It had been a long day. Josh had hoped to stick to his original schedule today. When he had come into the office, Donna had handed him a masterfully crafted schedule, which allowed him the evening off. Josh had planned to take Jules to an exhibit of Incan pottery at a small museum and then out to eat. Evidently Juliana was enthralled with Incan pottery from the Peruvian desert. Josh for the life of him couldn't figure out this obsession of hers, but had decided to indulge her anyway. As usual, the best laid plans go to waste. Before lunchtime, a crisis involving the FBI in New Mexico had taken over his day and his meetings that Donna couldn't reschedule had been pushed so far back that Josh had been sure he'd be sleeping on CJ's couch.
Josh thought that Jules had to give him some credit, though. Even in the midst of a crisis and canceling his date for the night, Josh had sent a stuffed llama over to Jules with an apology note, apologizing for having to cancel. He had even included an explanation of the llama in the card – explaining that it was the most Incan or Peruvian thing he could find on short notice. When Josh had called Juliana to make sure she got her llama and card, it had been hard to gauge her tone through the phone.
"Juliana Wexler."
"Jules, it's Josh."
"Hey there. Uh, thanks for the llama?"
"I'm sorry about tonight. It's just that….well, there's this thing and Donna had to…."
"Josh. It's okay. That's the way the cookie crumbles.
"Huh?'
"It's just the way it is, Josh. We'll catch the exhibit some other time."
"God, I'm sorry. I really wanted to go and…"
"Josh? Were you really all that excited to see thousand year old Incan pottery?"
"Do you get some sick joy in interrupting me? And, no, Incan pottery isn't on the top of my list of things to do."
"I thought so."
"But it would have been fun with you."
"Awww. How sweet. Don't go getting all mushy, now. You have a country to run."
"Jules, I really am sorry about tonight."
"It's fine Josh. Don't worry about it."
"If I finish up here at a reasonable hour, can I stop by your place? Maybe visit the llama?"
"As long as your definition of a reasonable hour is something before one in the morning. I'm trying to run a country here too. I've got to go, Josh. And, like I said, don't worry about tonight."
It wasn't her words as much as the way she said them. Juliana had been very nonchalant, like it didn't matter. Josh tried to tell himself that that was great. That he didn't want Jules to be heart broken that her evening had been ruined. But, there was a small part of him that had hoped that she would be inconsolable and devastated.
Josh felt a certain child like giddiness as he approached Juliana's door. A neighbor had let him into the building and despite the late hour, Josh practically skipped down the hall. Knocking quickly five times, not pounding, but still making sure it was forceful enough so that Jules would hear, Josh shifted his weight from one foot to the other while he waited. Through the door Josh could hear soft footsteps. The door swung open to reveal Juliana, stifling a yawn and gently rubbing one of her eyes. She stood before him wearing extremely small navy blue knit shorts and a heavy, worn Duke sweatshirt. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. Juliana cocked her head to one side and looked at Josh in wonder.
"Josh. Do you remember our conversation? The one where I said that I need my beauty sleep and that you shouldn't come over at some ungodly hour?" Jules asked. Her voice was soft, deep and sleepy.
"Well, I didn't really come by to see you. I wanted to check on my llama." Josh smirked and ducked around Juliana's body to come into her house. Josh walked through the kitchen and into the living room, tossing his backpack and coat onto a chair while Juliana closed the door behind him. Josh could just barely hear Juliana sigh as the door clicked shut. "Plus, it's not some ungodly hour. It's…"
"Josh! It's after one in the morning!"
"Really? I hadn't really noticed. I mean I knew it was late, but I didn't think it was that late. I got caught up at the office, but I just knew that I needed to come over and check on my llama." Josh grinned as he talked, his dimples spreading across his cheeks. He skipped over to Jules as he talked and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her on the neck as she turned around in his embrace. Juliana swatted playfully at Josh and tried to wriggle free.
"Well, your llama is over there on the couch, I think he's enjoying the late late show. While you two catch up on old times, I'm going to bed." Juliana said in annoyance. Josh couldn't tell if it was an act or if Jules was really perturbed.
Jules walked into her bedroom, threw open the covers on her bed and crawled in – all with an overly dramatic flair. Josh playfully picked up the llama and began talking to it. After about a minute, he switched off the TV in the living room and wandered into Juliana's bedroom, llama in hand.
