A Knock on the Door:
A Knock that Lasts
Ali Cherry
Sam watched as Josh glared at the mirror, his bowtie tangled around his neck. Sam smiled as Josh looked at his shaking hands.
“Do you need help, Josh?” He asked, his own tie neatly done.
“Yes.” Josh growled at his image, and then at Sam as he got up from his relaxed position. “Shouldn't you be the one that's nervous?”
Sam reached out and straightened the fabric and deftly tied it, straightening it with flicks of his fingers.
“The first time, I had to have the Priest tie my bowtie. I was all thumbs.” Sam said non-committal.
“So what this is just a rehash?” Josh smoothed his hair with his hand, causing it to stand on end. Sam grabbed a comb and handed it to Josh who dropped it.
“This is just show.”
“A very expensive show.” The President said as he walked into the room, followed by Charlie.
“Hey, Charlie. Is my mother in her seat?” Josh asked suddenly.
“Yeah, right where you said, and I believe that she pulled out a roll of duct tape and is holding it in her lap.” Charlie plopped down on a settee and put his feet up on the table.
“What are you up to?” Sam's face was a mask of horror.
“Mrs. McGarry is going to be sitting between Leo and my mother.”
“She's not . . .?”
“Not if Jenny behaves herself.” The President remarked straightening his cuffs in the mirror and checking his image.
“Are we positive she's going to behave?” Toby asked coming in, his jacket over his shoulder and his cufflinks undone.
“She'll behave.” Leo was followed by Bill and Jacob, who were strangely quiet in the wake of the chief of staff.
“It really doesn't matter whether she does or not.” Sam moved forward to help Toby with his cuffs.
“Yes, it does, half the Congress and ambassadors are out there. It will be a huge embarrassment if she has a fit in the middle of the wedding.” Toby tried to pull his cuff out of Sam's hands.
“What and call me unfit for marriage to her daughter?”
“Yes. And would you please leave me alone, I'm not five; I can do my own cuffs.”
Sam raised his hands up in surrender and smiled as Toby fiddled some more.
“Fine, fix them.” Toby held his arm out, so that Sam's long fingers could neatly insert the cufflinks and position them.
Josh, Leo, Charlie and the President smiled at the domesticity between the men.
“Shut up.” Toby glared at them as Sam held his jacket out for Toby to slide his arms in.
“So are we sure that Mrs. McGarry is going to be quiet?”
“Josh's mom has duct tape.” Sam grinned as Toby reached over and straightened his bowtie.
“Nice to know that Home Depot has its uses.” Toby stopped fidgeting with Sam's tie, and turned towards the rest of them. “Josh stop messing up your hair. And where's the ring?”
Josh felt his pockets. “I have it—” Josh ran his hands over all of his pockets. “I gave it to Donna to hold on. Hold on.” Josh darted out the door, as the group started laughing.
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Mallory smiled as CJ cursed another pair of nylons. A knock on the door brought her attention to her visitor, Abby dressed in a conservative spring suit smiled adoringly.
“You are going to knock his socks off, kid.” Abby brushed a hand over Mallory's forehead and gave her a wink.
“Especially since he hasn't seen this dress yet.” Mallory looked at where her dress sat on a mannequin waiting for her.
“We have to find some way of keeping them off balance.” CJ came up behind them, struggling with the zipper of her dress. Zoey walked over and pushed CJ's hands out of the way.
“Can't we just be done with this?” Mallory asked suddenly, eyeing her dress. “I just want it to be eleven o'clock and be in an airline seat on the way to our honeymoon.”
“Tough cookies. You have to have the marriage part.” CJ smiled smoothing her hair back from her face. “I'm going to go check on Carol.”
“Where's my mom?” Mallory looked around the room, hesitant to put on her dress without her mother.
“I'll go find her, and we'll get you all trussed up.” Abby opened the door to the suite to come face to face with Jenny. “I was just going to find you. Are you ready, Jenny?”
Jenny McGarry's face was set politely with harsh lines around her eyes and mouth. “Let's get this over with.” She said softly so Mallory wouldn't hear.
Abby nodded, and led the way back to Mallory and Zoey.
The ladies helped Mallory slide into her dress without mussing her hair or veil. Jenny smiled at her daughter. “You look so beautiful, baby.” She wrapped Mallory in her arms and sniffled delicately.
“Thanks, Mom.” Mallory stepped back and wiggled a little, settling everything where it belonged.
“Are you ready?” Abby asked.
“Are you sure?” Jenny asked.
“Yes, and yes. Let's get this over with.” Mallory smiled at Zoey who was entertaining the flower girl. “Zoey will you go round up the rest of the bridesmaids? It's almost time.”
“Sure thing, Mal.”
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Sam stared out across the ocean of people seated before him, and tried not to let his eyes widen. He felt Josh step into place behind him.
“Remind me to explain the concept of small and tasteful to the President,” Sam muttered softly. Josh chuckled and slapped him on the back.
“Behave you two.” Toby growled. Sam smiled slightly at the tremble in Toby's voice. The Priest appeared to Sam's right, and the string quartet drifted off, only to start the Chorale and Shaker Dance as The President and First Lady were seated beside Mrs. Landingham and Kathy in the front. Next Charlie escorted Jenny down the aisle and took his place with the groomsmen. Sam lost track of the different people filing down the long narrow carpet expanse, until Leo and Mallory stood at the end.
