Title: Shared Memories – Part Two Rebecca and George got on well. They had spent half an hour chatting about Walter before George had to go. The soup kitchen queues got long if you didn’t set off early, he told Rebecca. As he had told Toby. Who knew that the ten minute walk wouldn’t take even George an hour. But he didn’t contradict George. He had learned not to. *************** ‘Can I drop you somewhere?’ ‘No, don’t worry. I can take the Metro.’ ‘It’s no trouble. Please?’ ‘Okay. But I don’t live anywhere near. I can’t afford it.’ ‘That’s all right.’ ************* ‘Would you like to come in for a coffee? It’s a long drive back.’ Toby thought about it for a second. It was a Hell of a long drive back. He had never been so far out of the centre of Washington in his own car. And he wondered how he was going to find his way back. In the dark. But a half hour or so wasn’t going to make that much difference. He was sure he’d still get lost. He was tempted to abandon the car and get a cab back. But he’d have to collect the car in the morning, and early. Tuesday, for some reason he couldn’t work out, was always a busy in the West Wing and he always arrived early. But he saw Rebecca’s smile, and his mind was made up. ‘Thanks.’ Toby looked around the apartment. Rebecca had clearly done what she could with the shabby rooms, and they were brightly decorated with modern art prints and colourful rugs on the stained floors. ‘Come on in. Ignore the cat. She’s not mine. She just thinks she is. She’ll get on you if you sit in the armchair. I don’t think you want white hairs on your nice clothes. Stick to the couch. I don’t know why, but she doesn’t like it.’ Toby couldn’t help it. He looked down. He was wearing a heavy cable-knit sweater and jeans. Hardly his definition of ‘nice clothes’. And he could see why the perfectly-groomed cat wouldn’t like the couch. It had definitely seen better days. As had the armchair. ‘You want milk and sugar?’ Startled from his examination of Rebecca’s apartment, Toby called back: ‘No thanks. Just black.’ ‘So, what do you do in your job?’ Toby took the coffee mug from Rebecca and pondered the question. ‘I write things. Speeches, papers, whatever the President wants.’ ‘I’ve applied for a job as a White House guide. I love the Visitor Bureau, but I think I’d like to show people round a place, rather than just tell them how to get there.’ Toby smiled. ‘Maybe I could put in a good word.’ Rebecca looked uneasy. ‘Is that allowed?’ Toby nodded. ‘Yeah.’ Relaxing, Rebecca smiled. ‘Thank you.’ Finishing his coffee, Toby got up. ‘I should go.’ Rebecca nodded. ‘Yeah.’ She took his coffee mug from him and walked into the kitchen. By the time she came back, Toby had his coat on, and was rummaging in his pocket for his car keys. ‘Thanks for the coffee.’ ‘Any time.’ ‘See you next Monday?’ ‘Yes. Thank you for taking me to meet George. He’s really nice.’ ‘No problem. I go once a month. Sometimes more often.’ ‘I’d like to go with you next time.’ ‘Sure.’ Toby got into his car and flicked the light on. Rummaging in the glove compartment, he found a DC road map. Eventually, he worked out where he was. He laid the map face down on the passenger seat, open at the page showing the roads around him and started the car. As he pulled away, he saw Rebecca standing in the doorway to her apartment building. The peeling paint and crumbling plaster around the doorway were highlighted in the harsh light of the bulb above her. But she was bathed in the bright yellow-tinged glow. Toby waved and she waved back as he drove away. ************* ‘Rebecca Martin? Yeah, I have it here. Is there a problem with her application, Mr Ziegler?’ ‘Er, no. I was just wondering how far along her application was?.’ The woman consulted the file in front of her. ‘She’s been in for interview. She’s got a good background in the Visitor Bureau. I’d say she’d be on the list for the next vacancy.’ ‘When will that be?’ ‘We hire people all the time, Mr Ziegler. You want me to let you know when we hire Miss Martin?’ ‘No. I want you to hire her now.’ ‘Mr Ziegler, we can’t just hire someone without a vacancy.’ ‘Create one.’ The woman shook her head slowly. ‘I’ll see what I can do. Friend of yours, is she?’ If the comment was intended to embarrass Toby, he gave no sign that it had. ‘No.’ The Communications Director’s curt response to her question caught the woman off-guard. Concerned he had been offended, she said quickly: ‘You want me to let you know when she starts?’ ‘Yes. Thank you.’ The woman nodded. ‘Sure.’ ************* ‘Toby Ziegler.’ Ginger’s smile when she had told Toby there was a woman called Rebecca Martin on the phone for him stayed in Toby’s mind as he answered the call. ‘I got the letter this morning. I got the job in the White House.’ ‘Congratulations.’ ‘Thank you.’ ‘Don’t thank me. I didn’t do anything.’ ‘The woman who interviewed me said the wait could be between three and twelve months. That was three weeks ago. I think maybe you did something.’ Toby wasn’t sure how to respond. ‘Well…’ ‘Thank you. Again. Look, would you like to come to dinner, er, sometime. I’d like to thank you properly.’ ‘That would be nice.’ ‘Sunday? I could make lunch.’ ‘Okay. What time?’ ‘Around one?’ ‘I’ll see you then.’ ‘Bye.’ As Toby replaced the receiver, he closed his eyes for a long moment. He could just imagine the gossip which would have already started among the assistants. And he realised why Leo hadn’t, as far as he knew, had a date in the two or more years since his divorce. ************** ‘Toby, got a second?’ There was only one possible answer to Leo’s question which, while not appearing to be, was, in fact, rhetorical. You didn’t tell the Chief of Staff that, no, you were actually too busy to spare him any time, and could he please come back later? ‘Yeah.’ ‘You running an employment agency as a sideline?’ Lost, Toby settled for: ‘Leo?’ ‘Rebecca Martin? Ringing any bells yet Toby?’ Toby sighed inwardly. For some reason they hadn’t yet got to, Leo was cross about Rebecca. He just had time to begin wondering how on earth Leo had found out about her when Leo’s sharp anger interrupted his thoughts. ‘Well?’ ‘Leo, I met her…’ ‘You’re fixing up jobs for your girlfriends?!’ Toby felt his face colour. Rebecca wasn’t his girlfriend. Well, not exactly. ‘Leo, why do you care?’ ‘Toby, answer the damn’ question.’ Toby wasn’t sure he could. He couldn’t remember what the question had been. ‘I just asked how her application was going.’ ‘Toby, when the White House Communications Director asks about a potential employee, Personnel are inclined to think it might be a good idea to hire that person.’ ‘And?’ ‘If this got out, it’d be a nightmare.’ ‘Leo, you’re over-reacting. Rebecca’s working as a tour guide, not Secretary of Defense.’ As he spoke, Toby realised Leo was not appeased by his comment. ‘You’d better hope this doesn’t get out.’ ‘It won’t.’ Leo shook his head. As he walked towards the door, Toby had to ask: ‘Leo, how did you know about Rebecca?’ ‘Toby, I know everything that goes on in this building. Remember that, okay?’ Toby was angry at the implied threat. ‘Leo, I haven’t done anything wrong.’ ‘Maybe not legally.’ Leo was forced to concede the point, but couldn’t help adding: ‘I hope she’s worth it.’ Toby decided to ignore the sarcastic edge to Leo’s voice. ‘Yeah, she is.’ Alone in his office, the sound of the slamming door still ringing in his ears, Toby said softly: ‘You really need to get laid Leo.’ *************** ‘Hi. Come in.’ ‘Hi. I bought this. I didn’t know what you’d like.’ Rebecca took the bottle Toby held. She didn’t recognise the name of the wine, but she smiled anyway. ‘Thanks. Dinner’s nearly ready. Can you set the table?’ ‘Sure. How was your first week?’ ‘Great. The people are so nice.’ ‘Want to swap jobs?’ ‘No way. I like my job.’ ‘I don’t.’ Rebecca laughed at Toby’s depressed face. ‘You need cheering up.’ ‘You have any suggestions?’ ‘Yeah. Okay, sit down and I’ll open the wine. You driving?’ ‘No. I got a cab.’ ‘From the White House all the way out here?’ ‘No, from my place all the way out here. It’s Sunday and the President allows us to have a few hours off.’ Rebecca laughed again. ‘I heard he’s a really nice guy.’ ‘Oh, he is.’ ‘But?’ ‘What?’ ‘You sounded like you meant someone else isn’t nice.’ Toby stared at Rebecca as she walked back into the kitchen. He hadn’t realised how perceptive she was. ‘The Chief of Staff thinks we should work seven days a week.’ ‘He’s the one who used to be an alcoholic, right?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘I think I’d like to meet the President. But not the Chief of Staff.’ Toby smiled. ‘Perhaps you could get lost doing a tour and end up in the Oval Office.’ ‘Yeah, and get fired. No thanks. I’ll just hope he’s walking around one day.’ ‘Good idea. You need a hand with anything?’ ‘No, everything’s fine. You could open the wine if you like. Corkscrew’s in the top drawer.’ ************** Leo walked out of the West Wing and over to the guard at the visitor’s entrance. ‘Hi.’ The guard recognised the Chief of Staff and was unnerved by his presence. ‘Sir?’ ‘I wanted to watch a tour.’ ‘There’s one just starting now Sir. You can watch on the monitor in the office.’ ‘Okay.’ ‘Hi. Can everyone hear me? My name is Rebecca. If you have any questions as we go, please shout out. Okay, off we go.’ ‘Thanks.’ Leo nodded to the guard as he walked out of the small room and back to his office. He sat quietly for a few minutes before Margaret interrupted his thoughts. ‘Leo, you have a meeting.’ ‘Thanks.’ Leo pulled himself up and walked into the Oval Office. ************** ‘Leo, got a second?’ Toby half-expected Leo to make some excuse. ‘Er, yeah. What do you need Toby?’ Toby closed his office door. ‘If and when my relationship with Rebecca becomes a problem for the Administration, I’ll let you interfere. Until then, please keep out of my private life.’ Leo was incensed. ‘You done?!’ ‘I don’t know Leo, am I?’ ‘What is she, twenty?’ ‘Twenty-eight.’ As he corrected Leo, Toby suddenly wondered how Leo could be unsure of Rebecca’s age. Unless he had seen not her personnel file but Rebecca herself. Who, he had to admit, did not look her age. ‘You been spying on Rebecca?’ ‘Toby, you’re dating a girl young enough to be your daughter!’ ‘Are you jealous?’ The raised voices carried into the open door of the Oval Office. Ignoring the looks of the staff around him, Jed walked into Toby’s office without knocking. ‘Jealous? Of you?’ Leo laughed. ‘Guys, some of us are trying to work out here.’ Both men turned at the sound of Jed’s soft admonition. ‘You done trading schoolyard insults or you want me to come back later?’ Toby got up. ‘Oh we’re done, Sir.’ Leaving the President and Leo alone in his office, Toby slammed the door behind him. Jed shook his head slowly. ‘Leo, give the guy a break?’ ‘Sir…she…’ ‘So she’s a little younger than he is.’ ‘About twenty years.’ ‘Think we could pull someone that age?’ Jed challenged. ‘I could.’ Leo asserted. Jed laughed. ‘I’d like to see you try.’ Leo sighed. ‘I could. But I wouldn’t. Can you imagine what the headlines would be in the Post?’ ‘Maybe you have to forget about headlines Leo.’ ‘We can’t Sir.’ ‘Yeah, Leo. We can. Our private lives are our private lives.’ ‘Even when we’re front page news?’ ‘Until the next story comes along.’ ‘What if there isn’t one?’ Jed smiled. ‘There always is, Leo. There always is.’ He patted his best friend on the shoulder, then walked out. Leo was left standing alone in Toby’s office, the staff in the offices outside pretending they hadn’t just witnessed a huge row between two of the Senior staff. Over a woman. A young woman. On to Part Three Home Send me feedback on this fic Return to the West Wing Fic Index