Chapter 12
“Maybe crazy glue isn’t such a bad idea.” Josh said to Donna and she didn’t disagree.
“You really hurt me Joshua.”
“I got that.” Josh quipped. “And I’m really sorry. I guess I still have some issues with what
happened in Gaza.”
“It didn’t mean ANYTHING.” Donna said yet again. “It’s not like you and I were together at
the time, or even soon after that!”
“But I wanted us to be!” Josh responded hotly and Donna blinked in surprise.
“What are you talking about?”
“Come on Donna, I left the White House with nothing but the clothes on my back and the
contents of my backpack in the middle of a national crisis. What did you imagine that
meant?”
“I don’t know Josh. What does it mean when someone risks Federal prison to protect
someone else who lied to a grand jury. What does it mean when someone writes a
briefing memo about someone else’s favorite teacher for the President of the United
States?”
“This was different!”
“Why? Why was that time any different from any one of the hundreds of times you hinted
you might have deeper feelings for me?”
“Because Leo gave me permission!” Josh shouted and startled Caitlin who began crying.
“Here, baby, I’m sorry…Daddy didn’t mean to shout and scare you.” Josh assured his
daughter as he took her from where she was sitting on the bed.
“What does that mean…Leo gave you permission?”
“After the bombing, when I lost it outside the Oval office, he said if there was somewhere
else I needed to be that everyone would understand…He was saying he knew how I felt
about you, that I loved you, and tacitly giving me permission to go tell you.”
“But you didn’t; never once the whole time we were in Germany or after we got back.”
Donna noted getting angry herself.
“Yes, I did. The first moment I got there. You were still unconscious at the time.”
“Okay, you know people can’t hear you when they’re unconscious, right?”
“Yeah, but then later, when I’d worked up the courage to tell you while you were awake,
Colin came. He kissed you right in front of me and brought you flowers.”
“But you were the one I asked for before my surgery, not him. Didn’t that give you a clue?”
“Why was that time any different from any one of the hundreds of times you hinted you
might have deeper feelings for me?” Josh quoted her back to her as he stood rocking
back and forth with Caitlin in his arms.
“God, you’re such an idiot.” Donna said without any real heat.
“I think I proved that pretty well today.” Josh noted. “I’m sorry, Donna.”
“I am too.” Donna answered him. “You know, I think this is more what LeVoy had in mind
by bringing Colin here so close to the election.”
“What do you mean?”
“Colin can’t really say or do anything to damage us. As you pointed out, we were both
single adults at the time and the relationship lasted all of 7 days in total. I think he was
planning on driving a wedge between you and I by using Colin. That’s the only real
damage he could do.”
“Toby really called that one.”
“What?”
“When we were doing opposition research, he said he wasn’t worried about ‘a secret plan
to fight inflation’ or Carrick or any other stupid thing I’d done as much as he was worried
about what I would do if they came after you instead.” Josh stated. “Everyone knows that
there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”
“Everyone, huh?”
“Of course they also know who wears the pants in this family.”
“You mean Nate, right?”
“Right…At the risk of starting a whole new thing, I need to tell you that I shared something
with Toby…” Josh confessed.
“The diary?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“Because I told him too, and he didn’t looked shocked, surprised, or depressed.” Donna
explained. “He said ‘you two are both idiots, and you should never mention it to another
living soul as long as you live’.”
“That’s pretty much what he told me, too, except he didn’t use the word ‘idiot’ when he
was referring to me.” Josh shared. “Are we okay, now?”
“Maybe. Your Mother said you should have to grovel, which I think you’ve pretty much
covered, and then you’d need to make it up to me by taking me back to Hawaii.”
“Uh-huh.” Josh said tongue in cheek. “Maybe we could go in the spring.”
“I’m not sure that’s going to work.”
“Why not?”
“Well…Hawaii is terribly humid and rainy in the spring.” Donna fudged.
“Let’s figure it out after the election. Maybe getting away when the Senate is in session
won’t be a problem.”
“You can’t seriously be worried at this point? After the bump you got from the debate?”
“You better not be saying what I think you’re saying or Toby will have your head. We can’t
tempt the wrath of whatever from high atop the thing.”
“I’m not in the least bit superstitious. I say bring it on.” Donna said as Josh winced.
“You just had to do it, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I just had to.” Donna agreed.
**************************************
After a brief discussion with Toby and Lou, it was decided that both Josh and Donna
would stay at home during the Larry King show, and would conference call again once the
show was over to decide if they needed to put out a statement of any kind.
Josh went in to the campaign office for the afternoon, while Donna went to an afternoon
fundraiser with the Women’s Alliance for Change. Ruth had more or less moved in with
them for the duration, and Donna had never been so grateful for anything in her life. But
she found herself a little disconcerted when her mother-in-law handed her a small brown
bag upon her return from the fundraiser.
After a few minutes of weighing her decision, she decided she would take the test before
Josh got home. If she was wrong, she’d have a little time to recover before she had to
face her husband, and if she was right, she’d have a little time to think about how to break
the news before she had to face her husband.
Not that she was worried about Josh’s reaction, per se, they had decided early on that
they wanted to have a big family, it was just a timing thing. They really hadn’t planned on
having another child so soon and she didn’t want to add another stresser to their lives at
the moment.
By the time Josh returned, she had pulled herself together and went up with him to tuck
Nate in. Ruth promised to put Caitlin down once she had her bottle. So all their family
business was done. Without saying a word to one another they walked quietly to Josh’s
office to watch Larry King Live. Donna wasn’t sure what Josh’s rationale was, but she
didn’t want whatever was coming in the next hour anywhere near the bedroom. So they
turned on the television in the office and sat together on the couch with Josh’s arm
loosely around Donna’s shoulder.
It started out innocuous enough, with Colin briefing the audience on what he did for a
living and why he did it. He showed some of his photographs from other news events and
Larry shot him softball after softball about how people risked their lives to bring important
stories to the rest of the world. They made it through the second commercial break with
only Josh’s occasional laugh of derision for background noise. They were saving it for the
end, Josh figured, all the rest was window dressing to keep their audience share up for
the entire hour.
They were just at the half way mark when Larry brought up the buzz that Colin had started
after the Senatorial debate in Hartford. He asked Colin about what brought him to Hartford
for that event, and Colin claimed that while he was ‘in the states’ he thought he’d take the
opportunity to say hello to some ‘old friends’, Donna Moss Lyman and Senate candidate
Josh Lyman. Josh barked out another laugh at the ‘old friends’ comment but Donna was
too tense to respond. She knew that she hadn’t done anything wrong, but she didn’t trust
Colin either. What if he had snapped a picture while she was sleeping, or photoshopped
something else entirely?
The conversation about his ‘old friends’ quickly segued into a discussion of the last time
he’d seen them in Germany. No, Colin told the audience, Josh and Donna weren’t
romantically involved then, although he could tell there was a strong connection between
them. Colin spoke of Josh’s devotion to Donna and how he managed to juggle meetings
with foreign nationals and helped broker peace in the middle east even while he stayed at
Donna’s bedside.
The talk of the Middle East Peace Agreement, brought Gaza into play. Colin talked about
how interested Donna had been in the conflict and her genuine desire to learn about the
people there so she could bring back an accurate picture of the situation to the President.
“That’s how we got to know one another, really.” Colin admitted. “I saw this beautiful,
blond American woman and wanted to spend some time with her. She swatted me down
like a fly and told me if I wanted to spend time with her I should show her the ‘real Gaza’
so she would be able to fully understand the situation there.”
“I think we have some pictures from that trip…yes, there they are. What are we looking at
here Colin?’ Larry asked affably.
“This is a refugee camp in the Gaza strip. You can see the misery and depression worn
right on their faces can’t you?’ Colin asked rhetorically. “Here, Donna was talking to
Palestinians who had concerns about being able to find work to provide for their families.
She learned that becoming a suicide bomber is sometimes the only way these people see
out of their financial hardship. The families of suicide bombers get paid a good amount for
their sacrifice.”
“That’s incredible.” Larry offered. “These pictures tell a very compelling story. Now we
should warn viewers that the pictures coming up are very graphic, and some viewers may
not want to see the photos that captured the bombing of the American CODEL in Gaza.”
“All the photos from the Gaza trip will be in a special showing in D.C. mid-February as part
of event honoring the memory of Admiral Percy Fitzwallace.” Colin mentioned and Josh
got part of his answer. That was how LeVoy was able to lure Colin here. Not that Josh
though it took too much, but still…
“Now, these pictures are of the members of the delegation themselves?”
