"What happened, Mallory?" Josh looked like he was going to be sick.
"I don't know, they wouldn't tell me anything! All I know is that she was still in her appointment when I came to her doctor's office after Lily's appointment and then the nurse came out and told me that they were sending Donna to the hospital for immediate delivery but that's all the information they'd give me. Then I called you. Did the doctor call you?"
"Yeah, they just told me that there are complications and I need to get down to the hospital right away. So, here I am." He turned around and headed directly for the nurses station. "Excuse me, I need to speak to someone who can tell me what's going on with my wife, Donnatella Lyman."
The black woman behind the counter nodded and looked through her files. "I'll be right back." She headed behind swinging doors.
Josh started pacing in front of the station. Mallory was leaning against the wall near by. He looked at her for a moment. "Where's Lily?"
"I had my mother come pick her up, I wanted to be here at least until you got here."
"If you need to leave..."
Mallory interrupted, "I'm not going any where, Josh."
He was grateful but his mind wouldn't stop reeling. He needed to talk to someone about his wife other wise he was going to get violent. As if on cue a doctor came through the swinging doors.
"Mr. Lyman,"
"Dr. Hathaway." Josh recognized Donna's doctor immediately.
"What's wrong with Donna?"
"She's suffering from Placental Abruption. It's a condition where the placenta has torn away from the walls of the uterus. It appears to be a severe separation. Your wife said that she's been experiencing some tenderness and some bleeding and then when she came into my office she doubled over in pain and was having constant contractions. It's very important that we deliver the baby now and get your wife a transfusion. I'm afraid she's lost a lot of blood."
Josh felt Mallory's hands on his back for support. "Is she going to be okay?" Josh choked.
"We're going to do our best. I won't lie to you, this is a very dangerous time for the mother and the baby. I've got to get back in there. It will likely be a couple of hours. I would suggest sitting down and trying to relax because at the moment there is nothing you can do."
Josh felt his world slipping from his finger tips. There was nothing he could do.
Nothing.
"Mr. President, I thought you should know that Donna Lyman went into labor today," Leo said to his boss.
"Labor? Isn't she early?"
"Yes, sir. There are complications."
"What's wrong?"
Leo shifted uncomfortably in front of the President's desk. "Placental Abruption..."
"Is it severe?" The President asked as he stood up.
"It appears that way. They're going to perform a C-section and give Donna a transfusion."
"Abbey had one with Zoey, about scared the life out of me. Josh must be going out of his mind."
"He sounded pretty put together."
"This is Donna we're talking about, you and I both know that he was putting on a front. It's what Josh does. If we weren't in the middle of the thing I would be down there sitting with him," Josiah Bartlett said sorrowfully.
"Me too, sir," Leo agreed. "Mal is with him and I think Sam is going to go down there soon. He's not alone. He asked me to call his mother and her parents. Margaret is planning on going down there for her lunch break. That should distract him plenty."
"Keep me posted will you?"
"Of course, sir."
"Josh!" Sam came barreling into the waiting room with a panicked expression. "I got here as soon as I could!" He embraced his friend. Josh was grateful for a friendly face. Mallory had been nice, but they weren't close like Sam and Josh were. "How is she?"
"We don't know. The doctor hasn't come back out. But it's only been an hour." Josh was frustrated and angry.
"She's pulled through worse, Josh, I'm sure she's going to be fine. You know you Lymans, you can never do anything the easy way. It's always got to be the hard and painful way." Sam was serious but trying to lighten the mood. The ghost smile on Josh's face Sam knew that he felt better just because he was there with him.
Josh nodded and turned around to sit back down in his chair. He wouldn't be in it long, but he didn't feel like pacing at that particular moment. Sam sat down across from him.
"Where's Mal?" Sam asked.
"I think she said something about coffee. It's funny I can never get anyone to bring me coffee unless I'm sitting in a hospital room," Josh replied raking his hands through his hair.
"Your wife likes to make sure that you get your own coffee." Sam smirked.
"Apparently. I can't believe she got Mike to agree not to bring me my coffee."
"Mike seems to be working out well, coffee aside."
"He's no Donna, but he's the next best thing," Josh agreed.
Sam let out a long sigh. "No one is Donna, but you knew that and that's why you finally married her."
