Friends: New & Old
Chapter 4 - Monday
10:34a.m. Monday May 13
The Hotel
"Sara?" Nick asked as he knocked on the door connecting their rooms.
"Come in, Nick," She replied.
"Hey," Nick said coming in the room an sitting in a chair across from where Sara was seated writing in note book.
"Hey."
"Have you eaten yet?"
"Not yet, what about you?"
"No. That's why I'm here. You want to go down to the dinning hall and get something to eat?"
"Yeah, sure. OK. Just let me go grab something and we can go."
"OK," Nick said.
Sara went into her bathroom and came out less than a minute later. "Are you ready?"
"Absolutely," Nick said and they left her room, locked up and went down stairs to the dinning hall.
When they got to the dining hall, Nick went off to the Kitchen and came back a few minutes later with several bags of food. "Nick?" Sara asked not knowing what was going on.
A few minutes later the waiter from before came out with their breakfast in to-go bags. Nick took the bags then walked them out to the SUV and got in and left.
11:03a.m. Monday May 13
The Park
"Here we are," Nick said getting out of the SUV and walking around to Sara's side. He opened her door and took the bags of food from her that she was holding. He moved so she could get out of the vehicle.
As she was getting out of the SUV she asked, "Nick, where are we?"
"This is a park I used to love to come to when I was a kid. The weather's nice so I thought we could take advantage of that."
Sara agreed and they sat there for a couple of hours. They alternated between eating, talking, and just sitting there in a comfortable silence. About two o'clock Nick caught a look at his watch.
"Hey Sara?"
"Yeah Nick."
"It's two o'clock. We need to leave."
"OK, but why so early?"
"We have to go back to the hotel so you can change."
'I thought he liked this outfit I'm wearing. That's why I'm wearing it.' Sara thought.
Nick caught the confused look on Sara's face and tried to reassure her, "Oh, no. I didn't mean it like that. You look great, it's just you need to be in jeans to go to the ranch."
'He said I look great! I knew he liked this outfit, but why jeans? Oh well, I guess I will find out later.' She thought. "Oh."
"So are you ready to go?"
"Yeah, I guess." She said getting up and they headed back to the SUV. They went to the hotel and Sara changed.
2:39p.m. Monday May 13
Company B Texas Ranger Headquarters
"OK, this is it." Nick said looking at the door with the Ranger logo. He opened the door and allowed Sara to go before him as they entered headquarters. He walked up behind Sydney, motioned for Gage not to say anything, and right into Sydney ear said a little loudly, "HEY!"
Sydney jumped slightly and replied, "Nicholas!"
"Yes?" He asked innocently.
"Never mind. Why are you here?"
"We're picking you up, remember?"
"Yes I remember but it's not three yet."
"I know, I wanted to talk to Walker before we left. So if you will point me in the direction of where he is . . ." Gage and Sydney pointed to a closed door on the other side of his room. "Sara, are you coming?"
"Yeah," She said as she followed Nick towards the closed door. She commented, "You were mean."
"No, she's done worst, I just scared her a little. You have to admit that was pretty funny!" Nick told her. They got to the door and Nick knocked.
"Come in!" A voice from inside said.
They entered the room and Walker looked up. "Hey Walker," Nick said.
"Nick, Nick Stokes?" Walker asked.
Nick nodded his head yes and walked over to Walker's desk and shock his hand then sat down in one of the two chairs in front of the desk. "Sara?" Nick asked as she came closer. "Have a seat." Sara sat down. "Sara, this is Cordell Walker. Walker, meet Sara Sidle. She's the co-worker I told you about, we're here on business."
"Nice to meet you," She told Walker. Then she turned to Nick, "Does every man in Texas go by there last name?" Walker and Nick just laughed.
"No. Why do say that?" Walker asked her.
"There's you, Gage, and some guy who is on his honeymoon that Nick told me about at lunch." She explained.
"Oh," Was all Walker said.
"Trivette, and Sara, if your name was Cordell or Francis would you go by that?" Nick asked her.
"Probably not," She replied. Nick and Walker spent the next few minutes catching up and talking. Then Nick said his good-byes and he, Sara, and Sydney left for his parents'.
3:07p.m. Monday May 13
Stokes Ranch
"Ladies?" Nick asked as he opened up the back door of the SUV for them to get out. "Sydney, bring back memories?"
