In front of them, downed power lines, palms, and trees covered the road. At once Robbie radioed to his deputy.
"Andy, don't try to come down Scott Way….the road is still blocked."
"Robbie, if you back track to Snakeskin Trail, you can take the side road almost into the driveway, I'm there now..over." Relieved, Rick told his son, "Go for it, at least we'd know…"
"Roger, Andy. Thanks, you can go back to the highway." Making a u-turn, soon the two Simons were rocketing over the bumpy but cleared road. As they came out onto Scott Way, Rick saw much the same sight as the day before…except ….
"Robbie, who cleared the dead cactus and the tree…." He asked. Robbie shook his head, puzzled. Pulling into the driveway, they got out, then saw that the front door had been set back into the doorframe.
"O-kay…this is weird." Rick touched the solid oak door, seeing that it needed to be screwed back into the hinges, but was otherwise undamaged.
"I ….maybe Rob came by?" Robbie wondered, as he helped open the door. As they walked inside, Rick noticed his and Laurie's chairs were on their sides, and broken glass covered the floor..
Going into each the rooms, Rick saw closet doors opened and drawers pulled out, but otherwise no other damage, except for the broken window and shutter in their bedroom.
"Pop, I'm going to check the barn." Robbie began, then Rick stopped him.
"Son, I'm going with you, just in case."
As he saw the worry in Robbie's face, he realized the young sheriff was trying to protect him in case any of the horses were dead or badly injured. Putting an arm on his son's shoulder, he quietly said, "Thanks, Robbie…"
"No problem, Pop." Without another word the two men carefully approached the barn, moving Jack's overturned doghouse back upright, and dragging damaged hay bales out of the way.
As Rick opened the barn door, he saw the power somehow had stayed on, showing several nervous horses, but no apparent damage. Propping the door open, Robbie went ahead, cautiously checking each stall and finding feed bins turned sideways but intact, and Brick and Prince's water troughs nearly dry.
After calming the horses and feeding and watering them, Robbie left Rick to lock up, while he went around the barn.
"Oh, Pop…I think Mom's going to need a new car." Robbie started, then suddenly laughed.
"What ….oh, you're kidding me." Rick came out to the patio area, then gaped as he saw his wife's old jeep turned upside down, literally in the truck bed of Rick's pick-up.
"That's just too weird, wait until Mom sees that."
"That will make her laugh, but she's not to come out until we get some stuff straightened out." Rick said firmly. At that Robbie's smile faded.
"You're right…. I want you guys to come stay with us…"
"Thanks, Robbie, your Mom will probably like that." Rick assured him.
"I'll come by tomorrow to measure the windows, but I don't think anyone will try to get in before then." He told Robbie as they left.
Carefully turning back onto the reservation road, the two men got back to the Cultural Center just as Robin was supervising dinner preparations for the hundred evacuees still there. When she saw her brother and father, she put down her spoon and ran to hug them.
"I'm so glad you're back, Mama's been worrying…"
"Well, Birdie, we just took care of a few things at the house, it's not too bad, and the horses are all right." Rick explained, his mouth watering at the smell of roast beef and potatoes.
"I can practically hear your stomach, Pop…dinner's almost ready." She teased, then slapped a towel at her brother as he mussed her hair.
"Watch it, Robbie, I might give your roast to Jacky…he's been a real clown today!"
"You two behave, I'm going to check on your mother." Rick wagged his finger at them.
Smiling at his children's antics, he went to Rob's quarters, and found Laurie bundled up on the sofa, anxiously looked for him.
"There's my princess…" Rick scooped her up, blankets and all, and sat down with her in his arms.
"Just waiting for you, darling…" She smiled, relief in her eyes then put her arms around his neck and kissed him.
"Mmmmm, now that's a homecoming.." Rick wagged his eyebrows at her, and she laughed. Caressing her cheek, he saw her temperature was normal, and he had a sudden wave of emotion.
"Darlin'….Thank God you're all right…." He whispered, laying his face against hers. "I love you …"
"And I love you…so very much." She returned, her eyes bright as she stroked his head. "Rick, please tell me, how's our home? Are the horses all right?"
"Except for a few windows, sweetheart, it looks pretty good. The horses were fine, and other then being in a different position, so are the cars." Rick reassured her, then produced her small overnight bag.
"I picked up a few things, Laurie…and until the windows are repaired, we're going to stay at Robbie and Ramona's, okay?"
Touched at his thoughtfulness, she nodded.
"Thank you, love…..I would like that until we get things straightened out."
