Title: Traditions
“Go away and quit bothering me.” Josh said without looking up from the file he was
perusing.
“Not until you say ‘yes’.” Donna replied.
“Yes. Now go away.” Josh shot back.
“Well you said ‘yes’ but I don’t think you meant it.”
“You didn’t stipulate that I had to say it with conviction, or that I had to be sincere.”
“This is what I hate about working for a lawyer.”
“Donna!” Josh was getting exasperated.
“She needs you right now.”
“Needs me? What the hell for?”
“She needs a friend. Charlie told me that she’s…she’s having a hard time and-“
“She was kidnapped Donna, of course she’s having a bad time.” Josh snapped.
“You could help her through this. You’ve always had a special bond with Zoey.”
“Not really; not since the campaign.” Josh responded, but Donna could tell he was
thinking about her now and he turned to just stare out the window.
“But the bond you had between you then is still there. It’s just been awhile because
she’s been away at college. Go spend some time with her.”
“There’s a million things to do; we still need a Vice President-“
“Taking a break to help a friend who needs you isn’t going to derail any of that.”
Donna assured him.
“She has her family and a slew of medical professionals at her disposal.” Josh
muttered and turned back to his desk.
“But none of them are you. And you know exactly what she’s going through.”
Josh’s head shot up at her words but Donna kept her gaze level with his. “Go talk to
her, Josh. Take her out for ice cream like you used to when we were campaigning.”
“You think ICE CREAM is going to make her feel better?” Josh laughed.
“Yes. Yes, I do.” Donna answered and left Josh to ponder that.
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“Josh Lyman is here, Zoey.” Agent Toscano told her. “I told him I’d check with you
because you said you didn’t want any visitors for awhile.”
“Josh isn’t a visitor.” Zoey chuckled and opened the door herself. “Hey!”
“You look awful.” He announced and made Zoey’s eye go wide in shock. Everyone
around her had been taking great pains to tell her she looked good and that
everything was fine now. Josh’s blatant disregard of the social conventions jolted
her.
“You don’t look much better.” She finally responded and made Josh smile.
“That’s because I’ve been up nights worrying about you, so I think you need to
make it up to me.”
“Really? And just how do you figure I should do that?”
“Clearly you owe me some ice cream.” Josh decided. “Let’s go.”
Zoey threw a panicked look at Gina.
“It’s clear…if you want to go.” Gina added. She was concerned about her protectee’
s unwillingness to leave the White House; she completely understood it, but it
concerned her nonetheless. Josh was giving her an opening, but Gina wasn’t going
to push her through it.
Zoey bit her bottom lip as she considered the options. “We have tons of ice cream
downstairs.”
“It’s not the same. Plus if your father finds out I’ve been pilfering his ice cream I’m
going to be subjected to some lecture…probably about the origins of the word
pilfer…in Latin.” Josh added for good measure. Zoey still hesitated. “Come on Zoe.
It’s our tradition…only with Secret Service protection now.”
“Fine. I’ll go. But you’re buying.” She countered.
“Why is it all the women in my life insist on me paying to feed them?” He asked as
they began their walk to the car.
“Women, plural? You have more women in your life than just your mom?” Zoey
teased. “I don’t believe it. Does your mother pay them or something?”
“Smart ass.” Josh muttered and held the car door open for her. She was so busy
teasing him about his imaginary harem of women that she forgot to be anxious
about leaving the White House.
When they got to the ice cream shop, it was empty except for the employees. Zoey
stuck Josh for two scoops of ice cream in a chocolate dipped waffle cone. Josh
complained, for good form, then got the same thing for himself. They sat in a corner
booth in the back, just as Gina had instructed Josh to do when he asked her about
his plan.
“So…we haven’t had a chance to talk for awhile. What’s new with you?” Josh asked
sarcastically.
“Not much…just hanging around mostly.” Zoey replied, equally flip.
“Hey, I’m working on getting a new Vice President. Now that you’re a college
graduate, are you interested in the job?”
“You think I’m qualified?” Zoey quipped.
“More so than some of the morons under consideration. You can at least say you’
ve successfully dealt with terrorists.” Josh pointed out and again Zoey jolted.
“Why do you keep doing that?”
“Doing what?” Josh asked taking another bite of his cone.
“You’re not supposed to talk about the kidnapping in case it upsets my delicate
psyche. Didn’t you get the memo?”
