Part Four
"Margaret," Leo bellows without thinking. Some habits are had to break, he quickly reasons after he hollers for his assistant.
"Yes, Leo," she can't help but smile at the way he calls her name. She's kind of missed him yelling for her the past couple of days. She's not sure why all of a sudden he's been walking out to her area whenever he needs something.
"Let's call it a day," he eagerly announces, after his red headed assistant enters his office.
"Okay… Are you going home, too?" She asks, giving him one of her patented pointed looks.
"Yeah," Leo stands up, from behind his desk, grabs his briefcase and starts to pile things into it. "So… go shutdown the office and I'll take you home," he motions towards her area.
Margaret looks at her watch, "Leo, there's still plenty of time for me to catch the Metro home. It's only six-thirty and the stations stay open until three a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays," she immediately points out.
"Yeah, ya could ride the Metro, except for the fact that I'm taking ya home. Now, go close down the office, 'cause we're getting out of here."
"Okay, but it's no problem for me to take the Metro. You shouldn't make Eddie go out of the way for me."
"Margaret," Leo uses his no-nonsense voice. "It's no trouble and… it's not that much out of the way. Besides, I think Eddie enjoys your company more than he does mine."
"That's only because when I'm in the car with you… you tend… not to backseat drive," Margaret teases.
"I do not… backseat drive. Whoever started such a rumor is a liar. Who told you that? I bet the President did. Now, there's a backseat driver. You should hear him telling Trent which way to go to places and how to drive," he rants.
"Leo, you are so easy," she laughs.
"What?"
"I just made that up and you went off on such a tangent."
"I did not," he sulks.
"Too."
"Margaret, what are you, twelve?"
"You're just as bad."
"Not," he grins. "Now, go out there and get your stuff."
"Okay… okay, I'll get my bag," Margaret heads for the door. "I hope the tax payers don't mind you wasting their hard earned money on me," she tosses over her shoulder.
"Whatever… Now hurry up, 'cause ya know my favorite cooking show is on tonight," he teases.
"I still say its porn," Margaret grumbles from her office, as she turns off her computer.
"I heard that," Leo grins.
Leo opens the door to his hotel room, takes off his coat and scarf, and hangs them in the entryway closet. He smiles when he thinks that Margaret would be proud of him since he didn't throw them over the back of a chair. He only usually does that at work anyway, just to torment Margaret. Leo walks over to the refrigerated private bar area, pulls out a bottle of water, opens it and then takes a long drink. He pulls off his suit coat, throws it over one of the bar stools and then heads for the couch in the living area. He loosens his tie, as he sits down and then grabs the cordless phone from the side table and dials his ex-wife's number.
"Hey, it's me," Leo says unenthusiastically, into the phone after Jenny picks up on the third ring. It's been over a year since he's talked with her and the last time he did, all she did was bitch at him about how it was his fault that Mallory was moving away to Chicago.
"Leo, I was beginning to think you weren't going to call me back," Jenny responds with a slight edge to her voice.
"It was a busy day…" Leo rubs his forehead trying to relieve the tension that has been building, every since he read the message that Jenny had called him. "And besides, I don't like to make non-work related calls from work."
"What if it had been an emergency?"
"In that case, I assume that you would have told Margaret, and then she would have immediately gotten a hold of me."
"Yes, good old reliable Margaret," slowly rolls off her tongue. "How is she these days anyway?" Jenny callously asks.
"She's… fine," Leo ignores her tone. He really doesn't want to discuss Margaret with his ex-wife.
"Leo, honey," her voice goes supple and sweet. "I'm sorry if I seem… well… out of sorts, it's just that… well, I was hoping you would have called me back right away," she explains in a lovable voice.
"I didn't have time, Jenny. The President is at Camp David, and it's been a very hectic day, at the end of a very grueling week and… like I said before, I don't like to make personal calls at work." Leo pulls his tie off and unbuttons the top button of his dress shirt.
"You used to call me from work."
"Yeah, but it's different, now."
"Yes, I guess it is," she pauses, trying to hold her Irish temper. "Leo, I'm sorry that I expected you to immediately return my phone call. Please forgive me."
"There's nothing to forgive."
"It won't happen again and… I am truly sorry," she bites her tongue. This conversation is not going the way she had hoped it would. It takes every being of her fiber not to complain about Jed taking up all of Leo's time, as usual.
