Sweet Revenge
Chapter 9
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Previously: Thanksgiving was a disaster for Abbey after Emma slipped speed into her drink then placed the unused drugs into her purse. Jed sat at Abbey's bedside as she recovered.
Summary: Jed struggles to understand his wife's behavior. Emma schemes to break up the First Couple.
It wasn't exactly what Emma had planned. She believed Jed would turn his back on Abbey if she went back to drugs. She didn't expect him to sit in a chair next to the bed and spend the rest of the night nursing his wife back to health.
Jed stripped Abbey's clothes off so she would be more comfortable. It was only after he was sure she was sleeping soundly that he got up and got himself ready for bed. He slid under the covers and snuggled up next to her, just as he had done so many other times when she was sick. For Abbey, just having his body so close to hers always seemed to make her feel better. Besides, he made a promise to stay right by her side all night. He intended to keep that promise.
Jed eventually tried to sleep, but his eyes kept popping open the second she made any sound. He was concerned about what she had taken and if her condition deteriorated in any way, he had already decided to risk the chance of public scrutiny in favor of getting her medical attention.
The next morning, he threw away the remainder of the pills he took out of Abbey's purse. He placed two aspirin and a glass of water on the nightstand, in case she needed them, and left for his office before she woke up.
Ellie and Liz were getting ready to leave by mid-morning and when he returned to the Residence to say his goodbyes, Abbey was still asleep. He gently woke her up so she could see her girls off then left the Residence before he began arguing with her again. He was well aware that the last thing Abbey needed right now was a lecture from him, but it was extremely difficult to hide his anger and disappointment.
It was the Friday after Thanksgiving and the hallways in the West Wing were more vacant than usual. Many staffers had the holiday off and wouldn't be back until Monday. Truth be told, there wasn't any work that he couldn't put off until after the holiday weekend, but for Jed, sitting in his office and getting an early start on work he'd have to do the following week was a better alternative than facing Abbey with the discussion he knew they had to have.
He was upset that she fell off the wagon. But the worst part was that even when he caught her, she was still lying about it. He didn't know how to help her anymore. The last time they went through this, it took its toll on both of them. He wasn't sure either of them had the strength to do it again. He wasn't sure their marriage could survive all the stress that went along with it.
"A penny for your thoughts," Emma said to Jed as Charlie showed her in to the Oval Office.
"I'm sorry?"
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing," Jed quickly answered.
"I just wanted you to know that I had a lovely time last night. And I apologize if I was out of line with what I said about the First Lady."
Jed dismissed her apology. "No, no, you weren't out of line."
"How is she this morning?"
"She's fine," he lied. "She slept late."
"I bet. It isn't true, is it?"
"What isn't true?"
"All those rumors from before. Did the First Lady have a drug problem?"
"Yes, she did," he replied impulsively.
Jed paused for a second. As soon as the words left his lips, he wanted to take them back. His first instinct was always to lie when asked about Abbey's addiction. Perhaps it was his anger that made him reply so truthfully now. He thought about lying to cover up his straight-forwardness, but, obviously, protecting Abbey wasn't going to work if she insisted on going down this same path all over again.
Emma took a seat in front of him, crossing her legs flirtatiously and gently brushing her wavy blonde locks off the side of her face. "I'm sorry."
"She beat it. I'm very proud of her for that. She fought hard and she won," he admitted, trying to abruptly end the conversation and ignore her playful demeanor.
"Are you sure? I mean, last night..."
"Last night was a lapse in judgment."
Emma politely nodded in agreement. "You know, my uncle had a similar problem. It drove my aunt nuts."
"What did your aunt do?"
Emma looked at him, feigning sympathy in her big, blue eyes. "She gave him an ultimatum. Her or the drugs."
Jed didn't even hesitate. He immediately shook his head. "That's not an option with Abbey."
"I'm just saying sometimes that's what needs to be done to get through to the person."
"No. I'm not going to back Abbey into a corner like that," he insisted firmly.
