Chapter 9
Leo called a few hours later, needing Josh to look at some figures he had e-mailed him. Josh took his laptop to the cafeteria, where he could get online, while Donna stayed with Elizabeth. Twenty minutes into the conversation, they had discussed the school shooting, the Education Building Repairs bill, and were currently on the topic of federal highway road construction. "Yeah, but if they want to get the funding, they'll go along with it," Josh said, before taking a bite of an apple.
"I don't think we have the support we need," Leo said, looking at the report.
"I'll call Matt Skinner. He's for this, he'll know who we need to press."
"Fine. How's your mom?"
"Swelling's down."
"Have you gotten any sleep?"
"Yeah, some friends of hers came by today and stayed while we slept."
"Good, how's Donna holding up?"
"She's a rock, Leo. I don't know what I'd do without her here?"
"And how is that different from here?" he asked, chuckling.
"Point taken," Josh said, smiling.
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Donna watched Elizabeth's chest rise and fall, and thought of Josh. He wouldn't be the same once he lost her, whether it was in eleven days or eleven years. Elizabeth was his only remaining family, his only non-political acquaintance, his only mom, and in a way, his only remaining link to his father and sister.
"I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that your son is driving me insane," she found herself saying after a few minutes of silence. "He refuses to sleep for more than a few hours at a time, and I'm lucky to get him to eat once a day. Not to mention the fact that the nurses and doctors are considering banning him from the building. We went to your condo today and he paid some bills and napped while I cleaned. What is this, the 1950's?" A nurse came in to check Elizabeth's catheter bag, and Donna was quiet until she left.
"So, I was thinking about Amy Gardner earlier. She works at the White House now; did you know that? Yes, five to six days a week with her, it's like Christmas every day," Donna deadpanned. "Anyway, I was just thinking that by now she knows Josh is here and she must know I'm here with him, and she's probably spitting nails, and I thought you would enjoy that, considering the fact that you dislike her as much as I do." She chuckled. "I remember that day we were on the phone and you brought her up and I was trying to pretend like I liked her and Josh together. You laughed at me. You could see right through me… you've always seen right through me. I never told you this, but it felt really good to hear you tell me that you were on my side and that you could tell he didn't love her. I should have told you that, but I'm so used to pretending that it comes second nature to me now. Anyway, thanks. It helped to know that."
The nurse came back in the room then and injected some medication into Elizabeth's IV. Donna sat quietly and watched Elizabeth's face for any sign of movement, but there was none. When the nurse left, she spoke again. "I was also thinking about the first time we met. I remember your husband; I remember the way he looked at you when you walked into the dining room with a pitcher of iced tea. He looked at you like you were the only woman in the world. No one else seemed to notice, but I couldn't help thinking that just by seeing that look, I was intruding on something amazing. I also remember being absolutely positive that leaving David and coming back to the campaign was the right thing to do because he had never looked at me that way, and I wondered if anyone ever would." She took a deep breath and wiped away a tear.
"So right now, I can't help wondering if you're with your husband; if that's why you're reluctant to wake-up, because he's looking at you that way and you don't want to leave it, and if that's the case, I can't blame you. Josh looked at me like that. It was only once, but I would have stayed right there in the snow for the rest of my life if he had asked."
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Donna went back to small talk and Josh came in the room a few minutes later, holding a tray from the cafeteria. "What are you two talking about? My amazing sense of humor?"
Donna looked over at him. "You brought dinner."
"You're avoiding the question." He put the tray down on the small table. There was a hamburger and fries, as well as a chicken caesar salad and two bottles of water.
Donna looked at him. Might as well be somewhat honest, she thought. "Your mom doesn't really care for Amy," she said, taking a bite.
"That's an understatement, don't you think?"
"You knew?"
"Of course. I was in the shower once and Amy answered my phone, which, by the way, she knew I hated. The next day I got a call and an earful from my mom."
"You're mom's pretty likable. I don't see how Amy got on her bad side so quickly."
"Easy, she wasn't you," he said, and took a drink of his water. She looked at him and felt a blush rise to her cheeks. Sensing her embarrassment, Josh covered. "Where did you learn cribbage?"
"My grandfather. He taught me when I was eight."
"Eight? So I didn't stand a chance against you today?"
"Nope. Betty and Russell left the board. We could play later, if you want to."
"So you can beat up on me some more?"
"No, so you can get better," she said snickering. "Beating up on you is just an added bonus."
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Josh and Donna spent the night playing 8 games of cribbage, stopping only when Josh finally won and called it quits on a high note. They also played gin, go fish, and crazy eights. They discussed everything from the Education Building Repairs bill to the results of the latest EEG and MRI results to Cosmo's current quiz: "What Are You Looking For In a Mate?"
"You have to answer seriously."
"I will."
"Really?"
"Probably not."
"Never mind then, I'll do it alone." Donna started reading to herself.
"Donna, I'm bored. It's 4:15 in the morning. You need to entertain me."
"Sorry Josh, I'm doing the quiz. I offered to quiz you, but you were making a joke out of it."
"But I still want to hear your answers," he whined.
"Too bad. If you don't take the quiz, you don't hear the quiz."
"Fine, I'll take the quiz."
"And you'll answer seriously?"
He let out a deep breath. "Yes, I'll answer seriously."
"Ok then. Number one. On a Saturday night, you prefer to: A: Go out dancing, B: Go to dinner and a movie, or C: Rent a movie and order pizza?"
It got quiet for a minute. "Well, what's your answer?" he asked her.
