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Happy Birthday Mr. Lyman, Part 4 of 4 By: Jenna * * * Mrs. Landingham stopped by the next afternoon with a batch of cookies and had a nice visit with Mary over a pot of tea after they packed Josh off to take a nap. The two older women were contemporaries in age and had a number of things in common. Mary Lyman had been luckier though. She'd only lost one child though she'd almost lost the second. Delores Landingham had lost both her sons in Vietnam. The two elderly widows reminisced about growing up during "The War" -- the real war, World War Two -- and having to ration and recycle. Of their mother's working in the factories because their fathers and so many other men were overseas. Of the changes they'd seen in just the last 20 years, let alone the last 50: the computers, the VCRs, DVD players, camcorders... The list was endless. They remembered listening to the radio when President Roosevelt said that 'this day was a day that would live in infamy' as they cried over the horrible loss of life at Pearl Harbor. How both of their fathers had gone down to sign up the next day, only to find the line at the recruitment center already stretched around the block. They remembered the first time they'd seen 'television' in the window of the department store, and how crowds gathered to watch when President Roosevelt spoke about the end of the war. And how everyone celebrated in the streets until dawn. They reminisced about adorable little boys with curls and dimples and devious schemes, of blue-eyed tow-headed twins who always asked 'why', and little girls who lived in musical dreamlands... And they cried together for their loss and the pain that would never end. * * * Josh was convinced that the heavy set Jamaican woman that Mrs. Landingham sent over was a Voodoo priestess who would put a hex on him if he got out of line. Mary was so convinced that she would take good care of Josh, that she hired her to not only clean his apartment once a week, but to stop by several times a week to do whatever else needed doing. Donna was convinced that her unscheduled visits would ensure that Josh wouldn't dare try to sneak outside during the day now that no one was around to enforce that ban. Mama Rose was convinced that if the skinny blond woman just put some meat on her bones the poor man who was shot along with the President would marry her and she could have some babies like her own little ones. * * Saturday, October 7, 2000 * * With the arrangements made to have her much-recovered two-legged pet's cage cleaned and his food dish replenished, Mary Lyman packed up her four-legged pet and headed back to her own home in Hartford. Josh wandered around the apartment lonely and wishing that she could have stayed a little longer. Sure, he was a grown man and having his mother around was 'cramping his style' -- not that he had any 'style' to cramp. Even during the heyday of the election excitement and inaugural fever when he'd been on more than one magazine cover as the Bartlet administration's hottest bachelor, he'd had more offers than action. He'd broken up with Mandy and was free and clear --as long as he was discrete, he could have had any number of willing political groupies eager for the chance to say they'd been 'done' by 'the' Josh Lyman. Maybe that was the problem. His pride was stung to realize that he wouldn't be using them so much as they'd be using him. He'd been there and done that already with Mandy. His guard was up against any woman trying to use his position to further her own ambitions now. The few women he'd taken up on their offers had been either powerful in their own right or had no political ambitions whatsoever. Oh, he certainly enjoyed the chase and flirted outrageously wherever and whenever he had the chance... But... he found he'd become less and less satisfied with meaningless liaisons and playing the game. Few of the slick, predatory women he encountered even pretended he was anything other than 'big game' to them. There was little challenge when the outcome was a given, so his competitive spirit was seldom aroused for the hunt. Joey Lucas had been the last woman to arouse that spirit, and she'd turned out to be sleeping with the 'guy who bought the Devil's cigarettes' as Toby put it. She was an outrageous flirt and it had made him feel like 'hot stuff' to be the object of her obvious desire. Joey hadn't even given a moments notice to the much more traditionally handsome Sam. Josh frowned at his thoughts. Maybe that was because Sam wasn't nearly the 'catch' he was from a power perspective. Like the 'girls all getting pretty at closing time', all the politicians got handsome when they were in power. Power really was the greatest aphrodisiac. Josh sighed. He thought that maybe... if he found someone nice... someone who would make him rest when he was exhausted... someone who would take care of him when he was sick... someone his mother would like --she'd have to want children too, his mother would want grandchildren... he might just maybe... someday... in the verrrrrry distant future... want to get married. Maybe someone like Donna, but not like -- Donna -- Donna was his assistant. He couldn't begin to think of Donna that way or else The Gates of Hell would