Joint Venture

by Tey Holden

  Karen’s grunt was only audible to Addy, who immediately took her hand to sooth her. Alex was standing in between them, but more towards the front, so they were still able to hold hands and talk into each other’s ear. “Ker, don’t let her ruin your day.”

  Karen gave her a slight okay grin and then turned to listen to Alex who apparently had a lot to say to the few people sitting around them. Alex knew all of the statistics regarding the horses participating in the race. She not only was up to date on the various horses, she also knew about the owners, the different sections of the track, the condition of the field, the jockeys and every possible thing related to the race. She was a walking encyclopedia. Such expert talk in such a young person immediately caught everyone’s attention and Alex became an instant celebrity within the surrounding crowd.

  ***

  An older man sitting in the row in front of them was thoroughly enjoying Alex’s commentaries and observations. Especially since anyone who knew about the horses parading now on the track, knew that her observations were accurate. The gentleman was so amused that he turned and began to talk to her, no doubt that he was taken aback by the adorable child. After briefly exchanging notes and comments with Alex, he introduced himself.

  “Pardon me,” he spoke to Karen and Addy. “Allow me to introduce myself,” the plump gentleman of about sixty told them, “I am Lord William Fannon.”

  “The one in Parliament?” Alex exclaimed surprised. He definitely looked like the man she had often seen on the TV.

  “Very pleased to meet you Lord Fannon.” Karen replied and Addy nodded, both shaking hands with him.

  He then turned to reply to Alex’s question. “Yes, young lady, the very same one.”

  Then the most incredible thing happened, which left Karen an Addy astonished.

  “I do not think that what you are proposing will create as many jobs as you think it will.”

  “Alex!” Karen scolded her.

  “I beg your pardon, young lady. I thought we were talking about horses here today.”

  “Our apologies, Lord Fannon. I suppose someone needs to be reminded of her manners.” Karen looked at Alex, who now had a contrite, but still stern look on her face.

  Alex then spoke to Karen. “We were talking about horses, but I thought it was a good opportunity to let him know what people think. The news people are always saying that he is out of touch with the people.”

  “Alexandra!”

  She opened her huge green eyes wide when she heard her full name. Whenever Addy called her by her full name, she knew she was in deep trouble. Addy’s scolding was very serious business.

  Lord Fannon put out his hand to Addy indicating that it was all right. “Perhaps someone so knowledgeable in horses would like to enlighten me in the political arena as well. And, by the way, young lady, what is your full name?”

  “My name is Alexandra Marcos McGill-Larsen, from the Highlands of Scotland.” She said proudly while extending her hand. Lord Fannon liked the way in which she proudly announced her provenance. “And I am not a politician. I just read a lot, do my homework and go to school.” She looked at Addy with a contrite look and then she looked back to Lord Fannon who was absolutely enchanted with her. “With all due respect, sir, I mean Lord.” She looked to Addy for approval. Addy gave her a slight smile.

  Lord Fannon chuckled. “Am I to assume, from your animated conversation, that you are Alejandro’s owner?”

  “Yes, Lord Fannon. Alejandro is our horse, mine and my parents.”

  Karen noted the choice of words and thought how appropriate it was to refer to them as her parents so as not to offer any gender indication. The gentleman continued to be intrigued and amused with Alex’s ability to converse, her self-assurance, and apparent disposition to answer each and every one of his questions.

  “Dear young lady, perhaps after the race, you would care to join me in my suite so that you can, how was it that you put it? Put me in touch with the people?”

  “I would be delighted, your Lordship. But I would need to ask my parents for permission, and they would need to bring me, are they invited as well?” Alex was now trying to be extra formal. The moms later teased her about it, calling her ‘Her Ladyship’ and ‘Her Highness’ all evening and bowing every time they came across her.

  Karen and Addy were having trouble containing their smiles at this point.

  “Most certainly. The parents, and friends, of such a knowledgeable and delightful young lady would honor me with their presence.” As typical of a politician, Lord Fannon addressed the adults as he spoke.

