~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toby walked quickly back to his office. Why did I do
that, he thought. We never fight. We were even talking
about how we never fight a few days ago. I guess
that’s no longer true. We’ve had a fight now. Okay,
there has to be some way to get over this. Other
people fight, and get over it. That’s what we have to
do. Okay, now how do we do that?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Josh came into CJ’s office a little later, and found
her still sitting on the couch. He sat down beside
her.

“That bad.” He remarked after getting a good look at
her tearstained face.

“Yeah, I guess you heard most of it.”

“I couldn’t help it.”

“Yeah, I know. Sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it. You okay?”

“Not really.”

“I didn’t think so. You want to talk about it?”

“I don’t know. You know what’s funny?”

“What?”

“That was the first real fight we’ve had.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“No, I'm not. We’ve argued before. But most of those
have been very playful.”

“What started this?”

“The statement I made during the briefing. I was
defending him, I was being supportive. He doesn’t see
it that way though.”

“You were a little ambiguous, CJ.”

“Josh...”

“I’m not starting anything with you.”

“I know that I guess I’m just a little defensive
right now. Can I ask you a question?”

“Yeah.”

“How do you get over a fight?”

“I’m afraid that’s something you and Toby will have
to figure out on your own. Don’t worry you’ll work
through it. You love each other too much not too.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A couple of hours later CJ was ready to go home, and
she went to the residence to pick up Meghan.

“You don’t look good CJ.” Abbey said. “What’s going
on?”

“Toby and I got into a fight over the briefing.”

“I see. How bad?”

“It was very bad.” CJ said.

“Okay, you’re dreading going home?”

“Yeah, he’s still mad.”

“And you’re not?”

“I really don’t know what I am right now.”

“Okay. I really don’t know what to say. Except you
will work through this. He thinks he doesn’t have your
support doesn’t he?” Abbey asked.

“Yeah, he does. I told him not to let her bait him.
And what does he do, he lets her bait him.” CJ said.

“CJ, you should have known that would happen.”

“I did, I never thought him doing the interview was a
good idea. But Leo didn’t listen.”

“Yeah, well that’s over with.”

“I know the problem now the question is how to fix
this professionally and personally.”

“You’ll do it.”

“Yeah, I hope so.” CJ sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The apartment was quiet when CJ got home. The living
room and the other front rooms were dark. She found
the light in Toby’s office on, and she sat Meghan down
and let her walk in.

Toby was sitting staring at computer when he felt
Meghan pull on his jacket. He looked down and picked
her up. “I didn’t get to spend that much time with you
today, did I?” He smiled as Meghan shook her head no.
“I’m sorry about that. Looks like Daddy did something
stupid today. Two things actually, and I don’t know
how to fix either of them. And you don’t really
understand any of this. Come on,” he said getting up,
“let’s go find Mommy.”

CJ was in the kitchen, fixing some coffee when Toby
walked in with Meghan.

“CJ” he said softly.

“Yeah, oh do you want me to take her.”

“No, she’s fine. Look, I...about today...”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” He said and sat Meghan in the high chair and
started to feed her.

CJ stood there and watched him with Meghan, “why did
I do that she thought, we need to talk about this. I
guess I’m just afraid it will turn into another fight,
and I don’t want to fight in front of Meghan. But this
tension can’t be good for her either.” She thought. CJ
turned and left the room.

Toby watched her go. “She’s probably right it
wouldn’t be good to talk about it right now. We’d just
get into another fight. I don’t want Meghan to see us
fighting, but she has to sense the tension between
us.” He thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJ was sitting on the couch later when Toby came in.
They hadn’t spoken since they’d been in the kitchen
hours earlier.

“CJ.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to sleep in the guest room tonight. Good
night.”

“Whatever.”

When she heard Toby walking away she drew her feet
onto the couch, rested her head on her knees and
cried. She didn’t hear Toby walk to the doorway and
she didn’t know that he stood there for awhile
watching her.
“I thought it would be easier on her if I did that.”
Toby thought as he watched her cry, he wanted to go to
her but didn’t think she would let him comfort her.
“If she’s so upset with me , why is she crying? I
should leave her alone, that’s probably what she
wants.” He thought and walked away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CJ was unable to sleep that night, finally she gave
up. She looked into the guest bedroom and saw that
Toby was sleeping. She stood and watched him for a few
minutes. “How is it that he is sleeping and I’m not.
I’ve gotten so used to him being there. I can’t seem
to sleep without him.” She wondered. “There’s nothing
I can do about that now. I have to give this time. I
don’t know how to do that though. I really want
nothing more than to lay down beside Toby, but he’s so
angry I don’t think he would want me to. I should go.”
She thought. She walked over to the bed and sat down.
CJ lightly brushed her hand against Toby’s cheek, she
then kissed him. As she was walking out of the room CJ
stopped and looked back at Toby. “You may not believe
it right now, Toby, but I really do love you. With all
my heart and soul I love you.” She whispered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toby woke up around 3 a.m. He could have sworn that
he had felt CJ sitting on the bed beside him, but he
knew that could not have been true. She was still so
angry that there was no way she would have done that.
But it had been a pleasant dream. He got up and looked
in on Meghan, who was sleeping peacefully. Then he
walked into his office. But that was not really where
he wanted to be, so he left after a couple of minutes.
He walked back into the bedroom, the one he normally
shared with CJ. He stood watching her for a few
minutes. She always looked so peaceful when she was
asleep. He had noticed that so long ago. But when CJ
had been hospitalized the first time while she was
pregnant with Meghan, he had really noticed. Even
with everything that was going on then, she had looked
so peaceful when she was sleeping. She looked the same
way now. He walked over to the bed an sat down beside
her. He gently brushed the hair back from her
forehead, and then kissed her. Getting up he walked
back to the door. “Sleep well, Claudia Jean,” he
thought, “although I know you don’t want to hear this
right now, I love you.”

to be continued...