"And I can give you just fifteen minutes in the bathroom before I am gonna commandeer it," she went on. "Liz is coming up to fix my hair."

"Do I have time for a drink first?" Jed asked, crossing to the bar and pouring a Scotch on the rocks. "I'm whacked!"

As he went back to the couch and sat down, Abbey stood behind him and massaged his shoulders. "Great speech this afternoon, gumdrop." He glanced round at her, his eyebrows going up in surprise, and she went on, "I came back here just in time to catch it on TV. Why didn't you tell me it was being televised live?"

"I didn't know that it was – going out live, I mean."

"It was very well received."

"Yeah, we had a good day."

"The talks this morning?"

"Yeah. There're still some reservations about China and India being excluded from the emission limitations, but apart from that, there's more agreement than at the last meeting. But just how much Matt Santos can get through Congress is another matter." Jed flexed his shoulders. "Hey, that's good, babe. Anyway, how was your day?"

"Good – very good."

"Are we bankrupt?"

"Nearly."

"Okay." He paused for a moment. "Did you talk to Liz?"

"Yeah – yesterday actually."

"And?"

"She's okay, Jed – she really is. Okay, she's gutted because she fought so hard to keep their marriage alive – but she knows now that Doug will never change. And I can't blame her for one minute for wanting out."

Jed nodded. "I never understood what she saw in him in the first place. But – well, you have to let your kids make their own decisions, haven't you?"

"Yeah, even when you think that it's not the right decision." Abbey reflected for a moment. "That's the time when being a parent is so hard. It's like Zoey and Jean-Paul–"

"Oh God, don't even remind me of that little moron. But at least Ellie and Vic seem happy enough. The fruit-fly guy went sky-high in my estimation when he said he'd decided to marry her on their third date."

"Jed, do stop calling him the fruit-fly guy!"

"Why? That's what you call him too."

"No, I don't! Not now anyway! He's – well, he's just Vic – and if he makes Ellie happy, that's good enough for me."

Jed nodded. "Yeah, you're right. And now I suppose you want me to use the bathroom for my allotted fifteen minutes?"

"Yes please."

"And we don't have time for–?"

"No!" she laughed.

As Jed stood up, he noticed the photograph on the table. "I was wondering where this had gone," he said, picking it up and looking down at it. "I realised half-way through this morning that I didn't have it with me."

"You left it on the dining table last night, after you'd shown it to the girls." Abbey watched him, understanding just how much that photo meant to him and knowing that she had done just the right thing. But that was for later.

Jed nodded, looked at the photo for a few more seconds, then reached for his jacket to slip the photo into the inside pocket. Then he went towards the bedroom.

"And no peeking in my closet!" Abbey called after him.

As soon as she heard him come out of the bathroom, she picked up the phone to call Liz. "Ready for Operation Hot Brush!" she said quietly.

"On my way!" Liz said with a laugh.

She went into the bedroom where Jed was unzipping the bag that held his tuxedo and dress shirt. Deliberately she took her new cream strapless basque, panties and stockings from the drawer, aware that Jed was glancing at them.

"Am I allowed to see you in those before you put your dress over them?" he asked, with pretended nonchalance.

"No way," Abbey said with a grin. "That's for later, honey – I'll let you just use your imagination this evening."

"You're just a tease," he complained grumpily.

"Yep, that's right!" she laughed. "Oh, and can you let Liz in when she comes up here please?"

Jed was sitting reading the EuroVoice newspaper when a knock came on the door and Liz came in. "Hi, Liz," he said, standing up to give her a quick hug.

"Is Mom ready for me?"

"She's still in the bathroom, I think. Liz–" he said, as his daughter started making her way towards the bedroom door.

Liz turned back to him, and he looked at her for a moment before saying, "We're behind you with all this, Liz – we really are."

"Mom told you what we talked about?"

"No – that's between you and her, and that's fine. But I know how hard you fought, and I'm just so sorry that it hasn't worked out for you. But – as I told you on the phone – we're here for you, Liz – whatever you need from us. Don't ever forget that."

Liz looked at her father, remembering all the times she had been at odds with him – and knowing that most of those times had been something to do with Doug. Her eyes met his. "Thanks, Dad." She hesitated for a moment. "I – I'd really like to talk to you about it too sometime – maybe when we get home?"

Jed nodded. "Yeah, we'll do that – and that's a promise, Liz."

"Okay then." Then Liz grinned. "But now I gotta sort out Mom's hair for her–" She waved the brush and the can of mousse towards him. "So if you don't like it, you can blame me!"

Jed laughed. "You two are plotting something!"

"Just wait and see"

In the bathroom, Abbey had just changed into her underwear and slipped on the bathrobe again when Liz came in.

