Just Another Night (open to staff)

[<Amy>]

The last time it had rained this hard, Amy was fairly sure the Mississippi had been overflowing. Hugging her laptop to her chest under her coat, Amy ducked her head and dashed from the locked up barn to the old farmhouse used as a lounge for students. Her boots splashed in the puddles in the parking lot, soaking the hem of her jeans. Within seconds she was drenched, thunder growling overhead. Some of the horses would be very uneasy tonight but Amy hoped the storm would blow itself out eventually. Clopping up the stairs to the door of the lounge, Amy flung it open and dashed inside. There she stood, dripping wet in the dark looking like someone had thrown her in a river. Lightning flashed in the windows making her jump as she fumbled on the wall for the light switch.

Finally she found it and the lights came on revealing what looked like a combined kitchen and living room. A sofa and T.V. were set up among the beanbags and old chairs on one side with a kitchen on the other, complete with breakfast bar and barstools. Shucking off her wet jacket, Amy hung it on the rack and kicked off her boots, putting her laptop on the bar.

"Why of all nights does this have to happen?" Amy muttered, heading to the fridge and snagging a can of soda.

The battery in her old truck had died, just up and died, along with probably something else she probably should have had fixed months ago. Either way, the car wasn't moving. For the last fifteen minutes she'd been trying to get it to work before deciding to abandon the old thing and just bunk in the lounge for the night. It wouldn't be the best place but at least she was dry. The upstairs rooms in the old house were set up as various offices and meeting rooms as well as dressing rooms for big events. The stairs down the hall between the kitchen and living room was gated off by a baby gate used to keep toddlers from falling down stairs. It seemed Amy would be bunking on the sofa tonight.

Sighing, the stable owner glanced outside and saw just her old truck sitting in the dark parking lot looking lonesome. Shaking her head and putting her soda down, Amy flipped open the laptop and hit the power button while trying to wring out her curly hair which was made even curlier by the rain.

Muttering curses against all weather, Amy took her soda and perched on a barstool. Might as well get some paperwork and whatnot done since she was technically still at work.

[.~.T.e.a.k.~.]

Travis Price
'Trav'

Storms such as this were fairly common in Louisiana, but still he had worried for the pony gelding and that worry had driven him from his nice, warm house that he'd bought to his truck and from then had taken him to park in front of the barn, as close as he could get without driving through it, but still he'd gotten completely drenched the second he'd stepped out from the safety of the truck.

He was soaked through immediately, having grabbed only a thick leather jacket before exiting the house. His dark hair was plastered to his forehead and water ran down his face. His jeans, jacket, and shirt were heavy with the rainwater and he shivered a bit; the rain was a cold one. You'd really think he'd be used to it, having lived in the more swampy area of Louisiana, but it always got to him. At least he did look a little better than the day he'd arrived... Now he looked as though he'd gotten a few decent meals and a good nights rest, though the dull look in his eyes hadn't gone.

The barn was locked, and after a moment of thinking, Travis could have slapped himself, but refrained from it... barely. Course, Ms. Garland would have checked on the horses and locked up before leaving. He felt disgusted with himself for not realizing that before, but in retrospect he knew and understood that his reaction had been natural... he wasn't used to boarding, truthfully, it was a new experience for both the pony gelding and himself. Travis was used to having his own land... sadly, the house he'd bought didn't come with any acreage, only a small fenced in backyard (the previous owners had had a dog) and a moderate front yard.

Idiot, now look at you... soaking wet and here alone... Well, maybe not... As another flash of lightning lit up the area, followed quickly by a loud clash of thunder, his dark eyes caught the sight of the other truck. It looked like someone was still here, after all. Who, though? Once again Travis could have slapped himself as he realized that the only person here would be Ms. Garland herself, it wasn't likely to be any of the students, nor anyone else at all, for that matter.

The part-Houma-indian walked back to his truck and pulled open the passenger side door. He grabbed a big heavy-duty flashlight, as it was quite dark and he didn't know the layout of the area just yet. He flipped the switch on the light and brightness flooded through the dark. It wasn't all that late, but the storm-clouds that had gathered blanketed the area.

