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| 4-6-2005 |
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So this is a blog huh, I don't get what all the fuss is about.
Anyway I'm Joe Quincy, I have the reason I have one of these things in my profile.
Basically I sit downstairs in the Steam Pipe Trunk Distribution Venue, aka my office, and do the grunt work of the White House Council's office. Why you ask, cause I have a desire to serve my country.
I don't get to see all the glamour of the White House or the apparent soap opera that goes on up there, I get little information.
All I know is that I don't have many friends now a days, ever since my paper on campaign finance reform the Republicans haven't wanted me, and the fact that I forced Hoynes out of the Vice Presidency didn't endear me to the Democrats. So you the random person who finds this journal will get to know what I know.
Sorry but you won't get inside info, I would like to keep my job.
When something interesting happens I'll write it here, but don't expect much, unless you want to hear about my day of endless paperwork.
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| 4-7-2005 |
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[private] I have to start reading my journal - I had some spare time and wanted to see if dufus Doug was up to anything, so I checked out my journal and found out today we have a Republican working here. I'm so out of the loop on the other side of the building, I never knew. [/private]
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| 4-12-2005 |
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OOC: It's good to be back.
Annie: Annie has come home to the DC house. She's decided to come every other weekend, just to be alone mostly. She hasn't said anything to anybody about it. She sits in the kitchen, typing some paper and eating a salad. "And this is why we as American Citizens need-" She talks to herself as the types.
Liz: Elizabeth is glad to be back in Georgetown. Her regular OB appointment at GW provides her an excuse to get away for a quiet week. Doug has been so attentive to her needs, he has been driving her a bit crazy. So she convinced him to stay with Gus in New Hampshire, that she would call from the Doctor's office with a report of how things were progressing. She was staying the week, having appointments with her Doctors, the decorator to discuss the baby's room, Rainy Day Funds. And Amy was going to be staying with her. She smiled at the thought as she entered the foyer of the house, not noticing the extra agents outside.
Annie: Annie stops typing, she's almost sure she heard the door open and close. She stands, not wanting to walk into the other room, but does anyhow. "Who goes there?" She smiles.
Liz: Liz looks up, startled by her daughter's presence, "Annie, how are you." She goes to give her daughter a hug, "What are you doing here?"
Annie: "I'm well..." She nods, "I've been here... I come almost... Every other week to relax and do work peacefully." Annie smiles, resting her hand on her mother's belly, "How are you?"
Liz: Liz looks at Annie's hand on her, "We're doing fine, I'm here to see my doctors." She looks carefully at her daughter, she isn't as thin as she had been the last time. "I'm glad you're using the house. I don't like to think that it's empty." She turns to see Mark bring in her luggage, "Why, thank you Mark. Just set it over there." Honestly, even Annie's agents where in on the conspiracy to not let her do anything anymore, it was really annoying.
Annie: "So how are things... At home and everything?" Annie guides her to the kitchen, letting her hold her arm, she gestures to a chair in the kitchen, "Sit." She smiles.
Liz: Liz sits, glad to slip off her shoes. "Fine, your father's staying home with Gus, he's missed too much school this spring." She sighs as she feels the coolness of the tile on her feet, "Annie, would you mind making some tea for us?"
Annie: "No problem." Annie nods, putting the pot on the stove full of water, "I'm sorry about the mess," She begins to pick up the papers, "Just working on one of my reports." She sets her lap top aside, looking at her mother, glancing under the table to notice she took her shoes off, "Would you like a foot rub while you wait?"
Liz: Liz looks at her daughter in surprise, Annie offering the help her? "That would be delightful." As Annie adjusts the chairs, Liz suddenly realizes that Amy was planning on staying the night, "How long are you going to be here?"
Annie: Annie shrugs, rubbing Liz's foot deeply and gently, "I don't know... If you want me to leave, I understand." She's never had the best relationship with anyone in her family, this was a step in itself. She doesn't mention that her father wasn't there.
Liz: "No, honey, this is your home." Amy will understand, they've dealt with her family discreetly in the past. "I'm just surprised that you aren't in Boston, with your friends."
Annie: "I'm with them all the time." Annie shakes her head, "I like my alone time once in a while." Pause, looking up at her mother, "Seriously, If you want me to leave, it's okay."
Liz: "No, honey, I'd love your company, I never get to see you anymore." She pauses, "I won't be bothering you, will I? You came here for some quiet time."
Annie: "Unless you're planning on having a gargantuan party with a few hundred people, Not really, No, You aren't bothering me." Annie shakes her head, smiling, "You've never bothered me." She rubs Liz's ankles at the same time. "I notice your husband hasn't come with you."
Liz: Liz sighs, that again. She just looks at her daughter and shakes her head, "He's your father."
Annie: "Where is he?" Annie glances up, focusing herself on her feet.
Liz: "I already told you, he's in New Hampshire with Gus. Gus can's miss anymore school."
Annie: "Wasn't he waiting on you hand and foot?" Annie gets up, setting Liz's legs down gently so that she can get the tea, "Now, 'Gus can't miss anymore school'?" She turns to face her mother, "He's barely learning anything."
Liz: "He's driving me nuts, waiting on my hand and foot." She smiled wryly, "Part of coming here was to get away from him for awhile."
Annie: "I don't blame you." Annie grins, setting the cups on the table, "That's why I moved out... He just... Got on my nerves..." Pause. "Now you know how I feel." She takes a small sip.
Liz: She smiles at her daughter, "Honey, I've been with him for almost 19 years, that's just the way he is."
Annie: "Sorry for you." Another sip, "I don't know how you can live with that man."
Liz: Liz just smiled, in some ways her husband and her daughter could be clones. They butted heads constantly because they were so much alike. "I have a Doctor's appointment tomorrow, would you like to come? They are going to be doing my first ultrasound."
Annie: "You would want me there?" Annie bites the inside of her cheek.
Liz: "I'd love to have you there, its quite the experience to see the baby for the first time." She didn't want to upset Annie, so she didn't say that it maybe the only time they got to see the baby when it was still alive.
Annie: Annie glances at her mother, nodding, "Sounds like a plan." Pause. "How far are you along now?"
Liz: "Eight weeks. They usually don't do them this early, but I'm in the High Risk program."
Annie: Annie nods, "As long as you're safe." She remembers how sad her mom used to get all the times before Gus, "That's all that matters."
Liz: "It will work honey, don't worry." Liz was in her complacent stage of pregnancy, when she wasn't showing, nor carrying the extra weight. If she managed to get through the first two trimesters, she would carry the baby full term.
Annie: Annie nods, "Just thought I'd tell you that." She places her hand on her mother's, "You come first... As much as I'd love a little brother or sister, I care more about my mother and her health." She smiles a little, trying to lighten the mood.
Liz: "I'll be fine honey." She glances at her daughter, seeing the worry in her eyes, "That night, at home, you heard me in the bathroom, didn't you?"
Annie: Annie nods, smirking a little, "Yeah?"
Liz: "It was just the hormones talking, I'll be fine, nothing will go with me." She supposes she should tell Annie why she has the problems, now that she's an adult. "It's just that when you were born, I had problems as you were a large baby, and I was, well, small. I started to hemorrhage, and well, it didn't go well. I have lots of scar tissue internally, it makes it difficult for me to carry to full term."
Annie: Annie bites the corner of her mouth as she listens to her mother, "Sorry about that... Maybe it will be different this time." She smiles a little bit more.
Liz: "That's what I'm praying." Liz smiles, glad she told her daughter. Now that Annie was an adult, she felt more comfortable being open about things she wouldn't have discussed in the past. Liz was forced into the adult world at age 16, something she had hoped to spare from her daughter. "Is Hogan coming this weekend? You know she's always welcome." A not too subtle probe to see where that relationship stood, she hadn't seen much of either of them in their journals lately.
Annie: Annie shakes her head, "No, She isn't coming. I don't even think she knows I'm here all the times that I come." She laughs a little to herself, "Sometimes, I just like to be alone... I love Hogan, Don't get me wrong, but it's just nice to be alone once in a while." Takes a sip of tea, "I'm happy to see you here though."
Liz: "I'm delighted." She took a sip of her own tea, happy that her daughter's relationship was still on. "Sometimes though, you just need a break from those you love." She glanced around the kitchen, "Where's Gretchen?"
Annie: "Exactly." Annie nods, then looks around like her mother does, "Who is Gretchen?"
Liz: "The cook your father hired, she's supposed to be here." She gives Annie an evil grin, "Maybe we can sneak out for something /not/ on my list."
Annie: Annie shrugs, "I told her she could leave. She's was getting on my nerves," She smiles as well, nodding, "That sounds like a good idea."
Liz: "She did cook for you?" Liz still thinks that a cook is an unneeded extravagance, maybe this would convince Doug they didn't one.
Annie: "Breakfast, then I told her to leave." Annie nods, "I ended up having fruit." Laughing. She likes to get her work done early so that for the rest of the day she can just relax. The cook just wouldn't let her do that while she was there, so she let her go.
Liz: 'I really don't know why your father insists we need two cooks." Liz sits back and lets out a sigh, the plane trip wore her out and she had lots to do this week. Annie's unexpected presence put a wrinkle in her plans and she tried to sort out how to rearrange her schedule.
Annie: "What else has your husband insisted you needed and didn't?" Annie gets up to wipe the counter some. She and Doug weren't on the best of terms at the moment. Like that was anything out of the ordinary, but Doug does it quite often. "If you were to have someone on the side, I wouldn't blame you, nor would I say anything about it." She turns, giving a sly smile and wink.
Liz: Liz listens absently to her daughter, sure that Annie was going to go on and on about 'her husband' and how he wasn't 'really' her father. She suddenly realizes that Annie just said something about her , "What did you say?"
Annie: "If you were to have someone on the side, I wouldn't blame you, nor would I say anything about it." She repeats herself, grinning a little more, "I was joking, but seriously." She nods, winking again, "Wouldn't say anything." Annie remembers when her father wasn't there, or when they fought. She used to wish that they would just stop, just leave each other alone. Shouting and fighting and not being there was not love to her.
Liz: Liz blushes deeply, damned hormones, as she scrutinizes her daughter. Surely Annie didn't know.
Annie: Annie pats her hands with a dish towel, looking at her mother more, "It's the-the... It's your agent isn't it?" Pause, She thinks she knows it all at times, but really doesn't, "The one that has a thing for you?" She's excited that her own mother would do such a thing, "I wouldn't even be surprised if that wasn't your husband's child... and I wouldn't care either because I'm related to them no matter what-" She chuckles.
Liz: Liz looks at her daughter in horror "Ann Elizabeth! I've never slept with another man." How could her daughter this such a thing? As her father's words from long ago, when he found out she had been sleeping with Doug, suddenly reverberated in her mind - "Once a whore, always a whore." - did everyone think she was loose? Did Annie know about her conception? Have people been talking to Annie? About she and Doug?
Annie: "You act like it's so far out of the realm of possibility... Like you've never even thought about it." Annie's still amazed at her mother, who's face told when she was hiding something, "Who is it?" She puts her hands on her hips, walking closer. Annie had seen her friends be best friends with their mothers, Liz never did that with her daughter. She wanted that, "I wouldn't say anything."
Liz: "My God, how can you even say that?" Did her daughter know so little about her, that she would think she' d cheat on Doug? "I'm not the one cheating." And she bit her lip, damn, she hadn't meant to say that. To deflect Annie's attention, she repeated herself, "I've never slept with another man,"
Annie: "Doug is cheating?" Annie will never call him her father when she was pissed at him, "You have a reason, he has nothing..." She pushes a nearby chair in anger, Doug Westin was an asshole. Blood relation or not. She calms down a bit as she listens to her mother. "Doesn't mean you can't sleep with a woman..." Annie sits down, biting her thumbnail a little, "Have you ever slept with a woman?"
Liz: "How dare you ask me that? I'm your mother."
Annie: "That doesn't matter." Annie shakes her head, looking at Liz, "You didn't answer my question."
Liz: "It's none of your fucking business." And with that Liz, rose and stormed out the kitchen, wondering if she could throw her daughter out of the house.
Annie: Annie calls from the kitchen, opening her laptop to write a final line and save it, "It doesn't matter to me... You tell me nothing anyway." She shrugs, "I just want to understand why I turned out the way that I did... bisexual... it would explain it." Her voice was a little softer, but she's still loud so Liz could hear her.
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| 4-12-2005 |
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Elizabeth: A subdued Elizabeth opened the door later that evening to Amy. Annie's words earlier that day had stung her, and she needed to discuss what to do with Amy.
Amy: "Elizabeth?" Amy asks in her emotionless tone, she looks her over as she walks in the door, "You look... You okay?"
Elizabeth: "No. Come in, want something to drink?" Elizabeth leads her to the living room so they could talk. Annie had taken off soon after their fight, Elizabeth wasn't expecting her back.
Amy: Amy shakes her head, "No... I would, however, like for you to tell me what's up." She didn't like the way Elizabeth was acting, she wasn't herself.
Elizabeth: "Annie accused me of having an affair."
Amy: Amy gasped. "How could she possibly... What makes you say that?"
Elizabeth: Elizabeth turned mournful eyes towards her friend, "She was probing about Doug and I, our relationship, and she accused me of sleeping with James, Doug's agent."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth looked at Amy, watching for her reaction, "She thought James was the father of the baby."
Amy: Amy folds her arms, nodding, she didn't like the fact that Elizabeth was pregnant again, but what can you do, "Was she pissed off or-"
Elizabeth: "She left, she thinks I'm sleeping with other men." Elizabeth shakes her head at the irony of /that/ thought. "All these years, he's been cheating on me, and she accuses me..." Elizabeth doesn't finish the thought, as she grows more livid at her daughter and her spouse.
Amy: "She's a smart girl." Amy nods, glancing at Elizabeth. "Smart girls get things wrong sometimes... very wrong." She thinks to herself, how much Elizabeth's daughter really was like her father.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth just snorts, "God, I need a drink."
Amy: "Too bad you can't have one." Amy pats Elizabeth's arm a little, "I'm sure everything will be fine."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth looks at Amy, "Damn, I can taste it." Elizabeth sighs, that was the hardest part of all of this, not drinking. Maybe her mother had been right, maybe she was a borderline alcoholic. "She thinks I'm sleeping with James, a Bartlet sleeping with an agent? Can you believe that?"
Amy: "You have much better taste than that." Amy quickly walks to get two bottles of water in the kitchen, she sits back down, "Her agent isn't bad, but James... not so much."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth thought about James; he was just another agent in a suit and sunglasses, an annoyance in the background of her life. She looks at Amy and grins, "Mark? You think Mark is good looking? God, you have shitty taste in men."
Amy: Amy laughs, "That I do, Chris, Josh. But look at you, Doug?"
Liz: Liz smiles, "I have exquisite taste, look at the things I love."
Amy: Amy returns the smile, though she thinks Doug isn't exquisite, neither is a bitchy daughter, no matter how much you try to see it.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth takes a sip of water, trying to calm down. "Why is Annie like that? Why does she constantly do this to me?" She turns to look at her friend, "I should have listened to you back then, given her up for adoption."
Amy: Amy glances at her, "You ask me like I know." She sits back, listening to her more, "Well, It's too late for that."
Elizabeth: "Yeah, like I had a say in any of that." Elizabeth's mind floats back to the past, Amy was the one who had helped her to keep her sanity during that period of time.
Amy: "Everything turned out all right though." Amy nods, "You're a strong, intelligent woman. If you wanted to get rid of her, you would have, but you didn't." Amy bites her lip, thinking of she own pregnancies, she hadn't been able to, nor wanted to, keep either child. And yet Liz kept trying and trying.
Annie: Annie leans against the doorway, listening to the women's conversation. Did her mother really want to get rid of her? What did she do that would make something like that come back now?
Elizabeth: Liz laughs bitterly, "I was forced to marry a man I hated, I had a baby I didn't want, and I was thrown out of not one, but two, houses." She turns towards Amy, shaking her head negatively, "If I could do it all over again, I would have never said hello to Doug Westin."
~~~~~~~~~
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| 4-13-2005 |
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Amy Gardner is loitering in the West Wing hallways, waiting for a meeting to start. Even though her mind is on her friend Elizabeth and what happened last night, the politician in her notices a member of the opposition heading down the hallway. She wants to cultivate a relationship with Joe Quincy; it always helped to have a few friends among the enemy, available to bounce ideas off of, or take the pulse of the Republicans, so she stops him.
Amy: "Hey you - Downstairs Joe!" Just to let him know that she reads everyone's journals, even though she rarely posts herself.
Joe: "Hello you - Notsomuchforyou" Just to let her know that he reads everyone's journals, though he rarely posts himself.
Amy: She grins at him, "What's up?"
Joe: He grins back, he's heard stories about her, "Not much. What's up with you?"
Amy: "Not so much - just waiting for the budget meeting to start." Amy sighs, as talking numbers was boring, but numbers needed to be discussed before the fun of arm twisting began.
Joe: "Fun times." He needs to get to his own meeting, but he's curious as to why the First Lady's Chief of Staff would strike up a conversation with him.
