Monday 6:45 pm
God, Donna, I'm so sorry. I wish this had never happened, but even more, I hoped you wouldn't figure it out this way. He's a jackass, and I don't know if I should have told you or not, but right now it feels like I should have.
You are right about the reason you and Josh never got together--it would reflect poorly on the President and our administration. It may be cold comfort now, but if that was your reason, it was the right reason.
You probably don't want to hear this right now, but you know that I respect and care about you, Donna, and if you and Josh had thrown--reason?--to the wind, I would have killed you both, then gladly cleaned up the mess and been very happy for you. It makes me sick that my contingency plans and spin are going to waste on someone I -- to say nothing of Josh -- barely know. It should have been you, Donna. I wanted to do this for you.
I'm probably only making this worse. But he made you so happy, when he wasn't being an idiot. I wanted that for you.
If you feel that resignation is the right decision, then you should do it. In fact, you have to do it. I won't argue with that. But please be sure that you're doing it for the right reasons and not just succumbing to a knee-jerk reaction. Consider your career, and remember, if you want to step over Josh Lyman's cold dead body on your way to a bigger and better position, then I, Mrs. Bartlet, and Amy will be lining up to assist you.
This letter probably doesn't help at all. I'm sorry. Take care of yourself, and if there's anything I can do to make my part in this up to you, tell me and I'll do it.
Love,
CJ
~~~~~
Monday 8:09pm
CJ,
There is absolutely nothing for you to be sorry about. It isn't your fault that Josh is an emotionally-stunted, egocentric, over-sexed jackass. It's his.
And I really do appreciate all you've done for me so far. I just need a little time to figure out what I'm going to do with myself now. Maybe it's time for me to contemplate finally getting my degree? I understand that UC Berkley has a wonderful Public Relations department. And the University of Wisconsin has a pretty decent History department.
If all else fails, my friend Casey still calls me monthly to try and get me to work for his dot.com company. And I know I can always count on the sisterhood.
As for my career at the White House? I already talked to Leo. He assured me that he won't allow Josh to interfere in any way with my resignation, but that if I decide at some later date that I would like to return, he'll make sure that there's a place for me. I don't think I'll take him up on the offer, but it was good to hear. Not bad for a college drop-out who lied her way into the job to start with.
I've got to go, CJ. Sam is supposed to be arriving soon and I'd really rather *not* look like something the cat dragged in when he shows up. I'm not sure if there's anything I can do to conceal these puffy eyes, but I'm going to try.
Love,
Donna
~~~~~
Monday 11:18 pm
Hey buddy,
I got into Madison tonight to see Donna, but she's been listless and weepy all evening. She mumbled something about Toby, assistants, and ash trees (?). What the hell is happening back there?
I intended to spend the week here, but if you need me, I can fly back tomorrow.
-Sam
~~~~~
Tuesday 6:30 am
Spanky,
I can't say much, but Donna is having serious issues that involve someone we all know. Very serious. The worst.
I may have already said too much. But you'll know what to do.
CJ
PS: Bring me back some cheese.
~~~~~
Tuesday 6:49am
Thank you, Donna. You have a good heart.
And you know, if you're serious about getting your degree, why not do it now, while you're sitting in Wisconsin with nothing to do except stare at the cows? You already spent two years at UW, right? A UW undergrad who left Wisconsin to join a successful presidential campaign, who's just spent five years in the White House... Ha. UW PoliSci would admit you back in a heartbeat...maybe even just hand you the damn degree. But if you do have to finish your upper year work, now would be the best time to do it.
If, when you've healed, you want to go to Berkeley for a Masters or something, you know I'd recommend you. Or if you already have Leo in your corner, why not ask him to make some calls?
Say hi to Sam for me, and let him take your mind off things for a while.
Love,
CJ
~~~~~
Tuesday, 8:12am
To: Miss Donnatella Moss
CC: Leo McGarry
Dear Miss Moss,
I do not accept your letter of resignation. I advise you to reconsider your actions; otherwise, I shall be speaking to the White House Counsel's office regarding a possible breach of contract.
Yours,
Joshua Lyman
~~~~~
Tuesday, 8:31am
Donna,
Stop. Stop right now. You don't know what you're doing.
You can't honestly mean any of that. I know you don't. You can't.
You're the one who told me to start dating her in the first place! Women -- gah! I'm going to ignore the comment about her being good at things other than coffee and hope that this is all just a reaction due to the shock of finding out about the Communications job...and because you're leg is about to fall off.
You're not leaving me. YOU...ARE...NOT!
And I want you to finish that sentence about why you slept with Colin.
Screw this, I'm calling you. Free up the phone line. You don't get to say goodbye that easily.
- J.
~~~~~
Tuesday, 8:43am
PICK UP THE DAMN PHONE, DONNA!!!!!
- Josh
~~~~~
Tuesday, 9:04am
Donna --
Obviously, you don't want to talk to me. The line has switched back and forth from being busy to no one picking up, so you're just going to have to deal with emails.
