Autumn in Philadelphia Trilogy

The Return: The Uninvited

AN: Lazytown them song belongs to its respective owners. Also, thank you Pod Meets World and Too Much Shirts. 😉

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The pattern of the prodigal is: rebellion, ruin, repentance, reconciliation, restoration. -Edwin Louis Cole

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On Wednesday morning, Jamie woke up with a slight fever, complaining of a headache. This caused some issues as Audrey had been planning to go with Jon to the District Office for the day. When Shawn offered to stay home with his sick brother and Bella, Audrey was quick to take him up on it without asking any questions.

She needed a break from household duties and could no longer stand to be separated from Jon for fear something should happen to him while they were apart. Going into the District Office would also give her something else to focus on as her thoughts since Julia and Shawn brought Jon home had tended towards the morbid.

She'd been looking into hospice care.

For herself.

Jon didn't know, of course. No one did.

Unfortunately, after nearly twenty years of marriage, Jon could read her like a book.

"What's with you?" he asked as they were gathering their belongings for the day. "You look like you've been plannin' a funeral. Or the lead up to one."

Audrey froze as she stared at him in consternation.

He caught her look and gave her a worried frown. "Babe?"

She shook herself and continued packing their lunch. "Nothing, Jonny. I just want my jacket back."

He refrained from rolling his eyes. "I know. I know." He kissed her and gave her bottom an affectionate pat. "I'd get it back for you if I could."

She returned his kiss but said nothing more.

When they arrived at the office, it was quiet. A few employees were there preparing for the day, but most were not in yet. It was the first time Audrey had been at the District Office for more than a moment to drop something off for Jon.

Katherine was not in like she expected her to be.

"Shouldn't she be?" Audrey asked. She had mixed feelings about the woman working with Jon, but she did expect her be professional enough to do her job. As the assistant to the superintendent, it seemed like her day should start at the same time his did.

"Should be, yes," Jon sniffed with a roll of his eyes. "I'm happy if she makes it in before 8:30."

Audrey walked into Jon's office and was greeted by his framed jersey that took up the entire center of the bookcase. Her husband had the bookcase custom built specifically to house that piece of hockey history. She shook her head in amusement and then realized that he didn't have a stick to go with the jersey. Suddenly she needed to talk to Brian Leetch about a birthday gift for Jon.

As she settled into the corner of the office where Julia usually sat, Jon frowned at her.

"You can't sit in a fold up chair all day, Aud." He left the office and came back a few minutes later with an ergonomic office chair which he placed next to his own.

"I don't get a desk of my own?" she teased as she took the seat he offered and opened her laptop.

"I need you close," he said with a cheeky grin.