Amy: She thinks he's very good with the noncommital conversation, so she decides to prod him a bit, just to see if she can get an opinion out of him, "Indeed - Congressional arm twisting regarding appropriations - months of wheeling and dealing to be done - you know all of governmental decisions happen in the budget debates."
Joe: "Oh, yes." He wonders why his answer causes her grin to widen.
Amy: Like a cat with a new play toy, she plays with him a bit, "Just looking at my list of who owes me a favor and who I owe a favor too."
Joe: He gulps, "You actually have a list?"
Amy: She smiles, she's got his attention now, silly boy. "Everyone here does." She replies flippantly.
Joe: He's serious now, "I mean a physical list."
Amy: She dangles some bait, "Yes and no - just a page with names on it."
Joe: He tries to remember what he had learned in his ethics and professional responsibility classes, trying to decide how to respond, "I see."
Amy: He is so serious, she thinks with glee, "Only I know what the names signify."
Joe: "Ahh." Noncommitally.
Amy: "Everyone in the meeting will have a similar sheet of paper." She thinks it funny that he seems upset by this. Good grief, someone needs to drag this guy out of the basement and show him how politics really works.
Joe: "Okay." There is something in her grin that makes him wonder if she is toying with him.
Amy: "That's how government works - the politicians spend their time debating and running for office- the bureaucrats make all the decisions in meetings by funding - or not funding - staffing - or not staffing - the mechanisms that run the government and enforce - or not enforce - the laws."
Joe: "Yes, which is why I think we should fire all the bureaucrats." He says with a straight face.
Amy: "Fine - how are you going to organize government then? And make it run? - the nitty gritty daily stuff." Amy smiles, this guy is funny.
Joe: He begins in all earnesty, "Well, after shutting down a lot of unnecessary things, I would rehire some, but by then they would know that if they don't be more efficient they would be fired again."
Joe: "Scare tactics." And he nods his head, like he really believes that this would indeed work.
Amy: "Privatize? Yeah, we've seen how that works." She snorts at the thought.
Joe: "Well, I don't think we need a federal department of education, transportation, labor, and energy to start." He can't believe she just snorted at his idea.
Joe: "Commerce can go, to." He's starting to warm up to the idea, he's been thinking about these things, when he's locked away in his little basement office. And now he has the chance to expound to the Chief of Staff next to the Lady next to the President.
Joe: "Veterans affairs should be part of DoD, not its own thing." He's about to go on, but the door opens and the others milling about in the hallway start to enter the room.
Amy: It's time for her to go, but she'd like to hear more of this, "Well, you just reorganize it all and let me know if I still have a job."
Joe: "Oh you'll always have a job, I need someone to entertain me." He says with a grin.
Amy: Oh boy, she never thought a Republican would be this much fun. And, giving him a quick look over, thinks he's cute. "Um - thank you, I think. Gotta run."
Joe: "Okay." And as he watches her enter the room, he thinks he needs to ask around a bit more about Ms. Amy Gardner.
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| 4-13-2005 |
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(Private)
Ok, I think I just made a minor mistake. Telling the CoS of the First Lady that I would like to eliminate half the executive branch probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.
I'm just very good at expressing myself into peoples bad graces.
I'm going to be in basement offices my entire career.
(/Private)
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| 4-14-2005 |
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[Email to Joe Quincy]
Downstairs -
I was quite relieved to get to work today and find my nameplate still on my door.
Amy
[/email]
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| 4-14-2005 |
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Liz: Elizabeth is really upset by her daughter's last post and calls her - if she doesn't pick up, she'll have the agents call Mark's phone.
Annie: Annie looks at the ID. She's sick of deleting the messages, so she picks up the phone, not saying anything. "Will you stop calling me?" She finally says, after a few seconds.
Liz: Elizabeth can barely hear her daughter's low, angry voice, "Annie - What do you mean, 'I don't love you, forget that I ever existed.'? What is wrong with you Annie?" Elizabeth has been asking herself that questions for years, wondering why her daughter never wanted to have a normal relationship with her.
Annie: "What is wrong with *me*?" Annie's voice gets a little louder, not believing what her mother was saying, "I try, you don't want me around... Don't act like you do."
Liz: "Want you around? You're the one who moved into the White House for a year." Elizabeth stops to take a breath, to calm herself. Yelling won't get them anywhere. "I want you around Annie, I want you to be a part of our family."
Annie: Annie swallows, speaking quietly, "I heard you." It was very cryptic, but she didn't want to say any more. It hurt her more than anything when she heard her mother last night.
Liz: "You heard what?" Elizabeth wonders why Annie never says what she is thinking clearly.
Annie: "You and her talking the other night." Annie pauses, she wonders why Amy's suddenly coming around again now, "You and Amy. I heard you talking." She tends to talk in circles sometimes.
Liz: Elizabeth's heart dropped, she thought Annie had gone for the night. "How much did you hear?" Hopefully not all of it.
Annie: "What does it matter?" Annie sniffles, "I heard what I needed to."
Liz: Elizabeth's voice drops, "Annie, I have to explain, if you don't know the context, I sounded heartless." Very heartless. "But I need to know what you heard."
Annie: "It doesn't-" She stops, attempting to contain her composure, "I should have listened to you back then, given her up for adoption." Annie repeats. The words were burned into her memory, into her brain.
Liz: "Oh, God."
Annie: "Yeah so... Yeah..." Annie swallows, getting up to stretch her legs a little, "I'm not going to try anymore." She says quietly.
Liz: "Annie, I only said that cause I was angry at you. I apologize." Elizabeth states, wincing at how insincere that sounded.
Annie: "No... No one would ever say a thing like that without meaning it..." She sits back down, letting a tear fall without bringing the sadness in her voice, "I'll compensate now for what you weren't able to do 18 years ago. I'll stay far from you... your family. I know that's what you want anyway."
Liz: "I'm sorry Annie, I didn't mean it that way." Liz sighs, how much should she tell her daughter? "I was sixteen, I was pregnant, and everyone was after me to do what they thought best. I just wanted to avoid the problem, to get my old life back. Giving you up for adoption would have done that." She hears dead silence on the other end of the line, so she goes on, hoping her daughter was still there. "But that was before you were born, I couldn't have gone through with it."
Annie: "That's bullshit because you said it the other day." Annie is still trying to stay calm, "So just... Just leave me alone." And the tears increase.
Liz: Elizabeth makes a decision, one she'll probably regret, but she needs to keep her daughter in the family. "I said it out of anger, I was upset that you've figured it out." She listens to her daughter cry, "You're a smart girl, I should have know that you would figure it out."
Annie: "Figured what out?" Annie swallows, trying to cut down on the tears as much as she can, "What are you talking about?"
Liz: Damn, she hadn't figured it out. "What you accused me of."
Annie: "I was... It was a joke. I thought you knew that." Annie gets up to get a water, she knew her mother whether they saw each other much or not, "I know it's true." She says quietly.
Liz: "How did you figure it out?" Elizabeth wonders if anyone else had.
Annie: "I just... I just know." She shrugs, "I wouldn't be able to give you a logical explanation even if I tried... I just know." Annie nods.
Liz: Elizabeth sighs, "Well, I'm sure you have some questions."
Annie: "Just one." Annie sits back, she could only think of one, "For how long has it been going on?"
Liz: "I really don't know, she's always been in my life, I looked up to her as the big sister I never had. She helped me through my crises, when I realized I was expecting you," Liz sighed, how do you explain to your daughter? "Its been a long distance relationship mainly, more emotional than physical." Liz bit her lips, how should she put this, "She gives me the things your father can't."
Annie: "I understand." Annie nods, how could she describe it to her mother, "I think Doug's problem is that he attributes money to love when in real life, the two have nothing to do with each other... I understand... I don't blame you." She swallows, that was a lot easier than what she thought.
Liz: "Well, that's true, your father equates love with money, but that's the way he was raised. Your grandfather died when Doug was a toddler, he never saw what a father should do." Elizabeth can't believe she is making excuses for him, "You know, we were forced to marry each other, it wasn't a love match."
Annie: "He never learned either." Annie shakes her head, she wishes her parents would just let each other go, "So why are you still at it?"
Liz: "Its a comfortable rut to live in." That was the truth of it, "We're used to each other." That sounds idiotic, "I've grown fond of him, as long as he isn't home much."
Annie: "That sounds stupid. If you aren't happy, you should be with someone that you are. If that's her than so be it... You don't need Doug."
Liz: Elizabeth sighed, her daughter doesn't get it. "I need Doug, I can't explain it, but I need him in my life, just as I need you and Gus. And Amy... He gives me what Amy can't, they counterpoint each other, giving me what I need in my life."
Annie: "I'm sure Amy can give you all of that..." Annie pauses, she has really nothing to hide or be nervous of, "And if it has something to do with sex-"
Liz: Elizabeth sighs, "This has nothing to do with sex." How can she explain this to her daughter? Her eyes fall on the music on the Bosendorfer and realizes that is how to try. "It's like a Bach fugue, two separate and distinct melodies, almost totally opposite rising and falling independently of each other, yet combining. Are you following me?"
Annie: "Yes... Surprisingly," Annie knew music, not that sort of music, but she knew it, "Yes, I'm following you."
Liz: "That's how they are in my life, they each establish a harmonic relationship with me, but in a totally different way. They balance, counterpoint, what I need in my life. That's why I live this way, they give me what I need, while retaining their linear individuality." This makes perfect sense to Elizabeth, who loves music, but probably won't make any sense to her daughter.
Annie: "Does he know that you need... have this harmony between them?" Annie knew what she was talking about, years of dance class taught her a few things.
Liz: Elizabeth chuckled, "No, he doesn't know about Amy. He thinks we're just friends."
Annie: Annie grins, thinking of how her and Hogan were 'Just Friends' for a long time, "I don't think he'd like it very much."
Liz: Elizabeth laughs, "Yeah. More of an affront to his manhood than anything else."
Annie: "Okay." Annie pauses, "So... I'm going to go... Going to go think about all of this and maybe get back to you." All of this at one time was a bit much.
Liz: "Okay, honey." Liz bit her lips, it was a bit much to take in, "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday, I was just angry at you. I didn't mean it." And in a soft voice, as she didn't get a response, "I love you honey, I always have and I always will. I was just too young to understand what love was all about."
Annie: "Yeah, well..." Annie pauses, thinking if she should believe her mother or not, "Good-bye."
Liz: "Bye." *click*
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| 4-28-2005 |
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Elizabeth: Elizabeth Bartlet Westin is sitting at her home in New Hampshire, resting while reading the paper in the family room. Gus is off at school, so she has the day free till 2:00 when she needs to leave to pick him up. Doug is out on the road, again, but he promised her it was just this once, to tie up loose ends. Annie should be at Harvard, but who knows? Elizabeth hasn't heard from her since their blowout, but she tries not to worry about it.
Annie: Annie may not get along with her father, or her mother somewhat, but she cares about her little brother. If making up with just one parent makes him happy, she'll do it. Her thoughts about what her mother told her have settled and stormed all at the same time. She decides to go to the house in New Hampshire just, really, to see how things are. To see if her father left her mother yet. To see her brother. The agents let her drive this once, and she pulls up to the driveway. A couple of agents on motorcycles around her, one in the car. She turns the car off and walks up the stairs.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth hears a car pull up and frowns as no one, absolutely no one, can just drive in for a surprise visit. She gets up to see who it is. "Hello?"
Annie: "Liz?" Annie calls out, really just playing with her mother, she sets her bag by the stairs inside as she walks further into the house.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth frowns at Annie's use of her given name, but she is more concerned as to why her daughter is here. "Annie? Is that you?"
Annie: "No, It's " Annie takes a second, to kick her shoes off, "Belva Lockwood. Where are you?"
Elizabeth: "I'm right here." Elizabeth replies as she gathers her daughter into her arms for a hug and kiss, "I'm glad to see you." She pulls back, still holding her daughter's shoulders, looking her over to check for anything visible which may be wrong. "Are you okay?
Annie: Annie, somewhat shocked at her mother's out pouring of love, can't do anything but stare at her mother, "Yeah." She nods, "Yeah, I'm fine... Are you?"
Elizabeth: Elizabeth smiles, pleased by her daughter's answer and the fact that she seems to not be quite so thin. She avoids the other question, time for that later, as she states, "Come into the kitchen, I'll make us some tea and we can visit. Did you drive up this morning?"
Annie: "Yeah, I just..." Annie follows Elizabeth, nodding slowly, "I just got here." She hasn't seen that much love from her mother in a long time. Maybe this baby would be taken care of in that department, "Only takes a half hour..." She swallows.
Elizabeth: "Well, I'm glad you came." Elizabeth puts the kettle on and gets out some mugs and tea. She smiles as she is able to put some fresh blueberry muffins and scones on a plate for the two of them. She hates to admit it, but she likes having a cook. As she bustles about, she sends a worried look towards her daughter, wondering why she came up.
Annie: "Yeah." Annie nods, smiling a little. She didn't want to ruin her mother's mood, "I um I I was thinking about what we... you know... What we talked about um last week..." She was suddenly nervous. Not intentionally, but it just happens once in a while.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth nodded, she was expecting that, and thanked the Gods that it wasn't some other issue to worry about. "Well, sit down and we'll talk." She indicated a chair at the breakfast table, as she turned to pour the water.
Annie: Annie walks closer to the chair, not turning her back to her mother as she sits, she doesn't know what to think, "When did you notice " She doesn't want to frighten her mother off, so she doesn't finish the sentence.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth puts the kettle down and takes a deep breath, she really doesn't want to have this conversation. She picks up the two mugs and walks to towards her daughter, "Here, do you want lemon?"
Annie: Annie shakes her head "Sugar, please." She shifts, uneasily, "You didn't answer my question "
Elizabeth: Elizabeth goes to get the sugar bowl for Annie and the lemon for herself, smiling as she notices the cook has left a small bowl of fresh lemon slices, garnished with parsley. She takes both to the table, "I feel like I'm Martha Stewart these days," indicating the picture perfect spread on the breakfast table, as she sits. She turns her full attention to her daughter, "You didn't ask me a question."
Annie: "When did you no notice you had feelings for Amy?" Annie's so nervous, which she shouldn't be, but she was. Her foot was shaking under the table. She just wanted to know who she was.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth squeezed a bit of lemon in her tea as she scrutinized her daughter. "I've always had feelings for Amy, as I told you, I've always known her."
Annie: "I mean attraction..." She stirs her tea slowly, staring at the spoon as it goes around.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth notices her daughter is avoiding her eyes, "You mean when did we first sleep together."
Annie: "All right we'll start there." Annie smiles, looking back up at her. Now she's more relaxed.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth smiles at her daughter, hoping she's reassuring her. "It was on my birthday, when I turned 22."
Annie: "So I was five?" Annie's eyebrow raises a little, "Not bad, Lizzie." She grins a little more.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth doesn't return the grin, rather she focuses on her tea mug, "You were five, I was a senior at the University. Amy was in town to see Mom, and she stopped over to see you and I."
Annie: "And you slept together?" It was more of a statement than a question.
Elizabeth: "Yes, but I'm not going to discuss the details."
Annie: "I wasn't going to ask you to." Annie smirks, her mother was completely different around her than she has ever been, "Was it at least good?" Now she's teasing her.
Elizabeth: "Annie!" Elizabeth looks at her daughter in horror.
Annie: "Mom, I'm joking." Annie sits back some, "Calm down.?
Elizabeth: Elizabeth didn't reply, she just stared at her daughter, her face frozen in a smile.
Annie: "Where's Doug?" It was a question, whether her mother was going to answer it was something else.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth looked out the window, at the sideyard filled with daffodils and crocuses. "He's on a trip, tying up some loose ends."
Elizabeth: She didn't bother to have their usual spat about what Annie should call her father.
Annie: "Telling his girlfriend goodbye." She takes a sip of her tea. It was sarcastic, she should have known better.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth keeps staring out the window, biting her lips. Annie doesn't realize that she hit the nail on the head, last minute changes required Tammy to accompany Doug.
Annie: "I'm right... Aren't I..." Annie swallows, she hated her father for everything he had ever done wrong to her mother.
Elizabeth: "He's on a business trip." Elizabeth takes a sip of tea, neither denying nor confirming her daughter's statement.
Annie: "Yeah, Okay..." Annie swallows, she never knew how to talk to her mother.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth sighs, how do you explain to your daughter how you've decided to live your life. She turns and looks at her daughter, "What else would you like to know?"
Annie: "Who do you think about more... Amy or Doug?" Annie nods her head to her a little.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth smiles, "I think about all of you all of the time."
Annie: "Amy or Doug?"
Elizabeth: Elizabeth shrugs, "It depends. Right now I'm thinking of your father, I worry about him when he's on the road. And I'm thinking of Amy." Elizabeth smiles a bit, "She tells me she's met something she's been flirting with."
Annie: "Did she find a dog or " Annie shrugs, sarcastically.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth smiles serenely at her daughter, shaking her head a bit, "Please, Amy is special to me and when you cut her, you cut me."
Annie: "Feel free to cut Hogan." Annie smirks. She really was more like her mother than what she thought before.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth sighs, "That's not the way I am." She shifts a bit in her chair, her back aches these days. She isn't going to sit here, letting her daughter takes potshots at her. "Anything else you'd like to know?"
