Changes Ch 8
“CJ.” Leo said, when he saw her in his office
for the staff meeting the next morning. “I’m
astonished you are here this morning.”
“I thought it would be better than sitting around the
apartment all day.”
“Okay. If you don’t mind me asking what did Toby
say?”
“He wasn’t very happy about it. But he’s learned
that there are certain times that it is best not to
argue with me.”
“I see. CJ, are you certain you’re up to being here
today?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. You know the press will probably have
questions?”
“Yeah. I still haven’t decided what I’m going to
say.”
“Okay.”
Sam and Josh walked in and were surprised to see CJ
there.
“I didn’t think you’d be here today.” Josh said.
“Unfortunately, you were wrong Josh.” Toby said as
he walked in and sat down on the couch beside CJ.
“Since everyone is here, I think we should start.”
Leo said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“CJ what are you going to tell the press?” Toby
asked after they had left the staff meeting.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to tell them what the
doctor told us yesterday.”
“No.”
“Carol what reason was given when I didn’t do the
briefing yesterday?” CJ asked.
“Josh did the briefing and told them you were sick.”
“Great what else did he screw up?” She said to
herself.
“Calm down. You don’t need to be getting excited
over anything.” Toby said as he shut the door to her
office. “Don’t get worked up over this. If you do I
swear I’ll take you home.”
“Toby...”
“I don’t think you should be here today, and you know
that.” He said quietly.
“Would you rather I was at home brooding over what
the doctor told us yesterday!”
“No.” Toby was still speaking quietly.
“It would be a lot easier to argue with you if you
would raise your voice!”
“I have no intention of arguing with you now. I
asked you to calm down earlier, and I really wish you
would.”
“I have an idea. If you want me to calm down, then
why don’t you leave. I’ll calm down a lot faster if
you’re not in here.”
“Okay.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josh walked into CJ’s office a few minutes after Toby
left.
“Yeah. What do you need Josh?” She asked.
“I couldn’t help but overhear part of that. You
okay?”
“Toby called you and asked you to check on me?”
“No.”
“Yeah, I’m as well as can be expected under the
circumstances.”
“You found out something is wrong with the baby
yesterday, didn’t you?”
“No, she is fine. I’m the one who isn’t.”
“What!?”
“They found out that I have developed an irregular
heartbeat. I have an appointment with a cardiologist
tomorrow.”
“I see. I don’t really know what to say.”
“That’s okay. I think I’m still in shock over it.”
“Have you and Toby talked about it.”
“I think we’re waiting until tomorrow. I’m trying to
hide how I’m feeling from him, and I think he’s doing
the same with me.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m scared as hell.”
“I would imagine you would be. You know this is
treatable, right?”
“Yeah, but I’m pregnant. I’m more worried about the
baby than I am about me.”
“I know you are.” Josh said as he sat down on the
couch beside her. “Now, listen to me Claudia Jean, you
are going to be fine and so is your baby.”
“Thanks Josh.”
“Yeah. Oh I’m sorry for screwing up and telling the
press corps you were sick yesterday.”
“Don’t let it happen again.”
“Okay.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Okay before all of you ask, I was a little under the
weather yesterday. I’m feeling better today, and
that’s all I’m going to say on that subject. So on to
some real news...”
After seeing CJ’s statement on her health, Toby went
back to the speech he was writing.
“Toby.” Sam said from the doorway.
“Yeah.”
“CJ is okay, right?”
“Shut the door.”
“Okay.”
“They told us she has an irregular heartbeat
yesterday.”
“What about the baby?”
“She’s fine.”
“How are you?”
“Fine.”
“You don’t want to talk about it?”
“No!”
“Okay, if you ever want to...”
“I won’t. Go away Sam.”
“Okay.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Glad you’re feeling better.” Danny said to CJ as he
caught up with her outside the pressroom.
“How are things with you and Miranda?” She asked.
“Fine. Why did you change the subject?”
“Because I wanted to.”
“Okay.”
“Go away.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hey, you wouldn’t be ready to leave would you?” CJ
asked as she walked into Toby’s office.
“What about the final briefing?”
“Sam’s doing it. I think my sleeping pattern from
yesterday has caught up with me.”
“I see. Let me put this stuff up.”
“Okay.”
“Toby.” She said after they had been silent for a
few minutes.
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you
earlier.”
“It’s okay.”
“No it’s not. You were right. I shouldn’t have
gotten so upset.”
“Forget about it.”
“Great, you’re still angry.”
“I didn’t want to fight with you then and I don’t
now. So let’s drop the subject.”
“Fine.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CJ was still asleep when Toby got into bed that
night, or so he thought. He laid down close to her,
and put his arms around her. She stirred a little
deeper in his arms.
“I guess you’re not that angry with me.” She said
quietly.
“What makes you think that?” He asked.
“You put your arms around me.”
“Go back to sleep.” He brushed her hair away from
her face and kissed her cheek. “I love you.”
CJ smiled and whispered. “I love you too.”
Toby watched CJ sleep awhile before he fell asleep.
There were times that she infuriated him, and today
had been one of those times. He knew that if she
wasn’t pregnant they probably would have gotten into a
major shouting match in her office. He only worried
about her because he loved her. He hoped that she
realized that.”
to be continued...