Does Anyone Really Miss Her?

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000" background="03fc8c00erkjxk.jpg"> <div> <B>What really happened to Mandy?</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#99CCFF" FACE="Edwardian Script ITC" ><B>Smiles, Tears, & Happy Endings</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>  |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Smiles, Tears, Happy Endings"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Shelleys Stories"><U>Shelley's Stories</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Boomerang"><U>Boomerang</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="238 Days"><U>238 Days</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Proposal in Paradise"><U>A Proposal in Paradise</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Blood Ties"><U>Blood Ties</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Party Tricks"><U>Party Tricks</U></A>   |   <B>Does Anyone Really Miss Her?</B>   |   <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="No Time To Be Shocked"><U>No Time To Be Shocked</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Love Always"><U>Love Always</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Desperate Times"><U>Desperate Times</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id106.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Finding Our Way Back"><U>Finding Our Way Back</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Roadblock"><U>Roadblock</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Finding The Treasure"><U>Finding The Treasure</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hey Baby, Lets Go To Vegas"><U>Hey Baby, Let's Go To Vegas</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id186.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Matter Of Trust"><U>A Matter Of Trust</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id209.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Pleasure Sure"><U>A Pleasure Sure</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id226.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="An Excellent Rookie Season"><U>An Excellent Rookie Season</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id227.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Even Steel Magnolias Cry"><U>Even Steel Magnolias Cry</U></A></div> <div> Does Anyone Really Miss Her?</div> <div> Josh and Donna were working late on the stats for the latest </div> <div> appropriations bill. Josh was </div> <div> sitting as his desk, peering intently at his laptop, while Donna was </div> <div> sprawled on the floor, </div> <div> files spread all around her.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "The strangest thing just happened," CJ said with a puzzled demeanor </div> <div> as she entered the </div> <div> office.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "What's that?" Josh asked distractedly, not even bothering to look up.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I got this from my friend at the State Department," she said, </div> <div> holding up an 8x10 black </div> <div> and white picture.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "It's a picture," Josh said, once again showing an amazing grasp of </div> <div> the obvious.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Very good," CJ said sarcastically. "Care to take a look at this </div> <div> picture and see if anyone </div> <div> in it looks familiar?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Josh reached out his hand and took the picture with an exaggerated </div> <div> sigh. He glanced at it </div> <div> dismissively. Suddenly, his eyes grew wide and his eyebrows arched.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Is that...?" Josh asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "It appears to be," CJ answered.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "But how? Where?" Josh stammered.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I have no idea," CJ answered.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "What in the world are the two of you talking about?" Donna asked, </div> <div> rising from her </div> <div> position on the floor and walking around Josh's desk. She peered over </div> <div> his shoulder at the </div> <div> picture, her face absolutely expressionless. "That's Mandy," she said </div> <div> calmly.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Yes it is," CJ said.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "And she appears to be wearing an army uniform," Josh said, still </div> <div> amazed by what he </div> <div> was seeing before him.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "An Israeli Army Uniform," CJ corrected.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "How in the world.." Josh began.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I have no idea," CJ said, dropping into one of Josh's visitors </div> <div> chairs. "My friend is </div> <div> putting in a call right now to try to get some more information."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Donna took one last quick glance at the picture, and then sat down </div> <div> next to CJ in the </div> <div> second visitors chair.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I'm speechless," Josh said, still staring at the picture in </div> <div> amazement. "Is it possible that </div> <div> this is just someone who looks like Mandy? I mean..how in the world </div> <div> could the Madeline </div> <div> Hampton we know end up with the Israeli Army?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I have absolutely no idea," CJ said, "but it would certainly explain </div> <div> why no one has heard </div> <div> from her."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Did she ever mention anything about military training to you?" Josh </div> <div> asked CJ.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "No," CJ answered.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "To you?" he asked Donna.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Donna snickered. "Josh, think about what you're asking. Mandy never </div> <div> gave me the time </div> <div> of day. She would hardly have confided any future plans to me."