‘But I suppose Ms Judd found out somehow, and she can’t ignore the report, even though Pippa hasn’t actually broken a school rule.’
‘Exactly.’
‘Fuck. Why can’t kids go from cute child straight to responsible adult without the nasty in-between stage?’
‘Some do.’
Gerry probably had, Pauline thought. ‘What does Ms Judd want us to do?’
‘Make Pippa stop smoking weed,’ Gerry said.
‘Okay,’ Pauline said, but she was thinking: how the hell am I going to do that? I can’t even make her pick up her socks off the floor and put them in the laundry hamper.
Milt’s voice said: ‘Pardon me, I left my scarf behind.’
Pauline looked up, startled. She had not heard the door open.
Milton picked up the scarf.
Lizzie looked in and said: ‘Can I get you a cup of coffee, or anything, Mr Green?’
‘No, thanks.’
Lizzie caught sight of Milt and frowned. ‘Mr Vice-President! I did not see you come back.’ It was her job to police visitors to the Oval Office, and she was annoyed that someone had slipped in without her knowledge. ‘Is there anything I can do for you, sir?’
Pauline wondered how much Milt had heard of her conversation with Gerry. Not much, certainly. Anyway, there was nothing she could do about it.
Milt held up the purple scarf by way of explanation and said: ‘I’m sorry to have interrupted, Madam President.’ He left quickly.
Lizzie was embarrassed. ‘I’m so sorry about that, Madam President.’
‘Not your fault, Lizzie,’ said Pauline. ‘We’ll go to the Residence now. Where is Pippa?’
‘In her room, doing her homework.’ The Secret Service always knew where everybody was and they kept Lizzie informed.
Pauline and Gerry left the Oval Office together and took the winding path across the Rose Garden in the evening sunshine. At the Residence they climbed the stairs to the second floor and went to Pippa’s bedroom.
Pauline noticed that the poster of polar bears that had been over the head of her bed had been replaced by a picture of a cute boy with a guitar – probably a big star, though Pauline did not recognize the face.
Pippa was sitting cross-legged on the bed, wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, with her laptop open in front of her. She looked up and said: ‘What?’
Pauline sat on a chair. ‘Ms Judd went to see your father this afternoon.’
‘What did old Judders want? To make trouble, I guess, by the looks on your faces.’
‘She says you’ve been smoking weed.’
‘How the fuck would she know a thing like that?’
‘Don’t swear, please. Apparently, it happened at Cindy Riley’s birthday party.’
‘What asshole told her?’
Pauline thought: How can she look so cute and talk so mean?
Gerald said calmly: ‘Pippa, you’re asking the wrong questions. It doesn’t matter how Ms Judd found out.’
‘It’s none of her business what I do outside school.’
‘She doesn’t see it that way, and nor do we.’
Pippa gave a theatrical sigh and closed the lid of her laptop. ‘What do you want me to do?’
Pauline remembered giving birth to Pippa. She had wanted the baby so badly, but it had hurt so much. She still loved her baby with all her heart, and it still hurt.
Gerry answered Pippa’s insolent question. ‘Stop smoking marijuana.’
‘Everybody smokes it, Dad! It’s legal in DC and half the world.’
‘It’s bad for you.’
‘Not as bad as alcohol, and you drink wine.’
Pauline said: ‘I agree. But your school bans it.’
‘They’re stupid.’
‘They’re not, but it would make no difference if they were. They write the rules. If Ms Judd decides you’re a bad influence on other pupils, she has the right to throw you out. And that’s what will happen if you don’t change your ways.’
‘I don’t care.’
Pauline stood up. ‘I guess I don’t, either. You’re getting too old to be told, so I can’t protect you from the consequences of your mistakes much longer.’
Pippa looked scared. The conversation had taken a turn she had not expected. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘If you get thrown out you’ll have to be home-schooled. There’s no point in sending you to another school where you can get in all the same kinds of trouble.’ Pauline had not planned to say this, but now she saw that it was necessary. ‘We’ll hire a tutor, probably two, who will give you lessons right here and take you through your exams. You’ll miss your friends, but that’s too bad. In the evenings you may be allowed out, under supervision, if you behave well and study hard.’