Jess jumped as he felt a cool gentle hand touch his forehead. He opened his eyes Slim was perched on the edge of the couch. The smell of, if he wasn�t mistaken, fried chicken filled his nostrils.
�No sign of any fever, so I think you�ll live. You ready for some lunch, Pard?� Slim asked his hand moving in a brotherly fashion to rest on Jess� shoulder.
Jess blinked several times in an effort to remove the sleep from his eyes. He looked around the room. Mike was sitting at the table concentrating on his painting; Slim�s desk was now tidy, with no signs of books or account papers to be seen. Slim leaned towards the grate adding another log to the fire.
�C�mon Mike, clear that away for now so that we can lay the table for lunch,� Daisy said as she came in carrying two cups of coffee. Handing a cup first to Slim and then to Jess. �How are you feeling Jess? Is your headache gone?�
Jess thought for a moment, his head was still clearing the sleep out. He guessed he was feeling better. �Yes thanks, Daisy.� He shifted position on the couch and sipped his coffee. �Slim, what time is it?�
�Just after twelve thirty,� Slim answered, seating himself in the chair across from him.
Jess looked at him a questioning look on his face. �Why�d you let me sleep the whole morning away? We�ve got so much to do.�
Slim rolled his cup in his hands. �Well, when, Mike and I came in from seeing to the stage you were fast asleep. Didn�t have the heart to wake you, so I got on with finishing the accounts an� Mike started on making his tree ornament. Going to be something real special when he�s finished it.�
Lunch was a lively meal full of chatter, mostly from Mike. Daisy had to tell him more than once to eat slower or else he would be sick. But he couldn�t contain his excitement. Slim offered to help Daisy with the dishes but she just hustled him out of the kitchen, saying that the best thing he could do to help her was to get Mike out from under her feet. So the boys hauled on their thick sheepskin jackets, and at Daisy�s insistence wrapped woolen scarves about their necks and pulled on hats and gloves.
�Now you will be careful?�
They assured her that they would and hurried out into the bright afternoon sun.
Mike rode with Slim asking, for the hundredth time, when they were going to teach him to ride and when could he have a horse of his own. He knew the answer even before either of them answered. �When your older�, was always the reply but he asked anyway whenever he got the opportunity.
As they rode he carried on with his chatter about Christmas, the snow, almost anything that came into his young head. Jess and Slim riding side by side, just smiled at one another and at the ongoing banter from their young charge. It was going to be just the three of them for the next couple of hours and they planned on making the most of it. With all the extra workload Jess and Slim had, there hadn�t been much time for such outings as these with Mike and they had both missed them. They would make up for it this afternoon.
The snow twinkled and glistened like a carpet of small gems in the afternoon sun. They had been riding for about an hour when Slim and Jess pulled their horses up in a thicket of young pines. Only a few days before they had visited this exact spot to pick out the best tree. They dismounted, Slim lifting Mike down and tying their horses up to another nearby pine. The tree they had chosen was about the same height as Slim. It was rich and green with plenty of thick branches - there was nothing puny about this tree; it was perfect.
�So what do you think, Mike, will this one do for your first Christmas tree?� Jess asked resting a hand on Mike�s shoulder.
For the first time since they had left home, Mike was silent. Slim and Jess looked at one another then at the small figure standing in front of them. Concerned, they both stooped down on either side of the silent boy.
�Mike?� Slim put a hand on Mike�s back. �Jess asked you a question.�
Mike turned to face them, large tears trickling down his rosy cheeks.
�Hey, Tiger,� Jess said, hating to see the boy so upset. �What�s wrong?�
Mike flung his arms around their necks. �Just glad you�re my family.� Slim and Jess wrapped their arms around him and held him - they were glad too.
It was Slim who broke the silence. He picked Mike up and placed him on his shoulder. �Better get this tree cut, Jess and head for home before Daisy starts to worry.�
Jess took a flat bundle that was hanging from his saddle horn and unwrapped it to reveal his saw. Mike made snow angels while he and Slim set to work.
