Chapter 36
"Just read what you've got there we'll polish later."
Brian instructed.
"We don't have time to polish later." Julie objected.
"Right. And we need a different answer on increasing the gas
tax." Brian called out.
"I like the answer we already have." Julie maintained.
"Uh-huh. Holly, what have you got?" Brian ignored his fiancé
again and steam started to roll out of her ears.
"She should start with…'We can't afford not to make drastic
improvement in our infrastructure and-"
"Wait a minute." Julie interrupted. "I'm sorry Holly. I
need to speak with Brian…privately."
The room emptied quickly and quietly. This had the potential to get
ugly. With just 5 days before the ONLY debate they could get Butler to
agree to, there was a lot riding on this and everyone was feeling the
strain.
"We really don't have time for this right now, Julie." Brian
sighed.
"We're going to make time." Julie insisted. "Why are we
re-writing answers that were fine already?"
"They're not fine." Brian countered.
"What do you mean they're not fine? We've been using them
for the past month." Julie objected.
"And in the past month, the numbers aren't getting any tighter.
We need to shake it up, Julie."
"Maybe I don't want to shake things up. I want to win or lose on
my own merits."
"Changing the phrasing of the answers YOU came up with isn't
going to change that, Julie." Brian sighed again. "Can we please
get the rest of the team back in here? We have a lot of work to do
yet."
"Yes, by all means, let's bring in the team. The almighty Lyman
Consulting Team."
"Yes, the team that's working their asses off to get you
elected, yes."
"Well let me tell you something about your precious team, Brian. Not
one of the members of the team will be standing on the dais with me in 5
days. It will be me up there, all by myself, and I'll give the
answers I think are best."
Brian blinked back the hurt from her remarks. "Of course; because
you have so much political experience and savvy." He said
sarcastically. "I saw that during the primary." Now it was
Julie's turn to blink back the hurt.
Brian got up from his seat at the conference table and threw his hours
old coffee cup in the trash. "Oh, and one other thing. You're
wrong about being alone on that dais in five days. Every one of us who
have worked so hard to make sure you do well in the debate will be with
you on that stage. You're a member of the team too, Julie. So
`the team' will be on that stage with you."
Brian opened the door to tell everyone that they'd be taking a 30
minute break and advising them to eat or take a nap; whichever they
needed most. Julie just watched as he walked away without looking at her
again.
Brian pushed open the emergency exit doors and breathed in the chilly
October air. It had already begun to flurry a bit; damn Minnesota
weather. His mood was bleak, he was overtired, and he'd just pissed
off his fiancé. He needed a drink. He needed advice.
"Josh Lyman." Josh answered on the first ring.
"Hey, it's Brian. I hope I'm not calling too late."
"It's fine. I'm actually in my office and the kids are all
in bed. What's up?"
"I think I just blew it with Julie." Brian admitted.
"Professionally or personally?" Josh inquired.
"Both."
"Shit!" Josh's face scrunched in sympathy. "What
happened?"
"We got into it a bit about changing the wording for some answers in
the debate. She seems to feel that changing things up is some kind of
pandering."
"Did you explain this always happens in a campaign sitting where
hers is right now?"
"No, not really. I just explained that she really didn't have
the experience or the savvy to make that judgment call." Brian told
him.
"Do you have someplace else to sleep tonight?" Josh teased.
"No, not really…At the risk of giving you the opportunity to say
`I told you so' what would you think of someone else taking the
reins for the last leg out here?"
"You don't like the snow anymore?" Josh asked.
"I never liked the snow. I liked Julie; professionally and
personally. That's why I wanted this gig. Now, the lines are getting
blurrier every day and the personal is much more important to me than
the professional and I'm not sure I'm at my best professionally
anyway."
Josh paused and attempted to word his answer carefully. Donna had been
trying to get him to do that on a more regular basis for years, but it
was still hit and miss. "We talked about this before you went out
there; not the personal, but the campaign. We had a very frank
discussion about Julie's chances and they weren't at all good.
It's only through some kind of political miracle that she's in
the general. If Taylor hadn't been such a greedy tool, she'd be
living here in D.C. with you right now and neither of you would be
stressed out about a debate in 5 days with a much more experienced
candidate."
"So we just roll over for Butler? I tell Julie not to worry because
she was never going to win anyway and doesn't have a prayer
now?" Brian nearly screeched.
"Kind of. I wouldn't put it quite like that though. You should
work on the wording." Josh suggested and heard Brian choke on
hysterical laughter. "You and your team got her within 5 points.
