Match Made in Virginia [s. reid]

six

CHAPTER SIX
"I'LL BE HERE, GRADING PAPERS
UNTIL MIDNIGHT."
( PHONE CALL WITH NEW FRIENDS )

THE SHRILL RING OF her phone made Natalie jump, startling her, the red pen in her hand slipping from her grasp and onto the table before it rolled to the ground. She had been so caught up in grading papers and tests and pop quizzes, she totally forgot her phone was on loud. Earlier after school, she had been texting Jennifer Jareau, the two conversing about their day, but the texts stopped quickly once Natalie got home and realized how much stuff actually needed to be graded. So, when she looked down at the caller I.D. to see Jennifer's name, it wasn't that much of a surprise. The loud ringing was, though.

She leaned back in the chair she was sitting in and pushed away the papers towards the middle of the kitchen table before picking up her phone and answering. "Hi, Jennifer."

"Hey, Natalie. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No. I mean, I was grading some tests and stuff, but I need a break anyway," Natalie told her. "Why are you calling?"

JJ hummed. "No reason. Just that a little genius birdie informed me this morning you two fake planned a fake date to mess with your students."

Natalie let out a tiny laugh and leaned forward. She rested her elbows against the surface of the table and let one hand rest on her forehead. "Oh, boy."

"Mom?"

"Hold on, Jennifer," she said quickly and looked up to the entrance of the kitchen where Holly stood with her backpack thrown over her shoulder once again that day. She moved the phone away from her mouth a bit. "Are you going somewhere, Hol?"

The teen nodded. "Yeah, Sam and I are going to go study for a French test that's on Thursday."

"Okay, just be back by..." Natalie looked at the clock on the stove. It was nearly six. "No later than eleven. Okay?"

"Yes, ma'am. Love you!" Holly's smile was big as she walked backwards, a horn honking a second later. "See you later, Mom."

"See you later, sweetie. Stay safe."

"Always."

And with that, Holly spun on her heel and rushed to the front door, grumbling as Sam honked once again. Natalie smiled to herself and moved her phone back to the position it was before. "Alright, sorry about that, I'm back."

"No, it's fine. Don't worry about it," JJ assured her.

Natalie hummed, and she nodded even though the other woman couldn't see her. "So, where were we?"

"A fake date with Spencer."

"Oh, right. That."

Jennifer laughed. "Now, don't sound too excited, Natalie."

Natalie laughed as well and removed the phone from her ear, putting the call on speaker before gently setting the phone on the table. "Between you, my daughter and her aunt, and some students, I haven't heard the end of it all day," she said and moved the papers back towards her. She then grabbed the pen from the ground and finished grading the paper she had been before as the FBI agent spoke again.