Joe and Jill Biden: The Vignettes | SFW

Foiled: 1/1 [Fluff]

Author's Note: Inspired by Jill's story in her book.

category: fluff

Jill meticulously laid out each red and pink petal in the shape of a heart, occasionally stepping backwards to survey her work only to determine that a petal was out of place. She blew out a sigh of frustration and rearranged them once more. She wanted this Valentine's Day to be perfect.

With the campaign amping up, they hadn't spent a ton of time together and when they did, they were often interrupted by well-meaning supporters. It wasn't uncommon for a romantic dinner to be obstructed by her husband taking photos with and speaking to a small audience of people who plegded their support for him. Oh, but how could she stay angry at him for long? By the end of the night, he'd lavished her in attention.

Still, she set aside this date every year to channel her most romantic side. She had to admit that she wasn't the most comfortable with public displays of affection. She loved her husband and he knew it, but she wasn't the type of wife to cling to his arm or sit on his lap in front of everyone. Instead, her love was more reserved. Valentine's Day was the most appropriate holiday for her to allow herself to let loose and be more openly affectionate.

She pulled out a red lace, baby doll pajama set from her drawer. It was brand new and she'd managed to hide it from Joe during a shopping trip when she dipped into a local boutique as he discussed the importance of voting in the upcoming election with a cashier. Occasionally, her husband being distracted paid off for her.

Jill looked in the mirror. Suddenly the overhead lighting from their vanity seemed to enhance every flaw she saw. Joe repeatedly told her - unprompted - that she was beautiful and most days she felt it, but she had some natural insecurities that crept up as her husband gained more natural attention, and more attention from women. She didn't necessarily feel threatened by them, but she knew the fate of many political marriages. She shook those thoughts from her head.

As she slipped the top over her head, she heard the phone ring on their bedside table. She sprinted across the room to catch it, picking it up before the last ring.

"Hi handsome," she greeted, in a flirty voice an octave or two different than her normal tone.

"Mom?" She heard a confused Hunter on the other end of the line. She closed her eyes for a moment, embarassed to think about what her son might have thought.

"Hi honey." As Hunter made small talk, she knew something was off with him. It wasn't a surprise when his tone changed.

Hunter sighed.

"I know you and Dad probably have plans and I don't want to impose on them, you can say no, but can you watch the girls tonight? Kathleen came down with food poisoning and I have to catch a plane to California."

"Oh," she frowned at her thwarted plans. "Of course, of course. Bring them by." She threw on Joe's big robe and met Hunter at the door a few minutes later.

When Hunter dropped off the young children, Jill immediately went into mother mode, telling him how pale he looked and reminding him to drink a lot of fluid. He waved her off and told her that he'd be fine in a few hours and he'd sleep on the plane.

"Alright. What shall we do?" She asked, and the kids plopped themselves down on the sofa.

"Can we eat our Valentine's candy, Nana?" They asked and she nodded.

Ashley, Beau, and Hunter never ceased to remind her that she lifted her restrictions for her grandchildren. "That's what Grandmothers do," she'd reply as they ranted.

"I'm going to start making dinner if you're all settled," Jill told them.

As she prepared their meal she eavesdropped on the kids making a fort in the living room.