Duke stretched languidly and sighed. Lying in bed till sunup, dozing drowsily as the world came awake, was really starting to appeal to him.
Just a few more minutes, maybe half an hour.
He rolled off his side and lay flat on his back and wondered to himself for the millionth time what it would be like to wake up with her next to him. To drowse with her cuddled up to his side.
I'd hold her to me and-
The door crashed open and a small whirling dervish burst in and launched herself at the bed. She landed right on Duke's stomach, knocking the air out of him. He tossed her over to one side and tried to get his breath back, silently thankful she hadn't landed a half a foot lower.
That would have taken some explaining.
"Sneak attack! Morning Duke! Are you awake now?" Drew stood on the bed and bounced a few times. He grabbed the back of her pajamas and pulled her down, then threw an arm over his eyes.
"No. Stop bouncing."
"Yes you are. Get up!" She grabbed his nose and squeezed his nostrils shut.
"Rabbit, I swear, I'm still asleep." Duke's voice sounded nasal through closed nostrils.
She let go of his nose and tried to pry his arm off of his face. "Then why are you talking?"
"I'm dreaming. When I dream, I talk in my sleep."
She sat on his chest and used both hands to no avail. Snorting in frustration, she reached down and yanked out a chest hair.
"Yowch!" Duke sat up and grabbed her. Tucking an arm under her knees and another behind her back, he crunched her into a giggling ball. "Don't you have school today?"
"Yeeeeesssss. But I don't have to go, if you don't want me to. I could stay here and keep you company."
"No, Rabbit, you're going to school." Duke unfurled her on the bed, stretched again, then slid out from under the covers and padded to the bathroom in his sweats, grabbing his jeans on the way and shutting the door behind him. When he opened the door again, he saw she hadn't budged.
"Come on, Rabbit. Upstairs. Have you eaten breakfast?" He put on socks and slipped into his boots.
She sat up and crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't you want me to stay here?"
"Sure, Rabbit. But you have to go to school. We all have responsibilities. Let's get you some cereal." He pulled on a t shirt and then gathered her up from the bed and threw her over his shoulder.
"You don't have any responsibilities, Duke."
"You out of your mind, Rabbit? I don't have responsibilities?" He left his room, shutting the door behind him and headed for the stairs to the kitchen, Drew hanging limply over his shoulder.
"I mean here."
"I'm on leave, kid. It's supposed to be a vacation. I'll have you know I've kept up my share of chores while here, too."
"But you don't have to go to school."
"I put in my twelve years, plus almost a year of college." He pushed through the door into the kitchen and set her down, standing, on her chair. Vincent and Jennifer were shoveling down spoonfuls of cereal. "Plus basic to special forces school and everything in between. After that, I had to take classes to learn to fly helicopters and jets and things before I could lead the Joes."
"You told me that was fun." Drew flopped down on her butt and pouted at a box of Corn Flakes. "It's more fun than multiplying mixed numbers."
"Fine, Rabbit. You don't want to go to school? I'll make a deal with you." He poured her a bowl of cereal and splashed on some milk.
Drew looked hopeful. "You will?"
"You will?" Vincent looked shocked.
"Seriously, Con, that is so unfair." Jennifer dropped her spoon into her bowl with a splash. "You so totally spoil her."
Drew beamed and blew a raspberry across the table. Then she dove into her breakfast.
"Sure, Rabbit. I'll go to your school and work on multiplying mixed numbers, and you go back to my base, run it smoothly, and keep Cobra at bay." He picked up her back pack. "C'mon, Vince, Jenn. Mixed numbers, here I come. Fractions, I am ready." Vincent and Jennifer finished their cereal, dropped their bowls and spoons in the dishwasher, and gathered their books."Rabbit, first thing you gotta do when you get back is the monthly expenditures, then you have to compile the duty roster for the week, go over the intel reports and, well, fix whatever mess the motor pool and Shipwreck got into when I was away. Then there's a meeting with the General Abernathy and the brass in Washington to lay out next year's budget. Have fun. I hope there's cookies for snack time. Hoo-ah, multiplication."
Mamma came into the kitchen to fill her travel mug with coffee. "Come on guys, we're going to be late." She saw her eldest son with a She Ra backpack and raised an eyebrow. "Conrad, what are you doing?"
"Going to school. Mixed numbers today. Plus, I hope, chalupas for lunch. Rabbit's going to take over for me and keep the Western World safe for democracy."
Duke watched as his mother rolled her eyes heavenward and sighed. "I really don't have time for this."
"Tough, I'm going to Osage Elementary from now on. I'm going to rule the foursquare court and utterly dominate kickball. Rabbit, don't forget the sergeants' meeting every Monday at eight AM. Snake Eyes gets testy if you don't save him a raspberry jelly donut. Stalker likes twists."
"You won't fit behind my desk."
"I'll make it work. Then, there's the command team meeting Wednesday mornings-that's at eight, too. Flint's no good 'till he's had his coffee and Scarlett will try and rush you through. She's usually in a hurry."
"Mr. Billing won't let you stay." Rabbit got up from her chair.
