A Friend in Deed Chapter 5:
The next day began just like any number of others. Donna arrived in
the office first and began to sort through the messages and mail;
prioritizing responses for Josh.
When Josh got to the West Wing, he walked past Donna without looking
up or saying a word. He knew she was probably hurt and angry about
what he had said to her last night, but given the situation, that
might be for the best. If she was angry with him, there would be
little talk between them and absolutely no banter. It wouldn't be
pleasant, but it would be for the best.
It took less than an hour for word to spread through the West Wing;
Josh was to be avoided at all costs. He was biting off the heads of
hapless interns left and right. More disturbing than that, was the
fact that he was using intermediaries to talk to Donna.
"Allison, tell Donna to add a meeting with Bentson at 6 tonight."
"Donna, Josh wants you to add-" Allison began.
"Allison, please tell Josh that he already has a 6:00 meeting with
Leo and O'Halloran; which he would already know if he either A) read
the schedule I gave him this morning or B) had me schedule the
meeting with Bentson in the first place." Donna interrupted.
"Allison, please tell Donna that the Deputy COS can schedule his own
meeting whenever he damn well pleases." Josh retorted.
"Then the Deputy COS can also RESCHEDULE a meeting all by himself
when he screws it up in the first place. Right, Allison?"
Allison looked like she was at a tennis match her head was snapping
back and forth so quickly. "Could I be excused, please?"
"Sure." Donna answered.
"I think she was asking me Donna, since I am the one in charge of
this department."
"Oh I think I could find more than a few people who would testify
otherwise, Joshua." Their eyes met and snapped angrily at each other.
Sam, drawn out of his office by the shouting, watched the proceedings
with a dumbfounded look on his face.
"Hey, guys? Is everything alright?"
"Fine." Donna answered and walked back to her desk.
"Perfectly fine." Josh one upped her and walked to his desk.
"Naturally." Sam said out loud to no one. "Why would anyone think
there's a problem?"
The rest of the day continued in the same vein and, at times,
escalating slightly. Sam, CJ, and even Toby attempted to broker a
peace deal between them during the day and early evening, but neither
side would even acknowledge a problem, let alone work towards a
solution.
Finally, when Josh had been late for his 3rd meeting with Leo because
Donna had `forgotten' to remind him of his meetings throughout the
day, the shit hit the fan. Josh and Donna were both summoned into the
Chief of Staffs' office for a `come to Jesus' meeting.
"Listen up, you two. I don't know what's going on with you today, and
frankly, I don't care, but it's affecting the whole West Wing now so
it's time to stop. I got interns in here crying, assistants asking
for bullet proof vests, and Toby just told me the negative energy is
affecting his ability to write. Toby is complaining that it's too
negative, for crying out loud."
Josh and Donna both looked at the floor, unwilling to meet Leo's gaze.
"I don't have time for this knucklehead stuff. I need to go back to
the oval; so sit down right here and neither of you leave until
things are back to normal. Do I make myself clear?" Leo demanded.
Donna nodded and Josh muttered a `Yes, boss.'
Leo left, slamming the door shut behind him so hard that Donna jumped.
"Well, say something! We have to get back to work." Josh stated.
"Not until you apologize for the ugly things you said last night."
"You weren't exactly sweetness and light yourself there, Donnatella."
"I would never have said those things if you hadn't hurt me so much."
"And I would have never hurt you if I hadn't been so jealous of you
and Ben!"
"Don't make excuses for your- What did you just say?"
"I... might have been...a little jealous that you wanted to have
dinner with Ben."
"I didn't. I thought you were setting me up with Ben because you had
figured out how I felt about you and wanted to push me off on someone
else."
"You're certifiable. Why would I set you up with Ben? Or anyone else
for that matter? Haven't you noticed I sabotage each and every date
you have with each and every gomer you pick out? If I'm too insecure
to let you date a gomer, why the hell would I set you up with decent
guy like Ben?"
"Then what was the whole non-verbal thing you were doing when Ben
asked me to dinner?"
"I was trying to play it low key so I could convince Ben there wasn't
anything between you and I."
"But there IS something between you and I?" she asked hesitantly.
Josh paused and thought about all the possible answers he could give
her. He couldn't lie to her or to himself anymore, but he still
couldn't change anything between them. He took a deep, frustrated
breath and tried the truth.
"Of course there is. Did you think it was your imagination?"
"Sometimes. Sometimes I did." She smiled and started to walk towards
him, but he took a step away.
"That doesn't mean our relationship can change. It would be too
detrimental to you, me, and the administration. I wish it could be
different, Donnatella, I swear I do. I just can't figure out a way to
make it work where no one gets hurt."
"I can't either." Donna smiled sadly. "Where do we go from here?"
"Back to how things were yesterday?"
"I don't know if I can do that Joshua. I know I don't want to."
"Me either…but we need to try, okay?"
"Okay…" Donna turned to go back to the bullpen.
"I'm really sorry about the things I said last night, Donna."
"Me too, Joshua. Me too." Donna apologized and went back to work.
Chapter 6