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Post by kortni0915 on Dec 22, 2007 22:58:56 GMT -5
This is a fanfic I had on the old board and I figured I'd go on and put it up here. It has been updated in forever, but I'm going to try to get back into it, now that life is more settled. Enjoy!
Stargazer
Prologue:
Now I can look back on that time without the pain it initially caused. I had been living happily in Ireland with my highschool sweetheart and husband Tor for three years. We had successfully taken over management of Windemere Farms and my life seemed perfect. Well, perfect that is, at least on the outside. But Tor had always had a jealous side and it came through completely the night an old friend, Rory Griffen called to talk. Tor accused me of cheating, which was completely untrue. I should have realized then that our marriage was too far gone, it had been slowly deteriorating since the move form Whitebrook. I know now that our goals were too different, I wanted kids, he did not, I wanted to go home, he did not. Now it just seems inevitable that our marriage was going to end in divorce. The divorce was mutual, we both agreed it was times to go our separate ways, but it still broke my heart, he’d always be my first love. It was late October when we said good-bye. As the taxi drove me to the airport, the silhouette of the piles of leaves along the road waiting to be bagged were barely visible as the sunset through the early evening fog of mid-Ireland. And while it was sad and depressing to say good-bye to the only love I had ever known, I knew that night would be the absolute worst of my life and that things would get better from there. Despite having faith in the fact that things would get better, it was still a rough road to travel at the time.
But enough with all that, I am home again, have been for eight years and married to my best friend Ashleigh’s brother, yup, that’s right, Rory. I still talk to Tor now and then, my leaving was mutual and somewhat amicable afterall. In fact he called me just last night, “to check up on me.” I think his jealous streak is coming through on those phone calls. I don’t know why he feels the need to call me, but I don’t see the harm in it either, and sometimes it’s nice to have that connection to my brief life in Ireland. Tor’s still in Ireland, happily re-married and I’m training again at Whitebrook. In fact my latest project is The Myth, a colt by our retired Steeplechaser, Sierra who I helped train. Rory’s helping me train The Myth, he’s worried the colt has too much Sierra in him. Well, I need to get down to the barn.
I threw on a pair of jeans and a warm black turtleneck sweater. The initially warm spring morning had already taken on what would be decidedly cool undertone. Knowing rain was forecasted I threw on a jacket and pulled on waterproof boots before leaving the cabin. I met Ashleigh in the barn where she had already tacked up The Myth for me. The two of us headed out to the track where Rory and Ashleigh’s husband were waiting for us.
“Warm him up and then take him around the course twice,” Rory instructed me. “And hon, be careful, the course is a little wet.”
“Rory! I’m always careful,” I tossed back.
I warmed up the three year old colt with a walk, trot and canter. Carefully, I eased Myth into a gallop and pointed him towards the first jump. The Myth pushed off, soared over the jump and landed, then gamely headed to the next jump. We continued around the course and then repeated the course. As we landed off the last jump I gave Myth rein and he took off crossing the finish line in what seemed to be good time.
“Great time! He’s ready for the ‘chase at Gulfstream!” Ashleigh called out, “We’ll need to get stuff together.”
One week later we all boarded a plane specially chartered for us and The Myth, to Gulfstream in Florida. Everyone, Rory, Mike, my Dad-Ian, and his wife Beth slept on the flight down. Ashleigh and I were the only two to stay awake and we talked of future plans and dreams during the entire trip.
* * *
“He won! I can’t believe it,” I cried.
Ashleigh and Mike’s daughter Christina had ridden The Myth to victory. Chris was the only one of our jockeys at Whitebrook that had experience with jumping as well as flat racing, so she was the regular rider of The Myth. We all gathered in the winner’s circle as a warm rain began to fall. As we headed out of the winner’s circle a perfect rainbow arched over hear.
“What a perfect day,” Rory said as he came up beside me and grabbed my hand. “Love you Sammy!”
“I love you too,” I replied. Standing on tip toe I dropped a kiss on his cheek, then turned around to see The Myth shaking out his wet mane.
