A/N: I'll say it again. After doing this for eleven years, you get a new spin. I keep my sanity.
Part of my medical issues earlier this year involved getting an ultrasound of my right leg. I had my latest one for my surgical follow-up a couple weeks ago. Kelly, the ultrasound tech, when she could, chatted with me. She was wonderful. I told her I was a writer and had a question when we were done. My thanks to Kelly for her professional advice on an ultrasound picture. Before you all ask, the ultrasound and follow-up visit with the vascular surgeon was a two thumbs-up.
Some throwback to old stories. The OK Teach has deemed a tissue alert.
I get to do my snark, giggling. Get a song out of your heads the rest of the day.
Chapter 2
Thanksgiving morning, everyone in the Hotchner home was enjoying the traditional cinnamon rolls. The four boys were sitting at the nook counter still in their sleep clothes, laughing and farting around, sharing videos they had on their cells.
Aaron and Sean had pulled out the table in the nook to accommodate the ten adults. Cait, Aaron, Maggie, Jarrod, Sean, Leslie, Jake, Steph, Dave and Ted were sitting around the table enjoying light conversation along with their rolls and coffee. Ellie was happily sitting in the highchair, eating her roll and drinking milk from her sippy cup.
Ted looked at Cait. "You made three pans of rolls this year?"
Cait pointed at the boys at the counter and then nodded at Ellie. "Next gen is here Ted and Sam will probably eat two," she smiled. "I'll doubt they'll go to waste."
Just then, the door from the garage opened as the boys scooped out another roll from the pan they were sharing. "Incoming!" Mike shouted. Lucy blew in with her usual exuberance. Millie chased after her. Andi took off Sam's coat and let him run in and took off her coat. Lucy and Millie joined Bella and Max basking in the sunlight coming into the Great Room and joined the morning nap session.
Dave snagged Sam as he ran to the table. "Hey you," he smiled, pulling Sam into his lap.
"Kunkle Dave," Sam smiled. He pointed at Dave's roll.
Leslie waved off Cait and got up. "I've got him," she smiled. Mike walked in with Sam's highchair from their home. He took it into the dining room and headed back to the entry way to take off his coat.
"Happy Thanksgiving everyone," Andi smiled. Everyone returned the greeting.
"Wow," Ted smiled at her. "Look at that tan."
Andi beamed. "We had a fantastic time."
Mike came into the kitchen. "With a bit of liver abuse," he smiled.
"Why God made cruises Michael," Dave smiled. Leslie put a roll and a sippy cup of milk on the table for Sam. "Careful my lad," Dave grinned. "It might be a little warm."
Sam touched it. "Hot kunkle Dave."
"Profiler in the making," Dave beamed. "You blow on it Sam." Which he did. Everyone smiled at the two them as Dave pulled apart the roll for Sam.
Maggie looked at Mike and Andi. "Where are Matt and Lauren?"
"Matt is up," Mike reported. "Lauren is just moving."
Cait and Aaron shared a look. Which Jarrod noticed. "To use Dave's line, care to share with the class?" Jarrod asked them.
Cait softly smiled. "Lauren hasn't felt good in the morning for about six weeks."
Maggie looked at Cait. "Really?"
"Really," Cait smiled. She looked at her mother. "The plan all along for them was for Matt to get established as a federal prosecutor and then join the Bureau. The family would come after that."
"They are that settled in Richmond?" Ted asked.
"Yes, they are," Aaron responded. He shook his head. "I know the Bureau. Matt will probably get transferred in the next six months, considering the job he's doing."
"Dat's your uncle," Dave smiled at Sam, who stuffed in another bite of his roll.
Sean and Jarrod looked at Aaron. "I'm already hearing the rumors," Aaron said. He looked at Dave. "Yes, he's doing that well." Dave proudly smiled.
Mike and Andi enjoyed their rolls and coffee standing around the kitchen island. "Holy heck mom," Mike commented. "You broke out the thirty cup coffee pot?"
"Michael, look around," Cait said. "And it will get another workout later tonight."
Jake looked at Mike and Andi. "Are we still doing the Walter Reid thing?"
"You bet Uncle Jake," Andi smiled.
"Then chop, chop you two," Jake answered, pointing at his watch.
Everyone heard the door to the garage open again. Matt and Lauren walked in a few seconds later. "Happy Thanksgiving," they smiled. "Sorry we're late."
Matt read the room. "Yeah, Lauren is too," he beamed. "Hang on everyone," he said, walking to his mother. "I assume Doctor you know how to read an ultrasound."
