Mrs. Taylor's Matchmaking
Chapter 1: The Surprise Visitor
"The trace you found on the vic's clothes was a combination of chemicals used in cleaning products," Hawkes hands her the printout.
"Makes sense: he was found in a bathroom, one that had to have been cleaned recently. During the struggle, he probably rubbed against something and transferred it to his clothing. What about the blood you found on the mirror?" Stella asks.
"No match in CODIS. I was going to run it through the other databases to see if I could get a hit. Has Sid called about the autopsy yet?"
"No, he said he'd finish it before… he went to…" she trails off.
Sheldon follows her gaze through the glass wall to an older woman stepping off the elevator. The woman was rolling a large suitcase behind her, and although he was sure he'd never seen her before, she looked oddly familiar to him.
She continues to stare for a moment longer before turning her attention back to him briefly, "I've got to do something, Hawkes. Keep me posted." On her way out the door, she pats his shoulder, her gaze again fixed on the woman who had just arrived at the lab.
For a moment, Hawkes watches her, wondering how she knew this woman. He soon returns to his work, though, deciding it best not to let his boss find him wasting time.
"Mrs. Taylor," Stella says as the approaches the woman, who is obviously overwhelmed with the busy crime lab.
"Stella," the woman smiles upon seeing the curly-haired detective. "Please, call me Millie. If I were Mac, I would have made you Mrs. Taylor long ago."
The detective smiles politely at the woman's comment but dismisses it, knowing that Mac did not have those sorts of feelings for her. "Mac didn't mention that you were coming to visit."
"Oh, I didn't tell him. He would have just tried to talk me out of it, which he has done every time I have suggested coming to visit for the past five years; he always says he's much too busy with work. Well, I'm here now, and he can't do anything about it," Millie Taylor says, still looking around the busy lab.
His mother is every bit as stubborn, if not more, as Stella remembers her to be from her visit five years ago. "I'm sure Mac didn't talk you out of it every time; he wouldn't do that to his mother."
"But he did. And speaking of Mac, do you know where he is? This place is much too confusing for me."
"I'm afraid Mac's not here at the moment; he went out to follow a lead."
"Are you're not with him? He's going to get killed."
"Mrs. Taylor, another detective is with him. I would not let Mac go out alone on a case. Now, how about we go wait in my office for Mac to return?" she escorts the elder woman to her office. "Can I get you something to drink after your long flight?"
"Some water would be nice."
"Okay, I'll be back in a minute," Stella leaves, heading to the break room for a bottle of water.
Sheldon is in the room, eating his lunch. "Hey, Stella. Who's that woman you were with?"
"Mac's mother. She came for a surprise visit. Weren't you going to run DNA samples?"
"Thought I'd grab lunch while they're running."
She grabs a water from the fridge and heads toward the door. A thought, however, strikes her, and she pauses. "Sheldon, it's probably best if Mac's mother doesn't find out that you're… rooming with him," she pulls her keys out of her pocket and takes one off the key ring, sliding it across the table to him. "She's… very old fashioned."
"Wait, what about your rule?" he asks as she opens the door.
"You're a friend, Sheldon; you're not going to do anything. Besides, Mac has already broken that rule," she smiles, leaving him to wonder just how close his bosses were.
"How is Chicago?" the detective asks, handing the visitor the bottle of water.
"No different from the last time I saw you. You and Mac really should come visit me some time."
"Did Mac stop in when he was out there a couple years ago?"
"He came to Chicago?"
"Yeah… he, uh, had a lead on a case that took him out there."
"Hm," she frowns, "he never mentioned that to me."
"Oh…" Stella looks away, hoping she hadn't gotten her partner in too much trouble. "Well, we both can't leave the lab. Someone has to hold down the fort here."
"Really? I thought Mac said something a few months ago about the two of you going to Greece for a case."
"That was… special circumstances. It was… for the job, not a vacation," she leaves out the part about Mac following her. "How about I give you a tour of the lab while we're waiting? It's changed since the last time you were here."
The next fifteen minutes are spent with Stella leading Mac's mother around the lab, showing her all the new gadgets that they had and introducing her to their coworkers. They round the corner, ending up in front of Mac's office. "This is Mac's office. Why don't you look around a little while I call him? He should have been back by now," the detective pulls out her cell phone.
"Call who?"
Both women turn around, finding Mac to be standing in the doorway.
"Mac," Mrs. Taylor approaches her son. After a moment, she smiles and hugs him. "It's good to see you again."
"You too, Mother. But… you never mentioned that you were coming."
"Consider it your Christmas present."
"What a nice a surprise," he hugs his mom, looking at Stella over her shoulder. "Can I talk to Stella for a moment? I should update her about our case."
"Sure," his mom lets him go.
The detectives head out to the hallway. "Thanks for taking care of her," Mac begins. "I honestly had no clue she would make such a rash choice to come out here."
"It's okay. I gave Sheldon my key and told him to get his stuff out of your place. I'd give him a few more hours before you take her there."
"Thanks," he smiles. "Stella, what am I going to do with her?"
"Take my day off tomorrow and spend it with her. She misses you, Mac. And I think she's anxious for grandchildren."
"What…? She didn't really tell you that, did she?"
"Not in those words…"
"I'll talk to her."
"It's okay. Now, why don't you take her out for lunch?"
A/N: I don't really know how I came up with this story... Hopefully you'll find it interesting. I wrote it over Chirstmas break and finally decided to post it. So... there are four more chapters. Oh, Millie is what said Mac's mother's name was, but I don't believe they said what it was during that one episode she was on in the flashbacks. And she probably won't do what I had her do in later chapters, but I thought it would make a funny and interesting story. Please review... and I'll update by Wednesday. Thanks.