Chapter 12: Twinkle in the Eyes

Click, click. Click, click. Click, click. Was all Sam heard in his study from the kitchen of his and Ainsley's apartment. He saw Ainsley walk past the doorway. Click, click. Click, click. Click, click. "Can you stop making noise?" yelled Sam to Ainsley who walked past the doorway again, this time stopping to look at him.

"No," said Ainsley as she turned and went back walking.

"Then what they hell are you doing? It's impossible to work when it sounds like there is a horse walking through are kitchen?"

Ainsley kept on walking. "I'm practicing walking in my wedding shoes."

"You're practicing what?"

Ainsley stopped at the doorway again. "I'm trying to practice walking in the shoes I'll be wearing when we get married so I won't fall when I walk down the aisle." Sam looked at Ainsley liked she had gone mad. "You don't want me to fall when Leo walks me do you?" pouted Ainsley.

Sam shook his head. "No."

"Okay then," said Ainsley as she started to walk again. "We are going to tell Leo tomorrow right?"

"Tell Leo what?"

"That we want him to give me away."

"Right."

"I knew you forgot," teased Ainsley.

Sam smiled. "Thanks for reminding me."

Ainsley glanced at the clock. "It's 11:30. My feet are starting to hurt. I'm going to bed."

"I'll be right in," said Sam as he started to save his work on the computer.

Sam and Ainsley entered the communications bullpen together.

"THREE MORE MONTHS!" yelled Donna as she spotted Sam and Ainsley.

Sam whispered to Ainsley, "She's more excited about our wedding than we are."

"You know what you guys should have done?" asked Donna in a normal voice as she walked up to them.

"What should we have done, Donna?" asked Ainsley.

"You should have done TLC's A Wedding Story."

Sam looked at Donna. "How about when you get married to Josh, you can ask CJ about your idea."

"Josh and I aren't even dating."

Sam smiled. "But you want to, right?" Donna was speechless while Ainsley hit Sam's shoulder. "OW!"

Ainsley apologized for Sam's mistake. "I'm so sorry, Donna. Come on, Sam. Put your things down and lets go talk to Leo."

As Sam and Ainsley walked to Leo's office, Ainsley said quietly to Sam, "I can't believe you said that to Donna."

"What! We both agreed that they had a thing for each other." The couple stopped outside Margaret's door.

"That doesn't mean you were suppose to say anything!" hissed Ainsley.

"Oh, come on!" whispered Sam. "I was just giving her a little push."

"We'll finish this later," said Ainsley as she walked past Sam to Margaret. "Hi, Margaret. Is Leo in?"

"Hi, Ainsley. Sam. Yes, just a minute." Sam and Ainsley kept their distance from each other. "Had a little fight in the hall did ya?"

Ainsley nodded her head and smiled. "Yes, but not worry, we are still going to get married."

Leo's door opened with Leo standing on the other side. "Hi, guys. What do you need?'

Ainsley smiled her best smile. "Morning, Leo. Do you have a second?"

"I just help the President run a country full of 250 million people, but I think I can spare sometime for my favorite couple. Come in." Sam and Ainsley stepped inside the office and Leo shut the door behind them.

Ainsley took a deep breath. "Leo, as you know, my father recently passed away."

Leo had the look of concern in his eyes. "Yes, and I'm very sorry for your lost."

"Thank you. I thought my brothers would walk me down the aisle and give me away, but they don't want to take my father's place. So Leo, Sam and I have always thought of you as part of the family and we were wondering if you would like to be the one who gives me away."

Sam swore he had never seen Leo have a brighter twinkle in his eyes or a bigger smile. "I would be honored."

Ainsley sighed out a breath of relief. "Thank you," she said as she moved into give Leo a hug. Leo shook Sam's hand.

"Now go get to work," said Leo waving them out of his office.