Annie: "Does Amy ever come here?" Annie rests her head on her fist.
Elizabeth: "Yes."
Annie: "Oh, Really?" Annie looks at her, "She stayed here?"
Elizabeth: "Yes." Elizabeth hopes that Annie isn't considering law school, she'd be terrible at asking questions in a way which would elicit information.
Annie: "Does Doug know she stayed here?" Annie scoots back in her chair.
Elizabeth: "Yes."
Annie: "Have you any idea how weird I think this is?" Annie's pinky drops into her mouth as she bites the nail, like she always did.
Elizabeth: "Don't chew your nails dear." Elizabeth automatically reprimands her daughter, frowning a bit as she considered her daughter's question. She shakes her head negatively, "What is weird?"
Annie: "I'm a bisexual." Annie pulls her hand from her mouth, putting it on her chest. "I would have never thought in a million years that my mother was as well."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth frowns more, "What does that have to do with anything?"
Elizabeth: "It's just a preference, I thought you'd be upset that I'm cheating on your father."
Annie: "You thought *me*, of all people, wouldn't like that?" Annie laughs a little to herself, "I think you should have done it a long time ago."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth blinks, "I did do it a long time ago. "
Annie: Annie smiles, "You cheated on Doug?"
Elizabeth: Elizabeth stares at her daughter, what doesn't Annie understand? "Yes, with Amy."
Annie: "Just checking..." She closes her mouth to a smirk.
Elizabeth: "Checking what?" Elizabeth shakes her head at her daugher, "You think I've been sleeping around?"
Annie: Annie sits back, folding her arms, "I didn't say that, Now, Did I?"
Elizabeth: "Yes, you just did."
Annie: "I did not!"
Elizabeth: "You insinuated that I have been sleeping around, cheating on your father."
Annie: "Which I have no objection to-"
Elizabeth: Elizabeth just shakes her head, "I'm not sleeping around with other men. Just Amy."
Elizabeth: "Not that its any of your business."
Annie: "That's fine... I didn't say anything was wrong with it." Annie smiles again, "When I figured out that I had feelings for Hogan again, I was with a guy named Will... I waited for him to go back before I made any moves on her... Trust me when I tell you that I understand what you're saying."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth frowns, "Go back where? Who's Will?"
Annie: "See, You have no idea..." Annie whispers before sitting up more and clearing her throat, "Will was the Liberian diplomat?s... who is now the Ambassador... it's his son." She smiles, "He was my date to the prom... a really sweet guy."
Elizabeth: "He went back to Liberia?"
Annie: "Yeah." Annie nods, "He comes to visit once in a while... I have lunch with him..."
Elizabeth: "As friends?"
Annie: Annie takes a second to think about it, "Yeah."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth nods, noticing her daughter's hesitation, "Would you like it to be more?"
Annie: "No, I love Hogan." Pause. "Will and I are just friends."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth bites her lip, "You can love more than one person."
Annie: "We're just friends." Annie says again, getting up to get a soda.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth sips her tea watching her daughter, "That's fine."
Annie: "Really. Mom, Will and I aren't like that."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth just shrugs. "Anything else? Could you pot the teapot back on?"
Annie: Annie nods again, getting up and wondering if she could believe what she as saying herself as her back is to her mother, "That's it.. ... No, more questions..." She says when she turns, she doesn't want her mother asking her anything either.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth smiles, "Okay, my turn. Where do you see yourself in five years? Once you graduate?"
Annie: "Are you..." Annie leans against the counter, "Is this a serious question?"
Elizabeth: "Yes, we never talk and I want to know what's going on in your life." Elizabeth is a bit relieved Annie hasn't anymore questions.
Annie: "I um..." She smiles a little, "I've been working... So, Life's good..."
Elizabeth: "Working? You didn't tell me you had a job. Where?" Elizabeth smiles at her daughter, it feels good to talk with her daughter about everyday life.
Annie: "I thought that we needed some hip political organization in Boston... So I helped start a Rock the Vote chapter there." Annie smiles a little, "It gives a chance for us smart kids to do something while we go to school..."
Elizabeth: "Rock the Vote? They really helped Dad's campaign." Elizabeth tries to remember all she can about the organization, "What are you doing there?"
Annie: "Director of whatever." Annie takes a second, she doesn't like to give too much away, even to her mother, "I keep track of the Street Teams and things of that sort."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth senses her daughter clamming up, and gently asks, "This is part-time? You're still in school."
Annie: "I do it when I'm not in class... It's better I do something that makes a difference than sitting around the apartment all day."
Elizabeth: "Apartment?" She really doesn't have a clue as to her daughter's life.
Annie: "Yeah, I..." Annie pauses, smiling again, "Yeah..."
Elizabeth: "You've got an apartment? Don't you like the dorms?" Elizabeth frowned, "I never stayed in a dorm in college, well, just for a few weeks."
Annie: "Oh, I loved the dorms... Just needed something different." Annie smiles again, "It's a really nice place..."
Elizabeth: The kettle started to whistle, so Elizabeth got up to pour herself some more tea. She let it sit on the counter, "Excuse me, this baby is sitting on my bladder." And she left Annie to her own thoughts.
Annie: Annie looks around, she'll call Will later... Also amazed that her sibling's life hasn't even started yet and she's already grown up. She pours herself some tea.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth hurries back, it's very rare when she and Annie can communicate without one of them leaving in a huff. She takes her tea and sits back down, picking up a scone. "Tell me about it, your apartment? Is it close to campus?"
Annie: "It isn't far from campus... maybe a 10 minute drive..." Annie nods, "The apartment itself is very nice, great neighborhood, Hogan picked it out." She smiles, "You'll have to come over sometime."
Elizabeth: "I'd like that, it will have to be soon though."
Annie: Annie nods again, grinning, "Anytime you want... There's a whole bunch of RtV things laying around though, at the moment."
Elizabeth: "Things? What things?" Elizabeth frowns, "Do you want any furniture or things? Do you need some help ??
Annie: "Shirts and stuff for me to give away." Annie shakes her head, "I don't need anything... It's all fine." Pause. "Unless you think there's something I need help with..."
Elizabeth: "Well, I remember when I first came here, when your father brought you and I to the house, we didn't have anything, the house was literally empty. It took awhile to get it up and running."
Annie: Annie looks at her, "I'm working on it." She smirks.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth frowns as her daughter smirks, "Okay, well, if you need help, just ask. Anything else new in your life?"
Annie: "My secretary informed me that I would be hosting the Awards thing for my organization... Other than that, nothing much."
Elizabeth: "Your secretary? Wow, you must be a big time executive." Elizabeth smiled to show she was teasing, "What Awards things?"
Annie: Annie giggles a little "It's the 15th Anniversary for the organization and they asked me to host it... I just hope I don't screw up." She takes a sip of her tea.
Elizabeth: "You won't screw it up, you'll do a great job. When is it?"
Annie: "June... June 8th." Pause, "You don't have to come, but if you want to, I can score you some tickets."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth smiles, "I'd love to come, um, that is if I can travel then."
Annie:: "Yeah... It's okay..." Annie nods.
Elizabeth: "I really want to see you, honey. I think its great that you are getting into politcs while you're still in school, getting your own place. You're all grown up." Elizabeth bites her lips and blinks back tears, her baby is all grown up. "Damn hormones."
Annie: "Yeah, Well," Annie gets up to hug her mother, "You still have a couple to work on." She pets the back of her head a little.
Elizabeth: "Yeah, I'll have this mothering thing down pat one of these days."
Annie:: "One of these days." She whispers, smiling.
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| 4-29-2005 |
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Annie: Annie, sitting around her office, was wondering if her grandmother was going to attend the ceremony. She dials her phone.
Amy: Amy Gardner is sitting in her office, reading her flist, wondering why the Thong Fairy didn't send her anything. She quickly shut the window down as she heard her phone ringing, her private number, and frowned when she didn't recognize the number showing on the caller ID. "Amy Gardner."
Annie: Annie takes a paper from one of the staffers, "Thanks, Steph." She goes back to the phone, "Ms. Gardner, This is Ann Westin from Rock the Vote Boston. I was calling to ask if the First Lady will be attending the award ceremony there in Washington on June 8th..." Annie waits for a response, hoping Amy didn't catch the name.
Amy: Amy smiles, Liz had told her last night about Annie's new job. "Ms. Westin? not the Ann Elizabeth Bartlet Westin?"
Annie: Annie puts her head on her desk, "Yeah, That one."
Amy: "Congratulations on your new job." Amy smiled, the kid had good instincts, using her family connections to bring the First Lady to her first shtick was smart.
Annie: "Thanks," Annie takes a deep breath and exhaling, "Will she be attending?"
Amy: "Well, let me check her calendar." Amy frowns, "Why are you holding the Boston Rock the Vote in Washington?"
Annie: "I'm just calling on behalf of the organization... It's the 15th Anniversary." Annie reads a few reports, "I thought maybe she'd like to come."
Amy: "Well, seeing as you the one handing out the awards, I'm sure she would love to." Amy frowns as she looks at the calendar, the First Lady is booked solid that day, in the Midwest.
Annie: Annie frowns a little, listening to her, "You talked to my mother..."
Amy: "Yes, she called to tell me about your new job, which I think is cool." Amy is a little distracted as she ponders how she is going to reschedule the First Lady's appointments without pissing off large numbers of people.
Annie: "Do you talk to her often?" Annie gets up to close her door, putting Amy on speaker so she can do more than one thing at a time.
Amy: "Who? The First Lady? Everyday." Amy is thinking about what she can offer the Wisconsin League of Women's Voters in place of having the First Lady speak to them at their banquet on the 8th - she can't use the unexpected personal matters excuse as she is sure the photo of Annie and Abbey will be on the front page of every newspaper the next day.
Annie: "No, The- My mom." Annie begins to highlight portions of the report.
Amy: "Your Mom?" The scheduling nightmare is forgotten, Amy's attention is riveted on Annie's voice. "Sure, we talk all the time." Amy is very wary, she knows that Annie knows.
Annie: "I just... I want to know-" Annie puts down her paper, folding her arms, "Do you love her?"
Amy: Amy is stunned, she doesn't know what to say.
Annie: "I just want to make sure..." She swallows, "It might not seem like I care about my mother, but I do... a lot... And I just want to know..."
Amy: Amy looks around, "Hang on a second, let me close my door." And she quickly walks out to her secretary to say she isn't taking any calls before returning to the phone. "Annie?"
Annie: "Yeah, I'm here." Annie picks up the phone just in case someone should walk in.
Amy: Amy knows that Liz said she had been open and honest and had answered all of Annie's questions, and had felt good about it. So, she decided to give it a shot. "So, fire away kiddo."
Annie: "Why her... Why my mother?" Annie swallows, "Why didn't she just leave him..." Pause, "I know that was stupid, I'm sorry..."
Amy: "Well, um, I don't know, it just sort of happened." Amy frowns, "I can't really talk about your father."
Annie: "Well, He's a jackass." Annie nods, thinking about her father.
Amy: Amy snorts, "Yeah, I agree."
Annie: She clears her throat, her voice low, "So... What made *you* not like him?"
Amy: Amy considers how to answer this, Annie really doesn't want to hear this, but she asked. "Um, you. I mean, not you personally, just the fact that you, um, were the result of, um, well, you know." Jesus, college and law school forgotten, she's mumbling like a teenager caught in the act.
Annie: "Yeah," Annie grins at the way Amy talks, "Amy, Calm down..." She laughs a little.
Amy: Amy blushes, this was so awkward, "I am calm, it's just a difficult subject."
Annie: "Amy, we're both.. ya know... kind of... adults, in a way." Now Annie was mocking her a bit, smiling as she did so.
Amy: Amy smiled, the kid was poking fun at her, well she always had been a handful for Liz. "Yes, you are an adult now, aren't you?"
Annie: "Yeah." Annie grins, "I know my mom didn't get to be what she wanted to be because of me... didn't get to do what she wanted to do... Just, answer my question..." Pause. "Do you love Liz?"
Amy: "Well, she was sixteen, she didn't really have a plan yet." Amy paused, thinking back to how both their lives would have been different, had they not been teenaged mothers. She sighed, "Yes, I love your mother."
Amy: And, as Annie digested that statement silently, Amy turned back to her schedule; she would invite the Board of the League of Women's Voters to the White House for a tour of the White House and a private luncheon with the First Lady, that would appease them. The other event in Wisconsin, a fundraiser luncheon, wouldn't be a problem as it hadn't been confirmed so the invitations had not been sent.
Amy: "Okay, I've cleared her schedule and I'll pencil you in for the 8th, but you should really be the one to call and invite her." Amy pulls up the event scheduler sheet and fills in some data. "I've got a form for you to fill out, sending us the details, and your security person should contact the Secret Service as soon as possible." Amy tries to remember what else needs to be sent for an engagement, her staff usually did the paperwork. "Are you inviting the President?"
Annie: "Yeah, I need to call him and work things out." Annie nods, putting Amy back on the speaker, "Thanks for answering my question, Amy."
Amy: "Any time Kiddo." Thank God she wasn't asking more questions, "Anything else I can do for you?"
Annie: "Not so much, No." Annie grins, taking a paper from another staffer, "Will you be attending as well?"
Amy: Amy smiled, the kid is reading her live journal - well, she was reading the kids. "Am I invited?"
Annie: "I can score you some tickets... Get you a shirt or something..." Annie grins.
Amy: "A shirt?" Amy grins, mystery solved. "The Thong Fairy wouldn't happen to be you, would she?"
Annie: "Thong fairy... Is that the nickname that a gracious gift giver acquired?" She giggles a little.
Amy: "Speculation has been rampant throughout the White House as to who the Thong Fairy might be. I had my money on your Aunt."
Annie: "Zoey?"
Amy: "Yep." Amy is a bit relieved, she can understand why Annie wouldn't have sent her any. She thought Zoey was the culprit and had wondered how she managed to piss Zoey off.
Annie: "Did you want a thong?" Annie grins, "I have plenty to hand out, trust me."
Amy: "Sure send me a box, I'll distribute it to the poor forgotten, neglected masses in the East Wing."
Annie: "Yeah, I should have sent you all something... Sorry about that." Annie gets up, tacking a few reports to the cork board in her office.
Amy: "No problem. Thanks for thinking of us." Amy pulls up her own calendar on her computer, "And thanks for the tickets." as she types in the appointment, "Um, could I have two for myself?"
Annie: "Surely." Annie sits on the edge of her desk, "Just two?"
Amy: "Well those are for myself, personally." Amy looks at the event form, realizing that Annie doesn't understand the amount of work that goes into scheduling her grandparent's lives. "If the President goes, his office is the primary scheduler and contact point, they'll give you the headcount. If he doesn't go, my office handles it and we'll give you a headcount. But plan on around 75 people if it's both of them, 35 if it's just the First Lady."
Annie: "Not a problem." Annie shakes her head, "It's a big place, we can handle it."
Amy: "Okay. Anything else I can for you today?"
Annie: "No... Unless you'd like something..." Annie smiles, "Actually, make sure my grandmother gets one of those shirts... She'll look like a nerd showing up in a suit."
Amy: Amy snorts, "I'm not going to be the one telling your grandmother what to wear - I value my head."
Annie: "I'll tell her when I call later." Annie chuckles, "Or you can tell her I said that... save myself a call."
Amy: "No, you invite her, she loves talking with her grandchildren. She has a standing order to be interrupted when you or Gus call her."
Annie: "That's good to know." Annie grins, "When we decide to call her..." She teases a little.
Amy: "Well, your lack of calls is probably the reason for the standing order." Amy smiles, talking to Annie wasn't as hard as she had thought it would be.
Annie: "I know... I'm a bad granddaughter." Annie smiles.
Amy: "Nah, you're just a kid" Amy grimaces, maybe she doesn't like to be called a kid, "A very, very, very busy young lady, no time to call Granny."
Annie: "Granny?" Annie giggles a little, "I'm gonna tell her you called her that."
Amy: "Sure, go ahead, get me in trouble after I've moved the sun, the earth, the moon, the stars, and the State of Wisconsin for you."
Annie: "It's the least I could do."
Amy: "Thanks, I think." Amy looks at the Rock the Vote website, "Who are you going to invite from the other side?"
Annie: "You mean the elephants?" Annie smiles.
Amy: "Yep, theoretically you are nonpartisan."
Annie: "The Speaker of the house, and some of his people." Annie nods, "Senators, Congress people... Those of that sort."
Amy: "Okay, you got Senator Arnold Vinick?"
Annie: "Yeah." Pause. "I heard he was a nice guy... surprisingly."
Amy: "He's up and coming, we've gotta keep an eye on him."
Annie: "I think that might be their guy."
Amy: "That's the word on the street."
Annie: "Who are we looking at?"
Amy: "Everyone, anyone." Amy is non committal, it's too early to throw her weight behind anyone yet.
Annie: "So glad you keep track of these things, Amy." Annie teases, signing a few things.
Amy: "Indeed I do, as does everyone else." Amy sighs, this kid needs to learn a little about discreetness. "But, right now my job is helping the First Lady."
Annie: "Poor girl." Annie teases, "Okay, well, Ms. Gardner, I have some... things to do around here. Ya know, Work. So, I guess I'll see you later."
