Dave's Birthday Suit
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone in regards to Criminal Minds; the show and its characters belong to a bunch of people who aren't me. I am merely borrowing the characters for my own amusement. Dance puppets, dance.
Author's Note: I wrote this back in May for Mingsmommy's birthday. She is a wonderful, beautiful soul and has graciously allowed me to post her fic here. I hope you all enjoys this too and thank you for stopping by and reading this.
Dave's favorite part of retirement was the mornings. After waking, he'd linger in bed for a little while, contemplating his plans for the day. Then he'd head to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, maybe even make espresso if he felt like a cappuccino. After fetching the newspaper, he'd sit down at the breakfast room table in the chair by the window where the sunlight entered the room at just the right angle. Sipping his coffee, he'd read the articles, leisurely easing his way into the morning.
"So what are we going to do for Mom's birthday?"
He stopped with the blue mug halfway to his mouth. Thankfully, he'd already had his first sip. "And good morning to you too, my dear." Dave watched as his fifteen year old daughter, Grace, poured herself a bowl of cereal. She looked almost exactly like her mother, from her dark hair to her slightly pointed nose.
He went back to the sports section as Grace approached the table. A few minutes later, they were joined by her sister, Julie. It still amazed him how fast his youngest daughter had grown up. At twelve years old, she didn't even need the small foot stool to reach the cereal boxes on the upper shelf of the pantry.
He'd only begun to read the analysis of last night's Nationals game when he felt two pairs of brown eyes on him. Looking up, he found his daughters staring at him with the same serious expression Emily used on suspects.
Grace raised her eyebrows. "Well?"
"Well, what?"
She sighed heavily. "Well, what are we going to do for Mom's birthday? It's on Friday and you haven't even mentioned it."
"You do know its Mom's birthday right?" Julie asked.
Sighing, he removed his reading glasses. "Yes, I am aware of Friday's importance. And I thought we could make dinner for Mom and invite the team over. Then on Saturday you two are going to spend the night at Aunt J.J. and Uncle Will's while I take your mother out."
"Oooooooooo," Julie crowed. "Dad's taking Mom for a big night out."
Scooting closer to the table, Grace leaned forward with great interest. "Where are you gonna take her?"
"Filomena Ristorante."
"Wow." Julie's eyes widened. "It sounds really fancy."
Nodding, Dave sipped his coffee. "It is. Your mom loves that place."
He went back to the paper, but not before Grace could continue her inquiry. "Do you know what you're going to wear?"
Know what he was going to wear? It was Tuesday morning, and he was already supposed to have his clothes picked out?
He furrowed his brow. "No," he replied slowly. "But I'm sure I can find something in my closet by Saturday evening."
Huffing, Grace cocked her head at him. "Something in your closet? Dad, you should totally get a new suit."
The furrowed lines in his forehead deepened. "Why would I need a new suit? I have a few good suits."
Both girls rolled their eyes; that lovely Prentiss genetic gift. "But its Mom's birthday," the eldest Rossi daughter pointed out. "Who cares how many suits you already have? Besides, I don't think you can wear jeans and cowboy boots to Filomena Ristorante," she pronounced the restaurant's name with exaggerated Italian flair.
He looked questioningly between the two. "You can't, but what's wrong with jeans and cowboy boots? They're comfortable."
Grace reached a hand across the table to pat his arm in mock comfort. "Dad, I hate to tell you this, but you're not a cowboy."
"Yeah," Julie nodded, swallowing a bite of cereal. "We've talked about the old west in social studies and there weren't any pictures of Italian cowboys."
"There were in spaghetti westerns."
As she stood up to clear her bowl, Grace stopped. "You go by the fashion in those really old black and white movies you watch? I mean, aren't those movies, like, a hundred years old?"
Closing his eyes, he licked his lips. "I'm not going to wear that on Saturday. Look, the point is, I don't think I need to buy a new suit."
She sighed, throwing her hands up. "This is Mom's fifty-fifth birthday. Don't you think you should look extra nice for her? She would probably really like it."
Even though she was being a bit dramatic, Grace did have a point. Emily had seen him in all of his suits. And it had been a while since he'd bought a new one. Maybe he could go out and browse around.
Finally, he relented, shrugging. "I might go look around this week."
