by Linda Warren
Elias was fine with just bruises, but Maribel had a concussion and had to undergo some tests. The waiting room filled up with news reporters wanting a story. Two hours later, Maribel was okayed to go home. She needed to rest for the next few days. Elias told the doctor he would make sure she had all the rest she needed. They slipped out a side door where Chase and Grandpa were waiting.
When they turned down Mulberry Lane, they could see all the cars and people standing in their yard. Chase zoomed into the garage and put the door down quickly. Inside, the Rebel family waited once again and they were hugged and kissed.
Elias put up his hands. “Okay. Everybody, we’re okay. Maribel has a concussion and she has to rest, so would you do me a favor? I want everyone to go home and let us rest. No thanks required. Anyone would’ve done what I did today.”
His mother shook her head. “No, son. No one would have gone into that building but you.”
“Go home, everybody. And, Falcon, you’re the head of the family, get those people off our lawn. Tell them I’m all out of words and I’m not seeing anyone.” He looked around. “Where’s Rico? He can answer questions.”
“No, way, man,” Rico said. “I was just there to help you. I didn’t know about the stairwell and how to get those people out. It’s all you, man.” Then Rico did something unexpected. He hugged Elias and Elias hugged him back in a bear hug. He was as close to Rico as he was to his brothers and he knew Rico always had his back.
It was an emotional moment. Elias grabbed Maribel’s hand and they walked into the bedroom and locked the door. They took a shower together because he was afraid she would pass out again. He washed her hair and his, too. They were both filthy.
“I can wash my own hair,” Maribel protested.
“You’re half-asleep and you have to stay awake.”
She leaned into him and her naked body against his was doing marvelous things to his own body. He reached for a towel and wrapped it around her and then towel dried her hair. Then he slipped a T-shirt over her head and tucked her into bed. He crawled in beside her and just held her, glad they were both alive.
He kissed her forehead. “Say what you said to me in the school.”
She reached up and touched his face and he looked into her beautiful blue eyes. “I love you, Elias Rebel.”
Gone was the sadness from her eyes. Something had happened in that room and she sat up telling him all about it. “My mother was there. I could feel her. This big weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I carried that resentment around for so long and I’m free now. Free to love you like you deserve.” Her eyes sparkled.
He pushed her damp hair from her face. “I love you more than I’ve loved anyone in my whole life, and when Chase told me you were in the principal’s office I couldn’t breathe or move for a moment as I realized I could have lost you.”
“You didn’t. I’m going to love you forever.”
“Deal.” He kissed her gently and she wrapped her arms around him, kissing him deeply in return. The kiss went on until he drew back. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the doctor said no strenuous activity.”
She curled into his body. “Then just hold me until this nightmare fades away.”
“I’ll hold you until the cows come home.”
She raised up and looked at him, smiling. “Exactly when is that?”
He smiled back. “They never come home. You have to go get them.”
“Ah.”
There was a tap at the door. “Dad,” Chase whispered.
“Come in, son.”
“I just wanted to check on Mom.”
“I’m fine,” Maribel said.
“Is everybody gone?” Elias asked.
“Yes. Uncle Falcon got rid of everybody on the lawn and Uncle Quincy made everybody go home, even Grandpa.”
“Grandpa went home?” That surprised Elias. He didn’t think anyone could make Grandpa go home, but the old man was tired and exhausted and needed to rest, too.
“Yeah. He and Grandma are bringing breakfast in the morning.” Grandpa and his mother were getting along better these days. That was a good sign.
“Dad...”
“Hmm?”
“Can I... Can I stay in here with y’all for a while? Every time I close my eyes I hear those bombs going off.”
After the harrowing day everyone had been through, Chase just wanted to be with his parents. Elias patted the bed. “Jump in.”
Elias wrapped his arms around Maribel and Chase. Sleep would evade him tonight, but that didn’t matter. He would rather be with the two people he loved more than anything in the world. He had everything he ever wanted. He was blessed.
Epilogue
Two weeks later
It was Christmas Day and the town of Horseshoe was celebrating the holiday on the school grounds to give thanks. The kids had put up a Christmas tree. Usually it was at the courthouse, but the decision had been made for this year to put it at the site of the school.
The bombing had been national news and donations were coming in from around the world. Services had been donated and so many other things like computers, books and desks. A crew had come in and removed all the charred remains and now there was just a dark spot on the ground where the school had once been.
