A big Thank you, to Hannah (grahamlecter) for Beta Reading this, finding my mistakes. I appreciate your time and dedication to this story!
G-Girl
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Chapter 47 - Driving the Porcelain Bus
In the early hours of the morning, Susan woke up, her stomach gurgling. She took a couple of sips from her water bottle on the nightstand, hoping that would help. Glancing back, Spencer was watching her. He gently eased her back into his arms and kissed her, moving down, kissing her neck and shoulders. He continued down, kissing her belly gently, then moved back up, kissing along the way, back to her lips…
/
They held each other for a while longer. As he started feeling sleepy, Spencer looked over at the clock. "We can still get a few more hours of sleep before everyone starts showing up." He turned onto his side as Susan moved back against him, and he held her with one arm, the other bent under his pillow. Smiling contentedly, he went back to sleep.
Nearly an hour later, Susan woke up again, feeling sick to her stomach, and started to get up. Her hair was pinned under his shoulder. She asked him to move, but he was sleeping soundly, deeply. Pushing against him, she asked louder, "Spencer, please move!"
He stirred, mumbling, "What? What's going on?" moving just enough for her to get up. Instead of answering, she ran for the bathroom, barely able to get to the toilet in time. She raised the lid and vomited. Shaking, she held the seat with one hand, holding most of her hair back with the other.
He was in the bathroom right after her, having thrown on his robe, tying it quickly. He scooped up the rest of her hair while massaging her back.
After a few minutes, he went to the sink and brought some water in a paper cup. She rinsed out her mouth, spitting it into the toilet, and handed it back to him. "Some mouthwash… please? To get the yucky taste out of my mouth?"
He brought some back in the cup. Susan rinsed her mouth and spat that into the toilet bowl as well. She turned, still shaking, and sat down, looking as if all the color had drained from her face. "I have to pee, Love, if you want to go out."
Spencer went to get her robe and came back as she was drying her hands. He slid her robe over her shoulders, watching as she braided her hair and secured the end. She turned, leaned against him with her arms around his waist.
He held her, softly kissing her forehead. "How about a nice warm bath?" She murmured and nodded, so he turned on the water. Susan shook in a couple of drops each of Ginger and Lavender essential oils into the bath.
She hung up her robe and stepped in, shaking, holding the edge as she sat down. "Are you gonna get in with me?" He brought two towels over, set them on the counter, then hung his robe up and sat down behind her, gently pulling her close.
"Mmm. Thank you, Love. I feel a little better."
"That's good, Sweetheart. Just relax." Silently, he held her until the water started to cool, then reached over, turning the knob to drain the tub, and stood up. He tucked one of the towels around his waist and picked up Susan's hand, helped her stand, and wrapped the other towel around her.
Stepping out onto the bathmat, she shivered. "Thank you, Love, for being so wonderful."
"Of course. I'm happy to help." He took her robe off the hook, draping it over her shoulders, and then put his on and led her over to the sofa. He sat down, easing her across his lap, and held her close. It only took a few moments for her to fall fast asleep.
/
Two hours went by. As she started waking up, he kissed her, rubbing her back and arms. "Feeling better?"
Susan looked up at him, her voice low. "A little. The throwing up part wasn't fun, but this is nice. Did you get some more sleep, Love?"
"Some. I'll be fine. Do you need any help to get dressed?"
"I should be okay, but I'll let you know if I do."
/
Spencer walked out of the closet, dressed casually, button-down shirt, cardigan, and khakis, with his shoes and socks in his hands. He sat on the chaise, watching as Susan pulled on a pink 'Mrs.' t-shirt and heather-grey lounging pants. Still pale, Susan looked over and smiled.
He enjoyed doting on her. "Honey, how about crackers and ginger ale? I can run to the store and get some for you."
"Yes, please." Susan sat next to him on the chaise, tugging on her socks. "Thank you, Love." She kissed him softly, her hand on his cheek.
"Mmm. You're welcome. JJ used to keep some at her desk when she was pregnant with her boys." After he put on his socks and shoes, he got his wallet from the dresser, tucked it into his back pocket, then unplugged and checked his cellphone, out of habit, before slipping it into his front pocket. "Are you sure you'll be okay while I go to the store?" Worrier that he was, it was distressing to see her so pale.
"I'm sure." Susan stood up slowly, wobbling as she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
He started out of the room and turned around, saying he should brush his, as well. Afterward, he headed down the stairs, asking Betty to disarm the alarm and disengage the deadbolt on his way to the front door. Taking his keys out of the bowl on the table, he went out, only to come back in less than a minute later, holding a bag. Susan was on the landing halfway down the stairs.
"That was fast… or was I moving even slower than I thought?"
Spencer chuckled, stepping in, holding the door open. "Lizette and Andy are here, with Tiana." He glanced in the bag. "They brought you… a box of crackers and two six-packs of ginger ale… the small cans."
