Let Me Let Go Part 4
*********************One Year Earlier*************
As winter turned to spring, C.J.’s mood began to
improve. It had been nearly a year since Danny had
left. It was time for her to move on with her life.
It had certainly surprised her when Toby had asked her
out to dinner. She was afraid to ask if it was just
as friends. In fact, she was not really sure if she
wanted to know the answer right now. They had decided
to go to an Italian restaurant in Georgetown. She
looked at the clock and realized that he was coming to
pick her up in ten minutes. As she walked into the
living room, she heard the doorbell ring. Well, he
was early just, as she had expected.
“You were early, just as I thought you would be.”
She said to Toby as she opened the door.
“You did.” He said with a small smile.
“Yeah, you’re always early to work, so I was certain
you would be early for...”
“A date.” He said quietly.
“Yeah” She said with a smile.
“Are you ready to go?”
“Yes”
“Okay” He said as he held the door for her.
********************Present Day***************************
“Do you have a minute?” C.J asked as she walked into
Toby’s office.
“Yeah, what’s going on?”
“I just needed to talk.”
“The briefing wasn’t bad this morning.”
“He was in my office when I came back from the staff
meeting this morning.”
“How did it go.”
“Not as bad as I thought it would. He seemed the
same as before. I guess he’s no longer angry at me.”
“Did you tell him...”
“That I have gone on with my life.”
“Among other things.”
“What other things would you be talking about?” C.J
asked with a smile.
“Oh, maybe that you and I are dating.”
“The way things ended between Danny and I, there is
in my opinion no chance of him wanting me back. I
didn’t handle it well, and you know it. Hell, you
were there. Anyway, you have nothing to worry about.”
“I’m not worried.”
“Yes, you are. I saw it in your eyes when I told you
that he was coming back.”
“How many times have I told you that I am not
worried?”
“You are denying it too much. It obvious to me at
least that you are worried because of Danny coming
back. And, I believe that I have told you everytime
we have this conversation, that you have nothing to
worry about. I’m happy and I don’t want any part of
my life to change. I’ll talk to you later, okay.”
“Okay” Toby said as he walked over to where she
stood. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and kissed
her cheek.
“I love you.” C.J whispered before she went out the
door.
After C.J left the office, Toby walked back to his
chair and sat down. He sat staring out the window
thinking. He knew that C.J was right when she said he
was worried. He didn’t know what Danny’s return would
do to his relationship with C.J. It wasn’t that he
was unsure of how she felt. He knew that she loved
him. It was the way her relationship with Danny had
ended. He wondered if the circumstances had been
different, if C.J and Danny would have still have been
together. Well, there was only one way he could find
out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was nearly seven o’clock when C.J was finally able
to call a full lid and go home. It had been a very
long day, and she was looking forward to going home
and relaxing. As she walked through her door she
wondered why she even bothered to keep her apartment.
She spent most of her time away from the White House
at Toby’s apartment. She changed and then left to go
to Toby’s. It was a little after eight when she got
there.
“Toby” she called as she came through the door.
“In the office.”
“Okay, what are you working on.”
“One of the speeches the President will give in
Texas.” Toby said as he saved the speech, and turned
off his computer. “But I’ll work on it at the office.”
“Why don’t we order some Chinese.”
“Okay , I guess you want the usual.”
“Yeah.” C.J says as she walks out of the room. After
ordering the food, Toby joined her in the living room.
“You were right earlier, you know.”
“When?”
“In my office when you said that I was worried.” He
was standing near the bar that separated the living
room from the dining room. C.J walked over to where
he was.
“What exactly are you worried about?”
“The way your relationship with Danny ended.”
“The tape on Hard Copy. That’s what you think ended
it, right?”
“Yeah.”
“It was the catalyst. It ended because we could not
stick together through the hard times. That’s the
reason it ended. I do not want him back. And if he
wants me back, then I’m afraid that he is too late.
I’m in love with someone else. It’s not like it is a
secret that we are together. He’ll find out soon.
And hopefully, he’ll be happy because I am happy.”
Toby reached out and embraced her. “I love you.” He
whispered in her ear.
“I love you, too” She whispered as she put her arms
around him.