Title: Another Choice
Author: Cathy (www.cathyswestwing.com )
Timeline: A few years after “Our Choice” ended
“Josh Lyman.” A boisterous voice called from the hallway. Josh looked up and smiled.
“Governor!” Josh rose to meet Governor Tillman and shook his hand. “I’m looking forward to
your speech on campus this evening.”
“Speaking at American University is always a pleasure. Even more so now that you’re here.”
Tillman said jovially.
“Ah-kay.” Josh rolled his eyes. “Please, come in. It’s small and cramped, but it’s home for me
now.”
“Yes, I heard you got tenure.” Tillman acknowledged. “You must be enjoying your work here.”
“Very much.” Josh nodded. “I get to spend a lot more time with my family and I still keep my
hand in with the consulting group.”
“How much of a hand?” Tillman asked.
“More on some days and less on others. It depends on what the needs are.” Josh shrugged.
“American University prefers that I concentrate on my work here.”
“Work with the students but not so much with the administration?” Tillman smiled and Josh
acknowledged the accuracy of that with a nod of his head. He’d already butted heads with
several administrative members over University policy and some of the…discussions… had
made their way to the newspapers and other media.
“I’d love to get you in for a lecture if your schedule allows.”
“How does tomorrow sound?” Tillman offered and Josh bobbled his cup of coffee.
“Excuse me?”
“I’ve got the fundraiser tonight, but I don’t leave town until Thursday. I could come tomorrow
or Thursday before I leave…if that works for you?” Tillman asked.
Josh watched the older man carefully. “The sitting Governor of California offers to lecture for
my class? I change whatever I need to to make that work. Tomorrow would be terrific.”
“Anything in particular you’d like me to cover?”
“I’m sure they’ll be fascinated with any information you can give them about your job. These
kids soak stuff up like sponges. My class meets from 10:00-12:00.”
“Great. I’ll look forward to it.” Governor Tillman shook Josh’s hand and left as abruptly as he’
d arrived. Leaving Josh more than a little puzzled as to what this was all about.
He barely pulled into his driveway, when Ben came running out to meet him.
“Don’t get out of the car. We need to go get some milk.” Ben announced.
“Why didn’t you call me before I got home? This is why I have a cell phone.” Josh
complained and Ben shrugged. Then the light bulb went off in his head. “Wait a second. WE
have to get milk?”
“We’re all out.” Ben confirmed.
“Okay, I’LL run to the store and be right back.” Josh bluffed.
“No, wait! I can drive…if you want me to. I mean, you must be tired from working all day.”
Ben backpedaled and Josh grinned. Ben had just recently passed his drivers permit test and
was taking ANY opportunity to get behind the wheel that he could.
“Wow…that’s awfully kind of you, but you must be tired from your day at school too. I’ll just
run over quick.”
“Daaaad!” Ben whined in a credible imitation of his father. “Come on! It’ll only take a few
minutes and it would be good practice for me.”
“Then try; Dad, can I practice driving over to the store to get some milk?” Josh instructed
and Ben rolled his eyes, then repeated the line word for word.
“See? That wasn’t so bad.” Josh told him.
“So can I?” Ben pressed.
“Get in the car.” Josh got out of the driver’s side and let his son enter. Ben was doing pretty
well with the driving, so Josh only offered an occasional comment or suggestion which gave
Josh plenty of time to ruminate on Tillman’s unexpected offer. There had to be a catch;
there always was with men like Tillman. By the time they got back with the milk, Josh had a
few ideas about his possible motives.
“We brought more milk!” Ben announced when they entered the kitchen. Donna, who was
cooking at the stove looked up to see her men.
“My heroes.” She smiled and took the milk from Ben. “Any damage?”
“Moooom.” Ben complained. “I’m always careful.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t have an accident.”
“Is that why you always make me take Dad’s car when we practice?” Ben asked and Josh
turned back to hear her answer.
“No! Of course not!” Donna replied innocently. “Dad’s car is just smaller and easier to
navigate the streets with than mine.”
Josh gave her a disbelieving look but gave her a kiss nonetheless. “How was your day?”
“Headache inducing.” Donna replied. “Yours?”
“I had an interesting impromptu meeting.” Josh reported.
“Oh, God, what did you do now?” Donna asked with trepidation.
“Why do you automatically-“
“Sorry. I’m sorry. Tell me about your impromptu meeting.” Donna interrupted him and held
out the spoon with red sauce for Josh to taste.
“Mmmm. That’s delicious.”
“Good. I’ll put the pasta on. Your meeting?”
“Governor Tillman stopped by to see me today. He offered to speak to my class tomorrow
while he was in town for a fundraiser.”
