"Almost done," Donna assured Audrey as she rubbed the sunscreen on her face.
"Where are we going?" Audrey squirmed a bit, looking around their room inside the cabin.
"We're going to pick blackberries," Donna reminded her.
"Why?"
"Because they're yummy," Donna smiled at Audrey's curiosity.
"Why don't we buy them from the store?"
Sometimes Donna forgot how vastly different her childhood was from Audrey's. "Well," she tried to explain, "because they're wild so they taste better. And this will be fun," she assured her.
And an hour later Audrey was having the time of her life, giggling and running around with Donna's nieces and nephews while the Moss family picked blackberries.
Donna watched Audrey zoom around playing tag with Maddie the older kids, stopping to pick a few berries and put them in her little bucket every few minutes. At the end of the morning everyone was exhausted and happy. And though Audrey's bucket only contained a small handful of berries, the little girl's purple stained face and fingers were proof enough that she'd enjoyed her morning.
The rest of the day was a whirlwind. They swam in the lake in the heat of the afternoon all of the uncles treated the kids to a popsicle on the dock. It was laughter and smiles all around.
After dinner everyone gathered by the water once again for the fishing tournament. Prizes went to the biggest fish, most fish caught and first fish caught.
It was only a few moments before Audrey yelled for Donna after she saw her bobber dip into the water. She'd won the first fish award on the little pink pole that Donna bought her the day before. Chris helped her reel it in and held the small sunfish up for her to see. Audrey made a disgusted face and pulled her hands away, retreating as much as she could into her life jacket.
Donna chuckled, knowing exactly where she developed her squeamish habits, and snapped a photo. Josh was going to get a kick out of this.
OoOoOoO
"Uncle Chris, I'm hungry."
"Good Morning, Kiddo," Chris greeted Audrey with a smile and pulled a tall chair to the counter where he was standing, lifting Audrey up so she could see what was going on. "We're making pancakes for breakfast."
"You are?" Audrey perked right up.
"Sure am," Chris smiled in confirmation. "Do you like pancakes?"
Audrey nodded enthusiastically. "I love pancakes. Donna makes them for me. That's how she got her secret name."
"Her secret name?" Chris furrowed his brow in confusion.
"Uh huh," Audrey swung her feet gently and looked around the room, carrying on what she thought was a casual conversation. "From when my Daddy hurt his heart."
Chris softened at the mention of the previous summer. He remembered vividly the conversations he'd had with Donna when she was clearly on the brink of falling apart at the sheer thought of what had happened to Josh. It had been his first real insight to the true nature of his little sister's complex dynamic with her boss. He was extremely close with Donna and could easily tell that she had something special with Josh. And although he'd only met the man in question twice, he could clearly see that Donna's feelings were anything but unrequited.
"Where is Donnatella?" Chris asked, scanning the area.
"Talking to Grammy Moss," Audrey supplied with a giggle.
"What so funny?"
"Only Daddy calls her Donnatella!"
Chris smirked at the little girl's reaction. "Okay," he laughed, knowing that was true, "Then can I call her Pancake?"
"Noooo," Audrey giggled. "Only my friends call her that."
"Oh and I'm not your friend?"
She wrinkled her nose adorably. Chris swore she learned that particular facial expression from Donna. "You're my Uncle Chris! Only my friends that talk into their wrists call her Pancake."
She put her little wrist to her mouth and imitated the Secret Service agent's she'd become accustomed to during the previous summer. "Pitbull, Polliwog and Pancake are in for the night."
Chris laughed out loud. "Is your Daddy called Pitbull?"
"Yes."
"And who is Polliwog?" He teased, already knowing the answer to his question.
"I am! You're silly Uncle Chris."
"All names that start with a P," Chris mumbled out loud. He knew a bit about the Secret Service and was mulling this information over in his mind.
"We have the same letter," Audrey commented, "because we're a family."
Chris couldn't help but smile. "Yes you are," he agreed. "And don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
He helped her down from the stool and took her little hand. "Now, let's see if we can find some chocolate chips to sneak into these pancakes."
OoOoOoO
"Okay, Audrey," Donna bent down to her eye level. "You're up to bat."
They were dressed in matching Moss Family Reunion shirts with their names on the back taking part in the annual baseball game. Donna tightened the laces on Audrey's shoes as Audrey pushed a loose curl from her face.
