Wake Up Call [Markus]

[Jared Martins]

A sweet giggle filled Jared’s ears, his head snapped to the side trying to pin point the face that matched that laughter. That laughter was so familiar to him, but it had been years since he’d heard it. Spinning in a circle only trees greeted his eyes, panting softly he wasn’t sure how it was possible but he knew that sound. Falling to his knees, his fingers curled in the grass trying to hold on to that sound. Committing it to his memory. It grew louder now, teasing him. “Willow!” Growling, he leapt off his knees to his feet and took off into a jog through the dense woods. He knew those woods better than anyone. Every dip and twist until he came to the lake that resided on Willow Brooke’s property. Slapping down the stray branches, he forced himself through the leaves and wood to see the large beautiful lake bathed in sunlight as dawn broke over the treetops. “Willow!” Jared sent out a large cry into the air with all his breath, a hint of tears burned at the corner of his eyes, but his pride wouldn’t let them fall.

A shot of cold air ran down his spine as a very sensual voice whispered in his ear, “Behind you, J.” Not missing a moment’s notice, Jared turned on his heels to let his eyes fall on his wife. Nothing had changed about her inviting face, large warm eyes, lush full lips; every detail was the same as in the past. Had time even past since then? He was too afraid to touch her; afraid she would vanish once more. Thankfully, her gentle hands reached up to his face and slowly pulled him down…

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Screaming, Jared sat straight up in his head, throwing his sheets clear off his body to billow down to the flood. Cursing under his breath, his hand flipped the switch on the alarm clock that continued to flash 6:35 am before rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The dreams only kept getting more realistic in the past few years. The pain of losing her still hadn’t left. It was another day at Willow Brooke Correctional Facility. Climbing out of bed, his eyes roamed over the wooden dressers and closet with a sign. It had gone through minor chances over 17 years. The inside had been updated and remodeled only slightly from his own childhood memories. The house held new modern appliances, but the wood was still real, the fireplace in the living room was still real, and the memories in that house were still real.

Jared took a few steps over to the closet and pulls out some jeans and a shirt along with a pair of socks before heading for the bathroom. Normally, his routine took twenty minutes tops down to the second, but his mind was in a haze. He stared at himself in the mirror for a ten minutes before remembering to shave his face. When he was showered, shaved, and dressed it had taken nearly forty minutes. Leaving his bathroom, he stepped into his boots and walked down the stairs. The smell of coffee hit him first causing him to smile just a bit. Whether it was from Markus or the pot doing it by programming didn’t matter to Jared as long as he was able to sit down for a mug.

Opening a cabinet door, his hand grabbed one mug and quickly poured the black liquid content into the ceramic holder. Adding three scoops of sugar and a dash of milk, Jared sat down at the dinning table to take another moment to himself. Not that he hadn’t had enough moments to himself in the shower that morning but it was routine and right then Jared didn’t feel like breaking from that mold. Maybe later. His eyes glanced out the window to see that the sun was peaking up and telling everyone to move it. What day was it again? Sipping from the mug, his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. Friday? Saturday?

[Markus Martins]

Feet pounded along the dirt path as Markus started to slow to a very slow jog, stopping as he came to the front steps of the front porch. He stopped for a moment, bending over and slowing his breathing, sweat trickling down his face. Most would probably think Mark was crazy for just wearing a pair of running shorts and a muscle shirt in this freezing weather, but he couldn't run in sweats. They were too confining for him. He stood back up and slowly made his way up the steps and across the wooden porch. He stepped out of the muddy running shoes at the door and left them on the porch so he wouldn't track mud through the house. He tried to get in a morning run at least three or four times a week. He hated having to get up so damn early for it, but it was really the only time he got a real work out around here these days. Luckily for him, it was a Friday, and he would get a chance to sleep in tomorrow before he did the Saturday lessons they offered to the civilians of Brooke Haven. And Sunday would be his off day. A day where he would just lay around the house and relax.

He smiled when Dipstick met him at the door, his black tail wagging excitedly. "Hey, buddy." Mark said as he stooped down and gave the dalmatian the attention he wanted, ruffling his ears playfully to subdue him to the ground, where Mark started to give his belly a rub. After a minute or two of doing that Mark stood up straight. Dipstick had been with Jared for a few years now. He found him when the dog was just a little puppy. A spooked horse cornered him in a stall and the poor little bundle of dots sat in that corner, shaking with his tail tucked her him as the horse asserted its anger. If Mark hadn't come in on the horse when he had, then the angered mare would have most certainly bludgeoned the poor thing to death.

Mark noticed the scent of coffee as he and Dipstick made their way to the kitchen. Mark stopped in the doorway, studying his dad for a moment thoughtfully. He seemed to be a little more out of it today than he usually was at this hour. Mark cleared his throat as he entered the kitchen and made his way to the coffee pot. He had set it up before he went out for his run about an hour ago, which was the usual routine. "Mornin', Dad." He said gently as he opened the cabinet and got his mug from the shelf and poured himself some of the coffee, dousing it with creamer and sugar. Mark then moved to the cabinet where his pop-tarts were and got out a package of strawberry flavored ones and popped them into the toaster. Dipstick wandered over to Jared and gently set his head on Jared's thigh, looking up to him with those big dopey eyes as if he could pick up on what his master's mind was on.

Mark got his breakfast out of the toaster and then gently sat down across from Jared and Dipstick and broke his first pop tart in half before he started eating. Mark studied his Dad thoughtfully, taking note that his hair was still wet. By now, his hair was usually dry, which meant he was being kind of sluggish today. "What are the plans for the day?" He asked gently as he lifted the mug to his lips, sipping at his coffee as his blue eyes studied his father thoughtfully. Dreams. More than likely he had another dream. Mark knew he had them every so often, but he never said anything.

