A/N: Texas Hold 'Em quick rules. The dealer gives each player a single card twice, going around the table to the dealer's left to right one card at a time, face down. After this, players can make their first bet. Or they can check, which means they are still in the game but not betting at that time. If someone "behind" them bets, they must match that bet to continue playing. When betting is finally done, the dealer "buries" a card and then puts three cards in front of himself face up. These cards are "community" cards used by all players to make their hand. This deal is called "the flop". After another round of betting, the dealer buries another card and then adds the next card (the turn) to the community cards, followed by another round of betting. Burying another card, the dealer delivers the final card, aka "the river card". Players make the best five card Poker hand from the two cards they received and the five community cars. There is a final round of betting.
Don't understand or need visuals? *points to Google or YouTube* Both work.
Chapter 4
The seven players gathered around the poker table in the Hotchner downstairs den. Ted sat down in the dealer's chair and pointed at the seven small, folded pieces of paper on top of the table. "Each of you draw for sitting position at the table. Age matters," he smiled. "Oldest to youngest."
"Guess where you draw kid," Morgan smiled at Reid as Dave took the first piece of paper.
He smiled opening it. "Clowns to my left, jokers to my right, stuck in the middle again," Dave said, paraphrasing a song, sitting down directly across from Ted. Cait drew the next one and sat down to Ted's immediate right in the final chair before the dealer. Derek drew next, followed by Emily.
Will reached to take the next piece of paper. "Hang on southern boy," Tara smiled. "I believe I have a couple months on you." They compared birth dates and Will conceded with a small smile. Reid sat down to Dave's immediate right. A large contingent of the guests were gathered around the table, but most of the older crowd stayed upstairs.
Mike looked at Aaron, who was standing behind the bar with him. "She's where she wants to be," he whispered to his dad.
"It does give her a better position to read the table and the players," Aaron whispered back.
Ten hands in with small pots and no real action, it was soon just the players at the table. Savannah, JJ, Lauren and Andi started a game of pool together. Sean and Jimmy sat down at the bar, still keeping an eye on the game. Leslie was upstairs, singing Broadway show tunes with Declan.
A couple of hands later saw the first "real" action. It was Derek and Emily head to head. After the river card, Derek pushed in his chips at Ted. "All in," he said.
"Call," Emily smiled, pushing in her chips. "You're bluffing," she said to Morgan.
"Yup, I am," he admitted, getting out of his chair. He looked over at the pool table. "Babe, you driving home?"
"Me or your mom," Savannah smiled.
Derek sat down at the bar with Sean and Jimmy. "Bartender, I need something to put out my crash and burn fire."
Sean shook his head at Jimmy. "It's old movies again." Jimmy laughed.
The next few hands had Cait winning a few small pots against Will, Emily and Tara. Three hands later, the action heated up. Will went all in against Dave. "Call," Dave said, showing his king that made his full house hand against Will's flush hand. "Sorry Will."
"That's OK Dave," Will smiled, getting off his chair. "I'm ready for one of Mike's stiff drinks, grab some more food upstairs and to have Sandy drive all of us home."
Reid took out Emily the next hand. Cait did the same to Tara the following hand. "Sorry Tara," Cait smiled. "I need chips to take on these two," she nodded at Reid and Dave.
"That's OK," Tara smiled. "Clean their clocks Doctor Barkley," she winked.
"That's the plan Doctor Lewis," Cait smiled back.
The next hand, Cait took a sizeable chunk of Dave's chips, calling him on a bluff before the river card. There were more people starting to gather around the table to watch.
Reid took Dave out of the game on the next hand, giving him the biggest stack of chips. While those around the table didn't notice, Reid got a small smile as he was staking his chips. He had took out Dave on a stone-cold bluff. Cait gave Dave a quick look.
Ted shuffled the cards and dealt the next hand, giving Cait and Reid each two cards. They both looked at their cards and checked on raising. Ted buried a card and dealt the flop. The flop cards were the ace of hearts, the ace of spades and the three of hearts. Spencer, closest to Ted, checked. Cait raised him twenty dollars. Reid called the bet.
Ted buried a card and then turned over the two of hearts on the turn. Reid looked at his pocket aces, giving him four of a kind and made a soft bet. Cait raised him another twenty dollars. Reid looked at his cards again and studied Cait. "Call," he said.
