A Final Toast
Their reign was over. Most of them would be back in some capacity or another, but they all new it would never be the same. They had crowded in what was left of CJ's office. Everything was gone except Gail. Josh was sitting on the desk trying to grab her out of the fish bowl. "You were one of those frat guys in college who made freshman eat goldfish weren't you?" CJ said as she crossed the room and protectively removed the fish bowl to the abandoned book case. As she did, Toby came in with a case of beer and a bottle of Scotch. He sat the scotch on the desk next to Josh, and took CJ's seat on the couch.
"I was not a 'frat guy.' I'll have you know, I was the president of my fraternity." He waived his arms for dramatic emphasis, then lowered his voice. "We didn't make them eat the goldfish, it was their choice if they did it or not," he didn't know why, but he avoided her eyes. Maybe he was expecting to be punished.
"I will never understand men." She walked back across the office and grabbed two beers from the case, tossed one to Donna who was on the other end of the couch, and sat half on the couch arm, half on Toby.
"Why do always end up on top of me?" Toby said as he poured himself a glass of scotch.
"Your comfortable." She said as she leaned on him more. He just shook his head. "Josh get away from my fish!" He had his had in the bowl again, only this time he was successful–until CJ's bark scared him. Gail went flying off the bookshelf, Donna dove after the flopping gold fish. She and CJ were chasing her around the rug, Josh stood by the bowl dumbfounded, and Toby was laughing so hard he couldn't see the little orange creature. Donna finally corralled the suffocating fish and replaced her to her bowl, slapping Josh on the back of the head as she returned to the couch. They all began laughing again.
Abby remained in the residence, giving orders to the guards that she not be disturbed. The room seemed so empty. It really didn't make sense, she had hardly seen Jed in this space, on that couch, but still, now she saw him everywhere. Her eyes scanned the room, until she saw something worth staring at. It was a photograph, a random snapshot taken at their house in New Hampshire. Her, her husband, her girls, and Leo McGary. She picked up the picture, stared at it a moment, then chucked it at the wall. The frame shattered, and the picture landed face down by her feat. Tears choked in her throat as she read the inscription: "Abby, thank you for letting me be a part of your family. Leo"
She sat on the floor next to the broken frame and cried new tears. The agents outside were knocking on the door, asking if everything was okay. She managed her way to them. "Can you find me Leo, please," her voice was tired and strained. The agent at the door nodded to another agent down the hall. She looked in his direction and saw Leo sitting on a chair at the end of the hall. He got up and started towards the door. Abby ran to the other end of the room and tried to pick up the glass. "I heard it break," he said closing the door behind him. "You would think the White House would have thicker walls." She smiled, looked up, and shook her head. He walked over to her and took the photo from her hand. She looked ashamed.
"Abby, its okay to be angry, but you can't be angry at the people who loved him–who loved you." Leo put his hands on her shoulders.
"I'm not. God, Leo. The things I said to CJ, to you." She turned from him, not wanting to meet his gaze. He turned her back around.
"CJ's a big girl, and she knows how loss feels." Abby nodded. "And as for me," he said with a smile, "I never listen to you anyway." She laughed, then cried for laughing, then laughed for crying. "When was this taken anyway?" he said examining the picture again.
"I have no idea," she said as they sat down at the kitchen table, "but, we looked happy."
"I'm sure we were." Leo squeezed her hand. Abby met his gaze for the first time, and smiled. They sat in silence, sharing memories, joys, and sorrows.
CJ swirled her glass. The room that had been filled with laughter was now silent. She stared at the alcohol, listening to the ice cubes clink against the sides of the glass. Donna finally broke the silence. "We need something to toast to if were gonna keep drinking."
Toby cleared his throat, but said nothing. "Go ahead Toby," CJ said from her perch, her drink now resting on the top of his head. "You are the speech writer after all."
Toby raised his glass as the room waited attentively for what poetic wisdom would come from his mind. He ran his hand over his face, and laughed at the nerves he was feeling. The condensation from CJ's drink was dripping down the side of his face. He shrugged his shoulders, his friends now looking puzzled. Toby was never without words. "What is there to say?" he looked around the room, meeting the eyes of each person. "Here's to friends who became family, and to," the words caught in his throat. CJ squeezed his shoulder. "And to serving at the pleasure of the President."
"Here, here," Josh rang out from on top of the desk. The toast was echoed, glasses clinked, tearful smiles were shared.
"I knew you had it in you, Pokey." CJ tried to hug him without getting off the arm of the chair, but lost her balance and fell across his lap. Her drink flew from her had and landed on Donna. She screamed, CJ fell to the floor, and the room erupted in laughter. Leo passed by the open door and paused to view the scene. He smiled to himself and shook his head. These were the brilliant minds that ran his country.
"Yeah," he said out loud to the hallway, "yeah, they were." He continued down the hallway towards his new office, hearing the echos of his family's laughter.
