Gingerbread Christmas at the Lazy M
By Yankee 01754
It was two weeks before Christmas. Snow lay five feet deep in the higher valleys of the Sierra Madres. In Sunny Acres, California, it was three feet deep. The Lazy M Ranch, just outside of town, had three and a half feet and the temperature was in the teens.
The cowboys bustled about ensuring that the water pipes in the barn were well wrapped to prevent freezing. There were two men working on that, several were bringing hay down from the loft and loading it on a truck. They would take it out to the cattle, and horses, that were in the farthest pastures from the home place that might not be able to find forage under the snow. If some deer came along and helped themselves, well that was all right too as far as the owner, Cayce McKenna was concerned.
She had her personal pilots, cowboy Frank Harding and Riptide detective Nick Ryder, flying bales of hay up to her wildlife refuge in Nevada. This time she knew Nick wouldn't get lost because he was not on his own. If there was any trouble Frank was there and would back him up or radio Silver City for assistance. Nick had tangled with poachers almost a year ago and it had been a nerve wracking time of searching and waiting for his friends. No way was Cayce going to allow him out on his own again on this mission.
Cayce was giggling as she escorted Murray to her office. Normally she kept it locked up so he wouldn't spend all his time working on her books. This time she had a reason for letting him in there.
"Your mission, should you choose to accept it," she joked like the tapes from Mission: Impossible, "is to create the patterns for our gingerbread houses we're making to take to the children's ward at the hospital. My neighbor's 4-Hers, and mine, will be here tomorrow to put them together. They were here yesterday to work on the dough."
Murray grinned like a little boy. He loved doing things for kids and making gingerbread houses for sick, and injured, children was something he could enjoy with all the enthusiasm of the 4Hers.
Cayce issued one word of warning - she knew Murray was likely to get carried away.
"Remember, Boz, these are kids who are going to make these for the kids. They have to trace the designs onto poster board and then cut out the pattern pieces. We don't want anything too difficult. Try making three or four different, but simple, designs."
She left the computer whiz sitting at her computer happily playing with the graphic design program he had installed on it a few months ago. There was nothing Murray liked better than doing something for kids.
"Cody? Josh?" She called the oldest of her adopted brothers and her cousin into the kitchen. "Where are you? I need you to go into town and do some shopping for me."
They came into the kitchen while she was finishing up her list.
"Cody, you're in charge of the regular grocery shopping. Josefina called in an order to Mr. Sawutz this morning. He'll have everything ready. There are a few other errands I want you to run for me but first I want you two to go to Redwing. There's a candy store there where you can get the stuff we need for the gingerbread houses. Lifesavers, Tootsie Rolls, NECCO wafers and such. There's a separate list. And don't eat half of it before you get back here," she warned them. "I know exactly what's on the list so unless you buy yourselves a bunch of junk I'll know what's missing. I want the receipt when you get back - detailed!"
Cody threw her a mock salute. "Yes ma'am! Orders received and understood." Grinning he said, "I'll keep an eye on Josh. He won't even get near the candy supplies for your houses."
Cayce wrinkled her nose at him and laughed. "Get out of here you brat! Take the other brat with you. If you run into any problems call." She handed the two lists to Cody who put them in his wallet for safekeeping. He didn't want his head handed to him if he lost it the way he'd lost that girl's phone number he'd written on a napkin that one time.
The two men left the kitchen and grabbed their jackets and gloves from the hall closet before going out the front door to get Josh's blue Chevy Blazer. It was a bit roomier than Cody's Jimmy and the Jimmy had been left behind in King Harbor, anyway - the detectives having opted for flying up in the Mimi since they would have any number of vehicles, belonging to the ranch, that they could borrow when necessary.
"I'm all set, Frank," Nick told his co-pilot. "How about you?"
"This is the last bale," Harding replied as he snipped the wires and broke it into flakes. "Let's get back in that bird of yours and get back to the ranch. I reckon Miss Cayce has some hot coffee ready for two hard working men. If she doesn't Brian's the cook this week and he'll have some ready or just about since he's in charge of the bunkhouse kitchen."
"Maybe some cookies or something as well?" the Italian asked.
"Quite possible," Harding grinned.
"Let's go."
