Part 4 'Wow, Are You Stupid!'

It's three o'clock and I've just done my second briefing of the day. There are three bills coming up for vote in the next week and they all have one thing in common; partisanship. But do you think that's what everyone is talking about? Nope. Everyone's eating up the Fisher story. What's the Fisher story, you ask? Tonnie Fisher just was outted for an elusive affair with the Congressman of Wyoming. She had been a stalker of his ten years back—yes I said stalker—and about a year ago started an affair with him. Apparently, the Congressman was unaware that she had been picked up for loitering on front of his home the nine years before. The affair was enough for the press being that he's a highly publicized family man. But to add the stalker record to the story seems to add an allure to the whole thing.

All day I've been getting questions on comments from the President. It doesn't matter that the Congressman is a republican and the President's opinion is moot in this point. I still keep getting questions about it.

"I'll have more information on the Homeowner's Bill in the late briefing tonight. Thank you everyone, that's a full lid."

I'm walking away from the podium when Katie approaches me.

"CJ, I really need to talk to you about something."

"Katie, I gotta tell ya, if it's about Fisher I can't comment."

"It's not Fisher." I stop and turn to her.

"What's it about?"

"Josh."

"Josh?" Okay, I'm confused. "Well why didn't you bring it up during the briefing? When Tom mentioned the article for the umpteenth time."

"It's not about the article's content." I place my hands on my hips. Now I'm really baffled.

"Then what is it about?" Katie looks around her and I know it's to see what reporters are listening. Whatever it is, it must be good if she doesn't want to share. I'm gonna kill him.

"A friend of mine went out with her husband last night and she thought she saw Josh at the restaurant. I don't want to seem like a gossip columnist, Lord knows I'd kill myself first, but she said he was with a woman and they seemed kind of intimate."

"Josh goes out Katie, what's the big deal?"

"Well my friend knows her. She's worked with her before and she's apparently a great reporter but . . ." she pauses, another small look. "Well, she's known to be a little eccentric about certain topics."

"Is this anything that might show up in a vetting?"

"I think so, yeah." I pat Katie's shoulder.

"Thanks Katie. I'll check out her info. I owe you one." I am just soooo going to kill him.

So Toby wanted to go over some briefing notes on the Homeowner's Bill. I understand his concern. It's a bill that's going to get passed by the republican majority and we may end up needing the President to veto. Toby's frustrated; then again, when isn't he? But I can tell the extent of his frustration by the rubber ball in his hand hitting the wall before bouncing back into his hand over and over again.

"It's not a good bill, CJ."

"I know Toby. And even if I didn't know, I'm sure I would have gotten it the first hundred times you've told me."

"The passing of this bill will be the passing of many bills like it. Lower classes will be paying a higher tax rate than they have in five years and it'll make our tax break from last year seem obsolete." Toby had just finished his rant when Carol came up to me and handed me a file.

"Carol, what's this?"

"It's the file you asked for; the vetting on Staci George."

"Right. Thanks." I start leafing throw it as Toby continues his rant.

"Not only is this bill entirely partisan, but it's partisan for the wrong side! I think –-"

"Toby." Did I just read that right?

"Yeah." I hear the ball stop but I don't stop my reading. My quiet must have worried him because he tries to grab my attention. "What is it?"

"Nothing." I close the file. "Can I borrow your ball for a second?"

"My ball?" He looks at me like I'm crazy.

"Yes. Just for a second."

"O-k." He tosses it to me and I easily catch it. With that I turn on my heals and head through the doors heading towards my office. Or, at least, what looks like my office.

"Hey CJ."

"Not now Donna." I know I just confused her but her confusion is about to get clarified as I move to the open door to the Deputy Chief of Staff. I don't say hello, I don't say a word. Instead I pull up my arm and pitch the rubber ball dramatically close to the dip shit's head.

"Wow!" Well that got his attention. He looks up at me startled. "CJ, what the hell are you doing? That came close to hitting me."

"Are you stupid?"

"Was that one of Toby's balls?"

"Are you deliberately out to sabotage my life?"

"What are you talking about?" I slam the door shut and stalk over to his desk.

"Do you know why we vet people?"

"Yeah."

"So you understand we look over this information when we get it?"

"CJ, what's this about?"

"What's this about?" I'm amazed by his ignorance. "Oh, I don't know, Josh. Does the chain-parliament-smoking-moo-moo-wearer come to mind?"

"CJ, I swear to God I haven't been on that site since the last time we had this discussion." Men are idiots.

"Oh, I'm aware of that fact. I still have an intern assigned to that psych- ward. That's not what's bothering me. What's bothering me is Nurse Ratchet coming home to roost."

"Okay, now I'm really confused." He stands up in front of me.

"Talked to Katie today. Said a friend saw you livin' it up with your interviewer last night. She said she's known to be a little eccentric so I thought I'd look her up. Have you looked at her vetting material?"

"Yes, yes I have?"

"And?"

"And she seems like a nice girl from Iowa. She has great credentials as a freelance—"

"See anything familiar in there?" I interrupt him.

"No..."

"Does the term, 'Lemon-Lyman Dot Com' mean anything to you?" He gives me a puzzled look. "Oh yeah, that's right, that was the site you posted on that caused me grief for a week!"

"CJ, I don't see what this has to do with Staci and—"

"She owns the site you dumb ass." His face expands into bewilderment. This is just such a Josh thing.

"She's...?"

"Yeah. So tell me Josh, did you see her moo-moo? Was it sexy?"

"Oh this isn't good." He falls into his chair.

"You think! Not only did you give her security clearance to the White House, but you also gave her access to yourself. This can get drastically bad like," I snap, "that." I look down and notice the ball has rolled over to my feet.

"CJ, don't you think you're over reacting?"

"Oh really? Did you happen to see today's press briefing? Does Tonnie Fisher mean anything to you? Stalker interest is big news right now and the last thing I need is to be explaining how our no comment had nothing to do with our knowledge of a similar White House scandal." I lean down quickly and scoop it up. "Fix this Josh. I don't want to be giving a briefing on your stupidity," I head for the door and pull it open, taking one step out. "Again!" And with that I slam the door shut. Apparently I was wrong when I thought Donna would become clear because when I looked over, she still seemed confused. But then again, I did close the door for a reason. "Get this back to Toby?" I toss Donna the ball. "Thanks." I nod at her before storming my way into my office to figure out what to do next.

I really do want to kill that boy.

(Author's Note:

Jessica: I thought it was kinda funny, but I have a twisted sense of humor.

Kelly: I'm kinda good at getting into a character's head. That's why I perfer fan fiction so much. But thank you for the compliment.

mockingbird: Same thing as with Kelly, just one more thing. I'm glad you liked the girl's thing. I think Donna has a pivital role in Josh's life... he just doesn't know it yet.

Thank you all so very much for feedback. See how quickly I update with feedback?)