"I'll convince him." Duke opened the backpack. "Hey, I need a snack, toss me that apple, Vince. I get grumpy if I don't eat every three hours." Vincent tossed him a red apple. Duke caught it in one hand and dropped it in. "Is your homework in here, Rabbit? Might as well start off on the right foot. Oh, yeah, Rabbit, you have to make sure you take a good tour of the base every day to check in on people. Don't neglect the greenshirts; they're your backbone. Even if its just taking over PT once in a while. I try to eat and work out with people every day and catch Monday night football with the boys. Your office hours are from one to whenever the Hell you finish the pile of paperwork someone shoveled on to your desk." He looked up at Mamma. "Okay! Let's go. I'm excited. My first day back at school!"
"Well, mister, I'm late, now. You missed the bus. I won't have enough time to prepare everything for class by the time I drop you off and take the others with me to the High School. I might just have enough time to prepare the blackboard for first period before the bell rings." Mamma sighed and waved them out of the kitchen. Vincent and Jennifer pushed through the door and headed out for the car.
"It's what happens if you get up past six. Speaking of which, Rabbit, you'll have to get up at around four or four thirty most days to get everything done. Five if you're lucky. Then, it all piles up when you have to go on a mission or, you know, go out on the defensive. That happens more than you'd think." Duke headed for the kitchen door. "Hope you can handle the kickback from my rifle. The nineteen eleven I think you can handle."
"Okay, okay, I'm going. Geez. You're being silly."
"Oh, no, I really like this idea." Duke followed everyone out the door snatching the Charger's keys as he passed the hook, Drew on his heels.
"No, really, I'm going. I am. Duke!" She rushed to catch up, having to take four steps for every one of his. "Give me my backpack." She chased him through the den, out the front door and down the porch steps. She caught him and grabbed the strap of her backpack as he made it to the garage building door. Mamma was starting her Crown Vic and Vincent in the passenger seat. Jennifer was sliding into the back.
"Well, fine, but I was really sort of looking forwards to it." Duke relented and let her take the pink backpack from him. He then went to start the Charger. "C'mon, gang, pile in. I'll take you." He called across to the other car. "Mamma, you go straight to your class. I'll take Rabbit and drop her off and then get Vince and Jenn there before the first period bell rings." Vincent and Jennifer got out of the Crown Vic and jumped into the Charger's small back seat. Duke lifted Drew into the front passenger seat and then started the engine. Even after sitting silent for a long time, the motor easily purred to life. Mamma waved and drove out the door. Duke eased the charger out after her. When they reached Douglas the end of the long drive, they turned different ways. Mamma headed left to the high school on Old Jamestown road and Duke took a right to drop Drew off at Osage Elementary off of Old Halls Ferry.
It wasn't long before Duke pulled up in front of Drew's School. He put the charger in park and let it idle as he turned to her. "Rabbit, I will miss you today, but school is important. I'll be home when you get back."
She sat on the seat, feet not reaching the floor, clutching her backpack and glowering at the dashboard.
"Rabbit. Really. It's going to be over before you know it. I'll come pick you up, if you want." He laid a hand on her head.
"Will you come on the bike?" She didn't look at him.
"Sure, if you want me to."
She sighed. "Fine. I'm going." She threw open the door and slid out, her back to him. "I'll see you after three."
"Hey, Rabbit. Have a good day, huh? Try your hardest. You know, I love you bunches, right?"
She turned, jumped back in the car to grab his face and plant a kiss on his cheek. "When you come to pick me up, rev the engine a lot, OK? Then take off your helmet so people can see it's you."
"Sure." He rubbed her head. Duke watched as she ran across the pavement and up the steps. Pushing the seat forward, Vincent climbed out of the back and moved next to his brother. "Ready Vince? Jenn?"
"Sure, Con." Vincent pulled the belt over himself. "But I'm not going to kiss you when I get out."
"Well, Hell, I had my hopes up and everything, Kid." Duke shifted the car into gear and headed off towards Shackleford road. It soon curved to the right and turned into Old Jamestown. In no time at all, they were at Musick's Ferry High. Duke pulled to a stop at an empty space along the sidewalk in front and turned off the engine. Vincent climbed out and held the seat for Jennifer. He took off when he saw his friends, turning back to wave over his shoulder. Jennifer turned to grab her books from the back seat.
"Hey Jennifer! Hey!" Laura and a group of teens waved happily. There were a few boys in the group. Glancing out through the passenger window, Duke saw more than one of them looking appreciatively at his sister's backside. He climbed out of the Charger, slammed the door, and walked around front to lean against the fender, arms crossed over his chest. He turned his best glare on the boys, who began to fidget nervously. Two turned and walked away quickly. Jessica and Erica waved madly.
"It's Duke! Hey Duke!" Jessica bounced up and down, waving. Another boy slunk away.
Duke raised his hand to wave at Jessica and leaned over to Jennifer. "Which one's Robert Schwartzman?"
She stood straight and turned around, her eyes wide. "Oh, you wouldn't. What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything, Jenn." He made a show of cracking his knuckles. Across the concrete, Laura laughed. Two more boys decided to go to class early. One gawky hold out stayed behind with the girls. "Is that him?"
