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I came in late to this story, and the very last piece of advice I got from Sam was to never ask too many questions about whatever the hell was going between Josh and Donna.
It’s mostly been good advice; especially after we all went out on the campaign trail with the two of them on opposite sides of a fight.
Obviously I’d asked Sam why not at the time. He’d just shrugged and sighed, and said that they’d work it out themselves, eventually. As the months passed, I’ll admit, I started to doubt his optimism.
I knew when I hired her for the Russell campaign that she could handle it. In the few months I’d spent working in the West Wing it’d became completely obvious that Donna was doing a job far below her capabilities; something that she’d outgrown quite some time before.
Anyone with eyes to see could tell that her and Josh had gotten themselves stuck into a holding pattern that both were reluctant to break for their own personal reasons.
It was great to watch her turn into the person that she had the potential to become. If I managed to achieve nothing much else with the Russell campaign, and some days I wonder, then I can always point to Donna and feel proud of that.
I’ll admit, there may have been a moment when I considered trying to be more than her friend. It can be a lonely place out there on the road, and she seemed so lonely too sometimes. In the end though, I’m glad that never happened. I gained a friend I wouldn’t want to lose, and now, back here, I’ve got something else. I’m not sure quite what yet, but it’s fun finding out.
Anyway, Josh and Donna.
I don’t know if he realises how every emotion is written on his face every time he looks at her. She seems to be the only one who can’t see it. Her face looks the same when she knows he’s not looking. It’s enough to make you wanna knock their heads together, but I stuck to Sam’s advice and didn’t get involved.
Besides, I didn’t want Donna to leave my campaign and work for Josh. Selfish, I know, but I was trying to win. As much as I like them both, I needed Donna right then.
I know Josh thought her working for his opponent was an act of disloyalty, but he didn’t have my perspective. There were many times when she could have used what she knew about him against his campaign, but she didn’t. She attacked Santos’ policies with the instincts of a born strategist, but she never attacked Josh. Times were I wished that she would but, I’ll admit, times are I don’t have her scruples.
I don’t really know why he came to sit with us at the convention. I did expect him to gloat but he just brought us beer and sat down. He seemed so changed from the man I’d first met in the West Wing. Maybe that primary campaign changed all of us.
I watched my campaign disband around me. One after another, they left. There was nothing left to stay for. Finally, there was just the three of us, sitting there in silence staring at the coverage winding down on the TV screen.
"We got it done." Josh finally said, with strong feeling, and Donna and I both turned to look at him with eyebrows raised.
“You know we weren’t on your team, right?” I asked him, sarcastically.
“We’re on the same team.” He replied, looking at me seriously.
We all burst out laughing at the same time.
“Oh my God Josh!” Donna laughed, putting her hand over the mouth.
“That was impressively cheesy.” I agreed.
“I was feeling the moment!” He defended through his own laughter.
The laughter died down to a comfortable silence as we all drank.
I watched as he looked over at her. His face grew serious and he frowned. She didn’t see, her eyes were back on the TV screen. He looked back over at me.
“What are you gonna do now?” He asked me.
Donna looked back at him as he said it. There was a flash of disappointment when she realised that he wasn’t asking her.
“Back to the VP’s office, I guess.” I replied. “See out the administration. Then who knows.”
“Come see me sometime, when this is done.” He said simply.
I nodded, saying nothing for now. He wasn’t offering me a job this minute, but who knew how this would play out.
Donna stood up suddenly, and we both turned sharply to look at her. She made a show of rubbing her neck and yawning.
“I think I’m done.” She smiled, looking tired.
Josh opened his mouth as if he was going to say something. He tensed as if he was going to stand. He did neither. He looked down at the beer in his hands instead.
“Night Donna.” I said and she smiled as she walked up to me. I half stood and we hugged like the good friends we’d become. “You did good.” I told her.
“Thanks.” She replied on a breath. “You too.” She said as she squeezed a little tighter for a moment.
Over her shoulder I could see Josh’s face and the tense set of his jaw as he watched us.
