At approximately five in the evening on December twenty-fourth, the entire family arrived at Dusty's house on Osprey Lake.

Marliss opened the door for the group as they crowded together on the porch, giving hugs to the women, and manly pats on the back to the brothers. Hunter jumped up and down with excitement.

"Oh, good." Marliss grinned at them. "You're all here together. Well, come on in and let's get to celebrating."

Marliss and Lou had gone all-out in decorating the ...