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Chapter 9

Posted on 2010-01-30

The fifteen-minute trip to the farm took almost double that as the wind, accompanied by freezing rain, made driving treacherous. Having to concentrate on the road kept him from reliving the last two hours and Elise's horror story of a life. He realized that Cammi had kept him from making a big mistake with her challenge, forcing him to keep his ego and his military machismo in check. Sliding into the driveway, he was grateful to be home, where some sort of sanity could always be found, even in the darkest of moments and in the most painful of times.

The short walk to the kitchen door saw him covered in icy rain and shivering. He had no cognizant thought of the true degree of his anger. All he wanted to do was get inside and, well, hit something. The wind caught the door, and he manhandled it, slamming it so hard he looked back to make sure the glass remained intact. Battling with his jacket, he flung it over the hooks on the wall and stomped over to the refrigerator. Luckily, he found it supplied with beer. The appliance shook after he banged the door.

"Where the devil is the bottle opener?" he grumbled, as he opened drawer after drawer trying to find it. "Damned women come in and mess everything up. We know where stuff is. We know how to handle situations. But noooo, they have to complicate everything!" Another drawer slammed.

Beth had seen the headlights shine through the windows and knew Richard had arrived home. She asked Will to let her talk to him first, so she headed toward the kitchen, only to witness from the hallway his agitation and obvious fury. Deciding not to let his little tirade go on, she suddenly realized that he wasn't really mad about the bottle opener and walked in. "Richard, thank God you're home; we've all been so worried." She flung herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. Somewhere, in his rational mind, Richard knew she was hormonal and not used to the blast of northern Ohio weather, but his emotions were so raw; he lost all reason.

"For Heaven's sake, Elizabeth, it's just a little ice storm. Any fool with a license can drive through it if they're careful. Where in the world is the bottle opener? he barked.

Feeling a bit foolish, Beth was going to let go of him when she realized that he needed her compassion even more. She held him tighter and fought her desire to drive to town, regardless of the weather, and pull out every one of Elise Roberts' finely manicured nails. Instead, she prayed. "You can yell at me all you want, Richard, though I'm not the one you're angry with, and we both know it." She felt him embrace her back, briefly, and then let her go. She did the same, walked over to the refrigerator, removed the magnetized bottle opener and handed it him without saying a word.

Richard grabbed it out of her hand, flicked off the lid and threw himself into the closest chair. Beth gently took the opener out of his hand and pointedly put it back on the fridge door. Standing in front of him, she waited while he downed his beer quickly, wiped his mouth and then threw it against the wall opposite his seat. The glass shattered, with most of it sliding into the trash bin below. Again, Beth said nothing but walked over to the pantry to retrieve the broom and dust pan. Wordlessly cleaning up the mess, she kept reminding herself that his anger would soon abate. She hoped his outburst would be end soon, as she didn't want Will to witness his rough treatment of her. "Richard, please, tell me what happened."

Will waited in the den for several minutes, until he turned off the television and made his way to the kitchen. What he saw when he walked into the room stopped him dead. His cousin was seated in a kitchen chair while his wife knelt beside him. Richard's entire body shook, and his sobs were unlike any Will had ever heard. He flashed back to the funerals where only silent tears betrayed Richard's emotions. Even those painful days in the hospital and rehab only produced a few tears of exhaustion and excruciating pain. No, he had never seen his cousin, or any man for that matter, wracked in so much agony.

Beth looked up at her knight in shining armor and pleaded with her eyes for him to rescue his cousin. "Richard, can you get up?" she asked him gently. "Can we go into the den? Will's here now. Callie's in bed, and Seth and Georgiana stayed in town at Marie's, so it's just us. We're here for you. Whatever you need." Will pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to Beth who wiped Richard's tears as she would her children's. He marveled at her gentleness and compassion while she simultaneously exhibited such strength.

Richard's body shuddered as he struggled to get himself under control. He felt horrified that he was actually sobbing like a baby, let alone doing so in front of Beth, and now Will. Beth's compassion, in light of how he had treated her when she first found him in the kitchen, only served to further his disgrace, until he heard the man who had kept them all together for so many years say, "Rich, it's okay. I don't know what happened, what she said, but somehow, it's going to be okay. Please talk to us. Don't run. Don't hide behind your soldier mask or your sarcasm." He felt Will's hand on his shoulder as Beth moved to stand up. Just as Will had steadied him all those months ago as he moved from wheelchair, to walker, to cane, he offered his strength once again.

She wasn't sure how, but at some point, as Richard explained in vivid detail the story of Elise's life, Beth found herself sitting in her husband's lap, swallowed in his embrace. The horrific events flashed in her mind's eye, and she desperately needed his strength and his love to surround her. Many times in her teaching career, she had listened to students relive abuse and humiliation. Friends of her mother's would come to their apartment to stay, their faces and bodies covered in bruises. She knew monsters were real. She had seen, heard and fought with many. But never had she known anyone to endure what Elise Roberts had.

Will completely understood Richard's reaction to what she had told him. He felt angry himself, but it was his a primal need to protect Beth that kept her locked in his embrace. He wanted to bring Callie down and hold her and get to Jeannie and Georgiana as well. He wanted them to know that he would never allow them to be treated in this manner. As long as he had a breath in his body, no one he loved would ever know that kind of nightmare.

"Richard," Beth broke the silence when he had told them about going in the bathroom to try to settle down. "How did you leave it with her? What did you say when you left?"

As he explained his last words, and his invitation to their party, he was astounded at how he had ended the emotional night. "Cammi kept me from saying or doing anything stupid. She's not as bad as I remembered her. I guess we've all grown up some in spite of ourselves. I'm glad that she was there for Elise. It's good that they're going out of town on that cruise. She needs it." He sighed and fell back into the couch.

"What about you? What do you need?" Beth continued her questioning as she sensed that Will was too blown away to put words together.

"I honestly don't know. When you met me in the kitchen and you were so concerned, I just lost it. As stupid as I've been for sixteen years, I've always known I could come here and be loved. As much as my dad and I argued, I knew he loved me and would support me. I can't imagine what she's gone through. I'm sorry, Elizabeth for taking it out on you." He looked over at the couple so obviously giving and receiving comfort from one another. "I guess I just need to keep talking. I'm so angry that she didn't come to me. Why didn't she trust me enough to help her? Even after she married that monster I would have helped her. I had the money then; I had the means her poor excuse of a father said she needed. I thought I was angry after the accident, but I don't remember being this full of rage. Right now, I can't even think of having another conversation with her, but I know I need to try to put this all together and figure out what, if anything, I should do for her."

"Rich," Will, finally in control of himself, was able to speak, "she still needs to know what your life has been like. She still needs to understand your side. Not to punish her in any way, but your pain was just as real to you. She also needs to know about your anger over her lack of trust in you." Beth nodded her head in agreement as he spoke.

"I know," Richard agreed finally feeling the exhaustion of all the emotions that night, "but not tonight. She didn't need to hear it tonight. I'll tell you this, though, I'll be at every one of that SOB's parole hearings. I'll make sure that as much as it's within my power, he'll be a very old man before he ever gets out. He'll never get a chance to hurt her again." His mouth set in a grim line and his hand balled into fists, Will and Beth could clearly see that Richard meant what he said and would, indeed, protect Elise no matter where their relationship was headed.

Cammi quietly opened the door to Elise's room, checking to see if she was asleep. After Richard left, she had put water on for tea and listened as her friend explain the evening. She found it hard to believe that a man who had served in time of war could have been so profoundly affected as Richard obviously had been. When she expressed such to Elise, her friend sighed in agreement. "I don't even know what that means. Maybe he was thinking of his cousins or Elizabeth and what going through that would do to them."

"I don't think so; I think he was traumatized because it was you who went through it, and he wasn't there to help you. Men get very protective of the women they love." Cammi watched closely to see Elise's reaction.

She wasn't disappointed as Elise blushed, "He did love me, once. Now, I think he just feels sorry for me. Or, he was so mad that he got the hell out of here before he did or said something he'd regret. How else do you explain that he didn't say anything about what his life has been like? He could barely even look at me, and he beat it out of here so fast like the Devil himself was chasing him. And then he invited me to their party, like that was them most natural thing in the world to say after what we had just talked about."

"You're wrong, Elise. That wasn't pity in his eyes. That was a man ready to kill to avenge you. I think, even now, he would do it if he saw Jeffrey. I'm not saying he's madly in love with you or that everything is settled, but he still cares deeply for you. You can see it if you look. But enough of that for now" Again, she studied her friend, "Was it as difficult as you thought it would be?"

"I don't know," Elise shuddered as she recalled Richard's face. "But for me, I think, I had to have this conversation, and he had a right to know."

Only Callie slept peacefully that night, as the wind howled and the ice hit the windows. Beth had nightmares not only of Elise but of the other women and girls she knew who had been treated so poorly. Several times, she awakened Will with her tossing, and she even fought against his embrace until he succeeded in rousing her. They got out of bed and padded down the stairs to fix some tea and to try to relax. When they turned down the hallway, they found the light already on.

"I made decaf," Richard stated wearily, not even looking up as they approached. "Help yourself."

"I hate this weather." Will said, looking out the kitchen window as Beth poured two more cups and topped off Richard's. "It reminds me of the night of the accident. Nothing good ever happens in an ice storm."

Beth and Richard exchanged glances. Will rarely talked about his family's death and, when he did, his words were usually packed with emotion. "Yeah, I've always hated 'em, too," Richard commented. "Even in the south, they have killer ice storms. The whole base would practically shut down."

"Nothing's worth being out in this weather. I'm glad the kids stayed at Marie's." Will continued looking out the window.

"Seth knew you would skin him alive if they attempted to drive home," Richard reminded him.

Beth's eyes kept moving from cousin to cousin, trying to figure out what, if anything, she should say. She realized that both men were trying to process what they had heard that night and somehow deal with it as they had dealt with the other tragedies in their lives. She startled when Richard spoke again. "You couldn't have talked them out of going that day, Will. It wasn't your fault that they wanted to go. That's the Stephens' way: the family supports each other. Liddy's recital was the main attraction."

Wearily, Will nodded his head in agreement. "You couldn't have saved her, either, Richard. God knows what they may have done to you or to your family. Those men are animals. Worse than animals."

"I should have fought for her, but my pride got in the way."

"I should have let Charlie and Lizzy stay behind and ride with Georgiana and me."

"Touché," Richard answered. "It doesn't make me feel any better though."

"Me, either."

"But now, you two can continue to move past the horror, even though it will never fully go away," Elizabeth attempted to comfort them both. "And Elise is rebuilding her life. She's taking it back. Tonight was a huge step for her, Richard," she placed her hand over his and squeezed it pointedly. "You must believe that." Turning to Will, she added, "And, darling, you saved four lives that day, two of whom are in this room. Can you even begin to understand the impact of your actions for Georgiana and Seth as well? You two are the best of men. You love fully and deeply and you protect those you love. I'm honored to know and to love you both." She stood up and kissed Richard's cheek before walking over to her husband, hugging him from behind until he turned around to face her and she caressed his face.

"I swear to you, Elizabeth, with all that I am and have, that I will do everything in my power to protect you and the girls and this little one. Everything." His arms held her tightly to him.

"And I believe that, Fitzwilliam," she replied while leaning into his body. "And, yet, life thrusts things upon us that we cannot control. We can only trust in God and hang on to each other."

Richard once again found himself watching them find strength in each other and longing for someone to do the same with him. The shattered face of Elise appeared before his eyes, and he wondered if, somehow, they could put each other back together. He wondered if he had the strength to even try.

