Here Tonight
There they were, all exhausted but nevertheless happy. The dream they dreamt together was finally within reach. In fact, they had already made that dream come true. And they felt it; but that night they were just exhausted. The feeling of accomplishment crept up her spine and made her shiver. She felt that she was almost one of them. Of course, that will never going to happen, but in moments like this she felt like she were part of the group of these dedicated people.
They were strewn across the room, really, Zoey noticed as she took a look around. Toby was sitting to her left, in a plush, chintz chair this hotel was so famous for. Seeing Toby sitting in the chair that was decorated with rosebuds Zoey almost lost it. She found that chair hilarious the first time she saw it and was barely able to contain her laughter but for her father's scrutinizing eyes. He wanted the best for them. Whenever one of them (and it was mostly she, Zoey) came to join the campaign, his first action was to make sure that his daughters had the best possible room in the hotel. So Zoey knew better than to complain about a hideous chair.
In the other chair―opposite Toby―sat CJ. CJ was kind of an idol for Zoey, much like her mother. Of course, she didn't tell that anyone. She had a hunch that her father knew. CJ seemed pretty tired, she was slumped in the chair but she was still― Well, she still had grace. CJ was graceful. When Zoey first met CJ she thought that the woman had a horrible taste in clothes but then she realized that CJ only wanted to compensate her height with those clothes. Only after Donna and Carol joined the campaign did CJ start wearing really good clothes, making Zoey realize that the older woman had very good taste. And then there was the sofa she shared with Josh and Sam. Those two always made her laugh.
The first time she saw Sam her heart gave a big lurch but she knew she had no chance at all with Sam. Besides, he was like 20 years older than she. And he didn't even know she existed. Oh, he knew that the Governor had a teenager daughter but he only looked at her that way. As an asset, or more like an attachment, to her father.
Not Josh. He was sitting at her right and Zoey's head was resting on his shoulder. Josh was fun. Josh was understanding. Josh was a buddy and they shared some characteristics too. Zoey was no fan of order; she found that chaos was more interesting. Josh was so chaotic that sometimes he couldn't locate his ego the size of Texas. That thought made her chuckle and wonder where the one who coined that phrase was.
"Where is Donna?" she nudged Josh in the ribs.
"Hey!" Josh cried out indignantly. "That hurt, Zoey," he said and then looked around. "She is not here."
"Well observed, Harvard," CJ quipped. "She is running around like a... Okay, I don't want to end that thought so feel free to end it the way you'd like," she added with a chuckle. "Oh, and quit whining, Josh, you are not a baby anymore."
"But, CJ, she elbowed me!" Josh whined again.
"She nudged you," Sam corrected and Zoey looked at him grateful.
"Thank you, Sam. And we strayed away from the topic," she stated. "Where is Donna?"
"She went back to her room," Toby imparted.
"Why?" Zoey asked, feeling Josh' body tense. She sensed a story here.
"Despite everything Josh tried, she was not allowed to accompany us to the thing," Sam told her.
"Sam, I hope you know that we still have to work on the Speech," Toby warned Sam. "If you start using terms like 'the thing' I have to consider smacking you hard on the head until everything loose gets back in its original place."
"Does this mean that I'm a good writer having a momentarily lapse?" Sam asked back. "'Cause that would be the first time you actually acknowledged that."
"And that sentence only deserves the smack," Toby murmured, after letting out a groan.
"People," Zoey spoke up, "I need you to focus. Why is Donna not allowed to attend this preposterous party?"
"Toby hates alliterations," Sam said before anyone could answer Zoey's question.
"Okay, Sam, we need you to focus," CJ told the younger man.
"They said no," Josh whined. "They said she was 'only' a secretary."
"They actually said that?" Toby looked at Josh with incredulity in his eyes. Josh' words made everyone straighten somewhat.
"Yeah, they said that," Josh confirmed.
"Who?" Zoey asked back. "I mean who are they?"
"The party people," Josh said.
"They really don't know Donna," Sam stated the obvious.
"No kidding, Sam," Toby remarked sarcastically.
Zoey and CJ were both standing up when a knock took everyone by surprise.
"Come in," Zoey shouted, after all this was her room.