“Right, those black suburban’s are the vehicles they traveled in. They traveled as a group
in a loosely secured perimeter when they were on the road.” Colin noted as pictures
flashed across the screen. Josh tightened his hold on Donna. The slideshow paused on
one particular shot of Donna right before she got in the vehicle. She was wearing a large
hat to protect her face from the intense sun and she had shy smile seemingly for the
photographer. “I love that one of Donna. We had become…close by then, and she looks
so happy and relaxed.”
“Then tragedy struck.” Larry added as the first picture of the actual explosion appeared.
Donna flinched. There were two quick shots of the vehicle in the air, and the one shot of
where and how it landed. Larry talked about the lives that were lost and Colin told him he
had been sure Donna was one of them. He described his frantic attempt to get to her, but
that he had been blocked from approaching the vehicle.
“Didn’t try too damn hard if he’s still snapping pictures.” Josh muttered. Donna’s head
dropped down so she missed the first glimpse of herself hanging upside down inside the
suburban with blood running down her face. Her first indication that the picture had
changed was when Josh gasped. She looked up, more concerned with what he was
seeing than what she would see and her jaw dropped. She looked like a lifeless doll.
Donna could just make out the figures of the other people in the vehicle, some of whom
were already dead.
The next shot was of people and body bags being loaded into ambulances. Donna didn’t
realize she was crying until she felt the wetness on her hands from the tears that had
fallen from her face.
“That’s enough.” Josh decided and hit the power button on the remote control.
“What if there’s more?’ Donna asked.
“I’m sure there is, but we’re not watching it.” Josh declared angrily. “Lou or Toby can tell
us anything else we need to know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“What are you sorry about exactly?” Donna asked confused.
“Where would you like me to start?” Josh asked as he got up from the couch and started
pacing. “I’m sorry I sent you there. I’m sorry I didn’t make him fork over the pictures when
we were still in Germany. I’m sorry that my run for the Senate precipitated all this. I’m
sorry-“
“Okay, stop. Just…stop.” Donna tried to pull herself together knowing that Josh would
never calm down while she was still so visibly shaken. “We need to both take a breath
and, you know, stop.”
Josh looked at her with eyes full of pity and sadness and she almost lost it again.
“Don’t look at me like that, okay? I’m not that helpless, injured woman in the car anymore.
I’m alive and whole and we have a beautiful family to share our lives with. Do not let him
turn this into something ugly.” Donna insisted.
“How can I look at those pictures and not-“
“Because I got through it. You helped me get through it and we came out on the other
side stronger than we were before. Do you not think I feel the same way every time they
show a retrospective on Rosslyn?”
“Only there’s no art of me lying bleeding on the sidewalk.” Josh argued.
“No, but the picture of you lying on a hospital surgical table with your chest spread open
is indelibly marked on my brain, I assure you.” Donna replied hotly. That took the wind out
of his sails, and Josh sat down heavily next to her.
“When I think of how close I was to losing you.” He murmured in her ear as he pulled her
into his arms. “Do you have any idea how empty my life would be if I didn’t have you in it?”
“I know exactly how empty it would be.” Donna replied as she kissed his neck. They sat
like that for a long while until the ring of the phone pulled them out of the stupor they’d
fallen into.
“Yeah.” Josh answered as he mouthed ‘Toby’ to let Donna know who he was talking to.
Then he flipped on the speakerphone so everyone could speak to and hear everyone
else.
“Donna…you okay?’ Toby asked tentatively.
“Mostly okay.” She replied. “What about you?” she asked in return and it took a moment
for it to register with Josh that Andi had been there too. How just like Donna to be thinking
of someone else when she was dealing with all this herself, Josh thought.
“I’m…mostly okay too.” Toby reassured her. “I have to tell you, though, all in all it may
have done more good than LeVoy ever intended. Irish Spring man painted you both as
dedicated public servants who care a lot about the world we live in. I particularly liked that
bit about how Josh was multi-tasking while at Donna’s bedside. The President did have a
LITTLE to do with the peace talks too, didn’t he Josh.”
“Well I like to think I led him there.” Josh joked and had the pleasure of seeing Donna
smile in response.
“I forget, was that before or after you suggested carpet bombing the Middle East and
anyone else who was happy about it?” Toby joked back.
“After, definitely after.” Josh shot back. “What do we say? Do we release a statement?”
“Accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.” Lou called out.
“Any other Disney phrases you want to throw out there?’ Toby chided.
“We release a statement saying that while we agree with the portrait Mr. Ayers painted of
Josh Lyman and Donna Moss, we regret that he felt now, just weeks before the election,
was an appropriate time to release such graphic and intense images of what was a
horrific event in everyone’s life.” Lou offered.
“Toby?” Josh asked for his input.
“Yeah, what she said, only, you know, written better.”
“I’ll leave the poetry to you, Toby, so long as we agree on the message.” Lou retorted.
“We do.” Toby answered as Donna’s cell began to ring. She answered it while Josh
finished his conversation and then handed it to him with tears in her eyes.
“Daddy Seaborn wants to talk to you?” Donna said smiling.
Josh practically hung up on Toby. “Hey, Sam, everybody’s doing well?”
“Everyone’s doing very well. I have a beautiful baby girl, Josh.” Sam said proudly.
“Of course you do. With your genes and Ainsleys’s genes, your kid has won the beauty
lottery.” Josh told him. “Did labor go alright?”
“It was long. We got to the hospital just shortly after the debate ended. The pathetic
Republican spin artist on afterwards may have induced labor. How the hell did you get
Donna to agree to go through this twice?” Sam asked in awe.
“She just loves me that much. Plus she can’t keep her hands off me.” Josh bragged as
Donna rolled her eyes.
“Right. Well, Ainsley is claiming that she’s entering a convent once she’s released, even
though they don’t usually take you there if you’re not Catholic.” Sam related.
“This too shall pass.” Josh promised. “Have you got a name yet?”
“Not exactly…Ainsley picked one out, but I want to ask her again once she’s off the drugs
to make sure that’s what she wants. We’ll get back to you on that.” Sam paused. “Hey,
great job on the debate last night. I guess I forgot to say that earlier.”
“Thanks and don’t worry about it. I’m a father too. I know exactly what you’re feeling. Go
take a nap with your wife and baby girl.”
“Will do.” Sam replied before he hung up.
“Well, it’s been quite a night, hasn’t it Donnatella?”
********************************************
Chapter 13
When, 3 days later, public opinion weighed in on the matter, it was resoundingly in favor
of Josh Lyman being their next Senator. Donna, became a heroine and requests for
interviews and photographs tripled overnight. As uncomfortable as Donna was discussing
the events in Gaza, her primary concern was keeping the information far away from her
son.
When one reporter made the grave mistake of asking about her injuries from Gaza in
front of Nate, Donna shot him a look that Josh would have recognized. Then she calmly
invited every OTHER reporter in their yard to come in for hot chocolate and a private chat
with Donna Moss Lyman…It didn’t happen again.
Donna was just beginning to think the worst was over when the next volley was fired.
The article was entitled: The Role of Faith, and it offered a public view of the private faith
of Congressman Ted LeVoy. He waxed on about how America needed God in the
Senate, and wondered aloud how anyone without personal faith could possibly hope to
steer this country through the turbulent days ahead. LeVoy even noted that Josh’s former
boss, President Santos claimed to be a man of faith, but refused to outlaw abortion.
The press ate it up and started down the path of church watching…or in this case temple
watching. Did Josh regularly attend temple? Would the people of Connecticut, mostly of
the Christian faith, want a Jewish man to represent them in the Senate? Toby wanted to
release a statement that said Josh wasn’t REALLY Jewish, but Josh nixed that idea. His
Mother would kill him.
Josh explained he was not running for Rabbi, and that a man’s personal faith was just
that; personal. If the voters of Connecticut wanted to know what his personal ethics
consisted of, they should examine his actions and the causes he had worked for
throughout his life. Then, Josh stated, they should compare them to the actions and
causes that Congressman LeVoy represented.
Two days later another article, quoting an anonymous source, questioned whether Josh
had the mental stability to hold public office. After all, the author suggested, he had been
through multiple traumas; the death of his sister in a house fire, the death of his father
while on the campaign trail, the shooting at Rosslyn, the bombing in Gaza…
Josh kept pivoting back to the issues so often that he was afraid he’d develop whiplash.
