"Are we feeling a little green, Madame Ambassador?"
"Hey, One Fry. Jealous of what? None of these women are even in my league. Besides, I know whose bed he's sleeping in tonight and every night after that. Donna's joke rocked."
"Yeah, she did good. I wish I could have invited her."
"Why don't you call her right now and tell her just that. Don't forget the little things, Josh. They're what really matter. The grand gestures are for getting you out of the dog house. Sam had this whole scenario planned out for proposing to me and it dawned on him that he didn't need the candles, food, music or a ten page speech. He just brought me back to the place we first met and said 'I love you - will you marry me'. He kept it simple, Josh, and it meant more to me than the big production ever could."
"Excuse me. I have a call to make. Why don't you go rescue Sam."
Mara sauntered over towards Sam, stopping every few minutes to say hello to someone who had called out to her. She made a point of chatting with members of the Canadian Press who made her laugh by suggesting she treat them to dinner and a comedy routine. She compromised and promised them a lunch at the Embassy. Sam was talking to Danny and two women she didn't recognize.
"Daniel, Samuel, how are you this evening?"
"Madame Ambassador, how nice to see you," Danny replied.
"Mara, it is a pleasure to see you again," Sam added, taking in the little black lace dress and the shoes of death.
"I'm sorry ladies, I don't believe to have made your acquaintance."
"Hi, I'm Marcy Connors from the Chicago Sun Times, and this is Evelyn Robeiro from the Detroit Standard."
"Nice to met you."
"Mara, I was just heading to the bar, can I get you anything?"
"Thanks Sam, I'll have a JD on the rocks."
Sam looked at her funny, that was his usual drink not hers. "Be right back."
Danny excused himself a few moments later, leaving Mara standing with the two women. She sat down in what she knew was Sam's chair and sighed when the women joined her.
"Ambassador, do you happen to know if Sam is seeing anyone?"
"Evelyn!"
"Marcy, the Ambassador isn't blind, I'm sure she can understand why Sam is one of the capital's most eligible bachlor."
Mara couldn't help laughing. "I'm sorry, I don't feel comfortable commenting on the personal lives of my friends"
Marcy laughed. "I admire that, Ma'am. You have to admit it though, he is cute."
"Yes, I have to agree with you on that."
"Ladies, what are we discussing?" Sam asked, sitting down beside Mara.
Mara grinned when she noticed Sam had ordered a cranberry and vodka. "We were actually talking about how handsome you are." Mara quipped.
Sam blushed and Marcy and Evelyn turned crimson and quickly made an excuse to leave the table. Mara made sure no one was in ear shot and dropped her voice to a near whisper. "Evelyn wants to date you and Marcy thinks you are cute. They didn't give me a chance to say that I thought you were sexy as hell and I wish I could have my way with you on the dais."
"I'm afraid, Madame Ambassador, that my fiancée would kill me if I had sex with you. Not that you wouldn't be worthy of dying for, but still."
"Ah, she's a nasty wench is she?"
"You don't know the half of it," Sam teased.
"Sam, what are you doing with a woman who sounds like a shrew?"
"I ask myself that sometimes. The problem is I love her with all my heart and even when she's making me miserable, there's no other place I rather be."
"Oh, Sam."
"Think anyone will notice if we leave?"
"Ask me if I care if they notice. Let's go."
Josh was just reentering the ballroom when he noticed Sam and Mara slipping out the back way. Donna seemed touched that he called to let her know he wished she was there and teased him about taking her comedy skills on the road. Josh found the President and excused himself on the grounds that he had work to do for the "Jack and Jill" shower. Half an hour later, he was using his key to get into Donna's apartment. Donna was sitting on the couch waiting for him.
"I knew you'd come over."
"Hey, you said you were wearing a red see through teddy."
"Well, I lied. Since you are up, get me a bottle of water from the fridge."
Josh handed her the water and leaned over to kiss her. He ended up kissing a yellow legal pad instead.
"Hey!"
"Josh, I didn't want you over here for a booty call. I want to go over the details for the party tomorrow."
"But... You implied... You said."
"Josh, if I had told you to come over to work on last minute details, would you have?"
"No"
"I rest my case. Now, this is the list of everything you have to do in the morning and underneath is what you need to have in your car and bring to Sam and Mara's by noon at the latest."