Donna stepped in, and they all looked at her. Zoey noticed that her eyes were somewhat puffy and slightly red although she tried to conceal it with make-up.
"You look really strange there, Sam," Donna quipped, making Zoey spin around to catch sight of Sam. Whose mouth was literally open.
"Close your mouth, Sam," Zoey admonished the young man and then turned back to Donna. "Hi, Donna."
"Hi, Zoey. I really hate to disturb you but… I wanted to ask for a favor," she stammered.
"But, of course, Donna," Zoey said reassuringly, although slightly disappointed. She never thought Donna would use their friendship for such things.
"Thank you. I wouldn't ask for it if it wasn't for my little niece," Donna said, blushing slightly.
"For your niece?" Zoey asked back.
"Yeah, could you sign this card for her? She is really a big fan of you," Donna explained.
"A fan?" Zoey asked back while taking the card and the pen from Donna.
"Yeah. She is seven and just started school. She said your interview in August really made her first month in school better," Donna said.
It was her first and last interview during the campaign. Her father had a very strong opinion about how the press should treat his daughters and usually didn't allow them to take on interviews. Zoey was approached by a TV-Show for children to do a brief interview and it was just before school started. She was asked about her first school year and she admitted that she had a tough start. Obviously, Donna's niece found this interview good while Zoey still had nightmares about it. This thought made her smile.
"But, of course, Donna," she said, sat back and pulled the coffee table closer to the sofa to write the card. She considered what to write and then decided for something simple. 'Hang on there, ….'
"What's her name?" Zoey asked.
"Isabella," Donna said promptly.
'Hang on there, Isabella. Love, Zoey.' After finishing she gave Donna the card back and watched her, touched, tucking it away carefully into the folder she was carrying around.
"Why aren't you all downstairs?" Donna asked then curiously.
"We are tired and we won't go down until someone comes up and makes us go," Sam said.
"I won't go down," Toby stated. "Not unless Leo or Dr. Bartlet makes me," he added then under his breath.
"What about Dad?" Zoey asked back, slumping back onto the sofa, assuming that Donna would stay now with them. She knew better than to make a fuss about seating arrangements. Either Josh would stand up or Donna would take place on the floor. It depended on a lot of things, like mood and how they solved the seating problem the last time. Zoey knew they had a knack for these things.
"No," Toby said with a shake of his head. This statement made Zoey laugh out loud.
"You are not afraid of the future leader of the free world but his wife and Chief of Staff?" she asked, finding the thought absolutely entertaining.
"Well, Leo is my boss," Toby said. "And Dr. Bartlet is a formidable adversary," he added.
"You look at my mother as the enemy?" Zoey asked back, not exactly knowing whether to laugh or scold.
"I didn't say enemy. And I like your mother," Toby corrected. "But don't tell her that," he added then hastily. "It's just that she is so damn protective of your father!"
"I see," Zoey said with a nod.
"Really?" Toby asked back flabbergasted.
"You would like Daddy to live up to his full potential as a leader, as the future President of the United States of America, and Mom still looks at him as Jed Bartlet, her husband and the father of her children," Zoey tried to formulate her thoughts.
Toby nodded and then looked at Josh with a wink.
"When did you get so smart, kiddo?" Josh asked her mockingly, nudging her gently in the ribs.
"I learned from the best," Zoey quipped back.
"Yeah, glad to be of service," Josh said with one of his trademark grins that conveyed to everyone that he was so sure of himself. Although Zoey knew that that was only one of his masks she still found it somewhat irritating. She wanted to strike back so bad but nothing came to mind. At her best days she wasn't up to par with Josh' verbal skills so when she was tired she clearly had the disadvantage. Although she was learning fast. The most from Donna who always came to her rescue.
"Yeah, I'm sure Zoey meant the President-Elect the First Lady-to-be, Josh," Donna spoke up, turned and then wanted to leave the room.
"You don't want to stay?" Zoey asked back unsurely.
"I should really go back to…" Donna wanted to say but Zoey interrupted her.
"Donna, it's like practically New Year. Why don't you stay with us and then come down when we have to go," Zoey offered.
"No, I wasn't invited," Donna said, casting a fleeting glance at Josh.