In a few minutes the tree lay on its side in the soft snow. Jess cleaned the saw-blade; wrapping and stowing it back on his saddle. He untied what looked like a bedroll but which was actually a large piece of sacking and laid it out on the ground. He and Slim laid the cut pine onto the sacking and proceeded to wrap the tree up and tie it securely. This took several attempts as the branches kept sticking out but eventually they succeeded and stood back congratulating themselves on a job well done. Slim told Mike that wrapping the tree up like this would prevent the branches from being damaged as they drug the tree back home. Jess tied a long length of rope to the end of the trunk and attached the other end to his saddle horn then they mounted and headed for home.
Dusk fell as they rode into the yard. Jess jumped down, untying the rope from his saddle and propped the tree up on the porch. He lifted Mike down and the boy swooped indoors to tell Daisy they were back. Slim and Jess headed for the barn to feed the stock and settle their horses for the night. They chatted and laughed about the afternoon�s events, happy in their work and in the company of each other.
�Do ya think he suspects anything?� Slim asked.
�Nope, don�t think so.� Jess answered.
�Is everything set like we discussed the other day? Don�t want anything to go wrong now.�
�Don�t worry, Slim, everything is set. I spoke with Jeb yesterday, we are to leave the back door of the barn open and he will drop by late Christmas Eve night. That way it�ll be all ready for Christmas morning.�
�Good. Is Mike ever going to be surprised!� Slim slapped Jess on the back.
�Merry Christmas, Jess.�
�Merry Christmas, Slim.�
As Slim opened the front door, the aroma of fresh baking filled the air. Daisy had been true to her word. On the table was an array of succulent Christmas treats. Fresh baked Christmas bread (apparently this was something special she made every Christmas and it contained currants, cherries and other dried fruits), mincemeat tart, fresh oranges, egg nog and of course their favorites of apple pie, made only the way Daisy could make it and chocolate cup-cakes. Daisy came out of the kitchen as she heard them come in, Mort Corey and Mose were with her.
Mort shook Slim�s hand. �Hope you don�t mind, Slim but, Miss Daisy insisted on us joining you and you know there�s no arguing with this woman once her mind is made up.�
�Mind, why would we mind? You and Mose are like family. Now give Jess an� me a hand with this tree will ya before Jess drops it on my foot.�
Jess was still standing out on the porch holding one end of the tree and hearing Slim�s mocking, he made the gesture of letting the tree fall from his grasp. Jess was just stepping full into the light when Mose noticed the black eye.
�Whoa, Jess how�d you do that?� Mose asked
�Fell off his horse in the dark Mose. Think he may have had a little too much Christmas cheer.� Slim chuckled. �That�s it Sherman,� Jess thought letting go of the tree and pushing his way into the room.
�Ouch, Jess that was my foot.� Slim yelped hopping about; Mort and Mose laughed at the younger men�s antics and picked up the tree standing it upright. They looked at one another glad they had come.
�Looks like you�ve been busy Daisy,� Jess said walking past a hobbling Slim throwing him a mischievous �serves you right� grin. �There must be enough food here for an army.�
�Well I know how you like to eat, Jess,� she replied laughing.
�Yeah, Jess you sure can put it away,� Mose added poking fun, something he always liked to do to Jess given the opportunity.
�Must see, Slim or, Miss Daisy in town two or three times a week at the general store getting supplies, just to keep up with you,� said Mort joining in the prattle about Jess� eating habits.
�Okay, all of you, enough all ready,� Jess said in a harsh tone turning quickly to glare at them all. The grins faded, they hadn�t meant to upset him. They were just funning. There was silence. �Great we�ve pushed too far,� thought Slim.
Jess� face was like stone, cold hard and staring. Then it softened, a smile cracking his lips. �If only you could see your faces! Let�s eat� and he burst out laughing. Slim moved to cuff him behind the ear but as usual Jess was too quick and he missed.
