Chapter 59 – Trip For Ice Cream
Nathan, Doug, Lee, Jack and Elizabeth cleared their plates while the adults sat and enjoyed the evening. They made quick work of putting the food away. They then double checked with the adults before heading to town. Thomas looked at his watch.
"It is almost six thirty." Thomas said. "I expect you to be back no later then nine."
"Yes, Sir." Jack said.
"I promise." Nathan said. "Especially since I am driving."
"Very well." Thomas said. "Please let security know that you are going, in case they want to follow."
"Yes, Sir." Doug said.
"I need to run to our room." Nathan said.
"Sounds like a plan." Jack said. "I should probably change out of these clothes any way."
"Have a good time." Charlotte said. "Please let us know when you get back."
"Of course." Nathan said.
The four boys and Elizabeth headed downstairs to change and/or grab a sweatshirt. Nathan grabbed his pistol and wallet. He decided to take his new jacket with. Doug and Lee also grabbed their new jackets that Jack had put on their beds. Elizabeth had put on a henley and button up with her blue jeans, so she left her jacket home. They group headed to the truck. Jack, Elizabeth and Lee sat in the back while Doug and Nathan sat in the front. As they were leaving, Jack texted security to let them know and was informed that a car would follow, but keep their distance unless needed.
"So where are we headed?" Nathan asked.
"There are a couple of options." Doug said. "There is the gelato place as well as a Ben and Jerry's, but they tend to be kind of touristy. Then there are a couple of local places – Dairy Haus and Stewarts. Stewarts are a chain of convenience stores that have hand dipped ice cream. Dairy Haus is a little place that has amazing ice cream."
"I prefer Dairy Haus." Lee said.
"Me too." Doug said.
"So is that where we are going?" Nathan asked.
"Yes." Jack said.
Doug plugged the address into the GPS and Jack texted security with where they were going.
"So tell me about this place." Elizabeth said.
"You are going to love it." Doug said. "They have the best soft ice cream as well as fresh made hand dipped ice cream or sometimes called hard ice cream since you scoop it."
"The best part." Lee said. "Is that everything is made fresh on site. We always go there a few times when we are up here."
"I look forward to it." Elizabeth said. "I love ice cream."
"They have cones." Jack said. "But they also make these mason jar things with soft serve and/or hard ice cream. I like the cookie dough one. It has caramel vanilla cookie dough ice cream on the bottom, hot fudge on top of that. Then there is coffee cookie dough ice cream and then it is topped with fresh whipped cream and a cherry."
"Oh that does sound good." Elizabeth said.
"Just remember." Nathan said. "We are suppose to be getting ready for a competition."
"Totally worth it." Jack said. "I don't mind the extra time that I will need to put in at the gym."
"Besides." Doug said. "It is not like we do this everyday. Honestly, when was the last time that you had something like this, Jack?"
"Probably last summer." Jack said. "I have had ice cream, but nothing like this when I am in the city."
"Okay then." Doug said.
"So what is your favorite?" Elizabeth asked.
"Don't laugh." Doug said. "I love the maple bacon ice cream in a large waffle cone."
"Tell me more." Elizabeth said.
"It is homemade maple ice cream with bacon pieces mixed into it." Doug said. "I am talking fresh maple bacon that has been chopped up after being cooked to perfection and added to the mix."
"Oh, that sounds good." Nathan said.
"What about you, Lee?" Elizabeth asked.
"Banana Oreo." Lee said. "It is homemade banana ice cream with oreo bits in it. I also like mint chocolate chip, but am willing to try most anything."
"What kind of ice cream do you like, Nate?" Lee asked.
"It is Nathan, please." Nathan said. "I tend to have plain vanilla when I have ice cream."
"Sorry." Lee said. "I have a tendency to do that with names."
"It is okay." Nathan said. "My sister is the only one that calls me Nate. I prefer Nathan."
"Okay." Lee said. "I didn't know. I will remember that."
"So, vanilla." Doug said. "Dairy Haus has a great homemade vanilla, but I challenge you to try something different."
"I will have to see what there is." Nathan said.
The group talked a little more about what Jack and Nathan had done with the horses while they drove. When they got to Dairy Haus, Nathan was taken a little back that it was so busy. It had a tent set up and multiple picnic tables for people to sit at, but it was just a small place there you walked up to the window to order.
