The K&L Ranch was bustling with activity as the Kidrickson's prepared for Christmas, which was rapidly approaching, and the impending arrival of members of their Pony Express family. Kid and Lou had rearranged furniture in all the bedrooms to accommodate more people in them, and had stored up more blankets in their closets for their houseguests to use.
Killian, known to all who knew him as Kid, had taken the older children out into the woods to cut down a tree, and to collect branches so that Lou could fashion them into wreaths and decorate the house with them. Nights were spent making gifts for the children, to go along with store bought ones they had purchased during supply trips into town.
The children were excited for Christmas to finally be upon them. Kid and Lou did not know whether they were more excited about opening their gifts or seeing their treasured Grandpa, aunts, uncles, and cousins who were coming for a much anticipated visit.
Lou knew what she was most excited about. Having their remaining family members with them again was the best present she could ever received. Only a little over two years had passed since she had last seen Jimmy, Teaspoon, and the other, but that time with her PX family members had been filled with trepidation, danger, and sadness.
She had been kidnapped by the deranged son of Ephraim Wicks, the bordello owner who had raped her when she was a teenager, and been replaced by a lookalike cousin who had subsequently lost her own life at her own husband's hands. Maricinda was the daughter of her mother's twin sister, Lucinda. She had been tricked into impersonating her with Kid and the children, and the rest of the PX family, but after getting to know them, Maricinda had decided the scheme she was participating in was wrong, and was going to tell Kid and the others the truth, when she was killed.
The best thing that had come out of the whole ordeal was discovering that she and Kid were going to have another baby. Little Buck, named for the Kiowa brother who had rescued Lou, had been born almost two years ago, bringing the grand total to their growing brood to seven.
Finally, all the decorating and arranging was done. Lou and her girls had filled baskets and crockery with baked goods, Kid had shot a turkey and killed a hog for Christmas supper, and vegetables had been gathered for the meal as well.
Christmas Eve finally arrived. It was the day designated for the arrival of the Cain's, Hunters, Cross's, Hickok's, and Cody's. The only family members missing from the festivities were Lou's younger siblings Jeremiah and Theresa, who were attending college back East, and were unable to make the journey home for the holidays.
Lou awoke earlier than usual her head spinning with everything she still needed to do that day before Kid left to pick up their company from town. She crept quietly out of bed and slipped on her robe and slippers, before leaving the room.
She stopped in the children's bedrooms and covered those who needed it before continuing downstairs to the kitchen. It was cold in the house; her hands were numb by the time she reached the kitchen. She could hear the wind howling around the house as she coaxed a blaze to ignite on the stove.
Lou waited until she had a fire burning there before heading for the sitting room to light a fire in the fireplace. Once she had one lit, Lou glanced up at the wooden clock on the mantel. Twenty minutes to six; no wonder Kid was not up yet, he usually did not rise until six thirty in the winter months because they kept their stock in the two front pastures, and fed them extra grain and hay, instead of letting them graze like they did in hotter weather.
Lou turned to the frost covered windows and after scratching a small opening with her finger, she pressed her face to the pane to look out. An angry wind swirled heavily falling snow, piling drifts in seemingly mountainous proportions. She could not even see the well or outbuildings at times for the density of it. She did not need to be told that she was witnessing a dreaded prairie blizzard.
The disappointment weighed heavy on her. No one was going to be able to travel in weather like this. Kid was going to have to tie a rope around his waist as a safety measure when he went out to the barns to do the milking and feed the stock. Until he secured a line from house to the barn, he would not allow the boys to come out and help him.
Lou wanted to scream out against it, to curse the cold wet substance away, to throw herself on her bed in a torrent of tears. Her shoulders sagged and her heart was heavy. She had so looked forward to seeing everyone again, and now it was all taken away by a single event.
"Go ahead," she stormed angrily. "Go ahead and howl all you want. You aren't going to spoil Christmas entirely! We'll still have one, just not the one we were planning on!"
She swiped the tears from her face with the backs of her hands, squared her shoulders, and turned to head for the kitchen to start breakfast, but stopped when she saw Kid standing in the doorway with his boots in one hand.
They locked eyes across the room, neither saying anything. Kid knew the pain and disappointment she was feeling; he felt it too. He had been looking toward to having the whole PX family together again. Lou had worked especially hard for this day and he hated that she now cheated out of it.
Lou crossed over to stand in front of him, a wavering smile on her face as she said, "Seems like we're in for a bad couple of days. Storm is blowing something fierce. Guess it's going to be only us and the children for Christmas."
Kid said nothing, but his eyes told her that he understood her disappointment, and more than that, her triumph over it. He reached out and caressed her cheek. "I know how hard you worked for this celebration. I'm proud of you for not letting the storm get the best of you."
Lou nodded, his praise touching her as it always did. A look of alarm crossed over her face. "Do you think everyone's going to be okay? Sam, Emma, Rachel, Teaspoon, and their kids were traveling by train, but Cody, Louisa, Buck, Cherokee, Jimmy, Amanda, and their offspring were all traveling by horse."
Kid put a finger to her lips. "Buck and Cherokee are used to dealing with this kind of weather, and Jimmy's a resilient fellow; he'll make sure Amanda and Jemma are alright."
Lou felt relief fill her at his words. "You're right. I hope they all find somewhere safe and warm to tide them over through the blizzard."
"I'm sure they will." Kid told her. He then added. "You can be certain that they are thinking of us, Lou, and hoping that we are safe and well too. If it's at all possible for them to join us, they will certainly try."
"I hope so." Lou said," but regardless, we're going to have a great Christmas."
Kid gazed lovingly into her eyes, and remembered the dark days when he thought Lou lost to him and their children forever. It had almost destroyed him to think he would never have her by his side, to hold her in his arms, and make sweet love to her again. If he had not had the rest of their PX family around him at the time, Kid honestly did not know what he would have done. The thought of living without Lou had been too much.
Thankfully, fate had other plans in store for them, and Lou had returned to him. With her return came the added blessing of learning he was going to be a father again. "We have everything to be thankful for."
Kid pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Lou welcomed the kiss gladly. Being held by Kid always made her feel better. Even though she was disappointed that they would not have the rest of their family with them, Lou knew they were still going to have a wonderful Christmas.