Reflections

Chapter 1: Time flies

Mackenzie stopped pacing for a moment and looked down at her watch. Realizing only five minutes had passed since she had last checked, she sighed. She had made a trip to England to meet with the Prime Minister three days ago and was called back to Washington earlier that morning for an emergency. For Mac, emergencies had become routine since she had become President; and now well into her fourth year as President, she had come to expect them and deal with them with some ease. The only thing Mac had never adjusted to was the waiting game which was when she felt most helpless; and Mackenzie Allen hated feeling helpless. Rod who had joined her on her trip had fallen asleep in her cabin. She knew she should re-join him back in bed, but her worries wouldn't let her rest.

Mackenzie once again began to pace, stopping to peer out of the window of Air Force One. It was a beautiful, early June morning. The sky was shades of orange and reds as the sun was beginning to rise. She sighed heavily and pursed her lips together as she departed from the window and took a seat at her desk.. She hoped that getting some work done would distract her from dwelling on all that could happen--all that could go wrong--today. Scanning her desk for anything to occupy her thoughts, she glanced at one of the pictures before her. Mac smiled as she picked it up. It had been taken the day of Avery's graduation from Georgetown University. Four years had passed since that proud day. Four years... Mac thought, It couldn't possibly have been so long ago. The events of that day were still so fresh in her mind. Mac thought back to the sense of pride and fulfillment she felt as a mother. Her first born and still little girl in her eyes, had grown up into an intelligent and amazing young woman with a bright future ahead of her. It all went by so quickly. Where the time had gone?

Mac ran her fingers over the picture as the memories of that day flooded through her mind. She had been asked to be the keynote speaker for the ceremony and had gladly accepted that invitation. She remembered scanning over the crowd of graduates and their families during her speech... and then spotting Avery in the crowd. Mac had smiled at her daughter, conveying the adulation for her child with her eyes. Avery had winked and smiled at her mother in equal recognition. They shared a bond that only they understood and it was something they both cherished.

Mac was brought out of her thoughts by a knock on her door.

Jumping slightly she answered, "Come in."

Rod walked into the in-air office in his sweats, still looking very sleepy and worn out from the events of the last few days.

"You hiding out in here?" he asked. Rod knew his wife well. After more than twenty-seven years of marriage, how could he not? Whenever she felt like the walls were closing in and she had no control she found comfort in being alone. He had felt her creep out of their bed earlier and knew that she'd needed some space. He gave her a half hour before getting out of bed to look for her.

Mac smiled at her loving husband. "Just thought I'd get some work done."

Rod nodded and walked over to her side, half sitting on her desk. "And how is that coming?" he asked returning a unruly tendril of her hair back to its place.

Mac leaned back in her chair and sighed. "I hate this waiting, Rod. I just- I want to do something and... I can't," she admitted frustration straining her voice.

"I know." He caressed her cheek. "I do understand, honey. I've been where you're at a couple of times and it was pure torture. All we can do is wait. Sorry, but it's up to a higher power than yours."

She nodded, knowing he was right. But it didn't change the fact that she hated it. Another knock came at the door and Jim peeked his head in the room.

"Madame President you're needed in the conference room."

Mac looked up at Rod.

"Don't worry," he said reassuringly. "I'll be here when you get back."

Mac smiled at her husband and followed Jim out the door

After the door shut behind his wife, Rod looked down at her desk and noticed the picture that had held her attention before he had entered. He smiled. Mackenzie was the love of his life and although there were always events in their lives and moments that his love for her felt like it couldn't grow anymore, she would do something that would make his love for her grown bigger and brighter than before. He remembered how nervous she had been the day of the graduation. She'd had three different outfits she had specially ordered for the day and up until that morning couldn't choose.

"The blue suit or the red one? No wait… what about the white one?" she asked him holding all three suits up clumsily.

Rod grinned and walked over to her taking away two of the suits in her hands, " The white one."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "It won't make me look like a marshmallow?"

Rod chuckled. "You could never look like a marshmallow, honey." He held her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "Relax," he told her warmly.

To him, she looked beautiful in anything , even sweats. But he had to admit he loved seeing her in white because to him it made her look like an angel straight out of heaven.

He felt her sigh with his touch.

"You have pretty good taste Mr. Calloway. Can you believe our little girl, is graduating from college today?"

He sighed. " No, I really can't."