"Don't let the crowd get to you." Jack said. "The local high schoolers and kids home from college like to hang out here. A lot of people come and get ice cream to eat on a drive. Most people will just let us be. I may see some people that I know from my jumping days, but it will be okay."
Nathan took a deep breath. Doug put his hand on Nathan's arm and looked at him.
"We got this." Doug said. "Nothing is going to happen. I have your back. Lee does as well. None of us will let anything happen to Jack or Elizabeth. I saw security pull in. They will keep their eye on us."
"I just don't like the openness of it." Nathan said.
"We have been here a lot." Doug said. "The worst that is going to happen is that people try to take a few photos of Jack with their cell phones. With all of us, I doubt that anyone will approach him. This is very much a local place, so unless you know about it, you don't come here."
Nathan took a deep breath and blew it out.
"Okay." Nathan said. "Lets go."
The group got out and walked over to get in line to order. They talked about a few things and like Doug had said, they saw a number of the young girls take pictures of Jack. Jack didn't seem to be bothered by it as he had his arm around Elizabeth. They were talking about all the different flavors and what they wanted. When it was their turn to order, Jack got his cookie dough creation. Doug got his maple bacon with caramel mixed in the ice cream this time in a large waffle cone. Lee got a sugar donut with chocolate soft serve ice cream. The donut is sliced in half and the ice cream is put in the middle almost like an ice cream sandwich. Elizabeth went with coffee heath bar ice cream cone which was homemade coffee ice cream loaded with chunks of heath bars. Nathan got a small waffle cone with cookie dough overload ice cream which was the caramel ice cream with cookie dough in it and topped with a caramel drizzle. Jack also ordered a cookie dough delight cake to pick up and take home. The cookie dough delight cake was made with homemade caramel cookie dough and vanilla ice creams topped with cookie cough, white chocolate chips and a caramel drizzle. Jack insisted on paying. Once they had their ice cream they went had found a place to sit. Nathan noticed that as the line had a break, that the the two security guys went and got an ice cream cone and went back to sit in the car to keep an eye on things.
"This is amazing." Nathan said. "Now I can see why you guys like it."
"Told you." Doug said. "We try to do it at least a couple times when we are up here. I have never found another place that makes as perfect of ice cream and I have been to the Ben and Jerry's plant in Vermont."
"I think it is all about the fresh ingredients." Lee said. "I mean fresh cream makes a difference. Just like with other things, fresh is better."
"You are right." Nathan said. "I have been down in Amish country in Pennsylvania and fresh does make a difference. We are definitely coming back before we leave. I think I might even try a different kind."
"The farm that they get the cream and milk from have Swiss brown cows." Jack said.
"Those have a high butterfat content in their milk." Nathan said. "No wonder this taste so amazing."
As they sat there enjoying the evening with their ice cream, they happen to overhear some young teenagers at the next table talking about a show that had just been canceled. Doug turned.
"Hey, guys." Doug said. "I couldn't help overhear a bit. What are you talking about? What show was canceled?"
"Just a schooling show." One of the boys said.
"What level?" Doug asked.
"You jump?" Another boy asked.
"I have in the past." Doug said. "I am up here staying with some friends for a while. I am going to be jumping at Sugar Creek in a couple of weeks. I might also jump in the Classic this weekend. I just got here today so I want to get on a horse before I make that decision."
"The SC Academy schooling show just got canceled." The third boy said. "It was suppose to be the week before Sugar Creek."
"We were really looking forward to it." The first boy said. "It was only one of three schooling shows in the area this summer. Everything else is for the upper levels."
"It was the only show that was going to be for all seven classes." The second boy said. "It was going to be a two day show and now it is canceled."
"What level do you jump?" Jack asked.
"We are training to modified." The second boy said. "Most of the shows in the area are for the older kids. We don't stand a chance against those that jump modified or higher all the time."
"Sorry to hear about the show getting canceled." Jack said. "Maybe someone will add another show."
"Doubt it." The third boy said dejectedly. "No one wants to do the work for a schooling show since the younger kids have such a low entry fee. That is why there are not a lot of shows. My twin sisters are so upset. It was going to be their first show, they are seven have worked really hard this spring."
"Hey." Nathan said. "Keep you chin up. You never know when you will have an opportunity to do something."
"Like you would know." The first boy said.
"Actually I do." Nathan said. "When I was your age, I didn't get a lot of opportunities to ride, but when I did, I made the best of them. Now I have great friends that I get to ride all time with. They even talked me into riding at Sugar Creek and I haven't jumping in over five years competitively until I came up here."