Amy: "Okay, Ms. Bartlet-Westin. If you need anything else, feel free to contact me."
Annie: "Thanks for everything, Aims." She's leaning down to the phone base about to hang up.
Amy: "Your welcome, kiddo." And she is left wondering why Annie called her by the nickname only Liz and her sister, Mary, knew.
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| 4-29-2005 |
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[email to Joe Quincy]
Downstairs -
You want to take a walk on the wild side?
Notsomuch
[/email]
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| 4-30-2005 |
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Amy: Amy arrived at Chadwick's first, after receiving Joe's message on her phone. She gave him 50-50 odds that he'd show, but she was ready for a drink after herding cats, err, Kindergartners all afternoon at soccer. But they were starting to understand, once she used the politically incorrect images of cowboys, Indians and horsies to convey the positions she wanted them to be in. And she enjoyed doing it; she got out of the office, she got to run around and have fun with her nephew and teach children. Which lead to her to start thinking how different her life would have been, had she followed her childhood plans to be a teacher.
Joe: Joe looks at the paper in his hand that he had written the directions on to Chadwicks, while at the same time he couldn't help but wonder why this woman, the Chief of Staff to the First Lady, and a person who knows the Senior Staff to the President well, was doing talking to a flunkey like him, a flunkey who thought most, if not all, of her political positions would drive him nuts. He's walking with half of his head looking for the place until he finds himself right in front of it. Chuckling a bit for being half absentminded he walked in and stood there looking for the woman who he had only seen once in the hallway of the West Wing.
Joe: Finally he spots her sitting at the bar and stops for a minute, she hadn?t seen him enter, and didn?t seem to be watching the door for him. But she had her coat draped over the seat next to her, so she obviously was waiting for him. It was up to him to go up to her and say hello. For some reason he hesitated, because a feeling washed over him that he didn't expect. He was nervous, and the reasons why flashed through his brain in an instant, including one he didn't think of until this moment. This was an attractive woman asking to meet him at a bar for a drink on a Friday night. Sure he was probably over thinking the situation but after a few seconds he
swallowed his fear and walked over to her, trying to think of something clever to say.
Joe: He saunters over to her, "So this is what the upstairs looks like."
Joe: *Idiot*
Amy: Amy turned and smiled at the man making the idiotic statement, glad that he did show. "Hey, Joe, watcha know?" And she moved her coat off of the empty stool next to her.
Joe: "Many, many, things. Some of them interesting, most of them not."
Amy: "So, enlighten me." And she smiled at him as they began that timeless ritual of checking each other out.
Joe: "So many useless, and some useful, pieces of information in my head, you?re going to have to be more specific"
Amy: Amy looks him up and down - was he worth her time? Sure, he was cute. And Republicans are fun, they are so uptight. "Well, how did you get Josh to hire you?"
Joe: Oh, this is going to be a fun story. "Well basically I sat in the Roosevelt Room the night the place got shot at, and talked my way into the job. Plus mentioning that his father?s old firm was my back-up if I didn't get into the White House probably helped. Plus there was the
thing about the questionnaire, I didn't answer the question about have I done anything that would look bad for the President by saying I didn't vote for him, and his assistant said that was sweet so maybe that helped."
Amy: "His assistant? Donna?" Why did that woman always seem to pop up in every conversation she had which involved Josh? Amy frowned, "You didn't vote for Jed?" Maybe this was a mistake - well, she could have a drink and head home - alone.
Joe: Ok, frowning is definitely not good. "Yes I didn't vote for President Bartlet, I voted with my party, even though I did, and still, think he was not a good candidate. Would you want me to vote for someone who on a political level I don't agree with?"
Amy: Amy thought about this, while sipping her drink, "Well, you voted your party's line, loyalty is good. " She assesses him out of the corner of her eye, "You didn't like your candidate??
Joe: *Talking is good, keep talking.* "Not particularly. He never came off to me as someone who would be President. However when I was standing there in the booth I was looking at him, Bartlet, and the third party guys. I know that voting third party isn't going to work unless
it?s a Ross Perot type candidate with a lot of money and attention, and not some guy who rushes the debates and gets arrested. So it came down to The President and Ritchie, and in the end I went with the guy who I agreed with."
Amy: Amy nods, listening to his rationale, "Well, obviously you wasted your vote, but why would you agree with Ritchie?"
Joe: "Well I don't consider any vote a wasted vote, even if you vote for the third parties. He may not have been Presidential but he said the things that I liked. Things like reducing taxes and the size of government and returning power to local people, like the 10th Amendment says."
Amy: Amy just gives him a look out of the side of her eyes, then she rolls her eyes, and sips her drink.
Joe: Idiot, this is why you shouldn't have done this, you were going to annoy her with politics.
Amy: Amy turns to look at him, recalling their email conversation about him letting her keep her job when he retooled the government - to keep him amused. It was that comment that made her think she might like to do more than flirt with Joe. "I still have a job, but would I or someone like me, should say, um, Vinick win the next go around?" Amy knows how loaded that question is, Vinick being a widower.
Joe: How is she still talking to him? And about politics? "Well Vinick I think would win an election, he is too moderate not to, plus he puts California in play. However you wouldn't have your First Lady job either way, you?re a Democrat in a Republican administration, plus his
wife passed away so if there even was a First Lady it would be someone who came in to host parties like Buchanan used to do."
Amy: Amy nods, he knows his history and understands how important the position of First Lady is. "So, how are you going to reduce taxes and government?"
Joe: "Basically if I were President, a far flung dream I know, the first thing I would do is to see what is redundant in the Executive Branch that doesn't have to be. Things that are failing, things that are not working good enough, and some things that work, but aren't necessary.?
Amy: "Such as?" Amy is being hard on him, but he has to learn that in DC, when you talk budget cuts, you can?t speak generally, you need to zero in on line items and specific programs to be taken seriously.
Joe: "Well I don't have access to the budget so I can't site specific things, however in general terms I think some of the cabinet departments could go, like the ones I said that one time you stopped me in the hall."
Joe: "Plus stopping the wasteful stuff Congress tacks on to get themselves reelected would be a good idea too."
Amy: Amy shrugs, taking another sip of her drink, "The budget is a public document, Freedom of Information Act."
Joe: "It's also so big that no one can understand it, which is how I think people who make it like it."
Amy: Amy smiles, he hit that on the nose, it was intentionally large and unintelligible so that everyone?s pet programs could be slid in under the radar, once the bargaining was done. And the budget and appropriation bills had to pass in order to keep the government running. "All you need to do is ask, if you don't understand it."
Joe: "Yeah that's a great idea for me to do. 'Excuse me I'm the Republican lawyer from downstairs, can you please tell me why we are giving 500 million dollars to West Virginia so everything can be named after a Senator.' I don't think it would work."
Amy: "Pork is pork, its non-partisan." Amy lets his other comments slide, she doesn?t really want to debate tonight, she just wants to probe a bit further to find out if Joe Quincy was worth her time as she found his views rather interesting as she had never really thought much about how the other side lives. "What exactly do you do downstairs?"
Joe: "Legal grunt work, writing up briefs for the Counsel to review for ongoing legal matters, reviewing executive policy to ensure that we haven't violated any laws. Stuff like that, nothing exciting, but it's something that is non-partisan because it's basically apolitical, probably
why the Republicans keep getting hired to do it."
Amy: Amy smiles, about to inquire further into his political ambitions when her cell rings. "Excuse me, I have to take this." And her smile widens as she recognizes the phone number on the caller ID, "Hey, Lizzard."
Joe: Lizzard, odd nickname, probably shouldn't ask about it, even if it is a cell phone conversation, it's not nice to eavesdrop even though she hasn?t indicated she?d like privacy.
Amy: "Yep, she called." A long pause as Amy listened, "Yes, she's going to invite your Mom & Dad - I had to reschedule Wisconsin." Another pause, "Nope, I told her she had to call Abbey herself."
Joe: I think I'll take this opportunity to get myself a drink.
Joe: "Excuse me, can I have a Southern Comfort and Sprite please."
Amy: Amy notices Joe flagging down the bartender and motions to her drink as she listens to Liz.
Joe: She?s getting a drink, that means she intends to stay a while longer, I guess I'm not annoying her as much as I thought.
Amy: "Yes, she asked /the/ question." A long pause, "Of course, I said I did. She didn't delve further so I changed the subject."
Amy: Amy glances at Joe and realizes this isn't the best time to be talking with Liz about their love life, "Listen, I'm out with Joe, I gotta go." Another pause, then a whisper, "Yes, the Republican." And a low laugh, "I walk on the wild side. Gotta go, love ya Liz." And with
that she hung up, looking at the phone a second deep in thought, before shaking her head a bit and turning her attention to her drinking buddy, "Sorry, I had to take that."
Joe: "It's ok."
Amy: "Good.? And she took a sip .
Joe: ?Everyone uses them all the time, plus you have an important job where people call you a lot I bet."
Amy: "Oh, that's just a friend of mine, the one I had dinner with the other night, she's just worried about her daughter."
Joe: "Oh well I'm sorry to hear that."
Amy: "They'll work it out." Amy sends a quick prayer to the heavens to make it so, "Where were we?"
Joe: "I believe I was showing how little I know about a budget I want to basically destroy."
Amy: "Ah, well first rule of politics - know thy enemy. And the second rule is that government lives for and dies by the budget and appropriations."
Joe: "Well, I'm not your enemy at the moment, I work for the White House, and I don't plan on running for any office for a while, after I know much more about how things work."
Amy: Amy nods, at least he knows he has a lot to learn - most men thought they knew it all. "Well, my advice to you, if you want to continue in politics, is to get out of the basement, listen, learn, get yourself a mentor." Amy nods, a mentor is what Basement Joe needs.
Joe: "Not a half bad idea, but considering I was still working at midnight on a Friday I doubt my ability to get out of the basement will be good anytime soon."
Amy: Amy just smiles at him, "Take a break, walk the halls, eat in the cafeteria, say hi to people, make some friends, join the Thong Fairy pool."
Joe: "The what?"
Amy: "The Thong Fairy pool." Amy smiles, she should get in on that tommorrow, she?d pick up a lot of cash from the pool.
Joe: "I have no idea what that is, and considering it has the word thong in it I'm either going to really like it, or really hate it."
Amy: Amy snorts, "A magnanimous anonymous donor has been sending various items of clothing, including thongs, to White House staffers. There is a pool as to who the Thong Fairy might be."
Amy: She takes a sip of her drink, "Rock the Vote thongs and whatnot."
Joe: "Ok, that's odd, you'd think that would get filtered out of the mail."
Amy: "Came in through the inner office channels" He's smart, no one else that she knew of in the West Wing had thought of that.
Joe: "So it's an inside job."
Amy: "Smart boy - think it through."
Joe: "Wait you said Rock the Vote right?"
Amy: "Yes."
Joe: "Has anyone worked for them, you said there's an event coming up, the one you asked me to, if someone wanted people to come it would be a good idea to send them unusual things to remind them of the event and to encourage them to go."
Amy: "Very good. See you're starting to see how the schmoozing part of politics works." Amy nodded, yep, Annie had good instincts for politics, and she did it in a way which generated lots of interest in an event by a staff numbed by the incessant awards and programs their jobs required them to attend. "Guess who the guests of honor are."
Joe: "Probably the President and First Lady, you said they were going so naturally they would be the guest of honor."
Amy: "Good. Now consider this, their schedules are worked out months in advance, June 8th was booked solid - I had to appease many people in the Midwest today."
Joe: "Ok I'm going to sound like a really bad person for saying this, but I heard you say something about Wisconsin, is that the Midwest your talking about."
Amy: "Yes." Amy smiles and nods, encouraging him as she sips her drink. What a gentleman, he obviously was trying to pretend that he hadn?t been listening to her side of the phone call with Liz.
Joe: "You also were talking to someone named Lizzard, and Liz, and if I remember right that is the name of the President's oldest daughter, and since you?re the CoS for the First Lady it is a good assumption that you know her and her family well."
Amy: "Abbey used to babysit me when I was little."
Joe: Wow, she was much tighter with the First Family than he had thought, "I see."
Amy: "So, who is the Thong Fairy?"
Joe: "Well since Rock the Vote is generally a youth movement thing, and that you also said something about her daughter, wait that's it. It's Elizabeth Bartlet's daughter, Annie I think."
Amy: "Bingo, give that man a cigar." And Amy smiles to herself, Joe had figured it out, thus confirming he had a brain, he just might be an interesting boy toy to play with.
Joe: "That's a good idea, it's always nice to have a good cigar with a drink."
Amy: Amy stares at Joe in horror, "You smoke?"
Joe: "Occasionally, I had a friend in college who loved them and he got me try them, not something I do often, actually I don't think I have had one since the last time I saw him."
Amy: "Okay." Amy stares at him, a bit suspiciously, "Any other evil habits? Besides your political bent and poisoning your lungs?"
Joe: "Actually with a cigar you don't inhale, so it doesn't hurt your lungs, mostly your mouth, but other than that I don't think I have any evil habits. Of course they are my habits so I wouldn't consider them evil."
Amy: "Second hand smoke is evil." Amy glances at her watch, it's getting late.
Joe: "I will refrain from responding because it will probably lead to another political debate, and it's getting too late for that. I think even in DC politics should stop at some point, midnight is good."
Amy: "Tell you what, its getting late and I have to run, I've got a full schedule tomorrow. We'll save that debate for another day."
Joe: "Sounds like a plan."
Amy: "Good." Amy digs through her purse for some cash for the drinks, and leaves it on the bar. She stands to put on her coat, eyeing Joe up and down. "Thanks."
Joe: ?Welcome, have a goodnight Amy."
Amy: "You too, goodnight." And she leaves the bar, with a glance over her shoulder at Joe, giving him a wink, just to let him know she was interested in him.
Joe: Ok I might be delusional but I think she just winked at me. This is going to be a very interesting relationship, whatever shape it takes. Well she's gone and I still have most of my drink, I wonder if anyone has a cigar.
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| 4-30-2005 |
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This is going to be interesting.
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| 5-6-2005 |
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**********************************
Joe: Ok two people have told you to get out of the basement so here you are again going to the mess for lunch. Unfortunately since I don't know anyone I have ended up sitting alone to eat the last two days. Maybe this wasn't a good idea.
Joe: Now I have a tray with food on it now where do I go, oh..my..god, Amy's here. I haven't talked to her since last Friday and I don't know if I should go up to her and talk to her
Amy: Amy is busy reading a brief her friend asked her to critique, picking at her lunch, she liked to eat in the cafeteria, one could hear the good gossip there.
Joe: Ok act casual, say hello to her and see if she says anything.
Joe: "Hello Amy."
Amy: Amy looks up, surpised to hear a voice, and smiles as she recognizes who apporached her, "Hey Joe, sit down. What's up?"
Joe: That went well "Oh not much is up, just aking your advice and getting out of the basement, although I don't think it has helped me much so far."
Amy: She takes a sip of her iced tea and grins at him over the rim, "Well, you're having lunch with me."
Joe: "That's true, however that wasn't my intent, but you seem to be the only one here I know."
Amy: "Surely you've met someone?"
Joe: "To be honest I haven't met anyone, the only conversation I have had was when I was visited in my office with a legal question about the Fairness in Broadcasting rules. I haven't been talking much to people in the cafeteria."
Amy: "Someone came to your office? In the basement?"
Joe: "Yeah, I think she just needed someone to complain about it to, I mean no one comes down to me to discuss policy."
Amy: Amy frowns a bit at the she part, "She just came down to complain?"
Joe: "I think so, something told me no one was listening to her, plus it is a legal policy so I guess I was qualified to respond, I don't think she liked what I had to say, she complimented my arguing so she might have realized I had a point and she didn't like it."
Amy: "'Someone told you that no one was listening to her'", Amy said using her fingers to indicate quote marks, "So, you've talked to two people, keep it up and you'll meet the whole staff about ten years after we're out of office." Amy loved to tease him, he's so fuc**ng serious.
Joe: "Something" using airquotes, "told me, and I have met some of the staff when I was hired, but just because I work here doesn't mean they all want to sit down and have a conversation with me, I'm sure there are a lot more important things going on than me wanting to meet people, in any case these people are from a politicial party that probably won't want to help me in the future, maybe this is all just a bad idea."
Amy: Amy grinned more, "Touchy, aren't we?" And she picked up her fork to pick at her salad, giving him a sly glance, "You know, you aren't a political party, you are a person."
Amy: "A slightly misguided one though."
Joe: "While that might be true, I fought a lot of wars when I was in college along partisan lines, and it just gave me this impression that people didn't care about who you are, just what party you belong to. Maybe that's why I don't think anyone will want to talk to me. When I was in college I was in the Republican group and the pre-law group. The pre-law group got pulled apart because we were all into politics and we fought constantly about it, and the political fights spilled into other things. So I have just always assumed that political people don't see you, they see a party."
Amy: Amy just nods, and picks at her salad a bit more. "So, when you look at me, what do you see?"
Joe: Ok I'm going to have to be careful and not give too much away. "Me personally, I see someone who I have no idea why she is talking to me, I see a person of influence, and I see someone who is trying to help me for reasons unknown."
