After about an hour and a half, Lamar and Bo rode back to the mansion with Mattlock, leaving the piles of wood they had chopped behind to be picked up another time.
"Okay, Mattlock. Here's your stop," Lamar said, and lowered Mattlock at the base of the tiered steps to the mansion. Looks like your daddy's car's back. Run along, now."
"Thanks Lamar! Thanks Bo!" Mattlock said, running up the steps, stumbling a few times on the way. Bachelor Bo headed back to the barn to finish up some work. Lamar headed home to his second wife, Beulah. He would catch hell from her if he was late for dinner. After all, Beulah was a three-time champion barroom brawler. Mattlock arrived at the front door and turned the front door knob with both hands and went inside. He ran into the living room where Bill was reading the daily paper. He ran to Bill and jumped on top of his paper and into his arms and hugged him around his neck. "Hi Daddy!"
Bill pulled the paper out from under Mattlock and placed it on the end table while Mattlock hugged him.
"Hi son," he said with a smile.
"I had so much fun today with Bo and Lamar," Mattlock said.
"Glad to hear," Bill replied. "What did you all do?"
"We fed the cows, rode the horses, and they chopped some wood," Mattlock said.
"Sounds like an eventful afternoon," Bill replied.
"It was fun! Lamar rode fast on the horse!" Mattlock exclaimed.
"I bet that was exciting," Bill replied.
"It was! I can't wait until I'm big enough to ride my own horse," Mattlock said.
"It'll come sooner than you think," Bill reassured. "Do you have any homework?"
"Nope. The teacher didn't give us any, 'cause of the school break," Mattlock quickly replied.
"Well, that's good," Bill said. "Just means more time with your cousin Will."
"When are they coming?" Mattlock asked.
"Today is Friday, so … this coming Wednesday. Just a few more days," Bill said.
"I can't wait," Mattlock replied.
"I know. I'm looking forward to seeing my brother and your uncle again. It's been a long time," Bill replied. He continued and said, "Sergei's getting dinner ready right now. Why don't you go upstairs and get cleaned up for dinner."
"Okay, Daddy," Mattlock replied. He ran upstairs and Bill picked up his paper and resumed reading it. He leafed through it quickly, not finding any news he was interested in. He placed it back on the end table and leaned his head back and rested his eyes.
Sergei came out of the kitchen and approached Bill quietly. "Mr. Houston…" Startled, Bill opened his eyes and looked up at Sergei. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I made some traditional Russian dishes for you and Mattlock tonight," Sergei said. Sergei was thirty-three years old with dark, but thinning hair, with a mole on the front of his left cheek, next to his somewhat prominent nose.
"That will be fine, Sergei," Bill said.
"I thought we could discuss what is needed for when your family visits, since the weekend is upon us. I can go pick up what we need tomorrow," Sergei said.
"That will be fine," Bill replied.
"Would you like help decorating the tree?" Sergei asked.
"That would be great," Bill said.
"My pleasure, Mr. Houston," Sergei replied. "Are Bo and Lamar getting the tree?"
"Yes. Tomorrow. Early in the morning," Bill replied.
Mattlock came running down the stairs, cleaner than he was before. Bill said, "Slow down on the stairs, son. You're going to accidentally roll down them one of these days."
"Okay, Daddy. Bo and Lamar are getting the tree tomorrow?" Mattlock said, having overheard the grown men's conversation.
"Yes," Bill said.
"Can I help?" Mattlock asked.
"If you can get up early enough," Bill replied.
"I can!" Mattlock assured, and jumped in Bill's lap again.
Bill squeezed Mattlock tight and said, "Come to think of it. It sounds like fun. I may join you all."
"And I can pick up groceries and supplies while you're all out doing that," Sergei said.
"That's what we'll do, then," Bill said.
"I'm going to go back in the kitchen and finish up dinner," Sergei said.
"Alright, Sergei. Just let us know when it's ready," Bill replied. Sergei confirmed he would do just that and went back into the kitchen. Mattlock jumped off of Bill's lap and went to the other side of the living room. He picked up his Dick Tracy Siren Squad Car and came back over to the coffee table, driving the toy car around the legs and making the siren go off periodically for effect.
Mattlock stopped playing and asked, "Daddy, can we have C.J. over while I'm out of school?"
Bill leaned forward with his forearms on his thighs, looking down at Mattlock. "I'm sure C.J. is going to be spending the holidays with her family, isn't she?" Bill replied.
"Some of it. I don't know," Mattlock said, and thought to himself for a bit. "There'll be time after the holidays, right?"