"Not my specialty," Cait said. "But I can." Matt handed her the picture. Cait pulled her reading glasses off the top of her head. She took one look and smiled. Aaron noted the hint of tears in her eyes.
"Doc?" he asked, rubbing her shoulder.
Cait showed Aaron the ultrasound picture. "In the medical profession," she grinned at Aaron. "That's baby A," she pointed. "That's baby B," she pointed again.
"We could hear the two heartbeats," Lauren smiled.
Dave shook his head. "Damn over-achiever," he smiled at Matt.
-00CM00-
After the usual wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, and the clean up, everyone was milling around the house. They all eventually ended up in the den downstairs with the fireplace roaring. John Brooks warned himself in front of the fire. "Damn, that feels good," he smiled. Jarrod and Jake were taking on Jack and Tate in a pool game. Mike looked around the room. He nodded Andi up the stairs.
They walked into the kitchen to Cait and Aaron having a scotch and Bailey's together. They both smiled. "You pulled off another one," Mike smiled at his mother. "Sorry to invade you private victory lap."
"Like always Michael, it got done with a lot of help," Cait smiled.
Aaron looked at the couple. "You are not invading our victory lap," he grinned. He turned serious. "What's up you two?"
"Our son that was an absolute angel in church last night," Andi said.
Cait shook her head. "You two cannot be questioning you parenting skills." She beaded an eye at the both of them. "He is your son. You rear him as you see fit."
Aaron grinned. "Did Sam have a come to Jesus meeting with your mom and me in church last Sunday? Yes, he did. Pastor Jon laughed his butt off about it when we walked out of church. But that is your mom's and my style. That is not a reflection on you two."
Cait looked at Mike and Andi. "It's different generations. We all do parenting different. Mom and dad spanked all of our asses when we crossed the line. And none of us turned out to be serial killers." Cait looked at Mike. "Did I with you or Matt?"
Mike shook his head. "Nope," he smiled. He looked Aaron in the eye. "Matt and I figured out long ago what you went through. Why we respect you so much, Dad."
Aaron smiled. "I made a promise to myself I would never be like him. And protect Sean." He looked at Mike. "Why John and Hannah are so welcomed in this home. They gave Sean and me a safe haven and pushed my mom to finally report him to the police. And get her, Sean and me out of there." Cait rubbed Aaron's back.
Cait shook her head at the couple. "We're just Sam's grandparents. Not judge and jury." She grinned. "You two just keep doing what you're doing. You're doing a great job. Dad and I will back you. Including our old school ways. That won't hurt Sam," she winked.
Andi hugged Aaron as Mike hugged his mother. "Thank you both," Andi said.
-00CM00-
Cait, Aaron and Sean walked into Dave's home the next afternoon. Dave was in the kitchen. Ted was sitting at Dave's nook counter. "Sean I understand. What are you two doing here?" Dave asked.
"Drinking your beer," Aaron smiled.
Cait put the two loaves of French bread on the back counter of Dave's kitchen. "And taking in the heavenly aroma of that sauce cooking."
"I'll beer tend," Ted smiled, getting off his stool. "Sean you want one?"
"Please Ted," Sean smiled as he washed his hands. Drying them, he looked at Cait. "Where do I find a spoon?" Cait pointed at a drawer as she and Aaron sat down at the knock counter. Sean opened it, pulled out a spoon and shut the drawer. He walked to Dave's massive eight burner stove and lifted the lid on one of two the pots slowly cooking the meat sauce. He stuck in the spoon and drew out a spoonful. Blowing on it, he took a taste, including a chunk of the meat. He looked at Dave, shaking the spoon at him. "I know your secret ingredient," he smiled, putting the spoon in the dishwasher.
"Which is?" Cait asked.
"You don't make lasagna Cait?" Ted asked, handing out the beers.
"Why?" Cait smiled. "I've got him," she pointed at Dave. She looked at Sean. "So give it up already."
"To make primo lasagna sauce, you need the right spices," Sean said. "Parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, ground black pepper, fennel seeds and …" Sean smiled.
"Sugar," Cait smiled. "That I knew."
"How?" Dave asked.
"I follow a cooking blog. There was a big argument a couple months ago about putting sugar in the meat sauce," Cait responded.
"Very good Mrs. Hotchner," Dave smiled. Cait grinned.
