A/N: Another family based one shot. A day in the life of a working wife and mother.
Shot No. 14: Juggling
"Come on, baby. You wanna play? You wanna play with Daddy? Hmm, little one? Come on, let's play. Yes, yes, let's go play," John cooed to Cedillia as he walked with her in jeans, U of Washington football sweatshirt, and bare feet from the kitchen after her morning breakfast of bananas and light cereal. As soon as he put her down on the blanket in the living room with her baby toys, he could hear the click-clack of Joss' stiletto pumps as she quickly made her way down the stairs with Aaron in one arm, her briefcase and purse in hand. She was kissing him her good mornings before she put him down to join his sister and father on the carpet.
"Taylor? You ready? Your Pop made a big breakfast. I want you to be sure to have something to eat before I drop you off at school," she called from the bottom of the stairs.
"Yeah, Ma, I'm comin'," Taylor hollered back. And within a few moments, he too, joined them downstairs, backpack slung, school uniform neatly pressed. He hugged his mother and got into the kitchen for a plate of John's famous scrambled eggs, buttered toast, bacon and juice, each item carefully laid out in pans on the stove top. Coffee with his mother's name on it brewed in the pot, while fresh fruit waited in the fruit bowl. Bear rested on his pillow near the back window.
Joss turned her attention to John and the babies. Cedillia, dressed in a yellow ducky jumpsuit and socks, her hair unhindered by barrettes and pigtails and curly about her head, had learned about creeping, and was now getting the notion that there was more to that. In watching her brother, who was busy pushing his wheeled wooden horse around the living room, how could she not?
"Now, baby," she said, bending down to give John his own version of the good morning kiss, her loose locks gently brushing his cheek, "are you sure you turned in Aaron's permission slip for the farm trip?"
"Yes, honey," John replied, his eyes twinkling at his beautiful wife in her dark blue pantsuit, inky black hair, and subdued makeup, a flashback to her detective days with the 8th Precinct. "I did. I have a copy of it in his backpack, inside his bagged lunch. I'm chaperoning, too, remember?"
"Yes, of course," she said sweetly, "Oh, I'm so glad you're going, getting to experience Aaron's first fieldtrip, even if I can't go with you this time. He and all the other kids couldn't be in better hands."
"Thanks, honey. Likewise, your new client. Henderson Shaw's lucky to have you in his corner."
"Well, he's not my client. He's Joe Szysmanky's client. I'm just the back up. But being the back up has proved to be a rather involved job."
John grinned. "Still, he's lucky you're the back up. Working late again tonight, I presume?" he said, while pulling Aaron back by his jean waistband before he could tumble over on his little sister, horse and all.
"Yes, but I promise I'll be home for dinner. I want to hear all about the farm trip, and how my baby boy did today. I really wish I could go," she said, glumly, her lips turned up into a frown.
"Honey, there will be other field trips. We'll take turns. You get on out there and keep showing the New York judicial system what you're still made of. Proud of you, sweetie." His eyes continued to beam at her, a loving smirk on his face.
It was Taylor's turn now to call for her. "Ma, you about ready? Gotta get going or I'll miss homeroom," Taylor said from the kitchen, his mouth full of food.
Joss smiled back at John before picking up Aaron for one more big hug and kiss before his big fieldtrip. "Aaron, boo nut, I have to get your big brother off to school. You have a good time on the farm, okay? And be a good boy with Daddy. If you're not behaving, Mommy will be sad. So be my good boo nut. Okay?"
"'Kay, Mahmie. Go to fahm," Aaron cooed. "Go wi' Dahdee. Go to fahm."
"Yeah, baby. So much fun!"
" I shee hoor-dee," Aaron said, in his best 'horsie' pronounciation.
"Corinne should be by in a little while to gather up CeeCee for the trip to her house. Looks like everyone has somewhere to be today," John said, while gently rubbing and patting CeeCee's diapered bottom.
"Yes. Yes, we do," Joss said with a sigh before handing Aaron to John, and taking up CeeCee for her own hug and kiss. Joss couldn't resist doing Mommy things, however, and so the little girl found herself annoyed with her mother as she picked a bit of goo-goo from her little nose first.
John knew what her sigh spoke of, even if she didn't.
"You'll do fine, babe. Just fine. As you have been throughout this case. I love you, my lawyer lady. Be sure to take your own advice, and grab some breakfast to go."
He stood up and sealed his proclamation with a few tender kisses and nuzzles, and a stroke of her loose locks. A pretty mean feat, as Aaron wiggled and twisted in his other arm.
"You're messing up my make up," she said with a dreamy smile.
"Mm hmm. Yeah, that's kind of my job, as your husband. I take it very seriously," John said, with a smirk.
"And you're so good at it, too," she sighed softly again, this time for an entirely different reason. "I love you, too. I love you so much. And I will be home tonight for dinner. I promise."
