Chapter 20
“Can I help you?”
I jump at the voice behind me. CJ has caught me again. This is getting embarrassing. I can’t help that
I pass by her area of communications on my way to and from my office, you know, a lot. Donna finally
moved here permanently, and CJ, in her infinite wisdom decided to take that as her queue to hire
Donna immediately. That’s fine and everything, but I suddenly find myself in the communications
bullpen a lot more than I used to. It’s beginning to be noticed.
“I was just thinking and I…uh… stopped.” I offer.
“Josh Lyman, unless you want to transfer to communications, and given your talents with the press
there’s not a chance in hell that you’d BE transferred, get out of here and back to Operations.” CJ
threatens; like she’s in charge of me.
“I’m just walking through.” I explain but she’s not buying it; mostly because I’m looking around her for
a glance of Donna.
“She’s not here.” CJ smirks. I hate it when people smirk, don’t you?
“Who’s not here?” I ask innocently.
“I sent her over to the OEOB to brief the Vice President.” She what?!
“You what?!”
“You heard me.”
“That is a really bad idea.”
“Why?” CJ asks shrewdly. “Do you not think she can handle the Vice President?” This, ladies and
gentlemen is a trap. Whichever way I answer, she’s got a rebuttal ready and she’ll report the entire
conversation to Donna…verbatim!
“It’s not a question of Donna’s abilities…”
“So you DO think she can…”
“You know his reputation. Did you at least warn her about his reputation?”
“I sent her over with Mark. They’ll be fine.” She admits. Funny, I thought she’d toy with me a little
more. Apparently this game is boring her.
“You’re boring me Joshua.” CJ says to the bull pen at large. “Go run the country or something, okay?”
Now the woman is placating me, I can tell. She doesn’t really think I run the country; even though I do.
“I uh…wanted to talk to you about something…” I make up on the spot. If Donna is at the OEOB with
the womanizer of the West Wing, I’m going to be here when she gets back to make sure everything is
okay.
CJ leans in toward me so we can’t be overheard. “How about we both do our jobs and I’ll call you
when she gets back here unscathed?”
“Deal.” I agree quickly and retreat back to my office.
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“Okay.” He answers. OKAY?
“Josh, I just told you that Farrell wants to renegotiate for his vote on 802.” I repeat.
“Sam, what the hell are you talking about? We already got Farrell’s vote.”
“Welcome to the conversation.” I drawl. “Where is your head right now?”
“At the OEOB.” He answers but he’s lost me.
“Is there something important going on at the OEOB that I should know about?”
“CJ sent Donna over there to brief Hoynes. Can you believe that?” He asks.
“Well…yeah…isn’t that her job as the assistant to the Deputy Press Secretary?”
“Don’t be getting all literal on me, Sam. You know the guy’s reputation.”
“And he knows yours.” I reply.
“What do you mean?” He demands.
“He knows Donna is engaged to you. Do you think he has any illusions about what you would do to
him, both politically and personally, if he so much as twitched in her direction?”
“Oh…yeah…that’s right.”
“That’s right. So can we get back to 802 now?”
“Sure…sure.” He agrees.
“I swear, you were less distracted by her when she was in Chicago.”
“Duh. Now tell me what Farrell’s problem is again. Start from the beginning.” He instructs and I’m
about to begin when there’s a light knock on the door.
“Have you got time for lunch?” Donna asks.
“You’re back.” I swear the man nearly squeals. It’s a good thing none of his opponents can see him
like this.
“Yes, I have returned from the treacherous trip across the street to the OEOB.” She deadpans.
Donna IS funny. “Do you have time for lunch?”
“Sure!”
“Uh…Josh?” I wave my hand over my head to get his attention back to me.
“Oh, wait, no.” His face deflates. “Sam needs help with a Congressman.” Wait a second! *I* need
help? It’s Josh’s vote!
“How about I run down to the mess and get lunch for all of us.” She suggests. “We can brainstorm
over lunch?”
“Brilliant.” Josh proclaims and looks back over at me expectantly so I nod. He is so whipped.