  Alex smiled, pleased, with the reply. The gentleman was about to turn when Alex called out to him.

  “Lord Fannon?”

  “Yes, young Alexandra?”

  In an apologetic form, Alex once again spoke. “Just wanted to let you know that we might be late. When Alejandro wins, we are going to need to go to the winner’s circle to get the trophy.”

  Lord Fannon chuckled. “Young lady, I would wait for you for no reason at all, but if that were your only reason for being late, I think I would wait for you as long as I would need to.” Then he took her hand and reverently kissed it, as a true gentleman would kiss the hand of a lady. “Now let’s see that horse of yours race!”

  “Yes sir, I mean Lord.”

  When the conversation ended, Karen and Addy looked at each other relieved. Everyone was astonished and laughing.

  “Alex, you are something else!” Melanie commented in her ear. “You just got us invited to Lord Fannon’s private party.

  She whispered in Melanie’s ear. “I think that after Alejandro wins, he may be the one wanting to come to our party.” Melanie laughed. The other women were wondering what the laughing was about. Karen always loved how well Alex and Melanie got along.

  The younger man sitting next to Lord Fannon had been on his tablet the entire time Lord Fannon had been talking to Alex. He now spoke to Lord Fannon privately. “Alejandro is owned by Lady McGill-Larsen and Adriana Marcos, owners of—.”

  “I know.” Lord Fannon interrupted him. It was no coincidence that he was one of the most influential members of Parliament. Lord Fannon might have been accused by the press of being out of touch with the people, but he certainly knew the people he needed to know.

  When Alex saw her uncles, she stood up and yelled. “Look Mommy, Uncle JP and Uncle James made it after all. Look they are over there.”

  Addy stood up and James spotted her immediately. The twosome made quite a sight. James was dressed in a black tuxedo and JP in a white one. JP’s vest was pink and he was wearing a top hat and had a baton in his hand. They made their way through the crowd, amidst some pushing and shoving.

  “Oh! Excuse me sir! Ma’am!” JP was happily waiving the baton in the air in salutation. They looked like characters out of Alice in Wonderland.

  The women could not believe their eyes. Karen chuckled and shook her head, Addy and the others chuckled as well. “Oh M’Addy! I love the way they are dressed. Look at Uncle James, he really looks handsome, and Uncle JP looks so cute! So colorful, he looks like something out of a book!” It was obvious that Alex had read Alice in Wonderland and that was probably the book she was thinking about.

  When they got to where the women were sitting, JP was his usual flamboyant self, greeting and talking to everyone and commenting and complaining and just talking senseless. He told everyone how they almost didn’t make it because they found sheep on the road and then getting to the hotel was awful because of the traffic, and how later he almost got run over by a horse when they entered the track, and how exhausted he was from their most hazardous trip.

  “I’m going to kill him, Karen. Today is the day when I’m going to kill him! Look how he made me dress! I feel like a monkey in a suit!” James looked all nervous and self- conscious.

  Karen chuckled. Addy tapped him on the breast of his suit. “Nonsense, James! You look very handsome. Come stand here next to me and let JP sit over there, next
to Karen.

  “No fair! I want to be next to you, Addy. I need protection from this maniac. If it were up to him, he would have come in corduroy pants. He should be glad to have me to arrange his couture. And are you sure you want me to sit next to the blonde one? I’m not on her nice list, as you know. “

  “Simmer down, JP, simmer down, I don’t want a domestic dispute in the grandstand. And if you behave, I promise not to grab you by the neck in public.” Karen commented.

  He replied waving his hand in the air and then bringing it to his chest, in another of his dramatic gestures. “Oh! You are impossible woman! Addy deserves all the trophies in the world for having put up with you all these years!”

  All of this, of course, was said in jest with Alex having a ball at the expense of the uncles. She loved them, and the way they interacted with her moms. “Uncle James, you look super!”

