By the time Dr. Scott made rounds the next morning, Abbey had made excellent progress and was moved to a regular room. The family followed her and made themselves at home. She was more alert than she had been since she had arrived at the hospital and so was able to carry on more conversations than she had been. But the most important one was the one she still had to have with her husband.

Her daughters had left for a few minutes to get coffee and Jed had sat down to read some paperwork he had brought with him.

"Jed, we still need to talk."

"We do?"

"Yes. And you know about what."

He looked at her and knew what she meant. "I'm not going back today."

"Yes, you are. Leo and CJ are leaving in a couple of hours and you are going with them. And you are giving the speech at nine pm tonight. You promised that if I was moved, and that if I was alright, you would go back. Well, I met those conditions so you have to go back. And you can come back tomorrow. Afterward, you can stay however long you want or can. I won't bug you. I believe that's the deal we had."

"A deal? I don't think we shook hands on that."

Abbey stared at her husband. "Josiah…"

"Alright. I'm not going to fight with you now. But don't think you're getting out of this that easy."

"What do you mean?"

Jed got up and walked over to the bed. Leaning down, he gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "There will be a ten-question quiz on the speech when I get back tomorrow. And if you miss one question, just one question, then there will be punishment."

"Punishment? What the hell are you talking about?"

He leaned closer and whispered in her ear what he meant about punishment.

"JED! Really! I'm a sick woman."

"You won't always be a sick woman."

"No. But you're a sick man for even thinking that."

"No. Just thinking ahead, Sweet Knees. Just thinking ahead."

They both smiled. Even though it might be a couple of months before they could resume certain activities, Abbey was sure that Jed would remember the punishment. He had a mind like a trap.

"Okay. I need to go find Leo and tell him I need a return ticket. I'll be back."

"Hurry back."

"Oh, I will."

As the door to the room closed, Abbey laid her head back and smiled. That had been easier than she had thought. Jed was going to give the State of the Union speech on time. His mind was going to be focused on it and he would, as usual, knock it out of the park. And although she couldn't be there in person, she could still watch it on TV. Mission accomplished.

A couple of hours later, Jed was leaving the hospital.

"I love you. You know that, don't you?"

"Of course. And you know I love you as well?"

"Of course. I'll see you sometime tomorrow."

"I'll count the hours."

"I know you will."

"Sir, we need to leave." Leo interrupted their goodbyes.

"Leo, the plane waits on me. Abbey, don't do anything that gets you into trouble."

"Of course not. Knock'em dead. Now give me that goodbye kiss of yours."

"I thought you would never ask."

He leaned down and pulled her head closer. His tongue pushed her lips apart and swirled toward hers. Her tongue eagerly played games with his. For a minute or so neither one of them really cared who was watching. Finally, reality set in and Abbey pulled back. "Jed," she whispered, "Leo."

Jed looked over and saw Leo had turned his back on them. He faced Abbey again. "Not the first time, Abbey. Don't worry. I love you. Bye."

"I love you too."

With those words, he was gone. She had wanted him to go, but now that he had left, an emptiness set in. But she would see him on TV tonight and they would probably talk several times between now and tomorrow. But she could hardly wait until he was back by her side. Twenty-four hours was all she had to wait. Twenty-four long hours. But she could wait. She had waited much longer. What was twenty-four hours? What could possibly happen in twenty-four hours?