Donna's POV

Josh is running around barking out orders like he's a chicken with its head cut off. Okay so maybe that's a bad image, but come on…this is Josh, tired, and on way too much caffeine. He needs to get drunk, but if he gets drunk now it's not going to help us. I vow to get him drunk after we win this damn election.

I'm pondering all this while looking at polling data in Ohio; it's looking a little close for my liking, when Josh appears in the doorway.

"Did you talk to Amy yesterday?" He looks annoyed.

Shit, "she called yesterday while you were out and told me to talk to you after you'd gotten some sleep." That's not good enough.

"Damn it Donna," Josh is actually shouting at me out of the blue his voice rises exponentially.

"Josh," I stand up going behind him to close the door.

"Donna you do not get to chose when to share news about Amy and my baby, MY BABY, with me," he is yelling now.

"Josh," this is not good.

"Never again Donna, from now on, you don't talk to her. You tell her to call me and if she insists you don't tell me at certain times, then you make damn well sure she understands that a load of bull! Got it?!" His face is actually slightly red and he's breathing heavily.

The only things running through my head are one, he's yelling, two, he called the baby his, 'My baby' rang in my head over and over.

I nodded mutely and was surprised and upset when he stormed out instead of softening and relaxing so we could talk.

Leo appeared in the doorway a few minutes later looking concerned and I didn't know what to say.

"You kids okay?" I've always liked how he's called us kids; it makes me feel like someone's looking out for us in this crazy world of politics.

"I don't know," and I honestly don't

"Josh is angry I didn't tell him about Amy. I was going to and then we arrived here and he literally disappeared. I know I should have told him last night, but he was so exhausted, she had asked me not to…" my voice trailed off.

"You were trying to do what was right, what's wrong with Amy?" Leo tilted his head.

"She's taken a turn for the worse," I hesitated, "she's in the hospital."
Leo nodded, "okay," he took a breath, "ok."
"What do I do," I feel like a little girl again.

Leo says nothing for a few minutes. Most people would think he hadn't heard or that he was contemplating how to break it to you that you had screwed up for good. I knew Leo and that's not what he was doing.
"I would go up to him, tell him what you know and tell him you didn't mean to keep a secret from him," he finally.

I can't meet his eyes, "he was yelling at me."
"Well he's Josh, he's emotional." Leo has a valid point that is for sure.

"yes," I nod feeling slightly off-balance.

"What else happened," Leo's so perceptive for a politician and grumpy old man. He's got a heart of gold.

"Well," how do I say this?

"Yes?" his voice was encouraging and supportive.

"He accused me of keeping him in the dark about his baby; he called it 'mine' Leo."

That ultimately was what was still so present for me. Josh having a baby, in this time of ridiculous madness, any day now he could become a father. I could become a mother, but he hadn't called it our baby. He had called it his child, and that made me wonder if he saw me having a role in its life like the one I was envisioning. My understanding was that we had the same ideas about it, but maybe I was wrong.

"Donna, you know Josh feels as though he has to live up to responsibilities. After Jonnie died, his parents were devastated. Not only did Josh blame himself, still blames himself, but he also wanted to make it up to them with his own success. Now he's been asked to do something for Amy that's huge and life changing. He's terrified of messing that up and he's thinking as an individual now, not as a rational human being with a support system."

Leo is very right about all of this, "so I have to remind him of the support," it seems so obvious.

He smiles his little playful smile and stands, "see you later kid."

Bless Leo, was what was now running through my head.

Josh's POV

I can't believe she kept that from me. The secretary had passed on the call this morning. Apparently Donna left her phone at the hotel and she still has mine on silent. I was so distracted thinking about our encounter in my room on our way to the office I actually hadn't asked for it back. She wanted to talk to me when I had a minute. It was the return number that caught my eye, it was for a hospital.

"Josh," she appears in the doorway looking calm but apologetic.

"Donna, not now," I don't have time for this.
"Look, I know you're mad, but just hear me out. I really did think I was doing the right thing, and I misjudged. I'm so sorry and it won't happen again. I'm here for you Josh and even though I make mistakes, I'm not just going to leave. Amy asked you to do something huge, but you're not alone as you fulfill her request."

I hear her words and know she's right, but I'm so overwhelmed all I can do is nod and offer her a brief, "yeah I know."

She waits but I can't offer her anything else at the moment. I'm too strung out.

To my surprise she says nothing else and when I look up she's gone.