Oh Ms Believer

20. Jenna

Neither Samantha nor I slept well. Because she didn't have her leg and she had to be careful with her left leg, she was sleeping on the couch in the living room until she could bear more weight on her injured leg. And more easily use her wheelchair, since stairs and wheels don't go together.

I got the little girls up and dressed in the morning. Samantha was already folding her blankets and was in her chair when I came downstairs. She was in sweat pants and a T-shirt.

"That's not what you're wearing to meet the President," I said.

"Yes it is," she said flatly. "I just got shot and just got home from the hospital. I'm not dressing up."

I wasn't going to argue. She had a point.

I knew there would be press, as well, and reminded Sam that press would be coming as well.

"I know," she said, rolling herself into the kitchen and getting her meds together. I got breakfast going for the four of us.

"What time are they coming?" She asked.

"Ten," I said. "I don't know how long they'll stay. But the Secret Service are coming in half an hour to make sure the house is safe."

"The worst that could happen is Junie pukes on him or one of Rosie's alligators escapes," Sam smirked. I was happy she was joking a little. She was still so upset about everything, and of course she was.

Tyler's parents had been helping out and were expected in the afternoon.

I cleaned up from breakfast while Sam held Junie in her lap and Rosie leaned on Sam's wheelchair and talked to her.

The doorbell rang at exactly nine.

"Sam, you want to get that?" I asked.

"No," she said flatly. I sighed and went to open the door. Four men in dark suits were at the door. They showed badges and introduced themselves.

"Come on in," I said.

"Thank you, ma'am. Is there anyone else staying in the house that wasn't declared?"

"No. My husband left last night for work and my in laws are coming, but not until later."

The men nodded. They looked around the inside and two went outside.

Once they had determined the house was safe, they made calls and then told us that the President would arrive at 10, come inside, talk with Sam and myself, take some pictures for the reporters that would accompany and then he'd leave. He was visiting all the injured students today. He was coming from Parker's bedside apparently.

Sam didn't seem nervous and just rolled around the main floor doing her own thing while we waited.

At ten, the doorbell rang and the Secret Service men got a call on their radios.

They went to the door to let the President in. Samantha stayed in the living room. I went to the door as well.

And suddenly, the President of the United States was standing in my doorway.

"Good morning," he said, smiling as he came into the house.

"Good morning, Mr. President," I said, smiling.

"Is Samantha here?" He asked. I nodded and both the Secret Service agents and I indicated that she was in the living room. Several photographers followed the President in.

"Good morning, Samantha," he said to her as he came into the living room.

"Hi," Samantha said.

The President sat down on the couch beside Sam's chair. His wife had joined him and after saying hello to me and giving me a hug, she joined him in the living room.

"Do you mind if I sit here beside you?"

"No. That's fine," she said. He smiled at her.

"So, how are you doing? I understand you were shot in the left leg?" Sam nodded.

"I'm doing okay. I miss my friends, but I'm okay," Sam said.

"The First Lady and I are so sorry this happened to you and your friends. I wanted to come visit you and your classmates to let you all know we are trying to enact stricter gun laws so hopefully these things don't happen so easily. But most importantly, I wanted to come and see how you all are doing."

Samantha shrugged.

"I guess I'm okay."

"Do you mind if I ask you about that day?" He asked.

"Sure," Sam said.

"What were you doing?"

"I was about to write my math exam. We thought it was a drill."

"I understand you lost a good friend?"

"Blaine. Yeah. He was protecting me, I think. He pushed me over and told me to stay down. He got shot in the head."

The President and the First Lady shook their heads. They were sympathetic. This wasn't the first school shooting they'd been to.

The photographers took photos as they talked. Samantha was fairly engaged. She was still so sad about losing her friends, but she was doing alright considering.

"Can I ask what happened to your right leg?" The President asked.

"My dad and I were in a car accident last year. I broke my femur and a whole bunch of other stuff. My leg never healed properly and then I got an infection and there was a lot of scar tissue. So they had to amputate it."

"I'm so sorry," the First Lady said.

"I understand you play basketball. Do you still?"

"Yes. I play in a wheelchair league and the school lets me play on my prosthetic."

"I've been told you're a good player," the President said.

"I'm okay," she said.

"The question is, how hard would you play against the President?"

"What?" Samantha said.

"I know you have a court outside. Let's see how good you are."

Samantha looked over at me. I shrugged. No one had mentioned this.

"Uh, okay," Samantha said. She rolled to the kitchen door and the President followed her, followed by the First Lady, and the Secret Service agents. Outside, the President took off his jacket and tie and rolled up his sleeves.

Sam rolled over to the basketball by the hoop and picked it up. She dribbled it a bit and then passed it to the President. I had my phone and took photos, even though the press was going nuts with photos. Samantha was in her element and I saw her smile. A real smile. A couple of agents joined the game as well and they played two on two.

After about fifteen minutes, because he still had an agenda to follow, they stopped. The President took more photos with Samantha, bent down to her level and talked to her directly. Whatever he was saying was not for public consumption.

The President and the First Lady both hugged Samantha, and then came over to me.

"You have a wonderful daughter," the President said. "I'm so sorry she's going through this. But she seems resilient. I think you're all going to be okay."

"Thank you, Mr. President," I said.

He then picked Rosie up and smiled at her.

"Do you help take care of your sister?" He asked her.

"I is Sammy's nurse," Rosie smiled.

"Well, you are doing a wonderful job," he smiled at her. The photographers got us all together and took more pictures. Then, they left.

I looked at Samantha, who was staring at the door.

"I just played basketball with the President," she said.