Jed and Abbey practically ran through downtown Martha's Vineyard on their way to her grandmother's house. She didn't know why exactly, but she was excited. There was something about an empty house that sparked such a feeling of mystery and potential. At first, she thought it would make her sad to be in her grandmother's house after her passing, but she didn't feel that anymore. Maybe it was the company she was in, but Abbey was feeling better than she had in a long time.
When the house came into their view, they slowed their pace and meandered over.
"Wow," she whispered, to herself.
"Does it look different?" Jed asked.
"No. It looks exactly the same. But then, it hasn't been that long."
"Well, come on then. Let's go in," he said, continuing toward the house.
"I feel like we're on some sort of adventure!" She said, excitedly.
"We are." He smiled. "Let's just hope it doesn't lead to trouble."
"Oh, live a little, Altar Boy."
She ran ahead of him, up the stairs of the porch, to the front door of the house.
"Well? Are you gonna go in?" Jed questioned when he caught up with her.
She shot him back a defensive look.
"Of course I'm gonna go in. What do you think I am? Chicken?"
"Are you?"
"No!"
"Okay then. Go in," he said.
Abbey tentatively put her hand on the doorknob, but before she could turn it, the door opened suddenly. She jumped back, startled.She and Jed stood waiting for the door to fully open, for the person behind it to be revealed to them.
Abbey didn't know who she expected to be behind the door, but she certainly wasn't bargaining for who was there.She was a small, old lady, maybe eighty years old. The lady looked up at Jed and Abbey with confusion and alarm plain in her eyes before she smiled warmly.
"Hello," she said.
"We're so sorry to bother you at this late…" Abbey began.
"Oh, don't apologize. I'm practically nocturnal." The lady winked at them. "What can I do for you kids?"
"Well, uh, this used to be my grandmother's house," Abbey explained, nervously.
The woman looked surprised.
"You're Eliza Bennett's granddaughter!"
"Yes, ma'am. I am."
"Well, for goodness' sake, come inside!" She beckoned.
Abbey looked at Jed, shrugged, and followed the woman inside.
"It's real nice of you to invite us in, ma'am," Jed said, politely.
Abbey grinned at him. She loved that he was so cordial and well-mannered. Her mother would certainly be proud.
"Nonsense. Sit down, sit down."
Abbey and Jed sat on the couch and the woman sat in an armchair across from them, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"So. You're Eliza Bennett's granddaughter. I'm Laurel Patton. It's a great pleasure to meet you, really."
"Well, thanks. Likewise," Abbey smiled, self-deprecatingly. "I'm guessing you knew my grandmother?"
"Oh yes. Eliza was an old friend of mine. When I heard about her passing and about this old house being abandoned…I had to come. I couldn't stand the thought of this place being sold to a stranger. She treasured this place."
Abbey nodded, thoughtfully.
"I used to spend every summer here with her."
"Ah, yes. Now which one are you? Julia Marie, Abigail Anne, or Michelle Lynn?"
Jed snickered quietly.
"Did your grandmother have a thing for middle names?" He asked Abbey in a whisper.
"Shh." She waved him off. "Abigail Anne. Abigail Anne Bennett."
"I could have guessed."
"Why?"
"Eliza spoke of you often. More often than your sisters, I should say. 'Abigail, the pretty one. Abigail, the smart one. Abigail, the feisty one. Abigail, the special one.'"
Abbey looked down with embarassment.
"My grandmother liked to exaggerate, Mrs. Patton."
"Oh, I don't know about that. Seems to be pretty accurate from what I can see," Laurel said, smiling. "What do you think, young man?"
"Oh, I quite agree," Jed answered, with a slight smirk on his face.
"And what is your name?"
"Middle name and all?" Jed asked, only half-joking.
"Why not," Laurel replied, shrugging. Part of her was pleased that the young man was so perceptive.
"I'm Josiah Edward Bartlet, ma'am. Jed."
"Jed," Laurel repeated, as if she were considering its validity.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Well. Let me get us some tea." Laurel didn't wait for their reactions, she just stood and went into the kitchen.
Once she was out of earshot, Jed said, "I take it you have no idea who this woman is."
"None whatsoever. But she's nice."
"Yeah, she's a real peach. But I find it a little disturbing that she remembered your middles names'. And your first names, to be honest."
"Give her a chance. What did I tell you?"
"I know, I know, live a little," Jed replied.
"Right. It's an adventure, remember?"
"Uh huh."
"I do feel kind of uncomfortable though."
"Hey," Jed said.
"What?"
"Live a little."
"Oh, that was cheap, Altar Boy."
Just then, Laurel returned to the room carrying a tray with three cups of tea on it. She handed them each one, then sat back down in her chair.
"So. How long have you two been together?" Laurel asked, innocently. There was a part of her that knew Abbey and Jed weren't together, but she figured it would raise controversy- of the best kind- if she inquired anyway.
Abbey and Jed looked at each other awkwardly.
"Oh, um, we're not dating," Abbey answered, timidly.
"You're not? Really!"
