Title: Leo Cooking and Easter Eggs Daylight series 3/?
By: chipmunk
Pairing: Leo/Margaret
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Beta By: Lee pigletnpooh@comcast.net
Disclaimer:
The characters are from the NBC, WB, A John Wells Prod., TV show, 'The West Wing'.
They own them; therefore, they do not belong to me.
They are the creation and property of Aaron Sorkin. I only borrowed them.
No copyright infringement is intended. No monetary benefit is received or anticipated.
Please keep in mind that, 'Imitation is the highest form of flattery'.
A 'grateful' and 'enormous' thanks, to the actors and actresses,
who portray the characters brilliantly and bring them to life in my head.
Any mistakes found in this fic, are totally my own fault and ignorance.
This is a learning process for me. Additions and Corrections are encouraged.
Feedback: I would love it hear your opinion! PLEASE! It helps to improve my writing!
Archived at:
Summary: Leo shows up to cook on a Saturday night and finds Margaret boiling lots of eggs.
Note: This short fic is third in the Daylight series. Hope you enjoy!
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It's 7pm, Saturday evening and Margaret's busy in the kitchen. It's a little warm and humid in there right now. She hears the doorbell sound and she intentionally ignores it. ~I'm not going to answering the door, I know that no one said they are coming over and I certainly don't have the time to sit and be chatty with company. I have to get this done.~ After a couple of minutes, she hears her named being called from inside the apartment and a smile spreads across her face. Soon, out of the corner of her eye she sees Leo standing in the kitchen doorway, with a bag of groceries and his clothes satchel. It's been two weeks since his last cooking adventure. The problem is, she's currently using most the kitchen and too involved with the stove, to really look at him now.
Sitting his grocery sack in an open area on the counter, he grins and to make her jump, since she's watching what she's boiling on the stove, he inquires loudly, "Margaret, 'what' are you doing in 'my' kitchen?" He leans over to peer into the steam rising from a large pan.
"Well, Leo, to begin with, it's 'my' kitchen, my name 'is' on the mailbox," she gives him a 'quick come back' remark, to stall from answering his question.
Giving no comment about what he found in the boiling pan, he hurries to the bathroom, taking his clothes satchel with him, to get changed.
~Now, I'm going to catch it. Maybe he won't make fun of my situation, if I can just convince him to help and this might work out to be an easier project than I thought. It might even be fun, if he's game to help!~
Leo returns to the kitchen and she scans his casual attire, from top to bottom. ~Boy, oh boy, he makes a good 'James Dean' impression tonight. Form fitting white t-shirt, faded jeans, no belt and his thick white socks. ~ "Never takes you long to change, Leo. Did you have to practice that talent?" She teases, afraid he'll notice that she's looking at him a little too long.
"Picked it up in the military. Now, I'm glad I forgot to pack a casual shirt. You really have it warm here in the kitchen," pulling a few times at the neck of his t-shirt, letting her know that he's aware of her inspection. He then changes gears and folding his arms across his chest, he tilts he head to the side and looks at her with narrowed eyes. "Margaret, should I even ask, why you're boiling enough eggs to feed an army," he knows this is going to be an interesting answer. He loves to be sarcastic with her; he knows that 'his' Margaret tends to blush when she gets flustered.
"To begin with, they're not to eat. They're for hiding," she simply explains.
He leans toward her and asks in a stage whisper, "hiding? Here? Are you 'into' hiding eggs around the apartment?" He knows she's about to bust, from either the fact that he's acting dense or that he's teasing her.
She rolls her eyes and then pins a narrowed glare at him, "Well, since it's not obvious to you, this is Easter weekend and they're for an Easter egg hunt tomorrow afternoon, for the neighborhood community center."
He remarks back to her, like he's not a total idiot, "I know it's Easter Weekend, Margaret. Remember the President threw the staff out of the White House till Monday." He places his hands at his hips. "How else would we be standing here, at this time of the evening? How many eggs are you boiling," he decides to pin her down to a number, looking at her with one eye, since he may not really want to know the answer.
