Interlude: First Noel (The Executive Office #1.5)

by Tal Bauer

Eventually, Jack led Ethan back up the Residence and to the Study. A fire was already going, and Ethan’s packages had been added under the tree. Jack grabbed all five and carried them to the couch. Grinning, he passed the first present to Ethan. It was small and light, and Ethan’s heart skipped a beat as he ripped the paper. An ornament sat in his hands. A silver frame, and inside, a picture of him and Jack in front of the tree in the East Room when Daniels had taken their picture. It was after the kiss, when Jack was laughing out loud, turned toward the camera, and Ethan was staring at Jack, grinning like a little boy. On the bottom of the frame, engraved in bold swirling strokes, it read, “Our First Christmas.” Jack was quiet as Ethan stared at the ornament. “It’s perfect,” Ethan whispered. Jack gently plucked it from his palm and went to the tree. He picked a high branch, dead center, and slipped the satin ribbon around a finger of evergreen. It bobbed and bounced, but the ornament stayed on. “Now it’s perfect.” When he sat, Ethan passed Jack the bigger of his two boxes. He couldn’t smother his grin at all. Jack tore into the wrapping paper and then the box. He burst out laughing, his head tipping back against the couch, before he slid the teddy bear out. “Aww.” He fingered the curled bit of shoelace going from the bear’s ear to his suit and the engraved sunglasses hiding his eyes. “Is this my stand-in Secret Service bear when you’re not here?” Jack’s eyes twinkled. “So...