Chapter 9
Fueled up and ready, the family pulled on their ski bids for the cold and their winter coats. As Jack pulled his coat on, zipping it up, Aaron pulled his Caps jersey over his head, smiling at his son. They all added their boots and stocking caps and headed down to the ice house. Mudg, once again, led the parade, chasing a squirrel that got in his sight. Jack stopped and looked Dave in the eye. He and Aaron halted in their tracks.
"Papa, you gotta stop Mudg from doing that. Dad and I feed the squirrels. So does Cory. Mudg can't chase them off."
Dave looked at Aaron who gave him the he's our son look. "I'll have a talk with Mudg," he said. Jack happily resumed leading the parade of the family to the ice shack as Dave rolled his eyes at Aaron.
Aaron smirked. "He really cares about the animals, you know. He lets you hunt ducks because he knows you and Mudg love that. And he doesn't see many ducks around here." He followed Jack down the path.
Dave looked at Aaron. "And if he did?"
Aaron smiled, stopping and whispered. "Your ass would be grass in our son's eyes."
"Aaron, he's watched The Lion King how many times? The circle of life?"
"They didn't shot anything out of the air in The Lion King Dave. Yes, Jack understands the circle of life. We've talked about it many times. Yet the animals he sees around here; the squirrels and the rabbits, that you don't hunt btw, he sees as friends. He's seven Dave." Dave waited for Aaron to hang his head, bringing Haley back in his mind. He didn't get that. But the next words from Aaron's mouth told him the two Hotchner's were finally healed. "That's the Haley in him," Aaron gently smiled. Dave's heart soared.
Dave looked at Aaron. "That's going to be a helluva talk with Mudg," he smiled. "And I make no promises."
Aaron kissed him. "I'll work on the other end. Mudg is a dog. He's going to chase the squirrels and rabbits." Dave smiled and pointed at his life partner.
As they entered the ice house, cozy warm with Cory turning the propane fueled heater on when he took care of the ice, Jack looked at looked at his fathers. "What took ya guys so long?" Aaron and Dave just smiled at each other.
"Papa is going to talk to Mudg about chasing the squirrels and rabbits," Aaron said, getting a look from Dave.
Jack beamed. "Thanks Papa; you're the best." Aaron smiled at Dave. The three of them laced on their skates; Aaron once again helped Jack to make sure he had them secured, but not too tight.
They pulled on their helmets and headed for the sheet of ice. They skated around a bit with their sticks to get warmed up. Jack looked at Aaron. "Now dad?"
"Now," he smiled, dropping the hockey puck out of his pocket. They spent nearly five hours on the ice.
They would skate around, with the fathers passing the puck around and then Jack skating in for a shot on the goal. They would do that for thirty to forty minutes; head into the warming house and then head back out. The day was colder than the day before. Cory had even designed the warming house to have a sliding panel in the floor of one corner so they could relieve themselves. They drank up the hot chocolate that Tina had made again, which was greatly appreciated. Jack had a wonderful time.
Just before four in the afternoon, they hiked up to cabin. Jack didn't move as fast and Aaron knew the signs. Some little legs were getting very tired. He felt the burn in his own. Yet he reached Jack and pulled him on his shoulders, carrying him the rest of the way to the cabin.
Dave smiled at him. "You won't have to work out on Tuesday during lunch."
"No, I won't," he smiled back. "I doubt I'd be able to convince my body to do it anyway." Dave rubbed his back as he wrapped his arm around Aaron's waist. The family walked together to the cabin. Mudg took off to chase a squirrel. Dave whistled him back.
Jack, on his dad's shoulders smiled at Dave. "Thanks Papa." Aaron pulled Jack off his shoulders and they entered in.
Once inside, they shed their winter clothes. Aaron walked into the living room to get the fireplace going as Jack flopped on the couch, with Mudg jumping up to join him. After Aaron got the fire going, he turned on the TV for Jack, finding a Flintstones cartoon for him on the Cartoon Network. Jack yawned and nodded at his dad.
