Deals

"CJ," Franklin Hollis said as she entered his office the next morning. "Tell me where we're at."

"Well," CJ said as she took a seat across from his large, imposing desk. "We're gearing up for the mid-terms. I've got people talking to both parties and they've been receptive to looking at the budget allocation we've requested."

"And you'll be traveling to D.C. for the major lobbying soon?" he asked.

"That's actually that I needed to talk to you about," CJ said a bit nervously.

Sensing that she was about to let him down Franklin jumped on her segue way. "CJ you know it has to be you going out there. You're the face. You're name people know. You told me as much yourself when all this started."

"I know. It's just," CJ took a deep breath before continuing. "I have some really happy news, but it impacts what I'm going to be able to do for you."

"Okay," he said leaning back in his chair and prepared himself for the worst.

"I recently found out that I'm pregnant," CJ said. "Obviously this took me a little by surprise since it was by no means planned, but Danny and I are happy about it."

"Well you should be," Franklin said with a smile. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," CJ replied still a little embarrassed by announcing her pregnancy. It seemed a little odd to her, but then again she felt the same way about announcing her engagement to Danny. CJ liked to keep her private life private, but inevitably, occasions like her wedding and now her pregnancy, wouldn't allow for privacy.

"We're excited about it but it seriously impacts my ability to do the work you hired me to do," CJ continued. "Because of my age my doctor has advised me to take it easy and not push myself as much. I really love the work I'm doing here, but I understand that you need someone to keep the ball rolling. I'm not sure how much of a hindrance I'll be as we get farther along."

"CJ, what are we doing with the foundation?" Franklin asked her after a moment.

"We're trying save the world," CJ said ironically.

"Exactly," he said standing up and walking to the other side of the desk. He perched himself on the edge and crossed leg over the other casually as he looked down at her in the chair.

"We're trying to change the world," he repeated. "Don't you think now, especially since you're bringing another life into this world, that we need to work just as hard as before to change things for the better?"

"Of course, but," CJ started to protest.

"No buts," he replied. "This is wonderful news and you'll do what you can, when you can. Of course I'd love for you to be able to do as much possible, but not at the risk of your health."

"I'm due in October," CJ said. "It's at least a month before the midterms."

"Do you feel comfortable traveling?" he asked.

"I can fly until July," CJ replied.

"Then your last trip to D. C. will be in June," he said. "We'll work it out. We have phones and e-mail and you'll do what you can."

"I want you to be sure," CJ said. "I really appreciate what you're saying but I don't want to derail anything we've got going."

"I'm not going to lie to you," Franklin sighed lightly. "This does put a cramp in things, but I hired you for this job because I know you get things done. I have no doubt that no matter how long it takes you'll get the job done. This is your show, remember? I'm just the money man."

"You have a lot of faith in me," CJ said surprised.

"I'm a businessman CJ," he reminded her pushing himself up from the desk and walking back around to the other side. "You don't think I did my homework on you before I walked into the White House two years ago?"

"I have no doubt you did," CJ said.

"Well then, let's just say I knew what I was getting into then," he smiled.

"Okay," CJ smiled back. "I'm going to get the done."

"I trust you," he said. "So, do you know if it's a boy or a girl? Although I supposed stock in Hollis is an appropriate gift for either sex."

"We don't know yet," CJ chuckled. "Danny and I are having a battle over whether we should find out or not."

"And of course you want to know now," he said knowingly.

"Of course," CJ said.

"I think the surprise is the fun part," Franklin said. "At least that's what my wife tells me. It gave her a little more incentive during delivery. The suspense was killing her."

"Or it could have been the mind-numbing contractions that were killing her," CJ quipped.

"I supposed it could have been that," he grinned. "So as of this moment, we're on track with our goals for the mid-terms?"

"Yes, as of this moment, we're on track," CJ said snapping back to business.

"You're going to D.C. next week?" he asked.

"Monday morning I'm on a plane," CJ confirmed. "I was hoping you wouldn't mind if Danny came along on the next few trips."

"Of course not," he replied. "Did you talk to Lynette about using the brownstone?"

Hollis Industries owned property all over, but it owned a very nice brownstone in Washington D.C., which CJ had never used.