Why are you doing this? So I'm dating someone...that can't be the big issue here. I've dated people before and you've never resigned. Hell, Amy and I thought about moving in together at one point, maybe even getting married, and you didn't act like this. It's got to be something else. Is there more about your leg that you're not telling me? Do you have to go back into the hospital? Are you afraid that you wouldn't fit in around here anymore if you're going to be gone for so long? WHAT IS IT????
Don't you know how much you mean to me? Christ, Donna! You're my best friend. Why are you doing this to me -- to us? It doesn't make *any* sense at all!
I read your email first thing this morning and I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I couldn't breathe. And then your resignation came in. I don't understand. Do you hear me? I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!!
Please. Please, Donna. Don't do it.
- Josh
~~~~~
Tuesday, 11:07am
CJ --
I'm in hell.
Could you please keep the press away from my end of the bull pen if it's at all possible? I'm really not feeling like myself this morning. In fact, maybe I should go home. I gotta go talk to Leo.
- Josh
~~~~~
Tuesday 11:25 am
Josh, it's a little late for that. Did you really tell Onorato you'd bury him and his boss together in a shallow grave with a sharp spade if they withdrew support for HR 738? And for the love of God, don't answer that question in writing.
Melinda has, at my instruction, cleared your schedule and will run interference and transfer all press calls to my office, regardless of whether you go or stay. You're not talking to anyone else until you calm the hell down.
Speaking of Melinda, she's really picking things up quickly. Whoever hired her was, may I say, a genius.
CJ
~~~~~
Tuesday 11:55 am
Hi Donna,
I hope Sam got there okay last night. Make sure he buys me cheese, okay? :) In fact, why not take him on the dairy tour, since he's there?
One work thing. Deciding that Jackass is, well, a jackass, I took the liberty of hiring his new assistant myself. Her name is Melinda and you would adore her. She has a dozen years of exceptional government admin experience and when I asked her what she attributed her success to, she said it was because she wears at least two pieces of leather at all times. All I could see was her business suit, but I'm pretty damn sure she wasn't talking about her shoes.
I told Aisling to transfer any written notes you'd given her to Melinda to help her get settled. Since you're not going to be Josh's assistant anymore, were there other instructions you wanted passed on to help Melinda transition the position from temporary stop-gap help to permanent?
Thinking of you,
CJ
~~~~~
Tuesday, 8:04pm
Sam,
I don't even know where to start. I think you're better up there -- Donna obviously needs someone right now to work out why she's so screwed in the head, and it's obviously not going to be me.
If you need me, call my cell. I'm not at home.
- Josh
**This is from the home computer of Aisling Lawrence -- Brunettes of the World, Unite!**
~~~~~
Tuesday 8:07pm
CJ,
WHAT are you talking about? Josh is sending me cryptic messages too. I just left Washington this past weekend. Have you all gone nuts since then?
-Sam
PS. Cheese. Got it.
~~~~~
Tuesday 8:25pm
Josh,
Aisling? Isn't that your temp? And it's pronounced ash-ling? Donna's mumblings from last night are starting to make some sense now. I don't know what you or she did, but Donna is definitely pissed about something.
And hey! I got to meet the pastor at Donna's church, Matt. Did you know he got a baseball scholarship to Michigan? He was even scouted out for the pro's. Or did Donna tell you this already?
Take care, buddy. I'll let you know if Donna tells me anything else about Ash-ling.
-Sam
~~~~~
Tuesday, 11:57pm
Sam,
Obviously, I forgot to fill you in on a few things.
1) Aisling is no longer my temp. She and I are now dating and she's been assigned to the Communications Bullpen.
2) Donna resigned this morning -- well, technically yesterday, but I wasn't around to get the emails until this morning. But she's resigned. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? I've tried to talk her out of it, but I'm getting nowhere. She won't even pick up the damn phone!
3) Well, there is no three. It all goes back to #2. Donna is leaving
me. No, correction: she's left. I've lost TWO assistants this week -- one for obvious reasons, and the other because she's gone mental.
If you can figure out what's going on with Donna, be my guest. I don't even know where to begin with her anymore.
Keep me posted.
- Josh
p.s. Baseball scholarship to Michigan? Figures.
~~~~~
Weds 8:15am
J-
Wait a second. You and Aisling are dating? I can't believe you didn't tell me this sooner.
I'd offer congratulations but since I'm currently sleeping in Donna's guest bedroom, I'm not sure that would be wise. I'll see if I can't get her to email you.
-S
~~~~~
Wednesday 8:46am
CJ,
All the information Melinda needs should be in the notes. Everything else is filed by subject or can be found in the binders on top of the file cabinets.
The only thing not included is... well, it sounds stupid, but... coffee. Don't let her get Josh coffee.
-Donna
~~~~~
Wednesday 8:54am
Thanks, Donna. You're the best. I've told her.
And don't worry, she's really not the coffee-bringing type. Really. She did ask "whether he always eats this way" and I took the liberty of mentioning that I thought you often tricked him into eating vegetables.
Love,
CJ
~~~~~
Wednesday 9:20 am
I'm writing under duress. But Sam assures me that's the only way you'll stop calling.
I couldn't have you.
That's how I was going to finish the sentence. I slept with Colin because I couldn't have *you*.
Pathetic, isn't it?
-D
tbc...