THE ELIZABETH SERIES
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
THE HORSE HAND
By JoLayne
EnyaJo@aol.com
RATING: PG
CHARACTERS: M, Amy, Elizabeth, Claire, Dallas, Guy, etc.
SUMMARY: Daniel gets a new watcher and Canterbury Stables gets a
new worker.
~~~~~
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2007
TABARD PINES
Ever since Daniel Gordon turned in Paris, Elizabeth had pretended to train
him after Dallas and Antonio left for the day. Since they never knew who
was watching, they decided to put on a show. They would train in the
fields, the front yard, or in the house if it was chilly. They still didn't want
Claire to be in the know about immortality, so they bought epees in town
and told Claire that they were starting a new hobby, called fencing. She
wanted to learn also. Methos, at first, hesitated, and then wondered why
not. It was a sport. The next day, Elizabeth bought Claire an epee of her
own.
After weeks of practice at the house, Methos was happy that Claire had
taken to the sword so easily. After they had called a session outside to a
close, and were walking into the house, Methos asked Elizabeth, "Did you
take to a sword so fast?"
"I did pick up a sword the day after... you know..." meaning when she
turned, but she didn't want to state it in front of Claire. Methos nodded
with understanding. "It felt right in my hand, but I didn't know why. How
'bout you, big guy?"
"It was too long ago to remember," Methos said, with pride.
"Too long ago for what, Dad?" Claire asked.
"Since I started fencing." Methos had been a little let down that as soon as
they had arrived home from Paris and things were back to normal, Claire
was again calling him 'Dad'. He wanted Claire to stay his little girl
forever, but she insisted on growing up and being more independent. He
told her, "Time for bed, Little One," kissed her head, tapped her on the
butt and nudged her in the direction of her room.
"All right, all right," she moaned. "But I'm not little anymore."
"Oh, yeah, right," Methos said with a chuckle. "You'll be getting a job and
helping out with the bills soon?"
"Ha, ha," she snidely remarked as she turned the corner.
Elizabeth said, "I'll be there in a minute to tuck you in, Little One."
"Mo-om," Claire whined from her room.
Methos mimicked Claire's yell as he pulled Elizabeth into his arm. "Mo-
om," he whispered in her ear.
She laughed and pulled up her epee. "En garde, Newbie."
Methos immediately tapped his blade against hers saying, "I've got moves,
you could never even conceive of."
"Not to anyone watching," Elizabeth replied sing-song. They swatted the
blades around for a while as she watched his face become very serious and
his thrusts more expertly aimed. "Hey young one," Elizabeth called out,
stepping back from the tip of his epee. "Enough training for the evening."
Methos only laughed. "Am I too much for you?"
"Always." She grabbed his epee and put them both in the closet; as he
went into the kitchen for a beer Elizabeth said, "Fix me a drink. I'll be
right back."
Elizabeth entered Claire's room just as her daughter pulled her nightgown
over her head. She quickly turned, but still heard, "MOM! Can't I have
privacy?"
"Sorry, sorry," Elizabeth said, then giggled. "You don't have anything I
don't have, and I thought you'd be in bed by now." She found the remote
on the floor and turned off the TV.
Claire climbed up on her canopy bed as Elizabeth pulled the covers up so
she could slide underneath. "I was watching the end of that movie."
"It's past your bedtime." Claire laid under the covers and Elizabeth sat on
the bed alongside her. "You have Sunday school tomorrow. How is your
regular school going?"
"It's fun."
"Did you miss a lot while you were in Paris?"
Claire's face darkened. Elizabeth was sorry to have brought it up. "Is your
teacher nice?"
Claire nodded.
Elizabeth brushed the hair from Claire's forehead and said, "You can't be
more specific? You're so like your father."
With that, Claire smiled again. "I can ride Santo tomorrow?"
"Yes," Elizabeth said. "Did you learn your lesson?"
Claire nodded again. She had thrown a temper tantrum while she was on
Santo, kicking him; because Methos told her she couldn't ride Santo up
the trails alone, Methos had immediately pulled her off and told her that
Santo was off limits until she a) apologized, b) spent two weeks without
her horse to think about what she did, and c) never argued with him again.
"I won't do that to Santo again. Tell papa I learned my lesson. I could have
hurt Santo."
"Yes, you could have. Horses are big, and look strong, but they're also
fragile. What if you had broken one of Santos' ribs, or had fallen off of
her? When your father and I say you can't do something, it's only because
we love you and think you aren't ready for it yet. Okay?"
Claire only shrugged and turned on her side. Elizabeth bent down and
kissed Claire. "Good night sweetheart." They nuzzled noses and they
smiled. "I love you lots."
"I love you more," Claire said, just as she had every night before she went
to sleep, since their days together in Arizona . Then Claire sat up as
Elizabeth walked to the door. "Leave a light on," something else she also
said every night.
Elizabeth turned the lamp on the dresser by the door on low and said,
"Good night." She left the door ajar and walked out to the TV room where
Methos was sitting on the couch with his feet up. She took her whiskey
coke from the coffee table and sat beside him, then leaned her head on his
shoulder.
There was an on-site report of a plane crash in Germany on CNN. Methos
groaned and changed the channel. Elizabeth reacted. "I was interested in
that."
"I've had one too many plane crashes in my life." He furiously flipped
through the channels for something else to watch. Elizabeth knew that
when he was in flipping mode, she had two choices, just look at something
else until he settled on something, or take over the remote herself.
Watching the channels go by made her head spin. She took a sip of her
drink as she watched his face, intently focused on the channels. She heard
the plane report again, then in a second, it was gone. He was ten channels
ahead. She knew his mind was quick, but there wasn't any way he could
know what was on every channel he was flipping past.
She finally grabbed the remote and turned it to VH1 and set the remote on
the table. "Something wrong?"
"No," he said, taking a sip of his beer.
