|
A Long Slow Process A car pulled up to the cemetery gates, and then slowly entered the enclosed area. As the car came to a stop at the far end of the cemetery, a slow mist started falling. Sam opened the door and stepped out onto the gravel path. He rounded the car and walked onto the grass. About twenty feet away from the path Sam stopped in front of his best friend's grave. "Hey, buddy. Sorry that I haven't been here in so long. Things are really busy right now with the election cycle. We barely even have time to think. Of course Leo's going crazy trying to keep the President in line, and Toby's in his usually fowl state. I don't know whether Donna told you about CJ and Danny. They finally broke it off completely. I can't decide yet whether that's good or bad. Of course it solves any problems of conflict, but CJ's so miserable right now that any retribution she wishes to pay on us is doubly worse that it was before. I'm sure you can imagine." Sam knelt down on the ground, which was already softening under the light rain. "I know that Donna comes to talk to you, Josh. She told me she first came back on the anniversary last May. I can't even imagine how hard it was for her to do that. I loved you like a brother, man, but Donna loved you in the purest form imaginable. Damn it, Josh. Why didn't you tell her that you loved her? She needed to hear it. You know how vulnerable she is. After all, she left her job when Dr. Free Ride asked her to come back. She only went because she needed to feel wanted. You wanted her, and you never told her. "I'm sure you've been watching her from wherever you are. You've always been a little too controlling to just stop paying attention because you're dead. Anyways, I've been trying to protect her like I know you would've. We spend a lot of time together now. It seems like if we're not at the office then we're either at her apartment or my house. That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about, Josh." Sam repositioned himself in an effort to get comfortable, but also as a way to stall. Josh was dead, and Sam knew it, but he still didn't want to hurt his friend, and Sam felt almost like a traitor. Forgetting about the rain, Sam sat down in front of the headstone, and heaved a sigh before continuing. "Josh, I think I love her. Of course we've been friends for years, and after you died I began acting more like her protector, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with her. I always knew she was a great woman, and I could tell that she would have made any man happy when she started to make even you smile, but there's more to my feelings now. I don't know when exactly it was, but a couple of nights ago Donna and I went out to dinner and then ended up back at my house. We set in front of the fire for hours. I can picture you up there laughing about how I finally used the fireplace. Josh, it just felt right sitting there with her. "I don't know why I'm here. I can't decide whether I'm just trying to verbalize my feelings in order to justify them, or whether I'm here to ask your permission. Maybe it's both. Josh, all I know is that I want to spend my life with Donna. I've made peace with the fact that you'll always be her first love, but I think I can make her happy, and I know you want her to be happy. I hope you understand. I do love her, Josh." Sam rose from the ground. "Well, I should get going. Leo needs me back at the office to polish the speech for the White House Correspondent's Dinner next week. Apparently they forgot to put in the funny. I wish you were here, buddy. I could sure use your help. I'll be back soon, and I'll let you know what she says."
|
|
|