Note: This includes a minor spoiler from Dead Irish Writers.
Part 9
Abbey sat down by the table and smiled at Jed on the other end of the table.
"Looks like it's just going to be the two of us tonight," she said and sighed sadly.
"Nah, they'll show up. We know Josh will."
Abbey did an attempt to smile but failed. Jed walked over to her and sat down next to her, taking her hand in his.
"Really Abbey, I'll fix this."
Abbey shook her head. "No, don't. I think, maybe it's best if we just let it be. Let them go wherever they need to go. One of my stupid ideas shouldn't stop them."
Jed kissed her on the cheek at the same time as Sam and CJ entered the dining room. Sam blushed and CJ smirked.
"Are you two busy?" CJ asked mischievously. "'Cause if you are, we'll just take the food with us."
"Claudia Jean!" Jed said in his most President-like tone. "Sit down! That's an order."
CJ smiled. "Why, sir, can I take orders from you? After all you're not the President any longer."
Jed glared at her but then couldn't help but smiling.
"You're awfully happy, CJ," Abbey said a bit worriedly.
For a brief moment CJ looked sad but then smiled brightly.
"I and Sam are going out tonight. Are there any good clubs here?"
Abbey snorted. "In Manchester?"
"What was that, Abbey?" Jed asked although he had heard her.
Abbey ignored him and focused her attention on CJ and Sam. "Why? Are you going out?"
CJ shrugged and looked at Sam who nodded at her.
"Sam needs to get a boyfriend," she said and smiled. "He hasn't had one since high school."
Sam blushed and looked down. Abbey and Jed looked at first CJ, then Sam, then at each other. Then Jed cleared his throat and Sam looked at him.
"Sam, I don't know what to say," he said slowly and Sam seemed uncomfortable. "You haven't had a boyfriend since high school?"
Sam lightened up and smiled slightly. "No, sir."
Abbey sighed. "I wish I could come with you tonight."
"Why don't you?" Sam asked.
"Secret Service, they won't let me," she whispered.
Jed threw out his arms in the air and grinned. "Maybe we should bring the party here!"
"Jed..." Abbey said slowly. "Let the kids go out and enjoy themselves. I mean, as much as they can in..." Jed cleared his throat so Abbey didn't finish the sentence. "All I'm saying, honey, is that if Sam wants a boyfriend he won't find him in this house."
Sam smiled slightly. "Have I waited all this time, I'm sure I can wait one more night."
CJ groaned. "Sam! I wanted to go out and get drunk!" She nervously looked at Jed, then at Abbey. "No offense."
"None taken," Jed said. "But can I just say, that you may get drunk in this building as well."
"Actually, that makes sense. I was in the White House so why not here?" She winked at Abbey who put a hand to her forehead and groaned at the memory.
"Have I missed something?" Sam asked and looked at Jed who seemed just as confused as he.
Abbey laughed a little then looked at her husband. "It's between... Oh, hi Josh!"
Everyone turned their attention towards the door. Josh looked a bit uncomfortable.
"Ma'am," he said then looked at Sam. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Sam nodded and followed him out in the hallway, carefully closing the door to the dining room. They stood face to face for a few seconds before Josh looked away. He groaned and covered his face with his hands. Sam put his hand on Josh's shoulder and smiled softly at him.
Josh lowered his hands and looked sadly at Sam. "I'm sorry."
"Me too."
Josh smiled and hugged him quickly. Then he smirked.
"So, I've talked to CJ and she told me you haven't had a boyfriend since high school."
"Typical CJ. So, are you hungry?"
Josh raised his eyebrows. "What do you think? I've been sitting in my room, moping for two hours."
Sam laughed as they walked back into the dining room again.
"So, now we only miss Leo and Toby," Abbey said.
"I just think we should start eating," Josh said. "If they'll show up, which isn't likely, there will still be enough left for them."
"You're that hungry?" Toby said as he walked into the room and sat down next to Sam, facing CJ on the other side of the table.
He nervously focused his eyes everywhere but at her.
"Have you seen Leo?" Jed asked and everyone could hear how worried he was.
"He's in his room, resting. He was kind of beat."
"But he's okay?" Jed asked at the same time as Sam asked;
"You've talked to him?"
