Clearwater, Florida: August 2, 2004
The sun streamed through the bright bay window of the spacious beach house and onto the pair on entwined bodies that lay on the bed. Josh opened his eyes slowly and quickly shut them as the harsh light invaded his senses. Instead of waking up, he nestled his sated body even closer into that of his wife’s. He began trailing a series of gentle kisses down her long neck, trying to rouse her from her peaceful slumber. After a few minutes, she shifted her shoulders slightly as she re-entered reality, trying to dissuade her husband’s advances but the smile on her face that Josh saw when he peered over to look at her betrayed her actions.
“Don’t you play possum with me,” he whispered playfully into Donna’s ear. He proceeded to slide his hands down her body until he reached her ribcage, which he started to tickle without mercy until Donna was squealing with laughter.
“All right, all right! Uncle!” she cried wiggling around on the bed until Josh let up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a good morning kiss. They lingered on like that for awhile, mouths moving and hands exploring each other until they were finally able to pull apart from one another, lounging in each other’s arms for a few more glorious minutes.
“Do you hear that?” Donna asked him as they spooned together.
Josh crinkled his eyebrows in concentration. “Hear what?”
“Exactly,” Donna said as she pulled the covers back and got out of bed to search for her robe. “It’s much too quiet in here.”
“Beg pardon?” Josh asked, finding it hard to focus on his wife’s train of thought when he was so focused on her backside.
“I said,” Donna replied as she pulled on her robe, “that it’s much too quiet in this house considering that our daughters our living here for the time being. Even for,” she glanced at the clock, “7:30 in the morning. I’ll go see if they’re up yet.”
“Or,” Josh said, pulling her back down onto the bed as she walked by him, “you could get your ass back in this bed and have your way with me again.”
“Well,” his wife giggled as he reached for the fastenings of her robe, “Florida does seem to be agreeing with you, my love.”
After six straight weeks of campaigning all over the state and making a series of national television appearances and speaking engagements, Donna had put her foot down and ordered that her husband take a long overdue vacation. Her mother-in-law had invited the family down to Florida for two weeks to the beach house that she’d rented from a colleague. So Josh, Donna, the girls, and at the last minute, Gus, were on Day Six of their Florida excursion and Donna had already proclaimed that they were never leaving.
“You wanna take a wild guess as to what else is agreeing with me right now?” Josh smirked as ran his tongue light along her collarbone.
“Okay now mister. That’s enough of that,” Donna snickered as she smacked his wandering hands away before she couldn’t. She got up from the bed and readjusted her robe. “Get up and enjoy the day.”
“Well I’m already up,” he leered as he made one more attempt at preoccupying her by pulling her back down against him again and thrusting his hips up against her. He smiled victoriously at her moan of happiness “And I think you know how to start my day off right.”
“No, there’s no time,” Donna groaned pitifully as his lips moved from her collarbone to her breasts. “The girls will be awake any minute. We can’t do this now in bed…”
“Don’t worry, this won’t take much longer than five minutes,” he mumbled into her cleavage.
That broke her out of her sexual haze. She forcefully lifted his head from her chest and looked him right in the eye. “You know, just when I start to feel guilty for thinking what a moron you are,” she said cheerfully, “you go and do things like this for me and it just…warms my heart.” She pecked him on the cheek and climbed off him and headed into their bathroom.
He hung his head low as he willed his body to calm down. “I blew it?” he unnecessarily asked.
“If you’re wondering, it was right around ‘much longer’!” she called out from the bathroom.
“Yep,” Josh sighed to himself as he fell back against the bed. Just as he was starting to gain a handle over his body, he heard the bathroom door open and he looked up to find his wife leaning against the door, draped in a white towel. She was giving him what he was certain was Donna’s “come hither” look and he furrowed his brow in bewilderment.
“I’m confused,” Josh finally breathed out.
“Well I clearly said,” Donna replied in her best lawyerly voice, “that we couldn’t do this now in bed,” emphasizing the word bed. “I never said anything about the shower.” She gave him a wink and walked back into the bathroom, making sure to drop the towel behind her. Josh didn’t need to be told twice.