[Jared Martins]

The minutes ticked by as Jared sat at the table, ignoring the grumble in his stomach and the whimpering from Dipstick at the door. That dog had really grown on Jared after his son had rescued him in the barn. Life wouldn’t have been the same without his happy barking sounding in the middle of the day. His fingers traced the rim of the mug while his eyes seemed to glaze over. Depression wasn’t something he allowed to take a hold of his life anymore. That was a lesson well learned, but he had his moments as any single parent did. It was natural, but it still hurt. Rubbing at his chest, he sipped from the cup with a sigh of contentment. It wasn’t a beverage which could mask his pain, but coffee sure did waken the senses. The dog was going nuts at the door, pawing at it. Glancing over at the clock, a slight smile tugged at his lips knowing Markus must have been out on his morning run. With the warm liquid in his system, his mind was wakening out of the funky mood the dream has thrown him in.

The calendar handing by the sink gave Jared a fair heads up as to the day with the ‘X’s over the past dates. It was Friday. The sound of the door opening gave him the warning that Markus had entered and Dipstick was distracting him. Taking a sip from his coffee, he tried to clear his face of any worry, doubt, or depression that might have been written along his features. Especially that of his eyes. They tended to give away more than Jared wanted most of the time.

Raising his mug to Markus in a salute, a small smile formed before he replied back. “Morning, Markus.” To everyone else, his son was Mark but to him it would always be Markus. His mother had loved that name and he couldn’t find it in him to even alter it just a bit. While he went about making some breakfast, Dipstick rested his head on Jared’s knee. Out of habit, his hand reached down and fondled the Dalmatian’s head gently in a soothing fashion. In a comforting way as if to say ‘thanks for understanding’. He never fully understood the little gift he had with animals, but Jared just accepted it in his life. Markus seemed to have some talent with animals as well and it came in handy at the camp.

Looking down at Dipstick, Jared continued to rub and pet the dog’s head before seeing the shorts Markus was wearing. “It’s 39 degrees outside and you’re wearing shorts.” Shaking his head, he sipped from the coffee mug knowing that no matter what he said his son would only laugh it off. So like his mother. But in a way, Jared knew he could be just as stubborn if not more. “Finishing my coffee then a short run with Storm. He’s been looking pretty bored in the pastures lately.”

Jared’s baby blue eyes stared back at his son’s darker blue eyes seeing that spark of thoughtfulness right there. He must have been deducting a few things about his strange behavior, strange for Jared anyways. His hair still being wet when it was getting close to 8 AM and staring into space when there was work to do. “After that it’s off to the office.” His voice turned ruff at that last sentence, spending all Friday afternoon indoors wasn’t his ideal day. But it had to get done. Without the proper forms put through to update the state about the student’s progress they’d have even more trouble on their hands. Trouble that Jared didn’t have the time to deal with right then with more students heading to Willow Brooke. “What do you have in mind for the day?”

[Markus Martins]

He couldn't help but smile when he heard his dad call him Markus. He was about the only person who ever called him Markus other than telemarketers and people he didn't really know all that well. All the kids at the camp called him Mark. He tells them to call him Mark for the very reason that his dad was really the only person that called him Markus. He kind of liked the paternal intimacy it set between his father and him. And it always reminded him of his mother when it came to his dad calling him Markus. She always called him Markus, and when he was in serious trouble, she called him by his full name, but she always called him Markus. He looked down at his sugary breakfast for a moment before he looked back up to Jared, biting off a piece of the toasty treat.

He couldn't help but laugh at his dad when he commented on his shorts. "Sweats chafe..." He said gently as if that explained all, but it wasn't entirely a lie either. Sweat pants did chafe his legs if he ran in them long enough, so he usually avoided wearing them. Hence the shorts. Besides, once his muscles started hurting and burning, the cold wasn't all that noticeable. Once the body started to sweat, the cold temperatures pretty much weren't noticeable unless he stopped.

He sipped at his coffee as he mulled over the things he had today. He had three classes he had to teach and two private lessons with students who were interested in competing in some up coming competitions he would be hauling them to just outside of Bozeman. That's how his week day schedule looked like usually depending on the day. He sighed and rolled his neck gently. "Got my riding classes, and a couple of private lessons. Afterwards I figured I'd run to town and grab a couple of things and put in the supplies order at the Tack House for you." He said gently as he broke the second poptart in half and started to nibble on it. He usually did things like that. He would probably grab some burgers and a shake at Burger Heaven or go out to Ezelle's and grab something for the two of them there. Markus wasn't in much of a cooking mood, and judging by his father's tone, he kind of figured by the time he got back to the Cabin he wouldn't be in much of a cooking mood either.

Dipstick nosed Jared's hand for a moment as if looking for food before he went to Mark and sat down, looking up at him with brown, soulful eyes. Mark chuckled and broke off a piece of his poptart, tossing it away from the table as he polished off his breakfast. Dipstick went flying after it and settled down next to his food bowl with his treat and scarfed it down. Mark looked up from the dog to his dad thoughtfully... wondering if he should say anything about the fact that he knew about the dreams. It wasn't a bad thing to dream about her. Markus stilled dreamed about her every once in a while. His memories of her weren't as strong as Jared's though. Markus had only been a little boy when it happened, which kind of saddened him, considering all the things he'd missed out on not having Willow around. He didn't talk about it much though. At least, not around Jared for the very reason that he could clearly see that his father was still grieving from it. He didn't show it, but Markus knew and understand his father much more than many of the people around the town and camp.