The flashlight was something he never went without, even in daylight, for there was no telling when it would be needed. With it, Travis could see... something that had been impossible just moments before. He glanced back at his truck, half wanting to turn around, get in the truck, and go home, but his nature wouldn't let him. It was a fault of his, but he had to make sure everything was ok, no matter if the place wasn't his or anything. That, and he was slightly worried about the barn owner, as the place was locked up, but her truck (and he'd guessed correctly about it being hers) was still here. Surely she'd have left after checking everything and locking up?

He wasn't sure, but worse-case scenarios were his friends, and until he'd made sure everything was ok he couldn't see himself leaving. Travis angled the light around for a few moments, feeling rather silly but also not willing to leave. He was shivering against the cold rain and could barely see through the downpour. The light in the building on the other side of the barn caught his eye, and after a moments hesitation, in which he vaguely recalled Ms. Garland saying something about a lounge the other day) he started towards the building.

Travis walked, seeing no sense in running as he was already beyond soaked, and banged his hand, palm flat, on the door of the lounge. He was unsure if his knock could be head over the rain and thunder, but he didn't attempt to open the door. He didn't want to take a chance at being shot of something, as it was night and he'd always heard that night made a person more jumpy. Especially nights like this.

[<Amy>]

Amy leaned in close to her computer, a growl of thunder drowning out most other sounds. Her focus was on the emails in her inbox, scrolling through them and deleting junk, organizing what she had to keep and what could be ignored for a while. One of the western students had sent in a new application for a newly acquired quarter horse, easy enough to place. Pausing to take a sip of her soda, Amy glanced at the lights in the ceiling, hoping the power wouldn't go out suddenly. If it did it would just be an early night for her trying to sleep on a couch that wasn't all that comfortable. Plus, she was still damp and had no inclination to go to sleep wet. Hopefully the power would stick around since Amy honestly had been stupid and not brought a flashlight or kept any candles in the lounge for safety reasons.

Putting the can down and turning back to a new TAEA file, Amy was completely oblivious to the fact that someone else was pulling up outside. Of course, why would she worry about such a thing? Not even a crazy horse thief would bother coming up here in the rain, or at least, not in rain like this. None of the horses would move anyway so it would be a waste of time and therefore not a worry for Amy to bother with.

The clock on the wall ticked quietly and just as Amy was contemplating putting on some music, picked up her soda just as someone banged on the door.

A yelp drew from the owner and the soda in her hand dropped, splashing liquid all over the floor and clattering noisily on the wood floors. Amy hopped off the barstool, knocking it over in the process and whirled around, ready to run to find the Travis looking in. He looked like someone had drowned him but Amy didn't look much better. She let out the breath she'd been holding and crouched down the pick up the can she'd dropped. Stepping over the puddle of spilled soda, Amy went over to the door and turned the knob, pushing it to let him in.

"I think you took ten years off my life Mr. Price" Amy said, her voice reflecting her recent fright as she grabbed a towel out of a drawer and crouched down the clean up the spilled soda, pitching the empty can into the trash can. At least she hadn't dropped any on her laptop.

Amy straightened up and tossed the soggy towel into the sink and leaned on the bar. "What can I do for you?" Amy asked, trying to keep her remaining adrenaline rush from effecting her voice. It wasn't working very well.

[.~.T.e.a.k.~.]

He'd cut the flashlight off once he'd reached the lounge door, wanting to conserve the battery, even though it was almost brand new. The light from the lounge was enough to enable him to see slightly, though seeing through the hair that was matted to his head was another story. It was times like this that he felt compelled to cut his hair much shorter, but he never went through with it and never would.

His clothes weighed him down, the jacket especially since it soaked up the water instead of letting it drip like it was supposed to. He was, essentially, a drowned rat. He shivered again, crossing his arms while holding onto the now unlit flashlight. He'd never liked rain that much, but luckily this wasn't anything worse than a bad storm.

