Work Text:
Sable
"She ran out of reasons to stay inside. It was way too early but she couldn’t contain her excitement anymore. Putting a stray strand of hair back into the clasp she pushed the sliding doors to the garden open and carefully stepped barefoot over the rough tiles of the patio."
Anticipation bubbled up in her and she could barely contain herself as she beheld the sight before her. He was there, just as she’d known he would be. Standing in the yard waiting for her. Big, black and beautiful -– and all hers! With a whoop of joy, she ran over to him and reverently stroked his mane.
What young girl didn’t dream of having a horse? Today, on her birthday, her dream had come true. So captivated was she by her new companion, it took her a few minutes to notice Josef leaning against the gate watching her.
“Uncle Josef!” She ran to him, giving him a big hug of delight. “He’s beautiful! Thank you!”
There was of course, no doubt who the gift was from. Her uncle wasn’t particularly demonstrative with affection, but he showed his love in other ways and she never doubted it. He knew how much this present meant to her. They weren’t really related, she knew that, but in every way that counted – he was family.
“You’re welcome. Of course, he’ll have to stay at the stable, but you can go and ride him any time you want.”
“Can I ride him today?” Michelle tried to be polite and look at Josef while they were talking, but her gaze just kept returning to the horse, half afraid he’d disappear like a mirage or she’d wake up and find it was all just a dream.
“Of course, you can, it’s your birthday!”
“I wonder what mom and dad are gonna say when they see him,” she mused out loud. Her expression turned dark as an unwelcome thought entered her head. “They wouldn’t make me give him back, would they?” Generally speaking, they were usually against what they called ‘extravagant gifts’ although she wasn’t sure what that meant.
“Don’t worry,” Josef reassured her. “They won’t be looking this gift horse in the mouth.” She giggled at the joke. “I’ll make sure of it.”
“This is the best birthday ever!” Michelle exclaimed with a child’s enthusiasm.
“What are you going to name him?” Josef asked her with a nod toward the horse.
“Sable,” she said immediately.
“Why Sable?” Maybe he was expecting one of the typical names a child comes up with for their pet... but then again, this was no typical child.
“It just feels right. That’s supposed to be his name.”
“You should always follow what feels right,” Josef agreed. “Sable it is.”
“I’ve got to tell mom and dad, and get dressed, and then I can ride him, right?”
“Maybe,” came an unexpected voice from the doorway. They both turned to see her father standing there, regarding them with a rather exasperated expression. “First you have to go inside, get dressed, and have breakfast. And Sable there has to be transported to the stable I would assume,” the last with a pointed look at Josef.
Michelle ran over to her father, jumping up and down in front of him. “Then I can ride him? Please, pretty please??” Thank god, she thought, it was her dad and not her mom who had caught them. He was much easier to persuade.
“I guess…”
She squealed in glee. “You’re the best daddy in the whole world!” She gave him a hug and kiss.
“What about me?” Josef inquired teasingly.
She ran back to him to collect another hug. “You’re the best uncle in the whole world!”
“World?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
“The best uncle in the whole universe!” she corrected.
“Much better,” he said, nodding.
After giving a hug and kiss to Sable as well, Michelle ran inside to get ready.
Mick regarded Josef in silence for a moment before speaking. “You got her a horse.”
“Hey – they make great companions for little girls. The lifetime boarding fees will be taken care of, as well as anything else that’s needed. When the time comes when he needs to be… relocated to another city or state, that’ll be covered as well,” Josef added meaningfully.
A long look passed between them. A nod of understanding and acceptance.
Josef regarded the horse for a moment before turning to leave. It was time to get out of the sun and hit the freezer. There were people waiting to escort Sable to his new home. Josef wouldn’t be there when Michelle rode her horse for the first time, neither would her father. Only her mother would have that privilege.
They were charting new territory, doing things unheard of before. Children of vampires would live lives unique in many ways. With that, there would be difficulties and challenges. Adjustments would have to be made, and sacrifices. It would not be easy, for parent or child. But love would see them all through.
It would be time to move on one day soon, a new place and new identity. When that happened, Sable would go on ahead to his own new home and would be there, waiting. Hopefully, horse and child would forge a bond that would last decades, last her well into adulthood.
When the time came that she had to pick up the pieces of her life and put them back together again someplace else, as someone else, there would be a familiar friend to greet her.
The end
11/14/08