Ben slowly woke up from his nap on the sofa in the living room. As he rose up slowly he had to admit it was definitely a blessing to be in the old family house and to have three additional spare bedrooms, but nothing could beat a good old fashioned nap on the couch. He turned to the bassinet and felt fortunate that Bobcat was waking up too. He looked over at the coffee table and picked up the baby care book that was lying face down. The chapter open detailed of how to clip your baby's finger nails for the first time. With a slow sigh he cast his thoughts on the nail clipper for babies which he remembered to be there before, when he had put the baby down for her nap as well as his own. However, he was stunned in shock only to find that they were gone. Ben started to look around and then he heard a voice that made him look over at the bassinet in horror.
"Looking for these Papa?" the voice mockingly teased as the almost two-month old baby girl flexed the item open and closed maliciously three times with her little hand.
"Bobcat…." Ben felt lightheaded and was enveloped in disbelief, "You can talk!"
The baby flashed a toothless smile from her mouth proud of her gums.
With that Ben jumped out of his sleep. As he sat up he composed his nerves the best he could, "It was just a dream. No it was just a nightmare." He tried to assure himself. The soft coos of Bobcat waking up from her nap in the bassinet could be heard, yet he would not turn in her direction. Ben swallowed hard as he saw the baby book on the coffee table, lying face down just like it was before. Taking a minute, he picked up the book timidly and no different from before; it was open to the exact same chapter again. However, there was a huge relief this time. Upon seeing the nail clippers on the table Ben then grabbed them, opened the drawer to the end table by the couch and threw them hastily in and then remarked, "Definitely not today with you guys."
Ben then focused his attention on his child and picked her up from the bassinet and swaddled her loosely.
"Hey Baby Girl, you have a good nap?"
He cradled the child and leaned back while sitting on the couch. "You know I love these moments of just you and me. Don't get me wrong I love it when we have your Mom near but these are our moments of conversation. I'll let you in on a little secret. You're the very first person besides your Mommy that I love with all my heart. I never thought I would ever find anyone so loving as she is. Never thought she would love me so much to want to have a baby with me. You're definitely my dream come through pretty girl." He kissed the child on her forehead, "One hundred percent perfect. Big beautiful green eyes, long eyelashes…" he put his index finger in one of her hands and smiled, "And a good tight grip. All of these just like your mama. Speaking of your Mama I wonder how she's making out with Grandma Julie and breaking the news to her about us not coming until Christmas Day. The Horton Christmas Eve is one of the biggest traditions in their family, correction our family. Almost every Horton is always there. So many of them. Then there is the Christmas Tree always decorated with ornaments with the names of all of the Hortons and their children and…" not believing he would ever see an ornament on the family Christmas tree, decided not to mention it until Bobcat was able to see the tree on her own when she grew up and could understand. "And it's a huge event. You'll probably have your very own ornament next year when Grandma Julie knows your real name and has an ornament made for you." He readjusted the Baby in his arms, "Don't tell your mommy but I bet you three extra kisses we wind up going to Christmas Eve in Salem tomorrow. Not that I don't have confidence in mommy sticking by her decisions and holding firm, but she loves her family, pardon me our family, and doesn't want to hurt them intentionally. And I love her so much for that." Ben looked at their own Christmas tree, decorated in the living room with pink ribbons, pink and silver glass balls. Pink teddy bears that had white sashes with red writing that read, Baby's First Christmas, hanging from each branch. " So Bobcat if we're going to Christmas Eve dinner, we need to get some gifts for the family gathering. Worst case scenario if we arrive on Christmas Day Grandma Julie and Grandpa Doug can serve them to family as they stop by during the holidays." He reached over to his phone and dialed the number to the gourmet shop in town. After three rings he was momentarily surprised by the voice on the other end, "Hey Ed, it's Ben. Ben Weston. I'm doing great. Ed did Ciara call about a ham and some mac and cheese?" after a brief pause he responded to the party on the other end, "Great. Ed can I ask you huge favor, can you deliver them tonight, please? Something tells me we'll be having them for dinner tonight. Cool. Also can you take an order down for me for tomorrow to pick up before noon?" a few minutes later, "Thanks, Ed. Remember if any changes call me directly." Ben eased himself up and then headed for the office with Bobcat. "Look at it this way Baby, if we don't eat the ham tonight, I can fry some chicken for dinner to go with the cornbread I asked Ed to throw in."
