"Uncle Leo, where are we going?" Zoey asked from the backseat of Leo's car.
"To my house, sweetie."
"Why?"
"We're going to pick up Mallory," Leo replied.
"Then what?"
"I don't know. What do you want to do?"
"Ice cream!" Zoey exclaimed.
Leo shook his head.
"Your mother will have my head if I take you out for ice cream."
"Can we go walk around the Mall?" Liz questioned
.
"I don't know," Leo said, looking up at the sky. "I'm seeing some dark clouds. Looks like rain."
"But the mall is inSIDE!" Zoey protested.
"No, Zo, the National Mall," Liz replied.
Zoey looked at her sideways.
"Where all the museums are and the monuments. It's outside."
"Oh."
"Maybe I better just take you kids to a movie or something. It's looking pretty bad out here."
"They're just clouds, Uncle Leo," Liz said.
"Famous last words."
Jed and Abbey returned to the living room, handed Evan and Talia their drinks, and then sat down with their own.
"So," Abbey said, taking a sip from her ginger ale glass. "How is everything with you two?"
"Everything's…great, Abbey," Evan replied, cautiously.
"Really? Because we've been hearing rumors. Naturally, we don't believe any of them, but they are circulating nonetheless."
"What rumors?" Talia sat up straight.
"Oh, Talia, I don't want to…"
"No. Tell me."
"Well…" Abbey looked at Jed.
"Just that things aren't going so well between the two of you," Jed said.
"In what sense?" Talia questioned.
"In…the usual sense."
"What are they saying specifically?"
"No need to be uptight, Talia," Evan admonished.
"If people are talking about us, I think we should at least be in the know, Evan," Talia responded. "What are they saying?"
"You really want to know?" Jed confirmed.
"Yes!"
"I'm going to be frank with you."
"Please do."
"He can't tell you," Abbey interjected, quickly.
"What!"
Jed looked at Abbey.
"What?"
"You can't tell them, honey, that'd be a breach of…trust," she replied, a tone of warning in her voice.
"Oh, oh, right, yes. A breach of trust."
"We feel horrible. Really we do. They came to us because we're known for our rock solid marriage," Abbey said, with a big, fake smile plastered on her face.
"I can't believe people are talking about us," Talia said, in a whisper.
"So, anyway. New topic," Abbey said, pleasantly. "How's work, Talia?"
Jed looked at Abbey incredulously, while Talia's expression of sheer confusion brought a smile to Abbey's lips.
"Abbey, I…I don't…"
"Oh, that's RIGHT. You don't work. Gosh, I'm sorry. I must have been confusing you with another Senator's wife."
Evan cleared his throat-he, too, was rather confused.
"Who would that be?"
"Leo McGarry's. You should know, since you're the one spreading the rumors."
"Rumors!"
"You don't think we know that you're the one telling everyone about the problems between Leo and Jenny?" Abbey accused.
"Abbey, you've got the wrong girl. Talia hasn't been…" Evan protested.
"She has, Evan. She's the gossip girl. The one all the Senators' wives flock to when they need a fix!"
"Excuse us for a second, will you?" Jed said, standing up and pulling Abbey quickly into the kitchen.
"What are you doing!" He demanded.
"A plague on both their houses!" She quoted.
"Abbey. You realize that by saying that you're condemning us as well."
"Oh, right. Well what's the line I'm looking for?" She asked.
"I don't know! A rose by any other name…"
"Nope, that's not it either."
"O happy dagger, this is thy…"
"Nope, not it."
"I give up. What are you trying to do, Abbey?"
"I'm bitch-slapping Talia Silverman."
"You're bitch-slapping Talia Silverman," Jed repeated.
"Yes! Verbally."
"You're verbally bitch-slapping Talia Silverman."
"Yes! And stop repeating everything I say."
"Stop repeating everything you say…"
"Damnit, Jed."
"I don't understand why you brought up Leo and Jenny," Jed said.
"Talia's the one spreading the rumors. That part was no joke."
"But they aren't rumors."
"Regardless. They're private."
"Abbey, I don't know if this is such a good idea."
"What?"
"Letting Vengeful, Competitive Abbey come out to play," he replied.
"Too late."
Before Jed could reply, a huge clap of thunder sounded from outside that made them both shudder.
"Well. Looks like rain," Abbey said, glancing out the window.
"Yeah, Leo told me earlier it was gonna rain."
"Oh my God!" She exclaimed, turning her attention back to the window. "Is that hail!"
"Damn, looks like it."
"I hope Leo and the girls are all right."
"Yeah. Come on, let's go back in."
Just as they entered the living room, Leo, Elizabeth, Zoey, and Mallory burst through the front door, soaking wet.
"What happened!" Jed said.
"We damn near crashed into a telephone pole, that's what happened," Leo replied.
"Is it really that bad out there?" Abbey questioned.
"I couldn't even see out the window, Mommy! There's ICE!" Zoey said.
"That's not ice, sweetie, that's hail."
"I'm just glad you guys are okay," Jed said, ruffling Liz's hair.
"Dad."
"Jed," Abbey said, a certain urgency in her voice.
"What? What is it?"
"Where's Ellie!"
Jed's eyes widened.
"Leo, where's Ellie!" Jed demanded.
"Why are you asking me?"
"You took them out!"
"Ellie wasn't with me to begin with!" Leo shouted back.
"Jed!" Abbey cried.
"Dad!"
They all looked at Liz.
"Library!"
"Oh my God."
"Jed?"
"I was supposed to pick her up at the library!"
"When?"
"5:30."