"You're right. She probably wouldn't respond like my uncle did anyway," she finally said, trying to ease the tension. "Well, I've got to get back to work."
"Okay."
Emma rose to her feet and began to walk towards the door. "Good luck when you talk to her tonight."
"It probably won't be tonight. She has plans with CJ."
"With CJ? Are you sure?" she asked as she turned back around.
"Yeah, why?"
"I just talked to CJ. She has a date tonight with that new guy Mark in Advance."
Though he tried to cover his surpise, Jed was speechless. He dismissed Emma, then sat down in his chair, lost in thought. Why would Abbey lie to him yet again, and about something like this? If she wasn't going out with CJ, where was she going?
Even though he tried to hide it, Emma sensed his dismay at the information she had given him. She, too, wondered where Abbey was going that even her husband couldn't know.
Hours later, she set out to discover what the First Lady was really up to. She waited outside the Residence, hoping to catch a glimpse of her if she left. She thought her eyes were deceiving her when she saw Leo and Abbey leave together, headed towards the OEOB. She knew it was her lucky day. The President would be furious when he found out his wife lied so she could sneak around with his Chief of Staff. Her plan had just sped up out of control and she didn't even have to lift a finger.
Emma returned to the Oval Office, armed with the knowledge that she was sure would drive Jed over the edge. She had followed Leo and Abbey into the basement of the building, where they went into a private room, guarded by an agent standing outside. Jed couldn't believe his ears. There had to be some mistake, he reasoned. But Emma stood firm, claiming it was all true.
Jed had to see it with his own eyes. He left the West Wing and headed towards the OEOB. As he arrived, the meeting was breaking up and Abbey and Leo were the first to leave the room.
Abbey paused immediately outside the door. "Jed?"
"Night out with the girls, huh?" he asked.
"Mr. President, what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question, Leo."
As the other members of the group exited the room, they were each surprised to see the President. They weren't as surprised as Jed was to see them.
"You shouldn't be here," Abbey whispered. "How did you even know about this place?"
Jed had no intention of meeting his wife's low voice. "I'm the one asking the questions. What the hell is going on?"
"Jed, calm down," Leo warned.
"I'll deal with you in a minute, Leo."
"No, you won't," Abbey interjected. "We're not doing this here. Let's go home." Turning to Leo, she continued, "Leo, I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Abbey walked away, as Leo headed in the opposite direction. Jed followed Abbey back to the White House. When they walked through the door back in the Residence, she slammed it shut and turned to face her husband.
"What the hell was that all about?" she asked angrily taking off her coat and tossing it on the sofa.
"Excuse me, you're mad at me? You're the one who lied to me -- again!"
"I had a good reason."
"You always do. What is it this time, that you're screwing around with Leo?"
Jed looked down at his feet. His sarcastic question sparked silence between them. Abbey was shocked that he could accuse her of such a thing and Jed, though confused and suspicious, really didn't believe it anyway. His outburst even surprised him.
"I am not screwing around with Leo," Abbey eventually said.
"Abbey, you tell me you're going out with CJ, then I find you in a locked room with eight men. What am I supposed to think?"
"Oh, right, Jed. I'm in a closet having an orgy with members of Congress!" After a brief pause, she continued, "you're supposed to think that I would never betray you. Leo has been taking me to his AA metings, Jed. That's what tonight was."
Jed stared at her, a sense of relief taking over his emotions. "What?"
"You saw who was in that room. That's why they're private meetings. The agent outside tells people it's a card game."
Jed felt simply awful. How could he ever accuse Abbey of cheating on him? How could he have listened to Emma's suspicions? She didn't know Abbey the way he did. Abbey had every right to be furious with him, to give him the silent treatment, to make him beg her forgiveness.
"Abbey, I don't know what came over me," he began, too ashamed to look at her.
Abbey walked over to him and lifted his face so his eyes looked into hers. "How could you think that? I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about where I was going, but the meetings are private -- none of us tell anyone, not even our spouses."
His eyes glanced down again. "I don't know what to say."