"Samuel!" Mallory approached handing Josh a cup of piping hot coffee.
"Mallory." He pulled his wife into a hug and then they both sat down in front of Josh.
"You guys have a family, if you need to go..."
"Josh, you're part of the family," Mallory replied.
"And so is Donna," Sam finished.
Josh nodded and stood up. He started pacing again. His gaze fell upon the swinging doors that lead to Donna. His mind began to wander.
Seven in a half months ago...
"Josh, I need you to stop moving and by that I mean stand still," Donna ordered standing in front of him while she was tying his bow tie.
"Donna, this is our first Presidential ball as husband and wife. I finally get to take you out on the dance floor and spin you around and hold you tight while everyone including the press corp get an eye full," Josh said bouncing back and fourth.
"That's fine, but if you keep moving I'm going to strangle you with this tie and then you're not going to be able to do anything at the party," Donna growled.
Josh just smiled and pressed his lips to hers. Donna allowed him to deepen the kiss and melted into his embrace. She felt his hands on her bare back and her whole body heated.
Donna pushed Josh backwards, "Hey, stop that! We've been back from the honeymoon for two days, we have to learn to keep our hands off each other. You keep doing that and we're not going to be able to go to any party especially if you ruin my hair."
"You take all the fun out of being newly weds."
Donna just rolled her eyes. "You have to hold still if you want me to tie your tie otherwise I'm getting out the pre-tied tie."
Josh let out a sigh and stood in front of his wife trying to stand as still as he possibly he could. "Josh, there is something important to tell you."
Josh looked at her for a long moment. "I don't like it when you bring up serious things while tying me tie."
"It's nothing bad, well I don't think it's bad. I think it could be good, great in fact!"
Josh smiled a little, "As much as I love to watch you babble you're making me nervous."
"I'm pregnant," Donna spit out.
"Wow! That's not what I was expecting." Josh sat down abruptly on the bed. "We've been married for like an hour and you're pregnant?" Josh's eyes were wide.
"Yes, it appears that way. We've been married for almost two months, which big surprise is about how far a long I am," Donna replied.
Josh held out his arm for her. She sat down on his lap, her gown snaking up her thighs. "Are you okay? Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I saw the doctor yesterday. I got the results today and I have a check up in a week."
"So what you're saying is that in seven months I'm going to be a father and you're going to be a mother and I still have two in a half years left in office," Josh stated.
"That's right!"
Donna watched as Josh's face went from surprise to complete and utter happiness. He kissed her thoroughly and then pulled Donna up with him. "Okay, tie this tie, let's go to the party."
"You can't tell anyone, Josh. It's bad luck until after the first trimester. That's when most things go wrong."
"I can't tell anyone?"
"No, Joshua, I mean it. Not even Sam. You can tell them in a month if I'm still pregnant."
Josh sighed, "Fine!"
"I mean it, Joshua, not a soul!"
"I have kept secrets a secret and you don't think I can keep this a secret?"
"I really don't," Donna smirked. "Now stand still otherwise we're never going to make it to the party."
Josh managed to stay still long enough for her to tie the tie. Josh went to the mirror and checked her work. "You're so much better at that than I am," he said tweaking the tie.
"That's because I know how to tie and tie and you don't."
"Fair point." Josh grabbed Donna by the wrist and pulled her to him. He lowered his mouth over hers before she could say anything. He loved kissing her, he could never get enough of it. "I'm going to be a father?"
"Yes."
"You're going to be a mother?"
"Yes."
"And I can't tell anyone?"
"No."
"This is going to be harder than keeping state secrets."
Donna laughed, "I know but don't you think you should try...for me?"
"I will try very hard."
"I'll love you either way." Donna kissed him briefly on the mouth. "I need to go freshen up my lipstick and then we need to go, otherwise we're going to be late."
Josh watched his wife leave the bedroom. He felt his entire body humming with excitement. He was going to be a father and nothing could excite him more.
That night he didn't tell a soul, but he had a smile plastered across his face the entire night and he couldn't seem to keep his hands off of Donna especially her stomach.
Josh was pulled from his thoughts when he saw the First Lady and Toby enter the waiting room. He stood there and watched as they approached.
