CHAPTER 3

 

The next morning, Elaina and Frank were fixing breakfast when Maria came into the kitchen. "Hey, cousins. What’s new?"

"Oh, hell! I forgot about the party." Elaina said, dropping a plate on the table. "Maria, I’m sorry. We had some company drop in unexpectedly last night. I completely forgot."

"Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything. I’m the hostess," Maria said, getting a glass of orange juice. "You’re just lending me your house. I would have said yard, but after that storm last night, it's a bit soggy out there."

“Honey, I’m not sure our guests are up for a party. Could you move it to the restaurant?”

“Elaina, you promised I could have it here. I can’t Sam and tell him to close it on this short of notice. We have reservations for today,” Maria said.

“All right, but I don’t want the music disturbing them or rattling the windows,” Elaina order.

"Yes, ma’am. Who are your guests, anyway?" Maria asked, stealing a piece of bacon from the plate.

"Some of Frank’s distant relation. They wanted to meet the Donovan side of the family."

"Rather rude of them to just drop in without notice," Maria stated, looking over Frank’s shoulder while he cooked.

"They said they sent a letter, but it was sent to the ranch in Montana, after we came back from vacation. I guess Hank hasn’t forwarded it back to us yet," Frank told her, thinking quickly. Elaina signed ‘thank you’ to him when Maria wasn’t looking.

"Oh. I had better start getting things ready. I can use the game room and dining room today, can’t I?"

"Yes, either that or cancel it." Elaina wished her cousin would cancel it.

"I can’t cancel it. I already have to have it two days early because Frank wouldn’t give the team time off. Besides, Jake is looking forward to the party. Especially, the close dancing part and the riding double on horseback." Maria walked out of the room thinking about the day.

“I’m the one that wouldn’t give them time off. That’s why you are having it here,” Elaina said under her breath.

"How can you forget a party?" Frank asked, putting the skillet in the sink.

"I didn’t hear you saying anything about it either," Elaina countered.

"Sorry. I didn’t remember it either." Frank apologized with a kiss.

"I’ll go see if our guests are awake for breakfast," Elaina said.

"Okay. I’ll go, check on Derek. He should have the bales done by now."

“I bet you, he’s asleep in the loft,” she said before going upstairs.

“If he is he will have a week added to his punishment,” Frank murmured, putting his coat on to go outside.

Elaina knocked on Sarah’s door. Hearing her answer she walked in to find Layla talking to her.

Layla was handing her a necklace.

"Good morning, Layla.

"Good morning. I was walking by her door and I thought I heard music. I knocked and she invited me in.," Layla explained.

“Mom, Layla said this necklace shows which Medjai tribe she belongs to. She also said Ardeth is the chief.”

“So, we have royalty in the family,” Elaina said.

“What?” Sarah asked somewhat puzzled.

“Chieftains in the Medjai world are like princes in the modern world. Am I right, Layla?”

“Yes,” she said, smiling.

“So, you’re a real princess?” Sarah asked in awe.

“I guess you can say that.”

“Daddy calls me princess all the time, even in front of my friends,” she said, rolling her eyes a little.

“Your name means Princess in our language,” Layla explained. “You should feel honored to have the name.”

“Yes, but it shouldn’t go to her head,” Elaina said, laughing. “We have breakfast ready.”

“I will go get Ardeth," Layla said, going to the door.

"Layla, I must warn you about something first. There will be a lot of people here later and they will most likely ask you a lot of questions," Elaina said, taking Layla’s hand when she saw that it frightened her. "You see, I forgot about my cousin giving her boyfriend a party for his birthday."

"I am not sure I want to see more people," Layla said, her voice wavering a little.

"You can stay up here and I’ll put a ‘No Visitors’ sign up, so no one bothers you." Elaina smiled.

"I will speak to my husband and see what he wishes to do," Layla said, seeing Ardeth coming out.

"Sabil-kheyr," (Good morning) Ardeth said to Elaina when she walked out with Sarah.

"Good morning, Ardeth. I hope you slept well," Elaina said.

"Yes. Is this your daughter Layla spoke of?" Ardeth asked, smiling at Sarah.

“Yes.”

“You are as beautiful as your mother.”

