Will We Make It Thru December
This is a story of the first December at Lancer with a father and his two sons.
Murdoch Lancer stood at the big full window that nearly took in one whole wall. Seated in his swivel chair behind the grand oak desk; he smiled a father's smile.
He remembered his younger son; Johnny had called it 'the seat of justice where the man who called the tune meted out the supreme orders that must be obeyed'.
That had been nearly eight months ago, it was now the end of November and birthdays and Christmas were looming in the near days ahead.
How could so many people have birthdays so close together... maybe they would all agree to just one big party and include Christmas with in?
He sighed when he approached his sons and ward, Teresa. For days, she would not even speak to him, and he had nearly worn his coffee when she served the hot brew.
Scott, his elder son nearly had a coronary... "Murdoch," the younger man admonished, "A birthday is very special, as it is a celebration of life, a remembrance of the past and a goal for the future. Christmas is another birthday all together special, and should not be confused with a mere mortal's birth."
Johnny just shrugged and stoically said, "Don't miss much what ya never had. It's just another day."
That one statement had turned the tide; his younger boy had not had a proper birthday since he was one year old, from the sound of it that was his son's last birthday party... well by damn he will never go without another.
LANCER
Teresa's birthday was the first, born on December the first she would be turning seventeen, almost a woman in the eyes of the law... but to her family still the younger 'sister' and 'little' girl to the Lancer men.
They had no idea what to give as gifts to a young woman on the cusp of adult hood. They each had asked Maria, the indomitable housekeeper, and now just a few days till the event the men of Lancer could only hope they had each found the perfect gift.
Teresa went about her days happy in the thought that no matter what gifts that she received from the men in her life.
That the best gift of all was the sons of Lancer had returned home. She really was not sure why that thought made her smile or why it even filled her heart with joy... but there it was she was just happy the family was altogether.
Maria admonished the girl when the eggs she was cracking for the biscuits missed the bowl all together, "Chica, watch what you do, your mind it runs with you?"
"Si, Maria, this will be one of my best birthdays I will always remember. The patron's sons are home and for once in his life, it has made him happy and proud. I mean truly happy, family is so important to him... I wish it had been different for him."
"Si, chica, but he had you, and that helped the patron survive the loneliness. You Nina are as much a part of him as his own hijos. Now prisa or we will not have biscuits for su hermanos."
Teresa smiled as she mixed the dough, her brothers, yes she had always wanted siblings... and she sure got them in the form of two very handsome... and dirty men."
She looked up as the kitchen door opened and the two men stepped in. From the top of their sweaty, dirty hair to the mud and other unnamable muck caked on their boots were the objects of her concentrations.
She giggled when Maria took a broom to them, the things that woman could say in Spanish.
The looks on the faces of her brothers was priceless, oh yes she could not want for anything else for her birthday.
Maria turned back, broom in had like a conquistador of old, and grinned at the young woman... it was good to see the familia coming alive again. This would be a good year for Lancer... and everyone on it.
"Rapido, chica... we have much still to do," Maria bustled around the kitchen; dinner would not be late on her shift.
Teresa rolled the dough the used a glass to cut round biscuits and placed them on the baking sheet... with all the bad this past year there was also good... Lancer was alive.
LANCER
December 1st
December 1, she was seventeen years old today and she was happy. Snuggling into her warm bed she smiled... it was tradition that on your birthday, it allowed certain privileges and one was sleeping late.
The sun was peeking around the heavy drapes; she remembered when she and Consuela hung them, in each bedroom to ward off the cold of the winter.
She was about to burst... just what did the men of Lancer think of her... and what gifts three bachelor men would give to a young seventeen-year-old woman, a woman who was sister and daughter to three of the most important men in her life.
Pushing from under the heavy quilt she literally jumped out of bed... shuffling around for slippers, her feet were already freezing.
She washed her face and hurriedly dressed, there was no reason to build up the fire in her fireplace, as she would not be in her room for long.
She picked up the small photo of her father, he smiled back at her, "Hello Daddy, I'm almost a grown woman..." she wiped a tear from her cheek, "I miss you so much, but you gave me what I needed to carry on... an O'Brien backbone. And I will always do you proud." She kissed the photo and sat it back on her dresser, "Love you Daddy."
LANCER
She could hear the laughter from the kitchen below, 'well Miss Teresa O'Brian, here we go. She was excited... just what did three men give a young woman on her seventeenth birthday?'
"Happy Birthday," the shout was loud enough to be heard into the next county, she smiled and clasp her hands over her mouth.
The three men in her life served breakfast, Scott held her chair for her, Johnny grinned and held the coffee pot and Murdoch placed the plate over flowing with food at her place at the table. She knew they should have been out on the range... working... but they were here for her.
She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time... three strong men serving her breakfast... one question answered... the men of Lancer did care for her.
Teresa sat quietly as Maria cleared away the dishes; gifts were next on the agenda. Scott was first, "I really am more adept at buying gifts for older women. But I have it on good authority that this is the latest from Paris and women are flocking for it," he leaned down and placed a prettily wrapped box in front of her then gave her a kiss to the top of her head, "happy birthday, little sister."
The wrapping was beautiful, she almost hated to tear the paper, but the urge to see 'what' came from Paris... for her was too much for the young woman.
Eau de par fume, all the way from Paris, France, it was pretty; the bottle so delicate, it had a little pump that when pressed would release the scent of 'Evening Song'. She looked up at her older brother, "Oh Scott it's too much... but I love it... I will be the envy of all my friends. Thank you."
He bowed slightly, "You are most welcome young lady," with a grin and a pointing finger he added, "And no spritzing for just any man."
