#bergen_county

"You've got thirty minutes?" The woman asks

"Twenty now" Tove says. keeping track like a clock

"Toooooooove!"

"Actually, you might not want to see" the woman admits "It's a bit heartbreaking. See we get news on horses that might need rescue from local areas. heads up and the like. What I was thinking of asking you was for your input in which one we should save next. But apparently donations , annoymopus mostly, came from your ..ah, whatever you all are? Plus a big one. So we can afford a new horse's care with the loss to those monsters. But you may lament we can't take them all"

A sigh and she nods.

"We really can't take more at home, either... I.. there's a horse farm down Kentucky..."

"And another in Missouri. Could take maybe one or two?"

Tove ignored her name being stretched out but nods at this "For autistic children. We can pass it along"

"I might have heard of the place, but transport costs and time make it hard for..."

Tove smiles "I think we know someone who can safely transport the horses and fast"

"Yeah..." A pause, and a look. "Gerd?"

A nod

"Gerd? The goth girl?" The owner says "What can she do?"

"A lot more than you'd guess " Tove says

"We'll need to check in with the owners, first. But yeah, so we can probably place at least two more."

"Well wonderful, but woul dyou like to help me pick the one to place HERE? LIke I said, we can swing that." A smile

Tove looks at her daughter "it's going to make you sad and mad to look at those options... you don't have to"

"Sure!"

A pause.

Frown.

The woman waits "change your mind?"

"No."

Tove nods, understanding.

"Just... I hope we can find places for all of them."

"You can't judge succcess by the ones lost," The woamn advises, "You count the ones that were lost, that now aren't. It's the only way to stay sane. To know it would have been worse without you, and for at least one creature, you made the impossible happen"

She bites on her lip but nods.

What Sam sees is ..well, indeed depressing. Even without pictures, stories of a show horse beaten for it's failure, a horse that was kept in a stall and never let out, another horse that had an ear cut off by a sadistic son of a ... oh my. Mostly it's neglect. soemtimes cruelty

Her face is grim.

"The one kept locked up, maybe he'd do good in Kentucky?"

"We can ask." She says looking them over "But a lot depends on the range allowed there"

"It's pretty big..."

"Which one do you think would fit in here?" "I'm thinking the one missing an ear could use a gentle hand but then that could be said of the former show horse"

"RIght..."

"Show horse might have some pride left, might do well with being pampered?"

"True... you want to bhelp with the pampering or that place in Missour might do it better?" Not judging

"Well, Missouri, the owner does, like, dressage?"

"And pleasure riding, so lots of trails and gardens."

"Then we'll try to get into contact with them.. sounds the one missing an ear will be here then. "

"And see? Homes for all three." Satisfied.

"Don't count your horses before they're grazing," she warns, "But.. yes. I suppose so." A smile "You want to make touch with these other ranches? I can get copies of these profiles"

"Can do."

a surge of confidence in the wilder, and the woman says "Best go to your mom for now. She's counting minutes down"

SIGH

"I'm not tired." She trudges off.

Dagmar comes out to say this very thing to her mom, when her stomach rumbles. When was that last sandwich? Oh traitorous tummy!

Her mom raises a brow at the gut growl "Sounds like your body is tattling on you. Let's head home"

"There's so much left to doooo, mo-om..."

"You're riight. You have to wash your hands. You have to eat. You have to help me with the dishes" Tove puts an arm about her shoulders and guides her to the car "You have to clean your room...oh, laundry..."

Connor waits for them sleeping in the truck.. Fortunately her mom had the windows rolled down.

Dag checks on her squire, gently rearranging him so he won't be disturbed by the drive home.