Sherman/Harper Christmases (Laramie FanFic)

Slim's Christmas

Around my house you knew when Christmas was close by. Slowly, relatives began to visit our house and we would bunk them in the bunkhouse, or us kids would be sent to the bunkhouse, while the adults took over the house. It was not a lot of people, but it was a lot for me. Since I am an only child it just feels like too much sometimes.

Besides the busyness and loudness of Christmas, I loved it. Ma and Pa could forget about the troubles of the ranch for a while and we could enjoy just family time. I loved dinner time when Ma, Pa, and I could just sit and eat, while talking about the day. Of course it wasn’t always us, when our ranch hand wasn’t spending time in town he would join us and he would tell me all sorts of tales. Ma tells me not to believe everything he says.

A few days before Christmas my aunt and uncle and their two kids visited us. They had an older girl and a boy my age. Me and my boy cousin could get in all sorts of trouble and that’s what happened on the first day, until his sister caught us. Thank goodness it was just his sister, because she promised she would not tell, as long as we didn’t do it again.

“Slim, come on! It’ll be so fun! I’ve done it millions of times!”

“Uh, I’m not…”

“Slim, look, we’ll be real careful not to set the barn on fire!”

“You’ve done it before, huh? I think we should go somewhere where my Pa isn’t likely to look, or come in unexpectedly.”

“Where’d you come from? Where’s the Slim Sherman I knew? Uh?”

“Johnny, I’m just being smart.”

“You’re smart enough. You like school?”

“I do. What’s wrong with that?”

“I hate it.”

“Well that’s your problem.”

“Come on, Slim...we can do it in the outhouse.”

“What if someones gotta go?”

“Why would they?”

“Johnny, you gotta think ahead.”

“That schoolings really doin’ somethin’ to your brain.”

I rolled my eyes. Johnny could be so difficult sometimes. I turned around and saw Pa and his brother, my uncle, walk out of the house and they were heading towards the barn.

Thinking this was a good opportunity I grabbed Johnny by the arm. “Come on. Let’s see where they’re goin’.”

We entered the barn and the adults were both on horses, ready to go somewhere.

“I’m going to go show your uncle the corral, Slim. If you boys want to come you can.”

“No, sir.” I shook my head. “Bye.”

They waved good bye and me and Johnny waved back.

“Alright, where is it?” I quickly faced Johnny.

Johnny grinned and dug something out of his pocket. “It’s real cool when it starts sparkin’, Slim. You’ll like it.”

“You get it started and I’ll keep a look out.”

“But you gotta see it being started!”

“We’ll face the road.” I said and we moved to where I could see the road.

Johnny rubbed a rock and somethin’ else together, another rock I believe, and sparks fell and then a little fire began. Johnny pulled something else out and threw it in the fire. It changed colors.