Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
the day was cool but the sun was bright as they made their way from the carpark down to the duckpond. it was one of those afternoons she had arranged to meet holly for some time away from the house, to get the kids out somewhere they could run and play without fear of bothering anyone and they could get as dirty as they wanted. she had towels in her car for this very reason because she had long learned that if there was mud to find, the boys in the family would find it and she wasn't always talking about the children. dustin and avery could have just as much fun and get into just as much trouble when they let their hair down a little. she had her basket in one hand, bag in another. it was just some sandwiches and some soda, a special treat for the kids, and while she wished she'd been able to bring a bottle of wine she'd settled for some decaf coffee for herself. such were the annoying moments of pregnancy.
she watched dean as he ran ahead, keeping a careful eye on him but she trusted that he knew to stay back from the water. it was something they had drilled into him from the time he could walk. water was a no go zone without an adult around. thankfully he mostly listened, it was just when he got excited that he forgot sometimes. she found the usual spot and set her things down before she settled in the grass, legs outstretched as she leaned back on her hands. "you know the drill bud, stay in sight." she smiled as her son ran off to start exploring. there was still a fear that something would happen, unfriendly hands would grab for him or someone would hurt him but she wasn't about to keep him on a chain. he needed the space to grow and as much as it terrified her she'd let him have the space he needed.
she sat forward slightly, brushing her hands on her jeans as she tucked her legs under her so she could reach the basket of food she'd brought. she'd slipped her phone into it just before she'd taken it from the car so it would be easier to find after. once she had it she sent the message to holly to say she was in their spot before she lifted the phone up to take a few photos of where dean was playing down close to the water so she could send them to dustin later. she sighed softly as she set her phone down beside her, wishing that their days could all be as peaceful and slow as this one.
TWENTY SIX | DANCER AT LUNA LOUNGE | DATING DUSTIN GASPARD MCCARRAN DEAN MCCARRAN | 6 PREGNANT
Holly had to admit, as much as she loved the mad house it could be exactly that sometimes - mad - and she was glad of the break. It was getting a little harder now that Joe was back - not because of Joe but it was another body in the house. He was out a lot, but it didn't feel like that; the house felt so full, all the time, even when people were out - which wasn't often. She loved Avery's family, which sounded crazy considering all the drama and the arguments but she had grown up with parental rows and then divorce, and she just loved how much they all loved each other - how they would do anything for each other, how they would protect each other at any cost. Their rows were born of love for each other, not anger or hate. She was so grateful to be part of the family, even with all the crazy - and now she would do anything for them too.
She was relieved to get out though, the atmosphere in the house was more tense than usual. She had done her best to give Joe his space, being a stranger to him she didn't want him to feel that she was stepping on toes, or getting involved in things that she had no part in. But she'd spoken with him a few times, and she wanted him to know she was there if he wanted any help or someone to talk to. She had worked many times now with war veterans, and found it one of the most rewarding walks of life to help them get some of their life back that she was always happy to have them referred on to her specifically a the hospital. Today though was a work free day, and she was out to see Hayden at the park for a breather. At leas Hayden understood how it felt to be a partner of a Mccarran - it was different to being one of the siblings for sure.
Touching the top of her son's head as he danced along with her she spotted Hayden in a grassy patch near the pond. "Alright, you can go play, just be careful please!" She said as Levi spotted his cousin. He was a good kid, she'd never dreamed of having a child so thoughtful and sweet as Levi - she could only pray that Rocke, currently sound asleep in the stroller she pushed - would be just as easy. "Hey," She called out as she approached, one eye already stuck on Levi as he sprinted over to Dean and caught up to him with a shout and a quick grin. She locked the wheels on the stroller, parking it in a flat spot, and adjusted it to make sure the shade cover was just right so that Rocke would be comfortable out of the sun. Then, she perched her butt down next to Hayden - she didn't want to wake Rocke up whilst he was sleeping so peacefully.
she hadn't been sitting there that long when all of a sudden, there was a child running into her field of view, making a bee line towards her son, who was currently crouching down and looking very very intently at something that was sitting in the grass. she smiled as her nephew ran over to her son and they greeted each other as excitedly as they could, as if they hadn't had breakfast together just a few hours before. she hoped it was something they'd never lose. she knew that they wouldn't always live under the same roof but she hoped the bond they had now carried through to when they were teenagers and then into adulthood. she'd not had what the mccarran family had. there had been no love lost in the house she'd grown up in when she'd left it and she'd never felt the connection with anyone that dustin and his siblings had. it was messy, it was powerful but most of all it was forged in love and nothing any of the siblings did would ever cause it to break, that much was clear for anyone who looked at the family.
they'd become hers over the years, dustin was the love of her life and his family were the siblings she'd never had. and as they'd found partners of their own and fallen in love with their own soulmates, she'd welcomed them into the family without any hesitation. there were some perks to all living under the one roof though, that was that there was usually always someone to watch children, talk to late at night and eat food with no matter the time of day. she couldn't think of a better family to raise her children with and she knew that her children, while they might not always think it, were lucky they'd have aunts and uncles who would love them just as much as their own children.
she sat up a little as holly made her way over to her and she smiled wider at her greeting. "hey." she said in a return greeting as she watched holly set up the stroller rocke must have been in so it was out of the sun. she'd been hoping to steal the baby from holly but it seemed she'd have to wait just a little while. "as soon as he wakes up, can he be mine?" she asked with a smile as holly sat down next to her. she glanced down to check on the boys quickly, smiling when dean held levi's hand to help him climb over one of the logs. "how much do you want to bet that one of them walks out into the water before we eat." she said with a small laugh. they were good kids but they were kids, easily distracted, easily tempted and so so curious about the world around them.
