Title: Leo Cooking –Bad Back Daylight series 6/?
By: chipmunk
Pairing: Leo/Margaret
Rating: TEEN (See Rating Chart Below)
Spoilers: None
Beta By: Lee [email protected]
Disclaimer:
The characters are from the NBC, WB, A John Wells Prod., TV show, ‘The West Wing’.
They own them; therefore, they do not belong to me.
They are the creation and property of Aaron Sorkin. I only borrowed them.
No copyright infringement is intended. No monetary benefit is received or anticipated.
Please keep in mind that, ‘Imitation is the highest form of flattery’.
A ‘grateful’ and ‘enormous’ thanks, to the actors and actresses,
who portray the characters brilliantly and bring them to life in my head.
Any mistakes found in this fic, are totally my own fault and ignorance.
This is a learning process for me. Additions and Corrections are encouraged.
Feedback: I would love it hear your opinion! PLEASE! It helps to improve my writing!
Archived at: http://www.geocities.com/chipmunkswhimseys/
Summary: Margaret pulls her back out and Leo goes to take care of her and cook. They get an unexpected visitor.
~ For his wonderful
gift to us of Leo, I humbly dedicate this fic to John Spencer. ~
**********************************************
Margaret is at it again. She’s sorting Leo’s files and storing the inactive ones in the basement of the building. She has a system. She numbers and labels each box; the labels on them show the topic the files are related to. She would take each box down as it was completed. She has a master list of individual files on her computer, Leo’s computer, a printout in her file cabinet and printout in Leo’s desk. She’s not having the confusion Donna had, when she lost the master list to the subpoenaed MS files. It’s Friday morning; she’s been working on the files for two days and she’s determined to get them finished by the weekend. It’s just after lunch and she’s taking down a box, which she had finished before breaking for lunch.
~ I wish I had a dollar for every trip I’ve made to this basement with a box. I‘d get myself a full hour of back massage, or at least half an hour.~ Her back didn’t like a third day of packing boxes.
She sets the box down, opens the door to the storage room and, in her haste; she just reaches back around sideways to grab the box and starts to lift it. In the right side of her back, she gets a sharp pain,. She immediately drops the box back down and very nearly spills it. ~Oh, no, not my back again. Why’d I do something this stupid? Leo’s going to kill me. He tore me royal, for months after I did this the last time. He said I don’t take time to think first about caring for myself. Before, it took me three days in bed, to get it to quit hurting. If this doesn’t quit soon, I’ll be in bed all weekend. If it will just ease up enough, so that I can just make it till we leave tonight. Last time, it was just a box of campaign material I moved. I missed the first town meeting, at the beginning of the campaign and had to stay home. I know better than reach sideways. Oh, it really hurts. It feels like a knife in my back muscle. It must be a knot the size of a baseball. I need someone to rub it now, before my whole back tightens up and is hurting.~ She is beating herself up as she carefully slides the box through the door, with her foot, just to get it inside and locks the door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Getting back upstairs to her office, she looks through the door into Leo’s office. She finds Leo alone and reading at his desk. “Leo, I need you to help me,” she requests with tears in her voice.
His head immediately pops up to look at Margaret and he’s already rising. The sound in her voice, has him asking with concern, “Margaret, what’s wrong, are you hurt?” He can tell she’s unable to straighten up and can see tears in her eyes.
“Oh, Leo, I did it again. I pulled my back out moving the boxes of files. Can you rub the knot in my back before it gets any worse? I can’t take a full breath, it hurts too bad,” she explains with short breaths.
“Here, sit sideways on the chair and while you lean over the desk, I’ll rub it,“ he pulls out one of the visitor chairs for her.
“Leo, please, shut the doors first, someone will see us and we’ll never get them to understand.”
He gives her a pointed look and is thinking, ~Who cares? That should be the least of your problems, Margaret.~
“Just hurry up, Leo. Please,” she urgently begs.
He starts rubbing and she has tears quietly running down her face. “Margaret, your back muscle is clichéd up really tight this time. Is this as bad as last time? Am I rubbing too hard,”’ he asks each question with real concern. “Should I stop?”
“No, it hurts, but it’ll be worse if you stop. It’ll get better in a minute, if you just keep rubbing. While you are at it, take the knife out of my back. Oh, it hurts!”
The President enters Leo’s office, by way of the connecting doors. He starts talking before he’s even in the room, “Hey Leo, Abby wants to know…. Well, to heck with what Abby wants. Ouch!” Abby’s right behind him and has poked him for his remark about her. She’s unable to see in the room yet, as Jed has stopped in the doorway, because of what he found going on. “What’s wrong with Margaret?” The president demands with curiosity.
“Leo, what did you do to make her cry,” Abby accuses him, as she gets passed the President.
Margaret tries to rise in the presence of the first couple, but Leo will not let her up, with a hand on her shoulder and continues to rub on her knotted up back muscle.
As the first couple moves farther into the room, Leo gives them a pointed look and answers his best friends. “I didn’t do anything to make her cry. She pulled her back out again and I’m rubbing on the knot. I’ve been at this for five minutes.”
Abby has moves over to beside Margaret and has crouches down to see her face, she strokes Margaret’s hair back, “Oh, Margaret, not again. Is it as bad as last time?” Abby’s now going into doctor mode.
“Yes, Dr. Bartlet, I afraid it is. I was hoping that having it rubbed, as soon as possible, it might quit,” Margaret tries to sound hopeful.
“It’s Abby,” she states. “Well, that sometimes works, but we know with your history that you’re not that lucky,” she gently reminds them all. “Leo, she needs you to keep rubbing for about another 10 minutes and then its home for Margaret. She knows the routine. She needs her prescription meds, a hot tub or in the shower for about 30 minutes, repeated more than once today. Margaret, dear, do you still have your meds for this, or do you need to get a refill from your doctor? I could give her a call for you,” Abby offers.
“I don’t have any meds left and I would need fresh ones anyway. It’s been a while, since I last needed them,” she sounded so sad about needing them now.
“The one thing that I’m concerned with is her taking her meds and getting in the tub. With no one in the apartment with her, she might get drowsy and we wouldn’t want her to drown. Someone needs to be there and at least be talking to her,” Abby tried to sound realistic.
With a gleam in his eye, the President has an idea, “Leo, what’s your afternoon schedule like?”
“Mr. President, don’t get any
ideas. I have a
“That’s OK, Leo,” the President’s sounding generous. I think that Josh and I can handle it, together. You’re being ordered out of the building, you go with Margaret and the both of you ‘do not’ come back until Monday, unless we have an emergency. Before you start to protest, Leo, I ‘do’ know your cell phone number.” The President is gesturing with his hand, as he makes up each step. “You can have your driver take Margaret home. You can pick up her medications in your car and then drive to Margaret’s. Abby’s more that willing to call and have the meds all arranged,” he gives the details for the plan of action with a smile.
“Sure, I’ll call her doctor and the Pharmacy. I can have them add some back rub cream in with the meds. Margaret, I don’t want you to get burned in the tub, but do get it as hot as you can stand. You know how, you’ve done this before.”
“How about Donna going with her,” Leo suggests, as he continues to rub.
“Donna’s busy with Josh on the hill, till later this afternoon, but he’ll be here in time. to go to the meeting with me.” The President continues to reassure Leo. “They’ll be more impressed to meet with me, anyway.” The President continues, “So, that’s settled. I’m now going to call for Leo’s car to meet you both at the door,” he states, as he picks up Leo’s phone. “Have Eddie bring Leo’s car to the south entrance now, please. Thank you.” He hangs up after the short call, turns to Leo and points a finger, “After you two leave,” he then points to Abby, “Abby will call for the meds, so they will be ready and waiting. OK. Good.” The President plans out loud, “Leo, next, you get what you need to take with you.” The President, hooking his thumb back over his shoulder to the door, “I’ll have Charlie walk over and get Bonnie to come back here and shut down Margaret’s office.” He looks down at Margaret’s tear stained face. “Let’s get started! Margaret needs to get home.” He straightens, “Leo, I’m sorry to tell you this, but your back rubbing isn’t going to make it go away this time. “He points out, like Leo can’t tell this. The President picks up Leo’s phone again and calls for Charlie to come to Leo’s office. The President trying to cheer Margaret up, since she looks like she’s is just about as miserable, as she can get. “Margaret, don’t worry about this happening again. We’ve been through this, with you, a couple of times now and we feel bad for ‘you’. You’re the one in pain here. You know that I especially feel for you.” He’s remembering his last session with his bad back. ”I know all about back pain. It ‘is’ a heck of a way to get three days off. This time, as punishment, you can take Leo with you. He has the best hands for rubbing.” He tries to get a smile from her.