Jennifer turned to see. "Yes, that's Robert." She glanced back at Duke.
"Hrm."
"Don't you dare, Con. Please don't intimidate him. He's a nice guy." She turned back and waved over at the group.
"If he wants to keep his testicles he'd better stay that way."
"Con-RAD! Please, honestly, don't scare him off. I'm hoping he asks me to the formal."
Over at the group, the brave Robert met Duke's, gaze held it for a millisecond, then quickly looked away. Duke didn't budge an inch.
"Okay, Jenn, whatever you want. If I hear he tries to get to second base, though, I'll rip his lungs out."
"No you won't Con."
"Try me."
Jennifer sighed and rolled her eyes. "Cobra would probably be dead and gone by now if you imagined them all trying to get at me."
Now there's a thought.
The first bell rang. Duke turned to his sister. "Hey, Jenn."
"Yeah Con?"
"I love you bunches, too."
Her face melted into a sweet smile, and she stood on her toes, put a hand on his chest, and kissed his cheek. "I love you too, Big Brother." Over her shoulder, Duke watched as Robert yanked on the collar of his t shirt nervously. Jennifer smiled again at him, turned, and ran to meet her friends and get to class. "See you tonight, Con!"
Duke waved and watched her join the group and then climb, chattering, up the steps and through the doors. Within a minute, the front of the school was deserted, save on lone kid who ran at top speed past Duke, tripped going up the steps, and then managed to fall through the doors before the second bell. Duke shook his head and slid back into the Charger.
Duke pulled up in front of Willy's house, set the brake and turned off the ignition. As he was climbing out, he heard the screen shut, and looked up to see his cousin standing on the porch. Willy was four inches shorter and 60 pounds heavier. Duke knew his cousin wasn't a weak man, until it came to good food. There was muscle, but Willy was a jolly man. His wife Lena- a tiny woman dwarfed by her husband-adored him. She was an accomplished cook, and Willy was a well-loved, well fed, and happy man. He wore his hair longer than many, pulled back into a tight ponytail and, his beard short.
Willy's true strength was numbers and money. He had kept on top of the breeding operation and kept the spread profitable. What profit they made was re-invested one way or another. The whole Hauser clan was comfortably off, thanks to Willy. Not rich; but not worried, either. When Duke found he had more income than he could spend on himself; perpetually in residence on one base or another with few personal needs unmet, he'd gotten Willy to invest it for him.
It was his investments as well as a wish to see family that brought Duke to Willy's place. That, and a craving for whatever Lena had baking. Duke climbed the porch steps and shook his cousin's hand.
"Figured you'd be by soon. Your stepdad dropped by for some real beer a few nights ago and let me know you'd hit town." Willy slapped him on the back a few times with his free hand, then looked into Duke's eyes. "You okay, Vetter?"
"I'm fine. Ordered home for a rest."
Willy looked unconvinced. "The news report threw me for a loop, Con. You had me worried your number was up and you were following Wolfe."
Duke's view went darker at the mention of Wolfe's name. Two Hauser boys had gone to Vietnam. Willy flunked the physical and Rolfe was too young. Wolfe was drafted and Conrad enlisted. Two went, one came back-alive, anyway. The town had lost a good number of boys back then.
"They didn't have my ticket this time."
"How many chances you going to give …" Willy was cut off as the door flew open and Lena exploded out into Duke's arms.
"Conrad! You scared us all! You're terrible. How could you do that to your mother? To us? To me?" Duke had to bent over to embrace her. She was a tiny, delicate woman. He let her go and she stood with her hands on her hips. "Both of you, get inside! I just pulled a strudel out of the oven, and there's some fresh coffee to drink with it."
"It's not as if I blew the oil platform myself, Lena. Is it apple?" Duke's mouth started to water as he followed Willy into the house. The woman could bake.
"Topfenstrudel. I got the quark from Winnifred. Her goats are giving gallons this year."
"She's been stretching dough across the kitchen table all morning. Got it thinner than paper, and not a rip or tear in the sheet." Willy gave his wife a little pinch on the rear.
She turned and slapped him, eyes twinkling. "Boys, go to the den and relax, I'll bring everything in."
"You're lucky the girls are at school, or they'd be climbing mount Cousin Conrad." Willy lead Duke into the comfortable den and waved him to the couch. "I imagine you want to look into how your accounts are going? It's about time we revisited everything, anyhow. Once Jack let me know you were here, I got everything together." Willy dropped into his chair.
"It's been a bit. Thought I might want to diversify again, put some into the Roth and maybe look at the mutual funds."
"Makes sense to me. We need to talk about your life insurance and your will. I'm not a lawyer, but I can help you set up what you need for Martin." Martin was the lawyer Willy used for all family business.
Duke stood again as Lena came into the room carrying a tray laden with a tall carafe, cup and plates. She set it on the coffee table and then sat on the couch. Duke lowered himself next to her. She set out three plates of strudel and poured the coffee.
