Saturday morning started with Hotch heading out alone to watch Jack's soccer game.
"Neither you nor Jacob have coats to wear in this cold weather," he explained to Lynn. "And I don't want either of you catching cold. I spoke with Jessica, and Jack will be bringing everything he needs for the weekend with him to the game. Afterwards, he and I will be coming back here and he will be spending the weekend with us. He can sleep on the pulled out sofa bed and, if he has any homework that needs doing, he can do it here."
"We will also be stopping on the way back here to pick up lunch," he added with a smile. "Something I think you both will like".
"Jacob and I will be here waiting for you," Lynn replied. "Call me when you are on your way."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"I don't see why I have to spend the whole weekend here," Jack was complaining when he and his father returned to the suite. "I have things to do."
"Most of those things can wait," Hotch told him. "I want to spend time with you and you need to get acquainted with Lynn and Jacob."
"Hello – Good-by," Jack glanced dismissively over at where Lynn and Jacob were standing. "Is that enough? And, I have homework to do."
"You can do your homework here," Hotch replied. "I saw that you have your books and your laptop with you. And, Jack, I know you have better manners than that. Why don't you start using them?"
"Jack and I stopped on our way back and picked up some Beltway Burgers with fries and milk shakes for all of us for lunch," Hotch held up two white bags so Lynn and Jacob could see the logo on them. "And I am telling you that these are the best hamburgers you have ever eaten – I promise!"
"Now, Jack," he continued. "Why don't you put your duffle bag over there in the corner and then get cleaned up? As soon as you are ready, we can eat."
"I've never had a hamburger," Jacob announced. "So, of course, it is going to be the best one I have ever eaten."
"You've never had a hamburger?" Jack questioned in amazement. "You're weird!"
"Uncle Spencer said that people who call other people 'weird' are just jealous of them," Jacob quickly retorted.
"You can't call him Uncle Spencer," Jack quickly retorted. "That's what I call him."
"That's enough, Jack," Hotch interrupted. "We have already discussed this. Reid can be Uncle Spencer to multiple people. And, I will not have you picking on Jacob. He is younger than you and also much smaller."
"Yeah – Right," Jack muttered as he dumped his bag in the indicated corner. "I knew you were going to take his side." He disappeared down the hallway leading to the bathroom.
"I'm sorry about that," Hotch walked over to give Lynn a hug and a kiss. "I knew there was going to be some friction; I just didn't expect it to start so soon."
"Give Jack a chance," Lynn responded. "This is unknown territory for him. Let's get some food in everybody and see if that helps." She began taking plates out of the cupboard and putting them on the table.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"So, Jack, what kind of homework do you have?" Everyone was sitting around the table eating and Lynn was trying to talk with the teenager.
"Nothing you would know about," Jack retorted loftily. "Just some English and some Algebra."
"What are you reading in English?" Hotch asked. "Maybe I know it."
"Great Expectations," was the reply.
"Oh, Pip and Estella," Lynn exclaimed. "And the story that is considered by some to be the first true mystery novel. Along with Poe's Purloined Letter, of course."
"Mystery novel?" Jack questioned confused.
"Of course," Lynn replied. "The mystery of Pip's mysterious benefactor, the mystery of who attacked Mrs. Joe, and the mystery of Estella's real identity. And then, of course, there is Magwitch."
"Magwitch?" Jack questioned. "What about him?"
"I just really like the name," Lynn smiled. "And I always wondered where Dickens got it from."
"I remember reading the story," Hotch admitted. "But I can't say that I remember all that. What else did you say you had?"
"Algebra?" Jack ventured.
"What are you working on there?" Lynn asked. "Have you gotten to quadratic equations yet? I've always thought those were really cool."
"At the moment I'm just solving for X," Jack offered. "Simple stuff."
"Ah – X." Lynn murmured. "I always why they used that letter. There are so many other possibilities – Like H or K for example."
"The ubiquitous X," Hotch commented thoughtfully. "Now that's a question for Reid. He undoubtedly has an answer and/or explanation for its use."
"How do you know all this stuff? Aunt Jessica said you are dumb," Jack burst out to Lynn. "But you're not."
"Maybe Lynn didn't go to school the same way you do," Hotch told his son. "But that doesn't mean that she never learned anything. Actually, some of the things she has worked on are beyond the work done by graduate students at the university. So, I would venture to say that your aunt is wrong – Very wrong."
"Okay," Jack mumbled.
"Now, after we are done eating," Hutch changed the subject. "We are going shopping. Lynn and Jacob both need coats and jackets, and you wanted a pair of Converse shoes like Uncle Spencer's. Actually, now that I think about it, I need a winter coat too. I would assume that mine disappeared along with the rest of my belongings."
"It's in a storage locker," Jack muttered through a mouthful of burger.
"A storage locker?" Hotch repeated.
"Yes," Jack confirmed. "After you had been gone for a couple of months, everyone came over to our apartment and helped Aunt Jessica and me pack everything up and move it into a self-storage locker. Aunt Penelope cried nearly the entire time and so did Aunt JJ. Even Uncle Derek looked sad. Everything is still there in the locker. When we moved to the condo, I wanted to use my bedroom furniture, but Aunt Jessica wouldn't let me. She said that when you came back you'd want to make a fresh start with us."
"Another thing I need to address with Jessica," Hotch sighed. "I hope my home safe was moved to the unit, too. My passport and some other important papers were in there."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
The rest of Saturday afternoon sped by. Lynn and Jacob both got light jackets as well as winter coats ('All these choices!' Lynn exclaimed as she looked through the racks). And, after Jack got his Converse shoes 'like Uncle Spencer's' he helped Jacob pick out some clothes.
"You don't want to look like a dork," he told the younger boy as they perused the clothing racks. "If you are going to be hanging out with people at the university, you need to look cool."
"Cool!" Jacob echoed. "That's what Aunt Penelope said about learning how to run a computer."
"She should know," Jack agreed.
When they finally returned to the hotel suite, Hotch took Lynn to one side.
"I hope you don't mind," he told her. "But I think Jack and I are going to go to dinner by ourselves this evening. We need some father-son time to talk."
"I understand," Lynn told him. "Besides, I think Jacob is ready for a short nap before dinner. I know I am."
"We won't be late," Hotch promised with a kiss.