Epilogue
1 year and 2 months after the election; early January
Donna and Josh approached the executive assistant’s desk outside Sam’s office and
waited until she got off the phone.
”Hi!” Emily greeted them warmly once she was off the line. She adored the Lyman’s and
looked forward to their visits. “He’s on the phone with President Bartlet, but I’m to send
you in anyway. How was your flight?”
“Great.” Donna replied. “It’s so much more peaceful traveling without the kids.”
“I’m sure it is, but then I don’t get to see them.” Emily protested. “Although I did get your
email with the pictures from the holidays.”
The Lyman’s passed through the door Emily held open for them. “He should be off soon.
Truthfully, I think he was hoping your arrival would get him off the phone a little easier.
President Bartlet can be…expansive” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
“We are intimately familiar with his expansiveness.” Josh drawled.
Each of the Lyman’s took a seat in a visitor chair and waited for Sam to complete his call.
His eyes met theirs and he rolled his eyes.
“Yes, sir…Well, I hadn’t looked at it that way, but I can see how from an economic
prespective…Yes, sir….and I appreciate you taking the time to look at those numbers for
me…Uh-huh, well you’re going to need to explain that to my budget advisors because
you lost me on page 2….Yes, sir…I’m sorry to cut this short, sir, but Josh and Donna just
stepped into my office….Yes, sir, I’ll be sure to tell them. Thanks for the call.” Sam hung
up with an exaggerated sigh before coming around to the other side of the desk and
giving each of his friends a hug.
“Good to see you! Ainsley was bummed you didn’t bring the kids.” Donna and Josh
exchanged a look and Donna shook her head ‘no’ and Josh shrugged. “Your timing
couldn’t have been better for me, though.”
“How’s the President?” Josh asked. “We haven’t talked to him since Christmas.”
“Full of advice on budget cuts.” Sam drawled. “Hey, where’s Billy?”
“He’s right behind us. He wanted to stop and say ‘hi’ to a couple people downstairs.”
Donna explained. Some of the people who had worked the campaign now worked in the
Governor’s office and Billy wanted to catch up with them; particularly, a young woman
named Jenny.
“You know, one of these days, one of us is going to lose a staff member to the other.”
Josh remarked to his friend.
“As long as they stay in the family.” Sam shrugged. Personally, he was amazed Jenny
hadn’t followed Billy out east months ago, but she had family here, so moving across the
country for a relatively new relationship probably wasn’t too likely right away.
“We’re still on for dinner at 8?” Donna asked.
“Barring an emergency.” Sam confirmed. “And I’ve cleared the rest of the weekend so we
can just relax and enjoy a few days.”
“Sounds good. We’ll go check in at our hotel, shower and change and meet you and
Ainsley there.” Josh determined.
“I still don’t understand why you won’t stay with us. Billy accepted our invitation, but my
closest friends say no?”
“Billy isn’t on a weekend vacation without his kids.” Josh pointed out.
“Ah.” Sam nodded. “Okay then.”
Billy knocked twice and walked in. “Governor.” Sam enveloped the younger man in a hug.
“Jenny happy to see you?” Sam teased, but Billy shrugged not commenting. Sam
changed the subject since he was unable to interpret the gesture. “I hear you’re making
the call on who to work with for the Congressional seat in New York.”
“It’s Davis.” Billy told him.
“It’s not.” Josh countered. “Not until you can tell me why.”
Billy rolled his eyes. “He has an incredible record as District Attorney.”
“Then he’s eminently qualified to be District Attorney.” Josh countered.
“I thought you said I could make this call.” Billy protested.
“I did, as long as you can tell me why you’re choosing the particular candidate. If you can’
t verbalize it, then how can you run his campaign?”
“He’s been doing this to me for the last few weeks.” Billy complained to Sam.
“I haven’t done anything TO you, Fred.” Josh shot back.
“Enough.” Donna stopped the debate. She’d heard way too much of it on the flight out.
