by Gavin Green
Chapter 30
Christmas morning finally came, and with it a dense fog. Brody gently rose, letting Kate sleep while he saw to only the necessary early chores. After the donkeys were greeted and given holiday treats, he went to his work shop and retrieved all of his other gifts that he'd hidden behind stone blocks.
Kate woke to the sound of the shower, and the harsh but happy panting of Pearl next to the bed. She got up and sleepily walked into the kitchen, noticing both the fog outside through the windows and the aroma of brewing coffee. The loaf of bread and cup of milk that were left out the night before were both half gone; a note rested against the plate and simply said, 'many thanks, ma'am' in tiny print. Kate took the note to the lit fireplace and tossed it in.
Turning to once again admire their handsome Christmas tree, Kate saw that there were many more packages underneath it than the night before, some of them quite large. With a smile, she mentally admonished Brody for going overboard.
While Kate cleaned up, Brody simply prepared biscuits for them. She soon joined him and they shared teasing banter over the light food before reaffirming the day's travel plans. Like an ecstatic child, Brody led Kate into the living room where the gifts awaited under shiny wrapping.
Brody's first offered present was heavy. Within the cardboard box was a perfectly rendered sculpture of a donkey head, made entirely from malachite. Kate could hardly find the words for how much she adored it, and then insisted it be taken with them later to show her family.
After the dogs were given chew toys to keep them out of the way, Kate presented Brody with two gifts at once. He tried on his new black slippers and robe, which fit perfectly. He saw her logic of giving associated gifts all at once, and Kate's lap was filled with small packages. The beautiful jewelry box began the short parade of beautiful charms; it would easily hold her current sparse collection, plus the three new lovely earring sets and delicate bracelet with ease.
Brody tapped the box sitting next to her on the couch and said, "This one is special."
Kate put a hand to his cheek. "They're all special, love. I don't even need to open it to know that."
Brody kissed the palm of her hand and then released it. With a beaming smile, he said, "Just open the damn box, darlin'."
From the wrapping and jewelry box, Kate pulled out a huge citrine necklace, faceted into the shape of a heart and chained with yellow gold.
Mesmerized, she had no words that time, so Brody filled in the silence. "From how you described it, that's the color you see when you look at me, right?" Kate could only nod as her eyes began to well. "Now you'll always have it with you." Her sudden embrace took Brody off-guard, but he kept his balance and let her try to squeeze the life out of him.
Kate finally composed herself and gave her man the remainder of his gifts, save one. Brody was overjoyed with what Kate thought were simple but appropriate presents. He loved the coveralls for sculpting (it even had a patch with his name sewn onto it), and the jerseys of the local rugby and hurling teams that were special-ordered for his size. He said he was going to wear one of the new dress shirts and ties over to the McCarthy house, as well as the new cologne. Brody had trouble setting his new money clip down; made of stainless steel and set with a grey cat's-eye stone on either side, he was taken with its handsome appeal.
Gathering the medium sized boxes, Brody scooted them over to where Kate sat. After Kate opened the last of those gifts, she felt overwhelmed, albeit in a good way. Laid all about her was two new perfumes (Brody couldn't decide, so he got both), an elaborate toiletry set, an assortment of scented candles, a knee-length wool coat, and a matching set of her own spa robe and slippers.
Feeling unaccustomedly pampered, Kate was nearly overcome when two more boxes, the large ones, were set in front of her. The first was a set of tan leather luggage; she was reminded it would be needed when they traveled to the states for Jamal's wedding. The other was an expansive set of green (her favorite color) stoneware, enough for twelve full settings with additional matching platters and pitchers. Kate's cheeks had begun to ache from smiling all morning long.
"I'm sorry, darlin'," Brody said with mock sorrow, "that's all I got for you. I hope you don't mind."
"You're mistaken, love," Kate replied, taking the smile off his face. "You did get me something else. Sit in your chair and I'll explain."
Curious and confused, Brody sat back in his big leather chair. Kate grabbed one last gift and then sat on his lap. "Here, take this first." Brody opened the small box and found a hand-made wristband. Kate pointed to the interwoven strands and said, "This is a blade of grass from the paddocks. These dark and tan ones are hairs from the dogs. That lighter one is a strand of thatch from the cottage roof. And this here is a braid of my hair laced throughout. From now on, wherever you go, you'll always have those things with you."
Brody stared at it, then at her. The only words he could find were, "I'll never take it off."
Kate helped fasten the band around his big wrist, and then looked Brody in the eye. "Love, you've given me gifts that you can't put a bow on. From you I've received freedom and honesty, and happiness in so many forms." She took his face in her small hands and leaned closer. "But most importantly, you've given me love without judgment or reservation. I can never thank you enough for that." She gave him a gentle kiss after seeing his grey eyes soften.
