The Book of Fate

42

ID, please,” the burly African-American security guard insists as I step through the glass doors and into the gray marble lobby of our building. Most mornings I pass with nothing more than a wave to Norma, the overweight Hispanic woman who’s worked the morning shift for the past three years. Today, Norma’s gone. A quick glance at the new guard’s hand shows me the beige sleeve-microphone concealed in his fist. The patch on his shoulder reads Flamingo Security Corp. But I know Secret Service when I see it.

With Nico loose, no one’s taking any chances.

It’s no different when I step out of the elevator on the fourth floor. In addition to the regular suit-and-tie agent who stands guard by the flags in our welcoming area, there’s an agent outside our bulletproof doors, and a third just outside the President’s personal office at the end of the hallway. Still, none of it surprises me half as much as the familiar voice I hear a few doors down as I cut into my own office.

“You’re sure it’s okay?” the voice asks from our chief of staff’s office.

“Absolutely,” Claudia promises as they step into the hall. “In fact, if you didn’t call — oh, I would’ve killed you. And so would he,” she says, referring to the President.

She stops short right in front of my door. “Wes, guess who’s going to be working out of our office for the next week?” she asks, stepping inside and waving like a magician’s assistant toward the door.

“H-Hey, pal,” Dreidel says as he enters my office, a thick file folder pressed against his hip.

I clap my hands, pretending to be amused. What’re you doing? I ask with a glance.

“My firm asked if I could—”

“They didn’t ask,” Claudia jumps in, already seizing control. “They had a last-minute rescheduling on a deposition, and since he was down here, they told him to stay. But we can’t let him scrounge in some hotel executive center, right? Not when we’ve got all this office space here.”

“It’s just for a week,” Dreidel says, already reading my reaction.

“Wes, you okay?” Claudia asks. “I figured with all this Nico mess, it’d be nice to have someone familiar to—” She cuts herself off, realizing what she’s missed. “Nico. Oh, how could I be so stupid? Wes, I’m so sorry… I didn’t even think that you and Nico—” She steps back, tapping the tight bun in her hair as if she wants to bury herself under it. From there, the pity comes quickly. “How’re you holding up? If you need to go home—”

“I’m fine,” I insist.

“After all these years, it’s just… I don’t even think of you as—” She doesn’t say the word, but I still hear it. Disabled. Scarred.

“A victim,” Dreidel clarifies as Claudia offers a thankful nod.

“Exactly. A victim,” she repeats, finding her footing. “That’s all I meant. Just that you… you’re not a victim, Wes. Not now, not ever,” she insists as if that makes it so. Like any career politician, she doesn’t let the apology linger. “Meanwhile, Dreidel, let me show you the volunteer room in back — it’s got a computer, a phone — you’ll be set for the week. Wes, just so you know, I talked to the Service this morning, and they said they’re not expecting any incidents, so unless we hear otherwise, schedule stays pretty much the same.”

“Pretty much?”

“They’re keeping him home most of the day — y’know, just to be safe,” she says, hoping to soothe. The problem is, the last time Manning altered his schedule was when they thought he had rectal cancer a few years back. Life-or-death. “So forget the PSA taping,” she quickly adds, heading for the door. “Though he’ll still need you for the Madame Tussaud thing at the house tonight.”

Before I can say a word, my phone rings on my desk.

“If it’s press…” Claudia says.

I shoot her a look.

“Sorry,” she offers. “I just, if you saw how many calls I got last night…”

“Believe me, I’ve been saying no all morning,” I tell her as she waves and leaves. I let the phone ring, waiting for Dreidel to trail behind her. He stays put.

“Claudia, I’ll be there in a sec,” he calls out, standing next to me at my desk.

I stare at him in disbelief. “What the hell’re you doing here?” I whisper.

He looks back with the same disbelief. “You kidding? I’m helping you.”

The phone rings again, and I glance down at caller ID, which is angled so Dreidel can’t read it from his side of the desk. Presidential Library.

“Could be the archivist,” Dreidel says, leaning forward for a quick glance. “Maybe she got Boyle’s papers ready.”

The phone rings again.

“What, now you don’t want the papers?” he adds.

I roll my eyes but can’t ignore the logic. Grabbing the receiver, I answer, “Wes here.”

Dreidel makes a beeline for the door, peeking out into the hallway to make sure we’re alone.

“Heya there, Wes,” a soft voice says through the phone. “Gerald Lang… from the curator’s office? Wondering if you had a moment to talk about that presidential aide exhibit?”

As Dreidel cranes his neck into the hall, a sudden, fake smile lights up his face. Someone’s there.

“Heeey!” he announces, motioning them into my office.

“Dreidel, don’t!” I hiss, covering the phone. I don’t need the circus to—

“Dreidel?” Lang asks on the line, clearly overhearing. “I was just trying to reach him. He was Manning’s aide in the White House, no?”

In front of me, Bev and Oren embrace Dreidel in a Mary Tyler Moore group hug. Bev squeezes him so tightly, her fake boobs practically crush the personalized Manning letter she’s holding. The prodigal son’s returned. But as I watch them celebrate, a hollow pain crawls through my stomach. Not out of jealousy. Or envy. I don’t need them to ask me about Nico or how I’m holding up. I don’t need more pity. But I do need to know why Dreidel, still in mid-hug, keeps glancing over his shoulder, studying me on the phone. His eyes are tired, the dark moons below them betraying his lack of sleep last night. Whatever kept him up, kept him up late.

“Wes, you there?” Lang asks on the other line.

“Yeah, no — I’m here,” I reply, crossing around to the seat side of the desk. “Let me just… can I think about it for a bit? With all this Nico mess, we’re just running a little crazy.”

Hanging up the phone, I look back at my friend. My friend who got me my job. And taught me everything I know. And visited me when… when only my parents and Rogo visited. I don’t care what Rogo says. If Dreidel’s here, it’s for a good reason.

With a back pat for Oren and a cheek kiss for Bev, Dreidel sends them on their way and bounces back into my office. Curling one leg under my tush, I take a seat behind my desk and study the smile on his face. No doubt about it. He’s here to help.

“So no on the archivist, huh?” he asks. “What about Lisbeth? What time we seeing her?” When I don’t answer immediately, he adds, “Last night… I was there, Wes. You said you were meeting this morning.”

“We are, but—”

“Then let’s not be stupid.” He heads for the door and slams it shut for privacy. “Instead of rushing in like imbeciles, let’s make sure we’re ready for once.” Reading my reaction, he adds, “What? You do want me to come, right?”

“No… of course,” I stutter, sinking slightly in my seat. “Why wouldn’t I want that?”