Jed and Abbey watched as Liz and Annie got out of the car and made their way up the walk. Annie kept her eyes down all the way to the porch, not wanting to look into her grandparents eyes.
"Annie, how are you doing?" Jed reached out to hug his granddaughter as she reached the porch.
"Fine," she whispered, her eyes still glancing downward.
"I was so worried about you."
"I was okay."
"Let's go in the house. Want something to drink? Some water or tea?"
"No, thank you."
Liz and Abbey exchanged glances as the foursome moved into the house.
"Annie, look at me, please." Jed placed his finger on her chin and raised her face until her eyes met his. "I love you and I'm glad you're okay."
"Aren't you mad at me?."
"No, I'm not."
"You're not?"
"No."
That seemed to take Annie by surprise. "You're not? Really?"
"Why would I be mad at you?"
"Because I embarrassed you with my behavior this week."
Liz and Abbey turned and went into the kitchen before Jed and Annie saw the tears that had formed in their eyes and had started to fall.
Jed hugged Annie very tightly and gave her a kiss on her head. "Come and sit in the study. We will close the door and just talk. Just the two of us, Okay?"
"Okay."
Jed closed the doors and both sat on the sofa, next to each other.
"Why do you think you embarrassed me?"
"Because you're the President and my behavior made the news and it made you look bad."
"Annie, you could never embarrass me. I am your grandfather and I love you with all my heart. I will always be your grandfather. I was your grandfather long before I was President and I will be your grandfather long after I am no longer President. One of the highest priorities in my life is being your and Gus's grandfather. I was there the day you were born and I loved you the minute I saw you for the first time. You can never do anything that would embarrass me or Grandma Abbey. Do you believe what I am saying to you?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes."
She hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry I drank all those beers. I just wanted to fit in with the right crowd. It is important for people to like me."
Jed sighed. This was so typical for kids this age to want to be accepted by the 'right' group. "Annie, you scared everyone. Did your parents tell you how sick you were when the ambulance brought you to the hospital?"
"Yeah. They told me I quit breathing and the doctors had to make me breathe again. And they told me that the doctors had to put a tube in my throat and hook me to a machine to help me breathe until the beer was out of my body."
"That's right. Everyone was so worried. Your parents and Gus and Grandpa and Grandma Westin and Grandma Abbey and I were very, very worried that we wouldn't ever see you again. And we would have been very sad."
"I realize that now." By this time, Annie was crying so Jed got up and pulled a tissue from the box and handed one to her. He sat back down and placed one of his hands on her leg and waited until she spoke again.
"I'm so sorry I made everybody worry. I won't ever do it again."
"We know you won't. I heard Melinda tried to get you to leave when she realized the party was getting out of hand."
Annie nodded. "But I wouldn't listen to her. I wanted to prove to Steve that I was one of his crowd and that I could do what he and his friends were doing. I wanted to belong to his group."
"Is Steve part of the group at school that's been giving you trouble about me?"