"I'm doing half of them and Kathy's family downstairs, is doing the other half," she tries to lessen the sound of the amount, by informing him that she's not doing all of the eggs.
"Then, how many is half," he's still going for a number, getting a little worried at this point.
"Twenty dozen is all," like she does this all the time.
"You're going to boil and color 240 eggs this evening," he points out in amazement. "I do assume you're going to color them and my next question is more to the point. You 'have' got a plan as to how you're going to color this many eggs," he questions, as he knows she usually has a plan.
While watching that the pan doesn't boil over, she proceeds to tell him,"Well, first, I'm just getting them boiled. Then while they cooled, I'll work out the details on a system for coloring them. I'm hoping I could do large batches of different colors. Maybe use the large mixing bowl, the tossed salad bowl and a few casserole bowls. You can't use metal bowls or utensils, because you'll get funny results with the vinegar. I picked up the liquid food coloring, at the same time as I purchased the eggs. I could spread out newspapers on the table, to let them dry on the newspaper," she was rattling off the details.
"Whoa, Margaret, you lost me in there somewhere. What's with the vinegar? You aren't making a salad out of the eggs," he run the palm of his hand down the back of his hair, as he tries to figure out what she just said.
She looks at him, to let him know she expects an answer to her next question, "just when 'was' the last time you colored Easter eggs, Leo? Mallory must have wanted to color eggs as a child," she thought that she was stating the obvious.
"For your information, I haven't colored Easter eggs, since I was a child and we just dropped some tablets in a coffee cup of water. Jenny colored eggs with Mallory, while I was at work." he tried to bite off the last sentence; he didn't feel he should have brought up Jenny's name.
Margaret could tell he wanted to take back mentioning Jenny's name; he was looking everywhere but at her. To make him more as ease and clear up this dilemma, she comments back to him. "Leo, just to get this clear. Don't you ever worry, about bringing up Jenny or Mallory around me. I've liked Jenny for years. We had an unspoken partnership in taking care of you. When Mallory was little and before I worked for you, I'm sure you must have worked a lot of hours, to get where you are today. There's no fault in providing for your family. Jenny was at home, so naturally she helped Mallory with holiday events. You and Jenny have a history together and raised a daughter together. A divorce doesn't erase that. I just wanted to let you know it's OK to talk about them. I understand." She said it all in a rush, so he wouldn't stop her from saying it. A short inhale of air and she changes the topic, "Now back to the eggs. I'm so glad you showed up. I'm beginning to think I need you to carry the boiling pot. It's really heavy and my arms are tired from all the batches I got done before you came here. I need it in the sink, so I can run some cold water in it. It helps to cool down the eggs. Thanks Goodness, I have only one more large batch to boil, after this one."
Leo's smiling now, "So, now all I'm good for in the kitchen is a strong pair of arms?" Leo was back in his good mood. The one he had the last time he fixed dinner. "Where did you get this huge pot anyway? Did you steal it from the Whitehouse kitchen," He's teasing her again.
"Leo, They were kind enough to let me borrow it for the weekend, since it's for a community project. Like I'd sneak it out of the Whitehouse," she's looking at him, 'like are you nuts'? Then breaking into a grin, "That would really set off the metal detectors," she's joining in on his teasing.
~ I'm sure amazed at his Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde personalities, that he has between here and work. I definitely like the one he has here at the apartment better.~
He has one hand in his front jeans pocket and the right hand, flat on his abdomen, "Margaret how's this for a plan? While these eggs are cooling, I'll fix us a quick dinner." He then gestures toward the stove. "You can put on the last batch to boil while we eat." He now shoves his free hand into his other pocket. He rocks back and forth in his sock feet as he continues his plan. "After we're done eating the last batch of eggs should be ready to cool. You can then get the items that we'll need to color the eggs ready, while I clean up the kitchen from my cooking dinner. We'll set up a system of coloring the eggs and spreading them out to dry." He stands still a moment and looks at her face, for her opinion of his plan.
"Ok, Leo, that will work great for me," she agrees.
Once he deposits the pan in the sink, he starts unpacking the vegetables he brought, while Margaret takes care of the done eggs and prepares to boil the last batch. They both work in happy silence, each content to be sharing this time together away from work.