[Jared Martins]

If there was one thing Jared truly regretted it was how much of his mother Markus had missed out on. It seemed as if they’d hardly had time to know each other before she died. It was hardly fair to his son and he wasn’t sure what the point of her death was. In his eyes, he believed everything happened for a reason, but Willow’s death didn’t add up. The only mild good that came from it was Willow Brooke and Jared getting closer to his son through the camp. Sometimes at night, he’d sit in bed thinking about what if he’d gone with Willow if only there hadn’t been so many horses around that time for him to have been able to leave for a single week. Back then the single purpose rescue farm for horses was under staff with Jared pulling long hours at work taking care of the horse alongside the few helping hands they had.

Snorting, coffee nearly came out of Jared nose from his son’s excuse for the shorts even in the cold weather. It was likely the only person to see him laugh those days was Markus; Dr. Bowen hardly found that necessary humor to get it to come out of his mouth. “Let me get this straight, we work on a camp designed for horses and last chance teenagers, where riding every day is practically a must and you’re worried about your legs chafing?” Jared smirked and rubbed his nose where the hot liquid had attempt to come out, thankfully it hadn’t. If there was one thing he was worried about it wasn’t about his clothes rubbing his skin the wrong way. It was not getting kicked in the chest by a riled up stallion or a mare protecting her foal. Students needed to learn when to leave certain animals along when they gave off the ‘signals’ that they weren’t in a good mood.

Nodding, Jared drained the last of the coffee from his mug before standing up to place it in the sink. “Just don’t push yourself too hard. I need you to stick around a little longer.” Washing out the mug with a splash of water, the left it in the sink to deal with when he returned later in the day for either lunch or dinner. His schedule at the camp was ever changing with paper work and doing any odd jobs the camp couldn’t go without any longer. He remembered that the fence for the foals needed to be fixed…today. If that gap in the panels didn’t get fixed Cobalt would attempt to escape and go over to the Stallion’s area once again. That little colt was bound to get in trouble when he was old enough to get into that pasture in another year or two.

Jared’s eyes glanced down once more to Dipstick, who had followed him to the sink and was pawing at his leg and trying to nibble his hand slightly. The dog had a bad habit of begging for food, but it wasn’t in him to scold the dog for the small action. To be honest, that was the first dog he’d ever owned and found him too cute to deny. Chuckling, he shook his head. “I’ve got nothing for ya, pal. Go see what Markus has for ya.” Seeing that there wasn’t anything going to be handed to him, the dog turned and walked to the other side of the table. Markus was more than willing to share a bit of the pop tart with the spotted dog. It probably wasn’t the healthiest thing for Dipstick, but every now and then couldn’t hurt him too much and the dog didn’t seem to mind as he lay down by his bowl to eat the pastry happily.

There was that look on Markus’s face that gave away that he wanted to talk about something, but wasn’t sure if he should bring it up or not. On more than one occasion that face had been on one staff member’s face due to a student or horse causing more trouble then they believed it was worth. Jared wasn’t going to ask, only if Markus truly wished to speak about it. He leaned against the counter while crossing his arms over his chest, willing to spend the time with his son before heading out to the barn to check on the horses. "By the way, have you been into town in the past few days?" His fingers tapped against his forearm while thinking it over. "I heard the Waterin' Hole was taking over by a new owner. I was hoping you knew who." Brooke Haven was a very small down and it didn't take much for word to get around, but for someone to buy or take over a business meant they were either sticking around for awhile or needing a break from the big cities.

[Markus Martins]

Mark got such a laugh out of his dad's reaction. Jared didn't laugh in public all that much. Mark was the only person who got to witness the entire "Jared Martins experience." as he liked to call it. He laughed and nodded his head gently. "I wouldn't be able to ride if my legs got chafed. Wouldn't set a good example for my students if didn't get up on my own horse." He gave his father a playful grin as he lifted the mug to his smug lips. It was true enough though. If he legs got chafed too much he wouldn't be able to walk in jeans much less ride a horse. He knew that well enough from experience. An experience he was not willing to experience again. "You of all the people around here should know that one dad." He said playfully as he drained his coffee.

Mark let out a snort and shook his head at his father's comment. "I think that the roles here should be swapped in that statment... You work harder than any of use staff members, Dad." He said gently he crumpled up his paper towel. He worried about his dad sometimes. He knew that the foal's pasture fence needed repairing. Jared wouldn't be out there alone of course. One of the grounds keepers would help him out, but still. Jared worked himself too hard sometimes. It worried Markus sometimes. He wasn't the young buck he used to be, but Markus kept his mouth shut because he understood his dad's need to keep working the farm. Markus was probably the only person who really understood.

He looked to Dipstick, smiling as he tried to get something out of Jared before Markus gave him the poptart chunk. He watched the dog thoughtfully as his long, skinny, black tail wagged happily. He rmembered when the dog had just been a little rambunctious puppy. The first night Mark and Jared had him, he ended up sleeping in Mark's bed. He was supposed to sleep in the dog bed they set up in the kitchen, but the little booger kept whining and howling and keeping up the whole camp just about until Mark let him out of the kitchen to sleep with Mark. Ever since then, the dog spent every night at the foot of Mark's bed. The dog stood and walked over to Mark once he was done with his treat and nosed around for some more. "Sorry, bub. That's all I had for you." He said gently as he gave the dog a playful scratch behind a floppy ear.