Lizette walked in first. "I figured you might need these. Come on, Poodle-doo, you need to get off your feet and rest today." She took Spencer's cable-knit sweater off the coat tree, slipped it over Susan's shoulders, and hugged her.
Susan whispered, "Thanks, Gator. Perfect timing."
JJ and her family had also arrived before Spencer closed the door. Henry and Michael asked if they could go to the backyard and play, so Susan offered them a choice; to play outside on the jungle gym, kick around a soccer ball, or shoot hoops in the driveway. They chose the basketball, and she told them where her nephews kept their sports equipment in the garage. Will went out with them.
As she walked by the kitchen, Susan overheard JJ talking to Spencer and briefly wondered why she would ask for his forgiveness. She dismissed it, thinking she probably heard wrong, tired as she was. Standing by the sliding glass door, she held the sweater snugly around her, watching Andy push Lizette on the swing as she held Tiana against her.
"Sweetheart? Would you like a protein shake?" Spencer put his arms around her and kissed her temple.
"Mmm, sure. Thank you for taking care of me." She sighed and sat on the barstool, watching him in the kitchen, getting everything out, and setting it on the counter. While the shake was blending, he set a small plate of crackers in front of her, then followed it with her protein drink.
"Look at you, Spence. Husband and father-to-be. I'm happy for you both. Truly." JJ gave him a hug, hoping things would be better between them. She couldn't help but notice Spencer was still watching his wife.
"Thank you, Sweetheart." Susan took two tiny sips, munched on half a cracker, then went to a cupboard in the kitchen and pulled out the jar of peanut butter. She got a butter knife out, spread some on the crackers, and sat back down, nibbling on them slowly.
JJ laughed, shaking her head. "I never considered doing that."
Susan looked up and noticed they were both watching her. "When I was eight, I had an awful case of the flu, and to get me to eat, my grandmother gave me crackers and peanut butter. She told me if it came back up, it tasted the same as when it went down. If it stayed down, all the better. I dislike throwing up, but hunger has overruled that."
JJ asked, "Have you told anyone else yet?"
"I'm sure Garcia has that news covered by now." Spencer shrugged. "If they don't know by now, I'm sure they will soon." He put the peanut butter jar back in the cupboard and leaned against the counter next to Susan while she sipped more of her shake. JJ went out to the driveway to check on Will and the boys.
He slid his arm around her, stroking her back. "Better? Everyone else will be here soon. If you aren't up for this and want to lie down, I can handle it."
"I'm good. Gonna go play." Susan stood up and kissed him. "I'll drink more of this in a few minutes." She went to the library, lifting the fallboard as she sat on the bench. She played a slow version of Always Remember Us This Way, from A Star Is Born. Being focused on her breathing and playing piano helped keep her from feeling woozy and singing relaxed her.
The doorbell rang, and Spencer went to open the front door. Penelope was carrying three tote bags, so he took two from her, inviting her in, and they went to the kitchen.
She heard the piano in the library. "Oh, I love this song. I didn't know Susan was a Lady Gaga fan."
He shrugged. "I didn't know this was a Lady Gaga song."
After setting the bags on the counter and taking everything out, she followed Spencer to the library and stood next to the piano, and as the song ended. She asked Susan, "Do you know any other songs by Gaga?"
"A few. Put your claws up?" Susan held her hands up for a moment and then played You and I, changing Nebraska to Nevada, as she sang. Spencer's eyebrows arched, and he quietly asked Penelope about that and the claws. She whispered, holding her hands up.
Susan played Edge of Glory next, slowing it down as a soft ballad, and the doorbell rang again. Spencer went to answer it. Emily was back, along with Aaron, Spencer's parents, and Morgan. Aaron told Spencer that Phil and his sons were in the driveway, playing basketball with Will and his boys.
Emily and Aaron took their bags to the kitchen, and the others went into the library. Morgan gave Penelope a hug, kissed the side of her head, and told her Savannah and Hank were visiting her relatives. Bill and Diana took turns hugging Spencer, then wandered around the library, checking it all out.
Susan finished the song and glanced up, chuckling. "Wow, a big crowd. I really do need to put a tip jar here. Ok, folks, one more, then I'm gonna take a break." She played Make You Feel My Love as Spencer sat down on the back end of the bench, facing her, smiling, watching her play. Bill was sitting on the settee with Diana. When she finished the song, Susan leaned over and kissed her husband. "Love you."
Marsha walked in the front door carrying two large brown paper bags through the foyer, waving through the pocket doors on her way to the kitchen.
Turning around on the bench, Susan kissed Spencer again and got up to follow her. "Excuse me, Love, I smell croissants." In the kitchen, Marsha gave her a hug and pulled boxes and containers out, setting them on the counter.