Margaret tries to smile through the tears, but she’s still in pain and just leaves her head laying on Leo’s desk.
Abby’s now rubbing her hand up and down Margaret’s back, as Leo’s packing his things. “Jed, come over here and rub, while I’ll go get her things from her office,” Abby ordered him, still in her doctor mode.
“That’s OK, Mr. President, I’ll be fine,” she protests, she doesn’t want to bother him. He might have important matters to attend to. She tries to rise again and this time Abby keeps her in the chair.
“Margaret, you will learn that while he’s Mr. President to the rest of the world, to me, he’s Jed. He learned a long time ago, when I ask for him to do something, he might as well comply willingly.” She gives Jed a kiss on the cheek, to thank him, as he takes over the back rubbing from her.
“Yes, dear, anything you say, dear,” he sweetly agrees with his wife. The President is being sarcastic now, in an attempt to raise Margaret’s spirits.
Leo is smiling at this exchange. “I can tell, that it might be safer to take Margaret home, than to stay here with you two, when you are both in this ‘happy’ of a mood,” Leo jokes back to his old friends.
Margaret smiles softly and thinks, through the pain, ~This is a side of Leo and the first couple that I’ve not been witness to very often and it’s nice to be included.~ The President is now rubbing on her back. ~ I wonder if they can sense that Leo and I are growing more comfortable or casual with each other and are responding likewise. Leo hasn’t said anything to me about it. I know, he’ll have to tell them soon that we spend off-hours together. It’s inevitable that he will and that’s OK with me.~
Charlie arrives and does a double blink. He takes in all the activity in the room and the fact that the President is rubbing Margaret’s back. He can tell she has been crying. “Yes, Sir, you needed me,” he says as soon as he steps in the door.
“Yeah, Charlie, I’m ordering Margaret and Leo to leave now and not to come back till Monday, it’s a punishment,” he proclaims with a straight face, getting a dig in at Leo again and he’s pleased with his plan. “I need you to get Bonnie, or one of the senior assistants from the communications office, to come here and shut down Margaret’s office,” the President gives his request to Charlie, like a command.
“Sure thing, Mr. President.” Charlie gives a second look at Margaret, while he turns to leave. No one has taken the time to give him a reason for her crying or why they’re being ordered to leave in a hurry.
~~~~~~~~~~
Charlie arrives at the communications bullpen and heads straight to Bonnie’s desk. He takes in the fact that Toby’s in his office and the assistances are hard at work. They’re trying to keep the peace, since he’s in his frantic writing mode. “Hey Bonnie, the President needs you to go over and shut down Margaret’s office, right now,” Charlie quickly relays the request he was sent to deliver.
Ginger has by this time stopped her work and is looking at Charlie, waiting to hear if he’s going to give a reason for Margaret’s not shutting down her own office. ~It’s the middle of the afternoon and Margaret is always in the White house late,~ is the first thing to come to her mind.
Bonnie’s in the same state of confusion as Ginger and is standing up immediately to comply with a Presidential request, but she can’t resist asking the question. “Charlie is anything the matter with Margaret or Leo. Did the President say why I’m needed to close and secure her office,” Bonnie seriously asks, to clarify the unusual request.
“They didn’t tell me what the problem is, but the President did tell me that he’s banned them from the White House for the weekend and I did notice Margaret was crying,.” he adds to impress how serious it is.
“Margaret is crying? In front of the President? Something big must have happened, to have her crying,” Ginger questions Charlie like he must be mistaken.
“Well, the President was trying to comfort her, he was showing real sympathy by rubbing her back,” Charlie states what he assumed.
“The President is rubbing on her,” Bonnie asks and stops walking in disbelief, just as she’s rounding her desk.
“Yeah, she had her head down on Leo’s desk and he was just standing behind her rubbing. The first Lady was in Margaret’s office looking for something and Leo was stuffing files in his briefcase, in a hurry. I didn’t see his face, to see if he is upset,” Charlie describes what he observed.
“Wow! Was the President angry? He must be, if he ordered them out of the building. I wonder, which one of them screwed up, royal,” Ginger lowers her voice as she speculates, she joines Bonnie and Charlie walking across the bullpen.
“It might have been Leo, as the president said it was a punishment and he usually saves that for the senior staff and myself. He likes you females. CJ is the only female he punishes,” Charlie gives his opinion to her suggestion.
“I wonder what Leo did? Must have been something terrible. He never gets thrown out of the White House, he’s always here,” Bonnie is thinking out loud, as the three of them move toward the door.
“Just for my own information. Do you two always pass a conversation back and forth? You two are scary, like you are identical twins or something,” Charlie can’t resist commenting on the verbal ball passing, of the two assistants.
“We ‘do’ work in the Communication’s office,” Ginger answers and they both grin at Charlie. She continues, “Bonnie, go now, maybe you can find out what’s going on. I’ll hold down the fort here with Toby.”
~~~~~~
At Margaret’s apartment, Leo helps her in and over to stand in front of the couch. He helps her to get her coat off and asks, "What do you need to do first? I know coming up the stairs was the hardest part. Are you able to sit down or what?” He can tell she’s having a hard time deciding.
Margaret worries to herself, ~If I can make it down that far, but then I’d need to get back up. What ‘am’ I going to do? It hurts so bad. I can’t just stand up all night.~ “I’m fine Leo, I just need to rest and I’ll be just ‘peachy’ by daylight, the pain is making her sound little short. She immediately feels remorse, with a sad face she tries to sound hopeful, “Tomorrow, we can get some work done here or at your hotel. The whole weekend will not be a waste. I know you brought files with you from work,” she tries to cover, how serious her back spasms are.
“Margaret, you are standing at a 10 degree tilt. I know you are in real pain, don’t try to tell me it’s not hurting.” Margaret tries to straighten up and to look like she’s standing normal, but fails to keep the grimace of pain from showing. He adds, “See, I knew it and you can’t tell me that ‘face’ you just made was your attempt to convince me to leave you here alone. What do you usually do first, to relieve the muscle pain? Leo questions her. ~She must know the routine, the First Lady implied it earlier.~
“To be honest, Leo, the first thing I do is to get in the shower and use the massage head on my back, as hot as I can stand it,” she confesses.
“OK,” Leo agrees, “then you need to be in the bathroom. So, get moving. It’s not going to get any better standing here in the living room,” he commands, to get her in motion.
“Leo, I don’t know why the First Couple think you can be a help here, you’re not going to be able to help me in the shower,” she grouches back at Leo. She’s moodily bouncing between the need for help and not wanting to be dependant on Leo for help. ~I help Leo, he doesn’t help me. This is not the way it goes with us.~
“Keep moving. Remember, I’m here to keep you from drowning, or do anything else that you might do that would get you more injured. The First Couple, as you call them, cares a great deal about you. They’re so happy about the great way you’ve taken care of me over the years. I’m sure that they know, I care a great deal for you and that I would ‘want’ to take care of you. You are ‘MY’ Margaret,” he finally states, like that explains everything.
She just looks at him, ~How can I protest that truth?~
Margaret makes it to the bathroom and sits gently on a stool, in front of the sink countertop. ~I’m so glad I’m done with the long walk from the living room to the bathroom. Even in my tiny apartment, it seems longer when I’m in pain. I just need a minute to recover, before I start the water running. I don’t want to waste any of the hot water. I’m going to need it all for this back.~
Trying to stall for time, she hesitantly ask, “Leo, what if someone saw us leaving together today and didn’t know why we were leaving? Especially since we’re not going to make an appearance at the White House this weekend, which is unusual for us,” she tries to convey her concern to him.
“So,” he casually answers, “I don’t see what the problem is or how it relates to your back being out and me being here to help.” He tries to comprehend where she’s going with this line of thought, as he leans on the doorframe.
“Leo, someone might ask questions, if we keep leaving together,” she expresses her worry.
He responds softly, “Margaret, we leave together all the time. If they ask, it’s fine with me. I know I want, for our own sakes, to be able to keep this time together private, that is if we can. We enjoy this time to ourselves. We aren’t doing anything we’d be ashamed of. Even if we ‘had’ a serious relationship, I wouldn’t hide it. It would be small potatoes, compared to what has been ‘news worthy’ in my life.” ~Man, all the negative things in my life and the news people just love to dig it up, mostly from my time before the White House.~ He continues, “No one at the White House would say anything against us and they are the ones that matter to us. I really, really like this time we have together and I’m not willing to give it up. Just because of someone’s opinion of what we should or should not do,” states firmly. He wants to let her know, how much this means to him and to reassure her. “Now, let me get some towels out for you,” he says as he comes in and opens the bathroom closet. I’ll get my jeans out of here at the same time.”