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "The two of you never really did get along did you?" CJ asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "She hated me right from the start," Donna said, unable to keep the </div> <div> tone of disgust out of </div> <div> her voice. "I never did anything to her, she just didn't like me from </div> <div> day one. And that's </div> <div> unusual because I'm very much a people person."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Josh snorted.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I am," Donna said defensively. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> You really are," CJ said supportively.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Don't take it personally," Josh said to Donna. "Mandy really didn't </div> <div> like many people. </div> <div> Hell, she even hated me and we were dating."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Now it was Donna's turn to snort. "I've never really understood how </div> <div> that happened. I </div> <div> mean, I know you have a habit of just kind of stumbling into </div> <div> relationships, but I would </div> <div> have thought even you would have known better than to stumble into </div> <div> her."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I don't think you are the one to be critiquing my love life," Josh </div> <div> retorted.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I'll match any one of my dates up against Mandy," Donna said </div> <div> defensively, "I guarantee </div> <div> I'll come out ahead."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Ok, deal," Josh said, eyes sparkling in anticipation. "Should we </div> <div> start with Donald..or </div> <div> Todd..or.."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Children!" CJ interrupted. "Can we get back to the matter at hand?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Which is?" Donna asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "How Mandy ended up in this picture," CJ sighed.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Who cares?" Donna asked. "I think she looks better in that picture </div> <div> than she would look </div> <div> in a White House staff picture."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> CJ couldn't stifle a laugh. "I don't think I ever realized the true </div> <div> depth of your dislike for </div> <div> Mandy until right this minute."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Me either," Josh said, looking questioningly at Donna.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "What?" Donna asked, momentarily afraid that Josh was going to shine </div> <div> his desk lamp in </div> <div> her eyes and start demanding details.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Just where did these feelings come from?" he asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Look," Donna said, "it was bad enough during the campaign, but then </div> <div> at least we were </div> <div> moving around all the time and she was in and out. I could just make </div> <div> sure to avoid her."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Maybe if you had spent a little time with her instead of trying to </div> <div> avoid her, you could </div> <div> have become friends," Josh offered.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Donna stared back at him incredulously. "Are you saying that it's my </div> <div> fault she treated me </div> <div> like dirt?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "No," Josh said, realizing the flaw in his logic and trying </div> <div> desperately to backpedal. </div> <div> "That's not what I meant."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I think Mandy not liking Donna had more to do with you, Joshua, than </div> <div> it did with </div> <div> Donna," CJ smiled.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "How could it possibly have been my fault?" Josh asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Well, a man rarely appeases his girlfriend by hiring a gorgeous </div> <div> blonde to be his </div> <div> assistant, especially if he then turns around and insists said </div> <div> assistant be by his side almost </div> <div> every waking hour," CJ pointed out.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "You think I'm gorgeous?" Donna asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Uhhhhh...yeah," CJ answered.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Thank you," Donna smiled brightly. "I think you're gorgeous too, CJ."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Well, thanks," CJ blushed.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "If I might interrupt this girly moment," Josh said disgustedly, "How </div> <div> did this become my </div> <div> fault? I worked with lots of women during the time that Mandy and I </div> <div> were together and it </div> <div> never bothered her."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Probably because a) most of those women hated you once they got to </div> <div> know you, and b) </div> <div> you couldn't remember most of their names. You never showed an </div> <div> interest in any of them </div> <div> like you did in Donna," CJ answered matter-of-factly.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Are you saying that Mandy thought I was interested in Donna?" Josh </div> <div> asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "She's not the only one," CJ mumbled.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "What was that?" Josh and Donna asked in unison.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Never mind," CJ chuckled. "The point is, despite whatever may have </div> <div> happened during </div> <div> the campaign, she came to work here in the White House. Whatever her </div> <div> problems were, </div> <div> she apparently got over them."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "No, she just decided to come here and make us all miserable," Donna </div> <div> huffed. "From the </div> <div> minute she got here she was nothing but a pain in the..."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Ah ah ah," Josh interrupted, "Is that anyway for a people person to </div> <div> talk?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "She tried to get you to fire me, Josh. How am I supposed to act?" </div> <div> Donna snapped.