At first Toby nodded to Jed to calm him down. Then he turned to Sam.
"I have."
He rubbed a spot right over his left temple and then looked at each one of them, even CJ but not as long as at the others.
"Listen, I and Leo have talked and there are no hard feelings between us anymore. We've sorted everything out. He forgave me for the things I told him and I've forgiven him. I'm kind of hoping you will do the same."
CJ's eyes became smaller as she caught Toby's eyes. Toby nervously looked at Josh, then at Jed.
"Listen, he has a month left."
He didn't have to say anything else because everyone understood his point. They remained quiet for minutes after what Toby had said. CJ looked angry and she was. She ate quickly so she wouldn't have to stay in the room much longer. Abbey seemed calm and quite content. Jed and Josh just looked thoughtful.
Then, Sam put his hand on the table and the sound caught everyone's attention.
"So, any ideas on how to get me a boyfriend?" He said and grinned.
Toby turned surprised to him then began smiling. Then he turned away and drank a sip of his wine. He felt CJ's eyes on him and finally he had the guts to look at her. He didn't understand her eyes. He had always understood them but maybe it had been too long.
"I think CJ's idea of going to a bar was good," Abbey said quickly, trying to keep the conversation alive.
"Nah, that takes too much time. I think you should check out the personalad's," Josh said.
CJ glared at him. "Excuse me?" Do you want your boss killed? Do you know how many psycho's who put in one of those ad's?!"
"What, have you?" Josh smirked, causing CJ to hit him on the arm.
"Well, well, that we'll sort out later. Tonight we're staying here," Jed put in. "CJ, you and Sam can go out tomorrow night."
CJ looked uncomfortable, glancing at Toby. "Sir, have you forgot that I'm leaving tomorrow morning?"
Toby's head snapped up quickly but then he looked down again.
"Oh, my!" Jed said and winked mischievously at her. "I must have forgot..."
*
After dinner they had moved to the living room. Jed and Toby were sitting by the window, smoking cigars and talking quietly to each other. Around the coffee table sat Josh, Abbey, Sam and CJ. Often, CJ glanced over at Toby and wondered what he and Jed talked about. What she didn't know was that Toby glanced at her every minute as well.
"Toby, you seriously need to do something about that," Jed said and winked at him.
Toby blushed and did his best to look confused. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't think I understand."
Jed nodded once at him. "I think you do."
Toby sighed, then poured up another glass of scotch. He looked over at CJ again then mentally kicked himself for doing that in front of Jed after what he'd just said. When he turned to look at Jed he grinned mischievously at him.
"So," Toby said, trying to come up with something good to say, to take them away from the sensitive subject that involved CJ. "Are you going to talk to Leo?"
Jed nodded. "Yes, I will. I'm more worried about her."
He looked at CJ and Toby nodded.
He shrugged. "It's understandable. I wish she'd never heard you talk about it. It would have been much better. She wouldn't have to have all these bad memories later when Leo is. gone."
Jed looked sad for a brief moment, but then leaned closer to Toby. "I have to give you credit for keeping quiet all this time, Toby."
Toby looked away shortly then straight in Jed's eyes. "It wasn't as if I'd have gained anything by telling her. She loved working in the White House. If I had told her... She wouldn't have been CJ anymore."
"She wasn't after you left either. The last years in the White House..." Jed sighed dramatically causing Abbey to glance worriedly at him. "I think that when Sam decided to leave it began to go down-hill for our administration, Toby. I mean, we did our job and if I may say so I think we did it quite well. But it wasn't the same. The joy that made us survive during the first years was gone. Nothing of it was left. Josh missed Sam, then he lost you, his wing-man."
Toby blushed at the thought of Josh telling Jed about that.
"Leo became harsher towards his employees after you left and CJ... God, Toby, you must have seen the briefings yourself. The few times I had the time to watch one of her briefings it was as if it wasn't CJ. It was someone else in her body. She didn't smile, she didn't joke with the press corps. Everything was gone."
It seemed as if Jed was done talking. He smiled softly at Toby who sighed silently. Toby put a hand over his eyes. When he took it away he looked at CJ. This time she looked back and no one turned their eyes away.
