Part 3
FLASHBACK:1 MONTH PRIOR TO THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION:
The cacophony inside the Seaborn/Matthews headquarters was almost
deafening. Josh tried to ignore the extraneous noise as he concentrated on
the conference call he was on right now. Donna and the kids, who were
enjoying summer vacation, were on the road with Ainsley and the Seaborn
children and he hadn’t seen them for nearly 2 weeks. Just hearing Donna’s
voice on the call right now was enough to distract him from the business at
hand.
“Josh?” Alex, their media consultant, called to him; and not for the first time.
“Sorry, where were we?” Josh asked.
“I was asking what you thought about moving Ainsley to the forum in Arkansas
instead of Grace.” Donna repeated with some concern in her voice. Josh
looked over at Alex who nodded.
“Her numbers are climbing nicely there. We could better utilize Grace at the
energy innovation conference in Orlando.” Alex confirmed.
“Do it.” Josh ordered. “Nice call, Donnatella. Governor, how are you holding
up?” Sam had come down with a little cold that had been affecting his voice
for the last couple days. They had tried to keep his speeches to a minimum.
“Better.” Sam told them. “I think I’m over the worst of it.”
“Glad to hear it. Keep drinking whatever it is that Annabeth is making for you.”
Said Josh.
“Easy for you to say; you don’t have to taste the stuff…Josh, I think we need
to prepare a statement for after Roberts’ speech on health care Friday.”
Roberts, the current Republican President, was trying to steal their thunder on
health care as Sam was steadily climbing in the polls.
“Already on it, Governor. We’ll have it for you to review in a couple hours.
Senator Matthews will be echoing your statement at her events for the next
few days too. Roberts is going to look like a tuba player who can’t keep up
with the marching band by Friday.” They all laughed at that image. “The
message of the day is..”
“Education reform.” Came a chorus of voices on the conference call. Josh
laughed at the tone. “You got it. It’s driving some numbers people, so keep up
the good work. Any questions or problems I want a heads up before CNN. I’m
at headquarters all day.” Josh paused. “Donna, can you stay on a minute?”
“Sure.” Came the puzzled reply and everyone else hung up. “What’s up,
Joshua?”
“I’m going to change your schedule. Get you back here by Wednesday.” Josh
spoke in low tones so the others leaving the conference room couldn’t hear
him as they left.
“Is there a problem?”
“Yes, I miss my family.” Josh stated simply and Donna’s heart melted. “My bed
is empty and I need a Donnatella fix. AJ and Noah probably won’t even
recognize me when they get back.”
“Don’t be silly, they see you on TV almost every day.” Donna joked.
“Nice. I need you here with me, Donna. I’m changing your schedule.”
“Is that a question or an order?” she asked.
“Neither. Just a simple statement. Come home. I need to hold you, to touch
you, to-“
“I get the idea. Let’s keep in mind that this call could be monitored, shall we? If
I can home early, what’s in it for me?” she asked.
“Have I not already mentioned the holding and the touching?” Josh replied.
“Yes, but I can’t help thinking that the holding and touching is equally
rewarding for you, so I ask again, what’s in it for me?” Josh rued the day he
ever taught this woman to negotiate.
“Alright, coffee in bed for a week.”
“Two weeks.” She threw back without a beat.
“10 days.” He countered.
“Done. Talk to you after the thing. Love you.” And Donna hung up. However,
Josh could hear a chuckling on the line.
“You are so whipped, my friend.” came the scratchy voice of Governor Sam
Seaborn.
“Sam! That is a total invasion of my privacy!” Josh was mortified.
“Yeah, you should have a lawyer look into that.” Sam teased.
“I AM a lawyer, how many times do I have to tell you people! I should quit. I
should get on a plane right now, retrieve my family, and…and quit!” he ranted.
“You can’t do that.” Sam told him.
“Why the hell not?”
“Because I couldn’t do this without you.” Sam replied and took the wind out of
Josh’s sails. “I’d be lost and rudderless without you. You’ve done an amazing
job with this campaign.”
“Thanks.” Josh couldn’t get anything else out past the lump in his throat.
“Plus you have a contract that commits you through the convention. Of
course, there may be fine print; you should have a lawyer look at it.” Sam
hung up laughing as Josh sputtered, laughing himself.
PRESENT: THURSDAY MORNING FOLLOWING THE ELECTION:
Sam and Grace were talking through cabinet positions Thursday morning
when there was a knock on the door and Jim Watson was announced.
Watson, the head of Sam’s security team, had previously done most of his
reporting to and with Josh as he was the head of the campaign. Subsequently,
Sam hadn’t had the opportunity to get to know him very well.
“Mr. President-elect, I have the updated roster for the security teams for your
approval. Normally, I would give it to the incoming Chief of Staff, but-“
“Since I don’t have one yet… This is all new to me Jim, what am I supposed to
be looking for here?”
