Chapter 229 – The Ladies Start Wedding Planning
Father Mark stepped up and gently took Midnight's halter. Jack moved to check Midnight. He put his hand back on his neck and scratched his mane.
"You got yourself all worked up, huh boy." Father Mark cooed to the horse. "What did you do that for? I get it, you're just a young boy, but manners."
Jack slowly started checking over the horse. He was looking for any hot spot or areas that caused the horse to react which would indicate pain. Father Mark continued to coo to the horse and didn't really pay attention to Jack. Finding nothing of concern, Jack walked back to stand next to Father Mark. He took out another mint and gave it to Midnight. Jack then turned to the hand.
"I want you to hand walk him for ten minutes every other hour." Jack said. "Then I want him ready to run tomorrow. I will be over before lunch to exercise him on the track."
"I will have to check with Manny." The hand said. "He said to not move the horse until tomorrow when the vet comes back."
Jack let out a harsh breath.
"This is my horse." Jack said. "You will do what I say."
Jack then stepped aside and pulled out his phone. He punched a number and waited for it to ring. The hand looked over at Father Mark.
"I would do what he said." Father Mark said. "Jack doesn't mess around. He knows his horses and he is most likely on the phone with Manny as we speak."
"Oh." The hand said. "I thought he was just one of the trainers. This is my first week."
"Jack is a trainer." Father Mark said. "He will also have his jockey license by the end of summer. He is also the registered owner of Midnight. He was there the night that colt was born. This is a special horse. They are all special horses, but this one is extremely important to my cousin. He was the one who caught him yesterday, and despite the horse being agitated, checked every inch of him before settling him to allow the tranquilizer to wear off."
Jack hung up the phone and walked back over.
"You are supposed to switch responsibilities with Victor." Jack said. "Manny will talk to you tomorrow."
"Yes, Mr Thornton. Sir." The hand said.
He then scrambled off to find Victor.
"Cut him some slack." Father Mark said. "He said it was his first week."
"Which is why he is only switching responsibilities and it isn't also his last week." Jack said.
"Fair enough." Father Mark said. "So everything looked good?"
"No hot spots." Jack said. "No tender points. Best thing to do is get him back on the track."
"I agree." Father Mark said. "Just be careful."
"I will." Jack said. "Helmet and flak jacket. You can even come to supervise. I don't plan on running him at full speed or with another horse. Just a three quarter stretch around the track on the rail."
"Alright." Father Mark said. "I see what you are trying to do."
"Good." Jack said. "Then maybe you can help me explain it to Grandpa."
"I can try." Father Mark said with a laugh.
The two started to walk back toward the side by side, when Victor approached them.
"Mr Thornton." Victor said. "Tony said he was going to switch with me."
"Yes." Jack said. "Stay with Midnight's Run for now. Hand walk him ten minutes every other hour. The tranquilizer should be fully worn off in a couple more hours. See if he will take some grain. I also will be here mid-morning tomorrow after I have jump practice. I will send a message when I am on my way. I want Midnight ready to run. I have already spoken to Manny."
"Yes, Sir." Victor said.
"Thank you." Jack said.
The two walked away and Victor went to sit with Midnight.
The guys all changed into riding or casual clothes and after seeing Elizabeth and Caitlin we're staying, headed down to the stable. First thing they did was get Frank squared away. He chose Fireball, one of the trail horses. Fireball was a five year old chestnut gelding. He had been a decent racer, but was injured at the end of his three year old season and had to be retired. Still sound enough for the occasional trail ride. Fireball had immediately been interested in Frank, so he took a moment to get to know the horse. Soon enough he was settled and Doug helped Frank saddle him and get heading toward Manny's.
While Doug was helping Frank, Lee and Peter set about setting up the video equipment at the sand ring. They had five cameras that covered the whole ring. Nathan had gone over to get Bubbles and bring him to the round pen to warm up before saddling him.
Once ready, Doug walked a saddled Bubbles over to the sand ring.
"So what are you going to do?" Peter asked.
"The guy Jack bought the horses from says they are trained." Doug said. "But we don't know how well or how often they rode or were inactive. We don't know how they will react to different riders. So, Jack wants Nathan and I to ride them over some shorter fences and just get a feel for them. Then Marco and Andy will know how to better work with the girls on them."
"Oh, cool." Peter said. "So like a tune up."
"That is one way to put it." Doug said.
Doug led Bubbles into the ring, while Nathan and Lee stood on the rail with Peter.
"So, Peter." Lee said. "Have you thought about what you are going to do for your Eagle Scout project?"
"I don't know if I am going to do one." Peter said. "I mean I could. Dad made sure I had met all the other requirements, I just don't know what I should do. I have read through several ideas, I just haven't found anything I want to do. What did you do again?"
"Actually, Jack, Doug and I did a sort of joint project." Lee said. "We were all in charge of different areas, but we helped to build a playground for kids with special needs at one of the schools in the city. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it. I mean you have done so much work to get this far. I get that you have the Life rank and the additional badges to do your Eagle Scout project, so you might as well do the last part."
"What are you interested in?" Nathan said. "I am not talking about ideas. I am talking about life, in general. Maybe there is a way to tie that into a project."
"I like working with the younger kids." Peter said. "I also have been interested in conservation because of Dad."
