Chapter 5

Abbey rolled over and looked at her sleeping husband. Whatever time he had come to bed last night was too late. He just looked so tired.

She watched his breathing. Watched his chest rise and fall. How she loved doing that in the early mornings. The few mornings that is that she didn't wake up all alone.

She hated to fight but it was Jed's fault. Abbey knew she was right. Looking after her husband's health 'was' her job. It didn't matter if she was a doctor or not. Didn't matter if he was President or not. As his wife, she was responsible for him staying healthy. At least until the dreaded 'm' word raised its ugly head.

This job was killing him.

Slowly.

Day by day.

But it was surely killing him.

She was acutely aware of how the Presidency and its stress always aged the person in the office. Eisenhower with a massive heart attack. Woodrow Wilson and his stroke. And untold other illnesses related to the stress of the Presidency that were never made public. The job was relentless and never allowed time to just kick back and take it easy.

She was always afraid of the phone calls from Leo. Or from Hackett. She feared that one day they would call and say Jed was dead. Dead from the stress. Dead from being President.

And there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.

But the bright thing was that they were two years into his four year term and Jed had promised that it would be all. They had a deal. And she was going to see that he kept it.

Abbey leaned over and kissed Jed gently on the lips.

He smiled.

"Hey, how long have you been awake?"

"Long enough to know you've been looking at me." Jed rolled over, gazing into his wife's beautiful green eyes. "About last night?"

Abbey could feel herself getting tense. "Yeah, what about it?"

"I didn't mean to yell, but you can't control my life."

"Why not?"

"Abbey," in the most warning tone he had.

Abbey turned and threw off the covers. "I can do anything I want to, Jed. I'm your damn wife unless you've forgotten that as well"

"Abigail!"

Jed got out of bed and stood in front in Abbey as she crossed his path heading to the bathroom.

"What, Jed? I love you and want to protect you. Don't you understand that?"

"You can't! I have certain responsibilities and you can't override them." His anger only served to increase the pain in his shoulder. Rubbing it seemed to do no good. "God, it's terrible to get old."

"Jed, listen. I'm leaving town this morning for a two-day trip. We'll talk more about this when I get back. Now let me in the shower."

Jed stood back, allowing Abbey to pass. As the door shut, he replied, "No, we won't talk about this anymore!"

Continuing to rub his shoulder Jed sighed. He hated when they fought and one of them was leaving. Everything seemed so unfinished.

But he knew that he had to get dressed and leave for the office. Maybe this fight would be better solved after Abbey returned. After she had a chance to cool off.