Chapter 5
"Merry Christmas, darling", Rick heard, then opening his eyes, saw Laurie's face looking down. Blinking away the sleep, he grinned at her red silk "Santa" outfit and the steaming cup of coffee she was setting down next to him. Gathering her in his arms, he was careful with her injured wrist as he whispered "Merry Christmas to you, my angel. You are the best gift Santa's ever left for me!" covering her face with kisses.
Laying against him, Laurie caressed his face, "You give me Christmas everyday, Rick, and I'll never take you for granted." As she kissed him, Rick thought about the last couple of days and how lucky they were to have such good friends. Returning from the hospital, the Simons found dinner prepared by Jaime and Cecilia and Crystal. When Towne and Temple Brown had arrived, they insisted on helping with the last minute preparations and Temple kept Laurie occupied with a video recording of one of her books while her "presents" arrived. Despite his wife's protests, she was told to stay out of the barn as the guys were handling her chores. Rick smiled to himself, it was the only way to keep her gifts secret. Robbie had fed the animals and insisted on Ian bunking with him when he came over on Christmas Eve.
Oh boy, that was a Christmas miracle in itself. The boy had arrived at the hospital from the police station and Robin had burst into tears and jumped in his arms. Finally separating themselves, Ian had come over to Laurie and Rick and apologized for insulting their hospitality. Laurie had embraced Ian, then asked if he would still come for Christmas. Shyly he had said yes, now he and Robin were planning to visit his family for New Year's. Robbie still wasn't that accepting of Whitecloud, but since his arrival before dinner their son seemed to at least get along with him.
"Darling, can I give you your present now?" he realized Laurie was tickling his ear with a kiss. "Yes, sweetheart, but first there something we have to do." Sitting up, he put an arm around her then taking her injured hand put her wedding and engagement rings on her finger, saying, "I do." "I do, too!" she replied, beaming, then kissed Rick and hugged him tight. "Thank you, darling! You always keep your promises!"
"Now we'll open mine then we'll go get yours," he laughed, busting with anticipation at her reaction to her gift. She handed him a small package, which he shook and shook as she giggled.
Opening it to find two bundles, Rick undid the first one to reveal a new leather belt with a sterling silver buckle. It was engraved with a knight's helmet, and when he turned it over, he stared at the inscription. "Read it, Rick darling, please," she begged, putting her arms around him.
He took her hand as he read the engraving: *To Rick, my knight in shining armor, the king of my heart, Merry Christmas, with love from your Lady Fair, Laurie.
Turning in her arms, he kissed her and said "Thank you, my love, it's beautiful. I'll wear it always." Picking up the other bundle, he unwrapped it to find a leather leash with a silver tag. "Oh no, you didn't," he said, then turned to find Laurie closing the door and a gold streak jumping into his lap and licking him. "Laurie, who is this?" he tried to fight off the bundle of fur then gave up and told it to "sit!" Immediately the streak stopped in mid-flight and sat, tongue hanging out.
"Rick, I asked you if you might like another dog, and you said sometime, so I thought this might be a good sometime!" she said. Sitting next to him, she picked up the dog's paw and said, "Rick, this is Mike, Mike, this is Rick. Shake hands!" The dog held up its paw, then broke form and licked its bemused owner again.
Looking at the small retriever, Rick didn't know whether to say no or what; he had been without Marlowe and Rex for so many years, yet it would be nice to have a dog. Secretly, he wished he'd thought of it, he worried about Laurie being alone in the house sometimes, maybe he could convince her to keep the dog at home. "Darling, is it ok? ", he looked in Laurie's eyes, then made up his mind. "Yes, sweetheart, it is, thank you for my, well, for Mike. I'll have to find out if the building will allow a dog to be around, and I'll have to make sure he's housebroken."
"He's supposed to be according to the breeder, but you're right, we need to make sure." she turned serious. Rick looked the pooch in the face, "Well Mike, I need to introduce you to your mom, Mike, shake hands with Laurie." He repeated the lifted paw, and then licked her face. "Oh, I love you too, Mike!" she giggled.
