The West Wing - The Jackal 12/?
Title: The Jackal - Chapter 12
Pairing: CJ/Toby
Rating: Teen... to be safe.
Summary: After being admitted to hospital, Abbey meets and decides to adopt a fourteen-year-old girl. But there may be something more to this rogue orphan… can The First Lady help her? AU
--
Friday November 11th
3:40pm
--
“How was school?” Abbey asked as Alex almost ran into the kitchen.
“It was great, can we open it?” She didn’t care about anything else except the letter that was sitting in front of Abbey. “Can we open it now? Do I have to wait?”
“Well it would be nice if you…”
“But it my DNA, I should be able to read it. Do I really have to wait? Can we just open it now?”
“Woah, where’d you get the energiser bunny?” CJ laughed as she walked into the kitchen.
“I’m thinking of sending her back,” Abbey teased and Alex sat down quietly, although her knees bounced underneath the table while she waited. “When’s Toby going to…”
“I’m here, I’m here,” Toby rushed into the room and took a seat, straightening his tie.
“Geez, Toby, this isn’t a meeting. You can relax.” CJ flashed a sly smile.
“I’m sorry if I’m too nervous about the fact that when this day ends I may have a daughter.”
“Alright, guys,” Alex interrupted them, almost ready to jump through the roof. “Can we please just get this over with?” Toby and CJ gave each other an apologetic look, and Abbey took it as a sign that she could open the letter.
“Let’s see,” Abbey slid her fingernail under the seal. She looked up at Alex, gave her a reassuring smile and began to read through the information. With a sigh she glanced at the three faces watching her nervously. “It’s a positive match, mother and daughter.” There was a shocked silence. Toby sat back in his chair, glancing between CJ and Alex. He had a daughter. With a smile he glanced back at CJ, who simply smiled back with watery eyes.
“I have a family,” Alex whispered, looking straight at Abbey but not really speaking to anyone. A smile slowly spread across her face, her eyes glistening. “Oh my God, I have a family!” She almost yelled, drumming her hands on the table loudly.
“Somebody’s happy.” Abbey laughed.
“I have to tell Zoey.” In an instant she was out of her chair and had disappeared, leaving CJ and Toby a little confused.
“Okay, she just ran out of the room.” CJ frowned, not sure what was going on. “Not exactly what I expect…” Before she could finish her sentence the door burst open again and Alex was suddenly clinging to her. CJ’s arms automatically wrapped around her daughter, as though it was something she’d done for years. She let out a breath she wasn’t aware she had been holding and allowed herself the moment to let every emotion she’d locked up, wash through her body like a wave on the beach. Her daughter was alive and in her arms. A beautiful, charming, and intelligent young woman was her daughter.
“I love you,” Alex said as she stepped away, tears threatening to spill. She pressed a soft kiss against Toby’s cheek, and then took another look at her parents. “Mom and Dad, I love you.”
“We never stopped loving you.” Toby told her quietly, noticing CJ was unable to construct a sentence but knowing what she’d want to say.
“I’m going to go tell Zoey, but I’ll be back.” She assured them, and for a moment she didn’t move. There was a ridiculous feeling inside that if she left the room it would all be some weird dream. If she left the room she’d find she’d begun daydreaming before Abbey even opened the letter. Or worse, she was still in the hospital waiting to return to the orphanage. As she pressed her hands together she let her nails dig into her palm and decided this was, in face, reality. “Don’t go anywhere.” She said quickly, knowing it was a stupid thing to say but not really caring. Unable to look away she backed out of the room, and stood outside listening for a moment before running to Zoey’s room.
“Oh my God, that’s our baby.” CJ said suddenly, her eyes connecting with Toby’s. She laughed slightly, emotions clashing together inside her and confusing her brain. There was an overwhelming sense of happiness, mixed with a strong sense of fear, that seemed to take over as everything slowly became clear. She turned to see Abbey pouring them coffee. “Abbey, I’m going to need help. I don’t know how to look after a teenage girl.”
“You do pretty well with Hogan.”
“Yeah, but I drop her back at her parents place at the end of the day.” A look of pure dread was visible in her eyes and she turned to Toby for support. “What are we going to do? We’re both the youngest in our respective families, you don’t even like kids Toby.”
“Alex is okay.” Toby shrugged, smiling slightly as she reached across the table to slap his shoulder. “I like children CJ, and it’s not like any of them come with a manual.”
