are so kind to me! I can’t believe that I’m actually hugging you,” effused Agnes as she wrapped her arms around Steve’s solid frame. “You’re so strong and so brave! I saw you on TV when you emerged from that old church after saving all of those people. I’ve watched all of your movies and have all of your songs saved.

“I followed you long before we realized that Gwen was a cousin. When I was a little girl, my aunt showed me the video of you and Gwen dancing that first time, when she became the Lady in Red. It was so romantic! Then this morning I saw on TV where you proposed a toast to Gwen for another child. I saw how you poured your love for her into your words and your kiss.”

“You make me sound pretty old,” chuckled Steve. “I guess you would’ve been a small girl when Gwen and I shared that dance all those years ago. Your cousin is a very special woman and I love her more than I thought possible.