Epilogue
"So there he was, standing at the line, Uni fans trying to rattle him and he shoots, he scores!" Rick imitated his son, as Rudy and Oscar cheered. Rob just shook his head, laughing at his father, while they waited to for A.J. to bring the car around.
Standing by the creek, Rick took a bow, then grabbed Rob in a headlock and mussed his hair, still glowing about the senior's performance the night before. Oscar picked up his bucket full of fish, and preparing to load it into the pick-up truck, razzed the older Simon by saying, "Now if you could fish as well as Rob plays basketball, we'd have caught our limit!"
Amid the groans and moans, A.J. drove up, waiting for the fishermen to load their kit and kabodle. Rob elected to ride in the back with his Uncle Oscar, as Rick piled into the front with Rudy. On the way back to the ranch, the doctor quizzed Rick on how Laurie was feeling. "She's almost back to normal, as a matter of fact she wants to go riding tomorrow. I told her she had to wait for you to clear her." Rudy laughed at her husband's expression, then told A.J., "Just wait until you and Linda are married, I'm going to have two worry warts on my hands!" Smiling, he added, "She should be just fine riding, just not too far for the first day. Is Linda with her today?"
A.J. nodded. "Yes, the two of them went through the list of things we need to do before next week, I can't believe our wedding's almost here."
"Believe it, little brother. I can't wait to marry your off myself. Listen, if you decide to elope I know a nice little chapel .ouch." Rick fended off his brother's cap, as Rudy laughed.
Continuing the banter until they came around the bend, Rick fell silent as he spotted a black limo at their gate. "Oscar, were you or Rudy expecting someone today." Goldman spoke through an opening in the back window, "No, Rick, I'm not due in Ojai for at least a couple of weeks, I wonder if," he stopped short, then pulled out his transmitter. Punching in a code, he spoke a few words, then closed the device. "It's ok, the Secretary came to thank us for stopping Wainwright, he's with Laurie and Linda now."
Parking outside the gate, Rob and A.J. unloaded the buckets of fish, taking them around the back, as Rick, Rudy and Oscar entered the house.
Linda opened the door as the Secretary and his staff stood to greet the three men. "Mr. Secretary", Rick acknowledged him, shaking hands then seeing Laurie sitting on the sofa, went over and embraced her. "Ok?', he asked quietly. "Everything's fine", she whispered, kissing him .
He turned to see the cabinet member pull a citation out of his case, then presenting it to Rick, said, "Mr. Simon, we owe you a great debt for your service in rescuing Oscar and Mrs. Simon from General Wainwright. This citation salutes you and your brother, as well as Colonel Austin and your son. You showed great bravery, but I should have expected no less from a Marine."
Rick grew red in the face, and managed a "Thank you".
The Secretary shook his hand again, then turning to Laurie, took his leave of her and Linda. As Oscar walked him out , Rick exhaled, then picked up his wife and hugged her again. Feeling her shaking, he looked at her, only to see her giggling. Then Linda suddenly burst into laughter. "What's with you two?" Rick grinned, looking at Laurie. "I had a little, um, accident with my pants just before the Secretary came in, I didn't dare stand up because, well, they split." she managed to blurt out, smiling sheepishly. He shook his head, then remembered he had to move the truck before the limo could turn around. "Be right back, honey," he said.
After Rick moved the truck, Oscar called him over, as the Secretary once again shook his hand, saying, "Thank you again, Mr. Simon, and please apologize to the ladies for not giving any notice of our arrival. I'm afraid I interrupted their horseback ride."
The older Simon blinked, "Horseback ride, Sir?" He looked back at the house, then the light dawned. "No problem, Mr. Secretary, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to see a lady about a horse." As he marched back down the drive, Oscar looked at the cabinet member, who had a puzzled look on his face. "I'm afraid my niece is about to get a talking to, Sir. She's not supposed to be riding until Dr. Wells clears her."
"Ahh, I get it.", the older man replied, turning to watch through the open windows as Rick entered the house, scooped up Laurie in his arms and exited out of sight.
"I envy you your family, Oscar," he sighed, entering the limo. Rolling down the window, he stuck his head out and added, " Incredible."
After a moment, the former OSI Chief said, still gazing back at his family, "Yes, they are."
