Title: Donna’s Diary; Pages from the Past, January 2003
Author: Cathy Miller
Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: I think they might be Anne Marie’s, but she lets me borrow them
A/N: The Donna’s Diary chapters are companion pieces to Anne Marie’s
The Chronicles of Joshua. We have linked each chapter to the companion
chapters on both our websites for you easy reading pleasure. (http://www.
geocities.com/annemflynn/ChroniclesofJoshuaMain.html) Anne Marie’s
(www.cathyswestwing.com) mine
January 2003
Thank God I have Jack in my life. I no longer have to be mired in the whole
Josh/Amy saga. Jack has an important job, and sometimes he’ll share
something about it with me when we’re at the office, but once we leave the
White House, everything work related stays there. He’s traveled all around
the world and tells me stories about his travels that are at turns, funny or
fascinating.
Sometimes, as I’m listening to the contributions Jack makes at work every
day, I get a little resentful. I know I was inexperienced when we first got here,
but it’s 4 years later and I’m ready for more. I’ve been asking for more too,
but Josh doesn’t seem to hear me. I need to be more assertive about that.
Since I’m building my social life, I might as well build my career while I’m at it.
************************************
I got the tickets for the Inaugural Balls today- all 8 of the balls. I am so
excited my head could spin off at any minute. So naturally I take the
opportunity to needle Josh a bit. I’ve given him plenty of opportunities to fire
back; mentioning the 13 buttons on Jack’s trousers for instance, but he’s
managing to stay above the fray which is quite annoying to me. In fact, if I
wasn’t in such a wonderful mood I’d be getting pissed at his lack of reaction
right now.
He really hasn’t said much about Jack at all lately. No keeping me at work
late to mess up my plans with Jack, or snide remarks about what a gomer
Jack is. For some reason this rankles me. Does his lack of interest in my
love life mean he thinks I picked a decent man this time or does it mean he
no longer cares if I pick a decent man? And why the hell should I care what
his reason is? Except that I do. Sadly, I really do.
I need to focus on the matter at hand. This time, unlike the last Inauguration
night I went to, I am being accompanied by a handsome military officer not
the new Deputy Chief of Staff who took his assistant because there was
business to do even at that social event. This will be a night to remember.
**********************************
I can’t remember a time when I was this mad at Josh. “Did he request a
transfer?”. No, you narcissistic asshole, he didn’t request it. Somebody,
either Nancy, Leo, or the President, asked him to do something. He did it
and now he’s getting transferred out of the White House for his time and
trouble. This is just wrong!
If I find out Josh had anything to do with this or knew anything about this
and kept it from me, I’ll quit. I will walk right out the door.
*****************************************************
“Hey, you’re here already.” I put a smile on my face when I see Jack sitting
on my couch channel surfing.
Jack shrugs and continues to flip through channels faster than he could
possibly identify the programs.
“Jack? What’s wrong?”
“You mean besides being ‘re-assigned’ out of my dream job because I
followed orders from my Commander in Chief?” he laughs, but it’s a scary
kind of laugh and I then notice the half empty bottle of whiskey on the table
in front of him.
“I asked Josh about it.” I tell him. “But he doesn’t know any of the details.”
“The White House Deputy Chief of Staff doesn’t know the details? That’s a
joke.” Jack takes another swig of alcohol. “Everybody’s very loyal around
here unless you wear a uniform…That’s what I told ‘em too.”
“Told them? Told who?” I ask dreading the answer.
“The paper. That’s what I told the researcher from the paper; you know,
Danny’s paper.”
“Oh, God. Jack, you said that to a newspaper researcher? What were you
thinking?”
“It’s true!”
“I know. What they did to you, how they treated you was terrible, but you
have to think of your career. If that quote gets back to- Who did you talk to?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Jack shrugs again. “One way or the other, I’m done.”
“You’re not!” I insist. “You are a brilliant man who was handpicked by Nancy
McNally to work in the White House and whatever this was about to begin
with it will blow over. Things like this blow over. The President didn’t disclose
his M.S. and we all thought it was the end of the administration, but it blew
over and we even won re-election.”
Jack seems to consider this for a minute, then shakes his head wearily. “It’s
too late. I already gave them a few quotes. They’ll trace it back to me and
that’s the ball game.”
I flop next to him on the couch and think. Josh has taught me some strategy
after all. It takes all of 2 minutes to come to me. “I know a way out of this.” I
pick up the phone and dial a number I know by heart. “Hello, C.J.?”
***************************************
It’s done. I called C.J. and took responsibility for the quotes. Jack got
screwed at the White House and he doesn’t deserve to have his career
ruined because he spouted off in a moment of understandable anger and
frustration. I can take whatever heat comes my way because of this; my
‘career’ isn’t going anywhere anyway. C.J., after she recovered from the
shock of my admission, sounded almost sympathetic. I have no illusions that
Josh will feel the same way.
Normally, that might really bother me, but he was such an ass when I asked
him to find out about what happened with Jack. When I think about all the
demeaning, humiliating things I’ve done for him…and he couldn’t make one
inquiry for me? I don’t care if Jack’s being transferred to the Italian Alps or
Antarctica. Where he is being sent is not the point. It’s why he’s being sent
away (from a job he’s told me that he’s been working towards his whole life)
that’s the issue.
I don’t have to wait long to get ‘the call’ from Josh. I may have hearing
damage from the volume of his voice through the phone. I let him rant and
rave; throwing out apology after apology whenever he pauses long enough
to let me speak. He’s on a rant, but that’s okay. As long as he’s busy
reaming me out he won’t have the time or the focus to think this whole thing
through and figure out I wasn’t the one to give the quotes. Between my
confession and the horrible events in Kundu, even the great and powerful
Josh Lyman can’t puzzle this all out right now…but he’s trying.
“All I can say, Josh, is that I’m sorry.” I repeat.
“I don’t want any more apologies, Donna.” He shouts.
“Then what DO you want?” I reply in exasperation.
“I want you to tell me why!” Josh demands. “Why would you do this to us; to
me? Why?”
I can’t come up with an answer that will satisfy him so I say nothing. I hear a
commotion on his end of the line.
“I’ve got to go.” He tells me. “We’ll discuss the rest of this at the swearing in.”
“I’m not going to the swearing in.” I say quickly.
“What?”
“I’m not going to the balls either.” I manage to get out even though my
breath is hitching as the tears fall rapidly down my face. “I’m the last person
who should be anywhere near the President today. Bye Josh.”
I hang up the phone before he can say anything else. I’ve been looking
forward to Inauguration for weeks and now I’ve lost the chance to go. What
troubles me more is thinking about what else I might have lost…