Waffles & Coffee Chapter 4 - Ivory Lace Or Timeless
Author: Willow
Summary: Decorating Sam's apartment.
Spoilers/Episode: Anything up to season 3
Characters: Josh/Donna, ensemble
Rating: PG-13
Friday
"Don't you have work to do?" Toby asked Sam.
"Yes, but I've just had some good news."
"I'm pleased for you," Toby replied absently, "now go and do some work."
Sam smiled and carried on following Toby. "Don't you want to hear what it is?"
"Not at the moment, no." Toby walked past Carol's desk, "Hey, Carol."
"Carol," CJ called, walking to the door, "can you find me some background on Senator Lein."
"Lane? Okay."
"L. E. I. N." CJ called. She turned to Josh, who was sat on her couch smiling to himself. "Josh, I thought you were getting the stats?"
"Donna's got them, calm down," Josh told her.
"I am calm."
"The briefing's not for another three hours," Toby said.
"And your point is?"
"Nothing," Toby smiled and sat down next to Josh.
"Thanks." CJ took the figures off Donna and sat back at her desk. "Is there a reason you're all in here?"
"We're trying to make you calm down," Josh said. "It's not like it's your first briefing from The Hill. Just relax for five minutes."
"I am relaxed. What do you all want?"
Sam took this opportunity to share his news. "My apartment's ready," he told them, "well almost."
"Almost?" Josh asked, looking at Sam. "You told me it was finished."
"Apparently the insurance won't pay for decorating."
"We could help with that," CJ said.
"Yeah," Donna agreed.
"By 'we' you mean the two of you?" Toby asked.
"No, all of us. It'll be fun." CJ grinned as Toby and Josh groaned.
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Saturday
"See, this is a good color," CJ said.
"I like that one better," Donna pointed to the third stripe on Sam's lounge wall.
"But that one's a nicer shade," Sam commented, pointing to a different one.
Toby and Josh sat on the new couch and watched the argument. It was Saturday morning and the others had spent the last hour applying tester pots of paint to the wall, and then arguing over which one will look best.
Josh looked at Toby. "Aren't they all just different names for the same shade of cream?" he asked.
"Seems that way to me," Toby nodded.
"Are you two color blind?" CJ asked. "They're obviously different."
"Right," Josh doubtfully agreed.
"Hang on," Donna said. "What color are you painting the woodwork?"
"White." Sam replied.
"Well these ones are no good then," Donna pointed to the first four stripes, "they'll blend in too much. Though some people prefer that."
Toby and Josh looked at each other. "There's got to be a way out of here," Josh muttered.
"Come on," Toby told him, and they both stood up.
"Where are you two going?" CJ asked.
"Food," Josh quickly replied.
"Good thinking," Toby muttered.
"Get some sandwiches. I'll have chicken," Sam said.
"Cheese salad with mayo," CJ added.
"Tuna and mayo, and get some soda and chips. Are you writing this down?" Donna asked Josh.
"I can remember three sandwiches," Josh replied. "Come on let's get out of here," he told Toby.
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Josh checked his cell phone as he followed Toby into the sandwich bar. "You think we should phone Leo and beg him to page us?" he asked.
"I've been praying for my phone to ring all morning," Toby sighed and ordered the sandwiches, "What do you want?"
"Chicken, onion and mayo, on white, please," Josh told the man behind the counter. He turned round to face Toby and looked like he was about to speak, but changed his mind.
"What?" Toby asked.
Josh hesitated, before asking, "When you and Andi were together, did you get on with her family?"
"Yeah, though we didn't see that much of them. Why?"
"Just wondered," Josh replied. "It's just.... would it...."
"Sorry," the sandwich man interrupted. "We're out of pastrami."
"I'll have...... I dunno," Toby started studying the board again.
"He'll have chicken," Josh supplied. "What?" he asked Toby, "You like chicken."
"Thanks," Toby said sarcastically.
"No problem." Josh smiled.
"It's just what?" Toby asked.
"Huh?"
"You having trouble with Donna's parents?" Toby prompted.
"No," Josh said, deciding that Toby may not be the best person to talk to after all.
"Okay," Toby replied doubtfully. "Thanks." He took the bag of sandwiches of the assistant. "Can we have three bottles of Coke and these." He paid the bill and they left the shop.
"They don't really approve," Josh said, as they crossed the street. "Donna's parents," he added needlessly.
"Why?"
Josh hesitated again, "I'm older than her, I'm her boss and a Democrat."
"You had to expect that."
"Yeah," Josh agreed. "The thing is though....." he looked at Toby. "Nah, look forget it." They walked on in silence. Then Josh said, "It's just, that's not all."
"They don't like their daughter dating a Jew?" Toby guessed.
Josh frowned. That was what would annoy Toby, the other wouldn't matter so much. For Josh though it was the other way around. "I dunno, I don't think that's really it."
"So what is it then?"
"They seem to have a problem with immigration," Josh said quietly. "Specifically with immigrants from Eastern Europe in the 30s and 40s. They think we should have all been sent back where we came from, once the war was over." As he spoke he could feel the anger rising.
Now Toby understood. They walked in silence for a while until he said, "Whatever they think, it isn't Donna's fault though. You know that right?"
"Of course I do."
"But you're still angry?"
"With them, not her," Josh said as they entered Sam's building and headed up to his third floor apartment.
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They had just finished eating their lunch when Charlie arrived. Knowing them all as well as he did, he'd brought chocolate, cookies, soda and beer. "You haven't done much?" he commented.
"They can't decide which shade of cream to use," Toby told him.
"And you're hoping to have finished by tomorrow evening?"