He looked back up too his dad when he asked about the Waterin' Hole. He gave a gentle nod as he pet Dipstick gently. "Yeah, the Sheridans' daughter, Annabelle is taking it over. She really spiffed the place up to. A very far cry from the rinky-dink bar it looks like on the inside. You should go check it out for yourself." He said gently as he stood and moved to the sink. He rinsed out the mug and set it down next to his dad's before tossing his paper-towel at the trash can, just barely making the shot. He turned back to his dad. "Came back from Denver when she got the news about her parents. I kinda figured she would have sold the old place. " He said as he shifted and went to sit back in his chair. He would have to head upstairs and take a shower soon before his first lesson. He almost considered just canceling so he could relax a little, but he knew better than that. He would do his job. "I'll picks us up some Ezelle's on my way home later." He said gently as he ran a hand over his face gently.

[Jared Martins]

Laughter was rare to Jared anymore, there wasn’t much to laugh about when working at a last chance ranch for both horses and teenagers. But his son always knew how to cheer him up on a bad morning and he honestly appreciated it every time. At Markus’s age, Jared and Willow had already given birth to him but yet Markus had only left Willow Brooke and Brooke Haven to go to college just close enough to come back on the weekends. Maybe it was time for his son to go out into the world like his own parents had told him. It was unspoken that the camp was going to be Markus when Jared died, but that didn’t mean he had to dedicate his life to it. Not right then anyways. If the time came and Markus wished to leave, Jared wasn’t going to hold him back. If he ever wanted to sell the horses and end the program once he was in charge, Jared would never hold it against his son. After all, it had been Markus to take care of him when he was still grieving over his dead wife. He owed it to his son to allow him to whatever he wished with his life. “You do know, you don’t have to stay here right? You’re free to get out of this small city whenever you want.” A very small smile formed over his face, terrified that the same thing that had happened to Willow would happen to Markus, but his son needed to get out and see more of the world then Brooke Haven and college.

“I do know that one, Markus, but my legs never seemed to have been nearly as sensitive as yours.” Grinning, he reached over across the counter top to grab an apple to eat for breakfast. Without it his stomach was going to eat itself by the time ten o’clock came around. He bit into the apple, rolling the fleshy fruit around in his mouth for a moment before swallowing. Watching his son, Jared was reminded of his wife once more and hated the hit of depression that rolled over his body. One day, that was going to have to be solved and figured out a way for him to not feel so crummy every time he thought of her.

The depression vanished as soon as it had sprung over Jared hearing his son speak once more. “No, I own the place so I’ll work it until I’m dead and gone.” Sure, he kept some crazy hours when the paperwork was too massive to handle and get under control until eleven at night sometimes. “You on the other hand need to find a girl and get me some grandkids before I kick the bucket.” Jared would have loved to see little mini Markus running around the cabin like when he was still a child. It always nagged at him that he’d missed out on so much of his son’s life due to his own grief. Something that he would never get over. But inside, deep down Jared knew that Markus understood why it had all happened the way it had and how sorry he truly was for being a crappy father.

His eyes looked over at Dipstick as a flashback of the dog’s younger years came to his mind. The dog bed he was suppose to have used still sat in the corner and only ever got used when Jared and Markus refused to give him scraps during dinner…which was rare. The pop tart was wolfed down and soon Dipstick was back to nosing Markus’s hand for more food. The sight brought another smile to Jared’s face as he took another bite at the apple.

“Annabelle?” That name brought the image of a brunette little girl to his memory. There was a five year age difference between then, but he’d seen her around the Waterin’ Hole. A group of guys always seemed to either follow her or surround her at the place or anyway as she grew older. He finished off the apple then threw it in the trash can with a thump as it hit the bottom. “I’m amazed she even came back.” Not that the girl wouldn’t have wanted to see her parent’s funeral, but that she had stayed in the small town when she was going places was interesting. He moved away from the sink to let Markus place his mug in. Jared’s mind was wondering over the place at the news that Annabelle had taken over her parent’s place. “Maybe later. I’ve got stuff to do today.” He nodded at the food Markus would pick up later. The cooking mood wasn’t likely to come over him anytime that night. “Sounds good, thanks.”

[Markus Martins]

Mark looked to his dad, a frown creasing his eyebrows together. This wasn't the first time his dad brought up this particular subject. Mark knew he was free to go whenever he wanted, but he liked it here. Brooke Haven was where he grew up. It's what he knew best. He sighed and looked to Dipstick, thoughtfully. "I know that, Dad but... I like it here." He said gently, looking back up to Jared. "I don't need some grand adventure to tell me this is where I be." He said gently, looking over his dad's face for a moment before he looked back to Dipstick. Not to mention... Markus was very much afraid of flying. Ever since Willow's death, Mark has had an aversion to flying. Jared knew that well enough. It didn't mean that Markus couldn't go on some grand adventure like his dad had, but it was like he said. He didn't need a big adventure all over the states to tell him where he belonged. He liked it here at Willow Brooke. This place would always be his home. And he would never dream of selling Willow Brooke either. He wouldn't be the man he was today if it weren't for Willow Brooke. How could he sell this place? "If I didn't know any better, Dad, I'd say you were trying to get rid of me." He gave his dad a big playful grin.

He chuckled weakly at his comment, but he really had no good comeback to it. "What can I say? I guess I'm just a sensitive guy." He smiled weakly and shifted, looking to Dipstick as the dog stood and walked back over to Mark. He gave the dog a playful ruffle of his ears and then the dog ran off to find something else to do when he came to the realization that he wouldn't be getting anymore treats for the morning. That's how the dog worked. Once he finally figured otu he wasn't getting anything else he either went to go lay in his bed that he had in the kitchen, or went to play with one of his toys.