"Conrad, you like yours sweet and creamy, yes?" She added a heaping spoonful of sugar and a good dollop of cream, then placed the cup in front of him. She then served Willy, and finally poured some for herself. "Take a bite, and let me know what you think."
Duke used his fork to cut off a piece of the flaky pastry. He brought it to his mouth. The flakes almost melted on his tongue, leaving the sweet, creamy goat cheese. He took a sip of coffee. "Amazing, Lena. Willy, you lucky bastard."
Lena beamed. "Now that you brought it up, Conrad, when are you going to stop playing around and settle down with a nice girl?"
"Lena-" Willy sighed.
"I'm serious. Conrad, you're too old to play games anymore. You almost got settled with Maddy…"
Willy raised a finger and opened his mouth. Lena shushed him with a wave and a stern look.
"I'm not going to go into that, Wilhelm. She was a terrible woman. But you were ready Conrad. Now, you're acting a fool. Don't think it doesn't get around. People talk, you know." Lena crossed her arms and stared into Duke.
He snorted. "They should damn well stop talking. My business is my own. I don't go into any of it without being totally honest up front. Any woman who says I lead them on is lying."
"No one says that."
"Then I fail to see why it's anyone's business what I do." Duke kept his tone light and took another bite of strudel. "This really is incredible, Lena."
"Conrad, there are some frightening diseases out there. I hear people are dying."
"I use protection Lena."
"Still…"
Duke finished his strudel. "Incredible. Do you think I could have another piece?" He smiled at her.
"Oh Conrad, what do you think your mother thinks of all this?" Lena looked sad. "Are you really happy jumping from bed to bed?"
"Lena!" Willy looked shocked.
Duke tried to hold his smile on her, but he found he couldn't keep it, and looked away. "No, Lena. I'm not really happy." He sighed and rubbed his head. "I know Mamma worries. It's getting old. I want to settle with a good woman. I always did, really. But it's…complicated."
"You have someone in mind?"
"You've been talking to Mamma?" Duke looked back into her brown eyes.
"Maybe." She smiled sweetly. "Is this how it's complicated? This someone?"
"Hrm. There are rules, Lena."
"Oh Conrad, that's not what's holding you back and you know it. You're terrified of being hurt, Conrad Hauser, and have been for years." She patted his knee. "I'll get you both more strudel. Back in a second."
Duke looked into his coffee cup. Dammit. Dammit, Lena, you're wrong. He finished the cup, and poured himself more. Dammit, I'm not afraid. What am I afraid of? In his mind, a ring bounced off his chest and fell to the ground.
..."Killer...I don't want you, you monster…"
Willy cleared his throat. "She's pretty worried. You know, I don't care who you screw, Vetter, but she does have a point. You're the only one not married. Opa and Oma's been wondering. You're the oldest of us, by almost a year, anyhow. They asked about you in their last letter. Well, when I say 'asked' I mean Oma wrote and commanded that I had to find you a woman and tie you to her 'till you had children."
Duke shifted uncomfortably. "Sounds like our Oma." Duke's grandmother enjoyed an army of great grandchildren, but always hungered for more. Duke could tell from the tone of her letters she expected him to produce some soon.
"Well…" Willy cleared his throat again. "So we diversify again. Anything in mind, or do you trust me?" He leaned back in his chair with his coffee. Lena came back with new plates of strudel, handing one to her husband. He balanced it on the arm of his chair.
"Tausend Dank, Lena." Duke accepted his plate and nodded. Lena went and set herself on the free arm of her husband's chair, her hand on Willy's shoulder. Duke grinned at them. "I trust you, Willy." He forked in another bite, grinning at the flavor. "I wanted to talk to you that fund I set up to benefit the kids."
"You brother and sisters? The one you set up for their college years ago?" Willy went to his office and returned with a file. He flipped through it, found what he was looking for, and nodded. "Here it is. Doing well."
"Good." Duke put his empty plate on the table. "I'm not sure Vince is going, after all. He still gets his share, though."
"If he doesn't go to college, when do you want him to get it?"
"When he gets married." Duke hadn't told anyone about the college fund. He'd set it up before he was stationed at his first Special Forces School. "I suppose if I'm setting up a will, I have to spell out where everything goes, huh?"
Willy looked up from the file and met his eye. "Yeah, Conrad. It's not easy for me to talk about this with you, but it's got to be done. Next time might be…"
"I know. I know. Don't worry about upsetting me. That last one got me thinking." Duke saw Lena's concerned look. He smiled at her. "Job hazard, Lena."
"Some people worry about slipping in puddles, Conrad."
"They live boring lives."
"They live them, though."
He laughed. "True. I'm going to have to think about it, Willy. It'll be like my life insurance. The kids will benefit. Mamma and Jack. But…" Duke trailed off. He'd thought about dying. Knew it was a distinct possibility. Come to peace with it. Never before had he felt the twang of pain at the idea that there was no one to leave behind. Not that he'd want to. If I go, that's the end. From Opa to Papa to me and…nothing. Cousins, sure, but no direct blood. No children. No wife to mourn him.