Later, after a passionate round of lovemaking, as Donna was getting out the shower as Josh was struck with a heady thought. “Wait a minute,” he suddenly said, grabbing her hand as her leg crossed over the lip of the tub.
“What?”
“You’ve been sick the past few days.”
“Yeah,” she confirmed slowly, not sure where this was going.
“I mean, you’ve been like throwing up sick,” Josh clarified, raising his voice over the rush of water.
“Josh what are you…?”
“What I mean is,” he tried again, “you’ve been throwing up your pill for the past few days.” Understanding finally dawned on Donna’s face as she realized he was right. She’d battled a nasty case of Montezuma’s Revenge for the past three days and had finally started feeling human again last night, leading to said passionate shower sex. “Weren’t we supposed to, I don’t know, call in the reinforcements or something?”
“Wow, your stupidity reaches new lows twice in one day,” Donna drawled. “Surprisingly though, not a new record.”
“Donna, seriously…”
“Seriously I don’t know.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I guess we have to wait and see.” She paused as another thought entered her head. “Would it be a bad thing if…?”
“No, no,” Josh shook his emphatically. “I was just wondering…”
“Okay.” She reached back in and pulled him down for a sweet kiss. “I’m going to go start breakfast,” she whispered against his lips.
“Good,” he kissed her back. “Because I really just worked up an appetite.” She smacked him playfully on the chest and got out, closing the bathroom door on her way out. She combed out her hair and threw on a bathing suit, tank top, and shorts before leaving the bedroom to go see who was awake.
She peered into Gus’s room and found him sprawled across the bed with the blankets scattered around him. They’d invited him as a thank-you for all the help he’d offered them through the campaign and to congratulate him for finishing top in his class from UC Hartford. She tiptoed in and adjusted the blankets across his waist, being mindful not to wake him and feeling like a mother hen. He was such a great kid, it was a shame that she, Josh, and the girls were the closest thing to a family he had. His mother had died when he was just four and his father was busy with his new wife and three other children in Oregon to pay much attention to Gus. It was why he was paying for school and working full-time for the campaign. Donna had almost cried when she heard his story but Gus was always very matter-of-fact about it when he explained it. He didn’t begrudge his father or his other family anything, at least not around anyone else. It was one of the reasons why Donna was so protective of him. She’d latched onto him as her pet project immediately; her opportunity to give back to someone what she’d been given seven years ago. But he became more than that for Donna; he became a friend, almost like a second little brother to her. To Josh he was a steadying force in the hell that was campaigning and to Emma and Natalie, he was simply a human jungle gym. He may have just started out as a waiter that Josh offered a few words of advice to but along the way he became something more; Gus Whittaker had become family.
She exited his room, shutting the door softly behind her and continuing down the hallway until she got to the room the girls were sharing. Emma was still sound asleep but Natalie was wide-awake and bouncing up and down on her bottom when she saw her mother enter.
“Hi baby girl,” Donna cooed quietly as she went over to the crib to pick her up. She changed the eleven month-old quickly, putting her in a little ruffled one-piece bathing suit, took Natalie out of the room and went into the kitchen. A note from Josh’s mother, Rachel, told her that the older woman had gone out for an early morning jog and would be back later. Donna settled Natalie onto the floor on a blanket with some toy to occupy her while Donna proceeded to get breakfast started. She had scrambled some eggs and put some toast on before she heard the sound of faucets being turned on and water running. She assumed everyone was getting ready for the day so she started to set breakfast out. When she was done, she turned back around to check on the baby and gasped in surprise at what she saw.
Natalie had somehow managed to pull herself upright and was unsteadily beginning to toddle forward without holding onto to anything, her blue eyes shining in delight as first one tiny foot moved forward and then the other. Donna cautiously walked toward her as she began to inch ahead, holding out her arms for the baby with a grin on her face a mile wide. After approximately four and a half wobbly steps, Natalie landed in her gleeful mother’s arms.