"Dooonnnaaaaa!"
"Josh, do you really think whining is going to make me change my mind? Now, read that list."
"Yeah, yeah. I got it. If this is how you are going to treat me, I'm going home to take a very cold shower. You are evil to the core, Donna."
"Thank you. I know. Good night, Joshua."
Donna gave him a quick kiss and sent him on his way. She decided to prepare a few of the food items in advance and went to bed with the list of songs in the karioke machine.
*******************
When the alarm went off Sunday morning, Mara groaned, turned it off and rolled over to snuggle up to Sam. She wasn't very happy to discover he wasn't in bed. She screamed for him at the top of her lungs. Killer came dashing in to the room with his toy mouse in his mouth, pounced on the bed and dropped it at her hand. Without looking she tossed it out the room and laughed as Killer charged after it.
"You bellowed?" Sam asked from the door.
"Yeah, get your butt back in to bed this instant."
"I was just about to make breakfast. They want us out of the house remember."
"Screw breakfast. It's my house and I'm not ready to get out of bed. Now get back in here, I want to cuddle."
"Mara."
"Sam, do you really want me pissed at you less than a week before our wedding?"
"Fine, let me go turn the oven off."
Mara heard Sam muttering all the way down the stairs, but the only words she could make out were oppressive and dictator. She thought about Sam agreeing that she was a shrew and decided maybe she should go easy on him for a little while. When it took Sam longer than she thought to get back upstairs, she decided he knew she was evil and was still going to marry her so she screamed for him at the top of her lungs once more.
"Mara, shut the hell up! I'll be there in a minute. If you call for me again, I'm not coming up period."
She looked at her engagement ring and grinned, when Sam gave her attitude back they usually ended up locked in a fierce debate. She hadn't debated with Sam for over a month now.
"Sam, be it resolved that a woman should be required to say 'obey' in her wedding vows, but not a man."
"I'm taking the nay," he yelled back.
"What the heck took you so long?" she asked when he entered the room with a mug of coffee.
"I was hungry, so I had some cereal and made myself some coffee." Sam climbed back into bed and just got comfortable when Mara wrapped her arms around him, gave him a kiss and settled in his arms.
**********************
It was shortly after eleven when Donna arrived. She brought the food she made into the kitchen and heard laughter. She stood in the living room for a few minutes and heard Mara and Sam arguing about something. She climbed the stairs and stood at their open bedroom door and tried not to laugh. Mara was telling Sam that a wife's duty was to take care of her husband and that his wishes were more important than her own.
"Mara, if you mean one word of that, Section B of the Sisterhood code demands that I strangle you. What the heck are you two doing here?"
"Sam was being a rebel today and said he didn't want to move."
"Hello? What planet to do think this is, Miss Lie-Like-a-Rug."
Donna simply rolled her eyes, "Look, you can stay, but you can't leave the upstairs area until you are called for. Oh, and if you are going to argue, keep it down to a low roar."
"I'm going to need some food if I have to stay up here for another three hours."
"Fine, I'll make you a sandwich and bring it up. Now behave or I'll drag your butt out myself."
"Hmm Chick fight! I'd pay good money to see that."
Mara and Donna gave Sam a death glare and pounced on him before he could move. Mara was pinching his neck while Donna was yanking on his ear.
"Uncle! I'm sorry! Owwww! Stop that! Umm Women rule, men drool."
Donna started laughing and released her hold, while Mara squeezed a little harder before releasing his neck.
"Damn it! That really hurt, Mar!"
"I bet it did."
"You know, in a week, that will be husband abuse."
"It's not abuse, Sam. It's behaviour modification therapy."
"What the hell? That's abuse, Mara, plain and simple."
"Sam, will you ever mention the words 'chick fight' again?"
"Not in your presence, that's for damn sure."
"Then I've modified your behaviour, so it's BMT."
"Donna, there is a sudden opening for a bride on Saturday. Are you interested?"
"Depends, where is the honeymoon?"
"Anguilla."
"I, Donna, take you, Samuel...."
"Ha! The two of you are just too funny. Blondy, go get me food and Spanky, go brush your teeth, you have coffee breath."
"If we leave right now, Sam, we could be married in Vegas by the morning."
