One Flu Over The White House
At first it wasn't noticeable. Just a missing face here or there. Mostly in the ranks of temps who handled mail in the White House. But this was January, so some temporaries were gone. No need for them since the rush of Christmas cards to and from the Bartlets was through.
C.J. Cregg didn't catch the talk about symptoms, sickness and staying home right away. She didn't notice the empty desks. The White House Press Secretary with the eye and mind for detail was too distracted because her most persistent distraction wasn't around.
Danny Concannon was in Europe to do a series of interviews about the upcoming Economic Summit. Danny tried to book her for a farewell dinner on his last night in town. She didn't have the time. Now she had regrets about it. C.J. couldn't admit to anyone that she missed the red headed terror.
The night before Danny left C.J. was working late in her office when Danny breezed in. Before she could object, he closed the door, strode over to the computer desk and pulled C.J. to her feet.
He gave her a quick, hard kiss and said, "Take care of my fish. I'll send a postcard." He saluted in the direction of the Goldfish he'd given her and was out the door before C.J. could stop her sputtering and form a sentence. She was angry at his temerity and thrilled by the way Danny's kiss made her feel.
In fact, she had relived it several times since. As it crossed her mind again, her cheeks grew hot. C.J. was pulling into the White House underground garage to start another day. Opening the window would cool her face and give her a chance to exchange pleasantries with Ralph. The morning duty guard always had something pleasant to say, C.J. was one of his favorites.
C.J. could see she wasn't the only one feeling warm despite the Winter chill. But the guard mopping his face with the handkerchief wasn't Ralph. The substitute told her Ralph was out with the flu. C.J. saw this guy would soon claim his own place on the sick list.
As she parked her car and headed into the White House, C.J. realized there were lots of empty parking spaces, unused desks and people missing. She just hadn't been paying attention. C.J. made a mental note to send Ralph a get well card.
Carol snagged C.J. just as she made it to her office door. Her assistant had bad news. "We're down two people, Suzanne and Linda are out with the flu."
C.J. felt bad, she hadn't noticed if they'd looked sick over the last few days. But she was on it now. "Okay, if you think we'll need a hand at the Briefings ask Toby if we can borrow Ginger." As Carol nodded, C.J. continued, "Let's get some numbers on the flu cases: local Health Department and CDC."
C.J. perused the papers noting that the President's budget numbers and surplus predictions got good placement. The Congressional objections for the most part were either below the fold or on an inside page. Before she turned to the summaries of the network morning shows, she noted the reporter filling in for Danny didn't even rate a byline for her story. C.J. grinned.
As she headed to Leo's office, Carol handed C.J. a sheaf of papers including CDC numbers. Nineteen states reported widespread or regional flu activity. It was especially heavy in the Eastern Corridor that included the Capital. That was worth mentioning to the rest of the Inner Circle.
Leo, Margaret, Josh and Donna were already in the Chief of Staff's office. Toby and Sam were at the door about the same time as C.J. She side stepped past them to make it to the table and grab the lemon poppyseed muffin before Josh. Josh tried to swoop when he realized it. But a slosh of hot coffee from his mug stopped him. "C.J., why do you do that? Those are my favorite."
"Mine too, Josh.", she replied, "I would think with your high up position in the Bartlet White House you'd arrange to have more lemon poppyseed muffins on the tray."
Josh looked stunned as the light dawned. He bellowed, "Donnatella Moss, why didn't you think of that?"
His assistant shrugged and looked at him with disdain. "I don't like that flavor so I don't care."
Leo looked up from his ever present pile of papers. "If we're done with our culinary reviews, can we move on to the people's business?"
The list of items was fairly routine. As the others spoke, C.J. started sifting through the papers Carol had given her. Underneath a few of them, C.J. found a picture postcard. It was of a fountain in Brussels and the water streamed from the mouths of fish. She smiled and flipped it over, recognizing Danny's scrawl from the address. But her smile faded when she realized there was no written message. She slipped it into her notepad just as Leo called out, "C.J. what do you have?"
