Chapter 4
"Are you staying with me? You know about my claustrophobia." Abbey shuddered at Jed's fragile emotional state. This was so unlike him. Normally, he would be joking or pleading to go home. Telling her there was no need for all this fuss. But instead, he was pleading for her to stay.
Putting her hands on his arms, she looked down at him. "You've already been given some medicine to calm you down. You'll be fine. You need the sleep anyway. Just relax and it'll be over before you know it. I'll be by the microphone if you need to talk with me."
Leaning down closer to him, she kissed him gently on the lips. "I love you, Jed. Whatever is wrong, we'll face it together."
Jed nodded and shut his eyes. "Okay, let's get this started." The technician slid the President into the MRI as Jed placed his arms by his side and sighed with resignation.
A tear forced itself out of Abbey's left eye as she turned and left the room and entered the office behind. This was not Jed. This was not the man who had fought to achieve every goal he had obtained. Who fought for what he believed in, no matter what the personal cost to him.
Here was a man who had been defeated by life. Defeated by circumstances that he couldn't control.
Abbey sat down and tried to focus on what was occurring in front of her. But her heart was breaking. She remembered the utter look of hopelessness on his face when he left the Residence. By this time, Zoey and Ellie were awake and wondering why the Residence was so full of activity at 4:30 am. To their dismay, it was all focused on their father.
CJ arrived just as the President was being lifted into the ambulance for the trip to Bethesda. Abbey noticed she wore the same clothes that she had on last night but didn't question why. That was her personal business. Besides, with the administration in its last few months, who cared? She certainly had bigger worries to deal with.
"Mrs. Bartlet? We're finished."
Abbey was brought back to the current reality. "Oh, thanks. When will you have some results?" as she looked through the window and saw the aides lift the sleeping President onto a stretcher.
"We should have something for Dr. Benson in the next hour. He'll meet you upstairs. The President is being taken to his suite so he can sleep the sedation off."
"Thanks. I'll be waiting with the President."
"Yes, ma'am."
Abbey turned and exited the office, following the stretcher upstairs.
In an hour they would know. In an hour they would have an answer.
No matter what the answer was, she would have to be strong. She would have to take Leo's place and make sure that Jed made it through this time.