Elise stared at the screen as the Weather Channel continued to drone on about the horrible ice storm stalled over Northwestern Ohio. The Toledo Airport had cancelled all morning flights, and the roads were too treacherous to attempt any getting out of town. Cammi was on the phone, yelling at the poor travel agent who evidently did not possess the skills to deal with a woman refused a cruise. "Take it easy, Cammi, at least we had travel insurance, right?' She heard her friend curse, "Cammi?"

"Alright, alright, yes we have it, but that's not the point. We'll never make it, and we're stuck here in Hickville, Ohio for the duration. Thanks for nothing!" she yelled into the receiver as she slammed it down.

"Cammi," Elise sighed. "It's not the travel agent's fault."

"Yeah, well I just felt like yelling at someone, and he had the misfortune of picking up the phone. I guess the weather isn't as bad in Detroit."

"We can't chance driving up there."

"I know," the disgruntled woman nodded. "I wouldn't have gone without you, so don't blame yourself for me being here." She walked back into the living room, pouting as she threw herself into the chair. "So, now what?"

"Now, we sit here, watch some chick flicks and starve to death because I have no food in this house."

"Well, at least we'll die while drooling over some nice looking men. Let's see what you've you got."

Sometime in the middle of the night, the power lines broke under the weight of the ice. Most of Bryan proper and almost all outlying areas were without electricity and with no hope of it being restored anytime soon. Many phone lines were down as well. Will and Richard lit the fireplace and were thankful that they'd stocked plenty of wood on the back porch. Richard teasingly pointed out that Will provided a generator to the stable to protect the horses, but didn't have one for the house. Marie called from her cell phone and assured them that they were all fine but in the same predicament. She laughed as she explained they were all eating ice cream for breakfast and that no one seemed to notice the irony.

In order to keep Callie entertained, Beth made a tent of blankets in the den and they all pretended to be out in the wilderness, camping. They utilized flashlights and a few kerosene lamps, and they ate ice cream sandwiches and other perishables as well. Thankfully, Callie wasn't the kind of child who demanded TV or constant adult supervision, so she played with her dolls and various other toys much of the day. Richard joined them, occasionally, but he wasn't his normal self, and Beth could definitely see the strain in his expression.

By early evening, Callie's excitement about the camping idea had faded, and Beth felt exhausted. The ice had turned to snow in the middle of the day, and at least three inches now covered the ground. Looking out the window, the trees glowed, outlined with the ice and snow, and the silence that seems to envelope the world when so blanketed seemed magical. After negotiations, Richard offered to take Callie down to the barn to see Butterscotch and maybe build a snowman. They bundled up and carefully took off with Beth watching at the kitchen window, until they made it to the stable.

"Honey, you should take advantage of Richard's offer to spend time with Callie and get a little rest before our evening feast of semi-cold turkey sandwiches." He smiled as he walked up behind her.

"I was actually thinking of taking advantage of you," Beth saucily replied. Wasting no time, Will picked up his bride and carried her upstairs to enjoy their own Winter Wonderland.

'Elise, it is freezing in here, we have hardly anything to eat and I'm bored witless. We have to think of something," Cammi grumbled when they awoke to a second day without power. The snow had stopped, but the trees still hung heavily with the combination of ice and snow as did the power lines.

"What do you propose I do, Cammi? I'm sure no stores are open without electricity. My fireplace isn't real and, while I'm not afraid to drive in snow or a little ice, what we've had is out of my league entirely."

"Do you know your neighbors?"

"No. I don't see many people around, actually. Lots of people probably left to get ahead of the storm if they were going somewhere for Christmas." Elise sighed, thinking she could have been on a ship right now, enjoying the warm weather.

"Well, I'm getting cabin fever in the worst way. Can we at least try to clean off your car and see how bad the roads are?" Cammi walked over to her coat, grabbed it and began pulling it on.

"I guess that can't do any harm, can it?" Elise shrugged into hers as well.

An hour later, the car was de iced and warm inside. Elise pulled out of the parking spot and onto the road. The snow crunched underneath, and she had fairly good traction, but she was no fool; she knew the ice underneath was deadly slick. As she predicted, the town was shut up tightly. The courthouse looked like something out of a Currier and Ives picture, and the women enjoyed the beauty of the snow.

She drove a little ways out of town, fully intending to turn around when Cammi, not so innocently, asked if they were anywhere near where Richard lived. "I have no idea," Elise answered sharply. "I've only been there once and that was seventeen years ago. I know he said he lived about fifteen minutes from the school, so I'd guess we're about ten minutes from the farm. Don't look at me like that," she warned her friend. "There's no way I'm even attempting driving out there, besides, I'm low on gas, and I'm heading back to the townhouse."

Cammi sighed dejectedly. "Well, it was a thought. I bet they have plenty of firewood and a gas water heater to get a shower. Remind me never to have an all electric home."

Elise laughed at her friend's pouting and managed to turn the car around. Before she knew what happened, the car hit a patch of ice, and she found herself trying to hold onto the wheel as the car slid sideways. She overcorrected and they headed straight for the drainage ditch at the side of the road.

Shaken badly, the women checked themselves before declaring they were alright and grateful that the airbags had not deployed. Elise carefully got out of the car and walked around as best she could. Creeping ever so slowly back to the driver's side, she declared that they couldn't get out of the ditch without help. She'd charged her cell phone in the car while they'd been driving, so she pulled it out and dialed 911. The dispatcher had informed them that she had no idea when a tow truck would be available, and they sat in the car waiting for an officer to arrive.

About twenty minutes had passed when they finally saw the flashing lights approach. The officer edged his vehicle over, drawing up alongside their car. Rolling down her window, Elise thanked him for coming. He ducked his head to get a good look at the foolish women out on the road when he recognized the passenger. "Cammi, what are you doing out here?" Dave asked with a grin.

Cammi recognized him at the same moment and excitedly introduced him to Elise. "Wow, you are truly my hero," she practically purred while Elise rolled her eyes. "We had cabin fever, David, and had to get out of the house. I'm afraid it's my fault; I pushed Elise to do it. But we have no heat, no power, no hot water and no food. What's a girl to do?"

"Who else do you know in Bryan?" Officer Dave asked. "I can take you somewhere. I'm afraid the two hotels in town have no power and all the hotels by the turnpike are full up, so that's not an option." He seemed truly apologetic. Elise thought he had a kind face and pitied him if her friend ever got her claws into him.

"We only know the Stephens family," Cammi pouted, "but they live so far out of town."

"Cammi!" Elise cried. "You can't be serious. Stop it!"

"Oh, yeah, that's right. You know Richard and Will. Come on, I know where they live. I'll take ya out there. It'll be slow going, but it's only a couple of miles from here."

"No, we can't possibly just show up at their door." Elise growled while throwing daggers at her friend. "You just don't do that to people."

"You do in this kind of situation," Dave answered. "Besides, they're good guys, and Will's wife is a sweetheart. We'll call 'em from the squad. Get your stuff out, lock up your car and let's go." He looked toward the ditch as he pulled his hat down tighter, trying to keep the blowing snow out of his face, "I don't think you have too much of an option. There's no telling when they'll restore your power."

The women scrambled to get their purses and get out of the car. Cammi had to climb over the console to Elise's side, and David gallantly helped her make her escape. She rewarded him with a dazzling smile and a kiss on the cheek. Elise seethed as she stomped to the squad car. "I'm going to kill you," she said between gritted teeth.

"You heard her, officer," Cammi teased. "She just threatened my life, and all I'm trying to do is to save hers." The double entendre was not lost on Elise.

Beth had just finished cleaning up the unorthodox breakfast of grilled hamburgers and thawed corn on the cob. She was grateful for the gas grill and wondered how many more meals it would last before the tank ran out. Callie complained that she was tired of eating meat, but her daddy said they were not going to let it go to waste, "It's nice to have grilled food in the dead of winter, don't you think?" he smiled at his young daughter. They had fashioned a makeshift "ice box", filled it with snow and set it out on the porch. Elise put eggs and cheese and lunchmeat in it along with some beverages. The milk was long gone, but Callie seemed content with water and the occasional soda or juice box.

The men, along with the bundled up Callie, went out to the stable. Will felt Callie needed to experience all the responsibility of owning a horse and, for the past several weeks, she learned to muck the stalls and brush the horses. She loved being outside and taking care of them, and she basked in the attention of her daddy and uncle. Beth reflected on her daughter's life on the farm when she heard Will's cell phone ring.

Picking it up, she didn't recognize the number but answered it anyway. "Is this Beth?" a male voice she didn't recognize asked.

"Yes. Who is this?"

"This is Dave, you know, the cop." He laughed

"Oh, no, what's happened?" Beth held her breath.

"What? Oh, nothing, nothing, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Everything's fine. I'm just getting ready to pull up to the house. I have some stranded motorists who need your help and hospitality, though"

"Is it Seth and Georgiana? Are they OK?" she asked, discounting his assurance of all being well.

"No, no. Will would kill them if I caught them out on the roads. No, this is Cammi and….shoot," Beth heard the muffled conversation as he asked the other person, "I'm sorry, I forgot your name? Right," he returned to speak with Beth, "Cammi and Elise Roberts."

Oh. My. Lord. "Did you just say Elise Roberts?" Beth couldn't believe it was possible.

"Yeah. They were trying to find someplace open and the car spun out. She has no power or food, and they were getting kind of desperate. Cammi said she knew Richard. I met her last night and, well, anyway, can you put them up for a day or two?"

Beth heard voices in the background, particularly angry voices. She was certain of Elise's mortification to come to the farm, of all places, for help. Her first impulse was to tell Dave that she would pay him to take her anywhere but to this farm, then she thought that this would be the perfect time and place to give that woman a piece of her mind. She then remembered she was supposed to be a Christian, and the right thing to do was to give these two women shelter AND a piece of her mind. Please don't kill me, Richard. "Sure, Dave, we don't have much, either, but at least they can take hot showers and eat whatever we're having."

By then, the tell tale sound of crunching snow signaled the cruiser coming up the driveway. Beth hurriedly dialed Richard's phone, but it went straight to voicemail. Obviously, he'd turned it off or the battery had died. Saying a quick prayer, she walked up to front door and opened it before Dave knocked. Beth couldn't help but smile as she looked over the trio coming in. Dave had a very macho swagger and delighted in making the introductions. This Cammi woman, though quite disheveled, possessed a self-satisfied, almost smug appearance. Elise, far from her usual careful appearance, was also quite a mess, but she presented an expression that showed a combination of fury and mortification. Beth couldn't help but feel for her in this moment. This had to be the last place on earth Elise Roberts wanted to be.

She led them into the den where the fire blazed and blankets were strewn all around. Dave wanted to stay, but his radio crackled with calls for him to come back into town to patrol the streets. Noticing the exchanged glances between him and Cammi, Beth invited him back out to the house after his shift, if he was so inclined. He thanked her and said that he just might. Within minutes, the three women, two of whom were cold and wet with snow, sat uncomfortably in the den.

"Oh, gosh, where are my manners?" Beth attempted to play the gracious hostess. "Would either of you like to freshen up? We do have hot water."

"I would love to," Cammi answered quickly. "Point the way." Beth took her upstairs to show her where to find everything. Cammi remarked on the beautiful home, and Beth felt her sincerity. As she turned to leave, Cammi asked her to stay a moment.

"Mrs. Stephens, this was my idea, not Elise's. I know how mad she is at me right now. I'm sure that Richard has never said anything nice about me, if he's mentioned me at all. But please, believe me, I am grateful for your hospitality." She looked nervous as she talked.

"Please call me Beth or Elizabeth; especially since we'll be bunking together," Beth chuckled. "I could tell she wasn't happy to be here, upset, even, and I don't blame her. This has disaster written all over it, but God moves in mysterious ways. You are welcome in our home. Richard has mentioned you, but I won't hold that against you." Both women smiled, and Beth shut the bathroom door behind her. She was scurrying down the stairs when she heard the commotion.