Amy: Amy frowns a bit, "Maybe I'm just looking at you personally, not your party."
Joe: "Yeah I guess so, I guess everyone isn't like the people I knew in college."
Amy: Amy sat back in her chair, "This isn't college, though some people act like it is. And I try to cultivate people on both sides of the fence, women still have issues, regardless of who's in office."
Joe: "That's true, I just always found people so closed minded about the opposition, like they were lepers if you even considered working with them. Maybe it's why things are so vicious these days."
Amy: "Well, to get the nomination you need the fringes, centralists don't do well in the primaries. And the fringe throw money behind those who can promote their causes. The vast middle doesn't care enough to donate." Amy takes another sip of her tea, "I specialize in fund raising."
Joe: "Sounds like it."
Amy: Amy grins, "I have many hidden talents." And winks, just to get a rise out of him.
Joe: There she goes with the winking again. "Well to get into your position I'm sure you have to have many talents. You don't get toe be Chief of Staff to the First Lady without knowing what your doing."
Amy: Honestly, he is sooo serious. "No, I think it's because she wanted to piss Josh off."
Joe: "Huh?"
Amy: Amy just smiles, "Nothing." And goes back to picking her salad.
Joe: "Come on you can't just say something like that without at least a small explaination, it sounds like you got hired to annoy Josh. That doesn't make sense."
Amy: "The First Lady hired me because she wanted to push her agenda and she knew I could." Amy smiles, "And she was pissed at Josh at the time."
Joe: "What did he do."
Amy: "He pissed her off." Even if the guy was cute, he was a Republican. And if the story got out, it would come back to haunt her. "And Rule Number One in the White House is don't piss off the First Lady." She considered that, "Or the President."
Joe: "Yeah sounds about right." She wasn't going to tell him what happened, either she didn't know, unlikely, or she didn't trust him enough to tell him, which was probably what was going on.
Amy: His body language indicated he was pulling back from her, and she sighed. "Your food is getting cold."
Joe: Oh that isn't a good phrase. "It's a tuna fish sandwich, I think my concern is it getting warm." Ok good be light try to get her back into talking.
Amy: She looked at his sandwhich, "Damn, I love tuna, I didn't know they had it today." She looked up at him, smiling again, "I guess I should pay more attention to the menu."
Joe: Thank god she was smiling. "There's a menu, I just saw the thing I wanted and took it."
Amy: She shrugs, "I usually just grab a salad. I usually eat out every night, so I try to keep it light at lunch."
Joe: "You eat out every night, must be nice to be able to afford that."
Amy: "I'm at fundraisers, or strategy meetings, or committee meetings, well, you get the idea. Though I do like to cook, I just don't get to much."
Joe: "So basically your eating out is the substance that resembles food that is at functions, or the take out at late night meetings. It's a wonder that everyone in government isn't obese."
Amy: "We're all to stressed out to get fat." She takes another sip of her tea, "And have you noticed how fast people walk around here? All you need to do is take a few laps around the hallways, get your heart rate up and some work done."
Joe: "Well that's the problem with my job, I don't get to go out walking much, I have a more sedintary job, and not as high stress as the jobs above ground. I have to depend on the workouts I do at home to keep my weight under control."
Amy: Amy nods, "I try to workout, don't always get to the gym, but I usually manage to get my aerobics in first thing in the morning." And she grins, thinking about how she likes her morning *aerobics* with whomever she had slept with the night before.
Joe: "You must get up early in order to do aerobics in the morning, I like to stay up and work out at night after work. Since I have my own weight set in my apartment it's easy to do what I need to do."
Amy: Amy just smiled, "Oh, I do evening /aerobics/ as well, it just depends." And she shrugs her shoulders and bites her lips, to keep from laughing aloud. Maybe she should show him her routine.
Joe: "Ahh I see." Why do I get the feeling that she is about to burst out laughing. "Well considering it's Friday I'm sure you'll be out tonight doing somethign or another so I'm sure you'll have to do your aerobics tomorrow morning."
Amy: "I have no plans for this evening - do you?"
Joe: "Not really, I think I may actually get out at like 8 or 9 today. I don't know what to do with myself."
Amy: Amy looks at her watch, "Damn, I'm late for a meeting." She gets up "I'll meet you at 8 in the staff entryway, I'll cook."
Joe: "Ok." How did that happen.
Amy: And with that, not waiting for an answer, she leaves him.
Joe: I repeat how did that happen, I was just sitting here talking about how we kept in shape and then all of a sudden I have dinner plans, or is it a date, oh hell.
**********************************
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| 5-6-2005 |
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(private)
Oh hell, what did I get myself into.
She tells me to get out of the office, to go meet people, and who do I meet, her.
We talk, how it went in her head I don't know but I felt like a shmuck the whole time.
Then I think at the end she ordered met to meet her for dinner, and she's cooking, which means we will be going to her apartment probably.
This is either going to be a disaster, or really really good.
Why did I let this happen, I should have just stayed in my office and did my job, it was working so well before I ran into Amy in the hall.
(/private)
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| 5-6-2005 |
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Annie: It's been years since Annie's explored the White House, so she decides to do so due to pure boredom. She grabs a map of the place and walks downstairs, The Steam Pipe Trunk Distribution Venue. She opens the door, not really looking up yet as she looks at the map.
Joe: Joe looks up as his door opens and finds a young woman with her face in a large piece of paper. "Hello can I help you with something."
Annie: "This is an office?" Annie puts the paper at her side, and looks at him, then around the office a little more, "They really ripped you off on the real office bit..." She smiles a little.
Joe: "It may not be much, but it is all mine."
Annie: "That's great." She looks at him again, walking closer to him, offering a hand, "I'm Annie Bartlet."
Joe: Joe stands up and reaches out to shake her hand. "Nice to meet you Miss Bartlet my name is Joe Quincy."
Annie: "Joe Quincy..." Annie pauses, looking at him, "Why does that name sound familiar?"
Joe: Amy probably told her about me. "Um Amy Gardner may have said something about me, and I know she is close with your family."
Annie: Annie nods, "Close to my mom, Okay." She smiles, yeah she's close to her alright, really close, "You're her boy toy?"
Joe: If Joe had had water at that moment it would have made a great spit-take. "Boy Toy??? No I am not her boy toy." At least he wasn't right then, maybe that's what she wanted tonight.
Annie: "You're very handsome, if you don't mind me saying." Annie grins, loving how she's making him a little uncomfortable, "You're definitely her boy toy." She folds her arms, sitting on the edge of his desk a little, "What exactly is it you do here?"
Joe: "Well thank you for the compliment." I guess, I mean sure I'm not that old but she?s like 18. "I am not Amy's boy toy, the only times we have had conversations its about me leaving this office and meeting people. My job is basically legal grunt work for the administration, reviewing policy language, going over bills, and making sure actions by the administration haven't violated any federal law."
Annie: "Because they could have hired you to... you know, just walk around and make the women happy." Annie smirks, yeah, he's pretty old, but whatever, "I'm sure my grandfather would have gotten into plenty of trouble without you, Mr. Quincy." Then it hits her, this is why Amy wanted the extra ticket.
Joe: "Well I doubt in Congresses wisdom with spending I doubt even they would approve money for a guy to walk around the White House and be eye candy for the women, and The President actually has been able to avoid trouble without me, I just reassure him that he's not in trouble."
Annie: "We had Sam Seaborn to do that, and now he's a Congress guy too." Annie smiles, looking at him, "Jed Bartlet is a trouble maker, trust me when I say that."
Joe: "Didn't Congressman Seaborn write speeches, not just walk around have women ogle him."
Annie: "He was for the women, it just so happened that he could write as well." Annie nods.
Joe: "I see. Nice to know that, maybe that is what Amy meant when she said I should get out of the basement and meet people, she was just trying to get a new guy for the women to look at, nice to know."
Annie: "Oh, That's most definitely what she meant." Annie nods, smirking at the same time, she'll ask Amy later, "Got another man to look at, just so happened he was a lawyer and could save us from getting into unfortunate legal situations."
Joe: "Do I even want to know what an unfortunate legal situation might be?"
Annie: "Probably not." Annie folds her legs a bit, "So you do that and they put you in the boiler room?"
Joe: "It was the office that was open when I was hired, apparently I have been told it was the office of the last Republican lawyer who they hired, Ainsley Hayes. I guess this is where they stick us Republicans."
Annie: "Put you all in hot water." Annie smiles, keeping herself from laughing, she shakes her head, "That was a new low, even for me."
Joe: "If you say so, as long as it's water and not hot lead. We are Republicans, not werewolves."
Annie: "It would be fun to watch though." Annie looks at him again, "Excuse me if I sound rash, I'm not too crazy about Republicans. Past experiences with your kind... Some have been really horrible, others great. I tend to go with the worse ones."
Joe: "Well as I told Amy today I have had some past experiences with Democrats that I don't like, however I think she had a point when she said that we shouldn't look at each other as party labels. However I promise to try and not do anything to make your experience with me think of me as an evil Republican."
Annie: "Well, Thank you, Joe Quincy." Annie grins, "I like your man Vinick... He's a real sweet guy." The other day when she talked on the phone with him, it was like he had nothing else to do but talk to her.
Joe: "I have never had the opportunity to meet him but I do admire him. I think he would be a great man to run for President next time around, as long as we can past that whole 'Senators-don't-become-President' thing."
Annie: "If the election were held right now, based on the fact that we don't really have a man in the field, nor do I see a prominent one anyhow, Vinick would win in a landslide." Annie nods.
Joe: "I agree, the only problem is getting through the primaries. He's not an extreme right winger which could hurt him in the primaries. He would do great in the general because he's a moderate man who agrees with 60% of the countries positions. Plus he puts California in play. Right now on the other side if either of the VP's runs they will get clobbered."
Annie: "And I hope they will. I don't think either of them are worthy of that seat." Annie shakes her head, "I'm being honest with you, now."
Joe: "I'm glad you are, shows you don't think I will go running into RNC Headquarters screaming 'The President's daughter will endorse Vinick if he runs against Russell', although that would be funny."
Annie: "And true." Annie nods, "If it's between the VPs and Vinick-" She stops, shaking her head, she really shouldn't be saying anything, "I just hope the DNC finds some other guy, some other guy that is loyal and decent and kindhearted to run against yours..." She nods, it's in her line of work to know these things.
Joe: "In all honesty, I hope the DNC doesn't find him, because the DNC will try and tell everyone to not run so that it will be good for Russell so he doesn't have any opponents and can just Republican bash the whole time. I hope someone good runs and basically schools Russell."
Annie: "Russell isn't going to by the guy." Annie shakes her head, "He'll try, but he isn't going to get anywhere."
Joe: "You know better than I, I hate to cut this off but I have dinner plans tonight and I have to finish up before I can leave, so can we pick this up another time."
Annie: "Nice way of kicking me out, Elephantman." Annie nods, "Keep doing what you're doing... Whatever it is, it's good." She smiles, taking a last look at him, "I'll see you around." Another look and she's out the door. Thinking about how she probably gave something away.
Joe: Joe felt bad about shooing her out but he did have a hard time he had to be in the staff entrance to meet Amy for there, whatever it was, tonight. However he found Annie to be very interesting and well informed and looked forward to talking politics with her again, in the mean time Joe had to finish his work, and quickly.
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| 5-6-2005 |
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Have I suddenly become popular.
Two people in my office and another in the Mess in a week.
This is interesting.
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| 5-9-2005 |
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[e-mail to Amy]
Notsomuch-
Words can not describe wht is going on inside my head right now.
All I guess I can say right now is, what happens next.
-Downstairs
[/e-mail]
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| 5-9-2005 |
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OCC: ooops, posted in the wrong journal - but now moved to the right spot - that's what happens when you're in a hurry, this took place sometime Monday afternoon.
Donna: Donna heads on over to the East Wing and, noting that Amy's assistant is absent from her desk, tentatively knocks on her door and peeks her head inside.
Amy: Amy is laughing as she looks at her latest email from Basement Joe, typing a response in which she proposes they meet at 10. She then checks her incoming emails, wondering when Donna was going to come over. She has been wondering what the hell Donna wants to talk to her about, things of a personal nature.
Donna: *Hey. Is now a bad time?* Donna asks as she come on in.
Amy: Speak of the devil, Amy thinks, as she waves Donna in, "No, I'm just checking my emails, come sit down." And she watches carefully, to see if Donna closes the door. That might be indicative of how "personal" this conversation might be.
Donna: Donna doesn't shut it completely, but she doesn't leave it wide open either. *I, um...* She's not sure how to start. *I'm sure you've heard that I'm going back to school in the fall, right?*
Amy: Amy smiles, that's what this is about. "I've heard." Any she wonders why Donna wants to talk to her about her career plans.
Donna: *I was planning on majoring in women's studies,* Donna says, as if that explains everything. *Josh is upset that I'm not majoring in Political Science, but... anyhow, I was hoping I could get -- I don't know -- some advice?* Because this is more than a little awkward, but she feels Amy could be a very useful resource.
Amy: Amy bites her lips, she really doesn't think it appropriate to be giving her ex's whatever career advice. But Amy learned long ago to not burn any bridges, nor turn away someone who could be a resource in the future. "Well, sure. Um, let's start at the beginning, because I don't know you well. I heard you had dropped out of college before joining the campaign, what did you major in then?"
Donna: Donna gives her a lopsided smile. *What didn't I major in? No, it's not that precisely. I /know/ that I want to do women's studies with a minor in poli-sci. No, what I guess I wanted to ask you about is... how viable is that? If I wanted to work at one of the women's PACs? You've been there before and you know what they look for. I've only ever worked with them from this side of the fence.*
Amy: Amy nods, "Well, let's look at the big picture first. What do you want out of life?"
Amy: Amy watches as Donna looks at her somewhat aghast, apparently this isn't what Donna came to talk about, but discussions of this nature, if they were to be useful, needed to start with some deep thinking.
Donna: And there's the 64,000 question. *Pretty much the same as most people here -- to make a difference. But on a smaller scale than in the White House.* And maybe this wasn't the best idea to come talk to Amy.
Amy: Amy smiles, that is the *beauty queen* answer everyone gives her when they seek her guidance and she asks what they want out of life. "Well, I myself want to live as long as I can. When I die I don't want to lie in my grave, wondering if I spent my day living well, wondering what I might have been." She smiles at Donna's frown, "That's from a Dave Matthews song, on the Crash CD." And that sentiment, in a way, was her personal motto.
Amy: But Amy continued on with her standard stump speech to those seeking her opinion about careers. "To live long, one must exercise daily, not eat crap, commit , connect and love someone." She holds up her hand, counting off the five items. "I'm /not/ discussing the last one with you. I think you've got the first two down pat as Josh used to whine about your forcing him to eat well and take care of his health. So let's talk about commitment and connections. Do you belong to any organizations?"
Donna: Wow, and that about face completely surprises Donna. *You're in a very good mood,* she comments. *I didn't expect you to be quite so... accommodating. Especially given our history. But I thought, since we managed to solve the healthcare thing so well together, it was worth a try.*
Donna: *As for your question, yes. To both. Obviously, I've got several connections both within the current White House and in Congress, but how helpful that will be.*
Donna: *And organizations? I regularly donate to Emily's List and Planned Parenthood but that's about it beyond my current job connections.*
Amy: Amy just smiles, "I had a good weekend. And I like to help young ladies figure out what they want out of life. She leans over to grab a yellow pad, drawing a large T on it and writing Donna Moss on the top of the T. She then writes Career on the left and Personal on the right, and then scribbles down the organizations Donna lists under career. "Okay, this part is going to get tricky, what about in your personal life?"
Donna: Donna laughs. *Mmm... I saw Annie Bartlet this weekend. She mentioned that you might have had plans with someone.* But she doesn't want to pry (or even really know details) so she continues, *You're sure you were meant for the political life? I think you might have made a better High School guidance counselor,* she says. *In fact, I can guarantee you would have run circles around poor Mr. Redford in my school.*
Amy: Amy shrugged, "I had a date and then I coached my nephews' soccer team to victory Saturday morning. Then I ate lunch with my sister and we went shopping. Saturday night I went to a fundraiser for Project Rachel. Sunday morning I went to church, read the papers, did my monthly stint cooking at a shelter for homeless women, saw a friend of mine, then came in and did paperwork." She taps the pad of paper,"Commitments and connections, personal and career orientated, some cover both categories."
She considered Donna's last question. "I wanted to be a teacher, but something happened and I chose a different path." She stared off into space a moment, thinking of that cataclysmic event which propelled her life in a different direction. She shook it off and turned her attention to Donna, "Do you get it? The balance between the two sides?" As she pointed at the pad of paper.
Donna: *And still have time at the end of the day to cook your man a three course dinner,* Donna jokes. *Yes, I get it. Of course, you realize, I'm not some fresh-faced high-schooler? I actually do have some experience, Amy. But this is helpful.*
Amy: Amy just smiled, ignoring the slight, "Nah, I skip the cooking part these days.? And she thought about stating that Donna was the one who came to her asking the questions, but, ?Well, then you are the only one in the West Wing who gets that part."