“Come on, Billy. You can tell me all about it on the way to the house. If they’re lucky, we’ll
meet the Lyman’s for dinner later.” Sam cajoled the younger man out of his office. “You
should invite Jenny to come with us.”
“I did. She said she had to check her schedule.” Billy noted.
“Ouch.” Sam winced.
**************************************
“This is a lovely hotel. Tell me why we didn’t stay here during the election?” Donna asked.
“Because it’s $800 a night?” Josh guessed.
“Yeah, that would have added up a bit wouldn’t it?” Donna agreed.
“Just a bit.” Josh figured.
“Then instead of dwelling on the fact that we weren’t here before, how about we focus on
the fact that we’re here now; without work, without children, without interruptions.”
“I could focus on that.” Josh told her.
“Focus on this.” Donna suggested and unbuttoned his shirt while she kissed him with
enough heat to make his toes curl.
“I forgot about this part.” Josh whispered while he walked her backwards towards the bed.
“What part?” Donna asked.
“The part of your pregnancy, before morning sickness hits, that makes you
extremely…amorous.” Josh smiled.
“It works for me too.” Donna told him. “Make love with me, Joshua.”
“If you insist.” Josh sighed dramatically and Donna pushed him back on the bed with quite
a bit of force. He literally bounced on the mattress. Within seconds, she was straddled
over him and pulling her sweater over her head. “Jesus, Donna, are you trying to kill me
here?”
“Think about it. Would it be that bad a way to go?” she teased as she unbuckled his belt.
“It just might be worth it.” Josh agreed.
“Might?” Donna slid her bra off her body and twirled it once before tossing it away.
“Yeah, okay. It would definitely be worth it.” Josh feasted on her body and rolled them so
he was on top. “I love you so much, Donnatella.”
His sincere words stopped her cold. “I know. I love you too, and there isn’t a day that
goes by that I don’t think about how lucky I am.”
Josh’s hand moved gently over her still flat stomach.
“I’m okay and so is the baby.” She assured him, kissing his neck.
“I don’t want to go through another scare like last time.”
“Nobody does. We’re watching my blood pressure and doing more frequent checkups.
Joshua, look at me.” She waited until he complied.
“We’re fine. Kiss me.” Josh kissed her gently and reverently until she started kicking it up
on the heat scale and she felt him grin. She could tell the exact moment he forgot about
his concerns and completely focused on her again. He knew all the right places to touch
her and kiss her. This man knew her so intimately and so well that no words had to be
spoken between them. They moved with all the grace of a well choreographed ballet until
exhaustion overtook them and they fell asleep tangled together.
********************************
“Should I call them?” Sam asked Ainsley.
“No.” she told him yet again and continued to look at the menu.
“They’re very late.” Sam pointed out yet again.
“They’re running late to a dinner with friends while they’re on vacation, away from their
kids, at a fabulous hotel….go figure.” Peyton drawled to his partner Adam and caused
Billy to laugh. Jenny nudged him in the ribs.
“Peyton said it, not me.” Billy protested.
“You laughed.” Jenny countered.
“Oh. Well then obviously I was in the wrong.” Billy said sarcastically and took another sip
of his drink. Jenny leaned in closer to him.
“I said I would think about it. Don’t get all pissy with me.” She said in a loud whisper.
“Yeah, and I’m really grateful that you’re thinking about it. Lots of women would have just
said ‘no’ right away and put me out of my misery, but you care about me enough to give
me the illusion of hope before you squash me like a bug, just like before.”
Jenny rolled her eyes. “What is everybody ordering? I’ve never been here before.”
Peyton and Ainsley began arguing over which dish as best when the Lyman’s arrived.
“Sorry we’re late. We lost track of the time.” Donna explained.
“Don’t worry. We haven’t been waiting long, and I got appetizers in the meantime.” Ainsley
gestured to the plate in the middle of the table.