"What in Heaven's name are you doing here?!" Richard boomed as stood in the doorway of the den. "Where's Elizabeth? What is going on?" There was an edge of panic in his voice.

Before Elise could answer, Beth ran down the hallway and skidded into her husband's backside. He and Callie had been standing perfectly still, and both startled at her approach. "Momma, Mrs. Roberts is in my TV room! And she's wearing jeans!" Callie announced in wide-eyed wonder.

Will took in the scene and realized that, someday, they'd laugh about it, if, in fact, Richard allowed any of them to live.

Chapter 10

Posted on 2010-02-06

"Richard," Beth called from behind her husband after their collision. "Mrs. Roberts is here with her friend Cammi. They had a little accident on the road not far from here, and Dave brought them. They have no power or food. We're acting as good neighbors," she stated pointedly while looking down at her daughter.

Elise's flush face betrayed her, and she knew it. She couldn't even look at Richard when he stated, "Oh," and stomped out of the room. Finally, she glanced up to see Beth and Will looking at her with a mixture of pity and she wasn't sure what else. She figured they'd be on Richard's side, and she understood that completely, but she had no idea how she could stand being here in this house with him.

"Mrs. Roberts," Will took Beth's hand, and they moved closer to Elise. "You and your friend are welcome here. I hope you weren't hurt and that your car will be okay." Elise nodded. He didn't know what to think about all of this, and he immediately stepped back into his old habit of becoming quite formal when flummoxed.

"We're fine, Mr. Stephens, just a bit shaken up. My car will probably be stuck for awhile. We shouldn't have ever gone outside this morning. We were getting a bit crazy being cooped up, and we'd truly run out of food."

"You don't have to explain all that, Elise," Beth answered. "We know you had plans to go out of town. Logically, you wouldn't have left a refrigerator full of food. And, please, call him Will. This'll all work out. We just need to get used to a fuller house under these circumstances, right, darling?" She looked up to Will who smiled down on her.

"Yes, that's right. Now, what can we get for you? Would you like something to drink, or we have some left over burgers from this morning. We're trying to grill up the meat that we had in their freezer before it goes bad or the propane tank empties." Elise answered that the hamburger would be appreciated and whatever they had handy to drink would be fine.

All though the exchange, Callie watched the adults, wondering why everybody seemed so stiff and why her much loved Uncle Richard seemed so upset. She decided to talk to her daddy as he left for the kitchen. "Daddy, why is Uncle Richard mad? What did Mrs. Roberts do to him?"

"Your Uncle Richard is just a little nervous because he hasn't been around Mrs. Roberts in a long time. I'm sure everything will be okay, honey. Can you run to the porch and get a drink out of the special box? That would help a lot." She ran out and did as requested, but she really didn't buy her daddy's speech. She knew when adults were angry with each other, and she could tell her uncle did not like Mrs. Roberts. If he didn't like her, then neither did she.

An hour later, both ladies had showered and eaten their fill of food and drink. Elise struggled to put two sentences together, and Cammi loaded on the charm at every turn. Richard had not reappeared nor did anyone expect to see him for quite some time. Callie played quietly with her dolls in a corner of the room. Will could see that Beth was becoming fatigued from the strain of the past several days, but when he pulled her aside and suggested she go upstairs to nap, she flatly refused.

"Fitzwilliam, even though these are very strained circumstances, these are our first guests outside of Ed and Marie since we've been married. I just don't think it's right for me to abandon you … or them."

"And you don't trust Cammi," Will replied, wrapping his arms around his wife.

"And I don't trust Cammi," She laughed in reply, lightly kissing him under the mistletoe.

"Wow," Cammi whispered to Elise. "Those two are very cute and very disgusting. How long have they been married?"

"Since the beginning of October. And you're right on both counts. Yet, after being in Elizabeth's company, I'm very fond of her. I think that we could be friends, if…"

"Yes, if is right," Cammi interrupted. "So, we're in a home with newlyweds who obviously can't get enough of each other, a precocious eight year old who's been throwing dirty looks your way since Richard stomped out of here, and a very angry ex-military type who could be hiding ammo in here, for all we know."

"You're the one who finagled all this; you have no right to complain. Cammi, this is…"

"Ladies," Beth called from her place next to Will. "We found some board games; would you be willing to play something? It would help pass the time."

Will set up a card table and, soon, they were engaged in playing "Life". The irony did not go unnoticed by the adults. After a few uncomfortable moments, everyone relaxed and the time passed quickly. Will even joked that he was outnumbered and picked on, yet he managed to win. Callie stood between her parents and assisted them as they played while still remaining cold to Elise and Cammi. She hugged Will when he won and asked if he would take her out on the snowmobile.

This subject had been brought up earlier, and Beth felt a little nervous at the idea. Will assured her that they would just go over to Juanita's to check on them and then ride around the barns and stable. Callie had a helmet, and Will promised her that she would be quite safe. Finally, reluctantly, she agreed, and the two left the room to get Callie prepared. Will excused himself after checking the fire and reminding the ladies to make themselves at home.

Before too long, Elise and Cammi heard the trio in the kitchen negotiating one more time about the adventure. They heard the door close, and then Beth walked back into the den and wearily sank into a chair. "I haven't done anything for two days, but somehow I'm exhausted." She managed a slight smile.

The other two agreed, and they fell into an uncomfortable silence. Cammi broke it by asking Beth to explain how she and Will had met. Figuring it a safe topic and one she loved telling anyway, Beth relayed the tale. When she finished, her audience sat teary-eyed at the romance and the fairy tale ending of the wedding. They asked many questions and laughed at all the miscommunications the couple had experienced. Without thinking, she talked about how excited she was to live in the house when they returned from their honeymoon. She realized too late that she inadvertently disclosed that she and Will had not lived together before the wedding.

"So, you're saying that you two didn't live together before you married?" Cammi asked in surprise, picking up that fact immediately.

"No, no we didn't." She looked at the women to gauge their reactions and saw the surprise on each face. "We, we thought it best to wait." She colored brightly realizing how that might be interpreted as well.

"Elizabeth," Cammi ventured further, not able to stop her curiosity and ignoring Elise when she cleared her throat, "are you saying that the two of you never slept together, even with all of those romantic nights in the cabin or after your injury or the engagement?" she was incredulous.

Well, it's not like I can lie about it now. Me and my big mouth. Beth held her head up proudly. "That's what I'm saying." She paused and continued, "It's a decision I made a long time ago, and Will loved me enough to wait."

'I didn't know that even happened anymore," Cammi replied in wide eyed wonder. "Especially in people our age. You are something else, Elizabeth Stephens," she said with a new found respect for both Beth and Will.

"Yes, she is." Richard leaned against the doorway. None of the ladies had any idea of how long he'd been standing there. "She's brought life back into this house, in more ways than one."

"I just finished telling them our story, Richard. You know, Richard played a big role in getting us back together. Even now, the three of us make a pretty good team." Beth smiled at Richard, proudly and gratefully for allowing her to change the subject.

"Well, if the way he defended Callie in your absence is any indication, I'd say you were correct." Elsie had been quiet for a long time and as she spoke, she looked expectantly to Richard.

"Both incidents at the school were on the ridiculous side, and I demanded justice." Richard didn't look Elise's way nor did he move from his position, holding up the door frame.

"Thankfully, we're none the worse for wear," Beth chimed in sensing the tension.

A commotion in the kitchen signaled the return of Will and Callie. Beth excused herself and crossed her fingers. In the hallway, a flush faced happy daughter met her, announcing that the ride had been wonderful. Beaming at his wife, Will told her how much fun they'd had on their trip. He came bearing gifts from Juanita, explaining that their house was quite cozy as Juanita had put her gas oven to much use. After peeling off all their layers, Will proclaimed that homemade cornbread and soup beans were served.

Cammi and Elise exchanged questioning glances. "What are soup beans?" Cammi asked. Elise shrugged.

"It's what we in the country call bean soup, surely you've heard of it." Richard testily explained. "It's farm food – 'cause, you know, this is a farm." He turned on his heel to walk out the door.

"Is this what it's going to be like while we're stuck here?" Elise pounced. "Remember, this wasn't my idea or my wish, Richard. Do you have to make everything and everyone miserable?"

Cammi held her breath and looked between the two others in the room. "Elise…" she began in a somewhat pleading tone.

"No, Cammi, you brought me here against my will. I'm grateful for the shower and the food, but I can't take any more ill treatment. I've had enough of that for a lifetime, and I don't wish to ever feel unwelcomed or unwanted again." Elise's steel eyes were penetrating Richard's defenses, but he was not willing to go down without a fight. They both turned their serious faces to Cammi who gratefully slid out the door to go find the kitchen.

Had anyone witnessed the stare down between Richard and Elise, they probably would have reported waiting for the exchange of blows at any given moment. They physically moved around each other, sizing each other up, as Richard stepped away from the door, and Elise countered by crossing her arms and circling towards it. The air was electrified and stifling as the fire roared in the background.

After many moments, Richard broke her gaze and slumped into the easy chair. "I'm sorry for my attitude this morning and beyond." he sighed. "I'm genuinely sorry about your trip and your living conditions. But how did you expect me to react; I mean, honestly, Ellie what were you thinking coming here?"

"Did you not listen to anything I've said? This was not my idea." Elise insisted. "Cammi sweet talked that dimwitted cop into bringing us here."

"Dave's only a dimwit when it comes to women. He's actually a good guy."

"So everybody keeps saying. But that's not the point. I did NOT want to come here. I'd happily go just about anywhere other than here. I know what you must think of me." She, too, fell into a chair, but continued her defiant expression.

"Okay, Okay, you don't want to be here; Cammi's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, blah, blah, blah. Bottom line, we're stuck with each other until the power comes on and, according to the radio, in your area, that's tomorrow or the next day. For us, it could be several more. We're getting our white Christmas, but a darn uncomfortable one," he grumbled.

"I totally forgot," Elise sighed. "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Richard, we can't be here for Christmas. Oh, my God!" she cried, panicked.

"Ellie, calm down; I'm over it. Right now, I'm more worried about how Will's going to get to Ft Wayne tomorrow to pick up Jeannie. The storm came from that way. He hates driving in these conditions, and he's terrified of others driving in it as well." He looked pointedly at Elise. "We lost our families in weather just like this."

"Yes, that's what I've been told. I imagine that fear will always stay with him. It would for me. I'm sorry to foist such a burden on you and your family. Elizabeth looks positively exhausted."

Richard smiled. "Yeah, well, she'll be alright, soon enough."

"That's kind of flippant, don't you think?" She paused as Richard continued to smile. "Rich…oh my, is she, so soon after their wedding…is she pregnant?"

"Yeah, but it's not common knowledge yet. They were going to tell the girls Christmas morning and announce it to friends of the family on Christmas Day. Only our immediate family knows right now."

"And me," she finally smiled at him.

"And you."

The tension broke just a little, and Richard actually felt like he could breathe normally for the first time since he'd walked in on Elise several hours earlier. He was just about to say something when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. "Uncle Richard," Callie solemnly called to him, "Daddy says that if you don't hurry, Momma will eat it all, and you'll be stuck making pb&j for Mrs. Roberts which would be pretty bad, since you don't like her much. Daddy didn't say that last part; I did." She gave Elise her best evil eye and skipped out of the room.

"What did I ever do to her?" Elise asked half seriously.

"Which time? When you told her she didn't know her own last name, or maybe when you implied that she was racist or it might have been when you made her favorite uncle in the entire universe quite angry just this morning," Richard answered dryly. "My money is on the last because, as I've already mentioned, I'm pretty much second only to Big Daddy in there and, on some days, I may even take the lead." They stood, and he motioned for her to go ahead of him through the doorway.

