The President's Daughter

Chapter 6

Aaron drove silently back to his hometown in Aspen, Colorado. It was a long drive, but worth it to see his sister. He couldn't stop thinking about her. His sister, his loving, care-free, erratic sister had breast cancer.

He pulled out his phone from his pocket and quickly dialed her number. It rang once, twice, three times, then finally a chipper voice answer the phone.

"Hello?" she greeted. She sounded drained already, sick almost.

"Hey," he answered with a small smile touching the edges of his mouth. He heard his sister gasp on the other line.

"Aaron? Is that you? My amazing brother?" Aaron gave a short grunt meant as a laugh. His sister sighed disapprovingly. "Come on Aaron. You're talking to me, you can smile around me for once," she teased. Aaron smiled then.

"How ya doin', Anna?" he asked her sincerely. She sighed.

"Alright. Lots of chemo. Wearing an amazing wig," she joked. Then the line went silent. Aaron furrowed his eyebrows as she sniffled silently on the other line.

"What's wrong, Annalise?" he probed, concern blanketing his voice. Annalise sniffled again and took a deep breath. He let her breathe it out, knowing this was a hard time for her.

"They said they have to cut off my breasts. The cancer has spread too much," she revealed.

He felt his heart break for her.

"Anna, I'm so sorry," he said apologetically. "Listen, I'm driving to you right now."

"Now?? What about the President!?"

"What about him? He understands."

"What about the girl?" she asked. Aaron was taken off guard and stayed silent. Anna did have an intuitive mind, but he never would have thought that intuitive.

"Wha..." but he was cut off from his sentence by his cell phone beeping. He looked at who was calling and his heart skipped a beat. "Anna... You're right, and now she's calling me meaning there's something wrong. I have to go, I'll call you right back." He said.

"Okay, tell her I said hi and can't wait to meet her," Anna said, genuinely meaning it.

"Will do," he said then pressed the switch call button. "Aaron," he said curtly. He heard sobbing on the other line. "Hello?" he asked uncertainty.

"Aaron?" Amanda sobbed.

"Yeah, it's me, what's going on?" he asked. Amanda sniffled on the other line.

"I need you Agent Awe," she choked out. In a heartbeat Aaron found the nearest exit and turned the car around.

***

"I just can't believe he's alive! I mean, the doctors said he was dead! This can't be possible!" Aaron listened as Amanda talked her own ear off. He knew he was only there as someone to cry on, but it still felt good knowing someone needed him in an emotional situation, not just for physical protection.

He put his arms around her gently, feeling slightly awkward about the gesture, but doing it anyway. He had called Anna back and told her something had arisen but he'd be there to visit soon. She relayed that she completely understood. He loved that about his sister. She was so selfless.

"It'll be okay, Amanda," he cooed. He definitely was not used to comforting women, much less the President's daughter! She got up out of his arms and he felt his heart grow heavy as he watched her leave. She traveled into the bathroom and shut the door. He heard her blowing her nose and then wail loudly. He felt a pang of remorse for her.

He may not have known the whole story, but he knew enough that this hurt her deeply, but it was also shocking, and a happy at the same time. Maybe even scary. He had no idea who her brother was. What kind of man he was. If he was a danger to himself or to Amanda.

Quickly, he got up from Amanda's bed and opened the bathroom door where she was in the corner huddled into a ball sniffling. He bent down and picked her up easily and brought her over to the bed. Carefully, as if she were a child, he set her down and pulled the covers over her. Bending over, he kissed her forehead, then began his walk back to his room for a background check.