Today's chapter features the Aubrey clan and a frustration in every household...a lost sock.

May 9, 2022

Aubrey yawned as he carried the laundry basket up the stairs, followed by his helper holding a small mesh bag behind him. "How are you doing there with Mommy's special stuff, Rachael?"

"Good Daddy." The redhead continued dragging the bag behind her. "Where's Mommy?"

"Getting ready to feed your brother and sister, which is why we're helping her with the laundry." Aubrey pushed the master bedroom door open and led the way. "Just drop that bag on the bed and Mommy will take care of that later."

Dropping the basket on the bed, Aubrey dumped the contents on it. "Now, we get to have fun sorting out everyone's clothes."

Rachael, curious as always, noticed something sticking out of the mesh bag, tugged it out, and examined in with a puzzled expression on her face. "Daddy, why does Mommy's underwear have a hole in her special area?"

Turning red, Aubrey turned to see Rachael holding up a pair of green lace crotchless panties. Embarrassed, he took them from his daughter and set them aside. "Because they're special, Pumpkin. Very special. Now, let's sort out our clothes like Mommy does."

The twosome separated the clothes into four piles. As Rachael organized her clothes, Aubrey found a sock without a mate. Unable to find it in his clothes, he searched through Jessica's pile and with no luck, checked the twins' onesies and burp blankets. Striking out, he turned to see Rachael's haphazard sorting system.

"Pumpkin, can I look through your clothes?"

Rachael turned her head. "Okay, but don't mess up my clothes, Daddy. I have a system."

Biting back his chuckle, Aubrey quelled his panic as he searched through the four-year old's piles, only to become frustrated as he realized the truth. He lost a sock…again.

"Ugh, damn it."

Rachael turned to her father. "Daddy, you said a bad word."

Aubrey cringed as he realized his faux paus. "Yes, Daddy said a bad word and I'm sorry." Turning to his child, he smiled, forgetting his irritation. "Now, let's get you down for your nap."

Getting Rachael settled in, he peeked into the nursery and saw Jessica put on her large nursing pillow. "Jess, do you need help with the twins?"

"Yes I do. Your timing is impeccable, Superman. They're in their cribs. If you can get them, I'll get myself ready."

When his wife was settled in her nursing chair, Aubrey grabbed Savannah and then Jamie and gave them to Jessica in a routine they had perfected over the last four months. When the three was situated, he watched the anthropologist breast feed their twins with awe. "Jess, it's amazing that you can feed them both at the same time."

Jessica settled in. "This pillow Dr. B got me, and this chair has been a godsend with these two the last four months. Feeding them together saves time and it helps me burn the calories to get rid of this extra weight I haven't lost yet. Yoga and walking aren't cutting it this time."

"Seven pounds, Jess." Aubrey sighed. "You're still beautiful and I really love those curves. I hope that I was able to demonstrate that to you adequately enough when we had our private birthday celebration last night between the twins' feedings."

"Thank you for the compliment and your…enthusiasm last night was a very nice birthday gift." Even through her exhaustion, Jessica could see his distracted face. "James, what's wrong?"

Leaning back against the wall, he sighed. "I lost another sock."

Jessica started to giggle before stopping herself. "I'm sorry about that. However, according to Angela's calendar, today is National Lost Sock Memorial Day."

"Cute." Aubrey huffed. "This is serious. Those were my Cubs socks. You know, the ones I got a few years ago when we went to Wrigley Field."

"Oh, the ones with the holes I've patched up twice." Jessica nodded. "I still can't believe you held onto that pair for so long."

"They're special, Jess!" Aubrey whispered.

Jessica sighed, knowing how much her husband hated getting rid of anything. "I know. However, you already have a large missing sock collection in our closet. Maybe this lost sock is trying to tell you something, James."

Aubrey slouched. "That I have to go and buy more socks? Ugh…"

The redhead nodded. "Well, yes, but also that it's time to let those single socks go."

Aubrey was stunned. "Let them go? No way. Their mates are just misplaced is all."

