They gathered at their table, watching the stairs for any sign of how things were going upstairs. The only activity was Josiah coming and going with warm water, shaking his head each time to indicate there had been no change. Finally, out of the desperation for something, anything, to do, JD picked up his package and unwrapped it. A soft utterance that couldn't be understood passed his lips as he went breathless.
"You OK there kid?" Buck leaned over to look at the picture frame young man held. "Whoa. That's you and your momma. How did Ezra get a drawing like that?"
"I don't know. We never had a picture done like this. We couldn't afford to have someone draw us."
Vin spoke quietly. "Ezra would have drawn it."
"Seriously? He draws? This is good stuff. It looks just like my ma. How could he do that? I showed him a picture once, months ago."
Vin smiled. "In his line of work, he reads faces. Doesn't forget them either. Told me it was a trick he learned to avoid trouble."
Buck was still transfixed by the sketch. "I don't know anything about art, and don't really have that good a picture in my head of JDs momma, but I do know that looks more like a photo of the kid than some amateur sketch. How'd you know Ezra was this good at drawing things?"
"Saw some stuff he'd drawn in a notebook he was using to… well he was using for writing stuff." Vin's voice faded as he tried to avoid explaining just what Ezra had been showing him in the book. The others may have figured out the southerner was helping Vin with is reading and writing, but he didn't feel the need to discuss it with them. "I told him I thought his stuff was real nice, but he just closed up the book and said it was nothing special."
"Well he's wrong." JD was trying with little success to keep the emotion from his voice. "This is special. Really special."
Vin reached out and picked up his package. It took him only a moment to figure out, without opening, just what it was. He laughed lightly, realizing his secrecy of just a moment ago had been a waste of time. He unwrapped the bundle to find pens, ink and fine paper. All he would need to continue not only continue learning his letters, but to keep a record of his writings, his poetry. He looked up, waiting for the ribbing to begin, but saw only understanding smiles from the others.
The opening of the door to Ezra's room distracted them from their actions, and the waited quietly as Josiah joined them at the table, sitting down tiredly.
"Nathan says it looks like he's getting the circulation back in his hands. They may be sore and stiff for a while, but he thinks they'll be ok" There was a collective sigh of relief at the table. Few things mattered more to Ezra than keeping his hands in good condition. "Only problem now is that he still hasn't woken up. Barely even seems to move."
"Hit on his head worse than we thought?" Chris asked.
"Can't really say. His eyes are reacting the way they should. He just won't wake up. Nathan's trying to pretend he's not worried. Ain't working." The big man stared back up the stairs, as if willing things to change could make it so. After a few moments he turned his eyes back to the table, and the opened gifts. Without speaking, he reached for the envelope that had his name. Pulling out the paper inside, he read for a moment. "Damn fool shouldn't have done that." He looked up to see the others watching him. "It's a bill of sale and delivery notice. Roofing supplies – likely enough to cover the church. Should be delivered in the next week or so. Where the hell did he get the money that?"
"Where'd he get it for any of this? I mean Vin's stuff wouldn't have cost much –"
"Cost ain't what matters" Vin interrupted Buck.
"I didn't mean anything by it. I know it's something special for you, and that's the point. But your paper, JD's picture – those wouldn't have set him back much. But this?" He pointed at the paper in front of Josiah.
"Or this?" Chris laid down his opened bundle on the table to display a fancy set of carving knives. He wouldn't be whittling with a pocket knife anymore, the way he had when he carved for Adam. "These weren't cheap." Buck whistled as he opened his gift. "A six shooter like this – that's weeks of pay" he stated, laying the weapon on the table. The elaborately carved handle shone in the reflected candle light.
"So," he continued, "all this, along with whatever he delivered everywhere else? He keeps telling us he doesn't have the money to buy this place back from his mother, but this kind of money would have let him buy just about any other place in down. Least ways made a real down payment."
The only person who could answer that remained unconscious upstairs, and the group went quiet again, puzzling the possibilities. JD looked at the table. "Chris – if all this was from Ezra, why is there a package there for him?"
