Chapter 158 – Teasing Jack (short)
They three cared for their horses and then headed to the house. As they walked, they saw Rob watching Peter and Becky playing in the pool. Rob waved to them, but continued to watch the two in the pool.
"Join us." Peter said.
"Let me see what is going on first." Jack said. "But I have a feeling that you guys are going to be getting out. I will be here most of the summer. Maybe I can talk to your Mom and Dad and you can over again. Doug's sisters are going to be here on Friday and I know that they love to play in the pool as well. Don't forget next week is also a holiday and you will probably be over. We will have plenty of time to play in the pool this summer before I leave."
Elizabeth smiled at Jack.
"Okay." Peter said.
Jack and Elizabeth went into the house as Father Mark sat down next to Rob.
"Hey Gran." Jack said, walking toward the kitchen.
"Did you have a nice ride?" Abigail asked. "Margaret took a call and went into the library."
Jack nodded.
"Yes, we did." Elizabeth said. "We saw some of the retired horses. Did you guys have fun?"
"Yes, we did." Abigail said. "Cody got to pet a foal. Nathan, Doug and Lee took him for a longer ride. I think that they should be back soon. He was having so much fun."
"I am glad." Jack said. "I felt bad about not going with your group, but Elizabeth and I needed to talk about some things."
"I understand." Abigail said. "You both have been through a lot and there have been a lot of changes. I expect that there is even more that you need to talk about, but that is fine. As long as you keep talking about things."
"Yeah." Jack said. "Father Mark said something like that. We talked about a few things and you are right there is a lot more to talk about, but we don't need to make decisions right now. There is plenty of time."
"Jack, have you thought any more about getting your jockey license?" Katie asked.
"I was thinking about it." Jack said. "But maybe next summer. There is so much going on. I mean I will never be a professional jockey with my height and weight. It is more to ride on the track here."
"You are right." Katie said. "Have you talked to Manny over at the track?"
"No." Jack said. "I saw him for a few minutes at the bonfire, but I haven't sat down and talked to him."
"I will tell you what he told me." Katie said. "Since we are not looking for a professional career in racing, as long as we complete gate school and show him we know what we are talking about, he will sign off on the papers you need to submit to get the license through the state."
"Gate school?" Elizabeth asked.
"Gate school is learning how to be safe in the gate." Katie said. "It is a small space with a very large and powerful horse."
"I have helped with gate school before." Jack said. "I know what I am doing."
"Then talk to Manny." Katie said. "It will take at most a couple days for you to do everything. It shouldn't be hard to add a jockey since you already have your license as an owner and assistant trainer."
"Good point." Jack said. "I never thought that it wouldn't be much more to add a jockey since I have those other ones and have since I was sixteen."
"Am I going to have to get an owner's license?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes." Jack said. "But not until we are married and then you have time. We will have to add it to the list of things to talk to Grandpa John and Devin about."
"JP." Gran said coming back out into the kitchen area.
"Yes, ma'am." Jack said.
"I just got off the phone with Patricia." Gran said. "She said that they would be ready to leave anytime after ten am on Friday. I told her she was more than welcome to spend the weekend."
"Thank you." Jack said. "I told her as much, but she also said she was going to call you."
"She said that the girls would be fine with either set up for the room." Gran said.
"Okay." Jack said. "Us boys will have to put that back together this week."
"What is going on?" Abigail asked.
"Doug's mother and twin sisters are coming up on Friday." Gran said. "Patricia is going to spend the weekend and the girls are going to be here until after the show in July."
"If you need help, please let me know." Abigail said.
"You are welcome to come over anytime." Gran said.
"Maddie and Missy are ten." Jack said. "I am sure they would love for Becky to come over and play in the pool at some point. Just remember they will also be training for the show. I also told Peter that I would spend some time with him and reminded him that next week is a holiday."
"I will talk to Bill." Abigail said. "But maybe we can get together again next Sunday. I mean I know that we will be here for the Fourth, but we will have to see."
"Just let me know so I can plan." Gran said.
"Okay." Abigail said. "Also if you need help during the week, please let me know."
Gran nodded.
