A Friend in Deed Chapter 4:
Josh and Donna walked to the car in silence; Donna because she was
nervous and Josh because he was embarrassed about his earlier display.
"How'd it go in the oval?" Donna tried for a neutral topic.
"It took awhile to bring the President around and then he wanted to
talk about the price of tea in China…" Josh responded.
"The price of tea in-" Donna was stumped.
"He insisted on talking about everything and nothing for the last
hour and a half."
"He was in one of his moods, was he?"
"You aren't kidding."
"There seems to be a lot of that going around." Donna muttered.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Josh asked defensively.
"Nothing…it's just been an unusual evening."
"I thought you said it had been a `wonderful' evening."
"When I said it had been wonderful…I might have been overstating it a
bit." Donna admitted.
Josh did a double take as he parked his car in front of her building.
"Did something happen?" Josh looked alarmed and Donna rushed to
reassure him.
"No, nothing like that."
"Well I'm sorry if I interrupted things by coming home to my own
house. I'll see you tomorrow." he dismissed her without another look.
"Josh, I didn't mean- That's not what I- Would you like to come up
for a cup of coffee or something?"
"It's late, I'm tired, and that last thing I need is a cup of coffee
while you give me more details than I ever wanted to know about your
love life with a good friend of mine."
"Fine then. Go home. I never asked you to drive me in the first
place." Donna opened her door to get out of the vehicle.
"Well somebody has to look after you! God knows what would happen to
you if you were left to your own devices."
"Excuse me?" Donna stopped in mid-exit.
"You get into one relationship mess after another. No wonder running
off to New Hampshire seemed like an inspired idea."
"I did not `run off' to New Hampshire. I chose to go to New Hampshire
to work for a man I believed in. A man who has integrity, principles,
compassion, and honor. Too bad he couldn't find a deputy chief of
staff with the same qualities." Donna slammed the car door shut as
Josh stared at her like she'd grown a third head.
Donna ran up the steps and into her apartment. Josh sat there for a
few minutes before slowly putting the car in drive and returning
home.
When he got to his place, he found Ben eating popcorn and watching a
movie on TV.
"I'm surprised to see you still up." Josh commented.
"I'm surprised to see you here at all." Ben replied.
"I do live here."
"Yes, I know, but I thought maybe you'd stay at Donna's."
"What are you talking about?"
"Didn't you and Donna talk tonight?"
"Of course we talked. You saw us talking."
"No, I mean alone, at Donna's."
"I just dropped her off, that's all. What the hell, Abrahms?"
Ben shook his head and ate some popcorn.
"I saw you graduate magna cum laude. I've watched you work countless
political campaigns including one that took a dark horse candidate
from obscurity to the oval office. Every day, you wrangle with some
of the most brilliant political minds in the world."
"Really, they're just members of Congress. What's your point?" Josh
asked as he pulled a beer from his fridge.
"My point is: knowing all of that makes it hard to believe what a
complete moron you are." Ben reached for another handful of popcorn.
"I'm a moron?" Josh pulled off the top and took a swig of beer.
"Maybe moronic ass would be a better description. Let's start with
why you encouraged me to ask Donna to dinner when you obviously have
feelings for her."
Josh sprayed himself with the beer that he spit out at his friends'
unexpected remark.
"Are you crazy?" Josh sputtered.
"Are you obtuse?" Ben countered.
"She's my assistant!"
"I know she's your assistant. It has been clearly established that
Donnatella Moss is your assistant. What has that got to do with the
fact that you're in love with her?"
"I am NOT in love with Donna."
"You're doing a pretty good impression of someone who is. This news
is going to ruin my credibility."
"Your credibility?"
"I just told Donna that having known you and watched you for years, I
could assure her, without a doubt, that you were as in love with her
as she was with you. Now my credibility is shot…unless you'd like to
revise your answer, counselor?"
"Ben, do you have any idea of the political implications of the
Deputy Chief of Staff dating his senior assistant?" Josh asked
wearily.
"Politics has never been my thing, Lyman, but I can promise you that
legally you would be on solid ground."
"The Republicans in Congress would scream from the rooftops about
immorality in the White House, the Democrats in Congress would hang
us out to dry, and Leo and the President would be put in the awkward
and very public position of having to fire one or more likely both of
us to end the scandal."
"Yeah, that doesn't sound too good. You're right, she's better off
with me."
"Not even on one of your best days…" Josh tipped his head back on the
couch and closed his eyes until something Ben said hit him. "Wait a
second. Did she really tell you that she was in love with me?"
"Finally, the shoe drops. She didn't have to tell me Josh. Didn't you
notice how hard she tried to ignore you all through dinner? During
dessert she confessed what I had already surmised for myself. You
need to talk, Josh. You talk to strangers and politicians for a
living; surely you can talk to Donna."
"Not about this. This must be avoided at all costs. I know what I'm
doing here. Trust me." Josh responded sadly as he closed his eyes
again.
"Hardly ever..." Ben answered.
Chapter 5