"Hey, doubtful boy, once we get started we'll be done in no time," CJ told him.
"Okay, but it's 1.30 on Saturday. I really think you need to go and buy the paint."
"He has a point," Donna said. "Choose one," she told Sam.
"I hate to ask, what about the bedrooms and the bathroom, are they okay?" Josh asked.
"The bathroom's fine, it's all tiled. The spare bedroom okay too, but my room could use a coat of paint."
"Please tell me you've chosen a color," Josh said.
"Yeah, this one." Sam pointed to a color on the chart which was apparently called, 'First Dawn.'
"Good," Josh said. "Now all you have to do is choose between 'natural calico', 'natural hessian', 'ivory lace' or 'timeless'."
"What color's the woodwork?" Charlie asked.
"Oh God," Toby muttered.
"White," Sam said. "I like 'Ivory Lace' but Donna and CJ prefer 'Timeless.'" He showed the two colors to Charlie.
Charlie glanced at Josh and Toby, who had sat back down on the couch and were eating the cookies. "They look the same," he said.
"We know," Toby agreed.
"Look," Josh told Sam. "It's your apartment. If you prefer 'Ivory Lace' then get that."
"What color's your apartment?" Sam asked Josh.
"Beige, blue and cream," Donna supplied, with a grin.
"At least I haven't got an orange bathroom," Josh replies.
"It's not orange, it's 'Sun Kissed Yellow'," Donna replied.
"Choose one," Toby instructed Sam.
"'Timeless'," Sam decided.
"Right. Now go and buy the paint, and don't forget the brushes and, whatever."
"We'll move the furniture and cover everything up," Charlie said. "Have you got something to cover the floor and furniture with?"
"Yes, there's some sheets in the spare room closet. They smell a bit, I've bought new ones."
After Donna, Sam and CJ had left, Josh, Toby and Charlie made some coffee and stood in the kitchen doorway. Josh turned to Charlie. "Are you insane?" he asked him.
"Why?"
"Coming here," Josh clarified.
"It'll be fun," Charlie grinned.
"Compared to what?" Toby asked.
"We should wash the walls," Charlie told them. "And the woodwork'll need sanding,"
"Why do the walls need washing?" Josh asked.
"They're dirty," Charlie pointed out.
"Which is why we're painting them."
"Okay," Charlie said. "But before I left, the president gave me strict instruction that the walls should be washed before we paint them."
"He may have point," Toby said, running his finger down the wall. "If we just paint on this then he'll end up with cream walls streaked with ash."
With a sigh, the three of them went in search of a bucket and something to wash the walls with. Charlie found a car sponge and they set to work washing the walls. Thirty minutes later they were all sat back on the couch drinking more coffee.
"You think we drink too much of this?" Josh asked.
"Yeah," Toby replied. "Where's the beer?"
"No," Charlie told them. "CJ said no beer until later."
"CJ's not here," Josh replied.
"Dust sheets," Charlie told him.
"I'm sorry?" Josh asked.
"Go and get the sheets."
"I'm glad you're not in charge at work," Josh muttered as he stood and walked to the spare room, returning with an armful of sheets. "No, don't get up, I can manage."
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Donna, Sam and CJ return a little later with the paint and Ainsley.
"You wouldn't think it'd take seven of us to paint two rooms would you?" Josh commented.
"Out of those seven, how many of us actually have any clue about DIY?" Charlie asked.
"You?" Sam replied hopefully.
"Not the first idea," Charlie smiled.
"I do," Ainsley said, smiling at the amazed looks on the others faces. "We paint the ceiling first, then the walls, then the woodwork."
"Why?" Sam asked.
"Because when we paint the ceiling it'll splash the walls and then when we paint the walls......." Josh explained.
"Yes, thank you, Joshua," CJ smiled. "Alright," she handed the paint and roller to Toby, "up you go."
"Why me?" Toby asked.
"I can't paint the ceiling, I'm too tall."
"You know how stupid that sounds, right?" Josh asked.
"I'll get paint in my hair."
"Give it here," Charlie told her. "It's amazing that you lot run a country," he commented as he loaded the roller and climbed the ladder. "You all just gonna stand there and watch?" he asked, pointing to the other ladders.
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By 7.30 they had finished the walls in the lounge and bedroom and just have the woodwork to paint tomorrow. They were all sat in Josh's apartment, exhausted and hungry
"Pizza or Chinese?" CJ asked.
They agree on Chinese and Sam ordered.
"When's Deanna back?" Josh asked Charlie.
"Wednesday."
"Missing her?" Josh asked.
"Yeah," Charlie smiled.
"You know what we should do now?" CJ said. "We should sit out on the stoop and get drunk."
They all agreed and headed outside to await the food delivery.
"You guys do this often then?" Ainsley asked.
"We did," Sam replied, "but it's been a while."
"When Josh was recovering from the shooting, we spent most of our free time sat out here drinking beer, while he slept," CJ told Ainsley.
"They get noisy when they're drunk," Josh added. "Donna and my mom banished them outside."
"Luckily it was a long hot summer," Sam added.
They went quiet for a while, each remembering those three months in 2000. When Josh was still in the hospital they would all meet up at his apartment, for no other reason than it made them feel connected to him. Then when he came home it was the natural place to meet.
Toby leaned back and smiled. "We should start doing this again," he said.
"Yeah," Josh agreed.
Ainsley would have thought that the last thing any of them would want to do would be to resurrect the memories of Rosslyn and its aftermath. But to the others, sitting out on the stoop, drinking beer and eating takeout was a reminder that they had all survived.
Chapter 5, What Dad Would Want................
