A/N: A super huge shout out to Monkeywand, FF author, and Trips, one of my "kids", both at the CM Rev site for their wonderful song suggestions. Luvs to ya both!
Chapter 19
Aaron came out of he and Cait's bedroom, having changed out of his swimming trucks. He was wearing his usual cargo shorts and a t-shirt that celebrated the boys' high school baseball team's back to back state titles. He took his trunks to the laundry room. When he re-entered the great room, Dave and Jarrod were talking baseball as Maggie headed upstairs to change. Cait was just going in the bedroom door to change as well.
The usual calm nature of the Hotchner household, if you could say that about a home with three active boys, was the total opposite of the Union Station in Washington DC. With the Nation's Capital about to celebrate the Fourth of July, and the station also being a stop on the Metro, it was a beehive of activity. Jack, walking between his brothers, clung tightly to both their hands.
A large man, in a desperate hurry, bumped into Mike, causing him to lose hold of Jack's hand. Matt stopped to let Mike catch up as he noticed Jack tightening his grip on his hand. "Hey bro, let's make this easy for you. And Uncle Sean and Aunt Leslie as well." He hoisted Jack up onto his shoulders as Mike rejoined them, smiling.
"Great idea bro," Mike smiled. They shared a fist bump as they waited in the crowded station, near the exit of the NYC Amtrak train that just arrived. Less than two minutes later, Sean and Leslie emerged out of the sea of people.
Sean smiled the big Hotchner smile as he and Leslie approached them. "Great beacon guys! Made it easy for us to spot you." Leslie hugged Mike as Sean shook hands with Matt and grabbed Jack off of Matt's shoulders to give him a hug. Matt hugged Leslie as well and she got the usual Jack bear hug. Sean gave Mike an affectionate rub of the shoulders.
Since the throng of people coming off the train was still going on, Sean put Jack back on Matt's shoulders. "I think that's the best place for you bud."
"Me too Uncle Sean," Jack beamed. Leslie closely eyed Jack.
"Do I see a tooth missing Jack?"
"Aunt Leslie, I almost forgot!" He proudly showed the both of them as they made their way to the parking lot. As they approached the vehicle, Sean beamed at Matt.
"You're moving up in the world. Mom lets you drive her ride."
"Yeah," Matt proudly smiled. "But I still haven't made into dad's." Matt pulled Jack off his shoulders.
As they put the luggage in the back, Sean smiled at his oldest nephew. "You do know your dad can have a pretty tight butt about some things, right?"
Matt laughed. "From the first day I met him Uncle Sean." He looked at Jack. "You don't repeat that to mom or dad. Got it bro?"
Jack held out his fist. "Word bro." They all laughed and climbed into Cait's SUV.
Back at Deer Valley Road, Aaron, enjoying his day off, stretched his legs and bare feet out across the coffee table to watch the baseball game with Dave. Jarrod joined him in the same position. As Cait came out their bedroom, she looked at Dave. "You OK? Do you need anything?"
"Yeah, I'm watching the Cubbies, so a beer would be great," he smiled, knowing the answer he would get.
Cait didn't fall into his trap for a debate. "Ice tea or lemonade?"
Hotch smirked at his best friend getting bested by his wife. Dave glared at him for a second, and then smiled at Cait. "How 'bout half and half," Dave responded.
"One Arnie Palmer coming up," Cait smiled as she rubbed her hand across his shoulder.
"Make that two Cait please," Jarrod added.
"Doc?" Aaron said as he got up to let the dogs out that were standing by the French doors in the nook.
"Make it three," she smiled as she walked into the kitchen. Cait reappeared a few minutes later, with three glasses, with sugar around the rims. She handed the first to Dave, who noticed the sugar. "A reward for being a good boy and taking a nap," she devilishly smiled at him. Dave just rolled his eyes at her. She handed the other two to Aaron and Jarrod, and walked back over to Dave and sat on the arm rest of the recliner. Jake, who had just finished spring football practice and a recruiting tour for USC, and taken his own nap, joined his dad and brother-in-law on the couch with a beer in hand. Dave just shook his head at him.
"Whatttt, big dog," Jake teased. "It's my weekend to drink my bro's beer. When I get back home, its work out central."
Cait rubbed Dave's shoulder again. "You haven't had pain meds since this morning. Do you need some?"
"Honestly Cait, I feel pretty good. And I'd like to get off them as soon as possible. They just mess up my system."