Margaret’s still worried about how this would hurt Leo, “But, Leo, I work for you and some people might think it strange for us to spend time together after work. Now, we have even been banned for the weekend. You have been practically ordered to stay here, to care for my back and me. This is not going to go unnoticed. The office rumor mill works better than that. Believe me, the secret service has nothing on the coffee machine gossip,” she still is unconvinced.
Leo grins, he knows Margaret loves to gleam info from the rumor mill. He knows she doesn’t like to spread rumors; she just inflicts them on him, to drive him crazy. “Baby, Let them think it. If they have no life and all that they have to do is ‘try’ and run our lives, I pity them.”
She looks at him, with her pointed look. ~Don’t Baby me, you don’t know how much it could blow up in our faces.~ He sees the look she’s giving him and he continues.
“Margaret, if you hear someone who has a problem with it, you just direct him or her to me. I also think I should go ahead and mention to the President about our cooking adventures. He’ll not tell any of the senior staff, he knows it’s hard for us to get any time away from the White house.” He reminds her, “Baby, we put in plenty more hours than ‘the kids’ do. The president knows that in my situation, going to bars and nightclubs is out, as a place to unwind. He’ll be pleased that we have some ‘down time’ here at your apartment. He’s been worrying about my stress level and even Abby has gotten into bugging me about it.”
She smiles as she concedes to his way of thinking, ~There’s that ‘Baby’ again”. I could get used to it.~
He sees her smile and knows he won his point, “OK, enough of this chit chat, you need to get in that shower and let the hot water do its trick on your back. What do you need me to do?” He smiles at her like he really is going to enjoy helping.
“Leo, I get the feeling that it is ‘not’ going to be a terrible task for you,” she sarcastically remarks to his prodding. “Just keep reminding me how you were ‘ordered’ here. You don’t seem, to me, as a person being punished right now.”
Trying to keep a straight face he explains to her, “Well, Margaret, this may ‘not’ be in my COS job description, but someone has to do the dirty work at the White House and the Presidents depends on me,” he places his hand on his chest to, to show his sincerity. “I serve at the pleasure of the President,” he assures her, still trying not to grin.
“Yeah, Leo, I get the ‘play’ on the ‘pleasure’ part of your helping, so quit grinning. I’m in pain here,” she snaps back at him, but still trying not to smile at his use of words.
Leo makes a note to himself, ~I need to thank Jed about this nice ‘perk’, when I get back to work on Monday.~
Leo leans over the tub and start the hot water, to get her in gear, “Can you get undressed or do you need help?” He’s still grinning.
“I don’t need that much help, but you could help get my shoes and socks off. I can slide out of the slacks, after you vacate the room.” she gives a little bit, into his offer.
“OK, Margaret, I was going to be nice this evening and not make you blush, since you’re in pain, but I think I need to help you with something else, whether you want me to or not,” he sounds like he’s conveying sad news.
“What Leo? I think I can handle the rest of my clothing,” she assures him.
“Margaret,” he says in a low voice, as he leans in close to her, she can hear the laughter in his voice, “how do you plan on unhooking your bra, with your back in pain?”
She gives him a startled look; she realizes that he’s correct; she’s going to need help with that function. “Well, I guess you are going to get to enjoy yourself after all.”
“Margaret, I’m not some teenager. I have no problem with helping you to loosen your clothes. I don’t want to embarrass you or make you uncomfortable. I just want to help,” he is sounding sincere.
“Sure, Leo, and you want me to believe you are a proper ‘gentleman’. For that to happen, you’d have to first get rid of that silly grin,” she can see that this must be the ‘pleasure’ part he was referring to earlier.
He reaches down and removes a shoe and sock, then repeats with the other foot. He then looks at her face for the blush as he recommends, “Margaret let me stand you up and you can turn your back to me. I’ll untuck the back of your blouse and then reach up to loosen your bra,” he’s letting her know exactly what he’s going to do, so there is no surprise.
“Leo, let me know when you are suffering with this presidential punishment, just so we both know,” she’s being sarcastic to cover her embarrassment.
“I’m just happy to be of service,” he’s still grinning.
“I’ll keep that in mind when I need something from the kitchen. You might make a good errand boy after all, its just payback for all the errands I run for you,” she warns him.
Leo stands outside the bathroom door till he hears the shower start to run and figures Margaret is safely in the tub, without falling. ~I better get my clothes changed before she gets done with her 30 minute hot shower, getting her out, may be as much fun as getting her in was. Well, I better hurry to her bedroom to change. She might as well get used to me changing in there. Abby said she’s going to be in and out of the bathroom, a couple times this evening, so I hope she’s not too shy or I could have a real battle on my hands. When Margaret digs in her heels, she can give the Joint Chiefs a run for their money in the Situation Room. The President has threatened, to take Margaret down with him to the Sit. Room, if I’m absent from the building, till I get there. I explained to him; it’s not like a card game where someone can sit in for you. Though Margaret might just be able to advise the President, if she could get over the fear factor. The President just laughed at me and asked if I was afraid of Margaret taking my place or taking over. He was real funny that day.~
He can’t get to the bathroom closet where he has a suit hanger, so he did the next best thing; he drapes his suit clothes over her vanity chair. ~Margaret won’t yell me this way, I’m not getting them wrinkled. She insists they need to be hanging somewhere. I like them here in her room.~
After he gets changed into his favorite casual clothes of jeans, t-shirt and no shoes, he heads to kitchen, to see what’s available to prepare for dinner. He checks the frig and the pantry. He notes that he may have to be creative, as all he finds are items that really don’t go together. He hears the shower turn off and figures that Margaret will make an appearance soon. ~I better get Margaret a glass of cold water and her meds, so she can take them and I hope they start working before her hot shower wears off.~
Margaret gingerly gets out of the tub and dries the top half of her body, when she finds a new dilemma, ~Now I have a problem, I can’t get the my legs and feet dry. I can’t bend down far enough to reach them, with my back hurting. Now, Leo, will really have some fun, at my expense.~ Wrapping the bath sheet around her body to cover as much of herself as possible, she yells for Leo, “I need some help in here, if you are still going to help!”
Leo stops at the bathroom door, “Margaret is it safe to come in? I don’t want to be shocked and amazed, if you are not decent.” He knows this will get her anger up and will help cover any embarrassment she might feel, if she’s not comfortable with him helping her.
“Leo, are you trying to get yourself hurt? In my state of pain, I might just throw something at you, but I’d just pull my back some more. Just remember, I’m keeping a list for when I’m better. Now, will you get in here? I’m starting to get cold and if I start to shiver, I will be in real pain.” She tells herself, ~I’m just about at the end of my rope and I need the meds for the pain. I’m not that far out of it, that I didn’t know, he said that to get me off guard. He can be sweet, but this is a punishment and I’ll just let him worry.~
He opens the door slowly and steps in to see her sitting on the stool in a towel. “OK, obliviously you didn’t wash away your grouchiness, in the shower,” he teases. “Seriously, did the shower help any, Margaret? I have your meds ready for when you are done here. I thought you should wait till after your shower, in case they make you woozy,” he asked with real concern.
“Yes, the shower helped some, it still hurts, but it is not as tight. Yes, it was a good idea to wait till I was out of the shower for my meds. I don’t want to fall and break something or end up in traction. What I really need is help drying.” She tried to casually, get to the point she needed help with. ~I’m hoping the redness to my skin from the hot water, will cover any redness from embarrassment. He’s grinning again.~ “Leo, I can’t get my legs and feet dry, I can’t reach them and you better not laugh,” she warns him and gives him one of her best glares.
“Well, this really sounds like punishment to me, maybe I need to get in trouble with the President more often. I guess I’ll keep this punishment info to myself, because if the senior staff hears exactly what my punishment is consisting of, they’ll be driving the President nuts to get punished,” he just could not resist.
“Leo, just grab the extra towel and help,” she’s losing patience at this point.
“Now, be nice Margaret, I’m down on one knee here. Isn’t this what all women want? A man at their feet.”
