The Double K Ranch is the home of The Kirk Family. They breed and raise Palomino and Painted Horses and their breeding stock is the best in the country.
Current Residents:
Tanya Kirk – Owner
Randy Kirk Jr – Ranch Foreman and Tanya’s step-son
Caroline Kirk – Tanya’s eldest daughter
Nina Kirk – Tanya’s youngest daughter
Other Staff:
Sadie Jenkins – housekeeper
Kyle Matthews – Ranch Hand/Horse Trainer/Rodeo Star
Daniel Garrison – Ranch Hand/Horse Trainer/Maintenance
It was early morning. A light dew covered the grounds of the Double K Ranch. One would think there was no one awake as most of the lights were still out, except in the kitchen.
But as it was for farm life, there was no rest for those who truly desired to work.
Sadie was in the kitchen, beginning the makings for breakfast. She had been the Kirk’s cook and housekeeper for a long time and knew the ins and outs of the family. Tanya, who’d been up long before dawn, was currently out in the fields, monitoring the horses as they were released from their stalls to do their running for the day. She also took the time to examine the fences to make sure none were in need of repair.
Riding back to the ranch, she pulled up outside the barn, where a couple of the ranch hands were loading hay bales into a trailer to take out to the horses.
“Morning Missus Kirk.”
“Morning, Drew.”
“Mornin Missus Kirk.”
“Morning, Daniel. Need you to check the South Paddock. Fence is kind of shaky out that way.”
“Want me to take care of Argo for ya?” Drew asked.
“I appreciate it. Make sure he gets a brushdown and a bag of oats.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Tipping her hat, she strode up to the house and inside. The smell of eggs, bacon and coffee struck her immediately and she grinned. She knew her children would be awake soon if Sadie was cooking. Despite the fact it was summer vacation, Sadie’s cooking always brought them down early.
She waltzed into the kitchen to see Sadie bent over at the oven, pulling out a pan of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Tanya pulled out her cup and poured herself a cup of coffee.
“You were up early this morning.” Sadie stated as she knifed icing onto the buns.
“Wanted to check the fences when I sent the horses out for their run. The south paddock needs a looksie. I told Daniel to go and give it a look.”
“Rodeo coming up this weekend. Think you’re ready?”
“Kyle’s been working his ass off. Double K will place again this year. I’m sure of that.”
“And Nina?”
“The girl is a natural. I see another trophy on the shelf this weekend.”
“Takes after her daddy.”
“I’m proud of her. I know Randy would be too.” Tanya smiled, her tone wistful as she thought of her husband.
“Caroline’s got another one of them acting plays Friday evenin.”
Tanya thought of her eldest daughter with a smile. Caroline certainly turned out to be as headstrong as her mother, knowing what she wanted and going after it. Tanya had tried to get Caroline interested in horses, but the girl just was having none of that. The girl tolerated the animals on the ranch but she didn’t have longterm goals to work with them like her younger sister did. “Which one did she try out for?”
“The lead, what else? Didn’t get it though from what I heard.”
“Was she disappointed?” Tanya cringed. Caroline’s anger was just as legendary as her acting skills.
“For all of 5 minutes. Then I smacked her in the back of the head and told her to get a grip and make the role she did get her own.”
“What was the part?”
“Oh they’re doin that musical, ‘Grease’. She got the role of Frenchie.”
“Oh she’ll be fantastic!” Tanya grinned as she sipped her coffee. She had her doubts when Caroline had told her that she wanted to be an actress. Hollywood was an unforgiving place. But she always encouraged her children to follow their dreams, no matter what they were.
“That’s what I told her.” Sadie chuckled. “Well, sit and eat. Kids should be awake soon and you know they always steal your food off your plate when you ain’t lookin.”
“True.” Tanya chuckled, moving to sit at the table.
The sounds of whinnying horses filled the air while Daniel walked through the barn silently as the suns rays began to kiss the earth once again. Already the well built teenager was at work feeding the horses their grain and hay within the barn. Without a sound he turned and looked to the left then the right before starting to hum to himself while walking from stall to stall dumping the required grain into the horses feed buckets. Daniel Garrison was a dedicated and hard worker as his parents had brought him up with strong work ethics. Though when they passed on into the after life Daniel was devastated and sought the guidance of the tribe elder. Though he knew the rodeo was coming up Daniel took most of his free time breaking the stallions that refused to be broken over the years though at the cost of several broken ribs among other injuries but to him it was a price well paid. After he had finished the feeding Daniel would walk from the barn and pull out a harmonica before starting to play one of the song’s from his childhood upon the hand crafted instrument that came from his breast pocket. ( [www.youtube.com] ) As he played the horses would fall silent and prick their ears in daniels direction in an effort to hear it better. As he played the harmonica Daniel would gaze out into the morning sky as he finished the song before sighing gently as he put the harmonica away only to get back to work as was his norm. Even when he was sick he would come in and work himself to the very bone if he needed to. Silently he would walk over to the trailer before starting to chuck the bales of hay to drew who was busy stacking them on the trailer to go feed. After having finished that he would smile wanely to the ranch owner and widow Miss Kirk. “Mornin’ Missus Kirk”
Dream sequence
It’s the night of the Oscars, with a cavalcade of starlets and actors in their finest suits all applauding as Whoopi Goldberg is up making the announcement for best dramatic actress in a motion picture. Sitting in the audience is Caroline, who has her hair done up in a fancy bun and wearing a dress straight off the catwalks in Milan.
“And the Oscar goes to…Caroline Kirk, for A Reason to Believe!”
The crowd goes wild as Caroline gasps in shock at winning her first academy award. Rising up, she hugs her mother and Brad Pitt….Brad Pitt? That made no sense, but, she starts to make her way to the stage, picking up her skirts as she ascends the stairs, and where Whoopi is holding out the Oscar to the young Caroline. Caroline hugs her and gushes as she goes to make her acceptance speech.
“Oh my god…I can’t believe I won. Who to thank first….Who to thank?’
~Bzzzzzzz Bzzzzzz Bzzzzz~
Dream sequence ends
That shrill sound of the alarm clock buzzes so loudly that a hand comes out from under a white doona and slams down on it a few times. If only she could sleep just a bit longer. The dream was the same one she had had night after night. Rising up like she had just woken from death, Caroline looks about her room which is filled with acting trophies and big posters of her favorite stars and musicals. It was clear she was unlike the other members of her family, whose world revolved around horses and the ranch. Caroline marched to the tune of a different drum. She sometimes wondered if she was adopted.
Caroline washed and dressed herself for the day, in trademark blue jeans and a simple checkered shirt, as she went down to have breakfast with her Momma, Nina and probably Randy. Smelling the scent of cinnamon rolls, she chirped.
“I need a new alarm clock, Momma. Think I broke mine.” She then went to hug her Mother and Sadie, kissing each on the cheek.. “Morning Momma, Morning Miss Sadie.”
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