Ciara tried to find different ways to procrastinate from making the faithful call to Julie. With each moment that she busied herself with different activities, the more she felt the guilt creeping in. The Horton Christmas Eve was a family tradition and the only excuse for not showing up that was acceptable, was being out of the country or dead. How could she justify them not showing up when they only lived eight hours away? She dreaded the call that she would receive next that would be from Hope, the moment after she hung up with Julie wanting an explanation. It was Christmas Eve, a time to celebrate tradition and family. She started to feel like she was choosing the family she made with Ben and Bobcat in Missouri with their new life, over the family who wanted to see them and that they left behind.
She had to admit folding laundry was a great way to hide from your troubles. Looking at some of the baby's little outfits she couldn't believe how at close to two months old how big she was. The little person she carried in her body for thirty-seven weeks, would shortly be fitting clothes up to six months old. Ciara lifted the pink and peaches decorated onesie, held it up and still found disbelief that she was the mother of its wearer. She shook her head back and forth still trying to get used to being somebody's mother.
Sitting at the foot of the bed she steeled her nerves before she made her faithful call to her Grandmother," How hard can this be? All I have to say is Grandma, Ben and I have decided to spend Christmas Eve in Poplar Bluff this year. It's our first Christmas as a family and we want to spend it in our very own home." she felt invigorated, "This isn't going to be that hard." However, when the phone rang she felt a shiver up her back as she saw her Grandfather Doug's number. She swallowed hard and answered the call, "Hey, Grandpa."
"Hello Sweetheart. How are you and Ben doing?" Doug inquired as he was looking through bundles of sheet music.
"Doing fantastic." She felt a knot in her stomach as she prepared herself to ask about Grandma Julie's whereabouts.
"Great. And how is my Little Angel doing? Can she come to the phone? I want to say, "Hello."
"Oh. Grandpa I checked on her and Ben downstairs a few minutes ago. She's in the office relaxing while he's going over the plans for the stables." Ciara ran her fingers through her hair, feeling as if she was disappointing Doug.
"That's Ok. Boy, I can't wait to see her tomorrow. She is so adorable." Doug beamed over the phone.
Guilt started to creep in on Ciara, but she started to remind herself that they would just be delaying their trip to Salem for only one day, "We all can't wait to see you and the family."
"I know Missouri isn't far only a few hours away. But we all miss you so much. And the little one is growing every day. I'm just bursting to hold her." The family patriarch continued to gush.
With every word from his mouth, Ciara started to feel the knot in her stomach feel like a fist punching her downward. She was about to ask to speak to Julie before she lost her nerve when her grandfather asked a surprising question.
"Sweetheart, does Ben play the piano? If he doesn't I want to know if he would be interested learning how to play. I'd be glad to teach him a simple Christmas Carol and maybe by next year we can play carols together for the family."
Upon hearing those words Ciara almost dropped her phone. How in the world could she proceed with her idea? As Doug kept talking she kept feeling a panic overwhelm her. And then she was hit with a surprise that completely floored her.
Forty Minutes Later
Ben held his little girl in his arms as he stared at the computer screen.
"Well Baby Girl our surprise for Mommy is all ready. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she sees this." He noticed the baby had turned her head to face the screen and start to become animated and excited, "That's it little one part of your legacy for the future. With lots of hard work, it will be yours, as well as any siblings you'll hopefully have someday. It's not Titan but…"
"But nothing."
Ben became startled at Ciara's entry into their office but had just enough time to change to another screen to hide what he had just completed work on.,
"Ben this farm will be just as important to her and any other little Westons to come. Maybe even more important. I love my grandfather however the legacy he'll be leaving for Philip, Brady, Shawn, me and the rest of us someday when he's gone, we haven't earned. He built Titan from his hard work but none of us put anything into it. Well except for Philip maybe being CEO right now."