She sighs and speculates, ~Any other time, I would be giddy to have you on one knee at my feet. Maybe I can dream of it tonight, if I get any sleep. The meds better work.~
“Margaret, I’m guessing here, but is the next stop, for you, the bedroom to get into your pajamas and then, after your meds, try to get some rest.”
“Yes, Leo, you are enjoying bossing me around here in the apartment? Just admit it. Help me to stand slowly and head me in the right direction.” She holds out her hands to him.
“Oh, no, I’m walking you to your bedroom and see you safely sitting on the bed, before I leave the room. Abby would kill me, if you got hurt, with me here. She is going to call and check on you later and I’d better be able to give her a good progress report,” he informs her.
“She has the President and you both toeing the line. She scares the two of you,” Margaret guesses and smiles that knowing look women have when a man is cornered.
“You just try and be the one to explain that something went wrong to Abby. If I have to tell her that, she’ll hurt me. Now that we’re here, what do you need,” he asks as he helps to slowly lower her to the bed.
Margaret is making sure the towel doesn’t slip, as she is sitting down. “Well,” she pauses as she remembers and her smile fades, ~Oh, no, my clothes are put away in the chest of drawers, on the other side of the room. He’ll have to get them, now that I’m setting down.~ “Leo, you’ll have to get me something to wear. They’re in the top drawer over there,” she points to the chest of drawers.
“Oh, Good, more punishment! I get to search through your ‘unmentionables’ and select what I think would look good,” Leo is now grinning ear to ear.
“Leo, don’t get your hopes up. I have sensible taste in clothing,” she tries to squash his fun.
“I can still search for something nice. Now, do I choose comfy cotton or shiny silk?” He looks seriously at the selection in her drawer.
Margaret speaks softly with a threat in her voice to Leo. “Just give me some panties and my baggy, soft blue pajamas,” she scolds him.
“You ‘really’ know how to take the fun out of my punishment,” he sounds like he is really disappointed. “I can still choose the panties and I think these light blue silk ones will match your pajamas wonderfully,” he holds them out on the end of one finger to her. “See, I do have good taste in women’s unmentionables.”
“Leo, OUT!” She has had it with him. Her face is bright red and it’s not from the hot shower anymore.
“Why is it almost every time I’m here, I hear you yell ‘Leo, out’, it makes me feel unwanted,” he tries to sound like he’s pouting, it might have worked on Margaret, if it wasn’t for the deep chuckle he lets slip, as he grabs for the doorknob.
“Leo!!” She has that threatening tone to her voice.
“I’m ‘out’ already,” he states as he closes the door behind him. “Nice towel Margaret,” he loudly says through the door, having to get in a last tease.
She hides her face in the pajamas she is holding. ~He’s going to be the death of me yet. If not at work, then here. I’m just going to ‘die’ of embarrassment. The worst part is he knows it. Some ‘punishment’ for him.~
Margaret cautiously walks to the door to her room, after getting dressed very slowly. ~I hope the meds kick in soon. Now my back is hurting again, but there was no way I was letting Leo help me to dress. I’m not to the ‘bare skin’ stage with him yet or if ever, but if I do, I certainly don’t want to be handicapped with a bad back. That would take out all the fun for me. That would be punishment for me.~
An hour later, Leo hears the opening of the bedroom door and Margaret comes shuffling into the living room, where he’s reading reports. “Margaret, I thought you were going to rest for awhile, your meds should have started working,” he asks with some concern in his voice.
“Well, after getting dressed and laying for awhile I’m hurting again,” she has to admit. “It’s making me restless and I didn’t want to just lie in the bedroom.”
“You could’ve called for me. I would’ve at least helped you to stand up from the bed,” he gently reminds her. “You want me to rub on your back again?”
“Could you please, it really helps,” she readily agrees.
“Sure, gladly, that’s what I’m here for, is to help!” He leads her over to the couch. “Sit here in the middle, I’ll sit beside you.” He sits down and moves both the throw pillows to rest against the other side of his legs.
~What is he doing? How is he going to rub my back with the pillows on the other side of him?~ “Leo, is there a plan to this back rubbing, because my back is not waiting patiently,” she wants to understand.
“Of course, Margaret, we always have a plan. Here lie stomach down, across my lap and stretch your legs out on the couch. Go slowly,” he cautions.
She very carefully does as he instructs. “Leo, this better be worth the effort. If not, I may not be able to get back up,” she informs him. After some adjusting with the pillows, she is fairly comfortable.
Leo is grinning at the view he has of her backside. “See, now I can rub on your back and read at the same time.”
“Rub, Leo, Rub,” she agrees impatiently as she knows he is pleased with his plan. How did you know this would work for me to be draped across you,” she gives up wondering and asks.
“I used to do this with Mallory, when she was little and could not sleep late at night. She would sneak down, to where I would be reading in the family room. It was our special time together. We didn’t say much, I would just read and rub,” he reminisced with a soft voice.
“Those must have been wonderful times for you and Mallory, you must miss that now she’s all grown up?” Margaret sighs as the rubbing is working,
“While Leo is reading, he moves his hand up under her pajama top, to rub on her bare back. ‘Leo, are you have great hands, but don’t enjoy yourself to much here,” she warns, with very little threat in her voice, as the constant motion of his hand is lulling her half asleep.
“ Now, Margaret, I’ve a presidential order that this is my punishment. You’re just the person what gets to benefit from that punishment,” he reminds her with a chuckle.
“Well then, Leo, since it’s a presidential order, I’ll just have to suffer with the responsibility of you fulfilling your punishment,” she quietly teases back to him.
“Margaret, I really am sorry your back is hurting, but I could do with this punishment more often. You could let me come here and rub your back, after you get mad at me at work, as punishment,” he tries to sound serious as he checks the view of her lying across him and he can feel the warmth between their bodies. ~It does not get any better than this. I wish I could just slow the clock down and make this time last longer.~
~~~~~~~~~~~
It is late afternoon in the White House and Josh has just gone to a meeting with the President, which Leo was scheduled for. Donna wanting the scoop as to why Leo is missing, discovers that Margaret is missing also. She heads to the Communication bullpen to see if the other assistants have any info on their disappearance.
“Hey, Bonnie, Ginger, do either of you know where Margaret and Leo are. We just got back to Josh’s office and Josh had to run right over to the Oval office. He was needed to staff the President at a meeting, which Leo was going to handle. What’s going on?”
“Hey, Donna, slow down! All I know is that Charlie came in earlier and said that the President wanted me to shut down Margaret’s office,” Bonnie answered her first question.
“Wow, this may be serious. Margaret doesn’t let anyone mess with her office. She has it just like she wants it,” Donna replies with at a shocked voice.
“I thought it was a little strange, too. I asked Charlie what he knew about it and he told us that he was just called to Leo’s office, The President told him to hurry and get me. He also mentioned that the President was rubbing Margaret’s back and she looked like she had been crying. He noticed that Leo was hurrying to shove files into his briefcase. He also said the First lady was doing something in Margaret’s office,” Bonnie continued.
“Oh my,” Donna eyes getting larger, “it must be something really bad. Margaret was crying? In front of the President and he was rubbing her back? The world, as we know it, is going to end. Margaret would lie down and die, before she would cry in front of the President, let alone, let him casually touch her by rubbing her back. Wonder if Leo did something wrong,” Donna asks, thinking out loud, as if she is trying to right a world that has gone crazy, while she was on the hill with Josh.
“Josh is not supposed to be very long at this meeting. When he gets out, I’m informing him that I’m going to Margaret’s and find out what is wrong,” Donna schedules a plan. “I’ll come back and tell you what I find out. Josh has already warned me that it’ll be a late evening. You say they both have been banned from the White House, for the weekend? That’s really strange. It’s going to be pretty eerie and empty around here, without them,” she drops her voice. “Like your parents have gone out and you’ve been left at home alone.” Donna is still trying to understand the situation and the ramifications. “Josh is going to blow a fuse. He’ll have to cover for Leo and staff the President. I hope it is a light weekend.”
~~~~~~~~~~~
He continues to lightly rub and read, as Margaret is finally drifting into a light sleep. After about an hour of solitude together, there is a knock on the door.
“Margaret, were you expecting anyone this afternoon? Someone is at the door,” he asks her; he can tell that she is wake now.
“No, wait, don’t move to get up, Leo.” She raises her head. “Who’s there,” she calls to the door.
“It’s me, Donna, Margaret, are you OK? Can I come in,” Donna requests from the other side of the door.
“Oh, no, Leo, there goes our privacy,” she says with at sad voice.
