by Toni Leland
Faith leaned against the trailer, arms crossed. “Gee, Jess, you never told me how good looking he is.”
Jess kept her emotions hidden. “If you’ll think about it, I never told you anything about him.”
A flash of pain moved across Faith’s features, and Jess immediately regretted the snide comeback.
“Aw, Faith. I’m sorry.” She stepped over and squeezed her friend’s shoulder. “I’m sorta new at this boyfriend thing. Forgive me?”
“Yeah, but you’re sure jumpy and irritable lately.” Faith sighed, then gazed directly into Jess’s eyes. “Do you want to talk? Jess, we’ve always talked about everything. What’s changed?”
Swallowing the thick lump in her throat, Jess tried for a smile. “Nothing’s changed. I’m fine. Howard’s a great guy, and I enjoy his company, but I don’t see having anything permanent with him.”
A horse whinnied impatiently from inside the trailer. Faith looked unconvinced, but seemed to know the conversation had ended. She slid the latch on the trailer door and dropped the ramp.
“Okay. Come on and help me get these horses unloaded. I’m bushed.”
Jess settled into her bed, weariness rolling through every muscle. She wanted to sleep, but feared closing her eyes. If she slept, the night would disappear, and morning would come too soon. Her future would be unveiled in a few short hours and, suddenly, the prospect of that knowledge terrified her.
The strain of dealing with raw emotions–Faith’s, Bill’s, and her own–claimed her, and she buried her face in the pillow and prayed for the first time since she’d been a little girl asking God for her very own horse.
Chapter 17
Samir sat in his tiny office, gazing at the photograph of his wife and Dania smiling back at him in the dim light. In the showroom beyond the curtain, Hasim and a customer discussed the durability of a Turkish Anatolian carpet. The day had dawned like any other, but at ten o’clock that morning, Samir’s life had taken a new direction, a path for which he’d been preparing his entire life.
He left the shop through the rear entrance, and started down the street. A few blocks ahead, the minarets of the mosque towered over the surrounding buildings. On the heavy midday air, the soulful wail of the muezzin drifted, sweet and promising, calling the faithful to prayer. Samir’s heart filled with joy and his fingers feverishly worked the strand of red beads as he strode toward the mosque.
He’d finally received The Call. His mission was clear: he would be an instrument of Allaah’s will.
The fog drifting through Jess’s head made it hard to concentrate. Jumbled images whirled through her thoughts as she struggled to open eyelids that seemed to weigh five pounds each. She finally succeeded, then flinched at the brilliant light. I’m freezing! Gentle hands quickly tucked the blanket close around her body, and she realized she’d spoken out loud. In the haze, Dr. Frame’s pleasant face shimmered into focus, and Jess’s memory sharpened.
“Can you hear me, Jessica?” He smiled. “You’re going to be just fine. No cancer. The mass is benign.”
A trickle of hot tears rolled down her temples, and she sank deep into her relief, welcoming the heaviness crowding in. She closed her eyes and drifted again. Thank you, God.
When she awoke later, the fog had disappeared. She gazed at the ceiling in the small recovery room, and began to chart the future. Every thought was crystal clear, and Faith headed up the list of priorities–she had to go back to AA. It would not be an ultimatum, but Faith would understand the ramifications of refusal. The business could not afford the liability of an alcoholic in charge of children. Period. And without Faith, there would be no Easton Ridge.
A chubby woman in pale pink scrubs appeared next to the bed. “I need to check your blood pressure. How are you feeling now?”
“When can I go home?”
The nurse didn’t respond, her eyes focused on the apparatus. A moment later, she pulled the stethoscope from her ears and smiled.
“As soon as the doctor signs you out, probably another hour or so.”
She breezed out of the room, and Jess’s thoughts returned to reality. The private poker game would be the big fix, and not a minute too soon. A tremor of excitement ran though her chest–part pleasure, part anxiety–but mostly, the challenge of the chase.