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His door is closed and that’s never a good sign. It can only mean one of two things: 1) He’s on a
secure call or 2) He’s in a very filthy mood. Given what I’ve been hearing today, I’m pretty certain it’s
the latter. I knock and he promptly tells me to ‘go the hell away’. Of course, he doesn’t know it’s me
on the other side of the door, but if he did know, he’d surely let me in so I open the door anyway.
“I said, ‘go the hell a-‘ oh.” He stops mid-word when he looks up and sees me.
“Yes, ‘oh’.” I repeat and shut the door behind me.
“I don’t have time right now, Donna.”
“You have a minute. Are you okay?”
“Do I look okay?”
“You look supremely pissed.”
“You are very accurate in your interpretation of my expression.” See? He’s getting snarky with me
and that’s a sure sign.
“Is the memo that bad?”
“She wrote that- Yes, it’s that bad.”
“CJ tried to convince Danny not to go to print with it.”
“I’m sure.”
“She tried very hard, Josh.”
“I’m not blaming this on CJ, Donna.”
“She’s feeling the blame on it though.”
“Well, I really can’t do much about that right now. I sort of have my hands full with other things; like
trying to save the President’s agenda…fucking English as the National language.”
“What?”
“Onerato threatened me with…look, it doesn’t matter. It’s not going to happen anyway.”
“What’s not going to happen?”
“The President will just go along with the Congressional picks for the FEC and that will be the end of
that.” He snaps his fingers and sighs.
“I thought you and the President were going to change the way elections were run in this country.”
“That was the pre-lunch plan. Post lunch? Not so much.”
“Because Onerato threatened you with…”
“I don’t have time to give you a political primer right now, Donna.” He snaps and I physically jolt.
“I don’t require one, Joshua. I’ll have the degree to prove it shortly.” I snap back.
“Then can you please…”
“Leave? Certainly.” I fit my actions to my words and slam the door shut behind me. Jerk! This is what I
get for trying to beard the lion in his den. I should have just let the man enjoy his filthy mood all by
himself. Feeling unusually frustrated, and having no one that I can vent to at the moment, I take a
walk around the building. On my third lap trough I feel my blood pressure has dropped back down to
nearly normal and head for my cubicle outside CJ’s office.
Josh is sitting in my chair twirling around in it slowly. He stops abruptly when he spots me.
“I couldn’t find you.
“I took a walk to calm down.”
He smirks and I nearly smack him. He reads MY expression accurately and schools his expression
into something neutral.
“I’m sorry.”
“I should think so.”
“But…”
“But? You speak to me like that and you try to give me an ‘I’, sorry but’?” I raise my voice and a few
heads turn our way. Josh looks decidedly uncomfortable.
“Maybe another walk might be…you know?” He stands and motions for me to precede him. I
reluctantly give in on this one. I’m immediately rewarded by him taking my hand in his. This is as
much PDA as he allows in the building. “I’m very sorry that I was so rude to you. However, my door
was closed and I did request to be left alone when you knocked.”
“You said, ‘go the hell away’.” I correct him.
“That’s how I request to be left alone.” He replies. “Donna…I appreciate the fact that you know when I’
m…down. And I appreciate the fact that you want to help me deal with this pressure cooker, but
sometimes I just need to…” He loses his ability to finish a sentence.
“Work it out on your own?” I supply and he smirks again.
“Yes.” He squeezes my hand. “That’s it exactly.”
“So basically, you’re saying that if I don’t want my hand bitten off, I shouldn’t try to feed the alligator?”
“Where the hell do you come up with this…Yes, that’s what I’m saying.” He laughs. “I think.”
“This stuff with the memo will die down in a couple days…maybe a week.” I amend. He sighs again.
“Maybe. But the effects will linger on. If the President won’t fight for the principles that got him here in
the first place…” He blows out a long puff of air. “Anyway, I’m sorry.”
“Okay.” I nod. “And I’m sorry I didn’t respect your politely worded request to be left alone.” Now it’s my
turn to smirk. “We should get back to work.”
“I’ll pick you up at 7?”
I shake my head ‘no’. “I’m meeting my advisor tonight after work, remember?”
“Blow it off.”
“Nice support there, Joshua.”