‘It’s OK Margaret, I’m fine with the senior staff knowing I’m here, if you are. Really it’s OK,” he reassures her with a smile.
“I guess now is as good as anytime to let the cat out of the bag, at least to Donna. Maybe we can limit this. This is going to be embarrassing, I better move.”
“No you don’t, your back just starting to get better, ”he puts his hand firmly on her back to keep her still. “Donna, come on in,” Leo calls to the door. “It’s not locked.”
“Leo?” Donna asks softly, with surprise in her voice, as she opens the door. What she sees next leaves her speechless. Her boss’s boss is sitting on the couch with Margaret stretched across him in her pajamas. She doesn’t know whether to come in or go out.
“Come on in, Donna, it’s OK,” Leo reassures hers with a smile and laughter in his voice.
“Yes, Donna, it’s OK really,” Margaret, adds her approval to Leo’s.
Donna was looking straight at Margaret, trying to avoid looking at Leo. “Margaret, I came over to see if you were OK. Charlie said you were crying in Leo’s office and the President banned you two for the weekend.” She eyed Leo then and continued. “I wondered if Leo was being a Josh and had hurt your feeling and you had quit,” she waited for one of them to give her the bad news.
Leo and Margaret both broke out laughing and the look on Donna’s face was priceless, which added to Leo merriment.
“Leo, I’m going to have to sit up now, or my back is going to start again,” she requests his help.
“OK, wait, let me help you, I don’t want you to undo all the good my back rubbing has done. Might have to redo it then,” he cheerfully warns her.
“Margaret, what’s wrong. Are you hurting?” Donna asks watching Leo help Margaret to sit up beside him. “Oh no, I know that look on your face. Your back is out again,” Donna says with an understanding voice and look on her face. “I’m so sorry you did it again. How did you do it this time,” Donna sits on the edge of the wing chair.
“Wait, ladies,” Leo gives Margaret a quick kiss on the temple and he then rises slowly from the couch, so he doesn’t bounce Margaret. “If you two are going to discuss all the details, I’ll make a run to the store. Donna is here to stay with you, so Abby will not kill me, for leaving you alone. You have any requests from the store, Margaret?”
“Definitely, I want ice cream,” she makes a snap decision. ~I like to console myself with ice cream when I feel bad. It cures all ills.~
“What flavor this time,” he asks with an innocent look on his face.
~This time! He hasn’t bought me ice cream before, he’s just trying to get Donna worked up, so I’ve a hell of a time with her, when he leaves. Her eyes are just about to pop.~
“Hagan Daas, double chocolate, chocolate chip. Better make it 2 pints, my back might get worse tonight,” shes rationalizing the need for the ice cream.
“Going to be one of those nights, I can tell. No sleep and double AMC movies.”
“That’s right, it’s your punishment,” she pronounces, bossing him.
He drops a kiss on the top of her head before he moves away from the couch. “Let me get my sneakers out of the closet and I’ll go. I’m sure you girls have a lot to catch up on,” he teases as he leaves the room.
“Margaret, when he gets out the door, you’re spilling your guts. I’m not leaving till you fill me in,” Donna forewarns her.
Leo comes back into the room. “Good thing that I remembered my wallet, it was in my other pants pocket.” He goes to the door and starts searching through the coats, on the coat tree. “Margaret, where’s my brown leather jacket, I left it here,” he asks her, because she knows where everything is here and at work.
“It’s on the coat tree, somewhere. I don’t wear it,” was her flip answer, not being very helpful.
“I found it! It was on the back hook. How does my coat always end up on the back hook,” he asks, not really expecting an answer.
“I have more coats than you do,” Margaret cheerfully answers him.
“More clothes here, too,” he remarks softly to himself, but he knows that Donna is hanging on every word. “I’ll be right back, baby,” he promises as he leaves.
Margaret and Donna listen as they can hear Leo walk away from the door. “OK, Margaret, start talking. That might be the fastest way to tell me. Leo might come back before I get the whole story and don’t leave out any juicy details,” Donna demands, without pausing. She grabs a breath and then not giving Margaret a chance to start talking, she continues, “When Josh and I got back from the hill, you and Leo were missing. Charlie said he saw you crying and the President was rubbing your back. He was told you both had been banned from the White House for the weekend. Is the world coming to an end or what?” Donna finally wound to a stop.
“Alright, Donna, since you asked nice and thanks for asking about me. I pulled my back out again, taking a box of files to the basement storage. I went to get Leo to rub on my back, to try to ease it, but it didn’t help. The First Couple came in and they could tell what had happened, so the President sent me home and he decided that Leo should come here with me and make sure I didn’t hurt my back further. That’s why he banned us. I think he wanted an excuse to make Leo take the weekend off. Abby called in to my doctor for my meds and Leo picked them up. That’s about it,” she stops and looks innocently at Donna.
“Margaret, you know perfectly well ‘what’ I want details of. Leo was here and wearing a pair of jeans, that fit him like a glove, I might add. I thought Sam looked good in jeans and he’s a lot younger than Leo. Who knew how good he looked under his suit? He doesn’t even look like he’s same person, that I see everyday at work,” Donna gets off course, thinking out loud.
“Yeah, he has that James Dean look going for him,” Margaret sighs softly at the memory.
“I’m getting off the topic here. Leo acts right at home here and he gave a lot of slipped evidence that he just might be. At home here, at least part-time. What have you guys got going on here? You two looked awfully cozy here on the couch. This doesn’t seem like something new.”
“Well, first, let me disappoint you, we’re not having sex. That said and out of the way; I can tell you that it is wonderful, how Leo’s mood changes when we walk in the door. He’s fun; he teases me and is kind.”
“Whoa, back up. When has Leo, been all these things? You talk like this has been a regular occurrence, like often,” Donna’s trying to clarify what Margaret’s saying, Donna states, “He’s know as ‘Leo the Terrible’ at work.”
“Yeah, he’s terrible at work, but he checks the mood at the door. He does read some reports and files here, but we do not work here,” Margaret says, just to let her know that it is totally different here at the apartment. She daydreams with a smile on her face for Donna to read. ~I’ve known for a long time that Leo can be a passionate man. He’s passionate about what he is doing at the White House. He is passionate about the President and his daughter, Mallory. He just shows it to the world in a gruff manner. I see right through his gruffness, I always have.~
“OK, so if you two are not hot and heavy around here, what do you do,” Donna gives the impression of: like is there anything else that two people alone could want to do.
“Donna, we spend quiet, comfortable time together. Leo calls this our retreat. It started when Leo came by to take me to work and he went to the kitchen to get some coffee. He asked if he could borrow my kitchen sometimes and fix dinner. You know, he’s wild about cooking and that soft ’porn’ cooking show of his. I told him he could use the kitchen anytime, I wouldn’t mind someone cooking for me. On the weekends, when we get out of the office early enough, we swing by the grocery store and then he comes here and cooks.
He just stays for the evening afterwards and we read or watch a movie. Usually, he goes back to the motel late, but sometimes he stays on the couch. He really doesn’t have a lot of options for the weekends. He’s stuck in that motel room or he goes right back to the office. Some weekends he does make a short visit to Mallory’s, but she has a busy life.”
“But, what is it with his clothes and shoes here? That is practically a roomie,” Donna knows that there is more to tell.
“He was dragging a bag of casual clothes in and out with him, the one that he sometimes keeps in the car for when he stays at Mallory’s. I offered for him to keep some clothes here, so he wouldn’t have to go all the way to him room, if he forgot his bag,” Margaret explains like it was a simple choice.
“He was dropping kisses on you; so don’t try to deny it. This is a little more than an after work, get together, like we all do at CJ’s place,” Donna’s starting to get impatient and more like a lawyer.
“Oh, all right Donna, he has been getting more relaxed and casual every time he’s here. I’m still pinching myself and loving it at the same time. He does drop kisses on me when I least expect it, like he’s so happy to be here, he can’t help himself. I’m afraid to take a deep breath, for fear it might stop. No hugs yet, but he touches my arms and back like he has done it forever! We seem like old souls together. It’s hard to explain. I don’t want to mess up what’s slowly growing between us, I don’t want to rush it and he seems the same way. We really are enjoying the downtime we have here,” Margaret confesses to her.
“Margaret, I just want to tell you one thing,” she looks Margaret in the eye. “I’m so jealous of you two and so happy for you. Leo did seem so comfortable to be here and he didn’t seem to mind me being at the door. He was down right nice. Who all knows about this arrangement,” Donna’s starting to see how this might get sticky.