"Kay, I'll go brush my teeth and meet you downstairs."
"Donna, my sandwich won't make itself or walk up the stairs, so go rectify the situation," Mara ordered, ignoring the two comedians in front of her.
"Mara, go make your own damn sandwich. I have better things to do," Donna replied and left the room.
"I think I'm going to go work out for a while. I'll be back in time for the party. See ya," Sam kissed Mara on the cheek and fled before she could say or do anything.
Mara was out of bed and dressed in five minutes. She picked up the phone and dialed the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown. She waited impatiently to be connected to Cheryl's room. She was just about to hang up when the line was picked up.
"Hello."
"Cheryl, what the hell were you doing?"
"I just got out of the shower, do you mind?"
"There is a phone in the bathroom, so why so long?"
"I had to dry off before grabbing the phone on the other side of the room. I had a vision of slipping on this fine marble floor and cracking my head open."
"Oh. The peasants rose up and revolted against me. I need someone to boss around. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"Why must I suffer when you were the reason they revolted?"
"That's what best friends are for. See ya."
After making Donna laugh by announcing she knew when she was no longer wanted, Mara had her driver drop her off at the hotel. She had to wait for the concierge to put in a pass key to let her up to the fifth floor. She knocked on Cheryl's door and laughed when her friend opened the door with a plush white Ritz Carlton robe on and a towel wrapped around her head.
"Geez, so nice of you to dress for the occasion."
"Mara, get your skinny ass in here."
Cheryl went back in to the bathroom and Mara went straight for the mini bar. She took out a bottle of coke and a little Polar Ice Vodka. She took a large gulp of coke and then poured the contents of the little vodka bottle in. She opened the food drawer and pulled out a twenty five dollar box of Swiss chocolate truffles. There were eight in the box.
"Imagine 25 bucks for 8 chocolates. How come there aren't M&M's in here?"
"I ate them all when I got in last night. Actually, Mar, do me a favour. Right across the street up a quarter of a block is a gas station. Could you get 5 of each type of M&M's. I refuse to let you pay $3 for each one. My card key is on the night table."
"Card Key? Sorry, I don't touch those evil plastic cards."
"For God's sake, Mara. I swear, some days you are worse than a two year old!" Cheryl came out of the bathroom, shoved the card key into her front pocket and pushed her towards the door. "Just don't touch your pocket until you are back in the hotel elevator with the door closed."
"I suppose I'm paying for the M&M's."
"Yeah, I can't afford M&M's on my paltry government salary."
"Hello, I know what you make and it isn't paltry girl. You want to hear paltry, ask Donna how much she makes."
"Yada, yada, yada! Just go get the M's, buy another bottle of coke to replace the one you are drinking and try not to get run over. Oh, and make it snappy."
Cheryl turned around immediately and went back in to the bathroom, missing the look of righteous indignation on Mara's face. She made a few very loud sighs and commented on how Cheryl should be running stupid errands for her, not the other way around.
"Aren't you gone yet?" Cheryl shouted.
"Impertinent twit!" Mara exclaimed before leaving the room.
On her way down the elevator, she wondered why everyone was annoying her today. It was as if they all woke up, checked their calendars and decided that today was a good day to give Mara a hard time.
She was starving, which led her to spend $30 on junk food. She put her bag down in the elevator and let the door close as Cheryl instructed. Well it can't fall down the elevator shaft at least, she thought as she fished the card key out of her pocket. The card cooperated to activate the elevator but after the third try at Cheryl's door, she screamed in frustration and knocked loudly.
"How could you have possibly lost the card Mara?" Cheryl asked as she opened the door.
"I didn't loose the damn thing, it won't work."
Cheryl snatched the card out of Mara's hand and tried it four times. The little red light refused to turn green.
"I swear, Mara, you have some bizarre magnetic energy that feels compelled to ruin card keys."
"Sure, blame me when it's the cards. I 'm telling you Cheryl, they are evil, those magnetic strips hold computer chips that are out to destroy me."
"Get in here you goofball. What did you buy the store out?"
"I'm starving, Donna wouldn't feed me."
"I want to go to Sephora, thought we could grab a bite in Georgetown."
"Can I finish my drink? You're wearing that to my party?"