Cait smiled at her dear friend. "I'm in on that. Just let me know if it starts to bark OK?"
"Ummm Cait, maybe just a couple of regular Advil?" Dave smiled, as Maggie just walking into the great room heard the exchange.
Cait went into the master bathroom and came out with two Advil. Maggie met her with a glass of water. Dave thanked them both and took the ibuprofen.
The ladies left the guys to their game and headed into the kitchen.
"I've got the washer going with the swimsuits," Maggie smiled. "What are you planning for dinner, and more importantly, can I help?"
"Mom, my cooking motto this weekend is simply to do it easy. Tonight is ribs, which Aaron will cook on the grill and then I finish off in the oven. Add baked potatoes, green bean casserole, Chinese Cole Slaw and garlic bread, and everyone is going to have to call it a meal."
"Sounds great; what do you need me to do?"
Cait shrugged. "Take your pick. Get the bakers ready or put together the salad."
"You've got enough to deal with. You do bakers; I've got the salad." Cait hugged her mom and they started in. "Cait, what about tomorrow night?"
Cait smiled broadly. "I let my brother-in-law chef loose in my kitchen tomorrow night, and drink beer with my husband knowing the day we face on Sunday." Maggie matched her smile.
Just as they finished, Jack flew into the house. "They're here," he shouted.
Jarrod letting the dogs back in, smiled at his grandson. "Great Jack!" he smiled.
Sean, Leslie and boys came in and they all shared hugs and greetings. Dave stuck in the recliner, hollered, "Hi Sean and Leslie!"
They both made their way to him. "Hey Dave," Sean said as he shook his hand. "How you feelin'? And don't scare us again like that. You're pretty important around here."
Cait and Aaron shared a smile, knowing that Sean truly appreciated how much Dave meant in all the lives of those that lived in the house. In those dark days after Haley died, and Sean couldn't get away, he knew Dave had been the family's rock. "I'm just glad to be out of the hospital Sean," Dave smiled. Leslie leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"You look great," Leslie observed.
"I feel the same. I had a power nap this afternoon that some doctor kicked my butt into taking," Dave smiled. Cait and Aaron just looked at each other.
With the added members of the house, the Deer Valley Road home became even livelier. Yet it was a home simply filled with laughter and love.
They enjoyed Cait and Aaron's wonderful meal, all gathered around the nook table. Aaron added the two leaves to expand the table, as Jake grabbed some folding chairs from the hall closet. Cait not only allowed, but encouraged that Dave sat in a regular chair at the table. "That's good for you. But only for a little while," she advised. The three boys ate at the lunch counter, with Jack as usual, elbow deep in BBQ sauce.
The boys, with Jake and Sean joining in, did the clean-up. Aaron and Jarrod got Dave settled back into the recliner.
A little later, the four boys, with Sean and Leslie, enjoyed the pool. Aaron, Cait, Jarrod, Maggie and Dave sat together in the living room and just chatted. It was relaxing.
The pool group can in and got changed. After Maggie and Leslie got Jack his bath, the entire group, in reality family, was gathered in the great room. Cait came out of the kitchen with a huge bowl of homemade buttered popcorn as Aaron popped in a DVD. They all watched with smiles as the DVD that Mike had created with Garcia played. Jack curled up in the recliner with Dave.
Cait, while married to Mark, had a bounty of past pictures, and home videos of Matt's early years. While Mike had weeded out most with their dad, knowing how he treated their mother, Cait had still kept a chronicle of her son's lives through regular pictures, then digital and home videos. Through growing up, with the annual trip to California every year and Matt playing sports, the DVD showed Matt's progression.
It was a wonderful video. Mike, with Penelope's help had done a beautiful job. The video opened with Matt's newborn picture and Barbra Steistand singing Scattered pictures, light the corners of my mind and proceeded with Cait's pictures and videos. One of the most touching was Cait's recording of when Matt first said hello to Mike with his ocular implants; hearing his older brother's voice for the first time. Cait wiped a tear away as Aaron gently kissed her cheek, his arm tightly around her shoulder.
Jack whispered, "That's too neat Uncle Dave." Dave wiping his own tear just hugged Jack. In between the videos with sound, Nickelback's If Today Was Your Last Day and Rascal Flatt's My Wish played softly in the background. Maggie commented on much Jack had grown from the family picture taken at Cait and Aaron's wedding. Mike had done a beautiful job with the DVD.
When it finished, he anxiously looked at his brother and parents. "Do I need to change anything? Penelope can help me tomorrow."