Just then there was a knock on the door, as Laurie hurriedly pulled a robe on. "Come in!" she called, then Robin and Robbie came in as Mike started barking and jumping around. "Oh, Pop, how do you like him! Isn't he cute!" she laughed. Robbie grinned at his father, then hugged him, saying, "I hope it's ok, Mom did ask!" Rick shook his head, "Conspiracy, that's what it is, gang up on your father to get a dog." He relented at the puzzled faces; "Of course it's ok! Thanks to your mom, we have Mike!" Everyone laughed as Mike bounced around licking and getting petted.
Looking over the dog's head, Robbie mouthed, "Ready" to his father.
"All right, everyone clear out so we can get dressed, I need to give your mom her present." he ordered. Clipping the leash to Mike's collar, Robbie led the new member of the family out of the room. "Rick, I have to get dressed to get my present? You didn't have to get me anything that big!" she teased.
Beaming at her, he untied the ribbon on her Santa outfit, then started kissing her, saying, "After I unwrap you, you'll see why you need to be dressed for Santa to give you your gift!"
As he led her out of their bedroom, Laurie was surprised to see all their friends and family waiting to wish them a Merry Christmas. Hugging and kissing everyone, Rick worked his way to the back door, then asked his wife to close her eyes. "Rick, what did you get me?" she quavered, starting to get nervous.
He signaled to Robbie, who went into their new barn, then emerged with two ponies. "Ok, sweetheart, open your eyes!" Laurie blinked, then breathed, "Rick! You got us ponies?"
"Yes, darlin', I told you we'd start again with 2 or 20, I thought 2 would be a better idea." He grinned. She reached out to stroke the faces of both horses, then turned and put her arms around Rick as he said, "Merry Christmas, Laurie." "Thank you, darling, you make me so happy! What a wonderful gift!", she said, kissing him.
"Well, for that kind of thank you I'd better give you the rest of your present!" he laughed, then turned her around to see Ian leading a bay horse over to her. "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Simon!" he smiled. Laurie's mouth dropped open, then she held out her hand to the horse, who immediately put his face in it to be rubbed. "Brick, oh, you lovely horse", she said softly, then buried her face in his neck. Rick saw her shoulders shaking, and his heart melted. "Darlin', don't cry, I knew how much you loved Brick, you were so quiet when we sold him. I called the Round Table people and they said they'd sell him back to us, they liked him but didn't think he was a "show" horse."
His wife turned, smiling through her tears, "This is the best Christmas present ever, darling, I can't tell you how much it means to me to have him back." She jumped into his arms, holding him tightly as he kissed her tears away and said, "Now you have, darlin'. Merry Christmas, sweetheart!"
Just then Brick tossed his head and whinnied, bringing laughter among their family and friends. Robin wiped her own eyes as Ian put an arm around her and said, "Brick says Merry Christmas, too!"
Amid the merriment, Rick gave Laurie a leg up and she sat gingerly on the bay, hoping he would remember being ridden by someone other then Ian.
As Rick led her around the yard, she relaxed, remembering the feeling of riding. Bringing her back to the patio, he lifted her off the bay into his arms. Sliding down into his embrace, she kissed him, then whispered, "I love you, thank you, Rick." His eyes full of emotion, he kissed her back, then replied, "I love you, too, let's eat!"
Setting her down, they joined hands and followed the party inside where Robin and Cecilia had filled the table with brunch. As the circle of family and friends held hands, Rick said grace, then turned to Laurie, "Sweetheart, you get the last word." As A.J. snickered, "About time!" she smiled at him, then squeezing Rick's hand, gazed into his eyes and said, simply "And the greatest of these is Love." As "Amen" sounded around them, Ian took Robin's hand and said quietly, "Amen." Watching the two kiss, Robbie's eyes filled with tears, then he saw the same in his father's eyes. As they moved to grab a plate, both son and father hugged each other, then Rick quietly said, "Growing up is hard to do, son, your little sister's finding that out!" Taking a deep breath, Robbie replied, looking at his sister's glowing face, "Yeah, but what a way to learn!"