“You’ll both be fine,” Abbey assured them, sipping her coffee. “But there are things you need to discuss, and I have to pack for my trip, so I’ll leave you two to talk until your daughter returns.”
“Abbey…”
“Claudia Jean,” Abbey shot back as she stood. “While it could not be scientifically proven, you knew through instinct that your daughter was alive no matter how many people told you differently. You’ll both be fine, and I’m here if you need me.”
“Thanks Abbey,” CJ smiled, waiting silently as Abbey left the room before her attention turned back to Toby. He was holding the letter, his eyes running over every little detail. “Trying to make sure Abbey’s not playing a joke on us?” She moved to sit closer to him, glancing over the words on the paper.
“No, I’m just reading over it for myself.”
“It is a little hard to believe,” She crossed her legs on the chair and rested her elbows on the table. “There’s nothing in between, that scares me. She was three days old and now she’s fourteen, that’s a whole lot of growing up.”
“The beauty of Alex being fourteen is that we can talk to her about that sort of thing,” Toby assured her as his fingers brushed gently against her arm. “You know, you have every right to hit me over the head and say I told you so?”
“Yeah I know,” CJ simply smiled, placing her hand on his. “And for once, I really don’t feel like it.” They held hands, almost as if it was an everyday occurrence, both silently telling the other they would be okay.
“Marry me?”
“This conversation didn’t end well the other night…”
“On the contrary I think it ended very well,” Toby chuckled, remembering their first night together in almost thirteen years. “All the more reason to bring it up again.”
“Oh you better not be bringing anything up. I am not having sex with you on the kitchen table in the Residence.”
“Then we should get our own residence.”
“What if she doesn’t want to play happy families?” CJ shot at him, knowing it would easily steer him away from anything sexual. “What if Alex decides she would prefer to stay here and be a Bartlet?”
“Ultimately, it’s her decision CJ.” Toby shrugged, leaning back in his chair and letting go of CJ’s hand. She flinched a little as the warmth of his hand disappeared.
“I just don’t want to lose her again.”
--
“I don’t know,” Alex sat next to Zoey on the floor a flicked through the set of flash card near by. “Would you give this up if you found out you were adopted, and you knew who your real parents were?”
“Firstly I’m obviously not adopted because I have my mother’s nose,” Zoey smiled, cleaning up the cards spread out over her floor. “Secondly, you don’t want this lifestyle Alex. It’s fun now while it’s still a novelty, but you lose your privacy and it becomes so stressful just to go to school. I mean, even with CJ you’re going to get some of that, because she is the face of the administration. When bad things happen CJ bares the brunt of it, and then has to stand in front of the Press and act like she’s okay.”
“Like Rosslyn?”
“Yeah, and because you’ve already been front page news I’d say this won’t blow over for a while. So no matter what you do you’re going to be a celebrity,” Zoey put her arm around the younger girl. “But you know Mom and I are always going to be here for you if you need us.”
“Thanks Zoey.” Alex sighed, her mind going over the two possibilities.
“And while we wouldn’t suggest it, you’re welcome to bunk here if you get caught skipping school or something.”
“Oh as if,” Alex laughed, pushing Zoey away from her playfully. “There’d be a thousand reporters calling CJ, and asking why I was seen sneaking into the Residence at midnight.”
“So you’re moving out?”
“Yeah I think I am.”
--
“From a PR standpoint, this won’t look good.” CJ sighed, playing mindlessly with her empty coffee mug. “Ziegler and Cregg’s Illegitimate Lovechild.” She moved her hands across the table as if reading the words as a headline.
“That doesn’t sound right,” Toby muttered. “We were going to get married…”
“But that’s not the point, and you know it. We come out saying we are her parents and we have to reveal the whole story,” She glanced up to find him staring at her intently. “We have to live through all that again.”
“The Press won’t ask about…”
“No it’s just thinking about it,” CJ interrupted him, becoming a little frustrated. “In that one year we lost our daughter, I lost my mother, you were in that stupid car accident, and we called off our engagement. Not mention some other moments that added to the chaos.”
“I should have listened to you when…”
“Toby,” She stopped him, not wanting to hear what he was going to say. “As far as I’m concerned you’ve apologised and I’ve forgiven you.”
