ACT THREE
INTERIOR - JOSH'S TOWN CAR
THURSDAY MORNING
"All I'm saying is that no one will think you're weak if you don't go," Josh repeated for what seemed like the millionth time.
"I'm well aware of your stance on this, Josh. We've been having this same discussion for a week."
Josh took a deep breath and turned to face her. "I hate fighting with you, Donna."
"We're not fighting. We're....discussing. We're working things through."
"Is that what you call it?"
"We're doing what people in grown up relationships do."
"Maybe that's why I put off getting into a grown up relationship for so long."
"That and the fact that you hadn't found the right girl," Donna smiled.
"That too," Josh returned her smile.
"Let's talk about something else," Donna suggested.
"Like what?"
"The interviews the President and First Lady have been doing have looked good so far," Donna said. "We're getting lots of positive feedback."
"They've been doing great," Josh agreed.
"Well that didn't take long," Donna chuckled. "What should we talk about next? The weather?"
"It's raining. It's been raining for two days," Josh said grumpily.
"If this keeps up we may need to build an ark," Donna said as she looked out the car's windows at the teeming rain.
"We could be in trouble," Josh warned.
"Because you're not very handy."
"Right. And after everyone sees me in that Mad Hatter get up tonight they may think I'm not too stable either."
"It's a cute costume."
"It's really not."
"You're not going to try to get out of this are you? Invent some fake emergency right before time for the party to start?"
"Would I do that?" Josh tried to look offended.
"Yes."
Donna knew him to well. "I promise. I'll be there on time with my checkered pants on."
"That's all I ask," Donna smiled.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR - SAM'S OFFICE
THURSDAY MORNING
"I finished the report on my meeting with Phillips and his staff," Bram said as he entered Sam's office brandishing a folder. "I'm pretty sure we won't have any more problems with him. At least not on this."
"He's gonna drop the bill?" Sam asked, looking up from what he was reading.
"He's not gonna drop it. You know he's never gonna drop it. But he's going to leave the President, and more importantly Peter's condition, out of it."
"Did we have to offer him anything?"
"Nothing. Apparently he doesn't relish the thought of a personal visit from you, or worse yet Josh."
"Great. You wanna take that report over to Josh?"
"Uhh...I've got a load of things to do today. Can you take it over
when you go to afternoon staff?"
"Sure. But you've been working so hard on it I thought you might want to take it over yourself. Get some credit for squashing it so fast."
"I think I'll pass. I'm not sure anything in this report is enough to bring a smile to Josh's face or keep him from snapping my head off over a misplaced colon."
"Are there any misplaced colons?" Sam asked.
"Not that I know of, but if there are he'll find them for sure. He's been impossible all week."
"He's got a lot on his mind. Cut him some slack."
"I will. I just prefer to do it from here," Bram smirked.
"Fine. Leave the report. I'll take it with me when I go over."
Bram started for the door then turned back. "Everything's ok with Josh, right? I mean it's nothing we should be worried about, is it?"
Sam could tell that the younger man's question was out of sincere concern and not prurient interest.
"Yeah, he's fine. Just a little...umm...thing he's working through with Donna."
"Ah, woman problems."
"Not problems so much. I wouldn't want to start any unfounded rumors. Just a...thing."
"Got it," Bram repeated. "A thing."
"You know how those things can be," Sam said.
"Do I ever," Bram snorted.
"Sometimes you just reach loggerheads and it takes you a while to figure out how to get around it." Sam wasn't sure if he was talking about Josh's problems now or his own.
"I hear ya."
Sam felt that he and Bram had become closer since the start of the term and wondered if this might be a person he could confide in. They'd never be as close as he and Josh obviously, but Josh had a lot more on his shoulders these days and it might be nice to have another guy to bounce things off of when Josh wasn't available.
"I'm going through a little of that same thing myself right now," Sam tested the water.
"Really?"
"Yeah. You know Lauren right?"
"Your fiancée? Sure. I've met her a few times. She's great," Bram said enthusiastically.
"Yeah, she is. Thing is, I'm not sure her adjustment to life in DC is going quite as well as we'd hoped it would."
"Where did she live before?" Bram asked sincerely.
"
"Ahhh well then, the weather must be a big change for her."
Sam wondered if he wasn't being clear. "Well it's actually a little more than that. My crazy hours, taking work home, the dedication it takes to work in the White House-it's not quite what she expected."
"I know what you mean. I'm having some of the same kinds of problems with Sierra."
"Really?" Sam was hopeful. Maybe this was something he and Bram could bond over.