Julie also stood up to rinse out her dishes. "Well, we could help you. Mom is still out on that case in North Carolina. It could be like a surprise."
"Yeah!" Grace enthused. "We could go shopping today after school." Turning to her father, she told him. "We'll just head over to the mall when you pick us up and get you a nice new suit. This is going to be so much fun!" The girls headed back upstairs chattering away.
Sagging against his chair, Dave fiddled with his glasses. "Yeah," he sighed. "Fun."
The "fun" began the moment the three of them walked into the Armani store.
"How about this one?" Julie suggested, pointing to a mannequin on the aisle.
Staring balefully at a single breasted suit made of shiny grey material, Dave shook his head. "No."
"Aw, c'mon, Dad. Why not?"
Pursing his lips, he grunted. "Do I look like I'm the size of Dr. Spencer? This thing will only fit a pipe cleaner." Apparently suits these days were only made for twelve year old boys.
Grace smirked. "They probably have more than one size."
He considered the foil-like monstrosity for about half a second. "No. And my dearest children, I will make one thing clear," he smiled sweetly at them. "Since I will be paying for and wearing the new suit, I hold full veto power."
There wasn't a day that had gone by in the last sixteen years that Dave hadn't received an eye roll from one of the three women in his life. "Fine," Julie drew out the word. "We won't pick out anything fun."
Mirroring his same grin, Grace headed toward the jackets. "Well, there are still dress shirts and ties."
Sighing, he headed to a rack of plain black, double breasted jackets with matching pants while the girls walked to a nearby wall display of different colored coats.
Searching through the selection, he pulled out his size. Holding out in front of him, he mentally congratulated himself for his choice. How could he go wrong with the color black? Simple, yet classy. Even the kids couldn't argue with that…
A moment later, Grace and Julie approached him, the oldest carrying several pants while the younger girl had the matching jackets. "Hey," Grace greeted brightly, "What did you find?"
He held up his choice, grinning. Dumbfounded, Grace cocked her head at him while Julie's forehead wrinkled considerably.
"That's it?" Julie asked as if she couldn't believe he had only picked out one coat.
"Yeah," Dave replied, as if it were the most natural answer to the question.
"Okaaaaay," Grace said slowly. "Well, we found you some other stuff, too." She held up the other choices. "Now don't freak, they're not like the ones from mannequin. All of these are double breasted, three buttons, no vent jackets with cuffed, pleated pants; just the way you like them."
Grace snorted when he blinked questioningly at them. "You and Mom aren't the only ones who pay attention to details, you know." Then she shrugged, "But there are some different colors we thought you might like."
When he didn't immediately reach for the suits, Julie turned up her big, dark brown eyes at him, something she'd definitely learned from her mother and sister. "C'mon, Dad…pleeeeeeease?"
Grudgingly, he took the jackets from her and then took the pants from Grace, who grinned from ear to ear. "All right," he muttered before heading to the fitting room.
Whenever he shopped alone, Dave would simply try on a piece of clothing, and determine how he looked in the fitting room mirror. If he liked it, he'd to get it; if he didn't like it, he didn't buy it. But he knew if a female accompanied him he had to walk outside the fitting room, in front of other customers, turning every which way so his shopping companion could see every possible angle.
Of course, there were a hundred different reasons not to buy a certain piece of clothing. This shopping trip proved no different.
"Ugh, that brown is so not you," to the coffee colored suit.
The sand colored one got, "Nah…makes your shoulders look really huge."
And the navy blue (or he thought it was navy blue) one apparently made him look like a "blueberry."
Thirty-five long minutes later, only one suit remained for him to try on. Then he could choose from the suits that had made the keep it pile. Thankfully, his black suit had made it into said pile…but barely.
The last suit his kids had picked was charcoal grey with subtle pinstripes. After pulling on the pants, he shrugged on the jacket. The pants didn't appear to be overly baggy and the coat fit well through the arms. Actually, this one wasn't too bad.
He came out to the set of three mirrors where his daughters sat together in a black leather chair.
"Wow," Grace's eyes lit up. "That one looks really great."
Nodding, Julie agreed. "Yeah, you look really handsome."
He turned around so he could inspect the cut from behind. Satisfied, he moved his head up and down approvingly. "Not bad, you two. Not bad at all."
"Oh this one we're definitely keeping." Grace started listing the other keep it pile choices on her fingers. "So we've got this suit, the black one, and the black pinstripes."
