Disclaimers et al. in part 1
Previously…
"Ok, so Amy."
"Yeah."
"Why are you with her?"
Chapter 8a
***
July 2002
***
"Hey, Josh?" I say leaning against his doorframe. Just as he finishes his conversation on the phone, "CJ and I are going to get some drinks, do you want to come with?"
He begins to put on his coat, and answers, "Sorry Sam, I can't. Some other time maybe?"
"Sure. Who was that on the phone? And why the rain check?"
"Donna, and Amy, respectively."
Oh.
"Ok."
"Yeah, Amy and I haven't really seen each other in the last couple of months so..."
I have no idea what's going on between Josh and Amy. For the record, I have absolutely no problem with that. Unless of course, he decides to propose, but since I don't envisage that happening I'm not really losing sleep over it. There's also the little fact that both Hannah and CJ would kick his ass into the next millennium if he even thought about it.
And as for Josh and Donna?
Donna has been gone for a couple of weeks now and I thought for sure that Josh would have shown signs of missing her, but for some reason, he doesn't seem fazed.
For some reason that troubles me.
Should I ask him about Donna? I know that Hannah left me strict instructions not to - something about lessons, mistakes and regrets - but really, if left to his own devices, the chances of any realisations are realistically slim to none.
The guy is my best friend, a Fulbright Scholar and all, but, let's face it, in matters of the heart he's an idiot. Totally oblivious to what's right in front of him, or, well, currently somewhere on the campaign trail.
Hannah isn't the one who has to stay here and suffer through Amy. Now I realise that I haven't actually had to spend any time with Amy recently and come to think of it, Hannah's probably spent more time with Amy than I have, but still, the idea of Josh and Amy is enough.
You're wondering why all the hate, aren't you?
After Hannah's reluctance to talk about Amy a few days ago, I did some checking. Some of the things that Amy did while they were in college were way below the belt, but I thought, 'what the hell, people can change, grow even.' And then, of course, I talked to Hannah, it took a little while for me to get her to talk, but once she did, it pretty much destroyed any chance of my accepting Amy, in any way. The part of me that sees Hannah as a sister really wants to kick Amy's ass so far… you know what? I don't have words for what I want to do to her. And I'm the Deputy Communications Director; it's my job to be able to craft a creative image with words.
I want to tell Josh what kind of a – for lack of a better term – person, he's dating, but there's a reason Hannah made me promise not to and hasn't herself. I have to respect that.
It doesn't mean I can't work other angles.
So that's what I'm going to do. Work other angles.
*
Josh and I are waiting in the Operations bullpen for CJ, when I decide what angle to pursue.
In case you haven't guessed already, it's Donna. She's the angle.
"How is Donna?" I'm aiming for a causal tone.
"She's good." Apparently so is he.
"She's good." He seems to be taking the news well. "That's it?" Because really, there's has to be more than that. I know there's more to that.
"Sam, she's your friend too, you could call her yourself, you know," he says with a grin.
He's playing hardball. But then again, did I really expect anything else? Just one other thing, 'hardball?' Even in MY head that sounded stupid.
"Yeah, she is my friend and I do call her, I just haven't today," I reason.
CJ's voice interrupts us before Josh can answer. "Hey Fred and Ethel."
"I think she means us," Josh says in a mock whisper.
CJ ignores Josh. Facing me, she continues, "Sam, Toby's gonna meet us there. Joshua, are you coming with?"
"No, I'm meeting Amy," Josh answers as we walk out back through the bullpen.
"Toby's coming?" I didn't know Toby was coming. Not that I mind or anything.
CJ decides to ignore my completely reasonable question and turns to talk to Josh. "Bring her along."
CJ!
What the hell were you thinking!?!
***
What the hell was I thinking?
I can tell Sam's not happy that I just invited Amy to join us. Don't even think about asking where that came from, because seriously, I have absolutely no idea.
Please say no, please say no, please say no.
"You sure?"
He's not going to say no. Great. I go for what I hope sounds like a sincere tone and reply, "Sure, I mean she is your girlfriend and has yet to, you know, spend any time with your friends."
I can't believe I managed to say that with a straight face.
Also, I'm trying to make sure that Josh does not look at Sam right now, since Sam looks like he's about to have an aneurysm any moment now, that, or he's constipated. I'm pretty sure once Josh leaves, Sam is gonna be throwing a few choice words in my direction.
"Ok, well, I'll get Amy and meet you at…"
I could lie.
"The usual." Just in case you're wondering, I didn't lie.
I should have lied.
***
"Tonight is a disaster waiting to happen."
Well duh, CJ. We're seated in a quite corner of the bar, waiting for Josh and Amy to arrive.
"I could have told you that." I think I may have been spending too much time with Josh recently because I'm willing to bet that my tone may sound slightly superior right now.
I have to say though, what can it say for their relationship, if when presented with the opportunity to spend an evening alone with his girlfriend and getting, well, reacquainted, (in the biblical sense), Josh chooses to instead spend the night with his friends? Especially considering the fact that he hasn't spent any real time with her in the part two months.
