Title: A Serious Question
Author: Rose [rosiethebug@yahoo.com]
Feedback: Would be a joy to my heart.
Notes: I'm stuck on 'Comedy of Errors', so I decided
to write a quick post ep for Bad Moon Rising.
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“Donna, I have to ask you a question.”
“It’s one o’clock in the morning.”
“And yet my question remains.”
“I was afraid of that.”
“It’s a serious question that’s been bothering me for
some time now.” I twist around on the couch and look
over at him. He’s got his serious face on. Uh oh.
“Is this about the tough love?”
He grimaces. “Please don’t say that.”
“Does the phrase bother you, Josh?”
“Only when you do that thing with your face when you
say it.”
“That thing with my face?”
“You know, the…the thing.”
"You know, I think I left my 'equipment' in my gym
bag. I could-”
“Stop.”
“Hey, it’s your joke.”
“It’s not funny when you say it with the look on your
face.”
“But it’s funny when you say it in the middle of the
bullpen?”
“Yes.”
“Go away from me now.”
“We’re in my office.” I glance around the room, then
turn back to him.
“So it would seem.” There's a moment of silence before
he speaks again.
“Donna, I-”
“You have a serious question for me.” I sigh and pull
myself into an upright position. “You do realize that
it’s been a week since either one of us has gotten a
decent night’s sleep, and that the blood in our veins
has been replaced with coffee?”
“Sounds familiar.”
“So you understand that anything serious you might say
to me right now could easily be influenced by caffeine
and sleep deprivation?”
“Donna-”
“I just don’t feel like coming up with a punishment
for you. I’m not in a creative mood.”
“Punishment?” His voice is unnaturally high.
“For when your serious question turns out to be stupid
and insulting.”
“Your faith is inspiring.”
“I’m a fountain of positive energy.”
“Did you get any sleep last night?”
“No. You?”
“Can’t remember. I might have dozed off at my desk for
a few minutes.”
“So punishment is inevitable. At least I have my
equipment-”
“Donna!” Time to change the subject before his head
explodes.
“Our lives are spinning out of control, Josh.”
“No they’re not.”
"I can feel the spinning. Around and around-"
"There is no spinning!"
“Something’s wrong.”
"Nothing's wrong."
"You're in denial."
"Nothing unusual there." I look at him sharply, but he
just shrugs and nonchalantly says, "Caffeine for
bodily fluids." Well, that explains nothing.
"Something's off around here, Josh, and you know it."
"Perhaps something's off in the world of Donnatella
Moss, but in the real world-"
"CJ had to haul me in for questioning."
"Yeah, that was my idea."
"Oh please."
"I needed time to formulate my argument."
"You're an idiot."
"But I won."
"Won what? Pin the Tail on the Donkey?"
"You admitted that I was right!"
"I never said you were wrong."
"Excuse me?"
"I never said that we shouldn't send the money to
Mexico."
"But you spent the entire day trying to convince me-"
"No, I spent the entire day arguing with you. Two
different things."
"But-"
"It's fun to watch you make your point."
"You were playing with me?"
"I was messing with you, yes."
"Oh."
"I do that sometimes."
"I see."
"Something's off around here, Josh. CJ had to question
me because Toby's on a rampage and no one knows why.
Something's wrong," I finish quietly. He sighs and
runs his hand over his face.
"Yeah. You're right." He just looks at me for a long
moment, and I don't know what to say. "What time is
it?"
"After one," I answer without looking at my watch.
"You should go home and get some sleep." God, he
sounds so tired.
"So should you."
"I have to wait until-"
I stand up and stretch a bit. "I have work to do. I'll
stick around." He opens his mouth to object, but I cut
him off. "I'll be around if you need me. Scream or
something." He laughs faintly and nods.
I'm at the door when I remember. "You had a question
for me?"
"It can wait."
The End