Whisperwood Stables

[rdeichman]

Joey stared out the window as Sarah turned the car into the drive of what would be her new home.
"Hey Joe, you okay?" Sarah asked.
"Sure," Joey answered noticing how beautiful everything was, but so scared to believe tha t that was happening could be real. She'd always dreamed of finding her father, that he would take her away from the aweful places she had lived to a paradise much like this one. It was turning out to be like her dreams and that was what scared her so much. she was terrified she would blink and it would all just disappear.
"What if he doesn't like me?" Joey asked.
"Joe he'll not only like you, he'll love you. Not liking you isn't possible. You are a great kid and I know it's hard for you to believe this is the last stop but I promise everything is going to be fine,"she said, but suddenly went silent as they stared up at Joey's new home. It really did look like Joey was going to be a princess.

As sarah parked the car a man walked around from the back followed immedietly by a large yellow dog who barked excitedly. As Joey got out of the car she knelt down and greeted the dog who was obviously friendly as his tail was wagging fast enough he could have been a wind up toy. As she scratched the dogs ears she smiled for the first time in a very long time. She was so scared about all the new changes in her life, but she was really excited about them too.

[Joey meets her dad]

Joey stood up from petting the dog. Her father approached with a smile. He had dark hair and green eyes much like her own.
"Hey my name is Jack kensington," he said shaking hands with Sarah. Sarah smiled kindley and answered" Sarah Andrews, I'm Joey's case worker."
"Ah we've talked on the phone a few times." He then turned to joey,"well young lady I am guessing buy the cleft in your chin and those fiery green eyes that you must be Joey. You look just like your mother," he said with a sad smile.



"I'm sorry about the way i'm dressed. We are trying to settle in some new horses I bought last weekend. Here let me take your bags," said taking them from Joey. The dog followed closely behing his tail still wagging fast enough to take someone out. As they walked in to the house Joey was even more impressed than before. The front entrance was gorgeous beautiful wooden floors and two stair cases that connected into one. She was breathless.



Joey couldn't help letting her hand glide along the wood as they climbed the stairs to her room. Upon entering her room Joey was even more stunned. It was beautifully designed and the largest room she had ever had.
"I hope you like it, if not you can pick outanother room and decorate however you would like. I'm not really good at making things girlie, and I don't even know if you like girlie, the girl at the store suggested the bedding and such I," Joey cut him off.
"I like it, thanks," she said smiling. He smiled back.
Well i'll leave you to settle in, after dinner we can take a tour of the farm if you would like, your horse should be here tomorrow Nick said that he wasn't a problem to load and they left about an hour ago," he said. He then smiled at Sarah and excused himself from the room. Joey was ready to get Chaz here and settled in. She was glad he would be there soon. She was afraid to say goodbye to Sarah, she had been the mother Joey had lost and she wasn't ready to let go just yet.
"Well Joe, it looks like you are going to have a great life. All the

[Joey]

Joey opened the two bags she owned and began to pull out her belongings. Though few, they were all she had in the world one was a picture of her mom and her mom's first horse,
(the pict of her mom and and her moms first horse)


her and her mom's first horse
i89.photobucket.com/albums/k210/midwaycowgirl/joeyandmomsfirsthorse2.jpg[/img]

and the one of her and her mom together



then there was the picture taken the week before her mother had died. The one of her mom with Chaz. Every time she looked at that picture, seeing her mom so happy it made her ache to see her again.

It was these pictures that were priceless to her. Objects had been worthless these last six years, but the pictures and Chaz they were everythig to her. She was so afraid to believe in this fairy tale she had found. when was she going to wake up from all this and be find herself back in a foster home fighting to be able to see Chaz.
"Joe you okay?" Sarah asked quietly.
"I wish mom was here sometimes," Joey answered feeling a tear roll down her cheek. "Everytime I see her smiling with Chaz I think about how much she'll miss, has already missed. I am blessed to have a father, but I'm so scared to mess everything up," Joey whispered quietly. "I always thought you would adopt me. I know Case workers are not allowed, but I figured someday you might find away around that rule," Joey shrugged her shoulders and smiled at Sarah. "I'll miss you when you go, when this is all over."
"Come here darling," Sarah said as she pulled Joey into her arms. She too wished she could have adopted Joey. She had loved the child far more than case workers were allowed. She had given everything she had to find Joey's father and sometimes it still shocked her that they had finally found him.
"I promise to come visit when I can and we'll talk on the phone some. I will always love you as if you were my daughter and no matter what I'll always be here. Just call me. I'm sure your dad will understand. He's seems like a great guy," Sarah said with a sad smile. Here this is for you, she said handing Joey a warpped gift. Joey reached over and peeled off the paper to find a framed picture of Sarah and herself smiling up at her.
(sarah and joey)
"Thank you Sarah," I'll place right here next to mom's" she said as she setting it on the bedside table.
Joey stood looking out her bedroom window watching as Sarah drove away. She wasn't sure how to let go of this young woman who had been like a mother to her for the last six years, but she knew with change and new beginnings there comes tears and goodbyes. She knew that Sarah would be only a phone call away but it just wouldn't be the same.












