Her heart in her throat, Laurie turned to Andy and nodded for him to turn off the machine. As soon as it snapped off, she spoke as calmly as possible. "Andy, can you find your grandpa, please. It's important."

An understanding look came over his face, and he gave her a hug then went towards the front of the house. A minute later Rick came bounding into the kitchen.

"Guys, there's a bowl of popcorn in the living room, Andy, can you put a cartoon on for them?"

"Popcorn!" Lala cheered, then took Petey by the hand. "Come on, we get to watch one of Grandpa's cartoons!"

As soon as they left, Rick took Laurie by the hand and sat her down. "What happened, sweetheart?"

"The calls are getting worse, Rick. This one threatened Robbie." She told him, her voice starting to tremble. Reaching over, she rewound the answering machine tape, then played it.

At once his face turned red, and he snarled, "That's it! My family is not going to be harassed like this!" Getting up from the table, Rick grabbed the extension and hurriedly called the sheriff's station. After getting a busy signal, he redialed and was relieved to find Rob Gamez on the other end.

"Rob, we've just gotten another crank…" he started, only for Rob to interrupt.

"I know, Rick, Esther Twotrees and John Hill just got them too. I want to put a tracer on your and Robbie's phones."

Rick took a deep breath. "Sorry, pal. I don't want Laurie to frightened like this, the last one was the worst."

His tone was echoed by their friend. "I know, Rick. On top of everything we have a petition before the council to allow a developer to build a resort on the other side of the Cultural Center. This company promises to hire only locals for the first year, and pay over 12 million over five years to the people for the land. We have to have an emergency session tonight."

Laurie heard the last part of Rob's statement, and spoke up. "No, Rob, that's not an emergency, that's a business decision. Robbie is taking Ramona out tonight-there's no way you can interrupt that and still have him want to be the chief's successor."

"Too late, Light. I just called him, damn, I bet I just caused World War III.!"

"I'll handle that, Rob, I just want that tracer. Thanks!" Rick contained himself as he said good-bye.

As soon as he hung up, Rick heard a ring, and picked up the receiver again to find Ramona on the other line.

"Hey, honey, what's up?"

"Did you know Robbie's been called to some emergency meeting about a land development?" Ramona's voice was very quiet-and angry.

"Yes, honey. I'm sorry, we had a crank phone call, then we got a hold of Rob and he told us. Why don't you join us for breakfast with the kids!"

"Dad, I don't think I'll be very good company today…" she began, only for Rick to interrupt.

"Honey, I know you're angry, and I'm not happy with what's going on, either. But Laurie's a little upset about these crank calls, and I think she'd be less worried if you and the children were here."

He heard his daughter-in-law pause, then let out a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't even realize …sure, give me 30 minutes and I will be there."

As he replaced the receiver, he saw Laurie looking at him, and he remembered what he said. "Sweetheart, I .."

"Rick, it's okay, it was the right thing to say." She smiled at him, then looped her arms around his neck as he cleared his throat, moved.

"Thank you, darlin'. I'm not real happy with our son right now, but I do want Ramona and the children where it's safe."

Rick's discontent was soon shared with A.J. when he called a little while later.

"Rick, what's this Linda told me, Robbie's going to….."

"Great, everyone knows my son's an idiot." Rick interrupted, annoyed. "Yes, Robbie believed the others when they said that land deal's an emergency and plans on going to a meeting, so we had Ramona and the kids come here. If she'd stayed at the house, I think someone's temper was going to go off."

Just then Lala and Andy ran in, saying, "Grandpa, Dad's here!"

"Well, maybe I don't have to take him to the woodshed after all." Rick grinned as A.J. laughed. "Yeah, right, that'd be the day. Call me later."

As Rick came out of the kitchen, he found an upset Robbie and a furious Ramona staring at each other in the living room. Immediately he held up a hand.

"Time out, you two. I'm going to take the kids outside to play. Go sit down."

Both husband and wife looked at him, then Laurie came in the room with a tape player and a candle. "You heard your father, please sit down." She told them firmly.

Chastened, Robbie and Ramona each sat at the opposite end of the sofa, as Rick winked at Laurie then herded three curious children outside. Both of them lowered their heads, not wanting or willing to look at the other.

Once the kitchen door closed, she faced her son and daughter-in-law, then placed the tape recorder on the coffee table, and put the candle in a holder next to it.

"All right. First off, Ramona, you get to tell Robbie what your reaction is to what is going on. Remember what Father Nick says, say what you feel, not what you want to feel."

Surprised, Ramona took a deep breath, then began. "Robbie, I'm very upset with you. You are a good man, you have always put me and the children first. You told me that this would continue even if you became the Tribal Chief. Even with these horrible calls that frighten me and the children, I thought you would still be able to balance us against this job. But this, …" She swallowed, then continued. "I can't compete with the importance of the people and their needs, when you decide that a land deal is an emergency. You didn't put us first, so how can I believe you when you say one thing then do another?"

Robbie's head shot up, "That's not true, Ramona…."