These little bites, each practically harmless in and of themselves, together started to spell
trouble. People were beginning to question whether or not all this smoke originated from
actual fire.
When the next snippet came out, Josh snapped. Nearly everyone in the conference room
felt the ire coming from their candidate.
“Where in the hell do they get this shit?” he demanded. “And could someone please
again explain to me why I can’t sue these bastards for libel?”
“You have to be able to prove malice.” Toby answered. “Didn’t they teach you that in law
school?”
“I must have been sick that day. Lou, are we doing ANYTHING to counter all this
garbage?”
“You were the one who said you wanted to take the high road.” Lou reminded him. “You
didn’t want to respond to every little item like they were real stories.”
“That was before I started hemorrhaging poll points.”
“It’s not that bad, we only slipped 2 points in the overnights.” Toby added.
“I don’t think we can afford that 2 weeks before the election, do you?” Josh countered.
“I think we can, actually,” Toby responded. “and I can’t believe I’m saying this to you, but
relax, damn it!”
“I can’t relax. Today’s story du jour has me undermining the Director of the FBI, for God’s
sake.”
“Please don’t bring God into this. We’ve finally moved the press off that story.” Lou noted.
The anonymous source was quoted as saying that “Josh Lyman was singularly
responsible for the firing of the former FBI Director” and had provided phone records from
the White House that showed calls between the Lyman residence and the White House
which were damning in their very timing. The source went on to say that the firing was
political payback for difficulties the Director had caused when Josh was Chief of Staff. The
worst part of the story was the innuendo that Josh had information about the attempted
bombing in Houston and had waited to divulge it to make the Director look bad.
“We could ask the White House to make a statement.” Lou suggested.
“I’m not asking President Santos to run interference for me. He’s got his own election to
worry about.” President Santos was running in the lead, but like Josh, had taken a few hits
in these last days before the election.
“Mike?” Toby asked.
“I can’t have him…I made some phone calls on his behalf. If I ask him to make a statement
now, it’ll look like quid pro quo.”
“Phone calls?”
“They’re re-assigning him to Detroit in retribution for his leap frog over the Director to the
President. I called some people I know at Treasury. I’m pretty sure they’re going to offer
him a job there.”
Toby digested this a minute and then nodded his head. “Not Mike then.”
“You need to be the one to make a statement, Josh.” Lou argued. “No, not a statement, a
press conference. What do we have in the next couple days that would lend itself to
opening up for questions afterwards without appearing like we’re looking for the
question?”
“Parents for Peace?” Toby threw out. “He can open it up to questions from the parents.
One of them will touch on it, or come close enough to fudge your way there.”
“I like the visual. We surround him with parents of young children…Do you think Donna
would okay it so we could include Nate and Caitlin?” Donna had been very stingy with the
photos of the kids. She tried to shield them from as much of the press circus as she could.
“She might let me bring Nate…but Caitlin? She’ll never go for that.”
“Is she afraid it will overwhelm Caitlin?” Liz asked.
“No, she simply doesn’t trust me alone with two kids; especially ours.” Josh answered.
“Then let’s cancel whatever appearance of hers conflicts with this event, and send the
whole family.” Liz offered.
“I don’t know…” Josh hedged.
“Will you at least ask Donna?” Lou pushed.
“Ask Donna what?” said the person in question as she breezed in the room.
“They want our whole family to go to the Peace thing tomorrow.” Josh told her as she
leaned in and gave him a kiss.
“Don’t I have-“ Donna began.
“We’d cancel it. Reschedule it.” Liz amended. She had already learned that Donna did not
like to cancel engagements when people were counting on her appearance. Liz tried to
make a loophole by ‘rescheduling’ the appearance so Donna didn’t let guilt weigh into her
decisions.
“Late afternoon both kids are napping. If they’re overtired and crabby you’re not going to
get the photo op you’re hoping for.” Donna mused as she took the only empty seat at the
conference table across from her husband.
“How bad could it be? They get out of the car, we snap a few pictures, and they go home.”
“Spoken like a woman without children.” Donna replied. “How bad could it be? You’ve
seen Josh when he’s tired and crabby…both kids take after him.”
That gave Lou pause. “It’s worth the risk. We need to change the story. We’re two weeks
out and the press is chomping at every crumb LeVoy throws out there, because we aren’t
giving them anything new.”
“Well, I could make something up…” Josh offered.
“As much as it pains me to say it, Lou is right. We need to change the story.”
“I’m not disagreeing.” Josh stated. “I’m simply asking what we change the story to. What
new policy can we possibly introduce this late in the game?”
“It shouldn’t be policy, it should be personal.” Lou corrected.
“Oh, good, ‘cause that usually works out so well for me.” Josh said sarcastically. “Didn’t I
just make a huge deal about personal privacy with the religious issue this week?”
“That was about people prying into your personal life. This is about you choosing to share
something about your personal life.”
“Well that’s obviously different.” Josh replied.
“Maybe something with you mother.” Lou pondered. “Are there any Jewish Holidays
coming up?” she asked Toby.
“Why are you asking him?” Josh asked all offended.
“Because he’s Jewish.” Lou responded.
“So am I!” he protested, to which Lou merely raised her eyebrows.
“It wouldn’t matter even if there was a holiday coming up, that’s not the tone we want. It will
look too contrived. We need something that couldn’t possibly reek of having been
planned ahead of time.”
“Umm…” Donna thought for a minute.
“It would be great if we could fold the human interest piece into the family event tomorrow.”
“We don’t even know what we’re going to use and you’re already folding into the family
event?” Toby asked laughing.
“I’m good that way.” Lou confirmed.
“I have an idea.” Donna offered quietly. Her tone caught Josh’s attention; Donna was
rarely quiet or meek at these meetings. She had very definite opinions and had no trouble
contradicting him even in front of his staff.
“Let’s hear it.” Toby encouraged her.
“I don’t know if it’s the right tone…or the timing is exactly right…”
“What?” Lou asked.
“We could announce that I’m pregnant.” Dead silence engulfed the room. The people at
the table looked like they were at a tennis match the way their heads bounced back and
forth between Josh and Donna.
“And would such a report be true?” Lou finally asked when it was clear Josh had lost the
power of speech.
Donna nodded, never breaking eye contact with her husband. He blinked first.
“Could we have the room please?” Josh requested and the room emptied quickly,
although Toby paused on his way out to kiss Donna’s cheek.
Josh got up and went over to sit next to his wife. Taking her hand in his he asked, “Are
you okay?” Donna smiled.
“Fine.”
“We’re having another baby?”
“Looks that way.”
“And you thought telling me with the rest of the campaign staff…”
“I’m sorry. I was just nervous about telling you. I know the timing sucks and I-“
“Wait. Stop right there. Didn’t we say that whenever it happened, it happened?”
“Yes, but-“
“And didn’t we agree that we wanted a big family?”
“Not all at once!” Donna explained. “We’re going to have 3 children under 4, Joshua. Do
you know what that means?”
“We’d better ask Mom to move in with us permanently?”
“Josh! Would you please-“ Josh stopped her lecture with a kiss.
“I’m very happy about the baby, and I have to say I’m a little hurt that you were nervous
about telling me.” Tears welled up in Donna’s eyes.
“Please tell me those tears are hormones.” He begged as he wiped them away. “You
announce it to the staff…”
“Stop it!” Donna insisted. “Like you’ve never said something to me you shouldn’t in front
of the staff.”
“I’ve never announced I was pregnant.” Josh retorted.
“Well since that’s biologically impossible, we can all breath a sigh of relief on that one,
can’t we?” Donna shot back.
“You get pretty snarky when you’re knocked up, you know that?” Donna smacked him on
the head. “Ouch! I don’t think you should be demonstrating violence in front of our child,
Donnatella.”
“Since the child in question is the size of a grain of rice, I think I’ll take my chances.”
Donna quipped, but allowed Josh to bring her onto his lap where he enfolded them both
in an embrace.
A quick knock sounded on the door, and Josh recognized the impatience and style of the
knock as Lou.
“Yeah?” he called out, and Lou poked her head around the door.
“We’re leaking it.” She turned the statement into a question by her tone of voice.
“You want to leak the fact that we’re having another child to change the news cycle?”
Josh asked incredulously and felt Donna smile against his neck.
“That’s not how I would phrase it, but yeah.”