He couldn't help but laugh at his dad. Somehow, Markus had no issues picturing his dad twenty years from now, running the camp still. Markus hoped by then he had a little more responsibility than a riding instructor by then, but he knew Jared was never going to stop working. Not until the day he died. "Maybe I should just bury you out in one of the pastures so you can be with the horses when you die." He teased gently, watching his dad enjoy his apple. He stood and got out some baby carrots for Ace. He laughed and shook his head. "Yeah well... I haven't found the right girl to marry and father my children. I promise, I'll give you a ton of grandkids that'll keep you too busy for the farm when the time comes though, Pop." He said jokingly. That kind of was the plan though. Maybe with some grandkids to keep him company and away from the camp a little more. It wasn't that Markus didn't want kids. He did. He wanted a wife and children. He just hadn't found the right girl to share that dream with. He would though. It might take him a little longer than it did for his parents to find each other, but he was confident that he wouldn't spend his entire life alone.

He heard Dipstick trot into the room, his nails clacking against the tile and wooden flooring. He had his stuffed, squeaky teddy in his mouth. Mark smiled and played tug-o-war with the dog for a moment before he relented and let his owner have it. Mark gave it a squeak, getting the dog all riled up before he threw it and Dipstick went after it. Mark laughed and smiled when the dog came back, squeaking the toy at Mark. They repeated this process for a few minutes before Mark looked up to his dad.

"Yeah... When I heard she was in town for the funeral I kind of figured she'd sell the place and then leave again." He said gently as he tossed the toy and Dipstick went after it again. It had been a big surprise when he'd heard that she renovated the place while he was in town picking up the feeding supplies from Miss Bobbi a few weeks ago. It had been an even bigger surprise when he stopped in for a visit a few days ago and found how spiffed up the place was.

[Jared Martins]

It felt like Jared had this conversation with Markus before and with him getting older it was very possible. But he just wanted to make sure his son knew he wasn’t blocked off in life to just the camp/school of Willow Brooke. Whatever Markus wanted to do would make Jared proud if his son was happy doing whatever. Smiling at him, Jared nodded listening to his son speak his mind. “I just want to make sure you know that jus cause I found something that appeals to me doesn’t mean you have to continue it when I’m gone.” The owner had been doing a lot more thinking about his death than usual. Maybe it was from how many times he’d been close to getting trampled by horses around the area. Or maybe it was the dreams. “Get rid of you? What?” Laughing, he shook his head while slapping his palm on the countertop. “Now why would I want to get rid of my best worker?” It was true. Even if all Markus truly had to do was give instruction to the students, he went beyond that and did anything that needed help with at the camp.

Watching Dipstick, Jared chuckled and shook his head slightly. The dog was still hoping more food would come. Not very likely at this point in time. Maybe dinner if he was lucky and Markus or he was in a good mood. “Oh ya, very sensitive. You sure were the picture of sensitivity during your teenage years.” Grinning, he moved and walked over to the fridgerator and rummaged around for a water bottle. It was rather fun to make light of his son’s mischievousness and trouble he caused around the town. It was better to crack a joke about it then act as if those years didn’t exist as other parents might do. Jared wasn’t that kind of parent. Even if they weren’t the best years for either of them, he wasn’t going to just brush over them like specks of bread on a table.

“Oh don’t worry about that. It’s already all in my Will.” Grabbing a bottle from the refrigerator, Jared grinned over at his son and moved out of the way so he could get the carrots. He wasn’t kidding. The ranch and everything was going straight to his son to do with as he pleased. “I already picked out the spot and all.” Barking a laugh, he placed the bottle on the counter before grabbing another apple for Storm. Jared was going to need some major kissing up to get that horse out of his mood from feeling neglected for a single day. For someone that was only in their middle 40s, Jared joked about death a lot. He wasn’t obsessed with it, only wanted to be prepared in case something happened to him. “I’ll hold you to that as much as I love looking after other people’s children I want some of my own grandkids for a change.” Of course that meant Jared was going to get them in the saddle by the time they were at least ten, the time he’d gotten serious about riding. But the thought of being too busy for the farm or the students was odd to say the least. Jared had no plans to give up running the place for another ten more years at the earliest. That also meant he needed to get Markus better prepared to take over the place. Running errands in to town was ok, Jared had done the same when the place first opened but now it was different. There were bills to keep up with, conferences with state officials about the conditions of the camp, meetings with each student’s parent at least once, and so much more.

For some reason, the idea of his son taking over really made Jared think of himself as old. Where had all his time gone? What happened to the little boy he’d given piggy back rides to? He could still remember first teaching Markus how to ride. The first time he’d broken in a horse, one of Jared’s proudest moments. Graduation had been a tough day as well, a tear had fallen from his eye which he’d never been sure if Markus had seen or not and wasn’t sure he wanted to know if he had. Thoughts similar to those continued to parade around in his mind while Dipstick and Markus played around in the kitchen. Nothing seemed to be able to crack his concentration while watching over Markus. The large blue eyes snapped him from his memories as Dipstick and Markus finished playing around. It seemed like time was catching up to Jared and it was time to get his son more involved with the camp. “I’ve been thinking, do you want to start sitting in when I have my meetings with the courts and those people about the camp? They’re pretty boring, but the offer is there if you want it.”