"Good Lord, Rich, you've lost none of your swagger, even when it involves an eight year old."

"Hey, I've been loved by only four women in my life; three have loved me unconditionally – that little girl is one of them. She's brought me back to life after sixteen years of nothing more than surviving."

Elise turned on her heel and shot a look that penetrated through to his very soul. "I did love you unconditionally, Richard. I did the only thing I knew to do. Please believe me when I tell you that I thought I could protect you and my mother. She has no idea that I'm free now; she's only a shell – no chance of a new beginning there. But we, now that the truth is out, we can move on, one way or the other."

"I'm moving on to eat soup beans and cornbread. The rest will be what it will be."

Not long after the group finished eating, with Cammi admitting that the soup tasted quite good and Elise eating several pieces of cornbread, they again heard the crunch of a vehicle moving slowly up the driveway. Will rushed to the window and announced Dave's arrival. Cammi looked self-satisfied when she announced that she'd given Dave Elise's key with instructions to bring back some clothes for the women.

"He was in my house, going through my things?" Elise asked incredulously.

"Well, I for one am not going to wear the same clothes for three days. For crying out loud, Elise, you should be grateful he was willing to do it." She strode determinedly out of the kitchen and followed Will to the door.

"This whole day feels like it's been out of the Twilight Zone," Elise sighed. Turning her attention to Beth and seeing how incredibly tired she looked, Elise stood up quickly. "Elizabeth, Rich and I can clean up here. Why don't you go somewhere quiet so you can rest?"

Beth began to protest, but Will stepped in, "Honey, I think that's a good idea. Come on, these guys can fend for themselves." He held out his hand to help her up.

"Hey, Will," Richard spoke up. "Why don't I hook up the old sleigh to Greystone and Anderson, and we can go out back and pick out our Christmas tree. Callie, have you ever cut down your own tree?" Once again, his eyes shone with his usual humor.

"That would be great, Rich," Will answered. "Why don't you call and see if Jorge can come down, if he's not already at the stable, so he can help. You know where the blankets are, right?" Richard nodded, "Then have a great time. We'll have the fire good and hot, ready for your return."

Within the hour, the four adults and one very excited little girl glided through the open fields. As Callie watched her uncle relax, she too decided to give her principal a chance and stopped looking at her disapprovingly.

Will had hoped for a romantic moment, but Beth was asleep in his arms almost as soon as he embraced her. Sighing as he twirled her hair around his fingers and gently kissed it, he hoped she wasn't taking on too much, and he prayed that the tension in the house would lessen soon. Very quickly, he, too, fell fast asleep. He later awoke to find his wife's lips traveling across his face. The afternoon wouldn't be a total loss, after all.

The group came back triumphant and cold, but the tensions had noticeably thawed. Callie danced around the tree and joyfully told her momma and daddy all about finding the perfect one and how she then watched Richard and Dave cut it down. By the time the two men returned from unhooking the sleigh, the sky turned once again to darkness. After a dinner of grilled hotdogs and baked beans, the group settled into the den.

With the radio playing in the background, the group decided to play charades. Three teams formed naturally, with Callie alternating between Richard and Elise and her parents. The evening seemed to fly by, and Elise couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so hard or so often or let her guard down so completely. It escaped no one that she and Richard worked well together as a team, as he continually teased her and they seemed to know what the other was thinking..

They invited Dave to stay, and before calling it a night, he explained that he had the following day off for the holiday. He offered his SUV and company to Will on his drive to Ft. Wayne to pick up Jeannie. Will decisively told Richard to stay at the house with the rest of the group. Instead of arguing, Richard recognized that Will sought to safeguard his family in case of an accident. He only nodded to his cousin, signaling that he understood what he meant.

They rearranged furniture, spreading twin mattresses from Jeannie, Callie and Seth's rooms on the floor for Cammi and Elise. Richard chose the recliner and Dave the couch. Since the master bedroom contained a fireplace, the newlyweds excused themselves to their room with Callie in tow. With giggles, she ran to her room, thrilled when Beth told to go and get her blanket and sleeping bag, adding that she could sleep in front of the fire in their room. She chattered for a few minutes, but soon, quiet enveloped the room. Snuggling close, Beth and Will drifted off to muffled sounds of the adults in the room below.

The next morning, Jorge drove Juanita, laden with coffee cake and a huge thermos full of coffee, to the house. She even managed to bring a travel mug with hot chocolate for Callie. The adults, thrilled to have their favorite hot beverage, hailed Juanita as superwoman, once again. Fussing at Will to be careful and to safely return home soon, she headed off to her own home with the promise of bringing plenty of food over for the Christmas Eve meal.

Richard and Callie left for the stable, as Will and Dave headed out for Ft Wayne. Kissing his wife goodbye, Will stood in shock as he realized that Beth was crying. "Honey, what's the matter? Are you ill?"

"No," she stammered. "I want Jeannie home so badly, but I'm terrified of you driving to Ft Wayne, Fitzwilliam. Please be careful. Please call me when you get there." She was embarrassed by her display of nerves and angrily wiped the tears from her face.

"We'll be fine; I promise," Dave spoke up from behind Will. "Remember, I drive through all kinds of weather, all the time." He smiled warmly at Beth and walked out the door.

"I'll be back before you know it, Elizabeth." Will held her tightly. "Jeannie will be so glad to be home, and, you'll see, we'll muddle through our first Christmas together. If we can, we'll swing by and collect Georgiana and Seth, too. I want my whole family at home; it's been sixteen years since I've had my family with me for Christmas." He kissed her again, hugged Callie tightly and then walked out the door.

Beth stood at window straining to see them and began to sob, once again. Will's words and reference to his lost family affected her profoundly. Admitting to herself just how much she desperately needed the family together made his absence from her all the more keen. This time, Elise joined her and put her arm around her shoulder. They walked silently into the den. Elise let Beth cry it out; she did not admonish her or tell her that all would be well. Knowing the family's history and Beth's condition, Elise thought it best to just offer quiet support for her new friend and gracious hostess.

Cammi bounced into the room, refreshed from her shower, and stopped short at seeing Beth. Before she could say anything, Elise shook her head and patted the seat next to her on the couch. The three women sat in silence for quite some time before Beth finally spoke. "I – I'm so sorry that I'm so emotional. It's just that I know how much my husband hates this weather; it brings back such terrible memories for him. If it wasn't for my – our daughter, he would never go out in this." She tried hard to collect herself.

"He couldn't have a better driver than Dave," Cammi spoke earnestly. "He'll be careful and get them back safely." She decided to change the subject by asking Beth what she had had planned for her first Christmas Day dinner at Pemberville which provided the distraction that Beth needed.

The three women sat around, talking about menus and parties they had attended in the past. Of course, Elise and Cammi were from a completely different world than Beth, but they could still chat about excellent food and the ridiculous behaviors that they'd seen occur at many holiday parties. Beth enjoyed Cammi and saw through her tough exterior. They were all aware of their differences, but the three managed to find common ground.

Ninety minutes had passed when Beth's cell phone rang. Will joyfully related their safe journey to Ft Wayne and informed her that they were pulling out of SKAT with Jeannie. She could hear her daughter chattering away to "Policeman Dave," and she actually relaxed a bit. Assuring her that the roads weren't that bad and that they were, indeed, going to stop and collect Seth and Georgiana, he promised to call her as soon as they reached Marie's.

Not long after, Marie called and asked if everyone could come to the house as well. She told Beth that they had run out of firewood and that even Sponge Bob was pathetically trying to wrap himself around people to get warm. Beth stated that the more the merrier seemed the rule of the day. After a bit of discussion, Marie assured her that they would wait until Dave and Will arrived to gather the remaining Stephens family, then follow Dave's SUV out to the farm.

"Wow, this is one tight knit group," Cammi whispered to Elise while Beth spoke on the phone. "It's like the Waltons or something." They both giggled a little, but each felt a small pang of envy at the commitment and love that so obviously filled this home.

Soon, Richard and Callie returned from the stable. While Richard retired upstairs to clean up, Callie began to fret that maybe Santa wouldn't be able to find her and Jeannie because he wouldn't be able to see any lights on, and they wouldn't be able to put out any cookies and milk for the jolly old elf. Beth attempted to reassure her daughter that Santa would show up, and Elise chimed in that Santa had always managed to find the children, even before the invention of electricity. This fascinated Callie, and the women told her many stories of "olden times".

Very conscious of the time, Beth was just beginning to get nervous again when her cell phone rang. She answered to hear Will on the other end; he explained that they were at Marie's and that the whole troop would arrive at home, soon. Once more telling him to be careful, she held back a little sob as she clicked off the phone. Richard walked over and hugged her for a minute, and the group listened to the Christmas tunes playing on the battery operated radio when Richard turned it on.

Callie stationed herself at the front window and shouted excitedly when she saw Officer Dave's SUV pulling into the driveway followed by Ed and Marie's car. She ran through the house, grabbed her jacket and flew out the back door before Beth could stop her. The adults inside watched with amusement as Callie jumped first upon Will, showering him with kisses, and then hugging her sister tightly while taking her suitcase from her.

The group descended on the house with much laughter and luggage. Ed helped Marie in, as she remained rather weak and the past few days had been a trial. He ran back to the car and re-entered triumphantly with huge sacks full of McDonald's food. "Civilization is coming back to Bryan," he announced. "Downtown is getting power back, and old Mickey D's is firing up the grill." Seth and Justin followed with drink carriers, and a cheer went up in the room.

"I never thought I'd be so happy to see a Mcsalad in my life," Cammi exclaimed as she bit into the lettuce and slurped her cold Coke. Ed reasoned that everyone had had their fill of burgers, so salads and chicken sandwiches filled their stomachs.

Beth hugged Jeannie and kissed her several times, before her daughter demanded her food. The joyous crowd did not notice the host and hostess exit and climb up the back steps. Fighting back his own tears of relief to be home, Will held Beth tightly and whispered words of comfort as she expressed her emotions and gratitude that everyone she loved so dearly now gathered in their home, safely. He let out a sigh, feeling that he hadn't really exhaled since leaving the farm a little over five hours ago.

Chapter 11

Posted on 2010-02-13

After wolfing down the fast food delights, the group huddled into the warm den. Will had checked on their supply of wood; he felt certain that they had enough to get through the next two days. He informed the group of his appraisal, and Ed spoke for them all by thanking the Stephens family. "I knew there was a reason I told Marie you should get hooked up with Will," he teased Beth.

That comment brought out many groans from the others, and Elise informed the group that she and Cammi had heard the true story from Beth herself. Georgiana and Seth eyed her suspiciously while Richard looked on in amusement. Finally, he asked his brother and cousin to come into the kitchen with him, and he explained to them what had happened.

"Well, if you ask me, it's all a little too convenient, Bro," Seth replied at the end of the tale.

"I don't think she conjured up this weather, Seth. She's stuck here with us, missing out on a tropical cruise," Richard admonished.

"She didn't act like she was stuck anywhere to me," Georgiana threw in her two cents.

"We've called a Christmas truce. Besides, Callie had my back while you two were making goo goo eyes with Justin and Rachel…don't deny it," he accused while a pointing a finger at each smiling relative. "You're all back together, aren't you?"

They nodded in agreement and regaled Richard with their story of fighting it out and then making up. They explained that at one point, Marie had sent them all out to the carriage house to literally cool down and told them that she didn't care who survived as long as they quit fighting. Richard hugged them both after he finished laughing and welcomed them home.

When they rejoined the group, they could hear Callie and Jeannie upstairs. The girls had gone to their sun-warmed rooms to play before they again became too cold. Beth instantly sat Marie closest to the fire and asked if she'd like a blanket. Will jumped up and inquired if she'd like a hot cup of tea. Everyone else began flitting about and trying to make her comfortable when, at last, having had enough, she admonished them to quit fussing over her. The young adults decided to brave the basement for a while to play pool or ping-pong; their laughter soon floated up through the air ducts.