“You’re looking radiant, Mrs. Hayes-Seaborn.” Josh kissed her cheek.
“I’m looking like a beached whale.” Ainsley corrected and rubbed her 8 month pregnant
tummy.
“That’s when women look most beautiful, right Sam?” Josh cued him.
“That’s been my experience, yes.” Sam replied.
Dinner was a lively event with bantering and debating among the friends.
“…and they keep asking if the Governor is going to seek another term or make a run for
the White House. He’s one year in, and they want to start pushing a new story already.”
Peyton complained.
“Sam can’t run for President yet; he still looks to youthful and pretty.” Josh explained. “He’
s going to need another term as Governor to season him a little more.”
“He needs a few grey hairs first.” Ainsley agreed.
“Do I have a say in this at all?” Sam asked.
“Not really, no.” Donna told him. “Once Josh thinks you’re ready, it’s all systems go.
‘Seaborn for America’?” she suggested to her husband.
“Too much of a throwback to President Bartlet. But we’ll come up with something.” Josh
assured the group.
“Speaking of running candidates,” Peyton interrupted before things got heated. “Who’s
going to be running for Congress under the careful administration of the Lyman
Consulting Group?”
“Davis.” Billy answered quickly.
“I don’t know…” Josh answered right after him. “Fred here hasn’t come up with a
compelling argument for him yet.”
“His record as District Attorney-“
“Not enough.” Josh cut him off.
“He’s articulate and popular.” Billy ranted.
“Good for him.” Josh replied.
“You said I could make this decision.”
“With my approval. You haven’t convinced me yet.” Josh took another bite of steak.
“He’s got a great background; military service, solid family-“
“So he’s automatically qualified for Congress?” Josh argued.
“See what you started, Peyton?” Donna scolded. “It wasn’t enough that I had to sit
between these two on the plane and listen to this for hours?”
“Sorry, Donna. I thought I was steering away from trouble.” Peyton looked wide eyed and
innocent.
“Like hell you did.” Adam teased. “Peyton seems to enjoy agitating people and then
stepping back to watch the fireworks.”
“We’ve noticed.” Ainsley admitted. “I’m glad he hasn’t been able to pull the wool over your
eyes, Adam.”
“That was my best innocent look, too.” Peyton whined.
“How’s Barb doing?” Donna asked Ainsley.
“Pretty good actually. When she moved out, her husband seemed to catch a clue. He’s
told her he’s not running for re-election and they’re ‘dating’ at the moment.” Ainsley filled
her in.
“That’s great. I hope things work out for them.” Donna said sincerely. “Is she still a non-
smoker?”
“She is.” Ainsley replied. “She said if she was going to make sweeping life changes, she
should make them all at once.”
“Good for her.” Josh chimed in.
“He’s also testified before Congress and has developed relationships with all the party
players in the state.” Billy continued his argument.
“Then he’ll have a great Christmas card collection.” Josh replied. “Anybody hungry for
dessert?”
“I’m in.” Ainsley raised her hand.
“Me too.” Donna chimed in. A great debate ensued as to the choice of dessert and in the
interest of peace at the table, Sam ordered several for everyone to share.
“He’s persuasive and intelligent.” Billy went back to Davis again.
“So am I.” Josh replied. “Mmmm the crème brulee is fantastic.” He announced and held a
bite to Donna’s lips.
Billy sat back in his seat, frustrated, and tossed down the rest of his drink. Jenny, sensing
his distress made a move toward distraction.
“Come dance with me, Billy.” Jenny suggested and stood up next to him. He hesitated a
moment, then stood up, giving Josh a nasty look.
After the youngest members of the group left, Donna turned on him. “Do you have to do
that here?”
“He brought it up.” Josh gestured to Peyton. “And I’ve dropped it each time. Billy is the
one who keeps fighting about it.”
“You sound like you’re 10 Joshua.” Donna noted.
“He’s the one who’s acting like-“
“Never mind. Just say no more about it. Promise me.” Donna insisted.