“Why not just announce it as a statement?”
“It’ll look less like strategy if the press finds out on their own.”
“Yeah, we wouldn’t want your strategy to look like a strategy.”
“Exactly.” Lou beamed. “So we’re leaking it.”
“And just how do you plan on doing that?”
“Easy. You know how the press has been trailing your mom?...We sent your mother
shopping for baby stuff.” Lou replied as she quickly shut the door again.
“The staff told my mother we’re having another baby.” Josh dropped his forehead on his
wife’s head.
“No, she knew already.” Donna reassured him.
“You told my Mother before you told me?”
“I had to…I couldn’t go buy the pregnancy test with the press and staff on my heels.”
Donna explained. Suddenly, the trip to the drug store made sense to Josh. “Besides, I
was pretty pissed at you at that time.”
“You sent my Mother to buy a pregnancy test.”
“Of course not. You know your Mother….she volunteered.” Donna replied while
distracting her husband with a lingering kiss.
******************************************
Chapter 14
As Lou predicted, one of the parents at the rally asked about Josh’s connection to the
investigation in Houston.
“I had a contact at the F.B.I., who was concerned that the President wasn’t getting all the
relevant information. I put the contact in touch with Sam Seaborn, who in turn put the
contact in front of the President. I had no idea what the specifics of that information were
until after the White House already took action in response to the threat in Houston.”
“Would you support the bill Senator Conlin introduced last week?” another parent asked.
“Absolutely. It’s a good first step to increased security.” Josh replied. He was walking with
Donna and the children toward the buffet. Caitlin had fallen asleep on her Mom’s shoulder
during Josh’s short speech and now he reached over to take the burden from her for
awhile. Nate skipped happily beside them.
“Is it true you’re expecting another child?” one of the mother’s asked with a shy smile.
“Yes, sometime in May.” Donna told her.
“You’re going to have your hands full.” The mother replied.
“Believe me, with Joshua around, I already do.” The women laughed together
conspiratorially.
“Hey, am I not helping here?” Josh protested and motioned to Caitlin on his shoulder.
“No, helping is what you do with other people’s children. What you’re doing right now is
parenting…and you do it pretty well.” Donna admitted.
“Thanks so much.” Josh responded.
“Mommy, I want a hot dog.” Nate interrupted. Nate kept his good humor for another hour
before he started to his the skids.
“We’d better make an exit soon.” Donna warned. “We can split up if you want to stay a
little longer.”
“No, I think we’re ready to go.” Josh told her and motioned to Liz that they were heading
for the car.
It seemed like everyone in the State had gathered at the rally and they all wanted to say a
word to, or shake the hand of, Josh Lyman. It took another 30 minutes before they got
into their vehicle and by then Nate had about lost it.
“I don’t want to go in the car again!” He cried.
“I know, honey, but we need to get home.” Donna tried to placate him.
“No!” he refused so Josh handed Caitlin back to Donna and picked up the wailing child.
Donna got into the car quickly and fastened the baby in her car seat. By the time they
got back to their home, both kids were sleeping soundly.
“Do we wake them or let them sleep?” Josh asked his wife.
“We’ll have to wake them, but it’s going to be rough sailing until bedtime.”
Ruth met them at the door and told Josh Sam had called twice for him. Happy to have an
excuse to leave the crabby children, Josh escaped to his office to return the call.
“How’s Addy?” Josh asked once he was connected to Sam. Adeleine Seaborn was only a
couple weeks old, so Josh imagined Sam wasn’t getting much sleep these days between
the baby and re-election.
“Beautiful. Speaking of babies…I heard the craziest rumor today.”
“Yes, I should have called you first, I guess. Things have been a little nuts around here.”
“Including you, according to FOX news. Did they know you were certifiable when they
gave you the keys to the sit room?”
“Nice. There are no keys to the sit room, funny boy.”
“I thought with all the trauma in your life, you might not have remembered that.” Josh
could hear the grin in Sam’s voice.
“I’m permanently scarred. What’s up? You guys need to come here to stomp for re-
election?
“I think we already have your 2 electoral votes, but thanks.”
“Seven." Josh corrected.
Sam paused and his voice grew serious. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“When are you resigning?” Josh beat him to the punch.
“How do you DO that?”
“I know you and I know the job.” Josh answered simply and shrugged his shoulders even
though Sam couldn’t see him. “It’s been a pretty stressful time, Sam.”
“You made it through almost 4 years in this job.” Sam countered.
“And 7 years of prep as Deputy, with Leo teaching me every step of the way. You’re going
to wait until after inauguration?”
“Yeah.”
“And then what?”
“I’m not sure yet, but spending more time with Ainsley and Addy is at the top of the list.”
“That’s as it should be, Sam, exactly as it should be.”
**********************************************
“You interview wasn’t quite what we envisioned when we spoke originally.”
“I’m sorry you’re disappointed. I don’t think I said anything differently to Larry King from
when I spoke to you and your boss last month.” Colin replied.
“You could have expounded a bit on the information; focused on your relationship with
Donna Moss.”
“I was honest about it, just as I was with you. What do you want from me?”
“We bankrolled your trip here and arranged for your ritzy showing in D.C. The interview
didn’t move in the direction it needed to, so now you’re going to have to take it to the next
level.”
“The trip and the showing were part of the bargain in exchange for releasing the pictures
and telling my story. All of which were true and factual, I don’t have any problem sleeping
at night. I don’t owe you anything.”
“We don’t quite see it that way. The trip and the showing were in exchange for ruining
their images and messing with Lyman’s fragile psychological state. None of that
happened. Now we need you to bump it up a notch.”
“What does that mean exactly?”
“You have a million digital photos of Lyman’s wife and a computer, don’t you?”
“LeVoy wants to beat him so badly he’s willing to pay for me to manufacture photos of
Donna?”
“We’ve already paid you-“
“That wasn’t for this. If you want more, you’ll have to pay more. Have LeVoy send it
through whatever dummy corporations he did last time and deposit it in the same account.
Once he does, then I’ll see what I can do.”
“There are only 7 days until the election!”
“Then he’d better move quick, hadn’t he?” Colin said as he strolled away.
**************************************
“You sure you’re okay?” Josh asked again.
“It’s morning sickness, Joshua. I’m not terminal.”
“I know…it’s just…I don’t like leaving you when you’re like this.” He admitted.
“I’ll be fine. Your Mom is here, and I’m just going to sleep it off anyway.”
“I can cancel the thing.” He offered.
“Josh, there are 4 days until the election. You need to go. I’m just sorry I can’t join you.”
“Yeah, I think you’re a bigger draw these days than I am. Everyone loves Donnatella.” He
teased her, quoting a headline from the ‘people’ section of the paper last week.
“I am incredibly lovable.” Donna agreed.
“I think you’re carrying proof of that right now.” Josh leaned down to brush his lips over
her forehead. “Get some rest and I’ll call you after the thing.” He promised.
He was halfway to his destination when Liz’s phone rang. Or rather, Josh’s phone rang in
Liz’d pocket. Her face turned ashen and she handed the phone to Josh.
“It’s Lou. They had to evacuate the office in New Haven.” She related. “A suspicious
package showed up there.”
“What?” Josh took the phone. “Lou? Talk to me.”
“The New Haven police have evacuated our office. A package arrived here a little bit ago;
it’s a small box with no return address. No one signed for it or can tell us where it came
from. The police who responded to it call-“
“We called the police over a box with no return address?” Josh interrupted.
“Yes, we did. You get a lot of crazy mail, and while that’s entertaining enough, no one
here could figure out a reason why a box with nothing but your name on it, might have
been left by the door.”
“Okay, okay. What’s next?”
“The police called the F.B.I. They’re in there with the box now…it looks like the bomb
sniffing dog is coming out unscathed. That’s good news, right?” Lou deadpanned.
“Undoubtedly.” Josh agreed.
“Hang on. The agent in charge is coming to talk to me.” Lou informed him and Josh waited
to hear some kind of news.
****************************************************
Donna couldn’t sleep, but she also couldn’t muster the strength to get out of bed. Maybe
a movie would help her relax.
She turned on the television, and was about to turn on the DVD player when she caught
the words ‘New Haven’ on the scroll at the bottom of the screen. She turned up the
volume.
“…and the F.B.I. arrived several minutes ago to examine the suspicious package left at
the door of the Lyman Senatorial campaign office.”
Donna hurriedly picked up the phone to call Josh, but got no answer.