"Merry Christmas, darling", Rick heard, then opening his eyes, saw Laurie's face looking down. Blinking away the sleep, he grinned at her red silk "Santa" outfit and the steaming cup of coffee she was setting down next to him. Gathering her in his arms, he was careful with her injured wrist as he whispered "Merry Christmas to you, my angel. You are the best gift Santa's ever left for me!" covering her face with kisses.
Laying against him, Laurie caressed his face, "You give me Christmas everyday, Rick, and I'll never take you for granted." As she kissed him, Rick thought about the last couple of days and how lucky they were to have such good friends. Returning from the hospital, the Simons found dinner prepared by Jaime and Cecilia and Crystal. When Towne and Temple Brown had arrived, they insisted on helping with the last minute preparations and Temple kept Laurie occupied with a video recording of one of her books while her "presents" arrived. Despite his wife's protests, she was told to stay out of the barn as the guys were handling her chores. Rick smiled to himself, it was the only way to keep her gifts secret. Robbie had fed the animals and insisted on Ian bunking with him when he came over on Christmas Eve.
Oh boy, that was a Christmas miracle in itself. The boy had arrived at the hospital from the police station and Robin had burst into tears and jumped in his arms. Finally separating themselves, Ian had come over to Laurie and Rick and apologized for insulting their hospitality. Laurie had embraced Ian, then asked if he would still come for Christmas. Shyly he had said yes, now he and Robin were planning to visit his family for New Year's. Robbie still wasn't that accepting of Whitecloud, but since his arrival before dinner their son seemed to at least get along with him.
"Darling, can I give you your present now?" he realized Laurie was tickling his ear with a kiss. "Yes, sweetheart, but first there something we have to do." Sitting up, he put an arm around her then taking her injured hand put her wedding and engagement rings on her finger, saying, "I do." "I do, too!" she replied, beaming, then kissed Rick and hugged him tight. "Thank you, darling! You always keep your promises!"
"Now we'll open mine then we'll go get yours," he laughed, busting with anticipation at her reaction to her gift. She handed him a small package, which he shook and shook as she giggled.
Opening it to find two bundles, Rick undid the first one to reveal a new leather belt with a sterling silver buckle. It was engraved with a knight's helmet, and when he turned it over, he stared at the inscription. "Read it, Rick darling, please," she begged, putting her arms around him.
He took her hand as he read the engraving: *To Rick, my knight in shining armor, the king of my heart, Merry Christmas, with love from your Lady Fair, Laurie.
Turning in her arms, he kissed her and said "Thank you, my love, it's beautiful. I'll wear it always." Picking up the other bundle, he unwrapped it to find a leather leash with a silver tag. "Oh no, you didn't," he said, then turned to find Laurie closing the door and a gold streak jumping into his lap and licking him. "Laurie, who is this?" he tried to fight off the bundle of fur then gave up and told it to "sit!" Immediately the streak stopped in mid-flight and sat, tongue hanging out.
"Rick, I asked you if you might like another dog, and you said sometime, so I thought this might be a good sometime!" she said. Sitting next to him, she picked up the dog's paw and said, "Rick, this is Mike, Mike, this is Rick. Shake hands!" The dog held up its paw, then broke form and licked its bemused owner again.
Looking at the small retriever, Rick didn't know whether to say no or what; he had been without Marlowe and Rex for so many years, yet it would be nice to have a dog. Secretly, he wished he'd thought of it, he worried about Laurie being alone in the house sometimes, maybe he could convince her to keep the dog at home. "Darling, is it ok? ", he looked in Laurie's eyes, then made up his mind. "Yes, sweetheart, it is, thank you for my, well, for Mike. I'll have to find out if the building will allow a dog to be around, and I'll have to make sure he's housebroken."
"He's supposed to be according to the breeder, but you're right, we need to make sure." she turned serious. Rick looked the pooch in the face, "Well Mike, I need to introduce you to your mom, Mike, shake hands with Laurie." He repeated the lifted paw, and then licked her face. "Oh, I love you too, Mike!" she giggled.
