Free Always and Forever by Kathryn Shay

yesterday?”
    “I talked to everybody. Mama even Skyped, though she had no idea how it worked.”
    “I’m sorry. Maybe for the next big event, you should go home and say the hell with First Lady duties.” Bailey had been scheduled to give a talk to the Black Women’s Caucus at a Saturday night dinner, then at a rallyfor women’s health care on Sunday, so she hadn’t been able to go home.
    “It’s not only that. It’s impossible to have friends in our circumstances. The guys and my sisters-in-law are hours away.” She knew she sounded whiny and hated it.
    “You could invite Suz”—one of her friends at ESCAPE—“down for a while.”
    “She’s busy running Guardian.” With a gentle pain in her heart, Bailey thoughtof the shelter for teenage gang members that she’d planned to head before she married Clay.
    “Do you want to go home now? Rory’s finished school for the summer.”
    She shook her head. “I can’t keep going back there, Clay. Besides, the hours I’ve booked to be with our kids are about the only free time I get all day. The rest of my life is scheduled pretty rigidly.”
    He picked up her handand squeezed it. “I’m sorry.”
    “We agreed you wouldn’t apologize for what we both decided, remember?”
    Leaning over, he kissed her lips. His were warm, familiar, wonderful. “I do.” When he drew back, a light sparked in his hazel eyes. “I have something that will cheer you up, I think.” He stood and stepped out to where the children could see him. “Hi, guys. Come over here a minute.”
    They raced toward him, Angel lagging, so Jon scooped her up. They reached him just behind Rory, who threw himself at his father. Clay stumbled back with the force of the hit, and Bailey hoped he didn’t fall on his ass and get his lightweight gray suit grass stained.
    Rory finally stopped climbing all over him. “Dad, what’re you doing home? We’re done with school. That’s why we’re here.”
    “I have a surprise for you. I thought maybe we’d celebrate another completed school year.” He hugged Jon. “I’m so glad you’re with us part of the summer.”
    Jon nodded. “Me, too, Dad. What’s the surprise?”
    Clay shot a glance at Bailey, then moved to the doorway of the house. “Okay, Connors, you can let him through.”
    In bounded a…dog. A beautiful male Portuguese water dog, with curly blackfur and a white tummy.
    “Wow, Clay, you got us a puppy!”
    “Dog-gie,” Angel squealed. The pup ran around her feet.
    “Holy cow, Dad.” Jon was as pleased as the little ones.
    Rory managed to corral the pup and nuzzle him. “I miss having a dog so much!” Hower, their first pet, had had to be put down because of old age.
    Rising, Bailey went to the kids and knelt down in the grass. Shehugged the puppy, its fur soft, its scent fresh—for now. She looked over at Clay. “Where did you get him?”
    “He’s a descendant of Barack’s dog.” Clay shrugged. “He’s probably a Democrat.”
    Her arms still around the pet’s neck, she buried her face in his coat. “Good for you, doggie.”
    “Maybe this will take away some of the loneliness.”
    “It will. Thanks, Clay.”
    oOo
    “See you, guys.”
    “Bye, man.”
    “Liam, the food was great.”
    “As usual.”
    “Later, Sophie baby.”
    One by one, the firefighters gave their accolades as they exited the pub after a breakfast of ham-and-egg strata and homemade toast. Liam and Sophie leaned against the counter while Patrick stood behind the bar.
    “So,” Pat said. “What’ve you got planned for this morning?”
    “Sophie’staking some furlough. Lunch is ready, so we thought we’d go for a stroll.”
    “Sounds nice. I can finish up cleaning the tables.”
    “You sure?” Sophie asked.
    “Yeah, you two go enjoy yourselves.”
    When they headed out the door, Pat felt a sting of jealousy. He wished his and Brie’s lives had room for impromptu strolls and a lazy morning together.
    Stop it. You have a nice life