“Maybe crazy glue isn’t such a bad idea.” Josh said to Donna and she didn’t disagree.
“You really hurt me Joshua.”
“I got that.” Josh quipped. “And I’m really sorry. I guess I still have some issues with what
happened in Gaza.”
“It didn’t mean ANYTHING.” Donna said yet again. “It’s not like you and I were together at
the time, or even soon after that!”
“But I wanted us to be!” Josh responded hotly and Donna blinked in surprise.
“What are you talking about?”
“Come on Donna, I left the White House with nothing but the clothes on my back and the
contents of my backpack in the middle of a national crisis. What did you imagine that
meant?”
“I don’t know Josh. What does it mean when someone risks Federal prison to protect
someone else who lied to a grand jury. What does it mean when someone writes a
briefing memo about someone else’s favorite teacher for the President of the United
States?”
“This was different!”
“Why? Why was that time any different from any one of the hundreds of times you hinted
you might have deeper feelings for me?”
“Because Leo gave me permission!” Josh shouted and startled Caitlin who began crying.
“Here, baby, I’m sorry…Daddy didn’t mean to shout and scare you.” Josh assured his
daughter as he took her from where she was sitting on the bed.
“What does that mean…Leo gave you permission?”
“After the bombing, when I lost it outside the Oval office, he said if there was somewhere
else I needed to be that everyone would understand…He was saying he knew how I felt
about you, that I loved you, and tacitly giving me permission to go tell you.”
“But you didn’t; never once the whole time we were in Germany or after we got back.”
Donna noted getting angry herself.
“Yes, I did. The first moment I got there. You were still unconscious at the time.”
“Okay, you know people can’t hear you when they’re unconscious, right?”
“Yeah, but then later, when I’d worked up the courage to tell you while you were awake,
Colin came. He kissed you right in front of me and brought you flowers.”
“But you were the one I asked for before my surgery, not him. Didn’t that give you a clue?”
“Why was that time any different from any one of the hundreds of times you hinted you
might have deeper feelings for me?” Josh quoted her back to her as he stood rocking
back and forth with Caitlin in his arms.
“God, you’re such an idiot.” Donna said without any real heat.
“I think I proved that pretty well today.” Josh noted. “I’m sorry, Donna.”
“I am too.” Donna answered him. “You know, I think this is more what LeVoy had in mind
by bringing Colin here so close to the election.”
“What do you mean?”
“Colin can’t really say or do anything to damage us. As you pointed out, we were both
single adults at the time and the relationship lasted all of 7 days in total. I think he was
planning on driving a wedge between you and I by using Colin. That’s the only real
damage he could do.”
“Toby really called that one.”
“What?”
“When we were doing opposition research, he said he wasn’t worried about ‘a secret plan
to fight inflation’ or Carrick or any other stupid thing I’d done as much as he was worried
about what I would do if they came after you instead.” Josh stated. “Everyone knows that
there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”
“Everyone, huh?”
“Of course they also know who wears the pants in this family.”
“You mean Nate, right?”
“Right…At the risk of starting a whole new thing, I need to tell you that I shared something
with Toby…” Josh confessed.
“The diary?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“Because I told him too, and he didn’t looked shocked, surprised, or depressed.” Donna
explained. “He said ‘you two are both idiots, and you should never mention it to another
living soul as long as you live’.”
“That’s pretty much what he told me, too, except he didn’t use the word ‘idiot’ when he
was referring to me.” Josh shared. “Are we okay, now?”
“Maybe. Your Mother said you should have to grovel, which I think you’ve pretty much
covered, and then you’d need to make it up to me by taking me back to Hawaii.”
“Uh-huh.” Josh said tongue in cheek. “Maybe we could go in the spring.”
“I’m not sure that’s going to work.”
“Why not?”
“Well…Hawaii is terribly humid and rainy in the spring.” Donna fudged.
“Let’s figure it out after the election. Maybe getting away when the Senate is in session
won’t be a problem.”
“You can’t seriously be worried at this point? After the bump you got from the debate?”
“You better not be saying what I think you’re saying or Toby will have your head. We can’t
tempt the wrath of whatever from high atop the thing.”
“I’m not in the least bit superstitious. I say bring it on.” Donna said as Josh winced.
“You just had to do it, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I just had to.” Donna agreed.
**************************************
After a brief discussion with Toby and Lou, it was decided that both Josh and Donna
would stay at home during the Larry King show, and would conference call again once the
show was over to decide if they needed to put out a statement of any kind.
Josh went in to the campaign office for the afternoon, while Donna went to an afternoon
fundraiser with the Women’s Alliance for Change. Ruth had more or less moved in with
them for the duration, and Donna had never been so grateful for anything in her life. But
she found herself a little disconcerted when her mother-in-law handed her a small brown
bag upon her return from the fundraiser.
After a few minutes of weighing her decision, she decided she would take the test before
Josh got home. If she was wrong, she’d have a little time to recover before she had to
face her husband, and if she was right, she’d have a little time to think about how to break
the news before she had to face her husband.
Not that she was worried about Josh’s reaction, per se, they had decided early on that
they wanted to have a big family, it was just a timing thing. They really hadn’t planned on
having another child so soon and she didn’t want to add another stresser to their lives at
the moment.
By the time Josh returned, she had pulled herself together and went up with him to tuck
Nate in. Ruth promised to put Caitlin down once she had her bottle. So all their family
business was done. Without saying a word to one another they walked quietly to Josh’s
office to watch Larry King Live. Donna wasn’t sure what Josh’s rationale was, but she
didn’t want whatever was coming in the next hour anywhere near the bedroom. So they
turned on the television in the office and sat together on the couch with Josh’s arm
loosely around Donna’s shoulder.
It started out innocuous enough, with Colin briefing the audience on what he did for a
living and why he did it. He showed some of his photographs from other news events and
Larry shot him softball after softball about how people risked their lives to bring important
stories to the rest of the world. They made it through the second commercial break with
only Josh’s occasional laugh of derision for background noise. They were saving it for the
end, Josh figured, all the rest was window dressing to keep their audience share up for
the entire hour.
They were just at the half way mark when Larry brought up the buzz that Colin had started
after the Senatorial debate in Hartford. He asked Colin about what brought him to Hartford
for that event, and Colin claimed that while he was ‘in the states’ he thought he’d take the
opportunity to say hello to some ‘old friends’, Donna Moss Lyman and Senate candidate
Josh Lyman. Josh barked out another laugh at the ‘old friends’ comment but Donna was
too tense to respond. She knew that she hadn’t done anything wrong, but she didn’t trust
Colin either. What if he had snapped a picture while she was sleeping, or photoshopped
something else entirely?
The conversation about his ‘old friends’ quickly segued into a discussion of the last time
he’d seen them in Germany. No, Colin told the audience, Josh and Donna weren’t
romantically involved then, although he could tell there was a strong connection between
them. Colin spoke of Josh’s devotion to Donna and how he managed to juggle meetings
with foreign nationals and helped broker peace in the middle east even while he stayed at
Donna’s bedside.
The talk of the Middle East Peace Agreement, brought Gaza into play. Colin talked about
how interested Donna had been in the conflict and her genuine desire to learn about the
people there so she could bring back an accurate picture of the situation to the President.
“That’s how we got to know one another, really.” Colin admitted. “I saw this beautiful,
blond American woman and wanted to spend some time with her. She swatted me down
like a fly and told me if I wanted to spend time with her I should show her the ‘real Gaza’
so she would be able to fully understand the situation there.”
“I think we have some pictures from that trip…yes, there they are. What are we looking at
here Colin?’ Larry asked affably.
“This is a refugee camp in the Gaza strip. You can see the misery and depression worn
right on their faces can’t you?’ Colin asked rhetorically. “Here, Donna was talking to
Palestinians who had concerns about being able to find work to provide for their families.
She learned that becoming a suicide bomber is sometimes the only way these people see
out of their financial hardship. The families of suicide bombers get paid a good amount for
their sacrifice.”
“That’s incredible.” Larry offered. “These pictures tell a very compelling story. Now we
should warn viewers that the pictures coming up are very graphic, and some viewers may
not want to see the photos that captured the bombing of the American CODEL in Gaza.”
“All the photos from the Gaza trip will be in a special showing in D.C. mid-February as part
of event honoring the memory of Admiral Percy Fitzwallace.” Colin mentioned and Josh
got part of his answer. That was how LeVoy was able to lure Colin here. Not that Josh
though it took too much, but still…
“Now, these pictures are of the members of the delegation themselves?”