Travis drew back sharply as the door opened, half expecting Amy to come out swinging a baseball bat or something even though he knew that she'd seen him. He hadn't meant to give her such a fright, but he knew that if their positions had been changed he'd have been a nervous wreck at best.

Hopefully it was a bad ten years, then. He said as he stepped through the door and slid his soaked jacket off, though it did absolutely nothing considering his shirt was just as wet as the rest of him... I didn’t mean to scare you so badly. He hung his jacket beside hers after setting the flashlight down beside the door. Storm's bad, I was worried about Charlie and forgot that the barn was closed, then saw your truck and was worried that something had happened. Is everything ok? He finished, using his left hand to pull his hair away from his face.

[<Amy>]

Catching sight of the sopping wet tech, Amy took pity on the poor guy and grabbed another towel and tossed it to him. At least he could dry of his hair. Personally Amy hated the feeling of water running down her neck so, if he was anything like her that would help. At his comment, Amy laughed. "I sure hope so" she said, though she was pretty sure ten years wouldn't make too much of a difference. For a moment Amy almost considered checking to see if he'd given her any gray hairs but thought against it. Instead she leaned on the bar again, bumping a drawer closed with her hip and raking a hand through her damp curly hair.

"I checked all of the horses, had to block some of the stalls since some of the horses get easily spooked by storms" Amy said, nodding in understanding as to why he had come all the way back to the stable so late. There were a few horses that got spooked by storms which was part of why Amy was here so late when it stormed, regardless of her truck running or not. "Charlie looked a little restless but I think he was ok" Amy assured.

Going over to the coffee maker on the counter, Amy pulled a canester of coffee out of the cabinet as well as a filter. Taking the glass pot, she walked it over to the sink and let it fill before going back to the maker. Flipping open the top, Amy put in a new filter and measured out the coffee grounds before dumping them into the filter. Taking the water, Amy poured it in and stuck the pot back in place, flipping the on switch.

Looking back over at Travis, Amy shrugged at his question. "My old truck died, for good this time I think. I figured I would just camp out here."

Behind her, the coffeemaker hissed to life.

"Plus there are two mares close to their due dates, figured since I was going to be here I'd check her around midnight, make sure their ok."

Amy's laptop beeped, calling her attention but for the moment Amy ignored it. Probably just another notice from the TAEA or some spam site.

[.~.T.e.a.k.~.]

Thanks. He took the proffered towel gratefully, I was half expecting you to come barreling through the door with a baseball bat or gun, I would have if I had been in your position. He wiped the water from his arms and face before pulling the towel over his head a few times. Upon re-emerging from beneath the cloth he offered her a small grin, knowing that he looked a sight now. With his slightly longer style of hair, towel-drying it made the locks stand on end every which-a-way, some curling down, others curling up and making him look like he'd been electrically shocked.

He ran his fingers through his now tangled and damp hair, trying unsuccessfully to comb the tangles out, but at least he managed to tame the mess a little. As his fingers caught tangles, he winced some, but continued to rake his hands through the dark locks until most of the knots and snares were gone. He then looped the towel around his neck to soak up any excess water.

We're both a sight. He said with a bark-like laugh. Do you know how long the storm is supposed to last? Even as he spoke the thunder crashed again and lightning flashed once more, the rain seeming to hit the roof of the lounge harder. I'm not used to boarding horses... it's a new experience for me and for Char, I'm glad he seemed ok, though.

He walked a few more steps into the lounge and sat at one of the barstools, ignoring the water that dripped from his clothes onto the floor. He stared out at the rain as it continued to come down, showing no signs of letting up. His dark eyes glanced to Amy, then back to the rain. He wanted to go home and lay out on his couch with all the heaters on in his house, but he didn't want to leave her alone with no way of leaving short of riding or walking.

If I had jumper cables, I could jumpstart your truck when the rain slacks, but I don't carry them with me often. He said, It always seems as though mares foal during the times you really don't want or need them to. Are either of them close enough that they may foal tonight? He glanced at her computer when it beeped, then ignored it as she was doing.