******
After dinner Margaret has one of the counters filled with large bowls and the items needed to add the color. "Leo, could you look in the utensil drawer and get all the large plastic spoons out? We'll need them to scoop out the eggs after they are colored."
"Margaret, I think it would be a good idea if I cover the floor with newspapers, because I know we're going to drip on the floor." ~I just know this is going to take awhile and accidents do happen. This 'is' a small kitchen, ~ he logically anticipates.
While they're dipping eggs into the bowls and scooping out the ones that are dark enough, Leo continues thinking, ~I know just what to say to make her blush.~ "Margaret," a slight pause so she'll look at him, "you would make a nice bunny." He grins real big at her and wiggles his eyebrows at her suggestively.
She was blushing, just like he knew she would. Sounding indignant, she shakes a spoon at him, "Leo, that better be an 'Easter' bunny and not the one I think you're suggesting." Leo's continues grinning and he then shrugs his shoulders, acting innocent.
She's looking at the eggs and not at Leo, "No one at work better ask us what we did for entertainment tonight, they'd be rolling on the floor laughing," she states to Leo.
Leo, is trying to sound like he's agreeing, "Or they'll be looking at us like we're crazy," he states, then he really grins big and adds, "especially when they hear you're hiding eggs and I'm looking for a bunny." He starts laughing and Margaret can't resist joining him in the enjoyment.
*********
Finally, they have the last egg placed on the table to dry and they both are 'so' glad the job is done. "I feel like I wrestled the Easter Bunny, instead of helping him," Leo tries to sound grouchy, but can't pull it off, since he has a tired, but satisfied grin on his face. He clasps his hands together and stretches his arms over his head.
"I know what you mean, Leo, but it'll be all worth it tomorrow. To see and hear the little kids laughing and squealing with delight, as they discover them hidden in the park," she adds with the same look on her face. "Thanks, Leo, for helping me, I'd have been half the night getting this done, if you hadn't shown up and rescued me."
"I'll keep that in mind, I might think of something you can do to reward me, for being the knight in shining armor," he has a hopeful look and smile on his face.
Her mind is whirling, so many ideas pop into her head; most of them would probably shock Leo. ~Then maybe not, but I'm not going to try and fulfill all my daydreams of Leo, just yet. I don't want to scare him off, just as he's learning to make himself at home here!~
"Someone 'is' going to help you to delivery all these eggs in the morning," he asks, he can't see her doing it all by herself? ~I hope more than one other person, or she's going to be making several trips up and down the outside stairs, to her car.~
"Yes, they're sending over some teenagers, really early to pick up the eggs, so they can hide them for the little kids," she reassures him.
"So, what else did you plan on doing this evening," he casually asks, as he strolls into the living room and helps himself to the jellybeans, from the dish that he finds on the coffee table. He notices that she has foil covered chocolate eggs, in a dish on her side of the couch. ~I like the idea of my side and her side of the couch concept,~ he thinks to himself, with a grin.
She's trying to sound casual also, but is still anxious, "I was going to listen to 'Jesus of Nazareth' movie on TV, while I worked on the eggs, but now I can sit and watch it. I don't think we missed too much of it," she hints, since she wants him to stay and watch with her.
Leo, quickly agrees, "Sounds good to me. I'll go get us something out of the frig to drink, if you'll go ahead and find the channel." He then warns her, "Leave the jelly beans alone, I'm claiming them for the movie"
"Fine with me, Leo, just don't touch my chocolate eggs. They're a tradition with me," she said, staking her claim to the chocolate. She hears him rattling in the frig, as usual. "I'll take some of my strawberry flavored water to drink. I don't want too much caffeine, this late in the evening. The chocolate candy eggs, will have enough caffeine in them and I plan on sleeping well tonight."
"No problem, I prefer dark chocolate when I can get it, the milk chocolate is for sissies," he knows that'll get a rise out of her. "Mallory likes to buy me the bag of Dove dark chocolate in small squares. I keep them in a bowl in my hotel room."
