MOSS FOR AMERICA

Thanksgiving in Wisconsin


Josh called his mother before boarding the plane, making sure she didn't mind that he didn't spend Thanksgiving with her two times in a row. His mother reassured him that she didn't, asked him whether he had her gift to Joanna and after he checked his hand luggage she hung up. Josh called Charlie then and after wishing the Bartlet family a happy Thanksgiving, he switched off his phone. He regretted for a moment that he didn't fly in with Toby and the kids, but then remembered why he wanted to travel alone. It was because he wanted to arrive alone. Strange as it might seemed he was really excited about meeting Donna and about getting a kiss from her, however chaste that kiss might be. After arriving at the airport he took a cab. He didn't tell anyone when he would arrive because he wanted to really surprise Donna. He didn't want to give her time to trick him again.

He arrived Thursday morning; the airport reminded him of a beehive he once saw on TV. Toby and the kids flew in on Wednesday, spending the night at their hotel. Josh had a room in the same hotel so he told the cabbie to bring him there first. He checked in, changed into his suit and then left for the Executive Residence of the Governor of Wisconsin.

He realized that he can't just waltz in there so he called Toby that he was coming. Tal was waiting for him outside, for Josh' surprise.

"You are spending Thanksgiving with your boss?" he asked her.

"It's not like I didn't want to spend it with my parents but they live in Hawaii, and I just didn't have the money to fly out," Tal said. "The Governor invited me to spend it with you. You don't mind, do you?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Josh dismissed her worries and then sent her a dimpled grin. "Where is Donatella?"

"She is in the kitchen, Joanna and Gabriel are with her. The others are huddled up in the living room, they are watching some parade," Tal informed him. "The Santos family is due in one hour."

"Thank you, efficient as always."

"Well, I try, and the Governor said I was better now," Tal said humbly.

"Okay, you were off to a rocky start but you are a damn good assistant, Tal," Josh said. "You know if the future President of the United States didn't need you, I'd steal you."

"I spoke to Charlie yesterday," Tal said with a chuckle. "He was so sure that Roberta was a keeper."

"Well, she obviously wasn't," Josh said, shrugging his shoulders. "Do I look okay?"

"A bit rumpled but I hear that's your usual appearance, so yeah, you look okay."

"Thanks for the pep talk, kiddo," Josh said and then entered the kitchen. Two energy balls came at him in a hurry.

"Josh!" Joanna shouted.

"Uncle Josh!" Gabriel exclaimed at the top of his lungs.

Josh hugged both of them. Joanna wanted a kiss. Josh saw that Gabriel didn't so he put on a serious expression and shook hands with CJ's son.

"Hello there," he greeted then Donna with a sheepish grin. This was their first meeting since their deal; Josh spent the last three weeks in Texas and the D.C.

"Hi there, stranger," Donna said.

"It smells good," Josh complimented.

"Well, I hope so because there will be a bunch of people to feed. Although I have fish fingers and ice cream in the fridge if something goes wrong."

"Very resourceful," Josh said with a smirk.

"Well, my first Thanksgiving was a mess, I overcooked the turkey in fear of undercooking it, the mashed potatoes were sodden and the gravy lumpy. And there was nothing else in the fridge so we ended up ordering Chinese takeout. Not much fun on Thanksgiving."

"Well, I love ice cream," Josh said reassuringly.

"I made everything kosher," Donna imparted then, stealing a glance at Josh which he caught.

"You shouldn't have," Josh said, stepping closer, inspecting what she was doing. "It can be a strenuous exercise for the first time. I have eaten non-kosher meals in my life. So did Toby."

"I know, but you two are so nice to us, I wanted to do this for you," Donna said.

"Thank you," Josh said, sounding solemn.

"Mommy, what's kosher?" Joanna asked then.

"Well, I'm sure Toby would be more than happy to explain that to you," Josh said, before Donna launched into an explanation.

"Come on, Gabriel," Joanna said and literally pulled CJ's son out of the kitchen.

"She is a bit bossy," Donna said apologetically.

"She is peppy," Josh said.

"Yes, she told me you told her that," Donna said with a smile.

"Okay, I think I've waited long enough," Josh said, closing the gap between himself and Donna. He offered his left face to Donna, waiting for the kiss with a barely hidden grin.

"What are you doing, Josh?" Donna asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Collecting my reward in accord to our agreement made two weeks ago," Josh said, leaning a bit back to see Donna's face.

"Your reward?" Donna asked, as if she had forgotten what she agreed to.

"For letting go of your hand although I didn't want," Josh whispered.

"Well, I remember that I agreed to give you a kiss on the cheek next time we meet," Donna said.

"Yeah."

"So you can't collect your reward unless I give it to you," Donna teased him although Josh didn't seem to realize this.

"Donatella, we made a deal," Josh warned her in a low voice.

Josh counted on further misdirection, even on protest, but Donna surprised him again by simply leaning over, giving him a kiss on the cheek. When she pulled back his face broke into a huge smile complete with dimples. She leaned over again and kissed the dimple on the right side of his face.