[<Amy>]

Amy smiled when Travis came out from under the towel, hair spiked every which way. She put a hand over her mouth to try and hide it but her eyes were bright and she knew it was no use. Besides, she looked like a fool too so what was the difference? She laughed with him and boosted herself up to perch on the counter next to the coffeemaker. Of course, students were forbidden to do this but...eh...who really cared at eight o'clock at night? When he mentioned jumper cables, Amy waved her hand dismissively.

"That old truck would just choke again in two weeks, trust me, its happened. I should probably upgrade but...with a stable to run its hard to find the funds." Amy shrugged, the heels of her boots clacking against the cabinet doors as she swung her legs lightly, arms behind her to brace herself on the counter. "Lady isn't close to foaling yet but I know Dream might be, she's getting pretty big but hopefully it won't be tonight." Amy glanced out the window at the pouring rain and sighed. "I don't know if I'd risk drowning to run out to the stable just to have her shoot out a healthy baby."

It was a joke and completely not true. Amy probably would risk drowning just to watch a healthy foal be born into the world. Still, right now she was against all forms of weather and firmly hating the fact she was stuck here all night and therefore wasn't feeling up to it right now. Plus, foaling could take hours and she did plan on sleeping sometime tonight, eventually before dawn.

"You know, you don't have to hang around if you don't want to" Amy commented, smiling a little. She didn't want to think of herself as a girl that needed somebody but she had to admit, it had been a while since she'd had the company of a guy her age. It made her jittery even when it shouldn't. "I'll be able to tough it out here for the night."

He probably had better things to do rather than spend the late hours of the night with a woman that more often than not had straw in her hair and spent an hour in the shower scrubbing out the smell of horses. Plus Amy planned on checking the horses again soon because she was smart enough to keep a rain slicker in the closet, just not candles or anything else useful during a thunderstorm. Go figure. Either way, he probably wouldn't stick around that long, just long enough to be assured no madmen were going to come in and rape her or kill her.

[.~.T.e.a.k.~.]

Travis shrugged, accepting her explanation that jumping the truck off wouldn't help but for maybe a few weeks. He could relate with that, the old work truck he'd had before the one he had now, and his neighbors truck that he'd worked on every now and then before he'd moved had been about the same as what hers was described as... old and done in.

I've done some mechanic work for my old neighbors every now and then when their truck broke down, they were elderly and couldn't afford to put it in the shop, so I fixed their vehicles and helped them out whenever they needed it... I'd be willing to take a look at your truck if you ever want me to, maybe I could do something, maybe not, but at least I could try. He mentioned, not really paying attention to what he was saying, focusing more on keeping the slight chill he was feeling from showing. He got chilled easily, and this was one of those times, though it would pass after a half hour or so. That was one of the reasons he didn't swim often, because no matter how hot it was he'd get chilled.

He laughed a little at the joke, figuring that she'd go out in just about any type of weather to make sure the mares had healthy foals. He knew that he would, and he had, too, in the past. Working as a vet technician back in his hometown had had him going out in all sorts of storms to help the vet, sometimes he'd even gone out alone when things weren't too serious, or when it was something simple.

I know I don't... I'm not really in a big hurry to go back out in that rain, though. Even if it's not that far from here to the truck, I don't want to get soaked again, not just yet... Besides, I don't like the idea of leaving you, or anybody, here alone with no way of going if something happens. This storm's going to down trees... and fences, there's no way it can pass without tearing down something. For all I know since I've gotten here a tree or something could be down over the road, and the rain's so hard that it's almost impossible to see. If you would rather me leave, though, I will. He knew she'd be fine if he left, but he also knew that he'd feel bad all night and probably wouldn't get any sleep if he left her without a way to travel.

[<Amy>]

Amy tried not to laugh but couldn't quite help it. A smile broke on her face and she laughed, brown eyes gleaming as she leaned her head back against the cabinet. "Well when you put it that way you should probably stick around for a while" Amy admitted. Even though she was adamant about keeping the trails and roads clear of branches in case of storms like this, that didn't mean she could foresee every branch that might fall or every tree that might go down. Travis had a point and if Amy sent him off and he got wrecked by a tree, she would feel horrible, absolutely horrible.

