Kamwulfe Publishing
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Flashpoint - Chapter 1
The Captains soft yet commanding voice echoed through the first class cabin as she announced, “Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen, we
will be cruising at thirty-eight thousand feet for our flight into New York’s Kennedy International Airport. Our scheduled flight time is…” the rest
was a blur as the Captains words only tapped the outskirts of her ears as her thoughts took her mind and spirit back in time, back on a ride
filled with emotions and memories of what she has now left behind. She was alone as she replayed every moment of the past fourteen days
and nights through the complicated and highly developed sections of her mind. Then she smiled and rested her head against the fully padded
and plush leather seat designated as 3A in the spacious first class cabin. This was the section of the airplane reserved for those who could
afford to vastly overpay for isolation and the extra benefits far different from the sometimes tightly packed and always over booked section
known as coach class. Her lovely smile soon faded as she realized, those memories were now of a far different time and tomorrow is a new
day in a life she had chosen with such cold hard calculations when she was still in college and that too seemed such a long time ago.
The big Boeing 757 slipped through the thin cold air on its way to the other side of the world as far as Katrina Ryan was concerned. And at
that particular moment in time, all she could do was sit and reflect on those she left behind. Life up until the past fourteen days was well
planned and carefully conceived through hard work, corporate politics, luck and of course a few dashes of good fortune sprinkled in she told
her self. But that was all in the past for she was the one now charged with carrying the torch and she was the one who was in absolute control
of her destiny and the future of the company she ran with precision, efficiency and resolve. And yet, today’s a sad day, a day of reflection and
a day of remembrance what was once good and decent in her short but productive life which now slowed to a crawl as she awaited her fate on
the other side of the country.
As her flight progressed, she replayed the events that marked her first real vacation she had taken in nearly twenty years and the first really
good time she had known since her last days of college. And that as they say, was far to long ago for a young and vibrant woman with appeal
to spare, but success demands a heavy toll paid by those chasing its ever-illusive status. A price this lovely creature paid in spades for all the
success she now enjoys and the power she commands. However, today as she travels back to her home in the big city, she begins to
question her motives, her desire and her destiny that was all but locked in stone before she let for her vacation. She thinks of a far different
life and she, for the first time since college, is now at her first major crossroads in a life that was so clearly defined and well planned.
The young first class cabin flight attendant stopped to ask if she needed anything. Katrina smiled a becoming smile and replied, “No I am fine
for now.” As the young and attractive woman walked away she asked herself, “I wonder if she is happy with her position in life. I wonder if she
yearns for more or has she accepted her fate with a smile.” Then she caught herself and said, “Who am I to question another’s motives or
someone else’s personal decisions.” She was right, what is good for one is not always good for another. The young flight attendant made
choices that positioned her where she wanted to be at this time in her life and for all intents and purposes she was perfectly content
performing a service for those who choose to fly around this country. And most importantly, she was very good at her job and that is all that is
required of any employee for their happiness was not an issue relevant to any CEO or senior management person, for we all make choices.
Four hours into the long and demanding flight the plane Captain appeared from the flight deck and began talking with a few of the first class
passengers. It was obviously a well-planned public relations directive established in the wake of so many major U.S. airlines flirting with
bankruptcy, the declining number of passengers and the changing economies of scale. She was a tall woman with striking features. Her
overall appearance was high lighted by her long blonde hair and deep blue eyes, although she carried a gentle manor as she approached
Katrina’s seat. She introduced herself and asked if she needed anything. Katrina smiled and said she was doing fine as she reflected on her
trip and the potential ramifications that were deeply rooted in her subconscious. The two professional women sat and talked for nearly twenty
minutes before the Captain excused her self and returned to the flight deck to prepare for their arrival into Kennedy International Airport.
As this young Captain walked back to the flight deck, Katrina was taken back by this woman’s natural beauty. She was no doubt a native
Californian and a girl who grew up on the nearly seven hundred miles of endless beaches that so defined the golden state. And by her
outwardly appearance, it was evident that she clearly enjoyed all the benefits of being a great looking blonde with a stunning figure had to
offer with the so-called “complete package”. Then she stopped and realized she too was a one time so-called complete package. She too
was tall and a stunning brunette with a promising life ahead of her until she traded it all for a seat at the big table. A table filled with self serving
executives who were no more than a pack of well dressed, over paid, over fed and self promoting testosterone packing sewer rats. She then
smiled, re-positioned her head against the soft leather seat and thought: that statement would not go well in the next board meeting – she
smiled and buckled her seat belt in preparation of landing.