“When will you be done with this again?”
“Two more months.” I remind him even though I know that he knows that information already.
Graduation day is highlighted on every calendar he has access to. I’ve got two more classes to
complete; both of them independent studies so I have a lot of flexibility with them. However, once in
awhile I still need to show up on campus for a meeting or seminar. We’ll both be glad when this is
over.
“Ah-kay.” He takes another fortifying breath as we round the corner back to my corner of the West
Wing. CJ is going over something with Carol, but she looks up and exchanges a helpless look with
Josh.
“It’s going to print in the evening edition.” She announces.
“There was no way you could’ve stopped it, Ceej. If it hadn’t been Danny, it would have been
someone else. Stop kicking yourself over it.” He advises her and I can see some of the weight lift off
her shoulders as she nods in acknowledgment. “I’ll be in my office…maybe I can come up with a
Secret Plan to Fight Inflation to distract the press room.” He jokes and makes all four of us laugh. We
gave him so much hell over that! “See you later.” He tells me and finally releases my hand.
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“I’m just saying, you have a lot to do with all these competing stories going on and you could probably
use some help at the thing.” I try again.
“Your concern for my well being is touching, Josh.” CJ tells me. “Maybe you’re right. I’ll bring Jason to
the town hall to help out.
“Jason?!” I shake my head. “I don’t think he has the skills you’ll be needing this evening.”
“And those skills would be…?”
“Someone very organized, who has a good relationship with the press pool…”
“Blond?” She adds.
“Couldn’t hurt.” I agree.
“Stop trying to get Donna to the town hall tonight.” She says point blank. “I need her here to monitor
several things for me.”
“But I’d like her at the town hall and I outrank you.” I remind her. I have a 760 verbal score on the SAT’
s. I remind you of that to highlight the fact that I have NO words to describe the evil look she’s giving
me now. “Just kidding?’
“Get off my ass Josh, I have lots of things to take care of before, during, and after the town hall. I
couldn’t even get the President to take the rehearsal seriously today.”
“He’ll be fine, Ceej. He’s done this kind of thing a couple hundred thousand times.” I point out and get
another glare for my trouble.
“We’re finally picking up points and momentum. I’m not about to let anyone blow that now.”
“And by ‘anyone’ you mean me?”
“Clearly.”
“Fine.” I walk back to Donna’s desk and tell her in a very loud voice, “I tried to get you to the town
hall, Donna, but your MEAN BOSS won’t let you go.”
“Go away, Joshua. We have a lot to do.” The woman adores me, I tell you.
“I’m sorry, Donna, but I have to go without you.” I continue.
“Could you do that, you know, soon?”
“Try not to be too lonesome. We can always talk or text by cell.”
“I’m so relieved.” She deadpans. “CJ? Chairman Fitzwallace’s office will send the updates directly to
me, then I’ll call you.”
“Perfect. Thanks.” CJ responds.
“Good. Looks like you’ve got everything under control here.” I surmise.
“Joshua!” CJ nearly implodes.
“I’m going. I’m going.” Some people just don’t appreciate my leadership style. I mosey over to Sam’s
office. “I heard rehearsal was a little…off.”
“Nah…the President was just messing with CJ. He’ll be great. He always does well in these types of
forums.”
I walk closer and drop my voice. “Any more news from NASA?” I don’t want to ask Toby directly about
his brother. That could be misconstrued as concern on my part.
Sam shakes his head ‘no’. “Not yet. It may be awhile. Any word about the pilot?”
“Not yet.” I pace Sam’s office a bit.
“It sucks just waiting.”
“It really does. Plus CJ won’t bring Donna to the thing.” I whine a bit.
“She won’t accommodate her work schedule to suit your personal life?” Sam scoffs. “How rude!”
“I know, right?” I agree with him even though I know he’s being sarcastic. “I got Hoynes back on
board.”
“I heard.” Sam looks up. “He give you a lot of push back?”
“Quite the opposite, actually. He admitted he should have listened to me when I worked for him.”
“He should have.”
“I know.” I do! “I just didn’t think he knew that. Anyway, we won’t be hearing any more from him about
opposing campaign finance.”