The coffeemaker beeped and Amy reached over to a cabinet and pulled it open. Hooking her finger on a cup handle, Amy pulled it toward her and flipped it right side up. Holding the cup, Amy grabbed the coffee pot and poured the hot dark liquid into the cup and put it on the counter, shoving the pot back into its place. Hopping off the counter, Amy headed to the fridge and grabbed a carton of milk she kept in the fridge for coffee drinkers and poured some into the cup before putting the carton back in the fridge and closing the door.

Overhead, thunder growled and lightning flashed making Amy wince. She glanced over at Travis and smiled softly. Heading over to the couch, Amy grabbed a throw that was hung over the back. It was tan with dark chocolate-colored horseshoes printed around the edges and a bucking bronco in the middle. Amy walked over to Travis and let it rest around his shoulders before going back over to the counter and perching on it again, taking a sip of her coffee.

"You know, the last time it rained like this, I had to ride in it" Amy said, glancing out the window. "A horse got out of his stall when I was closing up. Took out Dutch and grabbed a rope and lead, headed out in the rain. Took me five hours to find him in the dark. Poor thing was terrified and let me tell you what, I don't think I could have gotten wetter if I jumped in a pool. I think that was last year sometime right after I took over the stable. I didn't know what else to do so I just went out on my own. Probably not smart but, it worked in the end."

[.~.T.e.a.k.~.]

Thanks. He nodded to her, grateful for the throw, even though he felt she should have used it herself, as she was just as wet as he. But regardless, he was glad she’d given it to him, the warmth of it helped to minimize his involuntary shivering, and after a few minutes he wasn’t having to try and keep himself from shaking anymore.

I’d have hated riding in something like this, thankfully I’ve never had to… I don’t think I would have gone after the horse, either. I’d have waited the storm out. You’re lucky nothing happened to you. He said, not looking at her but instead focusing on the counter-top. His wet hair fell down back into his face, and he made no move to push it back. After a few minutes, his dark eyes darted to the flashlight he’d left sitting beside the door and then to the window to gaze out at the lightning and rain. The minutes passed in silence until, with a sigh, Travis tore his eyes away from the window and looked at Amy, a small half-smile on his face. I’m taking my ex-wife back to court. Got to thinking the other night… I’m not the type of guy to lie down and let something I don’t like settle. I let it get to me and get me down instead of standing up and fighting for my boy like I should have. I dunno how long or how much the custody battles are going to last and cost, but I’ve decided that I’m not going to put up with the arrangements as they are. He was determined, his tone soft but hard… with emotion and resolve alike. I’m also not selling Charlie. He found himself adding as an afterthought.

[<Amy>]

Amy shrugged and looked out the window as lightning flashed angrily. "It was someone else's horse and something could have happened to it. At the time I kinda freaked out, didn't know what else to do." That didn't mean it hadn't scared Amy shitless. Dutch had handled it well but Amy's nerves had been shot by the time they had found the horse and Travis was right, it had been very dangerous. Dutch could have slipped and they both could have been hurt or gotten hopelessly lost in the dark. Now of course Amy wouldn't do something like that. Nope, she'd take a rain slicker and a really freaking big flashlight and then go riding off in the dark in search of a missing horse. Yep, she'd still do it, just with the addition of a sturdy flashlight and proper rain gear which she had lacked at the time.

Taking a sip of her coffee, Amy looked up when Travis mentioned his ex-wife. He was going to fight another custody battle? Amy raised an eyebrow but nodded in understanding. It would be expensive and take forever but if Trav got his boy in the end, it would be worth it. Amy smiled encouragingly.

"I'm glad you're going after what you want" Amy said, her voice soft and understanding. "Nobody deserves to go through hell just to have what they love taken away."