Susan took a plain croissant out of a box and set it on her plate, as Marsha pulled a container with cut-up watermelon and pineapple out of the other bag and set it on the counter. She was taking off the lid while Emily rinsed and drained a bunch of green grapes, setting them in a bowl next to the rest of the fruit.
Smiling weakly, Susan watched, sitting on the stool. "This is one time I'm fine with being on this side of the counter." There were muffins, fruit, juice, various pastries, sausages, hash browns, and bacon on the counter. Aaron added to it, setting a large frying pan down with a pile of scrambled eggs in it.
She burped and whimpered. "Excuse me." Grumbling, she scooped some eggs and hash browns onto her plate. "It all looks delicious. I'm gonna stuff myself and don't care if it all comes back up later."
With her arms folded over her chest, Emily leaned back against the counter in front of the sink. "Drinking two nights in a row will do that. Didn't you take your own advice, with the aspirins and water?" She turned her attention to Aaron when he asked her something.
Marsha stood next to Susan, setting the rest of the croissants on a tray on the counter. "With morning sickness, It's best to eat smaller meals. And stay away from greasy foods." Emily and Aaron were talking on the other side of the kitchen, so Susan didn't think they heard.
But Emily heard it. She gasped. "Morning sickness? Susan, are you pregnant?" Aaron whipped around.
"Garcia didn't say anything to you?" Spencer walked up to the counter, with Penelope behind him as he picked up a plate. "I'm shocked." He grinned, and she smacked the back of his arm. "Ouch..."
"Spencer, is there something you need to tell us?" Emily's eyebrows rose sharply. Morgan walked up, about to ask what was going on, and Lizette entered through the sliding glass doors.
"Uh… yes? I'm going to need time off... around the end of the year, in time for our baby." He shrugged. "We were going to wait until next month, but now is as good a time as any." Morgan whooped and hugged Spencer, lifting him off the ground, then turned and gave Susan a gentle hug.
"What about all the champagne we had last night…?" Emily's eyes widened. "And all the drinks the night before?"
Lizette chimed in as she stood beside her mother. "Suzie drank only virgin mocktails and water on Friday night and ginger ale and water last night."
People were chatting, taking turns hugging Spencer and Susan, congratulating them as they filled their plates, taking them to the tables out in the backyard. Spencer's parents were the last ones out of the library, so he told them separately they were going to be grandparents. They beamed, talking excitedly, hugging him and Susan.
Dave and Krystall arrived a few minutes later and were updated by Penelope, now that the secret was out.
When the excitement wore down, Emily let the group know that Tara, Matt, and Luke would be there later for a quick meeting.
Will and all the boys came in, followed by Phil. Since everyone else knew, Susan and Spencer told them, too, after they came back from washing up in the bathroom, to fill their plates.
As the rest of the group filed outside to the tables with their plates, the conversation turned to babies.
Marsha sat next to Susan with a wistful smile on her face. "I remember when Em was pregnant with you. She was overjoyed but worried she was going to lose you. She said you were her little miracle."
Phil added as he sat down on the other side of the table, "Our mom had trouble gaining weight."
"What woman wants to gain weight?" Emily chuckled.
Susan leaned against Spencer, taking tiny bites of her croissant. "I'm not complaining, but I have a fast metabolism, like my mother and grandmother. Some weight gain is expected, right?"
"Is that why you're always hungry?" Spencer asked, gently rubbing her back. "I read What to Expect When You're Expecting. The average healthy weight gain is 20 to 25 pounds." He smiled as Susan trembled, looking adorable in his sweater.
"Mmm. I should read that soon. I will, for sure." She lifted her head from against his shoulder and kissed him.
He told her quietly, "I left your tablet on your desk."
Penelope, sitting across from Marsha, whipped her head around to face him. "Did I hear you say… tablet?"
"Yes, I did." He smiled. "My beautiful wife has led me gently into the 21st century. I've been using a video chat app with her, reading e-books on a tablet, and listening to music on an MP3 player. I still read hardcover books, but a tablet will be more convenient for reading on the jet. Will you help me shop for and order one I can use at work? I'll need you to sync it up with your network."
She blinked. At first, no words came out, save for little breathy, squeaky noises. Then she grinned. "Yes, yes. Of course."
Susan turned to Marsha and asked, "I don't understand. Is that why Mom miscarried? Ellen told me about that years ago. Was it because she didn't gain enough weight?"
"Your mom miscarried three times, between having Phil and you. It's not that she didn't gain enough weight. She found out after the third time she had an incompetent cervix. She told me Phil was such a big baby, and it was a difficult birth. When she found out she was pregnant with you, she had to have a cervical stitch, until you were at full term."
She shook her head. "She never told me that."
Marsha wiped away a tear from Susan's cheek. "That, with her hypermetabolism, Phillip and I practically had to force-feed her to get her to gain weight. When you were thirteen, we thought that's why you got so thin, combined with the dancing. Then we found out what that damned dance teacher tried to do to you."