Rick grabbed a plastic bat and ball and walked in closer to Audrey as Meredith readied her camera. Playing in their first family game had been a rite of passage for all of her grandchildren and Audrey was no different.
"Okay, Sweet Pea. Grandpa is going to throw the ball. Swing the bat just like we practiced and if you get a hit, run to Uncle Chris." Donna pointed to her brother, who was playing first base, and helped Audrey position and hold the plastic bat.
Audrey concentrated as Rick gently tossed the ball. She swung with all she had and hit the ball. It was a standing rule in the game that if one of the kids got a hit on their first at bat, it was an automatic home run.
"Donna!" She hopped up and down, "Donna, I did it!"
Donna beamed at her. "Run to Uncle Chris!" She pointed towards first base.
Audrey dropped the bat and took off running as fast as her little legs would carry her.
Chris, who was cheering wildly at first base, crouched down to give her a high five and then sent her on to Donna's cousin Scott at 2nd base. Audrey was beaming as she rounded third to Mark's cheers and she kept going as she practically leaped into Donna's arms at home plate.
"Home run!" Donna shouted as Meredith snapped photos right and left. "You did it!"
"All by myself!" Audrey added proudly.
Donna and Audrey made their way back to the lawn chairs and blankets that housed the rest of the extended family as the next batter came to the plate.
"I wish Daddy could be here," Audrey stated after a few sips of lemonade. "Daddy likes baseball."
"He will be so proud of you," Donna smiled.
"Well, maybe he can join us next year," Meredith piped in with a knowing grin.
"Yeah," Rick added with a smirk from several yards away. "Tell Josh he's not getting out of this again. I need a third baseman!"
Leslie rolled her eyes, unable to believe that even her parents were encouraging Donna's ridiculous crush on her boss.
OoOoOoO
Donna sat on the porch swing outside the cabin where Audrey was napping. The chain links made a squeaking sound as she rocked back and forth.
"Hey," Leslie made her way up the three stairs and paused hesitantly a few feet away from Donna. "Is she okay?"
Donna nodded her head. "It's only a scraped knee," she stated flatly. "She was just over tired. She's napping now."
Leslie nodded her head in understanding. "I snagged a couple of drinks from Aunt Linda's stash," she offered her a bottle.
Leslie made her way over to the swing and sat down, taking a sip. The silence between the sisters was stifling.
"Look, Donna, I'm sorry."
"For what?" Donna's voice was cold. She knew what Leslie was referring to but she wasn't going to accept that kind of apology yet again. Leslie had been getting away with insincere lines like that one for decades.
"For, you know," Leslie struggled, "For upsetting Audrey. It was never my intention for Paige to hear or repeat any of that. I really felt bad when Dad told me what happened."
Donna rolled her eyes. "So you're sorry for upsetting Audrey. But not for actually thinking all of those things about her. And about me."
Leslie let out an exasperated sigh. "This is not why I came over here," she admitted with an edge of distress in her voice. "We've never been able to talk to each other, Donna. And so far that hasn't been any different as adults. But I was hoping we could work on that."
Donna glanced over at Leslie, still somewhat skeptical but willing to hear her out.
"You always do this."
"Do what?" Donna was automatically on the defense.
"You get a crush on someone totally inappropriate and then they take advantage of you. You supported what's-his-face all through his residency and he dumped you. And here you are, babysitting your bosses' daughter on a holiday weekend."
"Don't EVER suggest that Josh is taking advantage of me when it comes to Audrey. It was my idea to bring her to our family reunion because I love that little girl like she's my own. And that's never going to change. No matter what happens between me and Josh." Donna's tone left no room for argument. She'd take a lot of flack from her family- she was pretty good at it by now. But she wasn't going to stand by while Leslie spoke out of turn about Audrey and Josh.
The two glared at each other for a moment, Donna's jaw set in determination.
"I came over here to apologize," Leslie started again, considerably Less flustered this time, "for my preconceived notions about you and Audrey. You're really good with her, Donna. And anyone with eyes can see that she thinks you hung the moon."
"Thank you," Donna relaxed a bit, some of the tension seeping out of her muscles.
"And I know you love her too."
"I do. More than anything." Donna smiled softly and leaned back against the railing on the porch. She was willing to listen to try and mend fences with Leslie in a civil manner.
The two embraced the silence for a moment, staring off at the horizon.