"It's fine, so… whatdaya need?" Leo uses his broken Chicago English that he knows drives Jenny crazy. Jenny always hated his common upbringing. She tried her hardest to get him to talk they way she thought he should.
"Honey, I had called you… to invite you over for some coffee and conversation this evening."
"What did ya wanna talk about what?" He knows by the way she's acting, that she wants something.
"Leo, I'd rather speak to you in person. You know… it's still not that late… and Ruth made some of that coffee cake that you love."
"Jenny, I'm exhausted and…"
"You could have your driver bring you over," she interrupts.
"I could… but I really don't feel like coming over tonight. Whatever you need to tell me you can just say to me over the phone." He doesn't want to have to deal with her in person. He's been through that too many times in the past. Most of which he deserved, but now it's been over for almost three years, and he can't think of a thing he's done since then, to hurt her. There was a time he truly did love her, and he still regrets how he hurt her back then, but he can't pay for those sins forever.
"Honey, please don't be upset with me," she coos. "I just… well I've been thinking a lot about us lately and… I was wondering if you'd like to come over tomorrow night for dinner."
"What about Howard?" Leo asks with very little interest. Howard had been one of Leo's law partners, years ago, and Jenny and he have been dating since their divorce was final.
"That's… over. I never really loved him like I loved you. Oh Leo… I've missed you so much. Please come have dinner with me tomorrow," she pleads with an amorous voice. Jenny broke up with Howard a couple of weeks ago, but hasn't even told Mallory, yet. Jenny finally got tired of his dull stuffy self. Howard may have just as much money as Leo, but he could never live up to him in bedroom. Sober or drunk, Leo was a fantastic lover. Something that Jenny has sorely missed, since she walked out on him.
Leo almost drops the phone when he hears her revelation. There was a time he had hoped and prayed that Jenny would want him back, but that's not what he desires anymore. He loves Margaret now, and wants to build his future with her. He no longer wants to play any of Jenny's games.
"Leo, honey? Are you still there?" Jenny cautiously asks, after several seconds of silence.
"Jenny… I don't know what to say," he finally manages to utter.
"Please say you'll come over for dinner. I'll have Ruth fix your favorite meal," she offers.
"Jenny… I can't."
"Why not?"
"I have… other plans."
"You can cancel them," she slightly demands. "Leo, this is our second chance," Jenny pleads with her best sugar coated voice.
"Jenny… I'm sorry, but I don't want a second chance… with you," he says with conviction.
"But, Leo…"
"Jenny, it's over. I've moved on…"
"But, Leo. I saw you on CNN last week. You're still wearing my ring."
"Yeah, but I'm ready to take it off now. I have been for a long time, but kept it there to remind me…" He explains, as he looks down at the ring on his left hand.
"Of me," she hopes.
"No, not any longer. I kept in on to remind me that I only hurt the ones I love. But, I've found someone who makes me wanna try again."
"Margaret said you were out of the building for lunch. Is that who you were out with today? Your new special someone? When we were married, I could rarely drag you away from the West Wing to meet me… for lunch. Did you have a nice time with your trollop? What hotel did you go to, or did you take her back to your own suite?" She asks with her voice dripping in resentment
"Jenny…" Leo growls. He is starting to lose his patience with her. He knew she wouldn't take the news well and he was willing to put up with some antipathy from her, but she is crossing over the line now.
"Well, thank God it wasn't Margaret. That silly awkward woman has been in love with you for years," Jenny loudly hisses. "I just assumed that she would latch onto you as soon as I was out of the picture, but since I talked to her on the phone during your lunch time rendezvous, I know it wasn't her. At least she's not the one you are…"
"Jenny, shut the hell up," Leo yells into the phone, as he jumps up from the couch. "What I do or… who I do it with, is no longer any of your fucking business."
"How dare you to tell me to shut up! How dare you cuss at me!" Jenny seethes right back at him.
"How dare you talk about Margaret that way," Leo roars right back at her. "She has never been anything but nice to you, and she has done nothing… absolutely nothing to deserve your invidious outburst." Leo takes a deep breath and quickly tries to compose himself. "Margaret is the kindest, most self-sacrificing, and giving person that I know. Who… has always, unlike you, been there for me. She is the only reason I am where I am at, today." Leo's voice is full of love and admiration.
"You bastard, I knew you always had a thing for her. How long have you been screwing her? Does your new girlfriend know about you two? No wonder you never came home from the work. I knew you couldn't keep that thing… of yours, in your pants."