Just then the Captain’s voice came over the airplanes public address system and informed the passengers to prepare for landing at Kennedy
International Airport in about twenty minutes. Her return flight was long and yet quick now that it was nearly completed and in the same breath
she mused how it was a troubled flight that would not end with her departure and return to work the next day.
The airplane gently floated to the ground and then rolled down the long runway known as Kennedy International. As Captain Hall drove the
massive two engine plane towards its designated gate, Katrina turned her head and gazed out the window and followed the line of open gates
until her flight had safely come to a complete stop and the Captain shut down the big General Electric engines thus signaling it was safe for
the passengers to leave their seats and make their way to the front of the plane to disembark. But as usual, many of the tightly wound
businessmen hiding as coach passengers had already made their way up to the first class area and were waiting for the plane’s doors to open
so they could scamper off the plane and vanish into the airports various escape routes. Katrina had long ago made it a rule she would not
fight the traffic of the mentally insane business travelers and over stressed parents with little children, rather, she would wait until all the
passengers, the children and parents gathered their personal items and finally deplaned before she left her seat and made her way to the
main terminal. On this night as she waited for the herd of humans to stampede by, she noticed the young female Captain standing talking to
the flight attendants. As she made her way to the door she smiled at the Captain and they spoke briefly as she finally left the plane and made
her way down to the baggage claim area to collect her personal belongings.
Once outside the terminal, Katrina hailed a cab as any seasoned New Yorker could do and began her journey back to the city and back to her
comfortable brownstone in lower Manhattan in which she shared with her estranged and all to often-illusive husband of the past eight years
now. What once was a somewhat passionate love affair had now turned into a business and social arrangement of convenience; they were
only roommates and occasional lovers. Both humans carried enormous responsibilities and were driven extensively by individual pressures
and overwhelming egos and when mixed with carefully plotted schedules that combination left no room or desire for extra activities at the end
of the long workday. No it was a marriage of convenience now and no one fooled them selves into thinking anything different. He had his
social functions and she hers and seldom did they mix for one social group did not accept the other and that is what you call the politics of
business and social status of the big city called New York.
The drive into the city was long and short all mixed into one. A light mist covered the cabby’s windshield when it finally stopped in front of
Katrina’s stately brownstone row house. She settled her bill and thought of the old Harry Chapin song when she said to the driver, “Harry,
keep the change.” With that she smiled and made her way into the building, sat her bags down in the hallway and walked to the kitchen for a
cool drink of water and maybe a cup of hot herbal tea she had grown accustomed to while at the ranch. What she did not know was Shawn
McVeigh had slipped a package of his special blend tea into her bags as a going away present and a way to say “thank you” for spending your
vacation with us and all the horses at the ranch. Katrina put the water on to boil and walked upstairs to begin to draw her hot bath and relive
her last two weeks in a far different and more friendly environment. She then poured a cup of tea and settled into the hot water and let her
mind run free as tears appeared in her eyes when she thought of waking up tomorrow morning and not seeing her beloved - Charlie.
Katrina Ryan was a stunning woman with all the right curves and soft additions bestowed upon a woman of her natural physical beauty. In
other words she was what every man desired and nearly every woman held such ritual contempt and dislike for, yes she was that stunning of a
creature. But late at night, this beautiful creature would often stand and stare out the window of her plush brownstone building looking for
something so undefined and as if lost in the lights of the city she has called home for the past twenty long and hard years of her life. However,
tonight something occurred that set her off balance, something that unsettled her career compass. It was an event that would begin as a
minor disturbance to her once pure spirit and grew into a major storm. A storm that would set in motion the winds of change to her highly
successful life; it was something that could only come from the bottom of her heart and the tip of her soul and she was helpless to fight the
power for which it would consume her existence.