Everything was coming together quickly. An architect had donated his services to draw up new plans. It would be just like the old school, except much larger and updated. A concrete company had donated concrete and a roofing company had donated the roof. Plumbing and electrical services had been donated. On the first working day in January, forms would go up and the new school would be worked on around the clock. Everyone was hoping to be in by the first of April.
That left the problem of where the kids were going to go to school in the meantime. A contractor had a warehouse between Horseshoe and Temple and he offered the site to the school. Elias spent most of the week putting up walls to make temporary classrooms. Come January, the kids would have a place to go to school. They would have to be bussed to the warehouse, but no one complained.
Tables laden with food were scattered under the big oak trees around the school. There was camaraderie between the people. They were laughing, talking and making plans. The kids played and Chase and the other boys were throwing a ball. It was like one big family.
Elias tensed as he saw the McCray family walking toward the Rebel table. Gunnar and Malachi carried their daughters. Both girls had a leg in a cast. They were blue-eyed and blond and Elias couldn’t tell them apart.
Elias got to his feet, as did Maribel. One of the girls held something out to him. It was a homemade plaque that had the girl’s handprints on it. Under each handprint the name Amber and Kelly was written and the date of the school bombing. At the top was written Thank you, Elias Rebel.
Elias didn’t know what to say.
“That’s so sweet,” Maribel said, kissing both the girls and hugging Cindy and Cheryl.
“Mama helped us make it,” the girl Malachi was holding said. “We wanted you to know how much we appreciated you coming in and getting us.”
Elias cleared his throat. “You’re very welcome. I’m glad to see you are both okay.”
Ira stepped forward and held out his hand. Elias didn’t hesitate in shaking it. “Thank you for saving my grandchildren.”
Elias nodded. He didn’t feel words were needed.
Ira held a Walmart bag in his hand. He reached inside and pulled out a small jewelry box and handed it to Maribel. “This is the brooch your mother wore that you loved. It belonged to her mother. I thought you might want it.”
Take it, Maribel. Take it! End all the animosity today.
As if reading his mind, she reached out and took the box. Opening it, she said, “I always loved this brooch. Thank you.”
Ira pulled a small jewelry box out with a ballerina on top of it and handed it to Rosie, who was standing next to Maribel. “You used to play with this for hours, watching the ballerina go round and round. I thought you might like to have it for your little girl.”
Rosie took the box, hugged her father and said, “Thank you.” Then she pointed to Phoenix, who was holding Gracie, and Jake was standing beside him. “That’s our daughter, Gracie, and our son, Jake.”
“You have a nice family,” Ira said. The man seemed nervous, clearly not knowing what to say or do next. But it was a small step toward peace.
He turned to Elias’s mother and every Rebel son was on his feet, including Jericho. “There’s been a lot of bad blood between the Rebels and the McCrays.”
Their mother stood with Grandpa by her side. “Yes, there has.”
“I’ve been told most of it was on the McCray side.”
“I agree.”
The townspeople seemed to edge closer, eager to hear what was being said between the two feuding families of the town. Wyatt was on his feet, a few yards behind them.
“I thought I would never live to see the day a Rebel would risk his life to save a McCray.”
“My son is like that. All my boys are.”
Ira nodded. Again, he seemed at a loss for words.
“I have welcomed your daughters and your niece into my family and I love them as if they were my own daughters. I will spend the rest of my life loving them and my grandchildren. What will you be doing, Ira?”
He cleared his throat. “I hope someday they will let me be a small part of their lives.”
“I’m sure they would like that.”
“The feud doesn’t seem to affect the younger generation, but for you and me, Kate, the feud will never end.”
“That’s true, Ira, but I don’t intend to let it control my life anymore. It’s time for peace, or at least an attempt at peace.”
Ira nodded. “I agree.” He walked away, still holding the plastic bag in his hand, and Elias would always remember this day as when the walls of anger between the Rebels and the McCrays began to crumble away. With the intermarriage of the McCrays into the Rebel family, they would now be one big family. Things wouldn’t be easy, but at least they were now willing to get along and share the future.
He pulled Maribel to his side. “Miracles do happen.”
“Yeah.” She looked to where the school had once stood. “Sometimes you have to lose everything to realize what you have.”
His arm tightened around her. “I love you.”
She smiled up at him. “I love you, too. And I will show you just how much later.”
“I’m counting on it.” He kissed her lips.
The town of Horseshoe had survived a tragedy and it would go on, just like the Rebels and the McCrays would go on. But it would be different. It would be better. The future beamed like a bright star. All they had to do was reach up and grab it. Life was good in Horseshoe, Texas.