He held his breath, hoping, hoping they wouldn't make him try on them on again. Thankfully, Julie pointed to the grey suit he wore. "I like this one the best."
"I do, too," Grace said firmly, and it was all he could do not to sing his praises. "But of course, it's all up to you." Arms crossed over her chest, she stared pointedly at him. "The man with all the veto power."
He chuckled. "Well, considering this one doesn't look like something you'd put over a baking dish, I'd say I like it a lot. I think this is the one, ladies."
"See?" Julie fell back in the chair. "We told you we could find you something."
"You did," Dave graciously acknowledged. He tugged the sleeves down around his wrists one more time to check the length. "Yes, I think this will go great with a white shirt and black tie."
Grace snorted. "Black and white? Are you serious? This," she gestured down the length of the suit, "just screams for color. And I saw some really pretty blue and green and purple dress shirts."
Turning to her sister, Julie chimed in, "There were red shirts too."
"Okay," Standing up, Grace slung her purse over her shoulder. "We'll be over in the dress shirts. Make sure to bring the suit over so we can compare colors."
As the girls left the room, Dave turned to see the fitting room attendant's face all scrunched up in confusion.
"They outgrew their Ken dolls. I'm just the replacement."
Dave soon found himself simply holding the grey suit up while the girls went through the dress shirt racks.
Peering at the hangers, Julie inquired to her sister. "What colors are we looking for anyway?"
"Grandma Elizabeth said to always wear solid jewel colors under suits." Grace pulled out a stone blue shirt for an example. "So just nice, basic tones."
"Meaning no pinks and lime greens," Dave reminded his daughters.
"Well, duh," Julie stated.
"You know, white fits into that jewel category too," he pointed out, fingering a bright white shirt.
Blowing out a breath, Julie shook her head. "Yeah, but white is boring too."
"Especially with a black tie." Grace didn't seem to like the burgundy shirt she'd just chosen. "Color, Dad. Remember?"
This time he rolled his eyes. "Of course, dear."
Just then Julie brought over a dark purple shirt to them. "Hey, how about this one?"
They held it up to the suit. "Oh yeah. This is a great choice." Grace then held the shirt under his chin. "And Mom loves the color purple. What do you think, Dad?"
Of course his opinion ranked fourth. After all, he would only be the one wearing it. Shrugging, he replied, "It looks okay with the suit."
"Well you should definitely try it on." Standing on her tip toes, Grace looked around. "Now all we need is a tie." When she spotted the table, she led the group in that direction. "And Grandma also said paisley ties are inappropriate for any occasion."
Julie glanced at her. "I thought Mom said that."
They spent a good ten minutes draping tie after tie over Dave's shoulder. Not that he'd ever wondered, but now he knew how the mannequins felt.
His feet ached from standing, and his arms started to sag under the pressure of holding the hangers. "Girls, you know, any purple tie will do." He briefly glanced over the table nearest to him before picking up the first one he saw. "Even this one."
He couldn't see his daughter's face with her back to him, but he could certainly hear the incredulity in Grace's voice. "Dad, you have to have a tie that will match your shirt and jacket." She turned back to him with two more choices. "You can't just pick out any old tie," she finished slowly. "Then again…"
Julie's mouth dropped open. "Where did you find that?"
Drawing his shoulders up, he let out a breath. "From this table." He started to put it down, but the girls both screeched, "Stop!"
Carefully taking the slanted purple and grey striped tie, Grace reverently placed it over the dress shirt. "I think we found it."
They, and by they he meant Grace and Julie, decided Dave needed one last trip to the fitting room to see everything put together. After putting on the clothes, he quickly tied the tie on. "This better be the last time," he muttered, grabbing the jacket before even catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror.
He came out to the same spot where they sat before, his arms held out. "Well? Does this work?"
The girls silently gawked at him. It was Julie who broke the quiet with, "Dad…wow."
"You look fantastic," Standing up, Grace straightened his tie. "You have to get it." She steered him to the mirror. "Look."
The purple shirt was perfectly accented with the striped tie. Both pieces brought out the pinstripes in the suit just enough to make them noticeable. For once, everything fit his frame without being too tight or too baggy. Certainly, he'd have to bring the pants to his tailor to be hemmed, but other than that, it all worked together.
