Very Castle Celebrations
Chapter 10
Kate's announcement that she wants to go to church takes Castle by surprise. Other than a few straight-up atheists, Kate is the least religious person Castle knows. She enjoys presents at Christmas, but then she enjoys them even more at unexpected times. She's willing to go along with her friends' rituals out of respect, but as far as he can tell that's about as far as her practices go.
She goes on to explain that when she was growing up, her parents always took her to church for Easter. She and her mother would have matching hats, and after the service, there would be a big dinner with her Nonna. Easter holds some of her happier memories, and now that she has a family of her own, she'd like to make more.
That's fine with Castle. While his mother has never been formally religious, she's always been a fan of tradition, as well as occasionally going overboard with spirituality. She brought him up to enjoy the holidays. He did the same with Alexis, especially celebrations of Christmas and Halloween. Those festivities have always been part of the glue that's held his family together.
Castle is, however, not crazy about the idea of putting Jackson in a church nursery, especially on a busy day like Easter. He found out the hard way when Alexis was little that if there is any baby-infecting bug going around, nurseries at public places like churches or even gyms, provide a staging area for the germs in question to launch an assault.
Kate doesn't have a problem with his reticence. She remembers babies being held during services in her home church. Occasionally their parents took them out to a crying room if they gave out with too loud a wail. Jackson is rapidly outgrowing his front carrier, but he should still fit into it for another week or two. He's usually pretty content when he's in contact with one or the other of their bodies. Castle can have his giant bunny and the rest of his Easter extravaganza when they get home.
Other than N.Y.P.D. issue, or a baseball cap, Castle can't recall ever seeing Kate wear a hat before. It looks lovely on her, the wide brim providing a backdrop for the shiny fall of her hair. The bright floral shirtwaist frock she's chosen isn't her usual style either. She normally tends more titillating slinkiness. He wonders if Kate is just pulling another image from her memory book of the sort of outfit her mother might have worn. Slinky dress or not, he'll still have the most beautiful woman in New York at his side as the city celebrates rebirth and renewal.
With Jackson drowsing against the white Oxford shirt he's chosen for the occasion, Castle and Kate join the colorful flow of worshipers into the church. They take seats at the end of the aisle to allow for a quick escape if Jackson becomes too loudly disapproving of the proceedings. Jackson awakes at the opening chords proclaiming that the savior has risen but seems to be enjoying the music. Castle mentally tucks away the sound of an organ in the same category as bagpipes as something that evokes a positive response in his son. An organ is undoubtedly a lot easier to listen to for any prolonged period of time. He makes a note to himself to see how Jackson reacts to the opening of Phantom of the Opera.
The service is almost over when Castle detects a sharp odor overcoming the flowery scents that surround him in the pew. His eyes begin to water as Jackson lets out a protest. The words are out of his mouth before he remembers that he's in church. "What the hell?" Holding the infant tight against him with one hand, he reaches for Kate with the other as he leads the way out of the pew.
Immediately snapping into cop mode, Kate urges the surrounding worshipers to calmly exit the building, even as tears begin to pour down her own face. As members of the confused congregation mill around outside the building, Castle can hear the rising pitch of approaching sirens.
Jackson is calming down, and liquid stops streaming from Castle's eyes even before the fire department and the police arrive at the church. One of the EMTs immediately checks on Jackson, while others rush to aid anyone, especially a senior, who seems to be having trouble breathing. The hazmat team shows up wearing Tyvek suits and breathing apparatuses. Its members sample the air in the church to test for toxic chemicals.
Kate says she would suspect tear gas, except that she didn't see any of the usual delivery devices. The odor, though no less obnoxious, was different as well. To Castle, it seems like hours until the emergency responders release everyone, with the caution that they should go to an emergency room if they develop any additional symptoms. He and Kate have gone through every diaper they brought with them except one, and she had to nurse Jackson in the back of an ambulance. Castle calls the Easter bunny to get her to put off her appearance until evening. He also phones the doorman to request that he turn off the oven in the loft before the ham Castle had put in to roast lost all chance of retaining any edibility.
While many of the usual chemicals that terrorists might employ were eliminated by on-site screening tests, the full results of the analysis of the air inside the church are yet unknown - or at least unannounced. The "Case of the Crying Congregation," was trending on social media within minutes of when tears began to flow but is now being reported by mainstream media as well.
The press is spinning the occurrence as a mystery. Some of the more extreme religious leaders are suggesting that it be taken as a sign that God wants his people to weep at society's sinful state. Castle very much doubts that God would choose to gas Jackson as a way to send a message. He and Kate are both sure that whatever happened had both a very earthly and human origin. The question is what scum of a human would do such a thing and why?
He puts the church incident out of his mind when Mopsy McFluffytail knocks on the door of the loft. Jackson has very little interest in the basket of eggs in her paw but strokes his tiny fingers across the soft faux fur of her costume, cooing in delight. At least there's something to redeem the baby's first Easter.
Castle has a treat for Kate too. He presents her with a sampling of handcrafted chocolate eggs, each with a different filling, but urges her to start with the egg wrapped in shiny blue foil. He urges her to just break it open. The last thing he wants that day is another nasty surprise like his wife cracking a tooth on the treasure hidden within the rich dark shell.
Kate pulls out the sapphire pendant he had made to match her engagement ring. Castle hopes that the tears in her eyes this time are not induced by a chemical irritant. As he clasps the delicate chain around her neck, he presses his lips to the soft skin beneath her ear. Something may be rising this Easter after all. He just hopes Jackson falls asleep early.
A/N Some orthodox Jewish women wear wigs because they are not supposed to show their hair. I wasn't implying that Esther Edelman was ill, just following her faith.