Tbc.
2003-03-09
Part 9
Abbey sat down by the table and smiled at Jed on the other end of the table.
"Looks like it's just going to be the two of us tonight," she said and sighed sadly.
"Nah, they'll show up. We know Josh will."
Abbey did an attempt to smile but failed. Jed walked over to her and sat down next to her, taking her hand in his.
"Really Abbey, I'll fix this."
Abbey shook her head. "No, don't. I think, maybe it's best if we just let it be. Let them go wherever they need to go. One of my stupid ideas shouldn't stop them."
Jed kissed her on the cheek at the same time as Sam and CJ entered the dining room. Sam blushed and CJ smirked.
"Are you two busy?" CJ asked mischievously. "'Cause if you are, we'll just take the food with us."
"Claudia Jean!" Jed said in his most President-like tone. "Sit down! That's an order."
CJ smiled. "Why, sir, can I take orders from you? After all you're not the President any longer."
Jed glared at her but then couldn't help but smiling.
"You're awfully happy, CJ," Abbey said a bit worriedly.
For a brief moment CJ looked sad but then smiled brightly.
"I and Sam are going out tonight. Are there any good clubs here?"
Abbey snorted. "In Manchester?"
"What was that, Abbey?" Jed asked although he had heard her.
Abbey ignored him and focused her attention on CJ and Sam. "Why? Are you going out?"
CJ shrugged and looked at Sam who nodded at her.
"Sam needs to get a boyfriend," she said and smiled. "He hasn't had one since high school."
Sam blushed and looked down. Abbey and Jed looked at first CJ, then Sam, then at each other. Then Jed cleared his throat and Sam looked at him.
"Sam, I don't know what to say," he said slowly and Sam seemed uncomfortable. "You haven't had a boyfriend since high school?"
Sam lightened up and smiled slightly. "No, sir."
Abbey sighed. "I wish I could come with you tonight."
"Why don't you?" Sam asked.
"Secret Service, they won't let me," she whispered.
Jed threw out his arms in the air and grinned. "Maybe we should bring the party here!"
"Jed..." Abbey said slowly. "Let the kids go out and enjoy themselves. I mean, as much as they can in..." Jed cleared his throat so Abbey didn't finish the sentence. "All I'm saying, honey, is that if Sam wants a boyfriend he won't find him in this house."
Sam smiled slightly. "Have I waited all this time, I'm sure I can wait one more night."
CJ groaned. "Sam! I wanted to go out and get drunk!" She nervously looked at Jed, then at Abbey. "No offense."
"None taken," Jed said. "But can I just say, that you may get drunk in this building as well."
"Actually, that makes sense. I was in the White House so why not here?" She winked at Abbey who put a hand to her forehead and groaned at the memory.
"Have I missed something?" Sam asked and looked at Jed who seemed just as confused as he.
Abbey laughed a little then looked at her husband. "It's between... Oh, hi Josh!"
Everyone turned their attention towards the door. Josh looked a bit uncomfortable.
"Ma'am," he said then looked at Sam. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Sam nodded and followed him out in the hallway, carefully closing the door to the dining room. They stood face to face for a few seconds before Josh looked away. He groaned and covered his face with his hands. Sam put his hand on Josh's shoulder and smiled softly at him.
Josh lowered his hands and looked sadly at Sam. "I'm sorry."
"Me too."
Josh smiled and hugged him quickly. Then he smirked.
"So, I've talked to CJ and she told me you haven't had a boyfriend since high school."
"Typical CJ. So, are you hungry?"
Josh raised his eyebrows. "What do you think? I've been sitting in my room, moping for two hours."
Sam laughed as they walked back into the dining room again.
"So, now we only miss Leo and Toby," Abbey said.
"I just think we should start eating," Josh said. "If they'll show up, which isn't likely, there will still be enough left for them."
"You're that hungry?" Toby said as he walked into the room and sat down next to Sam, facing CJ on the other side of the table.
He nervously focused his eyes everywhere but at her.
"Have you seen Leo?" Jed asked and everyone could hear how worried he was.
"He's in his room, resting. He was kind of beat."
"But he's okay?" Jed asked at the same time as Sam asked;
"You've talked to him?"