"Robbie, hush….It's not your turn yet." Laurie stopped him, then pointed at the tape player. "Now, before you tick not only Ramona but me off even more, listen to the reality she's facing."

Switching the tape on, Laurie got up and sat between the young couple as phone call after phone call harassed the Simons. Robbie's face drained of all color as he saw tears in both his mother and wife's eyes. The final call was a surprise to both Ramona and Robbie.

Click. "Simon, better keep your grandchildren from going outside this week, otherwise you might be burying more then a Chief this time."

At that Robbie let out an anguished "No!" Breathing heavily, he stood up, then paced for a moment as Laurie handed her daughter-in-law a handkerchief.

"I'm sorry, oh, I didn't know, honey. Mom, please believe me, I didn't know it was that bad, I just thought it was cranks. Please, Ramona…" He went to her as Laurie moved over and embraced her emotionally. "I just wanted to carry on for the Chief, be the leader he told me I was. But I won't take it, it's not worth it."

"Oh, Robbie," Ramona tearfully hugged him back.. "You are the man he loved and believed in. I want you to be the Chief, just not at the beck and call of the others."

"I won't, because I don't want to lose us being together. We've not missed a date night before, and I won't start it now. I'll call Rob and tell him if they can't deal with it this afternoon, tough." He replied, then reached out a hand to his mother.

"Mom, thank you for …well, for reminding me of a few things."

Laurie wiped her eyes, then put her arms around the two of them. "You're welcome, son. Now, I want you both to take the candle in your hands."

At that each of them stretched out a hand and held onto the thin candle. Laurie lit the candle, then said. "Remember you can only burn as one candle, not two."

"We won't forget." Ramona said quietly, leaning over to hug her mother-in-law. "And I promise not to storm out of the house angry again."

"That's my children. Okay, Rick, you guys can come in now." Laurie smiled, as Rick and the kids came in the back door. At once Andy looked at his father.

"Dad, did you and Mom settle things?"

He put an arm around Ramona and beckoned the children over. "What do you think, son?"

At once all three kids ran to them, little David barreling into his father's legs yelling "Yes!"

As the little family hugged and kissed each other, Rick took Laurie by the hand, then quietly blew out the candle.

"Come on, darlin', let's go play by ourselves. Something tells me we might be babysitting all night."

Later that evening, Rick stole a look at the clock as he carried his grandson David to bed,

He'd figured the young couple would be in late, but it was after midnight and he didn't like the ground fog that had stolen in that night.

"Rick, I hope Robbie and Ramona stay in town tonight, you can hardly see outside." Laurie waited until he closed the door of the guest room, then reached for him.

"I'm sure they will, sweetheart.." Rick reassured her, wrapping his arms around her. "Just in case, do you want me to call Robbie on his transmitter?"

She beamed up at him. "Thank you, love, I know they're all right, but I have a bad feeling."

Leading her into the living room, he pulled out his watch as Andy looked up from the old movie he was watching. "Grandma, what time did my folks say they were coming?"

"They didn't, honey. Your grandfather's going to find out now." She tried to reassure him. "Why don't you go to bed, we'll wake you when they come in."

The teenager yawned and nodded. "Okay, …" He started to get up, only for a screeching of brakes and a thud to sound outside.

At once Laurie ran to the front door and looked outside. "Ramona!" She yelled, starting to open the door. "Andy, call your Uncle Rudy!"

"Stay back, Laurie!" Rick pushed past her, then raced outside to where their daughter-in –law lay on the ground in front of their gate. A pair of taillights glowed in the distance, then vanished as Ramona raised her head and wailed, "Robbie!"

"Honey, stay still, I've got you!" He scooped her up as Laurie opened the screen door, then brought her in . In the light of the room, they could see Ramona had a couple of scrapes and bruises, and Rick very gently put her on the sofa as Andy brought forth a cup of water for her to sip.

"Here, Mom, are you all right?" he asked, his hand shaking. Ramona took a couple of deep breaths, "Yes, son, but…..Dad, they took Robbie, they're going to hurt him!"

Rick strove not to yell "What?", as Laurie knelt with a washcloth and carefully wiped Ramona's face. "Take another breath, honey, then tell us what happened."

"We, we came out of the movie theatre, then crossed the street to get into our car. A truck, I think it was a truck, came out of nowhere and nearly hit us. Robbie started to yell something, only they stopped and a couple of men jumped out and grabbed him and threw him into the back of the truck bed. I tried to stop them, but two more men pushed me into our car and took off. They had masks, and one of them handed me a piece of paper, then said for me not to call the police, but to show this to Rob. That if I got the police involved they'd kill Robbie." Ramona took a shuddering breath, then drank a little more water while Laurie took the paper from her and read it.

"What does it say, sweetheart?" Rick put an arm around her as she replied, "It's horrible, Rick. It says that Robbie's proxy is to be turned over to Rob and he's to vote in favor of the developer. That proof of Robbie's safety will be left at the Post Office door tomorrow morning….and that he'll be returned after tomorrow's council vote. If not….Robbie will die."