Maude Standish had finally arrived back in St. Louis after an unsuccessful attempt at a con in New Orleans. She'd barely made it out of there in time. One more day and she'd have been spending Christmas in one of their disgustingly squalid prisons.
Opening the door to her rooms, she stood aside to allow the young man following her to enter and deposit her luggage on the floor, tipping him grudgingly before he left. She closed the door behind him and removed her cloak and hat, tossing them carelessly in a chair. "Never again! Cousin Alex can beg and plead all he wants, but he'll never get me to participate in another one of his hare-brained schemes!"
Her tirade was interrupted by an urgent rapping on the door. "Mrs. Standish? Telegram, ma'am. It's quite urgent I'm afraid!"
Maude hurried to open the door, stumbling over her bags as she made her way across the room. Jerking the door open, she snatched the piece of paper out of the hotel manager's hands, her eyes scanning the contents, her mind barely registering the rest of the man's words.
"I'm sorry it's so late getting to you, Mrs. Standish, but we didn't know where to forward it. I hope your son's going to be okay. Would you like me to reserve you passage on the next stage headed west?" He was stumbling over his words in his haste to assure her that everything had been done to try and notify her. Mrs. Standish was quite a lovely woman, and he'd been trying for months to get her permission to court her. But as usual, he was sent away with just a curt response. "Yes, please. See to the tickets immediately." And the door was shut in his face once more. Sighing, he turned and left... maybe next time.
Maude dropped back onto the bed, scanning the telegram again for any bit of information she might have missed. "... sorry to have to inform you... head injury... condition serious... Chris Larabee." Standing suddenly, she began pacing the room, mumbling quietly the whole time.
"What in heaven's name has that foolish boy gotten himself into now?"
"This is the last straw... he's coming home with me whether he chooses to or not."
"If those ruffians he associates with had anything to do with this, I'll have them all in jail."
"What a way to spend my holiday... traveling in a dusty, cramped stagecoach." Maude thought for a moment... her lawyer owned a nice, comfortable coach... and since she knew Larabee and his men would not give Ezra up without a fight... it was only sensible to take legal representation along with her. "Much better than making that long ride with a bunch of ragtag strangers, but still not the way I'd planned on spending Christmas."
Maude was still grumbling and stalking around the room when the manager returned with the information that she had a seat on the stage leaving at 7 a.m., and that someone would be here promptly at 6:30 to transport her bags for her. She thanked him politely and closed the door. Removing her dress, she collapsed on the bed to try and get some rest before morning.
Maude was dressed and ready well before it was time to leave, and had resumed her pacing as she kept one eye on the clock. She grabbed her reticule and opened the door quickly when the knock came. She was surprised to see that it was the hotel manager himself who had come to carry her bags for her, and realized it was another attempt on his part to win her affections. Maybe at any other time she would have been suitably impressed, but this morning she was in a hurry to get going and she merely waved her hand at the luggage he was to bring, and brushed by him on her way out the door. Following in her wake, the manager had to satisfy himself with admiring the twitch of her bustle as she made her way down the boardwalk.
Entering the telegraph office, she sent two telegrams before returning to the street to wait for the stage. The first was to Chris Larabee informing him that she was coming to collect her son... and the second was to her attorney, MJ Delacourte in Kansas City, requesting he ready his private coach and accompany her to Four Corners on a very important matter.
Ezra rushed through his breakfast, anxious to get his first shave.
"Slow down there, little guy... you're gonna choke on those biscuits if you're not careful." Josiah grinned as Ezra could only nod at him... his mouth was stuffed so full of biscuit and jam, that speaking was out of the question.
They were gathered around the table while they ate. Nathan had decided it was time to get Ezra up and moving around, at least a little. It had taken both he and Buck to get the gambler to the table though, since his left leg and hip were still extremely sore and stiff, and they'd had to give him a pillow to sit on before he could get comfortable. He'd also had a slight problem with his balance due to the concussion and lying in bed for so long, but they'd finally gotten him settled and were enjoying watching him eat. Buck had even managed to get a piece of bacon and a couple of bites of egg down him... the more he ate, the quicker he'd get his strength back.
