Part 3: The story continues.
Mack smiled at Ginny. She was holding her hands on Cookie's swollen tummy feeling the baby kick. Ginny giggled, "Oh! That was hard one, I think you have a soccer player in there."
Mack laughed out loud, "There goes another one." Mike ran by chasing his 19-month old son. He grabbed the boy and swung him in the air. The child was giggling with joy. Mike put the boy down and he ran straight to Mack. Mack swooped him up and hugged Little Mike. The boy laughed at the face Mack put on and wanted to get down. Mack pretended to cry and the boy pulled his face down and kissed him looking worried. Mack put him down and smiled. Mikey smiled back and ran to his father trying to tell him all about it and pointing to Mack.
Cookie was smiling happily at her son. Ginny stood up and walked to her husband. She sat in his lap. She gently kissed him. He rubbed her slight belly. "These shorts are getting a bit tight on you aren't they?"
"Mack you have been saying that about everything I wear for about three months now. It is just wishful thinking; I think I have just a tiny bulge now."
Cookie giggled, "General, wait until she looks like I do. Wait until she can only waddle along and you have to help her get up from a chair. Then you will be wishing she were slim and sleek again."
A phone rang and Mike hurried to answer it. "General McDermott's Residence, Lieutenant Mahoney speaking Sir! Yes Sir, Here he is now Sir."
Mack said, "McDermott, Sir." He listened carefully. He looked at Ginny, "Thank you sir, she is as beautiful as ever." He listened again. "Yes Sir. I will discuss it with her and get back to you in a few minutes. Goodbye."
Mack looked at Ginny, "That was the President. He wants us to meet him in Camp David for the weekend. He wants to discuss a mission he has in mind for us. He will send a plane for us tomorrow."
Ginny looked at him with her brow furrowed, "He didn't give you any clue as to what the mission was?"
"No, he did ask after you by name. Of course the man is a consummate politician. He called me by my first name. 'General'." Ginny and Cookie giggled.
Ginny laughed, "Did he use my first name 'Missus'."
"No, as a matter of fact he said, 'How is your sweet wife Ginny'."
"Well that was nice anyway. I like him, even if he is a politician."
"I didn't intend to slight the man in any way. He stands up for what he believes in and he tells things like they are for the most part. He has been a damned fine president. He doesn't make decisions based on polls."
"I guess we have to go see what he wants anyway."
Mack turned to Cookie, "Dear lady can I borrow your husband for the weekend. I promise I won't take him anywhere other than the Washington area with out your permission."
"General, if you don't mind my using your first name, you have been very good to us. I feel pretty good and I have a month before I am due. I would like to go too, Little Mike and I could stay in our apartment in Reston."
Mack smiled gently at her. He picked up the phone and took a card from his billfold. He entered a number. He said, "The President please, General McDermott here." He stood and slowly walked away in to his den. They could hear the sound of his voice but couldn't make out what he was saying. They heard him say, "Looking forward to seeing you again too Sir."
Mack looked around at all of them. "We are all going to Washington." Mack smiled at Cookie and Mike, "Cookie may accompany you to Washington and to Camp David too, if she desires. Little Mike is invited too."
The Mahoneys grinned at the general. Mack said, I told them that if I was going to have to make a hard decision I wanted my staff with me. Jack and Jan and Marge will be there also. They will be transported by helicopter from the Executive Office Building helicopter pad at eight Saturday Morning. Mike, make sure they have the word on that, ask General 'Z' to coordinate everything with the White House."
"Aye aye! Sir" Mike pulled out a small spiral notebook and headed for the den.
Ginny and Cookie were discussing what clothes to take with them. Mack said they should call Madge in Washington and have her call the White House protocol Office and get that information. Cookie said she would handle that and she slowly got out of her chair and walked with a very exaggerated waddle into the den. A few minutes later Mike walked out with Cookie on his arm. He seated her carefully and turned to Mack, "Sir, General Zeigrfeldt says he will take care of that end. He said he would see us Saturday and requested that Mrs. McDermott and Cookie be given kisses from him. He didn't specify who was to give the kisses."
"Lieutenant, as the senior office present I will handle that duty. Stand at ease." Mack went to Ginny and lifted her from her chair and kissed her passionately. He thanked her and walked to Cookie and bent over and gently kissed her on her lips. "Thank you Ma'am." He turned to Mike, "I hope you observed that carefully, Lieutenant! Someday it may fall upon you to perform such duties."
"Yes Sir, I watched carefully. I will make notes later."
"Good, it is one of the perks of being a general, you are usually the senior officer present, the down side is that in a fire fight you are the one everyone on the other side is shooting at."
Ginny and Cookie were laughing, Ginny said, "Gosh! Doesn't it impress you when you hear all the valuable and important information your husband is learning in this job?"
"It's just so wonderful to think Mike may someday pass that along to another young officer."