She stepped back. Suddenly she looked nervous. She looked over at him.
“Night Josh.” The words were a little rushed, but then she smiled. “Congratulations.” She said sincerely.
He stared at her.
“Thanks.” He said with a half-hearted smile. “Goodnight Donna.”
Her jaw tensed as she nodded. She spun on her heels and left. Josh watched her all the way to the door.
At this point, I sighed. Sam’s advice ringing in my ears. Don’t interfere. But honestly, after witnessing that little melodrama, it was getting hard not to.
“You should hire her.” I said into the silence.
He turned to me with so much in his pain in his eyes that it was like getting hit by a tsunami.
“I can’t.” He replied.
"Josh..." I wanted to tell him that was just plain stupid.
“Don’t.” He said firmly, cutting me off.
“She’s good and you know it.” I persisted. He had to have seen it, surely.
“I know.” He said softly. He studied his beer. “I can’t.”
I shouldn’t have said it, but it was painful watching them dance around each other.
“Can’t you two just have sex already and get this over with?!” I snapped.
His head snapped up and he stared at me, horrified.
“That’s not…” He started honestly, but then his face changed. “That’s none of your business.” He said icily.
That’s when I regretted saying anything. I should have listened to Sam.
Josh got to his feet, putting the beer bottle down with a little too much force.
“Josh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” I say as he turns away.
He spins instantly back to face me.
“No, you shouldn’t.” He says angrily.
He breaks off and turns away.
“If you hadn’t... put her out front…” He says quietly, still angry, and trails off.
And I get it. I still think it’s stupid and wrongheaded, but I do get it.
I’m not sure what to say, if there’s anything I can say to change this. Maybe all I can do is make it worse. Sam was right, and it’s not me that he needs to be talking to.
“You should talk to her.” I say.
His shoulders sag.
“She doesn’t want to talk to me.” He says, and we’re back to the melodrama.
I’ve achieved literally nothing with this whole conversation.
“You know that’s not true.” I tell him sincerely and decide to leave it at that.
He says nothing, so I guess he feels the same.
Instead I gather my stuff and down the last of my beer. He’s still just standing there.
“You should get some sleep.” I tell him.
He looks at me, the anger gone and there's a defeated look on his face. The man who won tonight shouldn’t look so defeated. I smile at him, and clap him on the back, surprising him.
“I’m not gonna say the best man won,” I say brightly and he smiles wryly. “But you ran a hell of a campaign.”
“You too.” He says and then winces. “You really wanted Bingo Bob to win?”
I laugh.
“Santos is a good man.” I pivot instead of accepting the premise of the question, and Josh laughs.
“He’s gonna make a great president.” He says, proudly.
“If you can get him past Vinick.” I throw a little shade.
“I will.” He insists.
I valiantly resist the urge to tell him he could really use to Donna to help do that.
"Good luck with that.” I say instead.
"I meant it.” He say, pivoting too. “Call me sometime.”
"I will." I reply.
He nods as he leaves and I stare at the room where, a few hours ago, I still had hopes for a stellar career back in the White House. That’s when I start to wonder if it’s what I really want anymore.
It’s a shock to be back in the White House after the months on the road, but it gives me a chance to explore something I hadn’t had time for. I think about Josh and Donna and how they just can’t get it together and I don’t wanna be like that, so I take a risk.
Donna doesn’t call me the day it happens, I hear it from Katy, a staffer from my campaign who went over to Santos after the convention. Donna left Josh’s office in their new building trying to look like she wasn’t upset. I know exactly what’s happened, and that I can’t interfere.
Instead I take a bottle of wine to her apartment and pretend that I don’t I know. She doesn’t tell me, doesn’t say a word about it. So I try to make her laugh and we talk about the funnier moments of the campaign as we eat take out. As I leave, she tells me she’s leaving Washington. She’s gonna try and get a job on the campaign back home. She sounds determined, so, even though she deserves better, I don’t try to talk her out of it.
