"Awwwwwww!" Donna squealed, girlishly.
"Oh my God, look at CJ!" Sam exclaimed, pointing to CJ who had tears streaming down her cheeks.
"What's the matter, CJ?" Abbey asked with concern. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen CJ cry. None of them could.
"Nothing it's just…that's so beautiful."
"Oh, honey, don't worry. Things get more complicated and less romantic as the story goes on," Abbey told her.
"What! The entire thing was romantic, Abigail! What are you saying, Sweet Knees, that I was too much of a bad boy for you?" Jed raised an eyebrow at his wife.
"Oh yeah, Pope Bartlet. You were a real rebel. Rebel with a bible in hand"
"At least he wasn't a groupy, Mrs. Bartlet," Sam added, facetiously.
"Oh, he only benefited from me being a groupy, Sam. I taught him everything I learned when…" Abbey responded.
"Ah! Stop!" Sam put his hands over his ears.
"Whatever you do, Mrs. Bartlet, do not finish that sentence," Toby said.
The staff prefered to think of the couple the old-fashioned way…separate beds and all. Leo laughed at their naïve ways. He had lived with the First Couple, so to speak, for nearly forty years. They had no idea…
"So you did know the First Lady before Leo!" Josh said to the President, quickly trying to change the subject.
"Hey, we were just trying to keep ya on your toes," Jed said.
"I would have never imagined…" Toby began, thoughfully.
"What? That I stalked the First Lady then finally gave up and decided to become a priest?" Jed laughed.
"Well, that fate had to do with your courtship," Toby finished. "Never would have guessed."
"Oh, Toby, fate had so much to do it with," Abbey said.
He laughed quietly, out of sheer relief. He had no idea how she was going to react when he told her all obout his flashbacks, etc..They continued dancing silently for another moment. When the song ended, Abbey's wild spirit repossessed her. She picked up her purse from the table, grabbed Jed's hand, and led him away from the restaurant.
"Where are we going?" He asked.
"If this were five years ago, summer, where would I be going at 11:35pm, aka right now?" She asked, with conviction.
Suddenly it clicked.
"The end of the beach," he replied.
She grinned.
"Bingo."
She dragged him across the busy streets and onto the beach.
"Wow. I've waited about six years to be able to walk down this beach with you. God truly works in mysterious ways," Jed said.
Abbey cringed at the mention of God. It reminded her about his chosen career (and really his life) path. The thought of which caused her physical pain. It was the only thing keeping him away from her. Unless you counted Ron, which she didn't.
"Well, you were nice enough to babysit for me, so this is the least I can do."
"Hey, babysitting you has been fun so far. No complaints here."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure," he replied.
"Why the priesthood?"
Oh yeah. The priesthood. Being with her had almost made him forget.
"It's tradition in my family. You're either in the church or you're married"
"So why the church and not marriage?" Abbey asked, as they walked slowly down the beach.
"Well, by the time I had to choose a major, I hadn't found anyone I wanted to marry and never thought I'd find someone that I loved enough to actually spend my entire life with, day after day.That's no small thing with me. I took that as a sign and so I went with theology over economics."
"Hmm. What happens if some day, maybe twenty years from now, when you're already a priest…what happens if you find someone then?" She inquired.
"I…I don't know. The thought had never occurred to me."
She nodded, and they continued walking.
"Abbey."
"Hmm?"
"What about you? You're studying to be a doctor?"
"Oh. Yeah, I'm pre-med at Amherst," Abbey replied.
"Great school."
"Yeah, it is. I love it."
"I'm impressed that you're pre-med," he said.
"Why? Because I'm a woman?"
"Well…partly, yes. But I gotta say, I admire anyone who wants to be a doctor."
"Why's that?"
"Because I could never do it. It takes a very strong person to be a doctor, I imagine. With a strong stomach to boot."
"I suppose you're right."
"So why do you want to be a doctor?" Jed asked.
"An insatiable, overwhelming need to help people."
"Wow. I really do admire that."
"Plus, I'm a total control freak, and the thought of controling whether a person lives or dies gives me a thrill unlike any other," she explained.
They stopped walking. He looked at her seriously and said something that even shocked him.
"You are so completely unique from all the world, Abigail."
She laughed, uneasily.
"You should see me when I'm at my worst."
"I wouldn't mind it," he answered, truthfully. She was taken aback by his answer, and the surprising honesty the emanated from it.