"Well, let's see…," Bill said. "There'll be a little time since your aunt and uncle and cousin are going to be here the 21st through the 27th. That will leave a few days between then and New Year's Eve."
"Maybe she can come then?" Mattlock said.
"Like I said, son…It really depends on what her family's doing at the time, but we can plan to talk to her momma or daddy about it," said Bill.
"Okay, Daddy," Mattlock said as he began moving his toy car back and forth again on the floor while he was on his hands and knees.
"You sure have taken a shine to C.J., haven't you?" Bill said with a lopsided grin and with smiling eyes.
"I like her," Mattlock said.
"What do you like about her?" Bill asked.
"She knows a lot of stuff. She's smart. She's funny," Mattlock listed. "She's tough."
"How much time do you spend with her at school?" Bill said.
"Just sometimes at recess," Mattlock replied. "She only has one friend at school. I mean, 'cept for me."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. She gets called names by some of the other kids," Mattlock said.
"She does?" Bill looked concerned.
"Yeah. 'Teacher's Pet.' 'Bookworm," Mattlock replied.
"Oh. What do you think of that?" Bill asked.
"I think the other kids are just jealous," Mattlock said.
"Well, that's very astute, son," Bill said.
"What's 'stute?" Mattlock asked.
"Astute means you're observant, incisive, or wise. You're also good at reading character," Bill said.
"I guess. They just don't know what they're talking about. They haven't even tried to get to know her. If they did, they'd like her like I do," Mattlock said.
"You're right, son. I like C.J. too. She's a smart little girl, like you say, and will only get smarter, given who her parents are and how much they prize education. People do get jealous when someone's better at something than they are," Bill said.
He looked up at Bill and said, "Well, that's just stupid. Who are they going to learn from?"
"Once again, son, you amaze me," Bill said with a smile and briskly rubbed the top of Mattlock's head. Mattlock smiled and pushed the toy car some more. "We'll have C.J. over soon. I promise."
Sergei entered the living room. "Dinner is served," he said.
Bill and Mattlock followed Sergei into the kitchen where there were three place settings on a six person table. There was a formal dining room but it was only used for entertainment. Usually Sergei ate with the Houstons and sometimes Bo, Lamar, or Cattle Annie would join them.
"Smells good in here, Sergei," Bill said.
"I hope you like it," Sergei replied as Mattlock climbed into his chair with a booster seat.
"I'm sure we will. You always make something delicious, Sergei," Bill said.
"Thank you, sir," Sergei said.
Bill shook his head and smiled. "I don't know how many times I have to ask you to call me Bill, Sergei," he said.
"It's not my habit. Sorry, sir," Sergei replied.
"Feel free to make it your habit. I mean, how long have we known each other, now?" Bill asked. Then he said, "Didn't we meet at McIntyre's dedication of the Cloverleaf Hotel in 1949. We've known each other for almost 6 years and I've been sponsoring you for your citizenship almost that whole time."
"And I appreciate it. It's just not my habit to call my employer by their first name. I'm old world in a modern time, sir," Sergei said.
"Sergei, you're not just my employee. You're our friend. Right Mattlock?"
Mattlock smiled, sat up straight and said, "Yep!"
"I mean, you eat dinner with us almost every night, Sergei. Hell, we're practically family," Bill said.
Mattlock interrupted. "Daddy, you said the 'h' word."
"You're right, Mattlock. I guess Cattle Annie's rubbing off on me," Bill said and squeezed the top of Mattlock's shoulder. He turned back to Sergei. "Anyway, Sergei. Please try to call me Bill." He squeezed Sergei's shoulder as well and said, "Even if you don't consider us so yet, Mattlock and I consider you to be family."
Sergei bowed his head slightly and replied, "Thank you… Bill."
"There you go," Bill said. "So what are we having tonight?"
"We're having borscht, shashlyk, and pirozhki. I've poured you some madeira wine from the old country and little Mattlock is having milk," Sergei said.
"Certainly is quite the spread," Bill said with a smile, picking up his fork. Mattlock stuffed his cloth napkin inside the front of his shirt and dug right in. After a few moments, Bill said, "Mmmmm. This borscht is great."
"Thank you," Sergei said with a smile. "It's my mother's recipe."
"Well, it's delicious," Bill said.
"What shall I pick up for your family's visit?" Sergei asked.
"Since you mentioned it, I've given it a little bit of thought. My brother is quite well-travelled – far more than I. He's been all over Eastern and Western Europe, and Russia. He might enjoy some traditional recipes from those areas. I think his family might enjoy that too. And you could show off your 5-star cooking," Bill said.
