Christmas Magic Brings Love, Hope and Miracles (2025)

Re: Christmas Magic Brings Love, Hope and Miracles (2025)

Laura continued to sleep peacefully as Hoss continued to just look at her. And every time she would move, he made sure that his arm stayed right there with her, keeping her very close to him. Finally, after about thirty minutes or so of not only complete silence but also just looking at Laura, Hoss found his eyes getting heavy. It didn't take him long before he closed his eyes and fell fast asleep. Several hours later, with Hoss still asleep, Laura woke up, mostly due to one of the babies pushing on her bladder, causing her to have to pee, but also because she just woke up. She looked at Hoss sleeping peacefully for a few minutes, letting a smile come to her face. Then, gently as she could, without waking Hoss, she leaned up and softly kissed his cheek. Then, as the urge to pee grew stronger, she quickly and yet quietly slipped out of Hoss's arm and made her way to the bathroom. After getting done using the bathroom, Laura stopped by the front door and gently opened it to check the weather. She could see the clouds getting worse, which meant a new snowstorm was on the way. Laura turned to look back at Hoss, who was still sleeping peacefully, and then began to get her boots on so that she could go make sure that Chubbs had everything he needed before the new storm hit. After getting her boots on and putting on her warmest shawl, and then went outside, making sure to miss all the ice that had been forming on the porch. It took Laura about twenty minutes to make it out to the barn since she had to walk slowly and try to miss all the icy areas. And another ten minutes to make sure that Chubbs was good on everything. And after putting a warm blanket over him, Laura blew out the lantern and lefft the barn and slowly made her way back to the house. It wasn't until she reached the halfway point between the barn and the house that she forgot about an icy spot and ended up slipping and falling in the snow and twisting her right ankle.

She sat there for a few minutes, making sure the babies were good, which they were, before attempting to get up. She was in so much that the thought of screaming came to her mind, but she also knew that Hoss would race out here all worried and the one thing he couldn't do right now was run. So, Laura took a couple of deep breaths and forced herself to her feet, then very slowly, she began to walk on her good leg, while limping on her other, though trying not to put too much weight on it, since she didn't know if she had actually broke it or if she had just sprained it. Either way, she knew in the back of her head that once Hoss saw her limping, he would get extremely worried about her, but she would deal that when it happened. Right now, she just needed to get back inside, which was taking her longer now because of her ankle. Finally, after carefully walking through the snow and back up onto the porch, making sure to miss the icy spots, which she carefully did and finally made it back into the house, which she locked the door behind her. Laura then took off her shawl and hung it up, though there was still some snow on it, which she quickly brushed off. Then she sat down in the chair that was next to the door and took off her boots, starting with the good foot. But when she got to the other ankle and started to take off her boot, she felt pain and she couldn't help but yell out, even though she knew it would wake Hoss. "OWIE...OWIE...OWIE," Laura yelled louder than she had intended to, though she finally get the boot off and threw it down next to the other one. Laura just sat there for a little while longer, rubbing her ankle as if she was trying to rub the pain away, which wasn't working. Finally, after a few minutes, Laura put down her foot and like she did outside, began to put all of her weight on her good foot, while limping with the other. She had to go make sure that Hoss was still asleep, though deep down she knew he was probably awake and worried.

Re: Christmas Magic Brings Love, Hope and Miracles (2025)

Hoss jerked awake the second he heard Laura yell.

"Laura?"

He was already pushing himself up before his eyes were fully open, one hand going to his side as his body protested. But the worry in his chest was louder than the pain.

"Laura, honey, what happened?"

Then he saw her limping.

His face went pale.

"Oh, no. No, no, no..." Hoss carefully swung his legs over the side of the bed. "You sit down right now, you hear me? Don't you take another step on that ankle."

He moved toward her as fast as he safely could, his eyes darting from her face to her belly to her foot.

"Darlin'..." His voice cracked with worry. "Please tell me you didn't go outside by yourself."