3

They arrived back at the farm full of seafood and in very high spirits. Jess knew that they all had to be tired so she got rooms set up for them and showed them around the house. They sat out on the back deck and continued to talk and laugh and drink well into the night. One by one everyone eventually crawled into bed until Jess, Jen, Tim and Austin were the only ones still awake.

"Do you guys wanna see something beautiful?" Jess asked as she stood up and put her coat on. She took Tim's hand and Jen and Austin followed close behind as she led them to the stables. With everything going on, it had been over a week since Jen had gone up to see the horses and Jess wanted to introduce her new foal to the three of them. When they walked through the huge red doors Jetson whinnied to her. She walked over and scratched his nose, giving him a handful of oats and kissing his star. Jen introduced Austin to Teddy who he'd be riding when they went out. Tim had strolled along the aisle and stopped outside Charlie's stall and leant against the door for her to smell him.
"She'll be yours while you're here" Jess told him and she held out a bucket of oats for him to take a handful. Charlie nudged Tim impatiently as he held out his hand for her to eat. "Watch her though, she'll nibble on your fingers."

When they were acquainted with their mounts, Jess took them to the far stall where her sister's chestnut mare stood dozing and the week old foal nuzzled at her side drinking.
Jen walked inside and scratched the mare's ear, "Hey Nikki old girl, what have you got here?" Austin's eyes lit up as he caught a glimpse of the jet black colt standing beside the big mare.
"What are you going to call him? Is it Jetson's or Teddy's?" He asked as he leant over to pet Nikki's nose. Jen shrugged in answer to his first question and Jess answered his second, telling him Jetson was the sire.

"Austin, why don't you name him?" Jen and Jess spoke in unison.
Austin turned to Tim and smiled. "We'll both name him but give us a few days to come up with a good one. Will he be raced?" Jen shook her head. This colt was to be her new eventer.
"There's one more surprise for you." Jess said as she walked into the tack room and came back with four bridles. "Saddles and blankets are outside your horse's stall. Tack up and meet me outside." She walked down to Jetson's stall and opened the door. When she had tacked her own horse she went to help Tim who was nearly finished with Charlie. "She is a little touchy with the girth, you hold her while I tighten it. Hold her head or she'll nip me." Tim did what she said and they led their horses outside. Jen and Austin walked out a minute later and they all rode off up the hill, trusting their horses to see fallen logs and holes in the dark.

When Jess pulled Jetson to a halt, Tim came up beside her and looked out over the landscape drenched in moonlight. "It's beautiful. Don't you think?" She asked him and he looked back at her.
"Yes it is. I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life." She blushed at his answer and leant over to kiss him. Jetson, as if knowing what she wanted, sidestepped and moved closer to Charlie. When Austin and Jen caught up, the four horses stood together as their riders watched the sunrise. The hues of pink and orange picked up the red in Jess' hair and the early sun made it glow around her face. Austin moved Teddy around behind her and called to her, he took a picture as she turned and showed her. The picture was beautiful, both Austin and Tim said that her hair glowing with the sun shining on half of her face made her look like an angel.

They turned to head back towards the house when the sun had come over the back hill and flooded the valley in its orange glow. Jen asked Austin to hang back and walk with her while Jess and Tim chose to race back to the stable. They untacked and Tim hosed off the horses while Jess made up the feeds ready for when Jen and Austin got back. Tim then picked her up and slung her onto his back, and just as he had the day before, he piggybacked her back down to the house. They walked inside, showered and changed as doors were starting to open and everyone moved outside where Alex had fired up the barbecue for bacon and egg breakfast.

"Did you guys even see your beds?" Adam asked as Austin and Jen walked in the gate and sat down.
"Nope, we went for a ride to watch the sunrise over the valley at the back of the property. It's gorgeous. We should go out there tonight to watch it set, and maybe camp there the night." Austin said as he got up to walk inside for a shower. Jen followed him and left Jess and Tim to tell them more about their early morning ride. Austin had sent the photo of Jess to Tim and he showed everyone repeating his earlier statement about angels.

"Once everyone has had breakfast and is actually awake" Jess looked at Chris who yawned, "I'll take you guys up to the stables and you can meet our newest addition and I'll introduce you to the horses that, for want of a better term, will be yours for the next two months. We have a big day ahead. Cattle to move this morning and a party for the one and only Allan tonight." Jess had just finished speaking when Jen came out with coffee for everyone and Alex had finished cooking. They laughed and talked as they ate, Austin had definitely looked better but he was a good sport and walked back up to the stables to saddle Teddy again for their day of working on a real Aussie property.

With the cattle moved, they all rode back for lunch and to get ready for the party that night. They all had a blast dancing, singing, drinking and eating to celebrate Allan's birthday. Jen had made a cake that was absolutely delicious and they partied well on into the night. Jen, Austin, Tim and Jess called in earlier than the others as they were falling asleep sitting on the couches outside after their all-nighter the day before.