Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Back Home Again

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: Kyle taunted Abbey over a medical error; Jed tried to relieve Abbey's stress with a little passion

Summary: It's Thanksgiving at the Bartlet's!

- - -

Elizabeth stood at Abbey's side on the tips of her toes, teetering dangerously on the top step of the step-stool. She stretched her tiny body to look over the counter at the rustic metal candleholders Abbey was preparing. Her baby teeth hung over her lips as she bit down in anticipation. The same look of impatience her father had perfected was visible in the sparkling eyes Abbey was drawn to as she watched Liz wrap her fingers around the candles and step down to walk to the dinner table.

"Here?" she asked her mother, her feet losing contact with the ground as she hung over the mahogany wood.

"Yep, right there. And you can put the other one on this side." After she guided her hand to the right spot, she proudly noted Liz's face beaming at the triumphant placement.

Jed had spent the morning watching Liz help Abbey bake pies and side dishes, but it was seeing them set the finishing touches on the Thanksgiving dinner table together that filled him with a feeling of warmth and security. "Good job, Lizzie!"

"She's been wonderful all day as Mommy's little helper," Abbey added. "She even pinched the pie crust."

"It was fun!"

"Yes, it was." Abbey kneeled down to her eye level. "Why don't you go get ready. You can wear your blue dress."

As she enthusiastically ran to her bedroom, Jed helped Abbey up and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Just a quick question," he bent down to whisper in her ear. "There are real eggs in the pie, right?" She turned slightly and replied with a silent roll of her eye. "I'm just saying the last time you used a proxy for me and Lizzie, neither one of us finished breakfast."

"There will be real eggs in the pie," she confirmed. "Rick called earlier?"

"Huh?" It was a lame attempt at dodging the question.

"That was Rick on the phone, right? How many other people is he bringing?"

He surrendered after a look at the grin on her face, a testament to how well she knew him. "It's no big deal."

"Jed?"

"His cousin Jessie is visiting. He can't leave her there alone."

She nodded. "So, he's bringing his cousin Jessie." It was more of a statement than a question.

"And her husband." He looked up to catch her stare and waited for her to return her attention to the table before continuing. "Also, he found a date," he mumbled under his breath.

"What?" He offered her a seat in front of him and began to massage her shoulders from behind.

"He found a date." It was repeated in a more forceful tone. "What was I supposed to say?"

"Well, for starters, you could have asked me if we have enough food."

"Do we?"

For a second, evil thoughts plagued her mind as she visualized the colorful possibilities that would arise with her answer. But one look at his panic-stricken face she couldn't go through with it. "Yeah," she replied instead. "Now ask me why."

"Why?"

She rose from the table and rubbed her hands together, wiping them on the apron around her waist. "Because I've been married to you for six years and once you invited our mailman, I knew this was going to be one of those Thanksgivings."

"What do you mean by that?" He approached her with a stronger voice to compensate for the sound of the water she just turned on. "We had quiet holidays in London."

"Yeah and as soon as we got back to the States, you were entirely too eager to make up for them. That's why you go overboard."

"I do not go overboard." He handed her a couple of paper towels to dry her hands.

"Sweetheart, I love you." She crossed in front of him and stopped just behind him, her voice now a low whisper. "You go overboard." She ducked his hand and wandered towards the bedroom.

He knew that. He accepted that. And so did she. Jed Bartlet was a man who enjoyed the company of others, whether it was for Thanksgiving dinner or just a simple get-together. In his world, the more loving and friendly the surroundings, the more festive the gathering.

With the meal prepared and the table set, he followed Abbey a few minutes after she retreated into the bedroom, but instead of her frantically rushing to get ready, he was overcome by a quieter, more somber Abbey. He noticed her walking with a softer bounce in her step. She slipped her dress on over her head, allowing the soft, flowing white fabric to glide down her skin with very little effort to straighten the line.