"Nonsense," Zoey said in her best imitation of her mother, making Toby jump a bit and CJ chuckle. "You should come."
"I would rather not," Donna protested.
"Donna," Josh said in an almost begging tone.
"No, Josh," Donna said, shaking her head. "They are right, I'm your secretary."
"And there goes my dream," CJ whispered.
"What kind of dream?" Sam asked her.
"I thought when we are done with the White House I would ask Donna to become my partner at the Consulting Agency I wanted to start," CJ explained.
"You mean as your assistant?" Donna asked back unsurely.
"No, Donna, as my partner. I figured if you and I are still in the White House eight years from now then we weathered so much from these bisons," CJ said, pointing at the men in the room, "that we could start a consulting agency. That experience would make us the best prepared, the most professional and the highest priced consultants for female politicians inside and outside of the Beltway."
"Really?" Donna asked.
"Yes. Only if you don't want to fight the establishment, I don't know if you would be really a good partner," CJ said, contemplatively looking Donna up and down.
"CJ, you are aware of the fact that we are the establishment," Josh said. "And the 'we' includes you and Donna too."
"But what could I do?" Donna asked CJ, ignoring Josh' remark.
"You could ask Daddy," Zoey says.
"No, never." Donna shook her head.
"Or Mom," Zoey suggested.
"Not while I'm alive," Donna said.
"Okay, seriously, people, you don't have to be afraid of Mom. She is a nice person."
"I'm not afraid of your mother," Donna said. "I just don't want to disappoint her," she added then.
"But, Donna, they called you a secretary!" Sam exclaimed.
"And I'm a secretary," Donna responded, a bitter undertone seeping into her voice. "And not a good one at that," she added in a whisper.
"Honestly, Donna," Josh spoke up, "sometimes you awake something in me that tells me to…."
"Beat sense into me?" Donna asked back hesitantly.
This statement earned her a glare from Josh, Zoey and CJ.
"Beat sense into you?" Josh asked back, his voice pitching a high note, and Zoey instantly knew that Josh was nervous and probably frightened.
"That's something my father used to tell me when I was stubborn," Donna admitted with a shrug of shoulders. "He never did though," she added then hastily.
Toby and Sam both let out a relieved sigh at her words.
"I'm a lousy secretary, Josh, you should at least have the decency to admit it," Donna pressed on.
"Yes, you are a lousy secretary," Josh shouted, "but you are also a fantastic assistant," he added then, sounding calmer. "I don't care that you don't bring me coffee and such as long as you do your job."
"Then why are you asking for coffee every morning?" CJ asked.
"It's part of the routine," Josh confessed. "I like routine, makes me feel organized and focused," he added then with a blush, realizing that he just shared something personal with a bunch of people.
"Okay," Donna said then, her usual perkiness returning. "What are we doing until Dr. Bartlet or Leo shows up?"
"We could just sit around like we did before you came in," Josh suggested although he knew that not much chance of that existed with Donna in the room.
"Donna, please, please, spare us any trivia tonight," Sam begged her. "I swear to God if I have to hear one of those lectures before the New Year I will lose it," he admitted, making the other four laugh out loud.
"Okay, we could play a game," Donna suggested then.
"A game?" Toby asked back incredulously.
"What kind of game and how much movement on my part does it require?" CJ asked.
"Not much," Donna answered and then planted herself onto the ground, her back resting against Josh' legs. "Mostly brain activity."
"My brain is like dead," Sam threw in.
"Sam, please, please, don't joke around about your brain. I don't want to hear about your brain unless it's fully up to its capacity or maybe better," Toby warned the younger man.
"What's the game, Donna?" Zoey asked, ignoring both Toby and Sam.
"It's called 'Anywhere But Here'," Donna imparted.
"Anywhere But Here?" CJ asked back unsurely.
"Pretty self-explanatory, but if you guys want the rules," Zoey said, "I could tell you."
"You know this game?" Josh asked Zoey.
"Yeah, you don't?" Zoey asked back.
"I'm getting old," Josh whined.
"No, you are not," Donna cut him before it could have gotten serious. "You want to play?" she asked her boss then.
"Yeah, what are the rules?" Josh agreed.
