Daddy's Angel

“I know. I take it that Chris is still there with you?”

“You bet he is. I don’t know what I would have done without that boy this afternoon. He was right there helping me with Freda as calm as you please just like he was a growed up man and knew exactly what to do. I was downright impressed by the way he kept his head and all. That son of yours is growing up real fast.”

“I know.”

“I never realized it until we was helpin’ to get Freda in my truck, but that dang kid is almost as tall as I am,” Roy said, his amazement plain. “When did that happen?”

“I noticed the same thing a day or so ago, Roy. I guess that’s what happens when you keep feedin’ ’em.”

“I keep threat’ning to put a brick on his head, but it don’t seem to do much good.”

Bret looked at his watch. “How much longer do you intend to stay at the hospital?”

“Until the doctor tells me what these last X-rays show. Then I’ll take the kid out and buy him something to eat before we head home.”

Bret massaged his forehead, absently noting a headache he hadn’t been aware of until now. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

“At least we managed to get that tree set in its stand before Freda fell. Maybe you and the girls can get the thing decorated and help keep ’em entertained that way. They were real upset over Freda, you know.”

“Yes, I know. But they handled everything very well. Brenda’s feeding them now.” He sighed, resigned to the inevitable. “Yeah, you’re right. I guess I’ll get up in the attic and find those decorations.”

“Fine. Then we’ll be seeing you after a while.”

“Tell Freda I’m really sorry about the accident. Tell her I’ll be up to see her in the morning once I get the kids off to school.”

Bret hung up and stared at the phone. A broken leg, at least. Maybe something even more serious. Why did something like this have to happen? It didn’t make any sense. None of it. Now Freda was in the hospital, suffering, and he was here at home trying to figure out what to do next.

The three older ones were in school during the day, at least until Christmas break. He would just have to take Travis around the ranch with him, or postpone his work until he could find someone to come in and look after the boy.

Who could he find, especially at this time of year? Everybody was busy with their own families.

He dropped his head into his hand and sat there at the desk, trying not to feel his weariness. He still had to get upstairs and find those blasted decorations, help the kids decorate the tree, give Travis his bath and make sure the girls got to bed at a decent hour.

“Oh, Patti,” he whispered. “I need you so much.”

As though aware of Bret’s feelings, Rex padded into the office and rested his head on Bret’s knee.

Bret straightened and looked down at the dog. “Did you come in here to comfort me?”

The dog thumped his tail.

“Freda’s the one who needs some comforting, poor thing. The rest of us are doing just fine.”

He wasn’t at all sure Rex looked convinced, which wasn’t surprising, since Bret didn’t know exactly what he was going to do without a housekeeper.

He would just have to take it a day at a time rather than worry about a future over which he had no control. He pushed himself out of the chair and stroked Rex.

“C’mon, old man. We both need to get a move on. We’ve got a full evening ahead of us.”

Bret headed toward the hall bathroom to wash up before finding out what Brenda had made them for supper.

As soon as supper was finished and the kitchen cleaned, Brenda offered to give Travis his bath while Bret found the decorations. Something had happened where his two oldest children were concerned, Bret realized as he pulled the ladder to the attic down from the ceiling and began to climb. Freda’s accident had caused him to look at Chris and Brenda in a new light. Both of them had stepped in to help—Chris assisting Roy in getting Freda to the hospital and Brenda looking after the younger children.

They’d shown a surprising maturity that deeply touched him. Brenda was attempting to keep to a familiar routine in order not to alarm Sally and Travis any more than was absolutely necessary.

Bret knew that he could do no less. He was actually thankful to have the tree to trim, which should keep the children occupied until their bedtime.

Once he was in the attic, Bret mentally blessed Freda for keeping the storage area neat and orderly. The Christmas decorations were labeled and waiting in one of the corners. He carefully stacked the boxes and managed to get down both flights of stairs without mishap.

By the time the children came back downstairs from getting their baths and dressing for bed, he’d tested and strung the lights.

“We always have hot chocolate when we decorate the tree,” Sally said pointedly. “Can we make some hot chocolate?”

“Uh, well—I’m not sure if we have the time to—”

“Don’t worry about it, Dad,” Brenda said. “I’ve got it ready to heat.” She grinned at him, looking calm and in control of the situation. “I’ll get it ready while you ride herd on these two.”

He began to sort through the boxes, opening them and arranging them around the tree.

“Oh, Daddy, look!” he heard Sally say behind him. “Our angel! Isn’t she beeootiful?”

Bret glanced down at the battered box that continued to hold the Christmas tree angel. Her dress no longer stood out quite so stiff and shiny. Her wavy hair could stand a good brushing, but her deep blue gaze was as potent as ever. He’d never before or since seen a doll with so much character in her face. The little angel remained a symbol for Bret of another lifetime…a time when he’d been young…a time when he’d actually believed in happy ever after.

He was glad Patti had insisted they keep their angel. She stirred bittersweet memories, but the memories were a part of who he was.

He watched Sally reverently lift the little angel from the box and carefully smooth her dress where it had been mussed from being packed away for the past year. Sally looked up and saw him watching her. She smiled and once again he saw Patti’s smile in their daughter’s face.

“Here, Daddy.”

He took the angel even while he said, “Not yet, honey. Remember we put her on the tree the very last thing, after everything else is hung, just before we turn on the lights.” He didn’t point out to her that he’d already made sure all the lights were working first.

He glanced down at the angel in his hands. He couldn’t seem to take his gaze away from her while the children quickly hung their treasures from Christmases past. He carefully smoothed wisps of hair away from her cheek before gathering the soft fluff of hair in his hand in an effort to subdue some of the curls.

She had such a wise look, as if she understood him and the pain that he perpetually carried in his heart. Bret knew he must be losing his wits to have such a strong reaction to a doll, even if she was supposed to be an angel!

He placed the angel on the mantel and turned to help Travis. Picking him up, Bret pointed out some of the higher branches that still needed decorating.

“Dad?” Brenda asked, carrying a tray with cups into the room and setting them down on the coffee table. “Did you find out how Freda’s doing and when Chris is coming home?”

“Chris probably won’t be home until late. He and Roy plan to wait at the hospital until the doctor finishes with all his tests.”

“Was her leg broken?” Sally asked.

“’Fraid so, sugar,” Bret replied.

“Well, who’s supposed to look after us?” Sally asked. “What are we going to do without Freda?”

Bret readjusted Travis’s weight on his hip, handed him a tiny rocking horse and waited while small hands arranged the ornament to a three-year-old’s satisfaction before he answered. “It seems to me that we managed quite well last summer when Freda went to visit her sister for a few days, didn’t we? None of you starved to death.”