"There you go." Nathan said. "What about something for one of the parks then. I know someone who built some bee houses. I mean I know that there is more to it than that."
"Your first Dad was a logger right?" Lee said. "Why don't you do something with planting trees and building some benches. Basically you would design a park and plant some native trees and grasses. This could be as part of an existing park or at a retirement home. I am sure that we could also help you find a plot of land to do it. I mean you would have to do the work, but we can advise."
"I like the idea of a park." Peter said. "Maybe the benches could be dedicated to the men who were killed with my father. I could also put up a plaque about the logging industry and the men lost."
"Now you are thinking." Nathan said.
"Talk to Bill and if you need help." Lee said. "Doug, Jack, Father Mark and I will all be around."
"Father Mark is an Eagle Scout?" Nathan asked.
"Yep." Lee said. "So are all of the other boys in Jack's family. All of his cousins have done a project. James and John are Eagle Scouts as well. I think Thomas was the only one that didn't do it. Well then there is Tommy. He wasn't interested in Scouts."
"Wow." Peter said. "I didn't know that. I know that Dad is an Eagle Scout and that is why he is pushing so hard for me to get mine."
"I can see that." Nathan said. "It is kind of like a family tradition. Also, it is a huge accomplishment that no one will ever be able to take away from you."
"I will look into the park idea." Peter said. "I won't promise anything, but I will do some research. I think that there is a retirement center that is trying to raise some money to put in an outdoor seating area for their residents. Maybe that would be a good place to start."
"Good idea." Lee said.
They finished talking and went back to watching Doug work with Bubbles who was not liking the pattern that Doug was trying to run.
It didn't take long and they gathered again outside under the cover of shade, but where they could see the girls who were in the pool. Once everyone was back and had a laptop or tablet, Trish reached down and put a large flat paper bag on the table.
"I had a feeling." Trish said. "So I picked these up when we stopped earlier."
She opened the bag to reveal several current bridal magazines. Both Abigail and Caitlin started peppering Elizabeth with questions.
"Slow down." Elizabeth said. "I will tell you that Jack and I agreed that we want a small wedding. We didn't talk about attendants. Jack did say that he wants to wear his kilt, and I assume his tartan vest. Which will limit the colors. But I loved the color of his tartan vest. I thought if he was in his vest, then the best man and any other guys could be in a coordinating shade of blue or even all black. If the guys are in black. I will have whoever is standing up with me in black. Otherwise if we can get a blue to match that would be great."
"Okay." Gran said. "That gives us a lot to go on. What about guests? Who would you like to come?"
"Obviously everyone here." Elizabeth said. "Jack and I didn't really talk about that. But I would like Major Thompson and his family. I hadn't really thought beyond that."
"Okay." Trish said. "Have you thought about who you would like to walk you down the aisle or would you like to walk alone?"
"I was thinking of asking Bill to walk me down the aisle." Elizabeth said.
"I am sure that he would love that." Abigail said.
"What about a ring bearer?" Trish asked.
"If Jack is agreeable." Elizabeth said. "I was thinking of Cody as the ring bearer and maybe Opal as the flower girl."
"That would be lovely." Abigail said. "Have you thought of who you would like to stand up with you? I am sure that for Jack it will be Doug, Lee, Nathan and probably Frank."
"I was thinking if Rosemary would come around." Elizabeth said. "But otherwise, I was going to ask you, Caitlin. I know that we just met, but I don't have a lot of friends."
"I would love to." Caitlin said.
"Then I was thinking of maybe the twins." Elizabeth said. "I would still need one more if Rosie doesn't come around."
"Okay." Gran said. "You have gotten close with Katie. So maybe ask her. We don't need to figure that out today."
"Let's look at some magazines." Trish said. "I know that you said you found a dress you like, Elizabeth. But this will be more to look for other ideas – dresses for the others, flowers, décor, that type of stuff."
"I like that." Elizabeth said.
Each of the ladies grabbed a magazine and started looking. If they found something that they thought would look nice for an August wedding with a semi-outdoor reception, they showed the others.
After Father Mark and Jack left the thoroughbred stable, Father drove them to a secluded spot where they could talk. When he turned the side by side off, he turned in the seat and looked at his cousin. In many ways he was very mature and wise beyond his years, but at the same time Father Mark sometimes still saw the young boy that would chase after him all the time, trying to copy everything that he did.
"Talk to me." Father Mark said.
Jack let out a deep sigh.
"I don't know what to say." Jack said.
"Start somewhere." Father Mark said. "You have been through a lot in the last couple of weeks and I know that you are not dealing with things. I also know that you are struggling physically with Elizabeth. I have seen you around her and I remember what it was like to be thirteen. I might have always known that I was going to be a priest, so it was a bit different, but that doesn't mean that I didn't have my share of normal hormones."
"There are times it physically hurts to be next to her." Jack said. "She will kiss me and my body will do things that I can't control, no matter how hard I try. I want to be respectful and maintain my vow until we are married, but when she kissed me yesterday under the tree over by the sand ring, I just about threw caution to the wind and took her back to the stable."
"Well." Father Mark said. "I am glad that you didn't do that. How has it been at night?"
"Don't even get me started." Jack said. "I have had to get up and change every night for the last week."
"Oh." Father Mark said. "I get that she wants to snuggle and kiss, but maybe you need to have a conversation with her about how it is affecting you."