Donna: *I think the other people in the West Wing get it. They just don't like to admit it.*
Amy: Amy just shrugs, thinking about what she's heard of CJ. "Well, you need the balance, and when I look at your list here, I see politics, politics, politics. So, what will GW teach you that you don't already know? Or know enough about to figure out how to learn it on your own? Or go and ask the experts directly? You know the names, you have the connections, you have a network, you have a base."
Amy: Amy paused a bit, to let Donna reflect on all that, "But, do you have a commitment in your life?"
Donna: *Well, since we agreed not to discuss it, I think it might not be in my best interest to mention the personal side of my life. But I get what you mean. Balance. And learning how to use it to my advantage,* Donna says. She stands, preparing to leave.
Amy: Amy stands, laughing, "Lord knows, I don't want to discuss your personal life. And this isn't about a major or a career path. Lord knows, I've had enough jobs over my life." Knowing Josh, he'd be harping about that fact.
"But I made a difference in at least one thing in each job I had. As you said, you can't fix the world, and you want to make a difference. But the question you need to ask yourself is, make a difference in what? In whose life? Find a cause and commit to it."
Amy looks off again, speaking more to herself than to Donna, "I once met a little girl, she drives my life. I want to make the world safe for her and her children. I want her to be able to make decisions on how to live her life and allow her to deal with the consequences of those decisions, with no one person, no courts, no legislation, forcing her to do otherwise. I want her to have the opportunity to pursue her dreams, and the means to do it."
Amy shrugs, ?Rather grand sounding isn?t it? But, it?s my cause and my commitment. It guides me in how I live ? both my career and my personal life - so I can try and make a difference. ?
Amy: "And once you figure all of that out, you'll know which major to pursue." Amy looks at her watch, "I hate to push you out the door, but I have meeting to attend."
Donna:: *Sorry to take up so much time,* Donna says. *But thanks for the talk. It was helpful. Really.* And off she goes, back to other issues.
Amy: Amy stares after Donna, that probably wasn?t what she expected to hear, but she had asked and Amy gave her opinion. What Donna does with it is her own decision.
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| 5-11-005 |
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Joe: Joe strides up into the lobby to find no one there, he looks at his watch and see's it's 10 on the nose. So he figures he will wait a few minutes. He didn't think that he would be this anxious but considereing what happened Friday it was to be expected.
Amy: Amy is running late, which miffs her abit as she likes to be punctual, but work must be done before the fun. She considers calling the lobby to tell him she's behind, but she decides to let him cool his heels abit.
Joe: Joe thinks it's a good thing most people are either gone or still in the office, he wouldn't want to explain why he was just standing there.
Amy: About 15 minutes later she locks her computer and gathers her things. She isn't much concerned if he's there or not, if he won't wait for her, he isn't worth her time.
Joe: Joe is considering leaving, maybe she is just toying with him. While he's trying to decide whether or not to go Amy comes sauntering into the lobby.
Amy: "Hey Joe, what do ya know?" She is pleased that he waited for her.
Joe: "You ask me that everytime you see me, you just like the alliteration dont you."
Amy: "Indeed, I do."
Joe: "So shall we go."
Amy: "Sure, where to?"
Joe: "Wherever you want." Please say her apartment, please say her apartment.
Amy: She considers going out for a drink, just to let him know she isn't /that/ easy. But then they'd play the whole are we or aren't we game, and she did need to get some sleep. "I promised you appetizers, so my place?"
Joe: Helleluah. "Sure."
Amy: "I'll drive." And off they went to the parking lot, to find her vehicle.
Joe: "What kind of car do you drive."
Amy: "That one" and Amy points to her 760Li Beemer.
Joe: "Nice"
Amy: "Should be, cost me a hundred and a quarter" And she smiled, she did like to pamper herself abit.
Joe: "I think I still owe that much in student loans."
Amy: Amy just smiled as she climbed into the driver's seat, giving him a sideways glance. They never did get into how old they were, but he's still paying off student loans?
Joe: Probably shouldn't have said anything about how much money I owe, being a debtor probably ins't endearing.
Amy: And off they go to Amy's place, silently listening to her satelite radio tuned to a Jamaican station. Amy doesn't mind the lack of conversation, the quick trip has always been her decompression chamber.
Joe: Joe hates sitting in silence, but what can he say. She really did have him tounge tied.
Amy: She parks the car and leads him to her place. Luckily Henry is still at her sister's house.
Joe: Joe wishes he could form a coherent thought at the moment, but for some reason he wasn't thinking perfectly straight right now
Amy: They enter and Amy drops her bags at the door, and kicks off her shoes.
Joe: After Amy takes her shoes off Joe does the same, and also removes his suit jacket.
Amy: She smiles as he makes himself at home. She flips on the stereo as she heads to the kitchen, Steely Dan, and looks in her fridge for a bottle of wine.
Joe: My music knowledge isn't the best, and right now it's failing me, I have no idea what she put on, I wonder how this was going to go, as always he began to overthink it.
Amy: She hands him the wine bottle and opens a drawer to fish out a corkscrew. She points to a cabinet, holding the wine glasses, and turns back to the fridge, to rummage for food.
Joe: Excellent, Chardonnay, one of my favorites.
Amy: She finds some shrimp - she always has shrimp - and cheese and sausage. She wonders if she has any crackers, but then decides that they really don't need them. She gets out a plate and quickly makes a nice presentation, turning to go back to the sofa.
Joe: In the mean time Joe had opened the bottle of wine and had poured two glasses, as was awkwardly sitting on the couch looking around at the apartment, the last time he didn't get a chance to look around, it really was a nice place.
Amy: She places the plate on the coffee table, sitting down next to him, accepting the glass of wine. "Thanks."
Joe: "Your welcome, I don't think I said this before but you have a nice place."
Amy: She took a sip and looked around, it was nice. "Thanks, I like it."
Joe: "Do you just have all of this stuff lying around or did you plan this."
Amy: She looked at him, "I always keep my fridge full, don't you?" Not saying that sausage, cheese and wine have a pretty long shelf life, and shrimp was her midnight snack.
Joe: "Well not as much, I have what I have for meals, not the stuff like the sausages and cheese or wine and shrimp."
Amy: "Ah. Well you should, you never know when you might have company." And she takes another shrimp, hoping he might not want any, leaving them all for her.
Joe: "Well my experiance is that I usualy don't have any, however I may have to reconsider that position." She looked like she wanted to inhale the shrimp, and as much as he loved shrimp he thought he should let her have them, she seemed to really like them, and if she was happy, he would be happy.
Amy: She smiled as he seemed to be leaving the shrimp alone. "What's your place like?" It felt a bit funny to be talking to him, last Friday they skipped the preliminaries.
Joe: "Small, a one bedroom apartment in Arlington. It's a block away from the East Falls Church Orange Line station so I usually walk to work. It's not much but it's mine."
Amy: "Ah. You'll have to invite me over."
Joe: "Sure, you won't be impressed but I'd love to have you over. I'll have to remember to put appitizers in the fridge."
Amy: She just smiles at him as she sips her wine. She's made all the moves so far in this relationship - time for him to.
Joe: Joe was wondering what was going on, maybe she wasn't interested, maybe she wanted him to do something. This is why he was so bad at this, he never knew what he was supposed to be doing. Oh what the hell.
Joe: As Amy was lowering her wine glass from taking another sip Joe leaned over and kissed her.
Amy: She accepted his kiss and smiled. She put her glass down and turned towards him.
Joe: Joe took her smile as a sign that he was doing something right, and leaned back in and kissed her again, this time more passionate than before.
Amy: She leaned back a bit and started to loosen his tie. "So, Mr. Republican, what do you see me as now?"
Joe: "One hell of a woman." He ended further discussion by grabbing her and pulling her into another kiss.
Amy: She opened her mouth to his as she grabbed him by his loosened tie and led him towards her bedroom, never removing her mouth from her's. She pulls him inside and shuts the door behind her.
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| 5-13-005 |
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Amy: Amy, knowing that Elizabeth is in town, decides to drive by the house. She notices the light to the front porch was off, the signal for telling the coast was clear, she pulls into the driveway and walks into the house. Liz had given her a key when they first bought the place. Elizabeth: After a long day at the offices of her private company, Rainy Day Funds, Elizabeth was already in bed, with her feet up, reading a report. Amy: "Lizzard?" Amy calls out, tossing her purse and keys on the table when you walked in the house, "You home?" Elizabeth: Elizabeth smiles as she hears Aims calling her, "I'm upstairs" she yells, hoping Aims can hear her. Amy: Amy glomps up the stairs, her usual straight back stance as she walks to Elizabeth's room, she opens the door, "Hey there." She smiles a little, going to lay next to her, kicking her shoes off as she climbs onto the bed more. Amy: "I thought you'd be fluttering around somewhere... Cleaning or arranging your silverware collection..." She smiles a little. Elizabeth: Elizabeth, a bit cranky after her hard day at the office, "No, I'm just looking over my financials, trying to figure out where to cut some fat off the budget.? But, realizing Aims was trying to poke some fun at her, she added, ?I have my housekeeper polish the silver." Amy: Amy grins, leaning on her arm which propped up her head on the bed, "So it's all going well?" Elizabeth: Elizabeth tosses the report aside and leans over to give Aims a light kiss. "I'm fine, a bit grumpy, but fine." She looks at Aims, "You seem a flutter over something. What's up?" Amy: "Nothing much." Amy keeps smiling, wrapping her arms around Elizabetg, she's totally lying, but attempting to play it off. Elizabeth: Elizabeth just gives Aims a knowing look and snuggles a bit closer. "Yeah, right. That's not what Annie's told me." Amy: "Oh really?" Amy raises her eyebrow, "What did your daughter tell you?" Elizabeth: "Something about your acquiring a new boy toy?" Elizabeth smiles just a bit, to let Aims know she's just teasing, "Really, Aims. How old is this one?" Amy: Amy shrugs, "Late 30s? Early 40s?" She watches Liz, "Boy toy?" She almost laughs. Joe wasn't a boy toy. Elizabeth: Elizabeth just rolls her eyes, "Eye candy?" Amy: "Yes." Amy nods, "I can't believe she called him my boy toy." Elizabeth: "He's younger than you, eye candy, and Republican." Elizabeth ticks off her points on her fingertips, "Honestly Aims, he is definitely boy toy material." Amy:"You think?" Amy tucks some of Liz's hair behind her ear. Elizabeth: Liz turned towards Aims, "Sooooo?" Amy: Amy rolls her eyes a little, "What do you want to know?" She can't help but smile. Elizabeth: Elizabeth reached over, to run her finger down Aim's cheek, "Everything" Amy: "He isn't bad in bed." Amy raises her eyebrow again, "Is that what you want to know?" Elizabeth: Elizabeth shrugs, "You say that about all of them." Elizabeth: Elizabeth looks Aims in the eye with concern, "Keyword being /all/ of them." Amy: "Republicans are different." Amy nods, "I like him." She smiles a little. Elizabeth: Elizabeth laughs, "Are their cocks as long as an elephants trunk?" Amy: "Longer." Amy grins, giggling herself. Elizabeth: Elizabeth laughs, "Really? Is that why Republican wives look upon their husbands with sheer adoration? Ala Nancy Reagan, the Governors wife? Then we're in the wrong party." Amy: "You just gave me the image of Ronald Reagan with a huge shlong." Amy shakes her head, laughing. Elizabeth: Elizabeth giggles, not an image she'd like to think about. "So you like him?" Amy: Amy looks at her with a smirk, "I do like him." Elizabeth: Elizabeth looks at Amy, "And why is that? Besides the fact that he is well hung eye candy?" Amy: Amy shrugs, "He's smart too." Elizabeth: Elizabeth nods, "And the fact that screwing him is sort of a feminist version of playing with fire?" Amy: "Play with fire and you'll get burned." Amy nods, "See, my problem is, I'm a pyromaniac." She smiles a little. Elizabeth: Elizabeth frowns, "How many times do you think the Phoenix can rise? You're damned lucky Mom took you back after your last self-immolation." Amy: "Elizabeth, Really... It isn't that serious..." Amy shakes her head. Elizabeth: "You might not be serious, but what about him? What if he gets pissed once he figures out you're toying with him?" Elizabeth places her hand on Amy's. "You can't keep doing this." Amy: "You're making much to do about nothing." Amy shakes her head again, looking at Elizabeth, "He won't find out." Elizabeth: "How long will this one last?" Elizabeth: "Or are you going to be dating him and sneaking around with another married guy?" Elizabeth is on a role, "And, for God's sake, he works in the White House. How many men are you going to be ducking there? You told me you avoid Josh Lyman as much as possible." Amy: Amy moves away from Elizabeth a little, folding her arms, still watching her, "Are you finished?" Elizabeth: "No, I'm not." Elizabeth watches Amy's body language, she will probably walk out, but she needs to hear this. "Amy, you can't keep doing this to yourself, and you know I'm right." Amy: Amy continues to watch Elizabeth, not knowing what to say, or if she wants to say anything at all, "Okay." Amy: "What do you want me to do?" Elizabeth: "I want you to be happy. You need to stop chasing every guy who breezes through your life." Amy: "Who said I was chasing them?" Elizabeth: Elizabeth gust gives Amy a knowing look. Amy: "Look, Elizabeth..." All Amy can do is shake her head, Elizabeth was right, but she wasn't going to admit it. She rises from the bed, glancing to her, "I'm going to go." She nods. Elizabeth: "You don't have to go." Amy: "You tell me everything I'm doing wrong with the men that have come into, and out of, my life..." Amy pauses, shaking her head a little, "I can't help but think you're jealous." Elizabeth: Elizabeth shrugs, "Probably." Amy: "You're jealous of me?" Amy's a little surprised. Elizabeth: "I've only slept with Doug. I wonder sometimes...." Amy: "If you were given the chance to sleep with other men... Would you? Elizabeth: Elizabeth laughs, "I have had offers." Amy: "You've never wanted to act upon them?" Elizabeth: "Yes, I have been tempted." Amy: Amy smiles a little, "Why didn't you?" Elizabeth: "There is this little thing Amy, called marital vows." Amy: "Vows, shmows." Amy shakes her head, sitting back down. She smirks again. Elizabeth: "Well, Amy, I take my sacramental vows seriously, even if Doug doesn't." Amy: "And God loves you for it." Amy lays back, looking at her. Elizabeth: "I'm sure He does." Elizabeth smiled, "Though I have to admit, I have lusted in my heart on occasion." Amy: "Oh really?" She smiles more, "Who for?" Elizabeth: Elizabeth just smiles. Amy: "Anyone I know?" Amy waves her eyebrows a little. Elizabeth: "I won't fantasize and tell." Liz says with a grin Amy: "Which is a yes." Amy giggles slightly. Elizabeth: Liz just gives her a superior look - "Let's just say that sometimes Doug is the surrogate for others, in my mind. Nothing wrong with a little fantasy to enhance the intimacies." Amy: Amy folds her arms, still watching her, "I often fantasize about being with movie stars... Handsome, handsome men." Elizabeth: Liz looks at Amy in suprise, "You mean despite your, um, variety in men, you fantasize about even more? My God, you /are/ a slut." Amy: "Well, Thanks, Elizabeth. That makes me feel a whole lot better after that pep talk you gave me not long ago..." Elizabeth: Elizabeth just gives her yet another look, "Well, you should stop playing the field and settle down." Amy: "Have you suddenly lost your mind?" Elizabeth: "Me? No. What makes you say that?" Amy: "You said something about... me and settling down..." Amy smirks. Elizabeth:: Liz grins, "That is an oxymron, isn't it?" Amy: "It really is." Amy grins. Elizabeth:: "But really, I worry about you." Amy: "Don't." She shakes her head. Elizabeth: Elizabeth leans towards Amy, "I worry about you because I love you." Amy: "You shouldn't though," Amy leans up more, her face close to Elizabeth's, her finger nail gliding gently over the other woman's stomach. Elizabeth: "But I do, I worry about you." And with that, she gently kisses Amy. "And I love you." Amy: "I love you too." Amy wraps an arm around her, pulling her closer softly, she deepens her kiss ever so slightly. Elizabeth: Elizabeth breaks the kiss, "Amy, I just want you to be happy." Amy: "You make me happy, Elizabeth. Very happy." She nods, looking into her eyes. Elizabeth: Elizabeth nods, "Someday Aims. Someday we can be together, openly." Amy: "Someday." Amy whispers. Her fingers gently gliding around the waistline of Elizabeth's pjs, she kisses her again. Elizabeth: Elizabeth turns towards her lover, eagerly. And with that, the Muns quietly step out of Elizabeth's bedroom, allowing them some privacy.
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| 5-15-2005 |
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Amy: Amy is at home on a Saturday night, having canceled out her fundraiser date.
She worked all day at the White House and went home with a desire to curl up in bed and meditate, courtesy of Elizabeth's comments the prior evening -just what does she want out of Joe Quincy? Amy has to admit, she hasn't a clue.
Joe: At the same time Joe was sitting in his apartment doing some reading online. He tried to keep his mind off of Amy and on the computer screen but it was hard to concentrate. He didn't know what was going on but after the last few times they have spent together he was just
confused.
Amy: Amy is hoping that Joe will call or just show up. She's rather tired of being the one to always instigate or fan her relationships with men. Perhaps she should just give up on them altogether and persuade Liz to leave Doug.