C.J. offered up a review of newspapers and network morning shows. Then she mentioned flu numbers. Leo said it seemed like normal numbers for staff absences. He handed C.J. the attendance sheet.
Then Sam spoke up. "We're just seeing the start of this. It's really beginning to mushroom throughout the region."
Toby asked, "Been talking to your contact at CDC, Sam?"
"Nope.", Sam answered, "Mallory."
Leo's head jerked up, he still wasn't sure how he felt about Sam and his daughter becoming friends. "Is 'friends' the word for it?", he wondered to himself.
"Is Mallory an epidemiologist in her spare time?", Josh wisecracked.
"No, she teaches school and so she sees how many kids are out and how many substitute teachers are in.", Sam told them.
Leo veered from the political to the personal, "Is she feeling okay?"
Sam nodded, "Well enough to cook me dinner tonight."
"You? Dinner?", Leo asked. "She invited me to dinner. We'll talk about this later." The rest of the Staff suppressed smiles. About that time Mandy came into the meeting and grabbed a seat.
The sight of her jogged Toby's memory. He raised a concern. "Don't we have a group of school kids coming to meet with the President this week? How will it look to have them throwing up on the shoes of the Leader of the Free World?"
"It won't happen." Mandy spoke up to protect her photo opportunity. "We'll keep a close eye on the kids. The teachers will too. These are kids who wrote a play about the original Josiah Bartlet. We can't turn this down."
Sam put in, "Besides the President already had the flu, he's probably immune."
Josh smirked, "Thank you, Dr. Seaborn." Then he looked at Mandy. "I agree with our media consultant."
She gave him a shocked look, "You do?"
"Yeah, we want people to see the President in great health while others fall by the side of the toilet and bed pans."
Leo seemed about to say something but stopped. "Okay, we're done. Everyone out." As they rose, he continued, "Except you Sam."
Toby, Josh, Mandy, Donna, C.J. and Margaret beat a hasty retreat enjoying Sam's discomfort. They headed down a hall. "Think I should start interviews for a new Deputy Communications Director?" Toby wondered.
Mandy didn't think so. "Sam can handle Leo, Mallory can handle both of them. She probably just wants them to get to know each other on neutral turf. It'll be fine."
Josh and C.J. spoke at the same time. "Oh, to be a fly on the wall.
C.J. said, "You mean now in Leo's office?"
"No.", Josh answered, "I meant tonight at Mallory's"
Everyone went their own way after that. C.J. settled at her desk and pulled out the post card from Danny. She showed it to Gail the Goldfish. "Looks like something you would appreciate." She propped it against the bowl so the fish could enjoy it.
Her phone buzzed and she found Mrs. Landingham on the other end. As usual the President's Secretary got right to the point. "The President wanted you to know, C.J. that Zoey is at the Student Health Center. Apparently, it's the flu."
C.J. started making notes. "Is she coming back here after she sees the Doctor?"
"That's what the President wants, but Zoey is determined to be sick, miserable and independent in her dorm room."
"Can't imagine where that stubborn streak comes from, can you Mrs. Landingham?"
"No, C.J., not at all." Mrs. Landingham laughed. "Mr. McGarry knows about this, you'll be kept up to date. Her Secret Service Agent is feeling poorly too."
After she hung up, C.J. prepped for her Briefing. She reminded herself not to look at Danny's empty place. But it seemed her eyes were drawn there automatically.
The assembled Press Corps was minus a few regulars besides Danny. Bruce and Bobbie were missing. Bobbie came in during the briefing looking a bit green. When C.J. mentioned high flu numbers there were groans and comments of "No kidding." and "That's not news." from the room.
C.J. told them, "We know it's going to get worse before it's better. But the CDC is tracking cases. We are getting hourly updates." As she was taking a few final questions, Bobbie made a dash for the door.
**
By the next day, C.J. heard that two photographers and another reporter were gone. Bonnie in Sam's office was trying to last the day. The same was true throughout the White House. Their government clearance might be different but the symptoms were the same no matter what the rank, station or job. It was a debilitating combination of headache, queasiness, lethargy, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea.