For the last few years, he'd sometimes felt like an old man trying to pass himself as a decent looking husband and father. But now, he was reminded of himself when he and Emily first went out.
"This is…" He trailed off. "This is really great, you two." Giving his girls a bright, genuine smile caused them to blush. "Thank you very much. I love it."
"You're welcome," they muttered, keeping their eyes to the floor.
He couldn't keep his eyes off his reflection. "This is it. We're ready to go." He started back to the dressing room when Julie asked, "Do you want to look at the shoes too?"
"We are ready to go," he repeated behind the closed door.
Saturday Night
Dave entered the living room in his brand new, not-so-shiny grey suit to a chorus of "Oooooooo" from both of his daughters.
"Look at Dad, all ready for his big date with Mom." Julie grinned before turning back to the TV.
Grace sniffed the air. "You're even wearing the really nice cologne. You only wear that for really special occasions."
He smirked; it was a little scary how quickly they picked up on profiling. "I think your mom's birthday qualifies." Touching Julie's shoulder, he asked her, "Will you find out if your mother is ready to go?"
"Sure." Her eyes on the television, she yelled, "Mom! Dad wants to know if you're ready!"
His eyes narrowed. "I meant, go upstairs and ask her."
"Oh. Okay." Julie got up from the big brown leather recliner, heading upstairs.
Turning back to the eldest girl, he adjusted his cuffs. "Okay, Mom and I will probably head out soon. J.J. and Will should be here in about half an hour to pick you girls up."
For the next few minutes, he watched some teen drama the girls had on. He didn't want to sit and risk wrinkling his suit. Between standing and being forced to watch the perils of television high school, he prayed Emily would be ready to leave soon. Then he heard his daughter's footsteps on the stairs. Julie stopped a few steps short of the bottom.
Gesturing to her father, she announced, "Mom, may I present your date for the evening," before flopping next to her sister on the couch.
Emily appeared shortly after, causing his breathing to deepen slightly. The last sixteen years had been good to his wife. Her hair looked beautiful with the natural streaks of grey. Laugh lines caused by happy moments with the girls highlighted her mouth and eyes. She wore a black sleeveless dress with a purple wrap around her shoulders. The dress, while not overly tight, hugged her curves. He wished he knew what he did right to have been married to this woman for so long.
She slowly descended the stairs, her eyes never leaving him. Looking down, he checked his clothes for any stains or unsightly wrinkles. When he looked up again, he found Emily's laughing brown eyes.
He twisted his legs to look at the back of his pants. "Is there something on me I'm just not seeing?"
"No," she smirked. "I'm just very impressed by my date." She fingered his lapel. "You look great, David. Is this new?"
Cocking an eyebrow, Dave grinned as he straightened his tie. "This old thing?"
"Dad!" Julie exclaimed in disbelief.
Winking at Emily, he turned to his youngest daughter. "What? Don't you know by now I make everything look good?"
"Yeah, except that blue suit you tried on that made you look like part of a fruit salad," Grace shot back.
When Dave's scowl was met by an exact replica of his mocking grin, Emily laughed. "Well, old suit or new, you look amazing."
"And you are even more beautiful than you were when I met you."
She leaned forward, and he met her lips willingly. Their mouths touched, soft and sweet. His heart still skipped a beat every time they kissed. But then Emily chuckled against him when they were met with a loud chorus of "Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww!"
Pulling away, Dave smiled down Emily. "One day you girls are going fall in love. I just hope you get as lucky as I did."
"That's it," Grace shook her head. "Go to dinner before you make us sick and Aunt J.J. has to spend all night taking care of us."
Holding her stomach, Julie's face scrunched up in disgust. "Too late."
Both parents made a production of hugging and kissing Grace and Julie goodbye, much to the girls' chagrin. They headed to the garage where Dave opened the passenger door, gesturing her into the vehicle. Emily smacked a kiss on his cheek as she got in.
He got behind the steering wheel and an immense feeling of gratefulness washed over him. There was a time when he thought he wasn't cut out for marriage. Now he was the husband to an incredible woman and shared two wonderful daughters with her.
"I meant what I said before," he told in her in a low, serious tone. It was a voice he reserved for their most private moments. When she gave him a quizzical look, he continued. "You're beautiful and I'm the luckiest man in the world. Happy birthday, Emily."