“CJ…”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Her tone was harsh and seemed to announce that the issue was no longer on the table. “We need to work out what we’re going to do. Whatever happens we need to talk to Alex, and we need to talk to the President.” As CJ spoke Alex returned and took a seat at the table.
“Hi.” She said quietly, trying to hide a shy smile.
“Hey,” Toby replied swiftly. “Did Zoey take the news well?”
“Yeah actually she did,” Alex nodded, looking between her mother and father with awe. “She gave me some advice on decisions that need to be made, and promised me she is still going to be my sister when I need one.”
“So,” Leaning forward in her chair, CJ smiled. “I guess that means…”
“If you want me, I don’t want to be a Bartlet.” Alex declared.
“Well then,” CJ was unable to hide the excitement she was feeling as she glanced at Toby. “We better work out a way to do this. Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Hey, it’ll stop the kids at school calling me the First Orphan.” Replied Alex, as she moved to pour herself a cup of coffee.
“They really call you that?” Toby asked curiously.
“Yeah,” She replied, waving it off. “I’m surprised they were smart enough to come up with it. My shock proven by the fact that Josh tried it on me too.”
“Can I kill him?” Toby asked hopefully, turning his attention to CJ.
“If only we could, Pokey.”
“Pokey?” Alex giggled, but stopped when Toby glared at her.
“Don’t ask,” He muttered. “Okay so, you want to tell her about the thing?” Toby raised an eyebrow, hoping to get CJ to take control of the conversation.
“Oh well, we’re going to have some issues that will arise when this surfaces. And it will surface,” CJ began, trying to stall in hopes Toby would say it. But, it seemed, he had no intention of helping her out so she continued. “Okay, as far as we’re aware no one knows the true extent of our past relationship, and so we need to look at how this would come out from a PR point of view. Having to senior advisors to the President suddenly have a fourteen year old, illegitimate, daughter and with no intention of marrying.”
“No intention whatsoever?” Alex asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.
“Well…”
“Toby,” CJ stopped him before he could even come close to popping the question again. He settled back in his seat and let her finish. “The idea is that either we both come out publicly, or we keep it private and only one parent is disclosed. It’s a stretch, but I have a feeling that it would work better for the President with single parent family issues.”
“So we’re treating this as a political issue?” Alex asked as she glanced at Toby, only to find him silently agreeing.
“No, it’s just that we have to address any conflict this may cause in the Administration. It’s something that we always have to think about.”
“Don’t worry, I completely understand.” She assured her parents, but received sceptical looks. “No, I truly do because what happens in the lives of the Senior Staff can easily affect the public view on the President and his Administration. So maybe we should go with the single parent aspect.” She sipped her coffee as CJ and Toby exchanged glances.
“I suppose it would make a lot more sense if…”
“Your mother was named,” Toby finished for her. He noticed all eyes on him and he shrugged. “So you’d live with CJ and, I don’t know, it wouldn’t look that strange if I had dinner with you now and then.” He motioned for CJ to help him out.
“And it’s not like you guys would be separated,” CJ supplied, thinking as she went. “You could come here after school, and we do spend a lot of time together.”
“So it would seem perfectly natural,” Alex nodded, digesting the information slowly. The silence was deafening as her parents awaited her approval. “I’m fine with it.” She finally said, a little uncomfortable being the centre of attention. She looked up suddenly as the door opened and Abbey reappeared.
“How’s it all going?” She asked as she approached the table cautiously, a move that was very un-like Abbey.
“We’ve decided that I’m going to live with CJ,” Alex said slowly, not enjoying the idea of telling Abbey she was moving out. “But I think I’d like some time to adjust, before I move.”
“That’s fine with me if it’s okay with you, Abbey.”
“Of course it’s fine with me,” Abbey smiled, putting an arm around Alex. “And I know Jed will be glad to hear it.”
“Speaking of which…” CJ glanced at Toby and they both stood. “We should probably go see The President now. Then I can leak the story, and we’ll see what happens from then on.”
“You’re still coming to dinner tomorrow night, right?” Alex asked quickly, a little worried they may have forgotten.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Toby replied. He watched as CJ moved around the table to give their daughter another hug. “Unless, of course, CJ was cooking. Then I’d reconsider.”
“That’s so mean.” Alex protested, defending her mother’s honour.
“No, I’d have to say I’d reconsider too.” CJ admitted with a shrug.
