A Time Honored Christmas Tradition

by Catgirl63

Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program "Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.

With both men groaning and moaning, he couldn’t quite make out how it happened. How did a day which started with so much promise and joy end in such a way? How could a simple yearly family tradition cause so much bodily harm?

Looking over at his battered brothers standing at opposite sides of the room, Jarrod shook his head and took in a deep breath.

“Would either of you care to tell me again? I’m finding it difficult to believe two grown men could end up in your condition over something so….ridiculous.”

Rolling his eyes, Nick’s lips thinned in anger at his big brother’s pompous attitude and he hissed, “It wasn’t ridiculous, Jarrod!”

Holding a water bottle filled with ice to the side of his face, Heath merely snorted before wincing at the pain from the swelling and bruising. The blond opted to lean heavily against the desk, steadfastly refusing to move any closer to his cohort in the disaster.

“Seemed kinda right at ta time, Jarrod.” admitted Heath, his words muffled since he didn’t dare jar his one jaw which felt ready to come unhinged. “Though I did think outside’d be better…”

Hazel eyes glared from across the room before a shadow of satisfaction flared at his brother’s inability to speak without a measure of pain. “You never said that to me!”

“If ya’ weren’t so dang thick skulled, ya’d be able to decipher words better!” countered Heath quickly before closing his eyes against the fierce throbbing spurred on by his lost temper.

Limping over to the chair from behind the settee, Nick held on to the high back and jabbed the air towards the blond with a severely swollen index finger. The automatic movement was stopped as quickly as it began when the sprained digit sprang pain up his arm.

Shaking his head and taking a deep breath, Jarrod granted his younger brothers one last look of disbelief before walking to the door intending on leaving them alone with their pain filled bodies. Resting a hand on the door jamb, he squeezed his temples before turning to speak to the men watching him.

“If you both know what’s good for you, I’d suggest you find some way to put aside your differences of opinion before mother comes home to see what you did to her parlor.”

Jarrod smirked at the two sets of eyes widening with a realization and fear before he walked out, ignoring the two calling for him to return.

“Now ya’ gone and done it, Nick!” snapped Heath . “Ya’ don’t got to be a genius to know what’s gonna happen in a little while!”

“Hey!” protested Nick loudly and slapping his injured hand against the back of the chair. Wincing and cradling the sprained appendage against his chest, the rancher hissed, “This wasn’t all my doing! You got as much right to the blame!”

Pushing himself away from the desk, Heath groaned at the pulling on his back as he shuffled to the doorway. “Everybody knows outside is better for trimmin’ ta size! But, noooo…ya’ gotta do it in Nick Barkley style! The hard way!”

Limping along after his blond brother and using his left hand to hold his right arm against his chest, Nick’s hissed in a breath each time his bruised leg moved. “Why don’t you just admit you thought it was a good idea too? Does it make sense to go through all the hassle of cutting a little off at a time? Bringing it in and then hauling it outside when it won’t fit? The theory is good, it’s the unforeseen circumstances you have to watch out for.”

Glaring at his brother from his unswollen eye, the blond turned too quickly and his face paled from the bolt of pain across his back. Holding onto the newel of the banister, Heath moaned at the agony before groaning aloud at the destruction of the parlor scattered around and under the grand tree they’d searched the hillsides for.

“Is that what ya’ call it? An unforseen circumstance?” groaned Heath waiting for the numbing effect of the ice to calm his pain.

“How the heck was I supposed to know there was a squirrel stuck in the tree?” muttered Nick sitting on the bottom step of the staircase to rest his aching leg.

The blond took in a shallow breath and marveled again at how one little loose creature was responsible for shattering the planned family’s tree decorating and festive night. The game of darting and dodging after the elusive bushy tailed creature would be felt on their bodies for at least a week.

“That’s why ya’ trim it outside, Nick.” mumbled Heath from the corner of his mouth.

“Damn squirrel and its nuts!” growled Nick staring at the acorns scattered on the floor which contributed to his severely bruised leg and sprained arm.

Looking at the shattered end table where he’d hit the side of his face after tripping over his fallen brother’s body, Heath heaved out a sigh of admittance, “Ya’ know something Nick?”

“What?” asked the older man, wanting nothing more than to head upstairs to rest his weary body.

“Maybe that artificial tree ya’ brought home last year wasn’t such a bad idea after all.”

THE END