"I'm glad we have better weather then last year, David. Normally we don't get any snow until January, but the last couple of years it's been crazy. I only got to go riding once last Christmas." she told him.
"Well, if I lived here, I'd go riding everyday after work. Sometimes I get so tired of looking at numbers, being out here you can really see what lasts." her cousin admitted.
"David, that's how I felt when we went around Collinwood last month. We will come and go, but the land and the history behind it, that's what remains." she said. David grinned at her. "Okay, Laurie, I got it. But I still wouldn't mind coming back out here, seeing it in the spring."
"And I want you to come stay, any time you want. I'm just glad you came for Christmas, with Carolyn and Barnabas staying over in Boston." Laurie added. "I'm glad she's taking her classes not too far from home."
"Well, she's a natural for a psychology degree." David teased. "After all her psychoanalyzing me as a kid, she should ace those courses!"
Suddenly a stiff breeze started up, and Laurie shivered. "Come on, David, race you to the barn before we turn into popsicles!" Laughing, the two cousins rode quickly back to the ranch, where Robin met them and helped put the horses away.
"Pop called, he's on his way with Uncle Steve and Aunt Jaime and Crystal. Towne and Temple are in the front room, they're taste testing my Holiday Dip." she giggled.
"Wait a minute, Robin, you better not let them finish it, Rick and I had dibs on some for the football game later!" David protested, pretending to hurry ahead of the two women.
"Mom, he's so funny. I hoped he'd like it. He practically licked the bowl of the Ranchero Dip I made at Thanksgiving!" Robin whispered, snickering.
Watching her daughter with David as they finished setting the table for Christmas dinner, Laurie was so happy that they got along so well. Robbie had taken to him too, coming over for breakfast and showing him around Silver Rock. Having heard all about Chief Joseph from his cousins, David was in awe of the veteran. But the tribal elder had welcomed him to the Cultural Center built on the land that Laurie and Rick had donated. The beeping of a horn interrupted her thoughts and Laurie barely stopped to grab her jacket before rushing to the door.
Rick pulled up with his car full of Austins, and seeing his wife on the porch, gave a big grin as Steve chuckled. "There's the welcoming committee!"
"Yeah, without a hat in this cold, I ought to give her coal in her stocking!" Rick pretended to grump. "Oh, no, Uncle Rick, you couldn't!" Crystal Austin laughed, bounding out of the truck to greet Laurie.
"There's our Crystal!" she gave the teenager a hug, then greeted Steve and Jaime Austin. Excitedly she showed them into the house where David just about burst with happiness on seeing Steve.
Rick brought up the rear, then dropping their guests suitcases in the entryway, took Laurie in his arms. "I missed you, my silly elf." he said, kissing her tenderly. She put her face against his shoulder, "Rick, darling, I missed you too! I've been so spoiled with you home this week." she raised her eyes to his, then kissed his ear. "You should have seen how much David enjoyed seeing the ranch and town and, oh I'll never take our home for granted again."
"I never will, as long as you're here, Laurie." he promised, then taking her hand, led her into the living room. They found her cousin telling Crystal about his ride around the property, as her indulgent parents looked on.
"Sweetheart, I'll help you bring in some coffee." Rick insisted, as Robin bustled around the kitchen and Temple came in from the barn with extra eggs for breakfast.
"Thank you, love. Temple, where's Towne?" Laurie wondered, not seeing him in the vicinity.
"He's looking at the other side of the creek where the old foundation was located. Are you sure you want us to build on that land, the view is so beautiful and any building would block your view of the valley." her friend answered.
"We're sure, you guys would have a little hideaway and Towne could go fishing whenever he liked. I admit it's pure selfishness on my part, I'd like to have you guys close by so we can do things together, and you wouldn't have to go to a hotel when you tape your shows." Rick admitted.
"I'd enjoy having my buddy for a neighbor." Temple smiled, then hugged a teary-eyed Laurie.
"You would make me weepy on Christmas, I'd be so happy to have you nearby!" she sniffed, then blew her nose on a napkin.
Just then the phone rang, and Robin raced to get it. Rick looked at his wife, then mouthed "Ian?"
Laurie nodded, then explained to a puzzled Temple "Ian's acting up again because Robin didn't go to Flagstaff as promised. He was going to come to breakfast tomorrow then the two of them were going to go to his grandfathers', but he's not called to confirm it at all."
"Honey, he's just not worth it. That guy doesn't appreciate Robin, if they weren't cousins, I'd almost say David would be good for her." Temple shook her head.
"Well, technically Robin and David are very distant relations, but you're right. They act so natural around each other, I wouldn't interfere for the world." Laurie said wistfully.
At that moment Robin came back into the kitchen, subdued, and Rick immediately put his arm around her shoulder. "Honey, are you okay?"