--
Chapter 13
--
Pairing: CJ/Toby
Rating: Teen... to be safe.
Summary: After being admitted to hospital, Abbey meets and decides to adopt a fourteen-year-old girl. But there may be something more to this rogue orphan… can The First Lady help her? AU
--
Friday November 11th
3:40pm
--
“How was school?” Abbey asked as Alex almost ran into the kitchen.
“It was great, can we open it?” She didn’t care about anything else except the letter that was sitting in front of Abbey. “Can we open it now? Do I have to wait?”
“Well it would be nice if you…”
“But it my DNA, I should be able to read it. Do I really have to wait? Can we just open it now?”
“Woah, where’d you get the energiser bunny?” CJ laughed as she walked into the kitchen.
“I’m thinking of sending her back,” Abbey teased and Alex sat down quietly, although her knees bounced underneath the table while she waited. “When’s Toby going to…”
“I’m here, I’m here,” Toby rushed into the room and took a seat, straightening his tie.
“Geez, Toby, this isn’t a meeting. You can relax.” CJ flashed a sly smile.
“I’m sorry if I’m too nervous about the fact that when this day ends I may have a daughter.”
“Alright, guys,” Alex interrupted them, almost ready to jump through the roof. “Can we please just get this over with?” Toby and CJ gave each other an apologetic look, and Abbey took it as a sign that she could open the letter.
“Let’s see,” Abbey slid her fingernail under the seal. She looked up at Alex, gave her a reassuring smile and began to read through the information. With a sigh she glanced at the three faces watching her nervously. “It’s a positive match, mother and daughter.” There was a shocked silence. Toby sat back in his chair, glancing between CJ and Alex. He had a daughter. With a smile he glanced back at CJ, who simply smiled back with watery eyes.
“I have a family,” Alex whispered, looking straight at Abbey but not really speaking to anyone. A smile slowly spread across her face, her eyes glistening. “Oh my God, I have a family!” She almost yelled, drumming her hands on the table loudly.
“Somebody’s happy.” Abbey laughed.
“I have to tell Zoey.” In an instant she was out of her chair and had disappeared, leaving CJ and Toby a little confused.
“Okay, she just ran out of the room.” CJ frowned, not sure what was going on. “Not exactly what I expect…” Before she could finish her sentence the door burst open again and Alex was suddenly clinging to her. CJ’s arms automatically wrapped around her daughter, as though it was something she’d done for years. She let out a breath she wasn’t aware she had been holding and allowed herself the moment to let every emotion she’d locked up, wash through her body like a wave on the beach. Her daughter was alive and in her arms. A beautiful, charming, and intelligent young woman was her daughter.
“I love you,” Alex said as she stepped away, tears threatening to spill. She pressed a soft kiss against Toby’s cheek, and then took another look at her parents. “Mom and Dad, I love you.”
“We never stopped loving you.” Toby told her quietly, noticing CJ was unable to construct a sentence but knowing what she’d want to say.
“I’m going to go tell Zoey, but I’ll be back.” She assured them, and for a moment she didn’t move. There was a ridiculous feeling inside that if she left the room it would all be some weird dream. If she left the room she’d find she’d begun daydreaming before Abbey even opened the letter. Or worse, she was still in the hospital waiting to return to the orphanage. As she pressed her hands together she let her nails dig into her palm and decided this was, in face, reality. “Don’t go anywhere.” She said quickly, knowing it was a stupid thing to say but not really caring. Unable to look away she backed out of the room, and stood outside listening for a moment before running to Zoey’s room.
“Oh my God, that’s our baby.” CJ said suddenly, her eyes connecting with Toby’s. She laughed slightly, emotions clashing together inside her and confusing her brain. There was an overwhelming sense of happiness, mixed with a strong sense of fear, that seemed to take over as everything slowly became clear. She turned to see Abbey pouring them coffee. “Abbey, I’m going to need help. I don’t know how to look after a teenage girl.”
“You do pretty well with Hogan.”
“Yeah, but I drop her back at her parents place at the end of the day.” A look of pure dread was visible in her eyes and she turned to Toby for support. “What are we going to do? We’re both the youngest in our respective families, you don’t even like kids Toby.”
“Alex is okay.” Toby shrugged, smiling slightly as she reached across the table to slap his shoulder. “I like children CJ, and it’s not like any of them come with a manual.”
