The White House has a way of breaking relationships apart

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Put Two and Two Together

Margaret needed to get away from work. She was frustrated and not
getting anything done. She told Leo that she was going for lunch and
left, not for one second looking back. She stopped at the diner and
ordered and sandwich and some coffee. When she finished eating she paid
her bill and left. She still wasn't satisfied something was missing.
She didn't know what it was but she thought she would take a little time
to think. She still needed to get something to send to her sister for
her birthday so she went up to the mall to look around. She never made
it into any stores, in fact she never made it passed the bar.

"Hi, What'll you have?"

"Rum and Coke."

Leo was impatiently waiting for Margaret to return from lunch. She never
took this long and it was way passed the end of her lunch break. To say
he was getting worried was an understatement. She had been acting out
like this frequently lately and he was starting to worry about her even
when he knew where she was. He walked out of his office to check and see
if she was back, she wasn't so he went back in to do some paperwork. He
seemed to be doing a lot more of that lately.

--
Hours had passed and the bartender had long since cut her off. She
wanted more. She needed more. "Can I have one more, please." Margaret
asked, with slurred speech.

"No, Ma'am. I can't do that. Would you like me to call someone for you
to take you home?"

"No, thanks."

"Let me call you a cab."

"No!" Margaret got up and quickly grabbed the bar for support once she
got her balance she left, trying to stay upright as she walked.

--

5pm

Leo was in his office pacing and he was about to wear a whole through
the carpet. He checked his voice mail, checked his cell phone, checked
his email and called her at home there was no sign of Margaret. He
stopped pacing when he heard a knock on the door. He said a silent
prayer hoping it was Margaret. When the door opened he so Donna standing
in the doorway and he began to worry again.

"She's not back yet?" Donna asked as she entered the office.

"No, Donna she's not."

"Leo, can I talk to you more a minute?"

"What is it I'm kinda preoccupied."

"It's about Margaret."

Leo turned his attention from the floor to Donna. "Have a seat." Leo
gestured to the chairs by the sofa and Donna complied.

"A lot of the assistants went back and forth with this for a long time.
We didn't want to betray her trust but we need to tell someone."

"Donna, spit it out."

"Okay…okay, a lot of us have noticed that Margaret is changing. She's
becoming distant, short with people that sort of thing it's almost as if
she doesn't care anymore. She disappearing forgetting things people tell
her. We're worried about her.

"Yeah, I'm worried too. I didn't see this coming and I should have. We
are close and getting closer but now she doesn't let me in."

"She's pushing you away?"

"Yeah, damn it why didn't I see this coming?"

"Don't blame yourself, Leo it's not your fault. The question is what do
we do now?"

"You don't do anything." Leo stood up and put on his coat. "I'm gonna go
look for her."

"Call if you need help and call when you find her." Donna yelled after
him as he walked out of the office