"Yeah. We were supposed to go to the movies last Friday but I ended up having to work late and we didn't get a chance to go till Sunday afternoon. She was a little pissed."
Sam looked at Bram, stunned. He had always privately believed that there had to be hidden depth to Bram. That no one could be as shallow as he appeared to be.
"But it turned out ok because she fell asleep waiting at my place on Friday so I got a little morning action on Saturday."
"Well thank heavens it all worked out then," Sam chuckled.
"We men have needs, right? No matter how busy we get we still have needs."
Sam laughed. 'Maybe he is just exactly that shallow' he thought. "I hear ya."
"Maybe what you and Lauren need is a few hours alone together, you know what I mean?" Bram gave an exaggerated wink.
"Yeah," Sam laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. But just in case, as a backup, I'm gonna try another never fail option, expensive jewelry."
"That usually works too," Bram nodded. "What's the occasion?"
"No occasion." Sam pulled a red velvet necklace box from the top drawer of his desk. He turned it towards Bram as he flipped open the lid to reveal a beautiful gold necklace with a large diamond pendant.
"Wow!" Bram whistled. "That must have set you back a pretty penny."
"Like I said, she's been having some problems adjusting. I thought this might help. Show her that I appreciate what she's going through."
"That's quite a statement," Bram said, still eyeing the necklace.
"I hope so. I'm gonna give it to her before the party tonight. It'll go great with her costume so hopefully she'll wear it."
"You give that to her before the party and we may never see you guys. She may want to thank you properly." Bram waggled his eyebrows.
Sam smiled at Bram and slipped the necklace back into his drawer.
CUT TO
INTERIOR - LESTER'S OFFICE
THURSDAY AFTERNOON
"How'd this morning's press conference with the print media go?" Lou asked as she strolled through his door. "I got caught up meeting with Patterson about the language in the VFW speech."
"It was a breeze. They had the reporters eating out of their hands by two minutes in."
"The vaunted cynical White House press corps was eating out of their hands?"
"Completely."
"Did you tell Josh?"
"I emailed him."
"Chicken."
"Damn right. I have no desire to walk into that buzz saw if I don'thave to."
"So his mood's no better?" Lou asked.
"It's worse if that's possible."
"Scary."
"Tell me about it."
"Well it's almost that time," Lou said as she looked at her watch. "I guess I'll see you at the party."
"I'm headed down there in a little bit to make sure everything's ready for the press. We'll get them in, take a few pictures, and out within an hour. I promised the First Lady."
"Shouldn't be a problem. Let me know if any of them give you any trouble."
"Should I tell them to come up and see you sometime?" Lester laughed at his own joke.
"What?"
"Mae West? Get it? Come up and see me sometime."
"Yeah. You're a real comedian." Lou rolled her eyes. "You should be working in comedy clubs instead of wasting your time here."
"See you later," Lester called after her as she turned and left his office.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR - JOSH'S OFFICE
THURSDAY AFTERNOON
"It's time, Josh," Margaret said as she breezed in and dropped a small pile of folders on his desk.
"Time for what?"
"Time for you to get into your costume."
"Already?" Josh glanced at his watch.
"Yes." Margaret crossed her arms over her chest.
"I need a few more minutes."
"No."
"Margaret, this is important."
"No, it's not. Donna will be down here in exactly 30 minutes and if you're not ready there will be Hell to pay. So get dressed."
CUT TO
INTERIOR - EAST ROOM
"Wow!" Otto said as he approached Lou as she fidgeted nervously with her costume. "You've got curves."
"Shut up."
"I mean...wow..."
"I said shut up, Junior."
"There you are," Lester and Bram said as they approached. "We look stupid if there's only two of us. We're supposed to be the THREE Musketeers. Where were you...WOW!"
"If I have to say shut up one more time you're all going to be sorry," Lou warned.
"Where did those come from?" Lester asked.
"What?"
"Those.....ummm...you know," Lester stammered.
"Boobs," Bram added helpfully.
"I want you three to stay away from me all night," Lou said as she turned and stalked off.
"Do you think it's a corset," Otto asked as he watched her go.
"Why don't you ask her," Lester snarked. "Then we'll be two live Musketeers dragging around a dead one."
CUT TO:
INTERIOR - JOSH'S OFFICE
"MARGARET!"
"Yes?"
"I don't think these pants fit right..." he looked up as Margaret entered. "Hey...look at you."
"I'm the Statue of Liberty." Margaret stated the obvious.
"You look great," Josh said sincerely.
"Thanks."
"But I look stupid." Josh wasn't sure whether it was the bow tie, the freakishly tall top hat or the checkered pants that made him look ridiculous. Or maybe it was the combination of all three. Whatever, he felt decidedly uncomfortable.
