The next morning, everyone was up by 10am. There were currents of tension flowing between each and every person on the yaht. They ate a contintental breakfast onboard, almost in silence. Nobody was sure what to say, and all of them for different reasons. Leo because the thought of his two best friends at war made him uneasy, Jenny because she honestly couldn't remember a thing that happened the night before, Amanda because she couldn't stop thinking about the short conversation she and Jed had had late last night, Ron because he was angry at the world after all that had happened, Abbey because she was afraid that anything she said could and would be used against her, and Jed because he was trying to figure out exactly how to execute his plan.
Leo McGarry was frustrated. This vacation was not going as planned. He had meant for it to be a fun, carefree weekend and it had turned out exactly the opposite. He hoped to bring his two best friends, Jed and Ron, together so they could be like the Three Muskateers. Or the Three Stooges, in their case. Instead, he had driven them apart. He knew something else was going on- something unspoken. It killed him being in the dark. And he'd had enough.
"All right. That's it. Six college kids on spring break in Martha's Vineyard moping around on a yaht. It's not right and I won't have it."
They all looked at Leo, but didn't respond.
"Now. You are gonna get your asses off of this boat, even if I have to drag each and every one of you."
"And what, pray tell, are we going to do?" Jenny questioned.
Leo hesitated, thinking.
"We are going to spend the day at the beach."
It had taken some time, but they are eventually relaxed once they got settled on the beach. Leo and Ron were playing cards, and the girls were lounging, reading magazines, and gossiping like teenagers. Jed sat quietly, reading his bible. His plan was going to require a higher power in order to work. Plus, he felt like he needed to feel God's stamp of approval on said plan.
"Ron, why don't you see if Jed wants to play with us?" Leo whispered.
"Why don't you?" Ron replied, annoyed.
"He thinks you're mad at him. If you…"
"I am mad at him, Leo! Because of goddamn Pope Bartlet over there, my girlfriend isn't speaking to me!" Ron exclaimed.
"You know just as well as I do that Abbey not speaking to you has nothing to do with Jed. You acted like an ass last night, Ron. Of course she's pissed at you. Abbey don't take no crap!"
"I know. I just…don't know how to reach her anymore."
"Since when?"
"Since yesterday morning."
"Come on, Ron. She's just adjusting to being free from the stress at school and such…"
"That's not why."
"Why then?" Leo asked.
"Well, I'm not positive, but I think she's interested in another guy. I guess that's why I've been lashing out at Jed. I mean, I know it's not him she's interested in, but just seeing her with another guy. Any guy."
"You think Abbey's involved with someone else?" Questioned Leo, with concern.
"She's a very beautiful girl, Leo. Whenever I take her out I have to deal with all the people staring and gawking at her. It drives me up the wall."
Leo laughed.
"I understand that. After all, I've seen her legs."
He was trying to lighten the mood, but it only made Ron more tense and paranoid.
"Where did you see her legs?"
Leo looked over at Abbey laying nearby with Jenny and Amanda, all of them in their bathing suits.
"Right there."
"Oh. Ok."
"Chill out, buddy. Abbey's not cheating on you. She's got morals," Leo said.
"I don't know. She's wild and unpredictable."
"But that's why you love her. Right?"
"Yes. That's why I love her."
"Leo." Jed appeared, standing behind Ron. "Can I talk to you for a minute? Alone."
"Uh, sure." Leo stood and they moseyed over to a quiet part of the beach, out of ear shot.
"What's going on, Jed?"
"I need to talk to you about something."
"So I gathered. Be my guest"
"Because you're my best friend, you're the first one to know about this," Jed said.
"Oh, jeez. What?"
"I'm dropping my theology major."
"What? You're kidding!" Leo exclaimed, thoroughly shocked.
"I'm serious, Leo. I'm changing to Economics."
Leo fought the urge to tease him about his strange and utterly geeky love for numbers because the situation was much to serious for that.
"I don't understand. I thought you were completely set on this!"
"I told you yesterday I was having doubts," Jed argued.
"Well, yeah but I didn't take you seriously! You're almost two whole years into this, Jed. How can you change now?"
"I don't know, but I just have to stop this before it's too late."
"Before what's too late? Who died and made you Superman, Jed? Huh!"
Leo was angry and even he didn't know why.
"Leo…"
"I'm not kidding around here, Jed! I want to know why. Why you are doing this?"
"I would have thought you'd be happy to have me back. I know you've always been uncomfortable with the priest thing. Why are you getting so upset about this?"
"Because I don't understand why you're giving up your dream. Maybe I wasn't comfortable with it, but I accepted it because it was what you wanted, Jed! I supported you because that's what best friends do. I can't sit around idly watching you throw your entire life away," Leo exclaimed.
"Leo, I appreciate your concern, but…"
"Why are you doing this, Jed?"
"It's just not right for me," Jed replied.
"I'm not screwing around here, Jed. Tell me why you're doing this."
"Leo, I just told you, I…"
"WHY!" Leo shouted.
"Because I'm in love with Abbey!" Jed shouted back, matching Leo's furor and surprising himself at his tone.
Leo was speechless. He began rubbing his temples as he felt a migraine coming on. He was really, truly hoping this wasn't going to be the reason, but somehow…it didn't surprise him deep down. "Oh, Jesus."
"I didn't know how else to handle the situation," Jed said, quietly this time. "But I knew that I couldn't go on like this, I couldn't keep heading in the direction I was heading. Not knowing she was out there somewhere."
"Jed, you have don't to explain."
"Yes, I do. I don't know how or why this happened to me, but I do know it's not gonna go away. I know it's only been two days but sometimes that's all it takes. I mean, you gotta understand, Leo. I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't absolutely sure. I wouldn't throw my entire career away if I even so much as thought this might be a fluke. But this is real," Jed explained.
"But, Jed…did you stop to think about what would happen if she didn't reciprocate these feelings? It's not like she's single or anything."
"I know she feels the same."
"How do you know that?"
"I've spent more time with her over these past two days than any one of you here, including her so-called boyfriend. I'm damn near positive that I got to know her better over this weekend than Ron ever will," Jed said.
"And you're sure she's not gonna break your heart?"
"Not if I can help it."
"What about Ron?" Leo asked.
"What about him? You saw the way he treated us last night. The way he treated her. I'm not letting her put up with that for the rest of her life. She deserves better."
"You mean she deserves you."
"Well…no."
"What?" Leo questioned, with confusion.
"She deserves better than me. But there's no one out there who's worthy of her, so why not me?"
"Why not you? I'll tell you why not you. Because Ron is not going to give her up without a fight," Leo said, firmly. He knew Ron. It was true.
"Then I'm ready to break out my boxing gloves at any moment."
While Leo was truly touched by his best friend's determination, he wanted to make sure he was prepared.
"I'm serious, Jed. He's not just going to let her go."
"I don't blame him. But I swear to God, Leo, if I just let her go, I will never forgive myself. Ever. Even if she refuses me, knock wood, I have to tell her how I feel."
Leo shook his head, bewildered, exhasperated, and nervous.
"All right."
"All right?"
"Yes. You do what you need to do. I'll stand by you," Leo stated.
"Thank you. You don't know how much it means to me to have your blessing."
They hugged. Jed was ecstatic. Leo's heart sunk with worry. And for the first time in months, he prayed. He prayed and asked God to, just this once, help him out. Just this once, do what he asked. Dear God, don't let her break his heart. And don't let Ron break his neck.