Title: Apartment 6/8 Daylight Series 9/?
By: chipmunk
See disclaimers in Part one
Archived at:
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One hour later, all four are ready to go box scrounging. Needless to say, the guys decide to ride in the front, Josh calling shotgun. Donna points out with their jobs, "Maybe you shouldn't say that too loud, Josh. At work they'd have Leo and you flat on the concrete and you'd be covered over by at least two agents." Everyone chuckles as Josh agrees with her. The girls are fine with this arrangement since they're going to plan the moving strategy, while they're riding around.
Margaret's directing from the back seat and suggests to Leo where they should try first. "Lets try the super grocery store." She tells them her logic, "With this being Sunday morning, they should have boxes emptied from restocking the shelves after Saturday and maybe no one else is there before us."
"Sounds good to me, 'Dear'. I'll drive and you can hang over the seat and pick-out which pot holes I should dodge on the way," Leo's being sarcastic, figuring he'd 'nip in the bud' any back seat drivers.
"Just suggesting a starting point, 'Sweetie'." She knows what he's doing and she's not letting him get away with it.
"Donna, I get the feeling that the endearments, 'Dear' and 'Sweetie', don't mean the same thing to them as they do to us. Must be the hint of something in their tone of voice," Josh loves ribbing them.
"Yes, it does, Josh," Donna assures him. "I just use different words than they do. They're being polite about it." She shoots Josh down without breaking a sweat or a nail.
Leo and Margaret can't help it and they laugh at the look on Josh's face, waiting for the comeback. He doesn't make them wait long.
Josh smile and look back over the seat and answers, "Yes, 'Dear', I know," to Donna.
"Oh, Josh," she swipes a hand at him, but can't reach him, due to her seat belt. Leo even ducks, while he's driving. He can see Donna's swing with the rearview mirror, since she's sitting right behind him. He doesn't want to be the recipient when she misses.
"OK, everyone, while we're traveling, lets decide how we can achieve the packing in the shortest amount of time." Leo suggests, getting everyone back on track. His job talents come in handy at times.
Josh, adding his part in helping suggests, "The most logical way, would be to divide up what's needed to be packed by areas." He further explains his plan, "That way we're not falling all over each other, trying to move back and forth through the apartment and falling over boxes."
"Good idea, Josh," Leo agrees. "How about we assign rooms and that way everyone knows what they are responsible for." He pauses to see if anyone pipes in. "That way we're not double guessing what each other has packed and what's left."
"OK, then I would like to suggest the room assignments." Margaret states, "Leo packs up his kitchen and I'll take my room. Donna can handle the bath, plus the dining area. Josh, you get the living room with the electronics and media, since that is your expertise and can best decide how to pack them." She figures that's the logical way to divide by what each of them knows best.
"I definitely can do that!" Josh promises, "Margaret, rest assured, the entertainment equipment will arrive at the new place in excellent condition and I can reinstall it when we get it there." He looks around at the others. "You know, that's probably going to be the best plan anyway, for each of us to unpack our areas at the new apartment." He's pleased with his assigned area. "This is going to be the fastest move on record."
"Sounds great to me!" Donna likes the assignments too and suggests a time frame. "That way, if any of us get off early or has extra time during the week, we can go over and pack, since we'll know our assigned area." She continues, "Margaret, you can just let us know what few basics you really need out and we can pack everything else."
Leo adds his opinion, "Well, you know I'll agree. I'm happy knowing I get to pack the kitchen. Plus, I'll know what basics to leave out for her to use and I can save a small box to pack them last and unload first." He continues, "That's decided then," he pauses to look at Margaret in the mirror, "Margaret, we got out of the apartment so fast, I didn't get to ask you how you did with the rental offices. What did they tell you on viewing the apartments?" He has a hopeful tone to his voice. He wants to get it settled 'where' she's moving to, as fast as possible, since Margaret's going to be a nervous wreck till she knows.
"We're in luck, Leo." She smiles cheerfully, "They both did have two-bedroom apartments for rent and are available immediately." Donna and her then exchange a smile at her good fortune, "I told them that I worked at the White House and was limited on time to move, might as well use all the strings that I can." She adds since they're in for a surprise, "I just didn't tell them where in the White House I worked, but they may guess it with you two in tow." She lowers her voice like she's spreading gossip; "They thought it was terrible what the landlords were doing to the tenants on short notice. Even if we did get an initial notice at the first of the year." She smiles again, "They both are nicely willing to have someone show us the apartments this afternoon.
"So, what times did you agree on?" Leo asks as he quickly glances back over the seat to her.
