"Aaron – Did you know that this is the house Mommy grew up in?" Paige asked excitedly as the two men walked through the French doors. "She lived here when she was my age!"
"I kind of got that impression," Hotch smiled at her.
"And you still own half of it," Joel reminded his sister.
"I'll take the half that doesn't need cleaning," she bantered back at him.
"A self-cleaning house, I'll take one of those," Lois contributed cheerfully to what was obviously an ongoing dialog. "Now, Aaron, if you will take that seat next to Laurel, we can start eating."
"Everything certainly smells good," Hotch observed as he held Laurel's chair for her before sitting down himself.
"You have manners," Lois observed with a smile. "That right there puts you in my good graces."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"So, I spoke with Lois's cousin, Missy, and she is willing to supervise Paige's visit with the Mercers tomorrow," Laurel told Hotch. Dinner was over and Joel had chased the two of them and Paige into the family room while he helped his wife with the clean-up.
"She works for Friend of the Court and is qualified to oversee supervised visits," she explained.
"I don't want to go with them!" Paige complained. "I don't like her."
"I know, Sweetie," Laurel sympathized. "But the law says that they are entitled to visit with you, and you know that we always obey the law. Besides, Missy will be there. From what I remember of her, she is really nice. I think you'll like her."
"Everything is all set," Lois walked into the room holding up her cell phone. "Missy called the Mercers and arranged for them to meet you and her at the Downtown Diner tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. She made it clear to them that they have to stay in the diner and that they can only talk with Paige. No taking her anywhere. Also, that the visit is only going to last two hours."
"It sounds like she has everything under control," Hotch observed.
"You can trust Missy," Lois assured him. "She's been doing this for a long time."
"Now," Hotch turned to Joel. "You were going to tell me about your job. You are an engineer?"
"And you need to get to bed," Laurel told Paige. "It's past your bedtime."
"Mom!" Paige complained. "I'm on vacation!"
"Go on to bed," Lois encouraged her. "You and your mother are sleeping in her old room. And, tomorrow morning, you can help me make waffles for breakfast."
"Boring!" Paige declared as she stood up and headed towards the bedrooms. "How Terribly Terribly Boring!"