George Washington General Hospital
Abbey Bartlet sat quietly beside Doug Westin's hospital bed, waiting for him to wake up. Despite the fact that it was her day off, she couldn't keep herself away from the hospital. Not after what had happened the evening before. She had been sitting there for nearly an hour when the boy finally opened his eyes.
"Dr. Bartlet?" Doug said, in a whisper, taking in his surroundings.
Abbey smiled.
"You're awake"
"What happened? Where's Gram? What…oh, no. Oh, God. No. I didn't"
Abbey nodded.
"I'm afraid you did, Doug"
"Please don't tell my grandmother!" Doug begged her.
"I'm not going to tell her anything. That's not my business. Calm down"
"Thank you. I just know it would kill her if she ever found out. And she's not the in best shape to begin with."
"No, she's not," Abbey agreed.
"It was the cocaine, wasn't it"
"The vodka didn't help much either, I'm afraid."
"Oh, vodka. God, I don't even remember that"
"Doesn't surprise me."
"Do my parents know"
"You're nineteen, Doug. We're under no legal obligation to inform your parents," Abbey said.
"You must think I'm a mess, huh"
Abbey shook her head.
"I don't think that about you. I think you're a smart kid, and I think you're very caring, if you moved all the way to D.C. to be near your grandmother. And I think you've got a very serious problem that needs to be addressed"
"Will you help me?" Doug asked, surprising her with the desperation in his voice.
"I'm not…I don't…do that kind of thing, Doug"
"Please"
"I don't know what you want me to do."
"I want to stop this. I don't want it to take over my life. I want to finish school, work hard, get married, have children…I can't do that with this standing in my way"
"You mean your addiction"
"Yeah. I want to stay clean and sober. I just…don't want to end up here again"
"Well, I think that's very admirable of you, Doug. But you have to take the initiative"
"I will. I swear to God, Dr. Bartlet, I will"
"Then I'll see what I can do"
11:35 P.M.
The Bartlet Household
Jed Bartlet was waiting in the living room patiently when his wife walked through the front door. He had spent the last hour absolutely bored out of his mind, counting down the minutes until her return.
"Hey"
"Hi," she said, sounding exhausted.
"How is he"
"He's awake"
"Well, that's good, right"
She nodded, sitting down in the chaira cross from him.
"Very good"
"Did you talk to him?" Jed asked.
"Mmm-hmm. He wants me to help him get clean"
"You? What are you going to do"
"I don't know, that's what I told him. But…I couldn't say no to him. I feel like I owe to his grandmother to help him"
"You don't owe anything to Olivia, honey. You're keeping her alive, for God's sake. And now you're keeping her grandson alive"
"Yeah, but she doesn't know that," Abbey said.
"What"
"Liv doesn't know that Doug's in the hospital"
"You didn't tell her"
"It's not my place to say. If Doug wants her to know, he'll tell her. And he doesn't want her to know"
"What about his parents?" Jed questioned.
"He's nineteen"
"Do any of them know about his drug problem"
"I doubt it. I just can't understand it. He's a great kid. He's smart, he's kind, and I bet he's capable of great things. How did such a nice boy get hooked on cocaine and booze? It's beyond my comprehension."
"Well, if you recall, it was the same way with my brother," Jed said.
"Yeah," Abbey said, softly.
"And he turned out just fine"
"I know he did. But I just wish I could understand why people even do drugs to begin with. What's so appealing"
"I think you should be grateful you don't know the answer to that question"
Abbey nodded, pensively.
"Johnny's coming down soon, right"
"Yeah, in a few days"
"Martina and Jason coming along?" Abbey asked.
"No, they're gonna stay behind this time. Johnny wants some time alone with Mom."
"Speaking of your mother"
"Liz took her shopping"
"Liz took her shopping? Why not the other way around"
"Liz is giving her a makeover," Jed explained.
"Oh, dear"
"Yeah, I'm a little scared myself. She's going to teach Mom how to play poker too"
"Well, that's your own fault for teaching Liz how to play"
"Mom wants to have a family poker game when Johnny gets here"
"Oh. Gambling with your loved ones. How sweet," Abbey said.
