"Aaron, you have to do something!" Laurel's frantic voice echoed over phone.
"Laurel, Honey, why don't you take a deep breath, calm down, and tell me what's wrong?" The team was on a case in a small town in upstate New York and Laurel's unexpected phone call had Hotch rattled. His wife never called him during the workday, any important issues were discussed during the call he invariably made to her each evening.
"It's just – everybody," Laurel sounded stressed. "Jessica is driving me crazy with her constant fretting about how I am feeling. I get the distinct impression that she is expecting me to have a case of the vapors any time now. Dave is hovering about trying to be helpful, but actually getting in my way. Penelope is constantly calling me about the color scheme for the nursery. By my count, she is on her seventh 'gender neutral' suggestion. Jack is complaining that no one is around to take him out to practice driving. And, you know that Paige just passed her Junior Level tests and we need to be lining up music for her new program. However, her school called and they want to talk to me. I suspect that it is about the amount of time she has been taking off lately due to her skating schedule. On top of all that, Tovah is talking about quitting coaching when she gets her degree a couple of months from now."
"Laurel – Sweetie," Hotch didn't know what to say. This wasn't the wife he knew. The Laurel he knew had an answer for everything and could handle anything. He was totally out of his league with this onslaught of domestic problems.
"Okay," he took a deep breath. "Why don't you get Dave to take Jack out driving?"
"Aaron, you know what kind of language Dave uses when someone cuts him off or gets in his way," Laurel reminded him. "It may be in Italian but even I can tell that it's not exactly what is shown on the safe driving video."
"You're right," Hotch agreed. "Bad idea."
"Okay," he moved on to his next suggestion. "What about getting Garcia to work on the music for Paige's program?"
"As much as I adore Penelope," Laurel replied patiently. "You know what her taste in music is like. Whatever she picks out, it probably won't be 'judge friendly'. Just because a piece of music is currently being repeatedly played in a popular club doesn't mean that it can be skated to."
"Moving right along," Hotch was beginning to understand where her frustration was coming from. "We have already talked about putting Paige into a private school that will make allowances for her skating schedule. Why don't you get Garcia working on that – In her spare time of course. That way, if the school is threatening to expel her due to her absences, you will have a back-up plan ready."
"She's already started on that," Laurel reported. "But, she doesn't have a definite list yet. Let me see if she can come up with one for me before I go over to the school. I'll have Dave review it with her."
"And, I'll talk to Jack tonight when I call," Hotch promised. "Once we finish this case, I should be home for a couple of days. I'll set up a schedule with him to take him practice driving then."
"As for Jessica – ", Hotch took a deep breath. "I think you are just going to have to deal with her. She remembers all of Haley's problems and is undoubtedly worried that unless you slow down you are going to end up on total bedrest, too."
"I know," Laurel sighed. "I just feel so – so- " she paused.
"Sweetie, you are almost seven months pregnant," Hotch smiled as he said it. "You are entitled to be a little overwhelmed. Don't worry. If anyone can deal with it, you can."
"You do know that I love you, don't you?" Laurel asked softly.
"As I do you!"
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Hotch had no sooner ended his call with Laurel than his cell phone rang again. He checked the screen, frowned, and answered, "Joel?"
"Aaron," his brother-in-law replied. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"No, I was just taking a break," Hotch replied. "Actually, I was just talking with Laurel."
"Well, Laurel is the reason I'm calling," Joel told him. "I need to talk with you about a letter she is going to be receiving from the Department of Corrections for the State of Michigan."
"A letter?" Hotch asked.
"Yes, it seems that both of the Mercers are being released from prison," Joel continued. "They got time off for good behavior and, as they aren't considered particularly dangerous, they are being turned loose on society with minimal supervision."
"I don't know if they know where Laurel and Paige are currently living," Hotch said thoughtfully. "But, Paige's name and picture have appeared in several skating magazines recently, along with the name of her home rink. So, as a precautionary measure, we will probably need to get a restraining order against them."
"A good idea," Joel agreed. "I'm already working on getting one for us. There is no way of knowing what those two will take it into their minds to do. And, with Laurel pregnant, you don't want to take any chances."
"I certainly don't," Hotch replied. "I'll need to get on that right away. Thanks so much for calling, Joel. I really appreciate it and when I talk with Laurel again later tonight I'll let her know to expect that letter."
"Just take care of my sister and my niece and my new – whatever," Joel concluded the call. "You may be a Fed, but they are my family."
After finishing his call with Joel, Hotch wasted no time in pushing a well-used speed dial number on his cell phone. "Dave," he spoke into the instrument. "I have something I need to have you handle."