Seven months! Oof. I had no idea that it would take me this long to update the fic - but then I had no idea that I would come home from our Disney World vacation in February and have to start coping with a pandemic. You'd think that all this time at home, with nowhere to go and not much to do, would have given me plenty of time to write - and it should have, but many days it was difficult to get past my anxiety to focus on creative pursuits. I love this world and these characters too much to abandon them, though, and I don't want an incomplete story. So I've been determined these past few weeks to get this fic wrapped up like I've always intended, ever since I started it with PoetLaurie nearly three years ago. There's only one more chapter left after this one, to complete the main arc we mapped out back then.
That being said, we had originally planned on continuing with this theme, through a collection of one-shots or shorter standalone stories dealing with the family on Roundup Ranch, something that would allow jumping forward in time or returning to the past without having to follow a linear timeline (or posting schedule). And although I can't say how long it'll take me to get this going, it's something I still want to pursue! There are several story ideas I'd really like to explore, once I get the research together and figure it all out. There's no way I can walk away from these guys once the main story is done! Getting immersed in this world again has been just what I needed.
The Pinterest board has been updated for this chapter (Jessie's Journey under username yodelincowgirl), so take a peek to see what images have been added to help illustrate the story. Toy Story still isn't mine. If it was, we'd have gotten a new short during all these long, lonely months, showing the toys hanging out at Bonnie's. Anyway, enjoy, and be sure to fave and follow, so you don't miss the finale - and any other Roundup Ranch adventures yet to come! :D
Chapter 28
At the end of the dirt lane leading to Roundup Ranch, Buzz and the two Pride men stood under a clear October sky. Buzz swung a heavy mallet, bringing it down on the top of a post holding a hanging sign that read:
Roundup Ranch & Dairy
"We take PRIDE in our cows."
Home of Florecita del Desierto Brand Oranges
"Looks good, nice and straight," Woody remarked, standing back and observing as Buzz drove the final blows of their project. "I'm glad you thought of us putting up a signpost," he turned to his father. "With the town growing, more people will drive by and see it."
Andrew rested a hand on his son's shoulder. "The advertising will be good for you both. Now, Buzz," he said, as his son-in-law walked over with the mallet in hand, "tell me about this fiesta we're going to this afternoon."
"My parents are always happy to have an excuse for a fiesta," he chuckled. "There'll be lots of food, and music, and dancing. Prepare for Mamá to offer you more to eat than you could ever want."
"Yeah, but the overstuffed bellyache is worth it," Woody patted his stomach and laughed.
"Well, it was mighty kind of them to want to host this in my honor," Andrew smiled.
Buzz glanced at his pocket watch. "Speaking of the fiesta, we should be heading out in about an hour. I better check on Jessie, see if she needs me to take Memo so she can get ready - not to mention myself," he brushed some red dirt off of his trousers.
"You two dressing up today?" asked Woody.
"In our Californio clothes? Nah," Buzz shook his head. "Too risky to wear those around baby diapers. I've gone through three shirts in a day before, and Jessie's record is even worse."
"I know what that's like," his brother-in-law chuckled. "I best be wrangling my flock, too. We'll meetcha out by the barn in a bit."
The three men walked back to their respective homes, Andrew still being a part of the Pride household while construction on his own cottage progressed. Buzz deposited the mallet he'd been using on his back porch, then went inside in search of his family. Jessie was sitting in her sewing nook in the upstairs turret, hurrying to put the finishing touches on a new shirtwaist, when he finally found them.
"There you are! We need to start getting changed for the fiesta."
Jessie reached for a pair of scissors on her sewing machine table, and cut a small thread off of the pile of fabric on her lap. "I know; I wanted to wear this, and all I had left to do was the buttons. I'm just about finished."
Buzz raised an eyebrow as he looked at his 6-month-old boy. The waste basket, where Jessie threw her sewing scraps, lay on its side, its contents strewn about; and Memo sat next to it, if not in it, happily rifling through soft pieces of flannel and thread. "What's our son doing in the trash?" he asked.
"He's content in there, I ain't fightin' it anymore. He didn't want to play on the blanket, kept crawlin' over and tryin' to get in. A bunch'a fabric won't hurt him."
Buzz stepped over and picked up Memo, bouncing him playfully. "You're quite a little handful, aren't you?" The baby grinned at his father, then twisted in his arms, trying his best to get back to his previous activity. "Nooooo, no more trash for you. We're going to Abuelo and Abuelita's."
Not long thereafter, Prides and Lightyears stepped out onto their back porches, securing their homes and making their way across the yard to the barn. Bo and Jessie both wore new outfits, which they had shopped for together and managed to sew despite the demands of motherhood. Bo's dress was a dotted print in a muted shade of slate blue, its bell-shaped skirt finished with wide scalloped flounces and its bodice accented with a broad scalloped collar and pink trim. Jessie wore her favorite navy blue skirt, but had made a new shirtwaist - a red-and-cream windowpane check with a broad sailor collar and a jaunty red and blue tie hanging down from the collar's center point. She had liked the modern style of the shirtwaist when she first saw the pattern; she hadn't, however, considered how enticing the dangling neckwear would be to her son, who was grasping it in his pudgy little fist as she carried him towards the barn.
Woody was already outside, and had just finished harnessing Bullseye and Buttercup to the front of his new three-seater surrey, when the rest of his family joined him. He had bought the vehicle only a week prior, having gotten a good deal on a used model that would accommodate his entire family as they grew. And being large enough to hold everyone, with the children still so small, the drive out to the fiesta was the perfect chance to officially break it in.
Andrew patted Bullseye on the neck. "It's quite a fine surrey, son, but you're going to need a bigger barn!"
Buzz noticed his brother-in-law roll his eyes at the teasing, and smirked. "Maybe you could rent your services out to the Casa Loma or the Windsor," he joked, unable to resist adding fuel to the fire. "Isn't that the kind of carriage the hotels usually use?"
"It's not THAT big," Woody groaned, "the seats aren't as wide. Besides, what were we supposed to do? We won't all fit in the old surrey before much longer."
"And I'm not putting the girls in the back of the dirty work wagon in their Sunday best!" Bo chimed in to defend her beleaguered husband. She called out to her daughters, who were skipping around, giddy with excitement, "Go to your grandfather, so he can help you up."
Andrew wrangled the two little girls and lifted them up to the back row of the carriage. Meanwhile, Buzz took Memo from Jessie so she could climb up onto the middle bench seat.
"Up you go," he swung his son up to his wife's waiting arms, eliciting a giggle from the infant.
"Ya remembered your camera, right?" Jessie released her necktie from Memo's fingers, which he had instantly grabbed.
"All packed. It's not in your way, is it Andrew?" he glanced back as his father-in-law was getting settled with his two granddaughters.
The older man smiled. "Not a bit."
Buzz hoisted himself up onto the bench next to Jessie, then leaned forward, where Woody sat in the driver's seat and Bo held Andy on her lap. "You ready? We're all set back here."
"Let's go, partner," Woody replied, and with a click and a snap of the reins, they were off.