Standing quietly with only her thoughts to comfort her this evening, the lovely and now distant Katrina observed the heartbeat of the big city
she once loved with such passion and now she feared with even more resolve. As she reflected on her life as it compared to last evening and
the past fourteen days at the ranch, she took another sip of the herbal tea Shawn McVeigh thoughtfully packed for her. It’s taste brought back
sweet memories of a man as she smiled and thought of the kindness that ran through his veins. Finally admitting to her self, now that she was
nearly thirty-two hundred miles away, how this older man interested her not only spiritually but sexually as well. No, he was unique to say the
least and he was a decent man of enormous kindness and compassion for all those creatures that called his ranch home. Over the past two
weeks she wanted to make a jester or send a signal that she would welcome an overture of friendship and possibly something far more
deeper, but she was conditioned to never lose control of the situation and this was far out of her current acceptable conduct. And for that,
tonight while she was so far away she felt empty and nearly lost, as she stood alone in the dark dreaming of his touch and his presence and
what could have been if this man would have touched her soul.
With discipline and self-control, she finally regained her composure, her free ranging emotions only to lose them again when she thought of
her old horse – Charlie. What was she doing at this moment? Will she miss me in the morning when her breakfast is served? Will Charlie
look for me and then wonder where I have gone? Or will she forget me and the two wonderful two weeks we were together and choose
another human to take my place? Katrina felt faint; she reached out for a chair to steady her self as more tears formed in her beautiful green
eyes. It was all to much for her to comprehend this evening and so she tried to put it out of her mind and mentally prepare for tomorrow when
she would return to her chosen profession as the CEO of a large communication company. But tonight, now at this moment in time that wasn’t
good enough to ease her pain.
Mentally she tried to outline her first day back, but it was hopeless. She continuously flashed back to the ranch and Charlie. She finally
unpacked her digital camera and spent the next three hours looking at all the pictures she took of her time at the ranch and those humans she
came to love and admire. She was in heaven. She thought of Sandra, Alexia, and Shawn and of course - Charlie. She had taken nearly a
hundred pictures of Charlie. Not really, but it seems as if there were at least that many. She cropped and re-balances several pictures then
emailed several copies to her address at work so she could reflect on Charlie as her day progressed, so she thought.
The hour was late and it was time to finally turn in but she knew it would be simply hopeless for she could no more fall asleep tonight than
transport her self back to the ranch where the past two weeks of her life she was someone far different, someone far more impressive and
someone who was complete within her body and soul. In retrospect, she liked that new person far greater than she did the one she looked at
in the mirror each and every morning.
The elevator doors opened and out stepped a tall and well-tanned woman with sun bleached streaks in her thick brown hair. She was simply
stunning and looking like two million dollars as every mans’ eyes followed this Goddess’s every step. Everyone knew the “Boss” was due back
at work this morning so no one dared come in late or heads would surely roll. Katrina Ryan was back and running the mighty ship, or was it a
mighty ship of fools and brown nosing boys and girls with larger than life aspirations of stardom as soon as they could cut Ms. Ryan’s throat
that is. As she walked past the row of desks she heard the chorus of “Welcome Back Ms. Ryan.” Nevertheless, she moved routinely through
the maze until she reached her plush corner office where she was met by her assistant, Darcy Williams, a stunning young black woman with a
heart of gold and a smile that lit up a room when she entered. She followed Katrina into her office and handed her a cup of freshly brewed
coffee with one cream and no sugar – thank you.
Darcy closed the door and said, “Well, did you have a good time.” Katrina could only smile as she replied, “Oh yes it was heaven out there
Darcy it was simply heaven”, as Katrina’s eyes grew wider and wider. Darcy pulled up a seat and said, “All of it, I want to hear all of it right
down to the littlest detail.” For next forty-five minutes Katrina told her close friend and secretary a story of a Genesis, her Genesis and
finished with I have to go back next year. Darcy Williams was a good friend and an excellent administrative assistant. She alone kept Katrina
on schedule and made all the small personnel decisions that took place at the corporation that were far too redundant for her superiors time
and patience. But this morning she saw a far different Katrina Ryan. She no longer saw the woman with the killer instinct. She no longer saw
the determination in her boss’s eyes and she no longer heard the tone of destruction in her voice that led to penetrating inter-office
memoranda’s that so clearly defined this woman of power as someone who the weak of heart should not test. No, something had changed this
calculating executive who was know as the woman with ice water flowing in her veins. Today was going to become far different than anyone
could ever expect or imagine.