She calls again to say she’s doing okay. She’s got a job. Then nothing… until she crops on the TV slamming Vinick for the Santos campaign. The TV in my office was on but I hadn’t been watching. My head snaps up at the sound of her voice. Good for her, I smile, and call Katy.
Donna’s their new spokesperson, and it’s not Josh’s choice. According to Katy, he’s not very happy about it.
I don’t hear from Donna again till I see her at the wedding. She’s smiling, happy to be involved, but her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. I take the chance and ask how’s she’s getting on with Josh. There’s a wince before she hides it and lies to me that it’s good. She demands to be entertained, so I give her a dance before making excuses to get back to my date.
But I watch her watch Josh, who seems to be having a bad night. I’ve heard rumours that the top brass want him replaced, but I’m not in those meetings anymore. I feel for him, I wonder if things were different, would it be a bad night for me too. At least I’d have had Donna to make me feel better. Josh standing there alone, doesn’t seem to know easily he could have that.
The next time I see her, she’s acting a little strangely. Although not at all cryptic. Something’s happened between them but she won't say what. I tease, but then do what I can to try and help. To tell her it’s okay to take a chance. Because I know now that it is.
Josh and Donna are the last thing on my mind come Election Day.
That is, until Katy calls me. She really should be focusing on the get out the vote right now but she’s so excited that she’s got gossip to share. I wonder how we’ve ended up with this relationship where she’s acting as my spy.
“They’re sleeping together!” She exclaims in a hushed tone. “Only not sleeping. I’m sure of it.”
“Slow down.” I tell her. “Who are?” I’m tired and a little dense today.
“Josh and Donna.” She hisses.
“What?!” I ask. “How do you know?”
“She whispered something to him… Right here in the suite. Then she left.”
“Katy, that could be about anything today… I’m pretty sure they’re not sneaking off for sex on Election Day!”
“You didn’t see the look on his face!” She exclaimed, a little too loudly. “And he basically ran out after her. He fell over a chair!” She whispered again.
“Katy…” I cautioned.
“And I heard it from Suzanne, who heard it from Peta, who overhead Ronna say she found Donna’s pantyhose in Josh’s room this morning.”
“Oh, so it must be true.” I mocked.
I think back to the discussion I had with Donna a few weeks ago. Maybe.
“Oh, Ronna’s just come in, she went looking for Donna… and she’s nodding and giggling! They so are, Will!”
I laugh and end the call, feeling very amused and starting to believe that she’s right. I find myself looking around, needing to share the news. So I go see C.J.
Thankfully she’s alone and she looks up at me curiously. I blurt it out.
“Josh and Donna are sleeping together!”
“What?!” She demands, as she sits up straighter. “How do you know that?!”
“I have a friend…”
“Will?” A commanding voice says my name from the speakersphone on her desk. “Did I hear you say that Josh and Donna…” Jed Bartlet asks.
And I really don’t want to hear him say the words so I cut him off.
“Yes, Mr President.”
I send a wary glance at C.J.; unsure what’s going to happen next.
“About damn time.” He says, forcefully. Muffled we hear him say, "Abbey, wonderful news! I'm going to need to call Leo!" Back into the phone he says. "I need to go now. I'll see you both later."
I smile wryly at C.J., who's giving me one of those looks.
"Tell me everything you know." She demands, then smiles. “That little minx. I asked her what was going and she didn’t tell me. Next time I see her…”
“We can’t let them know we know.” I tell her seriously. Her face falls.
“You’re right.” She admits, her shoulders sagging. “We don’t want to spoil it now.”
“Exactly.” I reply. "Of course, they can do that well enough on their own." I smile, wryly.
She looks pensive for a moment.
“So... how’s it going with Kate?” She asks with a naughty look appearing in her eye.
I'm surprised. I didn't know she'd noticed.
“How’s it going with Danny?” I counter, surprising her right back.
And we both just grin at each other.
"I should call Sam!” She suddenly exclaims, reaching for the phone.