By Phyllis
The rain stopped soon after that and they were able to get another three hours sleep. Dawn arrived and began to dry the ground. Soon the only sign of the rain was the pools of moisture under the vehicles.
The two men woke early and quietly dressed and left the tent. The two young boys continued to sleep, exhausted from the late night excitement. Nathan and Josiah soon joined the men and the four sat, talking quietly as they shared a pot of coffee.
Though not normally an early riser, Ezra was the next to make an appearance, drawn out by the smell of the coffee. He brought out a cup of 'special blend' that he had brewed in the stove-equipped camper. The others shook their heads at his offer to make some more. Breakfast was almost finished when noise from the tent alerted the men that the two boys were awake. Within moments the flap fluttered as the two reenergized youngsters piled out.
Squatted by the fire cooking sausages, Buck glanced over the see JD dancing from foot to foot, his hand at the front of his shorts. He looked over his shoulder and saw Chris and Nathan examining Vin's toe. Josiah had gone to get more wood. Smiling in sympathy, the mustached man said, "You'll have to hold on a minute, JD. I'm about done here."
"Ohh,,, Buck. I can't." His face scrunched up as he hopped up and down.
"Allow me, Mr. Dunne."
Buck turned to the undercover agent and smiled. "Thanks, Ez."
The boy ran over and grabbed the man's hand, tugging him toward the trees.
"Why don't we use the facilities on the camper?" the man asked.
"Nooo, We's roughin' it. I has to go to the trees," the little boy explained. When Ezra hesitated, JD wailed, "NOW, Uncle Ezra."
Rolling his eyes, he followed the boy into the woods and they disappeared.
By the time they returned, Josiah was piling limbs for the evening campfire and breakfast was just about ready. Smiling JD skipped over to his father and sat down.
Food was heaped onto the plates. Chris pulled two pint containers of milk out of the cooler for the boys, while everyone else replenished their coffee cups. The camp fell into silence as everyone began to eat.
Nathan sat watching Ezra for several minutes before asking, "What's wrong with your leg, Ezra?"
The question had everyone turning to the southerner who frowned at the question. "There is nothing wrong, Mr. Jackson. Why do you ask?" As he spoke, he unconsciously reached down and rubbed the side of his leg.
"That" was the medic's response.
Looking down, Standish frowned deeper at the red splotches on his thigh and calf. His eyebrows rose as he looked up at the others. "I had not even noticed."
" 'pears to me, you got into some poison oak."
"I assure you, Mr. Jackson, I did not touch any of the local foliage."
"Uh-huh." JD mumbled through a mouthful of eggs.
"Excuse me, Mr. Dunne?"
The dark haired boy started to open his still full mouth when a look from the man next to him had him swallowing the food, his face crinkling as the large mass moved down his throat.
"J. D." Buck made the name sound like two different words in his exasperation. "You stop putting so much in your mouth at once."
Pouting, the boy replied, "Sorry, Papa."
"Now, finish what you were telling Ezra."
Brightening, the boy turned back to the others. "Oh, yeah, Uncle Ezra. You touched the stuff when I was pooping. Remember?"
Chuckles around the fire had the man blushing. "Yes, well, I do remember that you… well…" He glanced around and finally put on a mask of indifference. "I do not notice any poison oak."
Josiah's deep voice rumbled as he asked. "Do you know what poison oak looks like, Ezra?"
Looking slightly embarrassed, Standish tried to cover with, "I am a gentleman and an ATF agent, Mr. Sanchez, not a horticulturist."
Turning to the five-year old boy, Josiah asked the same question. A toothy grin accompanied the boy's answer.
"Sure, you showed me and Vin last time we came out. It's one of the bad plants."
"Then, pray tell, young JD, why did you not warn me of the danger to my person?"
"I did."
"No, I beg to differ, you did not."
"Did, too"
"Did not."
"Did."
"No."
"Uh-huh."
"Nuh-huh." Ezra froze at the slip, mortified that he had been reduced to the child's level. He heard snickers from everyone around, except the boy he had been arguing with.
JD's hand had stopped midway to his mouth, the biscuit momentarily forgotten. "I did too Uncle Ezra, but you was waving your hand around telling me to…" and in his best southerner drawl, JD repeated, "… 'hurry up and inter that bodily excretion before the stench permeates the entire forest'. I can't do but one thing at a time and I forgot 'bout the poison cause I was covering my poop."
