A Connecticut Yankee in Governor Ritchie’s Court
A/N: This is a side bar to When the Bough Breaks. If you haven’t read Angels and
Demons or at least When the Bough Breaks, this will make no sense to you, so go back
and read them first. Many readers were curious about how Josh would handle the fact
that Donna was at the Republican convention with Matt Skinner. That’s where this short
ficlet comes in…
“I thought we had an agreement.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I thought we made a deal.”
“Right.”
“You were not going to have that…abomination on when I was in your office.” Josh
reminded him.
“I have to know what’s going on there so I know how to retaliate.” Toby countered.
“Yes, but you agreed it would not be on while I’m in here.”
“I thought maybe you’d get a chance to see Donna.” Toby said innocently and smirked
when Josh growled in response. “Or your friend Matt Skinner.”
“You’re doing this just to drive me crazy aren’t you?”
“You’re assuming that you weren’t crazy before this.” Toby noted.
“Fair point.” Josh flopped down on the couch in Toby’s office with his head turned
deliberately away from the television set. “Have you seen her?”
“Not yet, but hope springs eternal.” Toby wiggled his eyebrows.
“You got the speech locked yet?” Josh asked trying to get a rise out of Toby.
“I’m working on it.” Toby said affably.
“I can tell.” Josh said sarcastically.
“Hey, did you see Mooreland just now?” Sam asked as he walked in. “Have you ever
seen such a pretentious windbag?”
“Are you watching it too?” Josh accused.
“Just, you know, for the entertainment value…and also to get a glimpse of Donna.”
“Sam!”
“I promised her I’d watch for her during the roll call and they’re about to start the roll
call.” Sam defended himself.
“Traitor.” Josh muttered.
“If it bothers you so much that she’s there, why did you let her go?”
“Let her go? Are you kidding me, Samuel? LET HER GO?” Josh laughed. “Tell me, Sam,
how often do you ‘let Ainsley go’ places?”
“Ummm, well…”
“I rest my case.” Josh brushed his hands together like he was getting rid of crumbs.
“Besides, we made a deal. She goes to the thing this week with Matt-“
“Do you mean the Republican Convention?” Toby asked helpfully.
“She goes to THE THING with Matt,” Josh repeated, “Then she goes through a
detoxification process and goes to the convention with us.”
“And Matt’s okay with that?” Sam asked.
“What do you mean ‘is Matt okay with that’?” Josh replied. “She’s my wife. She’s my wife
and she’s coming with me to my convention.”
“YOUR convention.” Toby teased.
“Our convention; the Democratic convention.” Josh corrected himself before turning
back to address Sam. That’s when he caught a glimpse of blond hair on the television
screen. “God, is that Donna?”
All three men focused on the screen. “Nah...” Sam shook his head ‘no’. “The back of the
head isn’t right.”
Josh turned his puzzled gaze on Sam. “You’re intimately familiar with the back of my
wife’s head?”
“I wouldn’t say intimately…” Sam trailed off.
“You’d better not be saying intimately.” Josh muttered. “Hoynes gave Wick a spot at the
convention.”
“Yeah…” Toby acknowledged.
“What do you think that’s all about?”
“I couldn’t care less what Hoynes and Wick are up to.” Toby relayed.
“I was just saying that maybe some Republicans wouldn’t like the wife of the Deputy
Chief of Staff to the Democratic President hanging out in a room with them while they
plan strategy to beat the Democratic President in the general.” Sam clarified.
“Let me just say that the Deputy Chief of Staff isn’t crazy about it either.” Josh groused.
“Can you just turn that thing off for a few minutes while we go over the economic
section?”
“No.” Toby refused.
“Why not?”
“Cause it bothers you.” He admitted and made Josh growl again.
“Toby, turn the TV on, they’re about to start the roll call and I promised Donna…Oh, hi,
Josh.” CJ stopped short when she realized who else was in Toby’s office.
“Et tu Brute?” Josh asked CJ.
“I promised my FRIEND that I would watch for her on TV. This is a big deal for her.” CJ
defended both Donna and herself in one fell swoop.
“CJ!” Josh protested. “It’s the camp of the enemy and my wife is in the middle of it
getting all kinds of Republican germs on her. YOU should have talked her out of it.”
“Right.” CJ chuckled. “THAT’S what I should have done. Tell me Joshua, what color is
the sky in your world?”
“I’m just saying…” Josh groused.
“And I’m just saying that Donna has been NOTHING but understanding and supportive
concerning your career and maybe this is your chance to do the same.” CJ challenged
him. “Look, they’re doing the roll call and Donna said she’d be with the Congressman
during the roll call. Let’s all watch for Donna. How incendiary can the roll call vote at the
Republican convention be?”
Josh, somewhat shamed by CJ’s accurate comment about Donna’s support for him and
his job, took a deep breath and turned toward the television. CJ was right. It was just roll
call. And with Matt being from the State of Connecticut, he really only had to get through
seven states to catch a glimpse of Donna and be able to tell her he saw her on TV and
was proud of all the work she did for the evil…well, just that he proud of all her work. He
could do this.
“…and the great state of Alabama casts all of its votes for the next President of the
United States, Governor Ritchie!” Came the shout from the floor of the convention
center and a great cheer went up.