Late that afternoon, the taxi turned into Easton and Jess gazed through the window, surveying her domain with new resolve. In the practice ring, Faith watched two riders move smoothly around the perimeter. By the barn door, another youngster adjusted stirrup leathers. Jess felt energized and optimistic. She was in charge of the future, and nothing would keep her from fulfilling that destiny.
Early the next morning, Jess sorted through the payables and receivables, making notes and trying to develop a realistic budget. Outside, a car door thumped, and she glanced at her watch. Faith seemed to have gotten herself back on track the past several days, coming to work clear-eyed and energetic. A good start, but not a victory. Jess shook her head sadly. The ongoing battle of a recovering alcoholic.
Faith strode into the office. “Whoa! You’re certainly an early bird!”
“Gotta get those worms. How did things go yesterday?”
“Just fine. Naomi delivered Dania’s horse. What a fabulous animal–he came off that trailer and made himself right at home.”
Jess nodded. “He might be a handful, but you should have seen the connection Dania made with him. Love at first sight for both of them.”
“Did you ever mail that deposit check to Naomi?”
Jess’s stomach dropped. “Huh? Oh, hell, I completely forgot about it.” She busied herself closing the ledger and tidying a stack of invoices. “What’d you tell her?”
“That you’d call her. . .She wasn’t real happy about leaving the horse here with no security.”
Jess heard her own defensive tone. “Jeez, Faith, it was an oversight. I’ll take care of it.”
Faith’s tone softened. “Jessie, are you going to tell me what’s going on? Unexplained day off, coming home in a taxi. . .Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
Jess closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. “Two weeks ago, I had an abnormal mammogram. The doctor wanted to do a biopsy–that’s where I was yesterday.”
The silence felt suffocating. Faith stared across the desk, a parade of emotions passing over her features.
“Why didn’t you tell me?
“I dunno. Maybe I thought saying it out loud would make it real.”
Faith rose from the chair, her chin quivering, her injured tone finding its target. “I guess our friendship didn’t survive the test of time.”
“Aw, Faith. . .”
Jess watched her partner stalk out the door. Would it do any good to go after her? Try to explain why she’d felt compelled to keep the horror and fear inside? Do I even know why? Had she so little confidence in Faith that she couldn’t lean on her, even a tiny bit?
In moments, Faith’s voice shattered the painful musings.
“Jessie!”
She jumped up and raced into the aisle. Faith strode toward her, flanked by two figures. Against the bright backlight of the open doors, Jess could see only silhouettes. A second later, she stared at two strange men.
Distress showcased Faith’s features. “These men say you hired them.”
Dark skin, deep emotionless eyes, black hair, expressionless faces. Neither man spoke, just stared at her, waiting.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you. These are Samir’s nephews. They’ll be helping out for the summer.”
Confusion passed through Faith’s eyes and her brow wrinkled slightly. “I thought we weren’t hir–”
“I’ll tell you about it later.” Jess nodded to the men. “Welcome.”
The shorter of the two spoke in clipped words. “I am Hafez al-Nabi.” He gestured to the heavy-set man beside him. “This is my cousin, Mustafa al-Ani.”
“I’m Jessica Rayder. I’ll show you to your quarters, then Faith can give you inst
ructions for the morning chores.”
She turned quickly to avoid Faith’s still-questioning gaze, and the men followed her down the aisle toward the door. She crossed the gravel parking strip that separated the barn from the carriage house, then unlocked the door to the former servants’ quarters. She wrinkled her nose at the musty odor wafting out of the long-closed room.
Hafez looked wide-eyed. “Is wonderful!”
“I apologize for not being ready. Samir didn’t tell me you’d be arriving so soon. I’ll be back in a few minutes to make up the beds.”
Hafez smiled widely, revealing yellow teeth with gaps. “Do not trouble yourself. We need only a blanket to be comfortable.”
Jess nodded and headed back toward the barn. Samir must be the only one in the family who’s well off.
Faith met her at the door to the tack room. Her eyes still reflected anxiety, but anger now colored her high cheekbones.
“What’s going on? Why are you being so secretive?”
