Chapter Twenty-Six

Victoria couldn't help but smile from ear to ear, as she watched her children and their spouses, or fiancée in Heath's case, do everything from putting the last of the Christmas decorations on the tree to arranging gifts under the tree. Even Gene and his wife had traveled to Stockton with their young daughter, Olivia Victoria Barkly to join in the celebrations. The fact that Audra had given birth to a baby girl shortly after Leah recovered from her illness and Marianne, along with Liberty, had announcement that morning that both of them were expecting, made the Christmas holiday even better.

"Hey!" Bryon ran into the living room right behind his sister who had accidentally grabbed the salt instead of the sugar and put in her brother's cup of punch. He was trying to lay his hands on her. Not surprisingly, he found himself running in mid-air as his Uncle Nick grabbed a hold of his waist and carried him to his father.

"She poisoned my punch!" Bryon screamed, as he tried in vain to get at his sister.

"I did not poison it!" Leah, who had chosen to hide behind Cynthia, shot back, "Salt isn't poison, and I didn't do it on purpose!"

"Stop it!" Their normal quiet father snapped, making the room go dead silent. Heath knelt down in front of the twins, Cynthia had reached behind her and made Leah come out from behind her. "Accidents do happen, son." He had his hands on each of Bryon's arms as he talked. "We've all had them one time or the other. Now, don't you think it would be better to find the humor in the situation and just let it go?"

While Bryon knew his father spoke the truth, he also knew the second message was, the one his father's eyes were sending. 'Drop this or else your Christmas isn't going to be so pleasant'. He might have held onto his stubborn desire to get back at his sister only it was an accident. "Oh," he said stressing the word 'oh', "all right. Guess I can go get another cup, but this time, I'm making it!" He turned around and marched out of the room. More than one chuckle escaped the Barkley's lips just because the lad marched out of the room looking so serious.

"So, when's the wedding date?" Gene turned and looked at Heath after Leah asked to be excused to go make peace with her bother. Heath was again standing next to Cynthia.

Heath turned his head and smiled at his fiancée. They'd spent the better part of the previous day talking about that very subject. "I don't want a long engagement, Heath. I have never believed in them. We know we love each other and want to marry. Can't we just have a small wedding with the family and maybe Sheriff Madden and his wife?" Fred's wife and Cynthia had started to become good friends so Heath wasn't surprised by the request. "If you all don't mind, we'd like to get married February fourteenth. I know it's not that far away." He held up his hand as objections started to be voiced by every single member of the family. "I've been married before. I had my large wedding. I'm fine if Cynthia wants to keep it small and simple. Quite frankly, I'm more than relieved that she feels that way." He did too. His wedding to his late wife might not have been large compared to most people's wedding; however, it had still been too big for his tastes.

No one was really surprised to hear Heath say that and, after a few minutes to think about it, they had to agree they had a hard time imagining either Cynthia or Heath thinking any differently. "Well," Jarrod said as he wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder, "May I suggest, we all make sure no one uses the family lodge that week." He was doing all he could not to start laughing. It was a well known fact how much all the Barkley's loved the lodge, especially during a honeymoon.

Heath looked at Cynthia, who was only grinning from ear to ear.

"Sounds good to me, if Heath doesn't mind, only what about the children? You know they have it in their heads that they're coming on the honeymoon. I've tried to explain to them that it doesn't work that way." She had too, only Cynthia couldn't help but think the children still had other ideas.

"Leah and Bryon can stay with us." Nick said after looking at Faith, who gave him a slight nod. "But only if Jarrod will promise that if Bryon pulls anything, I can send him his way." That brought more laughter from the family. Jarrod did have a knack of keeping Bryon in line when Heath wasn't around. The talking and laughter between the adults continued while Bryon and Leah were having one of their own, up in his room.

What's the problem?" Leah sat on the bottom of her brother's bed. "You're talkin' like you don't want Papa to marry Miss Cynthia, and she loves all of us. You know that."

Bryon, who sat crossed legged at the top of his bed, nodded as his shoulders slumped just a little. "I know that. It's just… things change after people get married! I heard our uncles say so."

The two might have continued talking only Victoria had made her way up the stairs and, with the children's door slightly open, had heard the majority of their conversation. The moment her grandson made his last comment she stepped into the room.

"Grandma!" Leah and Bryon both flew off their bed and ran towards their Victoria.

"I heard the two of you talking and wondered if you might want some company." Victoria told them as she led them back to the bed.

"We'd rather have some answers." the young girl said as climbed up next to her grandmother. Not knowing Victoria had been listening, Leah repeated everything she and Bryon had been talking about. "Do things change?" Leah looked up and begged her grandmother with her eyes to tell her different.

"Well that question has a yes and no answer; both." Victoria began explaining everything to them on a level they could understand, though first she made sure that Bryon, who admitted he'd only heard part of the conversation between Jarrod and Nick, understood how wrong it was to make assumptions when you heard only a portion of a conversation.

After their grandmother was through speaking, Bryon spoke up, "Will Leah be one of the flower girls again? And me, I have to hold the ring and wear a stupid tie again? You know those things can choke a boy." Bryon would have continued shooting off questions and comments, but Victoria stopped him, pointing out that it would be Christmas in a few days and they could worry about things like that after the holidays were over. She then led the children down stairs, as it was closing in on dinner time.