September 13th 2021

Chapter 256
Our Tribute to Peace

There was never a lack of activity at Sullivan Stables. Aside from the regular slate, with the archive, and the lessons with and care for the horses, they would regularly host events. They would have the occasional competition, big or small, and showcases with their riders. They would also hold weddings, as Lucas himself had been hosted, the day he and Maya had gotten married, and the occasional birthday party, retirement party, anniversaries, showers... They did it all. They even received business meetings, for those who wanted to enjoy some of what Austin had to offer while they were passing by. And in the past, they had also provided both premises and animals for film productions, lessons for actors who needed to be able to ride...

Now that the Spring Grand had come and gone, it was a lot quieter around the ranch, but it wasn't silent, no. Still, they would have some days where no one would be along for any party, meeting, or other event. The ranch would be in the hands of its staff and given the chance to breathe.

Lucas was thankful that this day was one of those as he drove past the arch that afternoon. He'd been meant to come in here that morning, had planned to bring Marianne with him as he so often did on his ranch days. She had been so excited about it, and she may not have gone full Sheriff Annie, but she had insisted on getting her boots, because she knew that she'd seen a lot of people out there with their boots, too.

And then, just as they were about to leave, he'd gotten a call from the hospital. They were missing some of their people for the day, unexpectedly so, and they needed to call in replacements. They wanted him to come in, needed him to come in. He had agreed, couldn't refuse. Marianne had not been happy with him about this, but there was really nothing he could do about it. The thing that had saved the day was Thomas Friar's arrival just at this time. He had the day off and had been all too happy to step in for his son and watch his granddaughter. He had evidently foreseen the tantrum, as Lucas had done, when he'd waited to give Marianne the news. He came along that morning, good Pappy Tom, in his own boots. His little pumpkin wanted to go to the ranch? She would go to the ranch, with him. Her mood was turned back around, and Lucas was granted a good hug and kiss from her before he left.

The day had been long and relentless, and as tired as he was at the end of it, he was glad he had been there to help. And now that he was out of there, he couldn't help but stop in and get a look at how things were going back at the ranch before he headed home. His father had already left by the time he got there, though he knew that he and Marianne had been there for a good portion of the day, and they'd had a great time. He'd taken her back home with him, the better to spend time with Granny Mel. Maya would be picking Marianne up on her way back from school.

It was almost odd to walk through here and not come upon the Hunter and Davis twins. With both their punishment and the Grand behind them, there had been no outstanding reason to make them keep coming. From what he'd been hearing though, they were continuing to spend their afternoons together, at one's home or the other's, doing their homework and hanging out. How it all went, well, seeing and hearing were two different things. Not that he sought to interfere...

They were at different schools now, but there was a good chance that they would soon find themselves becoming classmates, when they would start middle school in the fall. One way or another, their lives would not lack for chances to interact.

In the meantime, as far as the ranch was concerned, they had a new young helper out and about, and he wasn't here because he'd done anything wrong.

"Hey, guys," Lucas smiled when he came to find Mariko, one of their groomers, assisted by Anton Day.

"Hey," Mariko nodded at him with a smile. She'd been working here since she was in high school, made her way up to where she was now in the years since. As Lucas had learned, she had graduated the year before Maya had started teaching, at the very same school. One year more or less, for either one of them… and she could have been her teacher, a fact which had left Maya's mind just a little blown.

"Hi, Lucas," Anton tipped his head to him, showing he had remembered to call him that and not Mr. Friar as he used to do.

"How's it going out here?" Lucas asked him.

"I haven't been here long, we just started," Anton reported.

"Alright, well, I'll be here for a while, so how about I drive you home, save your dad the trip."

"Okay... T-thank you."

Lucas carried on with his usual rounds, eventually finding his way out to the main building where he'd been told he'd find Juliet. She was talking with the staff there, going over the schedule for the coming week. When she spotted him, she signaled that she'd be right with him, so he waited. Finally, she walked over to him, and they headed back outside.

"Here, take this home with you and look it over, see if it sounds good to you," Juliet pulled a folder from the stack she carried under her arm. "If you would like to add, alter, or remove anything, by all means, let me know and we will discuss it, alright?"

Lucas peeked inside the folder and saw at once what it was about. He smiled.

"I wasn't going to ask, but I have to admit I was starting to wonder if you'd made a decision or not," he told her. Juliet chuckled.