As the hours progressed, Katrina’s spirit grew darker and darker. She was no longer the woman she had been only a few months prior. Most
speculated she must have contacted some type of terminal disease or was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and some hoped she had
received another offer too grand for her to refuse. Speculation ran wide throughout the corporation and yet her performance and the
companies revenues did not decrease rather continued to grow as projected. As a matter of fact, since Ms. Ryan assumed the duties as the
corporation’s new leader, growth increased as projected each and every quarter thus signaling to Wall Street that this executive was a
complete success and therefore must be considered a force to be reckoned with in the business community. But it was never about
testosterone or the lack of it flowing through human’s veins that made her a good executive – hell no. It was opportunity and not reverse
discrimination or proving a point. Katrina Ryan was elevated to CEO because she was the best candidate available at the time and that was
the only factual criteria needed to convenience the board of directors.
But there was something missing. Something was wrong. And no one, not even Darcy Williams could put her finger on that elusive variance.
When approached by friends Katrina deferred and simply replied, “All was great.“ When questioned by the board of directors she stated, “We
are progressing at a predictable rate of growth while revenues are increasing and our expenses continue to decrease.” And when her
husband, Joe Seger, attempted to pin her down on her obvious mood and attitude swing, she refused to discuss something that had no merit
or position in their calculated and superficial relationship. In reality, Katrina Ryan simply did not know herself what was going through her
heart and soul and all she could do was put a time line on her changes and try to work backwards.
When she finished her long and tedious analysis, as she was noted for, the answer to the problem was obvious and the solution was only as
far away as a blink of an eye. Time and chance; we all deserve another time to correct what went wrong so many years ago and another
chance to find what is missing in a life so carefully chosen when she wore a younger woman’s clothes and who dreamed of chasing
rainbows.
The Captains soft yet commanding voice echoed through the first class cabin as she announced, “Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen, we
will be cruising at thirty-eight thousand feet for our flight into New York’s Kennedy International Airport. Our scheduled flight time is…” the rest
was a blur as the Captains words only tapped the outskirts of her ears as her thoughts took her mind and spirit back in time, back on a ride
filled with emotions and memories of what she has now left behind. She was alone as she replayed every moment of the past fourteen days
and nights through the complicated and highly developed sections of her mind. Then she smiled and rested her head against the fully padded
and plush leather seat designated as 3A in the spacious first class cabin. This was the section of the airplane reserved for those who could
afford to vastly overpay for isolation and the extra benefits far different from the sometimes tightly packed and always over booked section
known as coach class. Her lovely smile soon faded as she realized, those memories were now of a far different time and tomorrow is a new
day in a life she had chosen with such cold hard calculations when she was still in college and that too seemed such a long time ago.
The big Boeing 757 slipped through the thin cold air on its way to the other side of the world as far as Katrina Ryan was concerned. And at
that particular moment in time, all she could do was sit and reflect on those she left behind. Life up until the past fourteen days was well
planned and carefully conceived through hard work, corporate politics, luck and of course a few dashes of good fortune sprinkled in she told
her self. But that was all in the past for she was the one now charged with carrying the torch and she was the one who was in absolute control
of her destiny and the future of the company she ran with precision, efficiency and resolve. And yet, today’s a sad day, a day of reflection and
a day of remembrance what was once good and decent in her short but productive life which now slowed to a crawl as she awaited her fate on
the other side of the country.
As her flight progressed, she replayed the events that marked her first real vacation she had taken in nearly twenty years and the first really
good time she had known since her last days of college. And that as they say, was far to long ago for a young and vibrant woman with appeal
to spare, but success demands a heavy toll paid by those chasing its ever-illusive status. A price this lovely creature paid in spades for all the
success she now enjoys and the power she commands. However, today as she travels back to her home in the big city, she begins to
question her motives, her desire and her destiny that was all but locked in stone before she let for her vacation. She thinks of a far different
life and she, for the first time since college, is now at her first major crossroads in a life that was so clearly defined and well planned.