"Really." A girl pipped in as she sat down with the boys.
"Really." Nathan said.
Nathan looked at his watch and then up at Doug.
"We need to get back." Nathan said. "We still have horses to care for."
The group got up and threw their garbage away. Before they left, Jack walked over to the group of younger kids and put his hand on one of the boys shoulders.
"Hey, keep an eye on the website." Jack said. "Never know when a show will be added. Keep practicing and maybe you guys can come watch us compete at Sugar Creek in a few weeks. Three of us will be jumping there."
Jack walked away before anyone could say anything to him, but as he was leaving he heard what the girl had said to the boys.
"Hey, guys." The girl said. "You know who that was right? That was JP Thornton, he won the regional championship a couple years ago. I saw their jackets when they were in line. I wasn't sure it was him until I saw the jackets."
The boys were impressed and watched Jack walk away with his friends. Jack didn't look back, but knew that they were watching him. Jack stopped at the window and grabbed his to go order. He put in the cooler in the back. When the group got to the truck, Nathan nodded to the security guys before getting in. Once they were all in and on the way back to the ranch, Nathan looked at Jack for a moment over his shoulder.
"That was nice of you to say to the boys." Nathan said.
"Are you thinking what I am thinking?" Doug said with a grin on his face.
"Yes." Jack said. "Let's talk to Mom and Grandpa when we get back."
"What are you talking about?" Elizabeth asked.
"They are talking about doing a schooling show." Lee said. "To replace the one that was canceled."
"Will you have time before Sugar Creek?" Elizabeth asked.
"No." Jack said. "I was thinking about the weekend after. I know that there is a show in Utica that weekend, but it for upper levels only. I am sure that many of the older kids would head to that one, but there is no reason that we couldn't do a full level show as well. Granted we might have more of the lower levels, but that would be fine as well. I know that they don't get as many opportunities to jump."
"Do you really think that your parents and grandparents will go for it?" Elizabeth asked.
"If we are willing to stay and help." Jack said. "We might even be able to jump that weekend as well."
"If you are staying then I am staying." Nathan said. "I have been contracted to be your security until at least school starts."
"If you are staying then I am staying." Elizabeth said.
"Me too." Doug said. "I know that Dad won't care. Heck, he might even come up to see the show."
"Lee?" Jack asked.
"I will have to see." Lee said. "I would love to stay and you know I would help, even if I don't jump. I just am not sure if my mom will go for it. She wasn't happy that I was coming up here in the first place."
"I will talk to her." Doug said. "Actually, I will have my mom talk to her. Maybe they all can up and spend time with us up here."
"Are there enough rooms for everyone?" Elizabeth asked.
"Maybe." Jack said. "If not, we always have the second house. It is only a couple of miles."
"Second house?" Elizabeth asked.
"My uncle Chris' place." Jack said. "They are not here full time anymore, but we still have the property. We would just have to have someone open the house up."
"There is always the hotel." Lee said.
"Or the camper." Doug said.
"Let's talk to Charlotte and James before we make any more plans." Nathan said.
"Okay." Jack said. "But I am sure they won't mind. We have done shows in the past, all be it not in three years. It wouldn't be hard to set up. I am sure that most everyone that had been planning on that schooling show will sign up and probably more, considering it is one of our shows."
"What does that mean?" Elizabeth asked.
"The last show that we did." Jack said. "We arranged for food trucks, tours of the stables, vendor booths, bounce house and games for the little kids. It was a full weekend of family fun. It was all set up near the big arena. We roped off access to some of the trails and stationed people there so people didn't wander up to the house or family stables."
"I am thinking a security nightmare." Nathan said.
"No." Jack said. "It is work, but nothing that we can't handle. We even have a full plan in place. Grandpa hires extra security for the weekend, but it is worth it. Not only do we get our name out there, a lot of the local business sponsor booths and they give us a cut of the profits or pay a fee to set up. Besides, the weekend that I am thinking is the weekend before the races start in town, so it would be good time to get our name out there with the start of the Saratoga race season."
Nathan shook his head. He could hear how excited that Jack and Doug were getting about the show the more that they talked about it. By the time that they reached the farm, they had a list of vendors and businesses to contact as well as a map of where to put everything. Elizabeth was amazed at how fast the boys put everything into motion and all they needed was the okay and I am sure that it would be fully implemented before the weekend.