All six passengers began walking down the dock towards the yaht, each couple walking one behind the other. When they got on the ship, Leo showed them all to their rooms. There were three bedrooms inside the yaht. One with a double bed, one with two twin beds, and one with bunkbeds. Leo and Jenny claimed the room with the double bed. Seeing as how the boat itself belonged to Leo's family, they took precedence over the other guests.
"I'm really glad we're doing this," Jenny announced to Leo when they got into their room and had started unpacking their things.
Leo was distracted by what he had just seen, but tried to focus back on his girlfriend.
"Me too," he replied, grinning ecstatically at her. She was satisfied.
"Hey," he added. "Did you notice anything…odd back there on the dock?"
"Mmm, no. I don't think so. Why? Did you?"
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart," Leo said, avoiding the answer to her question.
"I really like Amanda, Leo. She's very sweet. I just feel awful for poor Jed."
"Why?"
"Well, he's around two couples…couples in the romantic sense. He's only got his cousin."
"That's the life Jed has chosen to live, Jen. God only knows why," Leo answered. "No pun intended."
"And I'm excited Ron and Abbey are along. They're such…troublemakers. They kind of give me a thrill."
Leo but smiled at her in response.
"I think Abbey and Jed are going to get on well. Jed and Ron may not be quite so lucky though," Jenny continued.
Leo laughed at the irony; he'd told Jed the exact opposite. He was certain he knew them best, so he was doubtful of Jenny's words.
"You think so?"
"Yes! I think Ron's too competitive for Jed," Jenny explained.
"You don't think Abbey's competitive? You've got to be kidding."
"Well…she is, but in a different sense. Abbey's just outspoken…"
"Outspoken's understating it…"
"…and very independent. Strong-willed and what have you. Ron's just plain animalistic about competition. Doesn't matter what he plays or what he gets out of it, as long as he wins."
"You should be a psychiatrist, Jenny, you've got them all worked out," Leo said.
She grinned with complete satisfaction.
"They seem nice," Amanda said to Jed while they unpacked their suitcases in the room with the bunkbeds.
"Mmm hmm."
"He's very handsome. Pity he's already been spoken for. Ron, I mean."
"What's wrong with Leo?" Jed asked, laughing.
"Jed…"
"Ok." He smiled. "Thanks for coming with me, Mandy."
"You're welcome. You know, she's very pretty too," Amanda stated, anxiously awaiting his reaction. Like Leo, she had noticed it too.
"Who, Jenny? Sure she is," Jed replied, absentmindedly.
"No, Ron's girlfriend. Abigail."
"Yeah? I haven't really given her a good look yet, I guess."
"Please, Jed, you were staring at her the entire time we were standing on the dock," Amanda countered, with amusement.
"Ha!"
"Oh, ha what, Jed? You were. Why do you think Leo was so anxious to move on from the conversation and get everyone on the boat? It was awkward."
"You're reading too much into this, Amanda. She's a very pretty girl, that's all."
"You just told me you hadn't 'given her a good look yet' and thus couldn't agree that was she a 'very pretty girl.'"
"Amanda."
"Jed."
"Remind me just how we're blood-related," Jed said. "Because I'd really like to have that blood removed."
"Look, it's no big deal. Just admit it. Admit you were attracted to her," Amanda demanded.
"I was not attracted to her! I'm attracted to God and no one else."
Amanda burst out laughing uncontrollably.
"Now you're just lying to yourself, bucko.And I'm pretty sure you couldn't be any cornier."
"Amanda, I'm not lying!"
"Then you're in denial."
"Ya know, I thought you were nice," Jed complained.
"I am. That's why I'm saying this to you. Come on, Jed, stop and think a bit. Maybe priesthood just isn't the right way to go for you."
"What, because I'm attracted to one girl?"
"Ha! You are attracted to her!"
"That was just mean, Amanda. Let's play fair here."
Amanda's laughter subsided and her smile was replaced by a look of concern.