Ezra's face was a deep red at the verbatim recounting of his speech. The others were laughing out loud at the southerner's mortification and, knowing he would never live it down, he played along and stood and bent over in an exaggerated bow.
"Thank you, thank you. And so, this morning's entertainment is now concluded." Once again seated, he turned a hopeful eye on the medic. "Mr. Jackson, I assume you have a remedy for this malady?"
Still chuckling, Nathan nodded. "Yeah, soon as I finish, I'll get you the calamine lotion."
"I would be very much obliged."
The seven settled back down to finish the morning meal. After they had finished and the camp straightened, Chris and Vin headed back to the stream to fish. Nathan brought out some books he claimed he had been trying to study for six months. Ezra had set up a table, brought out a chair and his laptop, connected it to the camper's satellite dish and was now checking his stocks and mumbling to himself.
Buck and JD, accompanied by Josiah, went exploring. JD was a little disappointed that Vin would not be going, also, but he got over the disappointment when Josiah picked him up and placed him on his broad shoulders. The boy had laughed and clapped and called goodbyes to everyone.
The day wore on. Ezra had finished his accounting and caught up on email. After putting the equipment away, he and Nathan had sat and talked for a while, then before the others returned, the southerner prepared the noon meal and placed it in the fire.
Chris and Vin returned with the boy riding on the man's back. While the little blond had insisted he could walk, the man had insisted that he could carry him. So, with Vin holding the fishing poles and tackle, Chris had given him a ride back to camp.
Seeing Jackson's concerned look, Larabee shook his head, indicating that everything was all right. He sat the boy down on a log and took the gear from him. While he was putting it away, he heard Ezra ask, "What? No fish today?"
"Yeah, we catched…"
"Caught" the man corrected.
"…caught a bunch, but we were doing a…'catch and…turn..'? No. DAD!. What was we doing?" the boy called out.
"Catch and release."
Vin smiled. "Yeah, catch and release. 'Cause we had fish last night and there's nowhere to put 'em if we took them home."
Ezra nodded and opened his mouth to say something when he was cut off by the return of the rest of the group. JD ran into camp and right into Chris' legs, which he latched onto.
"CHRIS! You should 'a seen." Spying Vin, JD released the man and ran to join his friend, hugging him before saying, "Vin, you missed it. It was beautiful. Maybe Uncle 'siah can carry you up, too."
Buck and Josiah entered camp in time to hear the boy's statement. They strolled in and watched as, once again, the boy jumped up.
The dark haired boy ran over to Jackson and pulled on the man's arm. "Uncle Nathan, you should go see." JD moved from one man to the next, taking Standish's hand and tugging. "Uncle Ezra, you got ta see. What's for lunch?"
Ezra looked over at Vin, as he sat quietly. "I believe Mr. Dunne is also practicing the 'catch and release' program."
JD frowned as everyone laughed, not understanding, but he recovered his smile soon enough and ran back to join Vin on the log. "It was a waterfall, Vin. It was huge." He held his arms spread wide to show just how big the waterfall was. "It was pruddy. And there was a rainbow."
Turning to Buck, JD asked, "Can we go back? You can carry Vin and I can walk. I know the way." His eyes were bright with excitement.
Buck started to answer when a voice in his ear had him chuckling instead. Chris had leaned over and whispered, "Should have let him walk off some of that energy, Buck."
"Yep, should 'a, but it's too late now." Turning to the boy, he said, "We'll see after lunch, Little Bit."
Satisfied, JD turned his attention back to Ezra and lunch. Dinnerware had been brought out. Drinks were sitting on the small table from the camper. Standish had an oven mitt and tongs and he began to remove foil wrapped packets from the smoldering remains of a fire. He placed them on the table and began to place one on each plate.
The boys moved over to the table and stood watching, JD wrinkled his nose as the sooty foil stained the plates.
"They was in the dirt." Vin commented.
"No, they were in the embers, cooking, Vincent."
Softly, JD asked, "What is it?"
Unwrapping one, he held it down for them to see. "It's a hamburger patty with potatoes, onions, and carrots, sliced over it and a little bit of butter. What do you think?"
Vin examined the meal and replied, "I had worse" but he smiled up at the man.
JD pulled it down close and sniffed. He looked up, licking his lips. "Hmmm, smells good, uncle Ezra."
"Thank you, JD. Why don't we see if it tastes as good as it smells?"
"Yeah."