The two men jumped into the cargo bay of the Mimi and clambered up to the seats in the cockpit. After a moment, or two, of fussing (par for the course with the aging Sikorski) they were airborne and on their way back to California and the Lazy M.
Redwing's shops were bustling with shoppers when Cody and Josh pulled in to the center of town. It took fifteen minutes of circling before they finally found a parking space.
Exiting the truck both men pulled their collars up around their necks and pulled on gloves. It was cold enough as it was but the wind, whipping around at thirty miles an hour made it feel like it was ten below zero - or even colder. They were both happy to get inside the candy store where it was warm and planned on visiting the little cafe across the street for an early lunch and some hot coffee.
"Wow!" Cody exclaimed as he and Josh entered the shop. "They've got everything you can think of don't they?"
"And then some," Josh grinned. "There was a penny candy store up the street from the elementary school I went to. They had button candy, candy cigarettes, bubble gum cigars, miniature Bit o ' honeys, gum drops and caramel creams. You name it." He gave Cody a sideways glance. "I used to spend my allowance and Cayce's, when she visited."
"I'm surprised you're still living, knowing Cayce like I do," Cody laughed.
"She was smaller than me then," Josh said with a smirk. "I could have beat her up if I'd wanted to but Uncle Brian would have had my head if I did. Not to mention my dad wearing out my backside and a perfectly good belt."
Cody laughed.
"And we won't even discuss what Grandad would have done."
"She was his favorite?"
"She's everybody's favorite," Josh answered. "She's merry and cheery and pleasant and patient and everything good. Besides, she's the only orphan in the family and we all wanted to take care of her."
The two men walked around the store gathering marshmallows, NECCO wafers, Tootsie Rolls, gumdrops and everything else Cayce had on her list. They wound up buying twice as much knowing that they would all be munching away as they helped the kids build their houses. Cody insisted on paying a good chunk of the bill because of the extra expense.
When they had paid for their purchases the two men went across the street to Marian's Cafe and had lunch. They lingered over pie and coffee for about thirty minutes then set out on the return trip to Sunny Acres where they were to pick up the grocery order Josefina had placed.
The McKenna family always gathered at the Lazy M during the Christmas season due to the house being so large and there being plenty of room for the younger children to run around outside in the fresh air and not have to worry about traffic. With the ranch hands always around working with the livestock, machinery or whatever there was always somebody to see that they stayed out of trouble and away from dangerous places and things. When Cayce had inherited the ranch she kept up the tradition.
It was close to two o'clock before Josh and Cody got back to the Lazy M. With a little help from KC Campion and Brian Hays all the groceries, including the candy, were unloaded from Josh's truck and brought inside. Nick and Frank were seated at the kitchen table thawing out by having coffee and a piece of cake.
"Hi guys," Cody greeted the two pilots. "How'd you make out?"
"Fine," Nick told him. "We dropped the hay, made sure the bales were open and flew back. No problem."
Josh came to the table with two cups of coffee. Cayce followed him with plates on which sat large wedges of white cake with chocolate frosting. Her cousin, and adopted brother, took seats at the table with the other two men though Frank quickly finished his snack and headed back outside, pulling his sheepskin jacket on as he went.
While the men were having their snack Cayce looked through the bags and, with Josefina's help, started to put the groceries away. There were packages of hot dogs, steaks, a large roast beer, potatoes, butter, a couple of hams as well as staples such as twenty-five pounds of flour, salt, sugar, cornmeal etc.
"Guys! There's way more candy here than we need! What is this?" Cayce was astounded by the amount of candy her cousin and friend had bought.
"Well, everything looked so good..." Cody started.
"Josh, I would expect this from. But you - Cody Allen - I expect more sense from you. That's why I sent you with him!"
Nick tried hard not to smirk. It wasn't often that Cayce became exasperated with this particular partner of his.
"Honestly!" Cayce shook her head.
"Where's Murray?" Cody asked in an attempt to distract her.
"In my office making gingerbread house patterns. " She caught on to what he was trying to do and said, "You don't change the subject that easily, Cody Allen. I gave you a list. What's with all this other stuff? And how much did it cost me?"
"I didn't cost you anything," the blond said hastily. "Josh and I thought we'd get some stuff for ourselves - it all looked so good. I paid half the bill."
"That took the wind out of her sails," Cody thought triumphantly.