“Relax.” Sam tells me. “We’re going to get good news about the pilot and the shuttle.”
“I just hope it’s before we leave for the thing. I don’t want to caught out in public using that lame
signal you dreamed up.”
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“You heard?” I ask. As soon as I passed it on to CJ I made a beeline for Josh.
“I did.” He replies grinning broadly.
“The pilot is safe.” I tell him anyway.
“I know.” He chuckles. “The President is thrilled. I think he’s looking into having Fitzwallace nominated
for sainthood.”
“He may have to give up that dream.” I respond. “Now we just need a good word from NASA and our
day will be complete.”
“Don’t! Have you learned nothing from Toby? You can’t just SAY stuff like that.”
“All I said was…”
“And you certainly shouldn’t repeat it.” He places a finger over my lips. I laugh.
“You two are so paranoid. I’m telling you that we’re going to get good news from the shuttle and all
will be right with the world.” Josh shakes his head at my prognostication.
“I’ll admit that this week certainly ended much better than it started. We got the 9 point bump and we’
re making headway on campaign finance…”
“Exactly.” I agree. “Now go do a job at the Newseum and I’ll see you when you’re done.”
“It will be late. He takes questions forever and then he’ll insist on working the rope line.” He predicts.
“Not tonight. Zoey told me there’s a girls softball game he wants to watch once the town hall is over.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He rolls his eyes. Yes, Josh admires the President a great deal, but
there’s no mistaking that he also thinks the President is a geek of the highest order. “GIRL’S softball?”
“Don’t make fun. Tonight, girl’s softball will get you back earlier than expected.”
“I guess.”
“Josh, let’s go!” CJ calls out to him. I defy his rules and give him a quick peck on the lips before he
leaves.
“Donna!”
“Nobody saw us. Your reputation is intact. Go!” I push him toward the doorway. I wish I was going
tonight too.
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“Josh! Didn’t you hear me calling for you? I didn’t know where the hell you…” Toby scolds me. I’d be
happy to respond…if only I could get the words out.
“I need…I need a doctor! I need some help here!” He shouts and within seconds we’re surrounded.
CJ, Sam, Charlie and several emergency medical people are all talking to me at once. I can only get
one word out. “Donna.”
“What?” Sam demands.
“He wants Donna.” Toby explains. Thanks pal.
“I’ll call her.” CJ volunteers as they put me on a gurney and start running for a waiting ambulance.
I see the lights and the medical equipment in the ambulance and some guy keeps calling my name,
but I only focus on one voice; Toby’s. He’s praying.
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21.
“He can never resist a rope line.” Mrs. Landingham tells me.
“That just what Josh said.” I laugh. “CJ asked me to bring these over so the President could look at
them between innings.”
“I’ll see that he gets them.” She promises. “How are the wedding plans coming along?”
“Slow going, Mrs. Landingham. I’m focused on getting my last two classes done first so…” I break off
when I see a flashing “Breaking News” bulletin flash on the screen. Mrs. Landingham notices my
distraction and looks up too. By the time the announcer finishes his sentence about the Presidential
party being fired on we’re both bolting for the door. We get stopped at the exit to the building. The
White House is in lockdown. All the pleading in the world from both of us, does nothing to persuade
the agents to let us pass. I’m trying desperately to reach Josh on his cell but it keeps going to voice
mail. As much as I tell myself that he can’t answer because he forgot to turn it back on after the
speech or the battery died, I know in my heart that something’s terribly wrong.
I’m about to make a break for the door and damn the consequences when the First Lady comes
barreling through.
“Ma’am! What have you heard? Is the President alright?” Mrs. Landingham asks.
“Let’s go find out, ladies.” She answers and just like that we’re part of her entourage and being
whisked to GW. She’s getting some sort of medical report on the President who was wounded, but I
don’t understand what all the numbers or terms mean so I’m only half listening when my cell rings. CJ!
“CJ are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I hit my head, but…listen, Donna, you need to get here as soon as you can.”