open and the world would come to an end. Leo'd kill him, that's for sure. Donna arrived back late that afternoon after taking Mary to the station and running errands. She put Josh to work slicing veggies for the salad while she browned the meat for the spaghetti. Josh sipped his sparkling water and watched mournfully as Donna sipped a glass of wine with her dinner. He couldn't even convince her to let him have a sip this time. She blamed the two sips of beer she'd allowed him to have the night of the baseball games as being to blame for his being so sleepy that he'd kissed her. It'd be another two weeks before he was allowed to have any alcohol. He should be happy that he was finally allowed the privilege of having one cup of real coffee in the mornings. His life had become a regime of pills, exercises, and things he couldn't have... Josh quietly helped Donna clean up the dishes and put the leftovers away. She noticed how quiet he was and mentioned that she really didn't need to head home right away if he wanted to watch a movie... Donna hadn't rented anything and they'd already watched her entire collection of suitable tapes of shows off Masterpiece Theater and A&E numerous times while Mary was there. Josh's DVD collection was pretty sparse, half of it consisting of the five free movies he got for buying the DVD player. She picked out a comedy from among the free movies and hoped it didn't contain any car chases or shootouts. She'd noticed how Josh started fidgeting and would leave the room whenever the news got too close to the events of that bloody night at Rosslyn. Donna cut off the movie after 20 minutes when the guns came out. "That does it Josh, No more movies that I haven't already seen. I'll see what I can borrow from the rest of the staff." "Donna, I'm fine, really." Josh whined. "It's not like I'm going to get upset over a movie. I know the difference between reality and fiction. I don't need to be babied. It's not a problem. I can -- I am -- dealing with it fine. If it weren't for the weakness thing I'd be back at work. I'd be working here full time if Leo'd let me." "You might can stand it Josh, but I can't," Donna explained bluntly. "I really should go... Are you going to be okay? I can go get some things and come back if you need me?" "No... no... Go home and rest. I'll be fine... I'm pretty tired too." Josh was sorry for upsetting Donna about the movies and felt guilty over keeping her at his beck-and-call when she had her own life to live. "You sure?" "Yeah, go on home, Donna." "'kay. I'll come over about noon." "You can make it later, if you... I mean... I can fix my own lunch and all. Maybe you could come mid-afternoon and we can get some take-out. Save the leftover spaghetti..." "You're not allowed--" Donna stopped and reconsidered. "I guess we can order out. It's not like you are eating junk food every day," Donna smiled as she gathered her belongings and headed for the door. "About that. Thanks for... you know..." "Yeah. No problem. See you tomorrow, Josh." She reached out at wrapped her arms around Josh's shoulders and pulled him into a hug. Josh shyly wrapped his arms around Donna's thin waist barely touching her in his awkward attempt to return the hug and affection without risking the chance that this could cross the safe and familiar line between boss and employee. Donna tightened the hug, swiftly kissed his left jaw just below his ear, released him, and fled out the door. The apartment seemed so empty after Donna left. The loneliness returned in force. He'd gotten used to having his mother and Donna around. He tried to imagine they were in the kitchen or that his mother had just gone to her bedroom to read. It didn't work. The silence echoed around him. He sat down and turned on CNN, but it just reminded him there was no Oscar to come and jump in his lap and demand to be petted. He tried reading the latest 'Time' but he couldn't concentrate. He flipped through the pages and saw a tiny picture of himself bleeding on the concrete at Rosslyn surrounded by the hysterical crowd. He froze. A brief fragmentary flash of memory of screams and people rushing past assaulted him. Then the telephone rang. He jumped and stared at the phone. It rang again. "Hello?" "Eagle's on his way. ETA in five," was the cryptic message from Ron Butterfield before the line went dead. "Donna!" he yelled before remembering she'd already left. He looked around the room to make sure it didn't look too bad, but fortunately between Mary, Donna, and Mama Rose, the place looked presentable. He hurriedly tidied up the DVD and magazines as a knock came at the door. Josh opened the door and two secret service agents entered without more than a nod in greeting and began to sweep the apartment and made sure the curtains were drawn and the windows secured. "Secure" the large black man said into his wrist radio as he took up a position by the front windows. The other agent went to the door and opened it. A moment later the President appeared with Ron Butterfield. Ron and the agent at the door nodded to each other as the President entered the apartment. The first agent then stepped outside leaving Ron to stand guard inside the door. "Josh, how are you?" President Bartlet said sweeping up to Josh and taking him by the arm. "Sit