“April!” Damian called to her as she wandered down the aisle, gifting each horse with a mint as usual. “Look, I spoke to Campbell about Prime Time.”
“What did he say?” April asked, getting excited.
“You can buy the horse, but...” he said, holding up his finger, “You have to prove to Campbell that the horse isn’t dangerous. He can’t sell him at all if he’s gonna turn around and hurt someone. Bad publicity, for him and for me.”
“I understand. And I can do that.”
“Good,” Damian said, checking his watch, “Because he’ll be back in an hour.”
“Today? I have to do it today?” With everything that was going on with Lex, April didn't think she was in the right frame of mind to deal with this right now.
Damian nodded. “Now or never. That’s why I called. Are you up to it with your arm?”
She touched her sore forearm and tried to hide her wince. Thankfully it wasn’t broken, but it was tender to the touch.
She nodded.
“Are you sure?” Damian asked.
April looked around and spotted Prime Time’s large chestnut rump showing over the top of his stall door.
“I guess I’ll give it a shot.”
In the arena, she gauged her options. She didn't want Campbell to think the horse was dangerous, but how could she do a round-penning exercise without the round-pen? How the hell was she going to save this horse?
Lex watched Violet breathing. He matched his breath with hers, holding her hand, careful not to wake her.
Dr. Grey knocked on the door and poked his head inside.
“Lex…can I speak to you for a moment?”
Lex stood and glanced once more at Violet before following the doctor down the hallway and into an office. He sat in one of the chairs and frowned.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Lex…the meningitis research that I’ve been doing over the past years had led me to believe that the percentage of infertility for meningitis patients was close to one hundred.”
“Until me?”
The doctor pressed his lips together.
“What?” Lex said.
“I’ll be honest, I thought it odd that your case was one of the most severe I’ve ever seen, and yet you remained fertile in adulthood. I didn’t think it was possible, so I wanted to examine your specimen immediately; call it, powerful curiosity.”
“And?”
“And…Lex…I was right all along. You are not the medical marvel you would have to be.”
“What are you saying?”
“You’re infertile.”
“What?” Lex’s mind was a blank. He collapsed back into the chair.
Dr. Grey scratched his head. “You can’t have children.”
“But...I have a child...Violet is carrying my child!”
Dr. Grey shook his head. “No, I’m afraid she’s not.”
“You’re lying!” Lex spat out. “This is some sort of sick joke! Did Cash put you up to this?”
“Mr. Mitchell, this is not a joke.”
Lex’s mind was reeling. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Could he have suddenly become infertile since Violet got pregnant? Or was it true that he had been betrayed and tricked, and the child Violet was carrying wasn’t his after all?
He gritted his teeth.
“It’s not my child...” Lex said, clenching his fists.
The doctor shook his head.
“Are you sure?”
“We are now. You are infertile and you’re not the father.”
“Then who is?” Lex stood up, staring Dr. Grey in the eye. “I have to talk to Violet...” He rushed past him and into the hallway.
“Mr. Mitchell, wait!” The doctor followed him, grabbing his arm.
Lex stared at him again, studying his expression. Dr. Grey looked away. Lex’s eyes fixed on the manila folder in the other man’s hands. He reached for it. The doctor jerked it out of his reach.
“Tell me who the father is!” Lex shouted.
Holding the file behind his back, Dr. Grey said, “We don’t know who the father is.”
“So what am I supposed to do now? Pretend like I still give a damn about her and her kid?”
“I just deliver the results, Mr. Mitchell.”
Lex looked at the ground. “...Infertile? I’m infertile?” He leaned against the wall, sure his legs would fail. He didn’t understand. It was made worse by the fact that he had believed for a second; he had believed that he could have a family. He had believed Violet’s lie. And what was the lie for? Some stupid publicity stunt?
Lex’s blood began to boil. She had cheated him out of the child he had begun to love. He had to find out who the father was.
“I’m gonna find him...” he said. His voice sounded softer than he intended; a quiet fury, like demons running when a good man went to war.
Dr. Grey stepped in front of him. “Mr. Mitchell, you need to calm down first.”
“Get out of my way!” Lex shouted in his face. Kudos to the doctor; he didn't even flinch. “You don’t understand what Violet has taken from me. She’s lied to my face for months. Probably longer! Who knows how long she’s been sleeping with him.”
“Mr. Mitchell, I need you to calm down, or I will contact the police.”
“No need,” Lex said, lowering his hands to his sides, suddenly calm. “No need...I’ll go...” He backed away from him, his mouth pressed into a grim line. He still couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He had to get out of there. Turning around, he strode out of the building and jumped in his car, glad no-one was around, and he screamed.
Lex punched the steering wheel until his hands ached, yelled his rage until his throat burned. His heart stung. He had thought he was going to be a father. In the toughest time of his life, the only thing that kept him going was thinking about that little baby, and wondering if it would look like him, or act like him as it grew up. And now that was all gone. Lex felt like he was missing a part of himself, a part he had opened up just for that child.
The hardest part was the lie. Violet had known all along. She had used Lex for publicity and to cover up her own sick agenda.