Ezra insisted the men help themselves while he assisted the boys in getting situated. The boys were sat down at the table, which both the fathers and Ezra maintained was the best place to eat, since the meat and vegetables were too hot to hold in their laps. Once he handed them drinks, Ezra took his own plate and joined the boys at the table. The others were sitting around in chairs and soon the sound of forks on tin plates was the only sound other than the surrounding nature.
The silence didn't last long as the boys began to talk about their separate adventures of that morning. Even with the conversation, the two kids finished their meals first. After being excused from the table, they scattered the small figures out in the grass, stretched out on their stomachs, and began the battle again. By the time the men had finished, cleaned up and settled back down, the two boys were asleep.
Chris and Buck rose and moved over to the boys. Lifting the Lax bodies, the men gently placed them inside the tent to finish their naps. The five men took advantage of the quiet to sit back and relax. There was no denying that all five men loved the two young boys, but the two boys' energy levels could quickly drain the men who had considered themselves in peak physical condition. Their rest only lasted a half hour as sounds of low talking and giggling came from the tent. A few minutes later the flap opened and the boys made ran out, totally recharge after their brief nap.
It was decided that they would return to the waterfall. Vin expressed a desire to see it, 'if Dad does' he had said. They gathered towels and headed back up the trail. Ezra remembered to grab his digital camera and hurried after the group.
Vin was tucked into Larabee's hip, accepting a ride because of his toe. JD was in a similar position on Wilmington's hip. Following Josiah and Nathan's long strides, they quickly arrived at the natural wonder.
Fresh mist cooled the warm afternoon, leaving a slight dampness to everything around. Several groups of people stood at the bottom of the falls, enjoying the cool spray.
Ezra had the men bunch up to take pictures using the falls as a backdrop. He took pictures of the boys alone and with their fathers as well as all six. The group posed in various positions and the southerner had to grin as he reviewed the images. Turning the camera off, he started to slide it back in the case, when JD's arms wrapped around his pant-encased leg.
"No, Uncle Ezra. We didn't get any pic'ures with you."
Ezra looked down and smiled, but before he could respond, Vin was also leaning against him. Chris reached out and took the camera and the trio moved back to get the waterfall in the background. Standish knelt down and the boys each tossed an arm over one of his shoulders as he in turn placed an arm around each small waist.
Hearing the whirl of the camera storing the image, he tightened his grip and stood. With the boys now clinging to him, he whirled around until he was too dizzy too stand upright and bent over, setting the kids on their feet. The three of them staggered around as the others smiled and laughed. Ezra was certain he heard the whir of the camera during the frolicking, but decided that any future harassment would be nullified by the joy of the moment.
They gathered together and headed down stream to a point away from the frothy waters that churned at the base of the falls. There was a spot that Josiah referred to as 'The Rocks' where the water was shallow and cascaded over river rock. They discovered several families enjoying the cool water. Although there were dozens of people splashing and laughing, there was plenty of room for everyone.
The water went from a couple of inches to pockets as deep as three feet. The seven glanced around at each other and then dove in. Chris and Vin moved slowly, allowing the water to soothe the boy's throbbing toe. Larabee had seen the young boy grimace, but knew Vin would never complain, not wanting to be a bother. Vin's eyes flicked to the large flat rock to his left and he looked up at his father.
Seeing the rock vacant, Chris lifted the boy up and over, then climbed up himself. The two stretched out and sunned themselves like two snakes. The sounds of voices and water washed over them as they relaxed in the warm sun, water trickling over the rock, cooling it.
Ezra had joined Josiah and Nathan as they sat watching the children and their parents frolic in the cool stream. They enjoyed the warmth of the sun, also, letting the sounds of the day wash over and through them.
Buck was sitting in the middle of the river in two feet of water, holding JD's ankle as he kicked and laughed. Wilmington allowed the boy to swim to arm's length and then hauled him back, laughing, time and time again. The man was relieved that the incident from last month had not left the child permanently afraid of the water.
Finally, the man pulled the boy up to his chest and, seeing the wrinkled fingers, stood up and headed to the flat rock with the still giggling child tucked under one arm.
"Yo, Chris. It's about time to head back, don't ya think?"
The blond sat up and stretched. "Yeah, it's getting a little late."
The four joined their friends on the bank of the river and the small group headed back to camp. After drying off and changing clothes, they hung the wet items over the sides of the truck to let them sun dry. Despite their claims of not being tired, the boys were ordered into the tent to rest. Buck agreed to accompany them and it was only a few minutes later that the man snuck out, nodding at the question as Josiah asked.
