Lead Me Home, Numb3rs, Part 3/84
Don't own 'em, don't sue.
Part 1 Part 2
Emily waved cheerily as she deftly maneuvered her car around Colby’s rental.
Colby waved back a little less enthusiastic seeing the disappointed look on his mother’s face. He knew she’d wanted him to come with them. But town was no longer a treat for him. He lived in the midst of millions; the pseudo-silence of the county was a balm for his ears.
Sighing, Colby turned to head into the house. He supposed he could have gone just to spend time with his mother; she would have liked that. The appeal would have worn off, though.
Colby quickly rinsed out his coffee cup and set it in the dishwasher. David had often teased him about being “Army neat” but in truth his mother had drilled neatness into him. Before they’d bought the dishwasher, Marie would have expected Colby to wash his cup and put it in the drainer.
The kitchen hadn’t changed much from his last visit except for the dishwasher and a new refrigerator. This sameness both pleased and disconcerted him. It was nice that his family home was as it had always been. But he felt, too, that he had to be the Colby he’d been when he’d lived here: the Colby who hadn’t been to war or college or prison.
“God, that’s depressing,” he announced to the empty room. “I’m obviously thinking too much.”
To keep his thoughts at bay, Colby headed for his room. He might was well be productive with the few hours he’d have before the boys came in from chores. He was soon trudging back down the stairs with the largest of the three suitcases he’d brought with him.
He’d thought it silly to have to bring it back downstairs but he hadn’t had the option of leaving it. When he’d pulling in at 12:17 this morning, his brothers had had his bags up to his room before he’d made it in the door and through his mom and sister’s gamut of questions and lectures about his flight, the weather, and his lack of “proper winter attire.” But that was the way it had always been in the Granger house; the women made a fuss while the men quietly did stuff in the background.
Colby set the suitcase on the couch and opened it. The brightly wrapped packages looked back at him and he released a breath. He’d been afraid that the bags would be searched and the presents opened. Luck was with him. The bubble-wrap between and around the gifts plus the reinforced sides of his bag kept them from getting smashed or mussed.
His face broke into a big grin, as he started sliding his gifts in amongst those all ready under the tree. He chuckled softly as he realized he was whistling. “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” indeed.
He sang the chorus once as he slid the last gift under the boughs of the tree. He felt a bit like Santa this year. He had a little extra (after all, he could finally touch his hazard pay for being “undercover”) so he’d spent more than he usually would. But since he was home this year, he would have indulged more because he would be personally delivering them.
“So much for my gifts just blending in,” he said to tree with a little shake of his head. The tree had a decent pile before, now the pile was decadent.
Well, they’d all had a rough year…
Colby shook his head to clear that thought. He was not going to dwell on things and be all… moody and shit. It was Christmas and he was home and that meant he was happy, damn it!
Maybe it’s time for more snow…
Zipping the suitcase back up, he hefted it and headed for the front door again. He snagged his rental car keys off the hallway table before pulling on one of Jason’s spare jackets. He’d made the mistake last night of not pulling on a coat for the 7-yards walk to the house from the car; even if his mother wasn’t home, she’d find out. And he would hear about it.
Colby jogged down the steps and then walked cautiously to the back of his rental SUV. It had been too long since he’d actually been in much snow and ice to be comfortable running down their walk. He slid the suitcase into the back and relocked the vehicle.
“Going somewhere?”
Colby twisted around to smile at Keith. “Nah, just putting the empty bag back in the car.”
“Empty?”
“You’ll see.” He winked. “Need any help?”
Keith waved his arm indifferently. “Naw. I come help Jase about once a month so we’re old hands at this.”
“Well, I’m helping on Christmas Day, no ifs, ands, or buts.”
“Got it.” Keith slapped Colby on the shoulder. “Jase wanted to know if Mom left her usual list.”
Colby snorted with laughter. Of course, there was a list. Ever since they were children and their folks had been comfortable leaving them home alone- with Jason in charge, of course- Marie had been leaving them chore lists to finish while they were home. With a note telling them not to cook or have any food more than a sandwich so they didn’t burn the house down. She left it taped the stove so they’d see it if they tried to cook. “I didn’t honestly go look but I’m sure it’s there.”
Keith nodded and smiled, too. “Don’t worry about the list. She writes it more outta habit than really wanting stuff done, but we’ll take a look when we get done.”
“Okay, then.”
“But I do know she hasn’t put up your ornaments yet. I think she wanted you to do it.”
“My ornaments…” Colby couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed. Each one of them had ornaments their mother had been gathering for years. They didn’t get a new one every year or anything, but for special occasions they did. He’d spent twenty minutes under the Christmas tree and hadn’t noticed his ornaments weren’t there.
“Yeah. Might be nice if it were done when she got home.”
“Yeah.”
Keith gave Colby a searching look. “You okay, bro?”
Colby smiled. “Not used to having free time, you know? A little outta my element today.”
Keith laughed. Colby had never been one to sit on his hands. Must be hell on stakeouts. “We’ll put you to work tomorrow. Today, you relax. Go raid the library or something.”
“Maybe I will. Thanks. What time do you think you’ll be done?”
“Don’t worry; we’ll be in in time to make you lunch, Little C.”
Colby shook his head at the childhood nickname and chuckled. “Not if you don’t get back to work. Jase’ll have your neck.”
