Chapter 2-Playful Mysteries
Thanks so much for all the support and feedback! So you know, I have already written many more chapters, but I am realeasing them slowly to torture you. :-) Anyway, review this and tell me about how often you think I should release. Now, on to Chapter 2!
"Donna?"
"Hold on Josh, I need to—"
"Now, Donna."
"You can be patient…" she replied, as if in a dream.
"Donna!"
"Yes." Donna came into the room to see Josh at his desk, staring, frustrated, at his computer screen.
"Um…can you get me Toby?"
"Why?"
"I was expecting the draft for the Memorial Day speech today, and I don't have it from him. Wait…"
Josh jabbed angrily at a button.
"Nope. Still no emails. Get Toby."
"Fine, but you need to do something for me, then."
"Sure."
"I'm applying for a night class in political writing…" She walked over to the desk and hurled a packet of paper at Josh. "…and I want you to look over my application.
Josh grinned. "What next? Shall I write you a recommendation?"
"Just do it," Donna moaned in mock agony, to Josh's smiles. She emphasized this comment by throwing a pencil at him, but he ducked neatly. The pencil became firmly jammed in the radiator.
"You can't get me," grinned Josh, already buried in the thick packet.
Donna smiled and left without a word. She and Josh had an…understanding. That was it. She walked down the hall towards Toby's office, passing Leo on the way.
"Hello Donna."
"Hi, Leo—oh my gosh… Leo, you asked me to look up the Gibraltar file, I completely forgot…well, I can go do that right away."
"Are you busy?" asked Leo in his dry but cheerful voice.
"Nah, just running errands for Josh… fetching Toby…"
"You won't find "Mr. Ziegler" in his office. I'm meeting with him in my office now, but right after I'm done I'll send him over."
"Thanks. Let me get that file for you…"
Donna rushed back towards her office, feverishly murmuring to herself. Leo chuckled. Always overworking, Donna. He removed his hands from his deep pockets. Look at all these wrinkles. Maybe he was getting old…
But he couldn't leave Toby waiting. He walked into Margaret's work area, but she wasn't there. Funny. He flung open the door to his office, and saw a figure sitting in the chair in front of his desk.
"Toby! Good to see—Margaret? What are you—"
"I'm sorry sir, I just sat down here to wait for you…"
"Fine, fine, where's Toby?"
"Oh, yes sir… Well, he couldn't make it."
"Couldn't make it? What're you talking about?"
"Well, sir, he isn't…present today."
"He missed work again?"
"Well…yes. Yes, I suppose."
"What's going on? You sound like you're…defending Toby?" Leo asked, puzzled.
"Well, you do realize…this is the fifth time this quarter…and the policy…"
"Forget the policy. I know it says I'm supposed to fire him, but you really think I'd do that? Don't feel like you betrayed him or anything."
"I'm sorry, I was just…concerned…"
"Well, have you called him at home?"
"Home?"
"Yes, have you called his house and asked him why he is absent today?" asked Leo, slightly irritated at Margaret's absent-mindedness.
"No, I—I mean yes, yes sir, I have, I called him."
"And?" asked Leo suspiciously.
"He's…sick today. Flu."
"Didn't he just get a flu shot yesterday, Margaret?"
"Did he? Well, I wouldn't know…Oh, my, I've forgotten to get you the copy of the 14th amendment… I'll be back…"
She rushed out of the office.
"But Margaret, it's right here—"
No use. But what was Margaret covering up? Why was she deliberately lying about Toby? Maybe he would make a house call himself.
Leo picked up the phone, and was about to dial when he got a voice.
"Oh, hello, sir, seems I already got you the 14th amendment. I'm sorry. Can I help you?"
Now this was strange. Yes, it was true that Margaret sometimes picked up her extension to eavesdrop on the calls Leo made, but now this was becoming weird.
"Very well, Margaret, connect me to Toby Ziegler. Now."
"But sir, I've already called him…" Margaret said weakly.
"Margaret. Now."
However, at that very moment, there was a huge explosion-like sound. Leo threw the phone aside and jumped up just as Donna came in.
"Donna, what was that?"
"I have no clue…where's Toby?"
"Long story. We better go see what that noise was."
"Is it just me, or was that an explosion…a really close one?"
"Really, really close."
And then, as realization struck, they both said in unison, "Josh!"
The noise had definitely come from Josh's office, and a distant woman's scream could be heard…