They'd tried to bring up the subject of Christmas with him again, but Ezra acted like he had no interest in it whatsoever. At least that's what he seemed to want them to believe. They just hoped they could change his opinion of the holiday with the little surprise celebration they had planned.
Ezra gulped down the last of his coffee with a breathless gasp, and then began squirming in his seat as he waited impatiently for the others to finish. Buck couldn't hold back a grin when he looked at Ezra... the younger man had a piece of biscuit glued to his cheek with jam, and a creamy ring around his mouth from his coffee.
Buck went and got a wet cloth and handed it to Ezra before sitting back down at the table. "You gotta wash the food off your face before Josiah can shave it, little guy... I swear, you're wearin' more than what went in your mouth."
Josiah and Nathan couldn't help but laugh at the indignant look Ezra shot Buck before scrubbing laboriously at his face. His skin was pink when he finally lowered the cloth and presented himself for the gunman's inspection. "'Kay now, Buck?"
Buck wrapped his hand around Ezra's chin and turned his face toward Josiah. "What do ya think, Josiah... is he ready to lose that hair on his face?"
Josiah leaned across the table and ran his hand over the gambler's cheeks. "Looks good to me. Where's your razor and soap, Nathan? I think this young man's ready for his first shave."
Ezra's face broke out into a huge grin and his squirming increased as he watched Nathan gather up his razor, shaving mug, and a towel and hand them to Josiah.
Josiah tied the towel around Ezra's neck, and after adding a little water to the mug, began working the soap into a lather with the brush. "Okay, son... let's see how smooth we can get those cheeks of yours."
Chris glanced around the saloon as he and Vin walked through the doors, and noticed JD sitting alone at their usual table. He frowned when the boy never even looked up to see who had entered... merely sat with his head propped in his hand, pushing his food around his plate with his fork. Nudging Vin, he nodded in the Kid's direction and raised his brows questioningly.
Vin stared at JD for a moment and then shrugged. "Prob'ly still upset over what happened last night. Think maybe one of us ought t' talk to 'im an' make sure he knows we didn't mean nothin' by it... that we're all just worried 'bout Ezra?"
"Yeah, I'd planned on doin' that today anyway... might as well get it over with as soon as I get some coffee in me." Chris continued on to the bar and gratefully accepted the cup of coffee Inez had ready for him before heading over to join JD.
Inez watched as Chris sat down at the table with JD and then turned to Vin, pushing a plate of biscuits toward him. "JD was in here last night acting strangely. I thought maybe something had happened to Ezra, but he assured me he was the same. He seemed very sad though..."
Vin picked up a biscuit and took a bite as he stared over at Chris and JD. Washing it down with a swallow of coffee, he glanced at Inez and shrugged. "I ain't real sure, but I think maybe JD's a mite jealous of Ezra right now, and he's probably findin' that a bit hard to deal with."
"Jealous? Of Ezra? That doesn't sound like JD." Inez chewed slowly on her own biscuit while she waited for Vin to explain. She'd been told what had happened with the gambler, and Inez was amazed that JD could possibly be jealous of him in his present condition.
Vin chuckled. "You'd have t' be around Ezra the way he is now t' understand this but... well... he's sort of attached himself to Buck and they're kinda inseparable at the moment. And I think JD's feelin' a little neglected after havin' all Buck's attention for so long."
Inez turned her attention back to the two men seated at the table. "Is that what Chris is talking to him about?"
"Well, partly... JD blurted out somethin' last night that upset Ezra, and we came down kinda hard on 'im. He's just makin' sure the Kid knows we didn't think he did it on purpose or anything... it was just a matter of not thinkin' before talkin'." Vin poured himself another mug of coffee before continuing. "But Nathan says we gotta be real careful what we say t' Ezra right now... he don't want nothin' pushin' him into rememberin' before he's ready."
"Well, I certainly hope Chris can get through to JD... I hate seeing him so sad. Especially this time of year. He has been so excited about the plans for the Christmas celebration at the church, and I wouldn't want to see anything ruin it for him." Inez shook her head as she moved off to wait on some other customers.
