Christmas Afternoon 2020
Once everyone was gathered around the tree with their respective presents piled around them the opening began. The tradition was for each person to open a gift so the others could see what they received. They always let the children start despite Mara and Zoey's protest that they were still children too. They complained so much that Jed made them last in each round.
Matty picked up a heavy box and tore open the paper, saving the beaded snowman Mara had made as the gift tag. He pulled out four books and didn't notice the blue ribbon had white cats on it. He examined each book and looked at his parents quizzically.
"Well Son, if you are going to have a cat we thought you should learn all about them first."
"I'm getting a cat?" Matty asked excitedly.
"Yes, in a few months your Mom will take you to pick out a kitten."
"Can I get a black one Mommy?"
"I told you." Mara said to Sam before answering her son."You can pick out any kitten you want."
"This is so cool thank you." Matty got up and gave his parents a hug and kiss.
Mara started laughing the moment she opened the small jewelry box. She looked at Sam and laughed even harder. She finally pulled the silver bracelet with a single charm out to show everyone. The second Jenna saw it she shot her Dad the evil eye. When it was passed to Matty, he scrunched up his eyes and made an ewe face. Once it was returned to Mara she asked Sam to put it on her wrist. Sam, kissed her wrist and fastened the clasp. A shiny silver charm of Bambi caught the tree lights and sparkled.
Jacob had been bored while Jenna had spent all her time on the road with the campaign. He had stumbled upon a stained glass work shop that offered classes. He spent two months working on various projects as Christmas gifts.
His works of art were a hit with everyone especially Mara who loved the trinket box with different coloured flowers and Abbey and Jed who hung up the 20x 20 stained glass window right away.
Matty's gift to his Mom was the last gift to be opened. Although Mara could afford the most expensive watch in the world she preferred a stainless steel Timex Indiglo watch with the date. Each watch would last for several years. Matty had noticed that face of her watch was pretty banged up and bought her a new one with a deep blue face and silver numbers. Sam had helped him guess how many links needed to be taken off and the watch fit perfectly. Mara gave her son several kisses and a hug and kept looking at it which thrilled him.
Once the gifts were all opened everyone got ready and went outside for the 2020 Bartlet Farm Snowball Invitational. The rules were simple, everyone had 30 minutes to make their snowball arsenal and upon Jed's whistle the goal was to hit as many people as possible on the opposing team. One team was Abbey's and the other Jed's. No matter who was on her team every year Abbey's team won.
Sam stood there stunned, shaking all the snow off of him while everyone else laughed. As soon a the whistle was blown, everyone turned and aimed at Sam. All the snowballs reached their target, including the ones thrown by Alice and Emma.
"What the hell?" he asked.
"Bambi says Merry Christmas." Jenna yelled and then snickered.
"You little imp, I'm going to get you for this my pretty and your evil snow helpers too."
"You started the Bambi war Dad, so take the payback like a man."
Mara started laughing so Sam combined two snow balls and hit her with them.
"Now, that's funny." He said with a smirk.
Mara waited until he turned around and ambushed him. She pushed him hard in the back and he landed face first in the snow. When he rolled over she jumped on him and shoved snow in his face.
"After all these years, you should know better than to mess with me Pretty Boy."
Sam tried to roll her in to the snow but she had him pinned down and had another pile of snow in her right hand.
"Go ahead punk, make my day."
"If I promise to simply kiss you, will you drop the snow?"
"Sure but if you try anything, I'll bust you like a piñata."
"I surrender."
Mara leaned down and kissed her husband tossing the snow past his shoulder as he deepened the kiss. They both forgot about the snowball war and continued kissing until Sam started to get cold from lying in the wet snow. When he got up the back of his jeans were soaked and Mara sent him inside for a hot shower and a change.
"Care to shower with me?"
"Nope, you know I hate hot showers. I'm going to go help Matty out."
Mara brought her arsenal over to her son and handed him snowballs as he rapid fire struck his opponents. Mara had to tell him to stop hitting his sister so he went after Zoey who managed to duck everything he tossed at her. Once your arsenal was finished you were out of the game. Matty outlasted all his opponents with the help of his Mom's snowballs. Jed presented him with the snowball trophy and Abbey's team once again won.
Dec. 28, 2020
"How about we break out the lunch Abbey packed for us?" Sam asked as the plane was half way to Anguilla.
"Hungry for something other than me?" Mara asked with a playful grin as she put her sundress back on.
"You are the reason I'm so hungry, keeping you satisfied wears me out." Sam replied with a smirk
"Yet you think we don't have sex enough." Mara chuckled and picked up the picnic basket Abbey had prepared for them..
