“Oh please. Show me what you’ve got, tough guy.”

“Dad says we should never be rough with a woman or a girl. It’s not gentlemanly.”

“What are Dad’s rules for when a woman is beating the crap out of you?”

“Even then,” Scotty said.

Sam let him go. “Well, you guys are no fun at all.”

“We disagree,” Nick said with a meaningful look for her.

“Ew, don’t make it gross.” Scotty stood and dusted off his pajama pants. “Just so you know, I could’ve gotten you off me if I’d wanted to.”

“No way.”

“Is there a gym at Camp David, Dad?”

“I think so.”

“Then I challenge you to a wrestling match when we get there, Mom. I think Dad would agree that an official challenge is different from being rough with a woman in the way that he means.”

“I agree,” Nick said, “and I’ll serve as the referee.”

“Only if you don’t give her extra points because she’s your main squeeze.”

“Hmm, I can see how that’d be a concern for you. Your mom is a heck of a main squeeze.”

“I’m out.” Scotty held up his hands in surrender. “And I demand impartial officiating for the wrestling match. I’ll ask Elijah.”

“That’s probably a good idea,” Nick said.

“It’s concerning that you wouldn’t pick your kid over your wife like any other father would. You need to think about your priorities, Mr. President.”

“I love you equally,” Nick said.

“That is a damned lie. Everyone in the world knows you love her more than anything.”

“Scotty, come on. I love you just as much.”

“No, you don’t, but that’s okay. You love me more than enough. Merry Christmas and good night. Wake me up when they let us out of here.”

“Why would he say that?” Nick seemed genuinely distressed. “He knows I love him more than anything.”

“The whole world knows we love each other more than anything, but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t take a bullet for any of those kids, or think of them first in a fire, or do anything we could to keep them safe.” She curled up on his lap and put her arms around him. “Focus on the other thing he said. You love him more than enough.”

“It’s kind of upsetting that he thinks I wouldn’t pick him and the others first, right along with you.”

“He knows you would. He’s just pushing buttons. That boy knows who loves him.”

“Yeah, I guess. I love him so much. I can’t imagine life without him anymore. It’s like he’s always been here, part of us.”

“I know, and I hate that he’s already fourteen, that we missed most of the first twelve years with him.”