##
The day moved along at a dizzying pace, and Joss indeed had begun to feel as if this trial, for which she'd taken on a consulting role initially, was more hers than it wasn't. It wasn't as if her former partner was shirking his responsibility to his client, nothing like that. It was just that the case had so many twists and turns for said client, and the judge assigned to it was a known hard ass who expected precision and perfection on all matters, right down to the paper their motions were filed on. Witnesses were found to have conflicts of interest, evidence needed for the trial was held up, and Henderson Shaw was hammered by the defense on cross-examination. All this, and more, had made Joss' day much longer than she'd wanted it to be—and this trial was not the only one she'd been called upon to lend an assist with.
She was good at what she did. Damned good. But navigating minefields wasn't easy in war, police work, or in the courtroom. It wasn't her trial—but her reputation was tied to it almost as much as Joe Syzmansky's was. Protecting that was vital.
Her friend and his client needed to regroup, to come up with a stronger approach when the trial reconvened in a few days. Evidence. Joss would need to gently strong arm her old contacts and colleagues to make that easier. Just one of her responsibilities to Syzmansky in seeing this through.
But she was determined to keep it all in perspective. When she finally got a break at the office, around 4:30 that day, she made a quick phone call home.
"Hi, sweetie," John answered on the other end. She could hear CeeCee laughing in the background, probably at something her brothers were doing to entertain her. Taylor could also be heard in the background. Good. He was home early from school.
"Hi. How's everybody doing? How was the field trip?"
"Umm, we're okay, I guess. Nothing's broken, nothing's blown up. Aaron had a good time at the farm, as did I. Weather was perfect."
"Yes, I thought of you guys this morning, after I called Mom to check on CeeCee. I'm so glad it worked out."
"We should take our own trip to Salisbury Farm some time soon. Maybe just the two of us. I think you'd love the hayride. And the foliage is beautiful. I picked up some fresh corn, apples, and a couple apple pies, along with a jug of cider for the house."
"Oh, yum, John! Love the farmstand corn. How else did it go?"
"Well, the kids got treated to mini doughnuts for snack. For the next five minutes, at least, they were the quietest group of toddlers you ever saw," John said, laughing.
"Mmm, that sounds good, a day trip up there. I think I could do with one. Did our little boo nut behave himself? Did he keep his jacket on?" Joss asked with a grin.
"Oh, sure he did. Though I had to explain to him that it was okay if little Joey Bronson was Daddy's partner on the trip, too, since his daddy couldn't be there. He wanted me all to himself," John said, laughing again in kind.
"Well, I can understand that," Joss returned in a playful voice. "I kind of like having you all to myself too. Well, at least up to a point."
"I appreciate that, Councilor. You on your way home?"
Joss let go of a heavy sigh. "No, not yet. Still a little bit more work to wrap up, not sure when that will change, exactly. I wanted to be home in time to cook for you and the kids, but I don't know..."
"Well, Joss, if you need to skip us for tonight, that's okay. I can feed the kids. In fact, I think it's about time for one of CeeCee's bottle mixes. Thanks for pumping beforehand."
"Yeah, I can hear her getting fussy back there. Taylor started his homework?"
"Letting him hold off for now. He's off to play a pick up game with Curtis and the boys soon."
"John, make sure you give his work a look. Our son is bright and does well, but he gets lazy sometimes, you know that. Everything can't be completed in homeroom before class, especially with the tough course load he's carrying this year. But we know he tries it."
"Gotcha. I'm on it. But after the pick up game. A boy needs to spend time with his friends, babe."
"Yeah, you're right. Hey, I gotta go. I will try my darndest to be home for supper as soon as I can. Can you give me a couple more hours?"
"Sure, babe. We'll be here."
"I'll pick up a chicken bucket combo from Roscoe's. How's that sound? No slaving over a hot stove. Mix of plain and spicy? Mashed potatoes and slaw? Would go nicely with some of that apple pie you got."
"We'll be here, babe," John repeated, his soft lilt resting on a matter-of-fact sigh. The sound of his voice over the phone was always a comfort to her, always a sign of his dependability and steadfast devotion to their family. He was her rock. And she couldn't do any of this without him.
"I know. You always are. I love you. Kiss our babies for me?"
"Of course," John said. "I love you, too. See you soon."
##
At around 8:30 that evening, an exhausted Joss Reese pulled her Escalade SUV up in front of her brownstone. And it was only then that she realized she'd forgotten all about her promised stop to Roscoe's for the family chicken combo bucket, so determined to get through the snarl that was Manhattan traffic on her way to Brooklyn. She sighed. Not wanting to slog through that again, she put a raincheck on Roscoe's and resigned herself to one of the packaged spaghetti dinners in the freezer and a glass of much needed wine. She'd be sure to play the game and at least put the plastic meal on a proper ceramic plate.
It was just as well at that point. As she'd be eating alone, surely, the wine in front of the kids wouldn't be a problem. Daddy would have put little CeeCee down to sleep already, and Aaron would've been bathed and on his way to bed that moment. Taylor should have been busy at work on his assignments, ball game or not. And of course, John had fed the children by then.