The drive to the hacienda was pleasant, and the sun was still well above the horizon when they pulled up next to the barnyard and disembarked from the surrey. They were thankful to only have one carriage to park, as family and friends had already begun to arrive, and the yard was busy with the setting up of tables and benches.
Buzz kept his camera nearby as he helped and mingled, stopping to take photos of his relatives to commemorate the occasion. He managed to get his parents to step away from their duties as hosts long enough to pose with Jessie and Memo, but the baby's legs moved just as the picture was taken.
Buzz sighed. "Why do I have the feeling that my collection of blurry photos just increased in size? Hang on, I want to try and get one more." He backed up, paying more attention to framing the shot than to what was behind him, until his calf collided with a basket that had held table linens, and with a loud "WHOA!" he found himself on his backside, the Kodak clutched to his chest protectively. He looked up at Jessie, bewildered, and Memo squealed with delight, emitting a belly laugh.
Jessie's laugh mingled with the baby's. "Was Daddy funny?"
"He wasn't trying to be," Buzz mumbled as he stood, brushing the dirt from his trousers. He glanced over the bulky box of his camera to make sure nothing had been harmed.
"That's enough photography for now, mi corazón," Estrellita patted her son on his arm. "Let's start bringing out the food. I have something in the kitchen that will put you right."
Buzz's face burst into a wide grin, "You do spoil me, Mamá."
A delectable repast was spread across the tables in the yard, and family and guests fell into line filling their plates and finding places to sit to enjoy their feast. Andrew had already partaken in dishes such as enchiladas, albóndigas, chiles rellenos, salsa, and frijoles thanks to his daughter's cooking, as well as visits to the elder Lightyears' home, but this was his first opportunity to sample tamales, empanadas, and the carne asada Tío Héctor had so expertly prepared as asador. Gathered with his children and grandchildren on a grouping of benches beneath a shady tree, he was savoring every bite.
"Have you had enough to eat?" Emelda asked him some time later, as she walked over while making the rounds of the guests and glanced at his nearly-empty dish. "Go, get some more food, you are too thin," she playfully chided.
Andrew laughed; he had already established a comfortable rapport with Buzz's extended family, thanks to their work in the grove together during the Valencia harvest. "Estrellita has already given me the same orders. But don't worry, I will be having plenty more of your husband's delicious barbecued beef - as well as everything else."
"Tío Héctor made carne asada for our weddin', too," Jessie added from her seat adjacent to her father, taking the last bite of it left on her plate.
Sitting next to her, Buzz was holding Memo on his lap while trying to finish his own dinner, which was balanced on the bench between him and his wife. Jessie scooped up a small taste of creamy frijoles with her fork and held it out for her son. He licked his rosy, little lips, processing the flavor, then tiny fingers reached for the fork, trying to pull it towards him as a new plaything.
"Why don't you get him a spoon? It'll be safer," Buzz suggested.
Jessie hopped up to retrieve the utensil, and returned moments later with a bowl of crema de arroz as well. She handed Memo the spoon, which he put in his mouth, pressing the cool metal against his teething gums. "Estrellita made rice puddin' for the lil' ones," she said to Bo. "An' dessert's out now, too."
Handing the baby to his wife, Buzz made a beeline for the dessert table, returning moments later with a plateful of buñuelos, cake, and conserva de calabaza. Memo was eagerly eating the pudding Jessie was offering him when Andrew also came back with a selection of sweets.
"Careful," she cast her husband a sideways smirk before addressing her father, "Buzz won't take too kindly to you eatin' so many buñuelos."
"I tasted one and had to grab a few more," he admitted with a chuckle.
Buzz grinned at his father-in-law. "A man after my own heart."
As the last ruddy rays of sunset faded from the darkening sky, the hacienda's yard once again became a fairyland as the lanterns were lit and Tío Héctor and his friends settled in to provide the evening's music. Jessie stood off to the side with Memo in her rebozo, waiting for Buzz to finish helping set up the dancing area. The baby was pushing his little feet against the fabric sling, trying his best to break free, when Estrellita approached.
"I think that niño is ready to learn some dances himself," she smiled, as she gently squeezed her grandson's dimpled hand.
"This lil' fella's been kickin' me from both sides for the better part of a year," Jessie laughed, then tugged the tie at the collar of her shirtwaist out of her son's grasp - and mouth - for the umpteenth time that evening. "I shoulda known better than to wear this," she sighed, as Buzz came striding over to join them.
The first notes of El Sombrero Blanco sounded out from Héctor's guitar, and Estrellita turned to her son. "Aren't you two going to go dance?"
"Do we even remember how?" Buzz chuckled.
"Yeah, we don't have much time for us these days," concurred Jessie, as she stared out at the couples gathering beneath the lanterns with a far-away look in her eyes.
Estrellita didn't fail to notice her daughter-in-law's wistful expression. "You do now. Here," she held out her arms, and Memo went to his grandmother eagerly, wiggling his legs free of their fabric trap. "Go, enjoy yourselves. We'll be fine."
Jessie tossed her rebozo on a nearby bench, and beaming, hurried hand-in-hand with Buzz to find their place among the other dancers. After a few small stumbles, the steps came back to them, and soon the pair was swaying and moving around each other with just as much skill as in the past.
"Remember you teachin' me this out in the desert?" Jessie asked, as she dipped beneath Buzz's raised arm.
"I do," he grinned, "and I recall wanting nothing more than to kiss you that night."
"An' I was wonderin' why ya just didn't already," she flashed him a coy smile over her shoulder. "I miss our dancin'."
"So do I. We'll have to make time for it. Maybe it would entertain Memo."
"It would if we fell down," she giggled.
When the dancing had begun, Woody and Bo were talking with Josefa and Tano while their children ran and played together in the yard - Penny and Bea trying their best to keep up with Lote and Berto, and Andy sitting on a blanket on the ground. As the tune changed to the lilting waltz of Las Blancas Flores , Bo turned to Woody.
"Oh, this is Jessie's favorite waltz. Estrellita must have asked her brother to play it."
Josefa looked over her shoulder then back at Bo. "If you two would like to dance, we can watch your little ones for you. I believe I owe you that favor from when Berto was tiny," she smiled.
Bo's eyes met her husband's, and he nodded. "You don't owe us a thing, but we would be happy to take you up on that offer," she grinned. "And we'll do the same for you tonight, so you can get a dance in, too." With a quick parting glance at their children, Woody and Bo went to join the others, gliding past Jessie and Buzz.
Meanwhile, Andrew had come upon Estrellita watching the dancers, with Memo happily kicking his little feet and blowing raspberries from his perch in her arms. "They're something out there, aren't they?" he remarked, in admiration of his family taking part in the spirited scene.
"Si, Jessie especially has taken to our traditional dances quite well. It's a joy to watch them together," she smiled at him as she patted her grandson's wiggly, diapered bottom. "So, how is your house coming along?"
"It's making great progress; the builder expects I should be able to move in by the end of the year."
"I can tell your children are very happy to have you on the ranch with them."
"I know I'm happy to be close to them again. And I'm thoroughly enjoying rolling up my sleeves and helping out on the ranch. After so many years behind a counter, it's quite nice to be outside." Andrew paused, taking a moment to glance at his children, then looked back at Estrellita. "I've been wanting to thank you for how good you've been to Jessie. I've noticed these past several months, how at ease she is with you and your kin. You gave her the family she needed, when I couldn't be here, and showed her what a mother should truly be like. I am forever indebted to you - and your husband - for that."