With a nod and a wave, Keith headed back for the barn muttering, “And ass and head and…”
Next
Part 1 Part 2
Emily waved cheerily as she deftly maneuvered her car around Colby’s rental.
Colby waved back a little less enthusiastic seeing the disappointed look on his mother’s face. He knew she’d wanted him to come with them. But town was no longer a treat for him. He lived in the midst of millions; the pseudo-silence of the county was a balm for his ears.
Sighing, Colby turned to head into the house. He supposed he could have gone just to spend time with his mother; she would have liked that. The appeal would have worn off, though.
Colby quickly rinsed out his coffee cup and set it in the dishwasher. David had often teased him about being “Army neat” but in truth his mother had drilled neatness into him. Before they’d bought the dishwasher, Marie would have expected Colby to wash his cup and put it in the drainer.
The kitchen hadn’t changed much from his last visit except for the dishwasher and a new refrigerator. This sameness both pleased and disconcerted him. It was nice that his family home was as it had always been. But he felt, too, that he had to be the Colby he’d been when he’d lived here: the Colby who hadn’t been to war or college or prison.
“God, that’s depressing,” he announced to the empty room. “I’m obviously thinking too much.”
To keep his thoughts at bay, Colby headed for his room. He might was well be productive with the few hours he’d have before the boys came in from chores. He was soon trudging back down the stairs with the largest of the three suitcases he’d brought with him.
He’d thought it silly to have to bring it back downstairs but he hadn’t had the option of leaving it. When he’d pulling in at 12:17 this morning, his brothers had had his bags up to his room before he’d made it in the door and through his mom and sister’s gamut of questions and lectures about his flight, the weather, and his lack of “proper winter attire.” But that was the way it had always been in the Granger house; the women made a fuss while the men quietly did stuff in the background.
Colby set the suitcase on the couch and opened it. The brightly wrapped packages looked back at him and he released a breath. He’d been afraid that the bags would be searched and the presents opened. Luck was with him. The bubble-wrap between and around the gifts plus the reinforced sides of his bag kept them from getting smashed or mussed.
His face broke into a big grin, as he started sliding his gifts in amongst those all ready under the tree. He chuckled softly as he realized he was whistling. “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” indeed.
He sang the chorus once as he slid the last gift under the boughs of the tree. He felt a bit like Santa this year. He had a little extra (after all, he could finally touch his hazard pay for being “undercover”) so he’d spent more than he usually would. But since he was home this year, he would have indulged more because he would be personally delivering them.
“So much for my gifts just blending in,” he said to tree with a little shake of his head. The tree had a decent pile before, now the pile was decadent.
Well, they’d all had a rough year…
Colby shook his head to clear that thought. He was not going to dwell on things and be all… moody and shit. It was Christmas and he was home and that meant he was happy, damn it!
Maybe it’s time for more snow…
Zipping the suitcase back up, he hefted it and headed for the front door again. He snagged his rental car keys off the hallway table before pulling on one of Jason’s spare jackets. He’d made the mistake last night of not pulling on a coat for the 7-yards walk to the house from the car; even if his mother wasn’t home, she’d find out. And he would hear about it.
Colby jogged down the steps and then walked cautiously to the back of his rental SUV. It had been too long since he’d actually been in much snow and ice to be comfortable running down their walk. He slid the suitcase into the back and relocked the vehicle.
“Going somewhere?”
Colby twisted around to smile at Keith. “Nah, just putting the empty bag back in the car.”
“Empty?”
“You’ll see.” He winked. “Need any help?”
Keith waved his arm indifferently. “Naw. I come help Jase about once a month so we’re old hands at this.”
“Well, I’m helping on Christmas Day, no ifs, ands, or buts.”
“Got it.” Keith slapped Colby on the shoulder. “Jase wanted to know if Mom left her usual list.”
Colby snorted with laughter. Of course, there was a list. Ever since they were children and their folks had been comfortable leaving them home alone- with Jason in charge, of course- Marie had been leaving them chore lists to finish while they were home. With a note telling them not to cook or have any food more than a sandwich so they didn’t burn the house down. She left it taped the stove so they’d see it if they tried to cook. “I didn’t honestly go look but I’m sure it’s there.”
Keith nodded and smiled, too. “Don’t worry about the list. She writes it more outta habit than really wanting stuff done, but we’ll take a look when we get done.”
“Okay, then.”
“But I do know she hasn’t put up your ornaments yet. I think she wanted you to do it.”
“My ornaments…” Colby couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed. Each one of them had ornaments their mother had been gathering for years. They didn’t get a new one every year or anything, but for special occasions they did. He’d spent twenty minutes under the Christmas tree and hadn’t noticed his ornaments weren’t there.
“Yeah. Might be nice if it were done when she got home.”
“Yeah.”
Keith gave Colby a searching look. “You okay, bro?”
Colby smiled. “Not used to having free time, you know? A little outta my element today.”
Keith laughed. Colby had never been one to sit on his hands. Must be hell on stakeouts. “We’ll put you to work tomorrow. Today, you relax. Go raid the library or something.”
“Maybe I will. Thanks. What time do you think you’ll be done?”
“Don’t worry; we’ll be in in time to make you lunch, Little C.”
Colby shook his head at the childhood nickname and chuckled. “Not if you don’t get back to work. Jase’ll have your neck.”
With a nod and a wave, Keith headed back for the barn muttering, “And ass and head and…”
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