Sean smiled at Dave. "You, my friend, add to the most basic ingredient." Dave smiled at him. Cait looked at Sean. "The meat," Sean grinned. "I'm guessing there's Italian sausage along with the ground beef," he said, looking at Dave.
"Sweet Italian sausage," Dave corrected, starting two pans of water to boil.
Sean, taking a drink of his beer, rubbing Dave's shoulder, smiled. "I'm here for you."
Dave started to mix up the ricotta cheese and some parsley flakes. Sean looked at Dave. "I'm assuming with three pans, you've tripled your original recipe."
"I have," Dave answered.
"Add three eggs to that ricotta mixture." Dave looked at him. "Trust me. It will help keep it all together. And make it easier to spread around when we're making up the layers," Sean said.
Dave looked to the heavens. "You failed me grandmamma."
Sean softly shook his head. "No, she didn't Dave. She just didn't know the value of eggs back then," he smiled. "Two centuries ago," Sean zinged. Ted, Cait and Aaron roared with laughter, sitting at the nook counter.
"Asshole," Dave zinged back.
Sean helped Dave cooking the noodles.. He pulled the first pan off and softly dumped the lasagna noodles into a strainer. Dave took off the second pan and did the same into a second strainer. Sean grabbed the water faucet of the sink and started to rinse the noodles in cold water.
"Do you have two pans that will hold the strainers?" Sean asked. Dave pulled out two. Sean put a strainer in the first and moved to the kitchen island. Dave did the same, following Sean. Dave poured the red sauce with meat into the bottom of the three pans. Sean followed him, putting a layer of noodles on the top. Dave spread the ricotta mixture over the pasta. Sean added the slices of mozzarella cheese. Dad added another layer of red sauce. Sean sprinkled in a layer of the grated parmesan cheese. Dave started to add another layer of noodles. "Dave," Sean softly smiled. "Be Jewish." Dave looked at him. "We both added the noodles left to right. This layer…"
"Got it," Dave smiled. "Do it right to left. It helps with even baking."
Sean grinned. "You got it."
Cait moved into the kitchen as Dave and Sean finished the last layer. "What are you doing?" Dave asked.
"I'm washing your prep dishes."
"No Cait," Ted said. "I'm washing. You're drying. You obviously know Dave's kitchen and where things go."
"Not all these pans," Cait smiled. "But let's do it."
"I'll make a beer run to the garage," Aaron said.
Dave's home began to fill with the rest of the family. Aaron and Cait were in the kitchen, buttering the French bread while the lasagna baked. It was obvious what was going on. Matt, Lauren, Mike and Andi happened to look in. Cait hip-checked Aaron. "Really you two?" Matt asked with his huge grin.
Aaron turned and looked at his oldest sons. "You two are parents," he pointed at Mike and Andi. "You two are expecting twins," he nodded at Matt and Lauren. "Your mom hasn't had to cook all day. A little more alcohol later…" Cait raised her arm with her big grin. "Yeah boys, it's like that."
Jake walked by and lightly smacked Matt and then Mike's head. He pointed at Aaron. "That's a rock star boys."
Cait looked at Aaron. "You going to be my rock star tonight?" she seductively grinned.
"Pour some sugar on me Doc," Aaron grinned, kissing Cait. Matt, Mike and their wives laughed.
Dave walked into the kitchen a bit later while Maggie was stirring up the big bowl of Asian Cole Slaw. The three pans of lasagna were already resting on the kitchen island with the garlic bread in the oven. "Really?" Dave questioned.
"Dave, I wanted to make my famous lettuce strawberry balsamic salad." She nodded at the four boys sitting at the nook counter. "Guess how that went over?"
The boys looked at each other, broadly grinned and made the sound of the annoying eighties TV game show buzzer. Maggie looked at Dave and rolled her eyes, shaking her head as Dave laughed
"Grandma, you know we love you," Tate said.
"But seriously grandma?" Jack piled on. "The recipe for your bridge club?"
"I'm not a rabbit," Wyatt snarked.
"Neither am I," Ethan added.
"Either am I," Cait softly correctly, moving into the kitchen to help Maggie.
Dave smiled at Maggie, nodding at her wine glass. "Need a top off to put out those flames?" he grinned. Maggie stuck out her tongue at him.
"Speaking of wine," Matt smiled. "What dazzling red are you going to share with us tonight Uncle Dave?"
Dave pointed at his wine cabinet. "Grab three bottles out of the bottom door Matthew."
Matt opened the door and looked at Dave. "Really?"
"Really," Dave smiled.
