Chapter 3 - Getting it All Out
"What's next?" the President asked as I walked into the Oval Office.
"Economic advisors at nine, sir." I answered.
"Donna did you know that the yen . ."
"Sir, Josh needs two minutes before your economics meeting." Charlie interrupted. I smiled a thanks and walked out as Josh walked in. I watched as Charlie shut the door. It's been two weeks since I came to work for the President and Josh has barely spoken in complete sentences to me while we're in the same room. I do, however, get at least two daily calls from him asking some benign question or him just asking how late I will be staying in the office. It's very strange development, but Josh is like that.
After a couple of minutes Josh came out of the office and the President's economic advisors are shown in by Charlie. Then Charlie left the office we share, but Josh stayed and hung around.
"So, how is everything?" He asked, hesitantly.
"Good. Busy, but that's nothing new." I answered. I looked up from my desk and he had his hands on his hips looking like he wanted to say more but didn't know how.
"Rose is working out fine. I've only made her cry once this week."
"I know, she calls me or comes by everyday. She's a little more sensitive than you're used to Josh."
"How's working for the President? Is he, uh, is he . . ." His voice trailed off.
"He's a good boss if you discount the Latin, history, civics, and theology lessons that are given almost daily." I smiled. Josh laughed a little.
"What are you doing this weekend?" He asked as he fiddled with a paper weight on my desk.
"You're looking at it." I answered.
"You should make cookies."
"Excuse me?"
"Cookies or candy or whatever. But you should have something sweet on your desk." Josh suggested.
"Not gonna happen."
"But . . ."
"No. Do you know how many people around here have blood pressure problems? And the mess has plenty of sweets for them to gorge on, but my desk is not going to be a grazing area." I defended.
"Okay."
"Are you gonna be here this weekend?" I asked, wondering what else he would do tomorrow other than work just like every other Saturday.
Josh
"Well, I'm gonna go jogging, then I'm gonna do some work around the house right after coaching a little league baseball team to victory." I answered and started to leave the office.
"So I'll see you tomorrow morning." Donna called after me.
"Yeah." I walked back to my bullpen area.
I honestly don't remember what I used to do on the weekends before this job. I worked most weekends with Hoynes too, so remembering further back from that is impossible. This is my life, the White House is my life. Luckily, I'm good at it or it would be that much worse.
After looking over some stuff in my office I wandered over to the Oval office.
"Hey." I greeted Donna.
"Morning." She yawned and took off her coat, she obviously just got in too. I did a double take on her sweater and smiled.
"Donna, while I'm all for sexier workplace attire, I think that at least in this office you should button your sweater." She quickly looked down at her sweater and noticed that her top three buttons were still undone. She quickly corrected her mistake and I couldn't help but tease her some more.
"Why didn't you forget that kind of stuff when you worked for me?" I smiled. She just turned and smiled back.
"You wouldn't have noticed Josh." She took some papers off her desk and began to file them.
"You could have tried."
"Who says I didn't?" She smiled wryly at me and then went back to her filing.
"You know what else you could forget, besides the buttons? The underwear, that way you'll never lose it again." I laughed.
"Are you and Ryan in some sort of sick contest to see which one can be the more grotesque? Get out." She said evenly. I left the Oval office and ran right into Pierce, speak of the Devil's son and he shall appear.
"Is Donna in?" He asked hopefully. Pathetic. I grabbed his shoulders and turned him around and led him toward my office.
"She's in there and now you're coming over here."
"I was just gonna say hi."
"Email her."
Donna
"Donna!" I turned to see Ryan jogging down the hall toward me.
"Hi Ryan."
"Are you going to lunch?"
"Yeah, just for a few minutes in the mess, I'm hoping to leave by three today."
"Yeah, me too. I'll join you." He invited himself. How cute. Great, now I got a lunch date with a Harvard boy, emphasis on the word boy.
"So how's the new office?" He asked as chewed on his turkey sandwich.
"Good. How goes it with Josh?"
"I can't figure the guy out. I try but it's just not happening with us. We don't click, so I think I'll try to transfer after the new year." He admitted.