"Whose half cocked idea was it to invite Amy?" Toby asks.
I just point at CJ, since I have absolutely no problem in laying the blame for this catastrophe-in-waiting at her feet. She glares at me for a moment and then turns her attention back to Toby.
"I didn't think you had any opinion on Amy."
"I don't, but obviously you and Sam do. You two aren't exactly her biggest fans. Hell, it doesn't take a genius to guess that spending an evening getting drunk with Amy is not a good idea."
Thank you, Toby.
"Tell me something I don't know, Toby." CJ mutters.
If she knew it was a bad idea, why the hell did she invite her in the first place? I certainly can't think of a valid explanation.
And I realise that asking these questions in my head is not going to get me any answers.
"So why did you tell Josh to invite her too?" Toby asks.
I was just about to ask that. I'm thinking that Toby and I may be sharing a brain tonight, considering that he seems to be verbalising all my thoughts. And yes, that is a scary thought.
"Ok, don't get mad at me, but…"
Oh God, she doesn't even have a reason. How can she not have a reason? Because, I mean, really, if you're going to do something that dumb, you should at least have a reason.
"CJ, you of all people should know that starting a sentence that way pretty much guarantees that whoever is not supposed to get mad is going to get mad. And, just for the record, I'm already mad at you."
"I don't actually know why, I just sort of did," she finishes with what I think is meant to pass for a sheepish expression.
I knew it. I so knew that.
Before I can say anything, Toby says, "Well, I'm guessing this evening is gonna go one of three ways, highly entertaining, extremely awkward, or boring."
"What, couldn't find an adjective to go with boring, Toby?"
Again, I'm ignored as he continues to say, "I'm betting on two out of three, and that's the first two - at least for me - for the two of you however, tomorrow is not going to be a good day," he concludes looking at CJ. He the faces me and raises an eyebrow. "Adjectives, Sam? Did you start drinking at the office?"
I ignore Toby as I notice Josh coming in with Amy, who, by the way, does not look happy.
Let the nightmare begin.
***
What the hell is CJ talking about?
I've been here for half an hour, listening to CJ, Sam and Toby avoid talking about anything work related, or at least anything of consequence. So far, Toby has spoken a total of ten words, Sam spent twenty minutes talking about how he hasn't eaten a decent cookie in months - I would say he's drunk, but he's only had two drinks - and CJ has spent the past ten minutes explaining in excruciating detail, the plot of a movie that could not have been designed for the viewing pleasure of any sane man.
"So, once she's written all over Ewan McGregor's dead body in ink, naked dead body - and I mean ALL over, everywhere-"
"We get the point. CJ, do you really have to finish this?"
"Yes, Tobias, now shut up. Anyway, once she's written all over him--" CJ glares at Toby and me as we groan in frustration, but continues to talk undeterred, "-- she buries him, but the evil gay guy digs up his body and de-skins him, and when I say he de-skins him, I mean all of him, every little bit. They actually show all this--"
It's safe to say that CJ's a little tipsy right now.
"Wait, so Ewan is in love with the girl, but sleeps with the gay publisher at her request, so that her book can get published. But then she's disgusted that he had sex with another man - even though she asked him to - so she dumps him, he commits suicide, she realises she loves him, writes all over his dead body and buries him?" Amy asks incredulously.
You can see why I have no interest in this movie.
"You forgot the part about the gay guy digging up Ewan's dead body and de-skinning it, but pretty much, Yep." Thanks for the recap CJ.
"Wow, ok so what happens once he gets skinned?" How can Sam seriously be interested in this?
For the sake of my sanity I need to get away, so before CJ can answer, I say, "I'm gonna get another drink, anyone else want something?"
There's a chorus of no's as Toby says, "Yeah, I think I'll join you too." As we walk to the bar, and out of Amy's hearing distance Toby states, "I don't think that we should hide out at the bar for too long."
Why not? It seems like a good plan to me.
"Care to elaborate?"
"I think leaving Sam and Amy together for a long period of time without someone to chaperone is a disaster waiting to happen."
"CJ's with them. And anyway, why is it a disaster waiting to happen?" I ask as I get another drink.
"CJ's not exactly sober right now, and in any event, I'm not so sure that she would stop Sam. It's more likely that she would help him, or at the very least, encourage him. If you can't tell why, then you really are an idiot." And then he mumbles to himself, "What am I saying, I already know he's an idiot."
"I heard that."
"Considering I said it out loud and didn't just think it, I'm really not surprised." He puts his hand up as a pre-emptive gesture - because he knows what I'm about to say - and continues on, "I'm not saying anything except that we shouldn't leave them alone for too long."
"If it's such a disaster in waiting, why did you come to the bar with me instead of keeping an eye on them?"
"Do I look like a babysitter to you?"
"No."
"Ok then."
As Toby and I walk back, I watch Sam, CJ and Amy while they talk. I'm getting the distinct feeling that Sam and CJ do not like Amy. I can read body language, you know. It's one of the necessary tools which a skilled political operative needs to master.
Why do I suddenly have a terrible feeling about the rest of the night?
TBC…