"Sara I'd like you to meet my baby." Nick said as he stopped outside the stable of his horse.
"Should I be jealous?" Sara asked.
"If you want to be jealous of a horse." Nick replied. He held out a hand with a sugar cube on and the horse walked over and took it from him. "Hey baby." Nick rubbed the horse's nose.
"She's beautiful." Sara said.
"You hear that?" Nick smiled.
"Can I touch her?" Sara inquired.
"Of course. But I should make introductions. I'd like you to meet Sara, Sara this is Stardust."
"You're joking."
"No."
"You're serious?" Sara questioned.
"Stardust is the daughter of Star Bright, granddaughter of Star Light and great-granddaughter of Star. Mom and Dad have her paperwork."
"You really named your horse Stardust?"
"Star was Mom's. We just kept the theme going." Nick smiled at her. "Can you ride a horse?"
"No."
"I'll teach you."
"You really named your horse Stardust?"
"Fate has a strange way of biting you in the butt." Nick smiled. "But it's not the worst name. When we were kids we have seven horses all named after the seven dwarfs."
"Seriously?"
"We went through a phase of naming pets after Disney characters. We had a cat called Pinocchio, a goat called Thumper."
"Well Stardust is beautiful for a horse."
Sara waited while Nick mucked out the horses and fed them. He'd tried to get Sara to help but she had politely refused.
"Oh god you smell." Sara said when he was done.
"It's not as bad as a decomp." Nick pointed out.
"But you should still take a shower." Sara stated.
"Okay, are you coming in?"
"Do you mind if I stay out here?" Sara asked.
"Just stay away from the animals and the equipment and you'll be fine." Nick replied.
"Okay."
Sara sat down at the picnic bench behind the house and looked around.
"You must be Sara."
Sara turned around to see a blonde teenager walking up.
"That would be me and you are?"
"Stacey Stokes." She replied.
"Nice to meet you."
"You too. Are Aunt Emily and Uncle Jack here yet?"
"I think you're grandmother said they'd be here this afternoon." Sara replied.
"Where's Uncle Nicky?" Stacey inquired.
"Taking a shower." Sara answered.
"I guess I'll have to wait." She set her book bag down and sat down on the side of the table.
"Everything okay?" Sara inquired.
"I've just got this really hard Physics assignment and I thought Uncle Jack or Uncle Nicky could help since they were here."
"I could help." Sara offered.
"You know anything about Physics?" Stacey asked.
"I have a degree in it from Harvard." Sara replied.
"I guess that qualifies you." Stacey agreed. "You don't mind?"
"No." Sara stated. "So where do you fall in the family?"
"Andy and Erin's daughter." Stacey replied. "The younger one. I'm fifteen, but I'm older than all my cousins."
"Right.
"So how do you like Texas so far?" Stacey inquired.
"It's a lot quieter than Vegas."
"I've only ever seen Vegas on TV. It looks busy."
"It is. So are you inviting anyone to this party your grandparents are throwing tomorrow?"
"You mean like a boyfriend?" Stacey asked.
"Maybe."
"You try having a boyfriend with this family."
"It's a problem?" Sara questioned.
"Every single member of law enforcement in three counties knows who I am. Everyone in town knows the family and that pretty much scares guys off."
"That has to suck." Sara said.
"Yes." Stacey replied.
"So what do you have to do for you project?" Sara asked.
TBC