"They asleep?"
Stretching, Wilmington smiled. "Out like a light as soon as they stopped moving." He grabbed a soda from the cooler and joined the others as they reclined around the dead campfire.
"How's your hand, Buck?"
Wilmington glanced at the medic and then his hand. Pressing his thumb against the tender pads of each finger, he nodded. "Not bad. A little tender, but not bad."
Josiah chuckled softly as he looked around. "Can we do anything without it turning into a exercise in medical treatment?"
Shaking his head, Larabee humphed, "Apparently not."
"It seems to our destiny to challenge, or at least hone, Mr. Jackson's skills." Ezra scowled at Nathan when the medic slapped at the undercover agent's hand as it scratched at his leg.
"I could write a book, 'The Care of Stubborn, Pig-headed Federal Agents'. I'd make a fortune."
"Yes, Or perhaps, 'How to Remain Sane in the Face of Federal Red Tape'?" Ezra offered.
"Or 'Raising Young 'un's on a Government Salary'?" Buck added.
"No, 'The Sanctity of the Brotherhood-in-Arms and All the Pain that Goes with it'." Josiah tossed out.
Chris hunched forward, tossing his empty can toward trash bag, as he came up with his own title. "More like, 'Raising Two Boys while Babysitting Four Pains-in-the-Ass ATF Agents.' "
Five heads turned at the sound of a young voice. "Swear jar money, Chris."
Buck laughed out loud at the expression on Larabee's face. "You had to know one of 'em would wake up in time to hear that."
Vin hobbled over to his father and sat down next to him, leaning against the man's side as he yawned. He sighed as the man ruffled his hair.
"You have a nice nap?"
The blond head nodded briefly as the boy struggled to wake up fully.
Buck glanced at the tent, waiting. It was only a moment later that the younger boy pushed through the flap. He skipped over to where Buck sat and situated himself between the man's legs, his arms tossed over the long legs. JD dropped his head back and gazed up at the man, smiling.
Buck reached around, wrapping his arms across the boy's chest and patting him on the stomach, as he leaned down over the boy's head. He grinned into the hazel eyes that peered up at him. "Morning, sunshine."
JD giggled and tensed, pulling his legs up and swinging his body between the man's legs. Buck's response was to scoop the boy up into his arms and flip him over. Gripping the wiggling body around the waist, Buck gave him a couple of swats on the upturned bottom. After avoiding the flailing feet, the man sat the boy back down and, instantly, he whirled around. He placed his hands on his father's thighs and jumped up and down a couple of times.
"Careful. I think he's winding himself up." Nathan cautioned, to which JD just giggled harder and jumped down to run around the camp. He had thrust his arms out and now made sounds like a plane as he 'flew' around and between his uncles.
He slowed and 'landed' as he approached Tanner. Plopping down next to the older boy, he sighed.
"What do we do now?"
Buck stood and rubbed his hands together. "Well, it's getting close to time to start some supper. How's everyone feel about a wiener roast?"
Both boys perked up and nodded.
"Okay. Well, let's get the fire going and get started. JD, you help me get everything together. Josiah, do you mind getting the fire going?"
"Sure thing, Buck."
"What can I do, Buck?"
"Nathan. Why don't you find us some sticks to hang the wieners on?"
"STICKS? You aren't cooking the wieners on sticks?"
Chris laughed at the medic's expression. "No, Nathan. We have some skewers for that."
The tall dark man glared at Wilmington through narrowed eyes. "Buck. One 'a these days…"
Buck chuckled as he put out his hand. "Come on, Little Bit. Let's go get the food."
"Can I carry the sewers?"
"Skewers, JD. And, no."
Soon, Josiah had the fire blazing. Buck and JD returned with their arms full. They had buns, mustard, hot dogs, relish, and four bags of different kinds of chips.
JD dropped his load next to the fire and ran over and jumped up by Vin. Chris had gotten a campstool and the boy had his foot propped up to alleviate some of the throbbing in the broken digit. The man now stood and patted the boy's shoulder as he moved to help with the dinner preparations.
JD sighed and looked at the older boy, a frown on his face. "Does it hurt a lot, Vin?"
Vin smiled as he shook his head. "Nah, not really. Just kind 'a feel it like a heartbeat in my toe."
"Wow. That must be weird," the younger boy exclaimed.