"Amanda told me about Duncan's plane crash. Is that what you're thinking
about, my hero?"
He grunted, then said, "No," in a wistful voice.
"Are you sorry you killed Methos?"
Methos shrugged. "Kind of." He drank some more and then laughed. His
laugh was carefree and easy. He put his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders
and looked out the windows at the stables. "At times. But hey, I have a
daughter sleeping in her room. Is she sleeping in her room?"
"Yes."
"I have my daughter sleeping in her room, I'm working with horses--
something that I've always loved--I get fresh air, time to think, a good
woman at my side," he said, smiling.
"I come after time to think?"
"Yes. I have plenty of beer, satellite TV, my feet up on the coffee table.
What more do I need?"
"At least I came before the beer."
"I called you a good woman."
"Yes, you're sweeping me off my feet."
~~~~
"Mr. Brumaire," Amy was in the San Francisco Watcher Bureau Chief's
office. "I think we're going in circles here."
"Ms. Randall, your suggestion goes against almost every item in the
Watcher Oath." Wesley Brumaire sat in his leather chair, behind his
massive oak desk, in his paneled office whose view was the Golden Gate
Bridge. He was a younger man than many of other Bureau Chiefs that
Amy had met, either through introduction by Joe at functions, or in
pictures at Watcher Conventions. Amy had thought that he would be a
more progressive bureau chief than the old stick in the muds. Ever since
the onset of the networked database, they had started to move into the 20th
century. Too bad it was now the 21st.
"How do you expect me to react? I do know your history and trust you, but
this is far beyond what would be considered proper."
"Have you assigned a watcher to Daniel Gordon yet?"
"On an interim basis."
"Yes, Harold Faster. Wouldn't he be better utilized assigned to a more
experienced, more interesting immortal than a man who has just found out
about his immortality? Harold is almost ready to get a gold watch, he's
been a watcher for so long."
"That is why he is working on an interim basis, Ms. Randall." Wesley
creased his eye brows and sat up in his chair and casually leaned his
elbows on his desk. "We are of course going to reassign Faster. As soon as
we can assign a permanent watcher to Gordon."
"Why not me?"
Wesley laughed. "You do have spunk, and I do like your father. You're a
chip off the old block."
"Thank you," Amy honestly said. That was an excellent compliment.
Wesley shuffled the papers on his desk and said, "I have to deny your
request."
"Because I'm friends with them?"
"Because there is some reason why you want to be Gordon's watcher, Ms.
Randall. I don't care what that reason is, it goes against your oath. Unless
of course, you break off the friendship with Gordon and his wife, but then
we still wouldn't be able to trust you or your reports."
"Have I ever done anything to compromise anyone except myself? I was
kidnaped by Morgan Walker because I was new, and was assigned to a
challenging immortal before I was ready. And, I was kidnaped by
Cameron James, who the Watchers should have executed long ago. Both
times, I was used as a pawn?! I've done nothing. Look at my record. I've
never been arrested or lived an untoward life." Her voice rose with
frustration and was topped by unconscious anger at how the Watchers had
failed in so many ways. She was one who dreamed of a new, improved
watcher system, and she wanted to be in the forefront of that. What was
the reason Watchers and Immortals, some of them anyway, couldn't be
friends? The objective of the watchers was to have detailed, truthful
accounts of immortal lives, right? How better to get to know your subject
and what they really deal with on a mental basis than to be their friend?
The chronicles would be so much more interesting and would really teach
the reader about the whole person, not just how many heads they took and
the sketchy reasons why.
Amy had been willing to say all of those things to Brumaire, but suddenly
she was scrutinizing him. She had pegged him as a man who wanted
change, as some new Bureau Chiefs wanted, and had hinted about at
conventions. She couldn't have been that wrong about him. Instead, she
tried a different tactic.
Amy told him, in as feminine a voice as she could to wring the last bit of
sympathy from him, "The only thing that I did that could be considered
against my oath was, and I was not a watcher at the time, let it slip to Liz
about the organization. But I had no choice. She was a friend who had a
valid question that I had to answer. You know what? Nothing has
happened. Elizabeth hasn't told others about the Watchers, she hasn't done
anything except be kidnapped and 'killed' by James. Again, Mr. Brumaire,
the watchers should have taken care of the James situation long before
Elizabeth and I had anything to do with him. Her friends and loved ones
saved us, not only for themselves or Elizabeth, my father and I, and in so
doing they also saved the Watchers' arses."
"Tell me straight, Amy," he said, for the first time using her first name and
talking in an unprofessional manner. "Why do you really want this
assignment? Is there something to hide in the new Daniel Gordon
Chronicle?"
"I'm in love with Guy Barstow. I moved from New York to be near to
him, but San Francisco is still too far from Redding. He doesn't know
anything about this meeting, or my wanting this assignment. If I had told
him about it, I'm sure he would have tried to talk me out of it. It is going
against the Oath. On the surface. I know that. I will say it again, I did not
know that Daniel was a pre-immortal. This opportunity fell into my lap. I
have a chance to chronicle from the very start of an immortal's life every
aspect of his training, from the inside. How can the Watchers possibly turn
that opportunity down?"
"So," he said, sitting back in his chair again, swinging it slightly from side
to side, his hands clasped arrogantly in front of him. "If I'm to take what
you say at face value, you and your boyfriend will be chronicling your best
friend and her husband."
"Yes."
"How can you possibly be loyal to us?"
"If you deny my request, Mr. Brumaire, I will simply submit my
resignation. I need to be close to Guy. I like the watcher pay rates; they
allow me to raise my son and enable me to give him anything he wants. I
also, lo and behold, enjoy my work as a watcher. I like the idea of keeping
a history of the most fantastic people who have ever walked the face of the
earth. They're still a puzzle to me, and I can't wait to find out more about
them. Now, I can resign and talk freely with Liz about what she and her
newly immortal husband are going through on a daily basis, but I wouldn't
be telling the watchers what I find out. It would be to answer my own
questions in my own mind. If the watchers want the benefit of what I learn,
assign me to Daniel and pay me a salary."