"Shukran,” Sarah said, remembering what Layla had taught her. Then signed to her mother about the Arabic lessons.

"What is she saying?" Ardeth asked, noticing the signing.

"For one thing she was explaining Layla teaching her Arabic. She was also wondering about the tattoos," Elaina told him.

"These are tattoos of the Med-Jai. Each of them has a meaning," Ardeth said, proudly.

"Could we talk more later when I have my chores finished? I’d like to learn more about your culture,” Sarah wondered.

“I would be happy to tell you more,” Ardeth said.

“I’d like that too,” Layla said.

 

They all went downstairs where Frank introduced Megan, Maria, and Derek. After they ate, Frank and Ardeth went to the stables to see the horses while Layla and Elaina went to the living room to talk. Derek and Sarah went upstairs to clean their rooms.

“Megan has been a great help to us and the children. After I had Sarah and wanted to go back to work we hired her and she has been with us for ten years now. She’s like a big sister to kids,” Elaina explained.

“She said at breakfast she was a nurse.”

“She is she works at a small hospital in Chicago. It isn’t far from where Frank works.”

“Sarah said the two of you travel a lot in your line of work,” Layla said, taking a sip of her coffee.

“Yes, we are federal police officers.”

 “Police is like a Constable?” she asked.

“Yes, it is.”

“Isn’t that a rather dangerous position having children?”

“Yes, I don’t work as much as I did. I am paper shuffler most of the time.”

“I do not know what that  means.”

“I work in an office. I read reports and supervise other police officers in my charge.”

“I see. Is Frank a paper shuffler too?”

“No, he and his unit are the ones I supervise.”

“Oh, so you are his superior. Does he like that?”

“Not always,” Elaina said, laughing.

 

All of the horses were out in the pasture grazing or playing. Frank didn’t have to call his horse over; she came running up when Frank walked over to the gate. He opened it and the horse came out to be next to him. "Would you like to go riding? It's a bit wet in the field, but that won’t matter to the horses," he said, stroking the horse’s neck.

"I would like that very much. At home I usually go for a long ride in the morning to think."

"We certainly have a lot of that to do," Frank said while they walked in the tack room for the saddles. When they turned around, Frank’s horse was waiting by the door. "You just can’t stay in one place can you, girl?"

"Your horse is attached to you," Ardeth chuckled.

"I helped deliver her. Her name is Black Velvet she has always followed me like a puppy. It can be unnerving at times. She has been known to move Elaina away from me just so she can stand by me," Frank said, laughing. "You can ride any horse here except her; she doesn’t let anyone else ride her."

"You have many horses here for your small family." Ardeth had noticed.

"The people I work with keep their horses boarded here, too," Frank said, tightening the saddle on Velvet.

"That is kind of you and Elaina," Ardeth said.

"We gave the horses to them last summer. They gave up their vacation time to help us. We returned our thanks with the horses as gifts," Frank explained.

"Very generous," Ardeth said, walking with Frank back into the stables.

"Have you decided which horse you want to ride?" Frank asked.

Ardeth looked at the names on the stall doors. "Sahara, the name suggests strength," He then asked, "Which horse is that? Could I ride it?"

"Good choice. She’s spirited...yet gentle she belongs to Elaina, she would be happy you choose her horse." Frank went out to look for her, but he didn’t see her or her colt. He began to worry. "We seem to be missing Sahara and her colt. The storm came up so quickly, we didn’t have time to round them up. We hoped they would come in on their own."

"Do you want to go looking for them? I will help," Ardeth offered.

"I’ll have to tell Elaina. Excuse me." Frank went out with a starter’s pistol shooting it in the air. "That is the quickest way to get her attention," he explained.

"Must you do that? You scared Layla. What’s wrong?" Elaina yelled from the front porch.

"Apologize for me. I just needed to get your attention fast. Sand and Sahara are missing. We need to go looking for them."

"Be right there." Elaina turned and went back in. "Layla, I have to go out. You can stay here. I’ll tell my cousin not to bother you," Elaina said.

"I will be fine. I will go upstairs," Layla assured her.

Elaina went inside and found Maria decorating the dining room. "What did Frank want this time?" Maria asked, knowing how he used a gun to get Elaina’s attention.

