The next day, Rick was sitting at the kitchen table, finishing his lunch. Hannah had barely left her bedroom. Kate told him to leave her alone; she'd need time before facing everyone. As he was thinking up ways to get that little weasel back (he'd never liked that kid at all), the front door opened and a loud voice cried out, "Is anyone home? It is I, James Richard Castle, and I am here to make everyone's life better!" Rick grinned in spite of himself. Jamie may want to be a lawyer like his grandpa Jim, but when it came to making entrances, the fact that he was Martha Rodgers' grandson was obvious.
"I'm in the kitchen, oh son of mine!" he replied. A minute later, the grinning face of his son appeared. "Here for food or laundry?" he asked Jamie as he jumped up to hug his oldest son.
"A little of both. You know my usual Saturday deal, Dad," said Jamie. "Hey, where's Mom? Hannah? Alex? Or did they forget that it's not wise to leave you home alone?" he grinned a very Rick Castle grin at that.
"Ha ha. Your mom and Alex are at his basketball game; and Hannah's up in her room. Hannah's having a rough day. Mark broke up with her last night." Rick replied.
"Oh, that sucks. I had a feeling things weren't going well, but Hannah doesn't always share that stuff with me," Jamie said. "Poor kid." As he was talking to his dad, he was looking in the refrigerator. This was his Saturday ritual; come home from the dorm at Columbia, throw his laundry in the nice (free!) machine here, raid the refrigerator, hang with his family, then back to the dorm to study or party. "Hey! Is this mac and cheese? Mom's mac and cheese?" He dad shook his head "yes". Since he was a little boy, there wasn't anything he loved more than his mom's homemade mac and cheese. It was a recipe handed down in her family, and it was fantastic. Always cheered him up when he wasn't feeling great. He put some on a plate, popped it in the microwave, and grabbed some silverware from the drawer. He had an idea; maybe he could use those magical powers. "I'm going up to talk to Hannah," he told his dad. And then he left the kitchen with the plate and silverware in hand.
He knocked on Hannah's door. "Hey squirt, it's me, your favorite older brother," Jamie said. "And I've got magic on a plate!"
Hannah opened the door. She still had her pj's on, her hair was in a ponytail, and her eyes were red. Jamie grinned at her, holding out the plate of mac and cheese. "I guess dad told you the news, huh?" she said.
"Yeah, he did. I'm sorry squirt, I know it sucks. But look, mom's mac and cheese! Guaranteed to make you feel better in minutes!" he said as he walked in the room. Just like his mother had the night before, he put the plate of food on her desk.
"Boy, first mom and then you, bringing food up to my bedroom. Dad's influence shining through!" she smiled a little. "But I think you're right, I could use that mac and cheese," as her big brother handed her a fork. "And by the way, it's not like you have any competition for the position of favorite older brother – you're my only older brother! And what's with calling me squirt – you know I hate that!" But she couldn't help but smile. Jamie might tease her, might call her silly names, but when anyone hurt her, he always stepped in to defend her. He really was her favorite older brother. They shared the plate of mac and cheese while Jamie shared stories of his week at school and made her smile. The magical powers of Mom's mac and cheese and the love of a big brother can really help a girl out, Hannah thought.