Rod had made many strides in letting go of his children as they grew into young adults, especially where Avery was concerned. It still made him a little sad to realize that she was never going to be that little girl who used to crawl into their bed when she had a bad dream, or climb on his lap and ask for a story, but he was proud of her. She had a good head on her shoulders. She knew exactly what she wanted to make of her life, and he knew that she could do it.

"But, I think we've done a great job and I know she'll do great things because..." he tapped her nose playfully, "she is just like her mother... and you can't get any more amazing than that."

Mac's lips curled up into a smile and she shook her head slightly as she let her fingers run through Rod's hair. "She's got a lot of you in her, too. They all do. We've got four amazing children, honey."

"Yes, we do," he said in a whisper right before he touched his lips with hers and they melded into a soft kiss.

"Now if you don't hurry and change, mother of the graduate," he teased breaking their nostalgic moment, "we're going to miss the ceremony and you will miss your speech."

Mac smiled and then kissed him once again before retreating into their bathroom to change

Still holding the photo, Rod walked over to the couch against the wall and took a seat. He thought of how beautiful Mackenzie had looked in her white suit and how the moment he saw her ascend to the podium his heart skipped a beat. She had been so nervous and wanted to make this speech perfect. Although she had hired a new speech writer she had enlisted Kelly's help to make this speech be one that her daughter could be proud of. Rod knew how important it was for his wife to share this moment and bond with their eldest child, and he hoped that their other three children would have a similar moment with her.

He was so proud of this woman, of all she had accomplished, the leader she had become, the mother she was, and the wife he loved. He was also very proud of his daughter. She had come a long way through out the year and had dealt with so much, he was glad to finally see her happy.Rod leaned back against the arm of the couch and held the picture close to his chest as he soon nodded off .

"Okay..." Mac said as she walked back into the office, stopping mid-sentence after seeing Rod fast asleep on the couch.She smiled and careful not to wake him, she walked over to him. There was no reason both of them shouldn't get any sleep, she thought. She noticed the picture frame he held against his chest and gently removed it from his grasp, smiling when she realized it was the one she had been admiring at her desk.

That photo alone held so many memories of that day, including when it was taken.

"Vince do you know how to work that thing?" The President teasingly asked her special assistant and good friend.

The First Family was huddled together for a group picture in one of the gardens on the White House property. It was the afternoon of the graduation and they were having a small, casual party with their friends and family in Avery's honor.

Vince continued to struggle with the camera in his hands, "Yes ma'am, all set..." he scrunched his brow, "I think."

Mac rolled her eyes. He was as bad as Rod with that thing.

"Alright I got it." He held up the camera. "Smile everyone."

The camera flash went off and they all pulled apart.

"Thank you Vince. I think I only aged five years waiting for you to figure it out," Mac said approaching him with a grin.

"Sorry ma'am, call it a senior moment."

"Are you implying something Vince?" She raised her brow at him.

He shook his head. "No ma'am, not at all." He looked around nervously for an escape. "Oh, look there's Kelly. I'm going to go say hi. Great speech today."

"Thank you." Mac grinned and watched him walk off before she walked over to Rod. She linked her arm with his and looked over at the site that held his attention.

"You know staring isn't polite," she said quietly resting her head against his.

"I wasn't staring," Rod said, a small smile appearing on his lips. "I was just admiring."

"Admiring, huh?" She raised her brow.

Rod nodded his head. "Can you believe that by this time next year we will be having a party for the twins' graduation? Avery will have finished her first year of law school and will probably already be married. Three kids out of the house all at once."

Mac smiled with a bittersweet look in her eyes. "Time has really flown by hasn't it?"

"Sure has." Rod said sighing.

"Dad!" Avery called out from across garden with an amused tone to her voice. Pulling her parents out of their moment, she waved them over.

Avery was standing by the twins, Joshua, and Rod's much younger sister, Madeline. They seemed to be involved in an interesting conversation.

"Hey," Rod walked over with Mackenzie a grin on his face. "What are you guys up to? It looks like no good."

"Aunt Maddy was just telling us about the time she got you to play tea party with her," Horace quipped rather amused.

"I had your dad wrapped around my finger," Madeline teased. She was twelve years younger than Rod and the youngest of his siblings.

Mac watched this exchange with amused interest. She had always loved how protective Rod was about his youngest sister. And though he had a close, strong relationship with all of his siblings, she knew there was a special bond between him and Madeline. Observing this relationship when they had been dating had shown her how he would be with their own children... especially their daughters.