"Josiah Bartlet, I need you to hear me. I know you want to go into the God business because it's tradition in our family. I know that in the Bartlet clan, you're either married or you're in the church. But I just can't imagine you sitting behind a dark screen in a confessional absolving people of their sins. I see you out there in the real world, doing something about it."
Jed listened to her, seriously this time, considering her words carefully.
"Just promise me you'll think about it, Jed."
"I will, Mandy, but I'm telling you that…"
"That's all I ask." She cut him off before he could say what she knew he wanted to.
Across the way, in the room with the twin beds, Ron and Abbey were having a far-from-boring conversation of their own whilst unpacking their things.
"I can't wait till we get to the Vineyard. I haven't been there in years," Ron said, opening his suitcase.
His normally very verbal girlfriend said nothing, she only stood in front of her suitcase on her bed and re-folded all of her clothes.
"Abbey."
"What?"
"You stopped listening to me. And you stopped talking. In short, you're scaring me."
"Sorry. I guess the whole train ordeal has me a little on the spacey side."
Ron laughed.
"Speaking of spacey, that Jed Bartlet is quite a character, eh?"
"Mmm. Quite."
"It's always funny to me when people space out."
Abbey looked at him as if he was crazy. Who says that kind of thing? She wondered. He carried on.
"Although I'm not so sure I like the fact that he spaced out while staring at you."
"Oh, come on, Ron. You said yourself he was just spacing out, absentmindedly. It wasn't like he was hitting on me or anything. He's a man of God, for God's…ahem, goodness' sake."
"He's not a man of God yet, Abbey," Ron said, suspiciously.
"Ron, seriously. You need to give this up. You know how I feel about jealous guys. It's a…"
"Major turnoff, I know, I know. You're right. I have nothing to worry about."
"That's right," Abbey replied, firmly.
"I don't have to worry about anyone taking my girl from me," he said as a cunning smile crept over his face.
"Not now, Ron," she said, trying to hold in her girlish giggles.
"Why not now…" Said Ron, slowly meandering toward her.
"Because we're on a boat!" But she couldn't help laughing.
"There's a first time for everything."
They fell back onto her bed as Abbey laughed uncontrollably. Ron joined her in her laughter.
"Honey, if you don't stop laughing, we're not gonna get anywhere!" Ron exclaimed, causing them both to laugh even harder.
At that moment, Jed opened the door, almost jumping back when he saw them. They stopped the laughter immediately and Ron slid off from on top of her.
"What's up, man?" Ron questioned, congenially.
"Um…Leo told me to tell you guys that we're about to pull back the rope."
Abbey, who was in a very giggly mood at this point, laughed and said, "Okay, what does that mean? I have no idea what that means!"
"Uh. Just means we're about to leave shore," Jed answered, feeling more than incredibly awkward.
"Oh." She threw her head back and laughed even more at her own stupidity.
"Ok," Jed said, tentatively, backing out of the room.
Once he was gone, Ron said, "I think we scared Pope Bartlet out of his wits, for the love of celibacy!"
Although something inside Abbey felt bad for their unwitting intruder, she continued her laughter in the best way she knew how. For Ron's sake.
TBC
Within a few minutes, everyone was on deck watching as the yaht sailed gracefully away from the dock.
"It's so exciting, isn't it?" Jenny said.
"It really is," Amanda answered, looking out on the water.
"I feel we're like we're about to embark on something really exciting. Something special," Jenny continued.
"Something we'll never forget," Amanda agreed.
"I hope so," Leo said, squeezing Jenny's hand.
"I'm inclined to agree with you guys," Abbey said, and Ron put his arm around her.
Jed suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness.All at once, he was struck with a thought. Was this it? The rest of his life? Would he have to spend his entire life plagued by this horrible feeling? They said God would be the only friend he'd ever need. But the fact of the matter was, God couldn't keep you warm at night. It was then that Jed realized this.