The boys sat quietly as they watched the men getting everything out, staying out of the way. When the hot dogs had been placed on skewers, they moved closer and stuck the wieners in the flames.
They sat cross-legged as the meat plumped and browned. JD had his arms extended as far as he could after he had inched back, exclaiming, "Hot" and wiping his brow. Buck finally asked if he could hold it and JD could go get Vin and himself a drink.
"Okay." The boy jumped to his feet and ran to the truck where the cooler was kept.
Buck called after him, "I sat the cooler on the other side of the truck, son."
The calm quiet of the evening dissolved as a thump sounded followed by the wail of a child. Five men jumped to their feet, with four of them heading toward the heart-wrenching sobs. Chris stayed and held the blond boy as he tried to join the others.
"It's okay. They'll get 'em. It'll be alright, son."
Vin pointed toward the truck and in a shaky voice said, "But he's crying. He needs me."
Before Chris could respond, the others reappeared with Buck carrying the sobbing JD and Nathan holding a towel against his head.
While Buck still had a slightly panicked look on his face, he was smiling and shaking his head. He sat down, drawing Jackson down with him. Ezra had jogged up behind them and stood, holding the first-aid kit. Josiah resumed his place at the fire, holding two cold drinks in his hands. Passing one to Larabee, he explained.
"Tailgate was down on the truck and he ran into it."
Chris could see the blood that had run down the small face and knew Vin was seeing it, also. "Nathan, how bad?"
The medic pulled the cloth back a little to get a good look.
Feeling the pressure slacken on his head, JD stopped whimpering and pulled his head back, blinking at the sudden light. Blood had run down both sides of his nose from a cut near the bridge of his nose. Nathan took an antiseptic towelette and wiped around the boy's face, cleaning it up. He felt around the tiny cut and cleaned it out, before pulling a small butterfly band-aid out, one with cartoon characters running across it and placing it on the cut. He talked as he worked.
"JD, let's get that face cleaned up so I can see what we got, okay?"
"Ow, ow."
"Well, that's not bad at all. Little 'ole tiny cut like that? Won't even leave a scar if we treat it right." He was putting the band-aid on as he finished talking. The last statement was directed at the boy, but meant for the man clutching the child.
Buck turned the now smiling five-year toward him. "Well, I guess you've joined the ranks of the walking wounded now, Little Bit."
"Yeah, but I got's a band-aid." His little hand reached up, but Buck intercepted and redirected it.
"Well, why don't you just leave it alone? Can you do that for me?"
The boy nodded and then looked up as Nathan stood. "Thank you, Uncle Nathan. I was bleeding out and you saved me."
Nathan laughed and ruffled the black hair. "I know it looked like a lot of blood, but I don't think you were 'bleeding out'. But you are very welcome. I'm glad I could help."
"JD? Where did you hear that phrase, 'bleeding out'?" Buck asked.
JD glanced at Vin and then said, "One of Miz Potter's shows. She puts us to bed for naps and watches her shows." Glancing again at the older boy, he continued. "Sometimes we sneak into the hall and lay down and watch, too." He ducked his head, knowing that he had said too much.
Chris was aware that Vin had gone still in his arms, alarmed that they were in trouble, so he hugged the slender form in reassurance. He was rewarded when the shy child leaned back against him and relaxed.
Josiah broke the silence. "Well, I'm not sure what the rest of you are thinking, but I think that first thing tomorrow, I'm heading back home before I became the last victim of this 'vacation from Purgatory'. I feel like a marked man." The profiler grinned as he finished the statement and went to stand up.
When JD had cried out, and the meal abandoned, the supplies were scattered about in their haste to check on the boy. Unfortunately, the plastic bottle of ketchup had been kicked near the stump Josiah had been using. Now, as he stood he felt something under his foot and tried to pull back, but his full weight came down on the bottle. The pressure was too much and the bottle burst open even as Josiah danced away from it. The barrel-chested man fell back onto the stump and then slid off the back side, landing on his tailbone with a grunt of pain escaping his throat.
A cry of indignation accompanied the man's graceless descent. Not from the team profiler, but rather the undercover agent. All the others sat in stunned silence as Ezra Standish, refined southern gentlemen, swiped at the red splotches that covered him from the waist down. Ezra's face was almost as red as his pants.