“Faith, I told you, I forgot.” Jess’s own irritation began to surface. “I had a lot on my mind, and I can’t exactly refuse free help, can I?” She opened the storage closet and pulled down two blankets. “Samir is sponsoring them for the summer, and they needed something to do. He’s paying their salaries.”
An ugly expression distorted Faith’s fine features. “What’s the deal? We’re suddenly overrun with A-Rabs. First the Mahfoods, now this. I don’t like it.”
Jess slammed the blankets down on top of a tack trunk, and whirled to face her partner. “Faith, knock it off! Since when did you start being so prejudiced?”
The color drained from the pretty face and Faith’s voice hummed with hatred. “Since three thousand people died on 9/11 because of these assholes.”
Chapter 18
By one o’clock, a headache throbbed through the base of Jess’s skull. The scene with Faith played over and over, and Jess’s despair took hold. Had it only been twenty-four hours since she’d made optimistic plans for the future? She–who would be Faith’s salvation–had screwed it up royally with her damned independent, I’m-in-charge streak. She sighed. Let a few hours pass, then find Faith and apologize, maybe even come up with some plausible reason for her own bizarre behavior.
The telephone intruded on the dismal thoughts, and Elvora’s smile sparkled through her words.
“We’re all set for Saturday night. How about you?”
“Absolutely. Tell me where and when, and I’ll be there.”
“Meet me at seven by the fountain in the lobby, and I’ll take you up to the suite.”
“How many will be in the game?”
“Six altogether. These are big mucky-mucks, including a Saudi Arabian sheikh.”
Something clicked in Jess’s brain. Was she imagining it, or was her world suddenly peppered with Middle Easterners? She shook off the thought. Apparently she’d just never noticed them until the Mahfoods came into her life.
“Genuine royalty? What’s his name?”
“Mohammed. Real original, huh?” Elvora chuckled. “But you wouldn’t believe how much money the sheikh’s advance group is spending on this little jaunt.”
Jess’s mental wheels spun. That’s okay. I’m not intimidated by anyone.
Elvora’s tone softened, taking the edge off her next words. “I hope you found a dress. . .foreign men like pretty women. You might have quite an advantage.”
A second later, Jess hung up the phone and snorted. “Like I need one.”
A sharp rap on the doorjamb preceded a wiry woman with chin-length brown hair and sharp features. She looked to be in her early forties.
“Jessica? I’m Mona Johnson.” Her firm handshake matched her self-confidant posture.
Jess smiled. “Come on in and sit down. I understand you’re going to trade slave labor for lessons.”
Mona sat down next to the desk and crossed her legs. She had a pleasant smile, and her husky voice hinted at a lifetime of cigarettes.
“Yeah, I’m a substitute teacher in the afternoons, usually one or two days a week at the elementary school in Burlington. Just barely a living, but it gives me some time to myself.”
Jess laughed. “And you want to spend that time cleaning stalls?”
“No, I want to spend it learning to ride. All my life, I’ve wanted to ride horses, but the circumstances were never right. Now they are.”
The woman’s expression revealed the depth of her dreams, and Jess felt surprise at her own response. How many little girls end up as lucky as Faith or me? Apparently, not many.
Mona filled out the employment forms, then rose. “I’ll be here at five tomorrow morning. See ya.”
Twenty minutes later, Zada Mahfood stepped into the office, followed by a young boy and a dark-skinned woman carrying a baby girl.
“Good afternoon, Miss Jessica. I apologize for interrupting your work.” She gestured toward the other woman. “I’ve brought my friend, Nadia Mohammed, to watch Dania’s lesson.”
Jess’s voice cracked when she spoke. “Mohammed?”
Zada smiled. “You know the name?”
“Ah, well, it sounds familiar.”
The other woman chuckled softly. “Yes, it is a name such as your Johnson or Smith.”
Zada patted the boy’s shoulder. “This is Ibrahim. He wants to ride horses, just like Dania.” She cast an indulgent smile on the handsome little boy, whose arrogant expression sent irritation crawling across Jess’s shoulders.
