"All right, we're going to go to commercial. We'll back be in a few minutes with a great deal more of the First Lady."
Josh immediately pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and flipped it open to call Amy, as Leo had requested he do earlier.
"This is so fun. Abbey is just like…a roller coaster. Up, down, all over the place with this interview," Mallory commented.
"Dad, why don't you call Mom while Josh is on the phone with Amy?" Liz suggested.
Jed nodded.
"Ok. Someone give me their cell phone."
Zoey handed over hers and Jed dialed his wife's cell number.
"Hey, Zoey," Abbey answered.
"Hi, Mom," Jed said, laughing.
"Oh! It's you. Sorry." She tensed up a little. She had no idea how he was going to react to the show so far. And since he was calling her, it probably wasn't good.
"Where are you?" He asked.
"At the hotel having dinner with Amy. She's on the phone with Josh."
"Yeah, he's right here."
"Figures."
Everyone was waiting for Jed to ask her about the show, but he was hesitant. He wasn't angry, he was just a little confused. And he knew that if they talked about the show, he would come off as angry.
"So when are you coming home?" Jed questioned.
"Uh, I don't really know right now. I thought I might stay here a little while."
Truthfully, she didn't want to return until the whole thing had blown over and the staff wasn't mad at her anymore.
"Well, you should be back by the time the magazine poll results are announced."
"Yeah, maybe," she said, quietly.
Jed stood up and, to the shock of everyone else, left the room to stand just outside the doorway. Nobody followed him. It was apparent he needed a moment alone to speak with her.
"I want you to come home," he said, with a desperate tone in his voice.
"Jed…"
"I know that if you stay there things'll just get worse. There will be tension when you get back. Just come home now and get it over with. No one's mad at you. I'm not mad at you."
Abbey laughed, sheepishly.
"Yeah, but you haven't seen the whole show yet."
"You mean it gets worse?"
"Oh yeah. Way worse."
"Elaborate," he said.
"We're talking front page headlines worse."
"Oh, God, Abbey. What did you do, flash the audience?"
She did not reply.
"Jesus Christ, tell me you didn't."
Back inside the movie screening room…
"Amy, tell me!" Josh was shouting into the phone.
"No can do, boyfriend."
"I swear to God, Amy, if I see Mrs. Bartlet's face on the cover of one single magazine tomorrow morning when I go get my coffee…you're fired"
"Then I better start packing up my office," Amy replied.
"Oh, God. Just when things were starting to get better. She was doing so well!" Josh moaned.
"The First Lady's just like one big roller coaster, Josh."
"That's what Mallory just said. Why the hell can't she just be like a ferris wheel? Round and round…no detours."
"Because she wouldn't be the First Lady if she was like that," Amy answered, calmly.
"Why is that?"
"I personally can't see the President marrying a ferris wheel, can you?"
"I guess not," he sighed. "But if only she were at least…the carousel or something."
"Do me a favor and don't call me when the show's over, ok? Get drunk and wake up with a hangover so you don't remember a thing. That's my advice to you."
"Dammit, Amy."
"Say goodnight, Gracie."
Josh groaned and reluctantly replied, "Goodnight, Gracie."
Amy grinned and hung up the phone. Abbey, who had just finished her conversation as well, looked across the table at her Chief of Staff.
"What's this about my husband marrying a ferris wheel?" Abbey asked.
"Just a metaphor, ma'am," Amy replied.
"I certainly hope so."
Everyone looked from Josh to the President, as Jed returned to the room and sat down.
"Well. What's the verdict?" Elizabeth asked.
Neither Josh nor the President replied, they just looked at each other.
"Did Amy warn you too?" Jed asked.
"Yes, sir."
"She wouldn't tell you what exactly happens in the next half hour of the show, huh?"
"No, sir, she would not."
"Me either."
CJ immediately looked at Toby, shrugged her shoulders, and said, "We're screwed."