Ezra opened the door and was surprised to see his teammates standing on the front step. �Hello,� he said, his voice a little shrill.
�Evenin�,� Chris said. �We wanted to stop by and see how you were doing.�
�We got worried when you didn�t come ta work,� Vin said softly.
�Oh,� Ezra replied. �Well, there�s nothing to worry about, I assure you. It was merely that�� Just then, a buzzer sounded from the other room interrupting him.
From within, Amanda announced, �Dinnertime!�
Chris frowned. �We can come back another time, Ezra,� he said, realizing for the first time that they might actually be intruding.
Ezra shook his head and turned toward the kitchen. �Nonsense,� he called to Chris. �You�re here, you might just as well enjoy supper with us. There�s enough for eight.�
Amanda giggled and glanced up at JD. �We�re gonna have a party!� she said excitedly. Scampering after her father, she said, �We need more plates.�
�Slowly,� Ezra cautioned sternly. �You don�t want to break them.�
Amanda froze in her tracks and replied, �Sorry, Daddy.�
Ezra turned off the oven timer and said, �I just don�t want you to get hurt, Darlin�. I�m not angry.�
�Okay,� she said softly.
Ezra smiled and opened the oven. As he reached in to pull out a large casserole dish, he said, �JD would you be kind enough to help her with the dishes and flatware?�
�Sure, Ez,� JD replied. Turning to Amanda, he said, �You wanna show me where everything is?�
�Okay,� Amanda said. �Flatware is in this drawer,� she started opening a drawer.
Reaching in she retrieved a fistful of forks and was about to grab the knives, when JD said, �I�ll get them, Amanda.�
�Okay,� she replied. �Dishes are up there,� she added, pointing to a cabinet above the countertop.
Chris opened the cupboard door and said, �I�ll get them, Amanda.�
�Napkins are in the closet over there,� Ezra said softly.
Josiah nodded and headed to the closet the undercover agent had indicated. �I�ll get them.�
Nathan frowned and took out a pair of potholders from the drawer by the stove. �That looks heavy, Ezra. Let me take it.�
Ezra smiled and nodded slightly. �I�ll get the rolls,� he said softly. Opening another cupboard, he retrieved a pastry-shop bag and emptied the contents into a basket. �Buck,� he said to the last team member. �If you want something to do, you might retrieve the salad from the refrigerator.�
�Alright, Ezra,� Buck said. Opening the refrigerator, he said, �Ezra, you got cake in here!�
�I do!� Ezra exclaimed in mock surprise. �I certainly needed you to tell me that, Mr. Wilmington. Lord knows I didn�t put it in there.� Chuckling, Ezra headed into the small dining room off the kitchen.
As Ezra and Buck entered the room, Nathan glanced at the southerner and asked, �What is it?�
�Smothered chicken,� Ezra answered softly. �Over noodles.�
�Sounds good,� JD said.
Amanda grinned and said, �I helped!�
�Yes, you did, Darlin�,� Ezra replied, setting the rolls on the table. As he sat down, he took his daughter�s hand and bowed his head.
Amanda held her other hand out to JD and said, �We have to talk to God before we eat our supper, JD.�
JD blinked in surprise and took her hand in his own. Somewhat reluctantly, the other five men also joined hands.
Ezra sighed and said softly, �Lord, thank you for bringing everyone here safely and for giving us this delicious meal. Bless this food to our use and us to thy service. Amen.�
�Amen,� Amanda repeated, releasing JD�s hand.
Ezra smiled shyly at the reaction the others had to the impromptu prayer and shrugged; then served some food to his daughter and himself. �You gentlemen are capable of serving yourselves.�
�How come you never told us you had a kid?� Nathan asked, remembering the day a few weeks ago when the team had stopped by unexpectedly and made the startling discovery.
�You never asked,� Ezra offered. �Also, knowing what happened to Chris�s family and the age his son was when the incident occurred, I thought it best not to mention that I had a small child at home.�
Buck sensed how heavy the mood had become and asked, �So what�s that cake for, Ez?�
Amanda giggled and said, �I�m five!�
The pieces finally fell into place and he said, �You�re five today?� At Amanda�s nod, he asked, �And you were four yesterday?�
When Amanda giggled and nodded again, Chris said, �It�s your daughter�s birthday?�
Ezra smirked and nodded. �Why did you think she was so excitable, Chris? Because we had company?�
�We didn�t bring any gifts,� JD said in dismay.
