THE PRESIDENT 2 Read Online Free PDF Page B

your term is over we can try and live a normal life.”
     
    “But I just got sworn in for my second term a month ago, Gina.   That’s nearly four years you’re talking about being separated from me.”
     
    “I can come and see you on the weekends, the way I used to do when we were dating.”
     
    “Are you out of your mind?   I’m not seeing my wife only on the weekends!”   Then he exhaled, to regain control, to ease the fear that continued to grip him.   “It’ll get better.   I promise you it will.   They’ll move on to other things, they always do.   Bashing my wife is just the flavor of the month for them right now.   But please don’t talk about leaving me.”  
     
    There was such a plea in his voice that it startled Gina.   She stared into his eyes.   “Are you okay?”
     
    Dutch tried to smile, but failed.   “I’m okay.   But please don’t leave me, Gina.”
     
    Gina moved around and sat on his lap.   Then she placed his gorgeous face between her hands.   “I’ll never leave you, Dutch.   I promise you.   I was just trying to make it easier for you.”
     
    Dutch pulled her into his arms, his eyes closing tightly.   “Your being here, with me, has made it easier.   You make it easier.   Don’t ever think that leaving me will make it easier for me, because it won’t.   Without you it would be unbearable, Gina.”
     
    Gina closed her eyes too.   She hated politics, hated it with a passion, but would endure every political game they threw her way for Dutch’s sake.  
     
    Then he stopped embracing her and looked at her, as if suddenly realizing something he must address.   “I know they treat you horribly, honey,” he said.   “I read those press accounts.   The racism in their coverage is so obvious that it sickens me.   But if I didn’t think you could handle it, I would send you back to Newark myself.   But you’re strong, Gina.   You can handle this.   I know you can.”
     
    Gina nodded.   Her handling it was never the issue for her.   “I know I can too,” she assured him.   “It’s you I’ve been worried about.”
     
    “I’m okay,” he said with a smile, revealing lines of age on the sides of his eyes.   “There’s just a lot of crap going on, that’s all.”
     
    “And here I come with my nonsense.”
     
    “You didn’t come with anything.   That reporter took you there.   That’s why I ordered Max to have a conversation with her publisher.”
     
    Gina frowned.   “But is that a good idea, Dutch?   That publisher could claim we’re trying to encroach on the freedom of the press or something.”
     
    Dutch smiled this time.   “Don’t worry, sweetie,” he said, wrapping his arms around her again.   “That’s how the game is played around here.   We complain, the publisher feels as if he’s in the loop because he gets a phone call from the president’s chief of staff, and he mentions it, off the record, to the reporter.   Next time, the reporter, careful to keep her job, careful to please her publisher, is just a wee bit less aggressive.   That’s how it’s done around here.”
     
    Gina shook her head.   “Everything’s a game.    It’s a wonder that anything gets done in this town.”
     
    Dutch stared deep into her eyes.   “Promise me you’ll never leave me, Regina.”
     
    Gina looked at him.   She thought they had already established that.   “I never said--”
     
    “Promise me.”
     
    His seriousness concerned her.   “I promise.”
     
    Dutch leaned her against him, as if a load had just been lifted.   “Thank-you,” he said.
     
    Gina was distressed by his need for her reassurance that she didn’t know what to say or what to do or how to make it clear to him that she was in this for the long haul.   She decided to move on, to lighter matters.   “Now that that’s settled,” she said, moving to rise from his lap, “I’d better get started.”
     
    “Get started?” Dutch asked,