Conrad Hauser felt lonely. Not the usual loneliness that sometime haunted him in his office, or in whatever cell they threw him in whenever he was captured, or even in his quarters late at night. This drilled right through to his gut. He watched as Lena caressed Willy's shoulder, as Willy turned his head and smiled lovingly up at her. In the back of his mind, something clicked into place.
I bet I can have that. That's what I always wanted, isn't it? Why have I been wasting my time pretending I can't have her? Why is this the only risk I've been refusing to take? I'll risk it all for a mission, but not for myself, not for her. When I get back, dammit, I'm going for broke. Then I can stop screwing around…if…if she responds the way I'm hoping she will.
And still the voice form the past whispered…."Killer…..murderer...I don't want you, you monster…"
"Conrad?" Willy looked at him, concerned. "Did you hear me?"
"Huh? Sorry, Willy, I was a thousand miles away." Duke finished his second helping of strudel and set his plate back on the tray. "I think the second piece was better than the first, Lena, if that's even possible."
"You flatter me, Conrad."
"I asked if you wanted to go out and see the new foals. We have three right now. Then a few yearlings. I think Rolfe and Oncle Max would be out there, this time of day."
"Sounds good to me, Willy. Let's see what we've got."
They took Willy's truck out to the Main Stable, where the main work of the family operation took place. It was a small scale one, to be sure. Most everyone kept their own string of horses, and kept a garden, maybe chickens, to help feed each individual family. At the stable, though, everyone worked to bring their horses together. Although each family had a varying selection of horses at home, the Hausers bred Hanovarians, German Riding Ponies and, on rare occasions, Fresians. They also bred a very strong crossbreed warmblood from a combination of the three. The resulting foals were usually sold unless a particular family member found cause to keep one. Thanks to Max's experience and Willy's innovative management, Hauser horses were beginning to fetch a good price.
The Big Stable was the focal point of the land. Here, mares suspected of being in season were introduced to the tickler stallion. Mares proven to be in season were bred to stallions in the foaling stalls. When brood mares evidenced it was time, they were brought into big loose boxes, and family members took turns keeping a close watch until foaling began. Most foals were born in the early hours of the day, when it was dark and quiet outside.
Every family member had been there for many births. Children were always welcome for those magic occasions. Duke remembered his father waking him, helping him dress in warm clothes and driving him down the dirt road with a thermos of coffee and another of hot chocolate for the first time. In turn, Duke had carried a sleepy Rabbit into the loose box to watch with awe as new life entered this world.
"Rabbit, wake up." He gently shook her shoulder. She groaned and clutched Grumbles tighter. "Wake up, Rabbit."
"Whusit?" She sat up, still mostly asleep. He slid her tiny arms into her little jacket zipped it up and put a knit cap over her mussed hair. He found her little rubber boots and, pulling down the sheets, slid them over the feet of her pajamas.
"C'mon, we're going to the stable. I want you to see." He picked her up easily; she weighed almost nothing. She wriggled into a comfortable position and fell back to sleep against his shoulder almost instantly. Vincent and Jennifer were waiting for him in the hallway, dressed and wrapped up warmly. Vince carried his flashlight. The quietly went downstairs and through to the kitchen where Mamma was screwing the lid a steaming thermos. She smiled as she handed it to Duke.
"Don't get cold, stay bundled up whenever you're outside. The stable may be warm, but you could catch cold two steps outside." She snatched Vincent's winter cap off its hook by the back door and handed it to him. "Keep this hat on Vincent. Your sister's got the right idea." Mamma waved at Jennifer, who had her pink knit cap and hair down over her ears.
"Geez, I will, Mamma. I'm not a kid anymore." His voice, on the verge of breaking, cracked and quavered. Mamma kissed him and he winced.
Jennifer laughed. "Yeah, you can tell from your manly voice." Vincent turned red and looked at his shoes.
Mamma went back and grabbed Duke's hat, and seeing his hand were full, stood on her tiptoes to shove it onto his head. "I swear, it's the coldest December in years. Trust a mare to drop a foal on a night like this." She smiled at her youngest snuggled up against her oldest. "It's going to be a magic Christmas this year. You're home, and now tonight...I almost wish she had waited for Christmas Eve."
"Close enough, huh?" Duke leaned down to kiss Mamma's cheek, then led his siblings out the door. Vincent turned on his flashlight as they crunched their way through the snow to the garage. When they got to the dually, Duke handed his brother the thermos so he could open the passenger door and strap Drew into her new toddler seat in back. She smacked her lips and mumbled, then settled back into slumber. Jennifer climbed in the other door.
"She'll probably sleep through the whole thing." She strapped in.
"Doubt it. No one's done that yet." Duke grinned. "Something about the stable wakes everyone up."
"Probably Uncle Adler's coffee." Vincent slid into the front passenger seat and pulled the belt over his lap. "It'd wake up a dead person."
