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Kentucky Miracles

By Marlene Worrall

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Dana rose before the sun came up. Two months from now, on the first Saturday in May, the world-famous Kentucky Derby would take place. She could barely contain her excitement. She glanced over at Graham. He slept soundly. She took a quick shower, grabbing breakfast on the run. She’d prepared hard boiled eggs the night before to save time in the morning. It was 4:00 a.m.
She scrawled a note to Graham, leaving it on the kitchen table. Jumping into her white SUV, she drove to the track, where she would meet the exercise rider, which today was Jacob, the jockey for Firelight Fancy. Graham and the ranch hands would take good care of the horses in her absence.
Firelight Fancy had taken first place in the Preakness Race just three days ago. His health issues were behind them. It was full speed ahead. Jacob was poised and ready to excel and take the purse at the upcoming Derby. God is on our side. We’re bound to win. He grinned savoring the triumph he prayed would soon be theirs. Daily, he was faithful to commit the colt, training and the upcoming race to the Lord. With God all things are possible was his mantra.
At the track, Jacob mounted the colt, doing a fast warm-up. In twenty minutes, he would race Firelight Fancy against another colt, prepping for the big day. He needed to make sure the colt was used to dirt flying in his face, as well as being accustomed to competing. Jacob practiced getting the colt out the gate when the starter called the start of the Kentucky Derby. That was a crucial aspect of prepping him for the big race. He sensed the colt was fast moving into a competitive racing spirit that would hopefully take them to the victory they’d been praying and dreaming about since acquiring the colt. The countdown was on. Fifty-seven days until the world-famous Kentucky Derby.
Jacob was in his glory. He was born for this. He believed victory was ahead. He was counting on it. He’d been enthralled with the equines ever since he could remember. Aunt Ginny had raised him on her farm and encouraged him to go for his dream. She’d been a remarkable woman, running the farm solo after his uncle had died. He’d lost both his folks in a freak highway accident and she’d raised him from when he was...as she was fond of saying “Knee high to a grasshopper.” Blaze had been his favorite colt at her farm, but he’d ridden the other horses there as well. The old house still stood. During his years there, growing up, it looked as though a heavy gust of wind could blow it over...it still looked that way. But somehow, God had seen to it that the house remained intact. He’d never married. He took care of Aunt Ginny now, the way she’d looked after him in his youth. God was good, and he never ceased to marvel at the extra-ordinary ways he turned everything to the good for those who loved Him. Aunt Ginny had taught him to stay in the Word like she did. He’d been only four or five when she’d started saying things like: “Seek Him while he may be found.” “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths.” Because of her loving guidance, he was grounded in the Word.
The old tumbledown shack brimmed with paintings and plaques, depicting the simple, godly life of those ardent followers of the Lord. He’d always believed that he was destined to be the jockey for a Kentucky Derby winning colt. Then, he would fulfill his dream of building a new house for himself and Aunt Ginny. God’s Word assured him that He would bestow blessing and prosperity upon his faithful followers.
He had long admired the famous portrait of the old man seated at a table, head bowed in prayer as he gave thanks to the Lord for the loaf of bread and butter sitting on the table; along with his open Bible. He, too, gave thanks in everything like Aunt Ginny had taught him.
The competing colt won the race this morning. Jacob was disappointed but he gave his head a shake. If it was easy, everybody would be doing it. Training a colt and competing for the Derby is a formidable challenge. I’m equal to the task, Lord. And so is Dana. He dismounted, soon shaking the hand of Tony Starr, his winning competitor. “Nice work, Tony. Thanks for the race.” Jacob grinned. He loved the camaraderie that existed between the jockeys.
Tony grinned, pleased. Soon he remounted the colt and rode him back to the barn.
Dana wasn’t feeling well today. Her tummy felt queasy and she wasn’t nearly as focused on the training as she usually was. Must have been that spicy, Mexican food we had last night.
But the next morning, Dana threw up after breakfast. Was she pregnant? Instantly, some scriptures popped into her mind. They were about children being a blessing from the Lord. Stunned, she immediately phoned her doctor, requesting an appointment and tests.
Dr. Milla Sikonas confirmed positive test results. “Congratulations, Dana. You and Graham are going to have a baby.”
Dana sat in the chair at the doctor’s office in a state of shock. Her former doctor had told her she could never have children. She’d accepted that as gospel. But now she was pregnant. A deep well of joy bubbled up inside her. Lord, you are so good. You are a great and mighty God. And there is none like you. Joy bubbled up inside her. “I’m...really...actually... pregnant.” She jumped up from the chair, hugging Dr. Sikonas and twirling her around. “Yippy. It’s been one of my ...secret dreams for ages...one of the desires of my heart.” Her face was lit with a beaming smile. “I think I’ll pick up a bottle of good champagne, put it on ice...and maybe ask Violet to make something special for dinner...and then I’ll make the announcement to Graham.” She was over the moon. This was really, really amazing. God was amazing. A scripture popped into her mind. “Nothing is impossible with God.”

