Changes Ch 17
CJ and Meghan were able to go home from the
hospital three days later. CJ couldn’t help but smile
to herself as she watched Toby lay the sleeping Meghan
in her crib. She walked over to the rocking chair and
sat down.
“What?” Toby asked, when he caught her smiling at
him.
“I was just watching you with Meghan. You’re very
sweet you know.”
“Really?” Toby said.
“Yeah you are. I can already tell that she’s probably
going to have you wrapped around her little finger.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Toby went back to work a month after Meghan was born.
When he came home that evening, he found CJ standing
at the door to the nursery.
“She was awake until about half an hour ago.” CJ
said when she felt him come up behind her.
“Have you been standing here that long?” Toby asked
as he slipped his arms around her.
CJ leaned into his embrace. “No, I was sitting in
the chair until a few minutes ago.”
“How have my girls been today.”
“Your girls have been fine.” CJ laughed.
“The President wants you and Meghan to come to the
Christmas party he’s having for the senior staff next
week.” Toby said as they walked into the living room.
“Really.” CJ said. “I guess I should go buy a dress
or something this weekend.”
“It’s no big deal. It’s just a casual party. You
don’t have to buy anything.”
“Okay.”
“Did she notice I was gone today?” Toby asked
softly.
“Yeah I think so. She kept looking around for you.
I told her, Daddy had to go to work today. You know
you didn’t call fifty times today.”
“I didn’t. I was a little too busy today.”
“And you weren’t as worried?”
“Yeah, I knew you and Meghan were fine.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CJ walked into the West Wing for the first time since
she had gone on maternity leave. The halls were
mostly quiet since everyone who was not going to the
party had already gone home. Everyone going to the
party had already gone to the residence. Toby had
said he would wait for her in his office, so that was
were she was going.
“Hey.” CJ said as she walked into his office. She
sat the baby carrier down on the couch.
Toby walked over to CJ and kissed her cheek. “Is
Meghan asleep?”
“Yeah, she went to sleep just after I put her in
there. You can get her out. She won’t wake up.”
“No, we’ll just take her upstairs in the carrier.”
Toby said picking up the carrier.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“CJ.” President Barlet said as she, Toby, and Meghan
came into the room. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, sir.”
“Glad to hear that. I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to
come and visit you in the hospital. The secret service
didn’t think the area was secure enough.”
“That’s okay.”
“And this must be Meghan. I’ve seen many pictures of
her. You do know that Toby has about fifty pictures
of her in his office?”
“Yes, and about seventy-five more in his wallet.” CJ
laughed.
“Oh, come on she changes everyday.” Toby said.
“And you wouldn’t be a proud father if you didn’t
take pictures everyday.” Jed said. “Okay, I’ll stop
teasing you now.”
“Thank you sir.” Toby said.
“Now, if you don’t mind I would like to hold her, so
I can really look at her.” Jed said.
Toby sat down and took Meghan from the carrier. He
then handed her to the President.
“I have plenty of experience with this, Toby. Don't
worry she’ll be fine.” Jed said and then walked over
to Abbey.
“She’ll be fine.” CJ said placing a hand on Toby’s
arm. CJ then walked over to where Jed and Abbey were.
“She’s precious CJ.” Abbey said.
“We think so too Mrs. Bartlet. But of course we may
be a little biased.”
“She’s your daughter so of course you’re biased. How
much does she weigh now?”
“Six and a half pounds.”
“She’s so cute. She seems to have a good
personality. Does she cry a lot?”
“No, she doesn’t cry often.” Toby replied placing
his hands on CJ’s shoulders.
“That’s good. Then she is a very content baby.”
Abbey said.
“Hey, CJ.” Josh said. “So when are you coming back
to work?”
“February 1, why?”
“It’s kinda strange having no one in the office next
to mine. And I think the press corps is getting sick
of Sam and I doing the briefings.”
“Speak for yourself Josh. The press loves me.” Sam
said.
“Those who stay awake do.” Josh said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Toby was standing in the doorway as the party died
down. He felt someone come up behind him. When he
turned around he saw that it was Jed.
“You know you couldn’t keep your eyes off CJ before.”
Jed said.
“And now?”
“You’re even worse.” Jed laughed. “It’s an amazing
feeling isn’t it?”
“What?”
“Fatherhood.”
“Yeah it is.”
“How is CJ really?”
“She’s fine. She’s back to her normal self really.”
“Good. I thought so when you came back to work.”
“She’s a lot stronger than I ever gave her credit
for.”
“Most women are. You know what your job is now Toby?”
“What?”
“To take care of both of them. You know I think
Meghan already has you wrapped around her little
finger. Although, you’ll never admit it, CJ does
too.”
“Yeah, she does.” Toby laughed. “Don’t tell her
that.”
“She knows it already.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“What were you and the President talking about just
before we left?” CJ turned and asked Toby later that
night.
“You can’t go to sleep can you? We were talking
about fatherhood.”
“No, I can’t go to sleep. I was just asking because
I caught both of you looking at me while you were
talking.”
“He asked how you were also.”
“I see.”
“You should go to sleep.”
“I know.” CJ said and then she was quiet.
After awhile Toby could tell she had fallen asleep.
He kissed her cheek, and fell asleep too.
to be continued...