Cheryl frowned at Mara, "What's wrong with this outfit? I think I look pretty hot."
Cheryl did look very good in a short deep pink slip dress. "You look great, but short little sun dresses require some behaviour modifications. You are severely limiting where you can sit"
"I'll be fine. It's spring and it's 70 degrees, I'm dressed for the season. You are the one out of place in leather pants. Is that what you are wearing?"
"Yeah, I might change my top but in pants I can sit anywhere."
"You mean you can sit on Sam."
"That too."
Mara finished her drink and poured the contents of a box of 'Good & Plenty' into her mouth. She tossed a couple bags of M&M's and Skittles in her purse. Cheryl tried her second card key and slipped it into her purse when it worked. She replaced the candies she ate and the bottle of Coke Mara drank.
"So, are you and Dani fighting again?" Cheryl asked as they were in the elevator.
"Not yet. We haven't seen each other either though."
"You know, now that she's in Ottawa, it's almost like you're back. I never realized just how alike the two of you were."
"We are too much alike, that's the problem. Dani and I get along great when there is a border of some sorts between us. The 401 between Kingston and Ottawa and now the Canadian-US border. She just has to irritate me within the first 30 seconds. When I've tried ignoring her, she just escalates her behaviour until I yell at her. Why did you think we were fighting?"
The conversation continued as they left the hotel and entered the limo. Mara let her driver know where they were going and turned her attention back to Cheryl.
"Well?"
"It was something she said on the plane last night. She wanted to know if you had asked me to be in your wedding party. I told her no, that you knew how much I hated being in wedding parties and that you asked me to be the MC instead. She said that you should have asked her anyway."
"What? I'm going to kill her. She's the only person I know who hates being in wedding parties more than you. She's never even been in one. Heck, when I called to ask her to do a reading, I started by asking her to do me a favour and she said 'I'm not going to be a bridesmaid'. I can't believe she's trying to pull this injured party crap. She nearly killed Sam and....."
"Mara take a deep breath. I told her that she had a nerve to say that when even I knew she didn't want to be in the wedding party. She made it perfectly clear that she didn't want to be asked and that she should be happy that you didn't try to guilt her into it like Mandy did to me."
"I'm going to slap her in the face when I see her. I won't be able to hold myself back"
"Mara, if I had known you were going to react this way, I wouldn't have told you. Come on, you can't let this ruin your party. I think she's jealous and hurt that you are so happy and that you've found someone as perfect as Sam. Hell, I've been envious when Sam kisses you or reaches over to play with your hair. I'm happy for you, but I can't help wishing it was me."
"Sam is one in a billion. I blew up at him last Saturday night and didn't talk to him until Monday night and he acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary."
"He probably enjoyed the silence," Cheryl teased.
Mara swatted her best friend in the arm. "He did not! Sam loves the sound of my voice."
"Sure, Mara, whatever you say," Cheryl laughed.
"Keep it up Cheryl, and I'm going to cancel your companion credit card."
"You'd never do that to me. So can I hear your vows?"
"I haven't done them yet. I don't think I'm going to either. I want to be in the moment and just say what comes to mind."
"Umm Hon, speaking your mind isn't always the best of ideas. Especially when it's your mind the words are coming from. I think the Boy Scouts have a point when they say 'Be prepared.' You might want to jot down something at least."
"Don't worry, everything will work out. Did you say Leslie picked you up at the airport?"
"Yeah she did. She called me Friday at the office and told me she was going to meet me at the airport. She was a little surprised that Dani was coming with me, but she was standing there waiting for us. It was a good thing Dani was with me because I didn't have a clue what she looked like. She's such a little thing for a girl with that much attitude. We left Dani at CJ's, then went for dessert and a coffee. I love that southern accent."
"Yeah, I make her read my mail every morning because I like listening to the southern twang. I call her Scarlet to annoy her."
"I'm not going to be your assistant when I leave the Hill am I?"
"Umm no. Cherry I can't send Leslie back to her old job and even my ego can't justify needing two assistants. I haven't been happy with the passport office lately. The supervisor isn't doing his job, so I've given him a warning that things better improve or he's out of there, but I don't think my threat will be enough. I sort of need you to be my COS, but I haven't worked out the details yet," she replied cautiously.