  James kissed her. “Thank you, baby girl. You look ravishing yourself.”

  “Thanks!”

  “What about me?” JP asked, and Alex laughed.

  “You look gorgeous, Uncle JP, but you know you do!”

  “I love this child!” He kissed her also.

  Alex smiled looking at both her moms. She was excited to be there and to see Alejandro run and most certainly win. But above everything else, she was happy to be surrounded by all the people she loved.

  “So, Alex, how’s our horse doing today?” James asked.

  “Magnificently!”

  ***

  When the race began, everyone rose to their feet. The excitement was too much to remain seated.

  Alejandro did not immediately take the lead. Instead he fell back allowing several horses to pass him. The women were practically holding their breaths. They looked at Alex to see how she was holding up and for some sort of reassurance that this was the planned course of action. Alex seemed unusually calm, but very much into the race. The women were somewhat perplexed and even said to her, “keep the faith, Alex!”

  “Oh! That horse is going to be the death of me!” JP proclaimed. “Why can’t he run faster from the start? I think he is too content at the starting line. Does he even know the race has begun? Look at him! He looks like he is out for a trot in a meadow!”

  “Shut up!” James demanded. “You are not helping.”

  “Well! Excuse me!” He then looked to the racetrack and closed his eyes thinking that Alejandro was not going to even make it among the first few horses to cross the finish line.

  Alex was standing on the seat so that she could have a better view of the track. The moms maintained a firm grasp on her, making sure that she would not fall. Alex responded, “be patient, people, he’s coming up soon.” Alex talked, but kept her eyes on the track and on Alejandro. She was totally absorbed by the race. When Alex, yelled ‘Now!’ it was precisely the moment when Alejandro began to advance in such an unprecedented manner that he quickly overtook several horses ahead of him. One by one, he passed them, as the crowd roared and came to their feet. It almost seemed as if Alex had him on some sort of remote control. Alejandro was barely half a length ahead of Prairie Dog, and a full length ahead of Thunder.

  “Go, go!” James screamed.

  “Run, my boy, run!” Victoria was yelling too, with Melanie clutching her arm.

  The crowd roared as Alejandro continued to advance on the other horses. The closer he got to the front, the more the crowd roared. In the midst of the roaring crowd, the women could still hear Alex shouting commands. They couldn’t help looking at each other and at their little girl who was so into the race that it seemed as if she was the one riding Alejandro.

  Alejandro kept his steady pace as Alex instructed him. ‘Steady, boy, steady.” Then it happened again, just about the time the horses were heading into the final stretch of the track, Alex yelled “Go!” And as if he had heard her command from the stands, Alejandro once again took off, overtaking all of the remaining horses. One, two, three, and ending up five lengths ahead as he flew past the finish line.

  From the moment Alejandro began to break loose from the other horses the crowd went wild. The roaring was overwhelming. People were yelling and jumping, but all the women could do, was to clutch each other’s hand and hug their little girl as she appeared to imitate riding Alejandro. When Alejandro crossed the finish line, everyone was jumping and laughing and crying, overtaken with happiness. There were hugs and kisses, and cheering sounds and even some whistling.

  “I knew it, M’Addy, Mommy, I knew it! He did it, he did it!”

  Everyone was amazed and congratulated them profusely. As they were leavings the stands, Lord Fannon congratulated her on her fine horse and the most spectacular race he’d ever seen, in his own words. She in turn reminded him that they would be late to attend his party. Lord Fannon burst out laughing.

  At the winner’s circle, Alex immediately went to Alejandro. The horse lowered his head and Alex petted him. He made sounds and squirmed. Victoria was already checking him and was about to pronounce that all was well when Alex told her to look at his right hind hoof.

  Victoria took a look at Alejandro and then looked at Alex. She wondered how Alex could have known. It seems that sometime during the race, Alejandro had bruised the sole on his right hoof. Alex said nothing more and smiled.

  Alejandro was again under heavy security when he was led back to the stables. Victoria and Marshall went with him. Later the rest of the women came to see what was going on.