"No you don't."
"I do."
"No you don't," came a soft voice from the doorway. "You look perfect."
"Donna, you look...gorgeous!" Josh stood back and took in her stunning
"Thank you. You look very nice too." She crossed the room and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
"If you don't need anything else I'm headed for the party," Margaret smiled.
"Sure. Go ahead. We'll be there in a few minutes." Josh turned back to Donna and leaned in to steal another kiss.
"You made a great choice of costume," Josh said as he fingered the collar of her dress.
"You too," Donna purred as she fingered his bow tie.
"If you say so," Josh kissed her again. "But I didn't pick it."
"Kudos to whoever did." Donna smiled as she tilted her head to give him better access to her neck.
"Of course," Josh chuckled.
"So," Donna said as she pushed him away gently, knowing if they didn't stop now it might be too late, "no luck manufacturing an emergency?"
"I didn't try."
Donna arched her eyebrow.
"The President ordered me not to," Josh admitted.
"It's gonna be fun," Donna assured him.
"Let's go,
CUT TO
INTERIOR - EAST ROOM
CONTINUOUS
"I thought this was just supposed to be a little staff party," Josh said as he and Donna entered.
"There are 1100 people on staff," Donna pointed out.
"Are they all invited?" Josh was appalled.
"Not all of them. But several hundred," Donna said.
"Some of these costumes are pretty extravagant," Josh observed.
"Yeah," Donna agreed. "Look, there are the President and the First Lady. Don't they look fabulous?"
"He's wearing tights."
"He has nice legs."
"If you say so."
"And there's Peter. He's dressed as a mini-Robin Hood. Isn't that adorable?"
Josh and Donna watched as Peter darted in and out of the tables playing an energetic game of tag with a young pirate, football player and astronaut.
"Who are those other kids?"
"Helen told Peter he could invite three friends."
"They certainly look like they're having fun."
"They sure do. This is exactly what he needs, what the whole family needs," Donna smiled delightedly.
They noticed the photographers moving through the room, taking pictures of the smiling, happy boys. "Those pictures ought to be the icing on the cake of the successful interviews."
"Hopefully we can put this story to rest then and move on," Donna sighed.
"From your lips..." Josh said as he grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR - CORNER OF THE EAST ROOM
CONTINUOUS
"If you say one word about my curves I'll be forced to hurt you," Lou said as Lester, Bram and Otto approached.
"We weren't even thinking about that. We've moved on," Otto said with feigned nonchalance. "In fact we barely even notice the curves anymore."
"You're overselling," Bram said as he elbowed Otto in the ribs.
"Their hour is up but the photographers are getting some really great photos of Peter playing with his friends and I was wondering if maybe we should give them an extra 10 minutes," Lester asked.
"And risk the wrath of the First Lady?" Lou arched an eyebrow.
"She looks like she's having a pretty good time," Lester nodded to the other side of the room where Donna was approaching Helen. Both women were smiling. "I'm hoping she might not notice a few extra minutes."
"I think ten more minutes would be a great idea," Lou agreed. "But if Mrs. Santos complains I'm blaming it all on you."
CUT TO
INTERIOR - OTHER SIDE OF THE EAST ROOM
CONTINUOUS
"Peter looks like he's having fun," Donna said as she approached the First Lady.
"Yeah, he does. I was worried that the parents of his friends wouldn't want their kids to play with him any more. Or that the kids wouldn't want to. Or that they'd make fun of him."
"You're a mom. Worrying is in the job description," Donna sympathized.
"When his friends first got here tonight I was trying to casually review what Tourette's is and what Peter might do and one of the kids said 'The doctor explained it all to us, Mrs. Santos. It's cool'."
"It's cool?"
"Yep. They just took it in stride."
"Kids can be really accepting," Donna said.
"More so than adults sometimes."
"There's a lot to be said for the flexibility of youth. Speaking of, where's Miranda?"
"She's off somewhere with Margaret. She's fascinated by the torch."
"Cute," Donna giggled.
"The reporters were supposed to be gone by now," Helen said. "I think Lester and Lou are trying to steal a few extra minutes."
"You have to admit the pictures of the kids are priceless."
"A few extra minutes," Helen said indulgently. "Then they have to go. And I want prints of all those pictures."
"I'll make sure Lester gets the message. I think he's the one in charge or wrangling them tonight."
"He's over there, hiding in the corner hoping I don't notice him." Helen pointed across the room.
"I'm on it," Donna said as she headed off to talk to Lester.