"Uncle Rick, watch me!"
"Okay, we're watching." Rick called back to his namesake, as the 11 year old proudly cantered his horse around the training ring.
"A.J., just look at him." The proud uncle grinned as his brother smiled.
"He's a natural, just like sis told us. Keep your back straight, son!" he yelled, then got the thumbs up from Ricky.
As he went over a couple of low jumps, the wind started to pick up and Laurie quickly called, "Ricky, that's it for today! Go ahead and dismount, then we'll get inside!"
"Aw, come on, Auntie Laurie……" Ricky groaned.
Seeing his son's scowl, A.J. shook his head. "Sorry, son, your Auntie has the last word."
As Ricky stopped at the dismounting block, he felt his horse shiver. "Sorry, Tommy, I didn't think it was that cold." Accepting Laurie's help in bringing his mount in, the younger Simon soon had Tommy fed and in for the night.
"Now you know why we had to come in, you have a different temperature gage then a horse, With the weather this cold, it's too much of a risk to the horse, not to mention its rider!" she explained, as Rick and A.J. helped close up the barn.
Ricky held the back door of the house open for his father and uncle, then hugged his aunt as she came in.
"Thanks, Auntie, I guess I learn something everyday!" he grinned.
"Yes, son, that your riding instructor knows all!" A.J. teased, putting the tea kettle on.
"Thanks, A.J., some hot tea would warm us up!" Laurie shivered, then sighed as Rick took off his coat and put his flannel-clad arms around her.
"I can get you just as warm, sweetheart." Rick whispered, then tightened his embrace as she snuggled against him.
"Best of all, I won't burn my tongue on you like a cup of tea." She giggled, then gasped as he kissed her passionately.
Breathless, she came up for air and added , "on second thought, getting burnt………."
Just then the phone rang, and Rick grumbled.
"I'll get it, darlin'." The two of them went into the living room as his brother handed him the extension.
"Simon residence".
As Rick answered the phone, a wail from the guest room let them know Melly, the youngest Simon was awake, and A.J. immediately went into see his daughter.
He found Linda giving Melly a bottle, and the sight of his wife with a very attentive Robin and Ceci watching brought a lump to his throat.
"Honey, let me feed her." He asked, dropping a kiss on her cheek.
"Melly, it's Daddy's turn to have dinner with you, okay?" Linda cooed at the little one, and to their surprise and the children's delight, the baby gave her father a smile.
"Oh, my gosh, look at Daddy's girl!" A.J. got excited, then laughed as Ceci shook her head emphatically.
"Daddy, that's not her first smile, that's just gas. Uncle Rudy said that this morning."
Chuckling at his confident daughter, A.J. sat in the rocking chair and held out his arms.
A moment later Melly was contentedly sucking away as Robin and Ceci took turns telling him about their day with "Auntie" and "Mommy".
"Well, look at her go." Rick came in and greeted the children, then kissed his sister-in-law.
"Hey, honey, I hate to interrupt, but I have to talk to the feeding station here."
"That's okay, I'm going to help Laurie with lunch, Father Nick should be here any minute." Linda took Robin and Ceci to join their brother in the living room.
Rick closed the door, a serious look on his face.
"A.J., Oscar needs our help."
As the two brothers talked, Cecilia Simon pulled up the driveway with Father Nick, her family's friend since both A.J. and Rick were born. Laurie heard the familiar car sound, and eagerly went to the door to let them in, only to find three volunteers already there.
"I'm the oldest, let me say hello to Grandma and Father Nick first!" Ricky told the others, drawing up to his full height.
"All right, Ricky, it is your turn to be the host." A.J. came into the living room, Rick right behind him.
Laurie noticed a look of worry on her husband's face, and immediately dropped back to take his hand.
Rick smiled as he felt her fingers close around his, "my princess knows something's up."
Opening the door with a flourish, his namesake smiled at the surprised guests. "Welcome to the Simon home, mi casa, su casa!"
Amid the laughter from the adults, a voice piped, "This isn't our house, it's Unca Ricky's!"
"Well, for today son, it's yours." Rick ruffled Robin's hair, then chuckled as Father Nick grinned.
"And how does a five year old understand Spanish? Hmmmm?"
"Blame those two, Father." A.J. hugged the priest as Cecilia nodded toward Laurie and Rick.
"Never mind the details, A.J." his mother warned, slipping an arm around both of her sons. She too picked up that something was amiss. Rick just laughed.
"Hey, Laurie and I believe in teaching the kids something everyday!" he teased, swinging the delighted child up on his shoulders.
As the family made themselves comfortable in the patio, Laurie wondered where Oscar and Rudy were. Both men had promised to come to lunch, then to church for Melly's baptism. Going into the kitchen to fetch bowls of chips and dip, she found her son and daughter and their families just coming into the house.
"There's my little boy!" she beamed, embracing a grinning Robbie, holding a fussy Lala while his son Andy rushed in to join his cousins.
"Squirt's right behind me, Mom, she and Ramona are being gross, make them stop, please?" he pretended to whine.
"Oh please, Rob, don't be such a wimp!" Robin ragged, walking arm in arm with her sister-in-law.
"Mom, Robbie doesn't like to hear about peanut butter and banana sandwiches, didn't you ever teach him about trying everything just once?" Ramona giggled, then heard a groan from Ian behind her.