“Basically, if there are any staff changes you want to address before we get to
the White House, it would be best to go over them now. We also have
improvement plans for your home here in California you should review with the
First Lady elect, and the Vice-President’s detail is also in there…”
“I got it.” Sam told him as he handed some of the pages to Grace for her
review. “Would you let the agents covering my children how much we
appreciate their patience and tolerance? Ainsley and I have been very
impressed.”
“I will pass that along, sir. I’m sure they’ll appreciate you mentioning it.”
“All these people are on my detail?” Sam asked incredulously.
“Yes, sir, the rest of the first family’s detail is in the second half of the
document. When you name a Chief of Staff, they too, will be covered with a
smaller detail.”
“Okay.” Sam responds as he looks at the long list of names of people whose
job it is to protect him and his family.
“Sir, may I ask if Mr. Lyman is still under consideration for the position?”
“That depends who you ask, Jim, why?”
“Just that if he takes the position, we’ll need to co-ordinate with his private
security and that can complicate things.”
“I’m sorry, his ‘private’ security?”
“Yes, sir, not that they’re not good people, I recommended them to Mr. Lyman
myself, it’s just that more people means more complications and more time to
organize.” Jim tried to back peddle.
“Since when does Josh- why does he have private security, Agent Watson?”
Jim, recognizing he may have stepped in it, clamped his mouth shut.
“I think it might be better if you discussed this with Mr. Lyman, sir.” Jim told him.
“I think you work for me, and if you’d like to continue to work for me, you’d
better tell me what the hell this is all about!”
“Sam..” Grace admonished him, but Sam never broke eye contact with special
agent Watson.
“Mr. President-elect, these things are usually run through the campaign
manager and Mr. Lyman assured me that anything that needed to be passed
on to you, he would pass on to you.”
“Okay, let’s call those yesterday’s rules. From now on everything gets run
past me, at least preliminarily; until I get my sea legs on this stuff.”
“Yes, sir. I will personally see that you get briefed daily until directed
otherwise.”
“Josh Lyman is one of my oldest and dearest friends. His entire family is- I
want you to catch me up on what’s been happening.”
Sam and Grace listened intently as Special Agent Watson told them about the
threats and what was being done to protect the Lyman family. It was quite a
story.
THURSDAY FOLLOWING ELECTION DAY: DISNEYLAND
Donna watched as her husband got shakily to his feet having endured Mr.
Toad’s Wild Ride. Noah was jumping up and down in excitement shoving his
map of Disneyland into his father’s face. AJ had a sly smile on her face which
told Donna she might have made the ride a little ‘wilder’ for her dad than she
had to.
She concentrated on her approaching family rather than the security detail
behind her; not that is was terribly difficult to do. The security team was
dressed casually and kept a respectful distance from her family. The only
giveaway to their real purpose in the Magic Kingdom was the earpiece they
wore which was barely discernable behind their dark sunglasses; and the fact
that they had no children attached to them.
“You picked Toad’s Wild Ride. I get to pick next and I want to go on Pirates of
the Caribbean.” AJ argued.
“The Haunted Mansion is right on the way. See?” He offered his map to prove
his point.
Donna’s eyes met Josh’s and they shared a parental smile over the normal
sibling interaction. Donna knew that Josh taking this day off for family, at the
start of transition no less, was a peace offering of sorts from her husband.
She leaned forward and kissed him.
“Oooh, ick!” Noah exclaimed. “Don’t do that here!”
AJ pretended disgust, but Josh could tell she was happy to see some genuine
affection between them. He was happy to feel it too.
“Pirates first, then God help me, the Haunted whatever thing.” His family
laughed. They struck out towards New Orleans Square when his cell phone
rang and everyone froze.
“Joshua Lyman, you promised no cell phone today.” Donna accused as she
shook her head. “You swore it would be just family with no interruptions from
work.”
“I didn’t even realize I had it, Donna, I swear. It must have just been habit; grab
the phone on the way out.” He tried to explain, but Donna took Noah’s hand
and began walking away from him.
“Dad, do something!” AJ implored.
“It was just an accident, AJ. It doesn’t have to ruin our day. I’m not even
picking it up.”
As if on cue, it began to ring again. Donna turned her head enough to call to
him. “Better get the phone Joshua or it will keep ringing all day.”
“What phone?” he asked in mock innocence. That stopped them in their
tracks. Donna slowly turned around to face him.
“The one that is currently ringing in your pocket.” She said dryly. Josh
reached into his pocket and pulled out the phone, looking surprised to find it
there.
“How did a phone get in my pocket? I’ve never seen this thing before in my
life.” He affirmed as he tossed the phone into the pond they were passing. All
3 of them gaped as if he lost his mind.
Donna moved over toward the pond and looked into the water like she could
retrieve the phone if she could just locate it. “Josh your phone- you just-“ she
gestured toward the water.
