Chapter 8

The rest of the dinner is a blue to me. People came up to Hawk and Polly, beaming, some crying, and all congratulating the three of us. As time went by, I got to thinking about the details of their surprise.

Would I be sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom wing?

Would I be using one of the bedrooms around the corner, off the main hall of the family quarters?

Would they want to send me somewhere, away fro DC to start college?

It was all a puzzle and I worried about it right up until I excused myself to go to the restroom, and discovered two Secret Service accompanying me. "Hi," I said, a bit confused? "Can I help you with something?"

They smiled at me like I was simple minded, and said, "We are your new protection team."

"My what?" Uh-ohhh...

"Once the President said that he and the First Lady were your new foster parents, you became part of the Class One detail. By the way, Angela, I am Rodney Patterson, and this Renata Posey. Renata will accompany you everywhere that it would be uncomfortable for a man to be with you. I will always be nearby, but she is to be your companion no matter what. Let us do our jobs and I promise we will figure out ways to make sure you don't lose your privacy, completely."

I thanked them and continued into the restroom, only to find Renata stepped in with me, and asked everyone inside to step out immediately. I felt awful inconveniencing those women, but Renata didn't ask, she just stepped up and did it. I promised myself I would find them both and apologize as soon as I was done.

Walking back to the reception hall, I spotted both women, and walked over to them. "I am so sorry that you were inconvenienced in the ladies room," I said, sincerely.

Both looked at me like I was crazy. "Dear girl, we were so thrilled to see Hamilton and Polly announce that they'd decided to be your new parents, being asked to step out of the restroom was nothing compared to how happy you made those two.

"I probably shouldn't say this, but Polly needs you just as much, if not more than you need her. They have been so sad since their first child died, and none of us have seen them as happy as they are tonight, so you be the best daughter in the world, because they will be the best parents." She stroked my cheek like I was five, and walked off with her friend.

Polly was watching for me when Renata escorted me back to the head table. "There you are, Angela. I need you to humor me for a little while, while I introduce you to some of our close friends."

We moved from table to table, amid a circle of agents, and Polly seemed to know everyone by their first name. She didn't use a set speech. Polly spoke to every one personally, asking about their family, personal lives, and upcoming events that were important to them. She was the perfect political wife. I had never seen it done better.

When we came to the table closet to ours, Polly turned slightly towards me, and whispered, "Please be extra nice to this table. I promise to tell you all about it, later, but just trust me for now." I did trust her, and we lingered with them for a long time, as they lavished me with compliments, while praising Polly to the moon. There was something special about this group, and I made it my business to remember their faces, and names.

When Polly was satisfied that she had greeted her special friends, Hawk took me by the arm and did much the same with his set. He introduced to men he went to West Point with, and some he served in various conflicts beside. They all seemed to love each other like brothers, and I sensed very little jealousy, spitefulness, or hidden vitriol of any kind. Hamilton Dryden seemed to be loved by his peers in the military.

Renata and Rodney stayed back from the President's bubble, but were never far from me. I could see the team melding, reforming, and resetting as we moved, never allowing the President to be screened from them, or closer to anyone than they were to the agents guarding him. After so many failed attempts, these had to be the cream of the crop, and they performed like it.

Finally done meeting their friends, the three of us were escorted upstairs to the Family Quarters, and I hesitated at the entrance, not sure of what was expected of me. Something caused him to sense that I had stopped, and Hawk turned to me, and walked back, put his arm around me, protectively, and said, "Angela, my dear child. Polly has been driving our staff crazy getting a suite ready for you. We desperately hope you like your new rooms."

Then he hugged me tightly, and turned me over to Polly, who led me just around the corner from their private area and opened a set of double doors that led us into a magnificent bedroom, living room, office suite that blew me away. The rooms were modern, spacious, bright, and wonderful. I stood still as a stone, letting it all sink in.

I really was the soon-to-be, adopted daughter of the President of the United States. 'How in the world did I end up here?' I thought suddenly scared at the thought of having to be on the world stage from this second forward.

Polly seemed to understand part of my fear, and hugged me like she meant it. "Angela, don't think about it. Don't let this ... place ... scare you. We are right around the corner. There will be agents outside in the hall, waiting to take you to us, if you get scared, sick, or just lonely. We really do intend to make you our daughter. This is not some kind of publicity stunt.

"Honey, you saved my husband's life! Do you have any idea how incredibly, unbelievable that is. I've seen the film of the attack on Ham, and you really and truly saved him from certain death.

"Now it's our turn to do this for you. Let us." She said her piece and headed to their quarters, looking back at me as she cleared he doorway. Her smile was radiant. She really wanted this.

I had to try.

Somehow I had to try to live up to their desire to 'raise' me as the daughter that they never got to raise. Hawk had to deal with so much as President, maybe pretending to be a girl, and his adopted daughter would give them both some comfort.

I had barely gotten inside my new home when the door opened and Renata admitted Constance to help me get settled. We spent hours going through the room, rearranging things to suit me, and generally talking like a couple of high school kids.

I had to spend all of three minutes unpacking my overnight bag, and when I started to ask about getting a ride to Ashville to pack some clothes, Constance put her finger to my lips, stop the question that was coming, and she opened a side door to show me my things had been flown in and arranged in the built in drawers, and closets before we arrived from the hospital. I should have known the Secret Service wouldn't let a detail like that slip by.

When we looked through things, I was well aware that there were many things that did not come out of Angela's closets at the ranch, but Constance smile and said, "I understand the First Lady has been arranging this for several weeks. She seemed to think your taste in clothing needed some ... updating."