A Knock on the Door:
Terms of Engagement
Ali Cherry
Sam knocked lightly on the door to the Oval Office and waited for the President to acknowledge him.
“Come on in, Sam.” Sam walked in and narrowed his eyes as he watched the rest of the senior staff file in from Leo's office.
“Good evening, Mr. President.” Sam said carefully his eyes taking in CJ and Josh's downcast faces.
“Why don't you have a seat, Sam?” The President patted the couch next to his chair as every one else filled in the remaining places on the couches and Leo took the other chair.
“It's come to our attention Sam that,” Toby stopped to clear his throat and look directly at Sam. “That you and Mallory are living with each other. CJ got asked a question about it today so…” Toby trailed off and looked away from Sam.
“You're damage controlling my love life?” Sam asked incredulously. He glared at CJ and Josh who wouldn't meet his eyes.
“It's important to know, Sam that we understand that you and Mallory are adults and that you are engaged.” The President was using the tone he used when talking to Zoey and Annie. Sam's internal barometer began to rise steadily.
CJ cleared her throat and looked at the President instead of at Sam. “Mary Marsh has started her Family Values Campaign and we think at this time, it would be better…”
Leo shot them all, his look. “For God's sake…Sam you're going to move in with Josh until you and Mallory are married.”
“No.”
“Yes, Sam. You are.” Toby sighed from his place beside Sam.
“Sam, we don't need the controversy. . .” The President began.
“I understand that. But with all due respect Mr. President, I'm not moving in with Josh.” Sam glared at his best friend from across the room. Josh looked up and met his eyes, his face innocent.
“Are there reasons you won't move in with Josh, that have nothing to do with Mallory?” Toby asked quietly.
“He never does laundry, he watches very bad syndicated shows until three in the morning, he plays country music, he thinks Top Ramon is a delicacy. He snores, he likes to wake me up for Ice Cream at two in the morning and he babbles about being an outdoorsman when he can't even light a fire in a fireplace. That and I am about ten seconds away from killing him.”
Josh fidgeted in his seat while CJ looked at him sympathetically.
“Yes, well…” Toby cleared his throat again.
The President looked at Josh. “Didn't you tell me that you didn't do nature, Joshua?”
Leo smirked from his place in the chair.
“So you are willing to move out?” Toby asked quietly.
Sam narrowed his eyes at Josh and CJ. “If the terms are right. And as long as it's not Josh, you or Leo that I'm moving in with.”
“Agreed.” Toby and Leo said together, the look of relief on their faces almost comical. “Mr. President. I think that Sam and I can come to a compromise on the terms. So…” Toby trailed off and the rest of the senior staff looked at the President.
“Fine, Fine. I'd like to know the terms when you come up with them and this is only until June, all right Sam?”
“What's in June, Mr. President?” Sam asked innocently.
“Oh—well-- Sam. Abbey and I would like to host a small tasteful wedding for you and Mallory in June. Around the ninth, I think was what Abbey mentioned.”
“I don't know, Mr. President. This is Mallory's big day. I think that she should be making those kind of decision, don't you?” Sam's eyes opened wide as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
“Well of course, Sam. We should definitely consult with Mallory on this. I'll have Abbey call her.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Okay, it that it?” Leo asked the group. They nodded their heads and stood up.
“Toby don't forget to talk to me before you leave.” The President smiled and waved them away, getting up to move behind his desk. CJ and Josh lingered behind the rest of the group as they walked towards their offices.
“Do we know how much we got played on that, yet?” CJ asked Josh quietly.
“Sam's is a quiet revenge. And he knows he can argue Toby into something he wouldn't try with you.”
“So in a few minutes we're going to get terms not unlike that of a gun-control bill?”
“Yeah, basically. Plus, I want to know what was up with that innocent act and asking Mallory. They're up to something.”
“Joshua. They aren't supposed to know about the June wedding, that made sense.”
“You do not understand Sam, then.” Josh sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “He's up to something.”
“Paranoid freak.” CJ muttered as she left Josh standing in the hall.
@@
“I just need a moment, Toby.” Sam gestured to his secretary. Toby nodded and proceeded quietly into his own office, shutting the door. Sam meandered over to Kathy's desk and leaned against it, folding his arms across his chest, waiting for her to acknowledge him.
“Yes?” She turned to him with a glare, but Sam just smiled. He motioned over Bonnie and Ginger. They joined Sam and Kathy, huddling together.
“I need your help.”
“What now?” Kathy asked.
“I want to hurt Josh. Badly. I want files to disappear; I want him to be stuck with the crappiest assignments. I want him buried in legal briefs and depositions. And all the other things that assistants do to their bosses when they're angry at them.”
“Why?” Ginger asked. “It's not like I won't help, I just want to know why.”
“He reneged on a deal. He went behind my back to the President who doesn't know something and he reneged.”