"Not that it matters now, but… I was never… unfaithful to you," Leo assures her, as he tries to defuse the situation. He's only thinking of Mallory's well-being; he could care less about Jenny, anymore.
"I don't believe you."
"I don't care," he annunciates each word very slowly.
"Well… you'd better care, because I'm going to make sure all of DC knows what type of a man you are," she threatens. "You're going to regret turning me down tonight."
"Jenny, if I were you, I'd think twice, about spreading your lies or making futile threats," Leo says coldly.
"And just what are you going to do about it?" She boldly asks.
"I'll…"
"You'll do nothing," she quickly interrupts him.
"I think you need to stop making threats, before you regret it. Spreading your lies will only cause Mallory more pain and embarrassment. Don't you care about our daughter?"
"You son-of-a-bitch! How dare you ask me that. Since when have you cared enough to worry about what happens to Mallory?"
"Jenny, you're not thinking rationally. You know that I love Mallory and I would give anything to take away the hurt I've caused her in the past. But if you go through with this, you're only going to hurt her more and you're gonna wind up with dirt on your face."
"I think you're running scared."
"I'm done running from fights with you. You are through pushing me around to get whatever you want and… you are through… using Mallory against me."
"What can you do to stop me?" She taunts him.
"Jenny," he voice threatens, as he clenches his fists in anger.
"The big, powerful Leo McGarry is finally going to get what he has coming to him," she wickedly laughs.
"You know, it'd be a shame if the press found out about… the transgressions you had during our marriage," Leo says evenly and then instantly regrets that he's stooped to her level and threatened her. But he doesn't want Mallory or Margaret hurt by any of her lies.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She flatly denies.
"Yeah, ya do."
"You're bluffing."
"Don't try me, Jenny."
"If you had any proof, you would have done something during the divorce to save some of your precious money."
"You know… that I've never cared that much about the money. That was always your thing."
"Well, I guess we know what thing… you cared about during our marriage. I am so glad that I got smart and made sure that we never had anymore kids together."
"What are you talking about?" Leo had always wanted a large family. When Mallory was three years old, Jenny got pregnant again. But this time, during the third month, she miscarried.
"I lied about not being able to have anymore kids."
"You lied."
"Yes. After the miscarriage, I started taking the pill. I wasn't about to bring anymore kids into the world with you as their father."
"Why the hell didn't ever tell me?"
"Because, you were never there for me," she spits out with venom. "You were always working, drunk or higher than a kite. I prayed to God several times that he would take you and end mine and Mallory's suffering."
Leo closes his eyes and drops his head. 'God, she wanted me dead. How she must have hated me all those years for what I did to them,' he thinks to himself. After a few seconds, he recovers. "Jenny, I never meant to hurt you or Mallory. I have worked hard these past few years to make things right with Mallory. Thank God, she found it in her heart to forgive me and still love me."
"But what about me?"
"Jenny, there is nothing I can do for you now. I love someone else and I'm truly sorry… if that hurts you." He wants to remind her that she is the one who divorced him, but he knows that will just add fuel to the fire.
"Whoever the bitch is, she'll eventually get tired of all your shit and she'll leave you too. Leo, you're an old man now and the only reason this whore… wants anything to do with you, is because of your money," she spits out through tears of anger.
"Jenny, I'm gonna hang up now," he informs her politely. "We have nothing more to say to each other."
"I'm not through with you…" she interjects.
"But, you see… Jenny," Leo softly interrupts. "I'm through with you. Good bye," he gently hangs up the phone and places it back in its cradle.
Leo stands there by the couch, stunned by his conversation his ex-wife. Within a few seconds, his phone starts to ring, but Leo ignores it. After a few rings, the hotel answering service picks up. A minute or so later, his phone starts to ring again and once again he doesn't answer it. After it stops this time, Leo picks it up and calls the hotel operator and asks to have his calls held. Leo walks over to his suit coat, digs into his right front pocket, finds his cell phone and promptly turns it off.
After a few moments of welcomed silence, Leo walks over to the French doors and stares out them. Eventually, he looks down at his left hand, and sees the tarnished ring on his finger. He pulls it off his finger, opens the French doors and steps out onto his balcony, into the brisk evening weather. He stares down at the ring in his hand and without a second thought, flings it into the Chesapeake.
Around nine-thirty that same night, someone starts knocking on Leo's hotel door. He slowly walks over and peers out though the peephole. "Hey, baby," Leo says, when he opens the door.
"Daddy, are you alright?" She rushes in, grabs a hold of him and hugs him tightly.