"Oh yeah," She replied.
Nick closed the door and walked between them on the way to the house. "So Sara, what do you think?"
"It's huge," Sara said.
"What you can see now with your eyes is nothing," Nick replied. "What do you say Sydney? Should we take her to the river?"
"Can you still ride?" Sydney asked teasingly.
"Of course, can you?" Nick asked in the same manner.
"Alex and I ride together at least once a week," She told him matter of factly. "Sara, can you ride?"
"Ride? What do mean?" Sara asked Sydney.
"Nicholas, she doesn't know how to ride a horse? What were you thinking?" Sydney asked.
"Never mind. Sara, don't worry about it. Sydney, she will know how before we go. You have to remember, this is her first time in Texas." Both girls just nodded their heads up and down very subtlety. The three of them were by now at the front door and Nick knocked. "Mom?"
"I'm coming. Nick? Is that you?" A voice from inside yelled.
"Yes, Mom. I have a surprise for you." Nick replied.
The door opened and there stood Nick's Mom. "Oh, Nick. It's good to see you," She said as she gave him a big hug. Nick seemed to struggle a little and she finally let go.
"Mom, look who's here," Nick said moving to the side so she could see Sydney.
"Sydney," She gasped as she moved forward and gave Sydney a hug.
Sara had been looking on the whole time. Nick took Sara's arm and pulled her inside the house. If truth be told, this was the real reason she got 'depressed' as Nick put it that day in the restaurant. She did not have much of a family, and her relationship with what family she did have was strained.
They went in and sat in the living room waiting for Mrs. Stokes and Sydney to join them. Soon they came in the house and joined Sara and Nick in the living room. "Mom, this is Sara Sidle. Sara, this is my mom," Nick introduced them and they shook hands.
"Nick dear you are so skinny. When was the last time you had a nice steak?" Mrs. Stokes asked.
"Since you cooked me one, Mom," Nick replied in a monotone voice.
"Well supper will be ready in about two hours if you want to go out to the barn Nick. Your horse sure does miss you." Mrs. Stokes told Nick.
"Yeah I miss him too. Sara come on, I am going to teach you how to ride," Nick said. "Sydney you wanna see this?"
"Oh, I would love to see this, but I think that I will stay in here and talk to your mom." Sydney answered.
"OK," Nick said. "Sara, are you coming?" She nodded her head yes and followed Nick out to the barn.
They walked over to a solid black horse Nick spoke up, "Sara this is Tornado. My brother and I found him as a foal after a big thunderstorm. He was hurt real bad. Then there was a tornado that night. The vet said he was probably only a couple of days old."
"He is beautiful," Sara commented and patted his nose.
"I know. He's really gentle, but he won't let anyone ride him except me. Here come with me." They walked a couple stalls down and came upon a cream colored horse. "Buttercup is the sweetest and most gentle horse we have."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Nick said untie the horse form the post at the front of the stale. "Just a minute and she'll be ready." Nick led the horse over to the wall with the tack hanging on it and he saddled up the horse. When he was done he walked her back over to where Sara was watching and waiting. "OK, now let me help you."
"Nick, what are you doing?"
"I am going to teach you how to ride a horse," He explained.
"I don't know about this," Sara commented.
"Relax will you, I know what I'm doing."
"I don't doubt that."
"Then what's the problem. You trust me don't you?" Nick asked grinning.
'With my life!' Sara thought nodding her head up and down slowly.
Nick smiled once again and went to the horse's left side and bent over and interlocked his fingers. "Now Sara, put your left foot in the stirrup and your right foot in my hands." She did as he instructed and with little struggle she was able to get up on the horse. "Good job, that was a pretty smooth mount. Now hold onto the horn," He said patting the horn at the front of the saddle.
"OK, what now?"
"Hold on," He instructed. He moved her left foot out of the stirrup. He inserted his own foot there. He swung up and settled himself in the saddle behind Sara. Sara's face was turning red again and she scooted forward a little so to provide Nick with as much room as possible. "Now Sara, put your foot back in the stirrup and take the reins in your hands." She did and Nick gave the horse a little kick in sides. The horse started walking.
"Whoa!" Sara exclaimed.
