"Hi." Donna quipped. She was walking towards Josh and she greeted him just past the door to the west wing. Donna was walking briskly to match Josh's long, purposeful strides. "Did you do good?"
"Ha!" Josh snorted loudly and continued walking.
"You didn't do good?"
"Geez! She's…she's…there aren't words for her!" Josh's frustration and irritation was boiling over.
"Who?"
Josh stopped dead in his tracks and spun around to face Donna. Donna skidded to a halt before crashing into Josh.
"Let me tell you something." Josh paused for dramatic effect, Donna tilted her head implying that she was listening, and a crowd of onlookers paused to eavesdrop,
"She hasn't won. Juliana Wexler thinks that she has influence, she assumes that she is a power player, but that's a misconception." Josh's voice was getting louder and more forceful with every syllable.
"So, things didn't go well at all?" Donna asked with an air of innocence and a questioningly pleading look on her face. Donna glanced around and took in the bystanders who were starting to listen in.
"She is so…she is so maddening. Aggravating, in fact." Josh threw his hands up in the air, and almost yelling proclaimed, "She's becoming a constant irritation! Juliana Wexler is a giant Republican hemorrhoid!"
With that proclamation, Josh turned on his heel and walked through the bullpen and into his office.
"There should be some type of cream to take care of her. A Wexler hemorrhoid cream!" Josh shouted over his shoulder as he walked into his office, annoyance radiating from his body.
Donna smiled amusedly, sighed and followed Josh back into the bullpen. The crowd of curious onlookers turned and resumed whatever they had been previously doing.
The 3PM briefing was well going well and on its way to ending without dilemmas or difficulties. CJ had briefed the press corps with whit and candor, even throwing in a joke about the Department of Defense, budget cuts and Ways and Means.
"So, everyone, I know that you covet my time and yearn for my company, but that wraps up this briefing and I'll see…"
CJ was unable to finish her parting words, as she was interrupted.
"CJ!"
"Mark?"
"What do you have to say about the Republican leadership demanding an apology from Josh Lyman?"
"An apology for what?" CJ said with a bit of a chuckle.
"The leadership is demanding an apology from Josh for, and I quote 'derogatory remarks made towards senior political strategists and party supporters.'"
"What?" CJ challenged. "I…I've heard nothing of this….I…I can assure you that Josh, while forceful and arduous, would not insult and degrade members of the leadership and or their staff."
Anne spoke up from three rows back, "Evidentially, Josh alleged that Juliana Wexler, the new senior political advisor and strategist for the leadership, is an imposter on the political scene, maddening, aggravating, and…oh and I quote 'a giant Republican hemorrhoid.'"
"Well, then." CJ said with a sigh. "We should really get him something for that discomfort, shouldn't we? I have no comment. Thanks, folks. I'll see you later tonight."
CJ stepped down from the podium, shaking her head and smiling a vindictive smile. Carol followed close at CJ's heels handing CJ notes, messages and memos.
As they walked, CJ talked to Carol. "I'm going to kill him. Had you heard anything about this?"
"No. Not a thing." Carol assured her.
"I need Josh in my office NOW." Carol scurried off to find Josh or Donna, and as CJ walked into her office she mused to herself, "He's mine."
"CJ? You wanted to see me?" Josh asked pleasantly.
"Well! If it isn't the man of the hour! God, Josh, do you have to work at insulting other people, or is a gift that, I don't know, comes to you naturally?" CJ spat with sarcasm and irritation.
"Come on, CJ! I didn't insult anyone! I don't know where they get off repeating that garbage. It was just something I said to Donn…"
"Something you said to Donna?" CJ's voice was getting louder with every phrase of exasperation. "You insulted her here in the west wing? How stupid are you?"
"Ow!" Josh exclaimed as CJ's hand connected with the back of his head. "They were just off-handed comments. Okay, maybe I yelled them down the hall towards Donna's general direction, but they weren't that bad."
"Joshua, did you or did you not call Juliana Wexler a Republican hemorrhoid?"
"Well, yes. But she deserved it!"
"God. Now you sound like a first grader."
"Seriously CJ. She was infuriating! She was smug and self-righteous. She argued every point with me."
"Well, I'm going to through something out there, Josh, but isn't that what she's supposed to do?"
"No, CJ. She's supposed to crumble under my pressure. She ought to cower in my presence and acquiesce to my will."
"Okay there Sparky," CJ said shaking her head. "Don't you think you're tooting your own horn there?"
"No. But, CJ, I'm telling you…she didn't even flinch. She held firm and stood up to me. It's easy to forget that Juliana Wexler is Sam's sister, but there was a point today where you could see a part of Sam in her. She was idealistic and she had that passion that Sam has about things. It was…well, it was weird."
Josh was smiling to himself and running his hands through his hair. He sat down on CJ's couch and sank into the cushions.
"You're smitten with her!" CJ boldly proclaimed a little too loudly.
"What?"
"You're a smitten kitten. I can see it on your face!"
"Whatever…"
"Josh! You've met someone who challenges you, doesn't take your crap and intrigues you…all at the same time. God, I didn't think that could happen. But she challenges you and you enjoy it!"
"CJ, you're off your rocker! Where is this coming from? Is this more of your press room gossip?"
CJ couldn't help but notice that Josh was up, pacing the room and not looking her in the eye. He had a boyish grin spread across his face and his hands were shifting from being shoved in his pockets to running across his face.
"Admit it! You're taken with Juliana Wexler! Admit it!"
"I will do no such thing!" Josh declared as he walked out of CJ's office. "And I'm not apologizing!"
"Whatever. But I want to be around when Sam finds out who you're smitten with Sparky!" CJ hollered after Josh.
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