Chapter Seven

"Can I ask why you've all decided to come and invade my space at once?" Elizabeth asked, annoyed.
Jed, Abbey, Catherine, Ellie, Zoey, Leo, Jenny, and Mallory were packed into her hospital room, and gathered around her bed. "Honey, I'm afraid we have some not-so-good news," Abbey said.
"What? Is it Annie!" Liz questioned, panic quickly lacing her voice.
"No, no, she's fine, baby. It's something else," Jed replied. "Well, what? Tell me already!" "Well…yesterday, I received a phone call from…Mrs. Silverman"
"You did? Really"
Abbey nodded.
"Ben wants to see Annie"
"But…but…he told me he didn't want anything to do with"
"I know, but it seems…he's changed his mind"
"He can't do that!" Liz exclaimed.
"He can, actually," Jed said. "He's the biological father, Liz. No one can stop him"
"Well, did he say when"
"I told them they could come and see her today. When we're all here"
"Ok. But he can't touch her!" Liz shouted.
"Liz"
"Well, he can't touch her for long. And he can't hold her"
"He's going to want to, and we can't stop him"
"It's not fair. He completely ignores me throughout my entire pregnancy and then decides to show up when she's born. Can't I sue him for that? Negligence"
"No, sweetie," Jed answered.
"I'm gonna pop him one!" Zoey exclaimed, holding up two fists, her little eyes narrowed angrily.
However, when everyone in the room engaged in a laughing tantrum of some sort, Zoey was quickly discouraged and put her hands down. "You guys!" She cried out.
"Zoey, where did you even learn that phrase?" Abbey asked.
"Ummm…TV…movies…you"
"Me"
"Last time the Silvermans came over! You wanted to KILL them. And you said to Daddy, 'Let me go, I'm gonna pop him one"
Everyone laughed again, and it was starting to get on Zoey's last nerve. She was absolutely serious and they were bursting her bubble.
"Moral of that story is, never listen to your mother!" Jed said.
"Does that mean I don't have to eat my vegetables anymore?" "Absolutely not," Abbey replied, sternly. "Awe, man!" "That was a long shot, Zoey," Ellie commented. "Mom, when are the Silvermans supposed to be here?" Elizabeth asked.
"I'm not sure, hon. Sometime this afternoon, I believe." "Do I have to see them"
"No, but I think you probably should. You've got some things to discuss with them. If Ben says he wants to be involved"
"No"
"Elizabeth"
"No! I don't want him. And Annie doesn't want him"
"He's her father, Liz. I know he's a jackass, but"
"Mommy!" Zoey cried out. "Bad word"
"I'm sorry. Liz, you have no control over him, and whatever decision he makes, you have to deal with it," Abbey said, truthfully. "Can I take him to court"
"You won't win. It's as simple as that"
"Liz," Mallory said. "You don't even know what he wants yet. For all you know, he might just want to see her, just for the sake of…seeing her. You don't know that he'll want parental rights and such. So just calm down and wait it out."
Doug Westin hadn't been to visit his grandmother in days. He felt badly about it, but he couldn't face her. He was always on edge, wondering whether or not she knew about his drug problem. He figured she didn't, because he knew it would kill her. Doug was sure Dr. Bartlet hadn't spilled the beans to her. She'd never go back on her word. At least, he didn't think she would. As he made his way to see Olivia, Doug stopped in his tracks when he noticed a certain someone in a different room. He looked into the window and watched her. She was too young to be in a hospital, he thought. Maybe she was suffering from something really horrible, like cancer. Lukemia was striking kids every day. She looked so vulnerable, so innocent, alone in her hospital room. Not to mention deep in thought. Doug decided he had to do something nice for her. After all, that could have been him in that hospital bed, with lukemia or something equally fatal. Buying her flowers would not only prove to be a kind gesture, but it would also be an apt excuse for not visiting his grandmother right away. "Why is it that the only thing this damn hospital TV can show is Oprah?" Elizabeth muttered to herself.
Being cooped up in the hospital was beginning to get the best of her. "No, Oprah, my man is not cheating me!" She shouted back at the TV. "And no, I'm not unhappy with where my life is going, so get out of my TV"
A knock on the door startled her out of her angry tirade directed at the TV. She sat up in bed, smoothed out of her hair, and turned off the confounded television.
"Come in"
The door slowly opened, allowing for a strange boy she had never seen before to make his entrance into her room. Not only a strange boy, but a strange boy with flowers!
"Hi, I'm sorry to just barge in on you like this. But I noticed you from the hallway earlier, and…here"
He approached her bed and handed her the bouquet of flowers. Though quite perplexed about the gesture, she accepted it gratefully, almost tearfully.
"Well…thank you!" "You're very welcome"
"I'm not sure what I did to deserve these, but thanks." "It just broke my heart to see you all alone in here," he said.
"Oh, my parents are usually with me. And my friends. My grandmother, usually.
"Do you mind me asking…how bad it is?" "How bad what is"
"Your…well, whatever it is you have"
Elizabeth laughed.
"What are you talking about"
"Aren't you…sick"
"Not quite. You thought I had lukemia or something, didn't you?" Liz asked.
"Well"
"Look." She pointed to her hair. "Got all my hair. It's real too"
"Oh"
"I do appreciate the flowers though. Really. That was very sweet of you"
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but why…are you here then?" He questioned.
Liz hesitated before answering. Something told her that if she told him the truth, he would instantly flee the vicinity and she would never see the strange boy with flowers ever again. But she couldn't lie. She could never lie about her daughter. That was something she had learned in the past few days.
"I, um…well…I had a baby"
"You…? Whoa"
Liz smiled, embarassed.
"Yeah"
"You just…don't look old enough to have a baby"
"Dad says that emotionally, I'm not. But biologically, I am"
"Can I ask, how old are you"
"I'm sixteen. I'll be seventeen in May," Liz replied. "I see"
"I'm Elizabeth Bartlet, by the way"
He grinned.
"Doug Westin"

"Why, Talia Silverman, I declare!" Abbey Bartlet exclaimed at the sight of her old enemy.
She and Jed had started waiting for them in the maternity wing, in front of the nursery, around 1pm. Evan, Talia, and Ben Silverman arrived at 1:37, which they considered to be early.
"When on earth is that child going to pop out of you?" Talia questioned.
Jed and Evan exchanged helpful glances and shook hands.
"Jed"
"Evan"
"Hello, Ben," Jed said, awkwardly.
"Nice to see you, Congressman," the young boy replied.
"So you want to see Annie, huh?" Abbey questioned.
"Who's Annie? Oh! Oh, Annie. Yes. I want to see Annie"
"Nobody told you her name"
"No, ma'am," Ben replied.
"Well, her name is Anne Rosalynn Bartlet. Can you remember that"
"Anne Rosalynn Bar…Bartlet"
"That's right," Jed answered, firmly.
"But"
"She is not a Silverman, Ben. She never was and she never will be. You're just going to have to accept that." "Er…yes…yes, sir." Ah, intimidation. Works every time.
"Good. Let's go in"