"You have to state the place and you have to say with whom you want to go there," Zoey explained hurriedly.
And that was when someone stormed into the room. Josh and Sam, both suddenly invigorated, threw themselves in front of Zoey. Donna jumped up, standing in front of Josh, and both Toby and CJ left their chairs with a jolt. And then all of them registered that the threat was not a threat at all, in fact, there were four Secret Service agents in the room.
"Gosh, they scared the living daylight out of me," Sam admitted.
"Yeah," Josh concurred. "What's wrong, guys?" He approached the four agents then.
"We have a lockdown," the lead agent told them.
"Cool," Sam exclaimed, earning some angry glares from CJ and Toby.
"What's the problem?" Josh asked the lead agent again.
"There is someone in the building. He was sighted twice. According to the witnesses he is armed," the lead agent imparted. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable while we check out the room?" he asked then.
The little group assumed their previous position until they had to jump to their feet when Dr. Bartlet was brought into the room.
"Mom!" Zoey flew into her mother's arms.
"Zoey. Are you okay, honey?" Abbey asked her daughter.
"Yes, Mom," Zoey hurried to reassure her mother and then looked around. Toby sauntered to Sam and Josh and was standing between them, freeing up the chair for Zoey's mom.
"Why don't we sit down?" Abbey asked then, sending a reassuring little smile at her husband's staff.
"Thank you, ma'am," CJ said and they all took place. Toby, Sam and Josh on the sofa, Donna resumed her previous position and Zoey pretty much mirrored her pose at her mother's chair.
"What are you all doing here, by the way?" Abbey asked, looking at the assembled coworkers.
"I wanted to escort Zoey down and found CJ here," Josh informed the First Lady-to-be.
"I came because I wanted to ask for a different set of earrings," CJ said.
"We were looking for CJ," Sam said then.
"And I wanted an autograph from Zoey," Donna piped up.
"An autograph?" Abbey's interest was picked up.
"For her niece," Josh hurried to explain. "She found Zoey's interview in August encouraging."
Zoey's eyes met her mother's and they shared a little smile.
"I see. And what were you doing here? Just sitting around or…"
"We were about to play a game," Zoey informed her mother.
"Interesting," Abbey said and wanted to ask something when the door opened again.
"Hey, Leo, there is a party here!" Jed Bartlet entered the scene, followed by four agents and Leo. The initial four agents, done with checking out the room obviously, and Abbey's agents left the room.
"Why are you all here?" Leo asked his coworkers who stood up again when the President-Elect stepped into the room.
"Josh wanted to escort me down and CJ wanted earrings, Sam and Toby were looking for her and Donna wanted an autograph," Zoey summarized fast.
"Josh wanted to escort you down?" Jed asked incredulously.
"Daddy!" Zoey cried out indignantly.
"Alright, alright," Jed said and then wanted to sit down next to Zoey on the floor.
"Sir," CJ gestured towards her chair.
"No, CJ, I want to sit next to my wife," Jed admitted.
"Well, sir," CJ said and motioned two agents closer who then moved her chair next to Abbey's.
"Thank you, CJ," Jed said and then motioned to everybody to sit down. Josh sat down next to Donna, giving up his seat for CJ and Sam took place next to them, giving his place to Leo.
"Wow, that went smooth," Zoey observed.
"Training," Josh told her in a whisper, making Jed and Leo smile.
"We were about to play a game," Abbey informed the two newcomers.
"Really?" Jed asked. "Trivial Pursuit again?" he inquired eagerly.
"No, Jed, not Trivial Pursuit," Abbey said, shaking her head. "They are not dumb enough to play that game again when you are around."
"Hey, we had fun!" Jed exclaimed indignantly.
"Yeah, you and Sam had fun, sir," Toby remarked. "The rest of us was irritated, unnerved or bored," he added with a brief smirk.
"I saw that," Jed said menacingly but then his face broke into a smile. "They are only jealous, Sam."
"Yes, sir," Sam hurried to concur.
"Eager beaver," Josh hissed to Sam, making Zoey and Donna giggle. "And next time we play, I'm bringing Donna."
"I thought we agreed on not having a next time," Toby said mockingly.
"Yeah, very likely" Josh said, nodding towards the President-Elect, eliciting another giggle from Zoey.