Abbey had packed a bottle of Dr. Pepper, 2 turkey salad sandwiches, 2 pieces of Mara's gingerbread and a bunch of green grapes. Sam started with the gingerbread even though Mara warned him she wouldn't share her piece. After he finished everything Sam sat there looking at her with his sad puppy dog face and even whimpered a few times. Mara just looked at him and shook her head. She had given him the bigger piece so she didn't feel guilty about enjoying the fruits of her labour. She couldn't help laughing when he pouted as she popped the last bit into her mouth.
"You're mean."
"You're a big baby, plus you had the bigger piece so shut up."
"Some days I wonder how you can be a diplomat."
"Some days I wonder if you know your own name."
"Hey!"
"You started this Pretty boy so don't give me that injured party crap. I play nice when you play nice."
"You never let me get away with anything."
"Nope, If I did, you'd think I was pod Mara, beside I love verbal warfare. I can't wait until I'm finished teaching Josh so I can start zinging him again."
"Josh asked if you were mad at him because you hadn't called him One Fry in weeks. He said you were little Miss Serious all the time."
"There is no time for joking around, I'm still going to be teaching him once you take over. I want him to have a week of training in the Sit room and this Administration won't help me out. So, we'll have to do it once you control the Sit. room."
"I have to admit being in there is pretty intimidating. You feel like you are being called into the deans office. This time around there are no friendly faces like Nancy, Fitz or Leo. I'm not looking forward to it."
"I like it down there. I met with Nancy a few times and..."
"You feel like a duck in water."
"Yeah, total comfort. Has Nancy said anything regarding me lately?"
"No, just that you've coordinated some exercises together. Why?"
"Billings does not like me at all, she warned me that he'd have a fit the first time I walked in. You're probably going to be forced to remind him that if he doesn't like being in the Sit room he can be replaced. That is, if he doesn't resign just before you take office. Nancy says she's heard rumors that he knows we are a package deal and he doesn't like it."
"It's not like you haven't been called in before by the White House."
"I know but until now I've been a voice on the speaker phone. Now I'm going to be grumpy and pissed at three in the morning."
"So World War Three is not far off?" Sam teased.
"With the ultimate decision being yours, no it's not far off." Mara teased back.
"Did you know that Jenna was naked when Jacob proposed to her?"
"What a segway in topics! Yes I did and no you can't send the 47th Airborne after him as your first act as President."
"What about a seal wet team?"
"Um, no. You are so bad Sam. You act like she's a minor or something."
"I thought you found my over protective father bit charming?"
"When she was sixteen it was cute, at twenty it was sweet at 28 it's annoying!"
"OK but a leopard never changes its spots."
"You forget you are talking to the original leopard. Our little girl is no longer 6 going on 26, she's 28 going on 40."
"I asked Abbey on Christmas morning, where did the time go?"
"Time waits for no man."
"I'm serious don't give me platitudes."
"Days turn into weeks, weeks turn in to months and months turn into years. Seasons start to blur and in the blink of an eye your another year older. That is where the time goes."
"Time seems to have sped up in my opinion."
"It hasn't, you've just been a tad bit busy for almost the last year."
"I'll be a tad busy for the next 8 years."
"Yes and let me tell you, right now 8 years seems like forever and a day to me. Did you ask Jed about the swearing in ceremony?"
"Yes, he was touched and honoured."
"Ah, but did he agree?"
"Yes, he was surprised you didn't want to do it though."
"Have you started your inaugural speech? Is Toby pissed that you are writing most of it yourself?"
"No, he's not mad, I wrote most of Jed's two and John's. He's given me ideas and yes I'm on my second draft."
"My best advise, keep it short."
"Jenna, told me to keep it simple stupid."
"Did you give her hell for calling you stupid?"
"No, I couldn't be bothered."
"So have you filled all of your positions?"
"Yes all the non committee or hearing ones. I don't anticipate having any confirmation trouble. Donna tells me she has your staff all ready."
"I keep telling her they are her staff but she won't listen to me. My real staff is not too happy with the 6th floor now having a separate clearance downstairs and one on the 6th floor. Leslie just hopes the agents posted outside my door are pleasant eye candy."
"Do you mind explaining to me again how come we don't have company on this flight?"
"A handful of agents went down a few days ago to do a security sweep. My neighbour on the left was kind enough to rent her house to me during our stay. They can stay there, more agents are arriving on American Airlines later today."
"Ah, I guess this will be the first time you wear a bikini in Anguilla."
"Samuel, you know what I wear."
"Yeah, but we won't be alone this time."
"I'm not letting agents mess with my time in Anguilla. I arranged with Ron for them to be on the edges of my property and infront of the house."
"Ron agreed to that?"
"Yes, the Secret Service did this massive research of our private lives to see what they could find out from the media. He said they were very impressed, even the bay house exact location was never mentioned. Ron said that security will be beefed up next time but they would try to keep it at perimeter as best they could."
"But won't the agents have high powered binoculars?"
"Sam, they will be looking for intruders not us."
"Like I wouldn't cop several views of you naked."
"You would but they are professionals. Anyway my lack of clothing is not up for debate. I never thought I'd hear you tell me to put on clothes."
