“Christina could you please hand me the curry comb” Melanie asked as she took Del from his roomy stall. Christina was grooming her special filly Wonder’s Personality, the bright chestnut filly was out of Wonder’s Image and Hershey Kiss. Wonder’s Image had missed his Triple Crown chance when he was three then went on to win the Breeders Cup and the Dubai World Cup then retired at the end of his four year due to an old injury.

“In a minute I just need to get this last little bit” Christina answered as she continued on her work. Melanie nodded silently then tied Del to the stall and started grooming him. As she bent down to grab the hoof pick Emily came running down the aisle.

“Mom, Mom guess what I got to do” Emily cried skidding to a stop just a few inches away from Del! Looking up Melanie smiled then put a hand on Del who had started prancing because of the loud noises. “Jazz let me ride Dance About and it was absolutely fantastic, she’s like a bullet omigosh she is so fast” She cried once again!

Melanie’s smile faded then she nodded. “I’m happy for you, I bet she is one great filly her mom was” She said with her voice getting lower.

“What mom I didn’t get that last part?” Emily asked cocking her head. Shaking her head Melanie went back to work on Del, by now she had gotten the curry comb and was almost finished with his now gleaming coat. Emily stood there in silence then gave Del a pat and walked off.

“Where are you going?” She asked.

“Um I think to the cafeteria to get a yogurt or something” Emily answered as she sauntered away. Melanie stared at her and realized everything about her was Jazz, her walk her talk, her voice, her passion for horses, her looks. Del suddenly gave a shrill whinny then stamped the floor angrily as she stared at Emily.

“Sorry boy my attention is on you” She laughed standing up and stroking his neck. After she was done Melanie unclipped the gorgeous stallion and put him back in his stall. “Now if you would just stay clean until tomorrow I will be happy” Melanie sighed as she closed the door.

“Mel is something wrong, you seem to be out of it” Christina asked as she put Personality in her stall?

“Um well yeah something is wrong you know how we are staying with my dad well Jazz is also staying there and his fiancé” Melanie blurted out. Christina’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped.

“His Fiancé” Christina stammered as she recovered from her shock. Melanie nodded slowly then frowned.

“I just cant help but feeling he is rubbing it in my face, first I find out she co-owns my favorite horses foal and now I find out they are going to get married” She groaned falling against the stall door.

Christina was silent all she did was look at Melanie with a sympathetic look. Waiting for a reply Melanie got bored then picked up her jacket and said “I’m going back to dads tell Em I will be back in a while”. With that she left.


“Dad, I’m back from the track” She called as she entered the luxury apartment. The house was silent, not a sound. Her dad and Susan must have left for the studio. Setting her car keys on the table she slipped off her shoes and dropped her jacket on the ground. Tucking her loose blonde hair behind her ear and sighed when she saw Jazz’s old leather jacket, it was the same jacket he had on when she first knew she was in love with him.

Reaching over she picked it up and lifted it up to her nose. Inhaling deeply she took in his cologne and felt a lump rise up in her throat. Closing her eyes she thought about all the good and bad times she had with Jazz, most of them where good but very few where bad. Tears started to drop from her eyes as she opened her eyes and looked out the window. Dropping the jacket she stepped back and looked at it wiping away the falling tears.

Suddenly a soft note of a guitar filled her ears looking around she tried to find where the noise was coming from. Tip toeing around the apartment she got closer and closer to the sound, it got louder and louder. She noticed it was coming from Jazz’s room. Getting closer and closer she saw the door was cracked open just a tiny bit.

Putting her eye between she noticed Jazz sitting on the bed with his guitar. His face was red and his cheeks where slick with tears that seemed to roll down his face with each note. Melanie tried to here the words but his voice was so low she couldn’t hear him. Cracking the door open a little more she noticed he was alone, no Marcy no anyone. Closing her eyes she felt tears start pouring down her face faster and faster.

Pushing open the door with her hand she walked in quietly, making sure he hadn’t heard her she stood in front of him and wiped away the tears. Studying his face she saw that tears rolled down them and his black hair stuck to his face and he bent over the guitar. Slowly walking towards him she sat down on the bed; Jazz stopped playing then looked at her.

Wiping his face he looked at her then blushed. “Heard the whole thing did you?” He asked. Nodding silently she looked at him and wiped her tears away.

“It was beautiful” She breathed running her fingers through her hair. Closing her eyes she held back her tears and then gulped. Opening them up she looked at him and stared. Feeling uncomfortable Melanie stood up and left the room. Walking to the kitchen she grabbed her coffee mug and walked out to the porch. Sighing loudly and leaned down on the rail and sighed louder as she suddenly got depressed. “Why is it every time I seem to push him out of my life his songs fly back into my mind once again” She whispered taking a sip of her coffee.

That night Melanie had gone to bed at seven and she was still awake at midnight. Cold sweat dripped down her face as Melanie thought through the race. Finally closing her eyes Melanie shuddered when a car alarm went off. Hopefully just Hopefully she and Del would do there best with out another injury.

More than just a pretty face