Sean smiled. "Really." Maggie and Jarrod looked surprised as Matt pulled out three bottles of the Barkley Vineyard's product.
Leslie smiled. "I'm the restaurant numbers cruncher. We're selling Luke and Adam's red blend by the bottle and glass. We're going through nearly four cases a week. That's big sales for a restaurant."
"And with us being the only restaurant in the city that has it," Sean smiled. "Luke and Adam keep it coming."
Matt put the three bottles on the island. "I ordered a case from your uncles a couple weeks ago," Dave smiled.
"Nice Uncle Dave," Matt grinned back.
Mike looked at Sean. "I don't think that's enough," he winked.
"Neither do I," Sean smiled.
Jake looked at his sister. "The dumb s-h-i-t-s did something right?"
"Yes, they did," Cait grinned.
A bit later, Dave looked around his kitchen and dining room. Andi and Steph were wiping off their children's faces from the red sauce. The rest of his guests were relaxed in their chairs, fully sated.
Jack looked at Tate. "Ya wanna split one more piece?"
"That's too much for me," Tate said.
"I'm here too," Wyatt said, still at the nook counter with the other three.
"I may be the youngest and the shortest," Ethan said. "But I'm here too." Jack smiled, getting off his stool to get another piece. He climbed back up into his counter stool and shared the piece with Tate, Wyatt and Ethan. Jake smiled at the boys, grabbing another slice of the garlic bread. Matt and Mike split another piece between them, each grabbing another piece of the bread as well.
Sean came into the kitchen with his glass of wine, putting his plastic plate, that Cait insisted on and bought the stack at Costco, into the recycling basket in Dave's island. He looked at Dave. "Well done," he smiled, lifting his wine glass. "My compliments," he grinned.
"Thanks for your help Sean," Dave smiled back, clinking his glass with Sean's.
-00CM00-
The next evening, Bill's vacation video was the hit of the BAU party. Mike had to pause it several times, running the video off Cait's laptop, hooked to the big screen TV in the Great Room. Everyone asked questions about the trip.
When the video got to the trip to Victoria Falls, Hannah looked at Diana. "Look at you rock star, riding a horse," Hannah smiled.
"Haley gave me a very smooth ride," Diana smiled at Hannah and winked at Jack.
"She's good like that," Jack grinned.
Bill smiled at Tate. "Charlie was my rock star."
"Awesome!" Tate grinned. He looked at Ted. "Thanks again grandpa," he smiled.
"My pleasure grandson," Ted grinned. "I'm glad Charlie has helped out on another BAU excursion."
Emily smiled at Bill. "Charlie is definitely a rock star." Derek rubbed her shoulder with his big grin, giving Ted a point.
Thirty seconds later, another picture came up. Mike, having previewed the video, immediately hit the pause button. The room got silent. It was a beautiful picture of Bill and Diana, holding hands with the morning California sun shining on them through the mountain peaks. At the memorial for Beans and Mudgie.
"Maggie took that and sent it to me," Bill whispered.
Jack shook his head and wiped a tear. He crossed the Great Room towards Bill. Bill stood up and smiled, pulling Jack into a hug. Tate was right behind Jack with Diana waiting for him. "Beautiful job kiddo," Diana said, rubbing Tate's shoulder.
"Thanks Diana," Tate said. "That means a lot." Diana and Bill switched boys for another hug. When Jack and Tate moved away, Matt and Mike were standing there.
"Group hug," Mike softly smiled as he and Matt hugged Diana and Bill together.
One of the final pictures was Nick, Heath and Miguel. "There's the rock stars," Aaron smiled.
"Amen Uncle Aaron," Wyatt grinned.
The non-ranch visitors looked at Aaron. "Dad, that's all you," he smiled at Jarrod.
"That's my first younger brother, Nick, on the left," Jarrod pointed. "Heath, the second brother, is on the right. In the middle is Miguel. He's in charge of the family horse riding stable."
"Miguel is the real rock star," Ethan smiled. He shared fist bumps with his brother, Jack, Tate, Matt and Mike.
"Yes he is Ethan," Diana smiled.
When the video ended, Penelope looked at Kevin. "I'm bummed being left out of a ranch visit. I think we need to re-visit our plans of a vacation in San Fran."
"We're an hour and a half drive away," Maggie smiled at them. "The welcome mat is always out. We love having company."
"The room rates are really good," Bill smiled at them.
"The food is better," Diana winked.