“Well you do, now, but I personally think the First Couple has figured it out. We really didn’t go out of our way to hide it, but we didn’t tell anyone either. We‘re enjoying, it just being us,” Margaret’s sounding more confident.
“Now that I know, I won’t mess it up for you,“ Donna promises.
“I know you wouldn’t intentionally. We knew it would’nt last forever. I know Leo will tell the President really soon, so he doesn’t find out from someone else, we do go shopping together. I think we would like it to stay, maybe to just the senior staff and their assistants. I would like the press to be kept in the dark, as long as possible. They love to rake Leo over the coals. They’ll make this sound so bad. Leo says he doesn’t care, he’s been there before and he’s not giving the arrangement up. We don’t get out of the office to do this very often, so it is usually spur of the moment, so it’s not like we plan when he gets to cook dinner. Guess he gets to cook all weekend now,” she smiles, as she looks forward to a whole weekend with Leo.
They can hear Leo at the door, “Hey, Donna, help me with these bags. I brought them all up in one load.” Leo has several bags in both hands and is trying to close the door. “Let’s take them to the kitchen and find the ice cream, so we can get it into the freezer.”
After helping Leo to the kitchen with the bags, she leaves Leo sorting out the food items he just purchased. Donna then goes back into the living room, “Margaret, I’ve to get back to Josh, I can’t leave him unattended at the White House for any length of time or his office will be a wreck. Leo looks like he bought enough food for a whole week, not just for the weekend.”
“He always buys enough for an army,” Margaret grins as she remembers a previous argument.
“I’ll call you tomorrow to see how you are doing. Have a nice evening,” Donna smirks to Margaret.
“Yeah, right, with a bad back,” Margaret answers with a sad tone.
“Well, the back rubbing looked fun,” is Donna’s playful comeback.
“It is wonderful; he has great hands for rubbing,” she closes her eyes and remembers the feeling.
“Lucky girl! He even looks good in that worn leather coat of his! Call ya,” was Donna last remark as she stepped out the door.
Leo returns from the kitchen, “I see Donna left. Did she get all the juicy gossip from you,” he asks, like was there any doubt. “Is there any thing your needing, now that I’m back?”
“Yes, I need to go to the little girls’ room,” she figures she really does need his help to get up.
“You couldn’t miss a second of the gossip with Donna, to go to the bathroom,” he teases her.
“I need help getting up off the couch. I do seem a lot better when I’m still, like sitting or laying. It’s the moving that still causes pain.” she tries to be hopeful.
“Ok, up you go. Can you make it in there on your own steam?” He’s trying to be helpful, but also not to invade her privacy.
“Yeah, it’s just really slow going,” she assures him.
“OK, yell if you need me,” he leaves her and heads to the kitchen.
Margaret finishes in the bathroom. ~I think I’ll rest my back first, before I start on the long hike back to the living room.~ She sits down on the tall stool in front of the mirror and discovers something else she can’t do. ~Maybe Leo will help. It’s not really too personal, but I’ve dreamed of it.~ “Leo, can you come here and give me a hand.”
“Which hand, Margaret? I was just going to use both of them to start dinner,” he jokes with her.
“Very funny there, Leo. Which hand?” She pauses before asking, “I need help with something,” she looks down, so Leo’s can’t see her face.
“What do you need, Margaret, you can ask me anything,” he tries to gently get the request out of her. ~Why’s she looking down? It can’t be that private, she is dressed.~
“Leo, I can’t brush my hair and it’s a wreck,” she answers with an exasperated tone. “I tried, but it’s no use. I can’t get my arms up, to do it.”
“No, it’s not a wreck, well, not a total wreck. I can help. Where’s your hairbrush?” He picks up the hairbrush from the countertop and starts to brush gently; he doesn’t want to pull her hair or her back.
“Leo, you’re good at brushing hair. Don’t tell me you did this for Mallory,” she sounded skeptical. ~I just can’t see this tough guy, having the patience, for brushing the hair of a little girl. I never held still for long, when I was little.~
“Yes, I did. On mornings when I didn’t have to go in to work at the crack of dawn, Mallory decided I could be the one to help her. We’d both be getting ready in our rooms, she would bring me her hairbrush, then she’d sit on her knees on the bed and I would brush her hair. I found little ways, to be a daily part of Mallory’s life. That’s why we’re so close now.” He finishes and helps her to her feet. “You better go sit in the living room again, while I fix dinner. Better take the cordless phone with you, Abby said she would check on you this evening.”
Just as she’s sitting back down, there is a knock on the door. “Leo,” ~I’m not getting back up, if I can help it.~ “Leo.” She calls to the kitchen.
Leo steps into the room and asks, ”Yeah, did I hear someone knocking at the door?”
“Yes, can you get the door, I just got down,” she gives as the reason for asking him.
“Sure, hang on, that’s what I’m here for. Now, I’m the doorman,” he’s letting her know he’s willing to help, if she asks. He opens the door part way, “Hi, you mean ‘she’s’ in the car. Fine, come on in.” Leo swings the door open all the way and two agents in black enter the apartment.
“Leo, she isn’t?” Margaret states, more than asks, the presence of the agents tells her the answer.
“Yes, Margaret, it seems that she is,” he confirms her assumption, still holding onto the doorknob.
The first agent addresses her, “Evening, Miss, we just need to secure the apartment and we’ll be out in a second,” the agent assures her.
The other agent returns quickly from the back of the apartment. “All clear,” he informs the first agent.
The first agent talks into his wrist mic, “All clear.” He then turns his attention back to Margaret, Thank you again,” he turns to Leo, “Thank you, Mr. McGarry”, and he and the other agent leave, to stand in the hallway.
“Well, that didn’t take long in this tiny apartment,” Margaret tries to sound casual, like the First Lady of the United States drops in all the time. ~Great, the First Lady is visiting my apartment and I’m not even dressed. Well, I’m dressed, but in my baggy pajamas. Damn, the bad luck. Glad the agents went back out into the hallway, my apartment isn’t big enough for too many people at one time.~
“No, it didn’t take long, but I’m sure that the agent noticed my suit in your bedroom. I’m just glad they’re discreet,” he doesn’t want her to panic about Abby visiting and focus to on him a moment, while waiting for the First Lady to arrive.
It didn’t work, “Oh, Leo,…. “ Then before she could say anything more, the first lady enters the apartment.
“Hello, Leo,” she greets him, like she see him at Margaret’s door all the time, and continues into the room looking at Margaret. “Margaret, don’t you dare get up. This is your home, not the White House,” she stops Margaret, just as she’s trying to rise from the couch.
“Well, from the looks of you, Leo has you all fixed up comfy,” she smiles to help Margaret to relax. “I’m just here to see if you need anything and that the meds are working. If they’re not, I could call your doctor again. If you’re in pain all night, neither one of you will get much rest and I think you both need rest,” the First Lady inquires, just wanting to help.
“Dr. Bartlet, thank you for coming. It’s really nice of you. You didn’t have to go to the trouble of a personal visit. I’m getting a little better. I had a hot shower and Leo rubbed my back again. It will just take some time. I hope to be able to return to work on Monday,” Margaret’s not sure just how to respond to the First Lady’s visit.
“It’s Abby, Margaret. We’re in your home and I would like you to consider me a friend. A friend that’s concerned about you hurting. You and I have been through a campaign and now the White House, trying to keep Jed and Leo in line. Anyway, I’m on my way back from a meeting and I decided to swing by and check on you. I told the President that I was going to see if you were OK. Jed wanted to know if Leo was taking good care of you, or if he was reading reports and leaving you to suffer,” she knew that she could get a dig into Leo.
Leo takes the bait, “She’s had the best of care. I haven’t even looked at my briefcase. You just ask, Margaret. In fact, I’m just starting to prepare dinner,” Leo defends himself.
“I’ll pass that report to Jed and that you are taking your punishment in stride. Now, go back to the kitchen and let us women talk.”
“Ok, ok, I know when to vacate a room. Now, I’m just the cook,” he wants it to sound like he’s being abused. He’s grinning as he says this to Abby, who knows him so well.
“Yes, Leo, I know perfectly well, you’re happy as a lark in the kitchen, the same as Jed would be. Now go,” she watches him turn and return to his kitchen.