�It�s alright, JD,� Ezra said, �She�ll have plenty of those.�
After dinner, Ezra and Josiah retrieved the cake and put five candles in it. Amanda excitedly blew them out and cut the cake, with her father�s help. They ate cake, while she waited impatiently to open her presents.
Her grandparents had sent a porcelain doll, which thrilled the little girl to no end. Ezra�s mother had sent her a wooden dollhouse, complete with furniture and small porcelain dolls that fit it perfectly. Ezra rolled his eyes and mumbled, �They�re trying to outdo each other. She won�t be able to play with the doll and she won�t be able to play by herself with the dollhouse. She�s only five years old!�
Chris nodded and asked, �What did you get her?�
Ezra smiled and pointed as Amanda opened his gift. The child squealed with delight and said, �A sleep-eye doll!�
�What she�d asked for,� Ezra answered softly. �And she can play with that, because it�s vinyl.�
�Can I name her, Daddy,� Amanda asked excitedly.
�Certainly,� Ezra answered. �She�s your dolly, you can call her whatever you like.�
�Can I call her Lavender?�
�If you like,� Ezra replied, chuckling. �Do you want to see your other gift?�
Amanda gently set Lavender back in her box and said, �Okay! Where is it?�
Ezra smiled and took her hand. Nodding to the others, he led her to the back door. He opened it and pointed into the fenced in, back yard. A small bark and a whine revealed the nature of the second gift before Chris and the others caught sight of the small furry bundle sitting on the back porch.
�A puppy!� Amanda said excited. �You got me a fox puppy!�
�He�s a Pomeranian, darlin�,� Ezra corrected, chuckling.
Chris smiled. �She wanted a Pomeranian?�
Ezra shrugged as his daughter gently patted the puppy on his side. �We watched the dog show together on Thanksgiving. She thought they looked like foxes and she wanted one. They�re small, they can�t be too difficult to care for.� Ezra paused and looked uncertain for a moment. �Can they?�
Buck laughed and said, �Suddenly you�re nervous, huh.�
Ezra smiled and shrugged; then turned to his daughter and said, �Let�s take him back inside, hmm.�
Amanda nodded and picked up the puppy. �What�s his name, Daddy?�
Ezra smiled and said, �Grand Duke Archibald the Fourth, but I think we can call him anything you want, Darlin�.�
�I want to call him Fox, Daddy,� Amanda said, setting the puppy down on the floor inside.
Ezra smiled. �Fox it is,� he agreed. Ezra glanced at his watch and said, �My goodness, look at the time. You have to get ready for bed, Darlin�.�
�Can Lavender and Fox sleep with me, Daddy?�
Ezra grinned and said, �Lavender can, Darlin�, but Fox has his own bed to sleep in.�
Chris smiled and said, �We�d better get going too, Ezra.�
Ezra nodded slightly and said, �Thank you for coming, Chris.�
�Goodnight, Ezra,� Chris said softly.
The others also called their goodbyes as Ezra closed the door, he sighed deeply and wiped away the tears that had suddenly come to his eyes. �Well, Mandy,� he said sadly. �We made it through another birthday without you here. Lord, I miss you��
Taking a deep breath, he bounded up the steps to tuck his daughter into bed. As he reached his daughter�s doorway, he heard his daughter�s soft voice saying, �Thank you, God, for giving my daddy friends to work with. Bless Daddy and Grammy and Grampa and Nana and Mary and Billy and Mr. Larabee and Mr. Wilmington and Mr. Tanner and Mr. Jackson and JD and Josiah and bless me and Fox and Lavender too. Amen.�
�Amen,� Ezra repeated. �You forgot to ask God to bless Mommy, darlin�.�
Amanda�s eyes grew wide and she quickly added that to her list; then she climbed in bed and lay down under the covers. Ezra smiled and kissed her on the forehead; then stepped away. Amanda grinned and held the doll out.
Rolling his eyes and grinning, Ezra also bestowed a kiss to the doll�s vinyl forehead.
�Night, Daddy,� Amanda said softly.
Ezra smiled and replied, �Goodnight, Amanda.� Dimpling at his daughter, he added, �Goodnight, Lavender.�
The child�s giggles could still be heard as Ezra slowly closed the door. He glanced down at Fox and said, �Bedtime for you too.�
The puppy whined and Ezra sighed. He picked up the furry bundle and carried it to his room, as he set it down on his bed and said, �Just don�t you tell Amanda that you slept with me tonight.�
End