“Fine. I promise.” Josh assured her and sealed it with a quick kiss before turning to Adam.
“Peyton told me you work for one of the top marketing firms in the state.”
“I design print media.” Adam explained and Josh nodded.
“But he also paints these incredible landscapes.” Peyton interjected. “Very Monet-like.”
“Monet is the only painter Peyton is familiar with. Everything is either very Monet-like or
completely different than Monet.” Adam teased.
“That’s simply untrue.” Peyton countered. “Monet is just my favorite.”
“Uh-oh.” Donna murmurs and everyone turns to see what she’s looking at. Billy and
Jenny have given up all pretense of dancing and while the table couldn’t hear the words,
the body language told the tale.
“What do you want from me, Jen? This is the third time I’ve asked you to move out East
with me. You said you needed time; that our relationship was still too new. I understood
that; I’ve been coming out here every two months. I thought things were going great!”
“They have been.” She confirmed. “I just don’t know why you want me to leave my home,
my friends, my job and my family. Tell me why!”
“God, you should be working for Josh. Why? Why? Explain your thinking to me!” Billy
mimicked and threw up his hands. “I give up. You stay in California. Josh can pick
whoever the hell he wants for the Congressional seat. I’m done.” He left her on the dance
floor and made his way back to the table where he picked up the rest of Josh’s drink and
swallowed it in one gulp before handing it back. Jenny had just caught up to him.
“Billy, wait a second.” She implored.
“Forget Davis.” He told an astonished Josh Lyman. “Pick whoever you want for New York;
hell, draw a name from a hat. You know why? Because there is no rational explanation for
why one person is it and another is not. You just feel it in your soul. You know it with
every cell in your body.” Then Billy turned to Jenny who was ready to cry. “You feel it with
every cell in your body.” He repeated. “And if you don’t feel it with me, you shouldn’t move
out east with me. You shouldn’t keep inviting me out here either.”
An uneasy silence followed Billy’s emphatic statements. Then Josh piped up.
“Davis it is.” Josh replied simply. “Waitress? Can I have another?” he indicated his now
empty glass.
“What?!” Billy shouted.
“I need another drink. You finished all of mine.” Josh smirked.
“I’ve been trying to convince you for weeks and NOW you say Davis?”
“I’ve been waiting for the reason; you just gave it to me.”
Billy looked perplexed as he replayed his speech back in his head.
“When you’ve found the real thing, you feel it in every cell of your body.” Sam helped him
out.
“That’s what it took to convince you? My feelings?” Billy couldn’t believe it.
“Worked for me.” Josh explained. “I can’t speak for Jennifer, though.”
Billy turned back to the woman he fell in love with a year ago. “I love you, Jen. I want us to
be together. I don’t want to push you, but I don’t know how else to show you that I know,
in my heart, that you’re the one for me.” Jenny was openly crying now, along with Ainsley
and Donna.
“I didn’t need you to show me, you idiot, I needed you to tell me. What person would fly
hours to see someone but then not say the words?”
“Josh did.” Donna piped up and got a nasty glare from her husband. “You did. You flew
all the way to Germany, with only the contents of you backpack, but then you chickened
out and never said the words!”
“I didn’t ‘chicken out’ Donna, you were clearly involved with Heathcliff at the time despite
the fact you’d only been away from me for 6 days.” Josh disputed her version of history.
“I wouldn’t have been with COLIN if you’d EVER told me how you felt about me.” Donna
shot back.
“SHUT UP!” Billy shouted. “Jenny, I love you and I want you to move east with me so we
can start planning the rest of our lives together; starting with a wedding if you’ll say yes.”
Everyone held their collective breath. “There’s nothing I’d like to do more.” She kissed
him soundly as the table clapped and hooted.
“Ma’am? Could you bring us a couple bottles of champagne? It looks like we’re turning
this into a celebration of a different sort.” Sam explained. Hugs and best wishes were
exchanged all around until the champagne was distributed among the guests.