“We’re pulling in now, Ceej. I’ll be right there.” I snap the phone shut and follow the group inside; my
eyes scanning constantly for Josh. Where the hell is he? If CJ can find the time to call me, surely my
fiancé can do the same. We separate at the door to the waiting room; Mrs. Bartlet meets up with Zoey
and the attending physician while Mrs. Landingham and I are diverted to the waiting room where it
looks like the rest of the staff is assembled.
“Is there word on the President?” I ask.
“The President is going to be fine.” CJ assures me, but her face and voice don’t match her words.
“Oh, thank God. That’s the best news I’ve ever heard. CJ, I got here as soon as I could. We had
trouble getting out because the White House had crashed and then…”
“Donna.” Toby interrupts me. “Josh was hit.”
I blink in confusion. “Hit with what?” I look anxiously around the room but don’t see Josh or Leo. They
must be together. Yes, they’d be together with the President planning the next step. I should be with
them.
“He was shot; in the chest.” Toby continues and I swear the words just ring in my ears.
“He’s in surgery right now.” CJ starts crying and Sam rubs her arm, but neither of them meet my eyes;
only Toby.
“I don’t understand. Toby, I don’t understand what you’re…Is it serious?”
“Yes, it’s critical. The bullet collapsed his lung and damaged a major artery.” Toby tells me quietly. “I’ll
take you to him. He was asking for you.”
He takes my arm, but I pull away from him. “He…Sarah! Someone should call Sarah and…”
“Leo talked to her.”
“She won’t be able to get into the city. Will she be able to get into the city, Toby?” My voice
approaches hysterical. “She won’t be able to even get in the city, let alone the hospital and Josh is
the only family she has left.”
“Donna!” Toby raises his voice and shocks me into silence. “We need to go see Josh now.”
I nod numbly and allow him to lead me out of the waiting room and to one of the nurses nearby. He
explains that I’m Josh’s fiancée and she begins to explain what’s happening to Josh but I can’t quite
get my head around it. She takes us to another waiting area and I just sit there wondering what to do.
Josh would know. He always knows what’s next. That’s what he does, he figures out a plan for
emergencies just like this. I need to talk to Josh.
“Donna?” I look up into the concerned face of the First Lady.
“Ma’am? The President? CJ said he was alright but…”
“He’s going to be just fine, Donna. Has anyone been able to answer your questions about Josh?”
“I don’t even know what to ask.” I feel the tears start to fall as the numbness wears off. She
exchanges a look with Toby that I’m too out of it to interpret. She pulls me into her arms and suddenly
I’m sobbing.
“I haven’t even seen him! I just want to see him.”
“Of course you do.” She pats my back gently. “The surgery is going to be at least 12 more hours,
Donna. It’s a very complicated procedure.”
“I need to see him.”
“Listen, I can take you into the observation room to see him, but I have to tell you Donna, I don’t know
if that’s a good idea for you right now. It can be very unnerving to see someone going through heart
surgery.”
“I don’t care. Please!” I beg and I see the moment she decides to take me to the observation room.
We start walking, the Secret Service keeping a constant perimeter around us. Toby is just a few
steps behind me. Dr. Bartlet starts to explain what we’re going to see when we get there. It sounds
awful so I’m trying to block most of it out while I pick up our walking speed. Now that I’m going to see
him I feel a sense of urgency that I can’t explain. I have to get to Josh.
She opens the door and I rush to the observation window. I look down and see Josh with his chest cut
open and several doctors and nurses working feverishly on him. I feel Toby’s hand on my shoulder
trying to direct me to a chair but I shake my head in refusal.
“Who did this to him, Toby? Why? Why did they do this?”
“We don’t know yet. We may never know.” He tells me. “Can I get you something? Some water?”
I let out a watery laugh. “I don’t want water. I want Josh.”
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“Try again, Donna.”
“Josh? It’s okay. I want you to open your eyes for me.” She’s trying desperately to hold it together,
but I can see what it’s costing her. Josh’s mother doesn’t seem to be faring much better. Having
recently lost her husband, this has got to be a nightmare for her. “He’s not responding.”
“Let me try.” I offer. “Josh. The President of the United States is ordering you to open your eyes.”