“Oh my big girl! I can’t believe you just did that!” Donna exclaimed happily, kissing the baby all over face while she laughed. “You are so amazing! Mommy is so proud of you!” Donna was so enthralled with the child that she didn’t hear the sliding glass door open.
“Why is Mommy so proud, pray tell?” Rachel Lyman asked as she breezed into the kitchen.
Donna came over and wrapped her in a big hug, she was that excited. “Guess who took her first steps today?”
Rachel clapped her hands together and let out a little squeal. “Oh my precious! Give your grandma a kiss.” She leaned over and Natalie pressed her hands against her grandmother’s cheeks and gave her a big, wet kiss. They didn’t realize the commotion they were causing until they heard footsteps running down the hallway towards them.
“What is it? What happened?” Josh asked hurriedly ran into the kitchen, clad only in a tee shirt and boxers half of his face shaven they other half still covered in white cream. Gus came up behind him, his hair slick as if he’d just gotten out of the shower and still pulling on his tee shirt while Emma stuck her head in between the two men, her toothbrush still in her mouth.
Donna glanced at Rachel who nodded at her. Donna set Natalie down on the floor, feet first. The baby managed to remain upright while Donna held onto her hands. She began to walk forward again, still pretty wobbly, but when she was close enough to the group Donna let her go and Natalie walked the remaining steps to her overjoyed daddy’s arms. He lifted her up over his head and carefully tossed her up, forgetting about the shaving cream, which subsequently got all over the baby. Gus made funny faces at her from his vantage point and Emma jumped up and down, wanting more than anything to hug her baby sister. Donna sensed Emma’s distress and lifted her up so she could kiss Natalie’s shaving cream covered cheek. Gus started patting Josh’s back in congratulations and in the midst of their celebrating, no one saw Rachel sneak away to grab her camera and get a quick photo of the group.
Later on that day, Donna took Emma down the beach to look for seashells while Gus and Rachel went into town to pick up some food for dinner that night. Josh was left alone with Natalie in the spacious beach house with nothing to do. No new polling data to look at, no speeches to practice, no phone calls to return. It was a different feeling than what he was used to but not entirely unpleasant. Natalie was dozing in her playpen on the deck and Josh was contemplating his next move he wandered out to the sand and soaked in the mid-afternoon sun and fresh seas breeze. For August, it was surprisingly cool in Florida, meaning it was only 82 degrees as opposed to the standard 85.
When he was about to go back up to the house, he spotted someone else approaching the house in the distance. Josh waited on the deck to see who would matriculate. The beach house was one of the nicer ones in the area and while Clearwater was considered a vacation spot for most middle-class families around the state, the beach they were staying on was a private one. As the figure got closer and closer to him, he was surprised to see that the person was starting to look familiar to him. He walked down the pathway to get a better look at the individual and was shocked to see none other than Bobby Harrington come face to face with him.
Bobby Harrington was an African-American activist who led an organization called the African-American Freedom Organization. His path had crossed Josh’s about two years ago during the re-election campaign. Bobby and his wife, Helen, also a prominent figure in the African-American community, were about to push for legislation regarding juvenile drug sentencing. Because it would have sparked national debate and caused problems for the former president, Josh had been sent down to dissuade him. Much to his surprise, Bobby had persuaded him onto his side but still, the issue never made it to national attention. Josh, though, had found himself contemplating his life after he met this great and passionate man, so much so that it was after meeting Bobby he’d started making plans for his Senate run. The two hadn’t spoken since their initial meeting but that was about to change.
“Well my, my, my,” Bobby grinned as he reached him. “Look at what I stumbled upon, a real-life Senatorial candidate in the flesh.”
“How you been, Bobby?” Josh asked, reaching out to shake his hand. The other man grasped it and gave it a firm shake.
“Been better,” Bobby responded with cryptically. “What about you, Josh, or should I say Senator-elect Lyman?”
Josh scoffed and led him back onto the deck. “Save it for November,” he advised. “You want a beer?”
“Sure.”
Josh went inside and returned with two cold beers a minute later. “So sit down. What are you doing here?”
“Enjoying the fresh Florida sunshine and orange juice. How ‘bout you?”