"And I saw that too," Jed informed Josh who hid behind his assistant.
"Okay, I almost fear to ask, but what kind of game?" Leo inquired.
"Anywhere But Here," Zoey said eagerly and explained the rules again. "You want to play?" she asked then, looking up at her mother with hope in her eyes.
"Never played it but worth the try," Abbey gave in. "We'll let you go first," she added then, looking at her daughter.
"I don't want to go first," Zoey said. "Who wants…?" she wanted to ask but was interrupted by Toby.
"I'll go first," he said and the lights went out at that exact moment.
"That bodes well," Josh remarked.
"We have four agents in the room, Josh," Jed told him. "They didn't throw themselves at me so we can safely assume that it was their plan to shut down the electricity."
"Yes, sir," Josh said reassured. "Okay, Toby, you can start."
"Martha's Vineyard with Andie. We could make a little picnic on the beach," he said, making it short thus much more painless.
"Okay, for starters we will forget about how you can't handle the cold, Toby, but I also thought you didn't like the outdoors," Jed remarked, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, I can't stand the outdoors but the beach is nice, and Andie would be there. Also there would be pie in the picnic basket. And champagne," Toby added with a chuckle. "Okay, Sam is next."
"Oh, we play it this way?" Sam asked back a bit frightened. "Yeah, I have never been to New Orleans, so yeah, I would like to be there right now," he rambled.
"You have never been to New Orleans?" Jed asked incredulously. "Sam, we were there during the campaign," he added in a chuckle.
"Well, I think I was in Texas at that time, sir," Sam reminded his boss.
"Yeah, Jed, the poor souls were trying to fix your 'big hat' joke at that time," Abbey said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Okay, we don't want to talk about Texas anymore," Jed said. "Sam, please, continue."
"I wouldn't do anything big, just soak up the feeling," Sam went on. "They say the milieu is incredible. I would like to be a part of it, even if it's only for hours."
"And with whom would you like to go?" Zoey asked when there was no sign that Sam wanted to divulge that information.
"I don't know, someone fun," Sam said.
"That would be me," Josh piped up.
"Josh, Sam said someone fun," Donna spoke up, leaving the rest of the group in stitches and Josh in a huff.
"I think I would take Donna, she is fun," Sam said, earning an elbow from Josh. "What? You don't think she is fun?" Sam asked in mock innocence.
"Of course she is," Josh admitted in a whisper, "but still."
"Okay, Sam, who goes next?" CJ said, and Zoey tried to make out her face in the dark. She was sure that CJ knew when to stop Josh before he made a complete foul of himself.
"Dr. Bartlet," Sam said daringly.
"Oh, that's sweet of you Sam," Abbey said and then stayed silent for a while.
"We are bored here, honey," Jed warned her.
"Shut it, Jethro, I'm thinking," Abbey admonished him, making the rest of the group snicker.
"I'm making a mental list of those who snickered," Jed warned his staff. "And right now only Leo escaped the list."
"It was Toby who didn't snicker, sir," Leo confessed.
"You were snickering?" Jed asked back and Zoey noticed that her father's voice expressed his utter shock.
"I would like to be in Paris," Abbey said, ignoring the bickering. "I was there once for a conference, but never for fun," she added.
"Even if it's January?" Jed asked. "You would rather be in Paris in January than someplace like the Bermudas or something?"
"Big cities can be fun on New Year's Eve," Abbey said.
"And with whom would you like to be there, Mom?" Zoey asked her.
"Well, with your father, of course," Abbey said.
"That was predictable," Sam whispered to Zoey.
"Sam," Abbey called out his name with a warning undertone.
"Sorry, ma'am," Sam apologized. "Who is next?"
"Leo," Abbey said.
"Oh, that's easy, he would like to be downstairs, talking to senile DNC politicians," Jed interrupted Leo.
"Jed, play nice or you can sleep on the couch tonight," Abbey hissed at her husband, making the others snicker again.
"Leo, please," Abbey asked Leo.
"Thanks, Abbey," Leo said and then fidgeted for a moment before he spoke up. "Yeah, I would like to be downstairs, but actually I wouldn't want to talk to senile DNC-members but rather dance with my wife and daughter."