That's within the margin of error in some of your polls. "
"It's going to drop a bit after the debate though, isn't
it?" Brian asked for an honest answer.
"Most likely; yes." Josh agreed. "Michelle Butler is an
experienced politician and debater. Julie is neither. However, Julie has
a lot of passion and energy and the expectations for her are low, so she
could pull an upset."
"Yeah…" It was exactly what Brian had figured himself.
"I'm not pulling you out of there before the debate. It would
cause problems for your team there as well as generate press…and
possibly ruin your personal life. " Josh declared.
"I know." Brian admitted.
"After the debate, we can spell you there for a bit if that's
what you and Julie want. I could use a fresh pair of eyes in Virginia
for a few days."
"Yeah, okay." Brian agreed. "And now?"
"You're asking me for personal advice? Are you smoking crack
over there? Have you not heard how it took me nine years to get my act
together with Donna?"
Josh's protest made Brian laugh, as it was intended to do. "Just
level with her Brian. I don't think she honestly ever thought
she'd have a real shot at this either."
"She doesn't want to listen to any of us on this." Brian
explained.
"I could make a call." Josh offered.
"No, hearing from you would really set her on edge." Brian
stated. "She thinks you and Donna pretty much walk on water. I'd
better get back inside. Thanks for the advice, Josh."
"It'll be fine, Brian. You and Julie will be fine.
Goodnight." Josh signed off.
"Night." Brian replied before he hit the end button on his cell.
"You really should call me when people start requesting relationship
advice." Donna said from the doorway.
"Hi. I didn't know you were still up." Josh held his hand
out for Donna and she took it before landing in his lap as he pushed his
chair away from the desk.
"I was asleep but Tori had a bad dream and woke me up."
"She okay?" Josh looked toward the door.
"She's back in her bed, but since you weren't in ours, I
decided to investigate." Donna kissed his forehead. "Imagine my
shock when I came in here to listen to you give relationship
advice."
"I wouldn't say it was relationship advice. It was more like
political advice for two people involved in a romantic
relationship." Josh smiled and kissed her back.
"Nice distinction." Donna complimented him. "Come to bed
now."
"Okay." Josh readily agreed.
"To sleep." Donna clarified.
"Oh, okay." Josh sighed but followed her upstairs anyway
figuring he might be able to persuade her otherwise. He stopped briefly
to peak into his daughters' room. Ally was sleeping soundly; her
side of the room a veritable disaster area. That, he was afraid,
she'd inherited from him. Tori was asleep too. Her arms were
clutched around her favorite stuffed animal; one that Uncle Toby had
given her and her side of the room was in perfect order. He preferred
to think that this trait was more of something more inherited from Donna
but knew it was very much a part of the Autism; just like the frequent
sleeping problems.
"She's fine, Joshua. Come to bed." Donna coaxed him. When
they settled under their warm duvet, wrapped up in each other's
bodies, Donna asked about the conversation with Brian.
"I think they're all burned out and stressed out. Julie's
never done this before and sometimes I forget that. She's a
natural." Josh mused.
"She and Brian are butting heads?" Donna inquired further.
"My impression is that she's butting heads with the whole team.
I'm sure a lot of it is nerves. Add to that, the fact that I imagine
she's having trouble distinguishing between her fiancé and her
campaign manager and things are a bit tense over there."
"That's very insightful of you, Joshua." Donna praised him.
"It really was." Josh agreed. "I told him I could give him a
break for a few days out there once the debate is over."
"Hmmm…"
"What?"
"I just wonder if that won't add to the tension." Donna
mumbled and Josh could hear her falling asleep again. So much for
persuading her to participate in more vigorous activities. But as Josh
held her tightly against him, he found he was perfectly content as
things were.
*****************************************
Brian found Julie sitting alone at a booth in the sub sandwich shop next
door to her campaign office. She was drinking from a very large cup of
pop and snacking half-heartedly on a bag of chips.
"No sandwich?" Brian asked as he sat next to her. Julie
didn't even look up.
"I'd just throw it up." Julie admitted.
"The next few days and nights are going to be chaotic. You need to
give your body some fuel."
"Right." Julie agreed, still not looking up. "I'm sorry
I was so bitchy back there."
"I'm sorry I was so rude and blunt back there."
"That crack about the primary was pretty nasty." Julie pointed
out.
"I was actually glad you lost the primary." Brian smiled.
"What?"
"You'd resisted all my attempts to lure you into my bed until
then."
