At 5:15 Patrick pulled up in front of the FBI. He waited no more than three minutes before he saw his wife walk out of the building laughing at something that Wylie was saying. He shook his head in amazement that after all these years he was still struck by what a natural beauty his wife was. He turned around and said to his daughter sitting quietly in her car seat in backseat. "Uncle Wylie and Mommy are headed this way."
Teresa opened the passenger side back door and leaned in and kissed her daughter who squealed at the attention. "My sweet, sweet, baby! Mommy has missed you so much today."
She stepped back and let Wylie look in, "Hey, there's my girl. You're looking very pretty in that yellow ensemble. Very fashionable."
Clara looked at the young man with pale blonde hair and made bubbles.
"I'm taking that as blowing kisses," Wylie stated with a laugh before he leaned in through Lisbon's window to speak to Jane.
"Hey, Jane!" He said, "Tork and I are going to take your suggestion and set up that interrogation tomorrow. Thanks, man."
"Sure, Wylie. I'm happy I could help. Let me know what happens," Jane said with a wave before Wylie stepped back and the family pulled away.
Wylie stood for a minute watching them before a gust of wind and clouds started rolling in. The air was immediately colder and he moved quickly to his car.
The drive to the airport was slow as usual. Between road construction and rush hour traffic, they arrived in short-term parking with about fifteen minutes to get Clara into the stroller and walk to the correct baggage claim area.
Teresa was wringing her hands by the time they got to the carousel. Her eyes were constantly scanning people for someone who looked familiar.
"Teresa, calm down," Patrick said gently. "The flight is only now pulling up to the gate. It will take a few minutes to de-board and a few minutes more to get to baggage claim."
She tried to breathe normally and stop watching every person that came near, but she could not stop herself. "I know you're right, but I realized today how much I want to see Aunt Jeannette. She's one of the few links I have to the rest of my family."
Keeping one hand on the stroller, he put another on her back and stroked her in soothing circles while he leaned over and put a gentle kiss to her temple. "I know, sweetheart, but you needn't worry. She'll be here soon."
A few more minutes passed. They heard the bell and suddenly luggage, boxes, and golf clubs started coming through the chute behind the carousel and filling it. Teresa's head turned to the area where passengers were starting to appear. Among them an older woman wearing brown tweed slacks, a green long-sleeved blouse, and carrying the matching tweed jacket over her arm.
Teresa quickly walked over to the woman saying, "Aunt Jeannette?!"
The woman who had been putting her passport back into her purse looked up startled and then smiled and threw her arms wide open. "TERESA! Oh, my beautiful girl!"
The two women hugged, laughed, and cried for a few minutes before they realized that people were having to maneuver around them to get into baggage claim.
Teresa looked around and said, "C'mon, Aunt Jeannette, let's get your bags and get out of here."
The older woman, with her arm around the petite younger one, replied, "That sounds delightful, my dear."
They walked over to the carousel and Jeannette became aware of the handsome blonde man standing with the stroller watching them. She was struck by not only the good looks of the man, but also the face that seemed to have seen the best and worst of humanity and still had warm eyes.
"Oh my God! I completely abandoned them!" Teresa said with embarrassment before completing the introductions. "Aunt Jeannette, this is my husband Patrick Jane. Patrick, this in my Aunt Jeannette Smyth-Worthy."
Patrick was thrilled to meet anyone who could make Teresa laugh and cry with so much joy all at the same time. He took her hand in one of his but still pulled her into a half embrace. "Mrs. Smyth-Worthy, it's good to meet you. Teresa has told me how much she's been looking forward to seeing you again."
Oh, he is a charming devil, Jeannette thought even as she let herself be drawn into the glow of his smile. "Patrick, I'm so happy to meet you, and please, Aunt Jeannette will be fine. Mrs. Smyth-Worthy was my mother-in-law."
She continued in a teasingly confidential style, "Now there was a woman who made one constantly feel like curtsying."
Teresa was pleased with how well it was going so far. She hadn't told Patrick, but Aunt Jeannette had heard of him. She had contacted Teresa after the CBI was disbanded because the story had made national news and Jeannette kept up on that much at least, and she worried about her too brave niece. What she knew from the reports had left her with mixed feelings that she hadn't expressed but Teresa knew were there.
Jeannette looked down and realized that Patrick was pushing a stroller. She intellectually knew about the baby but she hadn't realized that she was here. She gasped and stepped to the front and said, "Oh my goodness! And who is this precious person?"