"Really," Jed replied, sheepishly.
"You sound like a couple," Laurel commented, averting her eyes. "Don't think I couldn't hear you from the kitchen.You have that...banter going for you. Like Tracy and Hepburn."
Abbey giggled, uneasily.
"We only just met today, Mrs. Patton."
"I find that very hard to believe, Miss Bennett."
"It's true.We met this morning," Jed clarified.
"Must have been an auspicious meeting. You two seem to have hit it off quite famously."
"Well…"
"And you do realize that with your coloring and heights…you're essentially a perfect match?"
They didn't respond. What could they say? They had been talked into a corner with no means of escape. It was almost as if Laurel Patton was willing them to be together. Yet it seemed so impossible…
An hour later, Jed and Abbey decided they had better leave. It was nearing 2am and they said they wouldn't dream of keeping Mrs. Patton awake any longer.The three of them headed toward the door.
"Jed. I'd just like to have a quick word with you before you go. You'll excuse us, Abigail?"
Abbey nodded, albeit doubtfully. Mrs. Patton took Jed aside to the next room as Abbey sat outside on the porch.
"A priest, you say?" Mrs. Patton raised an eyebrow at him.
"Uh…well, yes, ma'am." He wasn't sure where Laurel was going with this but he was sure he wasn't going to like it.
"Never."
"What?"
"You'll never be a priest, honey," Mrs. Patton said, simply.
Jed was taken aback.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I've seen the way you look at her. Looks like that don't make it in the church, kid."
"Look at who? Abbey?" Jed asked.
"Yes, Abbey. Who else?"
"I don't know, Mrs. Patton, but I assure you…"
"Don't assure me. I'm not the one who needs to be reassured. You can keep telling yourself you want to go and be a man of God…but it's not going to happen."
"You've known me for an hour and a half!"
Jed really didn't know how to handle this situation. He didn't want to be rude and argue with Mrs. Patton, but she was just being so damn smug about it!
"And in that hour and a half, you haven't been able to take your eyes off her once," Laurel answered, confidently.
Damnit. She'd noticed that too? He was hoping it was all in his head.
"We…we're friends. I was listening to her. It's only polite to look at a person when they speak."
"You weren't looking at me whenever I was speaking, Jed. You were looking at her."
"I'm sorry, I…"
"Don't apologize. I didn't mind. There's nothing I enjoy watching than young love."
"Young love? Mrs. Patton, you're getting the wrong…"
"No, I'm not."
Now Jed was just frustrated. This woman was relentless. Why did she want him and Abbey to be together so badly anyway?
"Can I ask you how you can be so sure about all of this?" Jed questioned, pointedly.
"Because I was married to a former theology major myself. For fifty-seven years."
"You…you were?"
"I was indeed. He died last year. Cancer. But I think that makes me an authority on this, son. Don't you?" She asked, returning the warmth and kindness, rather than the determined pushiness, to her voice.
"I…"
"Jed, I know the looks. I know the body language. I know the conversation. I've been there. I've seen it. Fifty-nine years ago, I was Abigail Bennett. And my husband…was you. And in fifty-some years, you'll be us."
"But…but…how can you be so sure it's going to be the same for us?"
"If I were to ask you right now what your feelings for her are, what would you say?"
"Platonic."
"Jed. This is me you're talking to. I'm not one of your friends, I'm not your mother, I'm not your priest, and I'm not Abbey's little gentleman friend. You've got nothing to prove. Now. If I were to ask you right now what your feelings for her are, what would you say?" Laurel repeated, more fervently this time.
"I…"
"Say it."
"I want to give up everything for her." He was shocked. Nothing could have prepared him to hear that come out of his own mouth.
Laurel smiled
.
"Go on."
"I would rather serve her than serve God"
No. Had he really just said that? No!
Laurel was grinning now.
"Describe her to me."
"Wonderful, smart, independent, kind, genuine, stunningly beautiful, caring…"
"Stop," Laurel said.
"What."
"Do you know what you have to do now?"
"No," Jed answered, truthfully.
"Good."
"What! Why?"
"Because it will be a thousand times more meaningful, not to mention effective, if it comes to you out of the blue, an epiphany," she explained.
"But I can't just…"
"You CAN just."
"But I don't know how she feels about me."
"I do."
"How can you tell?" Jed asked.
"Because she knew you couldn't keep your eyes off her and she loved it."
"How can you tell THAT?"
"She was grinning at most inopportune times. Grinning because just the thought that you were staring at her give her chills," Laurel stated, smiling that the remembrance.
"But how do you know that?"
"How do YOU not?"
Jed nodded, as if he finally understood.Then he looked back at the little old lady standing expectantly in front of him.
"Thank you, Mrs. Patton." And he meant it. Truly.
She looked incredibly satisfied.
"You're very welcome. Now go on."
"Ok," he turned away, then stopped.
"But I've only known her a day."
She shook her head.
"Two days. It's two in the morning on Saturday. You met her on Friday."
"And that makes a difference?"
"Everything makes a difference when you're in love."
TBC.