"So it was pity sex?" Julie exclaimed and the couple sitting at
the other end of the shop looked up, eyes wide. Brian laughed.
"Far from it. " Brian remembered. "If anything, you took
pity on me. I'd been solidly in love with you for months and I was
afraid I'd have to go back to D.C. without telling you…or
showing you."
Julie looked up and met his eyes. "And I was trying to come up with
an excuse to go back to D.C. so it didn't look like I was following
you like a lost puppy." Brian leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"I'm really scared, Brian."
"I know." Brian noted. "I'm scared that the tension with
this race is going to mess us up personally and that would be far worse
to me than losing to Butler by 30 points."
"So what do we do?"
"We need to keep the lines really clear, Jules. When we're in
the room, it's not your fiancé talking it's your campaign
manager. You can't take it personally. Can you do that?"
"When Herb Brooks took the 1980 Miracle team to the Gold medal in
the Olympics-"
"Oh, God." Brian dropped his head to the table.
"He used to pick on a couple members of the team to get everyone
motivated, but the guys he picked on complained that they never knew
when he was picking on them to get to the whole team and when he was
seriously talking to them about something they were doing wrong."
"I know I'm going to regret asking this, but just what does this
have to do with our situation?" Brian asked warily.
"He made a deal with the guys. When he used their last names it was
just business with the team. If he called them by their first names, he
was speaking personally to them."
"So I'm supposed to call you Peterson when we're
working?" Brian smirked.
"Ms. Peterson, I would think." Julie replied primly.
"You can't be serious."
"I really am. Where did you disappear to earlier?"
"I stepped out to call Josh. I wanted to run some things by
him." Julie could just imagine what he ran by his boss.
"And his sage advice was?"
"I was supposed to tell you that you didn't have a hope in hell
of winning the general election, so you should just relax and enjoy
yourself in the debate." Julie spit out the pop she was drinking.
"Nice!" Julie said once she stopped choking on her drink.
"Well, you can just tell Mr. Lyman that I didn't have a hope in
hell of winning the primary either."
"You didn't win the primary." Brian reminded her.
"And yet, here I sit preparing to participate in a debate with the
Republican nominee as the Democratic nominee for Congress. " Julie
reminded him.
"Yes, you do." Brian agreed. "After the debate, I'm
going to take a couple days in D.C. I'm not sure who's going to
spell me here, but-"
"Why?" Julie interrupted.
"I'm going to take a look at the Virginia race and I think you
could use someone with a little more objective perspective."
"Okay."
"That's it? Just okay?"
"Okay, but don't stay long? I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too, but it will just be for two or three days
tops." Brian kissed her firmly on the lips and led her out of the
booth. "Let's go Ms. Peterson, we have miles to go before we
sleep."
*****************************************
"Again, I'm sure my opponent has every good intention in this
area, but she simply doesn't understand the complexities of getting
something through Congress. We tried establishing cash incentives in the
Minnesota Legislature and it was completely ineffective. Companies
would rather pay the penalties than reduce emissions enough to make the
cash incentives worthwhile." Michelle Butler replied to applause in
the auditorium.
"I appreciate Michelle giving me the benefit of the doubt as to my
motives, but the truth is that I have far more experience working with
Congress that she does. As Chief of Staff to Senator Stackhouse, I was
intimately involved in all the details on running a Congressional
office. I know the other members of Congress and their staffs, I worked
with the White House on bills they wanted sponsored, and I learned the
personal integrity and fortitude it takes to be successful in Congress
without selling your soul to the devil to get something important
accomplished."
"If you're implying,-" Michelle began.
"I'm implying nothing. I'm straight up telling you and the
voters that having watched how you conduct your `fundraising'
here in Minnesota, we all have a very good idea of how you would conduct
similar activities in the Nation's capitol where there are even more
lobbyists with more money than there are here at home."
"Just a moment." Michelle interjected. "All of my donations
and fundraising have strictly adhered to the laws governing those
activities and they are in accordance with the regulations set forth by
the ethics committee."
"I have no doubt that they are in `strict' accordance of all
those things; being careful to stay JUST on this side of the legal line.
But what about the spirit of the law? That taking huge donations from
big business can't help but affect the way you vote; the way you
consider certain issues. How can it help but influence your policies and
positions?"
"Businesses are a big part of the constituency here, Julie. You
should know that." Michelle shot back.
"I'm well aware of what my constituency would consist of. What I
have a problem with is that certain portions of the constituency
effectively get two or more votes when you're in office; one that
they get in the ballot box, and several other they get by buying their
way into your office."