"I think the llama wants a name." Josh nuzzled the llama up against Jules. She thrashed under the covers and rolled over so her back was to Josh. "Seriously. I think you should name him Oscar. Oscar the Llama."
"Seriously, Josh. I really want to go to sleep." Josh sat down on the edge of the bed and gently put the llama between him and Juliana. He tenderly fingered Juliana's hair and studied her quietly. The room was still and quiet. It had only been a couple of minutes, but Josh was beginning to wonder if Juliana had actually fallen asleep. Josh was about to get up and leave, when he heard Juliana sigh heavily.
"Tonight really sucked, Josh." She sounded resigned and disappointed. When she finished, Juliana slowly turned over to face Josh and the llama.
"I really am sorry Jules. But there was this thing. I couldn't help it. Really." Josh had already decided that he wasn't above pleading for her forgiveness.
"No. Not you. The llama was a nice touch."
"Really?" Josh asked, his dimples returning, as he waved the llama playfully in Juliana's face. Juliana swatted at the llama.
"Yes. But after you canceled I took some extra meetings. They snowballed out of control. Now I have to talk to…" Josh held up his hand to cover Juliana's mouth.
"Stop. I don't want to know. I happy that you're willing to share the saga that was your bad day, but stop before you spill all the Republican secrets you carry around with you." Josh pulled his hand away from her mouth and put it down on the pillow next to Juliana's head. He leaned in and gently touched her lips with his. As he pulled away, Josh could see Juliana smiling sleepily. "Now, is there anything I can do to fix your bad day? A whole pack of llamas, perhaps?"
Josh as prepared for a crafty comment about alpaca farming, but he wasn't ready for what Juliana said instead.
"Stay."
"Huh?"
"What did you say your SAT scores were again? I asked you to stay. You wanted to spend time with me, and, well, this is all the time I have right now. Take it or leave it."
"Ah-kay." Josh said in an amazing display of his vocabulary. He gently lifted the corner of the blankets and started to climb in next to Jules.
"Josh!"
"What?"
"Do you usually wear a tie to bed?"
"Oh. Well."
"Look in the bottom right hand drawer."
"Do I want to know what I am going to find?"
"Just go and look. And when you're done, turn off the light please." Juliana rolled back over and snuggled into the blankets while Josh walked over to the dresser. He slowly opened the bottom right hand drawer, unsure of what he was going to find. Josh smiled as he found a small pile of T-shirts folded in a neat pile. The T-shirt on top was an old, faded Harvard shirt – just his size. Josh turned off the light, undressed to his boxers and pulled the Harvard shirt over his head. As he climbed into bed next to Jules, he tried not to disturb her.
"Nice shirt." Juliana said, her back to Josh and her eyes still closed.
"How would you know? You're not even looking at me."
"I have a hunch that I know what shirt you have on." Juliana said with a smile.
"It is a nice shirt." Josh agreed.
"Well, you should like it…it used to be yours." Jules said, still not turning to look at Josh.
"Either you have a life of crime that I don't know about, or I have no idea what you're talking about." Josh exclaimed. He sat down on the bed and looked to Jules for an explanation.
"It was a graduation present. You came home with Sam one weekend…the same weekend as my high school graduation. I assume you felt guilty about not having a graduation present, and you gave me your Harvard T-shirt."
"Really?" Josh asked, seemingly not remembering the event.
"Yes. It was kind of a sweet gesture when you get past the fact that you hadn't washed it and wrapped it in newspaper. But it was one of my favorite graduation presents."
"Awww. You're just saying that because you want me to stay tonight." Josh joked. "God. Your high school graduation? Really?"
"You have a problem with the fact I graduated from high school?" Juliana asked sleepily.
"No. I just serves as a reminder that you were in high school while I was in law school." Josh said with a sigh. Josh laid on his back, looking up momentarily at the ceiling.
"I really am sorry about your day. I wanted to go to that exhibit with you tonight." Josh apologized. Juliana rolled over onto her side. She stretched her arm out over Josh's chest.
"I can tell Incan pottery isn't your thing. You're here now." Juliana said groggily without opening her eyes. Josh adjusted himself a little so that his arm could snake over Juliana's. She cuddled up to Josh so that her legs were intertwined with his and her head rested in the nook between his head and shoulder. Josh could feel Juliana's breathing even out as she drifted off to sleep. He pulled her closer and drifted off himself.
5