Taking advantage of the kids' absence, Ed and Marie tag teamed to relate the story of the past several days and the news that the young love birds had started up their romantic pairings again. Will reminded Richard that he had predicted this at the wedding and demanded twenty dollars from his cousin. This produced more laughter, as Beth feigned insult that her groom had not been totally engrossed in her, and only her, during the ceremony. Time passed quickly, and the shadows of evening forced the girls to come down and the young adults to journey back up and join the adults in the den.

The roar of an ATV announced Juanita's arrival; so Beth and Will left the den to greet her warmly. She shooed them away as she and her son brought in several baskets laden with everything from her famous chicken soup to fajita fixings to several varieties of cookies. As the smells drifted through the house, the group in the den migrated to help create a make shift buffet in the formal dining room. Once again, they saluted Juanita as the best Santa's helper this side of the North Pole. Beth led the group in saying grace, and they ate until stuffed and just a little sleepy.

Marie remarked her regret at having missed midnight mass, since she felt that they had so much to be thankful for. She related how for several years she had secretly prayed for Beth and the girls to move closer to her and her family, and now with the bonus of the Stephens family in their lives, and her chemo finished, she felt doubly blessed. Beth hugged her friend warmly and agreed that this time last year this much happiness was not even in her wildest dreams. Georgiana asked Will if she could play some Christmas Carols, and when he nodded his agreement, the group moved back to the den. The men carefully moved the piano from the living room, so Georgiana wouldn't freeze while playing and, soon, the carols rang out with gusto.

In between songs, Cammi nudged Elise. "We've fallen into a Hallmark card," she laughed.

Elise smiled and nodded. "But I have to admit, this is the best Christmas I've had in seventeen years."

Richard heard the exchange and inwardly cringed at Elise's confession. He still felt angry and hurt, but the realization of the horrors she had endured extinguished the flames of resentment that had, for several days, burned within him. He knew they had to talk, but he also knew that he and Will had a long "Santa's workshop" session ahead as soon as the girls went to bed.

Beth asked Will to read the Christmas story from the book of Luke, and the room fell silent as his deep voice resonated with the ancient, holy tale. When he finished, Beth said a prayer as the group bowed silently. Elise stole a glance at Cammi, shocked to see a tear spill from her friend's eye. She looked over at Richard and found him studying Cammi as well. He shrugged and smiled as Elise mouthed "thank you".

Georgiana played "Ave Maria" which brought tears to everyone's eyes, especially Marie's, and Ed thanked her for the beautiful rendition and acknowledgement of their faith. They ended the evening with "Silent Night", and, as the last notes drifted away, two very sleepy girls were carried upstairs by their daddy and uncle. Beth followed behind as did Georgiana and Seth. Without consulting with each other, it seemed as though the family just needed a few minutes alone together.

As they tucked the girls into their sleeping bags, Will looked around the room and smiled at this family. "Last year's Christmas was bleak, indeed. Richard had been injured, and we didn't even know it; Elizabeth was alone in Cincinnati, trying to figure out what to do; and we were up here acting like nothing was wrong. This year, Richard's as normal as he'll ever get; my wife and daughters are where they belong; the two of you," he indicated Seth and Georgiana with a nod, "are obviously very happy; my little one is secure inside my beautiful wife; and we have a house full of people trying not to freeze or kill one another." The family laughed as he continued, "Although this is not the way I planned Christmas Eve this year, I am so grateful we are all here."

Beth startled a little at Will's reference to the baby, but the girls didn't seem to notice. After all, it was Christmas Eve, and they had much more important things on their minds.

"Daddy," Callie tugged at his sleeve, "we're happy we're here, too, but if we don't go to sleep, Santa won't get here. It's already bad enough that we don't have lights for him to see us."

"Are you telling me to stop talking and get out of the room?" Will put on a mock pout.

"Yes!" His daughter answered honestly.

"You heard the princess, Daddy," Richard snorted, "move it out so Christmas morning can get here."

Kisses and hugs given and received, Jeannie drowsily told her daddy that she was happy to be home, even though she had to stay in his room instead of her own. With one more admonishment to leave the fire screen in place, the adults filed out, with Beth lingering a moment to tell her daughters how much she loved them and how happy she was that they were all together again. With that, she left the room.

Downstairs, more furniture had been moved around and mattresses had been tossed on the floor. Richard, Dave, Ed, and Will braved the frigid basement to put two new bikes together, erect a dollhouse, assemble a play kitchen and dolly's nursery. This, of course, was no mean feat by candle light, flashlight and kerosene lamp. By and by, Justin and Seth ambled down and were immediately tasked with sticker detail on all the toys and cleaning up the mess of the boxes and directions.

Upstairs, the women assisted Beth in wrapping the last minute gifts from her various shopping excursions. Marie looked very fatigued, and Beth insisted that she lay down and try to rest. The five remaining ladies quickly wrapped the presents and placed them under the tree. They began taking bets as to how long it would take before the men finished the toys or gave up and came upstairs.

A little before midnight, the chilled elves climbed the stairs loaded with all the goodies. To hear them tell it, they arose triumphant in spite of insurmountable odds. Rewarded with glasses of wine, Ed offered a midnight toast for peace and goodwill. "And that's just for this room, not the world," Will snickered to his wife who tried to ignore him as her lips twitched with mirth.

Several minutes later, the electric came back on.

Hallelujahs and hurrahs rang out and then quickly died as they remembered the girls upstairs. The roar of the furnace kicking in started another round of much more subdued cheers. The teens elected to go upstairs and sleep in their respective rooms, deciding they would only remain cold for a little while longer. Will suggested that the girls' room would warm up in under an hour, and then they could move them. The couple offered the master bedroom to Marie and Ed. Likewise, Richard suggested that if Cammi and Elise didn't mind sharing his bed, they could use his room while he and Dave bunked in the den. Will and Beth took the pullout sofa in the tiny sitting room/studio next to the master bedroom.

With the precision of a military operation, mattresses arrived back on their respective beds upstairs, and the two soundly sleeping children were carried to their rooms. Both girls woke up momentarily during transfer and, realizing that they were back in their own beds, announced that Santa would find them, after all. Jeannie said hi to her butterflies before falling back to sleep quickly, as her momma kissed her again. In spite of all the commotion, the couple sighed contentedly while looking at their sleeping daughters and left to return to the sitting room arm in arm.

Will awakened early the next morning grateful he'd only had to sleep on the pull out sofa for one night. He couldn't imagine how his wife could have rested comfortably at all, but as he propped himself on his elbow to look at her, he found himself astonished at the slight smile on her face and her gentle sighs. Unable to help himself, he slid down and placed his mouth close to her belly and said, "Merry Christmas, little one," while kissing the spot lightly.

Beth stirred in her sleep and smiled brightly, as she heard her husband conversing with their baby as he did almost every morning. Her hand caressed his face, and she asked him if he had finished so that she could give him his first Christmas present. Will quickly moved to join her, and they gifted each other, although very quietly, with their love.

Laughing at how uncomfortable they both were, Will got up and assisted Beth out of the bed. As they picked up their pajamas and put on their robes, they could hear Jeannie shouting down the hall.

"Callie, get up! We have to see if Santa found us! Hurry!"

"I'm up, Jeannie. Let's go down and see," Callie answered excitedly.

"I'm on it." Will headed for the door. "Although, I'm sure the whole house will be up shortly. I forgot what Christmas morning with little believers running around was like," he chuckled.

As he reached the hallway, Richard stood at the foot of the stairs, hands on hips in mock indignation. "What's with all the ruckus up there? I can't hear myself unwrapping all my presents with you two making so much noise!" he teased.

"No, Uncle Richard, you can't open your presents without us! Momma will be very mad at you!" Callie yelled down in a panic. "You better hide what you've opened!"

"Yes, Richard," Will admonished. "Early openers might lose their new treasures."

By then, movement from all the bedrooms sounded, not to mention a few groans. "Oh, man, what time is it?" Seth lamented behind his bedroom door.

"Get over yourself, little brother, and come witness the joy of Christmas," Richard yelled up.

Soon Beth, Will and the girls headed down the steps, followed closely by Ed and Marie. Dave joined them, bleary-eyed, but fully caught up in the sheer delight of the girls as they saw their bicycles and dollhouse. The opening frenzy continued with the occasional breather when an adult would open one of theirs. Even the young couples joined in the merriment so that only Cammi and Elise remained upstairs and noticeably absent.

Elise had not slept well in Richard's room. She felt his presence and was aware of his scent everywhere, and when she did nod off, she dreamed of him. Looking around, she smiled at the military precision of his closet's organization and how not an item had been left laying about, but the room did not have the sterile, obsessive feel in which she had had to keep her ex-husband's house.

"Elise," Cammi brought her back to reality. "Did you ever have a Christmas like what's going on downstairs?"

"Not really." She answered, thoughtfully. "I mean, I received lots of presents, but we never had any real laughter or teasing. I couldn't go sneak down early and peek. I had to wait for my nanny to come and get me. When I think about it, my dad always had to maintain control. What about you?"

"Well, as you know, my family was a disaster. Mother would still be drunk from the night before and couldn't be bothered. Most of the time, Father would be on the phone or grumbling about Mother, so Tony and I would open our presents and just play with one another until our grandparents showed up. Then, we'd have to be very proper and very British. 'Camilla and Anthony, you must sit quietly whilst we have our Christmas tea'," she imitated her grandmother's British accent.

"What a pair we are." Elise laughed. "Merry Christmas, Cammi. I'm glad you forced me to come here."

"I know, but you haven't made any moves. Why haven't you two really talked yet? I mean, we're all kind of on top of one another here, but…"

"I'm leaving it up to him," Elise sighed with frustration. "I'm sure my power is back on now, but last night, Dave said it might not be. I live right on the city limits, so it's hard to know."

"Well, at least he hasn't been mean to you since the first day we arrived, and you two were so cute playing charades. Not to mention last night, when we were singing. There was so much love in that room; I was gagging," Cammi lied through her teeth.

"Ha! Camilla! I saw those tears. You can't fool me. What about you and Dave?"

"He's too nice of a guy for me." Cammi looked away to the window.

"You deserve a nice guy. Quit chasing after all those babies and have an adult relationship," her friend admonished her gently.

"I tired that – twice, remember?" She still stared out the window.

"Well, three's the charm, right?" Elise tried to sound hopeful. "I'm calling dibs on the shower while they open gifts. I feel guilty not having anything to give them."

"Yeah, I can't handle all that family mush, either." Cammi glanced pointedly at Elise and watched while she gathered her things and headed to the bathroom.

In the midst of the chaos, Richard, well aware that Elise and Cammi remained upstairs, wanted to go up and tell them to come down. Before he acted, he remembered Cammi's tears the night before and what Elise had said, and thought better of it. Having just opened his third sweater, not to mention the dress pants and button down shirts he had previously received, he grumbled that no one liked the way he dressed.

"What was your first clue, bro?" Seth teased, starting a wrapping paper fight that only stopped when Richard announced that he had special gifts for the girls.

Beth looked at Will, who only shrugged. "I have no clue what he's up to, but I knew it was funny when he was up and about before the girls. Brace yourself, it could be anything."

Richard left the room and returned with a brightly decorated box. "Jeannie, this is for you." She wrenched it from his hands before he finished speaking, and the room filled with laughter. Inside the box lay a stuffed dog that looked very real. It was battery operated and programmed to do all sorts of things by voice command. Jeannie stood enthralled as Richard explained that she could take the dog with her to SKAT, and that it would be like a real pet.

