The entire team, including Penelope, had travelled out to Wyoming to deal with the distressing uptick in teens committing suicide, and Erin felt like her heart was in her throat when she read about what was going on. Karen was the same age as those who had already taken their lives, and she could only imagine the sorrow that the families left behind must be feeling in that current moment. Shaking her head to try and clear out the sorrowful thoughts, Erin began to work on the quarterly budget for the meeting the next day. She had almost gotten into the swing of things when her phone vibrated against her desk, and she picked it up to see who had messaged her.
You should have Helen check your mail. I just received a notification that the photo book has been delivered. I truly hope that it is perfect, since I know how much this means to you. And, not that I'm someone to tell her boss what to do, but I think that you should have Hotch come over after this case, since I have the feeling that he's going to need something to brighten his mood. We all will, but we all don't have something that can easily provide that boost. Xoxo, Penny
Erin chuckled as she rolled her eyes a little. Penelope might not think that she was bossy, but she had a sweetly dictatorial disposition to her that Erin recognized in her Tabitha. Getting up from her desk, she went out to where Helen was, seeing that she was filing away some of the paperwork that had been in her inbox that morning. Clearing her throat, Erin waited for Helen to register her presence before speaking. "Oh, Erin! Is everything all right?"
"It's going to be a difficult case, but that's not why I'm out here. I just received a text from Ms. Garcia that told me there's a package waiting for me, probably down in the mailroom, since I'm not certain how large it is. Would you kindly head down there and get it?"
"Of course! Do you want me to pick up a coffee or anything while I'm near the commissary?"
"I'll be fine, thank you," Erin replied, giving Helen a soft smile before heading back into her office and working on the budget once more. She knew that she needed to get it finished, but for some reason, it just wasn't holding her attention like it should. Deciding that it was a lost cause after getting about halfway finished, she picked up her cellphone and scrolled down to Jessica's name, pressing it before bringing the phone up to her ear.
"Erin! Hey! Is everything all right?"
"Yes, I just needed to hear a friendly voice, since I can't seem to keep my concentration. I hope that Catherine isn't giving you too much trouble today."
"She's a little lovebug, Erin! I cannot begin to thank you enough for letting me watch her while you and David are at work, along with Jack and Elise, after preschool. You are so blessed."
Erin nodded as she leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling. "I have felt that more and more over these past few weeks. I still can't believe that she's two months old already. Time shouldn't move this fast, and yet it is. I, I did something."
"A good something?"
She let out a long breath as she nodded. "I hope so. I had Penelope help me make up a photo book for Aaron, detailing the course of Elise's life up to this point. I even managed to find a few pictures of Jack and Elise together to add to the book. Helen's just run down to the mailroom to see if it's actually here, and I really want to flip through it and then give it to him. But the entire team is out in Wyoming, on that awful case, which means that it will have to wait. Would you mind staying at the house when the team returns, so that I can present it to him when he comes to pick up Jack? I know, I shouldn't feel so worried, but we've found our way towards a little bit of understanding, and I don't want to muff things up at this tender junction."
"Of course, Erin. And I hope that you'll let me look through the book as well."
"Well, if you want to stay for supper tonight, I can make that happen. If it's here. But I'm assuming that Penelope was right, as she is very rarely wrong in matters like this." Just then, Helen walked into the room, a thin, wide, book shaped box in her hands. "And it would appear that she was definitely correct. So, I'll see you tonight?"
"Of course!"
"And don't let the children talk you into making them supper. Karen and Bruce are old enough to make a simple meal for all of us, even if they would rather have us do all the work. I should be home a little after six, God willing and I get this damned budget completed."
"Oh, I hate making budgets up for the quarter at work. Would you like company for lunch today? I could bring by sandwiches from the deli and you can feed Catherine before I go pick up Jack and Elise."
A warm grin spread across her lips as she nodded, gesturing for Helen to set the package down on her desk. "I would love that, Jess, thank you. I'll see you in a few hours, then?"
"Of course! And if you can promise to have that budget finished by the time I get there, I might be persuaded to pick up fancy cupcakes for us to have for dessert."
Erin chuckled as glanced at the half-finished report. "You drive a hard bargain, but I think that I can be properly bribed. But get an extra for Helen, and I'll pay you back when you get here. See you soon."
She ended the call before looking up at Helen, the smile never leaving her lips. "You look like you're in a much better mood, Erin."
"I am, after that call with Jessica. Now, I need to make certain that I finish this budget so that I can eat what Jessica brings for dessert. Sometimes, you just need that little extra bit of motivation to get things finished."
Helen nodded as she looked pointedly at the package. "Does that mean I have to wait until lunch to see you open that?"
"Unfortunately, yes? I'd love to open it, but I know that I'd just take my time to look at every picture contained in there, and not get this report completed. And since the meeting is first thing tomorrow morning, I truly need to focus."
"I suppose." Helen gave her a small wink before leaving the office, and Erin let out a small sigh as she tore her eyes away from the package and turned back to her computer screen and buckled down on finishing the report, knowing that she needed to get it finished. Even if she did want to just shirk all her duties and check out the book that she and Penelope had created. There would be time for that later, once Jessica was here with Catherine, and she would just have to be patient.
