Like A Bad Penny

by: Evelyn

“CJ? Got a minute?”

The Press Secretary looked up and saw Katie, the reporter from the Boston Globe, standing in her doorway. It was late afternoon and CJ was reading some memos trying to get ready for the last briefing of the day.

“Sure, come on in..”

“I explained to Carol it was sort of important and that I needed to speak to you privately,” the reporter said hesitantly.

“OK,” CJ said, putting down her binder. “What’s up?”

Katie looked down in her lap, bit her lip, and paused, clearly weighing her words.

“I just got a tip that Donna Moss is pregnant and that Josh Lyman is the father,” Katie said in a rush.

“Back up. Where did that come from?” CJ said.

“It’s from a guy I know who works for The National Enquirer.”

“Well that’s a reliable source,” CJ snorted.

“Their stories aren’t always just gossip. And I know this guy. He’s careful about what he writes, checks his sources. He’s usually on the money,” Katie insisted.

“And I’m telling you he’s blowing smoke on this one,” CJ said flatly.

“I’ve seen the pictures, CJ,” Katie asserted.

“Pictures?” CJ asked, with just a hint of doubt creeping into her voice.

“Yeah, I saw two. One had Josh with his arm around Donna going into his apartment. The other was a snap of them sharing food off the same plate, looking into each other’s eyes, the whole nine yards. I hear there are other telephoto shots of the two of them,” Katie revealed.

“Between you and me, Katie, I’m calling in a favor. What else do they have?” CJ asked.

“Their 36-Point Headline is currently, ‘Love Baby at the White House.’ CJ, what’s going on?” Katie demanded.

“Katie, you know it’s the White House policy not to comment on the private lives of staff,” CJ said deliberately. “But I’m telling you there’s no there, there. Give me a break. Why are you interested in crap like this?”

“You know I like Donna and Josh a lot but I’ve got a job to do,” the reporter insisted. “The story’s out there whether you like it or not.”

“Katie, I can’t control what the National Enquirer prints, but you’re a professional journalist. You’ve got better things to investigate than the love lives of two single adults,” CJ said angrily.

“Excuse me, CJ. The issue isn’t whether Donna and Josh are in love. The National Enquirer will cover that. My paper is interested in whether the two of them were using the Oval Office for late night romps. My paper wants to know if they shared a room while on business trips and whether tax dollars were spent to finance their clandestine affair. And frankly, from what I hear, the House Government Oversight Committee is considering holding hearings on just those issues, ” Katie said hotly.

CJ looked at the reporter, took a deep breath, and then said. “Katie, I’m going off the record with this because I do believe that you are a friend to Josh and Donna, and you’ve always been straight with me. I’m telling you with absolute certainty that before last Friday there was no affair between those two. They maintained a strictly professional relationship. Were they close friends? Yes. Were they in love? Yes. Did they act on those feelings? No, they were in complete denial and nothing, I mean absolutely nothing, happened here in the White House, or anywhere else for that matter, that would pique the interest of anyone, not even Mary Marsh. Donna Moss is not pregnant, period.”

“What happened Friday?” Katie asked.

“Last Friday, the President of the United States asked Donna to become his executive assistant. She accepted. Later that night, Josh asked Donna to marry him. She accepted. That’s it, that’s the whole story,” CJ insisted.

“What about the photos,” Katie pushed.

“I don’t know anything about photos. If they show Donna working at Josh’s apartment, so what? I work at Toby’s place all the time. Haven’t you ever gone to your boss’ house? And as for eating off the same plate, yeah, if that’s a crime, then we’re going to have serious problems in the prison system,” CJ responded.

“Look I buy everything you say. Really I do.” Then Katie took a deep breath and said quietly, “But somebody out there is pissed. Somebody’s working overtime to give Josh and Donna a hard time. I don’t know who it is yet, but if I were you, I’d find out.”

Chapters - 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Sequel - A Few Bumps in the Road

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