"But there's something else," Kate said before Brody became too emotional, "something that you didn't give." She smiled at his frown. "You never gifted me with frills like curling irons or big makeup kits, knowing I wouldn't know what to do with them if I had them. You never bought me provocative lingerie, trying to make me into some sort of… sex kitten. I was never given self-help books or lectures on improving myself."
Brody interrupted. "But Kate, I know you wouldn't want any of those things, and you sure as hell don't need 'em."
"Exactly my point; you never tried to make me into something else, or to try and improve me. I know I have my flaws and foibles, but you accepted those without hesitation. You loved me when I didn't feel worthy of it, and didn't give up on me." Kate felt herself tearing up, and finished her statement with a faltering voice. "No matter how many presents you give me, you'll never outdo that one."
Their embrace lingered until Kate felt the need for a tissue, and the heavy mood was fully broken when she cleared her sinuses. With a joking tone, Brody said, "For God's sake, woman, pull yourself together. My cousin will be here any minute. I told him you were my 'sex kitten', and now look at you." He was given a playful swat in return. A few moments later Brody received a text from Simon, who was on his way.
They cleared away the big mess of wrapping paper and boxes, and had begun another light meal when their guest arrived with a big package in his arms. After he set it down and removed his coat and cowboy boots, Simon sat down with his generous hosts for a quick brunch of rashers, champs, and eggs. Brody and Kate found their guest relaxed and happy. He even made note of thoroughly enjoying the walk to their cottage through the thick fog in the silent countryside. The couple joined their own smiles with his in mutual appreciation of his experience.
After gathering more boxes from a guest room, Simon joined the couple in their living room and offered his presents first. Kate was given a slip-on bracelet made of silver, set with three small diamonds. While she marveled at the beauty of it, Brody politely asked why his cousin was spending money on precious stones. Simon shrugged and said, "I didn't really spend a plumb nickel, cuz. I got a pouch of different kinds of rocks sittin' at home. Saved 'em up from when my pa took me panning and mining. I just traded a jeweler a few of the bigger ones so he'd shape all the others. So, honest, it's no fuss."
Kate looked over to him with wide eyes. "A... pouch full of them, you said?" Simon's reply was another casual shrug.
Smiling, Simon reached in his large duffel bag and pulled out three cereal boxes.
"Hot damn, Lucky Charms!" Brody exclaimed. Kate burst out laughing.
"Yeah, I
looked around online and found out that Ireland hardly even has that damn stuff, and it costs an arm and a leg if ya can find it. Hell, I thought it was made here."
They all laughed again, and Brody promised to share one box.
Simon's real gift to both of them was a hand-wrought fireplace set, with the pommels forged into duck heads. Considering the current migration of that particular animal around the cottage because of the lake, it was appropriate.
The first gift to Brody was a large piece of metal shaped into a heater shield. On the front was the Lynch family crest in exquisite detail, and tapped out in bas-relief. Brody stood and held it out in front of him, taking note of the extensive scrollwork and etching. He remembered saying, "Holy shit" only twice, but Kate assured him it was more than that.
Still staring at the Lynch shield, Brody wasn't expecting to have Simon pull another large item out of the bulky package. Mouth slightly agape and staring, he reverently took the offered ceremonial weapon. It was a long-hafted Gaelic axe. The sloping curve of the oaken haft was mostly wrapped in strips of leather for the look of authenticity. The head of the single-bladed weapon had the Lynch crest set in a circle, surrounded by intricate Celtic-knot etching. There was no blade sheath because it had been left quite dull; it was only for show, after all.
While Kate and Brody marveled at the fine craftsmanship, Simon vocally recalled his research, that in mediaeval times the Lynch clan and a few others favored such a weapon in battle. Brody held the axe in one hand and gave his cousin a side-by-side masculine hug with his free arm. Simon flinched at Brody's unintentional display of crushing strength, but thereafter smiled at the reaction to his gifts.
Brody set his stunning gifts aside and offered for Simon to sit in his big chair. As he relaxed into its soft cushions, Brody and Kate handed him a toaster-sized box and a manila envelope. Inside the box was an abstract sculpture in white marble with blue striations. With its curves and flowing shapes, it looked more like swirling water caught in time than rock. Kate hadn't seen the finished work, so she and Simon studied it together with great interest.
Gesturing to the envelope on Simon's lap, Brody said, "This other one might take some explaining." He and Kate sat together on the couch and watched as Simon pulled out a handful of glossy photos.
Looking at the snapshots of a house, Simon remembered it from when he and Brody stopped by to inspect the place. It was a handsome stone house with two bedrooms on one level, out on a rural road. It was in very good shape inside and out, and the lawn held many mature bushes and trees. Adjoining the lawn was a huge workshop that ran along the road, with a four-stall barn behind it. There was also a holding pen and small hay shed within the immediate grounds, all of which was surrounded by sprawling, tree-dotted fields that encircled the house and outbuildings up to the lane.
