Letting Go
by Rhiannon and AJ
Jed froze in place. He turned around to see a blond haired child running for
him. Marrah held out her arms and flung herself into her grandfather's arms.
Jed held the little girl very tightly as his other granddaughter, Annie,
rushed up to him. Jed held out an arm and Annie jumped into his embrace.
Jed could feel tears burning a trail down his face as he held his two
grandchildren in his arms... Grandchildren he hadn't seen in two years.
Leo slowly walked up to the tiny group with Elizabeth and Zoey trailing after
him. He put a hand on Abbey's shoulder. When she turned around he saw that he
had pulled her out of another time ... another place.
For a brief moment, Abbey had been transported back to a time when the
Bartlet family had been whole and complete. She shook her head, determined
not to let the past come bubbling up.
Elizabeth and Zoey watched their sister very closely... Jennifer was the
volatile Bartlet child and they could see her fuse running dangerously short.
Toby sensed this too. He squeezed the hand of his new wife and made her look
up at him. He shook his head when he saw the dangerously familiar glint in
her eyes.
Jennifer nodded as she fought to keep her temper and her tongue in check...
She was angry... HE hadn't been invited... He hadn't been invited to anything
in her life since the moment she and Zoey had seen him walk out of the
bedroom with that woman.
Marrah looked up at her grandfather, "Mommy got married today, Grandpa!"
Jed smiled at her, "Yes, I know."
Marrah grinned, "Doesn't Mommy look pretty?"
Jed moved his gaze to that of his middle daughter. He felt his eyes begin to
well up as he stared at Jennifer, "You're mommy looks very, very beautiful."
Jed tore his gaze from Jennifer to Abbey, who stood to the right of their
daughter. "I'm sorry... I know I wasn't invited, but I had to see my girl get
married."
Jennifer opened her mouth to say something, but a warning hand on her arm
from her mother stopped her.
Abbey nodded, "That's fine, Mr. President." She saw Jed wince when she used
his official title. "I think we can all understand that..."
Jed nodded as he untangled himself from his granddaughters' arms, "I have to
go now, girls... I love you both."
Marrah reached up and grabbed his coat, "Aren't you coming to the party,
Grandpa?"
"No, I-"
"Please?" Marrah begged. She turned to her mother and new father, "Please,
can Grandpa come to the party? Please?"
Everything in Jennifer balked at the idea. She turned to her mother. Abbey
looked at her with a glance that said, it's your call. Jennifer turned back
to her husband. Toby shrugged... Jennifer opened her mouth to say no, when a
voice came from behind her.
"I think that, under the circumstances, it would be fine Jennifer."
Jennifer turned around to face the owner of that voice, "Leo?"
"It's been two years since the girls have seen him... We may not like it, but
... he's still their grandfather." Leo replied.
Jennifer looked over to Zoey and then to Elizabeth. When they both nodded,
Jennifer set her jaw.
Toby tightened his grip on his wife. Jennifer turned back to him and looked
him in the eye. After a long moment of silently battling her husband,
Jennifer gave a loud sigh, "Fine."
TBC…