“After seeing how well dressed she was for a funeral, I think everyone did.” It did make people wonder what had happened to the little girl from the Waterin’ Hole. The one little girl that most guys didn’t have a chance with…what had happened to that innocent look that had been written all over her face so many years ago? The outfit she’d been wearing seemed like it was worth more than Jared’s whole compound of horses and acres. But what did he knew about clothes? He had more important thing to worry about then some woman’s threads.

[Markus Martins]

He studied his dad thoughtfully for a moment before he sighed and sat back in his chair. "It's not that I feel like I have to, Dad. I love the horses. I always have and you know it. And I love knowing that what we do here makes a difference for people." Dipstick came up and looked to Markus with the teddy in his mouth. He sat on his rump and laid his head on Mark's lap. Mark looked to him and laid his hand over the dog's head gently. Mark knew he was only a small part of the whole picture. He was the hardest worker out of the entire staff though. When he wasn't teaching lessons, private or group,he was helping the grounds keepers or his dad with some of the easier paperwork.

He gave a weak snort at the mention of his teenage years. Those years hadn't been the best of Mark. The trouble-making had begun after his mother's funeral, but the really bad side of the trouble-making hadn't begun until his teen years. It was nice that he and Jared were able to joke about that time though. Neither had them had been in such good shape back then, but once Jared seemed to snap out of it, things got better. "I'm making up for all the missed years of sensitivity." He joked gently as he looked back down to Dipstick, petting his head gently. Most would think they were crazy for joking about it, but Mark and Jared were close and they understood each other and how they reacted to Willow's death.

He studied his father for a moment, wondering. He knew where his father wanted to be buried. With Willow. Like Jared said, those arrangements were all sorted out. He didn't say anything. He just went about fixing his carrots for Ace. He dumped some of them into the bag and zipped it shut before setting it on the counter so he wouldn't forget when he left. He smiled warmly and a gentle chuckle escaped his lips. Markus thought that some of his dad's want for grandkids stemmed from the fact that he and Willow never had a second child before her death. He sighed and looked down at the dog thoughtfully for a moment before he looked back up to his dad. Markus always wondered why Jared never re-married, but Mark supposed he understood a little bit why. So he never asked. There was a rumor going around about him and Dr. Bowen, but Mark felt it wasn't his business so when people said something to him he just told them to but out. "Don't worry, Dad. When the time comes, I'll keep you nice and busy when the time comes for grandkids." He said gently as he tugged at the teddy for a minute from Dipstick. The dog gave a playful growl and then relented, allowing Markus to toss it.

He looked up at his father when he asked Mark about joining him at some of the court hearings. That was one of the few duties Mark didn't already have some hand in. He gave a slight nod. "I wouldn't mind going with you when you've got your next court hearing." He said gently as his hand ran along Dipstick's back when he returned. Mark would need to learn all the ropes to running the farm. He knew the basics and what all he had his hands in right now, but there were still some things he had to learn. Going to one of the court hearings with his dad would be a good start.

He let out a grunt in answer to Jared's observation of Annabelle. Mark wasn't sure what to make of the women based off his one and only encounter with her so far. She was a very interesting woman. That was for sure. He shifted, chewing on his bottom lip for a moment as his brows drew together in that look of thoughtful concentration. It was a look that was most often recognized as inherited from Jared. He glanced up to his father after a moment, his expression smoothing out. "What was she like before she left, Dad?" He asked curiously as he pet and scratched at Dipstick gently, the dog leaning into Mark's legs happily.

[Jared Martins]

There had never been a doubt in Jared’s mind that his son truly loved Willow Brooke. It was something about the way Markus had instantly come out of his rebellious actions after a couple months of being back with the horses after the school first opened. Even back then, he’d been quite a help getting the other kids to be more active with the horses. That talent for knowing how to handle a horse under tough conditions seemed to have fallen right down through his genes. “Thanks, Markus.” Throwing his son a genuine smile, Jared relaxed feeling more at ease with his son’s choice in keeping up the camp when he was long gone. He wasn’t going to tell him, but he really needed to hear it from someone that they loved the work they did as much as he did. Sometimes, Jared was just as discouraged as any other human but there was always something to pull him out of that dark spot in life to remind him of why he was working so damn hard. Smirking, he watched Dipstick come back to Markus with his favorite toy. No matter the time of day that dog loved to play.

“Try some of that sensitivity on a woman for a change.” He grinned right back at his son, joking along with him. When Markus was ready to settle down was good enough for him. There weren’t many parents that could easily say their kid understood them very well, but for Jared he could. The two of them had been through a lot after Willow’s death and at that time had only each other. He was willing to do anything for his son and had done just that by putting his whole life aside to build a school up from the ground around something he loved. There wasn’t a moment Jared regretted anything he’d done.

Coughing lightly, Jared watched his son go about fixing the carrots for the horse. Not having an awkward conversation with his son about why he was in a big relationship was one of the reason’s Jared’s involvement with Dr. Bowen was kept hushed. Also, he still felt odd about dating anyone from work. He didn’t like mixing his personal life and his work life outside of his son’s involvement with the business. Then there was still the fact that deep down in his soul, Jared knew he still loved Willow and was always going to love her first. “Just don’t wait too long. I want to be around long enough to teach one of them how to properly ride a horse.” There was only a joking and light humor to Jared’ voice. He wasn’t implying his son couldn’t ride, only the completely opposite and just giving him a hard time. Markus had absorbed everything he’d been told since day one of being around a horse.

