Santa in a Stetson

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  “Thanks.” Russ wished Steve wouldn’t be so nice to him. It made the story about Jo that much harder to tell.

  “How’re you and Claire feeling?”

  Steve cut two pieces of pie and put each one on a plate. “I’ll tell you about that after you fill me in on the trip.” He took the time to warm the pie in the microwave. “Ice cream?”

  “For cryin’ out loud, Steve. You ain’t no short-order cook. Give me the dam pie and somethin’ to eat it with and I’ll be a happy man.”

  Steve set the warm pie and coffee in front of Russ and grinned at him. “You should take the service when you can get it, cowpoke.”

  “You make me nervous, waitin’ on me like that.”

  Steve sat down across from Russ and started in on his own piece of pie. “So tell me about it.”

  Russ enjoyed a bite of pie and a swallow of coffee before answering. “First off, those kittens nearly froze in that cage, so I put ’em under my jacket, and then one clawed me real good and I dropped the list in the snow.”

  Steve started to laugh.

  “As if that wasn’t bad enough, when I went up to Lucile Varnum’s door with the kittens having a regular rodeo under my jacket, and I told her Santa Claus was paying her a visit, she thought I was drunk and wouldn’t let me in.”

  Steve almost choked on his coffee. “I wish I coulda been there.”

  “You and me both. I was ready to punch you in the nose about then.”

  Steve looked at him, his gray eyes dancing. “So what’d you do then? Don’t tell me the kittens are back in the barn.”

  “Nope. They’re delivered.” Russ thought how much Steve looked like their dad at that moment. Lord, but he missed the old man. He took another bite of pie. Now for the hard part. “I went next door and asked Jo to help me calm her neighbor down,” he said.

  Steve grew more alert. “Really? Did you meet the husband?”

  “There ain’t no husband, Steve.”

  Steve’s eyes narrowed as he gazed at Russ. “What do you mean, no husband?”

  “I mean, she made it all up. I think it had somethin’ to do with keepin’ her from making another mistake like that night she took me home. I guess she has a weakness for cowboys.”

  Steve stared at him. “I’ll be damned. So you knocked on her door, and she answered and told you she wasn’t married, just like that?”

  “No, I thought she was married for most of the night. That’s why I didn’t—” Russ brought the story to a screeching halt as he realized what a mess he was making of it.

  Steve seemed to have forgotten all about his pie and coffee. “Are you telling me that Jo went with you to all the houses?”

  “Well, see, at first I thought she was a lonely woman with a no-account husband who’d left her to go chasin’ around on Christmas. So I felt sorry for her, and she really wanted to go on the rounds.”

  “And later, when you found out she wasn’t married, you stopped feeling sorry for her.”

  Russ tried to meet his gaze and failed. “You could say that.”

  “You slept with her again, didn’t you?”

  Russ shoved away the rest of his pie and coffee. “Look, I don’t need you to tell me that was a mistake. That woman just gets to me. But it’s all been taken care of.”

  “Is that right? How did you take care of it?”

  “I told her about Sarah.”

  Steve leaned back in his chair and studied his brother. Finally he shook his head. “I’m sorry, but you’d best spell it out for me, Russ. I don’t figure how telling her about Sarah takes care of anything.”

  “It’s plain as day. A woman like her doesn’t belong with a man like me. She’ll see that when she has time to think about it.”

  Steve frowned. “But she didn’t run away screaming once she found out about Sarah, did she?”

  “Not exactly, but once she thinks about it, she’ll know I’m not the kind of guy she—”

  “Russ, is that woman crying her eyes out because you’ve left her again?”

  “Cussing me out is more like it. She was pretty mad when I left. Called me an idiot.”

  “That makes two of us who hold that opinion.”

  Russ got up from the table. “You’re not thinkin’ straight, either. Supposin’ that Dad had come to us one day and said, ’Boys, you need to know somethin’. I drove careless one night and killed the woman I was going to marry.’ Would you have looked up to him after that?”

  Steve considered the question. “Yes, I would.”

  “You’re just sayin’ that because you want to make a point.”