"Probably reckoned we'd know it was him otherwise. Not that is was really to hard to work out."
Vin nodded. "Yeah, but I bet he would think we'd never figure him for something like this."
Buck opened his mouth to make a comment, but it was Nathan's voice the echoed through the room. His urgent shout for Josiah had all 5 men at the table on their feet as chairs toppled over. They were at the stairs, Chris leading his way through the door. They could hear Nathan fighting to calm Ezra's thrashing even before they'd entered. Chris and Josiah were at his side instantly, while Buck moved to his feet and Vin to the head of the bed, with JD hovering close behind.
"Easy Ezra, take it easy." Vin added his voice to Nathan's similar pleas. It was more likely the hands holding him than the words spoken, but after a moment Ezra flailing calmed. He remained slightly resting, shifting in bed, but the sense of panic faded, both in Ezra and the rest of the team.
"Damn Nathan, what the hell was that about." Buck wiped his brow more from anxiousness than an actual need.
"Body's warming up. He's starting to react to the shock of what he's been through."
"So, that's good then?" JD asked hopefully. "Means he's coming back."
"Could be." Nathan checked Ezra eyes, and sighed as he found no change in his reaction to light. "Could just be reflex though. You all might as well go about whatever you had planned for the day. Ain't likely to be much change for a while."
"Don't kid yourself Nathan. Nobody's going anywhere except back downstairs. That includes you – you gotta eat something."
"I'm fine Chris."
"Bull – and you wouldn't let us away with that either. Josiah can sit with him…"
"I'll stay for now Chris." Vin looked up from where he'd settled on the floor next to Ezra's head, still speaking softly to him. "Josiah hasn't eaten either."
"None of has Chris. But your right." Buck turned to Nathan. "Go eat. You'll be up here with him all day, so you best get something in you now."
"OK, but everyone 'cept Vin – out. Ezra needs to rest, and he won't do that with us all talking 'moungst ourselves."
Reluctantly the lawmen slowly left, each casting a glance back. Vin pulled the blankets that had been tossed about back over the gambler. "Nathan's right – you need to rest Pard. 'Cause when you wake up, you are gonna have some explaining to do. Don't worry – nobody's mad. Just a little curious is all."
Word spread through the town of the two stories of Christmas Eve. The mystery Santa was cause of much speculation, but as people heard of Ezra's injury, including when and where it happened, it didn't take too long for most folks to put the puzzle pieces together. The saloon became the center of activity, with folks coming and going all day, offering good wishes and providing what they could for support. Several of the townsmen took over the patrols to let the team stay close by for news. When Chris cancelled out on dinner with Mary and Billy she kept cooking, with the plan to deliver dinner to the team later. Stories were shared of small gifts left at so many houses. Nettie and Casey Wells had notice of a pending delivery of desperately needed feed to replace a supply that had somehow been contaminated. Toys, clothing and holiday treats were gratefully received by many of the areas less well off citizens.
Billy Travis wandered over around noon, clutching a spinning top toy in his hands. He headed straight for Chris to show off his newest acquisition.
"That looks like a mighty impressive toy."
"Santa brought it for me," he said, demonstrating its operation. "He had Mr. Standish bring it in the middle of the night."
The others at the table leaned forward. "You saw Ez – Mr. Standish – deliver the toy?"
"Sure – I was too excited to sleep. But don't tell mom I was awake."
"Secret is safe with us Billy," Buck assured him.
"Billy?" The youngster turned back to Chris. "If you saw Ezra bring it, why do you think it was from Santa?"
"Well the note on the package said to Billy from Santa. I figured he couldn't get all the way out here to Four Corners, so he made Mr. Standish his helper. Makes sense it'd be him."
That took everyone listening by surprise. "Why?" Vin asked, curious at the child's impression of the resident gambler. "Why would Ezra as Santa's helper make sense?"
Billy looked at the adults with the pity of someone who realized the grown-ups just didn't understand the world. "Cause he's the only one in town with a red coat." With that simple declaration of fact, he turned and took his toy over to where some other children were playing, and set about enjoying himself.