The young first class cabin flight attendant stopped to ask if she needed anything. Katrina smiled a becoming smile and replied, “No I am fine
for now.” As the young and attractive woman walked away she asked herself, “I wonder if she is happy with her position in life. I wonder if she
yearns for more or has she accepted her fate with a smile.” Then she caught herself and said, “Who am I to question another’s motives or
someone else’s personal decisions.” She was right, what is good for one is not always good for another. The young flight attendant made
choices that positioned her where she wanted to be at this time in her life and for all intents and purposes she was perfectly content
performing a service for those who choose to fly around this country. And most importantly, she was very good at her job and that is all that is
required of any employee for their happiness was not an issue relevant to any CEO or senior management person, for we all make choices.
Four hours into the long and demanding flight the plane Captain appeared from the flight deck and began talking with a few of the first class
passengers. It was obviously a well-planned public relations directive established in the wake of so many major U.S. airlines flirting with
bankruptcy, the declining number of passengers and the changing economies of scale. She was a tall woman with striking features. Her
overall appearance was high lighted by her long blonde hair and deep blue eyes, although she carried a gentle manor as she approached
Katrina’s seat. She introduced herself and asked if she needed anything. Katrina smiled and said she was doing fine as she reflected on her
trip and the potential ramifications that were deeply rooted in her subconscious. The two professional women sat and talked for nearly twenty
minutes before the Captain excused her self and returned to the flight deck to prepare for their arrival into Kennedy International Airport.
As this young Captain walked back to the flight deck, Katrina was taken back by this woman’s natural beauty. She was no doubt a native
Californian and a girl who grew up on the nearly seven hundred miles of endless beaches that so defined the golden state. And by her
outwardly appearance, it was evident that she clearly enjoyed all the benefits of being a great looking blonde with a stunning figure had to
offer with the so-called “complete package”. Then she stopped and realized she too was a one time so-called complete package. She too
was tall and a stunning brunette with a promising life ahead of her until she traded it all for a seat at the big table. A table filled with self serving
executives who were no more than a pack of well dressed, over paid, over fed and self promoting testosterone packing sewer rats. She then
smiled, re-positioned her head against the soft leather seat and thought: that statement would not go well in the next board meeting – she
smiled and buckled her seat belt in preparation of landing.
Just then the Captain’s voice came over the airplanes public address system and informed the passengers to prepare for landing at Kennedy
International Airport in about twenty minutes. Her return flight was long and yet quick now that it was nearly completed and in the same breath
she mused how it was a troubled flight that would not end with her departure and return to work the next day.
The airplane gently floated to the ground and then rolled down the long runway known as Kennedy International. As Captain Hall drove the
massive two engine plane towards its designated gate, Katrina turned her head and gazed out the window and followed the line of open gates
until her flight had safely come to a complete stop and the Captain shut down the big General Electric engines thus signaling it was safe for
the passengers to leave their seats and make their way to the front of the plane to disembark. But as usual, many of the tightly wound
businessmen hiding as coach passengers had already made their way up to the first class area and were waiting for the plane’s doors to open
so they could scamper off the plane and vanish into the airports various escape routes. Katrina had long ago made it a rule she would not
fight the traffic of the mentally insane business travelers and over stressed parents with little children, rather, she would wait until all the
passengers, the children and parents gathered their personal items and finally deplaned before she left her seat and made her way to the
main terminal. On this night as she waited for the herd of humans to stampede by, she noticed the young female Captain standing talking to
the flight attendants. As she made her way to the door she smiled at the Captain and they spoke briefly as she finally left the plane and made
her way down to the baggage claim area to collect her personal belongings.
Once outside the terminal, Katrina hailed a cab as any seasoned New Yorker could do and began her journey back to the city and back to her
comfortable brownstone in lower Manhattan in which she shared with her estranged and all to often-illusive husband of the past eight years
now. What once was a somewhat passionate love affair had now turned into a business and social arrangement of convenience; they were
only roommates and occasional lovers. Both humans carried enormous responsibilities and were driven extensively by individual pressures
and overwhelming egos and when mixed with carefully plotted schedules that combination left no room or desire for extra activities at the end
of the long workday. No it was a marriage of convenience now and no one fooled them selves into thinking anything different. He had his
social functions and she hers and seldom did they mix for one social group did not accept the other and that is what you call the politics of
business and social status of the big city called New York.