  Steve got to his feet, too. “I’m sayin’ it because it’s the truth! Dad would’ve picked a time when we were old enough to understand. And by that time I’d know what kind of man he was! I wouldn’t judge him for a mistake in his past.”

  “You’re just talkin’ through your hat! I say you’d wonder how a guy could kill his fiancée and then just go on and marry somebody else, calm as you please, like that woman he killed meant nothing to him.”

  “You don’t want to hear the truth, do you? Well, I’m gonna give it to you anyway!” Steve pointed a finger at him. “You didn’t really love Sarah.”

  Anger boiled hot in Russ’s belly. “The hell I didn’t!”

  “You think all this grievin’ will make up for it, but you didn’t love her, cowboy. I knew that the first time you brought her home. You kept tryin’ to make it right with her, but it never was. She was a spoiled brat. And that’s the burr under your saddle, because you found somebody you can love. And you don’t want to own up to that, because then you’ll also have to own up to the truth about Sarah!”

  Russ gripped the back of the chair to keep himself from lunging across the table. He stood there breathing hard and glaring at Steve. “You are so full of it, brother. I can’t believe—”

  “Merry Christmas, boys.”

  Russ closed his eyes at the sound of the soft voice so like his mother’s. Their fight had gotten Claire out of bed. She’d baked pies and decorated the house and knit afghans to welcome in this special time of year, and now her husband and brother-in-law were paying her back by shouting at each other on Christmas morning.

  He turned. “I’m sorry, Claire. Really sorry.” He grabbed his coat and hat and bolted for the door.

  “Russ!” she called. “Don’t—”

  “Let him go,” Steve said. “If he’s set on makin’ a damn fool of himself, I reckon there’s nothing we can do to stop him.”

  SHE’D REALLY DONE a number on herself, Jo thought, hobbling back and forth in the small living room. She couldn’t even pace decently and wear off some of her fury. Damn Russ. And damn herself even more, for thinking there was enough magic in Christmas to give her a happily-ever-after. She’d dreaded being alone this morning, and thanks to her own stupidity she was really alone.

  Exhausted as she was, she doubted she’d be able to sleep. Presents from her parents waited under the tree, but she wasn’t in the mood to appreciate them. Then she remembered the tape her mother had sent her of It’s a Wonderful Life. For the first time she could remember, she hadn’t watched the movie on Christmas Eve, and in spite of everything, she hated to break the tradition.

  “Actually, it’s a crummy life,” she muttered, but lacking any better plan, she turned on her television, started the VCR and plopped onto the couch. Then she remembered what had happened there and moved to the rocker. Maybe tomorrow she’d put an ad in the paper and sell the couch. Better to sit on the floor than be reminded of that no-good Russ Gibson, the man she wished to hell she didn’t love.

  At first she didn’t pay much attention to the movie, which she knew by heart anyway. Instead, she kept replaying everything that had happened in the past few hours and cursing herself for being six kinds of a fool. Previous experience told her that eventually her anger would let up, and she wasn’t looking forward to the misery that would follow. Right now she wanted a dartboard with Russ’s face on it, but thun
der and lightning meant rain was sure to follow. Lots of rain.

  Gradually the movie drew her in, and she found comfort in the familiar scenes, almost as if her parents were sitting with her. Yes, watching the movie had been the right thing to do. It reminded her of who she was, and what she stood for. If Russ was too stupid to value that, then she was well rid of him. Of course she was.

  Something about the Jimmy Stewart character engrossed her more than usual, and finally she understood what it was. His guilt and feelings of worthlessness reminded her of Russ. With that insight, the anger ebbed a little and the first tears began. She watched the movie through streaming eyes as she cried for herself, but also for Russ, who had no angel like Clarence to show him what an idiot he was. Russ’s story would make a lousy movie.

  She had to pause the picture to hobble into the bathroom for a box of tissues, and by the end of the movie she’d created a mound of used ones on the floor. Pale sunlight peeked through the windows as the final credits rolled. With a sigh, Jo got up to shut off the television. What a merry Christmas this was shaping up to be.

