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MY GUESTBOOK
Josh cast a hesitant look in the direction of the washrooms and then reluctantly nodded. He hugged CJ again and reaffirmed his promises to me and then he disappeared through the doors that would take him through security and on to his gate. The moment after he was out of sight I suddenly remember another promise that I wanted him to make, but I knew that if it came to that I�d have nine months to make sure that none of his children ever call me �Uncle Sam�. After we got engaged Sara got a phone call from her younger brother saying that she was going to be an aunt, news that, after a brief reaffirmation that we would have a family after we got married, led to a long conversation about the fallout of her niece or nephew calling me �Uncle Sam�.
�How bad was he? About not bringing work with him, I mean?� CJ asked, shaking me from my thoughts of fear at the notion of being called �Uncle Sam�.
�Not bad. I checked his backpack. All he�s got in there is his pager, which we agreed he could bring, and some empty notebooks. I expect they�ll be filled with notes and whatnot by the time they land, but at least it�ll keep him out of Donna�s hair on the flight,� I said. �How�s Donna doing?�
�She�s tired, worried about Josh, eager to start work,� CJ said.
�Basically she�s Donna,� I said.
CJ nodded. �Yep.� Her eyes latched on to a blonde head bobbing and weaving toward us. �Speak of the devil,� CJ said as Donna emerged from the crowd with her overcoat thrown over her arm.
�How is it that you look amazingly relaxed before you even start your vacation?� I asked. I had been back in DC for less than twenty-four hours and already I was feeling the familiar weight of the world pressing down upon me.
It was strangely comforting.
I decided not to spend any time worrying about what was wrong with me. That was a subject for another day� and possibly a qualified psychiatric professional.
�Because, Samuel, Josh is finally taking me to Hawaii,� Donna said happily. �Where is he?� she asked, doing the same crazy neck-craning thing that Josh was doing only minutes earlier.
I couldn�t help it. I started laughing. CJ joined me in my laughter a split second later. I�m pretty sure that even CJ�s Secret Service detail found the situation amusing.