Penelope's eyes went wide, and Spencer slid his hand over Susan's as she told the group, "He pushed me against the wall, kissed me, and groped me. I kneed him in the nu... uh… groin and left."
Aaron scowled, clenching his fists. "If I had known…" He was sure Dave—who had gone inside—didn't know about it either.
"It was basically his word against mine." Susan shrugged. "I told my mom and grandmother, but Ellen told everyone I led him on. I didn't. I only wanted to dance."
Marsha patted Susan's arm. "I remember Honey. Lizette told me you didn't do anything, and that the bastard criticized you constantly, making you take the stairs every day." She told the group, "Originally, I was going on a trip with Em and Mary to Europe. Suzie and Lizette were going to stay with Phil and Katie, but when she left the dance school, she was so thin and miserable, I convinced Em to take her instead."
"And before the three of them got back, the cops went to arrest Alexei. He did a swan dive off the balcony," Lizette added the ending, gesturing dramatically with her hands, and included sound effects. "Splat, on the sidewalk." She turned to Susan. "Are we going to the beach for the 4th of July weekend?"
"Maybe that's why Janelle was angry with me, but I don't think she ever liked me." Susan shook her head. "Hmm? I dunno. Darby said she and the staff made other plans this year. The 4th is a Saturday, so we'll have at least three days there."
"Their problems go back years, sweetie. Your aunt was angry with your mother, and Janelle was angry with you, but it was their issues, not yours." Marsha swept her hand over Susan's hair as she leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'd be up for a weekend at the beach. It's relaxing, and I always have a good time."
"But why was Ellen mad at Mom? It doesn't make sense. They grew up in the same house with the same parents, were given the same privileges and opportunities." She asked Spencer, "Love, what would you think about you and the team spending the 4th of July weekend at Rehoboth Beach?"
Marsha explained. "Your mom told me Ellen met a guy. She got pregnant, and he took off, so she married Roger. Mostly so that Edward would give her that house and she could maintain respectability. That and Roger's parents would have cut him out of their will if they knew he was gay. Having a wife and child took care of that problem. None of that was reason enough for her to take it out on Em, but she did. She was probably jealous because your mom was so happy with your dad. Ellen has to live with that. There aren't enough shopping trips to fill the hole she has inside her. So Janelle grew up in a house with a bitter mother and a stepfather who preferred to spend his time with pretty young men. And then Janelle ended up pregnant by that dance teacher, and Ellen coerced her into having an abortion."
Susan's eyes widened. "I never knew... "
Marsha went on. "We found out while the three of you were in Italy. Your aunt was spreading gossip at the club, but I knew it wasn't true."
"Gossip about what?" Spencer's brows furrowed. "I'm not really a beach person, but I'll go." He shrugged. "I know with you; I'll have a good time. Marsha, do you have to search for a vacation house large enough to accommodate everyone?"
"Ellen told people Suzie was pregnant, and that Em took her to Switzerland to have the baby and give it up for adoption, not that it was Janelle who had gotten pregnant. Lizette told me what Suzie did to the guy when he tried to force himself on her." Marsha turned to Susan. "You didn't tell Spencer about the beach house?"
Garcia's eyes were wide as her head swiveled back and forth, trying to keep up with the overlapping conversations going on, and she asked Susan, "What did you do? Wait. Beach house? You have a beach house?"
"I'm surprised Alexei could actually father a child, as hard as I kneed him. My knee was bruised for a week. Yeah, in the Spencer family trust, we have a beach house. It's rented out the rest of the year, but we usually stay there for the 4th of July weekend."
Phil had been talking to Aaron. He turned and added, "The boys and I are spending July 4th with Amanda and her family in Malibu. I'm glad you like her, Sooz."
"I do, Phil. She's amazing, and you two fit well together." Susan turned back to Marsha. "We didn't even go to Switzerland, but even more importantly, doesn't Ellen know how math works? I was at the Dance Academy for three months and in Europe for four. That's seven months. So why is Janelle still so messed up now? Is she angry at Grandma for not taking her to Europe? I don't understand why she has such a huge chip on her shoulder. She always seemed perfectly content to party her brains out every weekend."
"The doctor prescribed painkillers for her, and she got hooked on them. Ellen enabled her, probably as a way to… never mind." Marsha shook her head. "As I said, they both have their issues, and they took it out on you and your mom. It's not right, it's just the way it was."
Susan shrugged. "Well, then nothing I've done, or could do, will ever make up for their issues. Janelle never did anything for anyone. Oh hey, at the beach house, we could set up the tents, and any of the adults and kids who want to can sleep in them on the 2nd and 3rd-floor decks."
Spencer leaned over, close to her ear, and whispered. "Well, there were two things she left for us." Susan laughed out loud and kissed him. In a normal voice, he asked, "How big is this beach house?"