"So, you are still going to talk with Elizabeth about verboten topics."
Amy chuckled and sat back in her chair. "You haven't been listening to
me. Whenever the subject of immortality or the watchers is close to the
surface, she clams up. So, I watch more closely to figure out what is going
on. I'm sure that pattern will continue."
"Is Elizabeth aware that Guy Barstow is her watcher?"
"No," Amy said, deciding to fib. What Elizabeth didn't know was that
Amy and her watcher were an item.
"Really?"
"She knows she has a watcher. I have not told her who, Guy hasn't made
his presence known to her, I have not introduced them."
"That opportunity will certainly come up if you were to take this
assignment."
"Guy was an anesthesiologist. If that was to happen, which I'm sure it will,
because I intend to keep my relationship with him, Dr. Barstow is how he
will be introduced to her. Just as it would if I was to resign from the
watchers."
"Your father has a history of keeping things from us, his friendship with
Duncan MacLeod and Methos."
Amy laughed, which put Wesley on guard, not knowing at all what was so
funny about breaking his Oath. She said, "As much as I love Elizabeth,
Mr. Brumaire, she is not Methos, or even Duncan MacLeod. What do I
have to keep secret?" All of a sudden her throat dried up. There was still a
humongous secret that she would be keeping, Daniel Gordon was Methos.
She cleared her throat and said, "Elizabeth is a harmless woman who stays
away from strange immortals, allowing only a choice few in her life, and is
training her newly turned husband. That is what is important to me, how
Daniel is trained. That is first and foremost in my mind and what the
watchers should be salivating to have chronicled. You've never had a
chronicle that explained how it was done. I looked up Richie Ryan, who
was trained by Duncan MacLeod." Amy smiled and shook her head.
"There's not much there."
"Do you know why, Ms. Randall?"
"Of course. My father didn't chronicle that Richie was turned and only
after Richie took his first head was a watcher assigned to him. Daniel was
another matter. Guy, Duncan's watcher, and Calliope's watcher all saw
Daniel turn. He's had Harold on him ever since they returned to
California, but how close has Harold gotten? He's seen some training
sessions, heard some laughter coming from them, and Harold has reported
that they have taught Claire how to fence. That's about it, Mr. Brumaire. I
could be sitting in their kitchen and getting senses and noting looks and
gauging Daniel's mood on certain days, watch their training from a
distance, gauge how Elizabeth is training him."
"What did Elizabeth order for lunch when you met at Applebee's the other
day?"
"Oriental Chicken Salad. It was pretty good too," she immediately said. "I
had ordered gyro and we split our meals." She got the feeling that
Brumaire was nibbling on the bait.
"What all do you know about Daniel Gordon, from being friends with
him?"
"He was born and raised in England. He's a carpenter. He was adopted and
raised in a loving, but uninteresting home. His older brother died in a car
accident four years ago. That has affected Daniel, and he drives carefully.
Then he met Liz at the hotel in New York and swept her off her feet. I was
worried about that, it hadn't been long since she had lost Methos. But you
know what? They're happy. He's good for her, and Elizabeth is good for
him."
"Did you know that he was immortal?"
"No. How could I know that?"
"Elizabeth would have said something."
"I was adamant from the start when she reappeared in my life that I was a
watcher and we were not to talk about anything having to do with the
system and immortals. We haven't."
Brumaire lightly smiled and swung his chair from side to side again,
signaling to Amy that he had made a decision. "It would be interesting to
see how you straddle that fence."
"Read the reports I fill out."
He laughed. "Oh, I will. Don't worry about that." Wesley stood and held
out his hand, signaling the end of the meeting. "I have a board to run this
by, and it's up to them to decide, Ms. Randall. You should be hearing one
way or another in a couple of days."
"Thank you for your time this late on a Saturday night, Mr. Brumaire,"
Amy said, shaking his hand. "I will be looking forward to a rapid decision.
If I get the no go, I'll be submitting my resignation."
He escorted her to the door and said, "Guy Barstow, huh?"
Amy smiled. "Yes."
Wesley shrugged. "Opposites attract? There's no accounting for taste?"
Amy giggled, wanting to leave this interview on a high, happy note.
"Something like that."
~~~~~
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2007
Amy parked her car behind Harold Faster's and got out to see that his car
was empty. They were a half mile from Tabard Pines, and she knew that
he had to be in the trees surrounding their property. She got back into the
car and drove into Elizabeth's driveway. The minivan was gone, and she
assumed Elizabeth had taken Claire to school. She didn't have much time.
Amy grabbed the email printout from her bag and snuck into the trees to
find Harold.
She found Harold, squatting in the trees with Corky, Antonio's watcher.
They had a clear visual to the back of the stables. They both had heard
Amy coming, and only relaxed when she came to sit alongside them.
"What's going on?" Amy whispered.
Corky said, "Daniel and Antonio just had a fight."
"What about?" Amy smugly asked, knowing what their answer would be.
"I have no idea," Harold said, "but it's the most interesting thing that's
happened in two weeks."
Amy said, "I've come to your rescue, Harold." She handed the email
printout to him and he read it over.
His head snapped up, his eyes squinted. "You are Daniel's permanent
watcher? How can that be?"
"I'm good."
"You're his friend."
"I went over this with San Fran. There's my orders. I'm on a six month
probation period. You're free to go."
"Hm," Harold said, then slowly got up, his knees killing him. "Will
wonders ever cease. I don't know about all the changes in the system. I
liked the old ways better."
Corky made a face at him behind his back as he walked into the trees. "I
never liked him," Corky said. She patted the ground that Harold had
vacated. "Here. Have a seat." She opened her backpack. "I have
sandwiches."