"Your wife and daughter are here?" Sam asked taken aback.
"Yes," Leo nodded. "Why would you ask?"
"Well, we have never met them," Sam said.
"And it's likely that you won't meet them this time either," Leo retorted.
"I spoke to Jenny today," Abbey told Leo. "She said your daughter had a beautiful dress."
"I'd say that Leo orchestrated the lockdown," Sam said. "Admit it; you didn't want us to meet your wife and daughter."
"Especially, you, Sam," Leo said. "You are never allowed to come anywhere near my daughter," he added with a smirk, although Sam couldn't possibly see that, but Zoey knew it was there. "Or my wife for that matter," Leo finished his thought, earning a gale of laughter from the others and some huffing from Sam.
"Okay, who is next, Leo?" CJ asked.
"Zoey," Leo said.
"Thank you, Leo," Zoey said and then drew a deep breath. "I would like to be at a college party with friends," she admitted.
"Let me be clear, Daughter…" Jed started but was cut short by Abbey.
"What kind of party?" she asked.
"A big one, maybe with a theme," Zoey said.
"A theme?" Josh asked back.
"Yeah, like an '80s party or '60s party," Zoey explained. "Okay, CJ goes next," she said then, not wanting to provoke a remark from her father.
"Well, you all had very nice ideas," CJ acknowledged. "But I would like to be at home, talking to my father, drinking some champagne and then talk some more."
"Really?" Jed asked. "Your father is a teacher, right, Claudia Jean?"
"Yes, sir," CJ concurred.
"What would the two of you talk about?" Jed pressed on.
"Anything, everything, something," CJ stammered.
"Oh, God, not you too!" Toby exclaimed.
"I mean," CJ said, and Zoey was sure that she paused for a moment to glare at Toby, "we would talk about his pupils, my job, politics and probably barbecues."
"Okay, who goes next?" Jed asked eagerly.
"You, sir," CJ said.
"Well, I don't play this game, CJ, so you can pick someone else," Jed declined.
"You don't play?" Zoey asked perplexed.
"Wouldn't have any sense," Toby inserted. "He is happy as it is. He wouldn't want to be somewhere else. He enjoys himself here, torturing us, mocking us and making his little list," he said with a smirk, and this time Zoey was sure that everybody noticed the smirk, although they were still sitting in the dark. "Isn't that right, sir?"
"Yeah, as much as it pains me to admit, Toby is right," Jed confessed, eliciting a giggle from Zoey and Donna.
"Okay, but you could still say who goes next," Zoey remarked.
"Good, Josh is next then," Jed said, earning a groan from Josh.
"You didn't think you could escape, did you, Josh?" Abbey asked him.
"No, ma'am," Josh said meekly.
"And no lying, Harvard boy, you know I can see through you like glass," CJ warned Josh.
"I don't know why you would think I would be lying," Josh said with clear indignation in his voice.
"Josh, you don't like speaking about yourself," CJ said quietly. "I understand and accept that. But this is such a game and you agreed to play it. And we all knew that you were about to lie."
"Really?" Josh asked, his question directed at the others.
"Yes, Josh, live with it," Sam said. "Even if we don't see your 'poker face' we are able to tell when you are lying," he added.
"Really?" Zoey asked, thinking over what she heard. "I'm not a good observant then," she admitted.
"Or he never lied to you," Donna told her in a low voice.
"Really?" Zoey asked back.
"He is an honest man," Donna said, and Zoey saw her nod. "Of course not so much with the Republicans, 'cause then he can bluff like he was born that way" she added then with a chuckle.
"Thank you, Donatella," Josh said, and Zoey was sure that his dimples were full in action.
"You are welcome, Joshua," Donna said, patting his knee.
"Okay, Josh, tell us," CJ spoke up, and Zoey had to admit that CJ really knew how to handle Josh.
"Well, I, on the other hand, would like to be somewhere warm," he said matter-of-factly. "I would like to be on Hawaii, on a beach more precisely."
"I thought you were also not an outdoorsman?" Jed asked him.
"Yeah, but the beach is nice, as my esteemed colleague put it, and it would be also warm there," Josh added.