Cayce was not defeated though. "We'll just give all this candy to Josefina to put away and lock up. We may have need of it when the kids come tomorrow."
Over Josh's "that's not fair" and Cody's "what" Nick's laughter rang out.
"You two think you're so smart. You ought to know she's going to find out what you're up to sooner or later. She always does."
Cayce grinned triumphantly as Josefina put the candy in the cabinet. The two men were defeated and they knew it. None of them would dare to defy Cayce's surrogate mother. Josefina could be a force to be reckoned with and they were all leery of her big wooden spoons. More than one hand, and backside, had felt her wrath.
"Cayce," Murray said, " - oh, hi guys! Back from doing your errands so soon?"
Nick and Cody grinned. It was just like the Boz to get so involved in whatever he was doing on his computer that he lost all track of time.
"Yes, Boz?"
"Check these out will you? I think they'll work just fine for the kids to make their houses with."
Cayce took the computer drawings that Murray was holding.
"Looks good on paper, Boz," she said. Let's trace it onto the poster board and see if it holds up. If it works with the poster board it'll work with the gingerbread."
The two older detectives were now getting into the spirit. Nick went into the den to find the poster board and some pencils. He and Cody worked together to trace the patterns onto the poster board while Cayce, Boz, Josefina and Josh cut them out and taped them together.
"I think these will work," Cayce said. "Good job, Murray!"
When they were through the group quickly cleaned the table off as it was getting close to time for dinner and Josefina was wanting to get the table set. The patterns, and poster board went into the office and the rest of the supplies were put back in their respective storage units.
Dinner that night was beef stew with fresh bread and butter. There was lemon meringue pie for dessert and everyone present did justice to the meal.
"Josefina, any time you want to quit working for my cousin," Josh told the Mexican woman, "you can come cook for me."
"No, I do not think so," the Mexican woman responded. "Your mama takes very good care of you. You do not need me. Señorita Cayce does and so do the men who work for her."
"Hey! No fair trying to steal Josefina away from Cayce," Nick told Josh. We don't eat as well at home as we do here - even if we go to Straightaway's."
"You do all right, Nicholas," Cayce reminded him. "I've eaten with you guys on the Riptide. You're all competent cooks - especially with a barbecue grill."
Everyone laughed. It was a ongoing game, so to speak, that Josh would try to convince Josefina to leave his cousin's employ and take care of him but everyone knew that she would never do that. She was more than a housekeeper, and cook, to Cayce, she was the mother she'd lost when she was ten. Cayce remembered her mother quite well, and Josefina was quite different except that she loved her employer like a daughter and enjoyed looking out for her and Brian when he visited.
"Where is everybody?" a man's voice was heard from the front entry.
"Uncle Brian!" Cayce squealed, jumping up from her seat to run out and greet him.
Lieutenant Colonel Brian McKenna was nearly bowled over by his niece's exuberant greeting. It was always thus and he loved her as if she were his own. Anyone
who saw them together could see the deep, abiding love these two had for each other.
"You're late! We just finished dinner," Cayce told her uncle. "I'm sure Josefina can warm something up for you if you're hungry."
"I'm fine," Brian said as he removed his coat and hung it up in the closet. "I stopped at a little restaurant I know that's about halfway between here and Irwin."
Looking past his niece he smiled and spoke to the visitors.
"Allen, Ryder, Colonel Bozinsky, it's good to see you again."
The men shook hands. Nick grabbed McKenna's suitcase and headed upstairs with it. They all knew which room he stayed in when he stayed with his niece.
"Josefina. I'm glad to see you're here watching this crowd. My former subordinates are handful by themselves but with my nephew, here," he indicated Josh, "they're even more trouble."
Cody and Nick, who had just come back downstairs, just grinned. They'd become such a part of Cayce's life that comments like this were normal. The colonel was always joking with them.
Josh, on the other hand, squirmed a little under Brian's gaze. The senior McKenna had a way of knowing when Josh had been causing trouble or raising cain - or both.
Josefina smiled and responded in Spanish. Only Cayce, and her uncle, understood exactly what she had said which was that it was a pleasure to see him and yes, Josh could be a handful but she had ways of managing him - like depriving him of her famous desserts.
The group found their way into the large living room where Cayce and Brian took settled in the chairs by the fireplace. The others settled in other seats or on the couch.