A light sting ran up from Jared’s chest causing him to grab at his chest and rub the spot, right over his heart. He relaxed his face to prevent the pain showing on his face, but that didn’t stop the pain from racing through his system. It finally stopped after only a couple of seconds. However it had felt like a lifetime. Jared hadn’t felt that kind of pain in weeks and he had no plans of going to the doctors since he was too stubborn to listen to any one of them anyways. “There’s one next week. I think on Wednesday if you’re not too busy that day with lessons.” Turning his back for a moment, Jared flipped through the calendar by the sink and nodded. “Yeah.”

Walking back to the table, Jared pulled out a seat while rubbing his chin thinking over the question. “I didn’t know her personally with the five year age difference, just observations I’d made whenever I saw her at the Waterin’ Hole.” His mind rolled back to his younger days before speaking once more, “I suppose, she likely hasn’t changed with wanting to be the center of attention with the outfit she wore. There’s just something about her face now that is missing as if she saw things best left never mentioned. I sure do remember her smiling a lot, but her face didn’t hold a single wrinkle or laugh line.” Or whatever woman liked to call those lines they deemed hazards to their health. Arching an eyebrow, he spotted that thinking look on his son’s face. It was the very one Jared had seen on his own in pictures staff had snapped while he was in the office. “Any particular reason for the interest in her?”

[Markus Martins]

Mark didn't say anything. He just gave a light smile and nod in answer to his father's thanks. It was kind of an unspoken understanding that Markus was free to leave if he wanted, but he wasn't sure he ever would. Willow Brooke was as much a part of Mark as it was a part of Jared. This was where he belonged and it's where he wanted to be, so he would stay here until the day he died or someone physically forced him out.

Markus laughed and shook his head gently at his father's comment. "If only he knew." Mark thought as he thought about a few dates he'd gone on in the last few years. "Not my fault most of the ladies of Willow Brooke are so desensitized to the Martins charm, Dad." He said playfully. Actually, what his dad didn't know was that Markus had his eye on a certain office worker of his. Mark wasn't sure how to approach her though. He didn't know what it was about her, but he couldn't really find the nerve to just go up to her and ask her on a date. He chuckled and nodded his head weakly. He knew his dad was only teasing, and Markus didn't mind it so much. He wanted a family. He wanted a wife and kids. He wanted to hear the laughter of children and a wife in the house, and he knew Jared missed such noises. But Mark wasn't sure if he himself was ready for that yet. He was only twenty three, and yeah, Jared and his mom started their life together at a younger age, but that was the difference in generations showing through right there. He did promise his dad on many occasions that he would have grandkids to chase after and teach how to ride.

Mark glanced up to his dad as he unclipped his phone from his waistband and started to scroll though his calendar to double check. Markus studied his dad, taking note of where his hand rested. Over his heart. Something wasn't right. He looked over his dad for a moment. A look of concern drew across his face. "You okay, Dad?" He asked gently as he studied him. Markus was usually the one who set up the doctor appointments. Otherwise, Jared would never go. He was such a stubborn man sometimes when it came to his health. Mark usually had to sneak into Jared's office and cross reference his work calendar with their home calendar in order to schedule appointments, and then Markus had to practically drag Jared to the appointments Mark scheduled for him. He hated having to do it, but Mark knew one thing about older people. They hated going to the doctor. He glanced to his phone and flipped through the calendar and studied it for a moment before he nodded. "I can ask someone else to cover my classes or just cancel them if I can't find someone. " He said gently as he looked up to his dad.

He gave a slight shrug at his father's question. He didn't even know why he was asking. Mark generally wasn't a nosy person to be honest. "I was just curious." He said gently, studying his dad thoughtfully before he looked out a window. "She seemed like a sort of attention hog. Especially when I mentionedd how she's all the talk of the town at the moment." He said gently as he looked to Dipstick. The dog finally went to lay in his bed for a bit and curled up, laying his head over the edge of the bed. Mark wasn't really sure what to make of Annabelle Sheridan. She was a curious woman. That was for certain, but Mark just didn't know what to make of her.

[Jared Martins]

“You have best look to your mother side of the family if you’re having charming issues.” Grinning at his son, Jared had to struggle not to laugh. “I never had a problem finding a date on matter how late on a Friday night.” It was true. He wasn’t trying to boast, well just a little since he was talking to his son. But he was still just joking around with Markus. He didn’t want him to just settle down with any girl, if his son wanted to wait another ten years to find the perfect girl that was fine with him. That didn’t stop the feeling that Jared really wanted grandkids, but that was a natural feeling for a man who was surrounded by teenagers all the time and helping them learn to ride and keep track of stuff in school.

Letting the calendar fall back down to its original position on the month, Jared turned to face his son once more. He saw Markus going through his cell phone to see what was happening on that date. He didn’t want anything big to be cancelled or placed on someone else’s shoulders if they could help it. Besides, the students didn’t get off dates too often and Jared didn’t want them to get too use to them. Waving off the concern, he gave his son a smile before nodding. “Yeah, I’m fine.” The lie was a little too easy to make to his son but the effort he put into making it sound convincing was even easier. There was nothing he wanted less than his son being concerned about his health. When that happened trips to the doctor’s office suddenly showed up on his calendar without warning. Thankful for the change back to the starting topic, he arched an eyebrow at his son. It was evident on his face that he would prefer if Markus could find someone else to fill in his spot. “You do that.” But of course, if Markus truly believed that his students could use a single day’s break from lessons Jared would stand being it.

Shifting in his seat, Jared rested his arms on the table top while watching his son for any telling signs of why he was asking about the new Waterin’ Hole’s owner. It was out of Markus’s character since he was normally a guy that went about his own business and didn’t bother spreading rumors and even tried to stop the ones that were just ridiculous. “Annabelle has always been an attention hog. If it’s bad or good as long as she’s being talked about that girl never cared.” Following his son’s line of sight, Jared chuckled softly seeing the dog go back to his bed as if going to sleep. He envied that dog for getting just a little more shut eye.