They flicker and then open just a slit. “That’s it, son. There are a couple of ladies here who are
anxious to see you wake up. Why don’t you give them a break, huh? They’ve had a long night while
you’ve been napping.”
They open a little more and he tries to say something to me.
“I couldn’t hear you, Josh.” I tell him and lean a little closer.
“What did he say?” Leo asks.
“He said, ‘what’s next’?” I report and we share a smile for the first time in hours.
“Next, you heal.” Donna tells him and takes his hand in hers.
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“You lost me. Why does he have to go to a rehab facility?”
“Miss Moss…”
“Donna.”
“Donna. He is going to need extensive physical therapy and medical care once he’s released from
here.”
“He’s still in ICU recovering from a 14 hour surgery and you’re talking about releasing him?” I demand.
“Naturally, it will be some time before he’s released, but we’ve found, while dealing with the never
ending vicious cycles of insurance companies, it’s never too early to begin planning, and getting
permission for, the next step in the care process.”
“You’re getting me all excited here, Doctor.” I drawl and Sarah rubs my shoulder.
“I’m afraid that just the reality in health care right now Miss…Donna. There are several exceptional
rehab facilities in the area. I can give you my top three choices if you like to make the selection
process easier.”
“I appreciate that, Doctor. Can we get back to you on that?”
“Certainly. If you have any other questions or concerns, please have the duty nurse page me.”
“Thanks.” I give him a sincere smile, or as sincere as I can manage after the last 20 hours, and he
leaves us. They’re changing some tubes and dressing for Josh right now so Sarah and I decided to
step out for a moment.
“Donna? Sit down with me for a minute.” Sarah invites me and I fall more than sit next to her. “What
are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that once we get Josh out of GW we should get him out of the city.”
“Why?”
“Well, for one thing, there’s a much shorter supply of white supremacists in Westport, or Madison for
that matter, than there are here.” It’s possible that my answer comes off a little snarkier than I
intended. But ever since we learned who the shooters were and who their intended target was, my
blood has been on a slow boil.
“Hmmm…I’m sure that’s true.” Sarah agrees and pats my hand. “Let’s just take things one at a time.”
“I don’t know if I can take things one at a time, Sarah.” I admit.
“Donnatella, that’s the only way I get through the day anymore.”
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Every molecule in my body hurts. How is that even possible? I can’t even open my eyes. It’s just too
painfully difficult. I search my memory for a reason that I’m in such pain but I draw a blank. The last
thing I remember was the Presidential town hall…then I stopped outside the Newseum to call Donna...
I got shot!
“Josh…Josh, you’re safe. You’re at GW and your mom and I are both here. Do you hear me?” It’s
Donna.
“Should I call the nurse?” Mom asks.
“Yes. Josh, can you open your eyes?” I try to comply but I can only get them to flutter a bit.
“That’s it. You’re attached to all kinds of tubes and wires, so try not to move too much. Just
concentrate on opening your eyes. Look at me, Joshua.”
I muster all the strength I have and concentrate on looking at Donna. It’s a little blurry and kind of
dark, but I see her.
“Hey! There you are.” She’s crying. I don’t want Donna to cry. I try to lift my hand to wipe her tears
but all I manage is an arm jiggle. “I told you to stay still.
“How are we doing?” Another woman asks. This must be the nurse.
“He was thrashing around a bit, but I think he’s okay now.” Donna tells her. I’m not okay. I’ve been
shot!
“Let’s just make sure we didn’t shake anything loose.” The nurse keeps saying ‘we’ but she really just
means ‘me’. Why do nurses do that? “Everything looks fine. Mr. Lyman? You have a morphine drip
set up here. If you’re feeling pain, press this button and the morphine will help with that. It’s very
important to stay ahead of the pain. The minute you start to feel it, press the button. It will probably
make you feel sleepy, but sleep is what your body needs most right now.”
“Is there something else we should be doing for him?” Donna asks.
“The best thing for him right now is sleep.” She repeats.
“But the doctor said his blood pressure…”
“Everything that can be done is being done.” The nurse interrupts her. “We’re monitoring everything
very closely, I promise.”
“I don’t like her.” Donna mutters.
