See Disclaimers in part 1
****
A Patriotic Pursuit 4/4
By Lacy
"Does this mean you'll be taking the house?" Cindy's voice intrudes
upon our lingering kisses. We were so focused on each other that we
didn't hear her come in. I blush hot pink at being caught in a heated
embrace with my boyfriend. I mean...fiancé. Okay, it may take a
little time to get accustomed to that.
"We'll take it," Josh replies without taking his eyes from me. He's
smirking at the red hot blush that's crept across my face. "Draw up
the papers. When can we move in?"
"As soon as I have a certified check in the amount of the down
payment, and your signatures."
"You'll have a check messengered to your office by Wednesday at the
latest." Josh takes my hand and leads me out of the bathroom. I
can't help but throw a backwards glance at my new Roman oval tub --
complete with jacuzzi jets. Did I mention the jacuzzi jets?
Cindy tosses me a silent and subtle scream of victory while Josh is
looking the other direction before returning to her professional
facade. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you," she says.
"Thank you, Cindy. Thanks for making me call him."
"What did I tell you?"
"You were right. There was something I hadn't thought of yet."
"Glad I could help."
"I have to go, Donna," Josh informs me. "I've been away from the
office for too long already." He reaches out to shake Cindy's hand.
"Thank you, Ms. Prewitt."
"As I said, it was my pleasure."
I decide to follow Josh out to our cars, leaving Cindy behind to lock
up the house. I turn back to take one last look at the house before
leaving, and Josh slips his arms around my waist from behind. We
stand in silence, treasuring together the extraordinary moment we've
already shared in the house, and the ones we expect are yet to come.
"We should tell CJ as soon as possible," I say.
"Not Sam and Toby?"
"Let 'em dangle, at least until we've talked to CJ."
"Why CJ?"
"Because the sooner we tell her, the sooner we can rid ourselves of
that god-awful 'Significant Others' designation."
"If we hurry we can still make the six o'clock briefing."
"Let's go," I say. "We don't have a minute to lose."
"See you there," he places a goodbye kiss on my lips, and strides over
to his car.
"You'll get there first," I admonish. "Wait for me."
"I wouldn't want to steal your thunder," he grins back at me as he
climbs into the car.
"You better not."
****
It really is the best way to announce our engagement, since we know
everyone will be watching CJ's final briefing of the week. Josh
arrives at the White House first and I find him waiting for me by his
car. Without passing go or collecting two hundred dollars, we head
straight for CJ's office.
We don't even bother knocking which causes some raising of eyebrows
from Carol. CJ's sitting at her desk, her eyes glued to CSPAN on the
tube when we barge into her office.
"Were you raised in a barn?" she asks wryly.
"We've got news," Josh says.
"News-making news?" she asks. "Because, if not, I gotta tell you--"
"How do you feel about making a pretty big announcement for us at the
six o'clock briefing?"
"You have something that needs to go out with the trash?"
"Well, no, but we don't want to wait."
"We?" She stops, suddenly catching on to Josh's phrasing. "As in
'we'? As in you and Donna together...we?"
"It's not the royal 'We'," he jokes.
"Hit me," says CJ.
I wave my left hand in front of her face, and she stops it as it flies
by. My fingers wriggle just enough for the light to bounce off the
diamonds' facets.
"Does this mean what it, you know, traditionally means?"
"It does," I answer. I am, rather valiantly, I think, trying to
control the grin on my face.
"You got engaged?"
"We did."
"You got engaged?"
"Yes," Josh answers. "I popped the question and everything. You
know, I gotta say...I don't know why other men get so worked up over
it. It was a piece of cake."
"You were nervous as hell, Joshua," I remind him.
"I was not," he denies.
"He was," I tell CJ. In a split second CJ is around her desk and
giving me a congratulatory hug.
"Did he do it right?" she asks. "Did he make a fool out of himself?
It's all right, you can tell me."
"I did not make a fool out myself!"
"Shut up, Josh. I'm asking Donna. Did he?"
"He did fine," I laugh. "He was romantic and sweet, and he spoke from
the heart."
"So, where did he take you? Lunch at Giovanni's? Where did he ask
the question? Did he get down on one knee?"
"No Giovanni's, in a bathroom and we were both sitting down," I
respond to her questions in order.
"Excuse me. I could've sworn you just said he asked you to marry him
in a bathroom."
"Your hearing isn't failing you," I assure her.
CJ turns on Josh, smacking him the back of the head.
"Owww!"
"You proposed to her in a bathroom? Have I taught you nothing?
That's it! I wash my hands of you. You, Joshua Lyman, are hopeless."
"CJ, he proposed to me in the master bath of the new house he's buying
for us." I decide to elaborate before she orders him to depart
forever from her presence.
"Yeah," Josh winces. "Don't I get, like, bonus points for that or
something?"
"A house?" she asks, incredulously. "He's buying a house?"
"A three-story Victorian brownstone, CJ," I say. "I can't wait for
you to see it. It's to die for. Four bedrooms, three and a half
baths. The master bathroom is dream all by itself."
"So, he asked you to marry him in this dreamy bathroom?"
"Yes," I nod. "Sitting on the Roman oval tub."
"A Roman oval tub, you say?" She considers for a brief instant,
probably placing herself in my shoes, before announcing, "Very well.
You're forgiven, Joshua. I deem the proposal worthy, and therefore
binding."
"Thank you, Obi Wan." I chuckle at Josh's response, and wonder just
how large a role CJ has played in our romance.
"So, you want me to make an announcement at the six o'clock?"
"Right," answers Josh, still rubbing the back of his head. "I think
you've left a mark, CJ."
"Let me see that ring again." She demands and I oblige. She takes my
hand in hers and studies my new bauble. "It's flawless," she
announces. "You picked this out yourself, Joshua?"
"Mostly."
"What does that mean?"
"The guy showed it to me and I knew it was the one. Kind of like the
dress."
She drops my hand and steps back to study Josh, her eyes sizing him up
with much the same intensity as they did the ring. She smirks most
charmingly and says, "I may be willing to concede that you have
learned a thing or two under my tutelage. In light of these new
developments I've decided to promote you from apprentice to
journeyman."
"Whatever," he shrugs.
Carol breezes into the office; her face, clearly exhibiting her desire
to know what's going on. "Briefing in five, CJ."
"Thanks Carol," she responds before turning back to us. "You don't
want to tell anybody else first?"
"No, we'll just let the briefing take care of it," Josh answers.
"Catch everybody at once."
"Okay," she nods sharply and grabs her clipboard from her desk. "How
should I handle this? It's your call."
"Is there anything new on the board that I don't know about?"
"Nope."
"Lead with it."
The End