Chapter 2

Josh rubbed his eyes with the heals of his hands. Nine hours of no sleep and six cups of coffee later, he was finally starting to feel the effects of fatigue. He thought of what Donna would say about him drinking six cups of coffee on the flight.

"You have a very sensitive system, I'm just saying . . "

The thought made him smile. Until he realized he was standing outside the hospital doors. And that Donna was in there with significant blood loss issues.

"We've got excellent people in Germany. And I am about to go meet them." He told himself before taking the stairs two at a time and entering the small military hospital.

He made it past the first checkpoint and was directed to Donna Moss's floor. He stayed focused on his quest to find his assistant, and that helped him block out the smells and sounds that were putting his nerves on edge.

Josh though of all the places in the world he would rather be than at a hospital, and realized that if it were anyone else besides Donna, he would probably be in one of those other places. But it was Donna. And he was here. He remembered a conversation they'd had a few years ago.

"I'm just sayin' . . .If you were in an accident I wouldn't stop for a beer."
"If you were in an accident, I wouldn't stop for red lights."

If there had been any red lights between Washington and Germany he hadn't noticed them. The information desk on Donna's floor was the closest thing to a red light he had encountered so far.

"I'm here to see Donna Moss. . . blonde, American. She was in a car accident . . . explosion . . . thing . . . the guy downstairs said I should come here." Josh flashed his drivers licence and White House ID.

"Are you family?"

"No."

"Boyfriend?"

"I'm her boss."

The receptionist pursed her lips. "She is just getting out of surgery, Mr. Lyman. I'll let her doctor know you are here and he will come give you an update as soon as he can."

"Can't you give me an update? I mean, how is she? Is she gonna be okay?" Josh didn't want to wait for red lights.

"Like I said, her doctor will be out in a minute. I can find you a seat if you'd like."

"No, I'm. . . ." Josh took a deep breath and let it out, "I'm good." He started to pace back and forth in front of the desk. "You're sure you can't tell me anything?"

But the receptionist wasn't even paying attention. Josh wanted to do what he always did when circumstances beyond his control were not cooperating: yell for his assistant. Somehow, no matter how impossible the situation, she always got things done. He should have told her that. He should have given her a pay raise. He should have quite sabotaging all her dates with guys that weren't good enough for her. Well, maybe not that last part. He could never understand why she insisted on going out with local gomers when she should be dating . . .? She worked in the freakin White House, for crying out loud! No. Sabotaging her relationships was for her own good, at least until she found someone worth dating.

Josh's phone was ringing. He expected it to be CJ or Toby or Leo, but was surprised to see "S. Seaborn" and a california area code flash across the screen.

"Sam?"

"Josh?"

"Sam! Long time, no see? How's the Sunshine State been treatin' ya?"

"How do you think? Listen, I heard about Donna."

"Yeah. Yeah, she's just getting out of surgery now and no one will TELL ME ANYTHING." That last part had been directed at the tight-lipped receptionist who was now thumbing through files and talking on the phone. "I meet with the President of the United States in the Oval Office on a daily basis, but I can't get a simple update on the condition of my assistant."

"Josh, where are you?"

"Germany."

"Germany?! You're in Germany?"

"Yeah."

"To see Donna?"

"Yeah."

"You flew to Germany to see Donna?"

"So?"

"So . . . Does she know?"

"That I'm here? No. I told you, she just got out of surgery."

"That's not what I mean."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean . . . look, Josh, everyone in that building, CJ and Toby and Leo and Charlie, everyone knows Donna is more than just your secretary."

"I know, she's my assistant. And I'm trying to let her grow in her job, play more of a role in the policy making and politics -"

"- no, that's not what I mean, either. Josh, look where you're standing. Do you think it's normal to fly halfway around the world because your assistant is in the hospital?"

"Military hospital. And . . . she is my . . .we're . . . She was in an explosion! Someone tried to blow her up! Are you saying I shouldn't be here?"

"No. I'm just saying. Look where you're standing."

"Buddy, I think you've been getting too much sun. Donna is . . . Donna. She brings me coffee - well, no she doesn't, but she works for me. She's my assistant. The deputy, deputy chief of staff."

"Okay."

"What?"

"Nothing. Just . . . Just keep me posted, okay?"

"Yeah."

"And tell Donna I say "feel better soon."

"You were a speechwriter for the President of the United States and all you can come up with is "feel better soon"?

"It was short notice."

"Yeah, okay. Hey, Sam?"

"Yeah."

"It was good talkin' to you."

"Yeah. You, too."

Josh hung up his phone and leaned heavily against the wall.

Do you think it's normal to fly halfway around the world because your assistant is in the hospital?

Of course it was. This was Donna, they were talking about. She would have maxed out her accounts and flown here in a heartbeat if it had been him in that SUV. The SUV with the smashed windows and smoking tires, laying upside down on in the middle of the road. With people being put in ambulances.

Josh started pacing again.