TWENTY SIX | DANCER AT LUNA LOUNGE | DATING DUSTIN GASPARD MCCARRAN DEAN MCCARRAN | 6 PREGNANT
"hey." She smiled easily enough, checking once more on her little one before she felt okay to take a seat herself. It was funny how your life revolved around them in the end - you swore it would never happen, not for a bad reason but more that you didn't want your whole life to change. And then they were born and your whole life changed, everything was for them, your whole life revolved around them. Avery still had a very solid part in it too, naturally but that was a different kind of love and need to protect. "as soon as he wakes up, can he be mine?" Holly chuckled at that as she took up her place beside her friend. "He is all yours!" She said, gladly handing over the young child for a moment's peace. He was a good child to be fair to him, but it was still tough at times to have two young children to handle at once.
Her attention turned to the boys, already stuck into playing together. They were very sweet together, Levi was such a good kid anyway but it shone even more so with others around him, his good heart and kind nature was even more obvious - not that the other children were not so, but more that he was even more good. "how much do you want to bet that one of them walks out into the water before we eat." Holly laughed softly and nodded, raising a brow, "and that is the exact reason why I brought a spare couple of towels." She admitted, shaking her head a little. "anyway, how have you been? How is everything in your world?" They lived together and often ate together and the like but sometimes living together meant you had even less opportunity to talk frankly.
she couldn't help but smile wide when holly said that she could take the baby as soon as she sat down on the rug. she held her hands out for him and she took him into her arms gently, settling him into them and cuddling him as gently as she could against her chest. she smiled down softly at him and bounced him gently, rubbing her hand over his back. "hello there beautiful boy." she would never turn down an opportunity to cuddle with her niece or her nephews. one because she knew they were going to outgrow it very very quickly but also because she knew the favour would always be returned if she needed help with her children. she'd trust anyone in the family with them, she had no doubts they'd protect and love them like their own, just as she would do for their children. it was then she remembered that holly was sitting right there and she laughed a little. "i'm so sorry. i have babies on the brain and they refuse to leave." she said with a smile as she looked over rocke's head slightly to check on where the boys were.
"i have a spare set of clothes for each of them." she couldn't help but confess. it was just so much easier to prepare for the amount of kids that were coming than to be caught short and she knew her son. as much as he was a smart cookie he could get excited around water and that was enough of a reason for her to believe he might end up in the pond. "i'm okay, chugging along." she said with a smile as she rocked the baby gently in her arms. "i wish i could say i couldn't complain but i can't." she said with something of a soft sigh. she could have said everything was fine and dandy but that's not what these catch ups were about, they were about really catching up so they could support each other through the ups and downs of being part of the family they were and just life in general. "but before i bring you down with that, how are you?"
TWENTY SIX | DANCER AT LUNA LOUNGE | DATING DUSTIN GASPARD MCCARRAN DEAN MCCARRAN | 6 PREGNANT
She gave a small laugh at Hayden's happy face, shaking her head slightly. "You may be delighted now, but just you wait.." She joked, though she was well aware that Hayden knew how it went - given the two kids playing a little way ahead. It was harder having too but there were some parts that were easier; having not killed off the first one by forgetting to feed him or burp him, she felt more confident with her new baby, and she knew what challenges would be presented to her and Av - but she also knew they could get through them together. There were still new challenges, because there were two and they weren't clones of each other, but she wouldn't change anything for the world. "hello there beautiful boy." Holly's smile softened, as her expression always did when she looked at her kids. "He certainly is that, and he knows it." She chuckled.
"i'm so sorry. i have babies on the brain and they refuse to leave." Holly shook her head, "No need to say sorry, it's getting to that time..." She grinned as she patted her stomach, looking at Hayden's protruding bump. "i have a spare set of clothes for each of them." A slight tilt of her head, "did you plan for this?" She jokingly demanded, an eye flicking over to the boys as they toddled about, playing whatever made up game they were into right then. "i'm okay, chugging along. i wish i could say i couldn't complain but i can't. but before i bring you down with that, how are you?" Holly watched her friend closely, noticing the change in her expression and she frowned slightly, laying a hand on her arm gently. "Hey, what is it, what's wrong?" She asked, sensing that there was something she was holding back.
she smiled as she looked down into the little face of her nephew and she shook her head a little. "oh he knows i'll never think badly of him." she said as she snuggled him close, just taking in the moment because the moments were oh so fleeting. it seemed like yesterday that dean had been this size and now he was half way to a teenager. that thought was so terrifying to her. "he's going to use these looks for good and not evil, aren't you rocky boy." she said with a soft laugh. so far the boys in the family had all taken their looks from their father's, regrettably, so had dean, though she was lucky enough that he looked enough like her that people wouldn't question where he'd gotten certain features from, such as his light hair and his eyes.
