𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 ↠ a. hotchner

chapter thirty - miss kathrine.

OPHELIA TRUTHFULLY didn't know what to do with herself. There were several hours where Jack was at school and Jude was either napping or playing by herself where Ophelia begged for something to do. She filled this void with going to the bullpen about once a week to socialize with the team and sending Aaron a bunch of pictures of Jude, which he admittedly loved. She also made a habit of taking Jude on walks with a net shrouding her in her stroller, so she wouldn't get sick. On these walks, she would often talk to Jude about her future, or her own life in general. She hoped that Spencer's research was right, and her endless babbling would help her comprehend language somehow. If not, looking crazy and talking to herself in public would have been for nothing.
      The two were on their way home from one of their regularly scheduled walks when Ophelia noticed the mail carrier had come by their complex's mailboxes and decided to check theirs.
      "Look, Jude, the mail carrier was here," she hummed, happy to be inside the chilled building. She heard a rattle coming from the carriage, telling her that Jude was indeed awake and playing with her toys. She smiled to herself and stepped inside the small room with metal boxes lining the walls. She dug her keys out of her pocket and unlocked their assigned box to see the usual stack of envelopes. One stuck out, however, with lavender paper and cursive writing on the back. She immediately fixed it in front of her to read the return address.

Kathrine Lang
1467 Ashley Way
Brooklyn, NY

      Ophelia first noticed that the letter was from her hometown in Maine, something she had never shared with anyone she didn't have to, then the familiar address. Kathrine Lang. Her eyes widened and she tore the envelope open, revealing a calming shade of a yellow card with the word 'congratulations' written across a bundle of flowers. She folded the cover of the card back, revealing more cursive writing on the inside.

Ophelia,

Congratulations on the recent birth of your first child! I was so delighted to hear that you were pregnant and the delivery went smoothly. Judith is such a lovely name. I know it's been a while since we last spoke, and I hope you, your husband, and children are doing well. You've grown so much and I'm so proud of you. Call me if you need anything at all or just want to talk. You have my number.

Sincerely yours,

Kathrine

      It had been nearly thirteen years since she heard the name Kathrine Lang. How did she get her address, and more importantly, who told her about Jude, Jack, and Aaron? She gave Jude a concerned glace,  tucking the envelope into her bag underneath the stroller.

      She knew she had to make a phone call she had been dreading since she joined the bureau. Avoiding your previous caretakers, who supported and loved you, was admittedly not one of her best decisions. She didn't know when, but at some point in her life, she had forgotten about Miss Kathrine, and her obligations to her. She associated that time of her life with pain and loss so often, she seemed to forget the things she was grateful for. One of those things was Miss Kathrine.
      "Hello?" She swallowed hard, not expecting an answer so quickly.
      "Hi, Miss Kathrine?" She looked to Jude once more, who was dazing at her comfortably in her rocker. "It's Ophelia Holmes."
      "Oh, dear! You know, it was quite alarming to receive a call from an FBI agent claiming to be the father of your child," she scolded. Ophelia could imagine her familiarly wagging finger as she said this. So that's how she knew. "Which I also didn't know about."
      "Yes, I know," she sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry I didn't call sooner."
      "That's alright, dear. I expected you to try to forget that time of your life." Ophelia let the corners of her lips tug upward. Finally reconnecting with a woman who she saw as the equivalent of her mother was riveting.
      "You seem to be doing very well now, though." Ophelia nodded.
      "Yes, actually," she glanced at Jude, attributing her. "I've never been happier."
      "It's good to hear that. You deserve it." She could hear her smile through her voice.
      "Your husband sounds very handsome, by the way," Kathrine chuckled. Ophelia joined her.
      "He's not my husband," she blushed. Photos of them with the kids hung around the apartment, but they were no more than in a relationship.
"Oh, that's good too," she stammered out supportively. "Do you want him to be?"
"I don't know," she replied, a deep pink still burning her cheeks. "Maybe." Sincerely, she wanted nothing more. Still, when she looked down at her bracelet, she imagined that matching ring on the same hand.
"That's wonderful, dear," she soothed. Ophelia shook her head, subconsciously admitting that she had fallen for Aaron Hotchner. The two talked for a few more hours, until it was time to feed Jude and pick up Jack from school.
"It was very nice talking with you, Ophelia. Do keep in touch."
"Oh, trust me, I will." She would definitely tease Aaron for this later.
"Goodbye, dear."
"Goodbye, Miss Kathrine."

A few hours after Ophelia and her children returned home, the clock passed 5:15 PM, meaning Aaron would be home any minute. Jack was doing homework on the island counter on the opposite side of the living room from where Ophelia was on the couch, trying to concentrate on the book in her hands. This proved to be useless, however, when Jack called for her to help him with his work.
"It says I need to do all of these." He pulled out a sheet of paper with what must have been 50 different simple multiplication equations.
"Okay, what are you having trouble with, bug?" Ophelia planted her feet inches away from him on his barstool, leaning over to read the numbers.
"This one." He pointed to a square with eight multiplied by eight on it. Ophelia followed his finger with hers.
"Okay, what's the biggest multiplication of eight that you know off the top of your head?" His face screwed up with focus.
"Eight times four is thirty-six," he concluded, removing his hand from his chin. Ophelia smiled.
"That's very good, Jack." He smiled back at her but returned his gaze to his paper when she tapped on the table with his pencil. "Write that down." He obeyed.
"Now, let's just keep adding by eight until we get to eight times eight." She led him through the process four times until he reached his goal.
"So what's your answer?" He looked back at his work.
"Sixty-four?" She clapped her hands together.
"Very good, Jack!" He wrote his answe down and gave her a toothy grin.
"You're so smart." She kissed the top of his head and he returned to his work. She lingered for a moment just in case he needed more help. Before he could ask, though, the apartment door began to unlock from the outside. Jack immediately perked up.
"Daddy's home!" He jumped out of his chair, unaware that it had almost fallen over, and dashed to the door. Aaron had barely emerged from the crack in the door before Jack had thrown himself in his arms.
"Hi, buddy!" He smiled, struggling to open to door with his son and luggage in his arms. Ophelia rushed to help him, allowing him in. He dropped his duffel bag on the floor and wrapped his arms around his son entirely. Ophelia smiled, closing the door and stepping close to the two.
"What have you three been up to?" He asked his son, his smile unfazed.
"Mommy's helping with my homework." Jack had exclusively called her Mom since Jude's birth, but her heart still faltered every time she heard it.
"Is she?" Aaron looked to his girlfriend adoringly and she blushed.
"Yeah, we're doing multiplications of eight," he said proudly. Aaron gave him a look of shock.
"Multiplications of eight? That's pretty big stuff, buddy," he said admittedly. Jack smiled as Aaron planted his feet on the ground and straightened his back again. Ophelia inched towards him.
"What have you been up to?" She smirked at him. He quirked his eyebrow.
"Me? Work, baby," he sighed, slightly stretching his back. He wouldn't own up to it, but Jack was getting a little too old to be held anymore.
"So you didn't look through my file and call my old caretaker?" She asked him slyly, mirroring his brow. He swiped his tongue on his lip.
"Maybe," he smirked back at her. She shook her head. "Unless that's a problem."
"No, not at all, baby." She stepped closer to him and he absentmindedly rested his arm around her back.
"Thank you," she whispered. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "It was really nice to talk to her."
"Always." He returned a smile and pulled her into him. She breathed in his familiar scent, just happy to have him home again.
"I love you," she mumbled into his chest.
"I love you."