Chapter 189 – Catching Up
Jack looked at Doug and could tell that he was thinking the same thing.
"How were things here while I was gone?" Jack asked.
"Good." Carlos said. "I made sure that the horses were fed, brushed and turned out. Tommy mucked out the stalls after I turned them out. I helped set up the five isolation stalls that you needed. I was here when Rocky and Rainbow arrived last night and got them settled. They only need to be in isolation for forty-eight hours, Uncle Marco said. I think the other horses will be here later tonight or in the morning."
"Very good." Jack said. "And you are getting everything done with your little helper?"
"Opal is great." Carlos said. "I volunteered to let her come with me. She wanted to see the horses."
"Okay." Jack said. "As long as you are being safe and the work is getting done."
"I know." Carlos said.
Jack nodded.
"Then I am just going to check on the horses." Jack said. "We just got back a little bit ago and I still need to talk to my grandfather."
"I have things to do." Carlos said. "Come one Opal."
"Bye." Opal said, skipping after Carlos.
Jack waited until they were out of ear shot, before he turned to Nathan.
"We need to make sure that Opal is not slowing things down." Jack said.
"I know." Nathan said. "But knowing her, she talked them into it. She probably just wanted to help. I will mention something to Katie, but I doubt that she is slowing Carlos down much."
"Okay." Jack said. "I guess it has been awhile since we had little ones running around here all the time."
"Keep it up and you have more soon." Doug teased.
Jack turned his head and stuck out his tongue at Doug. Nathan shook his head watching the two of them.
"So that was nice of your grandfather to get a piano." Doug said. "I am sure that my sister will like it so that they can keep up on their lessons."
"Yes, it was nice." Jack said. "I just feel bad for keeping it from them for so long."
"No one is upset with you." Nathan said. "They all understand why you didn't want to say anything. Honestly with the way that your parents were acting, I don't blame you. I wouldn't have wanted them to know anything about me if they were my parents. Sorry, not sorry."
"No, I know what you mean." Jack said. "There is so much about me that they don't know that I don't think that they will ever understand why I am the way I am or that the choices that they have made are why I am the way I am, at least in part. By them forcing responsibility on me so early, I grew up very fast. I don't mean to say that I didn't have a childhood, because I did. I didn't have anything happen like you did, but I was still forced to grow up faster. I learned very early that if I wanted horses, they came with lots of responsibilities. Don't get me wrong, I love my horses and it was a great lesson to learn early, but it wasn't my parents that taught it to me. It was my grandparents.
Beside the responsibility that came with the horses, there is something else that I can't quite figure out that has shaped the way I am. I wish I could put it into words better, but there is something deep inside of me that I can't explain. I have a feeling that it is, at least in part, the way that I am. I know that my parents are still hiding something from me and I also feel that whatever they are hiding is connected to the way that I feel. I wish I could explain it better, but at this point I can't
The more that I look back at my life, the more I realize that my parents had very little to do with how I turned out. I was left with nannies and security as far back as I can remember. If I was up here, I was with my grandparents or I was with Laura or Uncle Conrad and Aunt Heidi or even Uncle Chris and Aunt Molly. Other than trying to make me into what they wanted, I had very little interaction with my parents. They were too busy doing God knows what else to actually raise me. Once I was old enough to understand what was happening, I spent every waking minute that I could up here. Even looking at old pictures, there are few pictures of me with my parents unless it is a holiday.
All I know is that I don't want that for my own children. Yes, I want them to know their great grandparents, aunts and uncles, but the last thing that I want is for them to be my age and look back and not have memories of me and their mother."
"That won't happen." Doug said. "You know what it was like. You will make sure to spend time with them and make memories with them. Will you have help? Yes, that is expected. You will be in school and taking over two very large companies, but that doesn't mean that you won't spend time with them. I suspect that you will take them on trail rides and be the one to teach them to ride. I can't see anyone else doing it because they will want you to have that memory."
"Doug is right." Nathan said. "You don't need to figure it out right now, all I know is that you will learn what works for you. Remember what I said about talking and keep doing it."
Jack nodded.
"Let's get these guys tacked up." Jack said. "I know the sand ring is a little wet, but I think we can still do some flat work."