His daughter met his eyes, then crumpled into tears. "No, Pop. Ian's not coming...and I don't want to see him again. I won't let him ruin Christmas with his idiotic ideas!"
"Robin, come here." Rick looked over her shoulder at his wife, then took Robin into the pantry.
He ached as she wept into his shirt; his little girl had given Whitehorse every chance to grow up.Now the immature rider had messed up big time.
"What ideas, Birdie." he prompted, then handed Robin a napkin. "He thinks I'm starting something with David, my own cousin!" she replied angrily.
"I like David, he's a nice guy and he's fun and sweet and makes me laugh. But he's family, for goodness sake." she added.
"Well." Rick hesitated, then plunged right in. "David's a very distant cousin, honey. But for Ian to act that way about him, he's just not meant for my little girl, you deserve better."
"I know, Pop." she sighed. I'll call him and end it after Christmas."
"That's my girl." Rick kissed her, then followed her back to the kitchen. After a very festive and noisy dinner, Rick called his little brother, who was spending Christmas in Phoenix as Linda was fighting a cold. "Ricky's been fussing, Rick, he's scared Santa will leave his presents at the ranch instead of his house."
"Well, we should be there at about 1pm, you can tell him Santa's making two trips for his presents." Rick suggested. "We'll have to, so he can have his puppy when he wakes up."
"I knew my big brother would think of something." A.J. teased.
Just then sleigh bells signaled the appearance of a jolly man in a red suit, who sounded suspiciously like Oscar. Rick almost fell off his chair watching David's expression at "Santa" telling Robin, then Crystal to come tell what they wanted for Christmas.
All too soon the gifts were all handed out except for Laurie and Rick's, which their family had saved for last.
"All right, Richard, have you been a good boy this year?" the "old gent" chuckled as Rick pretended to perch on his knee.
"Santa, I think I've been pretty good, I've been eating all my vegetables, and I've even played nice with my brother." he replied humorously, as everyone laughed.
"Well, Richard, I think you did a good job this year, so this is for you." "Santa" held out a large box. Rick thanked him, and shook it, bringing a squeal of "don't break it!" from his wife.
"It's too heavy to break," he smirked, guessing it was something he'd been hinting for. Sure enough, when he tore away the wrappings, he found a pair of new leather boots, just like a pair he'd had when he was in San Diego.
"All right! Thank you Santa!" he grinned, then leaned over and hugged his daughter. "Pop! How did you know it was us?" Robin giggled as she indicated the boots were from her and Robbie.
"Honey, your brother isn't exactly subtle, he asked me what happened to the "lizard" boots I had on when I first met you two. I'd forgotten how fascinated he was with them." He teased. "Look inside the right boot, Pop!" Robin pressed
Sticking his hand inside, he came up with a little white box, then opening it, found a familiar looking pin. "Honey, it's, where did, uh.." Rick was speechless.
"Darling, it's a copy of the pin that Robbie gave you, that saved your life for us." Laurie grabbed his arm, then laid a kiss on her daughter's cheek.
"You two are the best children any father could have." Rick finally said, embracing Robin. "I wish your brother was here, I'm going to call him."
"You don't have to, Pop." a familiar voice broke in, and Rick saw his tall son come in the kitchen. Without a word he got up and hugged Robbie.
"Thank you, son, this is a wonderful gift, this and the boots!" he added, with a smile "You deserve it, Pop, I told Santa you'd been extra good this year!" Robbie beamed at them all, then put an arm around his mother as she asked "Did Rob say you could leave work early, Robbie?"
"Yes, he said since I worked part of Thanksgiving, that I could have off until the day after Christmas. I told him Santa was going to take all the coal out of his stocking just for that!" her son snickered.
"Well, since Robbie's here being Santa's elf, looks like I get to ask you if you've been good this year!" the jolly old "Saint" broke in, then gave Robbie his present.
"All right, last but not least, Laurie, your turn!" Santa Claus patted his knee, drawing a snicker from David. Gleefully Laurie sat on his lap as "Santa" intoned "now Laurie, have you been a good girl this year, minding your dear old dad and husband?"
"Well, they're not all that old, but yes, I've been listening to my dad and Rick. I think I've been very good all year!" she said, drawing an "oh yeah?" from Towne.
"Well, I have it on good authority that you've tried to stay out of trouble, and you've taken good care of your family, so Merry Christmas, honey." "Santa" replied, his voice abruptly cracking as he handed her a box the size of Rick's.
"I love you Santa." Laurie hugged him, then opening the wrapping paper and the box, froze as she saw a pair of fur-lined boots. "Oh, my!" was all she could say. "Thank you, Robbie, Robin. Is this from you guys?" she asked, then kissed both of them when Robbie nodded.
"Mom, you need to look in the toe of the left boot." Robbie explained, watching as his mother pulled out a small white box like his fathers'.