"Give it some more time, trust me. There is no one you could learn more from."
"I learned more from you than from Josh." He smiled. Oh, God, please let him not be flirting.
"Just get through the New Year and don't make any final decisions until January." I advised.
"Will I have a blind loyalty toward him like you?" He smirked. I smiled lightly.
"Take a look around Ryan, people are loyal here. We make mistakes, but we are loyal, we disagree, but we are loyal. If you really want this life then you are going to have to know how to inspire loyalty from others in you. And if you can manage to squeeze it out of Josh, then you'll be on your way. Now if you can get it from Toby, well, then you can get it from anyone!" I told him. He smiled and laughed.
Josh
Coffee, I need coffee, the mess has coffee. I set out on a mission and walked into to the mess to see Pierce and Donna laughing over something and eating together. I walked straight out of the mess. What the hell was that about?! I went and sat right back down at my desk and leaned back in my chair.
"Josh." Charlie knocked on my open door.
"Yeah."
"The President would like to know what your plans for Thanksgiving are." Uh-oh, think fast, think fast.
"I have some." Not the best answer. Charlie smiled knowingly.
"He would like to extend an invitation."
"Doesn't he want to keep it small for Zoey's sake?" I asked.
"He did, but she doesn't."
"Um, well, I'll get back to him on that, okay?"
"Okay." He turned to leave.
"Charlie." He turned.
"Does Pierce spend a lot of time visiting Donna?" I asked knowing that I shouldn't but not really caring.
"No, not really, but she doesn't really have time for visitors."
"Yeah, I thought so."
"You really don't like him do you?" Charlie smiled.
"He's just a walking poster boy for nepotism and he's a smug idiot." I stated as if it were fact.
"He seems alright to me." Charlie shrugged.
"He has a thing for Donna."
"I figured. Don't worry, she won't go for him." Charlie started out again and I called him back.
"Why would I be worried? I know she wouldn't go for him." I informed him. He smiled.
"Josh, if you ever want to do something about your situation, I would have no problem forming Team Josh to help out."
"What are you getting at?"
"After all you got me this job and I consider you a friend."
"Charlie, get out."
"Later." He whistled as he left. I'm so glad that everyone feels it is appropriate to make their own conclusions as to the nature of Donna's and my relationship. Great group we got here.
Donna
"Seriously Ryan, there was no need for you to walk me home." I told Ryan when he made a comment of how far I live from the White House.
"I couldn't bare the thought of anything happening to you." He smirked.
"It's four in the afternoon on a Saturday and this is a nice neighborhood." I rolled my eyes. We stopped in front of my stoop. He smiled coyly. You've got to be kidding me.
"Just because you struck out with C.J. doesn't mean you should move on to other office personnel." I said glaringly. His face dropped.
"I'm not trying to hit on you Donna, I genuinely like you. As a friend. I can see why Josh is still so upset since your transfer."
"Josh is not still upset. And seriously, quit trying with C.J." I laughed.
"Okay, so if Josh isn't upset over you, why is he the way he is right now?"
"Because of unemployment, falling approval rates, rogue senators, and other stuff, take your pick."
"Amy dumped him."
"That could be it too."
"Did you know about them?"
"Yeah."
"Donna, I'm telling you this as a friend. It's not gonna happen for you two."
"What are you talking about?"
"He's got his head so far up his ass that he has no idea."
"Oh come on. Not this. Ryan go home." I turned and unlocked the door to the building.
"I know how much you care about him, and trust me, you're wasting your time." I turned and looked straight at him and then shut the door and walked down the steps and stood in front of him. He looked like he thought I might slap him and I was thinking about it, but instead I just laid into him.
"Ryan, you don't care about anything! You don't care about this amazing opportunity that you have, you just think you're entitled to it because of what your last name is. You don't see that it's a privilege to work there. How you can even think to lecture me on caring is beyond me. As for wasting my time, the only person I'm wasting my time on is you. But that can be corrected right now." I stormed back up my steps and let myself in the building.