“At least she didn’t give us grief about there being more than one person in here at a time.” Mom
points out.
“I think Dr. Bartlet took care of that issue. Josh? Can you hear me?” I manage a nod with my eyes
closed. “Is there anything I can get you?”
“Hard…to talk…” I get out.
“That’s from the tube you had in there during surgery. The last nurse said ice chips would help. Do
you want to try some?” I nod and open my mouth a bit. The ice cold sensation feels wonderful as it
runs down my throat but it also highlights the nausea. I moan.
“It’s okay, Joshua. You’re going to be okay.” She sounds like she’s crying again, but I can’t open my
eyes to check. Damn morphine.
“Donna, sweatheart, you need some sleep.” Mom tells her. Mom will take care of Donna. I just…can’t.
“I can’t.” She echoes the words in my head. “The doctor said the next 24 hours are critical for him.”
“You’ve been up for over 24 hours already.” Mom reasons with her. “You can’t go another 24 without
sleep no matter how much coffee you drink.” Coffee? I’d love some coffee right now. Probably not
though, huh? “Stretch out in the chair in the corner and I’ll sit right next to Josh while you sleep. You’ll
be no good to him if you’re exhausted.”
A few seconds later I feel Donna’s lips on my forehead.
“You just stop with all this drama now, Joshua.” Mom says. “I’ve had enough excitement to last me the
rest of my life, understand?” Now it sounds like Mom’s crying. What is it with the women in my life
crying all the time?
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I’m really superfluous here. Donna handles my son better than I do. Now that he’s been moved out of
intensive care, the battle has really begun. While he was in ICU, he was too ill to fight us on anything.
Now that he’s spending more time conscious, he’s fighting us on EVERYTHING; or maybe I should
say he’s fighting Donna on everything.
“Just let me talk to him a minute.”
“No.”
“Donna!”
“You’re recovering from attempted murder and your blood pressure is still too high. There is no way
you’re getting on the phone with Toby.” She scoffs.
“You’re just going to run pass interference until I’m out of here?” He asks.
“Longer than that if I can help it.”
“Donna…Things are pretty crazy at the White House right now. It would help to smooth things out if I
could talk to other members of the senior staff.” God bless him, he’s trying to reason with her. That’s
so sweet…but doomed to failure.
“Not going to happen.” See?
“I need to be able to share information with people at the White House.”
“There are rules for that.” She explains. “You send and receive information through me, provided that
you’re healthy enough to deal with it.”
“That’s not working so well for me.” He complains.
“On the contrary, it’s working exceptionally well for you. You have stayed alive and continue to
improve every day.” She snaps and leaves the room.
“Mom, can I please use your cell phone?”
“You must be deranged. There is no way I’m crossing Donna on this.”
“She doesn’t understand that I need to be in contact with the White House.”
“No, you don’t understand what we’ve been through in the last week; what Donna is trying to juggle
right now. Do you know she’s withdrawing from her classes?”
“What?”
“She’s concerned that she can’t take care of you and complete her classes at the same time.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Not to her, so I’d be careful using that kind of rhetoric when you talk to her about it.”
“I can’t exactly follow her out the door right now.” He points out.
“No, you can’t. And since you can’t you can use your enforced rest time here to jump back into the
deep end of the West Wing pool, you should use it to figure out how to apologize to Donna for what
you just said.”
“She’s cutting me off from my job!”
“You’re on medical leave right now so technically you don’t have a job to be cut off from.”
“Mom…”
“You have no idea what we’ve been through this week, Joshua, and Donna is being pressured from
both sides right now so it’s even worse for her.” My voice breaks with emotion. “I understand that you
use work to distract you from other issues and it must be very frustrating to you to be ‘cut off’ from
the White House right now, but it truly is in your best interest. There’s something else I need you to
give serious consideration to.”
“I can’t wait to hear this.”
“When you get released from GW, Donna and I think you should go to Connecticut for your rehab.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Not in the slightest.”
“That’s insane. It’s already going to take weeks, possibly months to get back up to speed at work and
you’re suggesting I leave the beltway to make it even harder?”