A hour later, the older party guests went up the steps from the den to leave, along with a few parents that were sending their young sons home. Derek looked at Father Jimmy. "You sure you don't mind dropping off mom and the boys?" Savannah and Fran were getting the two boys in their jackets.
Jimmy smiled. "It's an easy off and back onto the freeway. Just help me get the car seats into the backseat for the boys."
"You got it Father," Derek smiled, rubbing his shoulder. Jimmy said his good-byes to Cait, Aaron, Maggie and Jarrod.
JJ was helping Michael into his jacket. "You be good for grandma," she said, kissing him.
"How come I can't stay overnight like Henry?" Michael asked.
"You're not a tween," Will drawled with a smile.
Jarrod looked at Sandy. "I drove my own car tonight. If I can do the two hours here from Franklin County PA," she smiled. "I can make it back to JJ and Will's home. I've got a good co-pilot," she winked at Jarrod.
"All over that grandma," Michael smiled.
Maggie looked at Diana and Bill as Cait and Aaron helped John and Hannah into their coats. Jessica went out to get her car running. "What about Spencer?"
Bill smiled. "Emily will be sleeping on the couch in Spencer's apartment tomorrow after he drives later," he winked.
Cait and Aaron said their good-byes to Diana and Bill. They smiled as Maggie and Jarrod moved to them. Diana and Maggie hugged as Jarrod shook Bill's hand. "We'll see you two in February," Jarrod smiled. The Reids looked at him.
"The weather in northern California in February," Maggie said, "to quote any of our grandkids, sucks."
"My bride wants sunshine, warmth and a pool. We've rented a condo for a month in Henderson," Jarrod added, smiling.
Father Jimmy and Morgan came back into the house as the group was getting ready to leave. The "older" group said good-bye to each other and started to move towards the door. Diana, at the front of the group with Bill, stopped and turned. Cait winked at Aaron, moving to the piano. The rest of the group stopped. "There's one thing I missed tonight," Diana said. Cait played a chord.
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper packages wrapped up in string. These are a few of my favorite things, Maggie sang. Cait joined in on the piano as Maggie sang more.
Michael LaMontagne pulled Sandy's arms around him. "That's special," he whispered.
"Yes it is," Hannah smiled at him, rubbing his head. Maggie sang the group out the door.
Jarrod looked at Aaron as the group left. "Mind if mom and me have a nightcap and then head to bed?" he smiled.
"Enjoy you two," Aaron smiled back. He and Cait headed downstairs.
Twenty minutes later, Maggie and Jarrod were putting their glasses into the dishwasher when Cait came up the steps. "Everything OK?" Maggie asked.
Cait grinned. "I just cleaned out Dave and Spencer on a drop dead bluff." She looked at her parents. "But my contacts are killing me. I need to get them out," she said, moving to her and Aaron's bedroom suite.
She came back out ten minutes later to Maggie leaning against the kitchen island. "Mom?" Cait said, moving to the kitchen. "You OK?"
Maggie smiled. "I'm fine. You and I just need to talk for a minute." Cait looked at her. Maggie looked Cait in the eye. "You're the family matriarch," Maggie nodded at the steps. Cait looked at her more.
"Mom, you're the family matriarch, not me."
Maggie smiled. "Of our family, yes. That team downstairs? No."
"Cait, from the first time you invited that team into you and Aaron's home, you got the title." She shook her head. "And you've lived up to it. Through it all. Helping Aaron and Jack getting past losing Haley. JJ and Emily leaving the team. And then coming back. What happened to Derek. Spencer's issues." Maggie shook her head. "You keep Penelope smiling through what she deals with. You're the glue. For your husband. For Dave. For all of them."
Cait looked at her mother. Maggie grinned. "I like my title," she winked. "You've earned yours," Maggie said, hugging Cait. "Dad and I are so very proud of you."
Cait deeply hugged Maggie. "Thank you mom. That means the world to me."
XXXXX
A/N: Yup. It's like that. And with all of you loyal readers, I have no doubt that you can fill in the blanks of what is missing in the usual Thanksgiving weekend.
Henderson is a suburb of Las Vegas.
That said, thank you everyone for the favorite and following alerts. And the reviews. They mean the world to me. They also keep me plugging away on the ol' laptop. One more Zach story in the hopper before the end of the year.
My deepest thanks again to the OK Teacher for doing the proofreading. She's on her very well-deserved week long break for the Thanksgiving holiday. So I didn't have to push her buttons with this story, finishing it last Saturday night. Her work, and dedication to backing me, is a blessing I give thanks for.
*Knightly bow*