“Hmmm…no, I don’t think so. But then again Donna usually sifts through my stuff
and only passes on the important stuff to me.”
“I’m not the important stuff?”
“You’re very important stuff.” Josh said sincerely. “But your psyche doesn’t need
protecting. You’re one of the strongest people I know.”
To Zoey’s horror she felt herself tearing up. Josh pretended not to notice.
“Except for Donna, maybe. Donna can kick serious ass.” Josh opined.
“Yes, she certainly can.” Zoey gave a watery chuckle. “I remember how fierce she
was after Rosslyn. You didn’t need Secret Service protection at the hospital, Donna
controlled who went in and out and nobody crossed her. She always protected you.”
“I wish I’d been with it enough to watch.” Josh replied.
“She still does it now…you just have to look more closely.” Zoey told him and had
him choking on his ice cream.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Josh demanded loudly and had Gina raising
her eyebrows from across the room. That’s right; they were supposed to be
keeping a low profile.
“Donna…and you.” Zoey re-iterated.
“There is no Donna and me, you nut job.” Josh said in a low but intense voice.
“That’s only because you’re too busy ogling Amy Gardner. Are you really addled
enough to go back for sloppy seconds there?” Zoey was clearly enjoying this
turning of the table on her friend.
“Sloppy- Where do you get this shit? And who said I was…anything with Amy
Gardner?”
“I saw you together at the meeting in the residence right after…when I got back.
You’re eyes kept drifting over to her. She’s not the one for you, Josh. Didn’t you
learn that lesson already?”
“You’re a smart ass, you know that?” Josh asked.
“I really do.” Zoey smiled. “Are you going to tell on me?”
“No, I think I’ll just change the subject. How’s Charlie?” Josh asked innocently.
“Bastard.” Zoey replied all teasing from her tone gone.
“He’s worried about you, Zo. Closing him off from you isn’t going to make the guilt
go away; his or yours.”
“Shut. Up.” Zoey said in a low voice. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, but I do.” Josh maintained. “After Joanie died? I thought if I didn’t see any of
her friends it wouldn’t hurt so much. I wouldn’t see them and think it was my fault
that I lived and Joanie died. They wouldn’t see me and blame me for her death.
Win/win, right? Except cutting them off didn’t make anyone feel any better. When I
finally gave in, because my parents pushed, it was amazing. They were so glad that
I made it out okay and I got to remember my sister in ways I never would have if I’d
continued to cut myself off from them. It helped all of us heal.”
Zoey wiped a tear off her face. “This is different. Charlie never wanted me to- He
asked me not to- I should have never been with Jean-Paul.”
“Well, duh, he’s a Frenchman.” Josh shrugged like, ‘what more is there to say?’.
“They’re all hairdressers.”
“And extraordinary lovers.” Zoey threw in to drive Josh nuts.
“Jesus! Cut it out! I can’t talk to you about stuff like that! I don’t even want to THINK
about stuff like that where you’re concerned. Got it?!” He demanded and Zoey bit
back a smile.
“Maybe…” Zoey hedged. “But I’m going to need something in return.”
“I’m supposed to pay you off in exchange for silence about your love life. Right.”
Josh scoffed at the very idea.
“He had these incredible hands. He would use his fingers to-“
“Shut. UP!” Josh literally covered her mouth with his hand. “No more.”
Zoey’s eyebrows went up in a question mark.
“Fine, what do you want in exchange?” Josh asked in defeat and removed his hand.
“You need to take Donna out to dinner.” She decided.
Josh blinked. “I take Donna to dinner all the time. You’ve seen her eat my fries.”
“No, Josh, you need to TAKE Donna to DINNER.” Zoey repeated.
“Ah-kay. You know that was the same exact sentence you said before, right?”
Zoey just continued to smile.
“I’m only asking out of consideration because your brain seems to be seriously
malfunctioning.” Josh continued. “Are you sure the doctors said you didn’t have any
brain damage?”
“Yes. But we could have them look you over. I mean anyone who’d choose to go
BACK to that witch Amy Gardner instead of choosing Donna, must be brain
damaged.”
“There is no choosing- Look! I am neither choosing Amy nor in a position to choose
Donna.” Josh spouted off before he took the time to consider his words.
“Ah, so you’re admitting you WOULD choose Donna if you could, but you don’t
think that option is open to you.” Zoey nodded while Josh protested. “That makes
more sense, but it’s still bullshit.”
