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Note: Thank you to everyone who's been so supportive of this story. Knowing that you like what I write for Josh and Donna makes it so much easier to post. Unfortunately, I'm having computer problems (AOL keeps kicking me off during posting), so I'm cutting and pasting my story from Word. Therefore, this chapter will have all the screwy sentence breaks, etc. I apologize in advance for any difficulty you have reading this. Changes Chapter 7
The next Friday, Donna arrived at work late again. As Donna walked into her office, Josh sighed dramatically. "How am I supposed to begin my day if you can't be counted upon to be here early with my coffee?" Donna laughed as she set the two coffees and bakery bag in front of Josh. "I'm sorry, but I think there's something in the bag that will cheer you up." Josh was busy sipping his coffee. He opened the bag and found two double chocolate cream cheese muffins. "You bought me two muffins?" "Well, I figured the fat content in one is so bad, that you might as well have two," she quipped settling in front of him. "Plus, I knew I was going to be late, so that's my apology." Josh could stand the suspense no longer. "Late night?" Donna face lit up. "It was unbelievable! Have you ever been to the opera?" "Not of my own accord," said Josh. "Josh! How can you say that? It's amazing." "I'll take your word for it," he said, already fearing what she was going to say next. "Byron got tickets for Tosca by Pucinni," she said, rolling her eyes at Josh's vacant look. "Like that means anything to you. But it was incredible." "I like opera. Just from a distance." "Josh," Donna laughed, starting to eat the bottom of her muffin. "Um….so, things with Byron are serious?" Donna looked up at the sudden topic change. "Sort of. I don't know. I can't really figure him out." "What do you mean?" asked Josh, hoping to discover some chink in Byron's armor. Donna's eyes darkened for a second. "It's nothing. It's just he's hard to pin down for dates and stuff." But she perked up again, saying, "I'm sure it's just his job schedule. God knows I'm not the easiest person to schedule stuff with either." Josh, not knowing what to say, just stared at her. `What the hell was I waiting for?' he silently asked himself. `This amazing woman works with me practically seven days a week and I have to realize how in love I am with her after she meets someone else?' "Hey, want to hear something interesting?" Josh was pulled from his ruminations by this question. "Ugh. Not another useless fact." "Hey! They're not useless. Plus, this one isn't from me. It's from Byron." `Oh, just what I need. Competition with a man who encourages Donna's useless fact of the day habit,' thought Josh. Instead, he raised his eyebrow at her. "Okay," he said. "Did you know that artist Constantino Brumidi fell from the dome of the U.S Capitol while painting a mural around the rim? He died four months afterwards," she said with a smile. "That's it?" "Well, yeah," said Donna sipping her coffee. "Geez Donna. You'd think loverboy could come up with something better than that." Donna tried to interrupt him, but he held up his hand to stop her. "I mean what happened? Did anyone honor the poor man? Does his ghost haunt the Capitol on dark, stormy nights?" Donna smirked at him. "I never knew you were so interested in these facts, Joshua." "Well, at least when you give them, you give the whole story. Byron doesn't seem to have done his homework." Donna smiled at him. "I did ask those same questions, you know. But Byron didn't seem to know the answers," her eyes seemed sad again, butthey brightened when she said, "Maybe I'll search online for the answers today." Josh sat back in his chair. "This is what you do all day? While I am out working hard for the country, you're surfing the Internet for things to amuse your boyfriend with?" Donna rolled her eyes. "Don't make me point out the number of times I've walked in here and you've had your feet up on your desk, staringinto space. And he's not my boyfriend." Hearing her deny it was good for Josh's ego, but his happiness was shattered by the arrival of Margaret at the door. She was dwarfed by a huge floral display, she could barely see over. "Um, Josh? Have you seen Donna?" Donna jumped up to help Margaret. "I'm right here Margaret. What are you doing carrying this around?" "Oh thank God," said Margaret, transferring the heavy floral display to Donna's arms. "Who knew that red roses could weigh so much." The arrangement was almost three dozen red roses in a huge crystal vase, and Donna struggled under the weight of it until Josh came around the table and helped her place them on his desk. "They're for you," said Margaret, holding out the card for Donna. "Secret love, hmm? How come I'm always the last one to know stuff around here?" Donna was already concentrating on opening the card. She pulled it out and blushed as she read it. "Donna. Come on! Spill!" said Margaret. Donna put the card back in the envelope and pocketed it. "Margaret. It's nothing." "I don't call three dozen red roses nothing." Both women had forgotten about Josh who was staring forlornly at the bouquet. It was almost garish in its obviousness. "Margaret…." said Donna with a hint of smile playing on her lips. "Okay. Okay," said Margaret backing out of the room. "But don't think that people aren't going to question a huge bouquet of roses on your desk," she teased. Donna, who hated being fodder for the White House grapevine, blanched. She finally turned to Josh. "Can you help me carry these to my desk?" Josh who was fuming inside, instead quipped, "I'm assuming lover boy also had a good time at the opera last night?" Donna smiled, hoisting her end of the bouquet. "You'll never get it out of me." Once they had placed the flowers on her desk, spending several minutes moving stuff around, Josh headed back to his office. Donna was standing over the bouquet, smelling the flowers, a smile on her face. Josh swore to himself and closed his door.
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