Yes, I thought to myself, this is a perfect day.
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Post by kortni0915 on Dec 22, 2007 22:59:30 GMT -5
*(Note: this is chapter one and you should take note that it return to the third person. It is no longer Sammy telling the story, it is a narrator)
Chapter 1
The early morning sun was just turning the dawn sky from grey to pale shades of yellow and pink. Samantha McLean awoke to the sound of her alarm clock buzzer. Careful not to wake her sleeping husband, Rory Griffen, Samantha changed into a pair of jeans and a warm sweater. Throwing on her boots, Samantha grabbed a warm coat, knowing Kentucky weather in January could be bitterly cold, before heading downstairs. After grabbing an apple Samantha headed out the door of the cottage towards the warmth of the training barn.
Rory’s sister Ashleigh Griffen, co-owner of Whitebrook Farms and Samantha’s best friend, was just coming out of the main office as Samantha walked into the barn. The two friends got out the two horses to be worked first that morning. Ashleigh’s mount would be a dapple grey two year old colt by Wonder’s Pride, out of Fleet Goddess named Icecapade. The colt’s sire and dam had both been champion racehorses in their primes. Twenty-six year old Samantha brought out a filly, burning chestnut, save for an upside down triangle on her forehead. The filly was out of Shining, Samantha’s champion mare, and by Sierra the farm’s champion steeplechaser, who Samantha helped train with help from her ex-husband Tor Nelson. The two year old filly was named Stargazer, after the flower given to the winner of the Kentucky Oaks. The Oaks had been the one race to elude both of Shining’s two previous fillies- Lucky Chane and Tidal Wave. Samantha was hoping that with a little luck Stargazer would one day capture that race.
“Sammy, you ready to head to the track,” called Ashleigh.
“Yeah, we’re right behind you.”
The two women led their mounts to the track where Mike Reese, Ashleigh’s husband, Ian McLean, Samantha’s father and Rory were waiting.
“Take them once around at a walk, trot and canter. We just want to get them used to the track again. Got it?” instructed Ian.
“Yup!” Both girls answered in unison.
The two headed onto the track careful to pay attention to the two young thoroughbreds. Both women had experienced first hand the terror and tragedy of a high strung racehorse out of control. In fact Samantha had lost her mother at a young age when a colt had run through the rail at a track in Florida, throwing her mom and killing Suzanne McLean instantly. The colt and fill eased into a trot as Ashleigh and Samantha guided them around the track. Both riders made sure to pay close attention to their young mounts. The pair moved their horses into a trot simultaneously as they continued around the freshly harrowed track.
The two women pushed the colt and filly into a canter, preparing the animals for when they’d be asked to gallop and eventually work or breeze on the track. Samantha was careful to keep Stargazer at a distance from Icecapade, knowing full well that anything could happen with the young hot-headed horses. The pair finished the lap of the one mile training track, then eased Stargazer and Icecapade back to a trot, then a walk. Finally they stopped the exuberant colt and filly at the gap.
“Good work you two!” Ian exclaimed.
Both women untacked, hand walked their mounts and then groomed the horses with plans to meet up at lunch. Samantha headed to the broodmare barn where her beloved champion mare Shining was stalled with her young colt, Yankee Pride. Samantha had saved and re-conditioned Shining after Mike had bought the abused filly, half-sister to Ashleigh’s Wonder at auction. Mike and Ashleigh in turn gave ownership of Shining over to Samantha.
As she walked down the clean swept aisle, Samantha took time to greet her favorite mares. Fleet Goddess was the first one she met. The big nearly black mare had been the first horse Samantha had exercised after her mother’s death when she was young. Goddess was in foal to Mike’s champion stallion, Jazzman. Everyone on the farm was hoping the pairing would result in a champion foal, like its full sister, Precocious. Next to Goddess was Wayward Wonder, one of the daughters of Wonder, Ashleigh’s beloved blue hen and champion mare. The four year old Wayward had never made it to the track due to injuries at two and three. Always one of her favorites, Samantha was hoping Wayward, the regally bred daughter of Wonder and Sierra, would produce a good foal from her breeding with Roman Warrior the Kentucky Derby winner from two years ago. Across the aisle was Wonder’s stall but Ashleigh or one of the grooms had already taken the mare and her colt, Gallant Knight, out to a paddock.