"Yeah, you better save your quarters, baby, because I have a feeling that my time has come"
Abbey laughed.
"Please, Jed, when was the last time you won a game of poker"
"I admit, it's been years, but all that's going to change"
"We'll see about that when I beat your ass like I always do," Abbey said, with a grin.
"And then I'll beat your ass in chess"
"You're on!"
December 3rd, 1987
5:34 P.M.
The Bartlet Household
Driveway
"Johnny boy!" Jed exclaimed, ambushing his younger brother the moment he steped out of his rental car.
"How's it goin', bro"
"Good, good. You"
"Great. Come on inside, everyone's waiting for you"
"Wait a second. I don't think I'm ready to go in there," Johnny admitted.
"What? What's wrong"
"I don't think I'm ready to face Mom yet"
"Oh, come on, Johnny. She's still Mom. She's just…independent now"
"Well, I've never seen her that way"
Jed sighed.
"Come on. Abbey's dying to see you. So are the girls."
"Fine. How is Abbey anyway? She sounded a bit on odd side when I spoke to her on the phone a few days ago"
"She's good. Drama at the hospital. You know"
"Right"
Jed took one of his brother's bags and they walked into the house, where the rest of the family was indeed waiting for them. Abbey immediately stood (as quickly as she could in her condition) and threw her arms around him.
"Oh, Johnny. It's so good to see you!" She said, before letting him loose.
"Your enthusiasm touches me deeply, Abbey"
She whacked him playfully on the arm.
"Shut up. Why shouldn't I be glad to see my beloved brother-in-law"
"Uh...because I'm your brother-in-law," Johnny laughed.
"Fair point"
"Uncle Johnny!" Ellie exclaimed.
"Hey, El! Hi, girls."
"Hi, Uncle Johnny," Liz and Zoey replied in unison.
Then, Johnny Bartlet turned, slowly, to face his mother, who stood to greet him.
"Mom"
"Johnny"
"How are you"
"I'm fine. How are you"
"Wonderful," Catherine replied.
Johnny cringed. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. While he wanted his mother to be happy, he didn't want it to be without his father.
"Good," he said, through clenched teeth.
Jed laughed uneasily, trying to break the tension that separated his mother and younger brother.
"So, um. What do you say we all go out for dinner"
"Yeah!" Ellie exclaimed.
Zoey jumped up and danced around the coffee table.
"Awesome," Liz agreed. "I'm starved."
"Then, later," Abbey began, with a glimmer in her eyes. "Poker"
Jed sighed.
"Your determination to win is very unbecoming to you, sweetheart"
"Eh, you're just jealous. Who's in"
"I am!" Liz said.
"Me too," Catherine added.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Johnny agreed.
"Great," Jed said, unenthusiastically. "Poker it is"
8:41 P.M.
The Bartlet Household
Zoey Bartlet's Bedroom
"Can't I just watch"
"No, baby doll. You won't like poker. It's very boring," Abbey said.
"Then why do you like it"
"Because I always win"
"What do you win?" Zoey questioned. "Is it candy!"
"Uh…not exactly"
Abbey pulled up the covers and tucked Zoey into bed.
"Comfy"
She nodded.
"Do you have Brighton and Triscuit"
Zoey pulled her two stuffed animals out from under the covers.
"Good girl"
"Mommy, how come I didn't see the fairies come"
Abbey's eyes narrowed.
"What"
"And the leprechauns"
"What are you talking about, sweetie"
"Daddy said the fairies and the leprechauns came"
"When"
"When I asked him about babies"
Abbey paused for a moment, then laughed when she finally understood.
"Ohh, I see"
"Then Grandma said that you and Daddy went to bed to get the baby. I don't get it. Were the fairies and the leprechauns in bed with you"
Abbey tried, to no avail, to suppress her laughter.
"No, baby. You see, when two people really love each other"
Zoey shook her head.
"Daddy says that's the oldest one in the book and Grandma shouldn't tell it that way"
"Oh, he did, did he? Well, hmm"
"If you can't tell me, I'm gonna ask Lizzie how she got HER baby"
Abbey's eyes widened.