"Relax Mar, I'm not going to turn on you. The look of terror on your face was funny though. I like the sound of Chief of Staff. We're here."
The girls arranged to meet Jack back in front of Sephora in an hour and a half. Mara's favourite part of going to Sephora was looking at all the multicolor bottles neatly lined on the glass shelves. She rarely bought anything, but she loved looking around the store. Cheryl picked up a few items before Mara dragged her away in search of food. She split a Greek Salad with Cheryl since she knew Donna was going to have enough food at the party to feed the 107th Airborne.
They were on their way to meet Jack when Mara spotted a skirt she liked in a store window. She tried it on, decided it looked better on the hanger but found a barely there turquoise top that she just had to have. Cheryl tried talking her out of wearing it home, but once Mara made up her mind, no one could change it.
"Well at least Sam will have fun playing with your back," Cheryl commented on the way back to the house."
"Huh?" Mara mumbled lost in thought.
"I said, Sam is going to be all over you during the party. He's not going to be able to resist your bare shoulders or your almost bare back. Aren't you worried those two thin ties are going to come undone?"
"No, they'll stay. He'll be playing with my stomach too. He'll wrap his arm around me and rest his hands on my stomach while he kisses my shoulders."
"Yup, I hate you both," Cheryl said sarcastically.
Mara and Cheryl got out of the car just as Toby was arriving at the mansion.
"Well, hello, sexy," Toby exclaimed as he came up behind them.
"Thanks, Tobs," Mara replied.
"Sorry, Mar. I meant Cheryl," Toby replied with a straight face.
Cheryl started laughing and gave Toby a hug. "This man has great taste."
"I don't know about that, Cheryl. He's seeing you sister."
"We'll chalk that up to temporary insanity," Cheryl chuckled.
"Sephora? What did you buy?" Ginger asked as she came along the sidewalk with Margaret.
"Mara, you either need to get yourself a valet or build a parking garage. Parking around here is always hell."
"I'll get right on that for you Margaret. Not," Mara laughed.
Mara could hear laughter and music before she opened the door and found Sam tangoing Abbey across the living room floor.
"Looks like they started without us," Margaret commented as she pushed Mara inside the door.
"Hey, Sweetie. Sorry for bailing on you."
"I was really annoying you that much?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I'm here. Let the party begin," Mara exclaimed.
*********
After waving goodbye to their last guest, Sam and Mara retired to the couch, under strict orders not to help clean up. Mara drained the last few drops of her chocolate martini and made herself comfortable in Sam's arms. They could hear Donna, Abbey, Ginger and CJ reprising their earlier rendition of Lady Marmalade, which brought the house down.
"That was fun. What was your favourite part?" Sam inquired.
"Oh, without a doubt it was you as 'Mr. Rock Star'. Why on earth didn't you perform like that for me last time I was teasing you about how sexy Jon was?"
"Apparently, I only have that in me after a few drinks," Sam chuckled.
"Sam, you nearly gave me heart palpitations."
Sam had unbuttoned most of his blue shirt and performed Creed's 'Arm's Wide Open'. He sang it to Mara, who was sitting on the floor and gave him her best attempt at a smoldering look. He knew from the look of Mara's face and the calls of 'Marry Me, Sam' from Donna and CJ that he was doing a pretty good job. Jed had done a medley of Sinatra's greatest hits, Bonnie, Carol and Ginger performed "My Boyfriends Back" and "Respect". CJ got a standing ovation for her sexy rendition of "You Made Me Love You".
"I thought Josh was great with 'Devil in Disguise'," Sam declared.
"Yeah, I had fun walking like an angel then going wild."
"I knew you couldn't resist getting in on the act Mara," Josh added as he came up from putting bottles away in the wine cellar.
"So what were your highlights from the 'Seaborn and Whitford All Star Review'?" Mara asked.
"Cheryl and your sister were pretty funny as dueling Madonna's. Leslie did an amazing job at Patsy Cline's 'Crazy'. She sounded just like her. Toby's recitation of Green Eggs and Ham just cracked me up. I bet he didn't just memorize that for today either."
"No, he's probably known it off by heart since childhood," Sam agreed.
"Danny was pretty hilarious doing both parts of 'To All the Girls I Loved Before' and who knew Bonnie was Janet Jackson's twin," Josh added.
