He shook his head. “I’m afraid that isn’t up to me.”

With a deep sigh, she said, “I guess I have something to get used to.”

“Guess so.”

After a moment, she asked, “Will I have my shadows with me in the States?”

“The Secret Service?” He chuckled. “Afraid so.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Is that absolutely necessary?”

With a nod he again said, “Afraid so.”

She looked out the window and watched the ground rise up to meet the airplane. Deep in her heart, she knew she had only one decision to make: to forgive her father, accept the demands of his new position, and figure out what was next for her life. As soon as the plane securely touched the ground, she grabbed her bag from the seat next to her and stood. “I’ll go do what I can with my appearance.”

Once she’d retrieved the garment bag from the closet, she slipped into the bathroom. After changing into a pink turtleneck sweater and a pair of gray slacks, she put on some light makeup and ran a brush through her hair. In the bottom of the garment bag, she found a box with a pair of gray leather ankle boots.

The plane came to a stop just as she came out of the bathroom. She didn’t see her father anywhere, so she put everything back into her backpack, left the empty hangers and shoebox in the closet, and sat back down, waiting for instructions. She still had to learn all the protocol and didn’t want to go the wrong direction or out of order.

It didn’t take long for an aide to retrieve her. He took her bag from her and said, “We’ll put this in the car, but you’ll want your coat.”

While she stood near the door, he helped her into her coat, then held out a pair of gray leather gloves and a soft pink hat.

“You’re acclimated to the warm jungle,” he said, smiling with impossibly white teeth. “This will help.”

She glanced at her father as he approached. Someone, another aide or a member of the flight crew perhaps, brushed the shoulders of his black wool coat, then helped him put it on.

“Daddy, it occurred to me that you had to purchase these clothes in the States. You weren’t getting wool pants in Katangela.”

He accepted gloves from an aide and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “Your mother sent them. She handles those details.”

“You never even thought about leaving me there. You always intended to bring me home.”

He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. He would never have this conversation in front of his staff. Contrite, she turned and waited for someone to tell her when to walk down the steps and where to stand at the press conference.