Lauren had been out that afternoon at an audition, and when she got home she instantly went and curled herself up in Joey's lap, her head on his chest. He rested his chin gently on top of her head and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He sat in silence, just feeling her breathing. He knew she would talk about it if she wanted to, but they'd both had enough bad experiences at auditions to know sometimes they were better forgotten about, even though they told each other everything.
After a while he felt the tension beginning to drain out of her. She couldn't explain it, but even just being held by Joey for a while seemed to make Lauren feel better. He couldn't always help her solve her problems, but he did make her feel a lot better about them.
He could tell she was calmed down when she started distractedly tracing patterns onto his arm with her fingertips, and as his concern for her eased slightly he remembered what he had bought earlier on.
"Hey, I got something for you today. Well, sort of for you," he said gently. He reluctantly shifted her off his lap to go into their bedroom, and returned hiding something behind his back.
"Now before you say anything about me spending more money, it was on sale," he said as she looked skeptically at him.
He passed the item into her hands and sat back down on the couch as she unfolded it, immediately laughing as she as she saw the Hanukkah themed print on the dog sweater.
"Diane," she called out, and they heard the sound of her paws on the floor as she came running at the sound of Lauren's voice. "Come here princess."
Joey leaned down to pick up Diane, and held her as Lauren guided her legs through the holes. They both grinned at their daughter in her new outfit.
"Thank you," Lauren said, resting her hand on Joey's thigh, the audition already pushed to the back of her mind. He picked up her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it.
Their attention returned to Diane, as Lauren cooed over her and Joey took a picture of his two girls, Lauren grinning happily.
"Do you think we spoil her?" Joey asked as he stroked Diane's head.
Lauren looked at him in mock outrage, and Joey laughed.
"Although that sweater might have been a bit unnecessary," she said after a moment.
"It is cute though," he said, and Lauren hummed in agreement, grateful to Joey for always having the best ideas.
