Chapter 103

Amy came outside and found Victor sitting on the porch looking up at a dark sky. It was 4:00 AM on Thanksgiving day.

"Good morning Victor, did you have breakfast ?"

"Just coffee, we can eat after."

"I'm going to fill up for the road, you ?"

"One cup is fine for now, I'm good."

They had decided to leave the mountain house early Wednesday, not crack of dawn but more not dallying over breakfast which Erma, Amy and Sally made, the smells wafting through the house and waking the rest. There were 8 special guests arriving for the wedding, 6 on flight schedule for the afternoon and two, Victor and June Whitetail by truck and trailer sometime that morning. It was for these two that Amy was anxious to arrive earlier than later.

There was an area off in the woods between the house compound and the thoroughbred compound that was set up so that the Pegasus mobile campers could be used for a large overflow in guests or for those that arrived with and preferred their own accommodations off the beaten path. Victor and June were just those type of guests. Brother and sister, their tag along was set up nicely with two bedrooms. They preferred not to impose and Victor preferred to sit out with a small fire under the sky in the evenings rather than the crowd that the main ranch area would become by wedding day.

It surprised Ty when he heard that Amy would spend several hours of her time with Victor on Wednesday and Thursday, to, as Victor described it "get her to find her depths again." He had also asked for some of Ty's time to talk, which he described as "making sure Ty understood the duties of a husband." He would not perform the ceremony until these two things were accomplished.

"I thought the idea was to have someone that at least I found more spiritual than just somebody registering with some internet group."

"Well it was."

"Well, honestly, Victor has been like a spiritual guide for me through the years. That time after mom died left a deep impact on me and revisiting again after I left Hudson and again before turning to a new life here, I don't know, helped me center. It's been awhile and I've been going through a bunch."

"And me ?"

"And you may find yourself in another father son thing Ty, I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine I guess, just, I've never been spiritual."

"Well, Victor has a way of skirting the whole issue while getting to the point so keep on your toes with that and if you come away with some spiritual it probably won't kill you."

So on Wednesday Amy was there to welcome Victor and June as they pulled into Pegasus. None of the family had ever meet him in person but they knew about him through Amy. The kids were in school when he arrived, their last day before the long Thanksgiving weekend. Betty came out to welcome them with Amy. Victor was in his 70's now, his hair long and white, tied into two long pony tails that lay over his shoulders. June was timeless, her round smiling face with long, now peppery black hair framing a bright smile.

"Tonsei Victor, tonsei June !" Amy called out as she approached and was immediately taken into Victor's and then June's embrace for traditional welcomes reserved for special family amongst the First Nations people.

"Well my girl, in between phone calls, June and I have kept up on your successes and good work though the internet, it's good to see you embrace your destiny. You look well."

"You played a part Victor, both of you were there to guide me."

"This was written to be by the creator long before us my girl."

Amy smiled as the talk fell to more mundane things in life that they caught up on before Amy led them out and around to where they could hook up and settle themselves. The weather promised to hold mild through the weekend, a godsend for the wedding and guests.

The rest of Wednesday's arrivals would sort themselves soon enough, Jack, Lisa, Wade and Lily would spend their time with Ty, Betty and the kids. If that wasn't enough, Mallory and Jake would be arriving from Texas which was sure to keep Jack and Lisa busy catching up and reacquainting.

On Wednesday after Victor and June returned to the house to meet Amy's kids and greet Ty who was away earlier, Amy and Victor would ride. Jackson couldn't help stare at the both of them until Amy signaled him to watch his gaze. Both had changed from plaid shirts and jeans to more traditional garb. June a long dyed buckskin shirt over matching pants and boots and Victor, still in jeans but with a rich buckskin shirt. Both wore cowboy hats with elaborate bands, both wore buckskin boots.

With the weather cooperating a small paddock was set up by the trailer and Victor and June were loaned horses for the weekend as they requested, they still had the truck to leave the property if they chose. After dropping June back at the trailer Amy and Victor rode out for a ride and a long talk.

She knew that if she wasn't completely transparent Victor would know immediately so she started following his lead.

He started with the books. She had sent him an early draft and a more recent one. The first he returned with notes on the holistic care Pegasus received. This was before Amy's time as his healer. Scott had also added notes of that time as he represented the veterinary side of Pegasus healing. Both Scott and Victor added their thoughts to those sections of the second volume that either dealt with Pegasus specifically or simply a thought or story about their dealing with Marion on one topic or another.

"I couldn't help but think of all the times I spoke with your mom, you know, the real heart to hearts, the painful ones, the horses that almost defied being healed."

