"Hand it over, Laurie."
"Yeah, Mom, pay up."
Two sets of brown eyes stared down one set of hazel eyes, then Laurie sighed and handed over $50 to each member of her family.
"That Community Chest is rigged, how come you two never get it?" She groused, putting the yellow card back on the game board.
Rick leaned back in his recliner and grinned. "Clean living, I guess." His son and daughter groaned.
"Pop, that's sad…okay, my turn." Robin rolled the dice then snickered as she missed landing on the overbuilt properties of her brother and father.
"Okay, is the robber baron winning again, sis?" A.J. came in from the kitchen with a handful of cold sodas for the game players.
"You got it, A.J." she sighed, as Rick bought yet another hotel and now had two sides of the board covered.
"Rick, that's just plain greedy, whoo hoo, Park Place!" Laurie crowed, then gleefully took her savings and paid the bank.
"Should've hung on to some of that, you're bound to land on one of my luxury units next turn, darlin'." He husband snickered, then shifted uncomfortably as he leaned the wrong way.
"Rick, did you take your anti-inflammatory?" Laurie put her hand on his left leg, now in a fiberglass cast. He saw her worried face, and he took her hand and kissed it. "I can take it now, darlin'. I'm okay."
Immediately she jumped up and went to the kitchen, then returned with his medicine and a glass of juice.
"Thanks, sweetheart." He blushed as his brother ragged, "Nurse Laurie on the job, I see!"
"That's right, little brother. Don't tell me Nurse Linda hasn't been to see you?" she replied kiddingly, then the others laughed as he turned just as red.
"Heh, heh." Rick smirked, then popped his pills and swallowed them down with the juice mix Robin had made up for him.
"Now, back to business." He chuckled, then watched as Robbie landed on Boardwalk, then pretended to sulk at the high fee Laurie collected for her single hotel.
This was almost worth the pain of a broken leg, to be able to spend this time with his family, playing his favorite childhood game.
Course it all could have been worse, especially with the revelations during the hearing for Bill Branson and his wife during the past week. Fortunately it promised to be short, considering the charges of escape and attempted murder being just the tip of the iceberg. He was grateful the District Attorney foresaw a plea change before there was a trial, he really didn't want himself or A.J. to have to relive the terror of the crash or of being held for ransom. He just wished he and Laurie could get rid of the nightmares that had plagued them since they returned home…he'd have to talk to Rudy about them.
The most unexpected break in their favor had been the assumption that his brother had Chicken Pox; instead it was a food allergy that had caused his breakout and feeling of sickness.
"Since when are you allergic to coconut?" Cecelia had asked A.J., as he lay in bed surrounded by his still recovering children.
"Since this weekend, apparently." Rick had needled him, grateful that the rash had still appeared. If the two of them hadn't left early, Branson had planned on springing his revenge at their aunt's house in San Diego.
"Pop, it's your turn."
Rick's attention snapped back to the game, and he glanced at his position as he took the dice from his daughter.
"Come on seven, let's miss those high-priced tourist traps, oh, ….." he bit back a bad word, to his children's snickers. He landed on Robbie's "greenbelt".
"Better be gold faucets in this hotel, son." He huffed, then the gate buzzer went off.
"Well, saved by the bell." A.J. smirked, then headed his sister-in-law off and opened the gate to Chief Joseph and Sheriff Rob.
"Rick, you didn't tell me the Chief and Rob were coming, good thing I picked up those extra chicken breasts." Laurie made a face at her husband.
"Sweetheart, I didn't know myself." Rick assured her, then grinned as their friends came in.
"Chief, Rob, glad you came, time I beat you both at this, it's been a while."
"Well, I'm glad to see something's don't change." The elder said quizzically after having greeted the family. Surveying the board, the Chief's eyes caught sight of something, and his face froze.
"Rick, Light, where did that come from?"
Laurie came in from the kitchen with some iced tea as Rick followed his gaze.
"Oh, that? I don't know, Chief. Ugliest thing I've ever seen."
"Guys, what are you talking about ..oh, no!" Laurie stared at the brown clay animal of some kind, then she began to shake.
"Chief, that's the thing I saw in my nightmares, before Rick and A.J. even started back home…"
"It's an Hóchxóó'jí, Light." Immediately Rick saw the same angry look on Rob's face as Chief Joseph walked toward it, then placed himself between the figure and his friends.
"Everyone leave at once, Rob, help Rick up. This is a very evil thing, and it must be destroyed." He told them seriously. Rick was ready to believe him just because of his wife's reaction, then it hit him.
"Chief, her attacks of fear and …the frights…that thing is responsible?" he said, letting Rob and A.J. help him up.
"Yes, son, it can be used to terrorize or make a person ill, too. I will take care of this." The older man stood as if a sentinel as hurriedly Robbie and Robin got up and went out the front door, followed by Rick and Rob and A.J.. As Laurie followed, a dark shadow suddenly appeared before her and the door, and she let out a gasp. "Chief, it's coming to life!"
The elder closed his eyes, then recited some words in Navajo. At once Rob stopped in the doorway and called, "Now, Light!", and she dashed to the front door, managing to run around the shrinking darkness. Rick waited for her on the porch, then stretched out his hand and caught her arm. "Hold on, angel."
Laurie put her arm around him, then they leaned on each other and Rob as they made it down the path then took refuge in Laurie's jeep.
Opening the back of the vehicle, Rob helped Rick into a sitting position, then Laurie climbed in next to him.
"Stay there, you two, I'm going to make sure this thing doesn't cause any trouble." Rob told them, then went back to the front door as the others got into the other side of the car.
"Sis, how did that thing get into the house?" A.J. asked, then Laurie shook her head, shaking as Rick held onto her and rubbed her bad arm.
