Mistakes -- Chapter 2
Characters: Jed/Abbey
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I love to play with them a little! Thank you to Aaron Sorkin, Warner Bros, and NBC!
Feedback is always welcomed!
Summary: Still reeling from finding out about his wife's betrayal, Jed is shocked by Abbey's admission that she's pregnant. He has to decide if he wants to throw his pregnant wife out of his life, or if he's willing to work with her for the sake of the baby.
"You're pregnant?" he asked.
"Yes. Six weeks. I just found out for sure."
"Does Leo know?"
"No."
"Whose..." he started, not able to complete the sentence.
"It's yours, Jed. I'm six weeks along. The last time Leo and I...it was eight weeks ago."
He did believe her, but he had to be sure.
"Well, once the baby is born, we'll have a blood test, just to make sure." Abbey silently stared at him. "Having an amnio while you're pregnant could harm the baby, right?"
"Yeah," she said quietly.
"Okay. Then we'll wait."
He ran his hands through his hair, trying to piece everything together. In less than an hour, his entire life had changed.
"Wait?" she asked.
"Well, obviously, we can't go to the press right now."
"That isn't why I told you."
"I know. I'm just thinking of the disaster that's sure to follow any separation announcement right now. President throws pregnant wife out of bedroom. Not exactly my top choice for a headline. Then there will be the whole "who's the daddy" soap opera that's sure to result, and next thing you know, Wall Street will be too busy concentrating on betting pools than on the business of the international community. It'll be "who shot JR" all over again, but this time the stakes will be much higher."
"What are you saying?" she asked, thinking he's getting way ahead of himself and probably not thinking logically anymore.
"I'm thinking about the Administration, the Presidency. We've worked too hard, all of us...everything will get lost in scandal."
"So we just pretend everything's okay for appearances?"
"Yes, for now. Once the baby is born, then we'll quietly move forward, citing irreconcilable differences or something. We'll worry about it later."
Abbey wasn't sure what more to say. He wanted to leave her, but couldn't because he was concerned about what the American public would say. He was more concerned about his constituents than he was interested in trying to reconcile with her. But could she blame him? She betrayed him in the worst way possible. She slept with another man. For two brief moments in time, her body belonged to someone else and she knew that the fact that her heart was always Jed's had very little meaning to him right now.
"Jed, I'm not going to play a game with the press," she said, trying to walk away.
Jed grabbed her arm, "yes, you will. If you have any hope of us ever being civil to one another again, you'll do this."
It was emotional blackmail and they both knew it, but neither one cared. Jed was too angry to worry about it and Abbey just wanted his forgiveness. She would do anything for him to earn it.
"So we just pretend until the baby is born -- another seven and a half months?"
"Yes," he answered.
"Okay," she said reluctantly.
"Good. Now let's set some ground rules."
"What?" she asked. He was mapping out their lives as if it was a political strategy session.
"In order for this to work, you can't see Leo again, at all. Many people already know."
"They don't know anything. They just suspect."
"Abbey."
"Fine."
"We'll have to sleep in this room, we'll announce your pregnancy when the time is right, maybe later, we'll consult CJ..."
He continued, making a list of what had to be done, never asking for her input. Then again, she had lost that right, she thought. This was all so ceremonial. There was no warmth in his voice. Just moments earlier, he had been yelling. Now everything was so matter-of-fact, like he was a robot or something, just screaming out orders. He didn't want to be around her. He felt he had to be -- and she knew it. But she was willing to go along. She already broke his heart. It was the least she could do now.
TBC
Characters: Jed/Abbey
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I love to play with them a little! Thank you to Aaron Sorkin, Warner Bros, and NBC!
Feedback is always welcomed!
Summary: Still reeling from finding out about his wife's betrayal, Jed is shocked by Abbey's admission that she's pregnant. He has to decide if he wants to throw his pregnant wife out of his life, or if he's willing to work with her for the sake of the baby.
"You're pregnant?" he asked.
"Yes. Six weeks. I just found out for sure."
"Does Leo know?"
"No."
"Whose..." he started, not able to complete the sentence.
"It's yours, Jed. I'm six weeks along. The last time Leo and I...it was eight weeks ago."
He did believe her, but he had to be sure.
"Well, once the baby is born, we'll have a blood test, just to make sure." Abbey silently stared at him. "Having an amnio while you're pregnant could harm the baby, right?"
"Yeah," she said quietly.
"Okay. Then we'll wait."
He ran his hands through his hair, trying to piece everything together. In less than an hour, his entire life had changed.
"Wait?" she asked.
"Well, obviously, we can't go to the press right now."
"That isn't why I told you."
"I know. I'm just thinking of the disaster that's sure to follow any separation announcement right now. President throws pregnant wife out of bedroom. Not exactly my top choice for a headline. Then there will be the whole "who's the daddy" soap opera that's sure to result, and next thing you know, Wall Street will be too busy concentrating on betting pools than on the business of the international community. It'll be "who shot JR" all over again, but this time the stakes will be much higher."
"What are you saying?" she asked, thinking he's getting way ahead of himself and probably not thinking logically anymore.
"I'm thinking about the Administration, the Presidency. We've worked too hard, all of us...everything will get lost in scandal."
"So we just pretend everything's okay for appearances?"
"Yes, for now. Once the baby is born, then we'll quietly move forward, citing irreconcilable differences or something. We'll worry about it later."
Abbey wasn't sure what more to say. He wanted to leave her, but couldn't because he was concerned about what the American public would say. He was more concerned about his constituents than he was interested in trying to reconcile with her. But could she blame him? She betrayed him in the worst way possible. She slept with another man. For two brief moments in time, her body belonged to someone else and she knew that the fact that her heart was always Jed's had very little meaning to him right now.
"Jed, I'm not going to play a game with the press," she said, trying to walk away.
Jed grabbed her arm, "yes, you will. If you have any hope of us ever being civil to one another again, you'll do this."
It was emotional blackmail and they both knew it, but neither one cared. Jed was too angry to worry about it and Abbey just wanted his forgiveness. She would do anything for him to earn it.
"So we just pretend until the baby is born -- another seven and a half months?"
"Yes," he answered.
"Okay," she said reluctantly.
"Good. Now let's set some ground rules."
"What?" she asked. He was mapping out their lives as if it was a political strategy session.
"In order for this to work, you can't see Leo again, at all. Many people already know."
"They don't know anything. They just suspect."
"Abbey."
"Fine."
"We'll have to sleep in this room, we'll announce your pregnancy when the time is right, maybe later, we'll consult CJ..."
He continued, making a list of what had to be done, never asking for her input. Then again, she had lost that right, she thought. This was all so ceremonial. There was no warmth in his voice. Just moments earlier, he had been yelling. Now everything was so matter-of-fact, like he was a robot or something, just screaming out orders. He didn't want to be around her. He felt he had to be -- and she knew it. But she was willing to go along. She already broke his heart. It was the least she could do now.
TBC