"You were great, Mar, but we all knew you could sing, so it wasn't very surprising. My favourite was Ed and Larry doing 'Who Are You?'," Donna offered as she brought out the last few stuffed mushrooms. "Finish these. There aren't enough to wrap."
"My vote goes to Leo and Margaret for 'You Don't Bring Me Flowers'. I loved Margaret's ad lib of you 'don't let me eat muffins' and Leo was too funny and too fast with 'cause you crash the e-mail'," Abbey shouted from the kitchen. .
"I couldn't stop laughing through that entire song," Mara concurred.
"Should I worry about Carol's selection of 'I Don't Like Mondays?" CJ asked as she popped in to steal another mushroom.
"Nah, but CJ, can I tell you how much I love you for asking Dani to stay with you? I was dreading her staying. "
"Mara, I knew if she stayed here we'd be visiting you in prison on Saturday instead of being at your wedding. I told her I missed her company and hoped I could talk her into staying with me. She's your sister, Mara, so I knew the ego stroking would work like a charm."
"Thank God for the Whitford ego," Mara laughed.
"What time is the rehearsal, Mara?" Donna asked from the kitchen.
"Friday at eight at the church and then Abbey and Jed are graciously hosting the dinner immediately following in the private dining room."
"It's our pleasure, Sweetie, as honorary parents."
"Actually, can I get you all out her in the living room for a second. I'll be right back," Mara asked then dashed upstairs. She came downstairs a few minutes later with a large gift bag.
"I know the tradition is to give out thank you gifts after the rehearsal dinner but most of you are here and I hate waiting to give gifts out. I insisted on choosing the gifts, but they do come from the bottom of Sam's heart too. If we listed everything we are thankful to you all for, Jed would need four terms in office so I'll try to be brief."
Mara handed Ginger a small blue Tiffany's box. "Ginger, thanks for taking such amazing care of Sam and thank you for doing the second reading."
"Wow! Tiffany's. No one has ever given me anything from Tiffany's before. I already love it. Oh My God! Sam, Mara, they are stunning, I love them and I love you both."
Ginger's hands were shaking as she pulled out the earrings and replaced them with the brand new half a carat diamond stud earrings.
Mara gave Donna a delicate pair of daisy shaped diamond earrings with a yellow diamond center that almost caused Donna to faint. She gave CJ two diamond hair clips that could be converted into pins. Sam gave Josh a plain white envelope that held entrance tickets for a week at the next years 'Mets Fantasy Baseball Camp'. Abbey looked at Mara strangely when she handed her a two truffle box of Godiva Chocolates and was astonished when she opened it to find one truffle and a family ring.
"Oh Mara, I've always wanted one of these, but Jed never remembers. I've never seen one set like an eternity ring before and you were so smart to have it bezel set so I won't catch it on anything. Let's see. Me, Liz, Ellie, Zoey, You, Sam and Jed, it's going on my hand now and it's not coming off. Sam, how about you practice putting a band on."
Sam slid the ring on the middle finger of her right hand and reduced her to tears by whispering thanks Mom, we love you. Abbey slapped Sam for making her cry and gave him a big hug. She wiped her tears away and gave Mara a long hug.
"You spent entirely too much money, young lady." Abbey chastised.
"Hey, I can't take it with me, so what better way to spend it than spoiling my family."
"Mara, this is the coolest gift ever thanks again."
"Just remember that Josh when you are making that best man's speech," Mara teased.
"Oh Donna, there is a necklace that matches those earrings and Cartier will lend it to you for the day. They'll bring it to the church and the same person will pick it up here Sunday at noon."
"I'm going to feel like a movie star. Thanks for arranging them to lend it to me."
"I forgot you were cat sitting while they are away," Josh said.
"Yes, Josh, you can keep Donna company if you so desire, just be smart about coming and going."
An hour later, the house was spotless and Sam and Mara were alone on the couch. They were currently sharing cheese balls with Killer. Sam tossed one in the air and Killer would leap up and paw it to the ground where he quickly gobbled it up and meowed for an other one. They both headed up to bed early knowing that they would be extremely busy until Friday afternoon. Sam was still worried about taking three weeks off since he was gone for so long after the accident.