The Heart Brings You Back
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Chapter 11
Previously: Jed found Abbey's pills and hid them in his pocket before getting into bed with her
Summary: Abbey freaks out when she discovers her pills are missing
The next morning, Jed woke up still holding Abbey in a sideways spoon. He ran his fingers up and down Abbey's chest and stomach. She was still asleep, but he knew she wouldn't mind being woken up this way. When she stirred, he kissed the back of her neck and whispered "good morning" into her ear.
"Not fair," she replied.
He rolled her over on her back and brushed the hair out of her face.
"You get more beautiful every day," he said to her.
"I love you."
Jed removed the sheet, revealing his wife's naked body and began kissing her passionately. Abbey didn't protest. Waking up alone in New Hampshire every morning made her long for mornings like this. They made love and remained twisted in each other's arms for an hour.
"You know, at some point, I do have to get ready to go to the office," he finally said.
"I know," she replied sadly.
"Hey, can we talk about why you resigned from the hospital?"
"I wanted to come back here."
"You resigned before you knew that I was sick."
Abbey repositioned herself to look into her husband's eyes. "I was thinking about it long before I knew you were sick. Part of me was still angry, but I wanted so badly to come back."
"What took you so long?"
"I didn't know if I'd be welcomed. I'm honestly embarassed by the way I treated you. I didn't know if you could forgive me."
Jed took her into his arms and wrapped his body around hers, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. "You didn't do this by yourself, Abbey. I share the blame and the responsibility."
Abbey felt a sense of relief. They still had a lot of problems to work through, but if they could forgive each other, she knew it wasn't the end of their marriage. A soft smile came over her face as she watched get out of bed and head to the shower.
Abbey waited for him to disappear into the bathroom before reaching over and grabbing her purse. Every morning, she would take her pills -- two Xanax and two Valium. Every few months, she'd increase the dosage, realizing her tolerance level had gone up considerably over the past year. At first, they simply numbed the pain. Nowadays, she needed them just to get rid of the shaking. By mid morning, if she hadn't taken her pills, she wouldn't even be able to function. Her body had become so used to them that the anxiety was building at an earlier time these days. She needed her medication before Jed noticed how anxious and shaky she really was.
She opened the purse and searched inside, emptying the contents out on the bed. She frantically looked around the room, searching on the floor, under the bed, and on the dressers. She picked up her other purse and opened that one as well. She grew even more alarmed. All her pills were missing. Her first thought was that she must have dropped the bottles in the dining room when she and Jed returned from the Oval Office the night before. She threw on her robe and headed out the door, while Jed finished his shower.
Abbey practically ransacked the dining room, throwing everything in her path out of the way. She knew if the pills weren't there, there was only one other place she could have left them -- in the Oval Office -- and if they were in the Oval, she had to find them before Jed got to work that morning. In her desperation to beat him to the office, she didn't even take the time to get dressed.
Meanwhile, Jed got out of the shower, calling out to his wife. When he got no response, he opened the bathroom door, hoping to see her still in bed, but when he glanced over and saw her purse laying on top of the covers with the contents sprawled out on the matress, he knew what she was up to. He quickly put on his clothes and left the Residence, leaving behind the cane he promised her he'd use.
Abbey ran into the Oval Office from the portico. She began combing the floor, praying to come across the medication before she was discovered. She had her back to the door when she heard his voice, standing in the doorway, holding one of her pill bottles in his hand.
"Is this what you're looking for?" Jed asked.
TBC
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Chapter 11
Previously: Jed found Abbey's pills and hid them in his pocket before getting into bed with her
Summary: Abbey freaks out when she discovers her pills are missing
The next morning, Jed woke up still holding Abbey in a sideways spoon. He ran his fingers up and down Abbey's chest and stomach. She was still asleep, but he knew she wouldn't mind being woken up this way. When she stirred, he kissed the back of her neck and whispered "good morning" into her ear.
"Not fair," she replied.
He rolled her over on her back and brushed the hair out of her face.
"You get more beautiful every day," he said to her.
"I love you."
Jed removed the sheet, revealing his wife's naked body and began kissing her passionately. Abbey didn't protest. Waking up alone in New Hampshire every morning made her long for mornings like this. They made love and remained twisted in each other's arms for an hour.
"You know, at some point, I do have to get ready to go to the office," he finally said.
"I know," she replied sadly.
"Hey, can we talk about why you resigned from the hospital?"
"I wanted to come back here."
"You resigned before you knew that I was sick."
Abbey repositioned herself to look into her husband's eyes. "I was thinking about it long before I knew you were sick. Part of me was still angry, but I wanted so badly to come back."
"What took you so long?"
"I didn't know if I'd be welcomed. I'm honestly embarassed by the way I treated you. I didn't know if you could forgive me."
Jed took her into his arms and wrapped his body around hers, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. "You didn't do this by yourself, Abbey. I share the blame and the responsibility."
Abbey felt a sense of relief. They still had a lot of problems to work through, but if they could forgive each other, she knew it wasn't the end of their marriage. A soft smile came over her face as she watched get out of bed and head to the shower.
Abbey waited for him to disappear into the bathroom before reaching over and grabbing her purse. Every morning, she would take her pills -- two Xanax and two Valium. Every few months, she'd increase the dosage, realizing her tolerance level had gone up considerably over the past year. At first, they simply numbed the pain. Nowadays, she needed them just to get rid of the shaking. By mid morning, if she hadn't taken her pills, she wouldn't even be able to function. Her body had become so used to them that the anxiety was building at an earlier time these days. She needed her medication before Jed noticed how anxious and shaky she really was.
She opened the purse and searched inside, emptying the contents out on the bed. She frantically looked around the room, searching on the floor, under the bed, and on the dressers. She picked up her other purse and opened that one as well. She grew even more alarmed. All her pills were missing. Her first thought was that she must have dropped the bottles in the dining room when she and Jed returned from the Oval Office the night before. She threw on her robe and headed out the door, while Jed finished his shower.
Abbey practically ransacked the dining room, throwing everything in her path out of the way. She knew if the pills weren't there, there was only one other place she could have left them -- in the Oval Office -- and if they were in the Oval, she had to find them before Jed got to work that morning. In her desperation to beat him to the office, she didn't even take the time to get dressed.
Meanwhile, Jed got out of the shower, calling out to his wife. When he got no response, he opened the bathroom door, hoping to see her still in bed, but when he glanced over and saw her purse laying on top of the covers with the contents sprawled out on the matress, he knew what she was up to. He quickly put on his clothes and left the Residence, leaving behind the cane he promised her he'd use.
Abbey ran into the Oval Office from the portico. She began combing the floor, praying to come across the medication before she was discovered. She had her back to the door when she heard his voice, standing in the doorway, holding one of her pill bottles in his hand.
"Is this what you're looking for?" Jed asked.
TBC