One morning Donna woke up and knew something was wrong. The sunlight falling across her Jessica Rabbit bedspread seemed sinister. The sounds of traffic outside the window were like plastic skeletons on a charm bracelet.

            She rushed to the kitchen. On the table was a letter.

           

            Donnatella,

            I have to leave. The world is full of so much pain. How can we even be happy when people are dying? Just because Zoey and Charlie aren't the same color and they love each other, someone shot us. I can hear the sirens all over the building. This city is like a tomb. I have to get way from it. But I will always love you, my angel-lanka Moss Baby.

            --Joshua

 

Donna couldn't breathe. He whole chest felt tight and hot. Her heart was like one of Josh's burnt burgers that had dropped to the floor and shattered into a million pieces.

            She sunk to the floor, clutching Josh's t-shirt to her chest, rocking back and forth.

            "Moss babies don't cry" she whispered to herself.

*

            Hours later, there was a knock on the door. Donna opened it and saw a short woman with wild witchy brown hair, a snotty look on her face, and a beret.

            "Is Josh here?" the woman asked.

            "No. He's not."

            "I need to speak with him," she said, getting even snarkier.

            "Well you can't!"

            "Tell him I know where he lives, and he better listen to me. I have a Barbie Doll that looks just like you. You'll be sorry."

            And with that, the woman turned on her heel and slinked off.

 

Josh packed his backpack with sunglasses, his navy blue sweater, jeans, and a pack of CJ's goldfish that he stole from her desk. He put on his trenchcoat and left.

            On the streetcorner a black man with sunglasses and a beard was playing the saxophone. The music was beautiful curly like smoke, but all Josh could hear were wailing sirens and the shrieks of his sister in the flames. Each high note pierced his gut like another bullet.     

            He walked on, dark circles under his eyes.

            "Hello Josh," he heard a voice say. It was Mrs. Landingham, sitting on a bench overlooking the Tidal Basin. "Sit down," she invited in her Midwestern accent.

            "Mrs. Landingham. . . .What do I do with all this pain?" said Josh.

            "Oh dear . . .I went through that once. I couldn't reconcile all the hate in the world. Your eyes see all of it, my dear, don't they?"

            Josh nodded, his brown almond eyes softer than ever. Mrs. Landingham's voice was soothing, and Josh felt it calming the jingle-jangle of his nerves.

            "You just have to turn it into beauty, into love," said the old wise woman. "And you are lucky because you have Donnatella for your love mate."

            Josh looked out over the water. He thought about that night that he and Donna kissed for the first time. His life was like a scale. On one side was the hate, the pain, and on the other side, stronger and more powerful, was Donna. The world didn't seem so sorrowful with her in it.

            "Here, take these," Mrs. Landingham held out a paper bag full of warm chocolate-chip cookies.

            "Thank you," said Josh, kissing her on the cheek.

 

            No one at the White House had seen Josh. Donna slumped in, hoping to find him there, but his office was dark and lonely.

            Even with Toby's shouting, the day seemed too quiet. Donna had nobody to follow around and banter with. Her folder and Josh's appointment books sat alone on her desk. Her eyes filled with tears. Then she knew what she had to do.

            Toby appeared in the doorway.

            "Donna have you seen. . . . .what's the matter?"

            "What time are we upon and where do I belong?" sobbed Donna.

            Toby cleared his throat. "Excuse me?"

            Donna stood up. "I have to find Josh. He's in my blood." And she walked out, tossing a pouty look over her shoulder.

            "Could somebody please tell me what the hell is going on around here lately?!" shouted Toby to no one in particular. Cathy looked up from a bite of her donut. Ham and Cheese stopped and stared at Toby, then continued down the hall.

            Donna put on her scarf even though it was warm out. She didn't know where she was going, but she was going to find Josh. She walked up and down the streets, looked in coffee shop windows, in trees, on buses. She searched the Smithsonian at the Theoretical Physics exhibit, but he wasn't there. In the backpacking store she saw a man with a trenchcoat but her heart sank when he turned around.

            "Where are you, my jah-love?" she whispered.

            She bought a water ice and two soft pretzels on the Mall, and followed one of the paths. The dirt kicked up in clouds around her shoes. The sky behind the Washington Monument was pink and orange. It reminded her of the sunset when Josh first kissed her.

            Suddenly she knew where to look.

            Racing past the shirtless guys playing Frisbee on the lawn, Donna headed towards the round pool in front of the capitol building. On the other side, she could see a lone figure sitting there, slouched down, looking miserable. Donna's heart melted. She knew why she had fallen in love with this man. He needed her. He was so vulnerable, so kind (when he wasn't being a jerk). She walked around the pool and sat beside him. His eyes were red and puffy.

            "How did you find me?"

            "You're in my blood," said Donna. "Besides . . . . you're like, right in the middle of D.C. It's not exactly a secluded place."

            "You're mean," said Josh

            "Among other things.

            Josh smiled and wrapped her in an embrace.

            "Come home, Josh Kosh B'gosh," whispered Donna

            "Okay."

            They pulled apart and Josh smiled. He slipped his arm around her waist and folded her close as they walked home. Donna leaned her head on his shoulder.

            "I love you," she said, taking a chocolate chip cookie.