Joe: "For crying out loud you jackass just call her. Stop thinking so much and just do it."
Amy: Amy looks at the clock - 10:22 - and decides to call it a night
Joe: Joe reached for his mobile phone and looked through his phone book and found Amy's number and hit Talk.
Amy: Aims hears her phone ring as she stands naked, about to get in her bathtub. *shit* She has to answer, might be the crisis de jour - "Amy Gardner"
Joe: "Hey Amy, it's Joe."
Amy: A smile lights her face, "Hey, what's up?"
Joe: "Wait, what's up, I think that's the first time you've said hello to me without saying what do you know."
Amy: "I like to vary my repertoire. What's Up?"
Joe: "Well I was just wondering what you were doing right now."
Amy: "Well, I'm about to bathe. Yourself?"
Joe: "Well I have nothing going on and I was wondering if you wanted to do something." Oh she was bathing, ok stop thinking about sex, it's time you try and take this relationship out the just sex area.
Amy: "Sure, you wanna come over?"
Joe: "Well I was wondering if you wanted to do something outside of your apartment."
Amy: "Um, I'm kinda ready to go to bed. It's been a long day." Which was true, Abbey had kept her busy, she was ready to call it quits.
Joe: "Ah, well if you want I could come over." Why are you disappointed that you will end up having sex, you are a man you moron.
Amy: "Sure. How far are you away?" Aims is thinking, she has a two-person whirlpool.
Joe: "I'm at my apartment, and the M is still going so it shouldn't take me that long to get to your apartment."
Amy: "Fine, I'll just buzz you in."
Joe: "Alright I'll see you in a few minutes."
A few minutes later......
Amy: Aims is in her tub, gardenia scented water swirling, candles lit, awaiting Joe, or not, doesn't really matter
Joe: Joe steps up to the apartment buildings entrance, finds Amy's apartment number and hits the buzzer.
Amy: Aims is amused, he is here. She gets out of the tub and wraps herself in a huge Turkish towel, and pads her way to the buzzer, letting him in as she turns to her frig, might as well crack a bottle of champagne. Henry follows her mutely, hoping for a treat.
Joe: Joe opens the door and walks towards the elevator and waits for it to come to him and rides up to Amy's floor. On the ride up he thinks to himself that he should so something surprising, because he thinks his previous liaisons with Amy he had been led around by his, well, member.
Amy: Aims hears a knock on the door, and strides towards it, bottle in hand.
Joe: Joe stands in front of her door, telling himself he was going to do what he was going to do.
Amy: She gets the bottle ready, and drops the towel as she unlocks the door, opening it slightly as she loosens the cork.
Joe: Joe decides to push the door open the rest the way and be forceful as he had planned. He pushes open the door and goes to grab Amy and push her up against the door and kiss her, but the fact that she greeted him naked stopped him on a dime.
Amy: Amy just smiles and pops the cork, lapping up the champaign as it shoots into her mouth, and down her torso
Joe: Joe just slams the door behind him, strides over to Amy, grabs her and lifts her up and forcefully kisses her as he walks toward her bedroom.
Amy: Aims giggles, she likes the macho man approach. Yet, as they pass the bath, she coos, "Whirlpool's ready for us."
Joe: She was always one step ahead of him.
Joe: Putting his tongue back in her mouth he walked into the bathroom and set her down in the tub, and faster than he knew was possible he removed his clothing and stepped in the whirlpool with her.
Amy: Aims smiles as she offers him the champagne.
Joe: Joe takes the bottle from her, takes a sip from it, then pours a generous helping on her breasts and licks it off.
Amy: She smiles and sets the bottle aside, she has plans for *that* later. She lets him lick her, relaxing back as he teases her nipples.
Joe: With his mouth he licks every part of Amy's right areola while his left hand explores her left breast. His right hand is in the small of her back pulling her to him.
Amy: Aims relaxes, regardless of what Liz said, this is just what she wants, good, stringless sex, a bit on the wild side. She opens herself to him, pulling him closer.
Joe: Joe moves over to her other areola and moves his hands accordingly.
Amy: Aims relaxes more, this is just what she needs, screw the consequences, and she lets him take the lead this time.
Joe: Now that Joe has fully explored what was becoming familiar territory he decided he would explore in another area. Slowly he licked his way down her body, stopping just briefly at her belly button to give it a few extra licks on his way down. Just above the intended destination he hit the water line, he stopped, looked up into Amy's eyes, smiled, took a deep
breath and went under the water and found what he was looking for.
Amy: Aims gasped, God he's good.
Amy: Amy couldn't believe what he was doing, as it felt so good, but she believed he may be drowning, so she pulled him up for some air.
Joe: "Ow, if you didn't like that you could have just tapped me or something." Damn Joe thought that would have been good.
Amy: "I thought you were drowning." And she pulled him up to kiss him.
Joe: Joe?s annoyance with having his hair pulled was quickly relieved at the taste of Amy's champagne laced mouth.
Amy: Amy opened her mouth to his kiss, as she slid her hands up and down his slick back, and opened herself to him a bit more, willing him to enter her in the swirling, warm water.
Joe: Joe slid his legs around to better position himself just at the cusp of her opening, he kept both hands on Amy and using only his mind to move himself he entered her and pushed himself completely inside of her.
Amy: Aims tried hard not to giggle at the thought of an elephant's trunk as he entered her; she merely reached around him and ran her nails up and down his back, as she adjusted to him.
Joe: "Please tell me it isn't tickling you." She's giggling, she's fucking giggling.
Amy: She merely shook her head negatively, as she thought of Nancy Reagan looking adoringly at Ronnie, and burst into laughter.
Joe: "Oh for God's sakes."Joe slipped out of her and moved to the other side of the tub.
Amy: "It's just Ronald Reagan." And she burst into guffaws.
Joe: "I don't even know where to go with that."
Amy: She laughed harder, wiping the tears from her eyes, "I'm sorry, I just confirmed the myth about Republican's virility.
Joe: "Ok your...so...explaining that."
Amy: Amy tried very hard to stop laughing, without much success. Instead, she took a swig of the champagne, and offered the bottle to Joe. "I was talking with a devote Democrat and subject of Republican's mythical , umm, stamina, came up. I'm sorry." She wiped the tears from
her eyes, "I told her I should switch parties."
Joe: "So let me get this straight," Joe said as he took a swig of the champagne, "You and another one of your Democrat girlfriends were talking about how Republicans have a lot of stamina. How did that even come up."
Amy: Amy just smiles, "Just girl talk."
Joe: "Why do I get the sinking suspicion that this came up because someone knows about me and you."
Amy: "Probably cause you're right."
Joe: "Who were you talking to."
Amy: "An old friend of mine; Don't worry, she won't breath a word of it to anyone."
Joe: "It was Elizabeth Bartlet wasn't it? Her daughter Annie came to visit me, asked me if I was your boy toy."
Amy: Amy just looks at him, a bit shocked that he knows, really pissed at Annie.
Joe: "That's what I thought."
Amy: "That's just Annie's opinion, what does she know?"
Joe: "Well she?s the President's granddaughter and the daughter of one of your oldest friends, so if she said it I'm sure she knew what she was talking about."
Amy: "Annie's a fuckiing drama queen." Which was the truth.
Joe: "So I'm not just a boy toy."
Amy: "No," Amy gives the answer he wants to hear, while trying to convince herself that the answer is true. Both Annie and Liz accused her of using him as a sex toy, and though they were right, she'd prove them wrong. Just because. She didn't like to be pegged.
Joe: "I hope your not lying to me, because despite the stereotype of Republicans being prudes and not wanting sex until marriage I think I have shown that's not true, but Amy I'm 33 years old, I finally have a steady job, at least for a few years, and I just don't want to just play
around anymore, I've done that since high school. I'm at a point in my life where I want more."As soon as the words left his mouth he knew he shouldn't have said it, it was too much to lay out on her this early in the relationship.
Amy: She stared at him, 33? That meant she was ten years older than him. "I don't do relationships well." And Elizabeth's words raced through her mind, about giving up playing the field and settling down.
Joe: "I don't think anyone does them well, they just happen."
Amy: "They just fall apart on me." Which was very true. Probably because Amy didn't try to hard to make them last.
Joe: "Why?"
Amy: "I don't know."
Joe: "Let me take a wild flaying guess, work gets in the way."
Amy: Amy just nods, it was very true.
Amy: "I serve at the pleasure of the First Lady, I work late, I travel a lot, I am very involved in numerous organization."
Joe: "Amy, I work as much as you do, plus we are in completely different fields, so I doubt we would end up taking each other on." Joe remembered reading about the war between the White House and the WLC over Marriage Incentives, and he suspected Josh was behind the White House effort. "Plus I'm not asking you to marry me tomorrow, I'm asking you if it's something you want to try."
Amy: Amy tries not to flinch at his mention of marriage. "Try what?"
Joe: "A relationship beyond just meeting at your apartment for, absolutely amazing sex."
Amy: Amy frowns, what else would one do with a man?
Joe: Frowning, not good not good.
Amy: "Just what are you proposing?"
Amy: She got all the emotional support she needed from Elizabeth, men were just around for sex, and for keeping the media from realizing that she and Elizabeth had a thing going on.
Joe: "I'm proposing that we go out like normal people, and if the function you are going to doesn't involve people who would want to beat my brains in for being a Republican maybe we could go to it together."
Amy: Amy looks at him, her mind running thought the various events she attends and the results which may occur from their being seen together. "Well, I have a set of tickets to the Rock the Vote thing. Would you like to go?" A non-partisan event, she could just say she took
him in the spirit on non-partisanship.
Joe: "I must have you flustered, I already said I'd go to that with you, don't you remember your e-mail about walking on the wild side."
Amy: Damn, he did have her flustered - that hadn't happened since Josh. She rose from the rapidly cooling tub, taking her fluffy, terry cloth robe and tying it tightly about her. "I think you should leave."
Joe: "Fine" Joe stood up and grabbed the towel that was hanging by the sink and used it to dry himself as best he could before grabbing his clothes and walking out of the room and into the living room, where he hastily put on his pants and walked to the door, where he stopped,
turned his head to nothing, sighd and said to himself, "Dammit to hell," and opened the door, walked out, and closed it.
Amy: She heard the door shut, damming him for pushing her, for demanding more than she was willing to give. She let the water out of the tub, and went to lock the door. Damn all men to hell, she thought, they were all worthless. And she went to her bed, cursing mandkind in
general, and the one man who had turned her against all of them, her own father.
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| 5-16-2005 |
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[e-mail to Amy}
Ms. Gardner-
Would you be so kind as to send me my ticket to the Rock the Vote event to me via interoffice mail.
That is if there is still a ticket for me.
Thank you.
-Joe Quincy J.D. M.B.A.
[/e-mail]
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| 5-16-2005 |
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Annie: Annie walks into into her family's Georgetown house, her flight is tomorrow night, so she's still in the area. Fresh from a meeting, she steps in, looking from room to room for her mother, a small bookbag on her back. Her heels clicking on the ground.
Liz: Elizabeth is in the baby's room, paint chips, drapery samples and furniture catalogs spread about. She is beginning to feel confident that this pregnancy will be successful and has started to plan for the newest addition to the Bartlet-Westin clan.
Annie: Annie finally walks into the room, watching her mother for a second before speaking, "The green and yellow would be nice." She smiles.
Liz: Elizabeth jumps a bit, she was concentrating on the samples and hadn't heard her daughter. "Oh, my. You scared me." She goes to give her daughter a hug. "How are you?"
Annie: "Sorry about that. I'm fine. You?" Annie smiles, hugging onto her mother, holding her for a second, "So, You were looking at paint and such..." She looks down, an arm still around Elizabeth.
Liz: Elizabeth leans a bit towards her daughter, this intimacy was a bit strange feeling, but rather nice. "I thought blue a bit too much of a cliche."
Annie: "It really is... The green and yellow." Annie nods, "Trust me on that... It looks much better anyway."
Liz: Liz takes another look at the chips, and then places them down. She turns towards her daughter, "I need to have a talk with you Little Lady."
Annie: "About?" Annie looks up at her.
Liz: "Your lack of discretion."
Annie: "What are you talking about?"
Liz: Ellzabeth just sighed, Annie was rather like a bull in a china shop, unintentionally destroying beautiful things as she never thought about the consquences of her actions. "Come, lets have some tea and we'll talk."
Annie: "This can't be too good." Annie sighs a little, holding her mother's hand as they walk.
Liz: "Well, no, it isn't." And Liz let Annie ponder that thought as they took the back staircase to the kitchen. "Ah, Would you please bring us some tea, in the living room." God it was nice to have a cook.
Annie: Annie swallows, "What is it?"
Liz: Elizabeth sat on the sofa, and turned to her daughter. "Joe Quincy."
Annie: Annie bites her lip a little, "I ran into him while I was giving myself a tour... We talked a little." She sits slowly.
Liz: Elizabeth looks at her daughter, and quietly asks, "What did the two of you discuss?"
Annie: "Politics." Annie nods.
Liz: Elizabeth just gives her daughter the *evil mother look*, "And?"
Annie: Annie bites the corner of her mouth, and puts her hand on her forhead, "And your girlfriend." She replies quietly.
Liz: "Yes."
Annie: She closes her eyes, "Did I do something wrong?"
Liz: "Yes." Before Elizabeth can continue, the cook enters the room with a tray and sets it on the coffee table. "Thank you. Ann Elizabeth, would you care for some tea?"
Annie: Annie shakes her head. Her mother called her by her whole name, she did something really wrong. "I don't want anything, Thank you."
Liz: "Are you sure? Would you care for something else?" Elizabeth poured herself a cup of tea, and slowly squeezed in the lemon, making her daughter wait while she killed her with politeness, a technique she learned from her mother.
Annie: "I'm not hungry, but really... Thanks." Annie nods again. She's so screwed as she waits, not looking at her mother anymore.
Liz: "So." And Elizabeth takes a sip of her tea, scrutinizing her daughter.
Annie: "So... um... What?" Annie sits back more, folding her arms.
Liz: Elizabeth notes the change in posture, resulting from a change in attitude on Annie's part. Time for the kill. "So, do you enjoy wrecking budding relationships?"
Annie: "What are you talking about?" Annie's quiet, looking at the ceiling. She doesn't want to look at her mother.
Liz: "You know exactly what I'm talking about. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Annie: "I honestly don't know what you're talking about." Annie sits up again, finally looking at Elizabeth to glare a little.
Liz: Elizabeth glared back at her daughter. "Amelia informs me that she and Joe Quincy are no longer seeing each other, resulting from a conversation he had with you during which the phrase 'boy toy' was mentioned in connection with his relationship with Amelia."
Annie: "I may have said that, but I didn't mean anything by it." Annie shakes her head, "I was teasing him." She swallows, her mother is totally pissed at her. That's the only time she uses full names.
Liz: "Yes, you didn't mean anything by it, because you never think of the consequences of your actions." The teacup rattles as Elizabeth puts it down, rather forcefully. "He took your "teasing" seriously."
Annie: "Why are you getting pissed at me?" Annie glares a little more, "It isn't my fault he couldn't read the blatant signs."
Liz: 'First, as my daughter, you should be the model of decorum when it comes to interacting with the President's staff. Secondly, you shouldn't speculate or gossip about other people, in general, your Grandmother's and Grandfather's staff in particular." Enough with the politenes Third, what the hell where you thinking?"
Annie: "I didn't do anything!" Annie shouts at her, "I was walking around, I introduced myself, and he was a nice guy. He made a joke or two, I don't remember." Annie shakes her head, "I thought the problem was him thinking I was hitting on him, not be..." Annie stops, shaking her head a little as she looks down, "What does it matter?"
Liz: "They broke up." Elizabeth speaks quietly, "Due to the consequences of your 'teasing'."
Annie: "And you act like I purposely meant to do that." Annie shakes her head, "You know, just as much as anyone else does, that I like to be sarcastic or demonstrate some witty repartee... I can promise you I gave the sighs. They were there with flashing lights and song, right there for him to pick up on." She shakes her head, speaking softly, "I wouldn't hurt someone that meant something to you."
Liz: "Well, you did." But that wasn't the point of all of this, Amy did treat Joe as a boytoy and the relationship was a no-go from the start, "Annie, you need to realize that your actions carry consequences. And even though you think you are witty and sarcastic, other people don't. You have lived in an insular world of your own chosing, the White House, and most of those people are used to you and your ways. But, you are an adult now, and you need to start acting like one."
Annie: "I do act like one." Annie looks at Elizabeth, not believing what she's saying, "And I've worked damn hard to get to where I am..." Pause, "It isn't my fault the little Republican wants to go crying to his girl because of something the First Granddaughter said while they were both joking around..."
Liz: "This is about your lack of discretion and your childlike behavior." Elizabeth bit her lip, she didn't want to have to point this out, but Annie really was being delusional. "I hate to burst your bubble, but not many 18 year old freshman get to run Rock the Vote without their political connections being taken into account."
Annie: Annie's blood is boiling, she stands, "I think it would be best if I just... ya know... left." She's almost to that frustration point where she can cry.
Liz: "Sure, walk away from hearing things you don't want to hear, that you won't acknowledge. Run your whole life from facing responsilbity for your actions."
