President Jed Bartlet was a conflicted man in October 2001. The "usual" burdens of the presidency were weighing on him, as was the impending congressional probe of his multiple sclerosis and the failure to disclose the diagnosis to voters during the 1998 campaign. On the other hand, Jed enjoyed his job and looked forward to his upcoming 2002 re-election campaign. He was especially grateful to have the support of his wife, Abbey. Abbey Bartlet, a physician, was for a time furious that Jed had broken his private pledge to forgo a re-election bid. She feared a second term would strain his already fragile health. However, Abbey gradually let bygones be bygones, and even introduced Jed at his campaign kickoff in his home state of New Hampshire.
During a routine and somewhat boring Thursday afternoon Oval Office meeting with his West Wing senior staff, it occurred to Jed that while he and Abbey were on better terms, they hadn't really reconnected as a couple. After the meeting broke up and the staff cleared out, Jed found himself alone in the Oval, and the lack of a reconnection with Abbey continued to nag at him. Suddenly, an idea came to his head. Jed plopped into his chair at the Resolute Desk, picked up the phone and placed a call to Abbey in the East Wing.
"Hello?" Abbey said upon getting on the line.
"Ah yeah, Abbey, it's me. Just wondering, do we have anything in particular going on over the weekend?" Jed asked somewhat awkwardly.
"No, we don't, Jed. Why's that?" Abbey replied.
"OK, then. We're going to Camp David for the weekend, just you and me. We'll leave tomorrow afternoon," Jed said.
"That works for me, Jethro. See you tonight," Abbey said nonchalantly.
While Jed had never appreciated Abbey calling him "Jethro," he welcomed it this time. It certainly suggested she was interested in rekindling their romance.
Friday dawned warm and sunny in Washington, D.C. By mid afternoon, Marine One had arrived on the South Lawn of the White House, ready to whisk the Bartlets to Camp David for their getaway.
Together, Jed and Abbey made the famous walk across the lawn to the helicopter, waving to the crowds that had gathered to catch glimpses of them. They had come directly from their respective offices, so they still were in "office wear" - he in a suit and tie, she in a skirt suit and heels.
As she strapped herself into her seat on the chopper, Abbey remarked, "I'm really glad we decided to do this." Shooting her a mischievous grin, Jed replied, "Just remember whose idea it was."
Just then, Marine One lifted off the South Lawn and began the flight to Camp David, in Thurmont, Md. Like excited kids, Jed and Abbey enjoyed the aerial view of Washington and Maryland. Occasionally, they would recognize some place on the ground, and Jed invariably would spout trivia about it.
"So far so good," Jed thought as Marine One approached Camp David.
The First Couple immediately felt a sense of peace upon reaching the presidential mountain retreat. Its quiet atmosphere stood in marked contrast with the hustle-and-bustle world of the White House, so one inevitably felt at ease on its grounds. Jed had told his best friend and chief of staff, Leo McGarry, that unless a major foreign-policy or national-security crisis seemed imminent, he and Abbey were not to be disturbed until they returned to the White House Sunday evening. The Bartlets quickly headed for the main cabin to get situated for what Jed hoped would be a very special weekend.
After changing into more comfortable clothes, Jed and Abbey sat down in their cabin for a relatively early dinner. Abbey had personally prepared a simple meal of comfort foods from their native New England. As they munched, the cuisine inevitably got them thinking about home, and Jed and Abbey reminisced amicably about their favorite places and things to do.
"Abbey, I'm so glad you're with me," Jed said during a break in the conversation. "In this campaign and in life."
"I am, too, Jed," Abbey replied. "But remember something. I was so angry with you for running for re-election because I love you with all my heart. I know what MS can do, and I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night worrying the combination of it and your stress will prove too much. Really, Jed, I don't know what I would do if I lost you. Please promise me you will be careful during the campaign and the second term I know you will get."
Jed was too moved to respond verbally, so he reached across the small table and took Abbey's hand in his own. Without letting go of her hand, Jed approached Abbey and pulled her into a tight hug. "I will, sweetheart," he eventually said in a voice choked with emotion. "I will."
Jed and Abbey decided they would spend their nights at Camp David watching movies. They eventually agreed to watch "Grease," an old favorite of Abbey's, and "Apocalypse Now," an old favorite of Jed's. Abbey often was told by friends that she looked like Betty Rizzo, while Jed often heard that he was a dead ringer for Capt. Benjamin Willard.
"Which one should we watch tonight?" Abbey asked.
"Ladies before gentlemen," Jed replied with a grin. "We'll go with 'Grease' tonight and 'Apocalypse Now' tomorrow night."
Jed and Abbey watched "Grease" nestled contentedly in each other's arms. They occasionally sang along with Rizzo, Sandy, Danny and company.
Jed and Abbey awoke from restful slumbers around 7 on Saturday. Without changing out of their pajamas, they headed for the cabin kitchen to make light breakfasts. Ever the doctor, Abbey insisted fruit be included in breakfast. The weather was cool but sunny. Looking outside, Jed suggested they take a nice walk around the Camp David grounds. Abbey enthusiastically said yes.
By mid morning, it was time to get a move on. Abbey sat in the cabin living room wearing jeans and a Harvard Medical School hoodie, and she began slipping on a brand-new pair of white Reebok Princess sneakers. They had been Abbey's go-to shoes when she was on duty in the hospital, and remained a favorite for casual wear. As Abbey tied her Reeboks, she heard a voice ask, "All ready to go?" She looked up to see Jed, dressed in jeans, a Notre Dame hoodie, and sneakers. "Sure am," replied Abbey with a smile. Jed reached for Abbey's hand and helped her up. Once Abbey was on her feet, Jed gently placed a kiss on her lips. "You're so beautiful. I could jump you right now," he said in a low, seductive voice. "You're pretty hot yourself," Abbey replied, giving Jed a wink in the process.