Vin silently agreed, but was afraid it wasn't going to be that easy to change the way JD was feeling.
Nathan and Buck hid their smiles as best they could, not wanting to get Ezra giggling... poor Josiah was having enough trouble as it was. The gambler had talked almost the whole time Josiah was lathering his face, asking question after question, until with one wrong turn of his head he had ended up with a mouthful of soap. It had taken two glasses of water before he finally quit gagging, but at least after that he'd kept his lips clamped together to prevent anymore accidents.
Nathan and Buck both had had to step out on the landing when Ezra'd gotten the first taste of that soap. The horrified expression on Ezra's face had simply been more than they could handle, and laughter had bubbled out of them the moment they left the room. Josiah had apologized profusely while he'd helped the gambler wash his mouth out and dried his tears... and then had been graced with one of Ezra's hugs as his apology for talking when he shouldn't have been.
Josiah had called the two of them back in after they'd gotten control of themselves so that they could help keep Ezra still while he shaved him. Which it turned out, hadn't been necessary... because once he'd gotten a glimpse of that straight razor coming toward his throat, he'd frozen in the chair. Ezra had refused to even blink as he stared first at that gleaming blade in the preacher's hands, and then at his face.
Buck had a firm grip on Ezra's shoulders, and felt him tremble as Josiah made the first stroke with the razor. "It's okay, little guy... he's not gonna hurt ya. Just hold real still."
Ezra's eyes stayed glued on Josiah's face throughout the whole ordeal. The gentle preacher spoke softly to him as he worked, continually reassuring him that he was doing just fine... that he was such a good boy... that he would feel much better once they got that itchy old hair off his face.
Nathan held Ezra's head, gently turning it for Josiah when he asked. He felt the trembling also and knew the gambler was scared to death, and had to give him a lot of credit for holding as still as he was. He bent over and added his whispered words of encouragement to those of the preacher, smiling as he saw the wide green eyes steal a quick glance at him before returning to Josiah's face.
Ezra breathed a deep sigh of relief when Josiah finally proclaimed the job done and wiped the remaining lather from his now clean-shaven cheeks. They all watched as he reached a somewhat shaky hand up and ran it slowly over his chin, a huge smile spreading across his handsome face as his fingers touched soft skin instead of scratchy stubble. He turned his charming smile on Josiah and raised his arms for another hug.
Josiah immediately knelt down and allowed Ezra to wrap his arms around his neck while enfolding the childlike gambler in his huge embrace. The older man pressed his cheek against Ezra's and closed his eyes, his heart aching as he thought of how different the grown man could have been if he'd received these hugs and gentle touches as a child. Lord... I hope you can see your way clear to keep these loving feelings tucked safely in this young man's heart when you return him to us. He's had to live his life without 'em so far and needs to be able to hang onto 'em now. Josiah sent out his silent prayer, and hoped with every bit of faith he still possessed that it would be answered.
Chris pulled out a chair across the table from JD and sat down, sipping slowly on his coffee while he waited for the boy to acknowledge his presence.
JD kept his head down and continued to play with his food, hoping that Chris would get up and leave if he ignored him. After a few minutes, he realized it wasn't going to happen, so he finally looked up at the gunslinger and stared at him, waiting for the reprimand he knew he was about to receive. When it wasn't forthcoming, JD finally heaved an exasperated sigh and spoke. "Well, aren't you gonna yell at me, too? No, wait... on second thought... just let me do it for ya. 'That was stupid, JD'... 'Grow up, JD'... 'Think before you speak, JD'... there, how was that? Did I cover everything or would you still like to add somethin' to it?"
Chris just stared at him, a slight smile on his face. "Are you through? Got that outta your system?" He waited and was rewarded with a sheepish nod from JD. "Good. Now ya want to tell me what's really wrong?"