"Jessie is our family, we couldn't love her more if she was our own daughter. She and our Bustillo were meant to be. And now you are our family, too. We're so glad you came west; Zechariah is beside himself to have someone he can talk business with now."
Andrew grinned. "I have to admit, I enjoy it, too. And I certainly appreciate you hosting this tonight. I'm having a wonderful time - although I feel like I'm not enough of a reason to have such a celebration," he chuckled modestly.
"Ay, you being free of that bruja is most definitely reason enough to celebrate!"
"I don't know what that means, but I reckon I'm inclined to agree!"
As the music shifted to the Vals Jota , Emelda came rushing over to Andrew and Estrellita. "What are you doing, just standing here?" she scolded him teasingly, her hands on her hips. "This is your first fiesta! Get out there and dance!"
"Oh, no," he laughed, holding up his hands in protest, "I couldn't! I don't know the steps."
"This one is simple. Come, I'll show you." Not taking no for an answer, Emelda took Andrew by the arm and led him out among the others.
Jessie and Buzz, and Bo and Woody, saw Andrew joining the group beneath the lanterns. Watching her father, his long limbs moving somewhat awkwardly as he fumbled his way through the formations of the dance, Jessie couldn't help but let out a stifled giggle.
"What?" Bo asked, as the two girls passed each other.
"It just struck me how much Woody takes after Pa. Guess that's whatcha have to look forward to in thirty years," she gestured at her father's gangly dancing.
"Hey!" Woody called out, chuckling at his sister's remarks. "It could be a lot worse. You could take after Ma."
Jessie scrunched up her face in her brother's direction. "Not on your life!"
The celebration continued late into the night, and as Woody's surrey traveled back through San Timoteo Canyon under the glow of the moon, Andrew looked out over his family seated on the benches ahead of him, and hugged his two granddaughters who sat beside him a little tighter. He had lived for sixty-three years; but now, he was certain, he was finally living .
"Bo? Ya in here?" Jessie entered the Pride house and made her way through the rooms, with Memo balanced on her left hip and a basket hanging from her right elbow.
"We're in the parlor!"
Finding everyone gathered amidst piles of greenery, Jessie set down the basket and shifted her infant son in her arms. "Ya sure got a lotta holly here," she remarked. "Where're ya gonna put it all?"
"The doorways, and windows, to start. Maybe some in vases if there's any left. Woody said he didn't mind how I decorated, so it's entirely up to us."
"Buzz'n I are puttin' up our garlands tonight. He said he'n Woody will go into town for the trees a few days before Christmas. We got a pretty new metal fence for around our tree - not like it's gonna keep this one from meddlin' in it," she tickled Memo's side and the baby let out a little giggle. "Ya wanna play with Andy, bud, so I can help your Aunt Bo with this?" She set her son down in the play yard, which had been placed in the room for the day's work, and the two boys set to exploring the assortment of toys on its floor.
Jessie felt a tug on her skirt and turned around to see Bea standing there, holding up a little hand-sewn cloth doll wearing a top hat and tuxedo. She knelt down to her niece's level. "Hey bumble-Bea, whatcha got there? Is that one of the little Brownies your Mama made?"
The little girl nodded. "Dude!" the two-year old blurted out enthusiastically.
"That's his name?" asked Jessie, and Bea grinned her answer. "I guess I'll be learnin' all about these fellas soon enough," she laughed.
"Ever since Woody started reading them the books at bedtime, these two are completely crazy about the Brownies," Bo remarked, as she cut a piece of wire to bind some of the holly branches into a wreath. "I'm so glad I found the fabric panels for those dolls."
Penny scurried over, another of the printed-fabric dolls in her own hand. "We want Brownie toys from Santa!" she exclaimed.
"Then you best be Mama's little helper today," Bo smiled at her daughter, "because the Brownies will report to Santa and tell him if you've been good little girls. Can you get me that ribbon on the chair, please, sweet pea?"
Jessie and Bo busied themselves with decorating the parlor, dining room, and hall, every now and then taking breaks to tend to their young children. Swags of holly were soon festooned over the doorways, windows, and picture frames, with the occasional wreath decorating the walls, which gave the house a very festive appearance.
Bo stood back and admired her handiwork in the parlor. "Well, that's good for the holly. Let's clean up in here and cut out some snowflakes."
"And I brought some oranges, we can put cloves in 'em and hang those up, too," offered Jessie.
The group moved to the kitchen, where Bo placed Andy in his high chair while Penny and Bea climbed onto chairs at the table, eager to be a part of the activities. Jessie secured Memo in Andy's swing, which Bo had brought into the room, and joined the others at the kitchen table, where a basket full of paper, ribbon and other supplies had been prepared for the occasion.
Bo took a sheet of white paper and folded it carefully, then cut out little snips and a rounded edge before opening it to her daughters' amazement, revealing a lacy circular snowflake.
"That's pretty, Mama!" Penny gasped in awe. "Can I make one?"
"I'll help you, sweet pea." She patted her lap, and Penny climbed up. "These scissors are very sharp. I thought we could hang the snowflakes in the window. It'll look just like that pretty store window we liked in town."
"With the ice skating dollies?" Penny beamed up at her mother.
"Yes, that one! Without the dollies here, of course," laughed Bo.
Jessie unfolded hers. "Not quite as fancy as yours, but I like it!" she smiled as she tied a piece of colored thread through one of the holes to make a loop. Just as she reached for more paper, Memo started to fuss in the swing. She glanced over to see him arching his back in frustration, trying to break free. "Okay, bud, Mama's comin'."
Picking up her son, Jessie returned to her seat at the table, and resumed her snowflake-making the best that she could, while keeping chubby little fingers safe from the scissors. While she folded a fresh piece of paper, Memo picked up the snowflake she had just cut, investigating the new thing and chewing on its scalloped edge.
Bo looked to her sister-in-law. "Are you sure you're comfortable with hosting Christmas dinner? You know I don't mind, if it's too much for you with Memo still so little."
"Positive. I want his first Christmas to be in his own home, with all his fam'ly around him," she gently took the now-soggy paper from her son's grasp. "But that doesn't mean I ain't countin' on your help with the food," Jessie added with a laugh. Glimpsing the time on the wall clock, she let out a small gasp. "Tarnation, it's almost time to get lunch together, and I wanted to wrap Buzz's present before the fellas came in to eat! I hafta remember to take that home today; we're runnin' outta days before Christmas. D'ya still have it hidden for me?"
"It's in the pantry, bottom shelf, back corner, under a clean dishtowel."
"C'mon, bud, let's get Daddy's gift from us," Jessie stood with Memo and, quickly finding the box in its hiding place, brought it back to the table. "Can I use some'a your tissue paper and ribbon?" she asked her sister-in-law as she sat back down.
"Of course," Bo handed her the needed supplies, and watched as Jessie struggled to fold the paper around the package, without her curious son impeding her progress.