C.J. felt helpless as she watched people creep out of the building. Nearly everyone confessed they weren't ready to be sick. They needed to stop at a store and crawl through the aisles to get supplies to take home.
That spurred C.J. to action. She hit a warehouse store and bought cases of tissues, toilet paper and oranges. She was teased for being Florence Nightingale. But the grateful sickies could head straight home after a stop at "Mother C.J.'s Cupboard".
Mandy stuck her head into C.J.'s office to find a smiling Press Secretary. She had another postcard in her hand. It was from The Hague and the photo featured a still life from an art museum there. It was a 16th Century painting of a banquet table. The food painted included a whole fish grinning from the canvas. No message again. C.J. couldn't share this one with the Goldfish. The subject matter was too upsetting.
"Why are you smiling?", Mandy asked as she helped herself to an orange.
"No reason, mail didn't bring any hate letters, no bills, we're a step closer to the weekend." C.J. was searching for a diversion. "I get lots of visitors for oranges too. Is that why you're here?"
"Margaret called and said Leo's on his way over to talk to us."
On cue, Leo walked in looking a bit more harried than normal. "The meeting between the President and the kids with the play is off."
"Why?", in chorus from the two women.
"On the record, we don't want these Ohio kids coming to D.C. and being exposed to the flu.", Leo told them.
"Okay.", C.J. said, "Now off the record."
Leo gave her a steady look, "The President has the flu again. I guess he never really shook it."
"So in my briefing, I avoid the subject.", C.J. finished.
"For the time being.", Leo told her.
Mandy had moved beyond her cancelled play. "Is Mrs. Bartlet taking care of him? She was supposed to do that campaign fund raiser out West."
Leo announced, "We'll put that off. Personally and professionally, she wants to be here for the President and Zoey."
C.J. reminded him, "The latest CDC numbers plus local numbers are rising at a faster pace. We might have to look at some options."
"Didn't the President have a flu shot, Leo?", Mandy inquired. "Maybe we shouldn't tout them if this is the best they work."
Leo put in, "Mandy, don't borrow trouble. He was due for one about the time Dr. Tolliver and the medical plane were shot down. Things got confused."
C.J. knew Leo well and was studying him intently, "Leo, it's just the flu?"
"Yep.", he assured her.
Mandy headed out and then turned to grab an extra orange. "Better to be safe than sorry. I'll call the school. We can reschedule."
Leo nodded as Mandy left. He looked at C.J.'s stash. "Think this will help?"
She told him, "It can't hurt and it helps me. Makes me feel like I'm doing something." In a mischievous tone C.J. asked, "How was dinner last night?"
He tried not to groan. "Mallory's a great cook. The conversation was good and so was the wine, so I'm told. Sam and I both brought her flowers. It's just weird."
C.J. promised, "You'll adjust to it."
Leo got up to leave. "That's what I'm afraid of.", he snorted.
He left and C.J. worked steadily until the next Briefing. She found herself facing a few more empty places. C.J. sighed, it meant more work for her. Editors would be placing extra phone calls to ask her to fill in the blanks to get stories filed from back at the papers.
By afternoon, Carol was begging for supplies and in need of going home. Sam stopped by to say Mallory was sick and so he was heading over to check on her. He took oranges and paper products.
Toby and C.J. ended up leaving at the same time. He was concentrating on an article in "Prevention" Magazine as they walked out. C.J. heard him muttering: "Vitamin C, check. Echinacea, check. Plenty of sleep, yeah right."
C.J. laughed at him as he told her. "I hate flu shots but maybe I should have had one. I don't deserve to be sick."
"Okay, Toby. I'm sure that will convince the germs to ignore you."
"Aren't you worried C.J.?"
"No, I don't get sick. I am worried though about the President's relapse."
They parted and another long day was over. C.J. suddenly perked up, Danny was due back tomorrow.
(TO BE CONTINUED)