“Well that was vague.” Bonnie leaned out of the huddle.
“Is this about you and Mallory, and that thing?” Kathy asked suddenly.
“Yes.” Sam said pointing to her.
“Vegas?” Bonnie asked suddenly. She lowered her voice. “You eloped, didn't you?”
Sam glared at Kathy.
“I didn't say anything.”
“OH MY GOD!” Ginger screeched.
Sam, Kathy, and Bonnie all shushed her. The group gathered closer together.
“Didn't you know about the wedding the President's throwing?” Ginger asked.
“No.”
“What happened?” Bonnie asked.
“CJ and Josh found out and made us…” Sam flailed his arms.
Ginger grabbed Sam's left hand. “You can't tell anyone.” She stated sadly looking at the bare third finger. Sam yanked his hand out of her grip.
“But Mallory moved in.” Kathy put in softly.
“Josh went to the President. I'm moving out…Toby and I are coming up with terms, so—“
“He will pay.” Ginger glared at Sam. Her voice echoed deeply. Sam backed away slightly.
“Donna can't know.” Sam whispered softly.
“She won't have to know. Besides, plausible deniability.”
“Yeah.”
“SAM! We're getting this done, before your wedding!” Toby called out. Sam grabbed his folder and walked away, smiling at the group of women talking softly around Kathy's desk.
Toby peeked out and gazed at the three of them. “They're up to no good. I can smell it.”
Sam smiled at Toby. “You're being paranoid. I just told Kathy about the wedding and I think they're trying to figure out what to wear.”
Toby grunted and shut the door after Sam.
@@
Toby knocked quietly on the door to the oval office and stepped in. “Mr. President?”
“Toby, what can I do for you?” The President was moving rapidly around his desk, looking at this file and that; discarding a few here and there.
“The terms.”
“Right, right. You and Sam figure everything out?” The President didn't look up.
“Sir, it didn't go according to plan.” Toby stated quietly.
The President stopped what he was doing and looked at Toby.
“He was better prepared then we thought. I think he knew this was coming, sir.”
The President sighed and made his way around his desk to the chair. “All right, what did we come up with?”
Toby handed the President a sheet of paper and sat down with one of his own. The President pulled out his glasses and looked at the paper again. “You both agreed there aren't going to be any sleepovers, right?”
“Yes, sir. Although he made the not unreasonable point, that he wasn't agreeing to no sex as a general rule.”
“God forbid, Sam went without his—“
“Mr. President, could you please not finish that sentence?”
“Of course, Toby.”
“He and Mallory are allowed two nights alone, and public dates whenever they have time.”
“Two nights?”
“Mr. President, being watched as they are going to be for the next few weeks isn't healthy.”
“Yes, yes. I know.” The President sighed. “Let's try not to let two nights happen. I don't even get two nights with my wife.”
“Yes, Mr. President.” Toby looked back at his paper. ”There will be no overly obnoxious displays of affection while in public.”
“Perhaps you could clarify that for me.”
“Hugging, chaste kisses, holding hands, a gentle embrace. These are—“
“Sam's words.”
“Yes, sir. These things are fine. There however will be no sex in the office, no grabbing of butts, no looking for tonsils, no sugar buns and no sweetheart calling.”
“Those are your words?” The President asked, waiting for Toby's nod. “What else?”
“Sam will have to finish all his work before he's able to go on a date with Mallory. Unless it's a function he's attending with you or the First Lady. Or a school function for Mallory.”
“That sounds a bit like Cinderella there, Toby.”
“With all due respect Mr. President, he is my deputy.”
“Of course, Toby.”
“On the off chance he gets sick. He goes to his home, not where he's staying. He had a point that being sick makes you care about two things Mr. President.”
“Those being?”
“Your own bed and someone to bring you Kleenex, chicken soup and the remote.”
“True.”
“There is a clause that the First Lady has to deem him sick or a doctor from a reputable emergency room; the sickness also needs to be confirmed with whoever Sam is staying with.”
“Is this a contract?”
“Well…”
“Never mind.” The President waved away the rest. “Is that it?” Toby nodded. “Have we agreed on a person yet, to house him?”
“Charlie.”
“Charlie? As in my personal aid?”
“Yes, sir. Charlie agreed to do it, so—“
“Fine.” The President looked back at his paper. “He was prepared?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do we know who tipped him off?”
“Mr. President, contrary to popular belief, Sam isn't stupid.”
“I know. Was there anything else?” The President asked.
“No, sir. But I think my assistants are planning to kill me.”
“Well as long as it's nothing important, have a nice night, Toby.”
@@
Sam opened the door to his house and sighed. Rolling his neck, he sighed. He stretched his back next, feeling the pop as each spine realigned. “Ouch.” In the other room he heard the drone of the television. “Mallory?” Sam called.