"No, Memo," Jessie let out a frustrated sigh as the infant tried to grab one of the straight pins she was using to secure the paper. "Ouchie. Not for baby."
Bo gently slid Penny off her lap and stepped around to Jessie's side of the table. "Come to Auntie Bo," she reached down for her nephew, "so your Mama can get your Daddy's present ready before he comes in the door and ruins the surprise." Memo went willingly to her, and she perched him on her hip.
The baby smiled widely, showing his few tiny teeth, and babbled at his aunt. "Buh, buh, buh…"
"That's right!" Bo placed a finger on his dimpled chin. "You love your Auntie Bo, don't you?"
The infant gave the effort all his focus before he spoke again. "Bo."
Bo's eyes widened. "Jessie! He said my name!"
"Are ya sure?" Jessie turned around in her chair. "He's babblin' all the time, but he hasn't said anythin' real yet."
Bo stared her nephew in the eye, "Memo, darling, who am I? Am I your Auntie Bo?"
He responded as his aunt had hoped, building on his first achievement. "Bo Bo BO Bo Boooo Bo Bo."
Jessie leapt up and snatched her son into an embrace, giddy with excitement. "That's his first word! Well, name, but it counts! I gotta go tell Buzz!"
"No, you have to finish tying that ribbon first," Bo laughed, taking Memo back from his mother so she could finish her task. "They'll be here any minute. But I'm so tickled that you said my name first, sweetheart," she hugged her nephew close.
"Bo BO Booo Bo Bo."
"Now that he's figured it out, I reckon he's never gonna stop," giggled Jessie, as she put the finishing touches on the present. "There," she tucked in a little sprig of holly for effect.
"Penny, Bea, help Mama clean up, please. Daddy, Uncle Buzz, and your Grampa will be in for lunch any minute." The little girls haphazardly threw crafting supplies into the basket, and Bo handed Memo back to Jessie as she began to gather the food she'd prepared earlier for lunch.
Jessie had just risen to carry the wrapped gift into the parlor when the men entered through the kitchen door. Buzz walked up to his wife and gave her a quick kiss, then kissed his son on the top of his auburn-locked head. "What do you have there?" he asked curiously.
"Never you mind," Jessie winked. "You'll find out on Christmas."
Buzz took Memo upon Jessie's return to the kitchen, so that she could help Bo get the food on the table. "Besides secret presents, what have you two been up to today? Did you get all the decorating done?"
Before Jessie could answer, and share the exciting news of their boy's first word, Bo swept by with a bowl of egg salad. Memo's eyes followed his aunt. "Bo Boooo BO Bo…"
Buzz's eyes widened. "Did he just say…?"
"Yup! He's been sayin' Bo's name!"
"I'm officially his first word," Bo stated proudly, as she passed by again for the bread.
"So much for him saying 'Dada' first," Buzz laughed.
"Who's t'say he wouldn't have said 'Mama'?" teased Jessie.
The family sat down for a quick lunch, during which the little Lightyear kept repeating his aunt's name. When the meal was finished, the men bade their families goodbye til later and headed back outside, Buzz and Andrew to tend to plowing and Woody to the dairy barn.
As they opened the kitchen door and exited onto the porch, they could still hear Memo's voice. "You want him to talk, but soon enough you'll just want a moment's quiet," Woody chuckled, letting the screen door close behind them.
It was two days before Christmas when the smell of sugar and spices filled the Lightyear kitchen and lured Buzz in the direction of his wife's baking. Dozens of gingersnap cookies sat cooling on the table, and he crept in and helped himself to a handful, with Memo balanced in one arm.
Jessie spun around from the sink, her sleeves rolled up and flour streaked across her blue plaid apron. "Hey! You can't eat 'em all before Christmas. I baked those for everyone."
"I'm sharing with Memo," he grinned, popping a cookie in his mouth.
"Mmmhmm," she stood with a hand on her hip and a playful twinkle in her eye. "Sure ya are."
"You're making plum pudding, right? And you know Mamá will bring bunuelos. Nobody's going to miss a few cookies."
Jessie shook her head and smirked at her husband, as the door swung open and Woody breezed in.
"Ready to go get these trees?" he said to Buzz, grabbing a couple cookies for himself.
"Not you, too! Git!" she slapped her brother with the dishcloth in her hand.
"Ow," he rubbed his arm, feigning injury, "where's your Christmas spirit?"
"It's gonna be out the door if I hafta bake another batch of gingersnaps on top'a everythin' else." Jessie hung the dishcloth on the sink and took Memo from her husband. "Where ya goin' for the trees? Same place as last year?"
"I think so," Buzz retrieved his overcoat and hat from a hook by the back door. "They had some nice-looking firs there last time we were in town." He stepped back over to give his wife and son a kiss.
"Just make sure it fits in the parlor," Jessie smirked over Buzz's shoulder at her brother. "I dunno if I trust ya goin' with Woody."
The last couple of days before the holiday were spent in a whirlwind of merry pursuits. So busy, that it seemed as if she hadn't been asleep for long when - following Christmas Eve at the hacienda, and late-night preparations for Memo's first visit from Santa Claus - in the wee hours of Christmas morning, a loud rumbling sound woke Jessie with a start. Instantly the house started shaking, and she rolled over and jostled Buzz awake in a panic.
"Buzz! Buzz! Wake up! It's an earthquake!"
His eyes blinked open to look at her. "We're safe; this is a solid house," he mumbled sleepily.
"It sure don't feel safe! I'm gettin' Memo."
Jessie slid cautiously out of bed and braced herself against furniture and walls as she stumbled through the adjoining doorway into their son's room. LIfting the baby from his crib, she cradled him close as the tremors finally came to a stop.
"Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln, that was a bad one," she said, returning to the master bedroom and switching on the light. "I dunno how ya can be so calm when the ground is shakin'."
"You'll be used to earthquakes after thirty years, too, florecita," he smiled at his visibly rattled wife. "But I'll admit that was worse than the one back in July." He pulled on a pair of trousers, slipping the suspenders over the long knit underwear he had been sleeping in, and raised the window shade to peer across the yard. "Looks like lights are on at Woody's. I'll check on them after I telephone my parents, and I'll make sure your father is alright, too. Woody's probably already heading out to the barn to check on his cows and Slink."
"But what if there's another?" she fretted. "There's no goin' back to sleep now. What time is it, anyway?"
"It's half past four," he glanced at his pocket watch, then set it back down on the dresser. "And you'll be fine in the house. There are no gas lines to break, and no lit lamps to fall over. Just stay put." Buzz kissed her on the forehead, and planted another kiss on the top of Memo's head. "Guess it's going to be an early first Christmas for our little bud. I'll light the tree when I get back, so stay up here until you hear me. Don't want to ruin the surprise."
"The tree!" she gasped. "I hope it's okay."
As Buzz headed down the stairs and out the door, Jessie laid Memo down long enough to freshly braid her hair and get dressed in a wrapper. By the time she had changed and nursed the baby, she heard the sound of her husband's return, and his bustling in the parlor below to ready their grand reveal of the tree they had decorated after their son had been put to bed the night before. Being Memo's first Christmas, he had no comprehension of the splendors that awaited him downstairs; nevertheless, his parents wanted this momentous occasion to be perfect for him.