"I know I did get a bit... overwhelmed in the months leading up to the Grand, and I would not have gotten through it without your help. Now that's behind us, and this project of yours is just the thing I needed to come down slow. If I'd gone right back down to base levels, oh, I would have been a wreck."

"Well, that's good then," Lucas smiled. "I think."

"Yes, it is," Juliet patted his arm. "Anyway, you presented me with a solid idea, so I gave it all the consideration it deserves. I'll be frank and say that there were a few instances where I wasn't sure it would be able to get off the ground, but I got around that. Now, I think we might really have something."

"So, how's it going to work?" Lucas asked.

"Well, it's April already, and we've never done this before, so we might be looking at a soft start. I can get two rooms ready by this summer. They are sizable rooms, so I would suggest double occupancy, say two boys here, two girls there."

"Right," Lucas nodded in agreement.

"Naturally, we've got Mr. Anderson looking good for one of those slots. As to the others, well, I would suggest putting the word out to friends and colleagues who might know of some… like-minded young people who would be interested. If we find none, which I highly doubt but could happen, well, we'll have our young Californian."

"That sounds perfect, Juliet, thank you," Lucas breathed.

"Please, you're helping me, not the other way around. Your grandmother would be very proud, more so than she already was."

With his heart lifted, Lucas went in search of the Day boy. He was nearly done for this afternoon, and Lucas offered to help him, but Anton insisted he could do it on his own, so he stood back and watched as he waited. Looking at him, it was easy to see that he enjoyed what he did. More than enjoyed it, he looked as though being here, doing what he would be told to do, would leave him with a clearer head than most anything else these days. He'd been with them for a few weeks now, and everything Lucas had heard, from others at the ranch, from the rest of the Day family, from Maya, and from Anton himself, everything Lucas had seen, too, all of it showed how much the job had been good for the grieving boy. It hadn't fixed everything in the blink of an eye, but it was helping, and that was what mattered. He'd keep going, and hopefully it would continue to get better.

When Anton was done and ready to go, he followed Lucas and they went off to the parking lot. The folder was placed between them in the front and, when he saw him curiously checking out the blank cover, Lucas went ahead and told him what it was, invited him to look through it, though Anton kindly left it alone.

"You know this all came from Scout. He told me how he wanted to come here for the summer, back at the Grand? I'm going to be calling him to let him know tonight, so it's all looking like he'll be in Austin in a couple months. That'll be good, yeah?"

"Yeah," Anton nodded, though he looked off in his own head, like he was happy to have his new friend coming over, but at the same time, it made him think of other things. Maybe... he'd had plans, with Lambert, and now he remembered they'd never happen. "I can still do my job this summer, right?" he asked after a while.

"Absolutely," Lucas promised. "Even more of it, while you're out of school." If they didn't fill that second bed in the boys' room, he'd go so far as offer it to him, even if they were trying to give this opportunity to people from out of state first and foremost. He wouldn't bring it up, not until he could be sure he wouldn't have to come back on his word. Then again, he might want to stay home this summer, be with his family...

Lucas dropped Anton off home, and he was glad he got to see the boy share the news about Scout's coming over to Austin for the summer. He was looking forward to it, and his looking forward to anything since January had been on the rarer side. Just in case that things may not have been working on the Andersons' side, Lucas decided to make the call right then and there, from the Day home.

Scout came on to the phone after his sister had picked up. He was happy to hear from Lucas, especially as he figured this would have to do with the promise he'd made. Yes, he was still very interested in coming to Austin. He asked his parents, and after a quick conversation with Mr. Anderson, it was all agreed upon. Whether he'd be on his own or one of four, Scout Anderson would be spending his summer at Sullivan Stables. Lucas passed the phone to Anton, allowing the boys to talk for a few minutes.

"Thank you so much, for all you're doing," Barton Day told Lucas as they stood away and waited for him to get his phone back so he could head home.

"Of course," Lucas told him, his look vowing without saying it aloud how much they continued to keep Lambert in their hearts and minds, him and the parents, brothers, and friends he had left behind.

Home at last, Lucas sat on the couch and let out a breath. Not ten seconds later, he felt and heard the efforts of the small girl working to climb up next to him.

"Evening, little lady," he smirked as Marianne allowed herself to be pulled up, the better to keep going until she was in his lap. Lucas wrapped his arms around her, kissed the top of her head. "So, how was your day?"

TO BE CONTINUED

See you tomorrow! - mooners