“Vacationing with my mom and my family.”
Bobby took a sip of beer before answering. “Donna right? That’s you’re wife or fiancé…?”
“Wife,” Josh said, holding up his left hand and wiggling his ring finger. “She’s down the beach further, looking for seashells with our older daughter.”
“Older?” Bobby asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. “You had another one?”
“Hmm-mm. Natalie,” he gestured over to the playpen near them. “She’s eleven months. She actually took her first steps today.” Josh grinned at his fellow father but Bobby just stared at the sleeping child, an unreadable look on his face. “So, uh, what about you? How’s your family?”
“F…fine,” Bobby whispered softly, taking another long swig of beer. “Mike’s in college and Freddie’s getting ready for second grade.”
“What about your daughter, uh, Sondra? How’s…how’s she?” Bobby didn’t say anything right away, just looked down and started picking at his nails. “Bobby is everything…?”
“Sondra died a year and a half ago,” Bobby said suddenly, not even looking at him. Josh said nothing, just sat there in stunned silence. Bobby finished his beer and got up from the table, going to sit down on the deck steps. After a minute Josh checked on Natalie and joined him. He awkwardly put a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it. They sat like that for a little bit before Bobby continued.
“She was on her way home from school,” he explained, his eyes glazing over as he thought back to those bitterly painful days, “and when she didn’t come home right after, we figured she just went to a friend’s or stayed after or some shit like that. It wasn’t until, um, this girl Rochelle called and said that she’d missed a tutoring session that we started to worry. She…she never would have missed out on trying to help someone. We called around to the neighbors and relatives and friends but no one had seen her and finally my wife, Helen, called the cops. I knew some guys down at the precinct and they got right on it. We were up all night pacing and praying until the next morning…” He paused as the tears started welling up behind his eyes and Josh’s heart went out to him. “They had her sweater with them and our reverend was behind them. Helen just collapsed onto the sofa; they ended up having to sedate her. I just…just lost it. I started hollering and yelling; I even took a swing at them. Got in a good right hook before they nailed my ass to the floor” He laughed ruefully as he remembered then he started again. “She’d…she’d seen this homeless man across the street and she’d gone to give him some spare change like I’d taught her to growing up. The guy just wasn’t stable and he pulled a knife and…” the tears finally spilled over and his body began wracking with sobs. Josh leaned over and slowly put an arm around his shoulder to pull the man to him. Bobby went without resistance and they stayed like that for a few moments while Bobby purged his body of grief yet again. Finally, after a few gut-wrenching moments, Bobby pulled away and started to collect himself. Josh’s hand remained on his shoulder, squeezing it for support. He thought back to the one time he’d met the late Sondra Harrington. She was young, only about thirteen, and youthful and intelligent and just genuinely good person. It was a tragedy, even Josh could see that.
“I’m so sorry,” Josh whispered feeling inadequate. “I don’t…don’t know what to say.”
“Most people generally don’t,” Bobby assured him, wiping at a few stray tears.
“I can’t believe I didn’t know. I mean I keep up with the news but…”
“She was a black girl who got killed in Atlanta, one of only a dozen or so that month alone. Nothing worth reporting,” he replied stoically. “Anyways, things finally started to settle down recently so we rented a place up here with Freddie.”
“How’s he doing with all this?” Josh asked, thinking about the little boy who was his own daughter’s age.
Bobby shrugged. “He seems okay. It was hard at first but kids…kids are resilient if nothing else. He’s better than we are most days. Helen and I took him to a therapist right after but she and I are the ones still in therapy.” Just then, Natalie woke up and started whimpering for her father’s attention. He went up to get her and cautiously brought her over.
“I’m the only one home so…” he tried to explain.
“It’s okay,” Bobby said, reaching over and lightly ruffling the girl’s downy brown curls. “I’m finally starting to feel human again.”
The pieces started to fall into place. “That’s why you resigned,” Josh concluded, thinking back to the little blurb in The Post he’d see awhile back. It said that Senior Director for the A.A.F.O. was resigning due to “personal reasons” and was also considering a run for public office.
