Epilogue
"Mom, how many are we for dinner tonight?" Robin came out of the kitchen and found her mother proofing her manuscript. "At least six, no seven, if Oscar comes back from Phoenix in time. Are you sure you don't mind cooking on your night off, honey?"
"I enjoy making stuff for you guys, you're my best critics! Besides, it's the first day Uncle Rudy's let Pop go fishing. He's right, you know, Pop's a terrible patient!" her daughter grinned.
"I know, darling. That's how I knew he'd be all right. The more he complains..." Laurie broke off, not wanting to remember the aftermath of the beating Rick had taken. Once he was x-rayed, Oscar's suspicions of a couple of broken ribs was borne out. Fortunately they had stopped Chris Stinson before he could do any more damage to him, but it was almost a week before Rudy would let Rick drive. With the younger Stinson dead, the other two members of the criminal family were locked up in a plea agreement, which would still put them away for life. The frightening part of the whole plot against Rick and A.J. was the admission that the robberies were just a smoke screen to lure the Simons into a trap, only the decision by Stinson, Jr. to make some extra bucks by drug smuggling tripped them up. It still made Laurie shiver to think of their close call.
"Oh, Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring back what happened to you guys." Robin said, upset. "No, honey, it's okay. I just can't bear to see your father in any kind of pain." Laurie answered, then stood up and hugged her. Just then the sound of a car roaring up to the gate was heard, and as Robin heard footsteps up the walk; she peeked out and saw a familiar pair.
"Mom, the baby's coming!"
Hearing her son's call, Laurie ran in from the dining room and found Robbie carrying Ramona into the front room. "Sorry, Mom, I thought I'd make the hospital, guess I was wrong!" her daughter-in-law tried to joke. "It's all right, honey. Robbie, get her on to the sofa, then call Rudy, I think he's still at the cabin with Oscar and your father." Laurie replied, taking charge. Robin ran to the kitchen, then immediately got a pitcher of ice chips and some water and took it to the living room.
Finding out that it had been several minutes since Ramona's water broke, Laurie got some clean towels and a pillow and when the contractions started to get worse, had her son move his wife onto the bed in his old room.
Within minutes Rudy Wells came tearing in, followed by Rick. Finding everything ready, he sent everyone out of the room but Laurie. As Robbie left the room, he suddenly turned and asked, "Uncle Rudy, when it's time for the baby to come out, I want to help."
"Ok, son, I'll send your mom out." the doctor grinned, then winked at Ramona. "Just like his Uncle, he'll do."
As everyone waited outside, Robin made coffee and sandwiches, then took turns calling Ramona's mother, A.J. and their friends with Robbie. Reaching his mother in San Diego, Rick found Cecilia booking the next flight to Phoenix and he arranged with Chief Joseph to pick her up. Finishing his conversation, he saw Laurie come out of his son's room, then giving Robbie a hug, had him go in.
"Mama, how is she?" Robin came up out her seat, then frowned when she saw her mother blinking back tears. "What's wrong?"
"Ramona's all right, it's just, she asked if it's a boy can she name him Andrew Roger." Laurie told her, embracing Robin, then Rick's arms enveloped both of them.
"That's a great name," he said, as Robin teared up. "I think that's wonderful, Mama, what if it's a girl?"
"Robin Elizabeth." Laurie sniffed, then both mother and daughter started to cry in earnest.
Helpless, Rick just held his girls until the sound of a wail reached their ears. "Rick, darling, listen, it's your grandchild!" Laurie smiled, wiping her eyes and dropping a kiss on his cheek.
Suddenly a car screeched to a stop outside their door, and going to see who it was, Rick saw Sheriff Rob helping Angelina Torres, Ramona's mother, out of his patrol car. Opening the door, he told them of the baby's arrival and had Angelina go right in to her daughter.
"Well, grandpa, how does it feel?" Rob teased his friend after greeting Laurie and Robin.
"Like nothing I'd ever have predicted." Rick beamed, as Robin went to the kitchen. Returning with a tray of glasses and bottle of sparkling cider, Robin hurriedly set it down as the door to Robbie's room opened and a smiling doctor emerged.
"I have to say this, early birds seem to run in this family!" Rudy laughed, "Laurie, you and Rick and Angelina are the proud grandparents of Andrew Roger Joseph Simon. He's seven pounds, nine ounces and is 19 inches long. Both he and his mother are doing fine, as a matter of fact Ramona's hungry! After she's rested a bit, you can take turns going in."
Laughing and crying, Rick and Laurie fell into each other's arms, then took turns hugging Robin and Rudy and Rob. Robbie stepped out for a moment, saying "Pop, Ramona wants to see you, she wants to introduce you to someone." "Go on, darling." Laurie smiled, then was embraced by her son. "Thank you, Mom, for teaching me how to help Ramona. We couldn't have had our son without you."
"Robbie, I'm so proud of you, all I did was help bring my grandchild into a very loving family!" she sniffed. Wiping his mother's eyes, Robbie kissed her then went back into his room as Rudy came back out.
