Chapter 7: Complications
Matilda turned around from the closed door, the girl balanced on her hip and the boy at her side. She stared at the FBI agents with a gleam of defiance in her eyes for a moment before setting the girl down and disentangling the boy's hand from the strap of the diaper bag. She then tossed the diaper bag to join her own leather massager bag and scooped the girl back up into her arms. Matilda made as if she was going to walk into the kitchen – completely ignoring the agents – but stopped when the boy reached out and grabbed her wrist. She could have easily kept going but she seemed to sense that something was wrong because she turned a questioning expression on the toddler.
"Momma," the toddler said his confusion evident in his voice, "who's this?" He asked gesturing at the three agents standing in his home.
"These are some of momma's friends Gabe," Matilda answered with the same grave seriousness the boy had used.
"Oh." Apparently, that was answer enough for him because he allowed his mother to lead him into the kitchen.
When they reached the kitchen Matlida set Cally down in an empty chair while Gabe took the last vacant chair and climbed up into it. The two sat there regarding Morgan – who had remained seated since entering the apartment – with frank curiosity.
"Hello I'm Cally." The little girl said quietly waving at Morgan.
"Hello little lady," Morgan responded with a warm smile.
"I'm Gabe," her brother interjected, standing up in the chair. Clearly, he was not shy. "Who are you?"
"Gabriel we sit down in the chair." Matilda admonished him; Gabe sat back down but then gave Morgan a mischievous smile.
"I'm Morgan," the man said answering the boy's question. "These are my friends JJ and Gideon." He continued pointing to each agent in turn.
"Hello." The toddlers said in unison.
"Well," Mattie said recapturing her children's attention, "who's ready for a snack before bedtime?"
"Me!" That was Cally.
"I want a snack, but I'm not tired," Gabe answered.
"I'm sure you're not," Mattie agreed but her tone of voice said just the opposite. "What do you two munchkins want for a snack? A cookie or fruit snacks?"
"Fruit snacks!" Again, they spoke in unison.
"Can I have Batman snacks Mommy," Gabe asked, Matilda nodded before turning around to rummage in one of the cupboards.
"I want Scooby-doo Mommy."
"Alright," Matilda said turning back towards the table, she had already gotten one package of Batman fruit snacks and Scooby-doo ones. "Scooby-doo for Calista and Batman for Gabriel," she announced handing already opened packages to the children.
They took their time eating their bedtime snacks and an awkward silence fell over the four adults. Each agent was thinking the same thing but neither one of them wanted to be the first to voice it, especially in front of the children. When they finished their fruit snacks Matilda was quick to clean up after them.
"Let's go brush our teeth and get in our pajamas, then Mommy will read you both a story."
The kid's did not seem too interested by that but Matilda ushered them out of the kitchen and down the hall towards the bathroom. She was only gone with them for maybe five minutes before the agents heard the sound of little feet running towards them followed by Matilda's annoyed shout.
"Gabriel Thomas!"
Around the corner spurred on by his mother's shout came Gabe, dressed in a lightweight t-shirt that had Spiderman on it with matching shorts. Apparently, Matilda had decided to put their pajamas on first. He was also wearing a great big cheshire grin, like the cat from Alice in Wonderland. He must have thought it was some kind of game and when Matilda finally caught up to him, she did not look too upset. In fact, if one looked closely they could see suppressed laughter in her hazel eyes.
"Gabe," she said in a low voice. "You really do need to go to bed young man."
"No!"
"Gabriel," Mattie persisted the amusement draining from her expression. The toddler noticed the change in his mother immediately and squeaked before ducking behind Morgan.
"Hey little man, you really should listen to your mother." Morgan told him grabbing the boy and lifting him into his lap. Gabe willingly allowed the profiler to pick him up, in fact he seemed right at home sitting on the former football player's lap. What's more, Morgan looked just as comfortable with a child on his knee.
"Why don't I help you get them ready for bed?" Morgan asked. Matilda looked ready to refuse that is until a well timed scream for her mommy from Cally made up Mattie's mind for her.
"I give." Matilda declared dramatically throwing her hands up above her head before heading back towards the bathroom where she had left Cally. Smiling ruefully Morgan rose from the chair and keeping a tight grip on Gabe followed Matilda down the hallway, leaving both JJ and Gideon alone in the kitchen.
"Gideon," JJ began once they were alone, "do you suppose...?"
"I don't suppose anything JJ."
"But Gideon it can't be a fluke that she has children and if I'm guessing right they have to be just about four years old and she's been 'missing' for almost four years. It's too coincidental to not be part of the reason for her to go 'missing' in the first place."
"JJ why don't we let her explain it."
*insert line*
"I had already managed to brush his teeth," Matilda told Morgan when they were halfway to the bathroom. "I was just trying to get Cally ready for bed when Houdini here made a break for it."
"Do you want me to read him a story while you take care of Cally?" Morgan asked.
"Please, that is if you think you can get him to sit still long enough." Was her response, Morgan did not bother to reply. Instead, he took Gabe to the bedroom Matilda had indicated and laid him down in the red racecar bed with batman sheets and comforter.
"This is a sweet bed little man," Morgan told him and Gabe smiled. He seemed very pleased with his batman sheets.
"That's Cally's bed, mine's better." He pointed out the blue racecar bed with Scooby-doo bedding. Morgan stifled a laugh.
"Alright little man, what story do you want to hear tonight?" Morgan asked, turning towards the bookcase that was in-between the two beds. Gabe leaned over the edge of his bed to study the bookcase.
"That one," he exclaimed pointing to Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat. Morgan pulled it off the shelf and after making Gabe layback in bed began to read it. He had no idea what Matilda meant about trying to get the boy to sit still. All Morgan had to do was start reading and Gabe was passed out cold within a few pages. He finished the book just out of principal, and then tucked the boy in one last time before leaving. It was as he was leaving that Matilda came into the room with an already asleep Cally. Morgan watched her tuck in the little girl than check on Gabe before leaving. For a moment, he wondered why Matilda had waited until he was done reading to Gabe before entering the room. Then he realized it was because Morgan was male and Matilda probably had not had a man around her since she escaped the control of her rapist.
Morgan could not really blame her for her shyness but it aggravated him all the same as well as made him even more determined to catch the bastard. He followed Matilda back down the hallway to the kitchen making sure that he shut the kid's bedroom door securely. He had the feeling that there was a lot more for Matilda to tell them and he did not want them to over hear what was guaranteed to be a tense conversation.