Susan turned to her brother. "Phil, I need to talk to you about our old house. The Willig's gave notice. They're moving at the end of the month and Lizette and Andy are looking to buy a house. I thought it would be great if they bought it? Maybe they can buy it from the trust, or I could buy out your share, to sell it to them? What, Spencer? The beach house, it's about the size of this house, with an attic and three floors, but no basement… or sub-basement."
"Yeah, Sooz, I'm okay with that. Speaking of sub-basement, I got a message on Friday, from Allan about the baseball cards and from Stan about the stocks and bonds. It looks like we'll get a lot more than I estimated. There were a few things that had more sentimental value that I thought you'd like, so I put those in a bag in the library. And Stan gave me copies of the annual trust report. I put your copy in the bag. The trust keeps growing since we don't spend like Ellen and Roger, so even taking Mom and Dad's house taken out, there's still more than enough in the account to keep it funded for generations. Even with you getting double your allotment now that you're married and the education allowance to be paid out after your baby's born. Plus, since your share of the assets will be added to the center's trust fund, it means you won't have to pay staff bonuses out of your own pocket anymore."
"Good, because I already promoted Darby, to Director, and Lizette and Jinny, to Assistant Directors. Phil, I didn't have to have to pay for the bonuses; I chose to."
Penelope gestured with her hands raised, forming a 'T'. "Hold on, time out. Susan, you get married and get more money? And you have a beach house?"
"That's the way my mom's father set up his family trust. When the baby's born, she'll have what I get each month deposited into an education fund; then, at 18, it goes directly into her own checking... or savings account. Now that we're married, Spencer gets that same amount each month, and if he turns it down, it defaults to me. You may not like the beach house; it's basically a no-tech zone. There's no TV, no Wi-Fi, and only 1 landline phone. To watch a movie, we use a projector, and a DVD player, or a flash drive, on a big white screen outside. We eat popcorn and sit on beach chairs. Everyone unplugs for the weekend, and we have lots of fun."
Surprised, Spencer looked at Susan, then at Penelope. "I didn't know about the money." He shrugged. "I wouldn't mind going… to check it out."
Emily spoke up. "Well. One guess who's going to bring in coffee and donuts more often. So, the 4th of July weekend is contingent on the team not having a case. But otherwise, count me in." She looked at Aaron and grinned. "Count us in, I mean."
"Hold on. What if the baby is a boy?" Penelope turned to Spencer. "I heard you don't like the beach."
"Or… I can use it to visit my parents more often. And we're both pretty sure it's going to be a girl." Diana smiled across the table. Spencer reached over and squeezed her hand. "There are a lot of things I didn't like before… that I do now. I'm willing to try it, anyway." He gave Susan a smile and a wink.
Matt walked into the backyard—from the driveway—with Tara and Luke a half step behind. "We're here for the meeting, Boss."
Emily got up. "Now that you're all here, Spencer, can we use the library? There are a few things we need to discuss."
As they sat down around the conference table, there were looks of surprise, seeing Hotch sitting down with them. Spencer was closing the pocket doors when he saw Susan walking upstairs. He went over to the table and sat down.
Emily stood next to a chair. "I'm going to let Dave make the first announcement."
He cleared his throat. "I'm retiring. Again. Now that all the paperwork on the Everett Lynch case has finally been wrapped up and put to rest, I'm ready to pack it in. I promised Krystall we'd travel. With Joy, and her family in California, Portia in New York, and all of you here, we'll be doing a lot of traveling. That's all I've got." He swiped his hands together twice and held them up like a card dealer getting out of the game.
Emily took up where Dave left off. "This will be officially announced tomorrow at the office, but I wanted you all to know now. Deputy Director Barbour and I have Dave's replacement ready to jump in. Hotch has completed all of his recertifications and is coming out of retirement, rejoining the team as the Senior SSA. We had to disclose our relationship to the top brass, assuring them we will keep it professional while on the job."
There was clapping and happy chattering around the table, and Emily added, "One last announcement. Susan has invited all of us and our families to her family's beach house, in Rehoboth, for the 4th of July weekend. If anyone is interested, providing we don't have a case, we'll start planning. That's it unless anyone else has news." She looked at the smiling faces around the table. "No? Then we can relax and enjoy the afternoon with the newlyweds."
Matt said he couldn't stay. Kristy was in bed since that morning with a migraine. He had to go home to take care of her and the kids. "I'll see you all Monday." He went out the front door as the members of the group were going back outside.
Spencer saw the bag on the desk from Phil and a box next to it against the wall, so he went upstairs to let Susan know.
He didn't find her in the bedroom and as he walked back out, heard voices coming from the nursery. He went to check it out. Garcia, JJ, Tara, and Emily were looking at the walls, peeking under sheets, at the furniture.
"Susan's searching for an artist to restore the walls." He showed them around the room with a big smile on his face.