  When the phone rang, she told herself it wouldn’t be Russ. Her parents, most likely, and she hadn’t even opened their presents yet As she walked into the kitchen to answer it, she planned her response. She’d say she’d slept in and would call them back once she’d opened everything.

  The male voice on the other end of the line didn’t belong to her father. “Jo?”

  Her heart slammed against her rib cage until the caller identified himself.

  “This is Steve.”

  “Oh.” Her breath came out in a whoosh. “Steve.”

  “You figured it was Russ, didn’t you? I’m sorry. We sound alike on the phone.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t want to talk to him, anyway.”

  “I’m sure you don’t. I’m not real fond of that ol’ boy myself right now.”

  “So he told you about last night?”

  “Enough. Then we sort of...got into it, and he took off.”

  The hollow place inside her felt big as a barrel.

  “He went back to Tucson?”

  “Nope. He might’ve considered it, but the roads are still pretty bad and a new storm is supposed to come in this afternoon, so the bus schedule is all screwed up. He saddled up his bay and rode out, probably headed for the lake or someplace like that.”

  “Is he...is he okay?”

  “Physically. He said he told you about Sarah.”

  “Yes.” Funny, Jo thought, that a woman had come between her and Tommy, and it was happening again with Russ. Only this time the woman was dead.

  “How do you feel about that?”

  “I told him exactly how I felt about it. He made a mistake, a really bad one, but we all do stuff like that. Most of the time we don’t get caught. He did, but that doesn’t make him any worse than the rest of us, just more unlucky.”

  Steve heaved a sigh. “Jo, I’ve talked this over with Claire. We’ve been talkin’ and discussin’ for a couple of hours, and Claire’s finally convinced me to try one last thing. We’d like you to come along with the other folks who’re invited to Christmas dinner today. If you’ll do it, I’ll pick you up when I come to fetch Lucile about three this afternoon.”

  “Lucile?” Jo frowned. “You invited her to dinner?”

  “We invited everybody on the list.”

  “But I thought you and Claire were sick? Should you be—”

  “We weren’t sick, Jo. Before we picked Russ up at the bus stop, we ate a pile of Claire’s homemade horseradish sauce, and that’ll make your nose run like crazy. I guess we were pretty convincin’.”

  Jo leaned against the counter as she began to feel lightheaded. “Wait a minute. Are you telling me you staged this whole thing to force Russ to make your rounds for you?”

  “You got it. Recently, he’s spent Christmas Eve with a bottle, focusin’ on his misery, which ain’t getting him anywhere. Claire and me, we know what an upper playing Santa is, and we figured it might be enough to cancel out his bad memories. We just didn’t count on you goin’ along.”

  “Oh my God.” Jo put a hand to her tight chest. “I ruined it for you, didn’t I? Now he’s in worse shape than ever.”

  “I wouldn’t say that, Jo.” Steve cleared his throat. “Matter of fact, I’d say my little brother’s head over heels in love.”

  16

  JO PILED OUT of the ranch van that afternoon along with the happy crowd of people she’d met individually the night before. She’d found out that the card in each present had explained that Steve and Claire had faked their illness to nudge Russ into the Christmas spirit, and they’d be perfectly well to host a big celebration dinner today. Everyone on the list was invited and Steve would come by for them in the van. No wonder everyone had been so secretive about their message inside the card, Jo thought

  “Does Russ know yet that this bunch is coming for dinner?” she asked Steve as they all trooped to the front porch.

  “I was gonna tell him. I’d planned to come clean about pretendin’ to be sick, too, but once we started shoutin’ at each other, I just let it go.”

  “Is he here?” Jo glanced around the snowy landscape, expecting to see Russ out by the barn or over near the corrals.

  “Haven’t seen him since he rode out this mornin’.”

  Jo pulled her coat tight against the wind and glanced up at the clouds. “He’d better get home soon. They’ve predicted another bad storm.”

  “He was born in these parts. He oughta know how to read the weather by now.” Steve turned to Ned as the little crowd reached the wide steps leading to the porch. “We don’t have no ramp for Dave’s chair, so you and me are gonna lift him right up these steps, chair and all.”

  “That’ll be fun, Daddy!” Kathy said. “Just like a ride at the fair, right, Benny?” She’d immediately made friends with the little boy who wore his spiffy new cowboy hat so proudly.