As Daisy finished the final touches to their meal, the men placed the tree in a bucket that Slim had filled earlier in the day with sand and dirt to hold the trunk upright and firm. Then they stood it in the place always reserved for the Christmas tree, in the corner of the living room next to the kitchen, just below where the stairs went up to the roof.
When they had enjoyed their meal of baked ham with all the trimmings, Slim headed to the attic bringing down an old large box in which were stored decorations from over the years. Daisy had seated Mike in the kitchen so that he could finish making his contribution to the tree. The evening was filled with laughter and stories of Christmas adventures. All the while they trimmed the tree, snacking on the delicacies that Daisy had prepared and drinking hot apple punch.
Slim told Mike the history of each ornament as it was placed on the tree.
�So, Mike is your ornament finished?� Slim asked him.
Mike ran to the kitchen returning with a huge smile of satisfaction. He handed Slim what he had worked hard on all day. Slim held it up. It was a wind chime.
�Aunt Daisy helped me with cutting the little pieces of wood but I did the rest myself. I sanded it all, then I painted the letters, then, Aunt Daisy helped me tie it together. So really it�s, Aunt Daisy�s ornament too, cause she�s been too busy to make one cause of all the cooking.�
Slim shook it gently listening to the notes it made. It comprised of a small silver bell and four long strikers. Slim looked at the lettering painted on each one of the strikers. He read, SLIM � JESS � MIKE � DAISY.
�It�s our family,� Mike announced. �See there�s one note for each of us.�
�It�s beautiful, Mike.� Slim said. �You hang it on a branch.�
They had nearly emptied the box of ornaments when Mike spied one last one at the very bottom of the box. He reached in and lifted it out. It was very unusual. It was a wooden star painted silver but in the centre of the star was etched a picture of a black six-shooter.
�What�s this one Slim?�
�Ah, Mike,� Slim said as he took the ornament carefully from Mike fondling it gently in his large hands. �This one�s real special,� he answered stooping next to Mike.
Jess moved closer to the duo as Slim looked up meeting blue watery pools looking down upon the carving held in his palm.
�Why don�t you ask Jess? He made it on his first Christmas here at the ranch.�
Standing Slim handed the carved ornament to Jess. Daisy moved next to Jess, and placed her hand on his elbow, she could see the tears welling in his eyes as he recalled that first Christmas - the love and the laughter. He hadn�t wanted to make an ornament, saying that it was a tradition reserved for family but Slim had insisted.
Daisy held out her hand. �May I see it, Jess?� He handed it to her, wiping his face with his sleeve. �It�s beautiful, Jess. I don�t think I have ever seen anything so unusual.�
�So why carve a handgun in a Star, Jess?� Mort inquired.
Jess took a deep breath as he composed himself in order to tell the reasoning behind it.
�Well it�s what Slim calls symbolic. The gun represents my old way of life - my past. The star represents a new beginning, a new life and is showing me the way.�
He smiled as he remembered the hours he spent on its making and that first Christmas Eve when Slim had had him hang it on the tree. It was that night he finally hung up his past forever and started a new life with a new family. Finding at last the peace that he had been so long denied.
Jess could feel the hot flush rushing into his damp face.
Slim put a hand on Jess� back. �You�ve come a long way since then, Pard,� he said squeezing the back of Jess� neck with his usual fondness.
Mort and Mose nodded their agreement. Jess had been a wild one when he first came to Laramie but now he was a well-respected member of the community. A citizen everyone liked and admired.
�Thanks, Slim, that means a lot coming from you.� Jess took the ornament from Daisy and bent down to Mike. �Why don�t you find me a spot on the tree for this?�
Mike beamed at Jess and after a few moments thought and a searching of the tree, he picked an empty branch near the tree�s top. Jess gave Mike his ornament and lifting him up, Mike hung it on the tree and as it twirled, the star sparkled and shone.