Going back downstairs, he found Susan in the library, pulling items out of the bag. There was a colorful stock certificate with Disney characters on it. That made her smile, and she said she would frame it and find a place to hang it later. She laid it on her desk. Next, she took the manila envelope out of the bag, opened a drawer, stuck it in, and closed it without saying a word. She noticed Spencer watching her.
"I don't need to read it to know there's money in the trust funds. I get it; I'm extremely fortunate."
"Sure, I understand. May I?" He gestured to the desk, and she retrieved the envelope, handing it to him. He took out the report and read it. His eyes went wide when he saw the balances of Phil and Susan's trust funds. "You sure you don't want to know?" Susan shook her head. He thought to himself. Holy Retail Therapy, indeed. He put the report in the envelope and handed it back to her.
She stuck it in the drawer and closed it. "That look on your face is why I don't like talking about it. I'd hate to imagine what Janelle's friends or my aunt would do for that much money."
"Hmm. True." Taking a small penknife out of his pocket, he sliced through the tape on the box and pulled out the framed prints taken on the night of their engagement. "They must have brought this yesterday." He laid them all out on the table for everyone else to take home later. He closed his knife, stuck it back in his pocket, and wrapped his arms around Susan, kissing her tenderly. "How are you feeling, Sweetheart?"
"I'm okay. A little tired, but it's not too bad."
"Take it easy today? Doctor's orders." He smiled as she shuddered against him.
Susan nodded with a sweet smile. "Yes, Doctor. I will."
A few kisses later, they went out back to find the kids in the pool, with Will and Morgan, and the ladies in the hot tub. Dave, Aaron, Andy, and Phil were talking while barbequing, using both grills. Susan was curled up in a chair at the table next to Spencer. Bill and Diana sat together on the swing, talking.
Phil announced the food was ready, and Marsha climbed out of the hot tub, slid on her flip-flops, opened the towel warmer, and got out a towel. Wrapping it around her black one-piece bathing suit, the others followed. She went to open the slider, and Phil, trailed by Andy, took the trays of grilled food inside. Susan covered her mouth and nose with her hands as they passed by her.
Spencer lifted an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"
"Normally I'd have a hamburger and a hot dog, with all the sides, and then some, but my sense of smell must be off. You don't want to know what that smells like to me. I'm going to stick with the crackers and ginger ale. Maybe I'll have some chicken later if there's a piece without sauce."
"You rest. I'll take care of it."
As those coming out with their plates went to sit down at the table, Spencer and his dad went inside.
"After dinner, I'm going to take your mother back to Brookdale and then head to the airport." He patted his son on the back.
"Sure, Dad. I'm glad you and Mom could be here." He arranged a plain piece of chicken on a plate for Susan with some crackers and cutlery, sticking a can of ginger ale in his pocket, then loaded his plate and went back out to the table. He set Susan's plate and the can on the table in front of her and sat down next to her.
Lizette ran her hand lightly over Susan's hair, gave her a hug and a kiss on the top of her head. "This is the most sedate I've ever seen you. Usually, you're like the Energizer Bunny. I get it, though, this part of being pregnant is rough. You'll get your energy back soon, Pood. I promise."
JJ sat nearby, nodding in agreement. "Thankfully, it gets easier. Well, some of it does, anyway."
Phil told the group when his eldest son was born, his mother and grandmother hired a night nurse to help his wife, Katie, and him. "They can be pricey, but well worth it. Sooz, that's gonna be my gift to you and Spence when the baby's born. Mathilde lives in Alexandria, near her son and his family. I must have asked a thousand questions when Trey was born, and she answered all of them. When Eddie was born, I hired her, mainly so Katie and I could get some sleep and take care of Trey."
"Oh, I wish we had hired a night nurse with the boys," JJ sighed. "There were weeks I forgot what sleep felt like."
Will slid his hand over hers. "Yeah, but we got through it… both times."
"Mmm." Lizette swallowed the bite of burger she had been chewing. "Phil, Poodle hired Mathilde for Andy and me, when Tiana was born, so we already know her—and yes—she's amazing. It made the first two months easier. We made it through the last month without her, but we still miss her, even with Tiana sleeping through the night."
"Poodle?" Emily's eyebrows arched, and she turned to Lizette.
She explained. "Suzie and I have been friends all our lives, and our nicknames for each other are Poodle and Gator. Curly hair, Poodle. Phil called me Lizard, which became Gator, because my mom is from New Orleans."
Susan smiled, and signed ILY to Lizette, then signed the same to Spencer, adding 2 fingers with her other hand.
"After I met Em and Phillip," Marsha told them, " they made me part of their family. I was going through a rough time back then, pregnant and newly widowed. Em was there for me. And when Phillip died, and I was here for her. Suzie made me a tile to hang on the wall a couple of years ago. It says on it Friends come and go, like the waves of the ocean, but true friends stay like an octopus stuck on your face." The group laughed, and she went on. "Phillip called us M and Em - The Shovel Girls. If one of us called the other, even in the middle of the night, the one picking up the phone would ask Do I need to bring a shovel? That was a joke, of course. When Lizette was born, Em was in the delivery room with me. She stayed with me for a week, taking care of us. Phillip understood, and he took charge of PJ… uh… Phil Jr, no questions asked; he had it covered at their house, and Mary had PJ here when Phillip was at work."