“Tillman? What does he want?”
“Don’t know yet.” Josh took another spoonful of red sauce to taste while Donna’s back was
turned to get the pasta.
“Put the spoon down and step away from the stove.” Donna told him without turning around.
“How do you DO that?” Josh complained.
“She has eyes in the back of her head.” Tori announced. “You’re ten minutes late.”
“I was getting milk with Ben.” Josh defended himself against his youngest daughter.
“Dinner is in 8 minutes. You should wash your hands.” She replied and Josh bit back a
laugh. His daughter, who was autistic, ran the whole family on her rigid personal clock. If
dinner wasn’t on the table at the exact time it was supposed to appear, the house better be
on fire. No lesser excuse would be accepted.
“I’ll get right on that. Maybe you could call your siblings down?” Josh suggested and with a
sharp nod of her heard she left to fetch them all.
“Benjamin! Allison! Jacob! Time for dinner!” Tori shouted on her way.
“I should have predicted that.” Josh groaned.
“Yes, you should have.” Donna agreed. “Tillman didn’t give you any idea about what he’d
like in exchange for the favor of lecturing for your class?”
“He didn’t give me any idea he even wanted a favor!” Josh replied. “But something’s up. Has
be approached Billy about his re-election campaign?”
“Not that I know of.” Donna shook her head. “You should ask him.”
“Maybe I will later.” Josh shrugged. “I imagine if I can wait until tomorrow, I’ll get all the
answers I want. I just need to have some patience.”
Donna laughed out loud. “Right. That’s all you need; some patience.” Her eyes danced
when they met her husband’s.
“Are you….mocking me?” Josh asked moving closer to his wife.
“Of course not. I was agreeing with you.” Donna stepped back with each step that Josh
stepped forward until she was pressed against the fridge. “Josh!”
“My car is smaller? I just need patience?” Josh repeated. “I see a theme developing here.”
“Theme? What theme? You’re paranoid.”
“What’s the old saying?” Josh asked rhetorically. “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t
mean someone isn’t out to get you.”
“You’re very handsome when you’re paranoid.” Donna went for distraction. It worked like a
charm.
“You forgot ‘powerful’. Handsome and powerful.” He supplied.
“And egomaniacal.” Donna added before she kissed him.
“Gross!” Ally announced when she came into the kitchen.
“Go away, Ally.” Josh instructed and kissed her mother again.
“Tori said it was time for dinner.” Ally objected.
“In just…a couple…minutes.” Josh replied in between kisses.
“Of for Pete’s sake.” Ally rolled her eyes and turned to the rest of her siblings who were just
coming in. “I wouldn’t look if I were you.”
“I’m hungry!” Jacob announced and Donna pulled out of Josh’s embrace.
“Grab your plates. The pasta is almost ready.” Donna told them and they all scurried to
obey. “Ben, get the garlic bread out of the oven please. Ally, put the milk and water on the
table.”
Getting dinner on the table at the Lyman house was like a well choreographed ballet;
everyone doing their prescribed job and just narrowly avoiding collisions with the rest of the
clan. There were never any quiet conversations at the table either. Instead they had loud,
boisterous debates and joyful laughter with some occasional tears if someone experienced a
particularly bad day. Then it was homework, baths, and preparation for the next day. So it
wasn’t until hours later that Josh got a chance to call Billy Fernandez, the current President
of LCC (Lyman Campaign Consulting) to get some answers.
“Fred!” Josh called out when he heard his protégés’ voice. “How are things at the Fernandez
home?”
“Paige is refusing to go to bed. Olivia just broke the lamp in the family room playing trucks
with Michael and I’m seriously contemplating running away from home. Or, you know,
committing suicide.” Billy summarized.
“Don’t do that. It will be bedtime soon. Jenny’s not back yet?” Jenny had taken a trip to the
West Coast offices to take a couple meetings with media companies.
“Do you think I’d be suicidal right now if Jenny were here?”
“Fair point.” Josh replied. “Let me distract you with something work related.”
“Okay.”
“Tell me about California.” Josh stated.
“Well…it’s a very large state on the West Coast with tons of beaches…”
“Funny man.” Josh acknowledged. “Who are we running in California?”
“Are you kidding me? Most of the Assembly seats are contracted with us. What are you
fishing for, Josh?”
“Has Tillman approached you at all?”
“Governor Tillman?”
“Yes, Governor- No, Tillman the clown.” Josh got aggravated. “Has Governor Tillman asked
about LCC running his re-election campaign?”
“No.” Billy answered simply.
“No contact at all?” Josh asked again.
