TITLE: 'Love in an Empty Field' (1/12)
RATING: A
POV: President Josiah Bartlet and Dr. Abigail Bartlet
SUMMARY: President Bartlet has to replace Mrs. Landingham
DISCLAIMER: The characters used from the West Wing do not belong to me; they are the property of Aaron Sorkin.
Jed
It isn't even noon and yet I feel like I have been in the Oval office arguing with Leo for days. The rain has finally slowed, still kind of a misty sprinkle hitting the windows. I am so drained. It has been a few days since my best friend was laid to rest and yet my heart still aches for her. The two of us have been through alot together. She is the godmother of my oldest daughter Elizabeth. She was like my sister. And I miss her so.
"Mr. President?" A few seconds of silence and then my name is repeated. "?" I glanced into the concerned face of my friend and colleague Leo. He too has been there with me for over 40 years. I can still hear him calling my name but I just don't want to talk right now. I don't even want to breathe. I just want things to go back to the way they were.
I want to tell Mrs. Landingham not to come back so we can chat. That way she would never have been at 18th and Potomac with her brand new navy blue car. Sticker price even; as well as air-conditioning, although she was more than willing to roll down her window. You had to love her. Even if you didn't see eye to eye with her, you loved her for her honesty, determination, kindness, but most of all you loved her because of her heart.
From somewhere deep inside of me I emerged from my shell and looked at Leo. He stopped pacing the room and stood before me, somewhat stunned to have my attention, maybe somewhat relieved as well.
"Mr. President, I know this is a rough time for you but…" Leo began, and I cut him off.
"I am fine Leo, just fine. The country hasn't stopped and I can't either, so let's get down to business before I change my mind. Now what is the first thing on the agenda today?"
I said clapping my hands and rubbing them together. Leo glanced down at his feet.
"Leo, I am fine really, what have you got for me? Time is precious so lets go! go! go!"
"Okay, we need to bring someone in to replace Mrs. Landingham," Leo finally said.
Just hearing her name brought the pain back into my heart. Rapidly my mind started recalling her voice, her perfume and the way she would look at me through her glasses. They would be sitting on her face yet she would lower her head and eyes so she was looking through the top of her glasses. A trait that even her beloved late husband Henry would kid her about.
"It's too soon".
"Mr. President, it has been a few days".
"Leo are you telling me that of all the problems the White House has to solve, finding me a new person is at the top of the list. I find that very hard to believe."
"It is time Sir".
"I lost a friend Leo, how about giving me a little courtesy".
"And the White House lost an employee Sir, this is business. We need to replace Mrs. Landingham."
"That is awfully harsh Leo coming from you. She admired you. Hell, she even liked you, you cold hearted son of a bitch".
Leo didn't even flinch when I said that. He looked towards the door that faced out to where Mrs. Landingham would usually be sitting had some drunken ass driver not killed her.
"Mr. President I loved her too. We all did. We are all mourning the loss of her, but we can't forever. We have to move on, she would want it that way. You, you're just using her as an excuse and you know it Jed. She wouldn't tolerate this kind of behaviour for a minute. She hated pity, and she hated people who didn't work."
It wasn't very often that Leo would address me as Jed, and so when he did I calmed down and took in his words. They were all true. But it still felt wrong. I moved towards my desk to check my itinerary. It was lying on my desk. Open and blank. The last entry was in Mrs. Landingham's writing regarding a bill that Congressman Tillinghouse wanted passed. It was almost 5 days old. As much as I didn't want to admit it, Leo was right. I needed a secretary.
"You win, hire someone that you find suitable. I don't want anything to do with that."
"I will take care of it Mr. President. I'll get right on it now."
With that Leo was gone and I was once again left alone with my thoughts. There was so much work to be done and all I wanted to do was hide away with my pain and my memories. A picture of Abbey and my daughters caught my attention and it made me realize how lucky I was to have them in my life. Dolores had a family at one time too. Henry and her twin boys, Simon and Andrew struck down long before their time. How cruel this world can be I thought as I headed up to my residence.1
I walked into the Oval Office from the outside rather than go by Mrs. Landingham's desk. I had been avoiding that area since she died. I didn't think I could handle seeing her desk empty. I can't really recall many events when it was ever empty. Charlie had already briefed me that Leo had hired a new girl and that she would be here later on in the day. I am not looking forward to this day.
