An hour or so later, around 9:30pm, the party was still going full swing. The only person who had left was Jed's 91-year-old grandmother, who had a curfew to keep at the retirement home she lived in nearby. Coincedentally, she was one of very few family members who lived in DC. Jed and Abbey had a few relatives surrounding them, in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, but the majority of them lived in New England and had to fly in just for Elizabeth's birthday. It was worth it to them though. Both Jed and Abbey's sides of the family felt very strongly about their familiaral ties, and Elizabeth Bartlet's sixteenth birthday was certainly a worthy occasion for a reunion. Jed loved his family more than he loved his own life, but most of the time he was grateful to be away from them in Washington. He liked living mostly in solitude with just Abbey and the girls. He thought it gave him the ability to examine family situations from a fair standpoint. Or that was his excuse at least. Jed was dancing to Mel Torme with Abbey's older sister, Julia, and actually having a good conversation. The whole extended family thing tired him sometimes, always the same old stuff, never anything exciting. But Julia was a breed all her own. She was like Abbey in the sense that she was a wild, free spirit, spitfire type. She taught political science at Boston College and apparently loved bringing her brother-in-law up in her lectures. The difference between Abbey and Julia was that Julia's capacity to love was lacking. She couldn't keep a relationship more than a few months (even that was pushing it) and said she would die before she had children. She wasn't the nurturing type, and that was self-proclaimed. Jed, however, found her loads more interesting than Abbey's younger sister, Michelle, who was quiet, submissive, and frankly just too nice for Jed's taste. Jed often wondered how Michelle had survived in a house with Abbey and Julia for so many years without being trampled by their larger-than-life personalities.
"So. How's life on the Hill, Representative?" Julia questioned, pointedly.
"It's life. Not the most enjoyable way I could spend my time, but luckily I've got Abbey and the girls to come home to, so I'm doing just great." "That's nice to hear." Jed couldn't tell if she was being sincere or sarcastic. Like Abbey, Julia had the uncanny ability to change tones at the drop of a hat. "What about you?" He asked her.
"What about me"
"How are things"
"Things…things are good. Thank you," she added as an afterthought. "Quite welcome." "Hey, Jed, can I ask you a question"
"Not if it's about legal advice," Jed answered, smiling.
"It's not"
"Then of course you can"
"Well, I was going to ask Abbey this, but I knew she wouldn't be straight with me." "Abbey not be straight with you? You know her better than that," Jed laughed.
"No, she'd beat around the bush. She feels sorry for me"
"Julia, Abbey doesn't feel sorry for anyone but the poor kids in third-world countries who don't have anything." "Jed, will you stop arguing with me and just let me ask you this"
"By all means, ask away," he said, invitingly. "Ok." She took a deep breath. "How come you and my sister have managed to stay married for twenty years and I can't make it past three months with a man"
Jed wasn't sure how to respond to a question like that. He and Abbey had been asked numerous times how they managed to achieve longevity, but it was usually in good spirits. Julia was obviously distraught. "Well, I don't know about you, Julia. But Abbey and I have been married so long because…well, that's what you do when you love someone"
"That can't be why. I've loved people. People have loved me. And where am I now? I'm so far from the altar that I can't even remember what it looks like"
"Sorry, I should have expanded on that. That's what you do when you love someone enough." "What's enough"
"Enough that you never want to be with anyone else, ever. Enough that you can't imagine life without them. Enough that you're willing to deal with the bad as well as the good, every single day"
There were tears in Julia's eyes, but she pleaded with him to continue.
"Please, Jed"
"Julia, I…well, what do you want me to say? Look, I'm gonna cut right to the chase here. A marriage can't work unless you wake up every morning, look beside you and smile with gratitude. Just because the person you love is there. They don't even have to do anything and you're overwhelmed by how much you truly…cherish them"
With that, Julia began to cry. Jed had never seen his sister-in-law like this before and it truly took him by surprise.
"Julia"
"Why do you love her?" She asked, bluntly.
"What"
"Why. Why do you love her?" "In…general or as opposed to something?" He asked in return. "As opposed to, say, me"
Jed paused, his jaw slightly dropped.
