"You can go in, Mr. Lyman. He's expecting you."

I'm not really surprised when Matt's latest bodyman greets me as I arrive, Helen probably had one of her agents relay the information that I was on my way to one of the agents down here. It's not easy to be stealthy with all these eyes around. I do wonder if I'll be "Mr. Lyman" from now on. I guess the days of getting to know the younger guys enough to be called by my first name are over.

As I enter the room, I am momentarily surprised to see Sam sitting in the arm chair across from the President. Not that I think of it as my chair, or that I mind seeing Sam in it, I just didn't necessarily expect him to be in today.

"Josh!" Matt greets me as enthusiastically as ever, "it's good to see you!"

"Hey man!" Sam echos with a genuine grin.

They both stand, showing me a level of respect I don't really think is necessary. After we exchange bro hugs all around, Sam moves over to the couch. A brief look crosses his face as I join him there, rather than take the chair he just vacated, but it's gone before I have time to evaluate the expression. Is he relieved, disappointed, indifferent? Am I just imagining things?

Because I'm not stupid, I know this is a set up. Helen sent me down here so that these guys could have one more chance to convince me to come back to the White House. And while making the decision to leave was the hardest one I've ever made, the decision to stay away is not. I've only had 3 months, not even that, 10 weeks, with my kids.

I love spending so much more time with them every day. Seeing Lulu march proudly into school. Watching her greet Jonah when we pick her up after.. Hearing all of her excited thoughts as we drive home. Then having time to do "homework" together or play or bake.

And Jonah! I thought I knew what babyhood was like, but this time is different. I have time to just watch him sleep if I want to. I'm learning all his little signals. And I'm not worried that I'm going to miss milestones.

Sure it's hard. There are days I'm really tired. I've been short with Lulu once or twice. But I apologized and she forgave me. I'm not a perfect parent. But I think I'm doing okay. And it's so worth it. I had no idea that this feeling, parenthood, could compete with the feeling of walking through these halls knowing that I was making a difference in the world. But it totally does.

"Josh." Sam says my name that way he does when he knows I haven't been paying attention.

"Yeah?"

He laughs. "I asked if you wanted a drink."

"Are we day-drinking in the Oval Office these days?" I tease them.

"No, we're just trying to liquor you up." Matt shoots back.

And with that, any tension there was is broken. We all know what this is about. But at the end of the day, we're all going to be friends. So I'm going to just cut to the chase.

"My answer is no. It's been a privilege and an honor and I appreciate the offer, but right now, home with my kids is where I belong."

Matt gets this little smirk. I think he's proud of me. It's a relief because these days I feel slightly guilty for talking him into becoming President just when he was about to quit Congress in order to be with his family. Obviously, I'm not sorry he became President. It's just that now I understand where he was coming from.

"I told you." He tells Sam, who nods in agreement.

"Okay." Sam announces with finality. "Now, that we've got that out of the way, we have something else to discuss."

"What, no hard sale?" I jest. "That was a pretty weak effort."

"Josh, I've known you, what, twenty years?" Sam chides, "I know when you've made up your mind. I'm not going to waste my breath."

Matt laughs outright at me. "You are one of a kind, my friend."

"But seriously," Sam dives in, "there is something we want to run by you."

"Okay, shoot." I really am relieved that I'm still going to be included in some of these discussions, even if I don't have an official title anymore.

"I've spent the last ten weeks trying to figure out who to promote from the pool of Assistant Deputies, and while they are good at what they do, no one has risen to the top as a candidate to be my right hand man."

"So, you're thinking you need to look outside of the White House? I can help you brainstorm a list."

"Well, not outside the White House." Matt chimes in, "just outside the West Wing. We've got someone in mind."

It dawns on me immediately. "Donna! You want Donna. She's perfect."

Matt and Sam nod their agreement. I'm elated. This is brilliant.

"She knows the duties of the Deputy Chief of Staff's Office as well as you and I, and as a result she's turned the East Wing into an ally that you could have only dreamed about." Sam gushes, "it's kind of like she's been my deputy this whole time. We work really well together."

"And I trust her." Matt chimes in, "she's been more than just Helen's Chief of Staff, she's been a counselor to me. I miss her voice when she's not in the room."

"You don't have to convince me." I assure them. "But will Helen give her up?"

"Hey, Helen snatched Donna out from under my nose to begin with, so she'll have to adjust. That's the way the cookie crumbles."