Chapter Nine

Half an hour later the floor was littered with crumpled wrappings and empty boxes. Colorful paper covered Vin's bed, presents stacked around him.

Vin felt overwhelmed: Stunned by the generosity of these men, these friends who had come so far to spend Christmas with him.

All these years he had heard the phrase; Holiday Spirit, but never knew the true meaning until now. And not just his team...He looked around the room at all the smiling faces.

Sam and Paul standing near the tree with arms entwined J.J and Jack standing on either side of Libby, her eyes bright with happy tears. Even Maggie joined them, green garland wrapped around her shoulders.

The last present was a shoebox sized gift. Buck handed it to Chris who held it in his hands.

"It won't open itself," Vin prodded.

Chris unwrapped it carefully and opened a box pulling out six small silver wrapped boxes.

"Open them please, Mr. Larabee," Ezra urged. "You requested this of us, and we humbly followed your request."

Chris opened the first package and found an ornament inside. He held up a small computer shaped ornament.

"You said to pick out something that represented us," J.D. blushed. "I thought…"

"It's perfect, J.D."

Chris hung it from the tree and opened the next box. A young Mrs. Claus dressed in a tight fitting red dress with collar and cuffs made of white fur.

"Buck, you old dog. You just can't help yourself," Chris chuckled as he added Buck's ornament to the tree.

A royal flush inside a glass globe and a miniature medical bag came next.

Chris placed two more of the treasured ornaments on the tree. "Ezra, Nathan…thank you."

A cross came next and Chris nodded his head toward Josiah. "Perfect."

The last box felt heavier than the rest and Chris looked at Vin. The young sharpshooter shrugged. He had no idea what was inside.

He carefully opened the box and drew out an intricately carved saddle.

Vin looked at his five friends, confused.

"We found it on your kitchen counter hidden under a red cloth. We figured you were working on it for your special ornament." Josiah explained. "We simply attached the ribbon."

Vin felt the tears welling up in his eyes thanking each of the men with a nod.

"Thanks, Cowboy, was the only thing Chris could find to say is he hung the special ornament on the tree."

Vin lowered is head thinking about the real saddle he had found. It was probably in the junkyard along with his Cherokee.

All the caregivers stood silently, knowing this was a special moment for the seven friends.

All the presents were opened and Vin looked around at all the gifts. Everyone loved their presents. He remembered how excited he was when he first found the saddle. Now he was suddenly coming down from the high of the moment and his spirits were sinking fast.

Chris took a step toward the sharpshooter but Josiah held out his big hand. "Give him a moment, Brother. He's just overwhelmed."

Buck and J.D. began picking up the scattered paper and boxes when J.D. yelled. "Hey! There's one more back here."

Buck squeezed behind the Christmas tree and checked the name tag on the large present. "Hey, boss, you got one more here from Junior."

Vin's heart skipped a beat at the shape of the gift. It couldn't be.

"For me?" Chris asked. He was sure it was not with the presents they had brought up from the ranch.

"Open it, Brother Chris," Josiah urge.

"You'll never know what is inside until you open it," Nathan agreed.

"Yes, please, Mr. Larabee, we are all excited to see what lies beneath the wrapping."

Vin watched Chris lift the heavy present and carried it out to the center of the room. The paper looked old, so thin in places you could see through it. Everyone waited as he studied the shape then delved into it like a kid.

Chris ripped the paper away stunned to see the most perfect saddle he had ever seen.

Vin was equally stunned. How…?

Chris ran his hand over the saddle stopping when he saw the initials branded into the fender.

"Vin…?"

The old man's voice came back to him…"I knew whoever you was plannin' on giving it to is gonna appreciate it. But whoever gets it ani't gonna feel half as good as yer gonna feel when ya gives it to 'im."

"It's beautiful, Vin. I don't know what to say."

"Sometimes words aren't necessary," Josiah said with a wide toothed grin.

"Where did you find it?"

"At an old antique store in town. That's why I was here. Spotted it last month and put a deposit down on it."

"What antique store?" Libby asked.

"Days long past. I just picked up the saddle before the accident."