Josh
"I think we should just name Pierce's desk, the Doghouse." I said smiling. Toby looked unamused. "Oh come on! It's funny! He struck out with C.J. and now Carol won't let him within ten feet of her. He must have pissed off Donna and Margaret because he hasn't gone to that side of the building in almost a week!"
"Josh, as much as the personal life of your intern fascinates me can we get back on topic." I smiled and nodded and continued discussing the new changes on the Violence Against Women Act.
Later that day I stopped by the Oval Office and Donna was out running an errand.
"Hey, Charlie." He didn't look up but knew it was me.
"Afternoon, Josh."
"Any clue why Pierce is on punishment from this office."
"Margaret is on orders from Leo to keep him away from him and Donna mentioned something about you being right all along."
"Really?" I said with interest.
"That's all I got Josh."
"How interesting." I smiled. Just as I turned Donna walked in with a package.
"Hey Donna!" I greeted her, she smiled. "What's that?" I pointed to her package.
"This, my Connecticut friend is the best cheese this side of the pond!" She exclaimed excitedly.
"Okay." I said slowly, my mind reeling with Wisconsin jokes.
"And don't start or I won't let you have any." She attempted to warn me.
"Donna . ."
"I'm serious Josh, no cheese dip, no broccoli cheese soup, no slices, nothing." She glared. I smiled and started to dart off.
"I'll be over around ten tomorrow." She called after me and I stopped dead in my tracks.
"That's right! Charlie I'm spending Thanksgiving with Donna, Toby, and C.J tomorrow!" Whew, got outta the Manchester Thanksgiving once again.
"No you're not." Both Donna and Charlie said at the same time.
"What are you guys? The Bobbsey twins?"
"I'll be over at ten tomorrow so we can ride up to Manchester together, C.J will meet us there and Toby decided to spend Thanksgiving with the twins and Congressman Wyatt." Donna informed me.
"What!"
"Can't wait to see you there Josh." Charlie smiled and stepped into the President's office.
"Donna!"
"The President asked, what was I going to say?" She tried to explain.
"Say no! Always say no!"
"It'll be fun."
"As fun as a history lesson."
"See, you're already excited."
"What's next?" the President asked as I walked into the Oval Office.
"Economic advisors at nine, sir." I answered.
"Donna did you know that the yen . ."
"Sir, Josh needs two minutes before your economics meeting." Charlie interrupted. I smiled a thanks and walked out as Josh walked in. I watched as Charlie shut the door. It's been two weeks since I came to work for the President and Josh has barely spoken in complete sentences to me while we're in the same room. I do, however, get at least two daily calls from him asking some benign question or him just asking how late I will be staying in the office. It's very strange development, but Josh is like that.
After a couple of minutes Josh came out of the office and the President's economic advisors are shown in by Charlie. Then Charlie left the office we share, but Josh stayed and hung around.
"So, how is everything?" He asked, hesitantly.
"Good. Busy, but that's nothing new." I answered. I looked up from my desk and he had his hands on his hips looking like he wanted to say more but didn't know how.
"Rose is working out fine. I've only made her cry once this week."
"I know, she calls me or comes by everyday. She's a little more sensitive than you're used to Josh."
"How's working for the President? Is he, uh, is he . . ." His voice trailed off.
"He's a good boss if you discount the Latin, history, civics, and theology lessons that are given almost daily." I smiled. Josh laughed a little.
"What are you doing this weekend?" He asked as he fiddled with a paper weight on my desk.
"You're looking at it." I answered.
"You should make cookies."
"Excuse me?"
"Cookies or candy or whatever. But you should have something sweet on your desk." Josh suggested.
"Not gonna happen."
"But . . ."
"No. Do you know how many people around here have blood pressure problems? And the mess has plenty of sweets for them to gorge on, but my desk is not going to be a grazing area." I defended.
"Okay."
"Are you gonna be here this weekend?" I asked, wondering what else he would do tomorrow other than work just like every other Saturday.
Josh
"Well, I'm gonna go jogging, then I'm gonna do some work around the house right after coaching a little league baseball team to victory." I answered and started to leave the office.
"So I'll see you tomorrow morning." Donna called after me.