[Markus Martins]

He gave a snort and shook his head. He gave up though. He didn't say anything. To be totally honest, Mark was starting to think he was just giving up. He'd been out with most of the nice girls around town. Even some of the trampy ones he went to school was. He just couldn't find one he liked and got along with well. And long distance relationships just weren't Mark's forte. He had a girlfriend back in college, but then he came home once he was done and had his business degree and that relationship quickly crumbled apart. No. His eyes were set on a certain office worker of Jared's, but Mark had no idea how to approach her. Not to mention she was a co-worker... and he wasn't sure how much of a good idea it would be to have any sort of relationship with a coworker. As these thoughts crossed his mind, his face drew back into that thoughtful look with his brows drawn together.

The thoughtfully crinkled face smoothed when he turned his attention back to his dad. He thought he may have seen a glimmer of a lie in what he said, but it was always hard to tell with him. Even when he wasn't feeling well he claimed he did. It worried Mark a little, and he was seriously debating on penciling in a physical for his dad. It was about that time. It had been a year since he had to drag his dad in for one. He would have to go and see what he could set up within the next month or so for his dad. Mark hated having to drag Jared to the doctor, but Jared certainly wasn't going to go on his own no matter how many appointments Mark set up. He eyed his father for a moment before he nodded and added in the court hearing into his calendar and made a note to ask around about finding someone to do his lessons.

He looked to Dipstick thoughtfully for a moment as he thought about his encounter with Annabelle. "Yeah, she sort of came off that way." He said gently as he looked back up to Jared. She had thought that perhaps he could set Jared and Annabelle up, but after getting that attention whore vibe from her and what her dad was telling him, Mark was thinking that it wouldn't have been such a great match. He knew why his dad didn't date, but that didn't mean that Jared couldn't at least try seeing other people. He had heard things about a lady possibly being in the picture for his dad, but no one could seem to figure out who this mystery woman was. "Dad... why didn't you ever date after mom died?" He asked gently, looking to Jared with those similarly blue eyes that he had. Mark generally wasn't all that nosy, but this particular question was something that Mark had been thinking about for many years. He knew Jared had to be lonely not having someone to roll over to and snuggle up with at night after having spent so many years doing just that with Willow. And he never went on dates or remarried and have more kids, which had always been something Mark thought he would eventually do, but instead Jared had put every waking hour of his life into Willow Brooke. Mark just wanted to know why.

[Jared Martins]

The lack of conversation about the status of Markus’s dating life did unnerve Jared. It felt as if his son wasn’t telling him something. Even though he knew he could tell Jared anything. After everything they’d been through it was the least he was able to do for his son. There wasn’t a single topic that was off limits in their house. It seemed as if Markus had taken full range of that notion long ago, but he was very quiet right then about his dating life style. Not once did he pretend his son was a saint and hadn’t dated around with a mixture of woman in Brooke Haven. Word spread too fast for something like that not to reach his ears, but from the lack of words and the small rumors floating around, his son really hadn’t done much of anything lately besides work at the farm. That expression was right back on Markus’s face and he leaned a little closer to see if there was a chance of understanding what was going on in his head through his son’s eyes. He did the very same thing with horses, but they seemed to be easier for him to understand then people.

With the pain in his chest gone, Jared gave his son a very stern glance. It clearly stated that he better not go jumping to conclusions. Right then the camp needed its owner more than ever. It was that time of the year were the bills were the highest and competitions were springing up all over the states. His signature was going to have to be placed on nearly every paper and form that came into Willow Brooke if a student was to go to a competition out of the county. A few judges were looking for any excuse to shut down the camp and until he had more backing, Jared wasn’t going to risk being absent a single day to work.

“It wouldn’t surprise me. She always ate up any attention given to her back when her father ran the Waterin’ Hole.” Drumming his fingers on the counter top for a moment, he smirked at the memories of the old place. Nearly everything in Brooke Haven had been the same for Jared as it was for his son. Everything was updated and more modern but the buildings and what they held were basically all the same. That idea had frightened him when he first left high school, which was the main cause behind him leaving to backpack around Europe and anywhere else he could get. But somehow he always knew that the small town would be his until the very end. “You know, at one point right when I got back from my trip I considered dating her.” Breaking out laughing, Jared shook his head. “Thankfully, your mother took over helping me with the horse book keeping.” That small helping hand had saved him a world of misery from Annabelle. If Willow hadn’t stepped up there was no telling if they would have ever gotten together.

The question seemed to wash away all color from Jared’s face while looking at his son. He leaned back in the chair trying to find a way to answer that question without giving too much away. He was seeing Dr. Bowen but it wasn’t an out in the open relationship. They meet up when no one had their eyes on them or would know the difference. The relationship they shared worked for them for one reason or another. “To answer you honestly, I’m still not fully over her.” Swallowing, he cleared his throat before continuing to fill Markus in. “I looked around, but no one was able to hold my attention or get me to stop being as stubborn as your mother.” Adrianna knew how to get Jared to focus on her and not so much on work, but as soon as she was away he went back to his habit of working until his fingers cried for mercy. Looking out the window, his body seemed to sink slightly into the chair thinking more about Willow. The heavy dose of sadness that fell over his eyes but not his features wasn’t Markus’s fault. He would never blame his son for anything. There was still a part of Jared that had died right alongside his wife so many years ago and as hard as it was to admit it, Markus deserved to know the truth.