The drive into the city was long and short all mixed into one. A light mist covered the cabby’s windshield when it finally stopped in front of
Katrina’s stately brownstone row house. She settled her bill and thought of the old Harry Chapin song when she said to the driver, “Harry,
keep the change.” With that she smiled and made her way into the building, sat her bags down in the hallway and walked to the kitchen for a
cool drink of water and maybe a cup of hot herbal tea she had grown accustomed to while at the ranch. What she did not know was Shawn
McVeigh had slipped a package of his special blend tea into her bags as a going away present and a way to say “thank you” for spending your
vacation with us and all the horses at the ranch. Katrina put the water on to boil and walked upstairs to begin to draw her hot bath and relive
her last two weeks in a far different and more friendly environment. She then poured a cup of tea and settled into the hot water and let her
mind run free as tears appeared in her eyes when she thought of waking up tomorrow morning and not seeing her beloved - Charlie.
Katrina Ryan was a stunning woman with all the right curves and soft additions bestowed upon a woman of her natural physical beauty. In
other words she was what every man desired and nearly every woman held such ritual contempt and dislike for, yes she was that stunning of a
creature. But late at night, this beautiful creature would often stand and stare out the window of her plush brownstone building looking for
something so undefined and as if lost in the lights of the city she has called home for the past twenty long and hard years of her life. However,
tonight something occurred that set her off balance, something that unsettled her career compass. It was an event that would begin as a
minor disturbance to her once pure spirit and grew into a major storm. A storm that would set in motion the winds of change to her highly
successful life; it was something that could only come from the bottom of her heart and the tip of her soul and she was helpless to fight the
power for which it would consume her existence.
Standing quietly with only her thoughts to comfort her this evening, the lovely and now distant Katrina observed the heartbeat of the big city
she once loved with such passion and now she feared with even more resolve. As she reflected on her life as it compared to last evening and
the past fourteen days at the ranch, she took another sip of the herbal tea Shawn McVeigh thoughtfully packed for her. It’s taste brought back
sweet memories of a man as she smiled and thought of the kindness that ran through his veins. Finally admitting to her self, now that she was
nearly thirty-two hundred miles away, how this older man interested her not only spiritually but sexually as well. No, he was unique to say the
least and he was a decent man of enormous kindness and compassion for all those creatures that called his ranch home. Over the past two
weeks she wanted to make a jester or send a signal that she would welcome an overture of friendship and possibly something far more
deeper, but she was conditioned to never lose control of the situation and this was far out of her current acceptable conduct. And for that,
tonight while she was so far away she felt empty and nearly lost, as she stood alone in the dark dreaming of his touch and his presence and
what could have been if this man would have touched her soul.
With discipline and self-control, she finally regained her composure, her free ranging emotions only to lose them again when she thought of
her old horse – Charlie. What was she doing at this moment? Will she miss me in the morning when her breakfast is served? Will Charlie
look for me and then wonder where I have gone? Or will she forget me and the two wonderful two weeks we were together and choose
another human to take my place? Katrina felt faint; she reached out for a chair to steady her self as more tears formed in her beautiful green
eyes. It was all to much for her to comprehend this evening and so she tried to put it out of her mind and mentally prepare for tomorrow when
she would return to her chosen profession as the CEO of a large communication company. But tonight, now at this moment in time that wasn’t
good enough to ease her pain.
Mentally she tried to outline her first day back, but it was hopeless. She continuously flashed back to the ranch and Charlie. She finally
unpacked her digital camera and spent the next three hours looking at all the pictures she took of her time at the ranch and those humans she
came to love and admire. She was in heaven. She thought of Sandra, Alexia, and Shawn and of course - Charlie. She had taken nearly a
hundred pictures of Charlie. Not really, but it seems as if there were at least that many. She cropped and re-balances several pictures then
emailed several copies to her address at work so she could reflect on Charlie as her day progressed, so she thought.
The hour was late and it was time to finally turn in but she knew it would be simply hopeless for she could no more fall asleep tonight than
transport her self back to the ranch where the past two weeks of her life she was someone far different, someone far more impressive and
someone who was complete within her body and soul. In retrospect, she liked that new person far greater than she did the one she looked at
in the mirror each and every morning.