"What happens on the Fourth?" Elizabeth asked.
"We have a light day." Jack said. "We will ride in the morning, but we usually have people over for lunch and then the afternoon is spent in the pool or riding. A lot like today minus Church, but add in more riding."
"We also will have a nice firework display that night." Gran said.
"Won't that scare the horses?" Elizabeth asked.
"They are put in the stables and the doors are closed." Gran said.
"Besides that." Jack said. "The hands that do the fireworks, don't shoot them off close. They actually shoot them off from the area where we had the bonfire and we watch them over the house and trees."
"Cool." Elizabeth said. "We usually would find a place to watch the ones in the harbor. That is if Father remembered in time."
"I haven't seen those in a long time." Jack said. "We are usually up here."
"Who all comes over?" Elizabeth asked.
"We will be here at least for part of the time." Abigail said.
"Sometimes Grandpa John comes up." Jack said.
"Conrad and Heidi if they are around." Gran said. "Chris and Molly as well. Father Mark will be invited to join us."
"In years past, there have been other people over." Jack said. "It kind of depends."
Jack could see that Elizabeth was getting nervous. He wished that things were better for her, but also knew that it would come in time. Jack knew what he was talking about, he was only outgoing when he needed to be, especially with people he didn't know.
"It is okay." Jack said. "The people that we invite over are known to us. Besides that, if you feel uncomfortable, you can always come inside or step away. I told you before, you don't have to do anything that you don't want to."
"He is right." Abigail said. "There have been years that I have come inside and sat for a bit when I was feeling overwhelmed. I mean it was the first couple years that I was married to Bill, but still."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "This is all new to me. We didn't have a lot of people over. I don't have a large extended family. Usually the only people that would come over were Father's business associates and then we were expected to be seen and not heard. Usually it was for a nice meal and then us girls would be excused to go to our rooms."
"I am sorry that you had that." Abigail said. "We have always included the children. There were times that we let them go play, but they also needed to learn to sit at the table at times. It is easier as they get older. Like Bill said, if we don't teach them how to act, they won't know how to act as adults."
"Very wise." Gran said. "We have always been that way as well. If the children are old enough to go to school, they are old enough to sit at the table and learn how to talk to adults and listen to conversation."
"And I appreciate you teaching me that when I was here." Jack said.
"You are welcome." Gran said.
"Maybe that is why you are so good at business already." Elizabeth said.
Jack looked at Elizabeth and gave her a dimpled grin.
"I think it is because he understood and retained a lot more information then he was given credit for." Abigail said. "From what Bill has told me and what I have seen myself, you Jack are a lot smarter than you have been given credit for. I mean, I remember when we were remodeling the house and you looked at the plans, asked questions and quietly suggested a better flow for the kitchen, laundry and pantry."
Jack ducked his head and color crept across his checks.
"I am learning that." Elizabeth said. "I also have a feeling that the only thing holding Jack back is himself."
Jack blushed a deeper red.
"I would tend to agree." Abigail said.
Gran could see that Jack was getting uncomfortable and she also knew enough to know that neither Abigail or Elizabeth were going to let up teasing Jack. She decided to come to his rescue and give him something to do to get out of the kitchen. Katie had been enjoying sitting back and listening to the banter between them. She missed that with her brother deployed, but she enjoyed listening to others. She was also grateful that James and Margaret hadn't made things weird or uncomfortable with having security.
"JP." Gran said. "Please make sure the instruments are down here if you guys are going to play. We have platters of cookies and bars. We also have the fruit and veggie platters and we rearranged the meat and cheese trays and pulled out some crackers to go with them. We were just going to set up one of the tables with the snacks on ice. We also have lemonade and kool-aid. We will have chilled wine and cider as well."
"Sounds good." Jack said. "The guitars are still down here. But we talked about the hammered dulcimers and I will need at least one more guitar."
"Go take care of that stuff." Gran said.
"Yes, ma'am." Jack said.
Jack stood up and walked over to Elizabeth.
"Call Rosie and see if she can get away to come up here." Jack said. "Find out what time she can leave and then I will book the helicopter."
"Okay." Elizabeth said.