The California sun beat down on them. It was 6 months later from the birth of their daughter. CJ lazily stretched her arm out to find Danny and rolled over to place her head on his chest.
"I have to get up. I'm meeting the girls for shopping and coffee. I just wish I could stay here forever, curled up with you." CJ smiled. Danny kissed her forehead.
"I wish we could stay like this forever too but…" Danny paused and in perfect timing Kathryn started crying. "I'll get her, you get ready. By the way when you said 'the girls' you mean…" Danny asked.
"Usual suspects Carol, Kate and Abbey." CJ replied smiling at Danny who was preparing to get up. "All of us are buying our dresses for next week accept Abbey, she already has hers." With that CJ kissed Danny and they both got up.
About 2 hours later the door rang and Carol stood smiling at the door.
"Hey." CJ said smiling and pulled Carol in for a hug. "So, your car or mine?" Carol contemplated.
"Mine, I think. Kate and Abbey are meeting us in about half an hour outside Starbucks so we could go now and grab a coffee?" Carol suggested. CJ nodded and followed Carol to the car.
A coffee each and half an hour later Abbey Bartlet and Kate Harper walked through the door of the coffee house to find Carol sitting on a table with CJ laughing her head off in the seat opposite. Abbey and Kate took the free chairs before starting to plan the shops.
18 months ago
"I'll be back in a minute." CJ told the table, consisting of Carol, Abbey and Kate standing up from the table and walking towards the bathroom. After about 20 minutes Carol asked the question that was on everyone's mind.
"Where on earth has CJ gotten too?" Carol asked glancing to the lady's room door just like she had been doing every 2 minutes.
"Come on, let's go find her." Abbey said helping Carol to her feet. Kate led them towards the bathroom closely followed by Carol and Abbey. The three of them walked in.
"CJ, honey, you ok?" Abbey called. The door of a stall swung open and, on the floor, knelt CJ turned her head. They all momentarily saw the tears running down her face before she twisted her head back over the toilet and began vomiting.
Over the audible gasps her friends made and once the reaching had stopped CJ looked back at them leaning against the stall wall before whispering, "I'm pregnant." She indicated for her purse, which was held in Carol's hand. Carol passed it to her, and CJ slipped her hand into the outside pocket. "I took the test this morning just before Carol knocked so I shoved this in the front pocket." CJ said pulling a pregnancy test out of the front pocket and holding up the test confirming her statement true, she was indeed pregnant. Carol, Kate, and Abbey looked at each other they all knew their roles in this kind of situation. Abbey was to ask all sorts of medical questions; Kate's job was to say the things about impact after about the topic and Carol's job was to point out the blatantly obvious and ask about Danny and others connected to the problem. CJ saw this registering on their faces and sighed before she got the anticipated bombardment of questions. Ignoring them all CJ stood up and walked over to the sinks to wash her face. CJ turned "Let's go shopping and I'll tell you about it while we shop." CJ smiled and continued speaking "Abbey, lead the way." With that Abbey left followed closely by Carol, Kate then finally, CJ – her face now free of tears - shut the door behind her.
"Ok," CJ began as she ran her had along the dress rail. "Right the story. Well about a week ago I realised I missed a period and I figured I'd wait a bit and see what happens but the last few days I've been feeling sick and obviously today, that happened. I have a box of tests in my bathroom, and it was positive. I haven't told anyone not even Danny you weren't supposed to find out ether I was sick then I was going to get up and take a test which I did then I was sick again when waiting for the results. I knew it was positive before I looked at it and I was right then you walked in to go shopping and the rest you know." CJ took a few day dresses off the rack and walked over to a changing room. Kate followed suit holding a few options herself. Abbey having nothing take her fancy stood outside the stalls with Carol.
"So how far along are you?" Abbey called at CJ.
"I must be, oh god, about 5-6 weeks." CJ said pulling the curtain open and stood in a green knee length dress "What do you think?" CJ asked twirling. Kate appeared from behind the other curtain wearing a light brown suit. It was a unanimous yes to both outfits and they moved towards the counter to pay.