The elevator doors opened and out stepped a tall and well-tanned woman with sun bleached streaks in her thick brown hair. She was simply
stunning and looking like two million dollars as every mans’ eyes followed this Goddess’s every step. Everyone knew the “Boss” was due back
at work this morning so no one dared come in late or heads would surely roll. Katrina Ryan was back and running the mighty ship, or was it a
mighty ship of fools and brown nosing boys and girls with larger than life aspirations of stardom as soon as they could cut Ms. Ryan’s throat
that is. As she walked past the row of desks she heard the chorus of “Welcome Back Ms. Ryan.” Nevertheless, she moved routinely through
the maze until she reached her plush corner office where she was met by her assistant, Darcy Williams, a stunning young black woman with a
heart of gold and a smile that lit up a room when she entered. She followed Katrina into her office and handed her a cup of freshly brewed
coffee with one cream and no sugar – thank you.
Darcy closed the door and said, “Well, did you have a good time.” Katrina could only smile as she replied, “Oh yes it was heaven out there
Darcy it was simply heaven”, as Katrina’s eyes grew wider and wider. Darcy pulled up a seat and said, “All of it, I want to hear all of it right
down to the littlest detail.” For next forty-five minutes Katrina told her close friend and secretary a story of a Genesis, her Genesis and
finished with I have to go back next year. Darcy Williams was a good friend and an excellent administrative assistant. She alone kept Katrina
on schedule and made all the small personnel decisions that took place at the corporation that were far too redundant for her superiors time
and patience. But this morning she saw a far different Katrina Ryan. She no longer saw the woman with the killer instinct. She no longer saw
the determination in her boss’s eyes and she no longer heard the tone of destruction in her voice that led to penetrating inter-office
memoranda’s that so clearly defined this woman of power as someone who the weak of heart should not test. No, something had changed this
calculating executive who was know as the woman with ice water flowing in her veins. Today was going to become far different than anyone
could ever expect or imagine.
As the hours progressed, Katrina’s spirit grew darker and darker. She was no longer the woman she had been only a few months prior. Most
speculated she must have contacted some type of terminal disease or was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and some hoped she had
received another offer too grand for her to refuse. Speculation ran wide throughout the corporation and yet her performance and the
companies revenues did not decrease rather continued to grow as projected. As a matter of fact, since Ms. Ryan assumed the duties as the
corporation’s new leader, growth increased as projected each and every quarter thus signaling to Wall Street that this executive was a
complete success and therefore must be considered a force to be reckoned with in the business community. But it was never about
testosterone or the lack of it flowing through human’s veins that made her a good executive – hell no. It was opportunity and not reverse
discrimination or proving a point. Katrina Ryan was elevated to CEO because she was the best candidate available at the time and that was
the only factual criteria needed to convenience the board of directors.
But there was something missing. Something was wrong. And no one, not even Darcy Williams could put her finger on that elusive variance.
When approached by friends Katrina deferred and simply replied, “All was great.“ When questioned by the board of directors she stated, “We
are progressing at a predictable rate of growth while revenues are increasing and our expenses continue to decrease.” And when her
husband, Joe Seger, attempted to pin her down on her obvious mood and attitude swing, she refused to discuss something that had no merit
or position in their calculated and superficial relationship. In reality, Katrina Ryan simply did not know herself what was going through her
heart and soul and all she could do was put a time line on her changes and try to work backwards.
When she finished her long and tedious analysis, as she was noted for, the answer to the problem was obvious and the solution was only as
far away as a blink of an eye. Time and chance; we all deserve another time to correct what went wrong so many years ago and another
chance to find what is missing in a life so carefully chosen when she wore a younger woman’s clothes and who dreamed of chasing
rainbows.
