Chapter 7
Through the fall Abbey's pregnancy was in the honeymoon phrase. Her morning sickness had left and she had energy for everything.
Jed was busy during the week trying to teach his economic classes at the University and on weekends trying to meet with his fellow state representatives. They were working on upcoming legislation and sometimes his appearances at home were delayed by meetings with groups and various constituencies. But Jed was attentive and tried to get home most nights to share dinner. Abbey had gone into a rotation that was located in the laboratory so she was able to keep regular hours.
Late at night, after Liz had been put to bed, were the best. Making love or just cuddling, and then talking about what the baby would be named.
"It will look like you. A boy should be named after his father."
"Abbey, what if it's a girl? Then Josiah would not be a good name."
"Jed, it has to be a boy. I mean we already have Liz and this one should be a boy."
"Abbey, I would love a boy, but shouldn't we decide on a girl's name as well as a boy's?"
She looked into the stunning blue eyes of his. "Jed, this one is a boy. I just know it."
"Okay. How about blank Josiah Bartlet? I don't want a junior. He really should have his own identity."
After a brief pause, Abbey replied. "I had a favorite great-uncle, Robert Henry Barrington. What about Robert Josiah Bartlet? I've always loved the name Robert."
"Yeah. Robert Josiah Bartlett. That has kind of a ring to it."
"Yeah. Robert Josiah Bartlett. I definitely want our child to have your name."
"But what if it s a girl?"
"It won't be Jed. We already have our girl."
"I mean, shouldn't we pick one out just in case?"
"Well, if it'll make you happy. Let's see….Abigail, Gail, Catherine, Eleanor, Mary, Nancy, Paula? I can go on. Any of those strike your fancy?"
"Well, I would love our girl to be named after her mother but she wouldn't have her own identity either. I like Eleanor. I mean it has a certain kind of elegance. What about a middle name?"
"Eleanor is fine with me right now. But I still think this baby is a boy. I'm carrying this baby differently and it's even acting differently than Liz did. It just has to be a boy."
Jed smiled. He hoped for a boy as well, but he would accept a girl as long as Abbey and the child were okay.
"Great. That's settled. Now let's get some sleep."
Abbey laughed and cuddled next to Jed. "Fine. As long as your son will allow it."
Thanksgiving came and went. Although tired, Abbey invited everybody to the farm, a long-standing family tradition. The first Thanksgiving she had attended was the last one which Jed's grandparents hosted. Shortly after that, both had passed away within a month of each other and Jed had inherited the farm. All the time in London, Abbey had longed for the peacefulness of the farm and was thrilled when Jed got a job teaching, first in Boston and later in Dartmouth. That made the farm that much easier to sneak away to.