A Huge Difference
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: All characters are Aaron's.
Present Day:
Abbey's POV
Our first oval office fight. It was a good one too. We have always argued. It's because we are both stubborn and self-righteous. We are similar in so many ways and it has made for some interesting disagreements. Jed and I know that the end game is still the same. For better or worse, at the end of the day, we are on the same team.
There are few things that upset Jed when it comes to our marriage. We are solid in our beliefs and that is the foundation we built this thing on for the past 33 years. So, when something comes along that upsets one of us, all we want is for the other person to be on our side. Jed gets upset about his children the most. He gets upset when the press becomes intrusive. He gets upset when the girls do something that threatens their safety. He gets upset over things like Ron Erlich.
I knew what he meant when he kept correcting me in the Oval over the length of time I dated Ron. I breezed past it, because I didn't want to fight with my husband for what felt like the millionth time over a mistake I made thirty years ago. He loves bringing that up though.
Ron deserved to be named Fed Chair. He did. I could defend that point until I ran out of oxygen, but Jed would see my support of Ron as something else. It still bothers him.
Mid 1960's:
Jed POV
I made it a point to befriend Ron. He was plain and ordinary like his name, but he was intelligent. There was no denying that. We had conversations about all things related to economics, but my intent was not so pure. I wanted to know more about the feisty girl with the beautiful green eyes. I knew what I was doing was wrong. There was no good that would come from pretending I liked this guy, when all I wanted to do was learn more about his girlfriend.
I got my first, close glimpse of Abigail in the library. She and Ron sat side by side at a large oak wood table, covered with a mixture of science textbooks and economic briefings. I was exiting the library when my eyes caught them, and instead of exiting, I took a seat at the nearest table with an unobstructed view.
They both looked fully immersed into their studies. I couldn't help but think this man was a fool. How could he not be fully immersed into her? She was mesmerizing. I watched as they whispered to one another, not telling secrets, but just keeping their voices low. I could see that she listened intently to what he was saying, but he wasn't paying full attention to her.
Fool.
I was aware I was staring and tried to bury my head into one of my textbooks, but I couldn't focus on anything. I decided to stop hiding like a coward and meet her, even if it was through Ron. I said hello and Ron introduced us. She barely looked at me when she said hello, immerged in some sort of anatomy book.
Ron and I spent a few minutes chatting about a group project we were both involved in, but we were interrupted the screeching of her chair being pushed back against the cold tile floor.
This immediately got both of their attention. "Where are you going?" Ron asked her, sounding a bit peeved.
"We said we were going to get this studying in so we can have the weekend free."
"We did."
I tried to interrupt feeling bad that my presence made her angry. "I was just going. I'm sorry to interrupt."
She raised her eyebrow; a signature look I later learned meant she was surprised. She recovered. "It's ok."
As she gathered her things and walked away, Ron didn't try to stop her. He let her go and that was the moment I figured one of two things was true about the situation. One, Ron had to be the most dense man in the world to let her leave like that. Or two, Ron knew how to play this dating game and I was completely clueless.
"Sorry about that." Ron started to make an excuse for Abbey's behavior.
I told him there was no need to apologize.
"She can be difficult sometimes. She wants what she wants, and I cannot give into her all the time."
I thought to myself that I could be better at this than Ron. Yes, I'm competitive. Yes, I like to win. Yes, I see almost everything as challenge or a contest to be the best. But this was different. It was more than a competition with Ron. It was about exploring something different.
That was when I had my first unwavering thoughts of wanting something other than a life of serving God.
Mid 1960s:
Abbey's POV
I saw Ron's friend, the one from the library, grabbing coffee. We made eye contact and he waved, so I waved back. He was good looking, but it was his confidence that made him exceptionally attractive. As I was putting cream and sugar into my coffee, I felt his presence next to me.
"Abigail, right?"
"You remembered."
"I don't forget much." He countered. "Are you walking to class?"
"Yes." She said skeptically. "Why?"
"Because I'll walk with you."
"Why?" She found it odd that he would walk with her. He doesn't even know her.
"Are you always this wary of people?" He asked. This girl had a wall up around her.
"People or Strangers?" She countered.
We started to walk and I fell in line with his steps. It was so natural, and I thought it was because it was so platonic.
"We really aren't strangers. "
"Oh right. You are an acquaintance of my boyfriend. What does that make us? Best friends?" I don't know why I am being so tough on him, but I think it's his arrogance. Two can play at this game. "Josiah, right?"
"Jed, actually."
"How can I not be wary when I don't even know your name?"
"I prefer to be called Jed." I felt him looking over at me, but I didn't want to make eye contact. It would have been weird. Then he caught me off guard. "Are you always this pretentious?"
"Me?" She was shocked that he said that. "I'm pretentious?"
"Well, all evidence points that way."
"Which is?"
"You were rude at the library. You were rude when I offered to walk you to class. Now you think you know me better than you do."
"I never said I knew you at all." As we turned a corner, I stopped in my tracks because I saw Ron hanging with his buddies, laughing at something one of them must have said. In that moment I was confused. Ron told me he would be in a focus group at the library. He said he didn't have time today for coffee. I wasn't aware Jed was still standing next to me until he spoke.
"Are you ok?" I must have looked upset because the concern in Jed's eyes seemed pitiful.
"Yes." I put my head down, not knowing how to proceed. "I'm going to walk the long way." That was my cue for Jed to leave me alone. I needed a moment to catch my breath and figure out why Ron would lie to me.
Instead, Jed followed me. He looked back at Ron when he asked, "What is it about him?"
"What is what?"
"Why do you date him?"
I didn't understand why he was asking me these questions. "Why?"
"Yeah. Why?" He pressed.
I didn't know why I needed to defend myself to Jed, but I did it anyway, likely for my own sanity. "Well, he is smart."
"Yes."
"He is handsome."
"Debatable."
"He just…" I tried to think of something on-point, sensible and powerful to say. I wanted to prove to Jed, someone I barely know, that his doubts were wrong.
"He doesn't treat you well." Jed's word struck me in a way that made me defensive and a bit angry.
"Aren't you studying to be a priest?" I don't know why I said it, but I knew it was the only thing I could say that would lessen him to place where he would have a huge deficit of knowledge. I wanted to knock him down a few pegs.
"So?"
"So…that tells me you don't have much of a clue of how relationships work." I said it so he would let it go. I said it because I knew he was right. Ron could probably treat me better.
"Yes, I do. "
"Really?" How could I not question him on the subject? Either he has had no serious relationships in the past OR he has one so disastrous that it sent him into a lifelong commitment with the church.
"Of course!" Just because my relationships aren't…." I watch him hesitate, but he quickly recovered. "…intimate, doesn't mean I don't have meaningful relationships with people."
"Like who?"
"Whom."
'What?"
"Like Whom. You should use 'whom'…"
His arrogance pissed me off, and challenging him was the only way I felt like continue to engage in this conversation. I decided to ignore him.
"Like my mother and my brother," He started a list. "Like my friends. We all treat one another with respect. Why don't you want more of that? From him?"
"He respects me." I saw Jed roll his eyes and it made me even more defensive. "He does." I don't know why I babble this next part, but felt it was very necessary in that moment. "He is waiting for me and for any man, well besides you, celibacy is a challenge. I like that he is waiting." After taking a deep breath and gaining some composure, I asked the next, most obvious question. "Why do you care?"
He ignored my question. "It's not that hard… to be celibate."
This was the moment I finally was able to take the offensive. "Well, you've never fooled around with me." I spun on my heel and walked away, needing to not be called out on my insecurities regarding my relationship with Ron.
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