"I'm no sissy, but dark chocolate isn't sweet enough for me," she defends her choice in chocolate.
"You're already sweet enough for me, Margaret," he adds as he returns from the kitchen with the drinks.
She tries hard to still look him in the eye, as he hands her a glass, but she can't think of a snappy reply to what he said, ~ Oh, wow! Did he just say, what I think he said?~ She opts for a simple answer. "Thank you, Leo," she tries to keep the blushing to a minimum. ~What 'am' I supposed to reply when he says something like that; he just likes to make be blush. If he keeps this up all evening, I'm not going to need to wear blush to church in the morning. But it sure helps my ego.~
They both get comfortable on the couch, tucking their feet up and a fluffy throw pillow into each corner.
After the movie, they are both content from watching a good movie, which reminds them of the blessings, of the Easter season.
Needless to say, Leo grabs the remote and changes to a news program, since it is 11 pm and he hasn't heard any news all evening.
The first thing on the news is a problem going on in the Middle East and Leo feels that he better check in with the President. Getting up to grab his cell phone out of his suit coat, that's hanging over the desk chair. He quickly pushes the speed button that connects him to the White House. After a short conversation, he returns to the couch, to inform Margaret of the results of his call. "Well, the President apologized to me. Since he had banned everyone from the Whitehouse for the rest of the weekend, but he needs me to come in long enough for him to make a call. He wants to try to calm some hotheads, in the Middle East, who are using the Easter holiday to their advantage."
"Leo, I can get changed and go in with you. You might need me for something," she's already swinging her feet to the floor.
He holds his hand up, palm out, to stop her from rising, "No, the President feels bad enough asking me to come in, even for a short while. He'd really feel bad if you went to the office with me." He then quickly adds, " Not that he'd have a problem with us spending the evening together, in fact he'd be overjoyed that we're having some 'down time' together." Putting a hand on his chest, "Then, he'd feel just terrible for calling me away. So you just relax, maybe get some of that sleep you planned on." He hesitates, then reluctantly continues, "So, I better change back into some work clothes now and get over there."
She looks hard at him, to see if he's just acting like he doesn't need her in the office, to give her the night at home. He seems sincere. She then mentions to him, "Leo, you'd better leave your t-shirt here, for me to bleach. It has tiny spots of food color on it," she points out to him, trying to be helpful.
"Ok, sure," he agrees. He then proceeds to pull the bottom of the t-shirt out of his jeans and peel it off over his head. Her eyes are glued on him, as he reveals to her, a nice chest that is finely coated with sandy gray hair and then he hands his t-shirt to her. ~I didn't know that you get gifts at Easter, but I now may have to remember, how to breathe again. What he keeps hidden under that suit of his, is probably the best-kept secret at the White House and I'm not telling anyone.~
He heads back toward the bathroom where his work clothes are and Margaret watches his retreating bare back. She sighs softly and grins. ~I told him to make himself at home, in my apartment and I'm so glad he took me at my word.~ He returns shortly in his suit pants and dress shirt, but he's not wearing his tie or the suit coat. ~Must be because it's late at night. The open neck button reveals, just a glimpse of his bare chest. I plan on nice dreams tonight. ~
She's sitting on the couch, trying to think of anything he needs to know from his schedule, since he's leaving. "Remember you have Mass in the morning with the First Family," she reminds him and then adding, "you're to pick up Mallory at the Airport at 4pm and you really should spend some time with her tomorrow evening, it's the last day of her Easter break.' She then additionally suggests, "you two could get dinner somewhere, on the way to her house and catch up on each other's lives," she suggests.
"I may just do that." He looks at her with a small smile. "Thank you, Margaret, it's been a memorable evening and if I don't see you tomorrow, Happy Easter," he says softly as he kisses her on the forehead.
~Well that makes my Easter complete,~ she smiles and snuggles down into the couch; with his t-shirt tucked to her chest and it smells like his wonderful cologne. She stretches her legs out and touches the throw pillow, which Leo left in his corner of the couch.
The end
p.s. till next Sunday or maybe Saturday
blessings
chipmunk
Betty Lou Riley
20th April 2003
Happy Easter