Jessie came down the stairs with Memo in her arms, and crossed the hall into the parlor. Buzz was waiting with camera in hand, ready to attempt to capture the little boy's reaction, despite the earlier and darker hour than they had anticipated. Memo's bright blue eyes grew wide as saucers at the flickering candles on the tree, and darted back and forth between the assortment of baubles reflecting the light. Over their four years of marriage, the Lightyears had added to their collection of ornaments, even more so in anticipation of Memo's first Christmas; and along with the simple silvered glass balls and tinseled scrap angels they'd had since the beginning, dresden Santas and animals now hung from the branches, as well as glittering stars, glass icicles, and paper cornucopias trimmed with tinsel rope, holding soft peppermints and caramels for their nieces. Narrow garlands of gilt and silver tinsel drooped in swags from the branches, and atop it all, a shining silver star crowned the fir that sat in a place of honor in the front parlor window.
"Look, bud! It's Christmas mornin'!" Jessie grinned at the baby's expression of awe. "Let's see what Santa brought ya!"
Beneath the tree was a treasure trove of delights for a little one. A round baby walker - a metal and wood frame with wheels and a small seat - was the largest gift. But arranged around it were a plush horse, storybooks, and a stack of large, brightly-colored alphabet blocks. And hanging on the nearby mantel was a tiny stocking, with a new teething rattle peeking out.
Jessie sat cross-legged on the floor, a safe enough distance from the tree and its candlelight, with her son on her lap, while Buzz alternated between handing the presents over to them one by one and taking photos of his boy's reactions. The baby didn't quite know what to make of all the new things that were suddenly being offered to him, but he eagerly accepted each one.
As soon as all of Memo's gifts had been given to him, and he was sitting in his new walker studying his toy horse, Jessie reached under the tree for the parcel she had wrapped a few days prior. "Here! Open your present first!" she shoved it into her husband's lap.
He smiled crookedly at her enthusiasm, and carefully removed the ribbon and paper from the box. His jaw dropped in surprise when he realized what was inside: a Folding Pocket Kodak camera.
"A new camera?!"
"I've been savin' my pin money for months," she scooted closer to him, so she could watch as he lifted the box's pasteboard lid and carefully removed its contents. With its sleek rounded edges and its black leather covering, and measuring only slightly more than six inches in length, the camera was modern in every way. "I've seen ya lookin' at that model when we've been shoppin' in town, and figured you'd feel bad replacin' the other one I gave ya, so I just thought I'd give ya another! This one's smaller, it'll be better to take places, and should be easier to manage when you're tryin' to take photos of someone who won't sit still."
"Thank you, florecita," Buzz leaned over and gave his wife a kiss, then began investigating the camera's dual viewfinders, nickeled levers, and folding bellows mechanism that expanded the lens outward when the camera was in use. "It's exactly the model I wanted. I'll try it out today." He looked up from his gift for a moment, as if listening for a sound in the back of the house, then reached under the tree himself. "While I open the rest of this, here's something for you," he handed her a small box in white paper.
Jessie unwrapped it to reveal a phonograph cylinder. "Oh, Maple Leaf Rag , I've been wantin' this one!" She took it out of the box and hopped up to play it on the phonograph.
"That's not your only gift. It's just - " Buzz was cut short by the sound of rapping on the kitchen door, and he darted to his feet. "Better see who that is. I'll be right back."
The sounds of muffled talking could be heard in the kitchen, but Jessie didn't think too much of it. Figuring Woody had stopped by to report on something related to the morning's excitement, she was confused when instead her husband returned carrying a hatbox tied with a large red bow.
"This is your present," he beamed. "Come, sit down and open it."
Jessie's brow furrowed, and she stepped away from the shelf where she had been straightening bric-a-brac displaced by the morning's shaking. She certainly wasn't expecting a hat from her husband, after he had given her the red vaquera hat she still wore often; yet he seemed very proud of the gift, so she happily obliged. Once she was seated, he set the box down in front of her, watching her every motion as if he might burst.
She untied the ribbon, letting it fall to the sides of the box, then swiftly lifted the lid - and let out a gasp when she saw what was inside. A tiny black-and-tan dachshund puppy, looking up at her with big brown eyes, was trying with all his might to climb out.
Without hesitation, Jessie reached into the box and lifted the little dog, hugging it to her chest and planting a kiss on its cold, wet nose. "Look at 'im! Oh, Buzz, he's perfect!" She held the puppy away from her to get a better look. "If you aren't the cutest little critter!" She turned to her husband, clutching the dog close to her again. "I just love him!"
Buzz's face shone with joy at her reaction. "Memo's getting close to one; I figured we could handle a puppy now. I know you've been wanting a dog."
"How in tarnation did you keep this a secret?" she giggled, as the wiggly little pup kissed her face.
"I picked him up a couple days ago, and Slink has been keeping him for me. I stopped by on the way back from your father's to let him know we were already up. I couldn't ask Woody; the girls would have blown the surprise," he laughed. "There's a basket of things in the kitchen for him, like a collar and lead, and a bed."
"What are we gonna name ya, fella?" the puppy was cautiously venturing off on his own, taking tentative steps out into the expanse of the parlor. Memo, curiously watching this little furry plaything that had come into his home, lurched forward in his walker, and the pup hastened back to the safety of Jessie's lap. She scooped him up, then carried him over to her son, holding the dog at Memo's eye level. "See, bud? It's a puppy! Like Buster, but he's just a baby, like you." She guided little hands to pet the puppy's head gently, "There, nice puppy. That's a good boy. You two'll be best pals."
"How about Ranger?" Buzz interjected, as he extinguished the tree's candles before a disaster could ensue, due to animal or aftershock. "We could call him Ranger."
"Ranger… I like it," Jessie scratched the puppy behind his velvet ears. "You a Ranger, boy?" The dog wagged his long, narrow tail. "I think you are." She set her new pet on the floor with a scratch behind his velvety ears, and rose to standing. "As much as I'd love to sit and play with Ranger all mornin', we might as well make good use'a all this extra time. I've got plenty to do, but I'll make us some breakfast, to start." As she started to take a step, she was stopped by a tug on the hem of her wrapper. "You little varmint," she laughed as Ranger tugged with all his tiny might, "reckon we gotta keep an eye on you!"
Several hours later, Jessie was peering in the oven to check on the roasting turkey when the kitchen door swung open. "Merry Christmas!" her brother called out, with a bundled-up Andy in his arms. He held the door open so the rest of his family could enter - a very excited Penny and Bea, Bo bearing a basket of gifts, and Andrew carrying a stack of packages of his own.
"Merry Christmas!" Jessie replied, and her father juggled his bundles in one arm so he could give her a hug.
"It's nice to be able to say that to each other in person again, isn't it?" he smiled warmly. "Even if it does come on the tails of a rather rude awakening."
"Some wake-up we got today, huh? It almost sounded like we were livin' back at the depot and there was a train rollin' in." She then turned to her brother with a mirthful expression. "How was your Christmas mornin'?"