“Right, those black suburban’s are the vehicles they traveled in. They traveled as a group
in a loosely secured perimeter when they were on the road.” Colin noted as pictures
flashed across the screen. Josh tightened his hold on Donna. The slideshow paused on
one particular shot of Donna right before she got in the vehicle. She was wearing a large
hat to protect her face from the intense sun and she had shy smile seemingly for the
photographer. “I love that one of Donna. We had become…close by then, and she looks
so happy and relaxed.”
“Then tragedy struck.” Larry added as the first picture of the actual explosion appeared.
Donna flinched. There were two quick shots of the vehicle in the air, and the one shot of
where and how it landed. Larry talked about the lives that were lost and Colin told him he
had been sure Donna was one of them. He described his frantic attempt to get to her, but
that he had been blocked from approaching the vehicle.
“Didn’t try too damn hard if he’s still snapping pictures.” Josh muttered. Donna’s head
dropped down so she missed the first glimpse of herself hanging upside down inside the
suburban with blood running down her face. Her first indication that the picture had
changed was when Josh gasped. She looked up, more concerned with what he was
seeing than what she would see and her jaw dropped. She looked like a lifeless doll.
Donna could just make out the figures of the other people in the vehicle, some of whom
were already dead.
The next shot was of people and body bags being loaded into ambulances. Donna didn’t
realize she was crying until she felt the wetness on her hands from the tears that had
fallen from her face.
“That’s enough.” Josh decided and hit the power button on the remote control.
“What if there’s more?’ Donna asked.
“I’m sure there is, but we’re not watching it.” Josh declared angrily. “Lou or Toby can tell
us anything else we need to know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“What are you sorry about exactly?” Donna asked confused.
“Where would you like me to start?” Josh asked as he got up from the couch and started
pacing. “I’m sorry I sent you there. I’m sorry I didn’t make him fork over the pictures when
we were still in Germany. I’m sorry that my run for the Senate precipitated all this. I’m
sorry-“
“Okay, stop. Just…stop.” Donna tried to pull herself together knowing that Josh would
never calm down while she was still so visibly shaken. “We need to both take a breath
and, you know, stop.”
Josh looked at her with eyes full of pity and sadness and she almost lost it again.
“Don’t look at me like that, okay? I’m not that helpless, injured woman in the car anymore.
I’m alive and whole and we have a beautiful family to share our lives with. Do not let him
turn this into something ugly.” Donna insisted.
“How can I look at those pictures and not-“
“Because I got through it. You helped me get through it and we came out on the other
side stronger than we were before. Do you not think I feel the same way every time they
show a retrospective on Rosslyn?”
“Only there’s no art of me lying bleeding on the sidewalk.” Josh argued.
“No, but the picture of you lying on a hospital surgical table with your chest spread open
is indelibly marked on my brain, I assure you.” Donna replied hotly. That took the wind out
of his sails, and Josh sat down heavily next to her.
“When I think of how close I was to losing you.” He murmured in her ear as he pulled her
into his arms. “Do you have any idea how empty my life would be if I didn’t have you in it?”
“I know exactly how empty it would be.” Donna replied as she kissed his neck. They sat
like that for a long while until the ring of the phone pulled them out of the stupor they’d
fallen into.
“Yeah.” Josh answered as he mouthed ‘Toby’ to let Donna know who he was talking to.
Then he flipped on the speakerphone so everyone could speak to and hear everyone
else.
“Donna…you okay?’ Toby asked tentatively.
“Mostly okay.” She replied. “What about you?” she asked in return and it took a moment
for it to register with Josh that Andi had been there too. How just like Donna to be thinking
of someone else when she was dealing with all this herself, Josh thought.
“I’m…mostly okay too.” Toby reassured her. “I have to tell you, though, all in all it may
have done more good than LeVoy ever intended. Irish Spring man painted you both as
dedicated public servants who care a lot about the world we live in. I particularly liked that
bit about how Josh was multi-tasking while at Donna’s bedside. The President did have a
LITTLE to do with the peace talks too, didn’t he Josh.”
“Well I like to think I led him there.” Josh joked and had the pleasure of seeing Donna
smile in response.
“I forget, was that before or after you suggested carpet bombing the Middle East and
anyone else who was happy about it?” Toby joked back.
“After, definitely after.” Josh shot back. “What do we say? Do we release a statement?”
“Accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.” Lou called out.
“Any other Disney phrases you want to throw out there?’ Toby chided.
“We release a statement saying that while we agree with the portrait Mr. Ayers painted of
Josh Lyman and Donna Moss, we regret that he felt now, just weeks before the election,
was an appropriate time to release such graphic and intense images of what was a
horrific event in everyone’s life.” Lou offered.
“Toby?” Josh asked for his input.
“Yeah, what she said, only, you know, written better.”
“I’ll leave the poetry to you, Toby, so long as we agree on the message.” Lou retorted.
“We do.” Toby answered as Donna’s cell began to ring. She answered it while Josh
finished his conversation and then handed it to him with tears in her eyes.
“Daddy Seaborn wants to talk to you?” Donna said smiling.
Josh practically hung up on Toby. “Hey, Sam, everybody’s doing well?”
“Everyone’s doing very well. I have a beautiful baby girl, Josh.” Sam said proudly.
“Of course you do. With your genes and Ainsleys’s genes, your kid has won the beauty
lottery.” Josh told him. “Did labor go alright?”
“It was long. We got to the hospital just shortly after the debate ended. The pathetic
Republican spin artist on afterwards may have induced labor. How the hell did you get
Donna to agree to go through this twice?” Sam asked in awe.
“She just loves me that much. Plus she can’t keep her hands off me.” Josh bragged as
Donna rolled her eyes.
“Right. Well, Ainsley is claiming that she’s entering a convent once she’s released, even
though they don’t usually take you there if you’re not Catholic.” Sam related.
“This too shall pass.” Josh promised. “Have you got a name yet?”
“Not exactly…Ainsley picked one out, but I want to ask her again once she’s off the drugs
to make sure that’s what she wants. We’ll get back to you on that.” Sam paused. “Hey,
great job on the debate last night. I guess I forgot to say that earlier.”
“Thanks and don’t worry about it. I’m a father too. I know exactly what you’re feeling. Go
take a nap with your wife and baby girl.”
“Will do.” Sam replied before he hung up.
“Well, it’s been quite a night, hasn’t it Donnatella?”
********************************************
Chapter 13
When, 3 days later, public opinion weighed in on the matter, it was resoundingly in favor
of Josh Lyman being their next Senator. Donna, became a heroine and requests for
interviews and photographs tripled overnight. As uncomfortable as Donna was discussing
the events in Gaza, her primary concern was keeping the information far away from her
son.
When one reporter made the grave mistake of asking about her injuries from Gaza in
front of Nate, Donna shot him a look that Josh would have recognized. Then she calmly
invited every OTHER reporter in their yard to come in for hot chocolate and a private chat
with Donna Moss Lyman…It didn’t happen again.
Donna was just beginning to think the worst was over when the next volley was fired.
The article was entitled: The Role of Faith, and it offered a public view of the private faith
of Congressman Ted LeVoy. He waxed on about how America needed God in the
Senate, and wondered aloud how anyone without personal faith could possibly hope to
steer this country through the turbulent days ahead. LeVoy even noted that Josh’s former
boss, President Santos claimed to be a man of faith, but refused to outlaw abortion.
The press ate it up and started down the path of church watching…or in this case temple
watching. Did Josh regularly attend temple? Would the people of Connecticut, mostly of
the Christian faith, want a Jewish man to represent them in the Senate? Toby wanted to
release a statement that said Josh wasn’t REALLY Jewish, but Josh nixed that idea. His
Mother would kill him.
Josh explained he was not running for Rabbi, and that a man’s personal faith was just
that; personal. If the voters of Connecticut wanted to know what his personal ethics
consisted of, they should examine his actions and the causes he had worked for
throughout his life. Then, Josh stated, they should compare them to the actions and
causes that Congressman LeVoy represented.
Two days later another article, quoting an anonymous source, questioned whether Josh
had the mental stability to hold public office. After all, the author suggested, he had been
through multiple traumas; the death of his sister in a house fire, the death of his father
while on the campaign trail, the shooting at Rosslyn, the bombing in Gaza…
Josh kept pivoting back to the issues so often that he was afraid he’d develop whiplash.