Annie: "That has... Since when have you become the responsibility expert?" Annie folds her arms, a tear finally flooding her eye. I will not get too pissed at my mother, I will not do it, "I come... being nice for a change, and you're going to give me a speech about responsibility for a matter that has nothing to do with you, in fact, it was a stupid Republican... You couldn't see this, I don't know, Not working down the lane?"
Liz: "It's not for you nor I to judge what is right for Joe and Amy, that is for them to decide." Elizabeth looked at her daughter, flaying out at her, rather than listening to the message she was trying to convey. "I made mistakes, many mistakes, but I took responsibility for my actions."
Annie: "Not all the time you didn't." Annie's quiet again, reaching into her bag and pulling out a little pale green and yellow bag, giving it to her mother, "I have things to do." She swallows, then walks to the door to leave. Taking a deep breath before she does so. She closes the door behind her and sits on the stairs, crying, Why did everything always have to be her fault? Why couldn't it be Amy's? That's probably what it was anyway.
Liz: Elizabeth watched her daughter depart. As much as she'd like to call her back, hug her and tell her all was well, Annie needed to think this through and hopefully learn a lesson.
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| 5-17-2005 |
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Annie: Seeing the newest entry to Joe's journal, Annie sighs and trucks it on downstairs to see the man. She knocks gently on his door.
Joe: Joe looks up from his self imposed seclusion from the world and says meekly, but loudly enough to be heard,"Come in."
Annie: Annie opens the door slowly and looks at him, "Hi there." Her voice is quiet, but she feels like a failure, so it should feel that way.
Joe: Joe collapses inside, he knows that in some part of this conversation what happened over the weekend will come up. "Hi, is there something I can help you with."
Annie: Annie shrugs, watching him, "I uh... I heard you and-" Pause, Why the hell is she so nervous, "I heard you and Amy broke up..." She swallows.
Joe: Well let's just bite the bullet, "Well considering it wasn't really a relationship I don't think broke up is the right term, however whatever it was is over."
Annie: She bites her lip, "Do you mind if I ask why?"
Joe: "The main point was how each of us had seen the relationship. I thought it was a weird beginning to something, apparently she saw it as just, well, relations."
Annie: Annie nods, hoping he didn't dive into it further, "This might be-" Pause. "Whatever... Was it caused by something I said?"
Joe: "Indirectly, it got the issue in the forefront after something else was said. However I don't blame you, you just showed me what was really going on, and for that I thank you."
Annie: "No, Joe-" Annie shakes her head quickly, glancing at the floor, "I was- I was only teasing you. It meant nothing about anything."
Joe: "Yes but you were teasing me about what was going on, and if that was the term that came to mind, there was a nugget of truth behind it, so when something came up I used that term, and everything came undone."
Annie: "It meant... It meant you're her boyfriend, period. Nothing else, No indirect, unintentional messages. Nothing. It was just me joking with you..." She shakes her head, "I'm sorry I screwed everything up, I didn't mean to."
Joe: "Don't be sorry, don't you dare be sorry. Whether or not it was the intended consequence it was what happened. Plus like I said if you hadn't used that term and if Amy hadn't laughed at a bad moment that led to the conversation that led to me using that term, I would still be thinking that this was a real relationship, one that might lead somewhere, instead of Amy using me as toy."
Annie: "Maybe it was a real relationship." Annie looks up to him, speaking calmly, "Maybe it was a real relationship and you threw it all away because you got the signals wrong."
Joe: "No she made it clear to me it wasn't"
Annie: "Maybe you got her wrong."
Joe: "No, when I asked her if we could go out, to an actual place besides her apartment, like normal people, she told me to leave."
Annie: "Well, How did you say it?"
Joe: "If I remember right we were talking about why she is relationships, something about travel and going to functions. So I said we should go out like normal people and then I said if she couldn't find time I could accompany her to one of the functions she goes to, assuming I wouldn't be beaten to a pulp for being a Republican, then she asked if I wanted to go to the Rock the Vote thing, which she already asked me to do, so I joked I had had flustered her because she had already asked me, that's when she asked me to leave." I think the detail about me get getting out of the tub and getting dressed could be left alone.
Annie: "You shouldn't have mentioned it..." Find a way so that you can't blame yourself, "Let her shoot the shots... Let her make the calls." Pause. "Amy is a very headstrong woman. She's very good at what she does and she works hard to do it too. Maybe, just maybe, It'd be seen as... I don't know... She's very well known in the party." Nod. "Maybe it'd be seen as a sort of... slap in the face to Feminist Democrats that one of their head persons is dating a Republican." Another shrug. "I don't know, I'm probably wrong. I usually am."
Joe: "Look I know you came down here because you thought you did something wrong, but trust me you didn't, if your comment wasn't what brought it about something else would have. I just don't think she was seeing me for an emotional attachment, I think she was just using me, it may have taken me a little longer to figure it out but I'm glad I did."
Annie: "Look, She liked you. And I know that you liked her. You liked eachother, a lot." Annie shakes her head, "I know you don't want to hear it, but I'm sorry I screwed it up... because... I'm stupid like that. She just... She really liked you Joe."
Joe: "If she did she has a funny way of showing it."
Annie: "That's how Amy is."
Joe: "Well I guess I'll never know."
Annie: "You can change it. Give her a call or something." Annie says quietly, begining to back away toward the door.
Joe: "Annie, why did you come down here?"
Annie: Annie stops, looking down and shaking her head, "To apologize." She answers, almost at a whisper. She opens the door.
Joe: "Wait, how did you know to come down here to aplogize?"
Annie: "Third sense I guess." She smiles a little.
Joe: "Right." Someones talking about this.
Annie: "I'm gonna go lock myself in my room again... If anyone-" She stops, laughing at herself slightly, shaking her head, "Whatever... You know where I am." She swallows, "Anything else I could help you with before I go?"
Joe: "That was going to be my question, Annie if you ever need someone to talk to, my door is always open, well not literally because I think I'm hiding for a while too."
Annie: "Yeah, Well..." Annie glances to him before finally walking out, "See you around." She finally walks out.
Joe: Joe watches Annie walk out the door, he walks back to his chair, sits down, puts his head down on his desk, and sighs. If this is what happens when you leave the basement, he's never leaving again.
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| 5-17-2005 |
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((OOC: of course, not too long after the joe/annie log.))
Annie: Annie lays on her bed, staring at the wall. She just wants to sit there and do nothing, but maybe, just maybe, she thinks her mother might make her feel better. She picks up the phone, calling her
Elizabeth: Elizabeth hears the phone ring and excuses herself, leaving Ellie and Gus to play with each other. "Hello?"
Annie: Annie sighs, hearing her mother's voice, "Hey." She says quietly.
Elizabeth: "Annie? How are you?"
Annie: "I'm fine, I just-" Another sigh, "I just called to apologize for being such a bitch the other day..." Pause. "I didn't-I didn't mean to do that, So... I'm sorry."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth frowned, it wasn't like Annie to apoligize, or admit she was wrong. "Apology accepted, are you okay?"
Annie: Annie stares at the pattern of the stitching on her bed sheets, "Did you know the stitching on the sheets here are like... little circles?" Pause, "I didn't know someone could stitch something in little circles... they could, but you know what I mean."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth thinks, Oh boy, she's off the deep end again, "Annie, where are you?"
Annie: "I'm at the White House." Annie says softly, almost like she's deep in thought, "I'm still trying to figure this stitching out."
Elizabeth: "Annie, are you in your room there? Does Grandma know you are there?"
Annie: Annie shrugs like Elizabeth can see her, "I'm fine."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth nods, she'll try a different approach, "Okay, honey. You sound kind of sad."
Annie: "Really, Mommy." Annie swallows, shaking her head, "I'm fine... Don't worry about me." Pause. "You have bigger, better things to worry about."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth is very worried, Annie never calls her Mommy, "What happened honey?"
Annie: "Nothing." Annie shakes her head again, "Nothing, I fixed it. Nothing happened."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth frowns, "What did you fix?"
Annie: She's quiet, closing her eyes as she speaks, "I don't want to say because you'll yell at me, and I really don't feel like being yelled at right now..."
Elizabeth: "I won't yell, what did you fix?"
Annie: "I think... I hope... I talked to Joe." She swallows.
Elizabeth: "You talked to Joe about your little indescretion? And you tried to fix it?" Elizabeth's mind whirls as she tries to get a handle on what exactly Annie did.
Annie: "Yeah." Annie says quietly.
Elizabeth: "What did he say?"
Annie: "He said it wasn't my fault, but it is, I know it's my fault and I had to fix it, so I think I did." She's speaking quickly, "I told him to call her and I hope he does because I don't want him to be upset and I don't want her to be- whatever- I just want them to be okay. I told him it was my fault."
Elizabeth: "Honey, Annie, slow down. It's okay, it's okay. You made a mistake, you apoligized and you tried to sort it out. That's a good thing." Elizabeth wished she could give her daughter a hug as Annie had actually listened to her for once.
Annie: "I want to fix it." Annie puts her hand to her forehead, rubbing it.
Elizabeth: "You tried, that's the good thing. What he does is his own choice." Elizabeth hoped to God he did something, for both Annie and Amy's sake. "Are you busy tonight? Aunt Ellie is here. Would you like to have dinner with us?"
Annie: "Aunt Ellie's there?" Her voice soft, a little surprised.
Elizabeth: "Yes, she's in town. It would be a quiet dinner, just the three of us, four if Gus behaves."
Annie: "I-I'm not too hungry... I don't know." She sighs, "Maybe..."
Elizabeth: Elizabeth doesn't want to push her daughter, "Afterwards? For desert and just some catching up?"
Annie: "If I'm there, I'm there. If I'm not, I'm not. Don't wait up for me."
Elizabeth: She decides to nudge her daughter a bit, "You know how Ellie is, she'd never ask for herself. But she would love to see you."
Annie: "Maybe tomorrow or something." Annie shrugs, "Hey, Mommy, I've got to go, but... I love you."
Elizabeth: "Okay Honey, and Annie, thank you for apoligizing, I'm proud of you. And I love you."
Annie: Annie hangs up, not saying anything more. Watching her phone sit on the reciever.
Elizabeth: Elizabeth frowns, and hits the speed dial for Abbey's private number.
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| 5-17-2005 |
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As soon as it had began it was over.
I just wish I could find a way to thank the one who showed me what was really going on.
You may not know who you are but thank you, you saved me a lot of time and pain.
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| 5-18-2005 |
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[private]
I'm not very introspective, but this has been bothering me.
Joe wanted a relationship beyond meeting for sex - I told him to leave.
Josh wanted to define our relationship, in order to take it to the next level - I wouldn't.
All of my single friends, those my age, bemoan the fact that there aren't any available men willing to settle down into a committed relationship.
Why do I attract the few who are?
Why do I shy away once they declare their intentions?
And why shouldn't I? Josh wanted commitment. Yet, when I needed him, after I resigned, that bastard turned away from me.
Elizabeth told me I needed to stop playing the field, to settle down.
Like she lives in marital bliss?
Why did she say that?
Why should I?
Why have I been pondering this?
[/private]
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| 5-22-2005 |
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Donna: **************************************
Donna: Donna finally gets around to visiting the basement offices. Most specifically, those of the resident Republican and White House counsel. She's got some questions about a fairness in broadcasting thing that's been mentioned lately. Plus, she's starting to realize that she's barely seen him since he started months ago.
Joe: After the Friday Joe had he was anxious to get back to the office to see if my Friday night outing had any ramifications but instead he found the same desk and work as usual, a bit disappointed he went about his work reviewing the language for H.R. 3345
Donna: Cautiously stepping down the narrow stairs and skirting a few boxes with god knows what in them, Donna raps lightly on the open door frame. "Hey Joe. Do you have a few minutes?"
Joe: "Sure Donna I have all the time in the world, as long as it has nothing to do with H.R. 3345.
Donna: She smiles at him. "No, you don't have to worry about that." She takes a step or two into the office. "Have you heard anything about the Fairness in Broadcasting thing that's being brought up again?"
Joe: "I've heard of the concept and the old rules, I didn't know it was coming up again."
Donna: "Ok, maybe that's overstating it. But I was curious about a few things." She takes a quick look around to see if there's anywhere to sit.
Joe: "I see, with the Republicans in control of the House and Senate I doubt it would pass, even be brought up, in any case what would you like to know."
Donna: Seeing not much beside a rather rickety wooden chair, Donna takes a seat. "Well, I guess that's it exactly. What do the Republicans have against it? Keeping government out of private enterprise is one thing, but wouldn't this be helpful to them as well? Fair and balanced and all?"
Joe: "In theory yes it would be, however when you look at the substance of the thing it really hurts Republicans, plus it's regualting business a bit much for our tastes."
Donna: Donna snorts a bit at that. "Because that's always the important part." She takes another look around the office. "Do you ever get out of this basement? I don't think I ever see you around in the mess or Starbucks or anything. And trust me, I'be been running into everyone lately." Like Josh's ex-girlfriends.
Joe: Joe think's he should get out more, this is the second woman in three days to ask him that, he's probably missing out on things. "Well we believe in a bit more free system of enterprise than the Democrats, and no I don't get out much, I work late a lot plus I'm not much of a social butterfly."
Donna: "Just seems like a waste, to spend so much time down here." Donna shrugs and then looks more closely at Joe. "You're not a secret vampire or anything are you?" Of course she's joking. She's gotten the basic answers to her questions, but she's not in a big hurry to go back to her office.
Joe: "Well if I was a secret vampire I'm sure I wouldn't tell you, if I told you you might call Buffy or something and kill me."
Donna: "I don't know, I think there might be better ways to torture you than with diminutive blonds. We could just send Margaret down here to talk to you about calorie counts. Or Ed and Larry to talk policy," she jokes.
Joe: "Ok Margaret I remember from when Josh ran me in from of Mr. McGarry, who are Ed and Larry?"
Donna: "Margaret is hard to forget," Donna agrees. "Skinny pale guy and a friendly Asian guy? Always seen together? Those are Ed and Larry. You really /don't/ get out much, do you?" And Donna laughs a little.
Joe: "No not really, I'm usually down here in my own private dungeon or at home."
Donna: Donna grins at him. "I don't know. I think I would spend more time at home if I could. There must be a way to run the country from a condo, right? Who needs a historical mansion when there's cable and tivo and comfortable furniture at home."
Joe: "That might work, however in my line of work it would be a bit more interesting, especially the trial part. Plus I doubt anyone would want to keep their home that clean to recieve clients all day."
Donna: "We actually send White House counsel to trial? Hmm. I thought we just kept you around for policy advise." She stands and grabs her folder. "So you honestly think this Fairness is broadcasting thing won't become an issue?"
Joe: "Well I don't go trial, but in theory I could, and if you keep me around for policy advice I'm obviously underused. And yes I'm pretty sure Fairness in Broadcasting wont become an issue in this Congress, besides the business argument you have to remember who most of the Top Ten Radio shows in the country are, even if the business aspect was gone, why would we want to give equal share to radio shows that, frankly, no one is listening to."
Donna: "Fairness?" Donna suggests, suddenly serious after all the joking from before. "And the rights of the people to know all aspects and issues regardless from which side of the aisle it orginiated?"
Joe: "They have the right to know, by going out and looking for it themselves, why should it be up to a radio station to put on programming that will lose money for them. It isn't radio, TV's or even the internet's job to be fair and show all sides, it is something that it is up to people themselves to do. Plus it's too subjective, if you want to do the Major Networks are liberal argument that would mean you'd have to have another nightly network news half-hour with a anchor and reporters who are suspected of being, but not overlty, biased. The government can't make life fair."
Donna: Donna sighs. This is the problem. He's right and she knows it, but she doesn't /want/ it to be right. "But what about the people who don't know where to look? Or that what they're being told is biased? Someone needs to look out for them. And if it's not their governement, than I don't know who it should be."
Joe: "Simple, ask someone. Or if you have access to a computer you can do a Google search for Republican and Democrat and get more than enough information. The other problem is our, and I mean our as in people who work in governemnt, our arrogance that everyone wants to know about us. Most people don't care what we do day to day, most people don't care about stem cells and gay marriage or trade policy with china or sanctions against Cuba. Most people just want to live their lives without being told what to do, and most of them want to know why they have to pay so much taxes but that's another discussion. Everything everyone says is biased to how they see things that's human nature, and I think most people who want to know, know that as well."
Donna: "You're very good at this, the arguing thing," Donna tells him with a small smile. "We /should/ have you out trying cases. But I've wasted enough of your time with things I probably already know."
Joe: "Well just for the compliment it was worth the debate, and if you want to tell Babbish I should be out arguing feel free. And thanks for coming down to visit. Plus it's always good to talk about things you know, makes sure you know about them."
Donna: "YOu're welcome. I'll make it a point to come down more often," she promises. "But you should still probably get out more." And then it's out the door for her and up the stairs to the land of sunlight and coffee.
Joe: Joe think's he should get out more, maybe after he's done making sure Angolans could be eligible for Temporary Protected Status, and then he could sign off on H.R. 3345, and maybe get out of the office at a decent time tonight.
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| 5-24-2005 |
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Joe Quincy ( | | | | |
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