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Rosemary whipped her head to her husband. “Why would you choose that? They can monitor you here.” Despite her words, there was a pleading in her eyes that I knew all too well. One that I saw on my grandma’s face a few days before my grandpa had passed.
I watched as Charlie strained and gently patted her hand. But his gaze slid to Tenley. She sucked in a trembling breath beside me and gave him a soft nod.
Charlie coughed. “There’s nothing they can do. I want to be—” he wheezed and took several breaths.
“He wants to be with us, Mom,” Tenley quietly said, finishing his sentence. “Again, I can help out. Running an IV line in animals can’t be too different from humans. But he wants to come home and spend Christmas with us. One last time,” she choked on her last sentence, pressing tighter against my frame. It took everything in me to remain solid and steady, the pain that was crashing through them was more anguishing than words could describe.
Charlie nodded and then lifted his gaze from my beautiful Tenley to me.
I was shocked, he was looking at me.
Looking at me with eyes of desperation. Silently asking me for something.
And I was confused as to what he wanted. Only for a moment.
“Please,” he pleaded, the word so strained and painful. Please, he begged of me. His request was nothing more than to make sure everyone he loved and those they loved were together. A gift that I could give, even if he shouldn’t be leaving his house at all.
“Mrs. Mayn,” I started.
“Rosemary, Weston. It’s Rosemary,” Tenley’s mom immediately said.
“Rosemary,” I corrected myself, watching Charlie. “Would your family like to come to the ranch to celebrate the holiday? You can join us for the party on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for however long you can handle it. I know Tenley will be helping you and Irene take care of Charlie during the night, but if you’re all with us at the ranch during the day, that would provide a little bit of a break for you with all the extra hands around to help out. It would also make all of us very happy to have your family celebrate the holiday with us.”
Rosemary looked at me and then down at her husband. “Wait,” she whispered, and he gave her a very strained smile. “Is that really what you want?” She asked, knowing that even a couple hours away from his own home would be very taxing. I was totally okay missing the party to be with Tenley, considering the circumstances, but what Charlie wanted, I would give him. For Tenley.
He nodded once. “I need—” he coughed, swallowing painfully. “I need my whole family. Together. One last time.” He took another heavy breath. “That includes Weston, now.”
Charlie paused, wheezing as Rosemary blinked rapidly, wiping away the tears on her face. “It does, doesn’t it?” She smiled softly for a moment and then her face tensed with concern. “Couldn’t he come spend it with us, instead, so then you wouldn’t have to leave the house?” she protested, the grief heavily evident within her eyes.
He coughed lightly. “But he needs to be with his family, too,” Charlie added, and I sucked in my breath. Even near the end, Tenley’s dad was thinking of someone else. Much like a girl I knew who threw her arms around my waist and held me tightly. Trying to pull some comfort for herself.
Rosemary let out a sigh and looked back at me. “It won’t be too much of an inconvenience?” she asked, and I shook my head, reassuring her again.
“Absolutely not. It is Christmas after all, and like Charlie said, we should be with family.” I looked at Tenley’s father, who closed his eyes in relief.
“We get to spend Christmas at the Duke Ranch now, too?” Maddie whispered to Luke, excitedly, not realizing how loud she was.
And everyone laughed through tears that streamed down their cheeks. Despite how dreary the situation was at the moment, there was still some humor to be had. Something happy to look forward to. There was still joy to be found, despite how dark and terrible things might seem.
Hope.
The room began to fill with a buzz of excitement as they chatted quietly amongst themselves. Tenley let go of me and walked to the other side of her dad, sitting on the edge of the mattress, and joining in a conversation. Maddie and Luke leaned against the foot of the hospital bed and laughed at whatever was being said.
I simply watched. As Irene and Frank did. Letting those five have a moment alone.
Tomorrow was certainly going to be interesting. My parents, well, specifically my mom, were going to have to just accept Tenley’s presence and her family’s presence. Because that was happening no matter what protesting she might try. Though there was a part of me that knew there wouldn’t be much argument. And I guess the least I could do, despite the fight between my mom and I, was still play Santa for the kids by slipping away unnoticed and dropping off a bag of presents on the porch.
Which reminded me that I needed to add a couple gifts to the bag now, since Tenley’s nieces and nephews would be around. I was going to make sure Tenley’s family knew they were also invited for the more intimate evening portion of our Christmas Eve celebration. The part where my mom’s party guests didn’t typically join us. The only reason that would be acceptable for them to leave would be if Charlie wasn’t feeling well enough to stay.
And somehow, amongst everything that was going to happen tomorrow, I would try and still find a moment to take Tenley out on a date. Alone. Not for something that had to be perfect, no I learned my lesson there. But just to be alone. So we could spend some time together, just the two of us. She wanted nothing more than to be with me, so I could give her that. Maybe I could convince her to sneak away for a small trail ride, or to just go for a walk. As long as it was something we did alone, it would be exactly what she wanted.
Smiling, I watched as she leaned forward in laughter. Surrounded by people she loved.
And realized someone else was watching me. Sliding my gaze away from Tenley, I found Frank had his eyes focused on me instead of his son.
He smiled, bobbing a slow nod, and let go of Irene. He quietly walked my way, the only person who noticed his movements was Tenley’s grandma. Obviously she would. His large hand clamped around my shoulder as he stopped beside me.
“You’re a good man, Weston,” he said. “A very good man.”