Elias gave thanks as the town gathered around the Christmas tree to sing “Silent Night.” It was a Christmas no one would ever forget.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from ROPING HER CHRISTMAS COWBOY by Rebecca Winters.
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Roping Her Christmas Cowboy
by Rebecca Winters
Chapter One
“Come in my office and sit down, Mr. Clayton.”
“Thanks, Dr. Moore.” Toly Clayton had driven the half hour to Missoula from the Clayton Cattle Ranch outside Stevensville, Montana, for an appointment with a neurosurgeon. He’d just undergone an electromyograph to get to the bottom of the numbness that had attacked his lower right forearm and hand.
“The needle I inserted in your arm muscle recorded electrical activity when it was at rest and when it was contracted. The procedure helped me determine that you have a nerve, not a muscle disorder. How long did you say you’ve been team roping?”
“I’ve done that and tie-down roping since my early teens.”
“That would explain the numbness that has come on. The constant strain over the years from roping has caused the nerves to be partially compressed or stretched. You say it has happened twice in practice?”
“Yes. Once in October, and again a few days ago. It was frightening to experience that loss of feeling. It only lasted a few minutes, but it was enough to prevent me from throwing the rope with any accuracy.”
“Did you feel sharp pains or discomfort in your forearm just before the onset?”
“No. That’s what worries me. Both times when it happened, I had no warning.”
“You told me in the examining room that you’ve had no sign of this affecting your feet or legs.”
“None. Does that mean I can expect that to happen too? What’s wrong with me?”
“You have a very mild form of peripheral Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a slow growing motor sensory neuropathy. It’s inherited through a gene carried down in the family. Do you know if you’ve ever had it in yours?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“Some people don’t even know they have it.”
“If it should happen while I’m throwing the rope during a performance at the National Finals Rodeo in December, everything’s over for that round and, of course, my partner suffers. We don’t get second chances.”
“I understand, but if such an incident occurs, you’ll still have strength in your upper arm.”
“I’m afraid that won’t be enough. Is there a medicine to stop this from happening?”
“Not that has been invented yet.”
“You mean there’s no cure for it?”
“No, but medical science is always working on a cure. I’ve been doing some research and can tell you they’re making strides with a new surgical technique.”
Adrenaline filled Toly’s system. “You mean there is one?”
“It’s been in the experimental stage for quite a while. The results aren’t a hundred percent yet.”
“What kind of results are you talking about?”
“In a few cases, surgery has slowed down the process. In a few others, it has stopped it.”
“What’s entailed?”
“The surgery would replace the damaged nerves in your forearm and hand with a new protein that would stimulate nerve cell growth. If successful, it c
ould revolutionize the problem for those afflicted.”
“So there is some hope.”
“Of course. I’m still doing research on it. The procedure is being done in Paris, France, by a team of neuro and vascular surgeons.”
Paris... “If it were possible for me, how long would I have to stay there?”
“Two to three weeks depending on complications.”
“When the rodeo is over, I’d like to be a candidate.”
“I’m afraid it couldn’t be that soon.”
“But you will call me when you know anything, and make the arrangements for me?”
“I’ll get back to you after I’ve looked into it more. Just remember it’s possible that you’ll never have more than the occasional manifestation in your right arm. Call me if you have any more questions, and good luck!”
“Thank you, Dr. Moore. Once the rodeo is over I’ll be a full-time rancher and need to get better. You have no comprehension of what it would mean to me to fix this problem.”
“If not cured, at least slowed down. We’ll talk again soon.”
Toly left the doctor’s office determined that surgery would help him. Right now he could only hope that he and his partner, Mills, survived the punishing ten days ahead of them.
Anything could go wrong during a rodeo, but the thought of his hand not working for a few minutes had him the most worried. The condition had only manifested itself twice so far. He had to hope against hope it wouldn’t come on during their performance.
To Toly’s relief, Mills hadn’t realized what had happened in practice and he didn’t want him to know. Toly didn’t plan to tell anyone, not even his family. All he had to do was get through Finals and pray another incident during an actual round didn’t cause them to bomb.
Too bad this hadn’t happened six months ago. Perhaps he could have gone in for the experimental surgery and be recovered long before Finals. But there was no chance of that now. After the rodeo he would tell everyone he was going off on a month’s vacation to do some sightseeing for a change.
If the operation wasn’t successful, no one would be the wiser. Life would go on the same. He’d wait until the doctor found another team of surgeons to help him beat the disease.