"Yeah, I remember that place; nice spread." Simon commented. He looked over to Brody with a grin and asked, "So, you're rubbing this in my face for Christmas?"
"Nope, we're giving it to you."
Surprised, Simon asked, "You're what?"
Kate was nodding with a smile while Brody leaned back into the couch. "We want you to move here. I'll give you all the reasons why you should accept the offer, and I'm not going to pull any punches on this, okay?"
Simon slowly nodded. "We've always shot straight with each other, so I wouldn't expect less."
"Alright, then here's the facts," Brody began. "First off, you don't like where you live, and from what I can tell and what you've seen so far, you love it here. Your business in Colorado is on the slide, but I think you'd do well out here. There's one farrier in these parts, Gordon McCoy, and he's gonna retire before too long. It's kind of a pain in the ass to get certification for that in Ireland, but I already talked to Gordy and he's got an idea to make it a lot easier."
"Hold on a sec… You made that sound kinda shady."
"No, not at all; I only meant that once you show Gordy your skills, he'll go to the guys he knows in the Irish Farrier's Authority and basically help you skip a lot of the bullshit."
"Oh, I see how ya mean now."
Brody continued. "When Gordy retires, you'd be the farrier taking over - the only farrier. I think that alone would get you by. But then I was planning on opening a shop, but I worried how I'd fill the damn thing up with my work. If you went in with me, you'd have more room to sell all that stuff we saw in the photos and online. And like you taught me a few days ago, you know the internet side of it better than I do. I think, if we pooled our work, it'd do well.
"But hold on, I'm not done selling this yet." Everyone, even Brody, shared a grin at his enthusiasm. "So, like I said, you'd be happier here, you'd make money here, and your family is here. Sounds good so far, right?"
"Yeah, so far," Simon agreed, "but if you're gonna try to sell me a timeshare, I'm leavin'."
"Oh shut up," Brody replied, grinning. He pointed to the pictures in Simon's hands. "That is a fourteen-acre ranch with a huge work shop we could convert for you. You like horses, and it has four stalls and plenty of room. There are no mountains around here, or any big forests - just room and quiet and privacy. Your nearest neighbor is over a quarter mile away on either side, and across the lane is nothing but fields for a long stretch. The ranch is only about five miles from here, and just over a mile from the village, so anything you'd need is close by." He let out a sigh. "I'm giving you a fresh start for Christmas, cuz. And it's not just for you; I want my family near."
Kate chimed in, saying, "We both would truly enjoy having you here permanently, as both friend and family. It may suit you better than your current situation."
Simon's face went through a series of emotions and finally settled with a worried grin. "Don't take my pause as a bad sign. It's a bang-up offer, but kinda..."
"Kinda scary, you mean?" Simon reluctantly nodded, so Brody continued. "Look, I'll be right there with ya if you want me to be. I've already got all the info for work visas and residency, and the folks in that ministry like me." He threw up a cheesy grin. "But honestly, "I've done my homework on this, cuz. All the bases are covered, and Kate and I will be there for anything you need."
Setting the photos aside, Simon sat forward and let his hands dangle off his knees. "Brody, it's one hell of an offer, and I know you two would make me feel right at home, but I don't think you know the kind of start-up cash it would take to get a new shop started. I mean, I couldn't move everything out here. Now, I know you're pretty flush, but I can't allow you to start throwing money at me."
With a smile, Brody replied, "Like I said, Simon, I've done my homework. I have a real good idea how much it'd cost, and it's not a problem. I also expected you to balk at anything free; you're too honorable for that. So I intend to charge you a flat monthly fee with no interest. It would go toward your repayment of the ranch, the blacksmithing supplies, the farrier trailer, the vehicle, and the rescue animals. It's a long-term plan."
Simon frowned. "Hold on a sec; what vehicle? What trailer? And animals? What the hell are you goin' on about, cuz?"
Kate spoke up that time. "You'll need the farrier trailer for work, of course, and a vehicle to tow it; we can't just have you walking all over Ireland looking to shoe a horse. And until Alana or someone else makes an honest man of you, you could do with a companion or two. Almost all the animals here are from rescue organizations; we've dealt with them before and could help you along there as well. You could get horses to tend to, and maybe a dog to keep you company."
"A dog, huh?"
She nodded. "We hate to see you so lonely, Simon. I can see it even now, and it hurts to see that in a friend." Simon looked down uncomfortably, but Kate persisted. "You know you want this, and we know it as well. Just say yes and make everyone happy. Please."
It was a few seconds before Simon looked back up. With a crooked grin, he said, "I reckon I can't say no to a lady's request, now can I."