“Did you think I was confused about the question the first time around? I got nothing for you
on Tillman. If you want, I can ask around the senior staff and see if they’ve heard from him
personally.” Billy offered.
“Yeah…thanks.” Josh was still mulling the ideas over and over in his head. “When does
Jenny get back?”
“Tomorrow, thank God.” Billy sighed. “Olivia Fernandez, put that down this instant!”
“I’ll…just let you go there.” Josh offered with a chuckle. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.” Billy replied ruefully before hanging up the phone.
“Did Billy have any ideas about Tillman?”
“No, he said there hasn’t been any contact between his office and LCC.” Josh reported.
“Then try to let it go for now. You said yourself that whatever he’s looking for he’s bound to
tell you about tomorrow.”
“But now it’s bugging me.”
“Imagine my shock.” Donna drawled. “Come to bed. I think I may be able to distract you
there.”
Josh’s eyebrows shot up, but he wasted no to time following his wife upstairs.
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“That’s all the time we have today. Please join me in thanking Governor Tillman for taking
the time to give us some firsthand insight into the life of the Governor of California.” Josh
started the applause and the students joined in; some of them standing. Josh escorted the
Governor out of the lecture hall to forestall any possibility of them getting waylaid before
they were able to exit.
“Do you have time for lunch?” The Governor asked once they’d made their way down the
hall a bit.
“I kept my schedule open for just such a possibility. I’d take you to the cafeteria, but the food
is notoriously bad. Let’s walk over to this deli down the street.” Josh suggested.
“Lead on.” Tillman motioned with his hand and they started on their way. “How’s Donna
these days?”
“Between work and the kids, she’s pretty busy, but she seems to thrive on it.”
“And the kids?” Tillman continued.
“Ben just started driving. Luckily for me, his on the road skills don’t resemble his driving skills
in the video games.” Josh chuckled. “Ally just started junior high. Tori is…Tori. She’s a
spitfire. Jacob hasn’t found a surface he doesn’t want to jump off of yet.” Josh smiled. “They’
re wonderful.”
“Enjoy these days, Josh. All too soon they’re out the door and you’re lucky to lure them back
with phrases like ‘birthday presents’, “Free meals’, and “washer and dryer”.” Tillman pointed
out.
“I’ll keep that in mind, sir.” Josh replied and opened a door. “Here we are. It’s not fancy, but it
is good.”
They ordered their food and kept up the chit chat until their order was ready and they found
a back booth to sit in.
“I’m glad we were able to work lunch in today.” Tillman began. “I have something I want to
speak with you about.”
“I figured.” Josh noted. “What’s on your mind Governor?”
“I’d like to start an exploratory committee.” He replied.
“For President?” Josh confirmed and Tillman nodded. “I can call Billy Fernandez right now
and you can sit down today. Although you might prefer to sit down with Lou Thornton since
she runs the West Coast offices.”
“No offense to Billy, he’s good, very good, but I want you to run it.” Tillman explained.
“Governor, I don’t run campaigns anymore.” Josh shook his head. “You want Billy.”
“I watched how you and McGarry ran Bartlet. I saw up close and personal how you ran
Santos and Seaborn. I don’t trust anybody else with this.”
“Governor-“
“I’m not even sure about this move.” Tillman admitted. “I need someone I can trust running
the exploratory committee and if I sign on with LCC it’s going to make news that I’m not ready
to make yet. But you I can put on an expense report as a consultant and nobody will even
blink because you don’t run campaigns anymore.”
“Governor-“ Josh tried again.
“Bob.” Tillman corrected him.
“Governor.” Josh refused the informal address. “There are reasons I’m not running
campaigns anymore.”
“Yes, but your heart is doing fine, isn’t it?” Tillman asked.
Josh blinked in surprise.
“I hear things.” Tillman shrugged. “Help me with the exploratory committee. If it goes any
further than that we’ll re-negotiate.”
“I still consult for LCC and the University already has problems with that. I can only imagine
what they’ll say about-“
“You’re doing some political consulting work for the Governor of California, which will require
the Governor to take meetings here occasionally; meetings that could involve speaking
engagements or fundraising events for the University. Tell me Josh, do Universities on this
coast spend as much time begging for money as the Universities do on the west coast?”
“Indeed they do, Governor.” Josh nodded. “I’m flattered by the offer but one of the reasons
my heart is doing so well is that my blood pressure doesn’t get spiked regularly by political
campaigns. It breaks my heart not to be in the thick of it with Billy, but-“
“Then here’s your chance; a short term, no pressure position that puts your skills to good
use. Say ‘yes’ Josh.”
“I’ll think about it; talk it over with Donna.” Josh allowed. “That’s the best I can do right now.”
