A/N: This took me awhile, but here it is. It's a bit short but hopefully it gives something to look forward to.
# 100 Ways to Say I'm Sorry #
There's a group of tourists in the hallway as I enter. A big, noisy group to be exact. The guide is explaining some history to her eager listeners. They take pictures, lights flash, and they invade the corridor entrance. I push by them towards my office. As she sees me, the guide points my presence out to the tourists and they turn their heads to gawk at me, which in another time would've pissed me off, but not today. I give them a little nod and leave the scene as soon as possible.
Even annoying tourists can't disturb me today.
"Hey, gorgeous!" I hear someone shouting after me as I sweep past Josh's office. With a smile on my face I turn around.
CJ rushes towards me with a pile of files in her hands. "Wow, I haven't seen that expression on you face for awhile. Now, wait --" she corrects with a smirk, as if she's just remembered. "I have." Then she concludes with a low voice which only I can hear: "I think it was last night."
That makes me grin even wider.
"Is it such a spectacle if I'm happy?" I answer with mock annoyance.
She blushes. Just lightly, but still... It makes her look even more beautiful. "I thought you preferred an inner smile."
"I changed my mind."
Her eyes sparkle briefly, just a little hint of something lingering under the cool appearance. "You know, I was thinking..." she starts slowly with her voice barely a whisper. "If you don't --"
"Toby!"
Damn. I grunt as I see Sam coming. CJ takes a small step back, more like jumps back, actually. "I need to talk to you about the speech," he says as he reaches us.
"Now?"
"Yeah. Ed and Larry are driving me crazy, and I don't even know which one of them is doing it more because they keep talking at the same time and that --"
"Drives you crazy." He nods. "Yeah. I'm coming."
CJ's eyes capture mine for one second. She gives a little wink that Sam doesn't see. I try to keep the smile back. "I'll see you later, Toby," she says casually and whirls around. My eyes stay on her back for a second before I snap out of it.
"Toby?"
"Okay, show me what those Einsteins have been up to now."
*
It's been a little over a month.
We haven't told anyone. No one knows. Sam keeps telling me that I act weird, though, but he really hasn't got a clue. No one knows. At work we try to be as careful as possible, outside the White House we try to be as careful as possible. It's when the door closes that we get to be free. I chose not to think about it too much. I guess she did too. We don't talk about it. It goes without saying that this is something that shouldn't be out there.
Maybe later.
There are days when we hardly see each other. Days when there's just politics. Those are the days when I'm full of politics. Then there are days when we can steal a minute, a second, anything at all, when we don't have to walk into the same room and start talking about new laws or press releases or speeches.
Those are good days.
Like today.
I like today. Today's a good day. Never mind the annoying tourist group that is still crowding the corridors and blocking my way when I need to get somewhere. Today's a good day.
Sam has been arguing with Ed and Larry the entire day and I don't even want to get involved. I just sit there in the chair toying with my pen and watch them bicker. It's fun. This is how I like spending my day.
"No, don't write that," Sam says, for the fiftieth time. "Change it."
Ed gives a long, desperate moan. "I've changed it thirty-eight times already!"
"Well do you have better suggestions?"
"What about 'in opinion of --"
"No."
"What do you mean 'no'?" That was Larry this time.
"I mean 'no'. It sounds weak."
"Oh for God's sake..."
I shake my head with a little one-sided smile. It was like this when I stopped by here in the morning. I've had meetings after that, it was four hours since I last was in this room, and nothing has changed.
They're just about to start another round of suggestions and turn-downs when I hear a knock at the door. I see Margaret peeking in as I turn my head towards the sound. "Toby," she whispers.
I push myself up and give a nod at Sam. She waits until I'm out of the room before she opens her mouth. "Leo wants to see you. He said immediately."
"Did he say what for?"
She shakes her head and waves me to follow her. I let her lead the short walk. My steps feel light -- I know it's a cliche but sometimes cliches are the only things that make sense. So, my steps feel light as I tuck my hands into my pockets and follow her. This is a good day, I remind myself.
As I enter Leo's office, he's sitting behind his desk. Waiting. His eyes lock at mine. His hands fold on his lap, elbows resting on the armrests. All of a sudden, my steps don't feel so light anymore.
Something's wrong.
"Could you close the door, Margaret?"
She nods, already reaching out her hand to pull the door shut. It closes quietly, leaving the room in a breathless silence. He lifts his hand to take of his reading glasses and then places them on the table.
It feels like hours, standing there under his piercing gaze.
With a cool, calm voice he finally orders: "Sit down."
TBC....
PS. Keep reading, something is about to finally happen...