“Oh Syd, this is not your fault,” Michael told her as he hugged her tightly.
“Yes it is,” she said with a shaky voice as she squeezed Michael’s arm that was around her.
“No, no it’s not,” he assured her while kissing her head, trying to soothe her and yet feeling slightly confused, since this was the first time in their relationship he had ever seen her cry. In their six months together, he had gathered that she definitely wasn’t one to cry easily.
“It is... it’s because I’m a woman... they... they just...,” she let her voice drift off.
“Syd, you can’t change the world. You can’t. It’s impossible. You can’t change those people’s minds. They’re just that way and you have to do your best to prove that you’re being the best president you can be and it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman. All that matters is all the good you can do and you know what Syd? You’re doing a damn good job; a damn good one. And if you ask me, it's because you’re a woman. A fantastic, smart, wonderful woman. You just can’t let things you can’t change get you down,” he told her.
Sydney hugged him tighter, touched by his words. “Thank you,” she mumbled quietly. His only response was to kiss her head once more. “Will you stay here tonight? Please. I don’t want to be alone.”
“Of course Syd. I’ll do anything you want,” he told her honestly.
“Just hold me,” she sighed.