“To Jennifer and Fred-“ Josh began.
“Billy.” Donna corrected.
“I don’t think that has the same ring to it, but alright. To Jenny and Billy, may you be
fortunate enough to know the joy that having a wonderful spouse brings to every day of
your life.”
“Here, here.” Sam seconded, but as they went to drink he noticed his friend pull Donna’s
glass out of her hand and a whispered fight ensued.
“You’re cutting Donna off, Josh? That’s a switch.” He joked.
“I can have a sip of champagne to toast to our friends.” Donna insisted.
“It’s not good for the baby. We’re not taking any chances. I don’t want to relive the
emergency room trip.” Silence descended on the table once more.
“See what you’ve done? You promised we wouldn’t make an announcement this trip.”
“I’m sorry, it slipped out.” Josh explained but his eyes twinkled and he kissed her in
apology. It took 3 kisses before she relented. When they looked back up the whole table
was smiling at them.
“When are you due?” Jenny asked.
“The beginning of July.” Donna told her.
“We’re shooting for July 4th.” Josh chimed in. “It’ll give President Bartlet a new story to
tell.”
“Anyone else have a life changing event they’d like to announce?” Peyton teased.
“I think we’re all up to date now.” Sam commented. “I think we should change our toast
though; ‘To new beginnings’.”
It didn’t take long for Jenny and Billy to once again take to the dance floor; this time
without the tension. They looked exactly like they should; a newly engaged couple.
Peyton and Adam excused themselves for the evening and that left the Seaborns and the
Lymans alone at the table. All eyes were on the younger couple on the floor.
Donna leaned back until her head rested on Josh’s shoulder. “Do you remember that
feeling?” she asked him.
“Uh-huh.” Josh replied.
“Really? When did you feel like that?” she quizzed him.
He looked at his watch. “About 4 hours ago.” He answered and received a kiss for his
reply.
“But the beginning of it all; that seems like decades ago.” Sam noted while he rubbed
Ainsley’s shoulders.
“I think y’all are looking at it from the wrong perspective.” Ainsley opined. “We should be
looking forward instead of looking back. We have new children to add to our families. We
have new jobs taking us in new directions.”
“And very old friends to enjoy the journey with.” Josh added with a grin. “It’s your turn to
come out our way next; after the baby’s born?”
“We’ll be there.” Sam promised. “Who knows? There might be a wedding in the itinerary.”
“That would be great.” Ainsley perked up.
“I doubt it. Fred’s going to be a little busy running Davis.” Josh noted.
“Oh, I don’t know. We found a week for ourselves during a Presidential transition.” Donna
pointed out.
“But it took almost a decade for you to get to that point.” Sam added.
“It only took Billy a year to pop the question.” Donna pointed out. “I have higher
expectations for him and Jenny isn’t nearly as patient and understanding as I was.”
“True.” Josh agreed. “I just plain lucked out.”
“We all did.” Ainsley stated. “I would have never dreamed I’d find love in a Democratic
White House.”
“Or that you’ll be returning there in an entirely different capacity in a few years.” Josh
pointed out.
“Cut that out!” Sam begged. “I’m just concentrating on my current position, which has
enough challenges to keep me very busy.”
“That’s fine. You keep concentrating on being Governor. I’ll let you know when it’s time to
start thinking about another job…one that maybe comes with a Boeing 747.” Josh’s
dimples popped out at the prospect.
“I really miss riding on Air Force One.” Donna said wistfully.
“Oh, and the food they’d serve; fabulous!” Ainsley threw in and Sam gave her a betrayed
look.
“You’re jumping on the bandwagon, now?” Sam asked his wife.
“Not now…just as an option for later.” She hedged.
“I wonder if President Bartlet has a portrait that embodies going east.” Josh pondered.
“At the moment, I’m just happy that we decided to go west.” Sam had the final word.
The End.