"Well, I guess that's the point" Amy said. "They are not expendable creatures, they have hearts and understanding, their pain is real."

"I think the beauty of the second volume is it's format and your acceptance of veterinary care. The joining of both science and the old ways into something better. The sum of the parts being greater than the whole. It's not what people are going to expect, some natural healing diatribe, stuff 12 avocados up your ass and cure cancer kind of thing. It's what you stand for, build love and trust and treat the animal in the best way possible, simple if you can, mimicking nature and the herd or more profound, mixing drugs if necessary but slowly, watching the horses reactions to treatment, step by step and making adjustments. Using blood work, constant care, direct observation both physical and mental. It's a great effort Amy."

"Thank you Victor, you have know idea what that means to me."

"In case no one's mentioned it my girl, your mom would be very happy."

They rode out to the rescue center, Victor didn't know the Running Bears but wanted to meet them and see the big birds. When they hit the small road they dismounted and walked in the rest of the way. Amy had been talking about her life recently and her feelings about Hudson and returning home to Heartland.

"A good psychologist, one who takes the time to know a patient can do wonders with a few words."

"He knows what pushes my buttons and that if he asks me to write he gets me to think."

That night Victor and June sat with the family around the campfire at his trailer and regaled them with stories about Marion and a young Amy, their philosophies and adventures rescuing, healing and competing in colt starting competitions.

The kids had learned about Amy's one and only Ring of Fire a few years before and when the Hudson Times transferred their archives to digital and made them available online the girls discovered much more about their famous family and the Miracle Girl. Of course Victor was not there, that was the reason Amy did it to begin with but Victor was good friends with Garrett MacDuff and even had a passing acquaintance with Chase being in the "same business" so he heard the telling several times over the years and relayed that with great color.

It was still dark and though Amy knew they were heading North on I-81 she had no idea where until Victor pulled off several miles south of Syracuse.

"We're going to the Onondaga Nation lands ? Why ?"

"Patience my girl." He said as he made a turn following his navigation. A few minutes later the road brought them to a small field where off to the side was a small fire and a man standing with his arm raised.

They pulled up and Victor got out and immediately raised his hand as well. "End of the line Amy' he said as he closed his door.

A moment later Amy was introduced to Malcolm Adams, who looked to be Victor's age or thereabouts, about 6 feet tall he had salt and peppered curly hair which Amy thought odd. "Malcom is a 6 Nation Council member, an elder of the Onondaga Iroquois people."

'Honored to meet you sir, Amy Fleming."

"Victor tells me you run Pegasus, I've heard of your good work, Ms. Fleming."

"Amy please."

Almost cryptically Malcolm smiled "please know that you are welcome here anytime Amy, just call the office and ask for me. Victor my brother, what you seek is perhaps a ½ mile down the trail" he said nodding to his right where the trail end immediately became evident in the growing light before dawn.

"Thank you Malcolm." Victor said nodding and then patting him on the shoulder walked past looking back to Amy to follow.

"Uhm, thank you Malcolm." Amy said passing and two stepping to catch up to Victor.

"Victor slow down, where are we going ?" She asked as she reached his side.

" ½ mile down this path."

"You don't change much do you '

He didn't answer but reached his hand up to pat her shoulder laughing lightly. At the pace Victor set it didn't take long before the path opened into a clearing and somewhat in the center the distinct outline of a medicine wheel. Amy immediately noticed that it was a little smaller that the one on Victor's land but it was here in New York, less than 50 miles from Amy's home.

"Need a refresher course ?" Victor asked softly.

"I do not, I just didn't expect."

"We have all the time you need Amy, sit, gather your thoughts, if you need me I'll be close by. I asked the children to each find a stone at the ranch" he said lastly passing the three small stones into her hand.

Amy was touched at the gesture "thank you Victor" she whispered 'I'll be fine."

She started by looking out and taking in the site before her and began wondering mundane things like how long it had been there and who had made it, what people walked it and for what reasons. She paid attention to her breathing and closed her eyes trying to find a rhythm close by which she found in a light wind and latched on to it.

She thought back to the first time she had done this and how easy her life really was then. The second time, after Europe was traumatic compared to that, she felt foul, used, accused and hurt, lost in the world. She was a mess and Victor walked with her back then, leading her, guiding her thoughts.

"The wheel is more than a simple mediation tool Amy" she remembered him saying "It can heal, you can leave your pain here. It is divided into four quadrants that represent the body, mind, soul and spirit. The west quadrant represents the body, our physical being. The north our mind that which concerns our wisdoms and logic, The east our spirit, those things we strive for which illuminate and enlighten our lives. The south represents our souls, ruled by emotion, it governs our trusts and innocence.