Teresa smiled her biggest smile, "Thank you again, my friends will just turn green with jealousy and 'big brother' I'll wear it for special occasions only.
Murdoch was next, he stepped up to the table and fumbled in his wallet, "I ah... promised my self when you were older that I would have a special gift for you. I was going to wait until next year, but you've grown so much this year into a fine young woman that I think now would be the best time."
He handed her an envelope she pulled out the paper folded there, it was a hand written promise of the man she looked up to, the man who helped her through the death of her father and the man she cherished.
"Oh Murdoch, this is too much I... can't..." she was speechless.
Goaded by her brothers, she held up the paper, "I... well it's a promissory note that I will be escorted to San Francisco and spend a week getting outfitted with new 'adult' clothes."
She stood and raced around the table to fling her self into a hug by her guardian, "It was not all me, your father had some of that saved aside with me, I just added to it and the trip and a week on the town."
He held her away from him and tilted her head up to look at him, "Your Daddy loved you so much 'sweet pea', he always wanted you to have the best. I'm just taking direction from one father to another."
"I...don't know what to say," she looked down at her feet, moved to tears that her Daddy was still with her in the guise of Murdoch Lancer, he did love her and accepted her into the family.
Scott spoke up, "A simple thank you would suffice, wouldn't you say sir?" She glanced up at her big brother and smiled; turning back to Murdoch she held the paper to her heart, "Thank you Murdoch and thank you Daddy."
Everyone stood quietly for a minute, heads bowed; it was Teresa who broke the silence, "Thank you all so much for everything, I..."
Interrupted by Johnny clearing his throat she looked askance at her other big brother, "Johnny?"
The younger Lancer brother stood in his usual slouched way, "I ah 'm not too good with gift givin', didn't really have much call ta do it before. So anyway, madrecita wouldn't let me bring my gift in to tha house. So ya'll gotta follow me out to tha corral."
He pushed off from the counter he had been leaning on and marched past his family, never looking back, but he was sure they would all follow.
Teresa walked between Scott and Murdoch, as they approached the corral she noticed quite a few of the ranch hands lazing around, now that was odd.
They all stood tall and removed their hats or sombreros, which ever the case may be.
Looking around Johnny, she saw Cipriano inside the corral holding the reins of the most beautiful chestnut colored mare she had ever seen.
Johnny stopped and waited until his family caught up to him, "T'resa, I know yer Daddy had got you tha horse you ride now, but I think he'd approve o' this one."
Teresa walked up to the corral, one of the hands opened the gate and Cipriano led the mare out, she was a little taller than Buttercup, and much younger.
Her hands touched the new saddle and looked at Johnny, he grinned, "Nah, I just broke tha horse, the crew got up tha money and got ya a fancy saddle."
Cipriano smiled, "Si, senorita Teresa, we all gave money for the saddle and tack. The beautiful young woman needs a beautiful saddle, to go with the beautiful horse.
Tears coursed down her cheeks, "I... don't know what to say," she put a hand to her cheek to wipe away the tears of happiness.
Scott leaned down to her, "A simple thank you would suffice sister."
Teresa swatted at his arm, "Oh you," Looking up she smiled at the men, "Thank you, mucho gracias, I... oh I'm gonna cry again."
Scott handed her a handkerchief, "Blow your nose, sister."
She grabbed the cloth out of his hand and blew, with a smile she wadded it up and handed it back to him.
He took it by two fingers and placed it in his hip pocket, "You are most welcome."
She turned to Johnny and walked up to him, "She's wonderful, and Daddy would have loved her. But when did you break her and where... I know it wasn't here."
Head bowed he kicked at clod of dirt, then turned his dancing blue eyes to her, "Over ta Ms. Aggies, she's outta that string of quarter horses she's been breeding an I seen her and knew she had ta be yours."
Teresa stood on tiptoes and kissed her brother's cheek, he smelled of hay, horses, and sunshine.
Her face taking on a mischievous light, "Well since it is my birthday and I get to do what I want... I want to ride Reina, and I need an escort so... would my three gallant men want to go on a picnic and see what she can do?"
Murdoch was going to protest that there was still work to be done, Scott shook his head at his father and Johnny smiled. Teresa turned her smile on her guardian and the older man bowed his head and smiled back, "Oh Ms. Teresa, that smile."
Looking up, he frowned at his sons who were grinning like chipmunks, "Ok, so go saddle up the horses..."
He stopped when two of the hands led his big gelding out along with Scott's chestnut and Johnny's palomino.
Coming across the compound was Maria with a basket, he shook his head, he had the feeling he had been set up.
Scott had already mounted and Maria handed the basket up to him, Johnny held the new mare as Teresa mounted.
Turning, the younger Lancer looked at his father, "Well ol' man, let's go daylight's burnin'..."
Jumping away from his father he sprinted to his horse and grabbing the pommel he swung himself up into the saddle, "Why you little...," Murdoch didn't say much more as his children kicked their horses and started out of the compound at a fast clip.
Cipriano held the horses head as the older man mounted, and smiled up, "It is good to have familia, Patron... it has been too long."
Staring down at his segundo and friend, "Si mi amigo it has been much too long, and it is about to change."
The hands raised a shout as the patron kicked his horse and chased after his family.
Maria and Cipriano stood watching until the family was out of sight, "It is good primo."
"Si, mi prima, est bueno," he walked with Maria back to the hacienda.
The sun shone bright on this first day in December and the laughter of a father and his children echoed in the valley.
"God gave us memories
so that we might have
roses in December"
James M. Barrie