Abby watches Leo, but remarks to Margaret, “I haven’t seen Leo this relaxed in a long time. I don’t even remember the last time I’ve seen him casual enough to be wearing jeans and a t-shirt.” She turns and looks back at Margaret, “What magic have you been using on Leo? For a while this winter, I was really starting to worry about his stress level and how did you get him into jeans? Good Lord, Jed wears his jeans every chance every he can get.” They can hear Leo rattling in the kitchen. Margaret’s content to listen to Abby and to the sounds of Leo in the kitchen. She’s also willing to let Abby do the talking; saves Margaret from giving any answers. ~I might as well give her a clue to Leo’s visits and keep her from guessing. She’ll get it out of us sooner or later and I would rather tell her here.~
“Well, Abby, to tell the truth, he was carrying his casual clothes back and forth, in a bag he had in his car for at Mallory’s, but now he keeps some spare clothes here,” she tries to sound like it’s normal for Leo to have clothes there.
Abby looks pointedly at Margaret, “So, how about some details and I do know what to tell Jed and what we keep between us.” She sounds like Donna, but wants to reassure Margaret.
Leo checks back in on them, “Would you ladies like something to drink?”
“No thanks, Leo, you can go back to the kitchen now,” Abby tells him with a pointed look, as his timing is crummy.
“You sure,” he asks with a sarcastic grin, knowing he’s butting into their little talk.
“Out, Leo,” the women both say at the same time.
“It’s always, ‘out, Leo,’ ” he grumbles and heads back to the kitchen, as Abby and Margaret are laughing at his remark.
“I take it you have had to throw him out of a few rooms already,” Abby asks as she looks at Leo sulking back to the kitchen again.
“Just the usual, the bathroom and the bedroom,” Margaret tries not to blush as she confesses that info to Abby.
“Sounds interesting, but we’ll save that for another time. Men can be a little dense when it comes to those two rooms,” Abby states.
“Well, to fill you in on Leo’s visits, and, yes, this is not the first time. It started when he wanted to use my kitchen to cook in, he hasn’t been able to since he moved to the motel. On weekend evenings that we have the time, he comes over to cook and then we watch a movie or he reads and we listen to music. It gives him somewhere to relax and not just be stuck in the motel room. If he didn’t come here, he would just work at his room or sneak back to his office.”
“I’ll just go ahead and ask. Are you two getting closer? He sure looks at home here,” Abby honestly asks, as a friend of Leo and now of Margaret.
“Well, that depends on your meaning
of close. No, we have not had sex,”
Margaret’s honest right back, but isn’t looking Abby in the eye. “Leo is very comfortable around me here, he
teases me and has been know to drop a kiss on my head or face in passing. Nothing passionate. He has even started casually calling me ‘Baby’
in conversations. I don’t even think he
realizes he’s doing it. It’s so nice to
see him being free with his manner here.
He has to watch everything he says and does, everywhere else. I notice he’s still real cautious with his
conduct at your farm in
“What has Leo said about his visits? Is he concerned about this getting out?” Abby’s concerned because she can see from Margaret face and the softness of her voice that this is something special and important to both of them.
“Well, we talked about it. He’s concerned about the press bothering me, but he says he really doesn’t care about the staff knowing, he’s not willing to give up the peacefulness he finds here. He figures that the senior staff and their assistants will find out soon, but he agrees that we may need to limit who knows, to hold off the press. Donna found out today, when she was checking on me. She said she would keep it quite, but I’ll let her know it’s OK to tell Josh. She’ll burst if she can’t tell him.” Both women grin at that true fact.
“Next question, friend to friend, do you think this might get serious? Are you hoping it might?” Abby asks with real concern and not curiosity.
“It’s Ok to ask, you are probably the one person I can talk to. You’ve known Leo for years and you know just what I’ve been through with him. I think right now we’re very close friends and I feel that we both do not want to rush it, but I feel we are more than friends. If that makes any sense. I think it’s beginning to lean toward affection. We do like to cuddle on the couch, as we watch movies. We both enjoy just being quiet and close to each other. I like having the close friendship first and if it turns to more, then it will be even better.”
“Margaret, I am so happy for you! I’m going to explain it to Jed, just like you told me, so he’ll not tease Leo and mess this up for the both of you. This may be the best thing that’ll come out of our time at the White House. You two are so tuned to each other, that it’s like one person in two people.”
“I think you and the President are that way. You two support and love each other so much, that it shows every time you are in the same room,” Margaret sounds envious.
“What about work, does it get in the way here,” Abby’s trying to see how it wouldn’t intrude, she lives with it everyday.
“Work stops at the door. He does read reports and files here, but we don’t discuss them. He doesn’t even make calls here, even though he has his cell phone.” Margaret wants to convince Abby. “We’ll just see how it goes, he probably will have to do some work here, but better here, than alone in his office or hotel room.
“So, how is he doing, caring for you, then? You usually are the one taking care of him,” Abby states.
“Well, he really is enjoying his punishment. I may be the one being punished. He’s so happy to help,” Margaret rolls her eyes, to let Abby know she’s teasing.
“Oh, like what?” Abby asks, wanting some juicy details.
She answers with a grin, “well, he thought it was just ‘terrible’ he had to get my shoes and socks off and he really found it hard to help unfasten my bra. Mind you, that was his idea,” Margaret’s willing to share, she knew Abby would not spread this info, like one of the assistants might.
“Do tell more,” Abby prompted.
“Also, it was real ‘punishment’ after my shower, when he had to dry my legs and then hand me some unmentionables from my drawers, after my shower. He was ‘appalled’ that he had to choose what I’d wear. Later, he was really ‘suffering’, when he had me draped across his lap and was rubbing my back,” Margaret was really enjoying having someone she could tell this to, in a tongue-in-cheek manner.
“I’ll just ‘have’ to mention to Jed that Leo is suffering. I promise not to give any details. This is just ‘us’ girls. I also want to confess that I really enjoy talking to someone, that has had to have, a life while living and working in the middle of the White House.”
“I probably should confess the rest and the one thing that the press would like to know,” she figured Abby might as well know the whole of it.
“Oh, there’s more. You said you weren’t having sex,” Abby candidly remarks.
“I just wanted to let you know, that he has spent the night here on the couch. One time, we were so exhausted after almost two days straight at the office that he slept in the bed with me. When he got here in the middle of the night, he fell asleep talking to me. He was sort of sitting like on the bed and the next thing I knew he was asleep. I was too tired to get him to move. We were even too tired for even fooling around. Now, that’s really tired. It was nice to be held in the night. Then again, Abby, that was the one time, that I was really worried about how hard Leo was working. Well, I worried how hard we both were working. I think that’s when Leo decided he didn’t care who found out, he wasn’t going to give up his time here,” Margaret finishes her confession to Abby in a rush of words.
“Thanks for telling me, Margaret.” Abby continues, “I know this wasn’t easy for you, but I enjoyed that we’re getting to know one another and to be friends. Lord knows I need all the ‘real’ friends I can get in the White House.” Abby places her hand on top of Margaret’s. “Well, I better go, the agents will be dragging me out anytime now! You take care of yourself this weekend and enjoy having Leo here all weekend. Shame your back is hurting, if you know my meaning,” Abby sadly states.
“Tell me about it, with luck like mine,” Margaret sounds exasperated.
Abby stands up and yells in to Leo, “Try not to poison Margaret this weekend, with your cooking.”
“Thanks, Abby, for that vote of confidence. Nice to know who my friends are,” Leo’s gives a playful sarcastic reply.
“I leaving now, I’ll tell Jed you are really taking this ‘punishment’ to heart,” she cheerfully teases him, just like old times.
“See you Monday, Abby. I’ll bring Margaret with me dead or alive,” he just had to get in the last word.
The agents whisked Abby quickly out of the apartment and the room seems so much emptier without her presence, she seems to fill a room. ~I’m glad that I was able to tell Abby about Leo’s visits here. She’ll tell the full story to the President, without Leo doing fifty questions in the Oval Office. It’s nice to have another female to talk to about dealing with men who work in the White House. I just can’t get used to thinking of and calling her by her first name, instead of Dr. Bartlet. I’ll call her Dr. Bartlet at the White House, unless she expressly tells me to call her Abby.~ Margaret decides in her head on the protocol she’ll follow. ~Leo was really enjoying teasing Abby, while she was here. Maybe he does tease the women he cares about. I really hope so, with the way he teases me!~
“Margaret, you hungry now? I’ve got dinner almost ready. Do you need me to get you up off the couch,” Leo asks and sounds willing to come help her.
“No, Leo, I’m sitting up on the edge of the seat, I think I can make it,” she reassures him. “I’ll take my time.”