Duke yanked opened the garage door, musing that people often stumbled around, zombie like, after a belt of Adler's foaling coffee. The wallop of caffeine combined with the burn of the bourbon was a shock to an unprepared drinker. "Try to avoid it tonight, Vince. I remember the time you serenaded us all with the alphabet song non stop all night long." Duke pulled himself up into the driver's seat, shut the door and started the ignition. He swung the truck out onto the dirt road to the stable, the truck's headlights illuminating the falling snow.
"I was eight. Uncle Adler shouldn't have given me any. Who gives an eight year old spiked coffee?"
"Well, Adler. He does it to every kid. Did it to me when I was twelve. Thinks it's funny."
Vincent looked at him. "What did you do on that stuff?"
Duke thought back. "The only thing I can recall is ending up in the hayloft of the big barn. Never did find my pants." Through the years, though, there were other reasons to be in the hayloft pantsless. Heh.
Soon, they were at the stable. A number of work trucks were parked outside. Duke pulled up next to Oncle Max's old Ford. Vincent and Jennifer quickly jumped out and ran inside, taking the thermos with them. Duke reached into the back of the extended cab, unfastened the harness, and lifted his sleeping baby sister back against his shoulder. "Rabbit," he whispered into her ear as he carried her inside, "we're here. Wake up, Rabbit." He held her close and nuzzled her tiny pink ear.
She rubbed her eyes and looked around. "The stable? Why?"
"You'll see."
It was warm and cozy inside. Oncles Wilhelm, Adler and Max stood outside the loose box, sipping coffee. Cousin Willy had brought the eldest of his two daughters. Emma was the same age as Drew, having been born three months after. Emma ran over and wrapped herself around Duke's legs, nearly tripping him. He rubbed the top of her head.
Everyone else was home snug in warm beds, but would take their turn at the next foaling. Duke carried Drew up to the door of the loose box so she could see inside. The mare restlessly walked around, a sheen of sweat on her flanks and neck. Vincent climbed up onto a hay bale set by the door and looked over at the pony.
"See, Squirt? She's sweating. It's coming for sure."
"What?" Drew leaned over the stall door for a better look. The mare saw her and lashed her tail, stamping.
"The foal, Rabbit." Duke pulled her back a few inches.
"She's having a baby?"
"She's having it right now, Kaninchen." Adler came over and slapped Duke on the back. "Welcome home, Neffe." He offered Duke a mug of the murky coffee.
"Danke, Oncle." Duke shifted Drew to one arm, accepted the mug and took a sip. The bourbon spread warmth down his throat and through his stomach.
"Her first water broke a little bit ago. Not long now. Amsel's an experienced mare. She knows what to do." As if cued, the mare lowered herself and rolled on her side. Duke could see the contractions move down her flank. She groaned. Adler chuckled. "Gutes Mädchen, Amsel. Here we go."
Willy brought his children over as Max climbed into the box. Jennifer joined Vince on his bale. The mare groaned again. Everyone grew silent.
"Is the baby coming out?" Drew's voice was barely a whisper. "Does it hurt?"
"It hurts, but it'll be over soon." Duke looked back to see what was going on, and caught two little hoof tips as they inched out, covered in a small bluish film. He set down his mug and pointed. "There, Rabbit, see the little feet?" He kept his voice hushed. No sense upsetting the mare.
"I see them!" Drew leaned in again.
After a good few minutes, the end of a little snout appeared. Max pulled off his shirt, went to a bucket hanging on a hook on the wall and reached in to pull out a bar of soap. He scrubbed his arms, dried them on a clean towel, and then rubbed on antiseptic. Finally, he rubbed a thick layer of sterile gel. He kneeled behind the mare and slid his arm into her. Drew recoiled.
"Eew, why's he doing that?"
"He's just checking to see if the foal is coming out the way it should. It looks OK, if we can see the nose…" Duke fell silent.
Max felt around and then pulled his arm out and nodded, a smile on his face. "Es ist gut." He backed away and went to scrub his arm again. The mare lurched to her feet and walked around the box once, then lay down.
"Is she OK?" Drew whispered into Duke's ear, her eyes wide.
"She's fine, Rabbit. That helps her move the foal out. In a bit, the bag the baby's been growing in will break, and it will rush right out to say 'good morning'." He shifted her to his other side so she had a better view of the mare's new position. He could hear Willy whispering to his Emma in German.
It took twenty minutes more, the contractions slowly pushing the snout and legs further out. Once, everything seemed to slip back in, and the two little girls sucked in their breath. Soon, the head was mostly out. The mare seemed to sit back and rest.
"The baby's shoulders are through now, Rabbit. That was the hard part." He heard Drew suck in a deep breath and hold it.
Suddenly, the mare gave a big push and the foal slid out almost all the way. Duke heard Jennifer cheer quietly. Looking over, he saw both she and Vincent were grinning. The foal's head was free of the sac, and it shook it and twitched its ears. The mare took another short break. Then she rolled to her chest and craned her neck back to see her baby as it slid the rest of the way out. The foal looked around shakily. When the mare stood, the umbilical cord snapped. Drew let her breath out.
Max grabbed two handfuls of hay and moved to rub the foal, cleaning off the remains of the amniotic sac. Amsel, trusting a familiar person, stood by docilely as he examined her baby. The foal was a light chestnut with a tiny star on her forehead and two white socks. "stutenFohlen!" He grinned at his brothers and nephews.
