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Language:
English
Series:
Part 1 of Second Chances
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Published:
2021-03-21
Completed:
2022-03-10
Words:
147,312
Chapters:
37/37
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270
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A Second Chance

Chapter 2

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

Bill felt like someone had just punched him in the gut and knocked the air out of him.

He came up there to confess his sins and she threw him this curveball. Life was always going to be interesting with the two of them.

Hillary would never throw around words like “fall in love” so easily. In their twenty-five years together, he never had to worry about her straying in their relationship, that flaw was all him, so he didn’t know what to make of her statement. He wasn’t a fool. He knew his wife was a beautiful intelligent caring woman and many were attracted to her. She could have anyone she wanted and he was lucky she had chosen him, even though he often didn’t know how to treat her right.  

“It’s like that woman said at the radio address: once I saw him, I knew it in my heart that we had this connection.” She continued smiling.

Bill felt another punch. A pain going straight to his heart. He could feel tears forming in his eyes. How could she tell him something like this while smiling? Without remorse?

“Hillary” Bill whispered in a hoarse voice. “What are you saying? I don’t…” His words stopped in his throat. 

“At the hospital.” She answered turning her head towards him.

 

Earlier that day

First Lady Hillary Clinton stepped outside of the limousine as it reached the Children’s National Hospital. That was the part of the job she liked most, being able to visit places and see how she could help. Since she didn’t manage to pass affordable national health care for everyone, she decided to put her energy in helping children get health insurance. She swept her hair back and put on a brave smile.

“Madam First Lady”. She was greeted by two senators and a few members of Congress who were co-sponsoring the initiative and by the board of directors of the hospital. This greeting ceremonies and public shake of hands were part of the job. It’s like her husband always said: relations were necessary to make things happen.

She posed for the cameras and photographers. There was just a small press corps there.

I guess this event is not as interesting or can attract as much attention as a First Lady testifying in front of the Grand Jury.   She thought sarcastically.    

They slowly made their way inside the hospital. Hillary was already trying to engage in useful conversations, trying to find out where the faults were and how could the government help. They would stop along the way so she could meet and shake hands with different doctors and nurses.  

She visited the first ward occupied by older kids. She talked to them and their parents, signed books and took pictures. Then, they went to oncology ward. Hillary tried to hide the hurt she was feeling seeing all those kids fighting cancer. After talking to parents, and giving them comfort, she sat on a chair and started reading a book to them. Some children were sitting on the floor in front of her, mesmerized by her voice. One little girl even got the courage to sit on Hillary’s lap and the woman smiled at her and kissed the top of her head.

Her last visit was to the younger children ward. As soon as she entered the room children shouted and surrounded her.

“Hello everyone!” She smiled and caressed the heads of the children. Soon everyone wanted to show her their toys or give the pictured they made. Hillary stopped by every bed and talked to parents and relatives. Then she noticed one little boy playing on his own, in a bed far away in the corner.

“Who’s that little boy?” Hillary asked one of the nurses assigned to escort her.

The nurse followed the direction of her eyes. “Oh, that’s Jason, our special patient.” She answered with a sorrowful smile.  

“Where are his parents?” Thinking that his parents must have difficulties to be there all the time, maybe working to afford the hospital bills.

“Poor Jason was found in an alley next his mother’s body when he was just a baby. The poor young girl had just given birth to him. She was probably a runaway girl herself with drug problems. He’s been in the system ever since with unknown father and no relatives to contact.”

Hillary had tears in her eyes. “How old is he?”

“Well, he’s just over two years old. We don’t really know his birthday, so on the birth certificate we’ve just put the day he was found and one of the nurses gave him his name. Jason means “healer”, and since he was already fighting for his life when he got here, it seemed fitting.”

“Why? What does he have?” Hillary got more interested in the backstory of the toddler who was still sitting on his bed, quietly pointing at pictures in a children’s book.

“When he arrived, he had mild hyperthermia and dehydration. Then, after some exams, they discovered he had a congenital heart defect. It’s not uncommon in babies when a difficult pregnancy is involved. He’s already had a couple of heart surgery, one just a few weeks ago, that’s why he’s been staying with us, but soon it will be time for him to go in a nursing home with children’s care.”

“Not in a foster family?” Hillary asked surprised. One of her husband’s, and hers, main objective was to introduce adoption reforms that could make it easier to foster and adopt children.

“Unfortunately, with his medical past and the fact that he will need further surgeries and proper health care in the future, there’s not much hope for him in finding a family. It’s just a question of being educated. With proper medicines and considering the advancements we’re doing in the medical field, Jason could live a full and happy life, if someone would just love him and give him a chance.”

Hillary just nodded and slowly walked towards the toddler’s bed.

“Hey.” She whispered as she kneeled next to the bed. “I’m Hillary.”

Jason lifted his head from his book and looked at her, then he suddenly gave her a big smile, a boyish grin that reminded her so much of Bill.

“Hi.” She smiled back and, as soon as their blue eyes connected, she felt a pull in her heart. In that moment she knew she couldn’t let him go.

“Hee-a-ree.” The boy tried to say her name. “Hee-a-ree.”

And she laughed because that’s exactly how Bill called her when he was being playful and silly.

“Yes, sweetie?” she ran her hand through his dark hair.

Jason pointed at the book.

“Do you want me to read it for you?” Hillary slowly got up from her squat position and sat on the bed, pulling Jason in her lap.

She began reading the book and together they would turn the pages and point at the pictures. She would tell him the words and he would try to repeat them. His painful upbringing had slightly affected his child development, but Hillary could see a curious mind that just wanted to be understood and loved.

Minutes passed and her assistants knew it was time for them to leave, but they didn’t really want to interrupt the scene. Their boss was a private person but they knew that the president and first lady loved kids and the fact that they had problems conceiving was a well-know fact. They could sense that the first lady so longed for a second child.

“Madam” finally one of her staff members had called her out.

Hillary looked up and soon her smile disappeared. It was time for her to go. She slowly nodded and go up from the bed, Jason still in her arms. “I’m sorry little man, it’s time for me to go.” And after caressing his head and running a hand up and down his back, she laid him back on the bed.

The toddler didn’t really know what was happening. The only thing he knew was that it felt nice being in that woman’s arms and wanted to stay there. “Up!” He cried lifting his arms “up!”

Silent tears ran down Hillary’s cheek which didn’t go unnoticed by the people in the room. “I wish I could, but I’ll come back, I promise.”

Jason’s lip started to quiver and the nurse soon took him in her arms trying to calm him down. Hillary thanked her and drying her eyes with the tip of her fingers, she turned around, quickly walking towards the safety and privacy of her car. With each step she took, she felt like she was leaving a piece of her heart behind.

 

By the time Hillary had finished her story, Bill was sitting on the couch shocked.

“So, do you understand.” She sat next to him, putting her hand on top of his knee. “I found our son and I want to find out how we can adopt him.”

Notes:

The radio address I referred to was actually in December of 1996, but for the purpose of the story I've changed the timeline.