Phil sat back down at the table with another hot dog and a pile of potato chips on his plate. "I remember that. I was nine, and Dad told me, 'Pal, Marsha needs your mom and your mom needs to be there.' It was great hanging out with him. It meant eating takeout, junk food, and watching sports on tv."
Spencer looked confused; his eyebrows twisted up, and he asked, "But what does it have to do with shovels?"
"It was a joke between us, with her being married to an FBI agent," Marsha said with a chuckle. "You know the old saying Good friends will help you bury a body. Best friends will help you bury a body at 3 am, bring their own shovel, and won't ask questions. Suzie made a tile with that on it for me, as well."
Susan saw the shocked faces of the FBI agents sitting around the table. "Mom had a twisted sense of humor, especially when she and Marsha were together. And Dad got the joke." Thankfully, they all understood, since they knew having a healthy sense of humor helped them deal with their line of work.
As Marsha and Will talked, comparing stories of growing up in The Big Easy, Andy came out of the house to tell Lizette that Tiana was teething and running a fever, so after saying their goodbyes and wrapping up lunch to take with them, they headed home.
"Before everyone leaves," Susan reminded them, "remember to pick up your pictures in the library," as the group made plans for another get-together.
Emily and Aaron left to pick up Jack at his Aunt Jessica's while Penelope drove Morgan back to his hotel. Marsha was on her way out when Ellen walked up to the front door. The conversation between Marsha and Ellen was tense and brief. Phil stayed behind for a few more minutes so he could talk to his aunt. The boys went back downstairs to play video games.
Ellen apologized for not attending the wedding. "We've been in Europe the last month and just got home. We didn't get your message in time."
Susan knew Ellen was lying. Ten days before the wedding, Spencer talked to Ellen in the driveway. While Phil took his aunt to the library, Susan went upstairs. The doors were open, and Spencer—sitting on the sofa reading—couldn't help but overhear the conversation.
Phil told her what had been found in the sub-basement, how it was divided, and what she could expect. "I'm still waiting to hear from the auction house, but I should have news within the next two weeks." He suggested she use the proceeds to pay off debts and put the rest of the money away, so she and Roger didn't have to sell off any more of their assets in their trust fund.
Ellen sat—her face pinched, hands on her lap and fingers tightly laced—asking if she had to share it with Janelle, or Roger.
Phil wasn't surprised by her reaction. "You should talk to Sam since he deals with divorce laws here in DC. As for Janelle, you're not legally obligated to share it with her since she gets monthly allotments."
He looked at his watch, told her he had to return his rental car and get to the airport, asking Betty to tell the boys it was time to go. They came up from the basement, told Susan—who had come back downstairs — they put away the gaming equipment and hugged her, told her goodbye, gave Spencer high-fives, and headed to the car as Phil said goodbye to Ellen, then hugged Susan and Spencer.
Ellen said, without any warmth, gripping her hands together, "Spencer, it's nice to finally meet you. Susan, so good to see you. We simply must get together again soon," and turned, following Phil out the door.
After everyone left, Spencer closed the door and turned back to Susan. "You were right about your aunt. She lied… right to my face. Hmph. Well, now that I have you all to myself again, we can relax and watch a movie or go to bed early. I'm going to clean up first." He went to the kitchen, looked out the sliding glass doors, and came back over to Susan as she sat down on the sofa. "Everything's already done in the kitchen and outside. And they put away leftovers. I'm all yours." Sitting down next to her, he sighed happily.
They had a wonderful day, but he was grateful to have a quiet house all to themselves. "I love you. I'm still getting used to this, but every time you're in my arms, I'm… amazed."
"Mmm, I love you too."
"I'm ready for bed."
"How about joining me in a warm bath since I couldn't sit in the hot tub? It's too early to go to sleep. It's not even dark outside."
"That sounds great, and I said bed, not sleep." He winked and kissed her, then followed her up the stairs into the bedroom. Susan dropped her clothes in the laundry hamper on the way to the bathroom. As the tub filled, she reached in the shower for a bottle of shower gel and a nylon scrub puff. She shook in a couple of drops of essential oils, checked the temperature, and sat down in the water.
"It's not too hot?" Spencer asked as he took their towels off the rack and laid them on the counter next to the tub.
Susan smiled up at him. "You… are hot, the bath is warm." She picked up a little yellow rubber duck with a temperature gauge on its back. "Ducky here says… 92 degrees."
"That's cute. Where did that come from?"
