Title: Ice Cream vs. Coffee
Genre: Post Ep for Freedonia
This is ridiculous. I’ll just go over there and tell him this was an inspired idea…unlike the chicken
suits. Well, okay, the chicken suits were funny, I just didn’t like sharing airtime with them. He looks
tired. I bet he hasn’t eaten for hours. We could get a sandwich or something after the debate; as
colleagues…old friends?
I take a fortifying breath and I’m within a few feet of him, when Amy appears. My heart stops, then
resumes beating double time. Why does that woman keep turning up like some kind of bad penny?
“Can I buy you an ice cream cone when this is over?” He asks her. Say, ‘no’. Say, ‘no’. Say, ‘no’.
“My flights in an hour.” Damn. No time for sex tonight. I meant ice cream. No time for ice cream! Did I
say sex? I don’t know where THAT came from.
“You’re not going to stay and watch?” He continues. For God’s sakes, Joshua, let the woman get
her flight.
Amy shakes her head ‘no’. “I can never stand to watch candidates flub my lines, anyway.” Lord. Of
all the conceited…He watches her go and I mean all the way out of the building. He can’t possibly
be thinking…Josh, no; not again.
I have to do something. I have to keep Josh from making the biggest mistake of his life…again.
“How about coffee instead?” I open. He turns a startled gaze on me; first looking wary like I might
pluck him as I did his chicken, then looking…happy. Yes, he looks happy to see me. I can’t help
smiling back.
“What?” He asks me to repeat my opening line.
“How about coffee instead? I’ll even treat as soon as the debate is over.” I offer.
“You’re going to need straight Whiskey when this debate is over, Donnatella.” He teases and that
makes me feel warm inside, but he’s completely ignoring my coffee invitation which deflates me
again.
“The Vice President will do just fine. I helped him with prep myself.”
“You’re very good.” Josh admits. “One of the very best as a matter of fact, but Bingo Bob is one of
the worst and short of a miracle…”
“Then let’s make this interesting.” I suggest. Josh Lyman could never resist a wager. “Staffer of the
losing candidate tonight buys coffee for the staffer of the winning candidate.”
“Who decides who won?”
I think for a minute. “Russert. You trust Tim, don’t you?”
“Nobody reports politics better, but he likes you a little too much for my taste.” He replies.
“You honestly think Tim Russert would alter his national, probably international, report for me?”
“And to enjoy my suffering.” He adds while I look at him incredulously. “He’d do it for you alone
though…who wouldn’t?” I don’t have time to ponder that comment long because then he throws out
another comment. “It’s been a long week and by the time I’m done with post debate spin it’ll be late,
so either way, I’d best skip the coffee.” He turns to face the stage.
“But you were willing to go out for ice cream just a couple minutes ago.” I protest.
He just shrugs and keeps his eyes on the men and women on stage.
“That’s the problem with you in a nutshell, Josh Lyman.” I say a little louder than I probably should
because a couple heads turn our way. “You’re always chasing after the splashy ice cream when you
should be looking for the stability of coffee.”
“Excuse me? Splashy ice cream?” His eyebrows go up.
“Yes, with all of its flavors and toppings.” I make up as I go along. “It’s exciting to get some and it
makes you feel SO GOOD while you have it, but afterwards it’s nothing but a depressing let down.”
“Donna, that didn’t sound right and…”
“But coffee? It’s there for you every day. It’s a constant that gets you going in the morning and gives
you the strength and energy to get through the tough times. You need to have it every day. It can
even be part of a relaxing celebration with the right accompaniment.”
“Like, say, after a successful debate?”
“Exactly!” I agree. “But you’ll never see the value of coffee when you convince yourself you’re only
craving ice cream. I guess that’s just your loss.” I turn on my heel and go out front to watch the
debate from the audience. I studiously avoid looking over to where Josh is standing and observing
even though I can feel his gaze on me at several points; usually when Santos made an exceptional
point.
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She won’t even look at me. Boy did I blow it. She makes a nice overture for the first time in ages and
I blow her off because I had visions of Amy? What the hell was I thinking? I think, and not for the first
time, that Amy has some kind of spellbinding effect on me. The debate is almost over and I have an
urgent craving for coffee.