"Days Long Past?" Sam looked at Cornerstone's residents. "You ever heard of that store?"

Everyone but Libby shook their heads. "Days Long Past was closed over thirty years ago when Old Mr. Dobbins died of a heart attack."

"I don't understand." Vin looked from Chris to the saddle, his face paling even more.

Chris reached Vin's bedside at the same time Paul did. The doctor hurriedly checked his vitals.

"Vin, are you all right?" Chris asked worriedly.

"Let's give him time to rest for a few minutes," Paul suggested.

"No… no, I'm all right. I just…" Vin couldn't understand what was going on. Was it all just a dream? But where had the saddle come from? "I… I ordered that saddle last month."

"Honey." Libby ran her fingers through his hair. "That store has been gone for years. You've been very sick. You probably just dreamed it up in your delirium."

"No… it wasn't a dream," Vin insisted. He closed his eyes remembering every detail. "There was a bell above the door that rang when ya opened and closed it. There were all these old wooden wheel barrels hanging from the ceiling with Studebaker written on the sides. The walls were covered with all sorts of old sleds and brandin' irons."

Libby stared at him.

No one else spoke waiting for Vin to continue.

"The old man showed me a picture of the saddle in a binder. It was just what I wanted. Even had Chris' initials branded in the fender. He said Cecil put him in contact with the owner. Cecile owns the auto shop down the road."

Libby felt a shiver run down her spine. "Cecil Duncan. He owned the auto shop for years. A car dropped on him while he was working under it in 1983. I remember going to the shop with Dr. Hammer." She nodded toward J.J. and Jack. "There were no EMT's back then."

She turned back to Vin. "Honey, Cecile was dead by the time we got there."

"No…" Vin couldn't believe what was happening.

"What did he look like, Vin?" Sam asked.

"Old. Really old. He was bald 'cept for a few patches of white hair. Came about to my shoulders, all stooped over ya know. He had a scar on the back of his right hand, went from his ring finger to his wrist. Said he got it in the Korean War.

And he had one of them old fashioned Santa's sitting on the counter. But this one was really old. The clothes looked faded like he'd had it for a long time. And there were reindeer carved out of walnut. It was beautiful work."

"How could you know that?" Libby asked, stunned.

"Cause I was there…" Vin said simply.

"Perhaps we are not meant to understand, Brother Vin. Perhaps God recognized the special friendship you and Brother Chris share."

Chris squeezed Vin's shoulder and looked at his new saddle. "I don't know how you got it, Cowboy, but it is the perfect gift. I can't wait to take it for a ride."

However it happened, Vin's heart swelled with pride. He closed his eyes and sent a prayer to the old man. "Thank you," he whispered. "You were right."

His first Christmas with Family turned into something so special that there were no words to express all the feelings he held in his heart.

He'd made new friends, saw the courage in the staff here at the clinic and felt the love they offered him.

He watched his friends, old and new, overcome by the special moment. They had all been touched by something very special.

"Merry Christmas," he said to Chris in their own special connection.

Chris squeezed his hand. "Merry Christmas, Vin."

A bell chimed softly and Vin smiled.

He might never find the answer to where the old man had come from, but he didn't need one. It was enough that he was surrounded by his family, that he had given the man he considered a brother in every way but blood, a gift that would forever bond them together.

His families surrounded his bed, each one touched by the miracle that happened here today.

Josiah bowed his head and everyone followed.

"Lord, we thank you for shining your holy light upon your humble servants on this most holiest of days. We thank you for keeping our Brother Vin safe in your arms while he recovers. For surrounding him with the love and care of our new friends. And for guiding us unerringly through the storm to be by his side.

And thank-you for sending Mr. Dobbins to us. We may never know how, but we know why."

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, Amen."

Outside the storm raged, but everyone was warm and safe within the walls of the clinic and the love that surrounded them all.

Vin's eyes slid closed, falling into a peaceful sleep.

"Merry Christmas," Chris said softly, pulling the covers up around his neck.

"Merry Christmas."

And a Merry Christmas to everyone,
Linda

*** Before John Studebaker, co-founded the Studebaker Motor Corporation, manufactured cars he made wheelbarrows.