Presidents, Spies, and Boys, Oh My!

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

I hadn't even realized I'd drifted off to sleep until I was awoken, again, by a voice. Actually, scratch that. Multiple voices this time. Opening my eyes and adjusting to the fluorescent lighting again, I gasped at all the people standing around my bed. In a chorus of, "Hey! She's awake!" and "Ember!" 's I saw the familiar faces and matched them. President McGallen, Mrs. McGallen, Ariana, Preston, Joshua, Addy (my foster mommy!), Jonathan, and even (this one's a huge surprise) Skylar were standing around my bed. I sat up, with help from Mrs. McGallen, and smiled at everyone. My head felt better, not throbbing as much as before, but it still felt slightly woozy. I used my pillows for support. 

"How are you feeling, Ember?" Ariana said first, sounding unlike her bratty, spoiled self.

I glanced at her. She smiled at me, a small smile but still a smile. She wore normal clothes for a change, as opposed to her crazy colors and tight jeans or short shorts. Her hair was brushed back into a French braid and her makeup looked light. I was taken aback by her new look. How long have I been asleep?

"Better. My head doesn't hurt as much." I answered, shifting.

Ariana nodded. Addy came to stand by my head, across from President and Mrs. McGallen. Addy's chestnut brown hair was pulled back in a bun and she still wore a gray suit with a black blouse. The pearls around her neck clicked when they moved. Her motherly, soft blue eyes watched me. She kissed the top of my head, stroking my hair in a motherly way. I flashed a smile at her.

"As soon as we heard about the accident, we rushed down here. Maggie had heard you were in critical condition." President McGallen said, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder.

I turned to face them, smiling. They smiled back. These people have become second parents to me. 

"Yeah. I don't remember anything from the accident. I have a mild concussion, slight amnesia, and three broken ribs. I'm such a tough spy, aren't I?"

President McGallen chuckled, shaking his head. 

"Yes, Ember, you are a very tough spy. Maggie and I knew you were too stubborn to leave us just yet." 

"My dad said the same thing." I said.

"Did he?"

I nodded. An awkward silence blanketed the room. A high pitched squeal broke it two minutes later. Everyone's heads turned towards the source of the squeal. A young girl, maybe about thirteen, stood near my bed, staring right at Ariana. Her golden blonde hair was pulled back into a braid and her sequined purple top shimmered in the harsh lighting. Her jeans looked tighter than Ariana's usually are.

"OMG! You're Ariana McGallen! You're, like, my fashion idol! Can I have a picture with you? Please, please, please?"

Ariana bit her lip, glancing over to me as if asking for my permission. I smiled and nodded, waving my free hand aimlessly at her.

"Go ahead." I said.

She looked back to the girl, who seemed starstruck. Ariana has been made into a kind of celebrity when her father was elected. Always wanting to be a model, she did photo shoots for magazines and even made the front page of Seventeen when her father got elected, dubbing the name "America's Princess" in the process.

"I'm sorry. I'd love to get a picture with you but I'd really like to see my friend right now."

Whoa. Did she just turn down a photo-op? And call me friend? Where is the real Ariana and what have they done with her? Even her parents looked surprised. I spoke up.

"Nonsense. Go get your picture. I'll still be here when you get back. I don't plan on leaving anytime soon."

"You sure, Ember?"

I nodded.

"Yes, yes. Now go."

She smiled at me and then went to go take a picture with the girl. Asking her for her name and signing her pink phone case, she wrote a little message with her autograph. The girl's name was Tiffany. Afterwards, the girl thanked her about seven and a half times before bouncing off. I laughed inwardly. Ariana. Can't even go into a hospital (of all places) without seeing a fan. Preston walked up next to my bed, smiling up at me. I smiled down at him. He took something out of his jacket and handed it to me. It was a card. I grabbed it and read the front cover. Scrawled, in green crayon with the "g" backwards, was Get Well Soon. At the bottom was a picture of a race car and a Pokemon ball. I opened the card and saw more Pokemon balls, race cars, and Mario Kart items drawn in the blank spaces around a little note. This time written in red crayon, it said:

Dear Ember, 

I hope you feel better soon. I feel more safe with you around.

Love, Preston

I smiled at Preston and opened my arms for a hug, being careful of the IV tube connected to my arm. Preston climbed up onto the bed, hugging me back lightly after his father reminded him to be careful of my ribs. Broken ribs or not, I hugged the little boy as tight as I could.

"Thank you so much, Preston. How did you know I liked Mario Kart?" I said as he pulled away and climbed back down. 

Because who doesn't like Mario Kart? Preston smiled and spoke in a soft tone. 

"Did you like the race cars?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I don't like them. I LOVE them."

Suddenly, someone cleared their throat towards the end of my bed. I looked at the person. Ariana stood there, looking guilty of something. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. 

"Ember, I," she paused, "I would like to apologize for being such a jerk to you. You protected me and my family when we needed you. I should be grateful and, well, I bet we all know I haven't been very grateful. If it's not too late, can you accept my apology?"

This took me off-guard. Ariana is apologizing? Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Now I know somebody took the real Ariana. Still, I like this Ariana better than the old bitch Ariana. I smiled, nodding.

"Apology accepted. I was only doing my job."

Ariana smiled. Yet again, another silence took over. Out of my peripheral, I saw Joshua leaning up against the wall and looking oh-so-sexy in well fitting jeans and a North Face windbreaker. His gray eyes raked over me before meeting my face when I looked over at him. He smiled a small, polite smile and then looked down at his feet. I cleared my throat, looking at my clasped hands in my lap. I hoped no one else picked up on the tension between us. Jonathan spoke next, though.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're all right, Miss Rhinehart. I almost thought I'd lost one of my best agents. For the time being, you will remain here in the hospital until you are cleared to leave. Then you will be going back to the White House, where you can finish up recovery. Take it as a vacation, under the circumstances. Let me know when you are ready to get back into your mission. I'll send in another temporary agent to replace you. He's not as good as you but he'll have to do."

I nodded.

"Yes, sir. Once I recover, I will call the agency."

Jonathan nodded.

"Good. I must be getting back to Langley now. I hope you have a speedy recovery."

"Thank you, sir."

With that, my boss turned on his heel and left, nodding a quick goodbye to the rest of the group and Addy. The crazy thing about having foster parents from the CIA, we share the same boss. Not many kids can say that about them and their parents. It's as weird as it is funny. For the next hour, we all talked. Nobody mentioned the crash. Nobody mentioned my injuries. I completely forgot about them for a short while. The McGallen's have become my second family...minus Joshua, of course. I'd die for them not only because it's my job. Ariana, Preston, and (okay, I'll say it,) Skylar have become siblings to me. Skylar never apologized like Ariana did but I could see it in his eyes. He was sorry. I accept his apology too. Maybe my life isn't so screwed up after all. It may be different, yes, but not screwed up. I wouldn't change it for the world.