"Nope bro, don't change a thing," Matt smiled. "Thanks Mike; you did an awesome job."
Mike smiled. "I had some help." Aaron beamed, as Mike looked for his parent's approval.
They both smiled at him. "You did a great job Mike," Aaron said. "And I'm glad Garcia helped you. Please, just don't say anything about that when Chief Strauss is here on Sunday," he smiled at his son.
"Gotcha dad," Mike beamed, as he heard accolades from the rest gathered. Cait's proud smile, with his dad's approval, spread a large smile across his face. He pulled the DVD out.
Jack, snuggled up with Dave on his left leg, enjoying a small bowl of popcorn his mom had put in Dave's lap, smiled at Dave. "Is this too cool, or what, Uncle Dave?" Dave leaned down and gave Jack a kiss on head, as the rest just smiled. They enjoyed a wonderful time as a family.
Aaron put in Lady and the Tramp for Jack to watch as Jake, Matt and Mike headed upstairs for video games before Sean and Leslie went to bed. Jack smiled as Dave hummed along to Bella Nolte. "You know that song Uncle Dave?"
"Of course Jack. I'm Italian, like Tony." The rest just smiled.
As the movie finished, Aaron moved to grab a yawning Jack out of Dave's lap. Jack gave a big hug to Dave, and accepted his dad's arms. He said his good nights to everyone, also hugging his grandparents and Cait and Aaron tucked him into their bed. Maggie and Jarrod were not far behind in the sleep department, quickly followed by Sean and Leslie, who had worked the closing shift at the restaurant the night before. The two boys and Jake came down the steps.
Jake and Aaron got Dave into the kitchen bathroom, and then moved him into the study to get him down for the evening. As Jake left, Aaron gently helped Dave get undressed. He was still sitting on the side of the bed when Cait came in with a glass of water and his meds.
"Dammit Cait, I'm in my boxers," Dave growled.
Cait rolled her eyes at him. "Care to take a guess at how many of them I wash a week? I just hope you don't wear the same brand as Aaron or the boys, cause I'll be screwed when it comes to folding them."
"Oh no, you're not doing my washing as well." Cait just stared at him.
Aaron laughed. "You know Dave, for being as smart as you are, you can be a real dumb shit sometimes. Cait give him his pill so he can relax and get his head out of his….,"
"Oh, don't you start on me," Dave warned.
"Dave, shut up and take your pain med." Dave looked at Cait. "Dave, Dr. Nickoli prescribed Advil 3. It's just a stronger dose. I recommended it because I know you take Advil. It's not like what they gave you in the hospital, and trust me; I know the side effects of what they gave you there. This other pill should help with that problem."
Dave just smiled at her and took the meds. Aaron and Cait helped him into bed and said their good nights. They left the study and headed upstairs to check on the boys, who they found in Matt's room, along with Jake, laying on Matt's bed, in a hotly contested cribbage game. "Guys, please just don't stay up too late. You know we've got a lot to do tomorrow."
They all reassured them it wouldn't be a late night. "Dad and I will let the dogs out," Cait said as they shared their "good nights".
When they came back down, Cait grabbed the remote to find some early local news while Aaron let the dogs out. She wanted to see a weather report, but didn't want to stay up until the usual 11 pm for the major channels to go to their local news. As she found the station and sat down on the couch, Aaron came in and handed her a glass with a splash of scotch and some ice and let the dogs in. Beans made a beeline upstairs as Mudg ambled into the study. He sat down to join her with his own drink. They watched the news and weather, while sipping their drinks. When the weather finished, Aaron clinked the TV off. They both concurred they needed to sleep with one ear open.
"Doc, what is Dave's other problem?"
Cait smiled. "The pain meds they prescribe for after surgery in hospitals all have one side effect in common; constipation."
Aaron looked at her. "And the other pill?"
"Should alleviate that problem."
"Great. You know who he's going to ask to help him with that job, right?"
Cait looked at her husband and gently grabbed his chin with her hand. "One of the many reasons I love you," she smiled.
Aaron just shook his head.
###
A/N: Arnold "Arnie" Palmer is one of American's golfing legends from the 1960's. It is a celebrated legend, which I have not been able to confirm, that after a round of golf, he had a drink mixed for him that consisted of half ice tea and half lemonade. Whether true or not, this combination of drink is now widely known throughout the US as an "Arnie Palmer". The Metro is DC's subway system.