What Is Left? Part 9
#9 of What Is Left?
Here is the next installment of What Is Left, and we get to finally see the ranch open it's gates to the paying public.
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What is left?
Chapter 9.
Written by Wolfie Steel.
The warming rays of the morning sun flow into the bedroom that I share with Tyler, my sweet Doberman lover, I lay on my back staring at the ceiling while Tyler sleeps soundly, I know that there is still an hour or so before we all have to wake from our slumber, how do I know that well that is simple, I haven't slept a wink all night, the reason behind my insomnia is quite simple, today is the day that we finally open the ranch up to paying customers.
In resignation I quietly slip out of bed, I gather my clothes and then head towards the shower room, I mean come on I may be one nervous hoss but I got a reputation to build as someone who needs to make a good impression, after all if my first customers arrive and I smell like a sweat factory, they are not going to want to stay around me for very long.
After my shower, I wrap a towel around my waist and then collect my clothes and head downstairs toward the snug. Once inside the snug I dry myself off and then begin the task of getting myself dressed.
With the task of dressing complete I head out to the kitchen and begin to brew a pot of coffee, while the coffee is brewing I sit at the table and think about how the day is going to pan out, has the advertisement that I put in all of the local papers been put into circulation? Will we get any calls for folks wanting to visit the ranch today? Can I trust all of my new workers to behave themselves in front of potential customers?
Suddenly I feel two meaty Doberman paws come to rest on my shoulders, and then the smell of freshly showered dog hits my nose. Tyler begins massaging my shoulders as he speaks.
"You had one hell of a bad night last night Christian, you were tossing and turning all night, but I can't say that I blame you hon, you have a lot riding on this new venture"
I gently place a hoofed hand on Tyler's left hand paw.
"No babe, we ALL have a lot riding on this new venture, if we don't get any customers then not only will I have to declare bankruptcy but we will all be out of a job to boot, and all of our hard work will have been for nothing"
Tyler's massaging strokes became a little tougher, he was obviously finding huge knots in my shoulders and neck, as he continued his massage he leaned his muzzle in close to my left ear.
"You worry too much sweetheart, I reckon that once the world wakes up and reads the advertisement, they will be beating a path to our door and the phone line will be red hot"
I sigh a little as I wish that I could share in Tyler's optimism, but the fact of the matter remains that if we don't get any calls then we will go under at a rapid rate of knots.
The time is now 6:10am and everyone is now sat around the kitchen table eating breakfast. I stand from my seat and clear my throat which gains everyone's attention.
"Okay guys, well today is the day, in an hour and fifty minutes, Miles To Go will be open for business. I can't thank you all enough for the hard work that you have all put in to get us to where we are today; I only hope that we get plenty of interest from the paying public to justify everything that we have done. Now I am not going to bullshit any of you, the next few weeks are going to be crucial to gauge our success or indeed our failure, if we succeed then I foresee a long and happy life for us all here at the ranch, if we fail however then it will be the ruination of us all. I know that I don't have to say this to any of you, but first impressions count, and so let's give it our all and make every customer feel that they have been given value for money"
After my speech I take to my seat again and continue to sip at my coffee. Once the breakfast things have been cleaned and packed away we all head out onto the ranch to tidy up any last minute loose ends. Tyler heads into the ranch office and sits at his desk ready to man the phone.
It is now 7:55am and Tyler stands inside his office at the open window, he shouts my name which causes me to look towards him.
"Yo Christian, what did I tell you bud, we got our first call, a newlywed couple want to spend their honeymoon with us, they told me that they had booked into a hotel not far from here but then saw the ad in the paper and decided to change their plans"
I run to the window where Tyler is standing.
"Oh crap, when will they be here?"
Tyler looks at his watch and smiles.
"They will be with us in just over four hours"
Oh gods, so much to do and so little time, it is then that Tyler breaks my train of thought.
"They are paying us a little bit extra too because I told them that we would give them a meal to help them to celebrate their wedding in the good ole fashioned country style"
A look of confusion crosses my face.
"Forgive me hon, but that means that you will be doing the cooking, and so who will be looking after the phone while you are in the kitchen?"
Tyler laughs out loud.
"Christian, babe, relax, don't forget that Makeria is the ranch manager, so he can man the phone while I cook up a feast for our first guests, you never know they might want to come back for their anniversary and if we do it right then they will most likely tell their friends and family about us"
I cannot deny that thought had slipped my mind, and that it took the brains of my sweet Doberman to point it out to me, I knew there was a reason why I loved him so much.
I give Tyler a quick kiss on his muzzle and then I walk away from the window and towards the pathway that leads to the trails. I have four hours to kill and so I decide to take in a few more sights just to try and calm my nerves.