As soon as the live TV light goes off, I’m off and running though, with only a brief request of Ronna
before I answer my first question. After all the brouhaha about this debate and it’s many mutations,
CNN ended up carrying it live as well as the local stations here so the Congressman is getting some
great national press. It takes me awhile, but I finally get done answering questions and Ronna is at
my side with the information I requested. I smile broadly. This will be perfect.
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I told Will I didn’t want to get something to eat. I told him I didn’t want a drink. So why is he knocking
on my door? I swing the door open prepared to blast him, but instead I’m surprised to see Josh
standing there, happily offering me a cup of Starbuck’s coffee. What the hell?
“Santos won. I heard Russert say so; both on substance and in his leadership in getting everyone
to come to his debate and invoke new rules.” I say instead of ‘hello’.
He gives me one of his classic shrugs and replies simply. “Will tells me it was your insistence that
convinced Bingo Bo…I mean, the Vice President to come to our debate, and if you hadn’t done
that…” He shrugs again. “So I figured I should spring for the coffee.
“It’s pretty late for coffee.” I make the first excuse I can think of.
“I got us decaf, and I brought an accompaniment that’s suitable for a celebration.” He holds out a
pastry bag. “Can I come in?”
Without a word, I open the door wider and he takes it for the invitation it is, and comes inside. I take
the pastry bag from him and look inside; pecan rolls…Mmmmm. Suddenly I’m ravenous. I take a big,
sticky bite. It’s delicious. A smirking Josh Lyman hands me the coffee to wash it down with.
“Your guy did better than I expected him to.” He admits. “You’re doing too well with him. Just think
what you could do if you were working with a real candidate.”
“Did you come over here to snark me and my candidate?”
“I came over her to bring you coffee and tell you that you did a good job tonight.” He lifts his coffee
cup in a sort of toast. “You did a good job.” I touch my cardboard cup to his in acknowledgment of
his toast and we both take a sip. “You were right about something else too.”
“Be still my heart.” I say sarcastically.
“Are you snarking me when I’m trying to be nice here?” He turns my question around on me.
“No. Go ahead.” I roll my eyes at him.
“You were right when you said ice cream was over rated.” He tells me and I nearly drop my coffee.
“It’s only ever a temporary thing. It melts too fast and the thrill is over too soon. I’m going to stop
searching for ice cream.”
Is he saying what I think he’s saying?
“Ice cream can be good once in awhile.” I admit.
“No, from now on it’s only coffee for me…or MAYBE coffee ice cream, when I’m feeling wild and
crazy but that’s it.”
“I’d think it would be awfully hard to just give up…ice cream.”
“Not when you have coffee to look forward to every day. That’s what you promised me, right? That I
could have coffee every day if I just gave up the ice cream?” I nod.
“I might even be convinced to bring the coffee to you…in a non-work related capacity.” I admit and
watch his eyebrows shoot up to his forehead.
“That would be…amazing.” He tells me and moves a little closer to me. I’m starting to feel very warm
and it’s not from the coffee either.
“Really?” My voice squeaks a bit.
“Absolutely.” He nods and moves closer. “Donna, I’ve been craving coffee for years. I just didn’t
think I could have it. Now that I know I can have it, I’m DYING to have a taste of coffee.”
I can’t stand it any longer so I lean in and kiss him. “Wait! Can we have coffee together when we’re
working on different campaigns?”
“Sure, sure. We’ll just schedule lots of coffee breaks.” He assures me and walks me back to my bed.
Slowly, with infinite care, he starts to undress me and for the rest of the night he fulfills quite a few
fantasies I’ve had concerning the two of us over the year. Coffee in bed is the best.
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“Set up a 2:00 for me with the DNC Chair please, Ronna.” I rattle off as a page through my call
sheets.
“You have a 2:00. Coffee with D.” She calls back. Donna may not be my senior assistant anymore
but she still adds things to my schedule book when we’re together. Just the thought makes me
smile. “Do you want me to reschedule the coffee thing?” Ronna asks.
“No! No, leave the 2:00 alone; schedule the DNC chair for 3:00.” I instruct her. “On second thought,
set it up for 4:00.”
“Your coffee meeting is going to take 2 hours?” Ronna questions.
“If I’m very lucky.” I reply smiling. “And I’m feeling pretty lucky right now.”
The End.