On the bar, Amy's laptop pinged twice, sounding insistent. Frowning at it, Amy hopped off the counter and put down her coffee, smiling apologetically at Travis. Approaching the laptop, Amy tapped in her password for her email and watched the new emails filter in. One caught her eye and she clicked on it. Scanning through the email, Amy felt the smile slowly growing on her face before she straightened up and looked at Trvis. The lively young woman seemed to vibrate with suddenly very posative energy.

"Looks like we've found a home for a new horse" Amy informed Travis, smiling from ear to ear. "Want to guess his name? Sturdy grey fellow, needs a little life pumped into him."

[.~.T.e.a.k.~.]

The rain seemed to slack off for a few moments before picking back up again. He didn’t comment on it as he turned around in the barstool to lead back against the bar, both arms stretched out on either side of his body, helping to prop him up. The throw slipped from his shoulders, and he grabbed it before it hit the floor and set it on top of the bar, not needing it any longer. The constant beat of the rain, coupled with that of the wet clothes that were slowly drying were causing him to feel a bit tired… not sleepy, but just tired, as though he’d been working hard outside in the sun all day.

I’m glad too, I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try and at least change the arrangements. I don’t even know why they are like they are… most cases where one parent is denied at least joint custody comes from one having proof that the other is either not around at all, a bad influence, has a history of jail-time, or is into things like drugs or is a major alcoholic. I’m none of those things. I drink on occasion, not near often enough to be called an alkie… two or three on a fishing trip, one after a hard day, that’s it… and I’ve spent the night in a jail-cell twice since I turned eighteen, both times were after finishing fights with my then-brother-in-law. He laughed a little, thinking back about it, It was kind of hard to believe that he, the soft-spoken, considerate, and calm man that he was… was capable of getting angry enough to not start, but to finish a verbal argument with a fistfight… but then, looking at him, he was built well… and while hard to believe, there was no doubting it that he was strong and could probably hold his own pretty easily.I’m giving you the wrong impression, probably…

Travis watched curiously as she finally ‘answered’ her laptop. He saw her smile start and noticed when she looked at him that she seemed really excited over something, but before he could ask what was so exciting, she spoke, telling him without mentioning the name. The man gazed at her, not remembering at first, then it came back to him all at once and he also felt a slow smile slip across his face. We got the grey… Shot, wasn’t that they called him? He questioned, picturing the grey in his minds eye, recalling the picture they’d seen of the listless equine.

[<Amy>]

Amy waved off his worries with a gentle laugh. "Hun I was raised on a ranch where everybody drank at least three a night, smoked like chimneys and drove when they shouldn't have. Trust me, compared to them you are perfectly responsible with your drinking and yep, Shot is on the arrival list, day after tomorrow. Whitefield pulled their adoption, the potential wanted a 'horse not an old nag.' Apparently one of their reps put it up and then got yelled at." Amy snickered and turned the laptop screen so he could read for himself.

The email had been from Southern Blues' rep with the TAEA whom had apparently talked to the Whitefield rep after the 'inncident.' Amy found it funny but apparently it was a serious matter. Oh well. She felt a flame of victory in her stomach and couldn't help but keep smiling.

"This might be an invasion of personal space but I can't help it" Amy said before moving around the bar and hugging Travis around his broad shoulders. "Congrats. I'll finalize the paperwork tomorrow and he'll be on his way by noon."

Moving away so she wouldn't completely creep Travis out, Amy leaned against the bar. She was a very family oriented person and people like that tended to not have problems with hugs and stuff from next to total strangers. Ok, so maybe Amy would freak if a random guy tried to hug her but they weren't total strangers so Amy hoped he wouldn't mind. The last thing she needed was a law suit for invasion of personal space or something weird like that. Knowing todays court system, they would take such a case.

Going over to a closet, Amy pulled it open and grabbed a rain slicker and pulled it over her head. "I have to go check on Lady and Dream. Amaris emailed me after the TAEA and apparently Dream foaled this afternoon when I took Frisco up to the vet. I forgot to check the birthing stalls before I locked up, I'm just too used to them being empty."

Looking around for a flashlight, Amy pulled up the hood of the plastic rain slicker, ready to brave the weather. "You can wait here if you want, it'll just take me a second. I can't belive I forgot the birthing stalls when I knew there were pregnant mares in the stable...I didn't even know Amaris moved Dream..." Amy sighed and headed for the door.