"Yeah." I walked back to my bullpen area.
I honestly don't remember what I used to do on the weekends before this job. I worked most weekends with Hoynes too, so remembering further back from that is impossible. This is my life, the White House is my life. Luckily, I'm good at it or it would be that much worse.
After looking over some stuff in my office I wandered over to the Oval office.
"Hey." I greeted Donna.
"Morning." She yawned and took off her coat, she obviously just got in too. I did a double take on her sweater and smiled.
"Donna, while I'm all for sexier workplace attire, I think that at least in this office you should button your sweater." She quickly looked down at her sweater and noticed that her top three buttons were still undone. She quickly corrected her mistake and I couldn't help but tease her some more.
"Why didn't you forget that kind of stuff when you worked for me?" I smiled. She just turned and smiled back.
"You wouldn't have noticed Josh." She took some papers off her desk and began to file them.
"You could have tried."
"Who says I didn't?" She smiled wryly at me and then went back to her filing.
"You know what else you could forget, besides the buttons? The underwear, that way you'll never lose it again." I laughed.
"Are you and Ryan in some sort of sick contest to see which one can be the more grotesque? Get out." She said evenly. I left the Oval office and ran right into Pierce, speak of the Devil's son and he shall appear.
"Is Donna in?" He asked hopefully. Pathetic. I grabbed his shoulders and turned him around and led him toward my office.
"She's in there and now you're coming over here."
"I was just gonna say hi."
"Email her."
Donna
"Donna!" I turned to see Ryan jogging down the hall toward me.
"Hi Ryan."
"Are you going to lunch?"
"Yeah, just for a few minutes in the mess, I'm hoping to leave by three today."
"Yeah, me too. I'll join you." He invited himself. How cute. Great, now I got a lunch date with a Harvard boy, emphasis on the word boy.
"So how's the new office?" He asked as chewed on his turkey sandwich.
"Good. How goes it with Josh?"
"I can't figure the guy out. I try but it's just not happening with us. We don't click, so I think I'll try to transfer after the new year." He admitted.
"Give it some more time, trust me. There is no one you could learn more from."
"I learned more from you than from Josh." He smiled. Oh, God, please let him not be flirting.
"Just get through the New Year and don't make any final decisions until January." I advised.
"Will I have a blind loyalty toward him like you?" He smirked. I smiled lightly.
"Take a look around Ryan, people are loyal here. We make mistakes, but we are loyal, we disagree, but we are loyal. If you really want this life then you are going to have to know how to inspire loyalty from others in you. And if you can manage to squeeze it out of Josh, then you'll be on your way. Now if you can get it from Toby, well, then you can get it from anyone!" I told him. He smiled and laughed.
Josh
Coffee, I need coffee, the mess has coffee. I set out on a mission and walked into to the mess to see Pierce and Donna laughing over something and eating together. I walked straight out of the mess. What the hell was that about?! I went and sat right back down at my desk and leaned back in my chair.
"Josh." Charlie knocked on my open door.
"Yeah."
"The President would like to know what your plans for Thanksgiving are." Uh-oh, think fast, think fast.
"I have some." Not the best answer. Charlie smiled knowingly.
"He would like to extend an invitation."
"Doesn't he want to keep it small for Zoey's sake?" I asked.
"He did, but she doesn't."
"Um, well, I'll get back to him on that, okay?"
"Okay." He turned to leave.
"Charlie." He turned.
"Does Pierce spend a lot of time visiting Donna?" I asked knowing that I shouldn't but not really caring.
"No, not really, but she doesn't really have time for visitors."
"Yeah, I thought so."
"You really don't like him do you?" Charlie smiled.
"He's just a walking poster boy for nepotism and he's a smug idiot." I stated as if it were fact.
"He seems alright to me." Charlie shrugged.
"He has a thing for Donna."
"I figured. Don't worry, she won't go for him." Charlie started out again and I called him back.
"Why would I be worried? I know she wouldn't go for him." I informed him. He smiled.
"Josh, if you ever want to do something about your situation, I would have no problem forming Team Josh to help out."
"What are you getting at?"