  Benny tugged the brim of his hat over his eyes, obviously copying a move he’d seen adults use. “Right.”

  Jo smiled. She’d met Benny and his father, Matt, for the first time today, and she’d done her best to act amazed as Benny had told her about Santa’s visit during the night

  “I wanna sit on Daddy’s lap,” Marcy said.

  Ned laughed and picked her up. “Why not? Anybody else want to hitch a ride? Steve and me can handle it.”

  “Hey,” Dave said, grinning at him. “Stop showin’ off your danged muscles for your bride and get me up there. I’m powerful hungry, and I can smell the turkey from here.”

  While Steve and Ned carried Dave and Marcy up the steps with Kathy and Benny hopping along beside them, Jo looked around to see if Lucile needed help. Apparently not. Hector Barnes already had her firmly by the arm and was escorting her up to the porch.

  “I saw that movie,” he said to Jo as he passed her. “Not bad.”

  “Glad you liked it.” Jo had half expected Hector to bring his teddy bear to dinner, but he’d come out of his house alone. Under his heavy winter coat she’d glimpsed a red plaid bow tie clipped to the collar of his shirt. He and Lucile had ended up sitting together in the van. Although Lucile had done most of the talking, telling Hector about the kittens she’d closed in the bathroom while she was out visiting, Hector had seemed happy to listen.

  Dave’s wife, Fran, paused at the foot of the steps and turned to Jo. “By the way, did Russ tell you what he offered to Dave and me?”

  “No, he didn’t.”

  Fran looked like a different woman this afternoon. Her brown hair was curled into a soft style and she wore makeup, but the sparkle in her eyes would have made the makeup unnecessary. “Dave is so eager to thank him. Russ is loaning us the money to buy a car with hand controls so Dave can drive again.”

  “That’s wonderful.” Jo’s heart ached at this new evidence of Russ’s goodness. Yet he was unwilling to give himself any credit.

  “You’re telling me it’s wonderful. Dave spent
the day talking to me about what kind to get, and we’ve decided on something that would be good for traveling, so one day we can take the girls to Disneyland. I haven’t seen Dave so excited about anything since before the accident. It’s like a miracle.”

  “Be sure and tell Russ that when you see him,” Jo said.

  “I will. I guess he must be inside helping Claire.”

  “Not yet. But I’m sure he will be soon.” Jo glanced up at the clouds as a snowflake gave her cheek a damp kiss. Get home, cowboy, she whispered to herself.

  She had the urge to wait on the porch so she’d be the first one to see him when he rode in, but if he saw her, he might just ride back out again. She started up the steps alongside Elaine and her baby, who was fast asleep in a baby carrier that doubled as a car seat. The new afghan was tucked up around Amanda’s chin, and she had her fist curled around the edge of it.

  “I guess the blanket’s working,” Jo said.

  “Like a charm.” Elaine smiled. at her. “My theory is that Claire made it with such love that she crocheted good feelings right into the pattern. Amanda can feel all those good vibrations. She’s been a little angel ever since you and Russ arrived last night”

  Jo smiled down at the sleeping baby. “Well, it’s Christmas, after all. That’s when angels show up, isn’t it?”

  “Like you and Russ, for example. This Christmas has turned out to be a much better one than I thought it was going to be. I called my parents this morning.”

  Jo gave her a quick glance. “Really?”

  “I told them the whole story. Took Russ’s advice, after all, and spilled the beans. They were great. They want me to come home to Texas so they can watch Amanda while I find a job there and get back on my feet I’ve decided to accept their help.”

  “Good for you.” Jo put an arm around the woman and gave her a hug.

  “Is Russ inside?”

  “Not yet,” Jo said again.

  “He’s my backup in case Amanda turns fussy,” Elaine said. “Look at that wreath on the door, Jo. Big as a truck tire. Claire and Steve really know how to make Christmas special.”

  “Yes, they sure do.” Jo turned around before going in the door and scanned the treeline. Nothing. Her stomach clutched as snow started falling steadily and the wind picked up, swirling it over the empty yard.