Chapter 4

The five of them walked into the large home, taking their riding boots off and putting them in the doorway closet. They smelled something coming from the kitchen and looked at each other. As they rounded the corner, Cait looked at Maggie. "That's sausages cooking."

They walked into the kitchen to see Matt and Mike in t-shirts and lounge pants. Matt was frying the sausages and Mike was stirring up the mixture for French toast that Maggie had open in her cookbook that she had left lying open on the counter. They smiled at the group. "We figured we'd make breakfast for the great riders," Mike smiled.

Maggie walked into the kitchen and washed her hands. "Grandma, Mike and I've got this."

She smiled at Matt. "I'll let you. I'm going to get some grapefruit ready for all of us; except of course, for Grandpa."

Jack walked by the kitchen on the way to the bathroom to wash his hands at the "suggestion" of his parents. He smiled. "Grandpa has the same problem as Uncle Dave" he said to Maggie. Aaron followed Jack to the bathroom as Cait and Jarrod used the sink in the kitchen.

They enjoyed a wonderful family breakfast filled with laughter.

As usual, that Friday night, Maggie and Jarrod's children except for Jake still in Green Bay, grandchildren and now one brand new great grandchild had their own family time together. Actually all four of Victoria Barkley's children did that. It was family weekend for the entire Barkley family the second weekend in June. Like always; Victoria Barkley's birthday was June 8 and the family always gathered for the occasion.

Maggie, Cait and her three sister-in-laws that had married Tom, Andy and Phil spent the afternoon in Maggie's kitchen preparing dinner for nearly forty people. The family had their traditional "picnic" dinner, with Jarrod, Aaron and Tom grilling the hamburgers, brats and hot dogs.

Jeff, the oldest son of Tom, Cait's next closest brother in age and Jeff's wife Missy, proudly showed off the two week old Margaret Victoria Barkley. Everyone cooed and awed at Baby Maggie with great grandma smiling the most. The family had a wonderful time once again re-connecting with each other, especially Cait and Aaron's boys with their western cousins. Even Jack being the youngest by some years had a great time.

As the younger grandkids of Maggie and Jarrod enjoyed the pool, the rest stood or sat around talking. Missy had quietly left to breast-feed Baby Maggie. She came back out fifteen minutes later with a crying baby and looked at Cait. "What am I doing wrong? This has been happening every time I've fed her the last three days," she said, clearly worried.

Cait took the baby in her arms and smiled at the new mother. "First off Missy, Maggie will sense you tensing up immediately," she said, rubbing Maggie's tummy. "Do you give her a break while she's nursing?" Missy shook her head. Cait smiled. "That's the problem. She's a very healthy eater, but eating too fast. You need to give her a break to let her stomach digest," Cait softly smiled. She took the cloth diaper "burp rag" from Missy's hand, put it on her left shoulder and then gently lifted little Maggie to that shoulder. Aaron stood by her, smiling. Cait started rubbing her back.

"I tried that and she cried," Missy said.

"Rub her chest and belly when you give her that break," Cait advised with a smile. She kept rubbing Maggie's little back and soon a small burp came out. Cait looked at Aaron. "You ready?" He nodded. Cait rubbed upward on Maggie's back and the big burp came.

Aaron holding the edge of the diaper caught what came out. "Just a few chunks," he smiled at Cait and Missy. He enclosed it to keep the contents inside, and Grandma Maggie took it from him, rubbing his back. Baby Maggie squeaked out another burp and fell contently asleep in her Great Aunt Cait's arms. They all enjoyed the rest of the evening.

Jake, having finished his required meetings with NFL representatives about rules of conduct for players off the field the day before in Green Bay, literally blew in around four Saturday afternoon. He quickly changed into his swimsuit and frolicked with the three Hotchner boys in the pool. Aaron grilled his specialty on the Weber for dinner; pork chops. By the time Jake and the three growing boys left the dinner table, there wasn't a morsel left of the meat. Cait looked at Maggie. "We've both raised carnivores," she laughed.

Sunday was the annual Barkley family reunion at the house on the ranch. While Victoria Barkley was no longer able to join them, she was there in spirit as her four children, 15 grandchildren, 36 great children and three great, great grandchildren, one of whom she lived to see and hold in her arms, gathered together. It was a tough day for the Hotchner's living on the other side of the country, while all the rest lived in the valley. Past Cait's immediate family, they didn't know all the relatives closely. Yet the family celebrated and toasted Victoria Barkley's birthday and memory.

-00CM00-

Jarrod and Maggie woke on Tuesday. They smiled at each other as they climbed out of bed. It was their oldest child's birthday. They looked at each other in the bathroom as they took turns showering. "Yup, someone got an early birthday present from her husband," Jarrod said. "Jake will be damn proud of them," he added, rolling his eyes.

Maggie, getting ready to brush her teeth, rubbed Jarrod's chest. "She's happy and they're happy; I guess I can't complain too much. She finally has someone in her life that is going to take care of her," she smiled.

"Ohhh, he took care of her last night all right," he said with a smile, shaking his head.

Jake looked at Cait when she walked into the kitchen for breakfast. Maggie was at work getting rolls, fruit and juice for the gang. Jack had bounded in and she helped him get a bowl of cereal. Jack climbed up in the lunch counter chair next to his grandpa, sipping his coffee, eating a cantaloupe quarter while reading the paper.

He pulled her into a big hug. "Happy Birthday Sis," he smiled.

"She already got her first present," Jarrod mumbled under his breath.

Jake pulled back to look at his sister. "You two didn't?"