“Ok, then you need to start your ‘slow mosey’ into the table. By the time you get there, it’ll be ready.” Leo adds, “Let me know if you change your mind on the help.”
Not too much later, Margaret arrives at the table and slowly sits down. “I’m here, Leo, safe and sound. What did you make for our dinner tonight?”
“I thought that tonight you might like something light. Sometimes meds can make a person have a nervous stomach, with your back out, I didn’t think you should risk being any more sick. If you eat ice cream later, you ‘will’ be pushing your luck,” Leo advises.
“That’s a sad, but true thought Leo. Thank you for being considerate about my total care. So, Dr. McGarry, what did you prepare for your patient tonight,” Margaret’s smiling at him and he’s smiling back at her, about teasing him.
“Oh, so now, I’m a doctor. How many talents do you think I possess,” Leo asks as he wiggles his eyebrows at her, indicating he has plenty more that are unexplored. After a pause, he serves her a plate, which has pasta in a cream and herb sauce, top with strips of grilled chicken. “See, this is better that chicken soup,” he continues to tease her.
“Leo, this looks wonderful! I’m really getting so spoiled when you’re here to cook,” she compliments his efforts.
Leo joins her at the table, “Thank you, I love to cook and having someone to share it with makes it more enjoyable. Now, do I get brave and ask what you and Abby talked about, when I was rudely banned to the kitchen. I didn’t hear much laughter, so it couldn’t have been too detailed. You didn’t tell all of the items we didn’t want spread at work,” he tries to sound worried, but he’s grinning at her.
“Only some, I did tell her how you got started coming over and that you had spent a few nights on the couch,” she reveals a little.
“And,” Leo urges her to tell the rest.
“I told her that we really enjoy the quiet evenings together away from work and that we’re trying to keep it low key, but not really hiding it. We also talked about possibly keeping it to senior staff and their assistants.” Margaret now looks down, like she’s really interested in her plate. “She asked if we were serious. I told her we were very good friends, that we do like to cuddle when we watch movies. Abby smiled at that,” Margaret sounds like she’s making a confession, afraid she’s said too much.
“Good, that is the truth; I don’t want to jeopardize anything that we have here. This is the best way that we have found to relax. You don’t seem to mind me here. You haven’t thrown me out at anytime,” he’s trying to get her to look up at him and smile again.
“Leo, I told you I wouldn’t throw you out and I meant it,” she reinforces her commitment to have him spend time here.
“Now, you know how I like to ‘really’ make you blush. I can assume that Donna and Abby both asked if we were having sex,” Leo asks casually, which just drives Margaret crazy that he can be so casual about the most embarrassing things.
“Yes, I will blush and you are not being a gentleman about it. Donna did ask and I told her no. I did go ahead and volunteer the information to Abby, before she got to ask, so she’d be able to reassure the President. Then on Monday, the President won’t call you to the red carpet. I just wanted to save you the displeasure of being grilled by him,” Margaret’s still looking at her plate with great interest.
“The carpet in the Oval Office is blue, Margaret, with a big eagle in the middle,” he remarks like she doesn’t know that, just to make her even crazier. It works!!!
Quietly in an exasperated whisper, Margaret informs him, “Leo, I know what the rug looks like,” she’s looking him in the eye, with her famous pointed look. He just smiles and loves that she’s so easily pulled, out of her embarrassment.
“Margaret, I know Jed will grill me anyway to glean any more tidbits from his best friend. He wouldn’t miss this opportunity for anything,” Leo’s definite about what will happen on Monday. He seriously continues, “Margaret, if and when we decided to get serious, it’s just between the two of us and the hell with the rest of the world. I’m taking, our time of being together, one day at a time. I hope you are also. I don’t want you to worry either, even though I know you will. I’ve lost too much happiness putting my political career first and worrying what people will think. I enjoy being with you.” Leo adds to himself, ~I don’t want to push her into anything she’s not ready for, but I want to reassure her and not let anyone scare her off, by her thinking we’re doing something wrong or hurtful to the White House. Getting serious would not be so bad, to my way of thinking. Someday.~
“Ok, Margaret, now to happier topics. What movies have you picked out to watch tonight,” Leo asks, since she usually gets to choose.
“I thought we might check out AMC or TCM on the TV and see if they have a good classic on,” she’s glad to change the topic.
“As long as it is not Jerry Lewis
or ‘Mr. Hobbs Goes to
“Well, I’m not in the mood for any Clint Eastwood westerns either,” she can make conditions as well as he can.
“What’s wrong with a good western? That’s all American,” he chides her.
“I’m heading back to my place on the couch and check the channel,” she wants to get a chance at the remote before he gets done clearing the table.
“It’s my sleeping couch for the next two nights and that your getting a head start for the couch, is really no fair. Now, I get to be busboy, while you surf for a movie. This ‘is’ punishment,” he acts like she’s really cheating, by leaving him to clear up.
“I’ll just pretend that I’m hurrying to the living room, but you might just beat me there. I’ll give you a fair chance. I think, I’ll just make a detour to the bathroom and save myself a trip later,” she knows that once she’s down, she doesn’t want to get up anytime soon. She remembers to ask, “Leo, could you bring our drinks in with you and I’ll need my next dose of meds soon.”
“Sure, no problem, I’m here to serve. By order of the President,” he reminds her.
Leo does beat her to the couch and he is stretched out the whole length. She also notes that he’s already in his sweat pants, light gray ones this time, with a black White House logo on one side of the front. “I see you’re right at home. You did your quick change and have the whole couch to yourself. By the way, who did you swipe those pants from, the secret service?”
“I did get them from the secret service. They wear them in the workout room and no, it wasn’t from Ron Butterfield, his were too long. I had a hell of a time getting a size medium, short,” he admits to the theft.
“Did you try the women’s sizes, Leo,” she likes teasing him back. “You can move over and let me on the couch, too,” she’s bossing him now. “I don’t care if it is your couch this weekend, I’ve got rights to it, also.”
“Just for the women’s pants remark, I should make you sit in the chair, but you’d report me to Jed. They just come in adult sizes, not men’s or women’s,” he states for the record.
“Leo, have you noticed that here at the apartment, you call him Jed and not the President,” she makes a point.
“We’re not at the White House or work and not at a function for the White House agenda. So here, I call him Jed, my friend. They are our friends, now. I know you need a little time to adjust to them, but it’ll be easier as you get to know them personally,” he plans for the future.
“That’s going to be really hard for me, Leo. I think Abby will be easier to adjust to, but I just see the President as, the President. He kind of scares me. I know he doesn’t mean to, but he ‘is’ the President,” she tries to get him to see her dilemma.
“Don’t worry Margaret. Just give it time. We have lots of time,” he gives her a kiss on the head, as he tucks her in against him, along side his body and covers them with the couch throw. ~I really like just lying here behind her, with her resting back against me. It feels so right.~
Margaret reflects on the day’s events and marvels at all the changes that have occurred in her and Leo’s lives. ~I’m just glad that we have everything out in the open, with the people who matter to us. The best part is, that at the end of this crazy day, I still end up in Leo’s arms.~
“Oh, no, guess what’s on AMC,” he sounds like a condemned man.
“A Jerry Lewis movie,” she asks with concern.
“No, almost as bad, Margaret. It’s Doris Day and Rock Hudson, the one where she’s redecorates his apartment and thinks he’s a playboy,” Leo describes the movie.
“That’s ‘Pillow Talk’, it’s a sweet movie,” she’s so pleased.
“I guess that means we’re watching it,” he replies knowing her answer, as he hides his head against her shoulder.
“Please,” she has wishful pleading in her voice.
He pulls his head back up, “Sure, since you’re feeling bad, I’ll be a gentleman and give in,” he kisses her soundly on the temple. “I’ve been the cook, the doorman, a doctor and a busboy. I’ll try a gentleman now.” ~I’m not forgetting that I have to help undress and dry her. It’s going to be such a ‘terrible punishment’ all weekend.~ He gives a happy sigh.
~There
he goes again with the kisses. I could
stay here all night and cuddle. It’s
going to be a wonderful weekend.~
The end
p.s. till the next cooking adventure
~ In memory of John Spencer ~
~ Thanks for the hugs, John! ~
Betty Lou Riley
Rating System!
CHILD - suitable for all ages
YTEEN (younger teens) - some content may not be
suitable for children
TEEN - suitable for teens and above
MATURE - suitable for mature readers
ADULT - adults only
P — Profanity
SC — Sexual Content
V — Violence
GV — Graphic Violence
GS - Graphic Sexual Content