Part 6

Josh, Donna, Huck, and Molly all walked into IHOP and were taken to the nearest open booth. Molly joined Donna on one side, while Josh and Huck took the other. Josh was grinning like an idiot.

"I haven't been here for years." Josh quickly grabbed the offered menu from the waitress. "Bring on the pancakes."

"I'll have a short stack of chocolate chip pancakes." Huck waved off the offered menu. "With a side of hashbrowns, and some orange juice."

"I'll have the same, but I want a side of bacon instead." Molly ordered.

"I'll have the same." Donna smiled. "With hashbrowns and bacon."

"Eat much." Josh mumbled. "Ow!" He glared. "Stop kicking me."

"Order already." Donna moaned.

"I'll have what the little man here is having, plus coffee."

The waitress took Josh's menu and left.

"Thanks for taking us out to eat." Molly managed a smile. "I just wish dad had come with us."

"I know," Josh nodded. "He just needs some time to cool off. He'll be better when we get back."

"No, he won't." Huck mumbled.

"What did you say, little man?" Donna asked.

"I said he's not going to be okay." Huck ignored the warning look from his sister. "You see. Dad is in lo...OW!" Huck grimaced. "That was my knee." He growled at Molly.

"Josh and Donna don't want to hear about your stupid conclusions, Huckberry."

"But you said..."

"Nevermind what I said. Just sit there and eat."

"The food isn't here yet."

"Here." Molly reached in her pocket and tossed something across the table to her brother. "Eat a cracker."

"My God." Donna whispered.

"They're definitely Toby's children." Josh chimed.

Toby paced back and forth in his kitchen. He hadn't done anythingsince Josh and Donna took his kids out for breakfast. His hand still rubbed the spot where CJ administered the hardest slap of his life. Why did he keep doing this? He's known her for almost 20 years and he is always the one to screw it up. And why the hell was she mad at him?

"Women." Toby moaned as he finally leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Can't live with them, can't live without them."

Toby quickly turned around. "Is this going to be a daily thing now? The visits?"

"Don't you wish." Matt smiled and offered Toby a cup of coffee. "Josh called on his way to breakfast and told me about the morning events. Sorry I missed it."

"I'm sure. You could have taken turns. First CJ slaps me. You punch me. CJ attacks me. You knee me in the groin."

"I consider myself a gentleman, Toby. I would never knee you in the groin..." Matt stopped for a moment and smiled. "I'd switch places and let CJ knee you and I'll attack you."

"Thank you. Somehow that makes it all better." Toby said sarcastically and walked into the livingroom. "So, did you come to play with my trains again?"

"What did I say last night?" Matt joined Toby. "I said CJ loves you."

"Yes, that was your departing news flash. Thanks." Toby rolled his eyes. "Tell me something...Oh, forget it."

"No, go on."

"I'm not talking to you, of all people, about this." Toby snapped. "Sorry."

"Let me guess. You want to know why you keep screwing up with CJ before anything gets a chance to start?"

"Maybe. Possibly. Sort of. Kinda..." Toby mumbled.

"Look. People expect me to hate you because of Helen. I don't. In fact, I thank you."

"Excuse me?"

"You were Helen's first love. You made her happy. You didn't hurt her in anyway. And you two were able to remain friends after the fact. She cares for you, and she always will. But I know she loves me, and wants to be with me." Matt noticed Toby tense. "And she wants you happy too. Hell, I want you happy, and I don't even know you that well."

"I am happy. I have this house. I have two great kids. I have a job. I'm happy." Toby yelled.

"But you don't have someone to share it with." Matt continued. "Love can be the greatest thing in the World when you have that special someone..."

"Why do I feel like I'm watching a movie on lifetime." Toby mumbled.

"You're a pain in the ass." Matt noted. "But you're brilliant, and I think that's your drawback."

"How is brilliancy my drawback?" Toby asked, confused.

"Because it makes you think too hard. Stop thinking, and start doing. Or you're going to die an old, cranky man. And the only pleasure you'll be getting out of life will be those damn trains."

"I like my trains."

"Toby..."

"I know what you're saying."

"Do you?"

"What are you, Dr. Phil? Get out of my house!" Toby moaned.

"Toby?"

"What?"

"Can I play with your trains?"

They ate in silence. Donna kept an eye on Huck, while Josh attempted to eat in record time and keep his eye on Molly. A few minutes later, Molly declared she was finished, yet still had a pancake left. Josh quickly grabbed it before Huck.

"This is why we won't let him reproduce." Donna shook her head at Josh.

"What?" Josh whined.

"Why can't we tell them? Maybe they can help?" Huck whispered.

"Because, I have a plan." Molly whispered back and kicked him in the same knee.

"Stop doing that!" Huck snapped. "I have to go to the bathroom."

"Me too." Josh got up and followed Huck.

"I'm never having boys." Molly shook her head. She looked over at a laughing Donna. "What?" She smirked.

"You two remind me so much of your parents." Donna smiled. "So, now that the clowns are gone. You want to share whatever secret it is your hiding from us?"

"I'm not hiding anything." Molly looked down and shrugged.

"You know, I think if you tell someone it'll help. And I'm great at keeping secrets."

"I know. I just, I have a plan. But I don't know how to really carry it off."

"Does it have something to do with CJ and your dad?"

Molly went wide-eyed. "How did you know?"

"I heard...okay, eavesdropped on a conversation your dad was having with someone. And I found out something that was a little shocking. Yet, not really because I've always noticed the looks, and the occasional arm pat, or thigh pat throughout the offices. And the way they communicate with each other...Damn, I think they've always been in love." Donna rambled.

"Wait!" Molly stopped her. "Dad loves CJ?"

"Yes." Donna smiled. "Now if we only knew..."

"CJ loves dad." Molly smiled. "Matt told dad last night. And dad didn't refute it."

"You're too young for words like, refute."

"Maybe my plan with work afterall."

"What plan?" Josh and Huck quickly reclaimed their seats in the booth. "What did I miss?" Josh questioned when he noticed the blank look in Donna's eyes.

"This is incredible." Donna half smirked. "Oh, we need a plan."

"Why is Donna acting like a giddy schoolgirl?" Josh looked over at Molly.

"Because I know something you don't know." Donna pronounced proudly. "Sadly, I have to tell you because you'll need to help us."

"I'm busy, you know. Running an election. This better be important...Oh, are you going to finish your bacon?"

"Forget the bacon, Josh." Donna moaned. Josh pouted. She handed him the bacon. She waited until he put a piece in his mouth. "CJ loves Toby. Toby loves CJ."

After Josh was finished choking on the bacon, he looked at Donna like she had three heads. "Are you insane?"

"I have it on good authority that Toby loves CJ. And Molly here has heard that CJ loves Toby."

"Yep. She loves my dad." Huck smiled.

"So, we need a plan."

"Donna, I thought we made a rule never to interfere in the love lives of our friends."

"Since when, Josh?"

"Since now. Did you not see them this morning? Put them in the same room alone, it'll blow." Josh took a sip of his coffee. "That being said, I may need to call in some reinforcements."

"Who?" Donna, Molly, and Huck asked.

"Sam, Sam, the Sunshine Man."

TBC