Aaron walked in the kitchen. Dave, with his Italian proficiency in the kitchen, was dicing an onion and some celery for the batch of chili he was about to make. "Is he conked?"
"In thirty seconds or less, with Mudg right behind him," Aaron smiled, pulling Dave into a deep and passionate kiss. When it ended, Aaron walked to the fridge and pulled out two beers. He uncapped the bottles as they made small talk while Dave got the chili going.
"Decision time," Aaron said, looking at Dave. "Do you want him to sleep for a while, which means he'll be up late but sleep in tomorrow? Or do you want power nap, and get going back home."
Dave softly smiled. "We have all day Aaron."
"We have part of the day Dave," Aaron smiled back. "He goes back to school on Tuesday. He's got to get back into the routine. And he has homework to do."
"Agreed," Dave nodded. "But let him nap. We'll have movie night tonight and see when he gets up in the morning." Dave looked coyly at Aaron. "I wouldn't mind one more session on the ice." Aaron gave Dave a surprised look. "He loves it Aaron; and its special time for the three of us. We've been gone so many times, Jack deserves that. However, Aaron, you are right. We need to be on the road by four tomorrow afternoon to get him back into school routine."
Aaron dipped his head for second and then smiled at Dave. "I know what I'm about to say is old and clichéd, but have I told you lately 'I love you'?"
Dave gently smiled. "Yes, you have."
As Jack's body got some rest, his two fathers shared worked together on the chili. Jack bounded in forty minutes later. "Something smells good," he smiled.
"It's chili," his father's responded together.
"YAY for chili!" He let Mudg out to do his thing, heading into the laundry room to give Mudg his dinner and fresh water.
Dave looked at Aaron. "We need to talk about the allowance thing with him."
Aaron shook his head. "Dave, he's seven. And with you around, he thinks money grows on trees. He needs to learn that what he does, earns him some money. He can't comprehend that right now."
"Aaron, I think he can." Hotch noted a difference of opinion and didn't want to go there. This weekend was not about arguing. It was about family time, which he expressed to Dave, who nodded his agreement. Yet, in his bones, Aaron knew this issue was not going away.
They enjoyed the chili, the fathers then getting Jack into the shower and into his p.j.'s, along with a clean pair of wool socks. Dave looked at Aaron as he got Jack dried off. "How does a little guy make socks so smelly?"
Jack smiled. "I'm like Dad, Papa." Rosa had joked with the family many times that she spent more time matching and folding socks that she did underwear.
Dave kissed his head. "Yes son, you are." Hotch was not allowed to remove his shoes in the confines of the jet when the team traveled.
They went down the hall and enjoyed movie night, complete with homemade popcorn with lots of melted butter. The three of them curled up on the couch together. Jack in his dad's lap, with Dave engulfing them both, holding the two most important people in his life in his arms.
As the end credits began to roll for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, another Jack favorite, he was already burrowing into his dad's chest to conk out. Aaron smiled at Dave.
The fathers rose off the couch, with Aaron gently pulling Jack to his chest, his head on Aaron's shoulder. Jack nestled into the warm confines of his dad's arms and chest. He and Dave entered Jack's room with Dave pulling the sheet and warm comforter back so that Aaron could put Jack into bed. As Aaron laid him down, Dave gently pulled the wool socks off of Jack's feet, setting them on the rocking chair Jack had in his room, by the window. It overlooked the backyard, along with the pond and lake. He loved to read there. Dave knew that would be where Jack would look for his socks in the morning.
They lovingly kissed Jack goodnight and tucked him in. Jack, after his day on the pond skating, was conked.
After enjoying a scotch and the fireplace a bit more, they poured themselves another scotch and headed for the tub. With the day they had, plus the scotch, they would be no love making tonight. They were both too tired. Getting into bed, Aaron spooned around Dave and feel quickly into a deep slumber. Dave smiled as he drifted off.
###