At first Toby nodded to Jed to calm him down. Then he turned to Sam.
"I have."
He rubbed a spot right over his left temple and then looked at each one of them, even CJ but not as long as at the others.
"Listen, I and Leo have talked and there are no hard feelings between us anymore. We've sorted everything out. He forgave me for the things I told him and I've forgiven him. I'm kind of hoping you will do the same."
CJ's eyes became smaller as she caught Toby's eyes. Toby nervously looked at Josh, then at Jed.
"Listen, he has a month left."
He didn't have to say anything else because everyone understood his point. They remained quiet for minutes after what Toby had said. CJ looked angry and she was. She ate quickly so she wouldn't have to stay in the room much longer. Abbey seemed calm and quite content. Jed and Josh just looked thoughtful.
Then, Sam put his hand on the table and the sound caught everyone's attention.
"So, any ideas on how to get me a boyfriend?" He said and grinned.
Toby turned surprised to him then began smiling. Then he turned away and drank a sip of his wine. He felt CJ's eyes on him and finally he had the guts to look at her. He didn't understand her eyes. He had always understood them but maybe it had been too long.
"I think CJ's idea of going to a bar was good," Abbey said quickly, trying to keep the conversation alive.
"Nah, that takes too much time. I think you should check out the personalad's," Josh said.
CJ glared at him. "Excuse me?" Do you want your boss killed? Do you know how many psycho's who put in one of those ad's?!"
"What, have you?" Josh smirked, causing CJ to hit him on the arm.
"Well, well, that we'll sort out later. Tonight we're staying here," Jed put in. "CJ, you and Sam can go out tomorrow night."
CJ looked uncomfortable, glancing at Toby. "Sir, have you forgot that I'm leaving tomorrow morning?"
Toby's head snapped up quickly but then he looked down again.
"Oh, my!" Jed said and winked mischievously at her. "I must have forgot..."
*
After dinner they had moved to the living room. Jed and Toby were sitting by the window, smoking cigars and talking quietly to each other. Around the coffee table sat Josh, Abbey, Sam and CJ. Often, CJ glanced over at Toby and wondered what he and Jed talked about. What she didn't know was that Toby glanced at her every minute as well.
"Toby, you seriously need to do something about that," Jed said and winked at him.
Toby blushed and did his best to look confused. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't think I understand."
Jed nodded once at him. "I think you do."
Toby sighed, then poured up another glass of scotch. He looked over at CJ again then mentally kicked himself for doing that in front of Jed after what he'd just said. When he turned to look at Jed he grinned mischievously at him.
"So," Toby said, trying to come up with something good to say, to take them away from the sensitive subject that involved CJ. "Are you going to talk to Leo?"
Jed nodded. "Yes, I will. I'm more worried about her."
He looked at CJ and Toby nodded.
He shrugged. "It's understandable. I wish she'd never heard you talk about it. It would have been much better. She wouldn't have to have all these bad memories later when Leo is. gone."
Jed looked sad for a brief moment, but then leaned closer to Toby. "I have to give you credit for keeping quiet all this time, Toby."
Toby looked away shortly then straight in Jed's eyes. "It wasn't as if I'd have gained anything by telling her. She loved working in the White House. If I had told her... She wouldn't have been CJ anymore."
"She wasn't after you left either. The last years in the White House..." Jed sighed dramatically causing Abbey to glance worriedly at him. "I think that when Sam decided to leave it began to go down-hill for our administration, Toby. I mean, we did our job and if I may say so I think we did it quite well. But it wasn't the same. The joy that made us survive during the first years was gone. Nothing of it was left. Josh missed Sam, then he lost you, his wing-man."
Toby blushed at the thought of Josh telling Jed about that.
"Leo became harsher towards his employees after you left and CJ... God, Toby, you must have seen the briefings yourself. The few times I had the time to watch one of her briefings it was as if it wasn't CJ. It was someone else in her body. She didn't smile, she didn't joke with the press corps. Everything was gone."
It seemed as if Jed was done talking. He smiled softly at Toby who sighed silently. Toby put a hand over his eyes. When he took it away he looked at CJ. This time she looked back and no one turned their eyes away.
Tbc.
2003-03-09