"No thanks," Amy said, turning to leave. "You have fun now."
Amy walked back to her car and backed out of the drive. She was going to
be keeping her new assignment a secret, so she would have to lie to
Elizabeth if it ever came up. Amy was really looking forward to observing
how they would, at least pretend, to be training Methos. Since Elizabeth's
return to Amy's life, Amy had only let her in on the fact that Methos was
still dead to the watchers. That's all Elizabeth ever needed to know. She
knew she wouldn't be able to keep her new assignment a secret from either
her father, or Guy. She was planning on doing everything by the book, as
much as she could, but knew that both men would have second thoughts
about it. As Amy drove down the highway to Redding, and to talk to Guy
about moving to Redding, she was pleased to know that she would be
keeping a secret journal. No one else was chronicling Methos, and Amy
took that task on herself. She would do as her father had done. One
chronicle filed on Daniel Gordon, one chronicle in a secret cabinet at
home that would be the Methos Chronicle.
~~~~~
Elizabeth got back to the house to see a dejected Antonio walking toward
his pickup. He pulled out and drove past her, keeping his head down. She
left the groceries in the car and pulled her coat close around her as she
walked into the wind toward the stables. Dallas was just riding Biscuit out
to the workout field and she saw the top of Methos' head in Callie's stall.
Elizabeth rubbed Callie's nose; she saw that Methos was brushing her
horse down.
"What's wrong with Antonio? He didn't even wave when he left."
"He forgot to pick up the worm medicine," Methos said, more intent on
the brushing. "He really doesn't like anyone to point out his failures."
"How loud did you point it out?"
Methos shrugged. "We have to get that done today. The new horses we're
boarding all need to have their shots." He tossed the brush. "Why don't
you help out today?"
"Sure."
He handed the brush to her. "That damn vet can't get out here for another
three days, so we have to do it all ourselves.
When the Risens' stable exhibited the onset of Swamp Fever, all the
people boarding their horses had bolted. All the horses had gone through a
quarantined period and all those that passed with flying colors had been
put into new stalls that had been added.
Methos went to the medicine cabinet and mumbled, "We have to hire
another man. Would you put an ad in the paper?"
"Full or part time?"
"Part time, with more hours if he wants them and he's needed."
~~~~~
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2007
Methos and Antonio, having mended their fences, had decided to go
fishing during that somewhat calm day. Since Elizabeth, Faye, and Sofia
had shown up the day before to help with getting all the horses settled,
Methos had decided that it would be all right for them to take an afternoon
off. Faye and Sofia present at the same time as Dallas and Antonio could
have been a touchy situation, but their help was needed. However, much to
Elizabeth's disappointment, since she wanted Sofia and Antonio to work
out their differences, the two of them had hardly looked at each other.
Each person was assigned their task for the day as soon as the women
arrived, and never the couples mingled. Methos and Antonio had just
gone, and Elizabeth was just leaving to take Claire to school when the
phone rang in the stables. Dallas answered it as Elizabeth waved goodbye
to him.
On her way back to the house, she heard Dallas talking on the phone to
what had to be an applicant for the new part time position she had
advertized in the paper. She walked back and mouthed, "Do you need me
to stick around?"
Dallas shook his head and continued asking the caller questions on the
phone. Elizabeth went to the garage when she saw Claire run out with her
coat on and her book bag strapped on her shoulders. "Come on, mom!"
Elizabeth dropped Claire off at school, kissed her goodbye, and then went
to the mall to meet up with Amy as they had arranged. As she was parking
in the lot, her cell phone rang. Amy said, "Sorry, Liz. I can't make it
shopping."
"How come? You wanted to buy some things for your new apartment."
Elizabeth had been shocked when Amy told her that she had moved to
Redding to be closer to her and now looked forward to helping decorate
her apartment. After Methos had paid her bills, she had drawn a great
salary from the Watchers, Elizabeth knew that Amy was sitting pretty, but
would help out financially if it came to that. Faye and Sofia were so...
loving together that whenever Elizabeth was with them, she felt in the
way. She was looking forward to Amy being just a couple of minutes away
allowing them to raise their children together as they had planned.
"I have to go to school to sign papers for Joey and then I have a computer
guy coming to set up my laptop."
"You didn't say what you're job entails with the watchers, are you really
still working for them?"
"Yeah," Amy brightly said. "It's research and I can work from home. Most
of my job will entail Internet and network entries, so it really doesn't
matter where I actually live."
That was what Amy had told Elizabeth before, and then dropped the
subject. "Well, I can pick up some food and stop over later if you would
like some lunch."
Amy said, "That would be great, but I don't know when I'll be here. I'll
take you up on it tomorrow though."
Elizabeth knew something was wrong. "It's Guy Barstow, isn't it?"
There was a pause, and then Amy said, "You caught me. I'm sorry. I'm
dumping you because you're too boring for him today and we made
plans."
"I understand. Glad I can be boring for my watcher. Have fun."
Then, there was static on the line. Elizabeth asked, "Are you calling me
from your apartment?"
~~~~~
Amy, behind the wheel in her car, traveling a discreet distance from
Methos' pickup, said, "No. I'm on my way to meet Guy. I'll call you
later."
She hung up and didn't feel too badly for lying to Elizabeth. Her plans had
changed when Methos and Antonio had taken off together, since Amy
didn't know where they were going, or why, or how long they'd be gone.
Then she tried to call Karen, the babysitter that Elizabeth and Methos used
for Claire, to see if she could be at her apartment when Joey came home,
in case she wasn't home in time. There wasn't a tower. Great. She would
just have to follow to see where they were going, and get home on time.
Asking Elizabeth to do it was out of the question, since Elizabeth would
surely want to know why Amy was asking. Such a thing could plant the
seed of a non-existent affair in Elizabeth's head, considering what had
happened just after Kevin was killed.