"Don't let Xander hear you forget that he exists as Co CEO with Philip." Her husband laughed teasingly.
Ciara rolled her eyes, "Don't remind me, please. Baby what I'm trying to say is our children will see you working hard to build their legacy right before their eyes and along the way work beside you as they carve their place and belonging into to it if they choose someday." She looked at the baby, "So when will she be getting her first charge to break into business with?"
"How about after I mold the descendants of Sea Biscuit and Secretariat first." Ben smiled shyly, "The first students of The Brady-Weston Stables." He saw Ciara make a face, "Still not crazy about that name?"
"Baby I still think Weston Farms sound better. It's sounds more warm, friendly and inviting. The Brady Weston Stables sounds like a snobby school for horses."
Ben sighed, "So we're really doing this? Making an attempt to hopefully raise horses?"
"Say it with more confidence or those horses aren't going to be motivated. Baby, it's going to be Ok. We're going to start small first with getting two trained, then enter them to run in small short distance races and from them we learn. Then by the year after that we bring in another horse with our first two being companions to it." Ciara explained stoically.
"So the horse who we will be obtaining who eventually will run at Santa Anita, having learned from the first two who have become its teacher, mentor, confidant and sounding board. Who will then a year later will become the same to the horse that will be prepared to run at Triple Crown. Forgive me if I'm slightly confused." He looked sarcastically at her.
"Where did I lose you?" Ciara took the baby from Ben.
"Between the horse slash student into teacher. Number three. Mr. Santa Anita." Ben turned off the computer after shutting it down, "I'm just so nervous about a business idea that came from my Dad."
"Ben it's legal. It's the best and most practical way to make the farm work. You said it yourself you know very little about agriculture to make crops our main source of income. We've hired two very experienced men who know the business well." Ciara tried to reassure her husband.
Ben leaned back in the desk chair slumping slightly, "We really couldn't have asked for more there. Tommy being Nick Zito's nephew and Jean Pierre having retired from working with Todd Plechter."
"And while we're doing that how much fortunate could we be with Li Shin renting a stall to provide boarding for Susuki, his father's champion who will be racing in May. Plus, the publicity we'll get by them mentioning the farm's name as Susuki's residence. "Ciara cuddled the baby. "That was so great of John helping with that being added to the deal."
"And that's why I'm worried. Not just about the business but so many of our friends investing in it, in us. John and Doctor Evans. Your Uncle Steve. Doug and Julie, Rafe. Will. Him and Sonny had a major fight over him doing that." Ben leaned forward and put his head in his hands with guilt. "I feel like I'm the head of a Ponzi scheme or something."
"Sonny came around after he found out that his father invested too. You know Justin wouldn't just throw away money like that or anyone else for that matter. And it's us. I'm involved in this too. When you go to fed prison so do I. Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Oliver Weston." She readjusted the child in her arms and went over and kissed Ben on the forehead.
Ben looked over at the baby with her hands out stretched at him. He shook one of her hands, then kissed the back of it, "You'll come and visit us when we're in the big house right?" he then took her back form Ciara and held her close to him, "Speaking of that maybe I, we. Should stop in and wish my Dad a Merry Christmas when we…"
"He definitely wants to meet his granddaughter for the first time." Ciara sat in the chair next to the desk, "It's strange. I thought Clyde would have been extremely disappointed in his first grandchild not being a boy. But he is really trying to be grandfather of the year the best way he can. Calling every day. I think a surprise visit is just what will make his Christmas."
Statesville Prison
Eduardo Hernandez cautiously made his way to Clyde in the recreation room and then sat at the table he was at in front of him.
"I still think this isn't going to work."
"On that day the guards will so preoccupied checking gifts and wanting to go home and being pissed off at us for having to work that day. They will also be on rotated shifts than the usual ones." Clyde leaned closer to Eduardo when the guards weren't looking, "Christmas Day is the perfect day to escape and crash the University Hospital Christmas Day Party. "he then laughed, "Bobcat will definitely be seeing Santa live for the first time for Christmas."