The street below was quiet except for the occasional car slicing through puddles, causing a sad sound that made me want to retreat into the warmth of my apartment-to where my mom was probably making something for us to eat, and where Nana was devouring the newspaper in my absence, pretending that she wasn’t hunting for mention of my role in this White House drama.
At least Tom had said he’d take care of Suzie and Steve. Still on the balcony, now ducking closer to the building to avoid the heavier rainfall, I dialed them back and let them know that the Secret Service had been alerted. “They better do something,” Steve said with uncharacteristic roughness. “They got us into this mess.”
I wanted to argue that it hadn’t been the Secret Service’s fault-but to what end?
“Where do you want to meet?” Steve asked as I was about to say good-bye.
“Excuse me?”
“We need to talk,” he said. In the background, I heard Suzie reiterate his statement.
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
Suzie must have been listening in, because she grabbed the phone and started in on me. “Please, Ollie. You know we only agreed to come film at the White House because you wanted us to. We did this as a favor to you.”
That wasn’t how I remembered it. “I thought your production team wanted to use this for ratings week.”
“No,” she said, chastising now. “We did this because we knew it was important to you.”
It hadn’t been important to me in the least. I’d done it as a favor to them. Correction: The White House had agreed to the favor. I’d been left out of this decision entirely. Although they were indeed friends of mine, I’d been against them being in the kitchen while we were preparing a dinner for actual White House guests. I would have preferred to stage a fake dinner and treat the staff to whatever delicacies we came up with. “Actually, Suzie,” I began, but I was interrupted by a beep on the line. I took a look at the number. Tom. “I better let you go,” I said in a hurry to hang up.
“Please,” she said. “We really do need to talk.”
“Later,” I said. “I’ll call you back.”
“Please,” she said again. “But we have to meet in person. Just in case others are listening in.”
“I highly doubt anyone is tapping your line.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” she said, sounding unconvinced. “But Steve and I will be more comfortable in person.”
I heard another beep. I wanted to switch over to talk with Tom. Now.
“Okay, fine. But I really need to get going.”
“Hang on.”
Steve took the phone. “We can’t get into this over open lines.”
“Got it,” I said, my exasperation evident. “But I can’t…” I took a look at my handset and realized Tom was no longer waiting for me to pick up. I bit my lip in anger and hoped he would leave a message.
“Let’s meet later,” Steve said.
Tom had said that there was no law keeping me from talking with friends. And right now there was no longer any need to get off the phone quickly. I sighed. “Sure. Where and when? I know my mom and nana will be excited to meet real television personalities.”
After a beat of silence, he said, “Just you, Ollie. Okay? Maybe we can meet your family another time.”
This was starting to feel a little bit strange. Steve persisted. “How about tonight? Do you think these camera crews will be gone by then?”
I heard Suzie in the background. “A police car just pulled up.”
“What do they want?” Steve asked her.
“How should I know?”
“Are they coming for us?”
“Steve,” I said, “you sound busy. How about I let you go?”
The balcony door opened behind me. “Are you okay out there?” Mom asked. She held the receiver of my apartment phone.
“I’m fine,” I said.
“Tom’s on the line.” She held out the receiver and looked at me with hopeful eyes. “Maybe you should take this one.”
Steve was pleading in my ear. “Ollie, no. Don’t hang up.”
“I really have to-”
“The police are making them leave!” I heard Suzie say.
“But are the police coming for us?” Steve’s obvious tension made me wonder what he was so worried about.
My mom gave me one of those looks only moms can give and shook the phone at me. “He’s waiting.”
I tried again. “Steve, let me give you a call back in-”
“This is great,” he said. “They’re all taking off.” He breathed heavily into the phone. “The cops are gone, too. Good. We’ll be able to make it to the studio after all. Thanks so much, Ollie.”
“I really didn’t-”
“Let’s make her dinner tonight,” Suzie said in the background. “Have her come to the studio.”
“Yeah,” Steve agreed. “The studio will be better than here.” Sounding a bit distracted, he added, “Tonight, you’re our guest. We’ll have a chance to chat in real privacy.”
“Okay, fine,” I answered hastily, trying to pantomime my frustration to my mom. “You have my e-mail, right? Just send me the address and a time. I really have to go now.”
“Sure thing, Ollie. And thanks again for all your help.”
I said good-bye quickly and grabbed the apartment phone while snapping my cell shut. “Sorry,” I mouthed.
My mom smiled and headed back in, leaving me on the cold balcony once again. “Tom?” I asked. “You still there? I was on another call with Suzie and Steve.”
“That was quick. You sure didn’t waste time getting in touch with them.”
And just like that, his tone annoyed me. I faced the glass doors that looked into my living room. My mom and nana were watching me, turning away when I caught them. I scratched at my head and was surprised when my hand came away wet. I’d been out here in the damp morning longer than I thought.
“Like you said,” I answered my tone sing-song, “there’s no law stopping me from having conversations with my friends.”
He made a noise-acknowledging the jab. “Are you going to be home later? Say, around eight thirty, nine tonight?”
I thought about Suzie and Steve’s offer to make me dinner. I should be home by eight-ish. “I’ll be here.”
“Craig wants you to look at a few things.” The dismissive tone was back. “I’ll stop by then.”
“You remember my mom and nana are still here?”
He blew out a breath. “I forgot.”
I started to appreciate how much pressure he was under. “They’ll give us privacy if we need it.”
“Fair enough.” He sounded all-too-eager to get me off the phone. “See you then.”
When I reentered the apartment Nana shook her head. “You look like a drowned rat.”
“Thanks.”
Mom wore one of her worried looks. “What’s up with Tom?”
“He’s stopping by later.”
At that they both brightened. I held up my hands. “Just official business,” I said, and just like that, their cheer dissipated. “Sorry.”
“Oh, Ollie,” Mom said. “We just want you to be happy.”
“Then let’s get out today,” I said, longing for something-anything-to get my mind off this mess. “I’d like to take you to the National Mall.” Turning, I cast a glance outside at the rain. “Of course, it’s not a very good day for that, is it?”
“It’s going to clear up by noon,” Mom said.
“It said that in the newspaper?”
“Nope,” she said with a grin. “I checked the forecast online.”
I touched base with Cyan, then Bucky. Neither had heard anything more than I had, but my second-in-command was greatly agitated.