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "How did you know that she wanted me to fire you?" Josh asked </div> <div> defensively.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "CJ told me," Donna came right back.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "That was just between the two of us, CJ," Josh said. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I was just protecting the sisterhood," CJ insisted. "I thought Donna </div> <div> had the right to </div> <div> know that Mandy was after her."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Don't you think 'after her' is a bit strong?" Josh asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Not really," Donna said irritably, "She called me useless and </div> <div> pathetic. She said that you </div> <div> only kept me on because you were afraid that I would make waves if </div> <div> you fired me. She </div> <div> said that if I really cared about you, I would quit."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "When did she say that?" Josh asked angrily.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Not long after she came back to work here," Donna said.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Why didn't you ever tell me?" Josh asked, his voice taking on a </div> <div> softer tone.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> CJ watched Josh's demeanor change from angry to concerned. He was </div> <div> obviously </div> <div> disturbed  by the thought that Mandy might have done anything to </div> <div> upset Donna or make </div> <div> her feel insecure.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I don't know," Donna said, her eyes suddenly glued to the floor, "I </div> <div> guess maybe </div> <div> somewhere deep down..."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Don't say it," Josh demanded. "Don't you dare say it. You know that </div> <div> I couldn't get </div> <div> along without you."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I know," Donna said with a soft smile, "it's just that sometimes </div> <div> it's nice to hear you say </div> <div> it."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I'll make sure I say it more in the future," Josh said as his eyes </div> <div> locked with Donna's.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> 'It's not going to be long now," CJ thought. 'You can only keep </div> <div> feelings like that under </div> <div> wraps for so long.'</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I want you to come to me from now on if anything like that happens," </div> <div> Josh said.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I will. I promise," Donna smiled. "But actually, it wasn't what she </div> <div> said about me that </div> <div> upset me most. It was what she said about you."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Me?" Josh asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Donna shook her head.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "She said many, many things about me, Donna," Josh laughed. "You need </div> <div> to learn not to </div> <div> take her too seriously."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I know but..." Donna answered.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "What did she say about Josh," CJ asked, sensing that this was </div> <div> something Donna had </div> <div> never told anyone.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "She said that she was going to ruin Josh," Donna growled. "She said </div> <div> that she knew </div> <div> things, and that people would listen to her because she was his ex-</div> <div> girlfriend."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "She was just talking, Donna. There's nothing to know," Josh assured </div> <div> her.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I know that," Donna said, "but she could have made things tough for </div> <div> awhile. She could </div> <div> have hurt your reputation."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "You let me worry about things like that," Josh said, smiling softly </div> <div> at Donna. "Why </div> <div> didn't you come to me and tell me all this?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I was going to, but then you sent me out to pick up those papers </div> <div> from Senator </div> <div> Santorum's home office. When I came back, Mandy was gone and </div> <div> everything seemed to </div> <div> have calmed down. I decided not to rock the boat."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I remember," Josh said. "She told me she was going on a vacation </div> <div> overseas and that was </div> <div> the last I heard of her."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Suddenly, the phone on Josh's desk began to ring. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Josh Lyman," he barked into the receiver. "I'm sorry, Operator. I </div> <div> can't hear you. Yes. </div> <div> Yes. That's much better, thank you. Oh yes, Ms. Cregg is right here. </div> <div> Please put the call </div> <div> through."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I told the switchboard to send my calls here," CJ said, as Josh </div> <div> pressed the speakerphone </div> <div> button.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Hello?" came the voice from the other end of the line, "CJ?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Mandy?" CJ asked, "Is that you?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Yes, CJ, it's me. I can't believe you managed to track me down. We </div> <div> are out on </div> <div> maneuvers. I thought we were supposed to be incommunicado."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Josh and CJ looked incredulously at each other, then back at the </div> <div> phone. Donna got up and </div> <div> began gathering the files that were scattered on the floor.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Mandy," Josh began slowly, "Where are you? And more to the point, </div> <div> how in the world </div> <div> did you get there?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "That's actually kind of a bizarre story," Mandy said.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "We're listening," CJ answered.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Well, remember that I told you I was going on vacation?