"It's always good to come home to the Lazy M," Brian said. "The housing, on post, is ok but it's nothing like this," he said with a contented sigh.
"Don't get too comfortable," his niece told him. We still have a tree to decorate."
"Slave driver," the colonel laughed.
"Uncle Brian! You know you always tell me to wait until you get here."
"Yes, Cayce, my love. Give me a few minutes, and a cup of Josefina's Mexican hot chocolate, and I'll be ready to go."
Five minutes later, he was ready to go. Josefina knew how much the colonel enjoyed hot chocolate with a touch of cinnamon so she always had some ready for him when he came to visit during the cold weather.
Nick, Cody and Brian worked together to set the tree up while Cayce, and the others, headed for the attic to get all of the ornaments and, most importantly to Murray, the train set that the McKennas had bought the Riptide detectives several years ago. They'd added enough track to the set now, that they could pile the presents under the tree and still have the train circling it without running into obstacles.
Within an hour, with Josh on the ladder doing the highest limbs, and Cody spotting him, the tree was done. Silver garlands, garlands that look like icicles, shiny balls of red, green, silver, gold and midnight blue with gold glitter on them hung near the lights. Other ornaments - Cayce's lifesaver man, wax gingerbread characters that smelled like spiced apple, a sled for each member of the family with their name on it and finally the silver tinsel. The white angel tree topper, and the lights, were plugged into each other and the special switch that allowed someone to turn them on and off without having to crawl under the tree (they merely had to step on a button on a control attached to the cord) and the tree was done.
"Looks great!" Boz enthused.
"Very nice," Josefina said as she came in with a tray of coffee, cocoa and cookies.
Josh took the tray from her and put it down on the coffee table.
"Looks good if I do say so myself," he joked. "I did a great job."
The others hooted. It was like the time he told his uncle he could be good and Brian had asked him when that would be. Josh may have helped but he certainly wasn't responsible for the tree by himself.
"It was a team effort," Cayce reminded him. "You did a good job with the angel and on the highest branches, but it took all of us to put it together. The kids are going to love it."
"Yeah, what she said," Nick echoed.
Everyone laughed. It was like this any time Josh was involved in putting up the tree. He tried to take credit for the whole thing and got shouted down and laughed at.
"This is the weekend the 4-Hers come isn't it, Cayce?" Brian asked.
"Tomorrow. Right after lunch," she confirmed. "They'll be here, along with their leaders, around one o'clock. We're going to eat lunch about eleven-thirty in order to make sure we're done before they get here and that the dishes are done and put away.
"Sounds like a good idea," the colonel said. "In which case, with barn chores and such to do in the morning, I recommend we all hit the sack and get a good night's sleep."
Taking the hint, Josh went to the front hall to retrieve his jacket from the closet. His home was close enough for him to drive to the Lazy M any time and yet be home to sleep in his own bed. He stayed overnight on occasion but only if he was needed for something first thing in the morning.
Brian McKenna went to bed still chuckling over how Cayce had outsmarted her cousin and Lieutenant Allen over the candy they'd bought. He could still see her face when, as a child, she realized Josh had talked her out of her allowance. She'd been so upset and Josh had been spanked, many times, for taking advantage of her. Once Cayce had grown (she'd actually been the smallest of the cousins when she was growing up) he'd found out that she wasn't going to put up with him tricking, talking or conning her out of her allowance any more. These days he couldn't get away with anything.
As for Cody Allen, the colonel found that very amusing. He'd never thought of Cody as having such a sweet tooth. Maybe it was time to have a talk with him about succumbing to Josh's manipulation. He could well imagine the cajoling and arguments his nephew had used to get Allen to buy so much candy planning on keeping half of it for themselves.
Cayce, herself, was grinning as she got ready for bed. She loved besting Josh and to get Cody at the same time was even better. They'd probably think twice before agreeing to such an errand again. She knew she'd have to keep a close eye on Josh while they were constructing the gingerbread houses.
Saturday dawned bright, clear and cold. Everyone pitched in on the barn chores. There were a dozen stalls to clean, horses to be fed and watered and fresh bedding put down for those horses that were being kept in the stalls.
Bales of hay were brought down from the loft in order to make it easier for the men to distribute it to the horses in the barn and those staying in the small corral just outside.