Finally Samantha arrived at Shining’s stall. There, she greeted the gorgeous, strawberry-roan mare and the gangly bay colt. Fearless from birth, Yankee walked up to Samantha, butting her with his head as she walked into the stall. Shining gently lipped Samantha’s shining red mane. Samantha groomed Shining and her colt, spending a little time doting on Shining, feeding her an apple, before leaving.
Samantha left Shining and her colt and broke into a jog on her way to visit Wonder’s Pride in the stallion barn. Stepping into Pride’s stall, Samantha gave the sweet-tempered chestnut stallion a hug.
“Hey boy,” Samantha crooned. “We’ve made it through some tough times together haven’t we? First your bone chip, then your colic. I thought I’d lost you, but showed your heart and made it. You helped me get through my divorce with Tor.”
Samantha had to choke back tears as she thought of everything she and Pride had gone through. And despite all the sadness her life held, losing her mom, Charlie Burke, trainer of Wonder and Pride and mentor to Ashleigh and Samantha, dying from a heart attack, Samantha knew she was lucky.
“God, I miss him, Pride!”
“Miss who Sammy?” Rory asked, making Samantha jump.
“Charlie,” Samantha replied.
“I know you do, so does Ash. Speaking of which, she wants to see us at the house.”
“What for?” Samantha inquired.
“Lunch? It is that time,” Rory answered showing Samantha the time, twelve-thirty, on his watch.
The two walked up to the two-hundred year old farmhouse holding hands. Entering the house Rory and Samantha saw Ashleigh and Mike sitting at the table with sandwiches and pasta salad ready to eat.
“Hey guys, dig in,” Ashleigh said, inviting them to sit down with a hand gesture. “Then we’ll get down to business.”
“Business?” Samantha countered, “Ash I’m sure we can take a break from workout times and training schedules for thirty minutes.”
“Sammy, Rory,” Mike interjected. “She means the business of signing over half-ownership of the farm to you two. You all are a big part of our success.”
“Rory, you’ve been instrumental in making our breeding program top notch.” Ashleigh continued, “And Sammy our horses never would have done half as well without your help and involvement. You already do everything to run this place, we just want to make it official.”
“Oh my gosh!” Samantha gushed in disbelief, “This is too much, I can’t believe it. Are you sure about this?”
“Definitely,” Ashleigh replied walking around the table to embrace her best friend in a hug.
As the two young women hugged, smiling through tears of happiness, Rory turned to Mike to shake hands. Looking at the two women, Mike and Rory shook their heads, smiled and said in exasperation, “Women!”
Chapter 2
“You will fly and you will crawl, God knows even angels fall…”
Samantha stood up and stretched before walking over to the bookshelf by the door and turning off the radio. As she sat back down at her desk, Samantha glanced at her watch and noted it was already five o’clock. She quickly tried to tidy up her perpetually messy desk. Even before she had gotten partial ownership of Whitebrook there had never been a spare inch of desk space. Now it seemed the stacks of paper resting on the old mahogany desk continued to grow ever higher. Standing once again, Samantha made her way out of the office and walked through the barn to Stargazer’s stall. The filly had been given a day’s rest after her first breeze the day before. The first two weeks of February had passed by in a barrage of snowstorms, but now the weather seemed to be warming, holding the promise of spring. Samantha had begun to look forward to when gazer would race her maiden in March or April. Giving the beautiful filly a pat on the neck, Samantha walked out of the barn, to her and Rory’s cottage.
Samantha quickly got a shower, then bulled on black pants, a pair of sling-backs, and an emerald green sweater. After drying her curly red hair and putting on a touch of make-up, she headed downstairs to help Rory finish cooking for their dinner party. The young couple had invited Ashleigh, Mike, the McLeans and Griffens over to help celebrate their three- year anniversary. Two years after leaving Ireland, Samantha had married her soulmate, connecting two families forever.