Walking the trails on foot is so much better than on Horseback as you get to see things in a lot more detail, for instance I walk towards a cliff that boarders the fenced area of the ranch and I notice that there are three caves that have obviously been excavated out of the cliff face over many hundreds if not thousands of years, hell the most likely pre-date the ranch itself, "Mmm, maybe we can make use of these caves by turning them into some sort of shelter?", a smile breaks across my muzzle at the thought, obviously it could also be somewhere that Tyler and I could spend some together time.
I spend an hour or so investigating the caves and then I head back to the ranch. As I arrive back the delicious smell of Tyler's cooking meets my nose and it smells like he is cooking up a storm, I enter the office and find Makeria manning the phones.
"Hi Makeria, have we had anymore calls yet?"
The Folf smiles gladly at me.
"Boss, we are booked solidly for the rest of this month and through the next three, we are going to be real busy, I have even started taking bookings for Christmas"
Damn, Christmas, with the ranch and Tyler taking up all of my thoughts I hadn't managed to give any thought about what we would do for Christmas, hmmm maybe we could use the caves that I found a short while ago to recreate the nativity scene and organise rides out to the caves for those people with young families, yeah that could work.
"Hey Makeria, get everyone together tonight for a staff meeting, I've had an idea of what we can do for Christmas and I want to run it by everyone first"
Makeria acknowledges my instruction and I head back out onto the yard just in time to see a car making its way down the driveway, well I guess our newlyweds are here, time for me to go into action.
As I wait for the car to stop I am joined by Tyler, good it seems that these guys will get the full welcoming party, once the car comes to a stop both Tyler and I head towards either side of it and open the drivers and passengers door, inside the car is a smartly dressed young male Bull and an equally smartly dressed Cow, both Tyler and I allow them both to exit the car while I go into full on greet mode.
"Well howdy there folks, welcome to Miles To Go, my name is Christian Miles and I am the owner of the ranch, and the Doberman is my partner Tyler Mills"
The male Bull takes my offered hoofed hand in his hand and shakes it heartily.
"Bruce Marshall and this here is my new wife Hetty"
With the introductions done I take the next step.
"Okay guys, let's get your luggage out of the trunk and get you all settled in, once that is done then you can decide on what you want to do first"
Before I have finished talking I notice that Tyler has already opened the trunk and has the luggage out and waiting on the gravel driveway, he then closes the trunk while I join him, the newlywed couple close their car doors and Tyler and I pick up the cases and begin to lead the couple to their room.
We arrive at the rooms door and I pull a key out from my pocket, I unlock the door and open it, Bruce the gains a small smile, it seems that he is a Bull who knows tradition as he gently lifts his new bride up into his beefy arms and then carries her across the threshold.
With the couple now inside Tyler and I take the cases into the room, I can see that the couple is busy checking the room out.
"It might not be the Ritz, but I hope that you will find that it is functional and maybe even comfortable and also...private, now we'll leave you to settle in, to celebrate your happy event Tyler here has cooked up a feast fit for a king and we will be eating at six this evening, so just make your way over to the ranch house and you will be treated to a celebration meal ranch style, with that being said, I hope you enjoy your time here at Miles To Go"
Both Tyler and I take our leave and head towards the ranch house, as we walk Tyler chuckles a little.
"I don't think that the Horses will be needed today, though we might need to invest in a new bed once Bruce and Hetty have left"
I tried so hard not to laugh, I willed myself not to laugh, but no matter what I tried it was all in vein as I let out a huge belly laugh, talk about a male multi-tasking, we were walking and laughing at the same time, we eventually made it into the kitchen of the ranch house, I sat at the table while Tyler continued on with his preparation of the celebration meal, I finally get my laughter under control and then take the mood to a slightly more serious one.
"You know what Ty, seeing Bruce and Hetty today as two newlywed lovers has kind of got me to thinking about my own attempts to settling down, I once thought that I had found my perfect soul mate in Michael but that all turned to crap, and then I met you, now I know that we haven't known each other that long, but hon, when I'm with you I get such a good feeling, you have given me back the will to live again and if I'm being honest, I can't think of anyone who I would like to settle down with more than you"
Tyler puts down the wooden spoon that he is using and then takes a seat at the table opposite me; he then takes both of my hands in his own.
"Christian, sweetheart, what you said about us not knowing each other for very long is true, but like you, I get such a warm and good feeling when I am with you, but I too have been hurt in a few relationships before, and so I need to get to know my next partner inside and out before we go for broke and as you call it, settle down, but I am willing to give us a shot, and maybe after Christmas, if we both still feel the same way about each other, then maybe we can take things to the next level"
It may not have been completely what I wanted to hear, but on the other hand I can surely see his point, and let's face it Christmas and the New Year aren't that far away and with as busy as we are going to be over the next few months, we will soon hopefully be taking the next step together.