She could see the remorse in his face. They had been fighting so much lately that all she wanted to do was hold him and pretend this never happened. "Say you love me, Jackass."
With a slight grin, Jed assured her, "I do love you. I love you so much and I'm so sorry."
"How did you find us anyway?"
He knew he had to tell her the truth, but was sure it would initiate another fight. He held his held his breath and blurted it out. "I didn't. Emma followed you."
Abbey put her hands on his chest and pushed him back, angered by his admission. "Why was she following us?"
"She knew you lied about having plans with CJ."
"How the hell did she even know I told you that?" The silence from Jed was all she needed to confirm her suspicions. "So what are you doing, conspiring with her against me now?"
"Of course not."
"She's the one who convinced you I was cheating on you, and you believed her." It wasn't a question. "I'm finished feeling guilty, Jed. I've given you so much leeway because I still felt bad about how I treated you last year and about lying to you about the AA meetings. But I'm done."
"What does that mean?" he asked her.
"It means I've had it with being understanding about your relationship with Emma! I don't understand it and I'm not sure I want to."
"Abbey, please. You're overreacting."
"Maybe I'm the one who should be suspicious."
"Of what?"
"Of you! Of your feelings for her! Of why you're doing this, why you're letting this woman you barely know turn you against me."
"That isn't what I'm doing."
"Really? Then you believe me when I tell you that I didn't put those pills in my purse last night?"
Jed shifted uncomfortably. He desperately wanted to believe her, but his trust in her had been shaken by the constant deceit. He didn't need to say anything more. His silence spoke volumes to Abbey.
"You know what Jed, get out of my sight. I can't even look at you right now."
Her words stung him. He left the Residence and walked back to the West Wing to look for Emma. He needed to set the record straight. He couldn't let Emma continue thinking that Abbey had been unfaithful.
When he arrived at the press office, she was sitting alone at her desk. Jed could tell from behind that she was crossing something out on a newspaper clipping. It was when he got closer that he realized the clipping was of Abbey and that Emma was crossing out her face with the sharpest pair of scissors she could find.
TBC
Chapter 9
Disclaimers: See Chapter 1
Previously: Thanksgiving was a disaster for Abbey after Emma slipped speed into her drink then placed the unused drugs into her purse. Jed sat at Abbey's bedside as she recovered.
Summary: Jed struggles to understand his wife's behavior. Emma schemes to break up the First Couple.
It wasn't exactly what Emma had planned. She believed Jed would turn his back on Abbey if she went back to drugs. She didn't expect him to sit in a chair next to the bed and spend the rest of the night nursing his wife back to health.
Jed stripped Abbey's clothes off so she would be more comfortable. It was only after he was sure she was sleeping soundly that he got up and got himself ready for bed. He slid under the covers and snuggled up next to her, just as he had done so many other times when she was sick. For Abbey, just having his body so close to hers always seemed to make her feel better. Besides, he made a promise to stay right by her side all night. He intended to keep that promise.
Jed eventually tried to sleep, but his eyes kept popping open the second she made any sound. He was concerned about what she had taken and if her condition deteriorated in any way, he had already decided to risk the chance of public scrutiny in favor of getting her medical attention.
The next morning, he threw away the remainder of the pills he took out of Abbey's purse. He placed two aspirin and a glass of water on the nightstand, in case she needed them, and left for his office before she woke up.
Ellie and Liz were getting ready to leave by mid-morning and when he returned to the Residence to say his goodbyes, Abbey was still asleep. He gently woke her up so she could see her girls off then left the Residence before he began arguing with her again. He was well aware that the last thing Abbey needed right now was a lecture from him, but it was extremely difficult to hide his anger and disappointment.
It was the Friday after Thanksgiving and the hallways in the West Wing were more vacant than usual. Many staffers had the holiday off and wouldn't be back until Monday. Truth be told, there wasn't any work that he couldn't put off until after the holiday weekend, but for Jed, sitting in his office and getting an early start on work he'd have to do the following week was a better alternative than facing Abbey with the discussion he knew they had to have.
