Chapter 2

Lots of yelling but no flying objects

Josh Lyman was having one of those days that made him incredibly happy that he would soon be leaving his nice job as a lawyer in the private sector to campaign. Everything seemed to be going wrong and the petty case he was working on was driving him up the wall. But even the thought of leaving shortly afforded him little joy, as it was one of the reasons his wife, Amy, was leaving him. Instead of being supportive of his new path she had balked completely and finally ended an already crumbling marriage. She then moved out of their house, taking their five and six year old daughters with her.
So it would suffice to say that Josh was feeling irritable when his secretary, Kate, poked her head into his office.
"You have a visitor, Mr. Lyman." She announced politely.
"Tell them to go away and not come back!" Josh answered.
"Well, if that's how you really feel, I suppose I could leave." Donna Moss quipped standing in Josh's open doorway. Josh's stomach leapt. She look just as beautiful as she had the last time he'd seen her, and that had been so long that he wasn't even sure he knew anymore. Josh moved to the doorway intending to give her a hug but something chilly in her demeanor stopped him. Instead he held out his hand, feeling foolish.
"Of course I don't want you to leave." he responded. He was annoyed at the discomfort he felt; normally he made people uneasy, not the other way around.
"It's just been a long day." Josh smiled slightly.
Donna ignored his outstretched hand and instead moved to embrace him.
"It's good to see you." Donna told him as she moved out of his arms.
"I can't say I'm not surprised to see you." Josh responded sitting on the outer edge of his desk and offering Donna the chair opposite him. "So to what do I owe this honor?" Josh asked, somewhat awkwardly.
"To Sam actually, and me. We're getting married." Donna announced coolly but not without a degree of hesitation. And then she started counting in her head. 3...2...1...
"You and Sam are doing what?!" Josh exclaimed right on schedule at such a volume that his secretary appeared and closed his door.
"We're getting married in two months. Don't act surprised, I know Sam ran this past you."
"Running it past me is different that finding out that you are cracked enough to accept! Plus, I thought I talked him out of it." Josh answered, still in a much louder voice than normal
"Does your version of talking him out of it involve throwing things at his head? Because that really didn't do the trick." Donna smiled slightly.
"Don't screw around with me. Do you really hate me this much?" Josh questioned, now so soft that Donna had to strain to hear.
"Damn it, Josh! This has nothing to do with you! Do you really think I'd marry Sam out of spite?" Donna asked, now finding her voice rising along with her temper.
"Not anymore than I thought you'd do something as shallow as marring Sam to be First Lady." Josh fired off angrily.
"That's not fair. I'm not marrying him so I can be First Lady. I'm marrying him so he can be President!" Donna was quickly loosing her calm. She started to wonder if she should have brought Sam with her. At least that way Josh could take turns yelling at them. This way she had to handle all of it herself.
"Amy and I are getting a divorce. Did Sam even bother to tell you that?" Josh finally stated wearily as he sat back down on his desk.
"Yes, but it doesn't change anything. Really, what do you want me to say? I am sorry about your marriage." Donna responded. "But I can't magically make everything better. And I'm going to marry Sam."
Before Josh had the chance to respond, Donna was on her feet and on her way to the door.
"Sam and I are meeting Toby and CJ and everyone for dinner tonight. Have your secretary call my secretary." Donna stated and then made her way out the door before waiting for an answer, but then her changed her mind and stopped in the doorway.
"Oh and before I forget, Sam wants you to be best man at our wedding." And with that Donna vanished.
Josh collapsed at his desk speechless over what had just happened. In just over ten minutes his day had gone from bad to worse.
"Kate!" Josh bellowed. His secretary came hesitantly into his office.
"Call Donna Moss's office and find out when I'm supposed to meet her for dinner."