"it certainly is." she said with a sad smile as she lowered one hand to her bump gently. "though i'm hoping time slows down just a little." she still had a few months to go but she had a feeling this would be the last for her and dustin. it hadn't been planned but she was more than happy with two, it meant she still had enough hands to grab both of them if she needed to. "it's become almost a habit for dean. he goes near water and he ends up in it. and i can't even be mad because it is always accidental." be it a slip, a fall or another reason, he tried to hard to follow the rules but life just conspired against him. "so it's be prepared."
she regretted the words almost as soon as she'd said them. she hadn't really meant to, it was something so stupid that it almost didn't warrant mentioning but it had been keeping her up at night. "it's so stupid." she said with something of a laugh though her face was a little forlorn. "i'm going to put it down to stupid hormones and emotions and lack of pickles but." she shook her head a little as she let out a sigh, comforted by the touch on her arm. "i just can't help but keep thinking if it's a girl .. what sort of example i'd be setting for her." she'd gotten out of a life that people struggled so much to escape from, she'd done that and what had she done with it, nothing she felt like. "it's not like dancing for money is a career to be proud of." and she hadn't been able to do that since she'd fallen pregnant either so she'd been pouring the drinks at the club. "boys are easy, they have dustin to look up to and guide them, it doesn't get much better than that. but a daughter? she'll only have me. a former homeless kid who has nothing to offer her to help her grow up."
TWENTY SIX | DANCER AT LUNA LOUNGE | DATING DUSTIN GASPARD MCCARRAN DEAN MCCARRAN | 6 PREGNANT
"oh he knows i'll never think badly of him." Holly chuckled and shook her head slightly. "You say that now... There's a lot of years to go." She warned, knowing they would all be tested plenty, especially with how Avery had tested her at times. But it was a part of life, and also a part of motherhood. Her patience would take a fair bit but she was ready for it, as she had been before. At least now she knew what she was getting herself into. "he's going to use these looks for good and not evil, aren't you rocky boy." Holly raised a brow but her expression was soft as she gave a light warning of, "Now now, let's not give the boy any ideas at such a young age." She hoped he didn't use his looks for anything, though of course that was wishful thinking. At some point he would learn how to use them to his advantage - getting out of trouble, wooing girls ... Or boys. It was inevitable.
"it certainly is. though i'm hoping time slows down just a little." Holly gave a wistful smile, thinking of all the times she had wished for the same. "Until the terrible twos when you wish it would speed up just a little." She joked, keeping things light hearted in threat of the melancholy. It was hard not to dwell on the threat of time, she preferred not to if she could help it. Enjoying the little moments was a good way not to end up thinking on it too much. "it's become almost a habit for dean. he goes near water and he ends up in it. and i can't even be mad because it is always accidental....so it's be prepared." Holly had been about to make a comment about water babies but she glanced to Hayden in surprise at the words instead, checking in with her to see she was okay.
"it's so stupid. i'm going to put it down to stupid hormones and emotions and lack of pickles but." Holly frowned, giving her friend almost all her of her attention - she had to retain some for the kids, it was a natural habit. "What is it?" She encouraged, knowing Hayden would only feel better once she was talking it out. "i just can't help but keep thinking if it's a girl .. what sort of example i'd be setting for her." Holly rolled her eyes, but it was a gentle action, not dismissive. "Hayden, don't be silly." She didn't want to sound like she was waving away her friends concerns, like they weren't valid or something, but to Holly, she only saw a strong woman who had plowed her way through tough times and made it out the other side. Fierce and strong. "it's not like dancing for money is a career to be proud of. boys are easy, they have dustin to look up to and guide them, it doesn't get much better than that. but a daughter? she'll only have me. a former homeless kid who has nothing to offer her to help her grow up." Holly gave her a look. "No child is easy, regardless of gender. They have their difficulties in different ways." Because raising a kid wasn't easy, they had to accept that and remember it for the days they felt they were failing at being a good parent. "But you're being absurd. How can you not think of yourself as a good role model? Look at what you have made for yourself, look at what you have done. You have wisdom and knowledge unparalleled to help her grow into a well rounded woman, you are the elast judgemental person I know, apart from to yourself apparently. You'll help her understand the world, you'll show her just how strong a woman can be. To start with so little and end up with so much, and you did that on your own. You might see Dustin through your rose coloured specs but he's not a God, he has flaws. You are both great parents though and any kid would be lucky to have you both." Holly gave Hayden a stern look, daring her to disagree.