Yes, a quick frozen meal and a tall glass. Then, a little quality time with her husband, a check on the kids, and bed. No emails, no briefs. The trial had a few days. She would resume the fight the next day.
Upon dragging her heels and work bags up the steps and turning the lock, her tired eyes suddenly widened at what she saw.
There was, set up in the living room, the pull out table they used for camping trips. And it had been set with three places. Next to it, Aaron's high chair, also set for his particular place. There were dishes, bowls, glasses, and silverware, atop a rather tasteful red table cloth that read: WELCOME HOME in the Christmas stencils she recognized from the holidays before last. At her place, a card rested on top of the plate, with her name, along with a single red rose.
Soon, John emerged from the kitchen, holding a pan of fried chicken in one hand, and a bowl of mashed potatoes in the other. Taylor, her handsome son, followed, carrying biscuits and slaw. They each set the dishes on the table before returning to gather beverages, the bowl of farmstand corn John had gotten earlier, and condiments.
She stood there, half exhausted, half stunned—yet suddenly all famished. And in all that, her heart found a way to laugh in love at her men.
But that wasn't all. Her boo nut, Aaron, emerged from the kitchen too, clad in his onesie Super Dog pajamas, excited in his running, eager in his smile, towards her.
"Mahmeeeeee! Mahmeeeee! Yoo at hoooooom!" he said, his arms outstretched.
Joss tossed her briefcase and bent down to pick up her sweet son. He smelled of the bath she knew his father had given him, and she squeezed and kissed him as she never had before.
"Uh huh. Mommy's home, baby! What are you still doing up? Huh? Oh, I missed you, my baby..."
"We were gettin' hungry," John said, his eyes twinkling, his hands on his jean clad hips, the most handsome man in the world. "So we called down to Roscoe's. They said no order had been placed by a Jocelyn Reese for take out. Instead, we decided to make our own Roscoe's. But no eating until you got here. And Aaron didn't want to go to bed without Mommy. So, here you go. I hope you're hungry, too."
"Oh, God, I'm starving. And I'm sorry, you guys. I did forget to stop at Roscoe's. I'm a horrible wife and mother," she said, between kisses and tickles. Aaron had wrapped his whole little body around his mother's.
"Never," John said, picking up a stuffed toy to toss it in the playpen. "Besides, we got it covered. No harm, no foul, babe."
"Come on, Ma. Let's eat. Welcome home, just like the tablecloth says," Taylor chimed in.
"Well, with an invite like that, how can I refuse? Thank you. Thank you so much for this."
"We got you, Ma. We got you," Taylor said with a wink and a kiss to his mother's cheek.
They sat to eat. After a dinner where Joss was forbidden to talk about work, they enjoyed some of the farm fresh pie—but Joss didn't get to finish her piece, as Aaron, having stayed up way past his bedtime, fell asleep in her lap.
Putting him to bed. Checking up on his sister. Looking over Taylor's homework and preparing his and Aaron's school lunches for the next day. John had offered to do all that, and more—but Joss had insisted on doing those tasks herself. They balanced her out, grounded her, reminded her of what she had been working so hard for. Her children. The example she was setting as a returning professional was one she wanted her children to appreciate and be inspired by as they grew older.
And when all that was said and done, she had that glass of wine. But it wasn't a singular glass. For John had joined her in the living room when all was quiet, all peaceful. They drank a toast to her and her juggling of it all. Then, as Joss decided to playfully straddle him, they kissed and embraced while holding their glasses, the shadows of passion they would soon fulfill, at some other less hectic time, making themselves clearly known.
Changed out of her worksuit and into jeans and a tee-shirt, her loose hair now in a ponytail, she soon settled down on his lap in front of the TV sitcom channel, his loving caresses sending her to a near-slumber of her own not long after.
"Welcome home," he said after a quick sip of the wine. "You know, I am proud of my bad ass lawyer wife...but I'm glad you're here with me again, too. The day is complete," he murmured, looking down at her, his gaze filled with a relaxed passion that only she understood.
"The kids too much for you still, huh, John?" she teased, looking up at him.
"Ehh...no comment," he said, rolling his eyes and smirking in reply. That got him a guffaw and a chin kiss from his very tickled wife, who had to put her glass down lest she spilled over them both.
Her family. Her husband. Her rock. So long as she had them, she could handle anything. She loved her new job, even if she didn't always like it—but it sure was good to be home.
"Mmm,"she murmured as John picked her up and carried her to bed within minutes. In her dreams, she smiled when she heard him command Bear to sleep outside their room, the beloved pooch barking once in understanding.
Yes, it was certainly good to be home.
A/N: Joss returns to the fold as a working wife and mother. A lovely gesture on behalf of her family to remind her how important she is to them. A very lucky woman, she is! Hope you all enjoyed this one. I've taken on larger duties at my work, so I'm not sure how often I can update this and other stories, but do stay tuned, as they will get continued somehow. Bless you all for reading and commenting!