"Josh, honey how are you?"
"Dr. Bartlett?" Josh couldn't form the words.
"My husband told me what was going on. I wanted to come see you. The same thing happened to me with Zoey."
Josh suddenly felt a little reassured. Zoey and Dr. Bartlett were fine and two of the strongest women he knew. He let Abbey hug him. She started checking his vital signs as well.
"When was the last time you ate?"
Josh just gave her a blank look.
"Okay, we should all go have something to eat down in the cafeteria." Abbey went and greeted Sam and Mallory.
Toby took a step in front of Josh. "This will be the scariest time in your life. Right here waiting to hear from the doctor's mouth that the baby and the mother are okay. I wish I could bring you words of comfort but I felt like my entire world stopped, holding it's breath until everything was okay again, and Andi had a pretty easy birth." He clapped his hand onto his friend's back. "Donna's a strong girl and you know that baby is going to be as stubborn as the both of you are, so have hope."
Josh was grateful to Toby for being frank with him about what was happening in his life. He saw Abbey tell the nurse that they were going the cafeteria and if anything changed they should be paged down there immediately. The nurse nodded.
"Come on, Joshua," Abbey said escorting him down the hall to the elevator.
Six in a half months earlier...
"Does anyone have anything else?" President Bartlett asked.
Everyone glanced at everyone. "No, sir," Leo replied.
"Mr. President? Leo? I have a small announcement. Donna gave me the go ahead. I just wanted to tell you since everyone is here, Donna is pregnant."
C.J. gasped, Sam and Toby smiled, Leo shook his head and the President came around his desk and approached Josh.
"You guys have been married for like three months. How far along is she?" President Bartlett asked.
"Three months, sir. I wasn't allowed to say anything until she was three months along."
"It's bad luck," Toby stated.
Josh glanced over at him and then back at the President.
"Congratulations, son." The President hugged Josh.
"Thank you, sir."
"How long have you known?" Sam asked.
"A month," he replied.
"And you kept it a secret?" Leo asked.
"I can keep a secret."
C.J. snorted.
Josh glared at her. "Anyway, I just thought you should know."
The room filled with "congratulations" as the Senior Staff dissipated. Josh headed to his office and closed the door. He was reading his file intently.
"Is that interesting?" Donna's voice filled the room.
Josh looked up from the folder and saw his wife in his chair with her long legs stretched out on top of the desk. "Am I dreaming?"
Donna smiled. "No, I came to visit, Mike said you were in Senior Staff no doubt telling everyone about our news and so I just thought I would make myself comfortable."
"Everyone says 'congratulations' and so on and so fourth."
"You told Mike first?"
"He is my assistant," Josh replied.
"Yeah, he treated me like I was nine months pregnant with an ailing disease," Donna said.
"How do you mean?"
"He asked me if I needed anything to drink or eat. He pulled out the chair and helped me into it as if I were going to break any minute."
Josh chuckled, "He's overprotective of you."
"He's a sweet guy."
Donna stood up and approached her husband. "What's wrong?"
"How do you mean?"
"I don't know, something seems a little off with you."
"I'm fine."
"Joshua," Donna called.
"What? I'm fine."
"How long have you known me?"
"Seems like forever...in a good way," he said smiling big.
"How often have you been able to keep something from me?"
"Let me see, including today, never," he sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"It just occurred to me that I don't know how to be a father. I'm nearly forty-two and all I know is my job and you of course, but that's not the same as being a father."
Donna chortled wrapping her arms around his waist and tugging him to her. "You're going to be a wonderful father and right now you're in the process of making the world a better place for our child. This kid is going to be one of the luckiest kids in the world. Probably the next President of the United States if you have you're way."
Josh knelt down in front of Donna pressing his forehead against her navel. "You hear that, the President of the United States? I promise you, you can be anything you want to be," Josh said to her stomach. "But President of the United States isn't a bad gig."
Donna laughed. Josh looked up at her and smiled. "My family," he murmured.
Josh stirred his mash potatoes as the group of people surrounding him chatted about absolutely nothing. Just then there was a announcement over the loud speaker.
"Josh Lyman please come to the first floor nurses' station."
"My family." He sprang up from his chair and ran to the staircase.