down, sit down," he said pulling on Josh's arm and sitting down on the sofa himself. "Mr. President, I'm fine thank you for asking. You shouldn't have come. I mean, I...I can't think the Secret Service would--" "Oh, they're fine, Josh. Ron lives for my little extra-curricular excursions. Don't you, Ron?" Ron did not look amused. "Well, maybe not." The President shrugged and stage-whispered. "He'll get over it. I heard your mother went home... I'm sorry I missed her. I meant to get by before she left." "I'll tell her you asked after her, Sir." "So tell me, how's the rehab going? I suppose they have you doing lots of exercises that make you feel like a dork." "Yes, sir," Josh smiled at how the President understood how much he hated looking like the hapless nerd who couldn't climb the rope. In common with the President, his fiercely competitive nature had always had him excel in sports as well as his class work. Admittedly, he would never have made the football team, but he was on the tennis team and he could play a mean game of touch football or pick-up basketball. And unlike the President he didn't have to resort to ringers -- then again, he should hope to be in as good of shape as the President in another 20 years. "It's frustrating. I know I should be able to do them -- the exercises -- but--" "But your body just won't cooperate." "Yeah." "Believe me, Josh, I understand." He patted Josh's arm and looked around the room then noticed the DVD case on the table. "Sam said you got a DVD player." "Yes, sir. Or rather Sam and everybody pitched in and got it for me. They thought I should watch movies while I was recovering, but most of the movies are... you know... So we've mostly been watching Donna's tapes." "Yeah. Abbey won't let me watch anything good either. She let's me watch 'Pride and Prejudice', that's about it. "Yeah. We watched that too. I liked the part where--" He stopped, blushing in embarrassment realizing he was discussing Jane Austen with the President. The President just sighed and said "We're whipped, Josh. We need to go on one of those retreats where the guys beat on drums and dance around the campfire." "With all due respect, Mr. President. I'd rather watch Jane Austen with Donna. I mean-- not that Donna has to be there or anything... I just--" Josh stammered. "I understand. Did you get surround sound?" "For the DVD? No. Donna didn't want Zach drilling up my walls to run the wiring or me tripping over the speakers." "She's probably right. Wait'll you buy a house, then you can have a home theater all wired in. " "I can't imagine buying a house. You buy a house when you get married and start a family. I'm not likely to ever do that." "Oh, never say 'never', Josh. Did I ever tell you I was gonna be a priest before I met Abbey? Really, I was. Next thing I know I'm married with a baby on the way. Don't be too sure you haven't already met your Abbey and just don't know it yet." Josh thought briefly of Donna working in his kitchen like it was her own. He wondered again what it would be like to have someone to come home to everyday... "Yes Sir." Josh replied then looked away awkwardly. "Nevermind, Josh" The President smiled and patted him on the arm. "Just concentrate on getting well for now. I need you, you know. I know we kid you a lot and all, but don't ever doubt your worth to this administration -- to me. I want you back, son." Josh looked wide-eyed at the President who, unlike Leo and himself, could so easily express his affection. He knew that the President thought of the staff as his extended family and felt a general affection for them, but the President referring to him as 'son' indicated that he was held in higher regard than he had realized. It was only a year ago when he was sure the President was going to fire him over the Mary Marsh incident and, realistically, he knew that he could still get fired anytime if he became a political liability. "Mr. President... Thank you. I-- It's an honor to serve--" The President started to stand, holding Josh down with a hand on his shoulder. "Get well and come back. The West Wing isn't the same without you." He leaned down and kissed Josh on the forehead. "I just wanted to show my appreciation. People kiss their assistants all the time, you know..." He swept out of the apartment with the Secret Service in his wake as Josh struggled to overcome his astonishment and get to his feet. * * * * * Saturday, October 21, 2000 * * "Hey," Josh said quietly as he opened the door to let Sam Seaborn into his townhouse. Josh felt awful. He had not been looking forward to seeing Sam today. He wasn't even sure that Sam would come by to help with his rehab. He knew that Sam must have felt betrayed last night at Leo canceling the support for Tom Jordan's Congressional run. Sam had gotten his old college buddy to run assuring him of the White House's full backing. Now, circumstances had conspired to paint a fundamentally decent man as a racist. To the idealistic Sam still naïve to the ways of national politics it would seem as if the White House had cut and run. To the pragmatic Leo and Josh it had been a matter of saving limited funds to put them where they could still do some good and not throwing good money after bad. Whether Tom Jordan was a racist or not didn't