“You don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.” Josh finished his cone and
brushed his hands off.
“Yes, I do. And the sad thing is, you do too, you’ve just forgotten.”
“Forgotten what?”
“What it’s like to almost die.” Zoey said simply and this time it was Josh’s eyes that
bugged out. “You make a deal with God that if you get another chance, you’ll make
better choices, take the risks you were scared to take before, and live the life you
really want to live in your heart.”
Josh didn’t know how to respond, so he didn’t.
“We lucked out; both of us.” Zoey remarked. “Now you’re wasting it; we both are. I’m
sitting in the White House afraid to step outside, and you’re sitting in the White
House afraid to move closer to the one person you want to be closest to.”
Josh shook his head. “Zoey, it’s not like that.”
“Yeah it is.” Zoey countered and just let the silence fall between them.
Josh rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand. “If I ever…it would be a
nightmare for your father; and probably Donna too. I couldn’t do that to either of
them.”
“There are ways around that. I could help!” Zoey’s eyes lit up at the prospect and
Josh rolled his.
“Lucky me.” Josh smiled and thought about it a minute. “I’d be willing to make a
deal.”
“Terms?” Zoey requested.
“I’ll TAKE Donna to DINNER…as long as you and Charlie come along.” He
suggested. Now Zoey blinked.
“The Secret Service might not like-“
“I’ll clear it with your detail.” Josh offered. “I’ll even pick up the tab.”
“You should, you’re loaded.” Zoey drawled.
“Is that a ‘yes’?” Josh pushed. Zoey considered.
“Yes.” Zoey agreed.
“Okay then. I need to get back to work and find your father a Vice President.” Josh
sighed. “Are you sure you don’t want the job?”
“I think I’d prefer to stay out of the spotlight for awhile.” Zoey noted. “But thanks for
the offer.”
Josh slung his arm around the younger woman and they took the short drive back
to the White House.
“Get some sleep, would you? I’m not hanging out at some fancy restaurant with a
woman who has big bags under her eyes.” Josh warned her.
“Okay. I don’t suppose you can do anything about the receding hairline?” Zoey shot
back.
“Funny girl.” Josh rolled his eyes again. “See you Friday night.”
“Hey Josh?”
“What?”
“Why’d you take me out for ice cream?”
“It’s our tradition.”
“It WAS our tradition; our campaign tradition.”
“Now it’s our post…college graduation tradition.” Josh decided.
“I like that tradition.”
“Me too.” Josh agreed and kissed her on the forehead. He made his way quickly
back to his office and found Donna there waiting for him.
“Let me guess; you were looking for me out my window.” He teased.
“It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.” Donna replied.
“Yeah, but maybe it doesn’t have to be you.” Josh said in a thoughtful tone of voice.
“You can’t fire me. I’m impervious.” Donna misunderstood what he was saying and
Josh just smiled.
“We’ll have to talk about that.” Josh replied.
“How is Zoey?”
“She’s…going to be okay.” Josh decided.
“Good. I knew she would appreciate some time alone with you.” Donna smiled.
“How about you?” Josh asked tilting his head.
“How about me, what?”
“Would you appreciate some time alone with me? Like for dinner?” Josh asked and
saw Donna’s expression change from warm and friendly to surprised and wary.
“What are you about to ask me to do that you have to pay me off with a dinner?”
She asked skeptically.
“Nothing!” Josh laughed. “I’m just…asking you to dinner…with me.”
“I…I guess…when?”
“Friday night.” Josh said decisively.
“Friday night.” Donna repeated. “Is this to keep me from going on a date Friday
night?” she asked suspiciously.
“NO!” Josh was exasperated. Subtlety simply wasn’t going to work. “This is going to
BE your date Friday night. With me. For dinner.”
Donna’s eyes got wide and her jaw dropped.
“Really?” she confirmed.
“Really. I thought we could start a tradition ourselves. Dinner’s out on Friday nights.”
“That sounds like a very nice tradition.” Donna agreed smiling, then sobered.
“Uhhh…what about Amy?”
“Amy has to start her own traditions. They have nothing to do with me.” Josh said
as clearly as he could.
Donna, as usual, had no trouble reading his mind and nodded. “Then dinner on
Friday nights sounds like a great tradition to start.” She started to turn away. “I’m
glad you decided to spend some time with Zoey. I’m sure it meant a lot to her.”
“I think it did, but she more than paid me back already.”