On Horseback

Chapter 4: Spring Out

Jack and I continued to see each other on a daily basis. He'd come by the ranch and give me flowers, some medicinal herbs and even wool from his sheep! He was a good friend. I'd never met someone as nice as him.

Spring 30th finally came along, which meant that the next day was Summer 1st, and the day of the Fireworks. But no time to become nostalgic or hope that the next day would come as soon as possible, but it was the day that Jack and I were going to go down to the beach and have a picnic. But I didn't know if I wanted to go through with it...it might feel too much like a real date.

"Ann!" Dad called from the shop. I was in my room, doodling with scrapbooks and organizers and such. "Yes?" I asked. Appearently, my Dad didn't hear me, because the next thing that happened was that he barged into my room and said, "Ann! Get outside! There's somebody there waiting for you! And this somebody I've never seen before!"

That definitely didn't sound right. Maybe another person moved to Flowerbud...

I quickly ran outside and saw the guy from the Flower Festival standing outside. "Oh, hey. I think I saw you on the 23rd?" I questioned him, just to look confused. He slowly nodded. "Hi. I was just passing through." I walked over to him and asked, "You got a name, big boy?"

"Don't ever call me that," was his reply.

"Well, sorry."

"I'm Cliff."

"My name is Ann."

We both shook hands and I asked him what he was doing at our ranch.

"I like horses. I haven't seen any for the longest of times. And I mean looooongest of times. When I saw you win that horse race earlier this season, I knew that somewhere around here there had to be horses." I was lost. "You were at the horse races?" Cliff nodded. "Yes. You probably just didn't see me." "Okay," I said, scratching my cheek, where it itched.

"Anyways, umm, I'm sorry if I make you mad, but are you...homeless?" I asked Cliff.

Cliff shook his head and said, "Don't worry. Many people ask me that question. It's because of the way I dress. I'll tell you that I am definitely not homeless. I go somewhere every night. Some...where."

Cliff then told a long story. A long story. About where he came from. A lot of it was about his grandmother who owned a vineyard, and that he had a piece of blonde hair that he thinks he inheirited from her. "Oh, no, it's not that it's ugly or anything, I just think that it's a little on the odd side." I nodded and he continued to tell his story. "I was born as an only child. I never had anyone but my cousin to play with. However, my cousin -no, it was me, yeah- I moved away and I haven't seen her since. The only clue that ever said that I'd find my cousin again is the line of blonde hair and a bottle of Heaven's Gate."

"What is Heaven's Gate?" I asked Cliff.

"Well, Heaven's Gate is a type of liquor. It's very difficult to come by. I don't know how many are left in the world. Under ten, I'm betting. If any vineyard knew how to grow that beer, then I'd know that the owners would be the family I've been searching for all my life. But...this is only if I can ever find them. My heart is set on this journey...Ann?"

I looked over at Cliff, who'd made me drowsy over his long story. "Uh huh?" I said to him. But he didn't answer. He just looked around the ranch and said, "Where's that newborn colt?"

My head shot up and I cried, "What did you say?!" Cliff looked a little stunned. "Umm...'where's the newborn colt?'" I didn't looked too pleased. I walked right over to Cliff and looked him in the eye, saying, "What are you? A stalker?! First the colt, then the horse racing, then the dancing and now THIS!" I could've been wrong, since Cliff ran off after I mentioned the examples. Pathetic examples, I might add. Maybe I was jumping to conclusions. Hmm, the next time he comes back -if he comes back- I'll speak to him about his story again. He seemed interesting.

My hands were dry as the desert now, from standing outside in front of my house for so long. I marched back inside and washed them. My Dad was tending to the shop, as always. "Oh, yes, I won't be making any lunch for you, Ann, but do tell me what time Jack is coming over?"

As usual, my father was treating me like I was ten-years-old. "DAD! I'll be fine! Could you freakin' stop asking me these questions?! I'm twenty-years-old! I'm sure we had a little discussion about this last time!!" My Dad nodded. "Okay, okay." He went back to tending to the shop.

I exited the house at quarter to three, (the time Jack was coming by) and walked out of the ranch. I was hoping that Jack arrived right on time, I hated it when people were late.