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[Joey]

Sorry everyone here is the picture of Joey and her mom's first horse

[rdeichman]

Joey awoke the next morning with excitement. Chaz was coming!!!!!! She dressed quickly and met the house keeper Rosie for breakfast.
"Ise hope you likes Pankicks" Rosie said her mexican accent thick.
"Yeah pancakes sound great," Joey answered. As she sat down Rosie placed a plate in front of her and poured a large pool of syrup over them.
"You Father, he like thim too," she said smiling.
"That's cool," joey said trying not to be rude, but she wanted to be at the barn to greet Chaz.
When she was finished Joey put her plate in the sink and turned to leave.
"Miss," Rosie called, she turned to face Rosie.
"Here the keys for cart," Rosie said. Joey was confused at first.
"The cart, to drive around the farm. It big, hard to find father," she said once again her accent hard to understand. Joey nodded as if she understood and walked out the back door where Rosie pointed. Once outside she could see what Rosie meant. There was a golf cart sitting by the pool. Joey climbed in and headed toward what she thought her dad had said was the stallion barn the night before, but somehow she ended up at the foaling barns. She noticed a blue Jeep parked outside the building and so she turned off the golf cart and went in search of it's driver. The bulding was dark and it took her eyes a minute to adjust and as she turned toward the farm office she ran into a solid form.
"Are you okay," a male voice asked her
"Yeah I'm fine," she replied.
"Can I help you? Are you looking for Jack?"
"Sorta," She replied. Actually my horse is suppose to come in this morning and I was on my way to meet him, but I can't remember how to get to the stallion barn," she explained, noticing as her eyes adjusted that he was young, proabably around eighteen or so.
"Hang on let me make sure everything is settled here and then I'm on my way to feed up there I can go with you. I'm Zack, by the way," his smile made joey feel as if she could melt.
"Joey," she replied shaking his hand.
"Ahh, the bosses daughter. You are not exactly what I expected," he said.
"What did you expect?"
"that's a loaded question that could get me in real trouble," he answered with a snicker.
"Well you have piqued my curiousity so now you have to tell me," she replied.

[rdeichman]

" Well most girls I've met with money are snobby, treat their horses badly, and treat grooms like myself even worse. I may shovel horse manure for a living but that doesn't mean i don't have dreams..."
"Hey stop. I hope you can see that I'm not like that. I wasn't born with a silver sthingy in my mouth. I lost my mother six years ago and woke up less than a month ago to find I had a father. as for the money I found out about that yesterday, so you shouldn't judge somebody before you get to know them," Joey said as she turned and stormed off.
"Hey wait, i didn't mean to offend you, it was just an observation. I really didn't know what to expect. Please let me show you where your horse is going to be stabled. Give me a chance to get to know the real you." he said smiling tentatively.
"Fine, I'm sorry. I'm still trying to adjust to this new life I'm suddenly living. I don't really know how to deal with everything. I just want to see Chaz. He's probably here by now. Please show me to the stallion barn," she said smiling back at him.
"Here we can take the Jeep it's faster, then I'll bring you back here. Sound OK?"
"Yeah. Sounds great," she answered.


As they drove from the foaling barns to the stallion barn Joey saw where she had made her mistake. She had taken a left instead of a right off the main farm road. She'd file that away in her memory for later. As they pulled up beside the stallion barn the horse trailer was waiting. There were a few other horses, but Joey recognized Chaz on the end. Her dad was standing with a woman talking quietly. When he saw Joey he looked up and smiled.
"Joe this is Amy. She's our farm manager and I see you have already met her son Zack. What happened to the golf cart?"
"i got lost took a wrong turn. Zack here rescued me," she said with a smile in his direction.
"Thanks Zack i appreciate it,"
"No problem Jack," he answered.
"Well Joey go get your horse off the truck. I'm sure he's ready to stretch his legs after such a long ride," her dad said smiling. Joey turned and lowered the ramp and Chaz immediately nickered.
"Hey buddy, how ya doing," she asked the horse softly. He nickered again.
"How about we get you off this thing huh," she said still talking as she untied and lead him of the trailer. After getting off the trailer he lifted his head and looked around. Seeming satisfied with his new home he bobbed his head and followed Joey to a near by paddock where she let him go. He trotted around, sniffed, and then preceded to roll. After he was finished he walked back over to where Joey was standing and nudged her softly with his nose.
"Hey baby. I missed you," she said hugging him and then kissing his nose. Finally Joey left him in the field and went in to get a stall ready for this afternoon. As she walked to the barn she turned back one last time to look at her beloved Chaz. Watching him lay down to roll again she knew finally that her life was starting to make sense.