"After all you got me this job and I consider you a friend."
"Charlie, get out."
"Later." He whistled as he left. I'm so glad that everyone feels it is appropriate to make their own conclusions as to the nature of Donna's and my relationship. Great group we got here.
Donna
"Seriously Ryan, there was no need for you to walk me home." I told Ryan when he made a comment of how far I live from the White House.
"I couldn't bare the thought of anything happening to you." He smirked.
"It's four in the afternoon on a Saturday and this is a nice neighborhood." I rolled my eyes. We stopped in front of my stoop. He smiled coyly. You've got to be kidding me.
"Just because you struck out with C.J. doesn't mean you should move on to other office personnel." I said glaringly. His face dropped.
"I'm not trying to hit on you Donna, I genuinely like you. As a friend. I can see why Josh is still so upset since your transfer."
"Josh is not still upset. And seriously, quit trying with C.J." I laughed.
"Okay, so if Josh isn't upset over you, why is he the way he is right now?"
"Because of unemployment, falling approval rates, rogue senators, and other stuff, take your pick."
"Amy dumped him."
"That could be it too."
"Did you know about them?"
"Yeah."
"Donna, I'm telling you this as a friend. It's not gonna happen for you two."
"What are you talking about?"
"He's got his head so far up his ass that he has no idea."
"Oh come on. Not this. Ryan go home." I turned and unlocked the door to the building.
"I know how much you care about him, and trust me, you're wasting your time." I turned and looked straight at him and then shut the door and walked down the steps and stood in front of him. He looked like he thought I might slap him and I was thinking about it, but instead I just laid into him.
"Ryan, you don't care about anything! You don't care about this amazing opportunity that you have, you just think you're entitled to it because of what your last name is. You don't see that it's a privilege to work there. How you can even think to lecture me on caring is beyond me. As for wasting my time, the only person I'm wasting my time on is you. But that can be corrected right now." I stormed back up my steps and let myself in the building.
Josh
"I think we should just name Pierce's desk, the Doghouse." I said smiling. Toby looked unamused. "Oh come on! It's funny! He struck out with C.J. and now Carol won't let him within ten feet of her. He must have pissed off Donna and Margaret because he hasn't gone to that side of the building in almost a week!"
"Josh, as much as the personal life of your intern fascinates me can we get back on topic." I smiled and nodded and continued discussing the new changes on the Violence Against Women Act.
Later that day I stopped by the Oval Office and Donna was out running an errand.
"Hey, Charlie." He didn't look up but knew it was me.
"Afternoon, Josh."
"Any clue why Pierce is on punishment from this office."
"Margaret is on orders from Leo to keep him away from him and Donna mentioned something about you being right all along."
"Really?" I said with interest.
"That's all I got Josh."
"How interesting." I smiled. Just as I turned Donna walked in with a package.
"Hey Donna!" I greeted her, she smiled. "What's that?" I pointed to her package.
"This, my Connecticut friend is the best cheese this side of the pond!" She exclaimed excitedly.
"Okay." I said slowly, my mind reeling with Wisconsin jokes.
"And don't start or I won't let you have any." She attempted to warn me.
"Donna . ."
"I'm serious Josh, no cheese dip, no broccoli cheese soup, no slices, nothing." She glared. I smiled and started to dart off.
"I'll be over around ten tomorrow." She called after me and I stopped dead in my tracks.
"That's right! Charlie I'm spending Thanksgiving with Donna, Toby, and C.J tomorrow!" Whew, got outta the Manchester Thanksgiving once again.
"No you're not." Both Donna and Charlie said at the same time.
"What are you guys? The Bobbsey twins?"
"I'll be over at ten tomorrow so we can ride up to Manchester together, C.J will meet us there and Toby decided to spend Thanksgiving with the twins and Congressman Wyatt." Donna informed me.
"What!"
"Can't wait to see you there Josh." Charlie smiled and stepped into the President's office.
"Donna!"
"The President asked, what was I going to say?" She tried to explain.
"Say no! Always say no!"
"It'll be fun."
"As fun as a history lesson."
"See, you're already excited."