JD shrugged and looked up at Chris, hesitating as he tried to decide just how to explain what he was feeling, when he wasn't even sure himself. Part of his problem was that he thought they were babying Ezra too much... after all, how would the Southerner ever be able to regain his memory if they kept being so over-protective of him. He'd never remember anything if they kept him hidden away from his former life and things that might jog his memory. But he seemed to be the only one who felt this way. So was it out of a genuine concern for Ezra's well-being, or was it caused by the over-whelming sense of loss he was beginning to feel when he thought of Buck?
Because the thing that was bothering him most of all was that he thought Buck was spending entirely too much time with Ezra... which didn't make any sense. He'd hated it when Buck had continually hovered over him... teasing him, protecting him, and barely letting him breathe. He should be glad his friend had finally found someone else to direct some of his attentions to. But now that he was finally without all of it, he missed it... and wanted it back. He honestly felt he was losing Buck to Ezra... and it hurt. But on the other hand, he liked Ezra and considered him a good friend, too. Why didn't he have the same urge to protect and care for the gambler as the others did? He worried about him, and felt guilty for having been a part of his accident, but all these other feelings just kept pushing the worry aside. And how did he explain all this to Chris, and not come off sounding petty and selfish?
JD finally took a deep breath and decided to just tell Chris exactly what he felt, and see if the gunslinger could help clear up his confusion over the whole situation. "Well, to be honest with you, Chris... I—" He was interrupted when Jimmy from the telegraph office burst through the doors and called out Chris's name as he hurried over to their table.
"Mr. Larabee! I've been lookin' everywhere for ya. Ya finally got an answer from Mr. Standish's maw, and I knew you'd be wantin' to see it right away." Jimmy handed Chris the telegram and waved away the tip the gunslinger tried to give him as he practically ran back out of the saloon. He knew what was on that piece of paper, and he sure didn't want any pay for delivering that kind of news.
Vin walked over as Chris read the wire. He and JD both jumped when the gunslinger jerked himself up out of his chair and slammed the paper down on the table. "Son of a bitch!"
JD grabbed the message and read it while Chris angrily explained to Vin what was in it. "That bitch is coming after Ezra... and bringing a lawyer with her. She says she's taking her baby boy back to St. Louis with her and if we try to stop her, she'll have us prosecuted for unlawful detainment or kidnapping or anything else she can charge us with." Chris's expression was fierce enough to make even Vin take a step back. "I swear, I'm gonna strangle that damn woman! She's done enough damage in Ezra's life, I'll be damned if I'll let her get her claws into him again." He stormed out of the saloon with Vin right on his heels, and headed to the clinic to deliver the bad news to the others.
JD watched them go and then read the telegram again. A thought flashed briefly through his mind, and he immediately blushed and looked around guiltily as if someone might have heard it. God, JD... what the heck is wrong with you? You heard what Ezra said about Maude... how could you be glad even for a moment that she was taking Ezra away? But even as he chastised himself for being happy the gambler might be leaving, the thought that this would solve everything flitted through his mind again. Shaking his head in disgust at his own selfishness, JD slowly left the saloon and followed Chris and Vin to Nathan's.
Vin grabbed Chris's arm before he had a chance to enter the clinic. "Better calm down a bit before you go in there, cowboy... you'll scare Ezra all t' hell with that look on your face."
Chris glared at Vin, and then realized he was right. He bent his head, closing his eyes for a moment, took a few deep breaths, and then looked back up at the tracker. "Okay now?"
Smiling crookedly, Vin nodded and opened the door for Chris, allowing him to enter. They walked in and their hearts twisted slightly at the sight that greeted their eyes. Ezra was clasped tightly in Josiah's arms, his face tucked comfortably in the preacher's neck. Josiah rocked him slowly back and forth while Nathan and Buck looked on, small smiles gracing their faces. Ezra with his new family... happy and protected... how could Maude want to tear him away from this? She didn't want him when she had him before, and Chris knew it would be no different this time. She'd take him home and discard him again... especially if, God forbid, he stayed lost in the past.
Ezra's eyes opened and immediately lit up when he spotted the two of them standing just inside the door. He pushed out of Josiah's arms and sat up, his hand rubbing across his smooth cheeks. "W'ook, Chwis an' Vin... 'siah shaved me! My face is nice and smoove again! Feewl!"