“Okay, I’ll take it…for now. But I need an answer by Friday.” Tillman told him.
“Friday then.” Josh rose and shook the Governor’s hand. “I’ll be speaking to you soon.”
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“Oh, wait, before we get off our call, has anyone had any contact from Governor Tillman’s
office?” Billy asked. A chorus of ‘no’s’ came back to him. Well, whatever Tillman was up to it
didn’t involve anyone at LCC. Fair enough.
“Billy, we need to come to a decision about who we’re running in the primaries. We’ve got
requests all over the board.” Lou noted.
“That’s our vote on Monday.” Billy decided. “I still have a few more things I need to go over
this weekend.”
“You think you’re going to get work done at home this weekend?” Toby scoffed.
“Jenny’s back, smart ass.” Billy shot back. “I’ll have it ready to go out Monday morning and
then we can debate and vote on our call that afternoon. Thanks everybody.” Billy hung up
and turned in his chair to see Donna standing in his doorway.
“Billy…”
“Don’t start please, Donna.” Billy requested.
“I’m not starting anything. I’m only going to say one word.”
“Which would be what?”
“Donnelly.”
“Senator Donnelly would be a long shot and you know it.”
“Since when did that ever stop us? Donnelly.” Donna repeated.
“Nobody has elected an Irish Catholic since Kennedy and nobody has EVER elected a
woman President.” Billy reminded her, as if he needed to.
“I understand.” Donna nodded. “It’s understandable that you’d be scared.”
“I’m not scared.”
“A little chicken. It’s okay to admit it. You’d be under intense media scrutiny and the when
you’d lose, which you think would be inevitable-“
“Stop!” Billy shouted and laughed. “Is this how you intimidate Josh?”
“It was when we worked together at the White House. Now I have much better methods of
persuasion.” Donna smiled secretively.
“Mind bleach!” Billy called after her as she left his office.
“Donnelly!” Donna shouted back.
Hmmmm…Donnelly was still in his pile of ‘potentials’ but she was pretty far down the list. He
guessed it wouldn’t hurt to give it another look. Donna had exceptional skills for picking out
‘the real thing’. Maybe he’d just take all the potentials over to the Lyman household this
weekend and get Josh’s input too. It wasn’t that Billy couldn’t make a decision without Josh’s
two cents, he’d made plenty of them, but when it came to choosing who to run for the
Presidency…he’d just like someone else to bounce things off of. And his very favorite
bouncing off person was Josh.
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“He wants you to run the exploratory committee.” Donna repeated dully.
“Quietly. He’s not sure he wants to run at this point.”
“Isn’t that the point of forming an exploratory committee?” Donna asked.
“It’s more than that and you know it.”
“I know we agreed you were out of this business.” Donna reminded him.
“This isn’t the same thing as-“
“We were sitting right here, as a matter of fact, after your SURGERY.” Donna continued
unabated.
“I know where we were sitting, Donna. I know what was said.” Josh replied patiently. “This is
different. He told me that if things went beyond the exploratory level, he’d find someone
else.”
“He said that; that ‘he’d find someone else’?”
“Technically, he said we’d re-negotiate, but it’s the same thing.” Josh noted and Donna
laughed. “It IS!”
“If you believe that you’re an idiot, and you’re no idiot, Josh.”
“That’s not what you said the other day when-“
“You’re not an idiot about this stuff.” Donna corrected herself and took a deep breath.
“Look, this will be the first Presidential campaign in forever that you’re not directly involved
in, and I get that being approached by the Governor of California is very flattering but you
can NOT do this.”
“Are you saying that I can’t do this, or that I can’t do this?” Josh asked point blank.
“That sounds like the same question repeated to me.” Donna dodged the question entirely.
“You know what I’m asking you.” Josh rolled his head back to hit the back of the chair.
“I’m not your mother Joshua. You’re an adult and can make your own decisions.” Donna said
primly.
“If it’s going to cause problems between us-“
“Of course it’s going to cause problems between us. You knew it would or you’d have
agreed to it without talking to me first.” Donna interrupted him. “This is going to cause a
conflict at LCC; for you, for me…are you going to discuss this with Billy?”
“I wasn’t planning on it. It’s a side thing for me. Just like it’s a side thing for me to work on
things at LCC; a company that bears my name even though we just use initials now to try to
cover that up.” Josh got angry.
Donna stopped what she was doing and turned to face him. “Is that what you think?”
“It’s what you’ve done.” Josh pointed out. “Now I have an opportunity to get more involved
for a limited time frame in a race that interests me. Why should I say no?”
“I don’t know Josh. Maybe you could ask your cardiologist…or your children.” Donna replied
and left him alone to ponder her response.