The doorbell rang as Samantha placed the last bowl on the table. She had brought out her Mom’s old china for the special occasion.
“Hey you all!” Samantha opened the door to see Ashleigh and Mike, Ian and Beth, and Elaine and Derek standing on the front steps. Kevin and Melanie had gone to see a movie with Christina and Parker that night. “Come in, dinner’s just about ready.”
“Thanks!” Ian replied, “Sammy, you look great.”
“Thank you Dad!” Samantha returned with a bright smile. “Let’s go in to the dining room, Rory’s got the food on the table.”
The entire group gathered around the dining room table. Everyone sat down and began helping themselves to salmon and vegetables. Samantha poured everyone a glass of sparkling cider, knowing they would all have to be up early. Above the din of the group’s talking, the ding of silverware on glass could be heard. As everyone quieted, Samantha and Rory stood up holding hands.
“Everyone, we’ve got some news we want to share,” Rory announced. “Sammy is due to have a baby in about eight months!”
“I’m going to a grandfather. Finally!” Ian leaned over and hugged Samantha, “You’re mother would be so happy. Congratulations!”
“Thanks Dad,” Samantha whispered, fighting to hold back the tears threatening to brim over.
Everyone threw in their congratulations as they finished up dinner. After having coffee and cheesecake for dessert everyone called it a night, knowing there would be horses to work in the morning.
* * *
The next week Samantha and Rory were up before sunrise every morning. Foaling season was starting to hit its stride and Rory was busy as ever in the breeding barn. Samantha kept busy with the two year olds she was training. As well, she was looking ahead to breeding season. Samantha and Ashleigh had begun to sort through various bloodlines. The two had decided to breed Wayward Wonder to Jazzman. Shining and Wonder were both planned to be bred to Sierra.
One morning late in the week Samantha rode Stargazer onto the trails, just as dawn approached, turning the dark sky to bluish gray. The sun, just peeking over the horizon tipped everything in a warm golden tinged light. After warming up the young filly, Samantha asked for a slow gallop. Enjoying the gallop, Samantha’s heart pounded with the filly’s hoofbeats. Samantha knew these gallops would be the key to building the stamina Gazer would need in racing. Rory and her father, as well as Mike insisted the oval was the best method for training. Samantha thought different. She knew that Charlie and Ashleigh had built up Wonder’s endurance on the trails. After consulting with Ashleigh, Samantha was determined to train Stargazer over the trails, at least for awhile.
As the pair approached the barn area Samantha pulled Stargazer up, walking the filly into the area. Quickly untacking Gazer, Samantha began to cool her out, hoping Rory would not see. Samantha knew he would be upset at her for riding on the trails by herself and so early. Finally Samantha put Gazer in her stall and fed the filly with a special grain mix.
“Morning sweetheart!” Rory called walking down the aisle.
“I’m in Gazer’s stall.”
“You’re up early today! Did you already work Gazer?”
“Uh-huh, sure did honey. Sorry you missed her.” Samantha answered, a little too quickly.
“Sammy, come here, we need to look over some papers, “ Ashleigh called out.
“Coming,” Samantha called, leaving the stall. Giving Rory a kiss before heading up the aisle, she called over her shoulder, “See you later honey!”
Chapter 3
March blew into Kentucky like the proverbial lion. With the arrival of spring came the storms and especially the rain that would turn the brown fields into vibrant green bluegrass. The tracks across the entire state had however been turned into quagmires of mud due to the near constant downpours and cloudy skies. The hilly fields and pastures surrounding Whitebrook were devoid of the elegant thoroughbred horses due to the weather and constant fear a horse might fall on the slippery grassy hills. Samantha and the rest of the Whitebrook’s staff ran from barn to barn in hopes of avoiding complete drenching. The horses were walked up and down the barn aisles on a rotating schedule, to stretch their legs.