"I'm fine," Leo returns her hug and kisses her on the cheek. "What's the matter?"
"I've been trying to get a hold of you for over an hour. Your cell phone is off and the hotel wouldn't put my calls through."
"I'm sorry, but I was…"
"Avoiding Mom," she looks up at her dad.
"Yeah."
"I know you two had a… disagreement earlier tonight. She called me."
Leo closes his eyes briefly. He hates that Mallory is involved now. "Mallory, don't worry about it."
"Oh Daddy, but I do worry about you."
"Thanks, but there was no reason for you to come all the way over here this late at night."
"Yes, there was. I love you and I wanted you to know that."
"Mal, I know you love me," Leo smiles. Although there was a time in the past that he wasn't so sure. "Hey, ya wanna sit down?"
"Sure." She follows her father over to the couch and sits down next to him.
"Do you want anything to drink?"
"No, I'm fine," she pauses. "Daddy… I came over cause, I wanted you to know that I don't hold the past against you and…"
"Mal…"
"And… I know that you tried your best to keep us together as a family, after you came back from Sierra Tucson."
"Mal, She put up with a lot of crap from me, over the years. I widowed your mother the day I took over the campaign… she had ever right to leave."
"That may be but… she didn't have do some of the things she did either. Dad I'm not blind I know that things were going on."
"Mallory... lets not talk about this. I'm glad you came over, but this is between your mother and me and… I don't want you caught in-between us. I know you love me and I know you love your mom. You don't have to worry. It's gonna be fine.
"Dad, she was really mad and she is threatening to…"
"I know, but there's nothing we can do. She's gonna do whatever she wants."
"What about… Margaret? Mom said some hateful things, none of which I believed, by the way."
"Thanks, Mal. I don't want Margaret hurt either, but I don't see how I can stop her. I tried. I said something that… well… I threatened her with something but it didn't seem to faze her."
"Her affairs?"
"Mal?" Leo cocks his head and raises an eyebrow.
"I know about them, Daddy."
"Mal… she was lonely and I was… drinking and…"
"Daddy, that's still no excuse. You need to stop blaming yourself for everything that went wrong between you and Mom. She didn't have to go out and…"
"Mal," Leo's voice warns. "She's still you mother."
"But, Daddy… she's going to say spiteful…"
"Right now she's mad, when she calms down… I really think it will blow over."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Mal, your mother has made a lot of threats over the years and it's just her way of trying to get what she wants."
"But, this time you didn't give into her, right?"
"True, but I don't think she'll risk having her name dragged through the mud this time."
"Do you really believe that?"
"Yeah and I bet ya… she'll go back to Howard."
"Now, that's a dreadful thought," Mallory smiles. "He's such a bore."
"Mallory," Leo grins. "So, ya wanna stay and watch a movie?"
"Sure, do you have any popcorn?"
"Yeah." Leo gets up and heads for the pseudo kitchen area.
"Do ya have any diet soda?" She calls from the couch.
"Yeah, I'm stocked up for tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, what's tomorrow?"
"Ah… I…"
"Daddy, is Margaret coming over tomorrow?" She smiles.
"Maybe."
"Good. I hope it works out for you like you have planned."
"I do too, baby." Leo puts the popcorn in the microwave and then turns. "Mal, it's late and it'll be even later after the movie, so why don't ya stay all night? I have an extra bedroom."
"I would love to. It's been a long time since we stayed up late watching movies and eating popcorn together."
"Yeah, way too long." He says, as he grabs a couple of sodas from the refrigerator and heads back to the couch. "Here," he hands her a diet soda.
"Thanks, Daddy. And I just wanted to tell you again that I'm glad about you and Margaret."
"Well… I haven't talked with her yet."
"I know, but it's gonna work out, you just wait and see."
"I wish I had your confidence."
"Daddy, she's waited for years… for you to wise up. She's not going to turn you down now."
"Hey," Leo smirks.
"What?" She laughs.
"I'll have you know… that I am considered to be a very intuitive man."
"Not when it comes to love."
"Well… maybe."
"Right. Oh and Daddy, if I were you tomorrow. I'll go causal."
"What's wrong with the way I dress?"
"Nothing, you are a very sharp dresser. But, I think that for tomorrow, you should be more… well… less business looking."
"You've got a point there." Leo definitely doesn't want to look like her boss tomorrow.
"How about wearing the clothes I got ya for Christmas."
"You mean the jeans and sweater."