Just then there was a knock on the door, as Laurie hurriedly pulled a robe on. "Come in!" she called, then Robin and Robbie came in as Mike started barking and jumping around. "Oh, Pop, how do you like him! Isn't he cute!" she laughed. Robbie grinned at his father, then hugged him, saying, "I hope it's ok, Mom did ask!" Rick shook his head, "Conspiracy, that's what it is, gang up on your father to get a dog." He relented at the puzzled faces; "Of course it's ok! Thanks to your mom, we have Mike!" Everyone laughed as Mike bounced around licking and getting petted.
Looking over the dog's head, Robbie mouthed, "Ready" to his father.
"All right, everyone clear out so we can get dressed, I need to give your mom her present." he ordered. Clipping the leash to Mike's collar, Robbie led the new member of the family out of the room. "Rick, I have to get dressed to get my present? You didn't have to get me anything that big!" she teased.
Beaming at her, he untied the ribbon on her Santa outfit, then started kissing her, saying, "After I unwrap you, you'll see why you need to be dressed for Santa to give you your gift!"
As he led her out of their bedroom, Laurie was surprised to see all their friends and family waiting to wish them a Merry Christmas. Hugging and kissing everyone, Rick worked his way to the back door, then asked his wife to close her eyes. "Rick, what did you get me?" she quavered, starting to get nervous.
He signaled to Robbie, who went into their new barn, then emerged with two ponies. "Ok, sweetheart, open your eyes!" Laurie blinked, then breathed, "Rick! You got us ponies?"
"Yes, darlin', I told you we'd start again with 2 or 20, I thought 2 would be a better idea." He grinned. She reached out to stroke the faces of both horses, then turned and put her arms around Rick as he said, "Merry Christmas, Laurie." "Thank you, darling, you make me so happy! What a wonderful gift!", she said, kissing him.
"Well, for that kind of thank you I'd better give you the rest of your present!" he laughed, then turned her around to see Ian leading a bay horse over to her. "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Simon!" he smiled. Laurie's mouth dropped open, then she held out her hand to the horse, who immediately put his face in it to be rubbed. "Brick, oh, you lovely horse", she said softly, then buried her face in his neck. Rick saw her shoulders shaking, and his heart melted. "Darlin', don't cry, I knew how much you loved Brick, you were so quiet when we sold him. I called the Round Table people and they said they'd sell him back to us, they liked him but didn't think he was a "show" horse."
His wife turned, smiling through her tears, "This is the best Christmas present ever, darling, I can't tell you how much it means to me to have him back." She jumped into his arms, holding him tightly as he kissed her tears away and said, "Now you have, darlin'. Merry Christmas, sweetheart!"
Just then Brick tossed his head and whinnied, bringing laughter among their family and friends. Robin wiped her own eyes as Ian put an arm around her and said, "Brick says Merry Christmas, too!"
Amid the merriment, Rick gave Laurie a leg up and she sat gingerly on the bay, hoping he would remember being ridden by someone other then Ian.
As Rick led her around the yard, she relaxed, remembering the feeling of riding. Bringing her back to the patio, he lifted her off the bay into his arms. Sliding down into his embrace, she kissed him, then whispered, "I love you, thank you, Rick." His eyes full of emotion, he kissed her back, then replied, "I love you, too, let's eat!"
Setting her down, they joined hands and followed the party inside where Robin and Cecilia had filled the table with brunch. As the circle of family and friends held hands, Rick said grace, then turned to Laurie, "Sweetheart, you get the last word." As A.J. snickered, "About time!" she smiled at him, then squeezing Rick's hand, gazed into his eyes and said, simply "And the greatest of these is Love." As "Amen" sounded around them, Ian took Robin's hand and said quietly, "Amen." Watching the two kiss, Robbie's eyes filled with tears, then he saw the same in his father's eyes. As they moved to grab a plate, both son and father hugged each other, then Rick quietly said, "Growing up is hard to do, son, your little sister's finding that out!" Taking a deep breath, Robbie replied, looking at his sister's glowing face, "Yeah, but what a way to learn!"