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“This is amazing,” Joy says. “Thank you so much for having us.”
“Any friends of Derek’s and Roni’s are friends of ours,” the president says.
Did you hear that? I’m afriendof the president and first lady!
They point out the Rose Garden as we cut through the West Colonnade to the residence. I can’t believe I’m seeing things I’ve only ever seen on TV. We go up a flight of red-carpeted stairs to the second floor to tour the Lincoln Bedroom and the first family’s private quarters.
As we head up to the third floor, a yellow dog comes flying up the stairs, sprinting ahead of us and nearly taking out Lexi.
“Scotty!” The president’s bellow echoes through the stairway. “Get Skippy!”
“Sorry about that.” The first couple’s handsome, dark-haired son chases after the dog. “She’s out of control.”
We’re delighted to meet the first dog and the first son, both of whom are nearly as famous as the president and first lady. In the conservatory, which we learn is the family’s favorite gathering spot in the White House, a table full of refreshments has been set out by the staff.
“Please help yourselves to some treats,” the first lady says. “The White House bake shop is incredible, and I have five new pounds to prove it.”
I love that she’s soreal.
After we help ourselves to the little sandwiches and baked goods, we sit together on sofas and the extra chairs that were brought in to accommodate our group. The White House staff takes drink orders and delivers tea, coffee, soda and water.
“I’m so happy you all could come to visit today,” Sam says. “Roni has told me about your group, and I think it’s wonderful the way you support each other.”
“Iris and Christy were the founders along with another woman, but the two of them have kept it going,” Gage said. “We have them to thank for it.”
“Well done, ladies,” the president says, smiling.
It’s all I can do not to swoon from the power of that smile directed at me.
“We’d love to hear more about all of you and your stories,” Sam says. “If you’d like to share, that is.”
“We’re good at sharing,” Joy says in her typically blunt fashion.
Each of us gives a one-sentence summary of the incident that brought us together. The first couple’s compassion nearly brings me to tears more than once. An hour has never gone by so quickly as we talk and laugh with them like old friends. Scotty brings Alden and Aubrey, the twins the Cappuanos took in last fall, up to meet us, and it strikes me that they, too, have experienced incredible tragedy, losing their parents in a home invasion and fire.
As we make our way downstairs to leave, I’m more in love with the first couple than I was before. “How will I ever summarize this experience for my friends?” I ask Gage when we’re back in the car headed home.
“They were great,” he says. “I feel like I could be friends with both of them.”
“Yes! Exactly. I loved them even more than I expected to. I like that they didn’t get all dressed up for us and were so down-to-earth.”
“They’re ordinary people living an extraordinary life.”
“Indeed. This was such a perfect day. I’ll never forget it.”
One of thegreatest surprises to come out of my recent health woes has been the friendship extended to me by Eleanor, the mother of Mike’s son Carter. After my surgery, she checked on me daily, sent a lovely basket of food and treats for me and the kids and has—remarkably—become a new friend.
Just when I think life can’t get any stranger…
Eleanor and Carter are coming to visit, and they’re going to stay with us.
Before they get here, I need to talk to the kids and tell them who Carter is to them. I’ve gone round and round about this decision, talked for hours with their therapist and every friend who has young children and have concluded that telling them about Carter now would be less traumatic for them than introducing him later as their half brother.
As I’ve worked my way through this dilemma, my resentment for Mike has grown exponentially. How dare he leave me to clean up his gigantic mess on my own? Although, the more I get to know Eleanor and care about Carter, who is adorable, the less it becomes about Mike and his mess and the more it becomes about me, my kids and new friends/family.
Bizarre, right? Sometimes I have to laugh because I couldn’t have made this up if I tried, me becoming friends with my late husband’s mistress as we navigate the thorny path of bringing our children together.
Eleanor is a lovely person. Her son, who I’ve “met” through pictures and videos and the occasional FaceTime call, is delightful. There’s no downside to having them in our lives, and that’s why I’ve invited her to come to our home, to stay with us and give our kids a chance to get to know one another.