Then, Jack's figure appeared. "Hello, hello, hello!" I exclaimed. "How are you?" Jack gave me the usual cheerful smile and answered, "Doing well, well, well." I took his arm and said, "The beach, yes?" "The beach, yes." The two of us ran down to the beach, to, strangely enough, find Karen on the dock staring out at the waves. "Wow. She never comes by on Tuesdays. We'll just leave her to be."

And we did. The picnic began.

Jack pulled out everything that was perfect for the picnic! Sandwiches of all sorts, (which I will eat all!) coleslaw, macaroni salad and all sorts of cookies. "What do you think?" he asked me. I smiled, staring at the food. "And I have allergies to none." The two of us laughed, and Karen whirled around from the dock.

"Oh, hey, Ann. And Jack. What're you two doing here?" she asked us. "Picnicing," I answered her. She nodded and said, "Well, I best not interrupt. I'll be getting back to the vineyard."

Which reminded me...

"Karen! Wait!" I bellowed. Karen hadn't even moved her foot, and said, "Umm, yes?" I went over to her and pulled her aside. "Ouch," she grumbled. "Well? What the hell do you want?" I giggled and answered, "Have you seen a guy around here named Cliff?" Karen's jaw dropped. "Who? My cousin? No...he doesn't live here. He lives in the city. Maybe even in the outskirts of the city." I clasped my hands and said, "He came to me today! He's looking for his family!"

Yes, that's right. Karen's family and her vineyard. Oh, and Kai. But did they know how to make Heaven's Gate?

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart," Karen said to me. "I'll go look for him. Here: have this as thanks." In my hand, Karen placed a shell that looked like a giant wave. "Please keep it. I've got to go. Bye." Karen took off.

"Ann! What was that all about?" I blushed. "Sorry, I had to give some news to Karen. I figured I'd do it now, since it was so important." Jack nodded. "Okay, okay. I gotcha." We opened up the food from its packages, and began consuming it. And it was GOOD.

Jack and I spent the rest of the day on the beach. Since the water was still too cold for swimming, we just built sand castles, which eventually got washed away with the tide. "Wow. I haven't had this much fun since...well, since the Flower Festival!" The two of us laughed and we began packing up.

"Well, thank you so much for this unbelievable day!" I thanked him. Jack quickly embraced me and said, "Nothing's a charm without you." I blushed. Well, I was sure that I was blushing. "Thank you." After he let go of me, he dug into his pockets and pulled out a little locket. "Oh, Jack..." I couldn't breathe after I saw the cute little thing.

"No, it's for you. Please take it." I took the locket from his palm and opened it up. It instantly began playing the song that was played at the Flower Festival. "The song when you looked confused?" I asked Jack. He nodded. "Yeah, it made me feel...real. Weird. You looked lost, too." I nodded. "Yeah, it made me feel so enchanted. I can't explain it."

Jack quickly checked his watch. "Well, it's 11 o' clock." I couldn't believe that I had been out for that amount of time! "Umm...wow!" I exclaimed and the two of us chuckled at the corny joke. "Take good care of that locket," he told me. I put the locket in my pocket and said, "Nothing's better than being in good spirits!"

I took off for the ranch as fast as I could. I unlocked the front door, and tiptoed in. My Dad had already gone to bed, but Gray was up and about. "Well, well, what have we here? Little Red-" I cut off my brother. "Shut up! Just shut up, Gray! Wanting to get me in trouble again? I don't think so!" I ran into my room, and locked it. The thing about having brothers. They can be so stupid. Literally. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!

I went over to my dresser and set the locket down on it. Yes, that tune definitely sounded familiar! I just didn't know where it was from. Oh, well. Tomorrow is another day. And the Fireworks. Jack and I could watch it from the ranch. Karen would probably be at the beach, and I didn't like interrupting her nights alone. She barely had any.

I closed the locket and got changed. It was late now. Almost 11:30, and my Dad hadn't gotten up to scold me. Thank lord. I got under my blanket and shut my light off. I hope that tomorrow was going to be a better day.

Or...another better day...

Or...just another day...