Every piece of tack was inspected to see if there were any cinches in need of replacing or worn out leather on bridles and reins. KC Campion was good with the minor repairs and it was he who would advise Cayce as to whether the saddle, bridle or whatever needed to go into the saddlery shop for repairs.
When the morning chores were over, and the leather in need of repair or replacement had been put aside, everyone adjourned to other chores or the house.
By eleven thirty all rooms had been neatened, errands run and lunch prepared. By twelve-thirty everyone had eaten and the dishes were in the dishwasher. There was a little bit of hustle as Cayce, and Josefina got out the flour, rolling pins and aprons that the children would need. Also knives for cutting out the pieces and flour, shortening and marshmallow for making the frosting. Cody retrieved the cake decorating kit from the top shelf of the pantry closet for them.
At precisely one o'clock a group of ten children, ranging in age from six to twelve, arrived at the front door. Cayce, and Josefina welcomed them all, along with their leaders, taking coats and hats and hanging them up. Nothing would do but the children go into the living room to see Cayce's tree and the train set with it's village. Cayce had learned, from experience, that the sooner they got this out of their system the sooner they would settle down to the job at hand.
After much oohing and ahing, the children were herded into the kitchen where the men waited. Everyone was introduced to each other and it was soon evident that each adult had been adopted by one of the club members as their assistant of the day.
A tiny blonde, with freckles, by the name of Brigitta Klaus, latched onto Nick as her special helper. His friends smiled when they saw the sometimes moody Italian get into the spirit of things with the little six-year-old girl.
Murray's special friend was an eight-year-old boy named Tim Redlinger. They hit if off famously and had a great time putting the boy's gingerbread house together using vanilla frosting for the roof, brown, black and white for flagstones in front of the house. White ones for the windows.
Cody was adopted by a red-headed boy of ten. Peter Hansen was a serious architecht when it came to his gingerbread house. Everypiece was measured precisely and just the right amount of frosting was used to "glue" the pieces together. There was no slipshod work with this boy.
Everyone was having a jolly time. Cayce, and Josefina, were kept busy ensuring that there was enough white frosting for everyone and helped the 4-Hers thicken, or thin, it as needed.
By four o'clock all of the gingerbread houses were completed. They were placed on the dining room table and photographed by Josh for the children's records. Each club member had a copy of the recipe for the gingerbread and was to write a report on how they constructed it. They'd had assistance, sure, but each was responsible for choosing the design and the colors they wanted to work with. For a six-year-old, like Nick's special friend , it was asking a lot that they be able to make the frosting and build and everything else. This was a color and design project. Murray had simply created pattern pieces. The children had chosen the pieces they wanted to work with, cut them out of the dough and decorated. They were permitted help with the construction part of the project.
As the children got ready to go home their leader went out to the van that had brought them to the Lazy M. When she returned she had a tray laden with gingerbread men. Each one had a name on them. She'd gotten everybody's name ahead of time so that each one had a personalized cookie. The kids took great pleasure in distributing them.
There was a scramble as the adults helped the children into their jackets and hats. Cayce walked out to their van with them, followed by Brian, and saw them off. Once inside the McKenna clan - including the detectives - headed for the fireplace.
With a glint in her green eyes, Cayce said, "I think Nick has a new girlfriend. Brigitta's really got a crush on him."
Cody, Brian and Boz all grinned. Josh wasn't as familiar with Nick's reputation as a heart breaker or a kid magnet.
"I think you're right, sweetie," Brian said. "Maybe we ought to warn her parents that their daughter is planning on eloping with an older man."
The Italian's face turned red. He was used to one or another teasing him but now he was coming under a four pronged attack even though Murray hadn't said anything - yet.
"Ah, cut it out would ya?" he complained.
"It's been a busy day," Cayce commented. "Cody cut wood with Brian, KC's been mending harness, the hay is safely in the loft except for what we set aside for feeding for the next few days. "
"You bookkeeping is up to date," Murray said.
"Yes, thank you Boz." Cayce smiled at the computer whiz. "I was falling behind. Par for the course at Christmas time I'm afraid."
"But the kids had fun," Brian stated. "And the house is still standing."
"You know what?" Cayce asked rhetoricallly. "This has been the best gingerbread Christmas at the Lazy M ever."