She took a comb to her hair, but it barely touched the top layer of her auburn tresses. Her lips were creased and curved just a little and her eyes had lost their dazzling shine. He simply stood still for a moment to stare at her reflection in the mirror.

"Honey, what is it?" he finally asked with the palms of his hands now resting on her upper arms.

"I'm just trying to get ready," she said.

"Abbey?"

"I got my period," she admitted after a brief silence.

He took a deep breath, partly relieved it wasn't anything more serious. "That's okay. We'll try again."

"I know," she replied with a small glimmer of a smile forming on her lips. "Half the fun is in trying, right?"

"Right."

He turned her towards him to steal a kiss, but just as their lips touched, the doorbell rang out. Jed slipped on another shirt and headed out the bedroom as Liz walked in with her silver necklace held loosely around her neck.

Abbey sat on the bed and pulled her in front to help her with the clasp. "You look beautiful."

She returned the compliment, her cheeks flushed with energy. "So do you."

Hand-in-hand, they started to walk out, but Abbey paused as they passed her antique vanity. "One last thing." She picked up her bottle of perfume and dampened her own skin with a quick spritz, then sprayed Lizzie.

"It smells good." She rubbed her wrists together and sniffed the fragrance just as she watched her mother do seconds earlier, then followed her out.

- - -

The guests crowded around the rented table, squeezing together to make room for the large number Jed had invited. He scanned the smiling faces staring back at him, but the one face he was truly moved to see was his father's. John Bartlet was fumbling with the name cards Liz had painted onto clean autumn leaves and placed on the plates. He let the leaf fall from his hands and caught a glimpse of his son's snooping eyes.

"The dinner looks great, Jed," he told him.

No words were necessary to express the silent "thank you" that crossed Jed's face. He smiled at John and took his seat.

Most people were oblivious to the exchange but to Abbey, the only moment that could compare to Jed's heartwarming reaction was the image of Liz adjusting the headband on one-year-old Chloe's head.

"I think she likes you, Lizzie," Millie assured her. Chloe giggled and reached out her little fingers to grab at Liz's hair playfully.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Sweetie?"

Liz turned in her chair to face her mother with a plea. "If I promise to pick up my toys and clean my room every single day for the rest of the year, can I keep her? Please?"

Laughter resonated through the dining room and Liz scrunched her face in confusion.

"I'm afraid not," Abbey replied humorously.

John picked up his glass of water and held it out towards the little girl. "It's okay, Elizabeth. This time next year, you're going to be a big sister."

"I am?" The excitement caused her voice to climb a few octaves and sparked silence among crowd.

The guests stared at Abbey for confirmation until James finally spoke up. "Abbey, are you..."

"No, Dad, I'm not. I'm not pregnant."

That firm declaration was enough to drastically alter the mood in the room. Jed shook his head in his father's direction, a gesture that alerted everyone the subject wasn't up for discussion.

Following dinner, John sat on the floor with his back leaned against the sofa. Liz wobbled around in his lap, pointing to words in Dr. Seuss's The Cat In The Hat and looking to him for help when she stumbled. With every sentence she read, he encouraged her to read another. From the kitchen, Jed and Abbey couldn't help being taken in by the scene.

"Go," Abbey urged him when she saw him longing to be part of the fun.

With a peck on the cheek, he handed her the dish he had just rinsed off and passed by Millie on his way to the living room.

"So a baby, huh?" Millie prodded Abbey.

"Maybe."

She nodded and picked up a plate to help. "How did you do on your general med exam?"

Abbey looked down at the dishwater in an attempt to avoid Millie's stare. "Why?"

"Just curious."

"I did fine. I passed," she said quickly as she turned away to dry a glass.

"What do you mean you passed?"

"I mean I passed. It's over. I'm just glad I passed."

"You're usually at the top of your class, Abbey. Now you just passed?" It was a rhetorical question. "When do you take the USMLE?"

"In January."