"Let's move on, Ladies." The moderator looked pretty
harried. Josh didn't blame him. Both women had come out with their
gloves off and now, in the 13th round, they were still exchanging sharp
punches and jabs. Josh had arrive just hours before the debate started.
He'd be spelling Brian while Brian went back to D.C. for a few days
to work on a Virginia race. So far, Josh was enjoying the show.
"Ms. Butler, you've been very critical of Ms. Peterson's
educational proposals in the past few weeks, yet the Star Tribune
editorial noted you haven't been quick to offer any alternatives
yourself. Why is that?"
"Because we don't need radical changes to the educational
system. Our children are performing better each year on the required
standardized tests. Minnesota is slowly but surely making it's way
back up the ladder to retake it's place as one of the top states for
educating children. You don't need to fix what isn't
broken."
"Ms. Peterson?" The moderator gave the floor to Julie.
"Michelle is right. If all that's required of our children is to
fill in answer bubbles on test sheets, we're going to be just fine.
Unfortunately, I think if our children are going to be competitive in a
global market, they're going to need to do more and learn more than
what can be crammed into a standardized test." Julie took a breath.
"Yes, some of the numbers are coming up but that isn't
translating into higher graduation rates or attaining secondary
education. In the meantime, the achievement gap between those who have
and those who have not is widening. We have serious issues to address if
we're going to make sure ALL our children learn and achieve. That
means making some serious changes so teachers can adapt curriculum to
their students and not their students to a national test."
"And just how is this change going to be implemented and paid for.
You haven't been very clear about that." Michelle jumped in.
"I've been perfectly clear. Any student that scores so well on
those tests you love so much can go on my website for the point by point
rundown on how it can be done. But I'll summarize it for you here;
we pass a bill that gives states alternate options for demonstrating
competencies. The state education board determines how that state is
going to implement and evaluate their accountability structure. The
state does quarterly reviews of the process to make sure nothing falls
through the cracks."
"And you're getting the money for this where?" Michelle
persisted.
"The money is already there. We just couldn't use it this way up
until now because the Federal funds gave us no alternatives other than
the standardized testing. Once we pass a bill in Washington providing
for alternative methods of teaching and assessing, all those funds will
be available to us."
"I think you overestimate the number of votes you could wrangle for
such a bill." Michelle pointed out.
"Not at all, I already have a list of tentative yea votes, Michelle.
Having worked with many of these people on an individual basis for the
last several years, I know who to go to in order to form a bipartisan
team of co-sponsors for the bill. It will get done during my first 3
months in office."
"My opponent is hopelessly naïve in her evaluation of this
process. A freshman Congresswoman is not going to have the clout to
co-sponsor anything during her first 3 months. If Ms. Peterson had spent
ANY amount of time representing the people of Minnesota she would
already know that." Mrs. Butler stated.
"I have represented the people of Minnesota for years through
Senator Stackhouse's office. We worked as a cohesive team there to
achieve a common purpose. I will continue this practice when I'm
elected to Congress."
"Our final topic for the evening is health care. Mrs. Butler is
advocating a free enterprise approach based on wellness care; with an
addendum to provide state funded health care for children 16 and under.
Ms. Peterson is advocating a single payer health care plan for all
residents of Minnesota."
"Ms. Peterson, why should the people of Minnesota adopt a single
payer plan? Won't that be more expensive for everyone in
Minnesota?" The moderator asked.
"Actually, it's less expensive in the long run." Julie
countered. "The cost to the State, and to individual counties, when
the uninsured have to resort to treatment through emergency medical
centers is astronomical. You don't have to look any further than the
Mayo clinic to see how these costs have affected all of our medical
costs and treatment options. "
"Ms. Butler?"
"Businesses work best when they are unencumbered by Government. The
free market and competition is the answer to lowering health care costs;
not creating more bureaucracy." Michelle stated.
"I think the first fault in your logic is looking at healthcare as a
business. This is an investment. $1 of preventative care can save
thousands of dollars down the road. Secondly, on top of the economic
sense that makes, it is simply the right thing to do. We are the richest
nation in the world and we refuse to take care of the least among us?
Morally, economically, and socially single payer health insurance makes
the most sense." Julie rebutted.
"We can't take responsibility for everyone. People need to be
given the opportunity to provide for themselves. " Michelle argued.
"What you fail to realize is that if you continue with handouts,
people never realize their own potential."
"But if you don't provide a safety net and a hand UP, they never
have the chance to discover their full potential." Julie shot back.