"Hold on. Julia, what are you"
"Oh, don't be an egomaniac, Jed. I don't have feelings for you like that, I'm just trying to figure out what's so wrong with me that I'm forty-five and unmarried while my little sister is forty-one and has been married twenty years.That's all," Julia explained. "I really don't know how to answer that question." "Come on." "You do believe in fate"
"No"
"Then maybe that's the problem," Jed replied.
"What"
"See, I believe that there's one person for everyone. It's a very corny and outdated theory but…it worked for me, so I have no reason not to believe in it"
"God, she's lucky." "Yeah, well, I'm not denying it." He laughed. "Cheer up, kid. Things'll turn around"
She put a stop to the dancing and smiled at him.
"Go find Abbey. Hearing all those things you just said, I don't want to keep you away from her any longer. If I were this lucky, I wouldn't leave him alone for a second"
Jed was truly touched. It was rare that he, or anyone really, made an emotional connection with the very thick-skinned, aloof Julia. He hugged her.
"You'll find someone. Don't you worry your pretty little head about it." He winked at her. "Go," she ordered, smiling through the tears that had dried on her cheek.
He did as he was told. He walked around the room, waving and smiling at the people he passed, looking for his wife. Instead of finding her, he found his middle daughter, when she jumped on his back from behind. When she jumped off, he turned around.
"Hi, Daddy"
"Hello, Miss Eleanor. What are you up to?" "Mmm, nothing"
"Would you happen to know where I can find your darling mother?" Jed asked her. "Last time I saw her she was talking with Uncle Leo over by the buffet," Ellie answered.
"Thank you," he said, rushing off.
"But that was like an hour ago!" She shouted from behind him. "Great. Thank you so much, Ellie"
Ellie laughed and Jed continued to look for his ever-elusive wife. When he finally found her, she was standing in a crowd with his aunt and uncle and two of his cousins. He hadn't noticed when they'd spoken earlier, but she was wearing one of his favorite of her dresses. It was a tight, light purple dress with thin spaghetti straps that cut off just above her knees and twirled whenever she walked. Jed walked up behind her and pushed his way into the small circle they had made.
"Excuse me for interrupting, all, but I was wondering if I might steal my wife from you for just a moment"
"Well, she'll be sorely missed," his uncle Matthew said. "Go on then," Aunt Lenora insisted.
"Thank you." He took Abbey's hand and whirled her out onto the dance floor, noticing her dress twirl as he did so. The song was "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" by Elton John and it was one of Abbey's favorites. "Where have you been all night?" She asked him, curiously, as they danced.
"I might ask you the same thing"
"I've been mingling"
"I've been making the rounds"
She sighed.
"I love how it's 'mingling' to me, but 'making the rounds' to you. You make it sound like a chore"
"Well at least my rounds brought me to you eventually," he said. "How sweet," she said, rolling her eyes. "So, who've you been talking to"
"Oh, coincedentally"
"What"
"Your sister"
"Which one?" Abbey questioned.
"Julia"
"You were talking with Julia"
"And dancing with her. We had a very…interesting conversation"
"Oh, Lord. What does that mean"
"She wanted to know why I love you"
"No"
"Oh, yes, dear"
"Why did she want to know that!" Abbey exclaimed.
"She was trying to figure out why we've been married twenty years and she can't hold onto a man period"
"Did you tell her it was because she's a judgmental whore? Which isn't normal because whores don't earn the right to be judgmental"
"Mmm, no, I thought I'd leave that to you"
"Well, what did you tell her"
"I couldn't possibly repeat it all. But I'll have you know, she was reduced to tears by the end of my speech"
"Because you were a jackass or because you were being romantic"
"Romantic, naturalment," he replied, mockingly. "Well!" "Then she told me how wonderful I was and how she didn't want to keep me away from you any longer"
"Jed"
"I know it, babe. You feel the same way. Admit it. I'm wonderful." He grinned, self-confidence oozing out of him.
"Can't argue with that." They danced in a silent rhythm for a few minutes, and then Jed asked, "Hey, have you seen Liz tonight"
"Well, yeah, of course I've seen Liz tonight," Abbey answered. "I mean recently. I've only seen her once all night"
"Hmm. I guess that means she's enjoying herself." "I guess."