Mrs. Mohammed spoke, her tone respectful. “Samir speaks highly of your riding stable. It would be an honor to bring Ibrahim here for lessons.”
Jess’s thoughts raced. Good fortune had definitely returned to Easton Ridge. Three free pair of helping hands and another rich riding student. Top it off with a good night at the poker table, and Jess could relax back into the life she loved. Maybe even take a little trip to Idaho.
Half an hour later, she stuffed Nadia Mohammed’s five hundred dollars into the envelope with the down-payment money.
Jess stepped into the tack room. “Faith? Can we talk?”
Faith kept her head down, concentrating on the bridle she was cleaning. “Sure. What about?”
Jess sat down on a tack trunk. “I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about my health. I felt so overwhelmed with the financial thing, it was more than I could handle at the time. I didn’t want to try answering questions until I had answers. It had nothing to do with our friendship, believe me.”
Faith set the bridle aside and tilted her head. She gazed at Jess for a few moments, then nodded.
“I guess I can’t blame you. I haven’t exactly been a rock of strength myself lately.”
“How is everything? Any word from Bill?”
Jess cringed inwardly at yet another secret she’d kept from her friend.
“No, I’m concentrating on getting straight right now. When the time is right, I’ll talk to him.” She rose and carefully hung the bridle on the hook, and her voice cracked. “He was so good for me, so loving, promising a future together, a family.”
Jess’s heart ached while Faith haltingly continued the confession.
“The first time I slipped off the wagon and treated myself to a glass of wine at a party, he grabbed my arm so hard it hurt, and steered me out onto the patio. Wanted to know what the hell I thought I was doing. Then, he snatched the wineglass and threw it into a shrub.”
Jess felt as though she were looking into a raw, oozing wound. “What happened?”
“The booze made me cocky, I got snotty, and the evening dissolved into a quarrel. The next morning, I had a horrible hangover, and vowed not to let it happen ever again.” She shook her head. “Famous last words.”
Jess rose and reached for Faith’s arm. “When I woke up in the recovery room, and found out I wasn’t going to die, you were the first person in my thoughts. You are more important to me than you could possibly know. You owe it to yourself to get straight and continue with your success here at Easton. I’
ll be right beside you if you falter. I promise.”
Chapter 19
The next morning, Jess awoke to the sound of sparrows chirping outside her window. She stretched and yawned.
“No stalls for me today!”
What a luxury to be up early with no pressing responsibilities. She carried her coffee to the porch, and settled into the swing. The fresh scent of newly mown grass and honeysuckle floated on the cool morning air. A crisp blue sky carried wisps of contrails, drifting into zigzag patterns high above the earth. Only the soft whine of a jet airplane on its approach to Bradley International disturbed the silence.
Gazing across the field at the barns bathed in the first pale peach-colored rays of sunrise, Jess couldn’t conceive of living anywhere else. She moved her fingers over her chest, gingerly touching the still-sore spot beneath her right nipple. Resolve edged into her thoughts, shaping a plan, and solidifying her strength. She could do this. She would save Easton.
A movement caught her eye, and she watched two figures moving briskly toward the main barn. Good, the nephews are starting early. She watched them disappear into the dark entrance. She turned at the sound of a truck coming up the drive and, a few minutes later, Mona strode into the barn. Guess I’d better get my own butt in gear.
The barn was humming with activity by the time Jess arrived. Hafez worked his way down the aisle with feed tubs, while Mustafa washed and refilled water buckets. Jess watched them for a moment, pleased by their diligence.
Five minutes later, she frowned at Faith’s scrawl, rambling across a scrap of notepaper on the desk. “Naomi hasn’t received that check yet.”
“Damn!”
The crumpled note bounced off the rim of the wastebasket. She needed to avoid a confrontation with Faith until after Saturday, then first thing Monday morning, she’d personally take the cash to Naomi. Until then, she’d have to tap-dance. Timing and skill were the only things that would keep disaster from winning.