"We can stay in a hotel," CJ replied.

"Certainly not," Franklin said. "The house is there for a reason. With Danny going and you being pregnant, you need more space. Use it."

"Thank you," CJ said looking forward to it.

"Just let Lynette know when you're going to be there and she'll take care of it."

"I will," CJ replied.

"Good," he said. CJ knew that this indicated that he had more pressing things to get to in his day.

"Thank you sir," she said standing. She still hadn't gotten out of the presidential courtesies at work, even two years later.

"Hey CJ, tell Danny I said congratulations," he said looking up at her before she left.

"I will. Thanks again," CJ said as she walked out of his office.

She took a breath and let it out slowly as she walked down the hallway. CJ had always been a woman in a man's world. That had been true since she started her career twenty years ago. Even though she was a woman she always tried to fit in and keep up with the men. It wasn't easy infiltrating the boy's clubhouse, but she did. She always tried to downplay her femininity and she'd succeeded for the most part. Now, at her age, years after getting into the game, it was hard for her to acknowledge the fact that she had to embrace the one thing that made her very different from the rest of the boy's club.

CJ got out to her car and sat in the driver's seat for a minute. She pulled out her cell phone to call Danny and tell him the good news.

"Hello," he answered when the call connected.

"Hi," she said. "How's it going?"

"I'm great, how are you? How did it go with Hollis?" he asked anxiously.

Danny knew that CJ had been anxious about telling Franklin about the baby. They certainly hadn't planned it and CJ, the perfectionist that she was, felt like she might be letting her boss down.

"It went really well," CJ said sounding skeptical.

"You don't sound so sure about that," Danny said.

"No, it went really well," CJ said. "I guess I expected him to be more…irritated?"

"Why would he be irritated? It's wonderful news."

"I know it's wonderful for us, but it's my boss," CJ said. "I pretty much run the show over at the foundation."

"And you still will," Danny assured her. "You'll just be working a little less and a little more from home."

"He still wants me to go to D.C.," CJ told him. "He said July would be my last trip."

"As long as the doctor says it's okay," Danny reminded her sternly. Ever since the doctor raised the possibility of CJ or the baby's health, Danny had becoming far more protective of her.

"I know," CJ nodded. "No flying unless I'm cleared to fly."

"And I'm going with you," Danny reminded her. "I'm off the lecture circuit now and I can write my book while you're working."

CJ smiled. She and Danny had a serious discussion about the travel that her job required and Danny insisted that he didn't care if she had to travel to South Dakota or South America he was going to be with her while she was pregnant. She found his insistence endearing and protective in a way that she didn't think possible.

"Well D.C. has been good to us in the past," CJ said. "That's where I'll be spending most of the time when I travel."

"It was very good to us in the past."

"Yes it was," CJ agreed. "Do you have a bag packed? I'm on a plane Monday morning."

"The bag is packed with full winter gear," he assured her.

"Danny, would you mind if we made a little detour while we're out east?" CJ asked.

"It's finally time to go to New Hampshire?" Danny asked knowing that's what she meant.

"The Bartlet farm calls," she said. "I want to tell them in person."

"Of course," Danny agreed. "I've had a craving for maple syrup and apple cider anyway. Plus I know you're just itching for a good chess partner."

"You telegraph your moves," CJ insisted.

"I do not," Danny protested.

"You stare at the piece you're going to move and then you scratch your chin," CJ said.

"If you say so," he replied unconvinced.

"Okay, New Hampshire calls," she said.

"You going to the office?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, I'll be home around seven," CJ replied.

"How about six?" Danny countered.

"How about six-thirty?"

"How about six and a very sexy man will serve you dinner?"

"Well that would sound good except I have this thing for red heads," CJ teased him.

"I just happen to know someone that fits the criteria."

"I'll see you at six," CJ replied.

"Bye," Danny said before he hung up the phone.

It was after midnight when Donna heard the bedroom door open. Josh had asked her to stay over at his place because he expected to be home early. Obviously they had different ideas of what early meant. It wasn't unexpected. Donna knew the hours at the White House. She knew that things came up at the last minute, but this was the third night since they'd returned from California in which Josh asked Donna to stay over and then he didn't show up until after midnight.