These little bites, each practically harmless in and of themselves, together started to spell
trouble. People were beginning to question whether or not all this smoke originated from
actual fire.
When the next snippet came out, Josh snapped. Nearly everyone in the conference room
felt the ire coming from their candidate.
“Where in the hell do they get this shit?” he demanded. “And could someone please
again explain to me why I can’t sue these bastards for libel?”
“You have to be able to prove malice.” Toby answered. “Didn’t they teach you that in law
school?”
“I must have been sick that day. Lou, are we doing ANYTHING to counter all this
garbage?”
“You were the one who said you wanted to take the high road.” Lou reminded him. “You
didn’t want to respond to every little item like they were real stories.”
“That was before I started hemorrhaging poll points.”
“It’s not that bad, we only slipped 2 points in the overnights.” Toby added.
“I don’t think we can afford that 2 weeks before the election, do you?” Josh countered.
“I think we can, actually,” Toby responded. “and I can’t believe I’m saying this to you, but
relax, damn it!”
“I can’t relax. Today’s story du jour has me undermining the Director of the FBI, for God’s
sake.”
“Please don’t bring God into this. We’ve finally moved the press off that story.” Lou noted.
The anonymous source was quoted as saying that “Josh Lyman was singularly
responsible for the firing of the former FBI Director” and had provided phone records from
the White House that showed calls between the Lyman residence and the White House
which were damning in their very timing. The source went on to say that the firing was
political payback for difficulties the Director had caused when Josh was Chief of Staff. The
worst part of the story was the innuendo that Josh had information about the attempted
bombing in Houston and had waited to divulge it to make the Director look bad.
“We could ask the White House to make a statement.” Lou suggested.
“I’m not asking President Santos to run interference for me. He’s got his own election to
worry about.” President Santos was running in the lead, but like Josh, had taken a few hits
in these last days before the election.
“Mike?” Toby asked.
“I can’t have him…I made some phone calls on his behalf. If I ask him to make a statement
now, it’ll look like quid pro quo.”
“Phone calls?”
“They’re re-assigning him to Detroit in retribution for his leap frog over the Director to the
President. I called some people I know at Treasury. I’m pretty sure they’re going to offer
him a job there.”
Toby digested this a minute and then nodded his head. “Not Mike then.”
“You need to be the one to make a statement, Josh.” Lou argued. “No, not a statement, a
press conference. What do we have in the next couple days that would lend itself to
opening up for questions afterwards without appearing like we’re looking for the
question?”
“Parents for Peace?” Toby threw out. “He can open it up to questions from the parents.
One of them will touch on it, or come close enough to fudge your way there.”
“I like the visual. We surround him with parents of young children…Do you think Donna
would okay it so we could include Nate and Caitlin?” Donna had been very stingy with the
photos of the kids. She tried to shield them from as much of the press circus as she could.
“She might let me bring Nate…but Caitlin? She’ll never go for that.”
“Is she afraid it will overwhelm Caitlin?” Liz asked.
“No, she simply doesn’t trust me alone with two kids; especially ours.” Josh answered.
“Then let’s cancel whatever appearance of hers conflicts with this event, and send the
whole family.” Liz offered.
“I don’t know…” Josh hedged.
“Will you at least ask Donna?” Lou pushed.
“Ask Donna what?” said the person in question as she breezed in the room.
“They want our whole family to go to the Peace thing tomorrow.” Josh told her as she
leaned in and gave him a kiss.
“Don’t I have-“ Donna began.
“We’d cancel it. Reschedule it.” Liz amended. She had already learned that Donna did not
like to cancel engagements when people were counting on her appearance. Liz tried to
make a loophole by ‘rescheduling’ the appearance so Donna didn’t let guilt weigh into her
decisions.
“Late afternoon both kids are napping. If they’re overtired and crabby you’re not going to
get the photo op you’re hoping for.” Donna mused as she took the only empty seat at the
conference table across from her husband.
“How bad could it be? They get out of the car, we snap a few pictures, and they go home.”
“Spoken like a woman without children.” Donna replied. “How bad could it be? You’ve
seen Josh when he’s tired and crabby…both kids take after him.”
That gave Lou pause. “It’s worth the risk. We need to change the story. We’re two weeks
out and the press is chomping at every crumb LeVoy throws out there, because we aren’t
giving them anything new.”
“Well, I could make something up…” Josh offered.
“As much as it pains me to say it, Lou is right. We need to change the story.”
“I’m not disagreeing.” Josh stated. “I’m simply asking what we change the story to. What
new policy can we possibly introduce this late in the game?”
“It shouldn’t be policy, it should be personal.” Lou corrected.
“Oh, good, ‘cause that usually works out so well for me.” Josh said sarcastically. “Didn’t I
just make a huge deal about personal privacy with the religious issue this week?”
“That was about people prying into your personal life. This is about you choosing to share
something about your personal life.”
“Well that’s obviously different.” Josh replied.
“Maybe something with you mother.” Lou pondered. “Are there any Jewish Holidays
coming up?” she asked Toby.
“Why are you asking him?” Josh asked all offended.
“Because he’s Jewish.” Lou responded.
“So am I!” he protested, to which Lou merely raised her eyebrows.
“It wouldn’t matter even if there was a holiday coming up, that’s not the tone we want. It will
look too contrived. We need something that couldn’t possibly reek of having been
planned ahead of time.”
“Umm…” Donna thought for a minute.
“It would be great if we could fold the human interest piece into the family event tomorrow.”
“We don’t even know what we’re going to use and you’re already folding into the family
event?” Toby asked laughing.
“I’m good that way.” Lou confirmed.
“I have an idea.” Donna offered quietly. Her tone caught Josh’s attention; Donna was
rarely quiet or meek at these meetings. She had very definite opinions and had no trouble
contradicting him even in front of his staff.
“Let’s hear it.” Toby encouraged her.
“I don’t know if it’s the right tone…or the timing is exactly right…”
“What?” Lou asked.
“We could announce that I’m pregnant.” Dead silence engulfed the room. The people at
the table looked like they were at a tennis match the way their heads bounced back and
forth between Josh and Donna.
“And would such a report be true?” Lou finally asked when it was clear Josh had lost the
power of speech.
Donna nodded, never breaking eye contact with her husband. He blinked first.
“Could we have the room please?” Josh requested and the room emptied quickly,
although Toby paused on his way out to kiss Donna’s cheek.
Josh got up and went over to sit next to his wife. Taking her hand in his he asked, “Are
you okay?” Donna smiled.
“Fine.”
“We’re having another baby?”
“Looks that way.”
“And you thought telling me with the rest of the campaign staff…”
“I’m sorry. I was just nervous about telling you. I know the timing sucks and I-“
“Wait. Stop right there. Didn’t we say that whenever it happened, it happened?”
“Yes, but-“
“And didn’t we agree that we wanted a big family?”
“Not all at once!” Donna explained. “We’re going to have 3 children under 4, Joshua. Do
you know what that means?”
“We’d better ask Mom to move in with us permanently?”
“Josh! Would you please-“ Josh stopped her lecture with a kiss.
“I’m very happy about the baby, and I have to say I’m a little hurt that you were nervous
about telling me.” Tears welled up in Donna’s eyes.
“Please tell me those tears are hormones.” He begged as he wiped them away. “You
announce it to the staff…”
“Stop it!” Donna insisted. “Like you’ve never said something to me you shouldn’t in front
of the staff.”
“I’ve never announced I was pregnant.” Josh retorted.
“Well since that’s biologically impossible, we can all breath a sigh of relief on that one,
can’t we?” Donna shot back.
“You get pretty snarky when you’re knocked up, you know that?” Donna smacked him on
the head. “Ouch! I don’t think you should be demonstrating violence in front of our child,
Donnatella.”
“Since the child in question is the size of a grain of rice, I think I’ll take my chances.”
Donna quipped, but allowed Josh to bring her onto his lap where he enfolded them both
in an embrace.
A quick knock sounded on the door, and Josh recognized the impatience and style of the
knock as Lou.
“Yeah?” he called out, and Lou poked her head around the door.
“We’re leaking it.” She turned the statement into a question by her tone of voice.
“You want to leak the fact that we’re having another child to change the news cycle?”
Josh asked incredulously and felt Donna smile against his neck.
“That’s not how I would phrase it, but yeah.”
“Why not just announce it as a statement?”