The horse in training were schooled in the indoor training ring that was connected to and surrounded by the three training barns. That ring was where Samantha found herself one early and chilly mid-March morning. Ashleigh and Samantha stood at opposite ends of the ring, longing two horses. Ashleigh collected Icecapade, to cool him out, while watching Samantha finish up with Stargazer. The lanky filly was coming into her own and shaping up to be one the farm’s best prospects.
“You about done, Sammy?” Ashleigh called across the ring as Samantha slowed the filly back to a trot and then a walk.
“Sure am!” She’s a beauty isn’t she?” Samantha replied. The two women left the ring and headed to the two year olds’ barn. The colt and filly pranced along behind the women on their lead lines.
A week later Samantha woke up earlier than usual with a slight feeling of nausea. Pushing the feeling away, Samantha slowly began to dress. Pulling on her jeans she realized they were starting to get a little snug, as she was beginning to put on some baby weight. Samantha sat back down on the bed, waking up Rory, as she groaned with the realization that she would have to go shopping soon.
Rory rolled over glancing at the clock before getting up and dropping a kiss on Samantha’s head on the way to the bathroom. Samantha remained on the bed until Rory came out to answer the phone on it’s third ring, casting a worried glance at his wife.
“Hello?” Rory said into the cordless phone, wondering who would be calling so early.
“Uh-hi, may I speak to Sammy?” A male voice replied.
“Sure,” Rory said, just beginning to recognize the voice of the unseen man. Rory quickly handed off the phone to Samantha, then headed downstairs.
“Hello, this is Samantha,” she spoke into the phone shakily.
“Sammy, this is Tor,” he paused for a second, letting his words sink in. “I’m in the area, I was hoping to come visit you. If that’s okay.”
“Okay, I won’t be much of tour guide though. I’m a little slower these days, being two, almost three months pregnant,” Samantha replied hoping to relay how happy she and Rory were together.
“Oh!” Tor responded, obviously shocked by the news. “Wow. I, uh, didn’t think you wanted kids.”
“No, Tor, that was you.” Samantha swalloed hard feeling the anger bubble up inside her. “Anyway, I can squeeze you in at 10:30, okay?”
“Fine, see you then,” Tor responded, then hung up the phone quickly.
At 10:30 that morning Samantha found herself sitting in Shining’s stall with the mare and Yankee Pride, wondering what she had gotten into. She remembered that night so many years ago, when she and Tor had promised to remain friends even after the mutual divorce went through. She had only agreed in her haste to finish packing her things and leave. Now, Samantha realized, Tor had meant it, every word, despite his ever-present jealousy of Rory.
Hmm, Samantha mused to herself, I wonder why he suddenly wants to visit. Obviously, not to see Rory, Tor had not liked Rory, well, ever.
Samantha could date back the beginning of Tor’s jealousy all the way to a Pony Commando lesson. She and Tor had organized the group, for physically disabled children, so they could have the chance for mobility, through riding ponies in their once weekly lessons. Rory had come home from college one weekend to visit and had driven over for a lesson with Samantha. She and Rory had joked around like old times, but Tor had gotten mad, unwilling to let Samantha enjoy the visit from her childhood friend. Then while Samantha and Tor were in Ireland, Rory had called to talk to her, knowing from her letters to his sister Ashleigh, that she was unhappy and getting depressed living there, so far from home. Rory had called her late one night, and it was one too many times. She and Tor got in a huge fight, with him trying to cut her off from her friends in Kentucky. That had been the last draw. She had hastily packed, blindly agreeing to Tor’s request as she ran out of the house to catch a plane home.
“Sammy, honey. Tor’s here.” Rory said peeking over the stall door. He smiled at the picture that greeted him, Yankees Pride’s head resting on Samantha’s lap, while Shining nuzzled her owner’s red hair. “You want me to go with you?”
“Yeah,” replied Samantha, as she stood up waking Yankee.
