Chapter 2. – I'll Be Home For Christmas.
Three years earlier…
Kris and Kelly were at the office putting up a few Christmas decorations nothing to gaudy or over the top but just enough to make the place feel festive and still professional.
'So where is Cate?' Kris asked as she handed Kelly a few more baubles for the tree.
'She's in Colorado visiting her aunt, Bette's sister, she has a ranch out there.'
'Who Cate?' Kris asked surprised.
'No, not Cate, her aunt, I think it's somewhere in the Northern part.' Kelly said as she stretched round the tree hanging ornaments.
'Bet it's cold there right now. Is Cate going to be back in time for the party?' The office Christmas party, which wasn't held in their small office but in a large dance hall with a big band and all of Charlie's work friends, clients and nearest and dearest it was to be black tie and evening gowns.
'She hopes to be, her aunt needed help with something so both Cate and her younger brother Scotty headed out there.' Kelly explained standing back from the tree to see that it was equal.
'Nothing serious I hope?' Kris asked worried knowing the problems Cate and her family had just been through with one of her older brothers.
'Not from what Cate said, her aunt just needs some extra hands to bring in the cattle and get the place ready for a long winter. Also she hasn't seen either of them in a long time so two birds with one stone I suppose.' Kelly carried on explaining as she straightened and moved a couple of the ornaments.
'So we should be seeing her then. Any plans for your first Christmas together?' Kris handed Kelly the tree lights as she asked.
'Nothing big planned, we're spending Christmas day together and then we're booked on a flight to Oklahoma the day after.' Kelly smiled warmly of the thought of having a family Christmas with Cate, her brothers, mom and her niece Rebecca.
'Nothing big planned though.' Kris teased enjoying how happy her friend was.
'When is Jill getting in?' Kelly asked moving on to the other sisters on the Angel team.
'I'll be leaving for the airport in a couple of hours, so long as everything is on time she should be landing when I get there.' Kris beamed; Jill had gone back to the racing circuit once she had finished the Cannonball Run with Cate it had been about three months since they had seen each other and this year Jill was home for Christmas, Kris couldn't be happier. Kelly chuckled at Kris's excitement, she was excited herself to have her sister home for Christmas, sister, it still seemed so strange and yet absolutely right at the same time. Kris noticed Kelly daydreaming.
'What ya thinking about?' She asked.
'Just this last year, meeting Cate and now sharing Christmas with her, her family and our family of course.' Kelly smiled pointing to Kris and the office. 'You know what we need.' Kelly said to Kris who as if reading her mind switched on the radio, being the 22nd December Christmas songs were constantly being played. Kris found an old classic playing and turned the radio up a little more from its usual quiet hum.
'I love this one.' Kris enthused as Rosemary Clooney sang 'I'll Be Home For Christmas.'
'Me too.' Kelly agreed as they continued decorating.
'Scotty to your left! Catch up with that loose one!' Cate hollered to her brother from up on the saddle of her horse. She and Scotty along with four others had been droving the cattle from the top paddocks back down to the ranch. Scotty galloped off after the loose cattle swinging it round back to the herd calling out triumphantly like a cowboy afterwards. Cate and the others laughed watching him.
'Cate!' Cate turned herself in her saddle to look over her shoulder to the voice that came from behind her; she waved when she saw her aunt chasing after them to catch up. 'Nearly done then?' Her aunt asked smiling the cold air around them showing the breath escape from hers and her horse's mouths.
'Nearly there aunt Joan.' Cate smiled as her aunt rode along side of her. Joan was taller and thinner than her sister Bette but they had the same smile and glint in their same coloured eyes Joan also had dark blonde hair unlike her older sister who was dark haired.
'Good because your sister's Christmas present is ready.' Joan smiled as she watched Cate's face light up with excitement.
'It is! That's brilliant, thank you aunt Joan.' Cate excitedly said smile beaming.
'Gus, you boys think you can handle the rest of this mob without Cate?' Joan called out across to her head ranch hand.
'Sure can Joan, go on Cate get out of here!' Gus waved them off as Joan and Cate pushed their horses on passed the mob of cattle and back to the homestead. They rode right round to the yards, dismounting they tied their horses to the tethers outside the stables.
'Come on she's waiting in here.' Joan smiled leading Cate into the stables. Joan headed to one of the stalls to the centre of the sheltered stables, opening it Joan entered in coming back out again leading out a beautiful chestnut horse. Cate slowly walked up to the horse befriending it.
'Aunt Joan she's beautiful, perfect in everyway.' Cate said in awe of the horse.
'She's a lovely filly that's for sure. When Sam found out you were looking for a horse for your sister he practically broke down my door to offer you this one, he even threw in the tack as well.' Joan smiled pointing to it all in the stall.
'Well I all ready have a saddle for her that's back in LA.'
'You sure this sister of yours can ride.' Joan teased as Cate looked over every inch of the horse.
'Yeah I'm sure, she'll have no excuse to learn now anyway especially if Kelly's coming out here to visit.' Cate said patting the side of the horse.
'She'd better, I want to meet this Kelly that I've heard so much about from everyone.' Joan laughed as she led the horse back into its stall. Cate waited for her aunt to exit the stall then shut it's door, locking it in place.
'Mom's been on the phone again then?' Cate asked raising an eyebrow.