"No! Ok. Do you remember that morning, when you came into Mommy and Daddy's room? And you got scared and ran to Lizzie's room"
Zoey nodded.
"Daddy was squishing you!"
Abbey smiled.
"Mmm-hmm. Well. That's where babies come from"
"What"
"What you saw in Mommy and Daddy's room that morning, that's where babies come from"
Zoey frowned.
"Daddy squished you and that's how the baby got into your belly"
"That's right, baby doll"
"So did Daddy squish Lizzie too"
Abbey's jaw dropped.
"No! No, no, no, no, no, sweetie. Oh, God…"
"Who squished Lizzie"
"A boy Lizzie's age"
"If someone squished me, could I get a baby too"
"No, honey. You're much too young"
"What about Ellie"
"Ellie's too young as well"
"Oh"
"Ok, it's time for lights out"
Zoey sighed.
"Fine"
"Goodnight, baby doll"
"Night, Mommy"
"I love you"
"Me too"
Abbey winked at her, closed the door, and left the room. With that, she headed to her own room, to search for her 'secret poker stash,' which included her special poker chips, her father's lucky deck of cards, and the jar full of quarters she kept hidden especially for impromptu games like this.
"Oh, it's on."
8:57 P.M.
The Bartlet Household
Kitchen
"Who wants to deal?" Abbey asked, breaking out her trusty deck of cards.
"I'll do it," Johnny volunteered.
Abbey handed him the deck and watched him like a hawk as he shuffled the cards thoroughly.
"Ok. Liz, you wanna cut the deck"
"Yeah!"
Elizabeth split the deck in half, then Johnny shuffled once more. Then, he dealt out five cards to each person sitting at the table. Jed glared across the table at his wife. She sent him a sly grin in return.
"I'm gonna win this one," Jed insisted.
Johnny and Abbey both burst out laughing.
"Yeah, ok," Johnny answered, skeptically.
"I gotta hand it to you, babe. You are adorable when you're in denial," Abbey said.
"Oh, that I could say the same for you"
"You're right. Because I'm not in denial. I AM gonna win this one"
"How can you be so sure, Mom?" Liz questioned.
Abbey looked at her oldest daughter in disbelief.
"Are you taking his side, Elizabeth"
"No. I'm taking my side. I'm gonna win this one."
"Have you ever seen a child more like her parents?" Johnny asked.
"Can't say that I have," Catherine replied. "Can we play now"
"You're awfully anxious, Mother, for a woman who's never played a real game of poker in her life," Jed said.
"I want to get my feet wet"
"Yeah, um…Mom, you really can't say things like that during the poker game," Johnny said.
"Yeah, you gotta be cool, Grandma. No wet feet allowed," Liz added.
"Oh. Well, all right then."
2 Hours Later…
"I'm, like, running out of chips here!" Liz complained.
"That's because your mother's got them all," Johnny replied, glumly.
Abbey chuckled evily.
"That's right, kids. Abbey Bartlet takes the pot. Yet again"
Catherine threw her cards down.
"This is depressing"
"I agree," Johnny said.
"Me too," Liz stated.
"Awe, come on, guys. You can't let her get away with this!" Jed exclaimed.
"Uh…yeah, we can. I'm out two hundred dollars, bro. That's it for me," Johnny said.
"And I'm gonna be oweing Mom my allowance for the next six months!" Liz added. "I'm done too"
"Abbey's going to turn me into a penniless divorcee if I don't stop now," Catherine said.
"You're missing out!" Abbey said, counting her chips. "But, it was fun while it lasted. I think I'm going to take this money and buy myself a new Gucci dress, to show off my figure once this baby is born"
Jed pouted.
"This just isn't fair.
"Oh, don't worry, darling," Abbey told him. "I'll buy a sexy one"
"Well, in that case"
Johnny stood up, and was quickly followed by Elizabeth and Catherine.
"Ok, this the part where we leave before we become witnesses to something we really don't wanna see," Johnny said.