Chapter 7

Josh leapt into his office chair just as Donna was returning from the Hill and jiggling his doorknob.

"No entry allowed!"

"Josh, unlock this right away. NO locked doors. It's impolite."

"That's interesting. Guess I'm gonna be impolite then."

"But Josh…I have something to give you."

The door opened and Josh's head popped out. Donna was holding a box wrapped in a festive floral wrapping paper, tied up neatly with a red ribbon.

"Ummm…can you give me a second Donna?

"Sure, Josh."

The door slammed shut. Donna heard some crashing noises, a loud metal thunk, and the sound of splattering papers. At this point, she had to intervene.

"Josh…" Donna pushed open his office door, only to see that he had wrecked his bookcase, knocked over a metal desk lamp, and succeeded in making a big mess all over the office. "Josh!"

"Oh hi, Donna…nice hair." Josh had just finished tossing a heavy sheet over a lumpy pile in the back of his office. "Sorry about that. Now what did you need?"

"I wanted to give you this!" Donna thrust the package towards Josh. In a very quick shredding of paper, the present was open. Donna closed her eyes as the office floor became covered in scraps of paper.

"A painting set! This…this is great!"

"Yes…Josh, what were you doing in here?"

"Umm…just reorganizing. Nothing important…"

"Right…so organized."

Suddenly, a door on a cabinet glided open a crack.

"What's in there, Josh?"

"No!" Josh yelled and leapt toward her. "No-oo-oooo!" He screamed as he tripped and flew into his desk, scattering everything. He had also dropped the paint set, and a bottle had spilled on the floor. Donna, acting quickly, opened the cabinet, only to find a set of beautiful clothes and flowers.

"Josh! What's all this?"

"Presents," he grunted.

"For whom?" she asked firmly.

"You," he managed.

"For…me?" Donna seemed surprised. "Oh Josh, it's wonderful!" she cried, and spun around holding the suit. It flapped in Josh's face, but he didn't say anything.

"Isn't it?"

"Oh, and Josh—here." She handed him the gummy bears. That's when the realization struck him.

"Hold on a second." Josh knew these gummy bears. They weren't just any old gummy bears. He knew them from somewhere. He began to stroke his chin theatrically, as if it would help him to think. He was just hitting upon where he had seen them when Donna screamed.