Chapter 2
"CJ."
"Yes, Leo?"
"I just wanted to tell you that the President and the First Lady really appreciate the deal you made with the press regarding pictures of the family on vacation. He sounded so rested this morning when I was giving him the daily update."
"Thanks, Leo. I really begged the press to leave them alone as much as possible. Most of these reporters have children and understand the need to have some time just alone with them. I told them if I heard of one reporter breaking the deal he was going to be in my doghouse. And let me tell you, nobody wants to be in MY doghouse." CJ rubbed her hands with gleeful anticipation.
Leo laughed. "Well, whatever you did seems to have worked. The President hasn't been on a true vacation in over two years and he desperately needed to get away. And Jed needed quiet time with his family. They have seen so little of him over these past few years that he might as well be a stranger to them. I'm sure those two grandchildren will soon fall in love their grandfather all over again."
It was extremely rare that Leo referred to Jed by anything other than the President. So CJ knew that this family time for the Bartlets was special for him as well. Leo had been keeping things running here at the White House, and hoping no major international crisis would require the President's return to Washington.