matter, the perception of the truth that had painted the candidate with the same broad-brush strokes that defined the West Virginia White Pride. There were no shades of grey allowed in politics any more. Sam silently entered the apartment and hung his raincoat on the rack by the door. "Sam... I'm sorry about Tom. That it didn't work out..." "It's fine, Josh. That's the way it goes sometime. I just... I just wish there was something I could have done. I was told not to even call and explain. Just to-- It just doesn't seem right." He headed to the mat and motioned Josh to start his stretching exercises. "Yeah." Josh replied as sat down on the mat and commenced the routine stretching. "Welcome to my world. Do you regret--" "No! No, Josh. This... this is a dream come true. It's the greatest experience I could ever have. I could never regret working in the White House. Being a part of history. I'll always mark the day you showed up dripping all over the offices of Gage-Whitney and pulled me out of that meeting as the turning point in my life. It's the day I gave up playing at the life my Dad wanted for me and started really living the life I wanted. I'd never regret walking out of there." "You didn't sign on for getting shot at." Josh said putting his knees together and preparing to do his sit-ups. Sam grasped Josh's knees to hold them in place. "But I did." He replied. "I didn't expect it to really happen. I certainly didn't expect you to get shot, or for it to be the President's bodyman the shooters really wanted. But I knew that it was a possibility that someone would shoot at us. It's happened too many times in recent history not to be a possibility. Didn't you ever think about it? I mean someone shooting the President, not getting shot yourself." Josh finished his sit-ups and moved to the weight set. He lay down on the bench and braced his feet. Sam moved over to spot him while he lifted the 100-pound sissy weights. "Yeah" He responded quietly. "I worried about it almost constantly when we were campaigning in California. I couldn't help but remember Bobby Kennedy. I was just a little kid when he was assassinated. Seven or eight. But I remember how upset my parents and all the adults were. I knew something really bad had happened. My Dad explained that he was a great man. He would have been President and how he'd never have the chance, and we'd never know what kind of world we might have had. I thought about that throughout prep school and college. I think it made me go into politics and not practice law. I wanted to be a part of Camelot. I wanted to see the dreams of a better world come true. So, yeah, I thought about it a lot. I lived in terror that the dream of a Bartlet legacy would die before the election was ever held." "Josh... you should have said something. Sometimes it helps to talk--" Josh snorted, "That's why I've had a therapist since I was nine. But talking doesn't change anything. It's either gonna happen or it not." "Josh, I'm not talking about a therapist. Just your friends. If something's bothering you, you should talk to us." "Yeah. I'll keep that in mind." Josh said and changed the subject. The last thing he intended to do was get all mushy talking about his emotional baggage with his friends. Friends were for helping him forget his problems, not reliving them. * * * * * Tuesday, November 7, 2000 * * Election day had arrived and now the polls had closed in California. CJ and Toby had called and were on their way with beer; Sam would be by later. The rain had finally stopped and Donna had agreed to allow Josh to sit out on the front steps for half-an-hour if he agreed to change his grubby sweat pants for the pajamas that CJ had bought him. Josh was to return to work next week, albeit part time. He wanted to take part in meetings between the African delegates at the giant pharmaceutical companies about providing low-cost drugs to Africa to fight the AIDS epidemic that was devastating the continent. Toby and CJ arrived and joined them on the steps. Sam pulled up and parked but was on the phone and waited to finish his conversation before walking over. He announced that the results had left a political makeup identical to that before the election. All the money and all the time spent had made no difference. "We should have a party anyway." CJ commented. We can still celebrate your coming back to work... or your birthday... Don't you turn 40 next month?" "Yeah. December 21st. I never much celebrated it because it was at Christmas and Hanukah, so they always overshadowed it." "I think that's the date for the Congressional Christmas Party," Sam added. "Yo-Yo Ma is scheduled for that. "Yo-Yo Ma's playing? I love him!" Donna looked speculatively at Josh sizing up her chances for getting him to get her an invitation. Josh gave Donna a sideways glance knowing exactly what she was thinking. He'd definitely have to tease her with a refusal or two before he produced the invitation. Yo-Yo Ma, Donna attending the party with him, and a party for his 40th birthday, life was looking up. He'd definitely let them talk him into a birthday party this year. It wasn't every year a guy turned 40, and he was ready to start a new life. * * * The end * * * See Epilogue
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