"At Potomac Place, I told them 1pm and at the Latrobe, I asked for 2:30pm." She reviews the time planning. "That should give us an hour at Potomac and since they're close together, we can be over at Latrobe in time. One apartment is south of the capital and the other is north of it."
"Excellent scheduling there, Margaret." He then gets has a small grin on this face, "Maybe you should get a job doing that, somewhere that you are appreciated for your skills." Leo just can't resist teasing her.
"Sure, Leo, very funny." Margaret's dry wit is coming into play, "Maybe one of these days I will, but right now I have this tyrant that I work for and he won't let me quit. He has me tied to my desk!" She's really rubbing it in. She likes to take the opportunity on the weekends, when he blindly walks right into it.
"Ouch," he takes the verbal hit. "You got that right! Your tyrant boss would be so lost in paperwork; he'd be buried under it, till halfway through the next Republican President."
"That's bad, Leo! Really bad," Josh can't help voicing his displeasure at the thought of a Republican President.
They arrive at the huge parking lot, but it isn't packed today. The girls finally emerge from the back of the car and all four gather at the back of the car, where Leo has the trunk open and Josh is helping him to rearrange the contents to allow more space for the boxes. "Hey, Leo, I found your bungie cords. If we stack the boxes inside each other, we should get quite a few in here."
"Yeah, but if they're willing to give us a lot of boxes, we'll need to take a load back to the apartment and make a second run, after we view the apartments." Leo regretfully suspects they may need a quite a few, before this is over. "Maybe we can do it on the way back?"
"Good plan, Leo!" Donna agrees that more may be needed, remembering the last time she moved. "Times like this makes me wish more of us had big cars. Yours is the biggest car, Leo. Margaret's and mine are little economical types and Josh's is a two seater, with practically no trunk area."
"Hey, Cutie! You like riding in my small convertible." He grins at Donna, "Beside, it's cool," Josh defends his car.
"It may look great, Josh." She point out to him, "But it isn't very practical for moving purposes." She wraps her arm around his waist and grins at him, "I'm Cutie, now?"
Leo, reminds them that, "We just need to transport the empty boxes." He then decides now is a good time to voice his overall plans and firmly declares, "I'll pack boxes, but I'm not moving furniture. I want to walk upright the next week. We 'are' getting a moving crew on moving day. I'll even pay for them." He's looking intently at Margaret. He knows she's going to balk big time at this. He bravely reminds himself that she hasn't taken a swing at his head, yet! That may change, so outside is a good place to let her know. Plus, to stay out of arms reach.
"No, Leo," Margaret loudly protests with a pointed look at Leo.
"Yes, I will, Margaret," he firmly states. "You can give me your, 'Leo, your wasting money again' look all you want. A crew 'will' be there, if I have to sit on you, while they haul the furniture and boxes out." He says this as no idle threat.
"We'll just see, Leo!" Margaret's sizes him up and is not backing down. "First, I know you'll get the most expensive crew in the District." She starts to get the faults of plan.
Josh and Donna are leaning on the closed trunk looking like they're enjoying a tennis match, as they shift their faces back and forth between Leo and Margaret. The fireworks are getting better.
"Margaret," he growls as he leans toward her, almost nose to nose, so by-passers will not hear what they're saying. "As long as they're on time, careful with your things and efficient." He growls out, "'screw' the cost." His eyes are daring her to comment on his using the word 'screw'. "Hell, I even throw in a bonus if they send extra men and are done in half the time," He's really going to make her blow a gasket.
"Leo," she practically stomps a foot as she tries to keep her voice to a normal level, since they are in public. Though the public is scarce right now. "You'll 'not' throw money around like that. I won't allow it."
"Don't 'Leo' me!" He retorts, "You know that we're in crunch for time and if money talks, this time it's going to sing." He points out the pluses she has already achieved, "We're already doing the packing and then the unpacking." He pauses while looking her straight in the eye, head tilted, to read her eyes. "That's as for as I'm compromising." He still lists the best points to her, "You have us packing your stuff, to keep it private and packed up safely." He decides to try being firm again and he jabs a pointed finger to the ground at his feet with his keys still in his hand, still looking at her face, "This is the part I get to decide. That's what I do best, Margaret. Define the job. Analyze the best way to get it done and also be done right." He's still looking at her face to judge if she sees how serious he is. Their eyes are locked, still silently debating without words.
Her shoulders slump just slightly, "Leo," she now has the slightest plead to her voice as a part of her knows he's making sense, but the other part doesn't want him footing the bill.