“Abbey called.” Mallory yelled back.
“Yeah, listen you know how we talked about the other shoe dropping?” Sam moved toward the kitchen, noticing again the way Mallory had taken over his house. Well their house. Her stuff had snuck into every corner and table surface in the month since their wedding.
“Abbey came over, Sam.” Mallory called out again.
“I'm sorry, I was going to call you but I had a meeting with—” Sam reached the kitchen and looked at the secret service and the First Lady who inhabited his kitchen. “Oh. Hello, ma'am.” Sam smiled at her. Then he noticed the pictures on the table. He looked at Mallory. “Are we in trouble?”
Mallory glared at the wedding pictures. “Yes.”
“Ma'am, you can't tell anyone.” Sam pleaded with the First Lady.
Abbey looked at Sam and Mallory, quietly looking them over. “Mallory told me about your little foray into married life, and Josh and CJ.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“I won't tell anyone, but it's going to get out eventually.”
“We only have a month and a half until the wedding, ma'am.”
“But you're living together.” The First Lady pointed out.
Mallory jumped into the conversation. “That was what Sam was talking about when he walked in. The other shoe was when Josh and CJ went to the President to get him to intervene.”
“And my husband fell right into it, didn't he?”
“To be honest ma'am. It is a problem, since Mary Marsh—“
“Mary Marsh is always doing something, and my husband doesn't usually cower—“
“We're coming up on re-election, ma'am.” Sam's voice dropped and quieted.
Abbey looked at Sam. “We have a few months though.”
“It's now, ma'am.”
“Okay.” Abbey chewed on what Sam said for a while. “Does my husband—“
“Leo is keeping it off his plate, but I think he suspects.”
Abbey nodded.
“Mallory and I aren't wholly without rights, ma'am.”
“What do you mean, Sam?”
“Toby and I came up with terms of engagement, I suppose.” Sam put the paper on which he had written the rules, on the table.
“Is it what we discussed?” Mallory asked, her concern evident.
“Of course, it went exactly like I said it would. Toby is such a push over.”
Abbey and Mallory looked at Sam in disbelief.
“He is. Really.”
“Sam—“
“I've been with him for a few years now. I know Toby. He's a big ole softy.”
Mallory looked over at Abbey. “Toby's the other woman.”
“I tried to warn you.” Abbey smiled.
“Yes, you did. Now it's too late.”
“Husband in the room.” Sam got up and started to fix the coffee pot.
Abbey pulled the list of rules over to read. “Are these all of them?”
“Yeah, we each have our own loopholes. Toby's is I have to finish all my work before I can play.” Sam wrinkled his nose at Mallory.
“You know,” Abbey smiled slightly. “There are a lot of benefit concerts coming up. Fundraisers. And I think my Chief of Staff's going to go on Vacation very soon. Sam will have to come with me, if not the President and Sam.” Abbey looked at Sam. “There are loopholes in everything.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Call me Abbey, Sam. After all we're out to outsmart the senior staff of the President together.”
“Yes, ma'am.” Sam smiled. He loved it when a plan came together. Oh wait that was from that old eighties television show.
@@
Mallory and Sam reclined on the couch after the First Lady left, savoring the last few minutes of uninterrupted togetherness. Sam held Mallory's hand in his; her fingers long and delicate were nimble needles that stitched up the tears in his heart. Her nails were hard and strong, easily capable of ripping into him when he was wrong. These hands belonged to his wife, a woman who wore his ring. A woman who vowed to stay with him always.
“Mallory?”
“Yeah.”
“You meant that til death due us part, right? You aren't going to leave when you get tired of me? You won't go out and find a—I don't know-- a Hockey player or anything, right?”
Mallory turned around and glared at him. “Sam—“ she growled deep in her chest.
“I mean. . . I know you meant it. I know you love me, but—” Sam stopped and sighed. “I need to hear the words sometimes, Mallory.”
“I meant all that til death due you part stuff, Sam.” Mallory's voice didn't soften. “I would never date a hockey player, not when I have you.” Mallory pulled out of his arms and stood up. “And I'm not Lisa.” Mallory started for the stairs, her body rigid with hurt.
Sam caught her from behind and pulled her closed to him, wrapping his arms around her, holding her close. “You're nothing like Lisa. You are my wife, my love. I know that. But it doesn't always mean that—” Sam sighed and started rocking Mallory's stiff body in his arms. “There is a reason that all the people I work with are single, Mallory. I know you love me, and that you forgive me late nights and planning our lives around the President and the media and. . . Everything.”
“You have to trust me, Sam. If not then I suggest—“
“No.” Sam pulled her closer, not letting her think of leaving him. “No. I trust you.” Sam's voice held an edge of desperation.