Callie eyed the toy jealously, but knew better than to say anything. Jeannie skipped joyfully around the room, showing everyone the dog and wondering what to name it. She insisted upon every person petting the dog and giving their nomination for a name. Knowing Jeannie's obsession, Ed suggested she call it 'Butterfly'. The name search ended there.

Will stood nervously watching the scene. The battery operated dog was very cute, and he knew Jeannie would enjoy it, but if Richard had purchased the same thing for Callie, Richard should have given it her at the same time. But Richard stole glances at his princess to gage her reaction, and Will had the sinking feeling he knew why. "Oh, good lord," he muttered while standing next to Beth.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"I'll kill him," he seethed with clenched fists at his sides.

"Fitzwilliam, kill who?"

Richard left the room again, and this time he returned with a very wiggly box. "Is this for me? Is this for me? Callie jumped up and down, unable to hide her excitement.

"Yes, I believe it is." But as Richard attempted to hand over the box, the lid flew off, and a white, pointy nose appeared sniffing the air. Just as quickly, the rest of the nose and body followed the lid and landed in Callie's arms. In between all the beagle puppy kisses, Callie squealed with delight. "My own dog, Momma. Look, Daddy, my own dog!"

Seth handed Callie another box which contained a food bowl, leash and collar. He gave Jeannie matching items that accessorized the stuffed dog. Georgiana's gifts consisted of a carrier and toys for Jeannie's pup and a small crate for Callie's. The two girls complimented the other's dog, but for the most part, stuck with what they had received. Of course, the real pup pranced all over the room.

And Will was nowhere to be found.

Beth looked around puzzled by her husband's behavior. "Where's Will?" she asked the crowd.

"Rich, I told you we should have passed this by Fitzman. I tried to tell you about the dog thing…" Seth said nervously.

"But, come on, that was so long ago," Richard replied. "I can't believe he'd be upset by it now. I mean, really, what's a farm without a dog?"

"You weren't here," Georgiana said softly. "You have no idea."

"Guys," Beth interrupted. "What is going on?"

Thankfully the girls were oblivious to this little drama, so the adults kept talking. "Let me tell it, Georgie; you go find Will," Seth suggested to his cousin. Georgiana nodded her head and left the room. "Okay , here's the deal. I don't remember this, but after the accident, the dogs Aunt Olivia had, Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine – yes, those were their names – mourned for weeks, and Will said they almost died. They quit eating and would wait at the kitchen door for hours for the rest of the family to come home.

"Finally, Will called the vet; he suggested lighting incense around the house to get rid of the family's scent. I know it sounds really weird, but Will did it, and the dogs finally stopped moping and began eating. Mr. Collins was a purebred English bulldog and already pretty old at the time. He lived for another year; then, one day, when Georgie was four, she woke up from her nap, and toddled down the stairs to find Mr. Collins dead. You can imagine what that scene was like. I do have some memories of her crying and shrieking, but only Georgie was hysterical."

Seth continued, "Lady Catherine was a standard poodle, you know the great big ones. Anyways, she never recovered from Mr. Collins dying and, a month later, I found her in the morning. It was chaos again. Will swore we'd never have another dog because they didn't live long enough, and we'd had enough death in the family," Seth finished with an accusing glance at his brother.

"You did not go into that much detail with me, Seth," Richard attempted to defend himself. "All you said was that Will wouldn't let you guys get another dog. I thought maybe you didn't take care of the other ones and that he got tired of doing all the work. He's going to wring my neck."

"No, he's not," Beth replied. "I'll go find Will and Georgie and be back in a few minutes. Richard, can you get coffee going and maybe put out the coffee cake and fruit? Everything's going to be alright." With that, she walked out of the room.

Meanwhile, Georgiana had found her brother upstairs, looking out the window in the little sitting room, the view leading out to the back of the property and the big oak tree where the dogs were buried. She came up behind him and hugged him from behind, putting her head against his back. "Will, you worry too much about what's past," she said gently.

"You don't remember how you reacted when they died. And for me, it felt like mom had died all over again. She loved those stupid mutts almost as much as us kids. Mr. Collins was, like, thirteen and Lady Catherine almost that old. I don't want the girls to experience that kind of pain. Besides, there's going to be a baby in this house when that thing is still a pup. We'll have to watch it all the time."

"Will, people have dogs around babies all the time, and you can't get a gentler dog than a beagle. She's from Stacie's dad's dog, Sadie. You know she's a therapy dog, right?"

"Yeah, I remember you talking about Stacie's dog. You seemed to like her," he admitted cautiously.

"I love that dog, Will. Seth and I wanted another one so bad, but we were afraid to talk to you about it. Stacie used to accuse me of being her friend just to play with Sadie. Rachel's said that same thing about Sponge Bob."

"You were never afraid to ask me for anything before – sometimes repeatedly." he stated with a tinge of suspicion.

"Because we figured this wasn't worth upsetting you, and we did have the horses that were kind of like pets. Will, please don't be mad at Richard. He loves those girls so much," she pleaded while hugging him close.

Beth stood in the doorway listening to the siblings talk things through. Without any warning, she began to speak, "Fitzwilliam, "I think this is one of those moments when I have to remind you of my wedding vows."

Startled, Will and Georgiana turned around in unison. Thinking this might be a "married" moment, Georgiana kissed her brother on the cheek and exited the room. "What does this have to do with your vows?" he asked with no small hint of frustration.

She walked the rest of the way into the room and took his hands in hers, the way she had when she recited her vows. "I promised to tell you when you were trying to control things that were out of your control. It's one thing to not want a dog because you really don't like them, or you don't have the time or room for one. That's why I never got one for the girls. It's another thing to not want one because you don't want a child to learn about life and death." She led him to the now closed up sofa bed, and he sat down. Beth sat on his lap and curled up as she loved to do.

"I don't know how much longer you'll be able to stand having me on your lap," she giggled. "When I'm big as a barn, I think you'll run the other way."

"No I won't," he denied earnestly. "I won't deny you anything. And you're right; I'm being controlling and maybe a tad melodramatic."

"Not Fitzwilliam Darcy Stephens!" she teased. "You just had a bad flashback and had to regroup. That's all. Remember, I told those family ghosts to go away. Maybe I need to do that every once in awhile to make sure they stay gone." She kissed him soundly and then snuggled against his chest again. "Can she keep the puppy, Daddy?"

"Now, you're just making fun of me." He couldn't help but laugh a little. "Yes, Momma, she can keep the little rascal, but I'm telling you, pups are a lot of work. And beagles, are absolutely crazy as pups. They never stop, and they chew everything."

Just then, they heard Richard let out a yelp downstairs, "OUCH! Man, she has some sharp puppy teeth! Nobody told me about that!" Laughter began before Callie scolded the little pup. "Princess," she said, evidently to the dog, "you cannot bite Uncle Richard. That's not nice."

"And so it begins," Will sighed, as Beth laughed into his chest before lifting her head to again search for his lips.

After tending to his bit finger, Richard ascended the steps, first in search of Will, and then to flush out Cammi and Elise. He crossed paths with Will and Beth who had just left the sitting room. "Will…' he began.

"Let it go, Rich. I know you didn't mean anything by it. I'm sorry I made a scene down there." He nodded towards the stairs. "Maybe, though, we should confer on gifts that actually breathe before …"

"Point taken," Richard admitted with a sly smile. "You should see Callie with that pup. She's like a little mother. She even tried to get baby clothes on the blessed thing. Jeannie loves hers, too. I did good, didn't I?" he asked with a swelled chest and cheesy grin.

"Yes, you did," Beth answered, bestowing a kiss on his cheek. "What a crazy holiday this is turning out to be." She suddenly turned to Will. "Honey, I'm not feeling very well. I'll be down in a minute. Could someone fix me some tea and get the crackers?" She ran quickly to the master bedroom before shutting the door behind her.

"They say it lasts until the first trimester is over," Will said to Richard, as they watched Beth retreat. "I remember Mom getting sick a lot when she was pregnant, but I just kind of took it for granted – as I did most things. Now, I try not to worry, but…"

"Alright, Cousin, that's enough of that." He clapped Will on the shoulder. "She'll be fine. It sounds hokey, but she does have that glow, doesn't she?" Richard regretted such obvious sentimentality before it even left his lips.

"You need a woman, my friend." Will jabbed him with his elbow. "I believe there's one here in this house at the moment that's dying to talk to you. Would you please give us all a break and sometime today, hash it out?" he asked pointedly. "Now, milady has ordered tea and crackers, and I'd better get hopping, as it's my fault that she's in the condition she's in." He smiled mischievously, as he raced down the steps, only to collide with Callie chasing after the puppy.

Squaring his shoulders as if preparing for battle, Richard faced the door to his own room and knocked. "Ladies? I know it's a little crazy down there, but we'd really like you to join us, and there's breakfast and coffee ready, too."

He stepped back as the door opened, revealing Elise sitting on his bed and Cammi standing in the doorway. Richard couldn't help a little smile on seeing her in his room since he had many dreams of her in this very place. He shook his head to clear that memory and asked if they were alright. Cammi nodded and declared herself starving. She told him that she wanted to help Beth with anything she might need, so she left the room after exchanging knowing looks to both Elise and Richard.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked uncomfortably, walking into the room which now, despite the leaving of one of its residents, seemed very crowded.

"Not really, but it's not that anything's wrong with your bed – I mean the bed. It was …" She couldn't keep from stammering. "This all has been … Rich I don't know what I'm doing here or how you feel or…" she searched his face for some sort of sign.

"Ellie, please don't get upset, not today. I'm feeling too good today. You should see those girls downstairs. I regret so much all the Christmases and birthdays I missed over the years for Georgie girl and Seth. But those two angels down there – even if the power hadn't come back on, this would have been a perfect morning."

"Richard Stephens, you have become an old softy. I would never have believed it."

"Yeah, well…" he grinned like a schoolboy. "I think I deserve it. Do you know where I was this time last year?" He sat down next to her and relayed the story of his deployment and subsequent, horrific Christmas Day injury and loss of a comrade. When he finished, neither he nor Elise had noticed that the other had been moved to tears.

"I – I didn't know you had been so badly injured. I – we almost lost you." She appeared noticeably shaken, and Richard couldn't help but take her into his embrace, to comfort her. As he pulled her into his arms, she stiffened but then relaxed as he continued to speak.

"When I woke up in the hospital in Germany, I thought of you. It was the darndest thing, actually, as I had blocked you out of my mind so many times. But I did, Ellie. I laid there thinking of all my regrets and, aside from the way I handled my family's deaths , you were – are -- my greatest regret. Those days before they shipped me back to the States, I resolved to try to find you or at least attempt to find out something about you, even if you were still with that contemptible ass. But, once again, I didn't follow through." Suddenly uncomfortable, he released her, but he didn't move away from her on the bed.

Neither his movements, nor his sentiments, were not lost on Elise. "Richard, I'm sure you had months of painful rehab, not to mention a brooding cousin to deal with back here. Elizabeth told us the story, remember? Don't blame yourself for anything that has to do with me. I made my bed and I had to lay in it, literally."

"Ellie, I want to have this conversation, I really do, but I have to help out downstairs, and I have to go out to the stable…" He looked at her searching for her response.

"I believe you," she sighed. "And what kind of guest would I be if I didn't get down there and at least try to peel a potato or something? Will you be too tied up in Bowl games this afternoon? Is there some place we could go?"

"Well, there's the pool house. There's heat out there, and it would be private enough." He hesitated a moment. "Ellie, will you answer a question, honestly?"

"Yes." she answered nervously. "Yes, of course."

"When I hugged you a minute ago, I noticed that you became very rigid. I thought you," he shrugged, "maybe even held your breath. Is it me? Do you not want to be that close to me?" Again, his eyes searched her face.

