"Another year down!" Charlie proclaimed as he caught Zoey sneaking up on him.

"And it couldn't have come any sooner." Zoey said as she kissed Charlie
hello. "I got a message that dad wanted to see me. Is he in?"

"Yeah, go on in," Charlie acknowledged.

"I will, in a minute. Whatchya got planned for tomorrow?" said Zoey as she
began to play with Charlie's tie.

"Nice and quiet evening with my sister, if I get out of here in time. Why?"

"You think you could get a babysitter?" Zoey said as she kissed Charlie again.

"Probably. What do you have planned?" Charlie asked as he returned the kiss,
now fully over his fear of kissing Zoey too close to the Oval Office.

"Nothing yet, but I was thinking we could do something, maybe go out to eat.
You think about it, I'm gonna go see what dad wants." She said as she gave
Charlie one last kiss.

*************************************************

"Mrs. Bartlet, what a pleasant surprise to hear from you." Sam said with a
somewhat shocked expression on his face, as he held the phone up to his ear.
"What can I do for you?"

"I'm aware that today is the last day of class for both Zoey and Roni, and
knowing my husband as I do, I think he plans on celebrating. Sam, is there
anything you would like to tell me?" Abbey's voice said through the telephone.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mrs. Bartlet," said Sam, trying to
get a hold of the nightmare situation that he had in front of him. He knew
if he told on the President, that he would definitely feel the wrath from
him. If he didn't tell the First Lady the truth, he would certainly take a
beating for that. Then there was always what he thought would be in his best
interest, get the chili party canceled, for he could think of better things
to be doing on a Friday night. Things with Mallory.

"Don't give me that, Sam. I know all about how the President throws these
parties when I'm not around. How do you think I had the good sense to come
home early last time?"

"That's a good question, ma'am. Why did you come home early?"

"Why don't you ask Josh that question. I'm sure he'll fill you in," the
First Lady said with amusement.

*************************************************

"Hey dad!" Zoey said as she walked into the Oval Office. Upon doing so, she
found her dad and his best friend sitting opposite of each other on the
couches. The two gentlemen, doing anything but talking of work, for they had
both been laughing when Zoey made her appearance.

"Hey sweetie, come here," Jed said as he motioned for his daughter to come
sit next to him on the couch.

"Hello Zoey, how's it going?" Leo asked.

"Keepin' it real, like always," was Zoey's response.

"One of these days, Zoey, you're going to have to explain that to the two of
us," the President said with a smile on his face.

"It basically means that everything is going good for me," said Zoey as she
sat down next to her father and gave him a hug and kiss.

"If that's it, Mr. President..." Leo began.

"Yeah, you can go now Leo." the President finished his friends question with
the answer. As Leo got up and disappeared into his office, the President
turned all of his attention over to his daughter. "So what do you have
planned for later today? Say, around 6:30 p.m."

"Knowing you as I do, I'd say I'll probably be in the residence, at one of
your chili parties."

"Ah, you know me to well," Jed said chuckling as he put his hand on his chest.

"You are really planning on trying that again, after last time?" asked Zoey.

"You're mother is not scheduled to come home for another five days. Besides,
I've already checked up on her. There is absolutely no way she could
possibly leave right now. In fact, she can't leave for at least another two
days." Jed said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I don't know dad. I think you're walking a thin line. Mom is full of
surprises."

"You're not planning on calling her and getting me in trouble, are you?"

"No, dad, I would never do something like that," Zoey said as her father gave
her a very serious you-better-not-do-it look.

*******************