"It's OK Sara, just relax. If the horse feels that you are tense then she will be too." Sara's body looked like it relaxed a little but her arms and back were still as stiff as boards. Nick reached his arms around Sara and grabbed hold of her hands holding the reins. He gently took her hands and placed them on her lap, still loosely gripping the reins. "Now, relax."
'Relax? Right. Nick is not going to let anything happen to you, Sara. Enjoy being in his arms for a little bit and relax.' She thought and leaned back slightly into Nick. They rode like that for about an hour, with him giving her instructions and hints. By the end of the hour Sara had completely relaxed. Nick instructed Sara in how to make Buttercup go back to the barn. When they got beside the house, with the barn a little further ahead, Sara felt Nick shift behind her. He jump down on the ground.
"I'm going to tell Mom we're back and find out how much longer till supper. Take Buttercup into the barn and wait in there till I come back. OK?"
Sara sighed and continued doing what Nick had told her. She took Buttercup back to the barn. Sara managed to guide Buttercup up next to her stall, but then Sara tried to get down. 'Not very easy without Nick.' She thought.
At that moment Nick came running through the barn door. "See, riding is easy. Now let me help you down," He commented. Nick reached up and grabbed Sara by her waist and pulled her off the horse smoothly and gently. He then started work on the saddle. He took it off and put the saddle away. Nick took a different saddle and put it on a brown horse with a black mane. "Casey," Nick answered Sara's unanswered question. He finished saddling Casey up. "Come here."
"Why?"
"Supper won't be ready for at least another forty-five minutes. I want to teach you something else, since you learn very fast."
"What?"
"Patience. Now I can ride behind you again like before, if you want. I could also ride Tornado, it'll be a little more difficult but I can still do it that way. I'm going to show you how to run a horse."
"Oh," Sara said mounting the horse, with a little help from Nick.
"Where do you want me to ride? On Casey or Tornado?" Nick asked.
"I don't mind either way," She said removing her left foot from it's stirrup.
Nick put his foot there then looked at Sara to see if it was really all right. She just smiled at him, but did not shake her head no. Nick took that as his cue and got up and sat right behind Sara. He instructed her to guide Casey outside the barn and to a pasture. Nick spent the next few minutes teaching her what to do and how to do it. Soon they were in a full blown canter. Sara was laughing and Nick was very glad she was having a good time. "Whoa Casey, slow down girl," Nick said grabbing the reins from Sara and pulling back on them. Finally he managed to stop her and he got off. "Now Sara, do it the same way that we have been."
"Do you really think that I am ready? I do not want to fall off," Sara told him.
"I know you are ready and no one wants to fall off. If you do, then you get back on and try again."
"Fine," Sara said nudging the horse to go. It took a few minutes but she finally was on a running horse and having fun.
Nick stood at the edge of a pasture watching Sara. A voice brought him out of his trance, "She's beautiful isn't she?"
"Huh?" He asked turning to find Sydney standing there watching Sara.
"I said Sara, she is beautiful. Right?"
"All women are beautiful, Sydney," Nick replied watching Sara again.
"Cut to the chase Nicholas. You like her, don't you?"
"Of course I like her, she's one of my best friends."
"Nicholas, stop playing games with me right now! You like her as more than a friend. I see it you know. I see the way you look at her and I saw how you acted towards her last night."
"Fine, Sydney. Yes, yes I like her as more than a friend. Yes I wish we were more than friends, but it doesn't matter. She thinks of me the same way you do, like a brother."
"How do you know that? Did she ever tell you that?" Sydney questioned.
"Well . . . no, but I know."
"Nicholas, talk to her, tell her."
"Whatever, Sydney. Now can we change the subject? For instance do 'you' have a boyfriend?"
"I told you the other night I don't."
"What about Gage?"
"What about him?"
"Do you like him?"
"Of course I like him, he's my partner." Sydney replied a little too quickly.
"Now you are using the same line I did. We are getting nowhere real fast. Besides, you go on a date with him every week. "
"It's not really a date. Even if I did like him like that, it would never work out. We work together."
"So do Sara and I."
"Yeah but do you put your life in her hands everyday, and visa-versa?"
"No, but . . ."
"There are no buts. I can't date someone that I work with. It could put my life or his in an unnecessary risk. What if it doesn't work out? Then that really would put a strain on things."