"Okay." Doug said.
Jack got Bandit tacked up, while Doug worked on Ghost and Nathan on Aphrodite. Once they had the horses tacked up they went out to the grass field that was near the stable.
"So how was your dinner?" Gran asked.
"It was amazing." Elizabeth said. "Jack had gotten us reservations at the hotel restaurant. We sat in a private corner and it was nice to just relax."
"What did you have to eat?" Lee asked.
"I had a pan seared salmon." Elizabeth said. "It had this amazing sauce and it came with summer vegetables. Before you ask, Jack had an aged beef burger and fries. We then split this thirteen layer chocolate cake. Jack had also ordered us this local charcuterie board as an appetizer. It was all amazing. From the food to the suite we stayed in. I would like to go back and spend more time there."
"I am sure that JP will take you again if you want." Gran said.
"How was your food?" Lee asked.
"It was amazing as well." Frank said. "Doug and I had fresh whole lobsters and Nathan had a lobster burger which is a meat from a whole lobster on a bun. We had split a dozen oysters as an appetizer. We also shared a bottle of wine that Doug picked out. It was from Australia. It was good."
"I will have to ask him what it was." Gran said. "Always looking for a good wine to add to the cellar. Speaking of which, Frank, if you want wine tonight, feel free to go down and pick something out. I think that there is a nice Pinot Noir down there. I think that I only have a white up here."
"I will have to go look." Frank said. "I don't drink a lot, but do like a glass with a nice meal. I used to drink more when I was in the Army, but it wasn't wine."
"We also have a fully stocked bar just past the pantry by the library doors." Gran said. "If you prefer, there are plenty of different spirits in there. There are also several bottles of cider and pressed juices down in the cellar. I know that Jack was looking at ordering more, especially the ones that they liked from the banquet last weekend."
"I will think about it." Frank said. "I wouldn't mind just going to look, especially if you have ciders and juices to choose from."
"Okay." Gran said. "Please feel free to make yourself at home. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you with that."
"I will." Frank said.
Everyone was back at the house just before six thirty to wash up for supper. Frank had helped Gran and Elizabeth get everything plated up. There was a lovely pork roast with new potatoes, baby carrots and pearl onions. They had also made a nice salad with fresh crumbled bacon and chopped hard boiled eggs. There were also fresh dinner rolls that Frank had made. To finish off the meal, there was a fruit salad of the last of the fresh fruit that had been cut up. It was decided against wine with supper, since no one really wanted any. They all had milk or lemonade.
Conversations over the meal were about what had gone on the last couple of days, including the run-ins with the press. Jack shared about the horses and other things about their trip to Toronto. Frank, Doug and Nathan also shared about their meal and what they thought about the trip. James shared about Rocky and Rainbow arriving and the last of the summer foals being born. So they had forty-two foals on the ground for the season. They also had thirty-nine confirmed pregnant mares for the next year. Jack was impressed, but was hoping for forty or more again.
"You already have mares pregnant?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes." Jack said. "Mares carry their babies for about three hundred forty days. A mare is not safe to deliver until three hundred twenty days, we aim to have most of our broodmares deliver around the three hundred thirty days. Some come closer to three twenty and others closer to three forty or more."
"Wow." Elizabeth said. "I didn't realize it was that long."
"Yes." James said. "We got a late start last year, so we didn't get them all bred until summer. I made a point of starting earlier this year. I wanted as many as possible bred by March as we could. I made the decision that those that didn't take, we would just hold off a year. I don't want foals coming all summer. I want to try and keep them earlier in the year."
"I agree." Frank said. "If you do it right. You can keep foals to the end of January to the middle of April, which is ideal."
"I couldn't agree more." Jack said. "As much as I was hoping for forty plus foals next year, I think that we need to keep them earlier in the year."
"Enough work talk." Gran said. "You can talk about that when not at my table. Let's try to have a civil dinner conversation."