"No", she replied quietly, with her head bowed. "It's not you. I still have issues with physical contact. I'm still in counseling, but it's getting much better." She lifted her eyes to him and attempted to smile.

"That son of a …Ellie, he better hope I never see him outside of that prison." Richard swore to himself before seeing her wince at the suggestion of violence. "I'm sorry, no more talk of revenge, I promise. Now, we really should get going and see what Commander-in-Chief Fitzwilliam has ordered for the day."

Chapter 12

Posted on 2010-02-20

By late afternoon, the group finished a thrown together but delicious meal of baked ham, candied yams, green beans and assorted cookies and cakes from Juanita. Cammi, Elise, Marie and Beth worked as a team amid much laughter and teasing at Cammi and Elise's expense. The ladies took it all in stride and dished up some witty remarks themselves; someone looking in would never know that only a few days ago, these women hardly knew one another.

At the end of the meal, Will took hold of Beth's hand and told the group that he had an announcement to make. As he stood and drew Beth to his side, he raised his glass. "Friends and family; we are so honored to have such a full house; the fact that it's warm is an added bonus." Everyone chuckled. "This is the happiest Christmas this house has seen since Georgiana was three years old." He looked around to see Georgiana and Seth eyeing each other and nodding while Richard's head bent down momentarily and he shifted in his chair. "Having you all share this day with me and my family is very special." The emotions were rising in his throat as Beth squeezed his hand in loving support. He drew in a deep breath and continued. "Now, Elizabeth and I would like to inform you all that in about seven months, we plan on adding to our family." He paused one more time and looked at his wife adoringly which just added to the suspense. "Elizabeth is pregnant with a new little one."

Ed and Marie were the first on their feet to kiss, hug and slap the back of the proud papa. The two friends clung to each other as Marie whispered in Beth's ear that she so deserved the double blessing of a new husband and another child to love. Justin and Rachel hugged her as well and congratulated Will. Callie and Jeannie took in all the excitement, but only Callie said she looked forward to getting a baby.

"I hope we have a little brother," Callie stated. "I always wanted a brother, didn't you Jeannie?" Jeannie said nothing, but soon the girls left the table to play with all of their new toys.

After cleaning up from the meal, the only real activity came from Bella,as the puppy,was finally christened, when she ran around getting into everything, but, eventually, even she gave out and slept at Ed's feet as the men watched football. Cammi asked if she could join them, and it didn't take long until she and Dave cuddled up together on the couch. Marie and Elizabeth sequestered themselves in the master bedroom, talking and making plans. When Will checked on them at half time, he found the friends sound asleep. Returning to the den, he picked up the pup and walked with her outside, smiling at long ago memories of his young self doing much the same.

Richard grabbed a bottle of wine and Elise carried the glasses as they walked carefully out to the pool house. Richard had turned the heat on earlier after working in the stable with Will, so the room felt cozy. Before sitting on one of the weight benches, he pulled around a lounge chair and poured the wine for them both. "Well, here we are."

"Yes, here we are." The deafening silence enveloped them and Elise shifted in her chair uncomfortably. "Maybe you just need to say whatever, and I'll just sit here and take it." She smiled weakly and tucked her feet under her in a move he remembered from school, when she would be studying or trying to sit still.

"You make it sound like I'm going to berate you or something," he sounded hurt by the assumption.

"Well, aren't you?" When she looked up at him, Richard could barely see the twenty one year old co-ed who had been full of life and enthusiasm. He wondered how he looked to her after all of this time.

"I had a good speech all played out; I admit it. But then, you and Cammi had to come and invade our Christmas, and you had to look all vulnerable. I am really turning way too soft. I wonder if they'd let me re enlist?"

"So," she challenged, "maybe you are a little softer. That is not a crime and certainly no reason to go back into service. There are several people who would argue with you over that, including me. You've done your duty; now, you are very much needed at home. This has been an amazing two days for me, and for Cammi, too, actually."

"Elise," he interrupted her , now feeling the need to just tell her all. "When I left your house last Friday, I was such a jumble of emotions, but anger won out. I came into this house slamming doors and yelling, and poor Elizabeth bore the brunt of my anger. But then, she was so sweet to me, and I just crumbled. I have to tell you that I actually cried. Me. The man who barely shed a tear at his family's funerals. I bawled in the kitchen."

"Oh, my God, Richard. I'm so sorry I affected you that way." She wanted to stand up and embrace him as he had comforted her that morning, but she remained frozen in place.

"Anyway, the three of us, Beth, Will, and I, talked well into the night, but I still wasn't resolved with most of my feelings, except in my determination to see that SOB behind bars for as long as possible. And I'm sorry to say this, Ellie, but your dad got off way too easy." His eyes bore into hers, as she nodded her head in agreement. "What I still can't get past is why didn't you get some kind of help? I mean, if you didn't want to tell me, okay, but somebody could have helped you to get out. There are places for women to go…shelters."

"It's hard to explain that part, Rich, I know. I was so concerned about my mother and even you; I had no way of knowing what else he might have been capable of doing. But, also, something happens when you're constantly degraded and abused; you actually start believing you deserve it. I just thought that he had way too strong of a hold over me and my family. He broke up Cammi's second marriage to spite her. It was awful; I couldn't risk anyone else getting hurt trying to help me. Even Cammi left me for awhile, and I don't blame her for it." She turned her gaze away, not wanting to see the pity in his eyes again.

He accepted her explanation and continued gravely. "I barely graduated; did you know that, Ellie? That last semester was a nightmare. I almost lost it all then. Fortunately, Will called me a lot and kept me going. I never told him the details, just that we weren't meant to be together, but I didn't take it very well at all." He went on to describe his parents' deaths and how, for so many years, he felt that he had badly treated Will, Seth and Georgiana. He never once laid any blame on her for his choices, but she could hear the pain and regret in his voice.

"By comparison, your life was torture day after day, but, Ellie, I lost myself, too. I felt unloved and unlovable." He lowered his eyes and unconsciously rubbed where one of his worst scars marred his thigh. "Perfect for a soldier going into battle, excruciating for an extremely lonely man. My dad once said that Stephens men love once and love for life. It was certainly true for my grandfather, my dad, Will, and it would seem - me." He looked up at her to determine her reaction, and her faint blush rewarded him.

"I'm not saying I took a vow or anything," he grinned mischievously, and his eyes danced a bit, "but nothing lasted too long or ever came close to what I felt for you. I didn't think I'd missed all that much until Will and Beth hooked up. Even with that roller coaster, I knew it was going to work out for the big oaf. And, you know, love transformed her, too. She's a different woman than the one who blew into Bryan a year and a half ago. She looks at him the way you once looked at me."

He paused then in order to see her face. She nodded but turned away from his glance. He remembered that Will had told him that he owed it to himself to be totally honest with her, even if it hurt her. He didn't want to hurt her, but he wanted to make certain that this would be the last time they discussed this topic. Not sure where they would go from here, he wanted to at least clear the air. He took another swallow of the wine, squared himself, and continued.

"Ellie, that night in the restaurant haunted me for seventeen years. The look on your face was so cold, so cruel. I couldn't get it out of my head. Even now, knowing what I know, I can't shake it. I'm not proud to say it, but a part of me closed down and died that night. When my parents died, that was it; there was nothing left to feel or to react to. That's why I didn't come home for so long. I couldn't handle any of it, especially Georgie girl and her big eyes and pleading voice. I felt nothing for a very long time. As a matter of fact, it's only been in this last year, with my injury and, strangely enough, little Callie, that I really began to chisel away at the stone where my heart had once been. God, that sounds like something in a chick flick, but it's true.

"So I guess my question is, why did you say those things to me? How did you manage to say all that when you now tell me that you still loved me then?" Again, he looked at her expectantly, waiting for her answer.

She looked up at him then, and her blue eyes held none of the chill or distance he remembered experiencing in that restaurant. "Richard, I'm sorry that I hurt you so much. I convinced myself that you were going to travel the world, meet women and forget about me soon enough. I actually tortured myself thinking about it. But that night, that night at the restaurant was the nightmare I relived constantly for all these seventeen years. In order to say what I had to say to protect you and my mom, I imagined that you were Jeffrey's father. I hated that man, "she virtually spit out the words. "He's the devil himself. Remember, Jeffrey and his cohorts watched our entire conversation. They were all over that place. One false move and it would have been over. I had to do it, Rich, I had to…" She dissolved into tears.

Cursing the whole business and himself for not resisting his feelings, Richard stood up and raised his hand to sweep away the hair that had fallen across her face. Instinctively, Elise ducked her head and gasped while throwing her hands up to protect her face, "Don't hit me, please!" then she proceeded to cry all the harder.

Richard stared at her incredulously. "My god, Ellie, I'm not going to hit you. I just wanted to get the hair out of your eyes." His face turned red and his jaw clenched tightly so that through gritted teeth he nearly growled, "I could kill him. I could kill him with my bare hands and not feel one ounce of remorse." He forced himself to stop, knowing that line of conversation would hurt her even more. He sighed deeply, "Ellie, I would never, ever hurt you like that; I swear." He stood there watching her sob and felt entirely helpless. "I'm sorry for you and what you still go through. It must be devastating. I'll go get Cammi for you."

At this point, she sat with her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms hugged her legs. The tears continued flowing as she rocked her body in a calming motion. She wanted desperately to feel him near her, but before she could control herself enough to tell him it was him she needed, he was out the door.

Beth had awakened from her nap next to Marie and now stood in the kitchen putting together some snacks and left overs for the group to munch on when the door burst open, letting in the crisp, cold air, followed by a very upset Richard Stephens. Slamming the door behind him, he brushed past her, mumbling over his shoulder that he'd talk to her in a minute. Once in the hallway, he stopped and counted to ten to try and calm down so as not frighten the girls or give Seth or Georgiana any more ammunition to use against Elise. Now, instead of her cold emotionless eyes, all he could see was the pure unadulterated fear that consumed her. She thought I was going to hit her. That's what that monster has done to her. She must fear all men or all physical contact. How do you heal that? How do I get around that?

He walked slowly into the den and saw Will dozing in the recliner while Dave and Cammi talked intently. She glanced up at Richard and immediately sprang to her feet. "Where is she?" she asked nervously.

"Out in the pool house." He sighed. "I swear, I didn't…"

"I know," she answered as she hurried from the room. "It'll just take time. Sorry, Dave," she grimaced as she left the room. A moment later, they heard the kitchen door close. Dave didn't ask any questions, but Will had awakened and nodded for Richard to follow him out of the room.

Once back in the kitchen, Richard relayed most of what had been said and then described her reaction to his hand moving to touch her face. Beth's eyes brimmed over in tears, and Will instinctively held her tightly. "Richard," his cousin spoke quietly, "she is so hurt and vulnerable. I wonder how she's even kept it together enough to do her job. I checked with her building principal; he said she's doing amazing work, especially with the underprivileged kids and the troublemakers. He said she's very strict but very fair and has helped several of the children and their families obtain assistance in the community"

Richard nodded. "That doesn't surprise me at all. In college, she always volunteered to work in the community with her sorority. It wasn't put on; she genuinely wanted to help people." He sighed while shaking his head. "Her job probably keeps her sane. You know, this morning I hugged her, and she went totally stiff; she even held her breath. Then just now…" He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration, just as Beth had often watched her husband do.

"Richard, it was a knee jerk reaction; I'm sure of that. She knows you'd never hurt her or she would never, ever be alone with you. It was an emotional moment; she saw your hand, probably out of the corner of her eye, and she panicked." She took hold of his hand and squeezed it while searching his face to judge his emotions.