"Mom, Ramona's just egging Robin on, if she says tuna fish and bacon one more time….." the other expectant father shook his head as Laurie sympathized. "That is a bit much, you girls are so cruel…, wait a minute, tuna fish and bacon?" she started to laugh, then caught her grandson Petey up in her arms.
"Hey, big boy, how's Grandma's boy?" The sleepy child looked at her, then howled, "Want Grandpa!"
In a moment everyone was laughing, as Rick came forward to hug him. Just then the doorbell peeled again, and Laurie called to Rick, "I'll get it!"
As she went to the front door, she peered out and found Rudy Wells on the step. "I was wondering where you were." She said, hugging the doctor tightly.
His faintly worried expression eased as he kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry, Missy, your dad had an emergency. Is Nick here?"
"Yes, Rudy, but, is it something to do with the search for a new director?" Laurie saw by his reaction she had hit the nail on the head.
Rudy sighed. "Yes, honey. It's nothing he can't handle, though." Rick chose that moment to come looking for his wife, then saw that their friend had arrived.
"Hey, Rudy. Looks like the gang's almost here." He joked, casting a wary eye on Laurie's expression.
From the look in her eye, she wasn't fooled. "Guys….." she started, then stopped, a rueful smile on her face.
"It's okay, if something's under wraps at the moment, I understand." At the look of astonishment from both Rick and her favorite doctor, she gently added, "I've learned you two keep me in the dark only to protect me. I can't get upset at that."
"Sweetheart…."Rick put his arms around her as Rudy cleared his throat. "Thank you, Missy. It's nothing, except, well, I'll let this man of yours explain."
"Chicken." Rick pretended to growl, then he kissed Laurie's neck. "Darlin', let's join the others, then I 'll tell you everything later, I promise."
She kissed him back lovingly. "I love your promises, "my man."
"Someone threatened what?"
Laurie gazed at Rick and A.J. in consternation, as her husband nodded.
"A note was sent to the OSI, stating that if Oscar was still on the selection committee, he would be killed. I'm sorry, Laurie, but the Secretary thinks the threat is real. Someone wants the decision about the new OSI director to be made in Washington; if Dad is taken out, it will be made by Senator Anderson. The Secretary's afraid with this guy's record, the bureau will be gutted and all the work your dad and Rudy did down the drain."
"That makes no sense, what does this guy have against the OSI?" A. J. puzzled, then the same idea hit both brothers.
"He doesn't, he wants the job!"
"Who wants the job?" Laurie asked, lost, then got it as Rick answered "The guy with the least chance, Anderson's kid, Assistant Director Wade Wright. That's why we're going to stay with Dad at the base in Phoenix until they eliminate the threat against him. Normally he'd be in the safest place in the world staying there, but they don't know who's targeting him."
"So I'm going to be his aide de' camp, and Rick his bodyguard." A.J. chimed in. Laurie at once stood up from her rocker, then embraced him. "Thank you, little brother. I know he'll be safe with you. And you…." She crooked her finger at Rick, who snickered, "What?"
"I'll leave you to discuss this, sis. I'll be back after I drop the kids with Mom, Rick. Don't forget your uniform." A.J. teased, dropping a kiss on Laurie's cheek.
As the front door closed after him, Rick went to his wife's side, then picked her up and carried her to their room. As he sat her gently on the bed, Laurie wound her arms around his neck, then kissed him hungrily.
"Sweetheart." Rick breathed, then opened his lips to hers, passionately kissing and caressing her mouth with his.
"Darling," Laurie parted her lips from his finally, "I can handle this, as long as you and A.J. oh, thank you for caring so much about Dad."
"Laurie." Rick kissed her neck. "He's a good man, and he's looked after all of us. I won't let anything or anyone hurt him. It'll just be a couple of days, angel."
"I know." He felt her stroking his hair, and he pulled back to look in her eyes.
"I love you, sweetheart. You won't be alone. I'm not going to be that far, and Rudy and Linda will be here, so you'll be safe. Towne and Temple will be coming out for lunch tomorrow, too."
"I know, and they're wonderful for coming over, but it's not the same as having you with me," Laurie put her hand on his face. "I love you so much, Rick. It seems like I'm running out of time with you." She took a breath, then smiled up at him. "Don't mind me, just please be careful and come back to me, I need you, love." Her voice cracked, and Rick cupped her face in his hands.
"And I need you. I'll come back, my princess, I promise. Now," he lay back, then pulled her on top of him. "We have an hour, I need to show my lady how much I'm going to miss her."
Laurie wrapped herself around him, then kissed him. "Whatever my lord desires." She murmured.
When A.J. pulled up, Rick straightened his uniform then turned and saw Laurie holding his cover.
"Time to go, love."
He gave her his arm, and she smiled at him. "I love a man in uniform."
"Huh, is that all I am, a pretty face?" he teased back.
"No, just my knight in shining armor." Rick saw her lip tremble and he drew her into his arms one more time.
"I will call you tonight, Laurie. Please mind Rudy and Linda, and call me if anything happens with the kids, capice?"
"Capice, my love." Laurie kissed him once more, then left his arms to get his bag.
Following him only as far as the porch, she waved at A.J. then Linda came out of the guest room with a sleeping Melly. She went out to the car with Rick so she could kiss A.J. good bye. "No wild parties, Linny." A.J. teased, then hugged her tightly.
As the two women watched the brothers drive off toward the north, Linda sighed.
"What are the odds we'd fall in love with two such wonderful guys?"
"Slim and none, sis." Laurie wiped her eyes and smiled.