"Chaos, what else?" chuckled Woody. "And I'm not even talking about the earthquake. Although Penny was convinced that the rumbling and shaking was Santa Claus on our roof. So, where's your big present?" he added with a knowing grin.
"You knew?" she grinned. "In the parlor with Buzz and Memo. We named him Ranger."
"Aunt Jessie! We got Brownies!" While Bo struggled to remove her impatient children's coats, Penny wriggled out of her coat sleeves and raced over to show off her treasure, a little soft doll with a round painted face and skinny, wired arms and legs. "I got this dolly, and we got Brownie stamps, and a new Brownie book, and a Brownie train set, too! The Brownies are riding the train!"
"Sounds like Santa brought whatcha were hopin' for!"
"It's nice to see her carrying around those funny little characters now, instead of that horrific talking doll," Andrew shuddered in jest.
"THANK you," Woody gestured at his father. "Nobody else here believes me that that thing is terrifying."
Shaking her head at her brother, Jessie then addressed Bea. "What's that you've got there, bumble-Bea?" The two-year-old tugged at the pull-toy sheep that sat on the wood floor beside her, soft and wooly and perched on wheels.
"I don't know why she needed a toy sheep," Woody puzzled. "We have three real ones out in the barnyard."
Bo entered the kitchen, having deposited her children's outerwear and basket of gifts in the hall, in time to hear her husband's remark. "Bea loves my sheep, but she can't play with them in the house, now, can she?"
Jessie laughed, and turned to her nieces. "You two might wanna go see what your uncle and cousin are up to."
In a flash the two little girls were down the hall, trailing the pull-toy, with Andrew, Woody and Andy close behind. Soon squeals of joy echoed from the parlor.
Bo tied the apron she had brought with her around her waist. "What do you need me to do?"
"Well, one good thing about this mornin' is I got a head start on dinner! Buzz helped me get the turkey in the oven, so we just hafta keep bastin' that." Jessie picked up her yellow-ware bowl, striped with red and white, that was heaped with flour-dusted raisins and currants. "I'm workin' on the plum puddin' now, it has to get steamin' here soon so it'll be ready for dessert. You could start on the sweet potatoes; I'll boil the potatoes to be mashed next."
Only moments later, the women's work was interrupted by the arrival of the men and children in the kitchen. Buzz had his new camera in one hand and Ranger nestled in his other arm, his braided-leather leash dangling down.
"We're going to take this little guy out, and the kids," he said, stepping close to his wife so she could give the puppy a pat. "There's too much excitement for the parlor to contain."
"You just wanna try out your camera; I know you," Jessie smirked. "Be sure Memo stays warm enough," she looked to Andrew, who was holding his grandson, dressed in a jacket and hat.
Bo glanced at her own children, who were ready to bolt outside without any outerwear. "Woody, honey, don't forget to get their coats from the hall tree. It's cold today."
"Cold?" Andrew gasped teasingly. "Compared to Missouri winters, this might as well be spring."
"'Spose we're used to the warm weather," Jessie shrugged. "Before long, you'll be, too."
The men and children disappeared outside, and the women returned to preparing the family feast, all the while talking of their Christmas Eve spent together at the hacienda, and their unexpectedly eventful Christmas morning.
Jessie paused from her work at the sound of shrieks of laughter coming from the backyard, and glanced out the window. She laughed herself when she saw what had caused such mirth: Woody's ankles were wrapped multiple times around with Ranger's lead, and the little dog was wriggling like a fish on a line as Buzz tried to untangle his brother-in-law and his pet. Buster wasn't helping matters, barking and running laps around the scene.
"Looks like they've got their hands full out there," giggled Jessie.
"I'm sure bringing Buster out to play was Woody's idea, so he deserves it," Bo added with a snicker. She wiped her hands on her apron and opened the oven door to check on the turkey's progress.
Jessie resumed pressing the masher into the potatoes. "How's it look?"
"Perfect!" Bo angled the roasting pan towards her sister-in-law so she could see the golden-brown bird. "Want me to get the gravy started?"
"Yes, please," Jessie puffed a wayward tendril of hair from her eyes. "Estrellita and Zachariah should be here soon, and I wanna have as much of this ready when they get here as possible."
"How much food will they bring? She already treated us to quite the holiday feast at their place."
Jessie laughed as she set the potatoes aside, "I'm pretty sure Estrellita made enough tamales to feed an army, so I expect we'll have some'a those on the table, in addition to all of this. Not that I'm complainin'." She inhaled deeply over the plum pudding steaming on the stove. "And she'll be bringin' buñuelos, too - even though Buzz'n Pa both had their fill of 'em last night," she grinned. "Estrellita was pretendin' that she wouldn't have enough left for today, and Buzz was tryin' to act like he was concerned that Pa would be disappointed, but I know better than that when it comes to him and those things."
"Well, I guess we'll see what she brought in a minute; looks like they just pulled up to the house," Bo looked away from the window where she had seen the kids all running towards the lane leading to the barn. Her words were confirmed in a few minutes as Estrellita came through the door into the kitchen accompanied by a cacophony of children's voices and puppy barks.
"Ita! What did you bring us? D'ya wanna see the tree? Come look at what Santa brought me!" Penny followed close on her honorary grandmother's heels, not pausing for so much as a breath or to let the woman answer.
"One thing at a time, niña! I promise I will come see everything in just a minute." She set the pot of tamales on the kitchen table and gave both Jessie and Bo a hug. "It smells wonderful in here, mija!"
"Thank you! Did you bring the buñuelos?" Jessie lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Si, of course I did. But we'll let him wait until later to find out. Now," she wiped her hands on a nearby towel, "let me go make good on my promise and then you can put me to work so we can sit down to dinner."
Estrellita followed Penny and Bea into the parlor, as the kitchen bustled again at the sound of all the men returning inside, checking to make sure the girls weren't getting underfoot.
Soon the food was ready, and the family gathered in the dining room, where swags of holly and pine decorated the oak mantel in the corner of the room, as well as the doorway and window frame. On the table, a low bowl of holly served as a centerpiece atop Jessie's favorite Turkey red tablecloth, and a small sprig of holly was set at each place, tied with a narrow red ribbon.
"This all looks so lovely!" Bo exclaimed. She found a spot amidst the table's bounty for the bowl of mashed potatoes she had been carrying, and sat in the chair that had been pulled out for her by her husband. "How did you find the time to decorate, with Memo and a puppy?"
"You can thank me for that," Buzz grinned, as he lifted the tray of the high chair to get his son situated in his seat. "We took a nap this morning with Ranger, didn't we, bud?"
Woody stopped in his tracks as soon as he noticed what his brother-in-law was doing. "Oh no. I forgot to bring Andy's high chair," Woody glanced at his own son in his arms, then sheepishly down at his seated wife. "Should I go home and get it?"
"No, I think we can manage; we don't want to hold up dinner. Besides, we didn't have a high chair for him last night."
"You can put him in the swing in the doorway," Jessie gestured to the hooks in the door frame between the kitchen and dining room. "It won't take anythin' to set it up. Or I can get the baby yard."
"Nah, he'll be fine on my lap. Won't ya?" Woody gave his son a kiss on the top of the head as he made himself comfortable in his chair. "Just let Daddy eat all this good food, please."