Teresa and Patrick exchanged proud smiles as their daughter made her little noises. "Aunt Jeannette, this is our daughter Clara Marie Jane."
As Teresa spoke the baby girl looked up at the older woman leaning in and their eyes met. Jane, the complete skeptic, would never tell anyone but he would admit to himself that he could feel the electricity run through the stroller's handle as their gazes locked. Child and woman instantly bonded and both knew that they would be lifelong friends.
"Ohhh, aren't you a clever girl to decide to take these two as your parents. Hello, Clara. I'm your Aunt Jeannette," she said in a quiet voice as Clara gave her a toothless grin.
Jeannette couldn't take her eyes from the child. She was amazed at the wisdom and wonder in her eyes. This wasn't the first family baby she had met. She loved her niece and nephews and their children, but she would later admit that Clara stopped her in her tracks.
Teresa and Patrick understood what was happening. They, too, loved this little girl who so far had been a dream to care for. She rarely cried and when she did it was for a purpose and not for attention. She seemed to understand her parents moods and tried to act accordingly. While both would insist that there was no such thing as psychics, they would both admit that their daughter showed extreme intuitiveness from the moment of her birth.
Teresa noticed that the area was clearing out and decided that everyone was probably wanting to leave the airport. "Well, we should get your luggage and get out of here. Aunt Jeannette, could you point out your bags?"
"What? Oh yes," Jeannette said and stood back up. "It's the purple set, two bags."
"Please, allow me," Patrick said and when the bags came around he pulled them off. They were heavier than he would have expected but both were on rollers.
He started pulling them and Teresa pushed the stroller and they headed to the parking lot. They had settled the usual questions about the flight and the weather on the walk to the car. Teresa strapped Clara into her car seat while Patrick put the luggage in the trunk. As they left the parking lot, Teresa turned to the back where Jeannette alternated between looking at Clara and at the scenery. "Are you hungry? I know that domestic flights no longer serve much."
Jeannette smiled, "In first class, they're a little nicer, but yes I am feeling hungry."
"Great. Patrick and I thought we would take you to a quiet place we know," Teresa explained.
"That's fine, my dear," Jeannette nodded, "Is it near the Belmont Inn? I made reservations there. It's said to be a nice hotel."
"Well, actually, we know a very nice place that we thought might suit you, Aunt Jeannette, and we have you set up there," Patrick said while looking in the rear view mirror at the woman sitting behind him.
"Oh? Well, that's fine," she said and started digging out her cellphone. "Let me just cancel this reservation."
The couple in the front seat was quiet as she called the hotel and said that she would not be able to make her reservation. After a few minutes of haggling over a late cancellation fee, Jeannette ended the call with a victorious smile.
Teresa said little for a moment after this. She knew her aunt had worked in and later owned her own bookstore and rare book locating business. At a time when the market for that type of store and service were dwindling, she had continued to survive simply by being very good at what she did and creating an incredibly loyal customer base. This was one of the rare moments when Teresa saw that all business side of her favorite aunt.
Patrick was becoming more impressed with this woman by the minute and could see aspects of his wife's character in her. "Aunt Jeannette, have you ever been to Texas before?"
Jeannette shook her head, "No, I've been to most major cities in the north and, of course, out west to visit Teresa, but I've never had a reason to come here before. I can't wait to do a bit of exploring. That reminds me. I would like to rent a car while I'm here. The best way to get to know a place is to roam aimlessly around it. At least, that's what my husband always said."
Teresa frowned for a second and said, "We can take you to an agency tomorrow."
"Perfect," Jeannette said and continued addressing both of them, "Now I know that you're both busy with work and I don't want you to feel that you have to entertain me every moment of the day. I really am looking forward to spending some time quietly on my own, or" she stopped and smiled at the little one falling asleep next to her, "getting to know this precious bundle as much as I want to spend time with you."
Teresa smiled and said sheepishly, "Well, I'm glad you feel that way because it was going to be hard for me to take time from work. Today was my first day back from maternity leave and I think my boss, nice though he is, would frown at my immediately going on vacation."
Jeannette's eyes narrowed slightly and she tilted her head, "I'm guessing that Stan forgot to tell you about my visit until when? A few days ago?"
Teresa grimaced but went ahead and threw her forgetful brother under the bus, "Wel-l-l-l, more like yesterday."
Her aunt's eyes went wide. "Yesterday?! Oh my goodness, Teresa, I'm so sorry. This must have been a terrible thing to have thrown at you when you're trying to get back to work."