"So this mousse is gonna do the trick?" she asked.

Liz read from the side of the can. "'For sexy, got to touch it, wet-look, shiny hair' – that sound okay to you?"

"That sounds wonderful, "Abbey said with a grin.

"Okay, so move away from the mirror – because if you're watching, you'll just keep saying 'Do this' and 'Do that' – and I'd rather you waited for the final effect."

"Liz, I think you just changed from my daughter to my mother there! But – I'm in your hands! Just do it!"

Twenty minutes later, Liz allowed her to look in the mirror. "Oh!" said Abbey. "Oh wow!"

"You like it?"

"I love it!"

After applying the mousse, Liz had got to work with the hot brush, twisting and curling Abbey's long hair, and then when it had cooled, teasing it with her fingers. Now curled tendrils of shiny dark hair framed her face, and then fell in soft waves to her shoulders.

Liz grinned. "It does look good if I do say so myself."

"And it'll hold like this all evening?"

"Maybe some soft hairspray?"

"Okay." Abbey stood up and kissed her daughter's cheek. "Thanks, Liz."

Liz looked at her wistfully for a moment. "I'd like to think that sometime I'll have someone that I want to look attractive and sexy for."

Abbey's eyes met hers. "There will be someone, Liz. You just haven't met him yet," she said gently.

"Yeah. Right, I'd better go and get ready now."

"Cars at seven fifty, remember."

"We'll be there."

"Oh – and just tell your father he's banned from the bedroom, will you?"

Liz grinned. "Will do. See you later, Mom."

After she'd finished her make-up, Abbey went to the closet to retrieve her gown. She had fallen in love with it as soon as she saw it. Pale champagne-coloured – she smiled as she remembered Jed's description of 'fizzy champagne' – it was strapless with a slightly scalloped neckline, edged with light brown leaf embroidery and beadwork, that revealed her cleavage and the swell of her breasts. The top layer of the skirt was gathered at the hip so that the silk chiffon draped softly downwards, revealing a split in the underskirt which also had the embroidery and beadwork along both edges and which reached from a few inches above her knee to the floor.

Abbey surveyed herself in the mirror. "Not bad," she thought and then out loud said, "Damn!"

"What's that about?" Jed called from the sitting room. "You forgot to buy a dress?"

"No, I forgot – never mind, I can wear my pearl choker."

"You want me to fasten it – or zip you up – or something?" Jed said.

She went into the sitting room, holding the pearl choker. He was on the couch, reading a newspaper, and he looked up and then took off his glasses. She saw the look in his eyes and knew she had hit the right buttons.

"Whoa!" he said. "What – what have you done with your hair?"

"Liz did it," she said with a smile. "It's called the 'Wet Hair – just after the water fight in the hot tub – Look'. You like it?"

"Damned right I like it. It looks wet – is it?"

"No, that's the mousse. The can said 'For sexy, got to touch it, wet-look, shiny hair.'"

"It sure is all that – and you expect me to survive this evening looking at you like that?"

He stood up and she took in his tuxedo suit with the satin lapels, white dress shirt and black bow tie, and drew in her breath. "And you expect me to survive the evening looking at you like that?" she said in return.

"You've seen me like this hundreds of times."

"Yeah, but it never goes away – you're such a handsome devil in a tux!"

Jed gave her his self-deprecatory grin and then reached for his briefcase. "I'm so glad you chose the sheet colour," he said.

Abbey laughed. "That was cream – this is champagne – fizzy champagne, I think was your description."

He held out a Cartier's box to her and her eyes widened. "You bought me jewellery?"

"I slipped out at lunchtime."

Abbey put down her pearl choker, then opened the box and gasped. The necklace and earrings were a mixture of gold, pearl and amber shapes and drops, all studded with small diamonds. "Jed, this is beautiful!"

"So are you," he said with a smile.

As she took the necklace from the box, he moved round her to fasten it at the back "Can I touch your hair?"

"So long as you don't muss it up!"

Jed fastened the necklace, then leant his face gently against the soft curls. "God, I want you so much," he breathed. He moved his hands round to her breasts and Abbey had to take a deep breath.

"Jed, we don't have time!" She turned and kissed his lips gently, then automatically brought her thumb up to wipe away the lipstick mark. She deftly put the earrings in, then looked up at him, the love shining from her eyes. "Time to go, boyfriend," she said softly, reaching for his hand.

It was as she stepped into the back of the limo beside him that he first saw the split in the skirt of her dress. "This goes from bad to worse," he said with a small groan.

"What does?"

"Your beautiful hair, your adorable cleavage – and now more than half your sexy leg is showing. How the hell do you expect me to get through this evening?" He moved his hand to rest on the silky smoothness of her stockings and Abbey smiled.