"So there he was, standing at the line, Uni fans trying to rattle him and he shoots, he scores!" Rick imitated his son, as Rudy and Oscar cheered. Rob just shook his head, laughing at his father, while they waited to for A.J. to bring the car around.
Standing by the creek, Rick took a bow, then grabbed Rob in a headlock and mussed his hair, still glowing about the senior's performance the night before. Oscar picked up his bucket full of fish, and preparing to load it into the pick-up truck, razzed the older Simon by saying, "Now if you could fish as well as Rob plays basketball, we'd have caught our limit!"
Amid the groans and moans, A.J. drove up, waiting for the fishermen to load their kit and kabodle. Rob elected to ride in the back with his Uncle Oscar, as Rick piled into the front with Rudy. On the way back to the ranch, the doctor quizzed Rick on how Laurie was feeling. "She's almost back to normal, as a matter of fact she wants to go riding tomorrow. I told her she had to wait for you to clear her." Rudy laughed at her husband's expression, then told A.J., "Just wait until you and Linda are married, I'm going to have two worry warts on my hands!" Smiling, he added, "She should be just fine riding, just not too far for the first day. Is Linda with her today?"
A.J. nodded. "Yes, the two of them went through the list of things we need to do before next week, I can't believe our wedding's almost here."
"Believe it, little brother. I can't wait to marry your off myself. Listen, if you decide to elope I know a nice little chapel .ouch." Rick fended off his brother's cap, as Rudy laughed.
Continuing the banter until they came around the bend, Rick fell silent as he spotted a black limo at their gate. "Oscar, were you or Rudy expecting someone today." Goldman spoke through an opening in the back window, "No, Rick, I'm not due in Ojai for at least a couple of weeks, I wonder if," he stopped short, then pulled out his transmitter. Punching in a code, he spoke a few words, then closed the device. "It's ok, the Secretary came to thank us for stopping Wainwright, he's with Laurie and Linda now."
Parking outside the gate, Rob and A.J. unloaded the buckets of fish, taking them around the back, as Rick, Rudy and Oscar entered the house.
Linda opened the door as the Secretary and his staff stood to greet the three men. "Mr. Secretary", Rick acknowledged him, shaking hands then seeing Laurie sitting on the sofa, went over and embraced her. "Ok?', he asked quietly. "Everything's fine", she whispered, kissing him .
He turned to see the cabinet member pull a citation out of his case, then presenting it to Rick, said, "Mr. Simon, we owe you a great debt for your service in rescuing Oscar and Mrs. Simon from General Wainwright. This citation salutes you and your brother, as well as Colonel Austin and your son. You showed great bravery, but I should have expected no less from a Marine."
Rick grew red in the face, and managed a "Thank you".
The Secretary shook his hand again, then turning to Laurie, took his leave of her and Linda. As Oscar walked him out , Rick exhaled, then picked up his wife and hugged her again. Feeling her shaking, he looked at her, only to see her giggling. Then Linda suddenly burst into laughter. "What's with you two?" Rick grinned, looking at Laurie. "I had a little, um, accident with my pants just before the Secretary came in, I didn't dare stand up because, well, they split." she managed to blurt out, smiling sheepishly. He shook his head, then remembered he had to move the truck before the limo could turn around. "Be right back, honey," he said.
After Rick moved the truck, Oscar called him over, as the Secretary once again shook his hand, saying, "Thank you again, Mr. Simon, and please apologize to the ladies for not giving any notice of our arrival. I'm afraid I interrupted their horseback ride."
The older Simon blinked, "Horseback ride, Sir?" He looked back at the house, then the light dawned. "No problem, Mr. Secretary, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to see a lady about a horse." As he marched back down the drive, Oscar looked at the cabinet member, who had a puzzled look on his face. "I'm afraid my niece is about to get a talking to, Sir. She's not supposed to be riding until Dr. Wells clears her."
"Ahh, I get it.", the older man replied, turning to watch through the open windows as Rick entered the house, scooped up Laurie in his arms and exited out of sight.
"I envy you your family, Oscar," he sighed, entering the limo. Rolling down the window, he stuck his head out and added, " Incredible."
After a moment, the former OSI Chief said, still gazing back at his family, "Yes, they are."