“It’ll look less like strategy if the press finds out on their own.”
“Yeah, we wouldn’t want your strategy to look like a strategy.”
“Exactly.” Lou beamed. “So we’re leaking it.”
“And just how do you plan on doing that?”
“Easy. You know how the press has been trailing your mom?...We sent your mother
shopping for baby stuff.” Lou replied as she quickly shut the door again.
“The staff told my mother we’re having another baby.” Josh dropped his forehead on his
wife’s head.
“No, she knew already.” Donna reassured him.
“You told my Mother before you told me?”
“I had to…I couldn’t go buy the pregnancy test with the press and staff on my heels.”
Donna explained. Suddenly, the trip to the drug store made sense to Josh. “Besides, I
was pretty pissed at you at that time.”
“You sent my Mother to buy a pregnancy test.”
“Of course not. You know your Mother….she volunteered.” Donna replied while
distracting her husband with a lingering kiss.
******************************************
Chapter 14
As Lou predicted, one of the parents at the rally asked about Josh’s connection to the
investigation in Houston.
“I had a contact at the F.B.I., who was concerned that the President wasn’t getting all the
relevant information. I put the contact in touch with Sam Seaborn, who in turn put the
contact in front of the President. I had no idea what the specifics of that information were
until after the White House already took action in response to the threat in Houston.”
“Would you support the bill Senator Conlin introduced last week?” another parent asked.
“Absolutely. It’s a good first step to increased security.” Josh replied. He was walking with
Donna and the children toward the buffet. Caitlin had fallen asleep on her Mom’s shoulder
during Josh’s short speech and now he reached over to take the burden from her for
awhile. Nate skipped happily beside them.
“Is it true you’re expecting another child?” one of the mother’s asked with a shy smile.
“Yes, sometime in May.” Donna told her.
“You’re going to have your hands full.” The mother replied.
“Believe me, with Joshua around, I already do.” The women laughed together
conspiratorially.
“Hey, am I not helping here?” Josh protested and motioned to Caitlin on his shoulder.
“No, helping is what you do with other people’s children. What you’re doing right now is
parenting…and you do it pretty well.” Donna admitted.
“Thanks so much.” Josh responded.
“Mommy, I want a hot dog.” Nate interrupted. Nate kept his good humor for another hour
before he started to his the skids.
“We’d better make an exit soon.” Donna warned. “We can split up if you want to stay a
little longer.”
“No, I think we’re ready to go.” Josh told her and motioned to Liz that they were heading
for the car.
It seemed like everyone in the State had gathered at the rally and they all wanted to say a
word to, or shake the hand of, Josh Lyman. It took another 30 minutes before they got
into their vehicle and by then Nate had about lost it.
“I don’t want to go in the car again!” He cried.
“I know, honey, but we need to get home.” Donna tried to placate him.
“No!” he refused so Josh handed Caitlin back to Donna and picked up the wailing child.
Donna got into the car quickly and fastened the baby in her car seat. By the time they
got back to their home, both kids were sleeping soundly.
“Do we wake them or let them sleep?” Josh asked his wife.
“We’ll have to wake them, but it’s going to be rough sailing until bedtime.”
Ruth met them at the door and told Josh Sam had called twice for him. Happy to have an
excuse to leave the crabby children, Josh escaped to his office to return the call.
“How’s Addy?” Josh asked once he was connected to Sam. Adeleine Seaborn was only a
couple weeks old, so Josh imagined Sam wasn’t getting much sleep these days between
the baby and re-election.
“Beautiful. Speaking of babies…I heard the craziest rumor today.”
“Yes, I should have called you first, I guess. Things have been a little nuts around here.”
“Including you, according to FOX news. Did they know you were certifiable when they
gave you the keys to the sit room?”
“Nice. There are no keys to the sit room, funny boy.”
“I thought with all the trauma in your life, you might not have remembered that.” Josh
could hear the grin in Sam’s voice.
“I’m permanently scarred. What’s up? You guys need to come here to stomp for re-
election?
“I think we already have your 2 electoral votes, but thanks.”
“Seven." Josh corrected.
Sam paused and his voice grew serious. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“When are you resigning?” Josh beat him to the punch.
“How do you DO that?”
“I know you and I know the job.” Josh answered simply and shrugged his shoulders even
though Sam couldn’t see him. “It’s been a pretty stressful time, Sam.”
“You made it through almost 4 years in this job.” Sam countered.
“And 7 years of prep as Deputy, with Leo teaching me every step of the way. You’re going
to wait until after inauguration?”
“Yeah.”
“And then what?”
“I’m not sure yet, but spending more time with Ainsley and Addy is at the top of the list.”
“That’s as it should be, Sam, exactly as it should be.”
**********************************************
“You interview wasn’t quite what we envisioned when we spoke originally.”
“I’m sorry you’re disappointed. I don’t think I said anything differently to Larry King from
when I spoke to you and your boss last month.” Colin replied.
“You could have expounded a bit on the information; focused on your relationship with
Donna Moss.”
“I was honest about it, just as I was with you. What do you want from me?”
“We bankrolled your trip here and arranged for your ritzy showing in D.C. The interview
didn’t move in the direction it needed to, so now you’re going to have to take it to the next
level.”
“The trip and the showing were part of the bargain in exchange for releasing the pictures
and telling my story. All of which were true and factual, I don’t have any problem sleeping
at night. I don’t owe you anything.”
“We don’t quite see it that way. The trip and the showing were in exchange for ruining
their images and messing with Lyman’s fragile psychological state. None of that
happened. Now we need you to bump it up a notch.”
“What does that mean exactly?”
“You have a million digital photos of Lyman’s wife and a computer, don’t you?”
“LeVoy wants to beat him so badly he’s willing to pay for me to manufacture photos of
Donna?”
“We’ve already paid you-“
“That wasn’t for this. If you want more, you’ll have to pay more. Have LeVoy send it
through whatever dummy corporations he did last time and deposit it in the same account.
Once he does, then I’ll see what I can do.”
“There are only 7 days until the election!”
“Then he’d better move quick, hadn’t he?” Colin said as he strolled away.
**************************************
“You sure you’re okay?” Josh asked again.
“It’s morning sickness, Joshua. I’m not terminal.”
“I know…it’s just…I don’t like leaving you when you’re like this.” He admitted.
“I’ll be fine. Your Mom is here, and I’m just going to sleep it off anyway.”
“I can cancel the thing.” He offered.
“Josh, there are 4 days until the election. You need to go. I’m just sorry I can’t join you.”
“Yeah, I think you’re a bigger draw these days than I am. Everyone loves Donnatella.” He
teased her, quoting a headline from the ‘people’ section of the paper last week.
“I am incredibly lovable.” Donna agreed.
“I think you’re carrying proof of that right now.” Josh leaned down to brush his lips over
her forehead. “Get some rest and I’ll call you after the thing.” He promised.
He was halfway to his destination when Liz’s phone rang. Or rather, Josh’s phone rang in
Liz’d pocket. Her face turned ashen and she handed the phone to Josh.
“It’s Lou. They had to evacuate the office in New Haven.” She related. “A suspicious
package showed up there.”
“What?” Josh took the phone. “Lou? Talk to me.”
“The New Haven police have evacuated our office. A package arrived here a little bit ago;
it’s a small box with no return address. No one signed for it or can tell us where it came
from. The police who responded to it call-“
“We called the police over a box with no return address?” Josh interrupted.
“Yes, we did. You get a lot of crazy mail, and while that’s entertaining enough, no one
here could figure out a reason why a box with nothing but your name on it, might have
been left by the door.”
“Okay, okay. What’s next?”
“The police called the F.B.I. They’re in there with the box now…it looks like the bomb
sniffing dog is coming out unscathed. That’s good news, right?” Lou deadpanned.
“Undoubtedly.” Josh agreed.
“Hang on. The agent in charge is coming to talk to me.” Lou informed him and Josh waited
to hear some kind of news.
****************************************************
Donna couldn’t sleep, but she also couldn’t muster the strength to get out of bed. Maybe
a movie would help her relax.
She turned on the television, and was about to turn on the DVD player when she caught
the words ‘New Haven’ on the scroll at the bottom of the screen. She turned up the
volume.
“…and the F.B.I. arrived several minutes ago to examine the suspicious package left at
the door of the Lyman Senatorial campaign office.”
Donna hurriedly picked up the phone to call Josh, but got no answer.
