Clay was undeniably fortunate. Not long ago, the President introduced a groundbreaking policy to garner favor among federal employees: all federal workers would receive up to 12 weeks of paid paternity leave. Though the policy was limited in scope, it was unprecedented in American history.
Drawing from his past-life experience, Jack helped Clay find a postpartum nanny. Of course, the concept didn't exist in the U.S. in the traditional sense, so the "nanny" was technically a cook: María, one of the two Mexican maids the Wolfe brothers had brought back from Mexico after Jack tipped them off (Chapter 485).
The Wolfe brothers' venture to Mexico had been fruitful but also brought unintended responsibilities: two "extra passengers" in the form of young maid Sonia and cook María.
Sonia, now the young, capable manager of the Wolfe farm, remained single. María, on the other hand—despite being in her forties—had caught the attention of Justin's father, Professor Hubble.
Hubble, just past 60, looked older due to the toll of caring for Justin during her illness. However, as many had noticed, people close to Jack seemed to regain vitality over time. Hubble was no exception, and his improving health came with a rekindled zest for life.
Living on the farm, fishing, and helping Sonia and María look after the Wolfe household had brought him and María closer together. While María continued addressing Hubble as "Professor," he would court her daily with fresh flowers and endearing terms, resembling an old-school "lover boy."
Though the pair was clearly smitten, their relationship was stuck in an awkward limbo—partly due to María's traumatic past with an abusive, drug-addicted husband.
Jack had a cunning solution: he convinced María to move temporarily to New York under the pretense of helping Clay's wife, Stella. His plan was simple: let absence make the heart grow fonder.
Jack's strategy wasn't limited to mere separation. He enlisted Justin to engineer moments of nostalgia and even had Rossi—Hubble's fishing buddy—review and tweak the romantic elements of the plan. Rossi's extensive (though largely unsuccessful) romantic history made him a self-appointed expert on dramatic proposals.
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew simply enjoyed the drama from the sidelines, eagerly awaiting the day Hubble would propose, armed with a ring and a new sense of confidence.
As the hottest part of the year arrived, the team finally began to unwind after a week off. Some visited family, while others threw themselves into extravagant leisure activities.
One particular team member, who hosted a yacht party with supermodels, became the target of Jack's pointed disapproval. He made it clear that such events required prior invitations, even if he knew Hannah and JJ wouldn't let him attend.
"Thud!" A heavy plastic container hit the kitchen counter with a loud bang as Aubrey and Clay set it down.
Aubrey groaned, rubbing his sore arms. "Where's Jack?"
Clay glanced toward the back door. "If he's not in the kitchen, he's definitely in the backyard."
Aubrey, curious, threw open the back door. "Hey, Jack! You'll never guess what I brought back for the team!"
"Did you haul a mermaid out of the Atlantic?" Jack asked without turning, clearly preoccupied. "What color was she?"
"It's tuna. Uh… wait, mermaids come in different colors?" Aubrey, unfamiliar with pop culture references, didn't catch the joke. But when he saw Jack squatting on the ground, hands encased in rubber gloves and covered in mud, his eyes widened in shock.
"What the hell are you doing? Why are you covering eggs in dirt?"
"I'm making your favorite: 'deviled eggs,'" Jack deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "These are duck eggs and quail eggs, not chicken eggs. Has your week at sea left you unable to distinguish anything smaller than a D-cup?"
Jack's irritation wasn't entirely unwarranted. The trip to sea could have included him, even if JJ and Hannah would've objected. Not inviting him at all was an entirely different matter.
The "deviled eggs" Jack referred to were actually century eggs, or preserved eggs. After coating the duck and quail eggs in a paste of quicklime, saltwater, baking soda, liquor, tea leaves, and spices, Jack rolled them in rice husks and carefully placed them into a large jar for fermentation.
"Is that it? They're done?" Aubrey asked, still fascinated.
"They'll need about 15 days to cure," Jack replied, peeling off the muddy gloves and heading into the kitchen. There, he opened the large plastic box Aubrey and Clay had lugged inside.
Inside, packed in ice, was a nearly 200-pound yellowfin tuna, almost two meters long.
Though yellowfin tuna isn't as prized as bluefin, its sheer size made it an impressive catch. Jack shot Aubrey a skeptical look.
"Did you actually catch this?" Jack asked, half-joking. "You didn't just become bait and get dragged overboard, right?"
Aubrey feigned offense. "The captain and I fought that thing for over an hour! I pulled my weight—literally!"
"Impressive. Next time, take me along," Jack said with genuine envy. Fishing had never been his forte. Whether in his past or present life, his luck with rods was abysmal.
By the time the team started arriving at the office, drawn by Clay's phone calls promising good food, Jack had already broken down the fish.
The massive tuna's head and bones simmered in a giant stainless-steel pot, filling the room with the rich aroma of creamy fish soup. Slices of the prized otoro belly were arranged neatly for sashimi, while the remaining meat was sorted, vacuum-sealed, and stored.
As the team savored the sashimi, they unanimously requested cooked dishes next. With a quick sear in butter and a sprinkle of sea salt, the tuna steaks were as delectable as any fine dining experience.
In the midst of their feast, JJ's phone rang. Moments later, Jack's and Jubal's phones chimed simultaneously, followed by a cascade of notification sounds from the rest of the team's devices.
Everyone froze, their celebratory atmosphere evaporating in an instant.
"A new case," Jack muttered, his voice tinged with resignation. He glanced at the golden-brown tuna steak sizzling in the pan and sighed. "We didn't even get to dessert."
(End of Chapter)
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