"Lizette. It was on the side of the bathtub when I walked in earlier. She and I do that, leave little gifts for each other. This is like one I got for her when she was pregnant."
He laughed, shrugged off his robe, and hung it up. As he sat down in the tub next to her, he asked, "No bubbles?"
"I read part of the book earlier. It says I can use bath gel or Epsom salts two or three times a week. And one or two drops of oil as well. Ginger helps with nausea, and Lavender is good for sleep. Showers are better than baths as long as the water isn't too hot." She reached over the side of the tub. "There's a remote control, but I can't remember where it is."
"A remote for the bathtub?"
Susan turned over on her knees, leaning over the opposite end of the tub, reaching down in the space between the tub and the shower. "Here it is." She sat back down, sliding back against him slowly, holding up a gadget about half the size of a deck of cards, with a magnet on the back. "I've only used this twice and forgot about it. It's not much fun taking a bath alone. See, you can set the temperature, turn on different lights and turn on the waterfall feature."
He sighed, sliding his hands slowly over her. "You handle the remote, and I'll do this. If I had more energy, I would have gotten up behind you while you were leaning over the side of the tub." He laughed. "It was very tempting."
"Oh really? That would have been fun. Mmm, but then this feels nice, too." She set the temperature, leaning back against him.
He murmured, "Yes, very nice."
Susan stretched and shuddered as she reached up behind her and set the remote on the counter. "So I don't drop it in the water."
"This is even better than reading in the tub."
"That's for sure. Oh, my goodness. I must spend twice as long in the tub and showers now because it feels so good… with you."
He kissed her hair, holding her close. "Mmm-hmm, I agree." Sliding his palms over her abdomen, he told her about when JJ was pregnant with Henry and how she took his hand and put it on her to feel the baby kicking "It freaked me out, I'll admit, but I'm not freaking out now. This baby is part of me, part of… us."
Susan sighed, sliding her hands over his. "Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made of, paid for in factories."
"Mm-hmm. Ray Bradbury." He closed his eyes, his head resting against the corner where the cabinet met the wall next to the tub.
"Sometimes, the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
Spencer thought for a second, his eyes still closed. His brows furrowed. "Hmm, okay, I give up. Who said that?"
"A. A. Milne. Didn't your parents ever read Winnie the Pooh books to you when you were little?"
He shrugged and opened his eyes. "Maybe? I must have been very young. My mother preferred to read the works of Chaucer, Proust, Margery Kempe, and… Shakespeare, of course."
"When I was little, besides Phil's comic books, I read my mom's Laura Ingalls Wilder books and Dr. Seuss. Oh, and the Sesame Street books."
He chuckled. Lifting one hand out of the water, he reached up to the counter and picked up the remote, pressing the Off button, and set it back down. "Now I'm ready for bed."
"Mm-hmm, I agree." She turned the knob to drain the tub and stood up slowly, holding onto the tub and the edge of the counter. Turning around, she saw him smiling, with his arms along the sides of the tub. "Thinking about something good?"
"Very… mostly admiring. In my work, I've seen some horribly dark and depressing things in the last 15 years. You help to remind me of the beauty and goodness in the world."
"How did you get to be so adorable, Spencer?"
"I practice." Still smiling, he drank in the sight of her.
Susan slowly knelt in the tub between his thighs, holding his shoulders. "Remember in Las Vegas when I promised to always be by your side?"
Holding her hips, he nodded, smiling. "Mm-hmm."
"Well, it's also nice being under you and sometimes on top." He laughed, and she leaned against him, her arms sliding over his shoulders, and kissed him. As she stood again, she sighed with her hands on her hips. "Eu já te disse hoje o quanto te amo?"
"My Portuguese will get better, and I understood most of that, about how much you love me?" Getting up, he wrapped his towel around his waist, then slid his arms around his wife.
"It means have I told you today how much I love you?"
He kissed her softly. "Mm-hmm, but in case I forget, you can keep reminding me... as often as you want."
"Anytime, Love. Gladly. Ooh, brrr." Shaking, she pulled her towel around her, tucking the end in. She stepped out onto the mat, pulling the toothpaste and floss out of a drawer, and the mouthwash out of the cupboard. "I have a dentist appointment next Thursday, after class. If they have to do some digital x-rays, I'll let them know that I'm pregnant."
Spencer sat on the chaise across from the bed as they talked. Susan dried off with the towel, laid it over the back, applying moisturizer on her legs, setting her feet next to him, one at a time.
He watched as she smeared some on her belly, and his smile widened. "That smells good…"
"Cocoa butter, Vitamin E, and Shea butter. Another gift from Lizette. She used this goop every day when she was pregnant."
Still smiling, he helped massage the lotion on. When they finished, he was holding her legs, kissing her abdomen…
/
A/N
Next, in Side Stories, read Monday Morning and Greece.
Coming up in S&B, Chapter 48 - Baby Genius Passes the First Test