  “Is he going to be okay, Victoria?

  “You bet. I already took care of it. We iced it down to ease the inflammation and he will be fine.”

  Alex came close to Alejandro who had already been groomed. She petted him and tapped his head and placed her face to his. “You okay, my friend?”

  As usual, Alejandro moved and made his sounds, while Alex stood next to him and caressed him. “He says it’s better, but that he feels something in there.”

  “He should, after we iced it, I applied a warm poultice.”

  “Like a band aid?”

  “Yes, Alex, like a band aid.”

  “Okay, people we are told we need to make an appearance at several locations. Hence, we better get going. Marshall you and Carol are welcome to come as well.” Addy told them.

  “Thank you, Addy, but we are not social butterflies.” Karen came closer to Marshall and Carol. “I wish I could stay here with you guys.” Carol laughed.

  “You guys go on,” Victoria said addressing the group and then turned to Mel, “I’ll meet you up there. I need to check Alejandro one more time.”

  When the women left, Marshall asked Victoria, “how did you know about the bruise so quickly?”

  Victoria didn’t hesitate. “Alex told me where to look.”

  “And I suppose Alejandro told her?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m beginning to believe she can really talk to him.”

  “Me too, as impossible as it might sound.”

  “Karen said she was practically calling his moves from the stands,” Marshall added.

  “She also said that he claims he can do better than what he did today. It’s hard to believe he can improve on five lengths ahead? But I wouldn’t be surprised. This horse is an extraordinary specimen, Marshall.”

  “Yes, he is. Karen and I decided to beef up security. He is too good. I mean he’s already worth his weight in gold. I can’t imagine what people will pay for his offspring.”

  “Yeah. You are right he is a pot of gold.”

  ***

  After the race, they attended all the necessary events regarding the victory. Then they went to Lord Fannon’s reception where he was eagerly awaiting them.

  “Ah! Here she is!” He addressed Alex. “I’m told, I should be addressing you as Lady Alexandra, is this correct.”

  Alex was briefly silent, trying to find an appropriate answer. Karen looked at Addy in distress. Addy winked and smiled putting Karen bit at ease. Addy had already told Alex about the Lady title and Alex di
dn’t think twice about it thinking it was an archaic thing of the past. Addy then returned her attention to Alex.

  “Lord Fannon, since I’m not yet in Parliament, I’d much prefer it if you just called me Alex and let my mother be the Lady for now.” Karen almost choked with Alex’s answer wondering who was this child and where had she come from!

  Addy smiled proudly and tapped Karen on the back gently caressing the area she tapped. Karen remained quiet but ended up smiling when she heard Lord Fannon laugh.

  Lord Fannon looked at Karen. Karen who had never cared for her nobility title, seemed rather taken aback by Alex’s sudden invitation to dump the Lady title on her. “And from the obvious resemblance I assume that you are, Lady McGill?”

  “Yes, Lord Fannon, I am.” Shit, Shit, Shit! I’m going to kill that kid!

  “I am very pleased to formally meet you. You have a magnificent horse, but really it amounts to nothing as compared to your most remarkable daughter.”

  “Thank you, Lord Fannon. We are very proud of her.” Karen thought to put an end to all the nobility crap right there and then by dropping what she thought would be the bomb. “Lord Fannon, may I introduce you to my wife, and also Alex’s mother, Adriana Marcos Larsen.”

  Alex watched the interaction attentively. Lord Fannon proved to be a real English gentleman. “I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance, as well, Ms. Marcos. I was just telling your wife that you have a lovely daughter.”

  “Thank you, Lord Fannon. She is quite a character, and we are very proud of her.” Addy looked at Alex and smiled mischievously. Alex twisted her mouth, somehow thinking that Addy had noticed her expectant look when Karen made the introduction to Lord Fannon.

  He then addressed Alex again. “Now, young lady, is it your plan to be a politician some day? And if so, what post would you like to occupy.”