None of your Business – Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I don't own them, never will. This fic is for self satisfaction only.
A/n: I Love Feedback!
Chapter Summary: Donna copes with Josh's silent treatment.
It's been a week since Josh left. I can't stop thinking about him. I still, despite his cold treatment, haven't been able to fully convince myself that I was indeed hallucinating when I heard him tell me that he loved me. I tell myself that I need to believe him so that I can get over him. I can't be suffering like a lovesick teenager for the rest of my life. If he doesn't love me, it's time to move on.
My mom has been a great help. I love having her here. Although I haven't told her about my episode with Josh a week ago, she seems to understand that something did happen, and that not only am I hurting on the outside, I am also hurting on the inside. We try to keep things upbeat by watching a lot of German TV. We laugh at the dubbed versions of American soap operas and Chevy Chase films. Somehow, those movies are a lot funnier in German.
I am eating my dull hospital lunch when I hear a knock on the door. My first irrational brain reaction is 'Is it Josh? I hope it is Josh so I can give him the cold shoulder in return for what he's done'. But then I think, Don't be silly, Donna, Josh wouldn't go through all the trouble of coming here. He doesn't love you, remember?
Behind the curtain, I see a man coming in. Soon he pokes his head around and announces himself. It's Colin, looking more handsome than ever, with a bouquet of white daisies.
"Colin, I'm glad you came!"
He comes over and kisses me on the cheek. I guess we haven't really communicated in over a week, and I haven't even thought about him since Josh left, so it's probably appropriate that he'd kiss me on the cheek rather than on the lips. It's probably for the best anyway, because I bet I have sick breath right now. I introduce him to my mom. She looks impressed. She leaves to go freshen up and he sits in the chair by my bedside.
We have some small talk and I ask how things are going in Gaza. He updates me on all the investigations that followed the bombing. He asks about Josh, as if he expected Josh to still be here with me (I did too, in a way). I tell him Josh had to go back to his big important job, where he could ignore me for another two years. Of course I didn't put it quite this way, I used the politically correct version "He had to go back to work."
Colin is such a charmer. He's got this cute smile, and this seductive way of holding my hand. He brushes the hair from my face and places a soft kiss on my forehead. If I wasn't so hung up on Josh, I'd move my head a little higher, and steal a kiss from his mouth as he bends above me. What am I saying? I'm not hung up on Josh. I should be kissing Colin now. After all, he did fly here to see me, and not to do some favor for his boss.
So I tilt my head up and kiss him softly on the lips. He smiles politely and sits back down. Somehow this wasn't the reaction I was expecting. I ask him what's wrong, and he gives me the ever so familiar "It's not you, It's me" speech. I see! He came here to break up with me. He felt guilty that I got blown up in Gaza, so he didn't feel comfortable ignoring the fact that we had slept together. He came to visit once, then he sent the red roses, then he came to visit another time after the surgery to end things.
Wait a minute, why did he send me red roses if he knew he was going to dump me? Getting back to what he is saying, I realize he's actually being really nice about it. He's just going with the logic that he can't leave Gaza because of his job, and how it would be difficult to maintain a long distance relationship, given we both have busy schedules. I agree with him, actually, it wouldn't be possible to continue whatever it is we were having once I get back to work.
So I nod in agreement. I smile to let him know I'm not mad at him. I just have one last question.
"What about the roses, did you know how you felt when you sent me the roses?"
He looked surprised. I could see he doesn't know what I'm talking about.
"What roses?"
I pause for a while, realizing that if he hadn't sent the roses then they must have come from someone else. Was it Josh, and if so, why didn't he tell me?
"It's ok, don't worry about it. Someone else must've sent them."
"Take care, Donnatella."
"You too, Colin."
He gives me a friendly kiss on the cheek and leaves. Wow, that was the easiest break up I have ever gone through. I guess it was easy because I wasn't in love with him, and we really didn't have an actual relationship. We were just two people who got together briefly to satisfy each other's physical needs.
I go back to the roses, and obsess over whether it was Josh who brought them or whether they came from the White House, as a "get well soon" gift.
TBC