Anniversary Drabbles
Josiah - OW
His heart ached to see her this
way. He hated coming here, but could not
stay away. Ten years. Ten years today since he had come home for a
visit, only to find her this way, the light and laughter gone from her eyes. Driven from them by the hard fists and
harsher words of her father; their father.
His fault for leaving her to that cruel fate.
“I’m sorry, Hannah,” he whispered,
as he always did.
The woman rocked, hugging her
knees and humming a wordless, empty song, safely locked in her own world. Ten years absent from his.
Nathan – ATF (a triple drabble)
“Oh, God! How could this happen?”
“Mr. Jackson?” Ezra queried,
concerned by Nathan’s frantic tone.
“Today’s my fifth wedding
anniversary!”
“And you forgot,” Ezra summarized.
His pitiful groan was answer
enough.
“Housekeys,”
Ezra demanded. Confused, Nathan
complied, only to see them tossed toward Vin. “Black
suit, blue silk tie.”
“Got it,” the Texan replied.
Chucking his cell-phone at JD,
Ezra commanded, “Speed dial 4, reservation for two, my account.”
“On it,” JD called back.
Fishing a card from his wallet,
Ezra flipped it to Josiah. “Juliet’s on
Fifth.”
“Roses?” Josiah asked.
“Carnations,” Nathan replied,
stunned.
Within seconds, everyone else had
their assignments. Chris had volunteered
to arrange for a limousine to pick Rain up from work while Buck, who had a
practiced eye, immediately departed to select an appropriate jewelry purchase.
Ezra himself handled the booking
of an exclusive hotel suite, complete with champagne and romantic
appetizers. He finished this act by
saying, “Given the short notice, I will pick up the twins and baby-sit for you
this evening. Assuming you don’t mind the children spending a night at my home?”
“I’ll call the daycare and let ‘em know,” Nathan said faintly.
“Excellent,” Ezra replied, beaming
with satisfaction.
“Thank you,” Nathan told him
sincerely, amazed at what had transpired.
His anniversary had gone from a disaster to what sounded like fairy-tale
perfection in the space of fifteen minutes.
“I don’t know what to say. Let me
know how much I owe you. I promise I’ll
pay you back.”
Ezra winked. “Consider it a favor. Or, if you prefer, an opportunity to thank
you for the fine, and largely uncompensated, medical care you provide.” Waving a hand airily, he told him, “Have
fun.”
Nathan grinned. The commercials were right. There was a cost to nearly everything, but
good friends were priceless.
JD - OW
A year had passed since he’d
stepped off that stagecoach. Since he’d made the west his home.
He’d had all the excitement he’d
ever wanted, and more heart-ache than he could’ve imagined. He sighed, remembering poor Miss Annie.
He had friends too, good friends
who had become like family to him.
The west had also brought him
love. He had never said the words to
Casey, but she knew. When he looked
toward the future, she was always by his side.
Respect, responsibility, adventure
and pride.
The west had given him all of that.
It was a dream come true.
Vin – OW
Thirty. Dang, it hardly seemed
possible!
Birthdays were not something that
caused much excitement for Vin. There’d been sweets and little gifts from his
mama when he was a boy, but nothing since.
Mostly, he hardly even recollected his age unless someone asked.
Thirty sounded so old! Not that he was complainin’. With that bounty on his head, he’d hardly
expected to get here.
Figured Buck would be the one to
find out.
“Happy birthday!” Buck had shouted as soon as Vin had walked
in the saloon. There’d been free drinks
flowing ever since. Maybe turnin’ thirty wasn’t so bad.
Chris – OW
Once, his life had been filled
with joy. He had looked forward to
coming home each day with eager anticipation.
Four years ago, that had ended.
What kind of twisted person would
take the lives of a woman and child?
What kind of monster would kill with fire, not quick and clean, but in a
slow horrifying blaze?
What kind of God would allow it?
He held up his glass, watching
sparkles of sunlight pierce the reddish liquid within, like tiny licks of
flame. No God at all.
Chris Larabee closed his tear
filled eyes and drank the devil’s toast.
Ezra – ATF
Ezra frowned as he adjusted his
tie. “I feel like an interloper.”
JD, who’d been watching his
friend’s nervous primping in the men’s room mirror for several minutes asked,
“Why?”
“I attended
“Then why do you want to go to
your ten year reunion?”
Ezra smiled wistfully. “Because five months was the longest I’d ever
spent in one school. I suppose I want
something to commemorate that.”
Buck – ATF
“What on earth are you
doing?” Nathan asked, watching Buck
unload a huge box of cards, all bearing the sentiment, ‘Thinking of You’.
“Gotta
finish at lunchtime or they’ll be late,” he explained cryptically.
Chris smirked. “That time of year already, stud?”
“Yup.”
“It’s his anniversary,” Chris said
to Nathan.
“What anniversary?” asked Josiah,
eyeing the stack of pre-addressed envelopes.
“Buck sends a card to every woman
he’s ever slept with on the anniversary of losing his virginity,” JD explained
helpfully.
Ezra raised a brow. “The expense of that endeavor boggles the
mind.”
Buck smiled. “Yeah, but they’re worth it.”