Chris and Vin moved forward and dutifully ran their callused hands over Ezra's smiling face. "Bet that feels better, doesn't it?"
"It does, Chwis... my face was starwtin' to itch wif all d'ose whiskerws on it. I like it d'is way w'ots betterw." Ezra stared at Chris intently, his observant green eyes noticing the slight uneasiness on the gunslinger's face. His voice grew serious as he questioned the older man about the look. "What's wrong, Chwis? Did I do somefin' to make you mad?"
Chris sighed and looked at the others before answering. He thought he'd been able to hide it, but apparently even as a five year old, Ezra was adept at reading people's expressions. "No, pard... you didn't do anything wrong at all. But us grownups do need to have a little discussion about something, so do you think you could climb back into bed for a little bit while we go out on the landing? You must be tired after gettin' that shave, right?"
Josiah, Nathan, and Buck thought at first Chris was talking about the plans for Christmas, but realized something else had happened after a quick look at Vin's somber face. Buck and Nathan immediately put their arms around Ezra and eased him up out of the chair. "Chris is right, little guy... it's time you got some rest. You been outta that bed for quite awhile, and we don't want you wearin' yourself out and gettin' sick again this close to Christmas."
"But I'm not tirwed, Buck. Do I have to go to s'weep?" Ezra reluctantly let them help him back into the bed, but resisted when they tried to get him to lie down.
Nathan piled the pillows behind Ezra's back and managed to get him to lean back against them. "Naw... you ain't gotta sleep if you're not ready, but I want ya t' at least sit here and stay quiet, okay?"
"You'rwe not w'eavin' me herwe a'wone, arwe you, Buck?" Ezra's worried expression had the gunman immediately on the bed beside him, his arm quickly snaking around the smaller man's shoulders.
"Now you know I ain't about to do that. I'll be right outside the door talkin' to Chris. I promise I won't be long, alright?" Buck gave Ezra a quick hug when he nodded, and whispered softly in his ear before leaving. "Be a good boy. I'll be right back."
Buck glanced back at Ezra just before going through the door and saw that he was curled up on the bed, staring disconsolately back at him. Buck gave him a little wave, but the gambler just turned his face into the pillow and ignored him. With a sigh, the ladies man followed the others out onto the landing, positioning himself in front of one of the windows so he could keep an eye on Ezra.
"He okay?" Vin asked as he saw Buck staring through the window.
"He knows somethin's wrong... an' now I want to know," Buck demanded as he turned to Chris. "What exactly is wrong?"
Chris glanced at Vin and then back at the others, noticing for the first time that JD had joined them and was still holding the yellow piece of paper in his hand. He walked over and took it from him, then handed it to Buck. "This just came over the wire."
Josiah and Nathan leaned over Buck's shoulder to read the telegram. "What the hell does she mean 'she's comin' to collect him'?! What the hell does she think he is... a damn package she can just come an' pick up an' take home when it suits her?!" Buck's reaction was explosive and unbelieving. "She's bringin' a damn lawyer with her?!" The others tried to quiet him down before he frightened Ezra, but he was too angry to listen to reason.
Chris grabbed Buck's arm and dragged him away from the front of the clinic. "Damn it, Buck... calm down before Ezra hears you!"
Buck jerked his arm out of Chris's grip and leaned in close to the gunslinger. "Over my dead body she's takin' 'im... it ain't gonna happen. I'll take 'im an' head out for Mexico first. You hear me? She's not gonna get a chance to hurt Ezra anymore than she already has." He ground the words out through gritted teeth, his finger jabbing relentlessly at Chris's chest as he spoke.
Vin and Josiah moved to pull Buck away from Chris before the gunslinger exploded, but Chris stopped them. Then he raised his hand and wrapped it tightly around Buck's, staring into his eyes until he finally stopped. "We're on your side, remember? Do you honestly think we're gonna let that bitch get her claws into him again?"