"Yeah."
"I'll think about it," Leo replies, as the microwave bell goes off.
"Well, while you're thinking about it, you could get me my popcorn and I'll find a movie for us to watch."
"Okay, but none of those chick flicks," he points at her, as he gets up off the couch.
"Daddy, you better get used to them. Because Margaret loves them."
"Like I didn't see that coming," he smiles as he gets the popcorn and pours it in a bowl. He's so happy to have Mallory here with him. His foul mood has lifted and he is once again, looking forward to tomorrow.
"Hello," Margaret answers her phone, around four in the afternoon on her first Saturday off in a weeks.
"Margaret, it's me. Sorry to bother you at home. But, I need help processing some numbers that Josh just gave me."
"Are you at work?"
"No, I'm at my hotel."
"When do you want to meet at work?"
"Well… I was thinking it would be quicker if you just came over here to work on them," Leo suggests.
"Well, the quickest thing to do… would be to email them to me and tell me what you need and then I could get them right back to you." Margaret really doesn't feel like missing her plans she has with Donna.
"Ah…" Leo stutters. He hadn't thought of the possibility of her wanting him to email the work to her. "I would… but the hotel network is down."
"Then how did Josh send you the numbers?"
"He… umm… he didn't. He bought them over," he lies quickly.
"Okay," Margaret looks at her watch. "I'll be over in about thirty to forty-five minutes."
"I'm sending my driver for you."
"Leo, you don't have to bother Eddie. I can take the Metro."
"I've already called him."
"But Leo, there's a stop not too far from your hotel."
"The closest station is Foggy Bottom and that's at least a half a mile away from my hotel."
"Can I help it if your elaborate Four Season Hotel is in Georgetown, where there are no subway stations."
"Hey, don't start picking on my hotel. You know how much I love their breakfast here," he banters back.
"Leo, you could get a free breakfast and a much cheaper suite at Embassy Suites or Homewood Suites or ten other hotels in DC."
"True, but I love the view from my balcony," Leo says, as he looks out the French doors.
"When are you ever home long enough… to enjoy the view from your expensive hotel room."
"I'm home right now."
"True."
"So, what time do ya want me to tell Eddie to pick you up?"
"Oh alright, tell him to come on over. I'll be ready by the time he gets here."
"Oh, and don't worry about brining your laptop, you can just use mine." Leo doesn't want to make her drag it over to his place for no reason.
"Leo, did you go into work to get your laptop, because you didn't have it with you last night."
'Damn, she too smart to deceive very easily,' Leo thinks to himself. "No, I umm… I have Mallory's old one. She left it here when she moved to Chicago."
"Oh, does it have Office Professional on it?"
"Yes," he quickly answers.
"Okay, then I won't bring mine."
"Okay and thanks, Margaret."
"No, problem. I'll see you in a bit, bye."
Margaret hangs up the phone and goes into her bedroom. She looks in the mirror at her outfit. She's dressed in jeans and a Bartlet for America sweatshirt. She pulls off the sweatshirt and throws it on her bed. She goes over to her closet and pulls out a nice causal pink sweater. She decides to leave the jeans on as she checks her hair in the mirror. She walks out into her living room, picks up the phone and calls Donna.
"Hello."
"Hey, Donna, it's me. Sorry but I think I'm going to have to cancel tonight."
"Why?" Donna smiles.
"Leo just called and it seems Josh has dumped some numbers on him and he needs my help."
"That's fine. I'll just order a pizza and watch some movies here."
"Hey, if I get done at a decent hour, I'll try to drop by, if you don't mind?"
"Nope, I don't mind. That sounds like a plan."
"Well, don't wait for me. I'm not sure how long this will take. Leo was pretty vague on the phone about what he needs."
"Well… there'll be leftover pizza, if you can make it."
"Well, I gotta run. Bye."
"Bye." Donna hangs up the phone and picks up her cat. "It's just you and me tonight, Archibald. Margaret has a date, but doesn't know it yet," she smiles as she hugs her cat and listens to him purr.
Authors Notes:
I posted parts one and four without the assistance of a beta. So please excuse any mistakes you might find. Lynn, my beta, is incredibly busy these days, but did find time to do a great job as beta on parts two and three. Also, part five (the final chapter) might be delayed, since I will be away for business all next week. Please be patient and I will post it as soon as final edits have been completed.
Thanks to all of you who have taken time from your busy schedules to provide feedback. Your kind words of encouragement mean so much to me.