Amy pulled out a bag of pretzels and watched Methos' red pickup half a
mile ahead of her and for the first time realized how much her life had
changed since Kevin's death. When he died, she didn't think she could go
on living, never mind love again. Amy smiled. Boy, was she wrong.
~~~~~
Elizabeth decided to call Faye to see if she and Sofia wanted to go
shopping, or if they were busy, she would go home and help out in the
stables or bake something. Faye answered the phone and said, "Yes! We
were just wondering what we were going to do today. I called the stables
and Dallas said he could handle it alone today. Come on over."
Elizabeth did just that, after stopping at the post office to get the mail, and
running into Norma, who was just on her way out to the stables to ride
Cosmo. Elizabeth smiled. So that was why Methos was so quick to
mention getting away from the stables. He still hadn't really spent any time
in her presence. Elizabeth smiled, wondering if the woman actually had
the power that she claimed to have. Norma asked, "So, Elizabeth, when
are you going to take me up on that free weekend?"
"I'd love to Norma, sounds like heaven, but I haven't had the time."
Norma put her hand on Elizabeth's arm and said, very serious, "You have
to make time for your inner spirit, Elizabeth. Your mental and spiritual
health is more important than Vitamin C." Then her eyes looked at
Elizabeth's arm and she shook her head. "I don't know why I see so much
red in your aura. Are you happy?"
"Extremely. Happier than I ever have been."
"I see the past coming back to you. You be careful."
"I'll do that," Elizabeth said weakly and was glad when Norma waltzed
out of the post office. She looked at others who were standing in line at the
window, shaking their heads at the weirdo. Elizabeth couldn't help but
wonder what past could be coming back.
She parked in the lot by Faye's apartment and walked to their door and
rang the bell. Because the custom, when each was expecting the other, was
to knock and just walk right in. Elizabeth did just that, calling out, "Are
you ready?"
What she saw was a naked Sofia on the couch and Faye playing with her.
Elizabeth turned her head and said, "I'm sorry, don't mind me, I'll leave
you alone, I'm gone, we'll talk later," and hurried back outside. She was
back in the minivan in no time and as she sat behind the wheel, she was a
little bit winded. She had an open mind, but that was a sight she didn't
want to see. Not because it was two women together, but two women who
Elizabeth believed belonged with their husbands.
On the drive back home, where she would do a lot of baking, Elizabeth got
angry. They knew I was coming! What was that all about?
As soon as she parked in front of the house, she felt a pre-immortal hum.
She worried that Claire had gotten sick and was sent home or something.
As soon as Elizabeth ran into the house, she could no longer feel it. She
went back out to the van and couldn't feel it anymore. She went around to
the back yard and called out, "Claire?"
There was no answer, confusing Elizabeth, but the sense came back to her.
Finally she knew that it was coming from the stables. She walked in to see
Dallas shaking a young man's hand and telling him, "You can start by
shoveling out Cosmo's stall since Ms. Woodstock is riding him."
Neither man had noticed that Elizabeth was there, and only when Dallas
walked to the door of the tackroom, which she was leaning against, did he
say, "Oh, hey Liz. I thought you were gone for the day."
Elizabeth kept looking at the stalls, and the head of the pre-immortal that
kept bobbing in and out of view; he had quickly begun work raking
Cosmo's stall. "I see you hired someone?"
"Yeah, I should introduce you two. He's a good kid."
"Do you know him?"
"He used to come around here when the Windsors had school field trips
come out here. I didn't remember him, but he reminded me of it. Maybe
that's something that Daniel and Antonio would like to revive."
"Who is he?"
"Come on, I'll introduce you."
Elizabeth held Dallas' arm. "No. Tell me about him."
"His name is Chuck Montgomery. He's nineteen, going to college to be an
engineer of some sort."
"What was his upbringing like?"
"He had a bad time of it, I think. He was adopted, was beat up by an older
brother, and I think, his dad. He was shuffled from one foster home to
another. He wants a few dollars to fix up his car and take a girl out once in
a while. He's on scholarship. Smart kid. He'll be a good worker around
here." Dallas looked at him and laughed. "See? He's already done with
Cosmo's stall."
Dallas called to him, "Chuck, come meet another boss."
Elizabeth studied him as Chuck walked closer, showing his nervousness
and wiping his hands on his pants to clean them off. He was well built and
tall. He looked younger than nineteen years. Blond, clear blue eyes, a nice
smile. He had a tan, even though it was the end of November. "Ma'am,"
Chuck said, with his head somewhat bowed.
Elizabeth shook his hand and said, "It's nice to meet you, Chuck. I'm Liz,
not ma'am. We're pretty informal here."
"Thank you for this job. I can use the money."
"It's only part time."
"That's all right. I also need something to do after classes to keep out of
trouble." Chuck's uneasy laughter had a jovial quality to it, but was also
laced with anxiety.
"Will you have enough time to study?"
"Oh sure." Chuck started to look more comfortable as he said, "I take my
lunch hour at the library to do it, and only if there's a big test will I have to
cram."
"Well, hope you're happy here with us. Welcome. Dallas, do you need me
today?"
"Not with Chuck here, Liz." Dallas said, then pointed at the tack room.
"Why don't you sweep that out?"
"Yes, sir," Chuck said and walked between Dallas and Elizabeth to do
that, and Elizabeth wondered if this would be a good idea. Methos had
acted worried about Claire as a baby, being a premmie, but quickly came
to love her. As she watched Chuck sweep out the tackroom, Elizabeth
couldn't remember any of the reasons why Methos' didn't want to be
around one.
~~~~~
"He's gone," Methos sharply said. "I'll call and tell Dallas to let him go in
the morning. I'm going to take a shower."
He had dropped Antonio off at home and had just gotten back to Tabard
Pines; Elizabeth was in the kitchen taking out a loaf of bread from the
oven. She set it on the last wire rack she had that wasn't already in use.