Ted turned over the river card. It was the five of hearts. Reid bet twenty dollars. Cait called and raised him twenty more. Reid looked at her intently as more people gathered around the table to watch the action. Everyone knew Reid was weighing probabilities in his head. Mike looked at Aaron who shook his head back.
Spencer looked at his cards again and then studied Cait more while fiddling with his chips. "I'll see your twenty and raise you two hundred more," Reid confidently said.
"All in," Cait immediately responded, pushing all her chips towards Ted.
After counting Cait's chips, Ted looked at Spencer. "That's one-hundred-sixty back to you Doctor Reid."
Reid knew how many chips he had. If he called Cait and she had the four of hearts, with a straight flush hand beating his four of a kind, he would have thirty dollars worth of chips left. Yet, he had a nagging feeling that Cait was bluffing him as revenge for Rossi. He weighed all his options more, cascading some chips in his hand, making the only sound in the room.
Spencer looked at Cait again. "I know the odds of you having the four of hearts." Cait just looked at him. Reid fiddled with his handful of chips more. He shook his head, throwing in his cards.
Garcia looked at Kevin. "Did she just take him out?" she whispered.
"Not yet," Kevin whispered back. "But he's short-stacked." Penelope looked at him. "He's essentially out of bullets." Cait finished him off the next hand with three eights.
Reid looked at Cait as they both got up from the table. "Did you have it?"
"Have what?" Cait said, taking a drink of her watered-down scotch and Baileys. She waved her glass at Mike behind the bar.
"The four of hearts?" Reid asked.
Cait looked at him. "Spencer, I'm married to the boss. I made him a promise and I made all of you a promise," she said, looking at the team. "I do not kiss and tell."
Two hours later, with everyone gone and the house dark shortly after eleven, Aaron curled up next to Cait in their bed, putting his arm around her. "Did you have it Doc?" Cait's response was her softly snoring.
-00CM00-
Cait woke the next morning still spooned up next to Aaron with him softly snoring in her ear. She yawned, stretched and rolled onto her back, waking up Aaron. "Good morning you," he smiled at Cait. "How do you feel?"
Cait softly smiled. "Did I need that third scotch and Baileys?" Aaron smiled more. "Probably not." She looked into Aaron's eyes. "But I'll admit, " she smiled, "I sorta liked being the victor."
"And well deserved," Aaron smiled, kissing her. He looked at her. "Doc, you do know you have to do one thing."
Cait nodded. "I'm going to enjoy my victory. And knowing Spencer, he'll still question it. When he has time," Cait smiled at Aaron with a wink. "I'll let him off the hook with a special Christmas present," she smiled.
"Thank you," Aaron smiled, kissing her. "Now the bad news."
Cait shook her head. "I already hear your brother and mine in my kitchen," Cait said, rolling out of bed. "Sean, I trust. Jake scares the shit out of me," Cait said, grabbing a clean pair of underpants out of her dresser drawer and heading for the shower. Aaron laughed, getting out of bed as well.
Cait walked out of her and Aaron's bedroom twenty minutes later. Ethan had just come down the steps and literally jumped into her arms. "Whoa buddy," Cait smiled, hugging him with Ethan wrapping his legs around her hips.
"Aunt Cait," Ethan said, looking into her eyes, "you know how much I love your Thanksgiving dinner."
Cait smiled. "You did more than your fair share of damage," she winked.
Ethan looked at her. "Aunt Cait. I'm sorry. But today is the best day."
Cait broadly smiled with a laugh, hugging Ethan. "I get it. Your dad's make your own omelets and…" she smiled at Ethan.
"Your turkey potpie for dinner," Ethan beamed.
"Boom!" Cait smiled.
Ethan tightly hugged her. "You're the best Aunt Cait."
Cait kissed him. "Sorta luvs ya too kiddo," she smiled, hugging him again.
The entire group from Dave's place came in the door as Aaron walked out of him and Cait's bedroom. Jack, Tate and Wyatt came down the stairs. Aaron shook his head at the three boys. "You're up this early? You OK?"
Jack smiled. "Dad, this is the best day of the weekend."