"Sand and Sahara are missing. Layla went upstairs to rest and they kids should be cleaning their rooms. Could you make sure in a little while to make sure Derek isn’t asleep?"

"Sure, but why?”

“He is on our list. He went out with his friends after we told him no. Frank caught him climbing in his window at midnight last night,” Elaina explained quickly.

“Oh boy I’d hate to be him. So, go on. I’ll handle anything that pops up. Go find the horses," Maria told her.

Elaina went out the sliding door in the dining room and ran out to the stables. Frank had saddled Tracer, Monica’s horse for her. Ardeth was on Zeus, Derek’s horse.

"Ardeth, are you sure you are up to this?" Elaina asked, getting on the horse.

"I’m fine," Ardeth assured her.

"I tried the whistle and calling her name neither way worked."

"I hope they weren’t hurt by the lightning," Elaina said as they started out. "We’ll look by the lake first, the colt likes the water."

When they neared the lake, they saw the colt lying down in the mud by the shore. Sahara was standing over him, nudging him to get up. Ardeth got down with Elaina to look the colt over.

"He is stuck in the mud up to his knees. He seems to have injured his left front knee trying to free himself." Ardeth noticed swelling in the knee joint of the young colt. "We will have to be careful not to do more harm getting him free."

"Luckily, I’ve done this before. Frank, could you get Sahara and tie her to the tree over there. Ardeth, are you strong enough to help Frank hold the colt still while I free him?" Elaina asked.

"I think so. We will find out soon enough." Ardeth smiled. He braced himself as best he could in the grass and mud.

Frank came back over to help before Elaina dug with her hands around the colt’s legs to ease the suction of the mud. She freed the swollen leg first and then worked to free the other. When she had the front legs free, she moved to free the back ones. After what seemed liked forever, they freed the colt then Frank and Ardeth carried him from the muddy shore to the grass. The colt wanted to get to his mother, so Elaina untied Sahara, letting her get to him.

"Getting him back is going to be a problem. He’s too big to carry on the other horses and I don’t want him to walk that far," Elaina said.

"I’ll go back and get your truck. That is, if I don’t get it stuck," Frank joked.

"Just keep moving, stopping out here is going to be the biggest problem even with four wheel drive," Elaina stated.

"What is four wheel drive?" Ardeth asked while Frank rode off back to the ranch.

"It just means that all four wheels have better traction, not just the front or back."

“I think I understand. My friend had a car and it does not do well in mud or sand,” Ardeth said, chuckling.

“I’ll get it out of here, if he can get it out this far.”

"Don’t you trust him with your truck to drive it back?" Ardeth inquired curiously.

"I like to drive in the snow and mud. Frank prefers to drive on paved roads or at least dry ground. Besides, I’m not going to let him have all the fun," Elaina said, giggling.

"You are a strong and proud woman. That is why I chose Layla as my wife. She, too, is a strong and proud woman."

"Frank says I’m opinionated and stubborn. That is why we’re perfect for one another, he’s the same way."

It was about twenty minutes before they saw the truck coming toward them. Elaina could see that it would more than likely be stuck when it stopped by the tracks it was leaving in the field.

Elaina had walked around trying to find the most solid ground, but it was useless. When Frank approached, she saw that he had a passenger with him who was waving at her. She sighed and waved back to her. When Frank stopped the truck next to Elaina and Ardeth, she watched as it sunk in the mud.

"Allison, what are you doing out here in this mess?” Elaina asked her friend.

"Frank told me what was going on. I wanted to help, if I could," Allison said, staying in the truck.

"Climb in the back and calm Sand on the trip back. Let’s get him in before the truck sinks more."

Elaina, Frank, and Ardeth all picked up the colt. He tried to kick his back legs, but Elaina was holding them so he couldn’t lash out. They gently laid him in the back on the hay that Frank had put in the bed. "Try to keep him lying down," Elaina said, getting in the truck.

"I can drive back. I made it out here," Frank told her.

Elaina just smiled at him. "My truck. I want to have some fun, too. Get the horses back. Did you leave the gate open?"

"Yes I did," Frank told her, getting on Tracer. "What about Sahara?"