"The man she'd been married to is an animal. You're right about that, Rich." Will tried to remain calm even though he wasn't the one who had experienced what Richard just had. "That being said, how do you feel about all that's happened, I mean before she overreacted?"

Richard sadly glanced between Will and Beth, then looked down at his hands. "I honestly don't know. I told her what Dad said to me during one of our last real talks. He said that Stephens men love once and forever. Did your dad, did Uncle Matthew ever say that to you?" He looked at Will, waiting for his answer.

Will paused for a moment, remembering the many talks he and his father had shared over the years. "You know, Rich, I think he did tell me." He searched his favorite memories of his times with his dad, and he smiled. "Dad told me that Granddad proclaimed that to him when he'd come home from school carrying on non-stop about Mom. I'd forgotten about that, but it's true, isn't?" His eyes spoke volumes to his wife, and she moved into his embrace again. "Rich, if you still love her after all of this time, after all that's happened, then you'll have to wait a bit longer for her to heal from what that monster did to her."

"But you'll have to give her space, Richard. You can't smother her," Beth offered her advice gently. "The last thing she needs is another overpowering man. It'll be a tough road, but you're both worth it. I believe that." She smiled then and continued, "Richard, whether you know it or not, you've changed a great deal since I first met you. I think Callie wormed her way into that heart of yours to get it ready to be open to love again." Beth leaned over and gently tapped him on the chest. "Children have a way knowing those who have soft hearts and love to give. Callie sensed that in you from the start. It wasn't about your Jeep or Butterscotch; she sensed that you were a very loving and giving man. Just like she saw those things in her daddy." She turned to Will and smiled warmly and clasped his hand. "The Stephens men may only love once and forever, but they love freely and compassionately."

With that, the three walked back into the den, taking along the trays of food for everyone to snack on. The room filled quickly as the whole lot, minus Elise and Cammi, poured in and began eating, their attention occasionally turned toward watching the game. Soon, Marie and her family set about gathering up all their belongings and gifts. Thanking Will and Beth for everything, and congratulating them once again, they piled into the van and headed back toward town. Dave followed suit a short time later and asked Richard to tell Cammi he'd call her, and that he had to work the day shift for the next three days.

"I wonder if I should go out to the pool house?" Beth offered.

"No," Will insisted, "they'll be in soon enough. If she wants to take you into her confidence, honey, she will. You, on the other hand," he turned to his cousin, "should make an appearance. She's probably mortified by her reaction to you and thinks that you feel the same."

Just then, they heard the kitchen door open and close. "Felice Navidad, mi familia!" Juanita sang out as she entered the room. "Let me see all the gifts you get, yes?" The pup was the first to greet her, and she clucked and praised the four legged little girl. Soon the entire family gathered around and shared hugs with their favorite little momma and her husband. They moved to the living room, where more gifts changed hands. Delicious eggnog and an assortment of sweet treats circulated for everyone to enjoy. Richard smiled and laughed with the rest of them, but his heart remained out in the pool house.

Cammi had entered the pool house and moved quietly to Elise's side, and sat there for a long time while she spent her tears. Her heart broke for her friend, and the need to know what had transpired in this room consumed her, but she knew better than to push her life-long friend. Eventually, the sobs lessened, Elise's shoulders stopped moving up and down, and all grew quiet. Armed with tissues, Cammi held them out one by one as Elise managed to gain some level of control. Mirroring Richard's explanation to Will and Beth, Elise told Cammi most of what had been said. Cammi sat and listened. She tried not to judge either one, knowing how each had suffered, in their own way, over what had happened all those years ago.

"Cammi," Elise's tears began flowing again, "he moved towards me, and all I could see was his raised hand. I flinched and begged him not to hit me!" she cried and covered her face with her hands.

"What?" Cammi gasped in astonishment. "He was going to hit you?!"

"NO! I said that out of reflex. I saw his hand raised and my mind just flew to Jeffrey's raised hands and what that always meant for me. All Richard wanted to do was move my hair off of my face. You should have seen the hurt and then the anger when he realized how truly screwed up I am. Please, Cammi, I have to get out of here. I want to go home, NOW," she begged fiercely as if her life depended on leaving the farm that instant.

"Okay, Okay. No problem. I'll go and get our stuff from upstairs, and we'll be out of here. Elise --" she stopped short. "We don't have a car." She released a heavy sigh. "Somebody in that house will have to take us home."

"I will," Richard interrupted from the doorway. "I knocked, but I guess you didn't hear me." He was looking at Elise's tear-streaked and anguished face, and his heart ached with hers. "Dave forgot about the car, too. He left a little while ago. Go on, Cammi," Richard nodded toward the door, "I'll stay here. It'll be alright." Elise nodded, and Cammi fled out the door, determined to get their things together as quickly as she could without being rude to their hosts.

The two sat in silence for awhile. Elise desperately tried to gain her composure while Richard just as desperately tried to maintain his. Remembering Beth's warning, he fought his need to gather her in his arms, silently hoping that the day would come when he could hold her again without her fear coming between them. So he sat, and he waited.

"Richard," Elise finally managed to speak. "I'm so sorry for panicking like that. I know you wouldn't hurt me. I'm just so screwed up. I'm sorry." Looking at him through her still tear brimmed eyes, she continued to wring her hands in anxiety.

"No more, Ellie," he said quietly but firmly and raised his hand like a traffic cop.

Fearfully, she responded, "No more what?"

"No more apologies. It's been addressed, and it's done. Now we move forward."

"We move forward or you move forward and I move forward?" She raised her shining eyes to his; pleading for the answer she hoped to hear.

"I hope it's we, but I think we both need a little time to recover." He smiled a little and slowly offered his hand to assist her in getting up. She took it, and Richard could feel how cold it was; he could feel her shaking. Again fighting the urge to embrace her and protect her from all her fears, he held it loosely while bringing it to his mouth to touch it lightly against his lips. "We'll take our time, Ellie. That's all we need to do now – relax and take our time."

Will walked into his bedroom and couldn't help but sigh. "Please say that the only people left in this house are family by birth, adoption or marriage."

"Yes, everyone's gone. It's just the Stephens family, and most are tucked in their wee little beds."

"Thank God," he plopped onto the mattress dramatically. "I've never had to be so nice and outgoing for so long in all my life. I'm exhausted."

"Oh, that's too bad," his wife responded pertly.

Senses on full alert, the master of the house sat up quickly. He hadn't really looked at Beth when he'd entered, and now, he could not find her as he glanced around the room. "Elizabeth, what's too bad?"

"It's too bad you're too tired. I was going to give you another present, but it can wait." He could hear her muffled voice but he had no idea where she had gone.

"Woman, you had better not be holding out on me. I am now fully awake; I guarantee it. Besides, I have not given you my present, either."

"I was wondering about that and trying not to take it personally."

"Where are you?" He got off the bed and followed her voice toward the closet.

Beth could hear his footsteps approaching, so she slid the door open revealing herself dressed scantily in a red with white fur-trimmed baby-doll nightie. A Santa hat completed the ensemble. "Santa heard that you'd been such a good boy during this trying holiday, so he sent me to personally" she purred seductively, "give you your gift."

"If I had known the gift that awaited me, I would have been really nice, but kicked everybody out hours before now," he growled, as he reached his little Santa seductress.

She smacked at his hand. "Not yet, sir. I want to see my gift first, if you please."

"Woman, how you vex me at times!" he laughed. "Okay. But you have to close your eyes; I don't want to reveal my secret hiding place."

"You've never been secret about it before," she purred, again.

"Oh, come on, honey, a man can only take so much. Now, close the eyes." He waited, laughing while she did as he commanded but not before pursing her lips and pouting provocatively. "You're going on the naughty list, Mrs. Stephens, and in your condition, too. Tsk Tsk." He laughed again, as he reached under the bed for two items. Each was rather square and flat; one was wrapped in brown paper, the other in traditional Christmas wrap of candy canes and santas. Placing the packages under his arm, he slowly walked back over to her, took her hand, and led her to the loveseat. He couldn't help but notice that she was hiding something behind her back as they walked. "What are you hiding, Elizabeth?" he asked in a low, seductive tone.

"I have all sorts of secrets hidden away, my love. You'll get to experience them all soon enough." She giggled, unable to play the vixen any longer.

Laughing himself, Will exclaimed, "Thank goodness, my sweet wife has returned. I think that other woman is too much for me. Now, what's behind your back?"

"Show me yours, and I'll show you mine." She laughed again, only this time not so innocently.

"Oh, and she's back! Come on, what is it?" He moved dangerously close, his breath hot on her face. Before she knew it, his hand slipped behind her back, and he grabbed the box.

"Oh, Fitzwilliam, you naughty man!" she laughed again, lightly swatting him. "Well, go ahead, then, and open it."

The box was heavy for its size, and he tore the paper, eager to see what she had waited to show him until they were alone. He lifted the lid to see a beautiful silver belt buckle etched with the likeness of the farmhouse. "Elizabeth, it's …" his head snapped up, his eyes seeking hers, "… this is amazing! I've never seen anything like it."

"You're not the only one with connections, you know," she bragged.

"I guess not." His eyes returned to the buckle, "This is fantastic. I'll put it on my favorite belt and wear it all the time."

"Good, 'cause that's the closest thing to a brand or tattoo I could get without bodily harming you."

"What?" he again looked up from the buckle in confusion.

"Well, you don't wear 'man jewelry,' except for your wedding ring, and I know that sometimes you even have to take that off when you're working with machinery and the like. And I know that women don't always stop going after men just because they're wearing a ring. " Will attempted to interrupt by stating he would never be tempted. She raised her hand in true Stephens fashion. "Let me finish. On this buckle, however, is our home; it's where your heart resides and where you'll always find me waiting for you. I hope that this will remind you that that can't be taken lightly."

"Do you worry about me around other women?" He looked at her in astonishment as she nodded slightly. "Let me tell you, once and for all, I only have eyes for you." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her slowly and thoroughly.

"Even when I'm as big as a barn?" she asked breathlessly, her eyes still closed.

"Well, according to your way of thinking, if you're as big as a barn, it'll just remind me more of home." he teased.

"Oh, you are naughty, sir! But I asked for it, didn't I?" They laughed more as Will removed his belt and immediately set about changing the buckle. Quickly done, he picked up the gift he'd wrapped in holiday paper and handed it to her. Elizabeth felt the shape and, surprised, asked, "Will, this is in the shape of a framed picture? Did you paint something for me?"

He grinned slyly, "open it and find out." He sat back and watched her closely as she tore into the paper. Her reaction to the painting, a watercolor he'd painted of their family on their wedding day, filled him with delight. "That picture never left my mind's eye," he stated simply, as she showered him with kisses, exclaiming over its beauty and perfection.

"We'll hang it in the living room. It'll look amazing above your mother's couch. Oh, Fitzwilliam, thank you; thank you for this." She kissed him tenderly. "Now, what's this in the plain brown wrapper? I have a feeling this is very naughty," she teased.

"Yes, I'm afraid it is. We won't display this in the living room." He quirked an eyebrow while smiling lasciviously. "As a matter of fact, I really don't know where it belongs, but I had to show you." His face turned a beet red.

Beth looked at him curiously, then ripped into the paper. Her face soon joined his in color, as she revealed the charcoal picture. Will had drawn Beth as he had imagined she looked during the summer before they were even engaged. When she found her voice and questioned him, he explained about the day she came to Pemberville after her accident with Jeannie. He recalled for her how he'd drawn her a bath in the garden tub and how she languished in it, singing softly to herself and sighing deliciously. "I couldn't endure it; I went into my old room and allowed my imagination to take over." He looked like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Turns out, my imagination was pretty good, but the real thing is much, much better." He leaned toward her with a leer in his eye.

They retired the picture to its home under the bed. They then retired to their favorite spot on the bed.

And to all a very good night.