"What? What did he say?" Drew grabbed a hold of Duke's collar as she whispered into his ear.
"He said 'filly', Rabbit. It's a girl. Now watch. This is the best part."
Max stood back. The mare whickered softly to her baby. The filly struggled to get her feet in front and her back legs under her. The mare whickered again, encouraging. Slowly, shakily, the filly pulled herself up, and then toppled to the straw. The children gasped. The mare whickered a third time, and the filly once again pulled her feet under her, shoved her back end up, and pushed her front up after it. She stood, quivering, as her mother came to nuzzle her.
Drew clapped. "Yaay!" Duke set her down.
"It took you a few years to do that, Squirt." Vincent grinned and poured out a capful of hot chocolate. He drained it, then offered some to Jennifer. Duke gulped the last of his coffee and then offered the empty mug to his brother, who filled it with steaming cocoa.
"Here, Rabbit, warm your tummy with this." She used both hands to grab it from him and tip it to her lips. They all watched as Max helped guide the filly to her mother's teat. It took a few tries, but she eventually got the idea, and began to drink eagerly. The uncles began congratulating each other.
"That's great every time." Jennifer jumped down from the hay bale. "And this one's two days before Christmas." She moved over to one side as Max exited the loose box, pulling on his shirt.
Vincent sat on the bale and poured himself more chocolate. "Yeah. I'm expecting three wise men to pop up any time now. Where's the myrrh?"
Drew yanked on Duke's jacket. He looked down at her. She was less than half his size, and she had to crane her neck to see up into his face. "What happens now?"
"Well, Rabbit. She stays with Mamma. She'll be running and playing by tomorrow, but she has to stay with her Mamma for a good bit. She'll be weaned at about six months. When she's a yearling, she gets to go home to a new owner to be loved and trained and ridden."
Drew's face looked solemn. "Who's her new owner?"
Vincent laughed. Jennifer shook her head. "We don't know that yet, Drew, silly. That's a year off."
Willy came up next to Duke. "You mean you haven't…" Putting his finger to his lips, Duke hushed his cousin.
"Oh, I know where she's going, Rabbit. I've known since she first got in her Mamma's belly."
"So, where's she going?"
Duke crouched and put his arm around her. "She's going home with you Rabbit. She's your pony. Merry Christmas."
Vincent and Jennifer cheered as Drew jumped into Duke's arms. When she finally pulled away, Vincent grabbed her around the waist and lifted her so she could see over the stall and into the loose box at her new pony. "Whaddya going to name her, Squirt? 'Yonder Star'?"
Jennifer stood nest to them. "Noelle is nice."
Emma, looking more than a little jealous, climbed up next to them. "Christmas Socks."
Drew's eyes glittered as she watched her pony drink. "None of those are right."
Duke accepted another mug of coffee from Adler and shook all of his uncles' hands, pulling each into a hug to slap their backs. Max called over to Drew.
"So you have a good name, Kaninchen?"
"I do." Vincent set her down and she ran over and jumped into Duke's arms.
"Well, Rabbit, don't keep me in suspense. What am I going to paint on your pony's stall door?"
"Sparkle."
Vincent groaned. Jennifer laughed.
Duke smiled at Drew, but noticed her eyes drooping. "I'd better get this little Rabbit back to her warren. Let's go, guys. Back home to bed." He nodded at his Uncles and Cousin, then smiled at Emma. "Night, Emma."
"Night-night, Conrad!" She waved madly. Duke knew she would be out like a light in a few minutes.
Jennifer and Vincent followed Duke as he walked out into the cold and back to the truck. The snow had stopped.
"Think it'll stick?" Vincent scuffed his foot on a small drift.
"It's cold enough. We might have a good few inches more than usual come Christmas morning." Duke opened the door and put Drew in her seat.
"So, Snow Battle Royale is on, then?"
"Hell yeah, it's on. Me against you two. Maybe I'll take Rabbit on my side this year. Do your best and give me your worst." Duke grinned through the darkness at his brother.
"Excellent. We shall do battle after presents." Vincent strapped in.
"Bring it on, Kid."
Jennifer shook her head and buckled her own seat belt. "This time, I want more time to prepare."
"Take what you need. Just gives me more time, too." Duke shut the door and started the truck towards home.
"Duke?" A sleepy voice called from the back seat.
"Yes, Rabbit?"
"How did Sparkle get in her Mamma's tummy?"
"Ah, yeah. Ask Mamma. She knows."
As he sad wordlessly next to his cousin, warmly remembering that cold night, Duke wondered whether he would ever be able to repeat it. He looked out the window at the pastures rolling by, then turned to regard Willy.
"You happy, Willy?"
"What a question. Sure I am. Got an amazing woman and two great girls. We get by pretty good; nothing to really worry about."
"Ever get bored?"
