Chapter 3

Chapter Text

"What are you looking at?" asked Sam approaching Josh from behind.

"Donna. What? Nothing. Just looking at girls. They picked the dress for Sunday." Answered Josh lightly blushing.

"It looked like you cannot take your eyes from her. Any plans for the first anniversary?"

"No. We will stay home with the baby. Mom told me that I can forget about sleep for the next year or even two." Answered Josh. "It's funny, you said the first anniversary. Toby told me that I married her the day I met her."

"What are you talking about?" Asked Sam with the surprise in his voice. "You could not figure out if you love her for 8 years. We all knew, but it looked like you have no idea what was going between two of you."

"It is true, but… You do know that I am Jewish?"

"Yes, but what it has to do with anything?" Asked Sam.

"The marriage is legal and binding if the woman willingly accepts a valuable item from man. Toby said that the moment I gave her my badge she became my wife," said Josh with a smile.

"You are kidding? So, you're pushing the tenth anniversary?"

"Looks like it."

"Who has the tenth anniversary?" Asked Matt approaching Sam and Josh.

"Josh and Donna approached ten years," said Sam.

"How it is possible? You got married less than a year ago?" Said Matt with confusion.

"Toby said that the moment I gave her my staffer badge on the first campaign, she became my wife. It has something to do with the Jewish law and Torah," explained Josh.

"Really? What else Mr. Bob told you? Does he know how to deal with the mess that we dealing with now?" Asked Matt looking at Josh.

"Do you want me to call him?" Said Josh.

"No, I do not think so. How's he doing? Did he kill any of his students yet?" Said Matt.

"No, he did not. Donna talked to Andie, she said that he is miserable."

"Can we find something for him?" Asked Matt.

"No. No one will give him clearance. We can talk to him unofficially, the same way I talked to him during the campaign," explained Josh.

"OK," said Matt. He looked at Sam and asked, "Why are you still standing here? Take your wives and go home. It looks like we all would be able to have a quiet evening."

"Go outside and spit," said Sam. "It looks like we are in constant crisis. I think all of us need a vacation," added Sam looking first at Josh and later at Matt.

Matt laughed under his breath and said, "If you fill tiered right now, what will happen when your wife will give birth? Do I need to look for a new Deputy Chief of Staff?" continued Matt.

"No, Mr. President. Of course not. I am just thinking aloud," answered Sam, and walked into the room.

Josh and Matt followed him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Do you need help?" asked Josh while closing the door to the apartment.

"No, I can take shoes off, but you are responsible for diner," said Donna removing shoes and walking to the couch.

"What are you in the mood for?" Asked Josh putting his jacket on the back of the couch.

"Surprise me," said Donna trying not to yawn.

"Donnaaaaa… Don't do it to me. Tell me what to order, I do not want a repeat from last week," wined Josh stretching his back.

"What? Nothing happened last week."

"Donna, I ordered Chinees, following by Italian, and ended up going to the store to buy a rotisserie chicken and matzah ball soup. Please do not do it to me today, I am tired." He bent down and looked her in the eyes. "I love you, and I understand that you are pregnant and tired, but please make your decision. I will order, we eat and go to bed." He smiled at her with a one-thousand-watt smile showing his dimples and added flattering lashes to make her smile.

Donna looked at him. Smiled and said, "This is why I never was able to say no to you when you asked me to stay late or come early."

"Nah, you just wanted to be with me all the time because you loved me," said Josh and lightly kissed her lips.

"Lyman, you loved me too. You never let me date anyone, and called all guys gomers."

"True. But what I had to do when my own wife was dating some gomers instead of spending time with me."

"I will kill Toby!" Said Donna pushing Josh away from her. "He put this crazy idea into your head that we got married the minute we met. If we were married, what were you doing with Mandy and Amy, cheating on me?"

"No. Men are polygamists. I just had some fun," said Josh looking at Donna with the glimmer in his eyes.

"Josh! You are a pig! Have you completely lost your mind?" Screamed Donna and smacked his upper arm.

"Oy. I'm just kidding," said Josh and kissed Donna again. "You are very special to me. I did not realize how until I got to Germany."

They sat quietly looking at each other. Their gazes were filled with memories of the past. Eventually, Josh looked down and sighed.

"Anyways, what do you want to eat?" He again asked Donna, and the moment of reflection was over.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Do you want one more eggroll?" asked Sam while pouring ice tea into Ainsley's glass.

"No, I am full. I do not think that I would be able to eat for a year," she answered with a small smile.

"I really like to see it."

"What?" asked Ainsley.

"You not eating for a year. I'm sure that you would be checking the fridge in 30 minutes," laughed Sam. "By the way, I bought six muffins. They are in the pantry."

"You are the man for my heart. Where have you being for 20 years while I dated men, who brought me only flowers?" Sighed Ainsley, and picked up the eggroll.

Sam looked at her with the smile that only she was able to bring to his lips.

When they finished eating, Ainsley began cleaning the table, but Sam stopped her and ordered her to go to the living room and lift her feet.

"Thank you. You really know what I need right now. You can't even imagine how I love you for being so carrying," said Ainsley from the door.

"You're welcome. Go, rest. I'll be there in a minute," said Sam and began filling-in a dishwasher.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Donna said that children would be able to trick-or-treat on the Hill. Did you call senators?" Asked Helen trying to find a comfortable position in the bed.

"I did not call, but Josh told me that everything would be taken care of," said Matt placing a folder on the bedstand and removing his t-shirt. "Are you sure that you want to go to the diner?"

"Not really, but we talked to the protocol and they said that it would be an insult unless I would be in labor," answered Helen. "I already bought a dress, and I should wear it at least once, don't you think?"

"Once? Josh said that Donna bought three dresses."

"Yes, she did. She told me that that they will try for another baby in a year or so. She will need them."

"Do you want to try ones more?" Asked Matt.

"Have you lost your mind? I am exhausted. We had two children it was enough. Now we will have three. If you want one more you will be carrying it and giving birth," said Helen with exasperation.

"Don't worry, I know that we are done. I just was kidding," said Matt laying down on the bed. "Thanks for doing it," added Matt and kissed her.

"I know you were kidding, I just was so ready to be a mom of the growing children, and now we are again at the beginning," sighed Helen. "Do not worry, I love this little one no less than Miranda and Peter. I just do not know how we will do it here."

"We will have a lot of help. Do you want our moms to come for a while?"

"Do you seriously believe that they will stay away?"

"No. I just thought that if I ask, it would be easier on you," said Matt. "I know we are not in the ideal position to have a baby right now, but we will get through it."

"Do you think we ever would be able to go back to our lives?"

"No. But we will get through it too," answered Matt. "Do you think we would need to sell a house?"

"I thought about it. Probably not, but we most likely would have more privacy in the country. We could buy a ranch near Houston," said Helen. "Let wait for a few years. If you will get another 4 years, we will talk about it in 6 years and will make a decision then. If not, we still have two and a half years not to worry about it," she added turning off the lamp on her nightstand. "Let sleep, hopefully, you would be able to have a full night sleep."

Matt turned light off, turned to Helen. He placed his hand on her stomach and kissed her. "Good night sweetheart, I love you."

"I love you too," responded Helen with the yawn.