Cait smiled broadly. "It's my birthday."

"You rock sis!" Jake said. They shared a large high five.

Jack looked at his grandpa and rolled his eyes. "The no p.j.'s thing? Again?"

The four adults roared.

After riding with Jack, with Jake joining them, the guys and girls split up, leaving the Hotchner boys with pool time. Aaron, Jake and Jarrod dressed to go golfing, with the plan to meet Andy at the golf course, making a foursome. Cait and Maggie got ready to head out for some mom and daughter quality shopping time.

Jarrod and Aaron looked at each other and just shook their heads as they loaded their clubs and golf shoes into the back of Jarrod's truck watching the two women in the lives pull out of the driveway. Jarrod rubbed Aaron's back. "I don't know about you son, but wallet is groaning right now." Aaron smiled and just shook his head.

The family celebrated Cait's birthday with her favorite meal: BBQ ribs on the grill. After dinner, she opened her presents from the family. From her parents she received a gift card to her favorite place to shop: CandleWorks. "I'll go crazy with this," she smiled. "I love putting them around our Jacuzzi tub."

Aaron kissed her. "Please do," he smiled a bit wickedly at her. Jake pointed at Aaron with a wink. He pulled out of his pocket a small jewelry box and handed it to her.

Cait opened it to see a pair of diamonds hanging on the bottom of oval gold loops that were earrings. They were much like Maggie's that she borrowed to her daughter for their wedding. He kissed her cheek. "I think it's about time you had your own pair," he smiled. Cait, her eyes filling with tears, gently kissed his lips.

"Thank you Aaron; they're gorgeous," she said, showing them to her mother. Maggie nodded her approval, with Jarrod smiling as well.

Jake looked at his parents with his wicked grin. "You two might get woke up again tonight," he said with a laugh. Maggie swatted him on the leg. Jake handed Cait a large manila envelope.

"Before I left Green Bay, I got my signing bonus check," he smiled. "There's a birthday card in there I'd like you to read first."

Cait took the large envelope. "This has to be your best gift wrapping ever," she snarked with a smile.

"Cait, just look," he smiled. Cait pulled the envelope open, found the birthday card and fished it out. She set the large envelope in her lap as she opened the birthday card. It was beautiful, sentimental, with the cover saying To My Sister. Jake looked at his dad. "Watch her flip it over to see if it's a Hallmark card," he winked at Jarrod as Cait did what he predicted.

Aaron looked at Jake. "You becoming a profiler on me," he asked, smiling at his brother-in-law. Cait stuck her tongue out to the both of them as the boys laughed along with their grandparents. The rest of the greeting was standard Hallmark, signed with Jake's flourished hand.

Yet, it was the handwritten message that Jake had put on the blank left side of the open card.

Hey Sis! I know how much Aaron means to you. And the wonderful family you two have put together. More importantly, I know how much that all means to you.

Yet, I know you support a second family; a family that goes out and chases monsters. I've got to see that in action twice now. The rest of the contents of this envelope are my thank you to you Sis; for backing your husband and his team. This world, God knows, needs them. This is my present to you: you and that wonderful husband you happened to stumble upon; enjoy some team time together on me.

Cait dug back into the envelope again and looked. She pulled out passes to a suite behind home plate at the Washington Nationals stadium for the entire team, plus all the rest that had showed up in her hospital room for a Saturday night game against the Phillies. Cait counted them, with Aaron looking over her shoulder.

Jake wickedly smiled again. "A coming out party for Uncle Dave," he winked as Cait counted four more tickets, obviously for Erin Strauss and her three kids.

Aaron, looking over Cait's shoulder, looked at Jake. "What bro? I told you long ago. Sis and I talk. A lot," he winked.

Aaron smiled at his wife. "Have fun getting that one past Dave."

"That's easy; I'll just call him out," she smiled.

"And the only person walking the face of the earth that could get away with doing that," Jake pointed at Aaron.

Yet it was the gift from the boys that had Cait truly in tears. Matt simply handed her a card. "No mom, Uncle Jake and us boys didn't compare notes. We guys just didn't want to pack something and then have to haul it back." He looked at his brothers. "Who always pounds our butts to pack light?" Three sons pointed fingers at their mother, with large smiles.

It was another beautiful, thoughtful Hallmark card. She opened the envelope, pulled the card out, read the front and then opened to the inside to read the rest. And of course, her three sons had each signed it. She pulled an envelope from the greeting card that was inside and opened that as well. Reaching in, she retrieved a wallet size picture. It was of the three boys with a beautiful park setting in the background. They were wearing different colored, yet matching polo shirts with matching khaki cargo shorts and barefoot, sitting cross legged on the ground. Beans was lying in front of them, her head up with her usual smile, looking at the camera. "The 11x14 print is at home, in a frame, ready to be hung on the wall on the steps," Mike softly said.

Jack smiled. "So we can rattle it and make it move when we go up and down the steps." Aaron shook his heads at his sons, albeit with a large smile.

Cait wiped a tear that ran. The picture, even wallet size, was beautiful. "I bet I know who took it," she said, showing it to her parents.

"Yeah," Matt smiled. "Lisa is getting really good." The Lisa he referred to was Pete's girlfriend who was quickly becoming an accomplished photographer.

Maggie smiled at Matt. "Tell Lisa grandpa and I want a 5x7 of that. We'll pay for the cost and shipping." Matt pulled out his cellphone.

He fired off a text and then looked at Maggie. "Done grandma," he smiled.

The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and family love.

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A/N: The Phillies are the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team.