Margaret’s eyes were becoming moist. O’Connor placed a hand on Margaret’s arm. She moved out from under it.

“Damnit, I’ve cried enough,” Margaret said. She tucked a strand of hair into her bun.

“So nothing sticks out to you?” Addis asked. “There’s nothing there?”

“There’s always something, because there’s always someone who’s busy making anything into something. We should know what people are saying about it. That can be more important than what really happened. Right?”

“I suppose,” he said.

“So you’re going down there?”

He nodded.

“Without having to say why?”

“I have an idea. And it will be good to get out of here for a few days.”

Shit, I shouldn’t have said that.

O’Connor shot him a look that screamed, “You insensitive bastard.” But Margaret did not pay attention to his remark. He got up. “I’ll let you finish here,” he said.

“Thank you, Nick,” she said.

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied.

She began rummaging through another box. “Old calendars,” she explained.

O’Connor accompanied Addis back to the West Wing.

“Is she doing alright?” he asked.

“She’s strong. A fighter.”

“You know, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Shit, I can’t bring myself to say it: Margaret running for President.

“Not good for who?” O’Connor asked. “Not good for Mumfries, Kelly, and their cronies?”

“I don’t care about them.”

“Not good for her? How condescending is that?”

“She can do what she wants, but it won’t go well for her. She’ll look too ambitious.”

“And a woman can’t do that?”

“Not easily, unfortunately. But there are other reasons: She’s never held office; she’s a magnet for too much shit.”

“And I suppose it’s not good for Nick Addis, who has checked out of the game and is now above it all?”

“I don’t matter.”

“Spoken like a true self-pitying martyr.” She finished the sentence with a chuckle, trying to take the sharpness off her words.

“And what about Jack?” he asked.

“Maybe we ought to pack him and Margaret off to a wax museum in New Orleans,” she replied. “That will be great for him.”

“Okay, okay, you’ve convinced me. Go for it. Have a blast. Smite all foes.”

O’Connor hugged him.

“That’s it?” she said with a smirk. “I have your blessings? Thank you, padre.” He laughed at her and said good-bye.

Addis went back to his office. He returned a few calls. His parents were not in their offices. He spoke to a few friends scattered throughout the administration. They each wanted to know what was going to happen. He reported that he did not know. He did the same with a couple of journalists he respected. He answered a call from Senator Palmer. The senator was on the floor.

Then he called Holly Rudd.