“Thank you Alabama. Next is Alaska. How votes the great state of Alaska?” The chair
asked.
“Mr. Chairman,” Came the saccharinely sweet voice of the Governor of Alaska. “I am just
SO proud to speak for the people of Alaska, where we produce the largest percentage
of fuel in the United States… Where we proudly cheer ‘Drill baby, drill!’… and where we
will cast our electoral votes for President Rob Ritchie on election night…”
“You don’t cast electoral votes on election night you ignorant twit!” Josh shouted at the
TV but CJ merely placed her hand on his arm to calm him back down again.
“You Betcha, Alaska is casting all of our votes for the next President of the United
States…Rob Ritchie!” She nearly squealed.
“I think I’m going to hurl.” Josh threatened.
“Just five more states. You can do it Josh.” Sam encouraged him while the Chair
recognized Arizona.
“Mr. Chairman…Arizona, the home of the amazing Grand Canyon, votes unanimously
for Governor Rob Ritchie!”
“See? That’s wasn’t so bad.” Sam encouraged and Josh shrugged.
“Yeah, but Arkansas is next.” Toby pointed out and the whole room groaned. They
knew that Congressman Albert Torrence would speak for Arkansas and Torrence and
Josh…well they’d butted heads a few times. Josh took a deep breath to steel himself for
whatever was coming.
“Mr. Chairman,” Torrence began. “The state of Arkansas, known as the Land of
Opportunity, is going to take the opportunity this November to take back the White
House and bring back dignity and ethics to that branch of Government.” Josh growled.
“Mr. Chairman, we in Arkansas will make sure that the lying, cheating, immoral hooligans
currently residing in that fine historic building are removed come January and the place
is given a proper cleaning from top to bottom.”
“He. Did. Not.” Josh countered.
“We cast all our votes for the next President of the United States, who will restore honor
to the Oval office that has been tainted by man who has no moral integrity.” Torrence
continued.
“You’re going to hell!” Josh stood up and shouted.
“And there he blows…” Toby announced smirking. “Who had 6 minutes and 18
seconds?”
“I think I was closest.” Sam announced. “I had 5 minutes and 48 seconds.”
Josh turned incredulous eyes on his friend. “You BET on how long I’d make it watching
the Republican convention before I lost my temper? What kind of friend are you?”
“Hey, I bet on the longest amount of time of any of us. I had the MOST faith in you.” Sam
countered. “The next closest time was 3 minutes and 25 seconds. My bet nearly
doubled that!”
“That’s much better, Sam, thanks.” Josh said sarcastically.
“Toby didn’t think you’d look at it at all!” Sam pointed an accusatory finger at Toby who
just shrugged.
“I didn’t know CJ was going to guilt him into watching it!” Toby explained. “If I knew she
was going to use Donna, I’d have put money on 4 minutes at least. He’ll do ANYTHING
for her.”
“How touching.” Josh sat back down on the couch. “I’m going to make it through to
Connecticut if it kills me…or any one of you.”
“I’ll share some of the winnings with you, Josh. How about that?” Sam suggested. “I
know…I’ll buy everyone a round at the Hawk and Dove when the vote is done.”
“Hollow consolation, Sam, very hollow consolation.” Josh replied.
“Maybe so, but I’ve distracted you from the roll call so you’ve now missed California and
Colorado.” Sam argued and watched Josh’s face brighten.
“Connecticut is next?!” He cried.
“It is.” CJ confirmed. “Now shut up so we can hear it.”
“…as the nutmeg state,” Matt was saying. “The fifth state to be admitted to this great
nation…Connecticut proudly casts their ballots, in their entirety, to Governor Rob
Ritchie.” The television camera panned out to cover the entire delegation and there was
Donna smiling and waving. Josh was happy to see she was not applauding; that would
have put him over the edge. When they moved on to Delaware, he stepped out of
Toby’s office and called Donna’s cell.
“Hey, baby, I just saw your beautiful face on television.” He told her when she answered.
“You watched it? The…what did you call it? The wretched hive of scum and villainy?”
“That’s from Star Wars.” Josh admitted quietly into the phone. “But it fits that convention
just as well.”
“And you watched it anyway?”
“I did.”
“Even though you NEVER watch it?” Donna confirmed.
“Yes.” Josh agreed.
“Why?” Donna asked though Josh could hear the grin in her voice.
“Because I’m proud of you and I wanted to share this moment with you in some small
way; I wanted to see your face.” Josh told her honestly.
“I can’t believe you kept it together through Torrence to see me!” She replied and it
sounded like she was sniffling now.
“Well..kept it together might be a little strong.” Josh admitted. “But I did stay and watch
through Connecticut’s vote. I saw you smile and wave…and refrain from clapping. That
meant a lot to me.”
“I love you, Josh. I’ll be home in a couple days and then we can go to the REAL
convention.” Donna promised. “I feel a little out of place around here. Like a Connecticut
Yankee in King Arthur’s court.”
“You got that partly right.” Josh chuckled. “Hurry home. I miss you.”
“I miss you too. Thanks for watching for me!”
Josh hung up the phone and decided to go back to his office. There wasn’t any
incentive to watch anymore of that joke. He’d keep busy in his office until it was all over
and plan for the REAL convention where Donna would be at his side…and clapping.
That got him through the rest of the week.
The End.
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