Buck shook his head and slumped down on the bench, leaning back against the wall and looking up at Chris with sad blue eyes. "Damn it, Chris... Ezra's been through so much- he's finally happy, why can't she just leave 'im the hell alone? You know what's gonna happen if she takes 'im... she'll either stick 'im in an asylum... or worse... ship 'im back to his uncle Matthew's. He'll never get his memory back then."
Chris watched as Nathan took a quick look in the window, checking on Ezra. "He okay?"
Nathan nodded and walked back over to them. "He looks like he might be sleepin'. And Buck's right... he'll probably stay jus' as he is now or get even worse if they get a hold of 'im."
"Well, I'm siding with Brother Buck on this one... I'm ready to accompany you to Mexico or anywhere else you want to go, if it'll keep our Little One safe, Buck." Josiah placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder, squeezing it gently in a show of support. "He deserves every chance we can give him to recover from this, and if that just isn't meant to be, then we'll make sure he has us to watch over him for the rest of his life."
"I guess I gotta go, too. Somebody's gonna have t' keep y'all patched up, an' make sure Lit'l Ezra's eatin' right an' gettin' enough sleep." Nathan grinned as Vin quickly nodded his agreement.
"Well, then I reckon I better go along to make sure ya find Mexico... can't have ya wanderin' around lost in the desert with our little pard." Vin looked over at JD as he spoke, waiting for him to chime in with his own reasons for going with Buck and Ezra. But the boy remained silent, his face drawn down in a scowl as he stared at Buck. Vin shook his head sadly as he realized just how much the boy was being hurt by Buck's new relationship with Ezra. He'd have to talk to the ladies man and fill him in on what was happening. He knew Buck didn't mean to slight JD, and Ezra did need him at the moment, but he was going to have to do something about the boy before their relationship was permanently damaged.
JD stared at Buck, angry and hurt that he'd announced his decision to take Ezra and leave without discussing it with him first. Besides, he was really beginning to think they were blowing everything out of proportion anyway. Yeah, Maude might not have been the greatest of mothers, but JD was sure she'd done her best. She was his mother, after all... she couldn't have done anything intentionally to hurt him. A mother just wouldn't do that. Ezra's mind was messed up anyway, he was probably just exaggerating how bad it really was. When Ezra finally saw Maude, he'd probably be happy to go with her... and then things could get back to normal for the rest of them. At least, that's what JD hoped would happen. He'd miss the gambler of course, but it was for the best that he be with his mother until he was well again.
Chris stared down at the street, thinking, his eyes finally coming to rest on the Clarion office. Mary was standing outside talking with Gloria Potter, and seeing him looking her way, gave a little wave before returning to her conversation.
Vin had turned his attention back to Chris and was watching him closely. He followed the direction of his gaze and wondered what he was planning. "You got an idea, cowboy?"
Chris glanced at them, his eyes lingering on the agonized expression on Buck's face. "I might. Hold off on Mexico for now, Buck. The Judge's coming here to spend Christmas with Mary and Billy, and maybe if we explain what's happened, tell him what Ezra's told us about his past, he might be able to help us get some sort of legal custody over Ezra until he gets his memory back. We all know how he feels about Maude... I'm sure the Judge'll do all he can to keep her from getting her hands on him."
"She is his mother though... it might be tough for the Judge to legally keep her from taking him." Josiah hated to even bring it up, but they had to think of every possibility so they'd be prepared.
Chris thought about that for a minute before answering. "Yeah, but it's not as if he's actually a child... he's a grown man. That's gotta count for something. And the Judge knows what Ezra would want just as well as we do."
"Yeah, but we can't prove that's what he'd want... we got nothin' in writin' 'bout his wishes an' Ezra's not able t' tell us right now. And if Maude's got herself a good lawyer, he'll prob'ly think of all this stuff hisself." Nathan frowned and looked worriedly toward the clinic. "We may have t' start pushin' 'im t' remember sooner than I'd wanted us to. The only sure way we got a keepin' 'im outta Maude's hands is if his memory comes back all the way."
"But won't pushin' 'im too hard maybe hurt 'im? What would be worse... keepin' 'im in Mexico til he remembers on his own, or takin' the chance of ruinin' his mind by forcin' 'im t' come back t' us too soon?" Vin just wanted them to do whatever was best for Ezra... even if it meant hiding away from the law for the rest of their lives.