That day she had made a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies, a pot of beef
stew and a pan of peanut butter and jelly bars.
Elizabeth blocked the way to the bedroom and said, "Excuse me?"
"No discussion. He's gone."
"Chuck is a great worker. He had no qualms about doing everything that
Dallas ordered him to do today. What's the problem?"
"You said he's a pre-immortal, right?"
"Daniel. That's the only reason you don't even want to meet him? I can't
believe you. Claire hasn't been a problem, in fact, she's the light of our
lives."
"Chuck Montgomery will never be anything to me but a distant memory."
Methos took her by the waist and moved her aside. "Subject is closed."
He walked into the bedroom and stripped off his shirt. She went in and
slammed the door behind them. "That's prejudice. Pure and simple.
Prejudice."
"Oh, don't be high and mighty. You know I hate that. What's it to you,
anyway?"
"There's no reason not to like him, all that bothers you is that he is a pre-
immortal. You haven't even met him. You've judged him, just as a racist
redneck would judge an African-American."
"Lay off! I don't want a pre-immortal around here," he yelled, then added,
"Except Claire of course. Elizabeth! There are a lot of immortals around
here! Any one of us could have someone looking for them, that's my fear.
If the wrong immortal smells his scent, and follows him here, we could all
be in trouble."
Elizabeth folded her arms around her and leaned heavily against the wall.
It wasn't fair. Not fair at all and she didn't like this side of Methos at all.
"Chuck is strong. He's healthy. He may not die for decades. We can take
care of anyone who comes around here. You don't have to carry your
Methos paranoia into my house! I thought that was the reason we were
without you for a year!"
The time spent glaring at each other was interminable. Each had a valid
point and the other knew it. Elizabeth finally said, "Fine. Whatever. Have
it your way. Only you're firing him, not me, not Dallas, not Antonio, you."
~~~~~
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2007
Elizabeth had almost been walking on cloud nine the last month; Methos
had come to his senses and did not fire Chuck. Chuck was such a great
addition to the stables that he was given more hours and Methos was
comfortable enough with the manpower at the stables that he bought plane
tickets for him, Elizabeth and Claire to go away over Christmas. They had
to wait until Friday morning to leave for Venice because Claire was in the
Sunday school play, as the Virgin Mary.
Methos, even though he didn't worship God, or believe in the bible's
chronicle of Jesus Christ, was the most proud parent at the play in the Alta
Mesa Church of Christ that Elizabeth and Claire belonged to. He ran the
camcorder and mouthed each of her lines to her when her head would turn
to stare at her parents with big eyes, having lost all memory of them. After
it was over, Methos and Elizabeth were the first to stand, clap, and whistle.
Now as they were walking into the gondola for a tour of the city, both
Methos and Elizabeth felt an immortal buzz. They looked around, but sat
down. When they didn't catch sight of anyone in particular looking at
them, they both instinctively put their arm around Claire, who was sitting
between them. They laughed, and the gondola started off. It wasn't
anything new, they had met a lot of immortals in the city since they had
arrived. One was staying at their hotel. Only when they stared her down
and she shrugged with a smile, and clutched her mortal husband and
walked away, did they know that she was only there on vacation just as
they were.
~~~~~
Back at Tabard Pines, Dallas, Antonio, Chuck and Faye were all at work
putting the horses in the stalls to get them out of the elements. Faye and
Antonio exchanged looks as she put on her coat, ready to leave. Antonio
went into the cleaning area as he had nothing to say to her. Faye thought
he looked awfully smug, but didn't say anything. Instead, she made a
beeline for Dallas, who had tried to avoid her all day. She told Dallas, "I
need my check."
"I don't make out the payroll, that's Liz's job," he said, not even looking
at her.
"I mean my alimony check. I'm short this month."
"That's your problem, Faye. I don't have to send it until January 1, and
that's what I'm going to do."
"You're such an ass! Here I was going to buy a Christmas present for
you."
"Just your absence is good enough for me."
"Stick in the mud," she spat out. "That's why I left you in the first place."
"I'm counting my blessings, Faye. I count my blessings every single day."
~~~~~
Chuck was putting a new battery into his Mustang that had broken down a
couple of days before. He waved at Antonio as he drove by, he had been
great picking him up and dropping him off after work. He had even driven
Chuck to the auto parts store to buy the battery in the first place. He was
thinking that it was really nice to have friends, friends that he had come to
care deeply about. Soon, a green taurus pulled into the driveway and
parked next to his Mustang in front of the stables. He waved at Karen and
Joey, who was out of the car as soon as it was parked.
"What you doing?" Joey asked, looking under the Mustang's hood.
"Putting in a new battery."
"Can I help?"
"Nah, you might get hurt." Chuck looked at Karen walking around the
front of her car with Joey's gloves. She was a beautiful woman. He had
wanted to ask her out, but heard that she had a boyfriend, so never pushed
it.
"Put these on, young man," she said, holding Joey's gloves out to him.
"You're babysitting for Amy?"
"Yeah, work called her away for a few days." Karen held Joey from
behind. "He's my roomie for the next couple of days."
"Can I ride a horse?" Joey asked, looking up at Chuck.
"I don't think so, buddy. It's awfully cold out here. We just got them all
settled for the night."
"I told you, Joe," Karen said. She wrapped her coat closer around her as
the wind was strong that day. She looked up at the sky and said, "Are we
supposed to get snow?"
"I hadn't heard."
Karen said, "Well, we'll leave you alone."
Chuck stuttered, "You don't have to. I'm only trying to get this car
running. I can use the company."
"It's pretty cold. What would Amy say if she came back and you have
pneumonia?" She brushed Joey's head. "Let's call out for pizza and rent a
couple of videos."
"Godzilla movies?" Joey hopefully asked.
Karen frowned. "We'll see what they have."
"Sounds like fun," Chuck hopefully said, that he was dropping a hint
wasn't lost even on Joey.
