The little caravan pulled into Appaloosa Plains as the first snow was beginning to fall. Everything was so white and crisp and beautiful, it was hard to imagine that in a few months Rose would be longing to see the grass again. She and Stephan rented an old renovated ranch, which they chose mainly for the large two-stall barn. Ginger and Benny would need a warm place to sleep on those cold winter nights.
She had to wade through what seemed to be at least two feet of snow to get to the little wagon now. Esmerelda always had a little heater going full blast, so it was comfortably warm inside, but getting there was another story. Rose Beryl was sure she had never been so cold in her entire life. She warmed her hands in front of the heater first thing every day. She was learning to read palms now, and it wouldn't do to freeze out her clients with icy fingers.
It wasn't long after they arrived, that Rose discovered she was expecting. Stephan was ecstatic, but Rose wasn't quite so sure. She didn't want this pregnancy to slow her down, or keep her from her clients. She was just beginning to catch small glimpses of the future, when she really concentrated.
It was so exciting, and she didn't want to lose any of her progress.
But she hadn't counted on the weather. Snowstorm followed snowstorm, one right after the other, until travel was almost impossible. Everything was cancelled, and even if she could have made it to the wagon, her clients were snowed in as well. She and Stephan made the best of it, staying home and building snowmen with Crystal, or plopping down it a pristine spot to make a snow angel.
Yes! A perfect pregnant snow angel, first try. I'm the best!
Sometimes they danced the night away to the old cowboy songs on the radio.
Other times they just sat and enjoyed the crackling fire, and watched the snow coming down so thick they couldn't even see the barn.
One snowy night, when the windows were frosted over, and the snow piled so high they couldn't open the front door, Rose went into labor, and Stephan completely freaked out. In between contractions, Rose told him not to worry so much, she had glimpsed the future, and everything would turn out fine - which wasn't quite true (the glimpsing the future part, that is), but it calmed him down. For while it was getting easier to see into other people's future, Stephan's and hers was still a total blank to her.
But everything did turn out just fine. And baby Diamond joined their growing family.
Not long after baby Diamond was born, Rose began to notice that Ginger was getting a little thicker around the middle. Sure enough, the long winter nights cooped up in the barn had resulted in Benny and Ginger making their own, er.. entertainment. Rose estimated that the new foal would be born right around Snowflake Day.
Rose made sure Ginger had plenty of hay for her and her baby, even if it meant braving the elements more often than she wanted to.
Stephan pitched in with gusto, doing everything from feeding to diapering, to rocking Diamond to sleep.
Crystal talked Rose into getting her a chameleon, which she cared for fastidiously. Rose couldn't remember ever seeing its cage dirty. In fact, Rose never saw anything in her room dirty, ever. Sometimes she would even brush her teeth two or three times in a row, claiming that once wasn't enough to get them completely clean. Such a strange child.
Rose only wished That Crystal was as fastidious about her schoolwork, as she was about her cleanliness. She had missed so much school from the storms, and she didn't seem to have any interest in catching up, at all. Almost every week there would be call from the school.
"Crystal is doing so well in her music class, why can't she show that kind of effort in the rest of her studies?"
Stephan wasn't worried, though, and his nonchalance was catching.
"Don't worry, Rose. Leave her be. She'll find her way, when she wants to.
Finally a day came when the snow didn't fall, and the roads began to clear. Stephan took full advantage and talked the manager of the local coffee shop into letting him perform for his customers. There was only one problem. There wasn't enough room inside, so the show would have to go on out on the patio - in the snow. Stephan wasn't sure that anyone would even show up on a cold winter's night, but there was no harm in trying.
He started out the show with his newest sword trick. He just hoped it would work; he'd never attempted it before.
"Ta Dah! And as you can see, our brave volunteer has come to no harm!"
To both Rose's and Stephan's surprise, the residents of Appaloosa Plains didn't mind at all coming out in the snow to see the magic show. He became a regular there, and Rose often accompanied him, working the crowds to sell her private readings.
"Yes.. it's becoming clearer..you will come into some money soon... but you will lose some money even sooner..fifteen simoleons, to be exact. That will be fifteen simoleons, please."
When they weren't working the coffee shop, they would take Crystal out exploring the town. One night they stumbled upon an old hole-in-the-wall cowboy saloon. There was even a real cowboy serving drinks at the bar! That wasn't the best part, though.
Upstairs, they found a karaoke machine - and after that, they were there almost every night. Sometimes Rose and Crystal sang their hearts out, while Stephan cheered them on, drink in hand.
Other times Crystal talked Stephan into taking the second microphone. Sometimes Rose sat and had a drink, but other times, she just had to let loose. Jumping onto the closest counter, she danced to the karaoke beat and Crystal's sweet singing.
You only had to watch Crystal's face, and listen to her for a few minutes, to realize that she had talent. Maybe she didn't get A's in school, but Rose was sure she'd go far with her musical talent.
The morning of Snowflake Day arrived with much anticipation by all. Stephan and Crystal wanted to go ice skating, and any other day, Rose would have called a sitter and gladly joined them. But today she turned down the invitation. She had a huge gift-giving party to prepare for, and besides Ginger's foal was due any day now.
The party was a huge success. Crystal eyed the growing pile of gifts with growing impatience, but Rose wouldn't give the go ahead until all the guests had arrived. So she helped herself to a plate of turkey and cookies while she waited.
Finally it was time for the gift opening to begin. Crystal went first, and received a toy oven, which she was thrilled with.
Stephan found a snowflake mirror in his box. Like a good hostess, Rose waited until every one else had had a turn, but was disappointed when all that was left was a box of holiday coal.
After the gift giving ceremony, Rose pulled Stephan under the mistletoe for a quick holiday smooch.
It was Rose's first Snowflake Day party ever, and she was so excited that it went off without a hitch.
"Woo!"
After the last guest had gone, Rose went out to check on Ginger - just in time, too.
Soon after, a tiny female foal lay blinking confusedly in the snow.
Rose hovered over the pair with concern, but in no time, the tiny thing was on her feet, sucking hungrily.
Crystal was given charge over the new family member, a duty she took very seriously. She called the foal Brandy, and they soon became fast friends.
The first day of spring arrived with pouring rain and melting snow, and it was time for Crystal's birthday. Friends old and new stopped by to help celebrate. It was Crystal's last day as a child, and also their last day in Appaloosa Plains.
Crystal was excited to discover that the troupe was headed now for Starlight Shores. It seemed to her the perfect place to get a leg up on her anticipated musical career. But there was one stop that old Esmerelda insisted on making first - a stop Rose was not thrilled about, but Esmerelda had business there, and it was on their way.
So after the final guest had departed, the little family gathered themselves together once more, and splashed off into the downpour, on their way to what Rose hoped would only be a business meeting, but instead turned out to be much more.