Daisy poured more punch and they completed the trimming with garlands of threaded popcorn and cranberries. The mantle was strewn with sprays of evergreens giving the room a rich smell of pine, oranges and all things Christmas.
Slim reached into the large box, which was now empty except for one smaller box that lay at its bottom.
�Just the star for the top of the tree,� he announced, �and then we�re done.�
Opening the small box and removing the paper packaging from inside he revealed a large silver star that glittered in the firelight as he held it up for them all to see.
�I remember that,� Mort said, �Your Ma made it didn�t she, Slim?�
�She sure did, the year I was born in fact,� Slim replied, thoughts of other Christmas trees that his family had trimmed coming into his mind.
Mike, not realizing what he was saying, blurted out. �Boy, Slim that�s a really old decoration then; isn�t it.� Everyone was still.
�From out of the mouths of babes.� Daisy thought and smiled warmly at Slim.
Slim just smiled, �Yes, Mike, it�s really old.�
Daisy put her arm around Jess as they both mused at Mike�s innocence, glancing over at Mort and Mose who were also showing their pleasure at the boy�s remark.
�So who gets the honor of putting it on the tree this year? Your Ma always did it till �� Mort paused, �then Andy carried on the tradition as I recall.�
Slim motioned to Jess. �Bring that chair over here will you Jess?�
Jess turned and grabbed the chair that was behind him and placed it in front of the tree.
�Mort�s right, my Ma put the star on the tree every year until she died. Then I had Andy carry on the tradition. But as Andy can�t be with us this year and may not be able to be home every Christmas now�� Slim paused, looking to Jess for reassurance of his decision. Jess knew what Slim was thinking and he smiled nodding his assurance.
Slim held out his hand, �Daisy?�
Daisy couldn�t believe her ears. She looked searchingly from Slim to Jess.
�You�re our Ma now, Daisy.� Jess said gently and taking her hand he placed it in Slim�s.
Slim and Jess helped her onto the chair and steadied her as she ceremoniously placed the star on the top of the tree. She turned and Slim lifted her slowly down to the floor, there he hugged her.
She stood back from the embrace wiping her tears away with her apron. �Enough of this Slim Sherman. You�ll have me crying all through Christmas.�
They all stood back to look at the tree now adorned in its festive finery. Daisy stood her arm around Slim�s waist, Mike next to Daisy holding onto her apron, Jess next to Slim with his hand on Slim�s shoulder. Mort and Mose looked at the small group.
Mose motioned to Mort, �Great looking family,� he said quietly Mort nodding his agreement.
�Time we were thinking about bed,� Daisy said always the practical at heart.
�There are fresh linens in the bunkhouse for you and Mose,� she said nodding towards Mort.
�Thanks, Miss Daisy sure is nice of you to put us up for night.� Mort said.
�No trouble at all and it�s a lot safer than you trying to ride back to town in the dark.� Daisy covered the remains of the feast with a large tablecloth, saying that she would clear it away in the morning. Then she and Mike said their goodnights, leaving the four men sitting by the fire.
�How�s about a night cap before we hit the sack?� Slim asked as he and Jess began clearing plates from the table. They weren�t about to leave Daisy with all the clearing up. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and she was planning a big turkey supper so she would have enough to do without having to worry about this. Slim returned to the fireside carrying four glasses and a bottle saved for special occasions.
Jess finished clearing the table, putting the dirty dishes in the sink to soak and placing the remaining goodies into storage containers to keep them fresh. They certainly were going to eat well this holiday season. He joined the others by the fire seating himself in his usual place in the rocker. Slim poured him a drink and handed it to him.
�To good friends,� Slim toasted, he and Jess raised their glasses to Mose and Mort.
�Thanks boys,� Mort said. �And here�s to you both - best deputies I ever had. Thanks for all your help this last year,� and he raised his glass.
Slim refilled their glasses several times as they enjoyed the warmth of the fire, the good whiskey and the good company.