"That was just because you were the baby of the family and spoiled," he teased back.

"I was not Roddy."

The children and Mac snickered just like every time Madeline called Rod by the nickname she had come up with as a child and which only she could get away with calling him. "You were just an easy target... and if I remember correctly you always enjoyed tea time, and playing ballerina with me."

Rod shook his head as his family roared with laughter.

"Dad, you did not play ballerina, did you?" Rebecca asked with mock mortification.

"I plead the Fifth." Rod raised his hands in defeat. "I'm too much of a gentleman to retaliate against a pregnant woman."

Madeline rolled her eyes. "Oh please, don't give me any special treatment."

"Nah, dad just doesn't have any come backs. He pulls the Fifth crap whenever he's backed into a corner," Avery stated.

"That's very true. He does it all the time and I know the ballerina story so he can't get away with forgetting that one," Mac added.

"Hey, hey. Whose in my corner here?" Rod looked around. "Come on guys help me out," Rod said looking at Horace and Josh for help.

"Sorry, Mr. Calloway, I know my place in this argument." Josh placed his hand behind Avery's chair.

"Not even married yet and he's already leaving the men behind," Rod joked without thinking.

Both Mac and Avery gave Rod a look which made him tense up.

"You know what I mean..." he stuttered.

They continued to stare at him. Only this time they crossed their arms against their chests.

"Mr. Calloway." Nora approached the family circle in a huff.

"Nora!" Rod, happy for the save, turned his attention to his assistant.

"Sir, big problem, BIG." She raised both her hands up for dramatic effect.

Rebecca had pinched Avery's arm to keep herself from busting out laughing at their father's assistant's dramatics, which only made it more difficult to not burst out laughing for both of them.

"What is it Nora?" Rod asked as seriously as he could muster.

Nora widened her eyes. "Sir, there is a major issue in the kitchen... they need you, now." She put extra emphasis on the 'now'.

"Well, we can't have that. Excuse me." Rod followed Nora to handle the issue grateful to have been removed from the previous conversation.

As soon as they were out of earshot Avery and Rebecca both roared in laughter, passing the laughing bug to those around them.

"This happens often?" Madeline asked amused.

"He usually hides from her." Mac chuckled, "but I guess his punishment is dealing with missing napkin rings with Nora for the macho posturing he just pulled."

"Give him ten minutes with her and he'll be begging to be saved. I'm sure we can even get him to show us some ballerina moves if we promise to keep her away for a while," Horace joked.

"Just wait till the wedding plans begin. She'll be on your case Avery," Rebecca said.

Avery hadn't thought of that. She didn't dislike Nora, in fact she thought she wasn't that bad after a Valium or two, but she knew how Nora got when there was a special event in the White House and she dreaded that her wedding would be turned into that.

"Well, maybe we won't get married here and she won't have any say," Avery suggested.

Josh looked confused. He hadn't expected that one.

"You don't want to have the wedding here?" Mac asked somewhat disappointed.

Avery shrugged. "I'm not sure where we're having it, mom. It's too early to think about that anyway. We haven't even set a date yet."

"Well, just remember to set the date for when I'm not to fat to travel," Madeline stated.

"Don't worry, Aunt Maddy, we can't have a party without you." Avery placed her arm around her aunt teasingly.

"Avery," Kate walked over joining the group. "They're bringing the cake out and Vince is waiting with the camera."

Avery rolled her eyes. "If it's anything like before I've got a while before Vince gets the camera working. You guys go ahead I want to talk to mom for a minute."

Josh gave Avery a kiss before walking off with the rest of their family leaving Avery and Mackenzie alone.

Mac moved over to sit next to Avery. "What's on your mind?" she said with a smile.

"Thanks for doing this for me today. You and dad really didn't have to." Avery shifted in her seat slightly. "But I just wanted you to know that it was really great having you up there with me today. I'm really proud of all that you've accomplished." Avery spoke softly. " And I know I probably don't say this as often as I should, but I'm really lucky to have you as my mother."

Mac felt the sting of the tears welling up in the back of her eyes as she pulled Avery into a hug.

"Oh, sweetie, I can't tell you how proud I am of you." Mac felt a tear fall down her cheek. "You are my greatest accomplishment…. You and your brother and sisters. "