"Can Chuck come and watch videos with us?"
Karen laughed. "If he wants to. Do you want to?"
"I'd love it. Yes."
"Okay," Karen said, slyly smiling. "My place, around eight?"
"Yes." Chuck leaned against the hood, but his hand slipped and he fell to
the ground. Joey started laughing and pointing at him, but then helped him
up. Chuck wanted to find the nearest hole to crawl into.
Karen said, "You know where I live?"
"Yes."
"Really? How?"
Chuck had followed her home once, but he didn't want to tell her that. He
quickly lied, giving the wrong location. "At the dorm, right?"
"No. I moved out of there. I'm in Windline Apartments on Dana Drive.
Press the buzzer."
He knew that's where she lived. "I'll be there. If I can get my car started."
"That's a new battery," Karen said, looking at it. "Why wouldn't it work?"
"I have to charge it. I have to find Daniel's keys so I can use his truck."
"Okay, well, good luck," she said, pulling on Joey's shoulder. "Give me a
call if you can't make it tonight."
"I would, but I don't have your phone number." Chuck had wanted to ask
for it, and was happy that she obviously didn't have that boyfriend
anymore. Did she? She quickly got a piece of paper out of her coat pocket
and asked for a pen. He told her, "I have an excellent memory. Just tell
me."
"You could remember it?"
"Sure."
"244-3906."
Chuck tapped his head. "It's in here."
~~~~~
MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2007
VENICE, ITALY
Methos, Elizabeth and Claire had a suite at The Bauer, across the city from
Amy and Guy. Their watcher salaries were good, but they couldn't afford a
room in that five star hotel. Finding out at the last minute where Methos
and Elizabeth were off to didn't help with getting a good rate in the city.
They were staying at the Hotel Capri, which had earned three stars, and to
their mind, had all the luxuries they needed. All Guy could fume about
was that they couldn't get a better rate. Amy just laughed. "The Watchers
are paying for it, what's it to you?"
"It's the principle of the thing," he said, unzipping his suitcase. "I like to
pad my expense account other ways, not paying double for a room at the
last minute. Are you sure you didn't know where they were going?"
"I had no idea. I think it was a last minute thing for them also." Amy sat
down on the bed and picked up the telephone to call her son. "Daniel hates
cold weather and there were reports of a probably snowstorm at home."
Guy sat on a chair across from her with a look on his face that could only
mean he was thinking. Even though she had gotten through to an operator,
she hung up. "What?"
"How much dough does Elizabeth have?"
"She's set for life. Many lifetimes, I'm sure."
"How did she get her money? She was a professor. They don't make the
kind of money needed to buy that house, build onto the stables. That's not
cheap."
"She's immortal, Guy. She's probably been saving since the day she
turned and sold her tavern. I don't know."
Guy groaned and went back to unpacking. Amy didn't want him in a pissy
mood, so she told him, "All right. We have talked about money."
"It was just a question, a harmless question, Amy. It wasn't what she was
up to or anything that could be considered a private matter."
"Money isn't a private matter?"
"It's what your lover might actually ask you about a friend of yours. It's
not going in the Chronicle," he said, then he got pissed. "I can't stand this
thinking through what I deem to ask you! It's nuts."
"She's spending Methos' money."
He looked at her in surprise. He just needed to get ticked and she would
answer the question. Amy hoped that he wouldn't make it a practice in the
future. It did seem like a harmless question, and since it would help
solidify in his mind that Methos was dead, so he wouldn't take any signs
that he might see as proof that he wasn't. She told him, "After Methos was
taken, Liz knew where some of his accounts were kept; she had been and
is spending it." Then she giggled. "It will take her ten immortal lifetimes
to spend it all, but she wants to live comfortably and raise Claire with no
financial handicaps."
"Now, was that so hard?"
"No. Not really. It was an instinctive reflex. It still goes, I can't talk to you
about her." Amy picked up the receiver again. "Now, can I call my son on
Christmas Eve?"
She got the operator again and Amy took out her phrase book and still
couldn't figure out what the woman was saying. Finally, Guy took the
phone and talked to the woman telling her to call Joe's in Redding. Since
they were nine hours behind, Amy had planned to call around noon to be
able to talk to her son after he had opened his presents.
Joe and Caroline were staying at her apartment, and Joe answered the
phone. "Hi, Dad. It's Amy. How's everything going?"
"Just fine," he said. "Joey is still hugging that computer you gave him."
"Oh," Amy whined. "I wish I could have been there."
"Well, you can find a new line of work and make sure you're home with
him next year, and on his birthday, and--," Joe was on a roll.
"Dad!" Amy sharply said. "This is hard enough already, I don't need my
father to chastise me. Can I talk to Joey?"
Joe said, "I'll see if we can pull him away from the computer. We were
just going to put it together. You know, there's one game there that you
bought him that looks pretty good to me too."
Amy laughed and laid back on the bed, waiting to hear her son's voice.
Even though she was quietly making history by keeping the Methos
Chronicle alive, and making sure that his death remained lore, she didn't
like having to leave her son at a moment's notice. It never occurred to her
that Elizabeth and Methos would go anywhere, especially at Christmas
time.
"Mom!" she heard Joey say. "I love you, I love you, I love you!!"
"You like your present, huh?"
"Yes! The games look cool! Grampa's going to set it up. I can't wait!"
"What did you have for dinner?"
"Huh?"
She laughed, knowing now that there was only one thing on his mind.
"Don't stay on the computer long tonight. Shut it off at midnight and
you're going to church with Dad and Carol in the morning."
"But mom," Joey whined.
"That's the rule. You have the rest of your life to play the computer. I've
set you up with an email account, so I'm going to be sending you email.
Your name is jr2007@aol.com."
Joey said, "HUH? Mom, I gotta have a better handle than that."
"You can figure out a new one after I get home. For now, use that one.