"Well, maybe sometimes. Bored, frustrated when the girls are misbehaving, angry at silly little things, exhausted after a tedious day. Everyone does. Then I watch the sun come up over the trees on a morning like today's while I sit on the porch with a cup of coffee and one of Lena's muffins…the girls kiss me on the way to the bus…the foals are proinking in the paddock…it's all worth it. I bet you never get bored."
"You kidding? Ever sat on the seat of a transport plane for 13 hours one way? Not much to keep my mind busy, except the thought that the people waiting for me usually are going to try and kill or capture me. Conversation stops after the first hour or so, cards get boring. Sleep is impossible because of the aforementioned people who want to kill me. Sort of bored out of my skull and nervous at the same time." Duke scratched his chin.
"You get nervous about it?"
"'Course I get nervous, Willy."
"Well, let me turn it around on you, Vetter. Are you happy?" The wheels jumped and rattled as Willy drove over a cattle guard. "With boredom and nerves, is there joy?"
Duke didn't have to think long. "Yes. I am. I like what I do. People think I'm nuts, but I really do. I wouldn't have turned down a few commissions if I didn't want to stay right where I am. Lots of things about running my base make me really happy."
Willy's dark blue eyes looked at him with amusement. "What's there that makes you happy, Conrad?"
"Getting up before dawn and running till the sun comes up. When everything's running tight and well, things all snapping into place. I like working on a problem, solving it, be it working out how to slip another jet into the budget or getting behind the enemy line to take the advantage on the field. I like walking my base and talking to my men. I like it when they perform in front of the brass and make themselves look as good as I know they can be. As awful as this sounds to a lot of people, I like the battles. You get a rush, Willy. You get one Hell of a rush and a thrill. Sometimes, there's nothing more satisfying than a fist or a foot to a Viper's face. Sometimes, a really good accurate bullet makes me smile…" Duke stopped, a little shocked at himself.
"Killer...murderer…monster."
"God, Willy, is that me? Sometimes, I ask myself that."
"Conrad, you always liked to fight. After your Papa…well, after, you got into brawl after brawl." Willy jerked the wheel to avoid a barn cat in the road. "That was Hildy. You're a fighter, Con. You just are. You're a big bastard and strong and you're a fighter."
Duke tapped the window absent-mindedly. "It doesn't bother you?"
"Hey, I didn't say it made you a terrible person. Does it bother you? Someone has to do it. Look at Cops. They shoot people. You're a soldier. There are real-life bad guys out there who don't give a damn about hurting people. Bastards who would hurt me, my girls, my wife…All of us, without a second thought. Someone's got to take care of it. With those kind of people out there, I'm glad you're the man you are. I can't fight Cobra. I can't fight anyone. You can. You can fight really well. I want someone who's good at fighting to keep my family safe, so I don't have to face the risks myself."
"The killing…" Duke turned to face Willy again.
"I don't give a shit. You feel bad about it?"
"It piles up inside, the body count."
"If you didn't feel it, then you'd be one of them."
"That's what I keep telling myself." Duke sighed. "It's all part of the whole thing. I wonder about settling down back here. But, you know, I can't say I could do it."
Willy chuckled. "Could you at least settle down? I'm on Lena and your Mama's side. I really don't care who you screw, or how many. But I do care if you're happy or not. That really satisfy you anymore?"
"It used to be fun. Used to be a turn on. Kind of a hunt. You know, living on bases with soldiers…used to be women were sort of a thing to go and get. Lord, don't tell Mamma I said that." Duke could see the Stable ahead.
"And now?" Willy crossed over another cattle guard and made for the north end.
"Now…now I've got women to command. Women I talk to every day. They kind of reminded me what it was like to share more than the sheets with a lady." Duke slapped his own thigh as Willy laughed. "I admit it-might be nice now and again to be in one bed long enough to find out what makes her holler."
Willy's face slid into a smile. "That's better than you'd imagine."
"Might be even better to stay with one woman long enough to figure out what makes her tick."
"Conrad, isn't that what you wanted before?" Willy parked the truck in front of the north door and set the parking break.
"God, Willy, that was years ago. You were there. You saw how that turned out." Duke pushed open his door and slid out. Both men slammed the doors and walked into the cool depths of the stable.
"Well, you got someone in mind, it seems." Willy waved to their Uncles who were standing in front of the tack room.
Duke looked over at his large cousin. "You people call each other when I'm asleep, right?" He shook his head. "Possibly, but like I told Lena: there are rules, Willy."
"And I agree with Lena. You don't care about the rules, you're scared. All those girls, one after the other. You leave 'em after one fuck, and they can't reject you. You can pretend you're a stallion if you want, Vetter. Truth is, you just don't want a woman to tell you goodbye. I may be a few years younger than you, Con, but at least I learned the value of risking my pride for a good woman."
Duke stopped and watched his cousin walk a few steps. "Willy…"
The bulky man turned to face him. "Yeah?"
"Fuck you, you bastard. It isn't pride."
Willy laughed. "Fuck you back, coward. You're afraid of a girl. You don't scare me, Con."
Duke chuckled back. "You've never seen me try, you fucking ochse."
"Try scaring me, or trying to get a girl?"
"Which one do you want me to do?"