"I don't know, A.J….I never saw it before today, it's so awful looking. Who would have sent it to us?" she exclaimed, then let out a deep breath as Oscar pulled up next to them.
"What's going on, I got worried when no one picked up the phone." He called to them as he got out of his sedan.
"Someone sent an evil spirit statue or figurine of some kind and it's been haunting Laurie." Rick explained what was going on, then Oscar leaned in and hugged his daughter.
"Thank God Joe's in there, you're not to go back in there until he says."
"We won't, oh I'm glad you came, Dad." Laurie gratefully embraced him, then kissed his cheek.
Just then the weary tribal elder came out of their home. "It's safe to return to your home." Chief Joseph reassured his friends. "I destroyed the figurine. It will not bother you or cause harm again."
"Thanks, Chief. If you hadn't come…." Rick shook his head. "It won't come back, will it?"
The Chief shook his head. "No, son. This is gone forever."
Laurie immediately stood up, then held out her hand to Rick.
"Come on, love. Nobody interrupts a Simon family game. I want to make sure you pay your son for landing on his property."
"Yes, my princess." Rick took her hand in his, then kissed it. Hobbling back into their home with his wife's help, even he could sense a difference in the living room, almost like an easing of pressure.
Once the family was settled back into their seats, Laurie made sure Rick was comfortable, then looked over at Chief Joseph.
"Chief, now I know why we've had nightmares, but we still need to find out who sent that thing, where would someone have gotten it, except from the Tribal Center or the old Museum." She said, worried.
"Light, I have a bad feeling about where it came from, but I don't want to tell you until I know." The older man said firmly, then he caught a look from Rob. "Do you know something?"
The sheriff nodded. "There was a break in last month at the old Museum, at the time it looked like the thief was interrupted in the act and didn't take anything."
A gleam was in the Chief's eyes. "I remember, Mrs. Lopez, the curator, thought it was a art dealer who had been offering money for some of the jewelry, but she didn't think any was missing."
Robbie stood up, "Why don't we go over there now, see if any of the tribal relics are missing."
Chief Joseph gazed at the younger Simon, then agreed. "Good idea, son. Rob can go with you, I want to check something at the Cultural Center."
Rick saw a determined look on his son's face. "You know something, Robbie?"
"Just an idea, but don't worry, Pop, I'll be back to collect my rents!" he teased, flashing a grin at his parents.
"What a mercenary, like father, like son. Laurie, how do you put up with it!" A.J. snickered.
Laurie just smiled. "Don't you know, little brother? A happy winner makes a happy husband!" she quipped as she leaned over and kissed Rick.
"Well, thanks for the tip, Sis!" A.J. laughed as he settled down in his nephew's seat.
A hour later Rick was anything but happy as Robbie and Ramona sat opposite him in the living room.
"I can't believe it, why did Angelina do it, honey?"
"She's so darned jealous, that's the only thing I can think of, Dad." His daughter-in-law sniffed, as Robbie covered her hand with his. "We can't think of any reason for her to use that nightmare charm against you guys. I asked her the same thing, all she did was look down and mutter that she only meant to scare you, Mom."
"I'm sorry, honey. You're not responsible for your mother's meanness. Pop, I feel awful that we let it get this far with her acting up. But for her to frighten Mom like that, after all you've done to try to get along with her….." Robbie added, upset.
"Darling, you and Ramona have nothing to be ashamed about. Ramona, your mother's not you. You are a wonderful daughter and mother and you don't have a mean bone in your body. I'm so sorry Angelina hasn't been better to you." Laurie told her, then Ramona hugged her, trying not to cry.
"Honey, your mom and I aren't going to press charges against her." Rick told them, to their astonishment. "Unfortunately there's no law against leaving a voodoo charm in someone's house, and the Old Museum is only going to make her pay for the broken glass."
"Thank you, Pop!" Robbie hugged his father, then caught his mother up in his arms.
"Bless you for not judging, Mom. I love you." He told her.
"I do too, baby." Laurie choked up then embraced her son and daughter-in-law. "It'll be okay, I know it will."
As they watched Robbie and Ramona drive home with their kids, Rick put an arm around Laurie.
"Feel better, darlin'?"
"Yes, Rick. I can't help but feel sorry for Angelina, though. Her jealousy and anger just because we didn't let her bad mouth our children is so stupid….." Laurie sighed, then giggled at Rick's lips on her neck, then shoulders.
"Mr. Simon, are you getting fresh with me?"
"What do you think?" he teased.
"I think my doctor needs a visit from his nurse." Laurie returned his kisses, then chuckled as Rick took her hand.
"I think so too, come on before anyone else wants interrupt my appointment." He smirked, then led his wife into the house. Letting a rambuctious Rex and Mike in from outside, Rick finished closing up, then gave his wife a wink. "Your patient is ready."
As he hobbled toward their bedroom, the phone rang, and both Simons groaned.
"I'll pick it up, darlin'. " Rick decided to make this a very short conversation as he took the cordless receiver.
"Hello?"
"Rick, I hate to call late, but since when did you tell the kids about the stick bird house I made, they've made a huge mess trying to make one." A.J. groused.
"Since they wanted to know what their daddy did for presents." Rick saw Laurie open the door to their room, then smile.
"Look A.J., I have, uh, something to do, I'll talk to you tomorrow!" Rick forestalled any more complaining by hanging up.
"A.J., what did Rick say about the kids?"
Linda saw her husband trying not to laugh. "He never changes, Linny, come on, I want to test his and Laurie's theory."
She grinned, then let A.J. take her hand. "Yes, darling, remind me again of what happens with a "happy winner"……
Fin