"I worry about you." It was a simple statement, but it was the last thing Donna was expecting to hear.
"Why?"
"Because! You're a thousand miles away in a dangerous city. From what Mom says work nonstop and it seems like you have no time for a social life. Donna, your boss was shot because he happened to be standing in the wrong place! Of course I worry! We may not be that close but God, Donna, I still love you."
Donna closed her eyes, swallowing hard at the causal mention of Rosslyn.
"I love my life in DC," she managed to choke out, checking her emotions. "I'm happy there. I do work a lot, but it's a normal part of the job. It's the most important work I'll ever do. As for the city, honestly, i work in the most secure building in the nation and when I travel for work I'm surrounded by secret service. You can't stop living your life out of fear. And as for my social life, well, I may work a lot but you really have no idea, Leslie. My best friends are some of the most important people in the federal government. And they've become family. I may not have time to meet up with the girls from high school every week for manicures and a glass of wine but I do have lunch with CJ Cregg every Wednesday."
"But Donna, it could end at any moment. You could be unemployed in a year and then where are you? Single and without a job in DC with a stain on your record from working for an administration that lied to the voters? Don't you want a husband? Some stability? A family?"
"I'm not even going to get into it with you about the MS, Leslie. But the President is a good man and I'd be honored to vote for him for a second term. And god forbid he lose the election, Josh is still a major player in the party. He gets job offers every week. We'd be fine."
"We?" Leslie shot her a questioning glance. "Is there something else going on there? Oh, God, Donna. Are you sleeping with your boss?"
"No!" Donna was enraged. "He's my best friend, Leslie. There's nothing inappropriate going on. I just- I know I can trust him. He won't just leave me in a lurch. That's all."
"And you've had this conversation? That he'll hire you as an assistant at his next job?" She looked skeptical.
Truth be told, they hasn't. Donna hadn't really slowed down to think through the logistics of any of this but there was clearly no explaining the complexities of her life in DC or her relationship with Josh, so she squared her shoulders and blurred the truth.
"Yes. We have."
"And you're just going to follow him around for the rest of your life hoping something will eventually happen between you two?"
Whether she knew it or not, she'd struck a nerve. And Donna had a pretty good idea that her sister was aware that she was wading into dangerous waters.
"Where are you going?" Leslie was clearly not done with this conversation and wasn't pleased when Donna stood.
"To check on Audrey and lay down," Donna stated through clenched teeth, turning to walk into the cabin.
"You've known him for four years, Donna. What kind of guy doesn't make a move in that amount of time? If he was really interested he would have pulled the trigger by now."
She flinched at Leslie's choice of idiom, stilling her stride and turning slightly to defend Josh. "But what you don't understand about Josh is-"
"Donna." Leslie looked at her intensely. "You're my sister. And I know we don't see eye to eye on things very often. But I'm trying to look out for you here. You're young and pretty. You can't wait forever for something that may never happen. You need to find someone who isn't afraid to kiss you goodnight. You deserve that."
OoOoOoO
Audrey, exhausted from all the fun, slept practically the entire way on the flight back to DC.
Donna, however, was restless. Her confrontation with Leslie the prior day played over in her head. As content as she felt with her place in Josh & Audrey's lives, she had considered the fact that it could all change at any time.
Maybe Leslie was right- maybe she should date more. She should find someone who cared for her and wasn't afraid to show it. She should think about starting her own family. After all, what if Josh met someone? What if he was married and Audrey had a new step mother? Where would that leave her?
As the aircraft taxied to a stop Donna gathered their belongings and picked up a still dozing Audrey. Stepping off the jetway her eyes immediately found Josh, deep in conversation on his cell phone in the waiting area, pacing back and forth in his rumpled suit. She paused briefly, shifting Audrey's weight on her hip.
Josh saw her from the corner of his eye, quickly ending the call and walking swiftly towards them, a full dimpled grin on his face.
"Hey," he stated softly, wrapping them both in a hug and placing his hand gently Audrey's back. "There's my girls. I missed you two."
Josh took Audrey from Donna, placing his hand on the small of her back and leading her out of the airport. He buckled a sleepy Audrey into her carseat and kissed her forehead before loading the suitcases into the trunk. Sliding into the driver's seat he turned his focus to Donna, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and giving her a shy smile. "I'm glad you're home," he admitted. "Four days felt like an eternity."