Jessica shifted Savannah slightly. "You started that collection before I moved in with you back in 2017. You even said once that some came with you when you transferred here from New York and that was eight years ago."

"They're still perfectly good socks—"

Jessica knew this was a time where tough love was required. "James Aubrey, have you ever found the mates to those socks?"

Aubrey crossed his arms and grew petulant. "No, not yet, but I will find them. This is a large house, Jessica. They didn't go far."

Seeing her husband digging in his heels, the scientist decided a softer approach was in order. "Well, since you're sure they're here, how about you search for the missing mates? It seems it would apropos with the holiday."

The agent shifted in his chair. "Look for the socks?"

"Yes, Aubrey." Jessica felt Jamie's tugging on her left breast. "Jamie…there's plenty of milk in there for you. You don't have to suck so hard."

Aubrey chuckled. "He's a growing boy, Jess."

"Well, still I…oh, Savi…now she's doing it." Jessica adjusted her babies before looking at her husband. "Now, I would suggest starting with the laundry room and the den. I've picked up more socks off the floor in there than I can count."

Aubrey was hoping to sneak a nap in between chores today. "I can't search the house right now, Jess. You said I had to do the laundry, clean up the kitchen and cook dinner tonight, remember?"

The redhead pressed on. "Yes I do and I will still expect you to do those things. However, you're also the SAC of Major Crimes, Aubrey. If you can multitask at work, you can multitask at home."

Aubrey saw his wife's no-nonsense face and knew he lost the argument. "Okay, okay…fine." Turning to walk out, he stopped and turned back. "Oh, Rachael accidentally saw those super sexy crotchless panties that you wore last night, and she had questions. I can't believe she saw those…those are not for her eyes."

Chuckling slightly, Jessica sat back. "Aubrey, it's fine. She's just a curious child and I'm sure you gave her a satisfactory explanation."

"Yes, but that's not the point. She's almost four years old!" Aubrey harshly whispered. "She's too young to know about that stuff, Jess."

"Aubrey, you're the one who let her help with the laundry. Besides, they're panties…not porn." She saw Aubrey's face and decided to table the conversation for another time. "You should start searching for those socks, Superman. If you need anything, I'll be in here. I may even nap with these two in the chair for a while."

"Sounds good." Taking the monitor, Aubrey walked down the steps and headed to the laundry room. Carefully, he looked around before moving the washer and dryer away from the wall. Peeking in the back, he didn't see anything. After searching the room endlessly, he moved on.

"I'm going to find those mates if it's the last thing I do."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Two hours later, Aubrey sighed at the four socks he found, two under the couch in the den, one under the living room table, and the other in Jessica's office. "This is it? I don't get it. Where did all the other socks go?"

Just then, Jessica tiptoed down the stairs. Seeing him staring at a pile of dirty socks on the table, she decided to push him further. "Superman, they're lost. It's time to let them go."

Aubrey continued to stare at his socks. "I just don't understand…"

Grabbing a bottle of water, Jessica drank greedily. "I know you don't, but you have to let go sometime. You could always donate them."

Aubrey crossed his arms. "Jessica, socks are like diapers. One owner only."

Jessica sighed as her husband grew more stubborn. "Aubrey, I know you hate getting rid of anything, but we can afford to buy you more new socks…"

"That's not the point."

"Yes, it is." Jessica decided to say what was on her mind. "This isn't like when after your dad left and you and your mom struggled to get you necessities. You don't have to hang onto everything for dear life anymore, Aubrey."

Jessica's words struck a nerve and Aubrey didn't like it. "This is not about how I grew up."

Hearing Aubrey grow defensive, Jessica sat down in front of her husband and took his hand. "Okay, I'm sorry I've upset you. However, you do need to decide about the socks, Aubrey. Whether that means donating them, repurposing them, or since you're so opposed to socks being shared, a funeral for them before tossing them out, it's time to let them go."