"You did a good job with him, missy!" he said, handing her a Kleenex.
"Thank you Rudy, I don't know what we'd do without you! I only wish Oscar was here, did he say when he'd be back from town." Laurie asked, getting him a cup of coffee and a sandwich.
"No, honey, but he should be here pretty soon, he told me to be sure to bring plenty of fish for grilling from the cooler." the doctor joked. Giggling, Laurie kissed him, then hearing a car driving down the driveway, looked and saw it was Oscar.
"Rick, Oscar's here!" she called, then pulled on her coat and went to the door. As Laurie came out onto the porch, she saw a man and woman getting out of the sedan. Suddenly she recognized them.
"Rick!" she called, starting toward the driveway. Rick came out of the bedroom, then rushing to catch up with Laurie, caught her hand. "Who is it, darlin'?"
"It's Carolyn, and Barnabas." she said. As they approached, she let go of Rick's hand as the blond-haired woman stopped then opened her arms as Laurie embraced her. "Carolyn." she choked. "I'm so sorry, oh Carolyn!" Rick saw tears in Oscar's eyes, then greeted the older man who patiently stood behind his cousin.
"Mr. Collins, I'm Rick Simon, thank you for coming all this way." As the two men shook hands, Carolyn murmured, "Laurie, can you forgive me, for not contacting you sooner, for shutting you out of Mother's life."
"Oh, honey, there's nothing to forgive. You needed her more than I did, I just missed being able to talk to her, tell her about our family, your family now!"she replied. Realizing the others were waiting, she wiped her eyes as she said, "I'm sorry, Rick, this is my cousin Carolyn, and my cousin Barnabas Collins."
Rick gave his hand to Carolyn, as Laurie hugged Barnabas, whispering, "thank you, for coming, for bringing Carolyn." "I had to make sure you were all right, Laurie, I was worried when I heard about the attack on you and your husband." he told her, concerned.
"I'm okay, Barnabas, Rick's much better, and now, oh you two came on the best day!" she smiled.
"What best day, honey?" Oscar asked, bending down to kiss her cheek.
"You have a nephew, no a great grandson!" she beamed. Carolyn looked in astonishment at her, then Rick explained about the early delivery of their grandchild.
"You both must be freezing, come in and meet our family!" Laurie linked arms with her cousins, then Rick took their bags and followed them into the house.
Bringing up the rear, Oscar caught sight of Robbie and Robin, waiting in the doorway, and shook his head with amusement.
"Never a dull moment with my family" he thought. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Mom, how many are we for dinner tonight?" Robin came out of the kitchen and found her mother proofing her manuscript. "At least six, no seven, if Oscar comes back from Phoenix in time. Are you sure you don't mind cooking on your night off, honey?"
"I enjoy making stuff for you guys, you're my best critics! Besides, it's the first day Uncle Rudy's let Pop go fishing. He's right, you know, Pop's a terrible patient!" her daughter grinned.
"I know, darling. That's how I knew he'd be all right. The more he complains..." Laurie broke off, not wanting to remember the aftermath of the beating Rick had taken. Once he was x-rayed, Oscar's suspicions of a couple of broken ribs was borne out. Fortunately they had stopped Chris Stinson before he could do any more damage to him, but it was almost a week before Rudy would let Rick drive. With the younger Stinson dead, the other two members of the criminal family were locked up in a plea agreement, which would still put them away for life. The frightening part of the whole plot against Rick and A.J. was the admission that the robberies were just a smoke screen to lure the Simons into a trap, only the decision by Stinson, Jr. to make some extra bucks by drug smuggling tripped them up. It still made Laurie shiver to think of their close call.
"Oh, Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring back what happened to you guys." Robin said, upset. "No, honey, it's okay. I just can't bear to see your father in any kind of pain." Laurie answered, then stood up and hugged her. Just then the sound of a car roaring up to the gate was heard, and as Robin heard footsteps up the walk; she peeked out and saw a familiar pair.
"Mom, the baby's coming!"
Hearing her son's call, Laurie ran in from the dining room and found Robbie carrying Ramona into the front room. "Sorry, Mom, I thought I'd make the hospital, guess I was wrong!" her daughter-in-law tried to joke. "It's all right, honey. Robbie, get her on to the sofa, then call Rudy, I think he's still at the cabin with Oscar and your father." Laurie replied, taking charge. Robin ran to the kitchen, then immediately got a pitcher of ice chips and some water and took it to the living room.
Finding out that it had been several minutes since Ramona's water broke, Laurie got some clean towels and a pillow and when the contractions started to get worse, had her son move his wife onto the bed in his old room.
Within minutes Rudy Wells came tearing in, followed by Rick. Finding everything ready, he sent everyone out of the room but Laurie. As Robbie left the room, he suddenly turned and asked, "Uncle Rudy, when it's time for the baby to come out, I want to help."
"Ok, son, I'll send your mom out." the doctor grinned, then winked at Ramona. "Just like his Uncle, he'll do."