Dad will load the software on the computer." Amy knew that he was
itching to get off the phone, so she said, "Write me. I love you and miss
you."
"Me too, Mom, and I will. Bye." Click. Joey had hung up.
Amy dejectedly hung up the phone. Suddenly Guy's arms were around her
and he whispered in her ear, "A computer's more interesting than mom on
Christmas Eve?"
She sadly nodded. "I hope he's not going to grow up hating me."
"Hate a mom who buys him a computer?"
"And a horse. I'm going to have Daniel keep an eye out for one. Joey loves
the horses and should have one."
"Think you're spoiling him?" Guy asked.
"No. He's a good rider and I can afford it, why not?"
"I wish you had been my mom. I never got horses."
He kissed her, and Amy kissed him back with all the sadness, but also the
passion she felt at the moment. Then Guy smiled. "On second thought, I'm
glad your not my mom."
~~~~~
JANUARY 7, 2008
TABARD PINES
After talking with Antonio at the stables that morning, Methos called Amy
to say, "Well, Amy, Antonio heard of a horse for sale in Chico. He's a two
year old Appaloosa. He might be too much horse for him now, but if
Joey's careful, he'll grow into him. Think Joey would like him?"
"Yes! How do I go about getting the horse here?"
"You have to ask nicely and I'll go and pick him up."
Amy laughed and said, "Daniel, will you please go and pick up my son's
horse in Chico? And put your expenses on my bill."
"Don't worry about it. My treat. From the sound of it, it's a great horse and
the breeders are reputable."
Amy, who had still been in bed, sat up. "Dan! That's too much. I insist on
paying for the horse."
"No, you pay our boarding fees. I'll get the horse. I'll check it over before
buying it, and I'll call when I get back."
"Thanks, Daniel. You're the best."
"I know."
He hung up smiling. Dallas wasn't at the stables yet, as it was only 5:30.
Methos hadn't been able to sleep so he went for an early morning ride on
Charlie and when he had gotten back to the stables, Antonio was ready for
work, not having been able to sleep either. He asked him, "When Dallas
gets here, you want to drive to Chico with me?"
"To get the horse? Sure."
Methos saw that the lights in the house still weren't on, and figured that jet
lag was still affecting Elizabeth. She had to get Claire up for her first day
of school after Christmas break. Jet lag affected him in the opposite way
from others; he usually couldn't sleep. He walked into the house and
turned on all the lights and walked into the bedroom. Elizabeth was still
laid out on the bed, dead to the world, even though the alarm was buzzing.
Methos shut it off and chuckled. If they could bottle an immortal buzz and
put it in an alarm clock, she would surely wake up, jet lag or not.
He laid down behind her, wrapped his arm over her and kissed her cheek
and neck. When she only moaned and batted his face away, he shook her.
"Come on. Get up. New day. I have to leave."
With those words, she jerked awake. "Leave? Why? What happened?"
He saw her initial fright and shook his head. "Not for long. Antonio and I
are driving to Chico to get Joey's new horse."
She swatted him. "Don't scare me like that." Then she laid back down and
shut her eyes.
"Nope," he said, pulling her arm. "Get up."
When she was in a standing position, but still had her eyes closed, he said,
"You're up, correct?"
"Yes, quit harping." She mumbled something else, but he couldn't make it
out, as she walked into the bathroom.
After getting Claire up and making coffee he saw Dallas drove by the
house to the stables, he went into the bathroom to check up on Elizabeth.
She was standing still under the shower spray. "I'm leaving," he called out
to her.
"Bye," she replied but didn't move.
"Last time I take you on a trip." He chuckled as he closed the door, then
heard her say, "If you didn't keep me up so late, I'd be fine."
He opened the door to say, "I'll remember that."
She yelled, "It's too early in the morning to have a discussion with you!"
~~~~~
Elizabeth had taken Claire to school and then gone home to take a nap.
When she woke up at two in the afternoon, she bolted out of bed and got
her coat on to pick up Claire. The phone rang and she debated about
picking it up, but then decided to. Claire asked, "Mom? Katie wondered if
I could go over to her house to play after school and have dinner with
them."
"All right. I'll come and get you at eight."
"Okay. Thanks mom."
"Wait," Elizabeth said, knowing Claire was going to hang up. "Are you on
your cell phone?"
"Yeah."
"In class?"
"The teacher left early."
"Well put the phone away and do your schoolwork."
"I don't have any."
"Put the phone away. Read something."
"All right. Bye."
"See you at eight."
Claire had hung up. "That kid," Elizabeth muttered. Her cell phone was
only to be used in an emergency. She walked to the freezer to look at what
the options were to make for dinner and none of it looked good. The phone
rang again, and this time it was Methos. "We're running late. The trailer
got a flat and we don't have a spare. Might not be home for supper."
"Okay."
He hung up. Damn cell phones. No one wanted to have a conversation on
them. At that moment, she got the urge for a pizza. She didn't have any
that she had made ahead and froze, and didn't have any mushrooms or
green pepper, so she grabbed her keys and drove to the store.
When she got back, she saw that Dallas' car was gone, but Chuck's was
still there. She walked into the stables to see him walking Callie into a
stall. "Would you like some pizza? I was going to make some, but none of
my family are here to help me eat it."
"That sounds great," he said, smiling. "There are a couple more horses to
bring in, then... that would be great."
"Okay," she said, "Should be ready in about a half hour."
Elizabeth walked into the house from the courtyard and felt a buzz. She
called out, "Daniel? Where's your pickup? Is it a great horse?"
She looked in the TV room and dining room, kitchen, no sign of Methos.
Then she saw the lamp on in the bedroom and walked in. "Joey's going to
be thrilled!"
Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks at the door and screamed, startled.
Cole Roberts was sitting on her bed. "Nice place you have here, Angel,"
he said, a gun in his hand, casually laying on his leg.
Continued... (
geocities.com/enyajo)