He leapt from the car and stormed back into the hospital, jumping the stairs three at a time and searched the doors he passed until he saw Violet’s.
He froze when he heard voices inside.
“It’s okay,” Cash said.
“I want her fired! I want her out on her ass so fast...”
“Shh.” Cash’s voice was soft, gentle, like he was speaking to a baby. “Accidents happen. The main thing is that you are safe. And this little peanut in here is safe.”
Violet didn’t answer for a moment. Then she said, “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Where else would I be?”
She made a contented noise and Lex’s mind started to spin. A sudden thought hit him. Memories flashed in front of his eyes.
Stolen glances. Smiles. A twinkling of the eye when looks were shared. Small remarks that seemed perfectly innocent at the time, but could have been holding some sort of sealed intimacy.
“What are we going to do about Lex?” Violet said.
Lex wanted to press his ear against the door, but stopped himself.
Cash grunted. “Let me handle it. Lex is...Lex will be fine. He’ll be pissed, but he’ll get over it. The arrangement benefits him too.”
“I guess so.”
“Like I said, my main concern is your safety, and our child’s.”
Lex rushed in, shoving the door so hard it bounced on its hinges. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of them sitting together and grabbed onto the door jam, fuming.
“It’s you...” he whispered. “It’s...you?”
Cash stood up, planting himself between Lex and Violet. He took Violet’s hand.
Lex looked at them with his lips pressed together. “You lied to me,” he said, his voice cold.
“We did,” Cash said.
“W
hy?” Lex shook his head. He flexed his fingers against the white trim.
“It’s for the best, Lex!” Violet said.
Lex moved further into the room and stood by the window, trying to appear non-threatening so that his brother would relax.
“How is this for the best? How was lying to my face – for months – better for anyone?”
“Sit down.” Cash gestured to the stiff armchair. “Let’s talk.”
“I’ll stand,” Lex said.
Cash returned to his spot beside Violet.
“I’m listening,” Lex said.
“Think about it, Lex,” Violet urged, “Think about what would have happened to my career if everyone found out? I’d be ruined.”
“How is that my problem? I wouldn’t be!”
“Really?” Violet sat up straighter, the sheets crinkling as she moved. “You’d look like an idiot. And not only that, but you’d lose that stable, family-man persona you have going. You’d be just another famous bachelor. You’d disappear.”
“I wouldn’t!” Lex slammed his fist against the window sill. “You lied to me!”
“For the greater good!” Cash said.
Lex scoffed.
“Listen, Lex. We lied, yeah. And we shouldn’t have. But now, you have an opportunity. Your career will be on fire once the baby is born. You won’t have a free night once the talk shows start calling.”
“What about April? What am I supposed to tell her?”
“Don’t tell her anything! She doesn’t need to know! Look, Lex. It’s not that hard. You were fully prepared to stay with Violet and raise the baby. April wasn’t even in the equation.”
“Yeah but I wasn’t happy about it! I wanted to be with April!”
“You can be, if you want! Just keep it a secret!”
“You’ve been doing it all along, right?” Violet said.
Lex shook his head. “Not since she came back. We agreed to stop seeing each other, because it wasn’t right, with the baby coming.”
“Well now you don’t have to worry about your moral dilemma. You get to be with April. And keep your career. You get the best of both worlds. All you have to do, is not tell April.”
Lex looked from Cash to Violet. He was still angry at their lie but what they were saying made sense. April didn’t have to know about the infertility. She didn’t have to know about baby not being his. She could be blissfully ignorant, and they could be together, as long as no-one found out.
“Just think about what’s important here, Lex; your career.” Violet raised her eyebrows.
“Is that all you ever think about?” Lex snapped at her.
“It’s all you think about, too! Admit it.”
Lex shook his head, looking at the ground.
“Fine,” he said.
“It’s your decision, Lex,” Cash murmured.
“I said, fine!” Lex snarled. “I’ll do it. But I’m not doing it for either of you.”
He stood up, walking towards the door, and saw Cash and Violet share a smile.
Prime Time stood staring at April from across the arena. She had let him go, let him choose where he wanted to be in the corral, and he had chosen the farthest spot from her, more proof of his disrespect and distrust of humans. She couldn’t blame him. Why would he trust humans, when all they had ever done was disrespect him and treat him like he was worthless?
April stared at him, stepped back, and then looked at the ground. She could tell he was intrigued by her odd behavior; he took a step towards her. That was what she was trying to do, remind him that he was the one with all the choices. But she would make one choice more desirable by offering him a good deal, and it was completely up to him whether or not he took it.
“Good boy,” she cooed as he took another step.
She inched backwards again, drawing him towards her by making her energy inviting. His steps were larger than hers and every time she moved, and he followed, he got closer and closer to her.
Ten more small steps back for April and the horse stood within arm’s reach. She didn't try to touch him. She turned her back and walked away from him. Footfalls sounded behind her and she breathed a sigh of relief; she had him. She had accomplished a join-up without the use of a round-pen.
Turning around to face him, she stroked him once down the face, being sure to state in her energy that they were still working. Usually the only reward the horses got while training was the removal of pressure, but she was too overjoyed in the moment to stick to her own rule.
