“Fine,” Madeline responded. “Jane said something happened with Noah? His school?” She could hear Brandon sigh that she imagined went along with him brushing his hand through his thick brown hair.
“He got in a fight again,” Brandon said. “Mr. Kendrick called. Molly picked him up.”
“Oh, he is at home?”
“He’s been suspended again.”
“He needs to be in school,” Madeline responded angrily. “They can’t just suspend him every time something happens.”
“I think they don’t know what else to do with him.”
“I’ll talk to him when I get home,” Madeline said curtly. “Are you still at work?”
“Yes, I told Molly I would try to make it home for dinner today, but it is going to be tough. We have that big release coming up and I expected things to be in better shape by now.”
“I understand.”
“When are you coming home?”
“We’re meeting the Israeli ambassador now and then we’ll fly back to California. I’ll be home late tonight. But I’ll have breakfast with the kids.”
“All right, love you,” Brandon said. Madeline repeated his sentiment before hanging up the phone.
“Now, regarding the meeting with Mr. Zahavi,” Jane started as soon as the phone was away from Madeline’s ear. “He wants to discuss you visiting Israel with your family.”
“We’re going to a meeting to discuss me going on vacation?”
“It’s not a vacation,” Jane responded. “It means the Israelis believe you to be influential and they want to create strong ties with you.”
“I’m a first-time Senator from California,” Madeline said. “I’m hardly influential in Middle Eastern politics.”
“They believe you will be,” Jane said. “And if you want to be, it’s also good to have their support.”
Jane began listing possible discussion topics for the meeting with the Israeli ambassador as their car weaved through the crowded streets of Manhattan. Madeline was listening with one ear while she looked out the window, recognizing the streets she used to run down when she lived in Manhattan. She starred closely at the brownstones, studying the ones with beautifully trimmed rose bushes and shrubbery out front. The perfect shape of the greenery made Madeline smile, putting old memories into her head. But she couldn’t let herself get lost in those memories. They were from so long ago. Before she had made any mark on this world. Before she had so much to lose.
Chapter 2
A full three hours of sleep in her own bed was enough to leave Madeline feeling refreshed. She’d slept on the plane the previous night after her meeting with Mr. Zahavi, but that sleep was just about bodily needs. The three hours in her own bed, next to Brandon’s rhythmically breathing body, refreshed her mentally. When she woke up, though, Brandon was gone. He had been going to the office early those days. He said the few hours before the employees came gave him some time to get his real work done.
She walked downstairs to the kitchen, where Molly, their nanny, was already flipping pancakes. “Good morning, Mrs. Thomas,” Molly said. She never called her Madeline, no matter how many times Madeline invited her to.
“Good morning, Molly,” Madeline responded while grabbing herself a cup of coffee from the pot that Molly had already brewed. “Are the boys up?”
“They’ll be down in a few moments,” Molly said. “Noah didn’t want to get up, saying he didn’t need to if he wasn’t going to school, but I made him understand that suspension is not vacation.”
Madeline smiled at Molly. She wasn’t just a nanny; she was a member of the Thomas family. She’d been with them part time since Noah was born 10 years ago. She moved in full time when Adam came two years later.
“Mommy!” a chorus rung out when the boys came hurdling into the kitchen. Noah and Adam ran to hug Madeline just as Molly placed two pancakes on each of their plates on the table that was already set with cut fresh fruit, syrup, and glasses of orange juice.
“How was New York?” Adam asked. “Can we go with you next time?”
“It was a busy trip,” Madeline said, kissing her sons on their foreheads. “We’ll all go together one day when I’ll be there for more than 24 hours.” The boys each sat at their spots at the table and began to eat their breakfast. Madeline also helped herself to a plate of Molly’s delicious pancakes. She made it a point to eat with her boys as often as she could, even though that was usually just a few times a week.
She spent her weeks flying back and forth between Washington DC and California. When she was elected, she and Brandon had discussed moving to the DC, but together they decided that it would be too difficult on the family. The boys had friends and were studying in a good private school that would prepare them for the Ivy League educations they were destined for. Brandon’s company was doing well and needed its CEO at the office full-time. They agreed to discuss their location in the future should Madeline get elected a second term.
As they ate, Adam told Madeline about how they were learning about the California Gold Rush in school. “Do you think there is still gold in the water here?” he asked his mother. “Or did they already find all of it? Maybe we can go look for some on the weekend!” On Madeline’s other side, Noah sat quietly, eating his pancakes and rolling his eyes at his younger brother’s excitement.
“All right, boys, it’s time to get in the car,” Molly said. “You too, Noah, even though you aren’t going to school, you’re coming along for the ride.” Noah let out a big sigh and rolled his eyes for the tenth time that morning.
“You know what Molly,” Madeline said. “Noah can stay here with