"You're taking the quiz, not me."
"No deal Donna; we both take the quiz."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine, I know it sounds boring, but I like C."
"Because you worked all week long and it's nice to have one relaxing evening with just the two of you."
"Exactly."
"Agreed, next."
"Ok, number 2: 'The Wall Street Journal is A: A waste of time, B: Vital, or C: A nice way to relax on a Sunday?"
"That's a given."
"Obviously. B. Number 3: Sexy is A: Sweet, B: Intelligence, or C: Confidence?"
Josh stared at her for a minute. "What's your answer?" he asked, timidly.
She looked back at him. "Why, what's yours?"
"I asked first."
She spoke quietly. "Well, intelligence and confidence are both sexy."
He smiled. "Sweet and intelligent are both sexy."
"But you dated Amy. She's anything but sweet."
"Free Ride, Commander Wonderful…"
"They were assholes, but they were intelligent."
"Not if they let you go."
"Good point," she said smiling. Number 4. Disagreements are A: Leading up to fights, B: Normal and necessary, or C: Foreplay?"
Josh waved his hand in the air, as if the question was too easy. "Normal and necessary. No one agrees 100 of the time."
"If you always agree, someone's just placating."
"Exactly."
"Number 5. A: Nice house, B: Nice car, or C: Location."
"Location."
"Really?" she asked, looking up from the magazine at him.
"Yeah, you?"
"Location, but why did you say that?"
"School district," he said. "You?"
"Safety for kids."
"Agreed," he said nodding.
"Number 6. When push comes to shove, he should be A: A provider, B: A leader, C: A partner."
"What do you think?"
"I want a leader. I know it sounds Leave It To Beaverish, but in the tough times, I want to be able to count on him to lead me through it. But…"
"You don't want a ruler."
"Right. There's a difference. He should make me feel safe, but not tell me what to do."
"Cause you're not an idiot who needs some guy to run her life."
"Exactly. Plus…"
"He has to be trustworthy."
"Yes," she said, wondering if he was reading her mind. "If I'm going to let him lead, I need to be able to trust that he's going to lead me the right way."
"He has to have your best interest in mind, not his."
"Our best interest; not mine, not his."
"I meant 'your' in the plural sense," he said.
"Oh, right. What's your answer?"
"I want to be a leader. I want someone to give me her opinion, but in the end, trust me to do what's best for us."
"Even though you aren't perfect and you might mess-up occasionally."
"Right, it's a big responsibility."
"Well, she should be there to help you pick up the pieces when you fall."
He looked at her and then over at the wall. "She is."
She smiled, and then read the next question. "Number 7: If you were in danger, he'd A: Run for help, B: Have someone else run for help and stay with you, C: Climb out on the ledge and save you himself."
The room got quiet and they avoided eye contact. "C," he finally said quietly.
"But, he could get hurt himself," she whispered.
"It doesn't matter, he'd never leave her out there alone," he said, looking directly at her.
She stared at him for a minute, biting her bottom lip, both of them knowing exactly what they were really talking about and both of them wondering when this quiz turned from the hypothetical to the two of them.
Breaking the silence, Donna went on. "The perfect three day weekend is spent A: On a camping trip, B: Flying home to visit family, C: At a Bed and Breakfast."
"B."
"You never do that."
He looked at him mom. "I will from now on."
"Good answer," she said, smiling.
"I thought you'd pick the Bed and Breakfast," he said, questioningly.
"I'd just pick being with y… him."
He smiled at her. "Next."
"Number 9. 'Romance is A: Being swept off your feet, B: A gift after a bad day, C: A cheesy word.
"C."
"Of course you'd think romance is cheesy," she scoffed.
He laughed at her. "If you have to try to be romantic, you really aren't."
"What in the hell are you talking about?" she said sternly.
"What? You want a guy who has to buy you things to make you feel special?"
"No," she said a little louder. "But I want a guy who pays attention to me and wants to treat me nice."
He stood up and started ranting. "But he should always do that Donna, he shouldn't have to plan it. You want a guy who knows you have a bad day and buys you perfume or something? Wouldn't you rather him give you a backrub or bring you home some Cherry Garcia?"
Her head snapped in his direction. "I love Cherry Garcia."
"I know," he said calmly, sitting back down. "That's why I'd bring it to you."
"Oh."
"So C."
"No, B. The gift is the backrub or the Cherry Garcia."
He thought for a minute. "Is that the kind of gift they meant?"
She shrugged. "That's the kind of gift I want."
"Well, I can do that."
She nodded. "Good. That's all I ask."
"Ok then, that wasn't so tough, next."
She stared at him for a minute, wondering what was going on. "10. A summer vacation is planned by A: you, B: A joint effort, C: him."
"A."
"Excuse me?" she popped her head up from the magazine and looked at him like he was crazy.
"A."
"You're going to plan our summer vacation?"
"God no, you are."
"That's C."
"Whatever, you're planning the trip, right?"
"Of course I am."
"Agreed, next."
"That's it."
"That's it? How'd we do?"
She added up their score, seeing as they pretty much agreed on everything. "22. You're looking for long-lasting real love. Intelligence is important to you; you need someone who can match your wits, but who doesn't put it above compassion. They should adore you in their own unique way; you're not interested in Hollywood's idea of a fairy-tail; you'd rather make your own. Yes, they should take care of you, but you want to take care of them too. At the end of the day, you simply want to lie in the arms of the person you love and believe that they're going to be there tomorrow to put the family the two of you create first in their life."
"Well, ok."
"Yeah."