"Margaret, I know this goes against your grain, but you're not injuring your back again. Period!" Leo switches tactics, since he knows she never worries about herself. "I 'need' you with me at work in the coming weeks." Switching again, since he can tell she's swaying in his favor. "You're important to me and I take care of those who are to me. It's just my way."
"Margaret," Josh puts an arm around her, "sorry, but that clinches it. You lost this round. Might as well concede graciously, now." He gives her a squeeze, "When he gets that tone, we know we've lost." He speaks from experience. "The President can't even stand up to that argument, so neither can we."
"OK, I surrender, Leo. How can I argue with you, when you are doing it to help me?" She steps out of Josh's arm and wraps her arm around Leo's waist. "Let's get inside and grab some boxes. We don't want to be late for the first appointment and we'll have to feed Josh lunch before we go, or he might starve right before us," she jokes again.
"You know, being with you two is nice. You feed me at regular intervals," Josh comments back to them as he's starting to the store with Donna already.
"Just getting you fattened up for the work week, Josh," Margaret answers and Leo smiles, since he knows that they'll really have feed Josh. At work he's going, all the time, at 90 miles an hour, so that he forgets to eat, but during down time he makes up for all the lost meals.
The four of them walk through the parking lot to the store entrance in pairs. Josh and Donna have an arm around each other's waist, walking in sync and are just happy with the day together. Leo leans over and gives Margaret a kiss on the temple. "Thanks, Margaret," he whispers while his head is near hers.
"Leo, we're not suppose to kiss in public," she cheerfully scolds him, glad that the storm between them has blown over.
"I keep trying to remember that, Margaret," he chuckles to let her know he's not trying too hard.
At the entrance the girls and guys split up, "Leo, you and Josh try the produce section and Donna and I will try the snack aisle." She looks pointedly at Leo; so that he hears what she says next, "Do 'not' buy any produce. I mean it. We have enough now to feed an army or Josh, which ever comes first." She looks at Josh, "Restrain him if necessary and try for boxes with handles cut in them, like the ones for bananas or apples." She finishes with, "We'll meet you up front, shortly."
"OK, Margaret, no more produce today." Leo looks disappointedly at the produce to the left and at Josh, knowing Josh is under orders. "I agree, since we're in a hurry." As the two group start on the separate ways in the store, Leo, gets in a quick, last minute dig at Margaret. "You know, we could've gotten really nice boxes from the moving company."
"They charge you for them, Leo," she just couldn't resist getting in the last word.
They meet shortly outside the front door. Both groups have boxes loaded into shopping carts. They get these to the car and are systematically packing them in to the trunk.
"Leo," Donna suggests, "Margaret and I got some boxes that are a little smaller that we could nest together and set in the back seat with Josh and me. It'll be fine till we get to the apartment."
"Good idea," Leo agrees. "You girls sort them out, while we get ours in the trunk and then we'll see what we can do with what you have left." They manage to get all 20 odd boxes into the car and shortly are at the apartment.
All four of them are loaded with boxes as they awkwardly maneuver out of the hall and in the door. "Leo, why don't you and Josh go fix us some sandwiches and chips for lunch?" Margaret is looking at the pile of boxes in the middle of the living room. "Donna and I will sort what size boxes are needed in each room. That way we can sit down and eat before we need to leave again." Margaret has a plan going again.
Leo and Josh take off for the kitchen, "OK, Leo, what first?" Josh is waiting for orders in Leo's kitchen.
"First, Josh, to save us time, grab the bread and lay out about half the loaf, in a line on the counter". Leo then tells him, "I'm going for the sandwich spread and a small spatula." Josh has a happy look on his face, as he understands the plan. Leo confirms the idea, "This is going to look like poker night and I'm the dealer." The guys just grin at each other.
"Cool, I'll keep the sandwich makings coming at you from the frig.," Josh adds to the plan.
They look like they have practiced this technique before. The girls arrive in time to see some of the finals items applied, like an assembly line. "You know, Donna. The Pep boys of Detroit have nothing on the White House Senior Staff, when it comes to getting something accomplished in a hurry." Margaret can't resist making fun of the way the guys are making the sandwiches. "Leave it to a couple of guys to get mechanical with something so simple as making sandwiches and love doing it."
Donna adds to the teasing, "Do you guys go to a class for that technique or is it a natural instinct?"
"I think it's a fraternity system for survival. That's where Sam and I learned it," Josh explains where he found out about it.
"I got it from the guys in the military, before I even went to college," Leo tells his source for the deal a sandwich style.
The females look at each other and say together, "A guy thing!" Like that explains it totally.
Donna volunteers, "We'll just get the drinks and chips to the table and when you get done building the Dagwood sandwiches, we'll be at the table waiting."