I was in the office not ten minutes when Leo knocked on the door. He came in and stood before me with a big smile on his face. I'm scared.
"It turns out our new staff member is an eager young woman. She wasn't due to be here till later on, but she was eager to familiarize herself with the place. So Charlie offered to show her around. I thought that was nice of him."
"She is here now?"
"Yes Sir she is. Quite a lovely young girl, exquisite eyes and she has the most beautiful smile."
"Good for her, now are we going to discuss her outfit next or shall we get some work done? There has got to be a country in distress or something going on."
"Mr. President, be nice to her".
"Leo, we have been friends for more years than I care to admit, so knock it off with the Mr. President crap and call me Jed. I know you can do it, I have heard you say it."
"But Mr. Pres…"
"JED! JED! JED! Say it Leo, one syllable, JED,"
"We are in the White House and you ARE the President of the United States and as so you will be addressed as such. If you want to be called Jed, have me over for dinner tonight and I will call you Jed all night if it will make you feel better."
"It would, you bring the wine."
"Deal. Now when she gets here…."
"Leo, I have met people before and I have been gracious. I think I can do it for Miss Pretty eyes."
"Gracious, I wouldn't have even quoted polite." Leo began laughing and this made me feel good. Amazing how an old geezer's laugh can brighten up your mood. A few knocks at the door and in came Toby and Sam. Josh as usual would show up late. He is always on the look out for a fresh lemon cranberry muffin in the mornings.
A twenty minute meeting with Josh, Sam, Toby and Leo and then I was alone again. I had 15 minutes to myself before a meeting with Oliver Babish, my White House Counsel. I decided that I was going to phone my daughter Elizabeth when Charlie came into the office. I could see right away that he wasn't alone. He had the new girl with him. It was showtime.
"Mr. President, I would like you to meet Meadow. Meadow, the President of the United States, Josiah Bartlet." Charlie introduced.
A young woman of late twenties I presumed stepped out from behind Charlie. She was a striking young woman. Her hair was a reddish brown, kind of like Abbey's. And her eyes, the pretty eyes that Leo described didn't do her justice. They were full of life, the colour of an emerald. I straightened my tie and walked towards her. I offered her my hand and she accepted, looking me straight in the eye. I admire that.
"Good morning Mr. President, it is an honour to meet you," she spoke softly.
"It is a pleasure, Meadow, is it?" She nodded her head slightly and whispered "Yes."
"That is a beautiful name."
"Thank you."
"Were you named after anything in particular? I mean, with it being such a unique name I thought there maybe a story behind it."
"Um, not that I am aware of Mr. President. I think my parents just happened to like it and they went with it. They were special people."
"I am sure they were. So has Charlie been a decent tour guide?"
"Oh yes, he has been very kind." She looked towards Charlie and smiled. Again Leo was right, she had a lovely smile. She may not be my beloved Mrs. Landingham, but she seemed to be a well-mannered young lady.
"Well Mr. President we won't keep you. I will show Meadow her desk, and help her get sorted with the phone system and what not. If you need us, just buzz."
"That will be fine. Meadow it was very nice meeting you and I hope that you enjoy working here. Welcome aboard."
"It was nice meeting you too Mr. President, and I thank you for your hospitality."
We shook hands again and then both she and Charlie were gone. I stood in the middle of the office; my thoughts still on her eyes and hair. And that smile. I must have stood there 3 minutes when I figured out that she reminded me of my mother. They both had the same delicate features. The intercom started to ring. It was Charlie telling me about my next appointment. I had forgotten that I have no idea how to use the damn thing. I had always bellowed out my orders to Mrs. Landingham, and she would come in yelling at me to learn how to use the electronic device. I never did learn how. Together we would banter back and forth; we would usually wind up threatening one another. She knew of course that I would never do her any harm. I can't say that she would have felt the same. If there is one thing I could say about Mrs. Landingham, it was that she was one tough old bird.
"Dolores I don't think I can ever forgive you leaving me", I said aloud. I swear I thought I could faintly hear her sigh and reply back to me, "I'd come back tomorrow Sir if I thought it would get you to quit your whining." Just as I was going to promise her I would, I swear I would, there was a knock at the door.
Charlie tapped on the door and told me that Oliver was waiting. I waited to hear from Mrs. Landingham but there was only my breathing that could be heard. I sighed deeply.
"Show him in Charlie." 2
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