What was it with this time change thing anyway? Taking an hour of sleep away from a man. Bad enough trying to get up in time for noon Mass on Sunday, now he was expected to get up an hour early for work. Like anybody wanted to be to work early. And after a night of constantly interrupted sleep, it was downright unpleasant to be up and moving before the birds.

Nudging his truck onto the expressway, Vin suddenly couldn't remember if he'd even kissed Jesse goodbye. He must have though. Right? Jess wouldn't let him leave the house without straightening his tie, checking him for a clean handkerchief, kissing him goodbye. He'd been late more than once on account of that kiss.

He felt his shirtfront. Yep, he was wearing his tie. Pants pocket. Clean handkerchief. He must've kissed her. And if not, he'd just kiss her twice once he got home.

Twenty minutes on the expressway brought Vin to the parking garage of the Federal Building. The parking attendant smiled her usual greeting as he flashed his ID, but he noticed that she gave him a surprised double take as he drove in. Maybe he forgot to shave? No, a quick touch of his face revealed he'd shaved this morning. Oh well, maybe she'd been looking at something else.

Usually, Vin took the stairs up to their office; today he took the elevator. Stupid time change. It was too early to walk up eight flights of stairs. He stood at the back of the elevator car and leaned his head back against the wall, counting the beeps to know when to get off. Briefcase…did he have his briefcase? Yep, there in his hand. He shook it, yep, lunch rattled around inside of it. Lord, just let him get to the office and put a big cup of coffee in his hand.

Oh, he was late; everybody was already at their desks when he pushed the office door open. One by one, they looked up to greet Vin. One by one, their greetings were cut short as they each gave him a puzzled look.

Well, even if he did have chocolate milk this morning, at least one of them was always polite enough in the past to point out if he still had some in the corner of his mouth, and not just stared at him. Oh well. Stupid time change was getting to everybody. He dropped his briefcase at his desk and didn't even stop on his way to the break room and coffee. Chris was in there and – like everyone else – even his generally brief greeting was shortened.

"Hey -." Followed by the puzzled look.

"What?" Vin finally demanded. "People been looking at me like I got two heads."

"This?" Chris said, tapping his temple.

"I am not crazy."

"Glasses?" Larabee tried again. Vin's eyes crossed as he took a look down his nose. He had on his wire rimmed glasses.

"So? Been wearing 'em awhile." He moved past Chris to get his caffeine fix.

"Uh, no. You haven't. Not in the office anyway."

"What? Oh - - usually wear my contacts. Never told you, hunh?" He poured a lot of sugar and milk into his mug. "Thought I did." He sank wearily into a chair at the table.

"Baby keeping you up is he?" Chris asked, as he took a sip out of his own mug. Vin's answer was to drop his head into his arms on the table.

"Every – half – hour." He enunciated into the Formica. "Either he was crying, or Jess was worrying, or I was checking to see if he was still breathing. Every half hour, one of us was fussing. All night long. On top of having an hour less to sleep. And forget about doing anything -" He sat up again. "…personal…you know. Nothin' like having your baby asleep in the same room to make you think pure thoughts…" He took a healthy swallow of coffee and Chris grinned at him.

"Wouldn't change it for the world though, would you?" and Vin shook his head.

"Not for the world." He agreed with some wonder. "After losing Little Jess last year, and being so scared the whole time this time, and with his due date being just a month after hers was last year, he can keep me awake from now until he goes to college. I wouldn't change it for the world."

Chris thumped his shoulder and headed out of the breakroom. Vin dropped his head back onto the table. "

Just gimme that hour of sleep back…stupid time change."

The End