"I know, but it's bad enough Jacob has seen you topless, I don't want our entire detail able to pick your body out in a pictorial line up."
"Speaking of pictorials, did CJ tell you what I did to her last week?"
"No, she just that that you were evil incarnate. What did you do?"
"I called her to ask her opinion on what reaction would be if I was the January centerfold for Playboy. I told her you weren't going to tell me what to do and my list of pros and cons didn't help me much. She freaked of course, asked me if I lost my mind, lectured me and then I started laughing and she called me every name in the book and threatened to revoke my status in the Sisterhood."
"That was mean, too bad I didn't hear her reaction though. I know I don't tell you what to do, but come on, in that case I'd forbid you to do it."
"You'd forbid me? Sam, I hope you'd actually have the sense not to say the F word. Let me tell you, not only would I do it but I'd call Hustler instead."
"I'd think forbid and use my writing skills to phrase it as a request. I know better than to say forbid or you can't to you."
"Good to hear, you had me worried there for a few seconds. You need a hair cut by the way."
"I was wondering how long it would take you to tell me I needed a hair cut. I thought it would be last night when you were playing with my hair."
"I was going to say something but you distracted me."
"Oh by the way, Matty wishes you could go to Turks with him, so if you can swing it."
"Yeah, I think I can make it there by dinner time on Thursday, but don't mention it just in case I can't."
"I can't believe I'm going to be President in 20 days."
"I know, just don't refer to yourself as the leader of the free world, that bugs the crap out of me."
Sam smiled and pulled his wife into his arms. He left a soft kiss on her neck and sighed. "You know I couldn't do this without your love and support. Don't forget, I love you more than the country."
"Sweetie, you'll do good. You will make people's lives better. I believe in you."
"I love you."
"I love you too Samuel. So on the scale how nervous are you?"
"Right now, a 2, I'm pretty sure that when we arrive back to Andrews it will be about a 7."
"Just do your best every day and try to remember quitting time. Then you'll make the country and more importantly, me, happy."
"Yes, keeping your Defcon level low is incredibly important. Can I ask you a question that I really don't want the answer to, but I need to know."
"Yes, Donna would still drop Josh in a second for George Clooney."
"This has nothing to do with Donna."
"Yes, I'd still drop Josh in a second for George Clooney."
"Mara!" Sam sighed.
"Don't worry I wouldn't drop you for George Clooney."
"If you don't shut up and let me ask my question, I'll give you to George Clooney."
"I like George, we get along well so that wouldn't exactly be punishment for me." Mara replied knowing she was driving him crazy.
"You are the most exasperating person alive!"
"I know, it's just so much fun driving you crazy."
"How old was Jenna when she lost her virginity?"
Mara was tempted to say 16 but she thought maybe he'd explode so she decided to tell him the truth. "Why do you want to know?"
"I just do."
"She was twenty."
"I can live with that."
"So will you stop planning Jacob's demise now?"
"Yes."
"Finally. He's a good guy Sam. Did Josh ever tell you how he described him to me, that first day he saw them talking in the hospital?"
"I don't think so."
"He said, he's a Sam clone, that can't be healthy."
"Really?"
"Yup, Jenna told me later that we obviously shared the same taste in men. So can you fault Jenna for falling for a guy just like her beloved Unca Sam?"
"I guess not. Have they even thought about a date yet?"
"No, all Jenna told me was that she wanted it small just like our wedding and she wondered if it would be possible to get married without the press finding out."
"That may be hard considering I'll be President."
"That is what she was thinking too. I told her to never underestimate the cunning and guile of the Sisterhood."
"You know, if I harvested the power of the Sisterhood, I don't think I'd need the CIA anymore."
"That my friend, is just the tip of the iceberg. Just don't piss the Sisterhood off or you won't be President of anything, anymore."
"I'm well aware of that my Sweet. I guess renting a sailboat is out this time."
"Yes, we aren't there long enough to go on an overnight sail. We only have 8 days to frolic in the ocean and make love on the beach."
"And make love in the pool, on the patio, in the kitchen, on the couch, in our bed..."
Mara stopped him from talking by kissing him passionately. They were about to have sex for the second time that flight when the pilot let them know they'd be landing in ten minutes. Mara teased Sam the entire time they were in the car and as soon as the beach house door closed behind them Sam whisked her into his arms and tossed her on the couch to have his way with her.
The lead agent during their stay was about to knock on the door when he heard Mara cry out in pleasure. He chuckled to himself, he'd heard stories about how vocal Mara was and how often she was vocal. There was currently a pool on how many times the future first couple would rack up during the first 100 days. While John had dismissed the pool earlier, he was starting to think this trip would help him come up with a winning number. He also wondered how long he'd be sitting on the front step before he could knock on the door. John was about to find out just how little recovery time they both needed when they were in a serious sex mood.