Chapter Five

Zoey Bartlet sat on the couch, propped up on her knees, gazing out the window anxiously. She strained her neck, trying to see as far as she could. Snow was falling lightly outside, creating a picturesque quality to the already beautiful land that surrounded the Bartlet family farm.

An ecstatic grin lit up Zoey's face as she watched a familiar car glide up the driveway.

"Mommy's home!"

She jumped off the couch and sprinted toward the front door. Jed walked out of the kitchen just before she could open it.

"Zoey, stay in here. It's freezing out there."

"But Mommy's home!"

Before Jed could respond to her exclamation, the door opened without Zoey's help and Abbey strolled into the old house. She unraveled her scarf from around her neck and shook the snowflakes out of her hair. She then took off her long, wool coat and hung it up on the coat rack beside the door.

"See!" Zoey said to her father. "I TOLD you."

She run over to her mother and into her waiting arms.

"Oh, really, honey, you're getting much too big for this," Abbey said.

"I've been waiting for you all morning!" Zoey exclaimed.

"I got here as soon as I could, baby doll."

Abbey leaned over and gently placed her daughter on the floor. Jed approached her cautiously.

"How are your parents?"

"Fine," Abbey replied, casually. "Nan's in Boston for the weekend, but Dad was there."

"How is he?"

"Fine."

She walked past him, following her nose into the kitchen in search of the scent it detected.

"I'm making lunch," Jed said, appearing beside her.

"Oh. Okay."

"Abbey, is everything all right?" He placed a warm hand on her shoulder, concerned. "You seem a little…"

"Fine," she answered, tersely. "Everything's fine."

She brushed his hand off, turning and walking away. He watched her walk away in silence, completely stunned.

"Okay," Jed said, addressing his family when they had all gathered at the dining room table for lunch. "Plans for tonight. You first, Lizzie."

Elizabeth finished chewing and took a sip from her glass of water before speaking.

"Oh. Well, I was just gonna go to Amy's tonight."

"Bringing Annie, I assume?" Abbey asked.

"Yes, Mom, I'm bringing Annie."

"Good."

"Okay. What about you, girls?" Jed said, looking at Ellie and Zoey.

Ellie shrugged.

"I don't know about Zoey, but I'm going to Megan's house."

"No!" Zoey cried. "You can't. You have to come with me to Aunt Michelle's"
"I told Megan I'd come over."

"You know I can't spend the night with someone else all by myself!"

"So don't go to Aunt Michelle's," Ellie reasoned.

"But I wanna play with Stephanie."

"Then go to Aunt Michelle's."

"Ellie," Abbey said. "Would you please go with your sister?"

Ellie sulking, leaning back in her chair miserably.

"What about Megan?"

"You can see Megan tomorrow. I promise."

"Fine."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"Yeah," Ellie replied.

"Mom, what about you?" Jed asked, glancing over at Catherine.

"Your brother is taking me out to dinner."

"Johnny?"

"No," Catherine replied, sarcastically. "Your other brother."

"This sarcasm is not becoming on you, Mother," Jed said, shaking his head.

"You bring it out in me, darling."

"Dad, what are you and Mom gonna do tonight?" Liz asked.

"Well, I'm driving down to Concord to see Governor Foley."

"Really?"

"Why's that, Jed?" Catherine questioned.

"Honestly don't know, to tell you the truth. He called and asked if I'd pay him a visit while I'm in New Hampshire."

"He didn't say why?"

"He didn't say why," Jed confirmed. "But does he need a reason? Bob and I go way back to high school."

"Ah, that's right," Catherine replied. "He went to your father's school, didn't he?"

"And succeeded with flying colors. Hence why he's now the governor of the great state of New Hampshire."

"Live free or die!" Zoey exclaimed.

They all laughed, and Jed smirked proudly.

"Have I got this one trained or what?"

"Hey, Mom, what are you gonna do tonight?" Ellie questioned, once the laughter had subsided.

"Well, someone has to stay with Lane if we're all going out," Catherine pointed out.

Abbey sighed and shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

"Guess that'll be me."

"Darling, I can stay home tonight if you'd rather go out," Catherine offered.

"No, it's okay, Catie. You need to see Johnny. Thanks."

"Abbey, if you want me to stay home, I can…" Jed began.

"No," Abbey interrupted him. "It's fine."

"We can both stay home if you want," he continued. "Rent a couple movies, and then…"

"Jed," she said, sternly. "I said it's fine."

The children all exchanged wary glances with their grandmother, who shook her head, signaling for them to just drop it. They all looked down at their plates awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with both Jed and Abbey.

"Yeah. Okay," Jed muttered to him, thoroughly annoyed by his wife's sudden hostility.

Shortly following lunch, Abbey had bolted out of the house. One of the farm's many benefits was an infinite amount of space. She could have literally walked for hours and still remained on her own property. However, what with the also infinite amount of snow that seemed never to relent, it made things a bit difficult. Though she had struggled desperately to escape her house and its inhabitants, somehow she found discovered.

"Abbey!"

Abbey whipped around abruptly, and saw her mother-in-law running towards her. Running may be too strong a word, as the snow was close to making movement of any kind impossible.

"Catherine, what are you doing out here?" Abbey called. "You're going to catch your death of cold!"

Catherine didn't reply until she reached Abbey's side, completely out of breath.

"Cate, you really should go back inside."

"Not until you tell me what's going on between you and my son."

"You're going to have pneumonia over Christmas," Abbey said, softly.

"Abbey, I'm not kidding around here."

"That coat isn't near warm enough for this weather."

Catherine placed her hands on her hips with irritation and looked her daughter-in-law square in the eye.

"I didn't come all the way out here in the freezing cold and foot of snow for you to tell me I'm just making myself sick!"

"What did you expect? I'm a doctor. That's what I get paid to do."

"You don't see me writing you any checks, Abigail."

"Everything's fine, Catherine," Abbey insisted.

"So I hear. Fine has apparently become your word of the day."

"Who are you to judge my marriage, Cate? Just look what happened to yours!"

It took a moment for Catherine to register her words and recover from the insult that had just been hurled at her.

"My marriage was not, on its best day, in the same league as yours is," Catherine said, somberly. "I hate to see you fighting, that's all. I'm a concerned parent. So put me at ease and tell me everything's okay. Honestly and truly okay."

Abbey shook her head.

"I can't do that, Catie. I can't lie to you."