Bo slipped her napkin from its ring. "We'll take turns."
Food and conversation passed around the table as turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and tamales filled the plates.
"How are you enjoying your new home?" Zechariah asked Andrew, reaching for the gravy boat. "I understand you moved in just a few days ago?"
"Yes, it's a little empty still, but very cozy," he replied. "I'm borrowing the furniture from my room at Woody and Bo's place for the time being. I'll go shopping for the rest next week sometime."
"And I trust it weathered this morning's shaking alright?" enquired Estrellita.
"It did; there wasn't even any cracked plaster that I could see. Fared considerably better than myself, I must admit. These earthquakes are going to take some getting used to."
"They give me a fright when they're happenin', but I'd rather earthquakes than Missouri tornadoes," Jessie looked up from the child-sized bowl of sweet potatoes she was feeding Memo from. "Nothin' broke here, either, thank goodness."
Bo sighed. "My porcelain shepherdess figurine fell, and its arm and crook broke. But I'm pretty sure I can fix it."
"And milk sloshed out of some of the jugs in the dairy," added Woody. "But if those are the worst of our losses, we can't complain."
"Indeed," Zechariah concurred. "So, have you ridden the new electric trolley in town yet?"
"I saw it running when Woody and I went to get the Christmas trees," answered Buzz. "It was their first day of operation."
"Buzz is itchin' to take a ride, but we haven't had a chance yet," Jessie grinned at her husband. "We'll have to make the time next week."
As the last bites of plum pudding and buñuelos were being savored, Buzz spoke up. "Would you like us to help with the dishes? You've done plenty today, and it is Christmas."
"If y'all will clear the table and then watch the lil' ones, that's help enough," replied Jessie.
"Yes, the three of us will do fine with what's left," Bo nodded. "Many hands make light work."
The table was emptied of its platters and plates and silverware, and the women retreated into the kitchen to clean up while the men took the children into the parlor. When they were unable to wait any longer for their anticipated surprises, Penny and Bea came scurrying up to Bo at the sink, and tugged at her apron.
"Mama, Mama, we want presents now!" Penny begged.
Bo smiled down on her daughters. "Just a few more minutes, sweet pea; we only have a couple more plates to dry and put away. Go play with Ranger, and the boys."
The Pride girls leapt up from where they'd been sitting on the floor with Ranger when Jessie, Bo, and Estrellita entered the Lightyear parlor moments later, the latter bearing a bowl of turrón candy. It was a festive room where the family convened to exchange their gifts: holly and pine boughs spanned the windows and doorways, much like in the dining room - as well as the mantel, where Memo's tiny stocking still hung, now emptied of its contents. The pine garland that was entwined around the banister could be seen in the hall, and a wreath hung in the side window that looked out on the Pride house next door.
Jessie retrieved the remaining gifts from under the tree, before Buzz lit the new multicolored candles he'd placed on the branches' tiny holders earlier in the day, bringing the evergreen to glittering life. Making sure the covering of white flannel beneath the tree was properly arranged in its snow-like folds, and the little metal scrollwork fence around it was secure to deter little meddlers, Jessie waited while Buzz checked the two pails sitting off to the side - one holding a sponge on a stick in water, and the other sand, just in case of a wayward flame.
Bo and Estrellita also collected their own contributions to the family's gift exchange, and no sooner had the parcels been divided amongst the children, than the tissue paper wrappings and colorful ribbons were swiftly removed and scattered across the floor.
"A Brownie game!" Penny cried, as she stared at the pasteboard box with its lithographed label, featuring her beloved Brownie characters. She lifted the lid to reveal a collection of colorful two-dimensional figures on standing bases, along with three small wooden balls.
"It's a nine-pins game. What do you say to your aunt and uncle?" Bo reminded her daughter.
"Thank you!" Penny beamed.
Bo turned to Bea, who had just finished unwrapping the other package. "Is that a new book?"
"Choo choo!" answered the toddler, who was enthralled by the vibrant cover image of three children waving at a steam engine, emblazoned with the title Railroad ABC .
"I figured the kids needed that, with our past and all," Jessie remarked. "The pictures bring back memories. We got one for Memo, too."
"Whatcha got there?" Woody asked Andy, who he was sitting next to on the floor. He removed the straight pins and put them in his vest pocket for safety, then helped the little boy uncover his gift. It was a child-sized wooden drum with images of the Brownies playing different musical instruments all around it. "A… drum? You guys really shouldn't have."
Jessie giggled, and Buzz grinned widely. "But it's got Brownies on it," she pointed out.
"And that'll make up for the noise, huh?" he deadpanned, as Andy's small hands began to explore his new plaything.
Estrellita passed around her own set of parcels to the Pride children, then rested a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Mi alma, why don't you get your grandson's gift while these niños open theirs?"
In no time Penny and Bea had uncovered a Tiddly Winks game of their very own and a pretty set of paper dolls, and had flung themselves on their Ita with hugs of thanks. And Andy found himself the new owner of a push-toy on a long handle that made chime sounds as it moved, which he tried out on the rug where he sat.
"Oh, that will be wonderful now that he's learning to walk," Bo said to Estrellita.
"We'll hear him coming," Woody noted with a nervous laugh, trying his best to appear appreciative, as Andy rolled the musical toy back and forth with increasing intensity and sound.
"Sweet pea," Bo called out to Penny, "would you like to give your cousin his gifts from us?"
The little girl proudly took the two small wrapped packages from her mother, and carried them over to Memo in his walker, where he'd been watching the hubbub surrounding him with wide eyes. Jessie sat down beside him on the floor, and loosened the paper so little fingers could discover what was inside.
"A Brownie book!" Jessie exclaimed, showing the baby a bright cover reading Brownies: Their Book .
"The girls picked that out," Bo laughed. "They said he had to know who the Brownies are."
"Open the other!" Penny hovered over Jessie and Memo as she helped him with the second gift. Paper was folded back to reveal a hand-sewn, soft doll made of fabric printed with the image of a Brownie dressed as a policeman.
"I saved that from when I made the dolls for the girls," Bo explained. "I figured it was fitting, considering Buzz's time in Los Angeles," she cast a teasing smile at her brother-in-law, who was reaching to get a closer look at his son's new toy.
"Those days feel like forever ago," he chuckled, as his father entered the parlor from the hall bearing a large unwrapped gift - a wooden rocking horse, adorned with a red bow.
"Memo, look what Abuelo has for you! A horsie like your cousins have!" Similar to the rocking horse the infant had recently discovered at the Pride home, Memo's gift was more of a glider than a rocker. Two parallel horse figures with red painted saddles rested on a swinging base, and between them sat an upholstered seat, along with a small tray for the little rider's trinkets or treats. Jessie lifted her son out of his walker and lowered him onto the ride's cushioned chair.
As she knelt next to Memo, pushing him gently back and forth, Andrew got up from the plush easy chair he'd been sitting in since dinner and grabbed a stack of wrapped packages that he'd placed behind it earlier. "I have some presents of my own to share here, too." He stepped over to Jessie and handed her one from the stack for herself, and another for his grandson.
"Pa, you shouldn't have! We agreed to only give gifts to the kids this year, 'cept in our own households."