The rest of the meal, they talked about other things so as to not upset Gran. After supper was finished, Doug and Nathan cleaned up while Jack went to sit at the piano. He had been asked to play by his grandfather, so he was going to oblige him. Jack had quickly run up to the music room and gotten a book so he could play a few songs. He was more than willing to play a few songs for his grandparents after they had gotten him a wonderful piano. He knew it was his grandpa John who had bought the piano, but it was still in James and Margaret's home, so they had to agree to it. After Jack played three different songs, he turned and looked at his grandparents.
"Thank you again." Jack said. "This is an amazing piano and it will get a lot of use."
"I am so glad that you love it, son." James said. "We were just glad to be able to have it here for you to play. If you would have said something sooner, we would have arranged for one sooner."
"It is okay Grandpa." Jack said. "I am sorry, I kept it from you for so long. I was just afraid of Ma finding out and sucking the joy out of something else that I love to do."
"We understand." Gran said. "Now, can you play another song, and then I think I will turn in for the night. It has been a long couple of days."
Jack played another song and true to her word, Gran gave each of them a kiss and turned it. The kids and Frank decided to head downstairs to be quieter. James decided to turn in as well. When Jack got downstairs, he checked the Amazon package. It was the books for him and Elizabeth, so he brought them for her to see. The group sat in the sitting area. They had the baseball scores on. Frank was also talking to Nathan about motorcycles when Jack overheard.
"What are you two talking about?" Jack asked.
"I was wondering if I should have my old motorcycle sent up here from my brother's or not." Frank said.
"I would wait until we have the other property." Jack said. "I know how Gran feels about them and I wouldn't want to upset her by having it in the garage."
"Okay." Frank said. "So are you going to build a shop/garage for something like that?"
"I was thinking about it." Jack said. "I wouldn't mind getting one that I can tinker with. I don't know when I would have the time, but I always thought it would be fun."
"If that is something you want." Elizabeth said. "You should make time."
"I will think about it." Jack said. "I wouldn't mind getting a vintage car that I could tinker with as well."
"I would love that." Doug said.
"Maybe it could be a guys project in the future." Elizabeth said.
"You wouldn't mind?" Jack asked.
"No." Elizabeth said. "I know that you will need time alone with the guys."
Jack smiled and gave Elizabeth a quick kiss. They finished watching the baseball game and then they all turned in. They knew that it was going to be a long day with the guys riding in the morning and guests coming by lunch time.
Friday morning came early for the household. Jack had set the alarm for five thirty. He knew that it was earlier than normal, but he wanted to get out to the horses before there was another problem with Tommy. It only took a couple of minutes for Jack to be up and moving. Nathan groaned and rolled out of bed a few moments after Jack. Doug and Frank weren't that far behind. Lee just pulled the covers over he head and rolled back over. It didn't take the guys long to get ready. Jack had told Frank that he didn't need to get up, but Frank said he was used to waking up early.
After getting ready, the guys headed upstairs. Jack thought about knocking on Elizabeth's door, but decided to let her sleep. When the guys got upstairs, they saw James still sitting at the counter.
"JP." James said.
"Yes, Sir." Jack said.
"Can you try and get the last of the foals named before the 1st?" James asked.
"I can try." Jack said.
"We will help." Doug said.
"I will as well." Nathan said. "We can get it done if that is what you want."
"Thank you." James said. "I want to get all the registration done before the switch over."
"Yes, Sir." Jack said.
"Good." James said. "You have a good morning and I will see you at lunch."
"Don't forget that we will have additional houseguests before lunch." Gran said.
"I didn't." James said.
James took a thermos of coffee and two containers of cookies with him when he left. Jack made sure that they all had coffee as they sat around the table.
"What would you like for breakfast?" Gran asked.
"I can make us breakfast." Frank said. "You don't need to cook for all of us."
"If you want to make breakfast." Gran said. "I won't object."
"Thank you." Frank said. "So guys?"
"Whatever you want to make." Doug said. "We know that you can cook."
"So about omelets?" Frank said.
"Sounds good." Jack said.
"I will make the hashbrowns." Nathan said.
"Nathan," Gran said. "Are you still planning on making breakfast for everyone in the morning?"
"Yes, ma'am." Nathan said. "I will get up and do that."
"I will get up and help if you want." Frank said.
"That sounds good." Nathan said.