She heard him trying, unsuccessfully, to navigate the dark room.

"I'm not sleeping," Donna said softly.

"Sorry," he said taking her voice as an indication that he no longer had to try to be quiet. "I got called to the Sit Room at eleven and then things got kind of complicated."

"It's okay," Donna said still lying on her side and not making an attempt to sit up.

"I really am sorry," Josh said pausing for a moment.

"I know," Donna replied.

"But you're mad," Josh said knowingly.

"I'm not mad," Donna replied. "It's your job."

"I should have called," he insisted.

"You don't have to call," she said. "I'm used to it."

"But you're still mad," he said.

"Josh," she said exasperated. She sat up straight in the darkness and let her eyes adjust to the low light. "I'm not mad okay? I just hate coming over here night after night and then you're not home. I pack a bag once a week and it's slightly annoying to have to carry my life in a duffle bag when I only get to see you for five minutes before we go to bed."

Josh sat on the edge of the bed and rested his hand on her leg, which was covered by the comforter.

"I know, I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't be sorry," Donna said frustrated. "Just do something about it."

"Like what?" Josh asked densely.

"Josh," she said seriously. "Maybe I wouldn't be so upset if I was at home by myself, but I'm not at my home I'm at yours, alone."

"What are you saying?" Josh asked.

"I'm saying it's been two years," Donna said. "We've been together for two years and I feel like nothing has changed."

"Are you saying you want to move in together?" Josh asked.

"I'm saying it might be easier," Donna said lightly

Josh stood up and walked over to the dresser. His compulsion to physically distance himself from her showed Donna that he was starting to freak out, which was never good.

"Look," Donna tried again. "We've been together for over two years. Don't you think something should change?"

"I like things the way they are," Josh said.

"I know you do, but I need them to change, even if it's just a little," Donna continued. "We both work hard. We both have stressful days. Don't you think the nights, when we're in the same place at the same time, would be so much nicer if one of us didn't have to worry about packing overnight bags and taxiing around the city?"

"I guess?" Josh replied.

"Will you think about it?" Donna asked.

"Of course I'll think about it," Josh said. "But it's midnight Donna."

"I'm sorry," Donna said. "I didn't want to bring it up like this."

Donna sat in the bed and pulled the comforter up around her. Josh glanced over at her in his bed and he thought about how right it looked that she was there.

"You know I love you right?" Josh asked.

"Yeah," Donna replied.

"This is just a lot to take in," Josh said.

"I know you need time to process," Donna said. "Just think about it. It's all I'm asking."

"Does this have anything to do with CJ and Danny?" Josh asked.

"What would they have to do with this?" Donna asked knowing that in a way it was about CJ and Danny. Donna saw how happy they were and how they're lives were progressing and they'd gotten together around the same time as Josh and Donna. She saw how happy CJ was with Danny, even though she was reticent at first.

"Because they're having a baby and babies make women all crazy," Josh said as he crawled into bed.

"Babies make women crazy?" Donna asked.

"You know, it's like shoes," Josh tried to explain. "A woman sees a pair of shoes on another woman and she wants them. It's the same with babies. A woman has a baby and then every woman in a 200 miles radius wants one."

"I didn't say I wanted to have a baby Josh," Donna said slightly offended.
"I said I wanted to move in together."

He picked up on her tone and decided he wasn't in the mood to start a fight about it.

"Okay, sorry," he said. "I'll think about the moving in thing."

"Fine," Donna said. "You have until the end of April."

"You're giving me an ultimatum?" Josh asked incredulous.

"No," Donna replied. "I'm giving you a timetable. You work best when you have a timetable laid out for you."

"The end of April is in like two weeks," Josh protested.

"You can figure it out by then," Donna said.

"What happens if I can't figure it out by then?" he asked in a panicked tone.

"You will," Donna said simply.

"Donna," Josh started to say.

Donna leaned over and planned a quick kiss on his lips to quiet him.

"Goodnight," she said as she rolled over and snuggled under the covers.

"Yeah," Josh replied as he lay there in the darkness contemplating what had just happened. He knew that while Donna slumbered peacefully, that he wouldn't get much rest that evening.

TBC