Nathan nodded sadly. "It could do that to 'im. I just can't tell ya for sure."
Chris sighed. "You're right about the lawyer, Nathan... I wish you weren't, but we all know Maude, and there's no way she'd hire someone who's not just as smart and conniving as she is. But I'm with Vin on choosin' between pushing him too hard and runnin' to Mexico with him... it has to be running. No way in hell are we gonna do anything that might hurt Ezra more. So I guess for now, we'll wait and see what the Judge says, and stick to Nathan's original plan of takin' it slow with his memory. And if for some reason the Judge can't help us, and Maude gets custody... then I'll go along with takin' him to Mexico. Hell, someone has to go along to make sure he gets some discipline. You all would spoil him rotten."
Buck thought about it for a minute and finally nodded. "Okay... I'll go along with it for now, but if it even begins to look like she's gonna get 'im... we're outta here."
"Agreed." Chris took the telegram back and moved toward the stairs, but stopped when he heard Buck chuckle softly behind him. He turned and looked quizzically at the ladies man. "What's so funny?"
"You." Buck smiled and shook his head at him as he rose and headed back into the clinic. "I don't know who the hell you think you're kiddin'. He's got you wrapped right around his little finger just like he does the rest of us. That's the real reason you're goin' with us... you'd miss 'im too much if ya didn't."
Chris opened his mouth to protest, but realized there wasn't anything to say. Buck was right... and everyone there knew it. He'd fallen under Lit'l Ezra's spell right along with the rest of them. "Well, don't let on to Ezra or I'll never be able to make him mind." He turned to go and then stopped again. "Buck... you better tell him his ma's comin'... just make sure you get through to him that we won't let her take him... he's stayin' right here with us. And I want that celebration we've got planned to go ahead just as scheduled. He is gonna have the Christmas he deserves."
Buck looked back at Chris and nodded before opening the door and entering the clinic.
"What celebration are you talkin' about... the one at the church?" JD was confused. He thought they'd agreed not to let Ezra out of the clinic for his own protection. Why would they be taking him to the church for the Christmas festivities and exposing him to all those people?
Chris looked at him and remembered he hadn't been in on the plans. "That's right... you left before Ezra told us about never having a real Christmas last night. We're planning on surprising him here in the clinic with everything a five year old boy should have at Christmas time. A tree, presents, a fancy dinner... and his family here to celebrate with him. The doin's at the church will just have to go on without us this year."
Chris turned and walked quickly down the stairs, anxious to discuss his idea with Mary, hoping she would agree to try to convince the Judge to help. He was determined to find some way to keep Ezra there with them. After he'd left, JD turned to Josiah, Nathan and Vin and gave them a questioning look.
"We're not goin' to the celebration at the church?" JD tried not to let his disappointment show, but it was too hard. He'd really been looking forward to spending the day with Casey.
The three men exchanged a look and explained to him what Ezra had said, and how important they all felt it was to try and give him one good Christmas. Granted, being only five, there were many Christmas's between then and now that he just didn't remember at the moment... but they were fairly certain with the adult Ezra's current attitude toward the holiday being what it was, that he'd probably had very few, if any, that were worth remembering.
JD silently berated himself for blaming poor Ezra for ruining his plans. He wanted this holiday to be good for the gambler, too. He'd hated seeing Ezra so depressed at Christmas time, and now that he understood why he felt that way, JD wanted to do whatever he could to help change it. But still... it just seemed like everyone only cared about Ezra's feelings now... what was best for him. No one cared that JD would have to give up his first real Christmas with Casey, not to mention all the time he was used to spending with Buck.
Fighting back his resentment, JD finally agreed to help with the celebration. "Don't worry, I'll be here. We can't have Ezra missing out on another Christmas, after all."
Vin, Nathan and Josiah glanced uneasily at each other as JD slowly walked across the landing and entered the clinic. There was no mistaking the bitterness behind the boy's words. JD was hurting, and they weren't sure how to help him.