CHRISTMAS VIGIL

by

CQB

PREFACE

THE CHAPTERS

INTRO

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

“It’s not supposed to be like this,” Fenton Hardy said softly as he watched the snow falling gracefully outside the window.  The December evening sky was steel grey with ominous clouds stretching across the dark horizon.  

“Fent,” Sam Radley quietly put a hand on his friend’s shoulder, “come sit down.  You’ve got to be exhausted.”  

Fenton’s dark bloodshot eyes met Sam’s concerned blue ones.  The older man nodded silently and let himself be led to the chair in the corner.  He sat down with a sigh.  

“I can’t think about getting any rest yet,” Fenton wearily stated.  His young partner didn’t push the issue.  Sam knew, while his friend was beyond tired, he’d not rest until they had some answers.  

“You know what Sam?” The younger man didn’t reply.  The question was rhetorical.  “When Frank was born, I thought I was on top of the world.  

“Beautiful wife, great job, house in the suburbs…and Franklin Joshua was born.  

“He was a perfect baby,” Fenton smiled and glanced at Sam.  “Not just because he looked like me, mind you.  He was ideal; every parent’s dream.  

“Seven pounds, twelve ounces of Hardy perfection,” Fenton continued.  “He had a bunch of blackish brown hair and grey eyes that turned dark brown before he was even three months old. He was a chip off the old block, that’s for sure.”  

Sam responded in a quiet voice, “I’m sure you were as proud as can be.”  Fenton nodded.  

“He ate and slept on schedule, from day one,” Fenton said, rubbing his hand over his tired eyes.  “Never cried unless he needed changing.  

“Yup, I had it all.  At least, I thought so then.”  

Fenton closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, trying to find a comfortable way to stretch his 6’ 2” frame.  

“When Laura got sick just seven months after Frank was born, it never occurred to us that she might be pregnant again.  She wasn’t sick a single day with Frank.  

“We were so naïve!  A month later, we had medical confirmation that a second child was on the way.   We were both surprised and delighted.  

“We were thrilled at the prospect of having another son, or possibly a daughter, just like Frank.”  

Fenton opened his eyes and peered at Sam with a wiry grin on his face.  “Did I mention that we were naïve?”  

“Yes,” Sam returned the smile.  

“Ah,” the dark haired man sighed and closed his eyes again, “my Joe.  Impetuous from the day he was born.  

“Joseph Aaron Hardy arrived unexpectedly almost two months early. A red, wiggly, bald creature – already so different from Frank; Joe was only four pounds and thirteen ounces, but he had a powerful set of lungs and I believe he loved putting them to use.  

“By the time we finally got to bring him home from the hospital, his bald head was covered with white-blond fuzz and he had gained a pound and a half.  

“Since Laura and I had been on a trip to California when Joe was born, I had to rent a small apartment in San Diego for us to live.   

“My parents had been keeping Frank for us, but since the doctors advised us to stay put ‘til Joe was stronger, we had my sister Gertrude fly out from New York and bring Frank with her.  

“My younger son was already making our lives much more exciting.”  

Sam chuckled softly.  

“I’ll never forget the first time Frank met his new brother,” Fenton opened his eyes, but stared straight ahead, as if he were watching his memories being played on an invisible movie screen in front of him.  

“Laura was holding Joe, but the poor little guy just wouldn’t stop crying,” Fenton recalled.  “Frank and Gert had gotten in late the night before, so Frank had been put right to bed.  He walked out that morning, probably awakened by Joe’s screaming.  

“Frank walked up to Laura and looked at the red-faced, noisemaker in his mother’s arms.  He glanced at Laura, but then refocused on the baby.  

“I was sitting close, trying in vain to read the morning paper. I saw what happened next,” Fenton continued.  “Frank reached out and touched Joe’s cheek with a chubby finger.  Laura said, ‘Baby’, and Frank smiled.  He stroked Joe’s red cheek and said, ‘Sh-h, Baby’.”  

Fenton looked at Sam, “It was the first time he’d put a sentence together.  But that wasn’t the amazing thing.  Joe instantly stopped crying.  And Sam, he opened his eyes and I saw the most incredible blue eyes I’ve ever seen.  

“Laura had seen Joe’s eyes before and told me they were sapphire blue.  It wasn’t that I doubted her, but finally seeing them for myself…it blew me away!  

“It probably took me a full five minutes to realize that Joe had stopped crying and those deep blue eyes were focused on Frank’s round face.  Laura looked at me and she appeared to be as astonished as I was.”  

The detective sighed.  “I think their unique bond started that very day, Sam.”  

“You’re probably right,” Sam agreed, unsure what to do to help his friend’s hurting heart.  

Sam stood.  “I’m going to get us some coffee.”  Fenton nodded and watched Sam walk down the hallway.  

He glanced again at the gray double doors across the lobby.  ‘Why hasn’t anyone told us anything yet?’  

Somewhere nearby he heard a familiar rendition of ‘Silent Night’ being sung.  The song was a painful reminder that Christmas was only a few days away.  

Just that morning his house had been filled with chatter about Christmas shopping.  Was that really just nine hours ago?  

“Christmas shopping,” Fenton mumbled.  “That’s how this whole nightmare started…”  

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