“You’ll both be fine,” Abbey assured them, sipping her coffee. “But there are things you need to discuss, and I have to pack for my trip, so I’ll leave you two to talk until your daughter returns.”
“Abbey…”
“Claudia Jean,” Abbey shot back as she stood. “While it could not be scientifically proven, you knew through instinct that your daughter was alive no matter how many people told you differently. You’ll both be fine, and I’m here if you need me.”
“Thanks Abbey,” CJ smiled, waiting silently as Abbey left the room before her attention turned back to Toby. He was holding the letter, his eyes running over every little detail. “Trying to make sure Abbey’s not playing a joke on us?” She moved to sit closer to him, glancing over the words on the paper.
“No, I’m just reading over it for myself.”
“It is a little hard to believe,” She crossed her legs on the chair and rested her elbows on the table. “There’s nothing in between, that scares me. She was three days old and now she’s fourteen, that’s a whole lot of growing up.”
“The beauty of Alex being fourteen is that we can talk to her about that sort of thing,” Toby assured her as his fingers brushed gently against her arm. “You know, you have every right to hit me over the head and say I told you so?”
“Yeah I know,” CJ simply smiled, placing her hand on his. “And for once, I really don’t feel like it.” They held hands, almost as if it was an everyday occurrence, both silently telling the other they would be okay.
“Marry me?”
“This conversation didn’t end well the other night…”
“On the contrary I think it ended very well,” Toby chuckled, remembering their first night together in almost thirteen years. “All the more reason to bring it up again.”
“Oh you better not be bringing anything up. I am not having sex with you on the kitchen table in the Residence.”
“Then we should get our own residence.”
“What if she doesn’t want to play happy families?” CJ shot at him, knowing it would easily steer him away from anything sexual. “What if Alex decides she would prefer to stay here and be a Bartlet?”
“Ultimately, it’s her decision CJ.” Toby shrugged, leaning back in his chair and letting go of CJ’s hand. She flinched a little as the warmth of his hand disappeared.
“I just don’t want to lose her again.”
--
“I don’t know,” Alex sat next to Zoey on the floor a flicked through the set of flash card near by. “Would you give this up if you found out you were adopted, and you knew who your real parents were?”
“Firstly I’m obviously not adopted because I have my mother’s nose,” Zoey smiled, cleaning up the cards spread out over her floor. “Secondly, you don’t want this lifestyle Alex. It’s fun now while it’s still a novelty, but you lose your privacy and it becomes so stressful just to go to school. I mean, even with CJ you’re going to get some of that, because she is the face of the administration. When bad things happen CJ bares the brunt of it, and then has to stand in front of the Press and act like she’s okay.”
“Like Rosslyn?”
“Yeah, and because you’ve already been front page news I’d say this won’t blow over for a while. So no matter what you do you’re going to be a celebrity,” Zoey put her arm around the younger girl. “But you know Mom and I are always going to be here for you if you need us.”
“Thanks Zoey.” Alex sighed, her mind going over the two possibilities.
“And while we wouldn’t suggest it, you’re welcome to bunk here if you get caught skipping school or something.”
“Oh as if,” Alex laughed, pushing Zoey away from her playfully. “There’d be a thousand reporters calling CJ, and asking why I was seen sneaking into the Residence at midnight.”
“So you’re moving out?”
“Yeah I think I am.”
--
“From a PR standpoint, this won’t look good.” CJ sighed, playing mindlessly with her empty coffee mug. “Ziegler and Cregg’s Illegitimate Lovechild.” She moved her hands across the table as if reading the words as a headline.
“That doesn’t sound right,” Toby muttered. “We were going to get married…”
“But that’s not the point, and you know it. We come out saying we are her parents and we have to reveal the whole story,” She glanced up to find him staring at her intently. “We have to live through all that again.”
“The Press won’t ask about…”
“No it’s just thinking about it,” CJ interrupted him, becoming a little frustrated. “In that one year we lost our daughter, I lost my mother, you were in that stupid car accident, and we called off our engagement. Not mention some other moments that added to the chaos.”
“I should have listened to you when…”
“Toby,” She stopped him, not wanting to hear what he was going to say. “As far as I’m concerned you’ve apologised and I’ve forgiven you.”
