"Now entering the tournament, Sir Ian, the Blue Knight!"
The announcer's voice boomed throughout the theatre, and Rick Simon laughed at his grandchildren's reactions. Petey was bouncing up and down with glee, while Lala cheered, "Yeah, Sir Ian!"
"Pop, you're right, the children do get a charge out of this." Robin Whitecloud smiled as Rick hoisted Petey onto his lap. "I'm just glad "The Knights" were able to schedule a stop in Phoenix this year."
"I know how you and Robbie were about horses and stuff, I figured the kids should see Ian at work." Rick replied, then led the applause as Ian unseated each of his challengers. As the other knights honored him for his victory, Lala took her wide eyes off the spectacle in front of them to worry, "Where's Grandma, she didn't see Uncle Ian win!"
"Here I am, sweetie." Laurie Simon slid in between her daughter and husband, holding Robin's youngest daughter Katie. "Your cousin doesn't like having her face washed, so no more fruit tart in the face, okay?"
"Sorry, Katie, sorry, Grandma." Lala looked apologetically at her cousin, and the toddler immediately reached out her arms for a hug. "S'okay, Lala."
"Hey, look, Daddy's coming this way!" Petey spoke up excitedly, then cheered as the Blue Knight bowed to their group, then handed a rose to his wife.
Robin blushed and leaning forward, placed a kiss on Ian's cheek. Instantly the crowd broke into cheers, then the King and Queen stood and bowed toward her as Ian took her hand and said, "Happy Birthday, Robin! Always be mine?"
"Oh, Ian…forever!" she told him, beaming. He leaned over the rail of the bleachers and kissed her. Rick found himself wiping his eyes with his sleeve, then a handkerchief appeared in his hand.
"Sweetheart, thank you." He whispered, as Laurie put an arm around him while dabbing at tears herself. . At once Ian turned and said, "Okay everybody!" At once the rest of their family came down the aisles and joined the audience in singing "Happy Birthday!"
"Pop, did you do all this!" Robin took in the sight of her Grandmother Cecilia, Robbie and Ramona, A.J. and Linda and all their children, and her "Uncles", Oscar and Rudy, grinning and waving.
"Well, your husband and I had help." he snickered, then hugged her. "Happy Birthday, my Bird."
As the show ended, the other performers in the show came to wish Robin a Happy Birthday, giving Rick and Ian time to corral everyone for a group picture.
When the show photographer finished his last shot, Laurie saw a wistful look on her daughter's face. "Rick, I know what that's for." Immediately they saw Ian put an arm around his wife and say something, making her smile.
Rick nodded, taking her hand in his. "I know, darlin'; I miss the Chief too. He would have enjoyed this."
Just then Ian's horse leaned over and snatched the flower Robin was holding with his teeth, breaking everyone up. "Baron, you bad boy, you get your own flower!" Petey scolded the horse, who tossed his head as if to say "So?"
"Well, he told you!" Robbie chuckled, ruffling his nephew's hair. "Come on, it's party time!"
"Yeaaaaah!" As the assorted grandchildren cheered, Ian lifted a surprised Robin over the railing, placing her in front of him on his mount. "See you guys at the Heritage." he laughed, then rode out of the arena.
Robbie shook his head in amusement. "Now that's riding off in style, come on, we'd better catch up with them."
As the Simons left the theatre complex, Rick heard a beeping noise and realized one of their transmitters had gone off. "Laurie?" he turned, then saw it was his son's watch.
"Hold on, Pop." Robbie handed a drowsy Katey to him, then flicked on the speaker.
"Deputy Simon." Rick smiled, realizing Robbie had routed his emergency calls to his transmitter.
"Robbie, it's Rob….Thought you should know the council came back with its nominations for Tribal Chief." Rick looked over at his wife and saw a sudden anger in her eyes.
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"They didn't even wait until he was cold……Let me talk to Rob." She turned furiously to her son. "Don't they have any respect for the Chief's memory?"
Robbie shook his head. "Wait a minute, Mama, Rob didn't have anything to do with it, you know the Council has several land issues coming up. We just couldn't wait…."
"We?" Rick turned, surprised as Laurie let out a deep breath. "I'm sorry, darling, I didn't mean to get so mad, you're right about the Chief's successor having to be picked."
"That's just it, Mama….." Robbie looked more and more uncomfortable. "The Chief gave me his proxy the last three votes, and now Johnny Hill and some of the others want me to be Chief."