"It's hard to believe we've only just met this morning," Abbey commented, still feeling uneasy about where the conversation was going.
"Yeah. Feels like we've been on this trip for ages already and it hasn't even been a whole day."
"I feel like we're halfway across the world, but we're really only miles from home."
"That's the beauty of Martha's Vineyard. It makes you feel like you're vacationing across the ocean, but you've hardly even left home," Jed agreed.
The wind was starting up pick up, but the air was still so warm, even without the sun. It was after midnight now, but neither of them were in the least bit tired.
"Do you mind if we sit down?" She asked.
"Nope. Not at all."
She positioned herself down on the sand and he sat next to her. They were just close enough to the water that they could breathe in the fresh, sea air but far enough away that they tide wouldn't reach them.
"I miss coming here every summer," Abbey said.
"Didn't you say you came here last summer?"
"Yes, but…"
"Then you technically haven't had a summer away from here yet," Jed pointed out, laughing at her.
"Well, it feels like I have."
He turned and smiled at her; she smiled back. Their gazes lingered for a moment, then they both quickly turned back to looked at the ocean awkwardly.
"So why aren't you going to come this summer?" Jed asked.
"Why aren't you?"
"I'm too old, I guess."
"Ditto then."
"That's not why," he said.
"How do you know?"
"I'm very perceptive."
"Well, you're right. My grandmother died in November. She's the one I used to…"
"I know. I'm so sorry about that, Abbey," Jed offered.
"Thanks."
"She was a real nice lady."
"You knew her?" Abbey asked, shocked.
"Sure. Well, only from afar. She was with you a lot when you were here, so I saw both of you much of the time."
She laughed.
"Maybe you are a stalker."
"No, I just…"
"I'm kidding. I don't think you're a stalker, Jed."
"Okay."
"It's weird for me, thinking that you used to…know me, but I had no idea. I'm trying to remember some of the embarassing things you must have seen me do," Abbey admitted.
"Well, there was that time you dropped your book in the ocean…"
"Ahh! No!"
"…and then you dove in after it and fished around for about five minutes."
"I was hoping you hadn't been around for that."
"Must have been a good book," he said.
"Peyton Place."
"There ya go. That's worth searching the Atlantic for."
"I can't believe you saw that." She was turning red, something that rarely happen to a girl with such confidence.
"Oh, yeah. That was masterpiece theater right there," Jed said, grinning as she blushed.
She sighed.
"Now I'm just plain embarassed."
"Don't be. You kept me in a good mood for days after that."
"So you enjoy reveling in the adversity of others?" Abbey asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Sure do." He winked at her.
"What a great man of the cloth you'll make," she commented, sarcastically.
"Don't have to tell me twice."
Abbey could tell that Jed was starting to become more comfortable in her presence. At first, he had been very nervous, shy, and terse. Now he was relaxed and not afraid to be honest with her. And it made her enjoy his company even more, despite herself.
"How long do you think they'll be at Junky's?" Abbey questioned.
"If I know Leo, a long time. And Jenny may look innocent, but I've known her to be quite the barfly at times.They'll be gone for hours. Till the wee hours of the morning, I'm willing to bet."
"Oh." She looked down.
"Why?"
"Just wondering."
"Abbey. Do you consider me a friend by now?" Jed asked her.
"Well, yeah, I guess?"
"Then tell me what you're really thinking."
"What makes you assume I've got ulterior motives, Bartlet?"
"Because you've got that look of clandestinity in your eyes. The same look you had back on the yaht before you told me about your lurid past."
"Oh…"
"You're very easy to read, ya know."
She burst out laughing.
"You're kidding right?"
"No, ma'am."
"Everyone says I'm impossible to read. That I mask my true feelings better than anyone."
"Well, either they're all wrong or it's just me," Jed replied. "I personally think it's just me," he added, confidently.
"You'd like to think that, wouldn't you?"
"I would. Now. Tell me what you're really thinking."
"Well…" she hesitated. "I was thinking we could go visit my grandmother's old house. It's empty now and I haven't seen it since she died and…I guess I'm just feeling nostalgic."
Jed hopped up and held out his hand to her.
"Let's go."
"Really?"
"You bet."
She took hold of his hand and he pulled her up from the ground. They stood close together, face to face, for a moment. Then she giggled and started to walk toward her grandmother's house.
TBC.