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Date Posted: 12:44:54 05/31/03 Sat
Author: CCCook
Subject: Re: Studs Texas - Book 2- Still Sunday
In reply to: Sue 's message, "Re: Studs Texas - Book 2- Sunday at dawn" on 21:54:55 05/25/03 Sun

Chantal and the rest of the family waited fairly impatiently for their visitors to arrive. Lucy had called a few minutes ago to let them know that she, Tony and Chris would indeed all three be showing up today. Carol had already gotten there, and she and Paul were discussing family logistics.

"So, if we go to the ranch today, we've got your car, Jerry's car and my car...and I suppose Tony's rental car, but I'd hate to have him drive not knowing the area and all...I remember when my brother came to see me, and he insisted on driving when we took a little outing, and sure enough, he got lost, cause he wouldn't follow closely enough..."

Paul laughed. "I don't think we'd have that problem with Tony...if anything, he's a bit of a tailgater...!"

"Oh duh, what am I thinking! I'll bet Phil and Lily bring the SUV, so we're covered anyway!" Carol giggled.

Carol and Paul continued discussing family and transport, looking out the window, when Terry approached, cats following close behind.

Terry sneezed. "Damn cats! Mum wouldn't let Tony teach me to drive...of course he did anyway, when she wasn't looking, and I had enough on him to make him...I suppose he was good for something back then...Ah well, maybe they'll get lost on the way..."

"If they do, I'm sure they'll call." Paul responded.

"Oh look! I think they're coming!" Chantal shouted. Sure enough, a new rental car pulled up in front of the house, and everybody rushed out to greet them. Hugs, kisses, welcomes and introductions all around, and they all went back into the house.


Tony and Lucy looked positively glowing. However, Chris, who still wasn't quite himself, looked pale and a little tired. In spite of the heat, he'd worn a light, cream coloured cardigan over his matching henley shirt. "Christopher!" Winnie enthused. "Oh, it's been such a long time! How are you feeling?" She hugged him and gently touched his cheeks and forehead. He was a bit warm, and Winnie was certain that if she'd used a thermometer, it would have read at least two degrees too high. "Oh dear, you have a fever! You should have stayed in bed, I would have understood!" "That's just what I told him!" Lucy said, chidingly, "But he listens as well as Tony does! You can't imagine what it's been like, travelling with the two of them!" Tony glared, but said nothing. "I'm fine." Christopher smiled convincingly, following that with several sneezes in succession. Terry, who'd been sneezing quite a lot himself, due to the constant feline presence, handed him a box of kleenex. "Mrrow?" said Eponine, curiously. Gavroche batted at Terry's shoelaces. "What? Do I smell like cat food?!" He resisted the urge to kick back, which would cause him more trouble than it was worth, having tried it once before.

***************

Phil, Lily and Kieran were getting ready to meet Paul's relatives, and to accompany them to the Texaroo Ranch for the grand tour, and really just more friendly socializing -- because friends had always been very important to Phil and Lily, and whenever the opportunity arose, there they were! Kieran enjoyed it, but it still seemed a bit strange to him, since most of the adults in his life before Studs were just not this social. No -- that's not right. Kieran thought. They *were* social, but there was usually sex and/or drugs involved somewhere. He smiled sadly to himself. Things were better now...maybe he wasn't so cursed after all...

"Kieran -- don't forget to comb your hair!" Lily called.

Nope. Still cursed. Maybe in a different way.

****************
Settled in, everybody was sitting wherever a seat could be found, and having tea and other soft drinks, while they waited for the Cravens to arrive. Naturally, Winnie wanted to know all about the trip. Lucy gave her the overview, with Tony and Chris piping in every so often to correct her somewhat skewed perspective [to them anyway, that is -- Lucy was actually pretty spot on, as far as events were concerned]. "Poor Chris, he was so sick, and I was so worried...and all Tony could think about was whether or not he could hear the telly!" Lucy sounded quite serious, but her expression was pure teasing. "He wasn't bothering me at all, Lucy...until you two started going on about the telly...now that was bloody annoying!" Chris replied. "Nowhere near as annoying as you and that doctor! Oh, Mum, you should have seen it!" Tony declared.

"Well, are you going to tell me all about it, dear?" Winnie asked.

"It was unbelievable, I tell you -- there he was, lying in bed, practically at death's door, but as soon as the doctor recognised him, he was ready with a copy of his latest book to sign!"
"What I did was simply good customer relations. Service, if you will. You know as well as I do, that one should always be prepared, Tony. That woman and her little girl will see my signature on that book, and hopefully remember the experience and feel kindly enough towards me to buy the next book when it comes out -- but apart from that, I was thrilled to hear that someone was enjoying my efforts, and it was the very least I could do!"
"Did you bring a copy for me too, Chris?" Chantal asked.
"Of course I did, love! I'd never forget my favourite niece-in-law, now would I?"
The last time Chantal and Chris were together, it was several years ago at Tony and Lucy's house, where nine year old Chantal asked Chris what his relationship to her was, since he was Aunt Lucy's brother, but Lucy was Dad's sister-in-law. They decided mutually that "uncle-in-law" made sense, so it stuck.
He reached into his bag, and handed it to her. He really hadn't forgot, because when Chantal opened the book, inside was a handwritten note to her...as well as a beautiful pair of delicate amethyst earrings. "Lucy told me you'd gotten your ears pierced, so as long as I was coming -- well, I thought you might want to add to your collection."
Chantal squealed. She loved earrings...especially now that she could wear them...and in spite of the fact that she'd gotten earrings from several family members and friends fairly recently, she was still just as thrilled. "Oh, they're just perfect! They match my outfit!!! Thank you thank you THANK YOU!!!" She wrapped her arms around Christopher and kissed his cheeks repeatedly. "You're terribly sweet, dear, but I might still be contagious...better go wash your hands or something..."
Chantal smiled. "It's OK...I promise I won't catch anything...and if I do, it was worth it!" She floated to the bathroom to try on her new earrings, but she did make sure to wash her hands just in case.
Tony and Terry looked at each other. "He's done it again, hasn't he?" Tony muttered. "Well, at least it wasn't YOU doing it again!" Terry said, quite accustomed to Tony taking as much credit as possible.
Paul laughed. "I don't know how I'm going to live with her when you all leave. You've all been spoiling her beyond rotten...stop it!"
"You know you love it, dear!" Anne smiled. "She's such a sweet girl, we love to spoil her...you've done a wonderful job!"
Paul grinned proudly. Chantal was indeed a sweet and wonderful girl -- Paul felt very thankful about that; there were so many ways Chantal could have been very messed up, but she wasn't -- a strong family and a strong faith played a big part in this, and Paul was not about to forget that.
"If you hadn't all been there to help...I don't even want to think about what might have happened...so, thanks all of you..." Paul said, trying to shift the attention away from himself, where his mother had put it -- Carol smiled and clasped his hand, looking at him as if to say "Oh you sweet, sweet guy..." but mercifully, she didn't say it out loud, instead opting to look out the window at the right moment to see Phil and Lily pulling up in front of the house. They took their big, white SUV, naturally. "OK, guys, they're here!" she called, as everybody got up to look for themselves.

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