He was upset that she fell off the wagon. But the worst part was that even when he caught her, she was still lying about it. He didn't know how to help her anymore. The last time they went through this, it took its toll on both of them. He wasn't sure either of them had the strength to do it again. He wasn't sure their marriage could survive all the stress that went along with it.
"A penny for your thoughts," Emma said to Jed as Charlie showed her in to the Oval Office.
"I'm sorry?"
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing," Jed quickly answered.
"I just wanted you to know that I had a lovely time last night. And I apologize if I was out of line with what I said about the First Lady."
Jed dismissed her apology. "No, no, you weren't out of line."
"How is she this morning?"
"She's fine," he lied. "She slept late."
"I bet. It isn't true, is it?"
"What isn't true?"
"All those rumors from before. Did the First Lady have a drug problem?"
"Yes, she did," he replied impulsively.
Jed paused for a second. As soon as the words left his lips, he wanted to take them back. His first instinct was always to lie when asked about Abbey's addiction. Perhaps it was his anger that made him reply so truthfully now. He thought about lying to cover up his straight-forwardness, but, obviously, protecting Abbey wasn't going to work if she insisted on going down this same path all over again.
Emma took a seat in front of him, crossing her legs flirtatiously and gently brushing her wavy blonde locks off the side of her face. "I'm sorry."
"She beat it. I'm very proud of her for that. She fought hard and she won," he admitted, trying to abruptly end the conversation and ignore her playful demeanor.
"Are you sure? I mean, last night..."
"Last night was a lapse in judgment."
Emma politely nodded in agreement. "You know, my uncle had a similar problem. It drove my aunt nuts."
"What did your aunt do?"
Emma looked at him, feigning sympathy in her big, blue eyes. "She gave him an ultimatum. Her or the drugs."
Jed didn't even hesitate. He immediately shook his head. "That's not an option with Abbey."
"I'm just saying sometimes that's what needs to be done to get through to the person."
"No. I'm not going to back Abbey into a corner like that," he insisted firmly.
"You're right. She probably wouldn't respond like my uncle did anyway," she finally said, trying to ease the tension. "Well, I've got to get back to work."
"Okay."
Emma rose to her feet and began to walk towards the door. "Good luck when you talk to her tonight."
"It probably won't be tonight. She has plans with CJ."
"With CJ? Are you sure?" she asked as she turned back around.
"Yeah, why?"
"I just talked to CJ. She has a date tonight with that new guy Mark in Advance."
Though he tried to cover his surpise, Jed was speechless. He dismissed Emma, then sat down in his chair, lost in thought. Why would Abbey lie to him yet again, and about something like this? If she wasn't going out with CJ, where was she going?
Even though he tried to hide it, Emma sensed his dismay at the information she had given him. She, too, wondered where Abbey was going that even her husband couldn't know.
Hours later, she set out to discover what the First Lady was really up to. She waited outside the Residence, hoping to catch a glimpse of her if she left. She thought her eyes were deceiving her when she saw Leo and Abbey leave together, headed towards the OEOB. She knew it was her lucky day. The President would be furious when he found out his wife lied so she could sneak around with his Chief of Staff. Her plan had just sped up out of control and she didn't even have to lift a finger.
Emma returned to the Oval Office, armed with the knowledge that she was sure would drive Jed over the edge. She had followed Leo and Abbey into the basement of the building, where they went into a private room, guarded by an agent standing outside. Jed couldn't believe his ears. There had to be some mistake, he reasoned. But Emma stood firm, claiming it was all true.
Jed had to see it with his own eyes. He left the West Wing and headed towards the OEOB. As he arrived, the meeting was breaking up and Abbey and Leo were the first to leave the room.
Abbey paused immediately outside the door. "Jed?"
"Night out with the girls, huh?" he asked.
"Mr. President, what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question, Leo."
As the other members of the group exited the room, they were each surprised to see the President. They weren't as surprised as Jed was to see them.
"You shouldn't be here," Abbey whispered. "How did you even know about this place?"
Jed had no intention of meeting his wife's low voice. "I'm the one asking the questions. What the hell is going on?"