Millie immediately picked up on her hesitation and fearful demeanor. "I'm worried that this Dr. Nelson is really doing a number on you." Abbey ignored her concern. "I'm also worried that that's why you want another baby now - in the middle of med school when you barely have time to breathe. Believe me, I know how difficult it is..."

"It's third year that's the killer, Millie. You had Chloe at the start of your residency. If I have another baby, he or she won't be born until next year. A baby in your fourth year of medical school isn't that uncommon. The year is filled with elective rotations and interviews for residency anyway. I can handle it."

"I just hope you're not looking for excuses to drop out of school."

Abbey leaned down on her hand which she planted firmly on the counter to flash her fiery green eyes at her friend. "I'm not."

It was an honest look, a determined look. It was a look she hadn't seen in Abbey since she admitted she was pregnant with Lizzie.

Meanwhile, in the next room, John continued to turn the pages in Liz's book while she slowly sounded out the words. Jed, James, and Mary sat close by, watching the pair adoringly.

When they reached the last page, Liz set the book down and glanced up at her father. "Daddy, can Grandfather come over again?"

"You know, I was supposed to babysit Lizzie on Monday. If John would rather watch her..."

Jed fidgeted in his seat at Mary's proposal. "No, I don't think so."

"Why not, Son? I'd love to sit with Elizabeth," John replied.

"Yeah, Daddy. Please? I wanna play Candyland with him!"

"Lizzie, I said no." It came out harsher than he intended. "Sweetie, I'm just not sure it's a good idea."

John's temper simmered below the surface when he sensed what Jed was really trying to say. "You don't want me to watch your daughter? You don't trust me."

It was an implication no one but John had picked up on.

Mary tried to throw water on the flame that was starting to ignite. "I'm sure that's not it."

"Please don't help," Jed warned her.

"Of course that's it. Jed thinks I was a lousy father and he doesn't trust me with his little girl."

John's voice had risen to catch everyone's attention. He hugged Liz tightly then set her down on the floor. Waving off Jed's help, his hands gripped the edge of the sofa to hoist himself up. Abbey stood motionless in the kitchen as Jed chased his father out the door.

Mary addressed her daughter for answers. "I don't understand."

"It's complicated."

No one but Abbey knew about the abuse Jed faced at the hands of John Bartlet. No one but Abbey was supposed to know. But the disaster that had just unfolded sparked many questions in the minds of all the spectators, especially Lizzie.

"Dad, wait!" Jed called out to a frantic John who sprinted down the concrete steps outside.

"You love embarrassing me in front of others, don't you?"

"That isn't what I was doing."

"How many of them know what a horrible father you think I was? How many ears have you filled with lies about how I treated you?"

Ignoring the question, Jed instead focused on his chosen words. "I've never lied about you. Nothing I have ever said has been a lie." To break the silence that loomed between them, he decided to come clean. "You want to know the truth? No, I don't trust you with Lizzie."

"Imagine my surprise."

"Your idea of discipline isn't the same as mine."

"What discipline? From everything I've observed and from what Elizabeth has told me, you never discipline her."

John was no longer the only one angry. Jed stared him down with an incredulous look of contempt. "That's none of your business."

He let out a bitter laugh before replying. "Don't talk to me about your brand of parenting when parenting shouldn't even be part of your vocabulary. You don't know what it takes to be a father. You haven't become one yet."

"Because I don't beat my child?" The pacing and sharp movements from John only fueled Jed's temper. "You see, this is exactly why I don't want you alone with Lizzie. You're not allowed to see her - not without me or Abbey there in the room with you!"

John matched his loud, strong voice. "I don't need supervision! I raised you and Jack just fine!"

Without taking even a second between the end of John's sentence and the beginning of his, Jed responded. "Then why can't I stop hating you?"

It may have been cruel and Jed acknowledged that, but words spoken in the heat of the moment weren't always untrue.

Still, the pained expression on John's face gave Jed pause. He extended his hand and attempted to take his father's arm, but John violently pushed him aside and brushed by him as he left. Jed stood in the cold New England air and watched him disappear around the corner.

TBC