In the Meantime…. 1/1
Josh/Abbey
Disclaimer: We all know who owns the characters so I can't even pretend.
A/N: This is set in Manchester during the first campaign.
"Your husband is driving me crazy!"
Abbey Bartlet looked up from the book she was reading out on the porch, to find Josh Lyman storming towards her. Taken aback by his tone, she slammed the book shut and sat up straight ready to read him the riot act.
"I beg your pardon, Josh"
"You heard me. He's a real son of a bitch! We're busting our guts trying to get him elected and nothing we do is right. Toby and Sam are on their ninth draft of the Pittsburg speech and he just keeps ripping it up and tearing them apart. He's not following the campaign schedules which means that CJ is up to her neck in it with the press and……… well, I can't yell at him and you said to me in Illinois if I wanted to kick someone, I could kick you and ………I REALLY want to kick someone……" Josh's voice trailed off as he noticed the frown on Abbey's face. "Oh my God," he whispered, the color draining from his face as realisation set in. "You didn't mean it…….Oh, my God, you didn't mean it. I am so, so sorry, I just…you said…and I thought….and…"
Abbey felt the corner of her mouth tug upwards in a grin as she watched the younger man back-pedal frantically.
"Calm down, Josh," her voice soothed, "you're going to have a heart attack getting yourself worked up like that! You're right, I did say you could kick me and all I can say is that I'm glad you didn't physically kick me!"
"I would never…"Josh began, shaking his head.
"I'm only kidding, Josh. Wow, you are really worked up aren't you? Where are you supposed to be right now?"
"They're having a meeting at the hotel. I kinda stormed out," Josh admitted sheepishly.
"Well, I'm sure they can live without you for an hour. Come inside and have some coffee and maybe we can get something sorted out." Abbey stood up and walked over to the doorway. Pulling open the screen-door to the farmhouse, she walked in, holding the door open wide as she waited patiently for Josh to join her.
As she filled the kettle, she noticed Josh standing awkwardly by the door and motioned for him to sit down at the large pine table in the centre of the kitchen. She studied him for a few moments, taking in his frazzled appearance, the light stubble on his jaw, his hair wild and untamed. He'd had a lot to deal with in the past months and Abbey felt that he hadn't taken enough time off after his father's death to properly grieve. She had a feeling his little outburst had more to it than just her insensitive husband.
"There we go," Abbey said, placing a steaming mug of coffee down in front of him and sitting down at the chair beside him. "So, my husband's a jackass, huh?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Josh laughed, nodding his head.
"Less of the 'Ma'am' formalities, it makes me feel about 102!" Abbey said, subconsciously raising a hand to her hair and running her fingers through her thick curls.
"Ok, Ma'am…..I mean, Abbey,"
"I don't need to tell you, Josh, that Jed wasn't in this to win. He really had no intention of running for President. But with help from you, and Toby, CJ and Sam, it looks as though he might just do it. And he's petrified,"
Josh nodded as he waited for Abbey to continue.
"He has……well, let's just say he has lots of other things on his mind right now as well as the campaign and he's finding it hard to deal with it all. I know from past experience that he won't want to bring his problems home and take them out on me, which means that you guys are the scapegoats, the ones who have to take the brunt of his exasperation. Believe me, though, when I say he appreciates everything that you guys are doing for him. More that you could possibly imagine."
"I guess we all know that he's stressed, it's understandable. Abbey, I'm sorry for coming across here this afternoon and yelling at you. I should never have…."
"How's your mother, Josh?" Abbey interrupted, watching his expression change as quickly as she changed the subject.
"My mother? She's fine, I guess. I haven't really spoken to her much since the….since my dad's funeral." Josh's eyes grew cloudy as he spoke about his father and Abbey leaned across to take his hand in hers. Josh looked directly at her and Abbey felt her heart rise up in her throat as she saw the pain in his eyes.
"Oh, Abbey, I know I should have stayed longer after the funeral but I couldn't stand the silence. I just wanted to get back to work, among my friends, among strangers, anything but silence. My mom is acting just like she did after Joanie died. Sure, there were three of us in the house then but the silence was unbearable. Both she and my dad would sit for hours, saying and doing nothing. I used to sit up in my room alone, not wanting to go down there in case I disturbed them. I didn't know what to do then and I don't know what to do now."
"Everybody grieves in their own way, Josh. For your mum, it's obviously easier for her to sit quietly and contemplate her memories of your sister and father. For you, you think you need to rush head first back into your work. Which might be ok, but you have to have a little time to grieve, Josh. Just a little time, to come to terms with what has happened. And a busy campaign trail isn't the place to that."
"But…."
"No, Josh, I mean it. You're running yourself into the ground and then you're not going to be any good to anyone. Not to Jed, not to your mother, not to me."
"To you?" Josh frowned.
"I need you as a sparring partner. I can't stress out Jed either at the moment, so when I'm angry and frustrated I'm just going to come to you and beat the crap out of you…..figuratively at least, anyway."
"Sparring partner, huh?" Josh grinned and Abbey smiled back, happy to see the dimples shining through his stubbled cheeks.
"Absolutely. So, are we agreed? It's 4 days until Pittsburg and I'm sure they've got everything under control, except Jed that is but I'm sure he'll rise to the occasion. I want you to take a few days out and just relax, get your head together because when you come back it's full steam ahead to the White House and we're going to really need you then."
"Okay, I'll have a vacation for a few days……just for you," Josh agreed, draining the last of his coffee and standing up from the table. "I'd better get back and explain what's happening. Thanks, Abbey."
"You're more than welcome, Josh," she said, pulling the younger man in for a tight hug. "Take care of yourself and come back in one piece. I've a feeling you and I are going to be going more than a few rounds before this campaign is over."