Sam's brain shorted out. Mallory looked gorgeous in that dress, that he was pretty sure he had never seen her in. He felt Josh jostle him a bit, and he closed his mouth and stood up straighter. He could see in the corner of his eye, the First Lady pat her husband's arm in amusement.
Leo's voice squeaked a bit as he offered Mallory to Sam, and Sam noticed that his own hand was shaking as he clasped Mallory's delicate palm. The rest of the world melted away as Sam stared into Mallory's eyes and saw his future. He could see their Sundays spent lounging together, the paper spread around the room, arguments punctuated with kisses, and complaints about the state of public education. He could see them standing off to the side smiling as their own children took their vows, and he could see Mallory smile at him at ninety, her hair still slightly reddish, and her eyes dark with emotion.
“I do.” Sam said clearly, inviting the future with its pains and losses, it's wonders and joys, into his heart.
He reached up and wiped a tear away from Mallory's cheek, smiling; she chuckled and answered, “I do,” with a hearty voice, and a sniffle.
“May I have the rings, please?” Father Christopher asked. Sam and Mallory turned away from each other and looked at their best friends. Sam smiled as Josh patted all of his pockets in panic. In the second row, Donna stood up and shook the jewelry box in her hand. Josh's eyes widened, but he caught the box as it came sailing over the President's head. Sam took the ring from Josh and handed it to the Priest.
He felt the past and the present lock into place as Mallory slid the ring on his finger; the gold band winking in the twilight of the ceremony. And then the Father said, “I pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride.”
Sam bent down to kiss Mallory, stopping only to whisper, “I love you.”
“Did you notice my mother didn't object?” She smiled at the group of people before them, her hand firmly gripping his arm, as they waited patiently for the press to get their pictures.
“I thought that was because Josh's mom had duct tape.”
“Tell me you're joking.” Mallory growled through her smile.
“It wasn't my idea. I didn't even approve it.” Sam winced a bit in pain as Mallory's nails dug in past his tuxedo.
The Social Director stepped forward and directed the guests to the reception as the wedding photographer moved forward to get more pictures.
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“Is it almost time to go?” Sam asked Mallory as she joined him on the dance floor for one last dance. The other couples on the dance floor cleared out, leaving the newlyweds to dance by themselves.
“Yes, thank god!” Mallory sighed and leaned against Sam's shoulder. “We are never getting married again.”
“I'm holding you to that.”
“My feet hurt.”
“Think, plane, warm, tropical drinks, secluded beach, you, me, a bed, a bath, and room service.”
“Sounds good.”
“We have a lot of protection too.” Sam whispered in her ear.
“Really.”
“The whole office chipped in to buy a basket of condoms so that we'd make it through re-election.” Sam watched the flush travel up Mallory's cheeks. She whacked him hard with fist.
“I told you I didn't want Kathy knowing our procreational activities.”
“It's not like I made an appointment for it. They thought it would funny.”
“It would be if it were Josh.” Mallory conceded. They continued to sway to the music as people filed out to front lawn where their car waited.
“Can you believe your mother didn't kill me when we danced?” Sam asked softly.
“I noticed you didn't talk much.”
“But we didn't kill each other. It's a step in the right direction.”
“Uncle Harold asked me when the baby was due.”
“I'm not sure if that's a step in the right direction or not.”
The music ended and the two looked at their friends waiting for them by the door.
“Are you ready to be bubbled?” CJ asked the couple as they walked towards the senior staff.
Sam looked at Mallory and smiled. “Bring them on.”
The bubble line took them quite a long time to get through as they stopped to talk to old friends they hadn't seen in a while but soon Mallory and Sam were in a limo headed for the airport.
“Sam?”
“Yeah?” He asked, his attention on the little flowers that decorated her hair.
“Thank you for knocking on my door. The night of the midterms.”
“Thank you for letting me in, for coming to ream me out after that Ainsley Hayes incident.” Sam kissed the hollow beneath her ear.
“Did you forget your pager?” Her hands slid around his belt line.
“On purpose.”
“Good.” Mallory sighed again as Sam's hands wandered over her dress and skin, skimming lightly things she wanted him to touch. “My mother's wrong, you aren't going to die on me.
“Knock on glass.” Sam reached over and knocked on the glass window.
“Knock on glass.” Mallory kissed Sam, remembering their first kiss; they way his body heat and aftershave made her weak in the knees, the feeling of the counter behind her, the phone ringing.
She remembered the soft kisses on her shoulder the night she found out her student had died. The press of his body, after the food fight, in her kitchen; and the peace she found when she was wrapped in his arms, the sounds of night, drifting in their bedroom window.
“I love you, Sam Seaborn.”
“And I love you, Mallory Anne McGarry O'Brien Seaborn.” Sam kissed her for each name and she smiled.
“That's yes, dear to you.”
“Yes, dear.” Sam smiled and turned look out the window at Dulles International Airport rising before them.
A Knock on the Door: See, I Told You
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