Three hours after Matt and Mike cleaned up the kitchen from Sean and Jake's wonderful breakfast, Cait and Maggie went to work on the crown jewel of Thanksgiving weekend, the turkey potpie. Ted sat down at the nook counter while Dave chunked the leftover turkey. "Do you mind Cait?" he asked.
Cait shook her head with a smile. "Not at all Ted. It's not rocket science or a guarded secret. I save every drop of what cooks off the turkey. I use some to make the gravy for Thanksgiving. Mom and I use the rest, along with some chicken broth to make enough gravy for the potpies." She and Maggie were making the gravy in two large blue roasting pans. Cait nodded at the six cans of vegetables Aaron was draining. "We add the turkey to the gravy, along with the sliced carrots and peas and get it warm in the oven. Then we top it with Pillsbury biscuits. Pop it back in the oven to bake the biscuits." She smiled at Ted. "We like simple and good tasting."
Ted shook his head. "It is simple," he smiled. "And it does taste wonderful."
Two hours later, Jake eyed the family around Cait's dinner table in the formal dining room. He looked into the two blue roster pans that held the potpie. There were four biscuits left that once covered the top of the two rosters. Jake looked at Matt and Mike. "Damn guys, I think you both might be able to scrounge up enough for your lunch tomorrow."
Leslie smiled at Cait. "This is the best." Cait smiled at her. "I hate that we have to eat and run."
Aaron shook his head. "Go finish packing," he said, looking at Sean and Leslie. "We've got enough clean-up help," he pointed around the table.
Ted looked at Tate and Jack. "Starting with the three of us."
"Got it grandpa," Tate smiled.
"I'm in," Jack added.
An hour later, the older boys with their wives and leftovers, headed to the garage door. They had already said their good-byes to the Barkley and NYC Hotchner families along with Dave and Ted. Ethan and Wyatt said good-bye to Millie again. She licked their faces as Jack and Tate said good-bye to their brothers and sisters. "See ya at Christmas," Matt smiled, pulling Jack and Tate into a collective hug.
Lauren smiled at Cait and Aaron. "Thank you again for a special weekend."
Mike kissed Cait's cheek. "Ditto mom," he smiled. Aaron helped Sean bring out the two luggage pieces for Sean's family. Mike hugged his dad. "Thanks dad for a great weekend."
Aaron hugged him back. "Have a good week Mike. Send me a text or email when you're available for lunch later this week." Sean went back into the house.
Matt shook his head. Cait bored a look at him. Matt smiled. "Yes mom, zip it." They all laughed while Matt hugged his dad.
Matt, Lauren, Mike and Andi said their good-byes to each other, heading for their vehicles. "Drive safe," Aaron and Cait waved at them as they got in and buckled up.
Coming back in the house, Aaron and Cait looked at Sean, Leslie and the boys. "Got everything?" Cait asked.
"We've tripled checked everything," Leslie said.
Aaron smiled. "If we find a stray, UPS works." The second round of tough good-byes began.
"Thank you Cait," Sean said, deeply hugging her as Wyatt and Ethan hugged Maggie and Jarrod. He looked at her. "For everything including this family haven," he said, kissing her cheek.
Cait smiled. "You're welcome." Sean got his family into the garage with Aaron, Cait, Jack and Tate following them. Bella ran out to do her thing. Cait hugged Wyatt and Ethan again, getting them into Aaron's SUV that would get the family to the Huntington Metro Station so the four of them could catch the last Amtrak Acela back to New York City.
"Thank you," Leslie smiled, hugging Cait.
"You're welcome," Cait smiled. "Shoot us a text when you get home tonight."
"You got it Sis," Leslie smiled, getting into the vehicle.
"See you at Christmas!" Jack and Tate said as Sean and Aaron got in. Cait, Jack and Tate waved at the family as Aaron backed out of the garage. Bella barked her good-bye, wagging her tail.
Jake was bartending for Dave, Ted and his dad when Cait and the boys came back into the kitchen. "When do you leave Ted?" Jarrod asked, smiling his thanks to Jake for the scotch and Baileys.
"My car service picks me up tomorrow at Dave's at nine," Ted answered. "How about all of you?"