"Good, because much as I like this old sofa…" Laurie giggled at the face he made, "I really think we'll have a bit more privacy with Robbie."
As if to second his words, a knock on the door broke them up.
"Pop? Mama..dinner!"
The next day broke the oasis of calm at the Center, when word got out about the attack on Laurie. When the Simons got ready to leave, they found several members of the Council and some of the neighbors milling about, discussing the three attackers.
"Mrs. Simon, I'm so sorry, Mark didn't mean to upset you…." Jaylyn Travis came up to Laurie, her face red with shame. "I told him Redwing was no good…."
"I'm sure." Laurie said politely, not wanting to talk about the council members. Rick nodded at the woman, then told Rob, who had come to see them off, "See if you can keep the rumors to a minimum, Rob….I don't want them bothering Laurie at Robbie's."
"No problem, Rick…." Chief Rob gave a stony gaze to the Travis woman and some of the other people waiting to leave.
Just then Robbie and Ramona appeared in his cruiser, and Rick carried the now lively Jack in his arms as he helped his wife in, then slid in next to her.
"It'll be good to have you at home, Mom." Ramona told her as Robbie drove out of the center and towards Silver Rock. "Mack's been lonesome for Jacky as it is."
At hearing his name, Jack barked happily, then licked Rick's face. "Cut it out, Jacky…here, darlin'…" He handed off the wriggling dog to her.
"Oh, he's just happy to be seeing his brother.." Laurie giggled as she petted Jack.
Once they arrived at Robbie's home, the older Simons settled in to the guest room while Rick started checking on repairs to the ranch. When Andy, Lala and Davey arrived from A.J.'s, they took turns hugging their grandparents and fussing over "hero dog".
"I just wish I was there to help, Rick…what a nightmare." A.J. told his brother, as they walked out to A.J.'s car.
"Never again am I going to leave Laurie alone at the ranch….I'd worry the whole time. As it is, I don't even like letting her out of my sight…." Rick explained, his eyes turning back to the house.
"That's okay, Rick…you had a terrible experience, and hearing how she was terrorized. I can't even imagine…." A.J. began, then Rick stopped him.
"No, you can't, little brother…but I'm glad you came and brought the kids…."
Seeing the pain on Rick's face, A.J. hugged him, then felt Rick relax a little. At once two sets of barking dogs raced out of the house, with Andy and Lala right behind them.
"Come back here with my cookie, Jack…you and Mack are bad dogs…." Lala hollered.
Rick and A.J. started laughing, then Laurie and Ramona came out, giggling at the sight the two dogs made sitting and wagging in front of the two men.
"Very funny, Jack…." Rick wagged his finger at the dog, then chuckled as Mack stole the cookie out of Jack's mouth, then raced back into the house.
"Sure you won't stay for dinner, Uncle A.J…." Ramona asked, and A.J. shook his head.
"I'd love to, but the highway lights still are out, so no freeway in the dark for me.."
Waving good bye, A.J. pulled away as Rick walked the two women back into the house.
"Honey, do you and Robbie want to barbeque, because I can set up the grill…" he offered, and Laurie smiled. "And I can make Robin's garlic baked potatoes…"
"That sounds good, Mom…" Ramona told her. Laurie grinned as Rick kissed her cheek then grabbed his son's tongs and headed for the barbeque.
"Thank you for letting us invade your house, honey…I'm kind of glad we didn't plan a trip for our anniversary….It'll be more fun before Christmas when everything's picked up and repaired."
"Well, that's a good idea, Mom….." Ramona linked arms with her mother-in-law and they went back into the house.
Once the highways were fully cleared and the electricity restored, Rick and Robbie and A.J. were able to get new windows and siding ordered and delivered. A week later, Rick planned to surprise Laurie with the newly spruced up house and barn for their anniversary.
"Where are we picking up the kids." She asked, as Rick ushered her into his cleaned up truck.
"Over at the park outside of Phoenix, darlin'….But first I need to stop at the house and get some clothes." He told her, hoping she'd be happy with the changes they had to make. With the arraignment of the three council members coming up, Rick needed to keep his mind off the anger he felt at their actions.
As they drove home, Laurie suddenly asked, "Jacky's staying with Mack this week, right?"
"Just until I finish his doghouse, sweetheart." Rick explained.
As he pulled into the driveway of the house, he saw Laurie start to tremble, and he put his arm around her.
"It's okay, darlin'….it's our house and no one chases us out."
"Thank you for being patient with me, love." She replied, kissing his cheek. "I know it's silly, but I have such a feeling of …."