The Texan's Christmas

Kid saw Chance and Darcy at the roping pen so he drove there. Darcy was throwing a rope at a dummy calf while Chance leaned on the fence watching her and giving instructions. Tiny, Darcy’s Chihuahua, sat at Chance’s feet.

“Twirl it,” Chance shouted to his daughter. “Use your wrist.”

Eleven-year-old Darcy flung the rope toward the dummy and it missed by an inch. “Shoot.” She stomped her foot.

“Try again,” Chance said.

Kid joined his younger brother at the pipe fence. “Are we having a rodeo or something?”

“Nah. Just showing Darcy a little extra attention. Everyone makes a fuss over the baby and I don’t want her to feel left out.”

Darcy was adopted, but no one would ever guess that by the way Chance doted on her.

“Hey, Uncle Kid.” Darcy waved. “Watch me.”

“Hey, hotshot.” He waved back. Hotshot was Chance’s nickname for her. Now everyone called her that. It fit. The girl was spunky and didn’t have a shy bone in her body.

She swung the rope and it landed in a perfect loop over the dummy. “Daddy, Daddy, did you see?” Darcy jumped up and down.

“That’s my girl.”

Darcy ran and jumped on the fence. Chance lifted his daughter over the top.

“I’m good, huh, Daddy?” Darcy pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

“You’re the best.” Chance hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

“Here comes Mommy.” Darcy drew away and dashed to meet Shay who was walking across the lawn, holding baby Cody. Wearing denim shorts and a tank top, Shay looked beautiful, as always.

“He was asleep earlier,” Shay said, handing the baby dressed in a blue outfit and cap to him. “Now he wants to see his uncle Kid.”

Kid stared down at the three-month-old baby. Cody moved his head around, his greenish-brown eyes wide-open as he flailed his hands and legs.

“I just nursed him and he wants more.”

Chance kissed his son’s forehead. “Enough, buddy.”

“Can I hold him, Mommy?” Darcy wanted to know.

“When we get back to the house.”

“Does anyone notice how much Cody looks like Jacob?” he asked, studying the chubby cheeks and cap of brown hair.

“Yeah,” Chance replied, “except Jacob has Jessie’s black eyes. Cody’s will probably be brown like mine.”

Kid cradled the baby in the crook of his arm and there it was again. That feeling. Suddenly he could put a name to it. Loneliness. His brothers, his running partners, were married and settled with families. He was the odd one out—alone and unattached. Holding their children filled that loneliness inside him. But it wasn’t enough. The thought startled him.

“Shay.”

Shay’s cousin, Nettie, strolled toward them. The woman wore a long full skirt and a gypsy blouse with her long gray hair flowing down her back. A purple scarf was tied around her head. Beads of every color were around her neck and on her wrists. She professed to be a gypsy-witch and took some getting used to. But she and Kid were now friends.

From the start, Shay had wanted Nettie to move in with them because Nettie had raised her and Shay didn’t want her to be alone. Nettie, not wanting to horn in on newlyweds, refused. She liked her independence. When Shay became pregnant, Nettie changed her mind. She moved in about four months ago and took care of Cody while Shay taught school.

“It’s too hot out here for the baby,” Nettie said.

“The sun’s going down and it’s only for a few minutes,” Shay told her, glancing at her son. “He’s asleep so you can put him down. How’s that?”

“I know I’m a little overprotective.” Nettie’s beads jangled as she talked.

“A little?” Chance laughed.

Kid handed off the precious bundle to Nettie, who immediately pulled the cap over Cody’s forehead.

“Hey, Nettie, how about telling my future?” Nettie read palms and Kid thought he could use some help.

“It’s right in front of your face.”

“What? You haven’t even looked at my palm.”

“I don’t need to. Your life line is long and leads to home, but it will not be a pleasant journey.”

Kid frowned. “Are you yanking my chain?”

Nettie smiled and walked toward the house with Cody.

Darcy waved a hand in front of his face. “Can you see anything, Uncle Kid?”

“Don’t be a smart…”

Chance cleared his throat.

“…butt,” he finished.

Darcy giggled and darted after Nettie, Tiny trailing behind her. “I’m gonna help with Cody.”

Standing on tiptoes, Shay reached up and kissed Chance. “Supper’s in about thirty minutes. And we have ice cream.”

Chance smiled and kept smiling.

“Kid, you’re welcome to stay,” Shay said, looking at him.

“Thanks, but Aunt Etta’s waiting.” What was it with the cooking? The women he knew didn’t know how to use a stove.

“I can’t beat that.”

Shay followed the others and Kid noticed Chance was still smiling. “Is ice cream a secret code or something?”

“What? Oh. Just memories of when we were dating.” Chance turned to him. “How’d it go with Lucky?”