Graham sat in his den, his nose buried in paper work, when Dana burst into his private space. She felt like the cat that swallowed the canary. She peered at Graham, her heart bursting with joy.
“What’s goin’ on Dana? Something good just happen?”
She flashed him a huge smile, peering into his cobalt blue eyes. She paused for effect. She’d always used the dramatic pause to emphasize a point. Danielle had taken her to numerous theatre productions when she was a child. She’d always been fascinated by actors and the theatre, picking up a few tricks along the way.
“Yes, Dana?”
“Graham...Sweetheart...”
“Yes, Dana...what is it? Spit it out.” He peered over at her from his chair across from his Louis .6th desk, a touch of irritation playing across his features.
“Honey, I’m pregnant.” Smiling, she threw her arms around him in a display of jubilation.
“Come on...”It was several minutes before he was able to form words from his gaping mouth. “I...I thought you said you couldn’t have children...”
“Well, ya...like that’s what I thought. That’s what my previous doctor told me. But Dr. Sikonas has just confirmed that I’m with child.” She smirked. “I have champagne cooling on ice. Follow me, Da Da.”
He did as instructed.
In the colossal country kitchen, Dana popped the champagne cork and poured the bubbly into three champagne flutes. She served Graham and Violet and then herself. “To our beautiful, new baby.” Dana’s eyes brimmed with tears of joy. “My heart can barely hold more joy.”
“To you and Graham and the baby.” Violet raised her flute, overjoyed. She beamed as the three of them clinked glasses. She took a healthy sip of the bubbly. “Very nice.” Champagne had always been Violet’s favorite wine.

Will showed up as though he had peripheral hearing. He saw the celebration. “Are y’all celebrating something?”
“Dana is going to have a baby.” Graham’s face beamed. “We’re going to have a baby.” He corrected himself.
Will was stunned and struck silent for a few beats. Soon, he found his voice. “Wow. Cool.”
A sour expression changed his countenance. “Like…does this mean we have to baby-sit?”
Graham chuckled. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, we’re just adjusting to the idea ourselves.”
“Just as long as you don’t fill all the upstairs bedrooms with kids.” Violet loved to tease. Her eyes twinkled as she glanced from Graham to Dana, sipping her champagne.
“Ya, Dad. Like we’re running a horse farm here... not a kid’s farm.” Will smirked.
Jay showed up in the kitchen. He headed toward the fridge but stopped when he saw the celebration. “Hey, what’s goin’ on?”
Graham smirked. “We’re going to have a baby.”
Jay was stunned speechless. “A baby? Really?” He said it like maybe she was going to have a cow.
“It’s been known to happen, Jay.” He winked at his son.
Jay was silent a few beats and then grinned. “Cool. Very cool.” He paused. “What are you going to name the baby?” Jay peered over at Dana and Graham, trying to adjust to the idea.
“I have no idea.” Dana’s smile was radiant. “I think maybe it will depend on whether it’s a boy or a girl.” She winked at him.

It was a cool, overcast day. Everyone lounged around the vast living room sipping champagne. Violet served caviar and crackers to go with it.
Dana glanced out the long bank of windows facing the veranda from the living room at the front of the house, rays of late afternoon sunshine flickered as though waiting in the wings for a signal to show up on the horizon to endorse the happy occasion. “We’ll have a lifetime to share...so many ways...”Dana suddenly began to sing and dance around the house, overjoyed. “A child...a child...I’m about to have a child...” She could hardly believe the sea of emotions sweeping over her. She could not contain her joy.
Graham stood and twirled her around. Suddenly, they were dancing, the kids had gone off to their rooms or somewhere in the house and Violet had sneakily put on romantic music and tactfully vanished. It was their special, private moment of bliss; the celebration of one of one of God’s greatest blessings in life ─ a baby.

That night Dana was overcome with emotion. She sobbed in Graham’s arms. “Oh honey, I can hardly believe I’m...we’re...going to have a baby.”
Dana was surprised how quickly her body chemistry changed. Though it had only been a month, she was already rejecting some foods and craving others. Her doctor had said that would happen in a couple months, but it had happened sooner. She craved rare and exotic foods, along with ice cream, etc., etc. Her interest and focus in the upcoming Derby waned. She became plump. Overnight, it seemed.

Graham teased her when he found her sitting at the kitchen table in the middle of the night, gorging on chocolate ice cream and chocolate cookies.
Tears sprung to her eyes. “How can you be so cruel, Graham? A baby is growing inside me. I have no control over what she...or he...wants to eat. I can’t help it. This thing is bigger than both of us...having a baby is the most incredible experience a woman ever goes through...other than the bliss of intimacy, of course.” She smiled at Graham.
“Of course. Well, I’m just sayin’ Dana… that you should try to...well...to take it easy. Slow down a little.”
“Like I can control this, Graham? I wish I could.”
“Of course you can, honey. Just take it easy. You don’t have to give in to every craving, you know.”
“Really? That’s not how I heard it.”
“How did you hear it?”
“Never mind.”

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