'You know it, she's was just checking up on you and your brother, making sure everything is ok.' Joan explained putting her arm around Cate's waist as they walked out of the stables towards the homestead.
'She worries too much.' Cate smiled shaking her head.
'With good reason.' Joan said seriously knowing full well what had been going on in the family lately.
'Things are settling down aunt Joan, really they are.' Cate reassured as they entered in to the large log built ranch house.
'I'm gonna put the kettle on, get that fire started would you kid.' Joan sweetly asked her niece, smiling Cate nodded heading into the main room of the house where the log fire was situated. Joan's homestead was a rich building, big and full of love and life. Joan and her husband James had a successful life together raising their ranch from the ground to the successful business it was now, Joan and James had a great reputation within the area and they worked hard to keep it that way. Cate set up the fire then lit it.
'When's uncle James getting in?' Cate called out to her aunt.
'Tonight hopefully, depending on the weather.' Joan answered bring hot coffee into the room for her and Cate. 'I hope he makes it home to see you before you leave.' Joan said blowing on her hot drink.
'So do I.' Cate smiled walking over to the baby grand piano situated in its own small room next to the open planned main room of the home. Lifting its lid Cate sat at the piano running her hands over the keys.
'Play me something kid.' Joan contentedly said as she swung her legs up onto the arm of the large armchair she was sat in. Cate turned to look round at her aunt then back to the piano.
'Ok, let's try this one.' Cate began to play the piano, the opening of jingle bells, which segued into Joni Mitchell's song 'River' which she sang. Joan relaxed back into the large armchair listening blissfully as the music played across the room, Scotty entered into the room having come in from the cold outside he kicked his boots off and sat by the fire listening to his sister as she finished playing the song.
'Nice Cate, now play my favourite.' Scotty requested from his seat on the floor.
'Really, again?' Cate teased knowing how much Scotty loved the song he asked for.
'Yeah again, please Cate, please!' Scotty pleaded getting up on to his knees and shuffling across the floor to his sister making them both and their aunt laugh.
'All right, all right, as you begged so nicely.' Cate smiled kissing Scotty on his forehead before pushing him backwards. Cate turned back to the piano and began to play 'I'll Be Home For Christmas' as Scotty moved over to sit leaning against Joan's armchair, Joan putting her arm over Scotty's shoulder. The night continued with music and laughter from the family until they all turned in for the night.
Cate was up before dawn collecting together her bags to leave for the airport for her flight back to LA.
'You leaving so early Caitlin?' A mans voice asked making Cate jump as she quietly walked into the kitchen. Turning she saw her uncle James sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in front of him with the previous days newspaper.
'Afraid so uncle James.' Cate smiled sadly walking over to hug her uncle as he stayed seated in his chair. 'When did you get in?'
'Oh about an hour or two ago, thought I'd wait until your aunt got up before I went to bed, didn't want to disturb her and this way I get to see something of you before you leave.'
'I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer but I promised Kelly I'd get back in time for the party.'
'It's all right, really, I understand. So how is it having a sister?' James asked leaning forward his arms crossed on the kitchen table.
'It's still kind of strange. I mean I've had three brothers for a while now and I'm used to that but, well…'
'The connection is different isn't it?' James asked smiling.
'It is, it really is and I'm not always sure how to handle that. We're still getting to know things about each other where as my brothers and I have gone through all of that and I don't know, I'm not making much sense am I.' Cate smiled bashfully as she leaned across the table opposite her uncle.
'Not really, but I know what you mean. Has she filled that void?' James knew Cate inside and out, along with Joan, James had always been close with Cate especially after her adoptive father died the relationship became stronger.
'Yeah she has, as soon as I knew it was real and she was mine, my blood and all that, it just filled that void completely. I've never felt this way before. I mean I've always loved mom and dad, my brothers and you and aunt Joan.' Cate quickly said realizing what she had said before might have hurt her uncle's feelings.
'It's all right Cate, I understand, we all do and we couldn't be happier for you. Now, you'd better get a move or else the bad weather they've been promising will hit before you get to the main roads.'
'Are they clear out there?' Cate asked concerned knowing how bad the winter weather could get.
'They are or at least they were when I was on them. Come on I'll give you a hand loading up, is Scotty collecting the truck later.' James asked as he picked up Cate's heavier bags.
'He said he would, Gus will drive him up later to get it.' Cate answered as they walked out to where the 4x4 truck was parked. Opening the back passenger door James tossed in the bags shutting the door afterwards.
'Good, well, you're all ready to go.' James smiled holding out his arms. Cate gladly walked into them for one of James' famous bear hugs. 'Be safe kiddo, call us when you get there, to the airport and then LA.'
'I will, promise.' Cate said kissing her uncles cheek before getting into the driver's seat. 'I'll see you at mom's.' Cate waved as she started the engine and drove away from the homestead sorry to have to leave so soon. 'Well onto the first Angel family Christmas.' Cate enthused cheering herself up as she switched on the radio for company finding a channel playing some decent music, settling on a rock and roll station who were playing Brenda Lee's 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.' 'That's more like it.' Cate laughed to herself as she drove on.
'So what happened next?' Rebecca asked with a small yawn.
'I ran into a little transport problem.' Cate answered as her niece snuggled further into Kelly's side.