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Yes," they answered.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "The strangest thing happened. When my plane landed in Tel Aviv, </div> <div> there were several </div> <div> men in uniform waiting there for me. They insisted that they had been </div> <div> sent to pick me up. </div> <div> I wasn't expecting anyone to meet me, but they were very insistent."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I finally gave in and went with them. Much to my surprise they took </div> <div> me to an Army </div> <div> base. I asked over and over what was going on, but no one could give </div> <div> me a real answer. I </div> <div> finally made it up the chain of command and talked to the person in </div> <div> charge. It seems that </div> <div> they had all kinds of paperwork saying that I had signed up to serve </div> <div> as an intelligence </div> <div> operative in the Israeli Special Forces. Can you imagine that?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Not really," Josh said, confusion evident in his voice. "Didn't you </div> <div> tell them that it was a </div> <div> mistake?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Well, I tried to," Mandy answered. "But while they were checking </div> <div> into how the mix-up </div> <div> had occurred, they kind of insisted that I stay put on the base. To </div> <div> pass the time, I started </div> <div> attending basic training."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "This is a joke, right?" CJ asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Not at all," Mandy said. "The more I trained with them, the more I </div> <div> found out that this is </div> <div> where I belong. These people have the discipline and dedication that </div> <div> I have been </div> <div> searching for all my life. They know what it means to be committed to </div> <div> a cause heart and </div> <div> soul. They are tough, and they know how to get the job done."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "So are you saying that you're happy?" CJ asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I'm saying that I think this is where I belong," Mandy answered </div> <div> excitedly.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "But you never found out how you ended up there?" Josh asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "That's another strange thing," Mandy said. "The best we can tell, </div> <div> all of the paperwork </div> <div> was done from a computer in a small public library outside of </div> <div> Pittsburgh called Northland </div> <div> Public Library. Whoever did this had all of the information they </div> <div> needed. Somehow they </div> <div> managed to hack into several different computer systems and make it </div> <div> look as though I </div> <div> was joining Israeli Special Forces. Since it was a public computer, </div> <div> there was no way to </div> <div> trace it to any one particular person."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "What's the bottom line?" Josh asked impatiently. "Do you want us to </div> <div> intercede on your </div> <div> behalf, or not?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Definitely not!" Mandy chirped. "I just wish I knew who was </div> <div> responsible for this so I </div> <div> could thank them." The line crackled and began to break up. "I've </div> <div> finally found people </div> <div> who understand and appreciate me," Mandy yelled over the static.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Josh wanted to ask more questions, but the line went dead. He looked </div> <div> quizzically at CJ, </div> <div> then across the room at Donna, who was still busying herself with the </div> <div> files.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Who in the world could have wanted Mandy out of the way so badly </div> <div> they would have </div> <div> gone to these extremes?" Josh asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I have no idea," CJ answered, "but whoever they are, I'd like to </div> <div> shake their hand."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "You're being awfully quiet, Donna," Josh said, "Is something wrong?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "No," Donna said, continuing with her work.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> The room fell silent for a few minutes while everyone pondered what </div> <div> they </div> <div> had just heard.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Wait a minute," CJ said as a light bulb went on over her head, "Did </div> <div> she say that all the </div> <div> paperwork originated from a computer at a public library outside of </div> <div> Pittsburgh?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I think so. Why?" Josh asked</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Isn't that western Pennsylvania?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Yes, CJ. You get an A in geography. What's the point?" Josh asked.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> CJ turned and looked suspiciously at Donna. "Isn't Senator Santorum's </div> <div> home office in </div> <div> western Pennsylvania?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Donna looked up and saw Josh and CJ both staring at her incredulously.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "She could say whatever she wanted about me, but she never should </div> <div> have threatened </div> <div> Josh," Donna said defiantly as she picked up the last of the folders </div> <div> and headed back to </div> <div> her desk.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Josh and CJ stared at her back, their mouths hanging open. After a </div> <div> few minutes, CJ found </div> <div> her voice and spoke,</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "I'm glad she's on our side," she whispered.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Me, too," Josh agreed, still not taking his eyes off of his </div> <div> assistant.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "And have I mentioned what a great job I think you're doing, and what </div> <div> a credit to the </div> <div> administration I think you are?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> "Tell it to Donna," Josh laughed.  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>