"And that's all we have time for this evening. I'd like to
thank the candidates and the Women's League of Voters for hosting
our event. Goodnight to you all." There was a polite round of
applause and the candidates shook hands before separating to greet their
supporters.
Julie was fielding some questions even as her father and brothers hugged
and congratulated her.
"What did you think?" Brian asked Josh nervously.
"What did YOU think?" Josh turned the question back to him.
"I can't possibly be objective right now." Brian shook his
head.
"She held her own against an experienced State politician and seemed
to make Butler look Old School. Now I guess we wait to see if
Minnesotans want Old School or not." Josh opined. "I sent you
the stuff for Virginia via email."
"Yeah, I got it." Brian took another look over at Julie.
"I'm taking the 10:30 am flight out tomorrow."
It took awhile, but one of the interns was finally able to draw Julie
out of the venue and into the waiting car. She found two handsome men
waiting inside for her.
"Nicely played, Ms. Peterson." Josh complimented her.
"Thank you, kind sir. The team has been working around the clock to
make me look good for 90 minutes."
"It paid off." Josh noted.
"So, you sending Brian to Virginia isn't some sort of punishment
because I've screwed up?" Julie inquired, only half joking.
"It's simply that both campaigns need a fresh set of eyes.
Things can get stale and it's important to get a different view of
things."
"Uh-huh. I'm still lodging an official protest that you're
sending my campaign manager to another state." Julie quipped as they
drew up to the hotel Josh was staying in.
"Donna handles all complaints; you should give her a call." Josh
joked back. "Is your protest personal or professional?"
"A little of both." Julie answered honestly. "You aren't
seriously going to get out here without another word about the debate,
are you?"
"I am, in fact, going to do exactly that." Josh replied.
"We'll debrief tomorrow; 9am your office." Josh jumped out
of the car. "You should be proud of yourself, Julie. You were quite
impressive tonight." He said before he shut the door behind him.
"Josh Lyman said I was impressive." Julie marveled.
"I say it all the time!" Brian protested.
"It's different!" Julie told him, but couldn't explain
how. She chatted away during the car ride back to her place. Brian was
sure she was running on nothing but adrenaline but her eyes were glowing
and he didn't have the heart to interrupt her. She'd been
working towards this for months. She had to feel relieved it was done
and proud that she'd done well.
He used his set of keys to let them in and they'd barely crossed the
threshold when he pulled her to him and took her mouth in a fiery kiss.
He maneuvered her until she was pressed flat against the door.
When Julie was finally able to speak she asked, "Where did that come
from?"
"I've been waiting to do that all night." Brian admitted
working his way down Julie's throat to her collar bone.
"Really?"
"Really." Brian admitted. "In fact, had Josh Lyman not been
sitting next to me, I would have gotten up on stage and jumped you
during the cash incentive argument."
"Cash incentives are what got you like…this?" Julie giggled.
"I've got politics in my blood. A well delivered argument for
cash incentives is fever inducing." Brian began peeling off her
clothing.
"I see. Then perhaps you'd like me to expound on my policies?
Tell you more about my single payer plan?"
"My heart can't take that right now, Julie. Where is the damn
zipper to this skirt?"
"Brian!" Julie laughed but guided his hand to the proper
location and he lost no time in unzipping the skirt and pushing it over
her hips.
Before she could form a halfhearted protest at the speed of their union,
she was naked in front of him and he was still fully dressed in his
suit. The contrast of her flesh meeting the fabric of his suit was more
erotic than Julie would have ever dreamt. Add to that the fervor with
which Brian was ravishing her body sent her over the edge quickly
although not quietly.
When she was able to raise her heavy lids to look into her lover's
eyes what she saw there made her shiver.
"I love you so much, Jules." He whispered to her. "And you
need to know how proud I am of you."
"I think I got that." She teased gently and pushed his jacket
off his shoulders. "I also think I need to catch up here a bit."
But Julie wasn't in quite the same hurry Brian had been in and took
her time disrobing him. She caressed each piece of skin she uncovered
and described what she wanted to do to him until he complained that he
wasn't going to make it long enough to fulfill her intentions.
Finally she took pity on him and drew him inside of her moaning at the
`rightness' of it. Gone were thoughts about debate answers and
poll numbers.; congressional majorities and media buys. It was just the
two of them in the dark together and when they fell into exhausted
sleep, the trouble looming on their horizon wasn't even on their
radar.