"What if you never took that risk? Would you ever forgive yourself?" Nick asked.
There was a long pause then Sydney spoke up again, "Oh, Nicholas. I came out here to tell you supper will be ready . . ." She looked at her watch, ". . . in two minutes."
"OK. Thanks," Nick said as he got Sara's attention and she came over to where Nick and Sydney were standing.
Nick helped Sara down, 'properly' this time. He handed the reins to Sydney. "I'll see you inside," She said heading to the barn, horse in tow. Nick and Sara went inside to wash up.
Soon all four were seated at the table and began to eat. Mrs. Stokes had fixed many things, even enough vegetables, so the vegetarian Sara could get full without eating the meats. They all ate till they were full and then continued to eat. While they ate, they talked. They talked about everything, well everything that held good memories for them anyway. When they got done, Sara, Sydney, and Nick helped Mrs. Stokes clean the kitchen. When they finished Nick gave Sara the grand tour of the house while Sydney made a phone call. When Nick and Sara finished, they went to the living to wait for Sydney. They were going to take Sara riding by the river.
Sydney came into the living room, "Hey guys. Listen I just spoke with Gage to make sure everything went fine after I left the office. I left my cell phone at the office. It seems that not two hours after I left something did happen. Governor Allen's ten year old daughter, Samantha, was in Dallas for the week with some friends and Mrs. Allen. Samantha was kidnapped. I'm so sorry Nick. I really wanted to take that ride, but I need to get back to town."
"I understand," Nick started. "We can do it another time. I'll be here until Wednesday."
"Thanks for understanding. I'll wait in the vehicle if you want to say 'bye' to your mom," Sydney said going outside the front door.
"I will too," Sara told Nick following Sydney out the door.
Nick went into the den where Mrs. Stokes was. "Bye Mom," Nick said.
"Are you leaving already?" Mrs. Stokes.
"Yeah. Sydney has to get back to town right away. I still want to show Sara a few things around here, so we'll be back."
"Good. If you tell me when you're coming I'll cook"
"Thanks Mom. Bye," Nick said giving his mom a hug.
"Bye Son. I'll see you later. Oh, and Sara is a good catch. I approve and lock the door on your way out," Mrs. Stokes said walking out of the room and into the next one.
Nick just stood there looking to where his mom had gone with his mouth open, totally speechless. He finally composed himself and was able to walk out of the house, locking the door behind him. He got in the SUV and took Sydney to meet Gage and Sara back to the hotel.
9:09p.m. Monday May 13
The Hotel
"How do you stand riding horses so much? I am so sore," Commented Sara as they entered her room.
"I'm use to it," He said going walking through the door between their room and dropping off his stuff and taking off his shoes. Sara was doing the same thing in her room. Nick came back into Sara's room. "Sara, why don't you go take a steaming hot bath. That should help with your muscles. Better yet why don't you use the Jacuzzi in my bathroom," He suggested.
"No thanks. I am sure I will feel better in the morning," Sara replied.
"No, you'll be stiff in the morning. Get your stuff together and follow me," Nick said leaving the room and going toward his bathroom. Seeing she did not have much of a choice, Sara gathered her pajamas and a towel and followed Nick. When she entered his bathroom he was just finishing preparing the Jacuzzi and was on his way out the door. "Oh good, you're here. Take all the time you want. I plan on writing another speech for tomorrow then going to bed early. We talk bright and early in the morning. So if I don't see you before morning, 'night Sara," Nick told her then walked out of the bathroom.
"Nick?" Sara started. Nick turned around to face her. "Thanks . . . for everything." Nick just nodded his head up and down. "Good night, Nick."
"'Night Sara," Nick replied walking out of the room and closing the door. Sara stayed in the Jacuzzi for about another two hours. She was not too worried about her speech because she had already finished hers for tomorrow. When she finally finished she got out and got dressed and drained the Jacuzzi. She went out of the bathroom. When she entered Nick's bedroom she found him asleep on top of the bed. She went over to his door and turned off the lights. Before she walked out of the door she whispered, "Good night Nick. Maybe one day I will be able to tell you how I really feel about you." She walked into her room and closed the door behind her.
'Did she really just say that?' An eye-closed, but fully awake Nick thought.
To be continued . . .