“Sam.” Mallory turned to face him, fighting Sam's suffocating arms. “I know that this isn't going to be easy. But I don't give up. I never have. If you want me to go away, you're going to have to fight me every step of the way.”
“I'm through fighting with you, Mallory.” Sam bent down and kissed Mallory harshly. Mallory gasped at the rough assault of Sam's hands on her body. His mouth tore away from the bruising kiss to nip lightly down her neck. Sam dropped to his knees.
“I'm right here, Baby. I'm not going anywhere.” Mallory whispered. Sam stopped. Resting his head against her belly, Mallory ran her hands through his hair, loving the soft wiry feel of it. “Our babies are going to be beautiful.” She told him.
“And smart.”
“Come to bed, Sam. Tomorrow we play a new game, with a new set of rules.”
“I'm sorry, Mallory.” Sam looked up from his knees and smiled weakly.
“I know. Trust me, Sam. I know what I got myself into.” Mallory sighed and stepped back. “Stay here.”
Mallory turned and ran upstairs. Sam stayed on his knees waiting for her patiently. When she came back down the stairs, she was smiling. She kneeled before him and took his left hand in hers. She softly slid his wedding band on his finger and smiled. Sam looked at her expectantly as she produced her own wedding band. Sam slid it on.
“Come to bed, Sam.” Mallory stood up and offered her hand to him. He took it and levered himself up, letting Mallory lead the way to the bedroom.
@@
Sam sighed as he walked into work. He had a suitcase and a garment bag in his car to take to Charlie's. He wanted to stop; to hold on to the feeling of Mallory in his arms but Kathy was walking towards him at full speed. Her eyes drifted down to his left hand and Sam's eyes widened in horror. He quickly shoved his left hand in his pocket.
“Good you're here.” Kathy didn't mention the wedding band on Sam's finger, and for that Sam was grateful. “We started last night. We got Donna drunk, so she called in sick this morning.”
Sam smiled. “Josh is doomed.”
“Yes, and just remember that the next time you call me into your office for something you don't truly need.”
“Thank you, Kathy.”
“You look like shit, Sam.”
“Mallory and I had a fight, last night.” Sam was unprepared for the hand that smacked him upside the head.
“Your last night with her and you fight? What stupid thing did you say to her?”
“None of your business and we made up, it just, it feels unsettled.”
“What color roses?” Kathy asked.
“Not roses.”
“Do you love her or not.” Kathy asked with a glare.
“Not roses. Flowers yes, Roses, no.”
“Sam. You want roses.” Kathy stopped and looked at him. “Trust me. Perfect red roses that smell good. This is what you want.”
“Okay.”
“You have five minutes to come up with some major groveling. Go.” Kathy pushed him towards his office and sat down in her chair. “Oh and Sam.”
Sam turned in the doorway to look out at Kathy. “Ring me when you're done.” She looked pointedly at Sam's left pocket.
“Yeah, thanks, Kathy.”
“Your welcome.”
@@
Sam looked up when he heard a familiar tap on the door. Mallory stood in the doorway, the bright illumination from the bullpen shining around her like the aura of an angel.
“Hey.” Sam spoke softly, putting aside his computer.
“Hey there.” Mallory moved in and closed the door behind her. “Kathy told me I should come collect something?”
Sam nodded and reached into his desk drawer to pull out the gold band. “I forgot I had it on this morning.” Sam held out his hand, the gold ring shining between them.
“Good.” Mallory set the bag she was carrying on Sam's desk and moved closer to him. “I don't want you to think about it every time it's on.”
“I wish you could take me home tonight.”
“My little Sam kitten.”
“I'm going home with Charlie.” Sam said to himself, grinning at Mallory. “As soon as I finish all the chores that my evil step-Toby gave me.”
“Don't stay too late, okay.” Mallory kissed Sam. “I brought you dinner. Eat it and get some sleep.” Mallory moved to walk away, but Sam stopped her.
“Hey.” With a soft caress of her palm, Sam deposited his wedding band in her hand. “For safe keeping.”
“Night, Sam.” Mallory opened the door to his office and walked out, her hand closed around his wedding band.
Toby walked in a few minutes later an evil look on his face. He glared at Sam as he stuffed his face with chow mien. “Evil Step Toby?”
Sam swallowed, smiling at Toby. “You shouldn't listen in to other people's conversations.”
Toby grunted at Sam. Turning away he stopped and looked back at Sam. “What was it you forgot you were wearing this morning?”
“You really don't want to know, Toby.”
“Do you think Ginger's trying to kill me?”
“Naw she gave up after the Danish attempt failed.” Sam shoved another forkful of Chow mien into his mouth to keep from laughing.
“I'm leaving now.”
“Have a nice night.”
A Knock on the Door: The Good, the Bad and the Mother-in-Law
A Knock on the Door page
HOME |
TITLE |
AUTHOR |
CATEGORY