A Silence Full of Sound [hiatus]

7.1 - Ria: The Meeting

When Ria met Leo, the first thing she noticed was the Brooks Brothers suit he wore. It was a deep, navy blue, a crisp, grey, pinstripe shirt underneath. His tie, also Brooks Brothers, was striped blue and red. A red pocket square completed the outfit, just a shade different from his tie, but not similar enough to notice unless someone was really paying attention. The only reason she was was because she knew she was in the presence of the White House Chief of Staff. Though she was concerned with the business at hand, namely Josh and his insistence on blowing her off, she was also freaking out.

Her heart hammered in her chest, and she could've sworn it was about to burst free at any moment. She didn't know why she was scared of meeting Leo, but she was. Not only was her heart pounding, but her hands still felt like they were sweating. Who wanted to shake hands with the second most powerful man in the land with sweaty hands?

But her grip on the briefcase never slipped, despite the fact that she was holding slick leather. Maybe her palms weren't as sweaty as she thought.

At least Margaret had been kind. Maybe the red-headed secretary--who looked as well dressed as Leo--could tell how freaked out she was because before Ria walked into his office, she'd given her a gentle, reassuring smile before returning to her desk.

Leo's desk was awash in natural light, but a lamp on the top of a file cabinet to her right was lit despite that and glowed amber. The papers strewn across it were no longer a crisp white but a warm, cream color. It must've been easier on his eyes, she mused, as she caught sight of Leo's glasses, laying open, lenses down, on a stack of papers. CNN played on the TV behind her, but she couldn't hear it. So, she put it out of her mind, even as he reached down and picked up the smooth black remote, turning it off.

The second thing she noticed about Leo was the control he exuded. Every single movement he made was done with precision and careful thought. Nothing was left to chance, and she admired him for it, even if she was still a bit nervous about meeting him. She did wonder, though, what his past was like. She'd heard tales of him. Secretary of Labor for a single term. Something about rehab for alcoholism in the early '90s. It had come to light a few years ago, but she hadn't kept up. She'd been dealing with her own problems, and she didn't need triggers to disrupt her life.

The rest of it was stuff she'd gleaned from snippets in newspapers. Veteran, the best mind in the Democratic party, enough pull to have been a higher-ranking member in a Republican cabinet. That spoke of respect, and that was part of what scared her.

"Sorry, about that," he said, in reference to the television, and no doubt the noise it was making.

He continued to speak, but his face was directed at an open folder on his desk which made it difficult for Ria to see what he said.

When it looked like he was finished talking, Ria said, "I'm sorry, Mr. McGarry, I didn't catch that."

He looked up and faced her fully. "I apologize. Roger, your partner, told me you were deaf. It must have slipped my mind."

"It's okay. You've been talking to people about possums. I can see how things might get lost in the nonsense."

Leo chuckled shortly, mirthlessly. "You have no idea."

"I can imagine," she quipped as she held out her hand in introduction. "Dr. Ria Brewer. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. McGarry."

"Likewise, Dr. Brewer." He shook her hand, then unbuttoned his suit jacket as he sat down behind his desk. "Have a seat, please."

She took the seat and set her leather-bound briefcase on the floor with a soft thunk.

The third thing she noticed was his eyes. She'd peered into the eyes of many strangers in her life. Each pair a different color--a tapestry of what they'd been through in their lives. Each pair were beautiful windows to the soul. His was no different. A lifetime of suffering all laid out for her to see. They were beautiful. Grey, not really blue, but almost if the light hit them just right. They were trained on her, sizing her up. He was wondering if she could handle the mess Josh was in. He was wondering if she could handle him, right now in this office, sitting across from the second most powerful person in the world. She could see it in his gaze, and her own eyes narrowed a little.

"Donna told Margaret you needed a minute to talk about Josh."

"I do. As you might already know, he had an appointment with me today and he blew me off."

Something shifted in his expression. She detected a faint hint of amusement, which tugged his lips up into a small grin before it was gone.

"You weren't assigned an easy one, Dr. Brewer."

She chuckled. "I've read the notes Stanley made in his file. Not to be unprofessional, but the word "asshole" was used more than once."

The concern she could see on his face melted, and his lips curved into a smile as he laughed. And that was the fourth thing Ria noticed about Leo. His smile was made of sunshine that made her chest explode into warmth. Suddenly, the uncertainty from before lifted from her shoulders. The knot of anxiety that had settled between them loosened, and she found herself relaxing into the leather office chair.

"Not to be unprofessional, but Stanley's right." The smile remained on Leo's face and, for a brief moment, Ria couldn't breathe. "He's damn good at what he does, but he hates talking about himself."

She snorted softly. "Most everybody does, Mr. McGarry."

"Please, call me Leo."

Ria's eyes quickly narrowed again, this time in confusion as she tried to keep from smiling and blushing. That wasn't weird coming from the Chief of Staff, was it?

"In that case, call me Ria."

"Ria. Josh is a busy man, but he needs to make time for this. Would you like me to talk to him?"

It was a tempting offer, and she almost took him up on it, but she found herself shaking her head. Let Josh be difficult. She'd dealt with difficult patients before; he wouldn't be the one to get the best of her.

"No, thank you. I asked Donna to call Roger and reschedule for Friday."

"It's big block of cheese day. I'm sure Donna told you about it. It might be a while before you hear from her."

"She told me the gist of it, yes. I can't say that I understand it. She said something about Andrew Jackson and a literal block of cheese?"

There was that amused look again; the look that made his grey eyes sparkle with charm and mischief; the look that made the pain in them disappear. If Josh didn't work out, maybe she could find excuses to speak to Leo.

"Have Josh tell you the story on Friday," he began as he lifted himself from his chair. "I'm late for another meeting."

He buttoned his jacket again as she stood smoothly, briefcase in hand.

"Apologies, Mr.—" she stopped and quickly corrected herself. "Apologies, Leo."

He held up a hand as he gathered a folder and various papers from a nearby table. "No need to apologize," he stated simply.

He gathered the papers and his glasses, slipping the latter into his inside jacket pocket. She stood there, watching him, for far longer than she should have. His entire body moved with precision and intent. Nothing was left to chance, and she continued to watch until he straightened and returned his gaze to her.

"Was there something else?" He asked, in a tone, she could only assume was clipped and professional.

"No. Sorry. I'm used to being dismissed."

She cleared her throat and murmured, "Have a good afternoon," before she left his office and wove through the corridors to meet with Josh.