As we walk the outside of the wheel and pass each quadrant we let ourselves reflect on those things each quadrant represents in our everyday life and let those thoughts drift away as we enter a new quadrant, not much time to dwell on but set aside and reach for later. There is no set amount of times to circle the wheel and when you're ready, when your emotions are all aligned we enter to the center where lies our balance, the beauty and harmony of our beings with the world around us.

Typically we enter from the east along that dividing line between our Spirit and Soul as these are what truly define us and center us, they represent our inner selves, our virtues, our very being.

"Come, we can walk together for now" he has said softly as he took her hand and they set off. It felt so long ago and then in a second only a few moments.

Amy didn't need Victor this time, her breathing mimicking the life around her she rose and took a few deeper breathes to clear her thoughts. She approached the wheel reminding herself of the purpose of each quadrant she passed and as she walked she found it easier and easier to adjust her mind to each quadrant as if it was a pattern.

At first her thoughts were random, jumping from incident to incident, taking in the players in her life, those people she was devoted to and in turn were devoted to her. She went back and forth between Heartland and Pegasus, her family and loved ones peaking in to her thoughts as she processed.

At times and without thinking Amy cried softly feeling destitute and alone and had to stop to collect and prioritize her thoughts and feelings. At times she smiled and felt utter joy in a memory.

She remembered holding Jackson for the first time as she watched him look at her, his sweet face and radiant smile sending a loving warmth over and through her. Her heart swelling with love.

She recalled Ty's note when he left the first time, her Grandfather's words, her sister's reaction. She thought back through her life and memories sorting each into slots, compartmentalizing as she pressed on. She faced her fears and hurts and slid them away under layers of love and understanding and moved on.

Betty, the girls, Jackson, Ty, her dad, her mom, Grandma Lyndy, Lisa, Georgie and Jack, she filtered them all, touched on them all, found the good in them all and basked in the good memories she could recall.

Finally, without any thought to the time she slowed at a little break in the circle. She looked around and found Victor walking towards her from the edge of the field. Her gaze was peaceful and her smile glorious. He smiled as well and nodded as he approached her wordlessly and then hand in hand they walked to the center. They stood for a moment and Amy again felt that the world around them had disappeared as if it reappeared in her thoughts to acknowledge her spirit guide. The silence was overwhelming. Amy knelt at the large center stone and he knelt alongside her. She bowed her head and he followed her. He noticed that at that point she reached into her pocket and took out the three smooth round rocks. Victor watched and followed as she held each to her head for a moment and then to her heart. She then kissed each gently and laid it on the heart stone.

Amy smiled as tears of joy fell from her eyes. In a second she laughed and stood. It was then that the wind seemed to return to dry their eyes as Victor was also crying. He smiled as well. Amy turned and placed her arm around his waist. They returned to the outside of the circle that way, arm in arm and walked slowly back towards the trail.

They walked back quietly, each in their own thoughts. They stopped at a stream they had passed in the dark on the way in and Amy knelt down to drink from the water as she found herself parched and hungry.

"I'm starved," She said wiping her mouth and taking a second to rinse her face.

"It's almost 10, we can stop for some food, we passed a diner an exit or two back."

"10 ? Really, how long did I ?"

"Almost 3 hours I think, lost time ?"

"Wow, I did I guess" she said reaching in and turning on her phone which beeped at least a dozen times as it grabbed a cell data connection. "Can't eat too much, 3 of these are Thanksgiving reminders, maybe something take out and quick ?"

"Take out and quick will be fine, how are you feeling ?"

"Well, pretty good actually, that was good, I needed it, uninterrupted introspection. When did you set this up ?"

"Well, when I spoke with you a few months ago you mentioned our spiritual connection, why let something like that go to waste ? Marriage is one of those things high up on the spiritual scale, the wheel provides a cleansing. I didn't set up actually using the wheel until after speaking with you yesterday. I'm glad you're resigning yourself to accept the past and move on."

"But ?"

"But my girl, but for lack of a better way of saying this your resignation to the past as it stood was secular and as much as you say it involved Jack and your dad and everyone else it also involved Ty."

"That spiritual thing again."

"Just so." Victor said as they reached the trail head and the clearing by the road. Marcus was gone and the fire was out except for a smoldering pile of herbs that scented the area, and helped clear their minds, a parting gift.

"Any thoughts ? " Victor asked.

"Bacon and egg on a roll, large black coffee." Amy answered closing the passenger door of Victor's truck.

"Just so." He answered smiling and turning the ignition.