[.~.T.e.a.k.~.]

He leaned forwards a bit to read what was written; his smile threatened to become a laugh, but he held it in and just shook his head in disbelief. Idiot… anyone could see that that horse is a true diamond, just like all diamonds, a little rough around the edges until it’s chiseled. I’m glad they pulled their adoption, if the person couldn’t see the truth in that horse, then they didn’t deserve him. Some people only look at the outside, the ‘external beauty’. He commented, his tone slightly disgusted but still quite joyful at the same time.

To say that he was a bit shocked by the sudden hug would be an understatement, but he adapted quickly and said nothing as she moved away. His own family was quite friendly and would welcome almost anyone with a warm hug and consider them family, even though he was more conservative. It was crazy how he was almost a complete opposite of the rest of his family. Where they were loud, outgoing, very touchy-feely, and had a love of the wilder things, he was the black sheep and was quite, calm, not prone to anger easily, not near as outgoing (preferring to be alone or with just a small group of people), and was more down to earth.

Tomorrow around noon… I’ll make note of that. The man was more than pleased, if the sudden light in his eyes were any clue. When she mentioned checking up on the two mares, Travis’s eyes went once more to the window, though he could see nothing except for when the lightning flashed and lit up the area. Take that light… it’s a good one, and the batteries in it are newly charged. He motioned towards the big heavy duty flashlight he’d carried in. Would you mind it if I came with you? I’d kind of like to see the foal… it’s been a long time since I’ve laid eyes on a baby horse. It’s not your fault that you forgot, no one can remember everything.

[<Amy>]

"If you want you can come" Amy said with a shrug, adjusting the slicker and picking up the big flashlight the vet tech had left under the coat rack. "There's another slicker in the closet." Amy nodded to the open closet door and opened the lounge door, stepping out into the storm.

She dug in her pocket for her stable keys as she jogged toward the closed up main stable. Her footsteps sloshed loudly and the hems of her jeans once more soaked through in seconds. Amy kept her head down as thunder growled overhead, flicking on the flashlight halfway across the parking lot. She knew Travis would probably follow so she didn't bother looking back to check. Newborn foals were wondrous things to see and Amy wouldn't deny him the chance to look. Not only that but he could probably tell her better than most if the foal was healthy and Lady was doing all right.

When Amy finally got to the side door into the stable, she fumbled for her key and jammed it into the lock. She wouldn't bother opening the main doors when this door just let in off to the side of the main door. Pushing it open, Amy moved inside the dark stable. Pushing the hood of her slicker back, Amy stepped out of the way for Travis to come in, trusting him to have enough sense to close the door. A horse in the stall to her right nickered curiously but Amy didn't recognize it off the top of her head. Walking over to the horse, pointing the flashlight down so she didn't blind it, Amy murmured soothingly and stroked its muzzle before moving off down the dark aisle of stalls. She knew the stable so well that Amy was confident she could walk it in the dark but kept the flashlight on just in case somebody forgot to put away something. She paid no heed to dripping water, knowing it would be gone by morning and the horses didn't mind so long as it wasn't in their stalls.

Halfway down the aisle, Amy flashed the light at the plaque attached to a stall. The label read "Invisible Ink." The horse in the stall snorted and moved back. Amy moved the light to the next stall over which read "Lady in White." Stop number one.

Amy smiled and approached the stall door, clicking her tongue. "Hey Lady, wakey wakey sweetie."

From inside the stall came a snort and in a moment a mare moved forward. She was a lovely Gypsy Vanner though strangely, was almost entirely white. The only black on her was the black around her face and ears which still let way to a broad blaze. The mare was tall at 17.2 hands and her belly was heavily swollen showing her pregnancy. The mare snuffled tiredly and hung her head over the stall door drowsily, letting Amy stroke her muzzle.

"This is Lady in White, normally called Lady" Amy introduced. "She's Taylor Stone's dressage mare and the next due for a foal."