Jed and Abbey hit the pavement and began their stroll. They held hands, and Jed frequently related obscure anecdotes about the past presidents who had used the retreat. Abbey rolled her eyes, having heard most of the stories many times before.
"Ah, this weather reminds me so much of the morning we met," Jed said after he had run out of anecdotes.
"Haha, I just had the same thought," Abbey responded. "I guess great minds think alike."
Back in 1964, Jed went to Nantucket with Leo for a long weekend. It was toward the end of the summer between their freshman and sophomore years of college and since they went to different schools, they figured the trip would be their last hurrah at least until Thanksgiving break.
The guys arrived on Nantucket early on a sunny but slightly chilly Friday, and immediately went to a breakfast place. Jed was mesmerized when cute, auburn-haired waitress Abigail Barrington came over to take their orders. At the time, Jed was considering becoming a priest, but as soon as he got talking with Abbey, he knew the priesthood was not for him.
Aspiring doctor Abbey spent summers on the island with her family. Conveniently for Jed, she came from the suburbs north of Boston, not far from the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border, and was a student at St. Mary's College, which is located very close to Notre Dame.
Abbey joined Jed and Leo for dinner that night. A good time was had by all, but Jed and Abbey couldn't take their eyes off each other.
Leo could see the sparks flying. He never had been completely comfortable with Jed's talk of becoming a priest, so he was all too happy to see his best friend falling for a girl. When they got back to the hotel, Leo encouraged Jed to ask Abbey to go to dinner the following evening, just the two of them. Jed liked the idea and called Abbey first thing in the morning. She accepted his invite. From that evening forward, they practically were inseparable.
Ron Ehrlich, the guy Abbey had casually been seeing for several months, immediately was history. Jed and Abbey were married in 1967, shortly after graduating.
"Yeah, what a weekend that was," President Bartlet said as he smiled at the memory.
"The best of my life," Abbey replied.
Recalling their first meeting launched Jed and Abbey on a real trip down memory lane. As they continued their hand-in-hand stroll, the Bartlets reminisced, with much joy, about the main events of their life together. They discussed their wedding; their time in London; the births of their three daughters; Jed's receiving a Ph.D.; Abbey's graduation from medical school; their various professional accomplishments, notably Jed's Nobel Prize; and Jed's election to Congress, the New Hampshire governorship and, finally, the presidency.
As they approached the cabin, Jed and Abbey were in thoroughly good moods.
"We're quite a pair. I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else," Jed said.
"I knew 37 years ago you were the only one for me," Abbey replied.
"We have many more adventures ahead of us," Jed asserted, as he squeezed Abbey's left hand even tighter.
"I'm with you in anything, baby," Abbey said. "But keep in mind what I said last night about taking care of yourself. I'm serious, if you die, a part of me will die, too."
An affected Jed simply nodded.
"Not many people know this," Abbey continued, "but when you were shot last year, I was going crazy with worry until you were out of the hospital. Sure, I seemed cool on the outside, but the inside was a different story."
"But I was on my feet again pretty quickly," Jed said.
"Yes, you were," Abbey replied. "But simply knowing you had been shot and were in the hospital wreaked havoc with my emotions."
Without saying a word, Jed reached in to his pocket and pulled out a small box from a jewelry store. He opened it to reveal a gold ring with an opal stone. Abbey put her hands over her mouth
"Abigail Barrington Bartlet," Jed said, "I love you more than I love life itself. I give you this ring in celebration of the great life we've had together and in anticipation of the even greater life that is ahead of us."
With that, Jed slipped the ring on to Abbey's left ring finger, placing it alongside her engagement and wedding rings. Abbey promptly pulled Jed into the most passionate, longest-lasting kiss of their 37 years together.
When the kiss finally broke, Jed noticed tears pooling in Abbey's hazel eyes. He offered her a handkerchief but couldn't resist cracking, "So much for your tough exterior."
"Jackass," Abbey fired back as she dried her eyes.
Just then, Jed's cellphone rang. Jed looked at the phone, and said, "It's Leo." Abbey replied with a simple "Uh-oh." Jed picked up quickly.
"Hello?" Jed said as Abbey watched and listened for a sign a crisis would interrupt their weekend.
"Yes, Leo, we are having a wonderful time," she heard Jed say into the phone. "Huh? Yeah, I just gave Abbey the ring and she was moved to tears."
"Jed," Abbey whined.
Continuing his phone conversation, Jed said, "Well, Leo, I appreciate your concern for the state of our marriage, but if I remember correctly, I said we were not to be disturbed unless World War III were about to start."
Abbey giggled at Jed's crack.
"I'll say hello to Abbey for you. Thanks very much, Leo. See you Monday," Jed said before hanging up.
"See that? I'm president of the United States yet I'm powerless to get my chief of staff to follow one basic instruction," Jed complained.
"Aw, come on, Jed. Leo was just being a good friend to both of us," Abbey replied. "He's literally been with us since the beginning, so cut him a break."
"Yeah, that's a good point," Jed said. "But I do want to give my attention only to you for the rest of this weekend, my darling."
"That sounds good to me," Abbey said.
With that, Jed and Abbey Bartlet rejoined hands, headed into the cabin and shut the door. There could no longer be any doubt they were fully reconnected.
The End