"5:30! Are you kidding me!" Abbey shouted.
"No," Jed said, quietly.
"Okay, somebody call the library!"
"I'll do it," Liz said, running toward the phone.
But as Elizabeth dialed the number to the library, the door burst open yet again.
"Ellie!" Abbey exclaimed, running over to her and kneeling to pull Ellie in her arms.
"I'm fine, Mom."
She wasn't alone however. Becky and her husband, Steven Wright, walked in behind her. Abbey immediately stood, unaware of who these people who just walked into her house were. While Abbey faced the Wrights, Jed faced Ellie.
"Ellie. Honey, I am so sorry."
Ellie looked around and nodded in the direction of Talia and Evan.
"It's okay. You have company."
"It was last minute, it completely took me by surprise, and I forgot. I forgot. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, Dad."
"No, it's not. It's not. God, I'm so sorry."
"Dad, stop apologizing. It's okay. I get it."
He hugged her.
"Becky drove you home?"
Ellie nodded.
"And Steve."
At that, Jed stood and moved to stand beside his wife across from where Becky and Steven stood.
"Hi, Becky," Jed said.
"Jed."
"You know her?" Abbey asked her husband.
"Yeah. She's the librarian that's been helping Ellie."
Becky held her hand out to Abbey.
"I'm Becky Wright."
"Abbey Bartlet."
"This is my husband, Steven."
"Nice to meet you, Steven."
"Becky. Thank you so much for bringing Ellie home. I feel horrible," Jed said.
"It was no problem. Until the storm started up at least."
"Yeah. It's bad, huh?"
"I doubt we'll be able to get the car started again," Steve added.
"Mine too," Leo agreed.
"How long is this supposed to go on?" Abbey asked.
"All night, I hear," Leo replied.
"Well," Jed sighed, instantly regretting what he was about to say. "Looks like you're all going to be stuck here for the night."
"Oh, I'm sure it's not as bad as all that," Evan said, standing and looking out the window.
"It is as bad as all that, actually," Leo argued.
"Well, we certainly wouldn't want to impose on you for the night," Talia said.
"Talia, there is absolutely no way we're letting you drive home in this," Abbey said. "As much as we'd like to."
Talia sighed.
"Fine. Would you mind if I used your phone to call home and tell the kids what's going on?"
"Not at all. Phone's in the kitchen," Jed said.
"Thank you," Talia replied, walking off to the kitchen.
"We really appreciate this, Jed," Evan said.
"It's no problem at all, Evan. Becky, Steve, you're staying too. Don't try and get out of it."
"Thanks so much, Jed. I feel horrible," Becky responded.
"No, no. You went through all that trouble to bring my daughter home. This is the very least we can do."
"Oh no!" Zoey cried, running up the stairs. "Brighton and Triscuit are all alone upstairs! They must be so scared!"
"Hey, Mom. Loving the ensemble," Liz commented, looking at Abbey's dress.
"Oh." She looked down at herself, embarassed. "You guys weren't supposed to see this."
"You look hot."
Everyone laughed.
"Gee, thanks, Elizabeth. I'm gonna go change now."
"Oh, no you're not," Jed protested.
"Daddy!" Zoey shouted, running back down the stairs.
"What's wrong, honey?"
"I can't find Brighton and Triscuit! I think they ran away!"
"Keep looking, they have to be up there somewhere," Jed replied.
"Where did you last see them?" Abbey asked.
"I can't believe we're having a serious conversation about this," Liz said.
"They're not up there! They're not!"
"Then look around down here, baby doll," Abbey instructed.
"They couldn't have gone far, Zoey," Jed added.
At that, Ellie frowned and stomped her way up the stairs. Jed and Abbey exchanged bewildered glances.
"Liz, do you know why…"
"Um, yeah, I know why and I can't believe you guys don't."
"Well?"
"You've just spent the last two minutes worrying about Zoey's freakin' stuffed animals, guys! And yet you didn't even notice Ellie was gone before! How would you feel!" Liz exclaimed.
"Oh, God," Jed sighed.
"I'm gonna go talk to her," Abbey offered.
"Okay. I'll talk to her when you're done."
"Yeah."
At that moment, they heard the sound of tires screeching and a loud crash. When they looked out the window, they saw a car had hit the curb and washed up onto their front lawn.The hail was coming down so hard they couldn't make out the person inside. That is, until the door opened.
"I know this looks bad, but I was just inches away from the phone pole so I think we lucked out."
Leo eyes widened with horror and surprise.
"Mom!" Mallory cried.
"Jenny, what the hell…" Jed began.
"I was driving past your house when, lo and behold, fate took over and here I am. It's like hell on earth out there!" She exclaimed.
Talia walked back into the living from the kitchen and stopped short.
"Jennifer!"
"Oh! Oh, my God. You have company," Jenny said.
"And plenty of it," Jed said.
"Talia, Evan, how are you?"
Evan tried to conceal his utter amusement.
"Just fine, thank you."
"And I'm sorry, I don't know you two," Jenny said, nodding toward Becky and Steve.
"I'm Steven Wright, and this is my wife, Becky."
"Nice to meet you both. I'm Jennifer McGarry."
"Congresswoman Jennifer McGarry?" Becky asked.
"Yes," Jenny replied, with a smile.
"Pleasure to meet you, Congresswoman," Becky said, shaking her hand.
"Likewise, I'm sure."
Then, Jenny turned to face her husband.
"Leopold Thomas."
"Jennifer Lynne."
Abbey turned to Jed.
"We picked a great time to remodel the guest room."
TBC.