"Jed, calm down," Leo warned.
"I'll deal with you in a minute, Leo."
"No, you won't," Abbey interjected. "We're not doing this here. Let's go home." Turning to Leo, she continued, "Leo, I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Abbey walked away, as Leo headed in the opposite direction. Jed followed Abbey back to the White House. When they walked through the door back in the Residence, she slammed it shut and turned to face her husband.
"What the hell was that all about?" she asked angrily taking off her coat and tossing it on the sofa.
"Excuse me, you're mad at me? You're the one who lied to me -- again!"
"I had a good reason."
"You always do. What is it this time, that you're screwing around with Leo?"
Jed looked down at his feet. His sarcastic question sparked silence between them. Abbey was shocked that he could accuse her of such a thing and Jed, though confused and suspicious, really didn't believe it anyway. His outburst even surprised him.
"I am not screwing around with Leo," Abbey eventually said.
"Abbey, you tell me you're going out with CJ, then I find you in a locked room with eight men. What am I supposed to think?"
"Oh, right, Jed. I'm in a closet having an orgy with members of Congress!" After a brief pause, she continued, "you're supposed to think that I would never betray you. Leo has been taking me to his AA metings, Jed. That's what tonight was."
Jed stared at her, a sense of relief taking over his emotions. "What?"
"You saw who was in that room. That's why they're private meetings. The agent outside tells people it's a card game."
Jed felt simply awful. How could he ever accuse Abbey of cheating on him? How could he have listened to Emma's suspicions? She didn't know Abbey the way he did. Abbey had every right to be furious with him, to give him the silent treatment, to make him beg her forgiveness.
"Abbey, I don't know what came over me," he began, too ashamed to look at her.
Abbey walked over to him and lifted his face so his eyes looked into hers. "How could you think that? I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about where I was going, but the meetings are private -- none of us tell anyone, not even our spouses."
His eyes glanced down again. "I don't know what to say."
She could see the remorse in his face. They had been fighting so much lately that all she wanted to do was hold him and pretend this never happened. "Say you love me, Jackass."
With a slight grin, Jed assured her, "I do love you. I love you so much and I'm so sorry."
"How did you find us anyway?"
He knew he had to tell her the truth, but was sure it would initiate another fight. He held his held his breath and blurted it out. "I didn't. Emma followed you."
Abbey put her hands on his chest and pushed him back, angered by his admission. "Why was she following us?"
"She knew you lied about having plans with CJ."
"How the hell did she even know I told you that?" The silence from Jed was all she needed to confirm her suspicions. "So what are you doing, conspiring with her against me now?"
"Of course not."
"She's the one who convinced you I was cheating on you, and you believed her." It wasn't a question. "I'm finished feeling guilty, Jed. I've given you so much leeway because I still felt bad about how I treated you last year and about lying to you about the AA meetings. But I'm done."
"What does that mean?" he asked her.
"It means I've had it with being understanding about your relationship with Emma! I don't understand it and I'm not sure I want to."
"Abbey, please. You're overreacting."
"Maybe I'm the one who should be suspicious."
"Of what?"
"Of you! Of your feelings for her! Of why you're doing this, why you're letting this woman you barely know turn you against me."
"That isn't what I'm doing."
"Really? Then you believe me when I tell you that I didn't put those pills in my purse last night?"
Jed shifted uncomfortably. He desperately wanted to believe her, but his trust in her had been shaken by the constant deceit. He didn't need to say anything more. His silence spoke volumes to Abbey.
"You know what Jed, get out of my sight. I can't even look at you right now."
Her words stung him. He left the Residence and walked back to the West Wing to look for Emma. He needed to set the record straight. He couldn't let Emma continue thinking that Abbey had been unfaithful.
When he arrived at the press office, she was sitting alone at her desk. Jed could tell from behind that she was crossing something out on a newspaper clipping. It was when he got closer that he realized the clipping was of Abbey and that Emma was crossing out her face with the sharpest pair of scissors she could find.
TBC