“CJ…”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Her tone was harsh and seemed to announce that the issue was no longer on the table. “We need to work out what we’re going to do. Whatever happens we need to talk to Alex, and we need to talk to the President.” As CJ spoke Alex returned and took a seat at the table.
“Hi.” She said quietly, trying to hide a shy smile.
“Hey,” Toby replied swiftly. “Did Zoey take the news well?”
“Yeah actually she did,” Alex nodded, looking between her mother and father with awe. “She gave me some advice on decisions that need to be made, and promised me she is still going to be my sister when I need one.”
“So,” Leaning forward in her chair, CJ smiled. “I guess that means…”
“If you want me, I don’t want to be a Bartlet.” Alex declared.
“Well then,” CJ was unable to hide the excitement she was feeling as she glanced at Toby. “We better work out a way to do this. Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Hey, it’ll stop the kids at school calling me the First Orphan.” Replied Alex, as she moved to pour herself a cup of coffee.
“They really call you that?” Toby asked curiously.
“Yeah,” She replied, waving it off. “I’m surprised they were smart enough to come up with it. My shock proven by the fact that Josh tried it on me too.”
“Can I kill him?” Toby asked hopefully, turning his attention to CJ.
“If only we could, Pokey.”
“Pokey?” Alex giggled, but stopped when Toby glared at her.
“Don’t ask,” He muttered. “Okay so, you want to tell her about the thing?” Toby raised an eyebrow, hoping to get CJ to take control of the conversation.
“Oh well, we’re going to have some issues that will arise when this surfaces. And it will surface,” CJ began, trying to stall in hopes Toby would say it. But, it seemed, he had no intention of helping her out so she continued. “Okay, as far as we’re aware no one knows the true extent of our past relationship, and so we need to look at how this would come out from a PR point of view. Having to senior advisors to the President suddenly have a fourteen year old, illegitimate, daughter and with no intention of marrying.”
“No intention whatsoever?” Alex asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.
“Well…”
“Toby,” CJ stopped him before he could even come close to popping the question again. He settled back in his seat and let her finish. “The idea is that either we both come out publicly, or we keep it private and only one parent is disclosed. It’s a stretch, but I have a feeling that it would work better for the President with single parent family issues.”
“So we’re treating this as a political issue?” Alex asked as she glanced at Toby, only to find him silently agreeing.
“No, it’s just that we have to address any conflict this may cause in the Administration. It’s something that we always have to think about.”
“Don’t worry, I completely understand.” She assured her parents, but received sceptical looks. “No, I truly do because what happens in the lives of the Senior Staff can easily affect the public view on the President and his Administration. So maybe we should go with the single parent aspect.” She sipped her coffee as CJ and Toby exchanged glances.
“I suppose it would make a lot more sense if…”
“Your mother was named,” Toby finished for her. He noticed all eyes on him and he shrugged. “So you’d live with CJ and, I don’t know, it wouldn’t look that strange if I had dinner with you now and then.” He motioned for CJ to help him out.
“And it’s not like you guys would be separated,” CJ supplied, thinking as she went. “You could come here after school, and we do spend a lot of time together.”
“So it would seem perfectly natural,” Alex nodded, digesting the information slowly. The silence was deafening as her parents awaited her approval. “I’m fine with it.” She finally said, a little uncomfortable being the centre of attention. She looked up suddenly as the door opened and Abbey reappeared.
“How’s it all going?” She asked as she approached the table cautiously, a move that was very un-like Abbey.
“We’ve decided that I’m going to live with CJ,” Alex said slowly, not enjoying the idea of telling Abbey she was moving out. “But I think I’d like some time to adjust, before I move.”
“That’s fine with me if it’s okay with you, Abbey.”
“Of course it’s fine with me,” Abbey smiled, putting an arm around Alex. “And I know Jed will be glad to hear it.”
“Speaking of which…” CJ glanced at Toby and they both stood. “We should probably go see The President now. Then I can leak the story, and we’ll see what happens from then on.”
“You’re still coming to dinner tomorrow night, right?” Alex asked quickly, a little worried they may have forgotten.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Toby replied. He watched as CJ moved around the table to give their daughter another hug. “Unless, of course, CJ was cooking. Then I’d reconsider.”
“That’s so mean.” Alex protested, defending her mother’s honour.
“No, I’d have to say I’d reconsider too.” CJ admitted with a shrug.
--
Chapter 13
--