As everyone waited outside, Robin made coffee and sandwiches, then took turns calling Ramona's mother, A.J. and their friends with Robbie. Reaching his mother in San Diego, Rick found Cecilia booking the next flight to Phoenix and he arranged with Chief Joseph to pick her up. Finishing his conversation, he saw Laurie come out of his son's room, then giving Robbie a hug, had him go in.
"Mama, how is she?" Robin came up out her seat, then frowned when she saw her mother blinking back tears. "What's wrong?"
"Ramona's all right, it's just, she asked if it's a boy can she name him Andrew Roger." Laurie told her, embracing Robin, then Rick's arms enveloped both of them.
"That's a great name," he said, as Robin teared up. "I think that's wonderful, Mama, what if it's a girl?"
"Robin Elizabeth." Laurie sniffed, then both mother and daughter started to cry in earnest.
Helpless, Rick just held his girls until the sound of a wail reached their ears. "Rick, darling, listen, it's your grandchild!" Laurie smiled, wiping her eyes and dropping a kiss on his cheek.
Suddenly a car screeched to a stop outside their door, and going to see who it was, Rick saw Sheriff Rob helping Angelina Torres, Ramona's mother, out of his patrol car. Opening the door, he told them of the baby's arrival and had Angelina go right in to her daughter.
"Well, grandpa, how does it feel?" Rob teased his friend after greeting Laurie and Robin.
"Like nothing I'd ever have predicted." Rick beamed, as Robin went to the kitchen. Returning with a tray of glasses and bottle of sparkling cider, Robin hurriedly set it down as the door to Robbie's room opened and a smiling doctor emerged.
"I have to say this, early birds seem to run in this family!" Rudy laughed, "Laurie, you and Rick and Angelina are the proud grandparents of Andrew Roger Joseph Simon. He's seven pounds, nine ounces and is 19 inches long. Both he and his mother are doing fine, as a matter of fact Ramona's hungry! After she's rested a bit, you can take turns going in."
Laughing and crying, Rick and Laurie fell into each other's arms, then took turns hugging Robin and Rudy and Rob. Robbie stepped out for a moment, saying "Pop, Ramona wants to see you, she wants to introduce you to someone." "Go on, darling." Laurie smiled, then was embraced by her son. "Thank you, Mom, for teaching me how to help Ramona. We couldn't have had our son without you."
"Robbie, I'm so proud of you, all I did was help bring my grandchild into a very loving family!" she sniffed. Wiping his mother's eyes, Robbie kissed her then went back into his room as Rudy came back out.
"You did a good job with him, missy!" he said, handing her a Kleenex.
"Thank you Rudy, I don't know what we'd do without you! I only wish Oscar was here, did he say when he'd be back from town." Laurie asked, getting him a cup of coffee and a sandwich.
"No, honey, but he should be here pretty soon, he told me to be sure to bring plenty of fish for grilling from the cooler." the doctor joked. Giggling, Laurie kissed him, then hearing a car driving down the driveway, looked and saw it was Oscar.
"Rick, Oscar's here!" she called, then pulled on her coat and went to the door. As Laurie came out onto the porch, she saw a man and woman getting out of the sedan. Suddenly she recognized them.
"Rick!" she called, starting toward the driveway. Rick came out of the bedroom, then rushing to catch up with Laurie, caught her hand. "Who is it, darlin'?"
"It's Carolyn, and Barnabas." she said. As they approached, she let go of Rick's hand as the blond-haired woman stopped then opened her arms as Laurie embraced her. "Carolyn." she choked. "I'm so sorry, oh Carolyn!" Rick saw tears in Oscar's eyes, then greeted the older man who patiently stood behind his cousin.
"Mr. Collins, I'm Rick Simon, thank you for coming all this way." As the two men shook hands, Carolyn murmured, "Laurie, can you forgive me, for not contacting you sooner, for shutting you out of Mother's life."
"Oh, honey, there's nothing to forgive. You needed her more than I did, I just missed being able to talk to her, tell her about our family, your family now!"she replied. Realizing the others were waiting, she wiped her eyes as she said, "I'm sorry, Rick, this is my cousin Carolyn, and my cousin Barnabas Collins."
Rick gave his hand to Carolyn, as Laurie hugged Barnabas, whispering, "thank you, for coming, for bringing Carolyn." "I had to make sure you were all right, Laurie, I was worried when I heard about the attack on you and your husband." he told her, concerned.
"I'm okay, Barnabas, Rick's much better, and now, oh you two came on the best day!" she smiled.
"What best day, honey?" Oscar asked, bending down to kiss her cheek.
"You have a nephew, no a great grandson!" she beamed. Carolyn looked in astonishment at her, then Rick explained about the early delivery of their grandchild.
"You both must be freezing, come in and meet our family!" Laurie linked arms with her cousins, then Rick took their bags and followed them into the house.
Bringing up the rear, Oscar caught sight of Robbie and Robin, waiting in the doorway, and shook his head with amusement.
"Never a dull moment with my family" he thought. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."