"And with whom?" Zoey asked, feeling her mother's leg tense. She knew she was missing something because she also heard a sudden intake of breath from the direction of Toby.
"My future wife whoever that might be," Josh said, and Zoey felt the tension dissipate in the room.
"Well, she certainly deserves Hawaii if she was ready to put up with you," CJ remarked, sending the room into laughter again.
"CJ!" Josh whined but then joined the laughter too.
That's when the door opened again, and Ron Butterfield, head of the presidential detail, entered the room.
"Sir, we are clear," he informed the President-Elect. "The power will be back in another five minutes.
"Thank you, Ron," Jed said and wanted to stand up.
"Don't be an insensitive jerk, Jed," Abbey warned him, "Donna didn't have a chance."
"Oh, my! I'm sorry, Donna," Jed said, sitting back.
"No, you really should go down, sir. They are expecting you there," Donna said. "I wouldn't…"
"Donna," came Abbey's and CJ's warning simultaneously.
"But I'm not even a senior assistant," Donna pointed out. "I shouldn't have been here the first place," she added in haste and stood up to leave.
"Sit back, Donna," Abbey said in her 'no-nonsense' voice. "What is the problem? Josh couldn't function without you and we all know that, Josh the best."
"Yes, ma'am," Josh concurred.
"They said she was 'only' a secretary and told her she wasn't allowed to attend this preposterous party," Zoey summed up.
"What?" Jed asked, clearly not believing his ears.
"Yes, Daddy," Zoey said, turning to her father. "They said that."
"Donna, of course you are invited," Jed said. "Go, put on a dress and come down with us."
"Sir, is it really necessary for me to go down?" Toby asked.
"Yes, Toby. I would like you to show some support for Donna," Jed said. "Okay, you all come down, stay for three dances and then you can come back," he gave in, seeing the other's tired faces.
"Leo?" Josh asked.
"My word is not enough?" Jed asked taken aback.
"Jed, technically Leo is their boss," Abbey told her husband. "You only self-appointed yourself."
"Okay. Leo?" Jed looked at his Chief of Staff.
"Do what the President-Elect said, children," Leo said and then winked at Zoey.
"Okay, but we want to hear Donna's answer first," Jed said, looking expectantly at Donna.
"Yes, sir," Donna finally agreed. "I would like to be in the Old Faithful Inn, in the Yellowstone National Park, with all of you, actually. Toby could bring Andie, CJ could bring her father, Leo could bring his wife and daughter and Zoey could bring her friends too. The more the merrier," she added.
"What about Josh' future wife?" Jed asked, and Zoey suddenly understood everything. 'Cause her father's tone was only half-joking, and Zoey knew the implications of that. It meant that her father cared, and that his mocking, the making fun of you was only there to show you how much he cared about you.
"Well, she could come too," Donna said, trying to sound nonchalant. If Zoey didn't know better she would have bought the act.
Jed, Abbey and Zoey stood up to leave the room. They brought the agents with them and soon thereafter Donna must have left the room too, Zoey assumed, because they were still waiting for the elevator when she caught up with them.
"Hi, Donna," Zoey greeted her with a grin.
"Hi, Zoey." She stopped for a moment. "I'm really thankful for the card," she added then.
"I wish I'd noted down those wishes," Jed whispered to Abbey at that moment, oblivious that his daughter was speaking with someone.
"Ask Donna for the list," Zoey suggested her father and her father turned on his heels to look at Donna.
"You made a list?" Jed asked her.
"Yes, sir," Donna said with a nod. She tore off the top leaf from her legal pad and handed it to the President-Elect. Saying her goodbyes, she left for her room she shared with Margaret, Leo's assistant.
"Thank you, Donna," Jed said and skimmed the list. Zoey leaned over and saw why her father's brows furrowed.
"Donna's wish is not there," she whispered.
"You have a pen?" her father asked her, but Zoey didn't have one. "Never mind, I will remember her wish for sure," he reassured her.
"Really, Daddy?" Zoey asked back unsurely.
"Yeah, and if not, you'll remind me," Jed said, putting his hand on the small of her back as they stepped out of the elevator.
"Okay, Daddy," Zoey promised him.
THE END
A/N: If you liked it, tell me. Reviews make my day.