JD broke the spell when he began to giggle. He wrapped his small hands over his mouth, but the sound escaped, his injury forgotten as he laughed. Buck began to laugh also. And soon, everyone was laughing at the man's expanse. Looking around at his friends. Ezra rolled his eyes and grinned. With his hands covered in red goop, he tensed them into claws and began to stalk the two boys, who crawled further into their father's comforting embraces, squealing in delight.
Meanwhile, Jackson had turned to Sanchez and helped him up. Laughing at the antics of Ezra, Josiah sat down, only to leap to his feet and moan as his hand sought out the injured area.
"Josiah?"
Waving the medic off, he said through clenched teeth, "I'm fine. It's just a bruise, Nathan."
"Well, I better check it out. You could have broken your tailbone."
"Nathan, I love you like a brother, but unless I am bleeding and in danger of passing on, you shall not be examining my as…" The older man glanced at the two boys as the conversation had drawn their attention. "…my tailbone. Thanks just the same."
Nathan threw his hands up and turned away, but the smile that pulled at his lips was evident to the people he was facing.
JD wiggled out of Buck's embrace and went over the Sanchez, where he wrapped his arms around one leg. Looking up, he said very seriously, "I'm sorry you broke your tail, Uncle 'siah. Will you have to get a cast put on it?"
Chuckles dissolved into outright laughter at the mental imagine.
"That's one cast I ain't goin' to sign." Buck stated.
Josiah merely rolled his eyes at the antics. He went down on one knee and wrapped his arm around JD and then Vin, as he joined them. "Don't worry. I didn't break anything. It's just a bruise…in a really tender spot. I'll just have to walk and sit careful."
"Like when I hit Papa with the bat?"
"Or when he rode home in wet jeans and walked funny?" Vin added.
Josiah laughed at the boys' eagerness to relate to his injury. "Not exactly, but, yes, something like that."
Chris stood and looked at his watch. "I know we planned to stay a couple more days, but it's only six. If we leave now, we can be home before midnight."
He looked at the others, judging their reaction to the change in plans. Ready to make it an order, he smiled at the relieved faces around him. Apparently everyone felt the same way.
"Good. Let's get out of here before someone really gets hurt."
So we came home. Yeah. We didn't get to do no sploring.
But we got to fish.
And we went hiking.
Member how we stopped to eat burgers on the way home.
Yeah. And we roasted marshmallows too.
The seven had arrived at the Larabee ranch a little after eleven thirty that night. They had stopped and got burgers to make up for the interrupted meal. Disappointment showed on the two young boys' faces, so Chris and Buck told them they could stay up and they would toast marshmallows when they got home.
To the young boys' credit, they managed to remain awake and enjoy one marshmallow each. But the late hour, the drive home, the two days of activity took its toll on their young bodies and they fell asleep sitting on the floor, resting in the crossed legs of their fathers. Vin merely relaxed and slipped to the side. JD was still chewing his marshmallow and the sticky mess trickled out of the corner of his mouth. Buck leaned the child over, removing the sticky mass from the slack mouth. He took a pillow from the couch and tucked it under his head as he lay over on the floor, pulling the warm body in close. Gazing sleepily at the flames, he placed a kiss on the dark head and drifted to sleep.
Chris had leaned back against the couch. Stretching out his legs, he pulled the seven-year old up to his chest and smiled when the normally introverted boy sighed and curled up on his broad chest. The ATF team leader swallowed pass the lump in his throat as his hand absently rubbed the boy's shoulder, The man dropped off to sleep with his hand still lazily moving.
The scene was lost on the remaining Team Seven members. The three men had not lasted much longer than the two boys. Now, at a few minutes after midnight, the Larabee household was silent except for the snores of the slumbering occupants.
The next morning they woke to the smell of bacon frying. They woke to stiff and sore muscles. They woke to a five-year old with two black eyes. They were tired and dirty and happy to be home.
I'm glad Mrs. Potter came home to feed Torkus so she could fix breakfast. I was just glad she let us eat before we had to take a bath.
Remember how she cried about my toe and your eyes? She has the best hugs.
Yeah. All soft and warm.
Gentlemen, are you done?
Just a minute Uncle Ezra. We got to spend the rest of the week with Chris and Buck. Ringo and Elvis came home the same day we did and we spent the rest of the week playing and riding and Chris and Buck stayed home all day.
YEAH! That was the bestest part. We had fun.
Oh, they're coming? Okay, Uncle Ezra, we're finished. JD, you want to say anything else?
The computer can't see you.
NO!
Okay, that's all. Bye, computer.
Next: The Redemptor Horse by Gina D
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