“Neither of us is particularly concerned with whether or not you get back up to speed at work. In fact,
we’d be just fine with you finding another line of work entirely.”
“Mom? You want me to quit my job at the White House?”
“This recovery is going to take…it’s going to be very hard. You’ve heard your cardiologist. He says it’
s imperative that you keep stress to a minimum and keep your blood pressure under control or…I’ve
had to bury my husband and one of my children already. I don’t think I could live through your funeral
too.” No longer able to hold my emotions in check, I follow Donna’s path out the door.
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“I found a new robe for you.” Donna pulls out a thick, navy blue robe from a shopping bag.
“What happened to my old one?”
“If I had my way, it would be in the trash, but at the moment it is still hanging on the back of your
bathroom door.” Donna tells me. “I think you need something a little more presentable while you’re
traipsing the halls here.”
“Thanks.” I tell her sincerely but she continues to flit around the room, watering the various plants I’ve
received and refusing to make eye contact with me. “Will you sit and talk with me a minute?”
Reluctantly, she sits in the chair furthest from my bed and the distance she puts between us is not
lost on me.
“Mom tells me you have pretty strong feelings about going to Connecticut after I get released from
prison here?”
“I really don’t care where you go once you’re released from her as long as it’s far away from D.C.”
The vehemence of her response catches me by surprise.
“Ah-kay. Let’s stick a pin in that for a moment. Why didn’t you tell me that you’re planning to withdraw
from your last two classes?”
“I think you have more important things to worry about than my classes.”
“You’re wrong. I know how much earning this degree means to you.”
“I’ll earn the degree, just a little later than I’d planned.”
“And you didn’t think it was a topic worth discussing?”
“No!” She snaps and stands up to pace my room. “You think a diploma is more important to me than
keeping you healthy?”
“Donna, you’re making me dizzy. Come sit with me.” I pat the bed to direct her back to me. Once she
sits in the appointed spot, I take her hand. “I need you to talk to me, discuss things with me. It seems
like we’re both making important decisions without talking to each other and that’s not working for me;
for us.”
“I almost lost you, Josh.” She says urgently. “I’m not going to let you take any chances now. I won’t
just stand by and watch while you get sucked into the West Wing regardless of the cost to your
health. You need to recover away from all this craziness; the politicians, the reporters, all of it. The
only way that’s going to happen is if you get out of D.C.”
“Are you talking about something temporary or something permanent?”
Donna’s head drops down and I can see the tears on her face. “I’m so scared, Josh. All your doctors
agree that your body can’t handle the kind of stress you’d be subjected to in the White House.”
“Is there room for compromise here?”
“This is not some political deal you can broker.” She objects.
“Hey! I’m just asking if there is a possibility for compromise.”
“Such as?”
“I do my rehab in Connecticut, and you agree not to drop your classes.” I hold up a hand to stop her
protest. “They’re independent studies; you can work on them from anywhere and you get your
degree on time; that’s important to me. In exchange, I do my rehab in Connecticut which seems to be
very important to both you and Mom.”
“What about work?”
“What about it?”
“Recovering in Connecticut isn’t going to improve your health if you’re still taking conference calls
and doing West Wing work while you’re there.”
“You want me to quit my job too?”
“I want you to take the time your body needs to recover from attempted murder without all the stress
that comes from working in the White House.”
“Donna…”
“I had to watch while they cracked open your chest and tried to repair your heart. Then all I could do
was hope and pray that it would start beating again once the operation was over. Now I can actually
do something to keep you safe and healthy. Can’t you understand that?” The look she turns on me is
heartbreaking.
“I’m not done at the White House, Donna. There are still many things that I want to help accomplish
there.”
“Can’t they at least be put on hold until the doctor’s think you’re ready?”
“It’s not that simple.”
“None of this is simple, Josh.” She argues. “We take a break; escape to Connecticut for awhile and
reassess.”
“It’s that important to you?” She nods. “I’m going to have to have some communication with the White
House. The mid-terms will be coming up and…”
“We can try that. But if the doctor’s say it’s impeding your recovery…”
“Okay.”
“Really?”
“Really.” I promise. So we go to Connecticut for a few weeks. How hard can that be?”