Aubrey had no response. Relieved that her husband was considering what she said, Jessica got up and slipped on her walking shoes. "I'm going to take a walk to the playground and then maybe by the river for some exercise. While I'm doing that, why don't you go upstairs and say goodbye to your old socks? You know, sing a song…have a few words. I have no bagpipe music though."

"Funny…really, funny Jessica." Aubrey snarked without heat. After she kissed him goodbye and left, he quietly went upstairs. After checking in on his sleeping children, he walked into the closet and stood in front of a large red Rubbermaid container. Picking it up, he carried it out and set it on the bed. Opening it, he dumped a large pile of mismatched socks on the bed and sighed.

"I failed you guys…I waited for so long to match your buddies with you, but sock gnomes must have taken them. I don't know how else they were gone. I've even looked in the couch cushion in the den to no avail."

Digging through the container, he pulled out a green wool sock. "You kept me feet nice and toasty during the winter of 2020 while we were stuck at home from COVID, but then your buddy disappeared. You two would have been nice to have when brought the twins home from the hospital during that record low cold snap."

Aubrey found a light blue sock and chuckled. "I wore you two the day I took Jess to that barbecue at Booth's house in 2016, the one we had to postpone because it rained on Memorial Day. Then I took her home to her apartment and we jumped each other's bones…you guys even stayed on the first two times we did it…some really great memories…"

Throwing the sock back in the container, he sighed again. "Jess is right. Just hanging onto you isn't doing anyone any good and I'm not 13 anymore. I'm 38 years old and can more than afford to buy new socks. Donating used socks is just wrong, so that means I have to throw you guys out. It's time."

Making his way down the stairs, he walked like a prisoner heading to the electric chair towards the garage and the trash container. He began to dump but stopped and pulled out the blue sock. "I can't part with this sock."

As he was about to turn the container to dump again, he thought about what Jessica said and suddenly smiled. Heading inside to his den, he put the Rubbermaid down and after turning on his laptop, searched Google regarding National Lost Sock Memorial Day. Soon he was taking notes with childish glee.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

One hour later, Jessica returned from her walk. Entering the living area, she saw Aubrey, holding the twins in their baby carrier while wiping down the kitchen counter. On the table, she saw Rachael sorting a pile of clothes. As she got closer, she saw what her daughter was sorting through.

"Aubrey, why are your socks on the table?"

The agent and his twins walked over to his wife before he picked up a sock. "As I was about to toss these out, I just couldn't do it because they have some great memories, like this blue one from June 4th, 2016… Rachael is…Savannah Elizabeth, no." Aubrey pulled the sock away from his infant's mouth. "That's yucky."

"June 4th…June 4th…" Jessica's eyes grew big in recognition. "You remember the socks you wore that day, Superman?"

"I remember everything from that day…and night…and the next morning, Jess." The two shared a laugh before looking back at the table. "So, after some reconsideration, I did research on your suggestion about recycling them and got some great ideas. As I've been cleaning up in the kitchen, my partner here…"

Aubrey indicated Rachael, who was happily laying out socks. "…has been separating the socks and designating which ones to use for some cool activities. Did you know that you can fill a sock with rice to use as a door stop or to block a drafty door?"

An impressed Jessica smiled. "I like the door stop idea. The back door does have a small draft when it gets really cold and it'll save me from having to buy one at Priceco."

"Thank you. Now this sock…" Aubrey held up the long green sock. "…Rachael picked out to make that holder for the plastic grocery bags we use after cleaning out Skinner's box."

"I love it when you and Rachael do projects together." Jessica kissed her husband on his cheek, her twins, and then Rachael. "Happy National Lost Sock Memorial Day, Aubrey."

"Happy National Lost Sock Memorial Day, Jess."

Rachael looked up at her mother, her large blue eyes staring in earnest. "Mommy, why does your underwear have a hole in your special area?"

Jessica's mouth dropped as Aubrey cracked up laughing.

There's a website I used as part of my research that I'll post on my Twitter (mphs95) and also eventually on my Fanfiction Pinterest page (MIBonesFan).