"That was very magnanimous, thank you," he whispered. "And now," he said, leaning over, "I missed you, Donatella," he admitted and placed a little kiss on her mouth.

Donna giggled afterwards, making Josh frown.

"Am I that bad a kisser?" he asked pouting.

"No, but I thought you missed me," Donna said teasingly.

Josh leaned over to give her a deeper, more passionate kiss but Donna pushed him away.

"Too late, Joshua, you should have grabbed chance by the tails while you had it," she said teasingly. "Taste this," she asked him, holding out the spoon for him.

"Yummy," Josh said truthfully. He had his misgivings earlier but the gravy really tasted delicious.

"Hey, mi amour!" CJ entered the kitchen at this moment. "How are you?"

"Thanks, I'm fine, CJ. It's good to see Gabe, he looks great."

"Well, we are taking good care of each other," CJ said. "Danny and his mom wanted to have him, but since he visited with them last Thanksgiving I was able to convince them to let him come with me to Wisconsin this year. I think he enjoys it."

"Well, who wouldn't," Josh murmured.

"What did you say?" CJ asked him, smiling mischievously.

"Nothing that should be repeated," Josh said. "How is Toby?"

"Well, I think he was starting to lose it because of the parade but right now he is explaining what kosher is, so I guess he is in his element," CJ said. "Did you tell Joanna to ask him that just because you wanted to be alone with the beautiful mother?"

"CJ, you know, you are extremely damaging to my image as master politician extraordinaire," Josh whined.

"What can I say, I live to serve the humankind," CJ retorted sarcastically.

"Children," Donna said in mock warning.

"Oh, my God!" CJ exclaimed, looking at her like she had just sprouted three heads.

"Yeah, she sounded like him," Josh said flabbergasted. "I would have never thought that but she just sounded like him."

"Who, and like whom?" Sam asked, entering the kitchen.

"Donna, and she sounded like President Bartlet when he called us children," CJ explained.

"Really?" Sam asked surprised. "Well, she can spew trivia just like him. I know next to nothing about the building I live in, and she just told me about her mansion in a ten-minute lecture."

"You had that too?" Josh asked him.

"Josh, I told you about it in less than two minutes. Besides, you shouldn't push your luck," Donna warned him, her tone playful but there was a serious-seductive undertone directed at Josh which he luckily caught.

"Yeah," he said and because nothing else came to mind he repeated his very eloquent "yeah".

"760 verbal, Josh?" Sam asked mocking him and then left the scene with a satisfied expression on his face indicating that his job here was done.

"You had 760 at your verbal SAT?" Donna asked back.

"Yeah, why?" Josh asked back.

"Oh, nothing," Donna said, dipping her head to hide her smile but Josh noticed it anyway, watching Donna like a hawk.

"Oh, my gosh! Don't tell me! You had 770!" Josh exclaimed.

Donna moved her index finger, indicating that he should go higher.

"780?" Josh asked.

Donna moved her finger again, smiling shyly.

"790?" Josh asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, baby!" Donna said punching the air, her fingers forming a 'V' for victory, much to CJ's delight.

"Alright, alright," Josh said after letting out an exasperated sigh. "No need for a victory dance, it was like ages ago," he said.

The remark earned him a whack from CJ and a glare from Donna.

"Oh, CJ, what the…!?!" Josh exclaimed but then noticed Donna's glare; he knew he needed a save. "You really look beautiful tonight," he tried to amend his previous statement.

"Oh, Josh, you can really be sweet sometimes. But also dense," CJ said, leaving the kitchen with a laugh.

"You really mean that or did you just try to get back on my right side?" Donna asked him calmly.

"I really think that you look beautiful. And not just tonight," he added then. That earned him another kiss on the cheek. He touched his face where Donna's lips were before, a wistful look crossing his face. "You know that for the sake of gradual continuity you have to give me four kisses next time we meet," he said, a wolfish grin appearing on his face.

"This is a holiday so it's the exception. According to our deal, you were entitled to get one kiss tonight and therefore next time we meet you will get two," Donna retorted.

"And you'd be entitled to get two kisses from me," Josh said, his grin still in place, "Since I gave you one today."

"Deal," Donna said, letting out a laugh after seeing Josh' surprised expression. "What, Josh? It was a good kiss, even if it was on the chaste side," she added with a chuckle. After that admission they stared at each other for at least five minutes.

"The Santos family is here," Tal announced loudly, making Josh and Donna jump slightly.

"That makes the guest list full, right?" Josh asked Donna.

"Well, my mom is supposed to be here, too," Donna said, sounding less than enthusiastic. " But I don't know. She wanted to have Thanksgiving with Frankie and Mike too. So she might be offended and won't show. Given the circumstances that would be the best, she lives to criticize my cooking. And I really don't want Matt and Sam to hear that."

