Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 21:01:52 -0500 From: CK Tower Subject: Re: INT: Strawberry's Bed and Breakfast At 10:34 AM 12/17/97 -0500, you wrote: >> Just as she was about to resume her cleaning, Celia heard >> a horse nicker. The sounds seemed to be coming from up at the >> house... >> >> -CK >> > > Chelsea stared in awe at the silver brooch for quite some time. >Suddenly Neigh wuffled, and grabbed her attention. She turned from the >mystery and walked over to her horse. His beautiful brown coat gleamed >in the sunshine. Chelsea began to untie his reigns as she gently pat >her friend to keep him calm. Neigh was a bit high strung, he had been >broken in quite a savage way, and was still recovering from the >treatment. It had been quite some time before she could even mount him >bareback, and he still had a tendency to bolt at his merest whim. She >rubbed her sore shoulder, Neigh also had a penchant for low hanging >branches. > > "C'mon boy, we'll come back tommorrow. It looks like no one is >here. I could have sworn the letter said the 17th. But, I could be >wrong. Daddy did always say that I couldn't keep a date straight for >the life of me." Chelsea grinned fondly at the memory of her father. >He had passed away 5 years ago, and although she still missed him, the >pounding ache of loss had subsided into an occasional dull throb. > > Chelsea gave a start of surprise when the hand came down on her >shoulder. She wheeled around and stared at the woman standing beside >her. Sandy blonde hair, pulled up into a pony tail. Neigh nickered and >began butting his head up against the woman. > > "Can I help you?" the woman asked. Celia reached inside her jacket pocket and retrieved the apple she had left over from lunch and offerred it to the pretty bay. He snorted at it, then nuzzled the fruit with his velvety lips before taking a bite, nodding his head as if in a thank you while he chewed. Celia noticed a number of scars on his side that looked as if they had been inflicted by spurs. But with the way this young woman looked at her horse with such obvious adoration, she found it hard to believe she could have abused the horse in such a way. Once the gelding had finished the apple, he pushed his head into Celia's chest, and wiggled his lips around the area of her pockets, looking for more treats. "Hey you, don't be rude. We have hardly met..." The woman looked at Celia, not knowing her name or of any title to fill in. Celia extended her hand to the woman. "I'm sorry. I'm the one who's being rude. My name is Celia, I'm the barn manager. Pleased to meet you. I used to work for Strawberry, the lady who owns the farm and the bed and breakfast, about six months ago and just recently recieved a note from her asking me if I'd like my old job back. So here I am. She said she had rented out five of the stalls. Are you here for.... Out of the treeline came a blur of black and mahogany, heading straight toward the two women and the horse, who was the first to sense a possible threat. The bay reared and taking his owner by suprise, pulling the reigns from her hands, before lunging at the oncoming invader. Celia realizing it must be Bogie, coming to see the new arrivals, raised her hands and grabed hold of the horses headstall before he made roadkill out of her dog. The young woman came out of her momentary shock and gasped as the biggest Rottweiler she has ever seen, trotted over to Celia's side. "Bogie, Stay." Celia led the bay, who was still prancing nervously back to his owner. "Sorry about that. He loves horses, and still doesn't realize they don't all like him." she said smiling, hoping to ease some of the woman's possible fear. "That's *your* dog?" the woman asked, looking a bit warry. Celia motioned for Bogie, who was again at her side in a secong, tongue lolling out of his massive head, which he pressed into his mistresses thigh, looking up affecionately and waiting for some pats. "Yeah, he's mine, or more like I'm his. I know he can be scary to look at for the first time. Rotts have gotten a bad rap. But this guy is a doll, unless you try to threaten me or his horses. Being a single woman, it's nice to have the companionship and the protection. Here, let me introduce you. Humphrey Bogart, I'd like you to meet... oh, I didn't get your name." "I'm sorry, Chelsea. Nice to meet you...what was it you called him before, Bogie?" "Yeah, it's his nick name. I only call him Humphrey when he gets in trouble." Celia smiled then made a signal to the dog, who responded by offerring his paw to Chelsea. Chelsea smiled and shook Bogie's paw. "C'mon, I'll show you where you can untack and then we'll turn this guy out." Celia patted the neck of the bay, who seemed to be a little more tolerant of the killer dog, since his master seemed unafraid. And the interesting foursome headed for the barn -CK