Bobby nodded. “Partly. Another part of me just couldn’t stand the thought of speaking for the majority of homeless and felons after what happened in the beginning.”
“And now?”
Bobby gave him a tiny half smile. “Well we’re running for Congress.”
“Really? What seat?”
“Atlanta so I’m going against…”
“Lesley, you’ll win in a walk,” Josh predicted with a grin.
“I’m not counting my chickens before they’ve hatched, man, don’t go jinxing me now,” the other man warned playfully. He leaned back against the steps and stared up at the bright sky. Josh made some faces for Natalie, getting the baby to quietly giggle. “So what about you? You seemed more the wheeling and dealing type when I met you. What happened between then and now? Was it the President’s…?”
“No it wasn’t the resignation although it helped put a timetable on things.”
“So why are you running? I’m sure you got loads of offers for teaching and lecturing and all that crap.”
“Yeah I did,” Josh told him, handing him the baby and going to get them both another beer. Tonight would be an exception to his sensitive system. “And I’ve got a gig I’m gonna do later but I need to do this first.”
“What gig is that?” Bobby asked, handing him back his daughter then opening up and taking a sip from the fresh beer.
“President of the United States.” Bobby momentarily choked on his beverage before finally swallowing. “So you see why being a Senator helps.”
“Yeah,” he said a little astonished. He quickly did the math in his head. “So…2020?”
“We’re going to try for 2016,” Josh corrected. “That way we’d still be able to run on the youthful, energetic approach. Wouldn’t we Natalie?” he asked the baby who played a game of peek-a-boo with her father, much to the men’s amusement.
“Um…Wow.”
Josh glared at him. “It’s really that surprising that people would actually elect me president?”
“No I just figured you’d never want to be a president. From what I saw anyways.”
“Well I didn’t want to be president until I met you! So this is really all your fault you know.”
“Really?” Bobby looked a little pleased. “Well then now it makes sense. So twenty years from now when we as a country are on the brink of war, have pulled out of NATO, are in a massive recession, and have Republicans controlling Congress I guess I’ll have no one to blame but myself.”
“That’s right!” He paused and furrowed his brow. “Wait a minute!”
“Hey you!” Josh looked up to see his wife and other daughter coming back up to the house, their arms loaded with pails and shovels. Emma broke away from Donna to run up to him.
“Hi Daddy,” she said as she wrapped herself around him and the baby, covering them both in sand and other beach gunk.
“Hey sweetheart,” he replied, squeezing her closer to him and rocking with her. He glanced over her shoulder and saw Bobby looking at the three of them longingly; his eyes blank as if he was revisiting a memory somewhere. “Emma I want you to meet somebody.” He pulled her in between his legs and turned her to face Bobby. “This is Bobby Harrington, he’s a friend of mine. Can you say hello?”
“Hello Mr. Harrington,” Emma said politely, sticking out her hand.
“Hi Emma,” he answered softly, taking the little hand into his own and squeezing gently. “It’s very nice to meet you. Your daddy…your daddy talked about you a lot the last time we spoke.”
“Hey Josh,” Donna said coming up to them. She leaned down and placed a kiss on her husband’s lips. Natalie babbled a few nonsense words to them and then reached for her mother. Donna picked her up and turned to the mystery guest sitting next to her husband. “Hi, I’m Donna Lyman.”
“Bobby Harrington, it’s a pleasure,” he said, rising up to greet her.
“Oh,” she scoffed good-naturedly and nudged Josh with her foot. “So I guess this is all your fault huh?”
He held up his hands in mock defense. “I plead the fifth on that one.”
“Uh-huh,” she said gathering up their things and heading inside. “Well maybe you’d like to be cross examined over a fresh barbeque tonight. Would you like to join us?”
“Um, sure,” he said. “Do you mind if my wife and son join us?”
“Ick! Boys are yucky!” Emma exclaimed scrunching up her nose.
Josh hugged her tight to him. “That’s my girl,” he said as he hoisted her up over his shoulder and the family proceeded inside with their newest of lifelong friends.