Josh suppressed a groan at the news. He didn't meet Mrs. Moss last time he was here, but Toby did and he told Josh everything that transpired between them. Let's just say, he didn't looked forward to meeting Donna's mother.

"What about your sister and brother?" he asked then.

"Frankie is spending Thanksgiving with her new boyfriend, they are skiing in Colorado, so TC is celebrating with us; Mike is spending the holiday with his ex and the kids in Eau Claire."

"I see," Josh said. "Frankie is Francesca, that I guessed, but what does Mike stand for?"

"Michele," Donna told him.

"Your father didn't object?" Josh asked then with a smile.

"He didn't dare, he was afraid of his mother-in-law. Grandma Rossi gave us the names. She also said that she won't include us in her will if Dad didn't agree. So he agreed," Donna explained.

"May we come in?" Josh heard a familiar voice.

"Of course!" Donna said. "Come on in! Josh is here too."

"Sir," Josh greeted Matt with a handshake. "Helen, it's good to see you again," he kissed Matt Santos' wife.

"Josh, loosen up, will ya?" Matt asked him. "We are celebrating Thanksgiving together; you should call me Matt at least on these occasions, okay?"

"Okay, sir. Sorry, Matt," Josh said. "Where are the kids?"

"We left them in the sitting room. If I heard right Toby was telling his audience the differences between Christmas and Chanukah."

"Oh," Donna said, throwing a nervous glance at Josh.

"Nothing to worry about. CJ was right; Toby is probably in his element. Besides, he would do almost anything to escape the Macy's Parade not to speak of the Disney Parade," Josh reassured her.

"What happened?" Helen asked.

"I sent Joanna to Toby to ask what kosher means. He obviously launched into a lesson in Judaism," Josh told her.

"He would be a good teacher," Sam said, stepping into the kitchen. "You should see your assistant, Donna. He got her hooked. And the kids are planning to celebrate Chanukah," he added with a chuckle. "He was talking about latkes and dreidel when I left."

That earned a chuckle from everyone. Sam then nudged Josh into the ribs, reminding him that he should introduce him to the Santos-couple.

"Oh, yeah!" Josh said in embarrassment. "Helen, this is Sam Seaborn, best friend extraordinaire and also Governor of the merry state of California. Sam, this is Helen Santos, mother of two amazing children and beautiful wife of the Mayor of Houston."

"Wow, Josh, maybe you should chuck the campaign and become a Master of Ceremonies or something like that," Sam said, after shaking hands with Helen while both of them were laughing hard.

"And I think you know Matt, Sam, so I won't introduce you to him," Josh said, waving his hand dismissively, still being slightly embarrassed.

"Hi, Matt, it's good to see you again," Sam said while shaking Matt's proffered hand.

"Governor of California. Who would have thought after you set the White House on fire?" Matt said with a chuckle.

"You told him about that?" Sam asked Josh accusingly.

"Helen asked me to tell stories about the White House years, that was the first story that came to my mind," Josh said defensively.

"Hey, there is a party here!" CJ exclaimed when she returned to the kitchen with Tal.

"CJ, you know Mr. and Mrs. Santos?" Josh asked her in a hurry.

"Yeah, we met once at the studios," CJ reassured him.

"Tal?" Josh asked the assistant.

"Yeah, I welcomed them at the door, so we made introductions there," Tal told him.

"Good, good," Josh said reassured.

"Okay, while I'm glad that you are all here, I need some space. The TV in the study is tuned to the sports channel; the one in the sitting room is hooked up to a DVD-player and is for the kids. Josh, I'll need a hand with the turkey, so if you could stay…" Donna told him, a blush appearing on her face.

"Glad to be of service," Josh said while he ushered the others out of the kitchen.

The turkey was done, the stuffing was ready, the gravy was cooked, the cranberry sauce was heated and the potatoes were mashed. Josh and Donna carried everything into the dining room. Miranda, who just got a new camera for her birthday, was there to take photos of the entire process. Donna then sent her to call everyone to enjoy the Thanksgiving food.

"God, I'm so full, I couldn't eat one morsel more," Sam said. "Donna, everything was so delicious, thanks for inviting us."

"Thanks for coming, Sam. It means a lot to me," Donna returned. "You are excused." She turned to Josh who was already fidgeting in his chair next to Donna. The kids were already gone, watching a DVD that was good enough for everyone from the five year old Joanna to the thirteen year old Peter. Although he claimed that he only watched it because his father asked him to keep an eye on the lot.

"Thanks," Josh said, leaning over to place a little kiss on her face and then hurried off to the study room with Matt, Toby and Sam, but then came back again, "I will do the dishes after the game," he whispered to Donna.

"Josh can be so sweet sometimes," Josh heard Helen saying as he was leaving again. He chuckled to himself; he wasn't sweet, he just wanted some brownie points with Donna.

TBC

Next up…

Donna's intention to run for President is announced but it's a harmless picture that dominates the first few days of the campaign.

A/N: Thanks for the great reviews so far! You guys rock. ;)