"Very good. That sounds like a challenge," Sergei said.
"Glad you're up to it, Sergei. "Of course, Roy is coming home to Texas and we'll have to treat him to good old-fashioned Texas Barbeque. Right, son?"
Mattlock looked up from his food and said, "Right!" Bill and Sergei smiled at Mattlock when they saw the ring of beet coloring around his mouth from the borscht.
"I'll go pick up the items tomorrow," Sergei said.
"Great. Mattlock, Bo, Lamar, and I are going to go pick out a tree from the property tomorrow morning while you're all of the groceries. Bo told me there are some suitable pine trees in the forest behind the house. I think that's where we'll start looking," Bill said.
"What will you and your cousin Will be doing when he arrives, Mattlock?" Sergei asked.
"Ride horses," Mattlock immediately replied.
"I'm sure there will be plenty of toys to play with when Santa Claus comes, won't there?" Bill asked Mattlock.
"If I've been good," Mattlock qualified.
"As far as I know, you've been a good little boy. I wouldn't worry," Bill reassured.
"Mattlock, do you know what we call Santa Claus in Russia?" Sergei asked.
Mattlock shook his head.
"We call him Ded Moroz," Sergei replied.
"Dead?!" Mattlock exclaimed.
"Not that kind of 'dead,' little Mattlock. Ded Moroz is a name that means "Father Frost" in English," Sergei explained.
"Oh."
"Your Santa Claus delivers your presents in secret while our Ded Moroz delivers them directly to the children," Sergei said.
"Really?" Mattlock was suddenly riveted.
"Yes. He also travels with his granddaughter, a snow maiden, or Snegurochka," Sergei said.
"Santa Claus has Mrs. Claus," Mattlock observed. "So, there is more than one Santa Claus?" he asked.
Bill said, trying to preserve the Santa Claus myth, "There are many saints doing the good work of giving gifts to children. They are just called different names depending on where they live."
"Oh," Mattlock simply said, seeming to swallow the answer easily. "Why does Santa give presents in secret?"
"That's just the way he likes to do things," Bill said.
Mattlock clenched his lips together and looked at his father sideways, not buying such a simple explanation. "Really?"
"He's got a lot of houses to get to. If he was seen, then he'd have to stop and talk to everybody and that would put him behind in his work," Bill explained further.
Sergei smiled at Bill. "Yes, you're right about that. Santa has a bigger territory to cover than Ded Moroz," Sergei said.
"Hmmm," Mattlock said in an incredulous tone.
"Well, at any rate…" Bill awkwardly continued. "Christmas is around the corner and we have to get prepared." Changing the subject, he turned to Sergei and said, "What do you think you'll make for Christmas dinner?"
"I was thinking a traditional Christmas ham with several side dishes," Sergei quickly replied.
"My mouth is already watering," Bill said.
The three of them conversed while they finished eating. Mattlock and Bill helped Sergei clean up. Mattlock helped Bill stack the dirty plates and silverware and Bill took them to the counter where Sergei washed everything, leaving the tableware to drip dry in a dish drainer. Sergei retired to his quarters on the south side of the mansion. His quarters were essentially a three-room apartment with a bedroom, seating area, and its own bathroom. Mattlock and Bill spent some time with each other in the living room until Bill readied Mattlock for bed.
Bill tucked Mattlock into bed and read to him The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Mattlock lay in bed wide-eyed as Bill read the story to him. He read to him for about fifteen minutes and put the book down on the side table. It was their third night reading the book.
"That witch is scary," Mattlock said.
"Are you going to be able to sleep?" Bill asked.
He closed his lips tight, and puffed out his chest. "Yes!" he said emphatically. "I hope Aslan beats her."
"I have a feeling he will," Bill said. "Mattlock, a lot of stories will tell you that the good guys always win, but sometimes the bad guys win."
"They do?!" Mattlock said with a worried expression on his face.
"Yes. Sometimes. But it's important to know that they always lose in the end. There's a saying….that someone may win the battle but lose the war. That's how it usually goes for bad guys. They lose the war. Understand?"
"I guess so, Daddy," Mattlock replied. "Does that mean the Witch will win first and lose later?"
"Possibly. I just wanted to let you know that life's more complicated than what is often found in books and television," Bill replied.
"Okay, Daddy," Mattlock said with a yawn.
"But don't worry, I think the Witch will lose," Bill said. He kissed Mattlock on the forehead and patted his head, turned off the light and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.