"I know, but please excuse your old father for wanting to spoil his family on our first Christmas together in far too many years." He distributed the remaining presents to Buzz and the elder Lightyears. "I gave the others their gifts this morning; I stopped by their place before we came over here."
Jessie opened her package first, to find a woolen fascinator, cardinal red with looped fringe around the edges. For Buzz, there was a leather photograph case, to hold a few of his favorite images. And for Estrellita and Zechariah, a wall calendar for 1900. Lastly, Memo was the recipient of a colorful and bouncy rubber ball, which slipped from his grasp and Ranger quickly claimed as his own.
Andrew laughed as Jessie snatched the ball out of the rambunctious puppy's mouth. "I know the ball isn't much, but that's not his only gift. There's a wagon for all the children to share; it's in the backyard. And I've mail-ordered a lawn swing for them, too." He sunk back into the plush chair, crossing his ankle over his knee.
"The kids'll like that a lot," Jessie smiled, as she took a handkerchief out of her pocket to wipe off the slobbery ball.
"I think you like that chair, Pa," Woody said slyly.
"It's quite comfortable; I might have to look for one of these for myself." He smoothed his hands across the chair's deep blue velveteen arm rests. "Was this a Christmas present for you, Buzz? I don't remember you having this chair before."
Twinkling eyes met around the room, and shared knowing smiles. "It's a Christmas present, but not mine," Buzz replied.
"It's yours, Pa!" Jessie couldn't contain herself any longer. "We all chipped in and got it for ya, for your new place. Even Estrellita and Zechariah!"
"Well, I'll be!" Andrew's face shone with gratitude. "Thank you kindly, all of you."
The presents all having been opened, and the excitement of the day starting to get the best of the little ones, the family lingered quietly in the parlor. By the time an hour had passed, Penny was curled up on Andrew's lap, Bea on Woody's, and Andy was asleep in Bo's arms.
Buzz was sitting on the sofa with baby Memo nestled against his chest, also asleep. He looked pensively up at the now-extinguished candles. "It would be much more practical and less worrisome if we could just have electric lights for the tree. You know, President Cleveland had an electric Christmas tree a few years ago, lit with little multicolored lights."
"This ain't the White House," Jessie giggled, stroking Ranger's head, who lay curled up in a little ball on her lap. "Although I s'pose that would look pretty."
"Nothing could have looked prettier than the holiday you hosted today, mija," Estrellita cast a sincere smile at her daughter-in-law, "but I'm afraid we should be bringing this perfect day to a close." She and Zechariah both stood, and after goodnights were shared around the room, Buzz passed Memo to his wife so that he could walk his parents out. The Prides were soon to follow, tired but happy after a day so full of family and good cheer.
Nearly a week later, Jessie and Buzz were snuggled together on the parlor sofa, enjoying their quiet solitude with Memo fast asleep in his crib upstairs and Ranger cozy on his dog bed near the fireplace. Every so often, they consulted the mantel clock, as midnight was fast approaching. With only five minutes to spare, Jessie leapt up. "We gotta open the door and welcome the new year!"
Buzz joined her as she unlatched their heavy front door and stood looking out the screen, waiting. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
She smiled back at him. "Looks like Woody'n Bo are outside. Wanna go wish 'em Happy New Year real quick?"
"You trust the puppy?" Buzz laughed.
Jessie glanced at the sleeping little dog, who hadn't stirred, even with the sound of them going to the door.
"I think he's tuckered out enough to stay outta trouble for a few minutes. C'mon, before they go in."
The pair grabbed their winter coats from the hall tree and put them on, then Jessie reached for the cardinal-red fascinator that her father had given her for Christmas. Buzz chuckled as she carefully wrapped the long, woolen headcovering over her braided hair.
"What?" she cocked her head, tucking the fascinator's ends around her neck and shoulders.
"With all that fringe around the edges, it looks like you have a yarnful of hair," he grinned. "Or, a hairful of yarn." Jessie rolled her eyes teasingly as he placed his hands on her waist and tugged her closer for a kiss. When they pulled apart, he nodded his head upwards at the green and white sprig hanging from the hall chandelier. "Mistletoe will be coming down soon. Can't waste it."
She flashed him a flirtatious smirk. "Maybe we should just leave it up."
The Lightyears stepped out into the cold night air, then hurried over to where the Prides stood on their own front porch, their arms around each other. "Happy New Year!" they called out as they approached. Their greeting was returned in kind.
"Happy new century ," Woody added. "Hard to believe we're going into 1900."
"Technically, the new century doesn't start until 1901," Buzz said matter-of-factly.
"All I know is tomorrow I gotta start writin' 19 on things instead'a 18, and that's new enough for me," Jessie nudged her husband playfully with her shoulder. "How many times are we gonna get that wrong, until we're used to it?"
In the distance, the sound of bells could be heard from Redlands proper, ringing in the new year at the stroke of midnight. Jessie snuggled against Buzz, both of them hugging each other close to fend off the winter chill. The two couples stood, staring out into the starlit darkness together, greeting the promise of a new century.
TRANSLATION: bruja - witch
HISTORICAL NOTES: The Brownies were immensely popular with children, beginning in the 1880s with the publication of their first book and into the early 20th century. Somewhere between leprechauns and fairies, these adventuresome and mischievous little figures were based on Scottish folklore, and were the first cartoon characters to be used widely in merchandising. Much like children's series today, the different characters were based upon common community and cultural figures of the day. [Memo gets a policeman doll because (1) I had written that scene ages ago, when I first learned about the Brownies, and that that was one of the more popular characters along with Dude, who the girls have; (2) I found a photo of an existing historical doll to reference; and (3) because it was established many, many chapters back that Buzz was in the LAPD and left because he was fed up with its corruption before he became a Marshal. Please do not take this brief mention as a political statement, because it is not; it's merely Bo teasing him about his past, in a different time, and a detail that worked historically within the narrative we had already established.] There really was an earthquake in Southern California on Christmas morning 1899, and its epicenter was about 30 miles from Redlands. Although intensity wasn't measured back then, by modern standards it is estimated to have been around a 6.5. Baby walkers existed in the 1890s much like today, as well as doorway jumper swings, albeit made out of wood and metal instead of plastic. Redlands' trolley system was upgraded from horse-drawn to electrified, opening on December 23, 1899, however this news was quickly overshadowed by the earthquake. Dresdens were a kind of Christmas tree ornament popular between 1880 and 1910, made of highly-detailed embossed and embellished cardboard. Fascinators were a kind of winter hat/scarf combo popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Knitted or crocheted, and shaped like a small triangular shawl, they covered your head and wrapped around your neck.
I'd like to address one more thing, based on comments I've seen over the past few years, since I haven't posted in a while - just a friendly reminder to not judge the past by today's standard of living. There are often remarks about how unwieldy 19th century clothing was, for example - but to people who lived back then, it was just their everyday clothing. It was what they were used to, and even comfortable in. What do we wear today, that someday, people will look back on us and think we were crazy for wearing it? How backwards will we seem in the future? People were just living their lives as they knew them - and aesthetically speaking, I think it was a pretty darn gorgeous time to be alive. :)