The young couple walked out of the barn holding hands. Warm sunshine greeted them as they walked out of the barn and over to the red Jeep, Tor stood beside. Tor greeted Samantha with a smile and warm hug, before shaking Rory’s hand. The three adults then headed to the stallion barn to begin a quick tour of Whitebrook. As the group entered the barn, Rory took the chance to mention his role in the breeding operation, working with the broodmares. Then he stood back as Samantha rattled off the names of the stallions.
“Of course there’s Jazzman, Champion was here, but he’s at Townsend Acres now,” Samantha began. “Mr. Wonderful, Sadler’s Station, Sierra and of course, Pride.”
The group stood outside Wonder’s Pride’s stall as the gorgeous chestnut ambled over for a treat. The 15-year-old stallion’s most recent crop at Whitebrook was about to turn two months old. The two colts and one filly at Whitebrook seemed to be his most promising offspring yet.
“So, what brings you to Whitebrook?” Rory asked, “Kentucky’s a long way off from Ireland, eh?”
“Actually, I’m moving back. Dad’s retiring, so I’m taking over the stable,” Tor explained, looking directly at Samantha. “I just wish I’d come back sooner. I never realized how much Samantha missed her family at Whitebrook.”
“Yes, well, um how bout I show you my new filly I just bought?” Samantha asked hoping to break up what was looking to become a fight.
“Yeah, Sammy, why don’t you show Tor the filly.” Rory said, “I need to get back to work.”
“Sure, Tor, follow me.” Samantha headed to the three-year-old barn. “I got Waimea, that’s her name, at an auction two years ago as a yearling. She’s just coming back from an injury and her first race of the year is in about a week.”
Samantha came to a stop at the end of the barn aisle in front of a stall housing a tall, lanky, chestnut filly. The inquisitive filly wandered to the stall door, sniffing at Tor before thrusting her head into Samantha’s arms. The hotheaded Thoroughbred seemed to sense the tension between her two visitors, throwing up her head, before skittering to the back of her stall.
“So, what’s her breeding? She looks a little flighty.” Tor remarked, smirking. “I’m surprised she puts up with the travel required for racing.”
“She’s usually not so nervous.” Samantha retorted, “In fact her disposition is the dominant trait she got from her sire. She reacts the same way he does to tension.”
“So, are you going to tell me her breeding?” “Wonder’s Pride, out of Bright Morn, Shining’s dam,” Samantha said nonchalantly.
“Wow, Pride’s offspring aren’t known for their talent, but still, great lines, how did you afford her?”
“Shining and Lucky Chance and Tidal Wave’s earnings, plus help from Rory. He gave me his ownership in her for an anniversary gift.” Samantha explained, beaming.
Samantha clipped a lead to Waimea’s halter, then led her out of the stall and out of the barn. Tor walked alongside Samantha, just brushing Samantha’s hand as they walked up to the paddock. Samantha abruptly stopped outside the paddock gate. Se opened the gate and let the filly loose inside. Smiling at the filly galloping across the grass, Samantha closed the gate before turning to Tor who was moving closer.
“Tor, don’t!” Samantha said coldly, “I’m happy with Rory. Happier than when I was with you.”
“But, Sammy, I know now what I did wrong,” Tor shot back. “If I hadn’t acted so jealous, though I had good reason to be, we’d still be together.”
“That doesn’t matter.” Samantha said firmly, her face flushing as she saw Rory walking over. “I should thank you, if it wasn’t for you, I’d never be as happy as I am.”
Samantha breathed a sigh of relief as Rory came over to shakehands and say good-bye to Tor. The three of them walked over to Tor’s Jeep. A few civilities were exchanged before Tor got in his car, then rolled down the driver side window.
“She should be mine,” Tor whispered to Rory, leaning out of the car window.
“Yeah, well I got her,” Rory replied smiling.
Tor gunned the engine and crunched over the gravel as he turned around. He then sped down the drive, pausing at the gates. Tor glanced in his rear view mirror, only to see Rory’s arms wrapped protectively around Samantha.
“I’m glad he’s gone,” Samantha sighed, leaning against Rory.
“Me too, sweetie,” Rory replied leaning down to give her a sweet lingering kiss.
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