“I’m sure MY phone is at the hotel where I left it. Noah, which way to the Pirate
thing?” Noah laughed and pointed the correct direction. AJ grabbed her father’
s hand and squeezed.
“Way to go Dad!” Josh basked in the glow of his children’s delight and
enjoyed the fact that he could still surprise his wife of 13 years. She was still
staring at the pond; frozen in one spot. Josh reached back with his other hand
and took Donna’s. The trio followed Noah’s lead; each very happy with the
direction the day was taking.
It was nearly midnight when the Lyman family dragged themselves into the
hotel they were staying at. Noah was riding piggy back on Josh who was
complaining about being used as a pack mule; AJ and Donna were holding
hands and conversing quietly with each other. They turned the corner of the
hallway towards their suite when Donna and AJ stopped abruptly causing Josh
and Noah to run into them. Josh then caught sight of the Secret Service
agents lining the hall outside their suite. He and Donna exchanged a
significant look, before she took Noah from him.
“I’ll get the kids into bed.” She promised as the Secret Service opened their
door for them. Josh nodded his agreement.
President-elect Sam Seaborn was seated in their living room reading a stack
of papers. He looked up as they entered.
“Looks like the Lyman family enjoyed Disneyland.” He noted with a sad smile.
“It was awesome.” came the sleepy reply of Noah Lyman. “I got great pictures
too.”
“Can’t wait to see them.” Sam responded without looking at Josh.
“Say goodnight, guys.” Donna prompted. The children complied and were
escorted into the bedroom. Josh wearily sat on the couch opposite Sam and
prepared himself for what was coming. Sam tossed down the Secret Service
report reviewing the threats to Joshua Lyman and his family on the coffee
table between them and they made a loud snapping sound that startled Josh.
“So, I got my Secret Service detail report this morning.” Sam began.
“I didn’t think you needed to concern yourself with that when you had just
gotten the nomination. I handled it just fine myself.”
“Handled what, Josh? Credible threats against my best friend and his family?
That was what you decided was beneath my notice?” Sam lashed out.
“Sam, it wasn’t-“ Josh tried to explain.
“Excuse me?” Sam interrupted. Josh’s eyes went wide for a second when he
understood Sam was insisting on being called ‘sir’ or ‘Mr. President’.
“SIR, it wasn’t that I thought it was beneath your notice.” Josh took a deep
breath. “There was simply nothing more that could be done than was being
done. Worrying you served no purpose.”
“How about lying to me about where Donna and the kids went after the
convention. Did that serve a purpose?”
“Yes, sir, it did.” Josh maintained. “It kept my family safe and kept your
campaign from being derailed.”
“What a load of shit. Donna didn’t want you on the campaign anymore, did
she? That’s why there has been all this tension between you. Why there are
rumors of marital problems? Are they just rumors, Josh, or is that nothing I
should concern myself with either.”
“Don’t speak to him that way, Samuel.” Donna rejoined them in the living area.
“Donna.” Josh tried to stop her tirade.
“I may not have agreed with his decisions, but he made the decisions he did
with your best interests in mind, and those decisions are what landed you in
the White House. So don’t speak to him like that.” Donna’s eyes flashed.
“You’re really not helping the situation Donatella, and can I just say…you pick
‘now’ to get on my side?”
“I am not on your side, exactly, just more on your side than his right now.” She
answered.
“And ‘his side’ being the side of the President-elect.” Josh clarifies.
“Don’t start with me, Joshua.”
Sam lets out a loud whistle and they both turned to him.
“Over here, you two.” Once Sam was satisfied he had their attention he
continued. “Did you not think I would hear about this at some point? Did you
not think I would be terribly hurt that you kept this from me?” Donna merely
looked at Josh, waiting for him to reply.
“I didn’t want to put anything else on your plate. It was being handled…sir.”
Sam managed a laugh. “Only you can make that sound like an insult Josh.”
“If you’re done defending my honor, will you excuse us for a minute, Donna?”
Josh asked her simply. She acquiesced and after throwing a glare at Sam,
she went back in the bedroom.
“All this..” Josh waved a hand at the reports on the table. “..has pumped up
my blood pressure quite a bit. My doctors are recommending taking some time
off. That’s why I couldn’t accept the COS position. I promised Donna once the
election was over, I would take time off and try to get things back under
control. She wasn’t happy with the decision to stay on as campaign manager,
but I think part of her knew me well enough to know that even if I quit after the
convention, I would still have stress problems watching from the sidelines. I
think she decided it might actually improve the stress if I had some control
over the situation.”
“Tell me how it started.” Sam demanded.
“You read the reports. I’m sure they are very thorough.”
“I read the reports. Tell me how it started.” Sam insisted. Josh got up and
grabbed two beers from the frig in the kitchenette. He opened them and
handed one to Sam.
“The first I heard about it was two weeks before the convention…” Josh began.