Elaina whistled and Sahara moved away from the truck and ran toward the ranch. She waited for Ardeth to mount Zeus and move over by Frank before starting the truck.

"Hang on, Allison. This could get ugly," Elaina yelled to her.

"I’m ready back here," Allison answered, holding on to the colt.

Elaina gently pressed on the accelerator and heard the tires spin. She looked at the four-wheel drive switch and it was off. "He had to have turned that off on purpose," Elaina said to herself, looking over at Frank who was laughing. She threw the switch and stuck her tongue out seeing him laugh again. She pressed down on the accelerator and the truck started to move. She got it out and hit the gas. The truck fishtailed in the mud giving Allison and the colt a wild ride in the back. Elaina saw her in the mirror holding the colt and laughing like a little kid.

Frank and Ardeth rode ahead of her. Frank got off the horse and waited at the gate for her to go through, and then he shut it. Elaina made the mistake of stopping on the other side of the gate. She felt the truck bog down, so she put her foot down on the gas not knowing Frank was walking behind the truck...sending mud flying all over him.

"Elaina!" Allison yelled when she saw what happened to Frank. She tried to keep from laughing but couldn’t.

Elaina pulled up in front of the stables and parked the truck. Frank came walking up to her, wiping mud from his clothes. "You're going to get paid back for this."

"What? I didn’t mean to do that...it was and accident," Elaina explained, she couldn’t help but start laughing.

Frank grabbed her and held her close, so she would get mud on her. She laughed harder, not caring about the mud. She wiped the mud from his face and kissed him. "Poor baby, I really am sorry."

"I bet you are. You need to clean up now." Frank dunked her in the water trough.

"I’ll get you good for this," Elaina said, getting out of the cold water.

Frank took off running, knowing she would do the same to him.

"I wonder if they will realize the colt is still in the back." Allison said, sitting with Ardeth and the colt.

Ardeth laughed, watching when Elaina tackled Frank in the yard near the house.

"I’m sorry, we have not been introduced. I am Ardeth Bay. Frank’s distant cousin," Ardeth stuck his hand out to her.

"I’m Allison Gaines. Friend to those two." Allison shook his hand.

"Do they act this way often?" Ardeth wondered.

"Only when they aren’t trying to kill each other," Allison said. "I was just joking," she added, seeing his expression.

"They have work to do, yet they play first. They do not have their priorities straight."

"I guess I should break them up." Allison jumped out of the truck and walked towards them. "Hey, you have an injured horse to take care of. You can finish the wrestling match later."

Elaina and Frank stopped and looked up at her. "Hi. I guess we’re grounded now?" Elaina joked.

"You two act more like kids than you do parents," Allison teased them.

"Okay. Get up, Lady, we have work to do. Allison only volunteers once a day and getting the colt out is not going to be that time," Frank helped Elaina up.

"I heard that," Allison said.

"Oh no, you don’t want to make Allie mad. She’ll have Jake shoot you."

Elaina pushed him, playfully while they walked back to the truck. Ardeth was sitting in the back petting the colt while Sahara kept an eye on them. Elaina could hear her nickering to the colt as she stood next to the truck.

"Well, this is one way you get out of your training, Sand. I won’t be able to run you through your paces for at least three weeks," Elaina said to the colt when they lifted him out.

"Are you a horse trainer?" Ardeth asked.

"Part-time horse trainer, full time Federal Agent. Frank is a full time Federal agent and horse’s ass." Elaina laughed with Frank giving her an icy stare. "Sorry. It wasn’t a lie, you can be one at times," she teased.

"You’re asking for another fight, aren’t you?" Frank said, playfully.

"Excuse me. You’re not making a good impression for your cousin," Allison scolded them.

"Sorry Ardeth, the weekend is our play time. We try not to be too serious about anything. I’m sorry if we embarrassed you in any way," Frank apologized.

"I am sure your jobs can be extremely stressful. I was worried earlier when your friend said you only act this way when you are not trying to kill one another."

"Allison was joking." Elaina smiled at her and winked. "I’ll wrap Sand’s leg. You all better get cleaned up for the party. I’ll be in later to do the same," she told them, letting the colt walk into the stall with Sahara.