Rescuing Christmas by Elissa Strati

Author:Elissa Strati [Strati, Elissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-12-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE ― Sunday Dinner

Mary, Dorothy, and her daughters, tucked snugly under a blanket in their buggy, followed the Kenner clan home for Sunday dinner. The children were seated at a separate table with admonishments of “no kicking,” “no teasing,” and “no pinching,” followed by a sharp “behave!” from Ma, at which silence descended, albeit briefly, among the youngsters. Then talk began about the upcoming pageant. Nick had been named “Joseph,” and Harmony ducked her head when teased about being called to play “Mary.” Reggie was going to be “the best shepherd ever,” he declared.

The adults listened to the children indulgently but soon became absorbed in their own discussions on how to merge the three parallel tracts, all along the creek, as was the Bar K.

“Just to be clear, I’ll be glad to work with you and help any way I can getting you all set up, but I want to keep the Bar K independent for my boys,” Tom said.

Suzanne added, “We have talked about this a lot, as you may well imagine, and while I think a co-op or grange might be helpful, we’d like to keep separate ownership.”

“That’s a good point,” Mary spoke next. “Dorothy still owns her house and an acre around it, maintaining her water access and garden area for her household animals, but we didn’t purchase the rest of the land outright. She will continue to receive a share of profits so she maintains an income—and she’s agreed to keep handling the books. She’s been doing that for us all along.”

She smiled pertly.

“I can count cattle and horses but put it on paper and my eyes start crossing. You remember how arithmetic always got me into trouble.”

“You never could count past your toes,” laughed Charles. “I can’t figure how you managed to learn to cook without being able to measure.”

Mary colored prettily. “I didn’t. Henry’s wife, Margaret Sue, does . . . did for us. I spent most of my days in the saddle with Robert, ” her face tightened in sorrow, as she paused a moment, “and afterwards, at least until . . .” she glanced down at her missing waistline, and then blushed again.

“Oh, don’t mind Tom and Charles,” laughed Suzanne. “You know you think of them both as big brothers. I sort of did, too, until I figured out I didn’t want Tom for a brother.”

It was Tom’s turn to blush, but he reached over and gave Suzanne a kiss, right on the mouth, right in front of everyone. And she colored up, but kissed him right back, even with the children staring open-mouthed at them.

“Married folks are allowed to do that,” she admonished the children, “but you be sure you wait until you are married before I catch any of you doing more than offering an arm for escort!”

“Mama! As if I’d want to be touching a girl!” the boys declared. The girls chimed in, “Yeah, boys can be really horrid!”

“Well I’m going to marry Unca Charles and he’s not horrid!” Melody declared.

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