Teresa vehemently shook her head, "No, no, no, I was thrilled to get the news. I'm very happy you're here. I've missed you so much."
Teresa reached between the seats and laid her hand on her aunt's knee. Her aunt put her hand over Teresa's. "I've missed you, too, sweet one."
Patrick had pulled off the interstate and it was obvious that the neighborhood they were in now was residential with well-appointed homes that while not large or grand felt loved and cared for. He pulled into a driveway and stopped the car. "Here we are: The Jane Bed & Breakfast"
Jeannette frowned, "I thought Stan told me that you were living in a cabin."
Teresa had jumped out of the car and opened the back door to get Clara and Patrick had opened the back door on his side to help out Jeannette. "We do, but this is the house that Teresa bought, well that she has the mortgage on, when she moved to Austin. We've held onto it and when the first portion of the renovation was occurring, we stayed here on bad nights. Now we don't have to, but we haven't decided what we're going to do with it."
He took her arm and they joined Teresa on the front porch. She pulled out the keys, unlocked the door, and led the way inside. Patrick had definitely finished getting the place ready this afternoon. She could smell something delicious coming from the kitchen and in the living room there were fresh flowers.
Jeannette walked in and understood why Teresa living on her own would have found this home charming. It had a cottage feel about it that made it seem like a place you had been in all your life. The furniture she had chosen was simple and well suited to a relaxed lifestyle that would be a complete escape from the type of job she was in all day.
While Patrick went back out to the car to bring in the baby's carry-all and Jeannette's luggage, Teresa gave her aunt the tour ending in the eat-in kitchen where they found the table set for three and a portable bassinet next to it.
Teresa was watching her aunt closely to see her reaction and was nervous when Jeannette started to shake her head. "If you don't think you'll be comfortable here, we can put you up at another hotel. It's just that the addition isn't on yet at the cabin and it would be a little small and-"
"Oh, sweet one, no, this is so lovely. I can't get over how at home I feel here. Oh this is perfect!" she said and gave her niece a hug.
Teresa was relieved. She had worried that her aunt would feel that they were shunning her and she would never forgive herself if she were unhappy.
"Oh good!" Teresa let out a big sigh. "I was hoping you would like it as much as I did the first time I saw it."
Jeannette smiled as she looked around. "Yes, this will suit me well."
Patrick walked out to the kitchen as the two women were opening the oven and lifting the lid off the crockpot.
"Patrick, this all smells and looks delicious," Teresa said with a smile. "I knew I could count on you to come up with something great."
He returned her smile with one of his own saying, "Thank you, my love. I thought if Aunt Jeannette had been traveling all day and you had been trying to get back into the routine of the office again, comfort food might be the order of the day."
The three adults sat down to a meal of pot roast, glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, and rolls with orange sorbet for dessert that Teresa insisted was just as good as orange blossom ice cream. They shared a slightly edited version of their trip to Beirut with Aunt Jeannette leaving out the waterboarding, threats, guns, and certain temptations that had been available.
Jeannette laughed but knew that there was more that the couple had decided that an aunt shouldn't know. That was fine. She wasn't too old to remember that there were things that she had left out of her stories to her family. Like when she and Benedict had celebrated his teaching award…
Patrick saw her distant smile and knew that they had triggered a memory for her but obviously it wasn't a bad one so he didn't question her. Instead, he continued to give Clara her bottle while Teresa cleared the table and worked on cleaning the kitchen. Jeannette insisted on helping. "Look, if I'm the one staying here, I need to know where things go and how things work, so why not start as I mean to go on."
The two women finished and Jeannette made them a pot of tea to take into the living room. Teresa took Clara from Patrick and put her baby to her shoulder to burp her while Jeannette poured Patrick a cup of tea.
"Thank you," he said as he took the cup and sipped the brew. "Mmm. Aunt Jeannette, you are obviously a very civilized woman because this is an excellent cuppa."
Jeannette's quiet laugh reminded him of Teresa's. "Well, Patrick, I have lived for many years among the most formidable connoisseurs of the substance. I have never been able to stand anything but a good British tea."
"Well, I look forward to having more with you," he responded.
After another hour, the couple decided that they should get home so that they could give Clara a bath and put her to bed. Patrick told Jeannette that he and Clara would pick her up tomorrow to go to the car rental agency. They made sure that she had all the cell phone numbers and the number for the FBI before they hugged and said goodnight.
Jeannette watched them leave and then shut the door and locked it. She looked around the house and smiled to herself. This was may be just what she needed. Yes, she was already feeling like she was in the place she was supposed to be.