April slid the halter Prime Time still wore over his ears and dropped it into the dirt. She practiced stepping towards and away from different areas of his body and he responded perfectly, yielding or coming closer, following the direction of her energy. She had an idea.
“Whoa,” she murmured, stepping to his left side and placing her hands on his back.
The horse’s skin quivered under her touch and his left ear was glued on April, his eyes suspicious.
“Whoa,” she said again, louder and firmer this time.
Again this was a choice for the horse. He could have moved if he wanted to; April didn't have a rope or reins to stop him. But he made the choice and stood still, watching her from the corner of his eyes, questioning her actions carefully.
April hopped a couple of times, only lifting a couple of inches off the ground, then pushed off hard and slid herself onto Prime Time’s wide back almost effortlessly. She breathed deeply to calm herself as a sudden burst of excitement hit her stomach. The horse hadn’t moved a muscle.
“Good boy,” she said, stroking down his mane to find a good amount to use as a handle. She found what she was looking for and touched her heels to the horse’s sides, shifting her weight forward.
“Walk on,” she said.
Prime Time began to move, slowly, towards the edge of the arena, stepping as if he was unsure of what was going on. April relaxed.
She clicked her tongue and he picked up the pace and trotted to his left, responding to her leg cues. She pressed with her inside calf and he moved to the rail, gliding smoothly over the ground as if he wasn’t even touching it. She clicked again and sent him into an easy lope, beaming from ear to ear as she felt his footfalls, easy and controlled, hit the soft sand.
Movement on the edge of the arena caught her eye. Lex walked in, saw her and stopped by the rail. The slight frown on his face shifted and mirrored her wide smile. She lifted her free hand and waved, laughing as Prime Time picked up the pace, without any leg cues, simply listening to the subtle transfer of her weight forward.
She turned him in a small circle and aimed him at the small jump that was set up in the middle of the arena. She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed deeply, steeling herself. She let go of his mane completely and stretched her arms out beside her, feeling like she was flying as the horse arched over the jump and landed gracefully on the other side, fully choosing to be a willing partner with her.
It was the greatest success for April to have a horse’s enthusiasm for communication. Some horses tolerated humans, like Prime Time had tried to do when Violet rode him, but when someone was prepared to put in the time, set their ego aside and lay everything on the table, opening their soul and letting the animal experience the transparency of the human spirit, the magic could happen. And that was what April felt as she opened her eyes and slowed the horse to a walk; she felt like there was magic in the air.
Lex was still beaming as April guided Prime Time over to him.
“That was incredible, April! I can’t believe it!” he said.
She returned his smile, scratching Prime Time’s withers. “I needed to show him that he had choices, that I wouldn’t force him to do anything.”
“I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
April shook her head. “I’ve never done anything like that before. It was just an idea. I’m surprised it even worked.”
“Of course it worked,” Lex said, entering the arena and stroking Prime Time’s neck
. He put his hand on April’s leg. “You’re a miracle worker.”
She frowned slightly, disappointed by the butterflies that began fluttering it her stomach. She didn't think they would ever go away. “Why are you here? How’s Violet?”
“She’s fine,” Lex said.
April looked at him expectantly.
“I’m not a carrier.”
“Lex, that’s incredible!”
“So I was wondering...Would you wanna go on a date with me?”
“Isn’t that a bad idea?”
“Probably. But, I don’t really care, to be honest. You are single, right?”
April nodded and chuckled. “I am.”
“Perfect. I’ll pick you up tonight then.”
A voice over Lex’s shoulder distracted her and she looked up. Campbell and Damian entered the arena.
“Well, April,” Campbell said, “I see you’ve begun without us.”
“Yes, sorry, Elliot.” April smiled at Lex and he retreated to the other two men.
Damian looked worried, and April gave him a reassuring nod.
“As you can see,” she began, “this horse is not dangerous. He just needs a certain type of trainer, and rider. He’s very dominant and he will not cooperate if he feels like he is being disrespected. What I’ve done here is show him that whatever he does is his choice. If he wants to listen, he can.”
“But he could have refused to listen,” Campbell said.
“He could have, but he didn’t. He chose to respect me, because I was respecting him.”
Campbell nodded. “Alright, show us what he can do.”
April cued the horse into a trot, almost immediately asking him for a gentle lope. She performed figure-8 patterns and asked the horse for sliding stops and quick turns on the haunches. He complied to each request gracefully. April just hoped that Campbell and Damian could see the change in the animal like she could.
As she came to a slow stop in front of them, breathing hard and feeling Prime Time’s body move as he inhaled and exhaled, Campbell began to slowly clap. April slid to the ground and put her hand on the horse’s shoulder.
“Very impressive, April. You’ve convinced me.”
Damian looked at April and smiled.
Campbell continued. “I can’t just give you the horse, though. I’m sure you understand that a horse of this caliber will go to the highest bidder for a lot of money. We need to make it fair on the rest of the buyers.”
Love and Lies (Sunshine & Shadow Book 4) Page 4