Synopsis: “Opulent Flashpoint”
This contemporary story introduces Katrina Ryan,
CEO of a powerful communications company in New
York City, who after twenty years of working endless
days and weekends finally admits she needs a few
weeks off and a long delayed vacation away from
the grind of corporate America. Although initially
she has her doubts, she chooses a second chance
ranch & sanctuary filled with rescued horses and
compassionate humans that show her a new life
reminiscent of her childhood. Once at the ranch,
Katrina meets an old horse (Charlie) that reminds
her of a time now long since past and what she left
behind as she began her journey to the top of the
corporate mountain. The first day of her vacation,
she meets an old man (Shawn McVeigh) who at first
glance seems no more than a hired hand, without
authority, and worldly experience outside this
humble existence. Ryan later learns he is the owner
and absolute authority of the ranch and carries a
gentle soul and a soft touch. When she finds out
from his daughter (Sandra McVeigh) his true
identity and purpose, she is embarrassed and
makes a promise to never pre-judge humans
again. After a conversation with Shawn, Ryan
chooses Charlie, an old guard horse rescued for a
hellhole far to terrible too mention as her
companion for her visit at this working ranch for lost
souls and soon learns this horse is far more than
she bargained for on that first day. Charlie is a
carbon copy of her now long departed horse she
loved so dearly as a young child growing up on her
grandparents ranch in Oklahoma. During her time
at the ranch and sanctuary, something occurs that
Katrina Ryan did not expect. She begins falling in
love with her old horse, the old man and all who
work there. Ryan is quickly accepted by all the
resident ranch hand’s as one of them while they all
fall in love with this mystery woman and her gentle
ways they think is from Oklahoma. Katrina and
Shawn become closer near the end of her visit as
she listens to his story of Diablo, the young wild
mustang whose spirit remains the driving force of
the sanctuary. When she finally returns to her
highly stressful career in New York she will promote
a young man (Greg Smith) who needs a career
break, fire a man (Don Westerly) who’s time has run
out, and tries to pick up the pieces of a broken
heart when she has to say goodbye to her beloved
Charlie and all the humans she has come to love
with such honesty and resolve. Now back at her
chosen career, twenty-eight long days pass, twenty-
eights days of pain and loneliness -- nearly a month
of making life changing policies while driving her
company into the new millennium before she finally
realizes her true fate. This is an odyssey every
woman fights with who has worked in corporate
American and felt the pain of discrimination before
the winds of change begin to blow or was it simply --
fates right hand.
This contemporary story introduces Katrina Ryan,
CEO of a powerful communications company in New
York City, who after twenty years of working endless
days and weekends finally admits she needs a few
weeks off and a long delayed vacation away from
the grind of corporate America. Although initially
she has her doubts, she chooses a second chance
ranch & sanctuary filled with rescued horses and
compassionate humans that show her a new life
reminiscent of her childhood. Once at the ranch,
Katrina meets an old horse (Charlie) that reminds
her of a time now long since past and what she left
behind as she began her journey to the top of the
corporate mountain. The first day of her vacation,
she meets an old man (Shawn McVeigh) who at first
glance seems no more than a hired hand, without
authority, and worldly experience outside this
humble existence. Ryan later learns he is the owner
and absolute authority of the ranch and carries a
gentle soul and a soft touch. When she finds out
from his daughter (Sandra McVeigh) his true
identity and purpose, she is embarrassed and
makes a promise to never pre-judge humans
again. After a conversation with Shawn, Ryan
chooses Charlie, an old guard horse rescued for a
hellhole far to terrible too mention as her
companion for her visit at this working ranch for lost
souls and soon learns this horse is far more than
she bargained for on that first day. Charlie is a
carbon copy of her now long departed horse she
loved so dearly as a young child growing up on her
grandparents ranch in Oklahoma. During her time
at the ranch and sanctuary, something occurs that
Katrina Ryan did not expect. She begins falling in
love with her old horse, the old man and all who
work there. Ryan is quickly accepted by all the
resident ranch hand’s as one of them while they all
fall in love with this mystery woman and her gentle
ways they think is from Oklahoma. Katrina and
Shawn become closer near the end of her visit as
she listens to his story of Diablo, the young wild
mustang whose spirit remains the driving force of
the sanctuary. When she finally returns to her
highly stressful career in New York she will promote
a young man (Greg Smith) who needs a career
break, fire a man (Don Westerly) who’s time has run
out, and tries to pick up the pieces of a broken
heart when she has to say goodbye to her beloved
Charlie and all the humans she has come to love
with such honesty and resolve. Now back at her
chosen career, twenty-eight long days pass, twenty-
eights days of pain and loneliness -- nearly a month
of making life changing policies while driving her
company into the new millennium before she finally
realizes her true fate. This is an odyssey every
woman fights with who has worked in corporate
American and felt the pain of discrimination before
the winds of change begin to blow or was it simply --
fates right hand.
Opulent Flashback
My Lady Ashley
She is Hayoka