"By thinking about what might just happen at the end of the evening?" she asked teasingly.

Jed drew in a deep breath and his hand tightened on her leg. "Don't!" he said.

"Anyway, who's gonna be at this thing tonight?" she asked.

"All our delegation, the Embassy staff – and whichever other Ambassadors in Brussels have accepted the invitation, I guess. Actually, probably quite a lot of them when they thought that Matt Santos was gonna be present – so maybe they'll all back out once they realise they've only got me!"

"The US Ambassador is the host?"

"Yep – Ryan Lyndell."

"That name sounds familiar. Do I know him?"

"Massachusetts Senator. He was on the list as a possible VP – eight years ago and then again when John Hoynes resigned. But we knew we'd never get him confirmed, the Speaker didn't like him. I appointed him to Brussels when he lost his Senate seat a couple of years ago."

Abbey nodded. "Yeah, I remember now. What's his wife's name?"

Jed looked round at her and laughed. "You really expect me to remember that? You've got to be impressed that I actually remembered who I'd appointed to Brussels!" He thought for a moment. "It could be Mildred or Mabel or something like that."

The limo drove in through the heavily guarded gates of the American Embassy and had to wait until the car in front of them moved away.

"Well, at least one ambassador hasn't backed out," Jed commented, seeing the Irish flags flying at the front of the car. "That's the Irish ambassador – appropriate, huh? Wish we were back there instead of here."

Abbey squeezed his hand. "We'll go back there, Jed – we have to, don't we?"

He looked round at her and gave her his small smile. "Yeah," he said softly.

The limo moved to the front door of the embassy and the agents jumped out to open the doors for them. As soon as they were out, the car moved away so that Jed only had to take a couple of steps to be at Abbey's side.

They waited until their daughters got out of the car that had followed them then all of them turned for the photographers who had been allowed into the embassy grounds.

"So let's all grin inanely and pretend we're enjoying this thing," Jed said sotto-voice and even more flash-bulbs went off as Zoey and Ellie started giggling.

With a final wave to the photographers, he turned and led them into the building where the Ambassador was waiting to greet them.

"Mr President, it's an honour to welcome you here this evening," said Ryan Lyndell, a tall man with glasses and receding hair.

"Good to see you again, Ryan. You enjoying Brussels?"

"Very much, sir. And you remember my wife Margery?"

Abbey struggled not to smirk, and dug her fingers into Jed's back as he said, "Yes, of course. Margery, how are you enjoying being an Ambassador's wife?"

"It's certainly different than being a Senator's wife, sir."

Once the greetings were over, they continued into the reception room and met with Sam and some of the other staff. Jed noticed that Liz made a beeline for one of the Congressmen and allowed himself a small smile. 'Well, she could do worse than Steve Palmer' was the thought that crossed his mind.

"Abigail!" The familiar loud voice rang across the room.

Abbey shot an amused look at Jed. "Oh heavens, it's Lord John," she said. "This should be fun!"

True enough, the tall figure of Lord John Marbury was making his way through the crowded room towards them.

"Mr President!" Lord John said heartily. "Or is it simply Jed now – or maybe Mr Bartlet?"

"It's Doctor Bartlet actually," Jed said, then started to laugh. "Oh, what the hell! Good to see you again, John."

"And you, sir," replied Lord John as they shook hands. "And may I say how saddened I was to hear of the death of your friend Leo – he was a good man."

"Yes, he was."

"I would have come over for the funeral, but as you may have heard, I have had some small problems myself."

"Yes, I know." Jed knew that Lord John had had to retire from his role as Ambassador to the U.S. when he had been diagnosed with cancer. "How've you been, John?"

"I had a– well, let's call it not the best year of my life – but I survived the surgery and chemo, you know – and here I am, as large as life again."

"Always larger than life, John!" Jed said, laughing again.

Lord John turned to Abbey. "Abigail – a delight to meet you again – and of course to have another glimpse of your magnificent breasts – and as always, you do not disappoint me!"

"You may kiss her cheek – and keep your eyes averted," Jed said with mock severity.

"I shall do just that," said Lord John, bending over to kiss Abbey's cheek. "But you will save a dance for me, Abigail?"

"Of course I will, John," Abbey said with a warm smile.

"So what are you doing here in Brussels?" Jed asked

"They decided to send me somewhere nearer home, so I'm now Her Majesty's Ambassador to the EU – though I'm still trying to work out what EU actually stands for, you know."

Jed laughed again, and then out of the corner of his eye saw a face he recognised. Almost instinctively his arm went Abbey's waist as he realised that Ron Ehrlich had just walked into the room.

TBC