"Cait," Jake smiled, handing her the same after-dinner drink, "has a class to teach at eleven. She drops us off at Reagan on the way to Georgetown for our noon flight back to the left coast."
Maggie smiled at Cait. "So do you like the quieter house or miss it?"
Cait shook her head. "Tonight? I'll appreciate the quiet. Tomorrow, I'll miss it," she smiled.
Later that evening, Ted joined the Hotchner family as Jack and Tate headed off to bed. Ted pulled the blanket up around Tate's neck as Tate snuggled into bed. "Good night my grandson," he signed with a smile, kissing Tate's forehead, tucking the blanket tightly around Tate's neck. Aaron and Cait entered the room to say good night to Tate as Ted left.
"Good night grandpa Ted," Jack said from his room. "Travel safe tomorrow."
Ted stuck his head in Jack's room. "Thanks Jack," he smiled. "Good night."
-00CM00-
Jarrod, Maggie, Jake and Steph said quick good-byes to the boys the next morning. "You two have a hot date with the yellow limo," Jake smiled at them, pulling them into a hug.
"Here's the bad news," Maggie smiled at the boys. "Grandpa and I rotate every Christmas with our five kids. Guess who's turn it is?"
"Mine!" Cait smiled, raising her hand in the air. The family all laughed.
-00CM00-
Tuesday morning, Cait came into the Round Table Room for the team briefing. Everyone could immediately sense she was not happy. Emily and Derek eyed Dave. "Problems Cait?" Dave asked.
Cait sat down in her chair and looked at him. "Dave in all the years we've know each other, when have you heard me give a profanity laced rant?" Tara looked at JJ.
Dave thought for a few seconds. "I remember two epics ones. There might have been a couple more smaller ones." He looked at her. "Just do it. You're among friends." He looked at her more closely. "And I have known you too long. You need to blow off that steam." Cait looked at him. "So we," he said, looking around the table, "don't get it in the briefing."
Cait shook her head. "All I've heard since I got in this building this morning is 'did you have it'? In the security line downstairs. In the frickin' elevator coming up here from two support agents who don't work in this unit! Why is a frickin' card more important than the work we are supposed to be doing around here? Or how about the thousand dollar donation to our favorite Bureau charity? That doesn't get mentioned!" Dave looked around the table.
Aaron came in the room. "Thank you Doctor Barkley," he intoned in his best Unit Chief voice, sitting down next to Dave. "I think that will put all the crap to rest around here." Emily cleared her throat, looking at Morgan and Garcia.
-00CM00-
Three weeks later, Spencer Reid was sitting in a gate area at Reagan National Airport, waiting for the flight that would take him home to Vegas for Christmas. His cell pinged with a text. He looked at it.
Check your messenger bag, Cait sent. And Merry Christmas Spencer. Tell mom and dad from all of us Hotchners as well. He smiled and then dug through his ever-present over the shoulder leather bag. He found a small gold box, wrapped with a red ribbon and pulled it out. He untied the red ribbon and pulled the cover off the box. There was a note on top. We need the card back! it said with a wink emoji.
Reid smiled and pulled out the note. He pulled out the small swatch of cotton filling and took the card out of the box. He flipped it over to look at it. It was the four of hearts. Reid broadly smiled, shaking his head.
XXXXX
A/N: Morgan having a crash and burn drink is from Top Gun. The old movie reference.
Thank you again to everyone for the reviews and all of the alerts. I appreciate them! And thank you everyone for taking the time to read. I appreciate that as well.
My thanks again to the OK Teach for proofreading.
To all of you, my dear and wonderful loyal readers, I wish you all Happy Holidays and Happy 2021. Let's just hope it's better than 2020. I can confidently say I won't be writing any more this year. Starting Monday (tomorrow), I begin a new job. I'm with the same company and store. However, after working in an extremely outdated and non-ADA compliant building (built in the mid 1950's) for over nine years, we start the work of getting our brand new store ready for grand opening in two weeks. I'm going to be running the liquor store (which is part of the new building but is a completely separate entity). Something I have experience in doing. I'm really looking forward to our new store and this new career avenue. That said, I think I'm going to busy in December.
I do have an idea that I'm looking forward to writing. But that will be in January. See you then! Take care and please be safe.
*Jedi Master bow*