********************************
"I don't know why we're even discussing this. Leak the damn
thing." Michelle Butler was well and truly pissed. The local media
was calling the debate a tie and giving the tie to the runner; Julie
Peterson in this case, was not what she was prepared to hear.
"If it gets traced back to us, do you have any idea what the
backlash will be?" Her advisor, Zachary tried to make her see
reason, but Michelle was past that.
"Then make damn sure that that is doesn't get traced back to
us." She replied. "Isn't that what we pay the IT guy
outrageous amounts of money for?"
"There are 3 weeks until the election. Let's wait and see how
this plays out for a couple days. We don't know how many people
watched the debate or thought it was mind changing. Let me get the
numbers together and we can revisit it in a few days. There's no
down side to waiting." He tried again.
Michelle whirled on him. "This isn't up for discussion anymore.
Get it done, or get out."
Zachary stared at Butler in shock. He'd worked for her for the past
10 years and he'd never seen her so worked up about
something…but then she'd never been seriously challenged in a
race before either. He flipped open his cell phone and made a call to
their guy and spoke two words; leak it.
**********************************************
Blissfully oblivious to the goings on in the Butler camp the night
before, Josh Lyman gave his ID to the Deputy on duty and waited at a
cheap metal table for his guest to arrive. When he did, Josh was not
disappointed.
"Who the hell are you?" Jerry asked.
"I'm the man who's going to see that you never leave this
lovely institution of incarceration again if you ever come near me or
mine again. I'm Josh Lyman."
Jerry's eyes grew wide in recognition. Shooting off your mouth in
front of your friends when you were good and buzzed was different from
standing up to the former Chief of Staff to the President of the United
States. Jerry swallowed; twice.
"I didn't touch your kid." Jerry reminded him.
"Only because Billy Fernandez stepped in between you." Josh
reminded Jerry. "I just wanted to drop by and introduce myself. You
can reach me on our company website when you get out if you want to
debate political issues man to man. But since my eleven year old son
cleaned your clock and I don't imagine you'll be looing for any
tougher competition." Josh smiled the smile that made members of
Congress shake as he got up from the table and turned to walk away.
"Oh, and just in case you were wondering, the reason you were denied
bail and given the maximum sentence was because your judge got a call
reminding him of the importance in sending a message to repeat
offenders…from the current President of the Untied States. Have a
nice 9 months here at Shangri La." Josh gave him a jaunty salute and
had his spring back in his step by the time he got to his car.
The vibration of his cell phone was predictable by it's timing and
the caller ID location; HOME. "I didn't do anything stupid,
Donnatella." Josh answered.
"Of course not, Joshua. Why would I ever think such a thing?"
She drawled. "Do you feel better now having appeased your desire to
avenge the attack on your son.?"
"Okay, first? You don't have to make it sound like it's some
bad serial movie-"
"I'm not the one making it sound like a –" Donna tried to
interrupt.
"And second; yes, I do feel better. The punk ass jerk isn't
going to step out into sunlight unescorted for the next 9 months and now
he know exactly why."
"You `da man." Donna agreed immediately and had Josh pausing
to judge her sincerity.
"Julie's got some good headlines today." Donna noted, subtly
changing the subject before Josh determined she was full of shit.
"Yeah, she did great. I'm heading back to meet up with her and
Brian before he takes off for Virginia."
"Tell her we said `hi' and `great job'." Donna
requested.
"I take it the `we' is you and Ben?"
"Tori too." Donna chuckled. "She watched the entire thing
with us."
Josh chuckled too. "I can't wait to hear her critique."
"You won't have to wait long I'm sure." Donna hesitated.
"Did you remember to take your pills?"
Josh sighed internally. This was the first time they'd been apart
since his surgery, and he didn't blame Donna for worrying exactly,
but he didn't like being reminded of what he considered his
weakness. "Yes, mom."
"If you're mistaking me for your mother, Joshua, we're going
to have a serious discussion when you get back here in 3 days."
"Donna…I'm fine. I promise." Josh summoned the patience
to keep his annoyance from showing. "I'm taking my pills and I
even walked on the tread mill in the hotel gym this morning."
"Good…I'm sorry, I just…" Donna hesitated. "I feel
better when we're together I can see that you're fine and watch
you breathe when you're sleeping."
"I know. It's okay." Josh assured her. "It's just
for three days and you then you can watch me sleep again. Give the kids
my love and tell them I'll talk to them tonight."
"I will. Bye." Donna got off the line quickly which told Josh
she was feeling emotional. They'd been through a scare, but
they'd been through them before. They'd work through this. Right
now, Josh had a meeting to get to.