"Robbie, you and Robin didn't, oh it's beautiful!" she exclaimed, as she lifted the lid to see a minature pin like Rick's, only to see the engraveing "Deputy" on the star.
"Where did you get the idea, it's wonderful!" she said, then saw a sly look on Rick's face. "Rick, you stinker, did you....?"
"I gave them the idea, darlin', Robbie's the one who ordered it." he smirked, then kissed her.
"All right, all right, save it for when Santa's on his sleigh!" "Santa" humphed.
Yelling "Merry Christmas!" he went out the front door as the group applauded him. Immediately Rick went through the kitchen, and let Oscar in the back door, handing him a cup of coffee to warm him up.
"Thanks, son. It's colder then icicles out there!" he shivered. "No, thank you Oscar, that was fun. I think David enjoyed it most of all." Rick grinned.
"Well, have to keep up tradition!" the big man chuckled.
After Oscar was given his present, and thank you's were exchanged, Steve and Jaime and Crystal said their good nights as Oscar was driving them back to the cabin.
"We'll see all of you at 8 tomorrow morning for breakfast." Laurie reminded them, then sent Robbie off to his wife and son with a plate of goodies.
Rick saw that she was starting to wear down, so he announced "Coffee and cookies are in the kitchen, remember Santa won't come until you're asleep."
Amid the laughter and goodnights that followed, he walked over to Laurie and scooped her up into his arms. "That means you, sweetheart." he told her, then carried her giggling into their room.
Once inside, he sat down on the bed with her on his lap and proceeded to kiss her all over. "Rick, my love, this is the best part of Christmas.." she sighed, returning each of his kisses with one of her own. Breathless, she put her face next to his, then whispered, "Would you like your Christmas present now or tomorrow morning?"
"Now is good, tomorrow will be too busy." he replied, then pulled two boxes out from under the bed.
As he handed them to her, she handed him back a small box. "You first, sweetheart." Rick urged her anxiously, hoping she'd be surprised.
"Thank you darling, "she opened the first box, and found a black fur hat that matched her new boots. "Rick, this is just right, it's been so cold, now my head'll be warm." she said, kissing him as he put the hat on her head.
"Am I good or what, it's a perfect fit!" he teased as she modeled it in the mirror.
"I love it, and I love the man who gave it to me." she whispered softly, putting her head on his shoulder. "Go on, Laurie, open your other present." He put his arms around her as she picked it up.
Undoing the ribbon on the plain wooden box, Laurie had a funny feeling she had done this before, then when she opened the lid, she almost burst into tears. "Rick, you found Kasey's locket?" she gasped, seeing the little silver oval. He put his arms around her, and lifting it out of the box, opened the clasp.
"Darling, it's so beautiful." she looked up at him, then saw the inscription. "Merry Christmas, Laurie, To the love of my life always and forever. Rick"
"Now I am going to cry, this is so precious." she sniffed. "Only happy tears, my Angel." Rick kissed her neck,then fastened the chain loosely so there was no pressure on her still healing throat.
"I will wear this always." she told him, kissing his lips, "Rick, your turn."
"Well, it's too small to be a gun." he pretended to rattle the box, then opened it.
It was a replica of the watch Kasey had given to Gene, an old fashioned watch on a fob chain, only this watch had a emergency light in the top. Surprised, he glanced up at his wife, then took her in his arms. "Thank you, sweetheart, this is the nicest kind of surprise."
"Rick, there's an inscription." she murmured, putting her head against his chest. Opening the watch, he saw a picture he had taken of her on one side, smiling up at him.
On the crystal itself was engraved "To my first love. Merry Christmas, Rick. yours and yours alone, Laurie".
"My Christmas angel, I love you." he kissed Laurie, then cuddled her in his arms. "I love you more then anything in this world." Laurie answered him, holding his face in her hands. "You give me Christmas everyday by believing in me."
He kissed her throat lightly, then told her, "That's because you have always believed in me, my precious love." Laurie teared up at his emotions.
"And I always will, Rick,"she smiled through her tears, as their lips met.
Suddenly there was a scratching at the door, and husband and wife groaned.
"Something tells me he got booted from Robin's room." Laurie snickered, as Rick got up off the bed and opened the door.
Immediately a gold streak raced in, then jumped on the bed and licked his mistress as she laughed. "All right, Mike, you can stay, but lay down." Rick shook his head as the dog curled up on the floor, then saw the desire in his wife's eyes.
"I think my Santa wants to unwrap another present." she whispered, undoing his shirt, as he lifted her into the sheets. "My favorite present of all." he grinned, then climbing in next to her, pulled Laurie to him. He slipped his arms around her, then snickered, "Now where were we...."
"Giving each other another present." she teased, then turned out the light. As he claimed her mouth with his, he whispered, "Merry Christmas!"