by Imani King
“Thanks. Bye.” I abruptly hung up the phone, unable to handle one more word from my grandfather’s lawyer.
I started to pace around the kitchen, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. This was the one way I could really provide for a child. If Adele fell pregnant, I could make sure she and the baby had everything they needed.
I would have to tell Adele about the will at some point.
The thought terrified me.
What would she think? What would she do?
I didn’t have a choice. After all, she would have to agree to the DNA test.
“Hey, is everything okay?” Adele appeared in the doorway. “You sounded pretty upset.”
I tensed. Had she overheard the conversation? “I’m fine,” I said, praying she believed me.
“You sure?”
I nodded.
“Okay. Good.” She came up behind me and rubbed my chest, her hand going further and further down my torso.
I smirked. I was just about to kiss her when a loud, drawn-out whinny came from the baby monitor on the counter.
Our eyes widened. “Missy!” We said in unison.
Quickly, we ran up the stairs, barged into the bedroom, and got dressed.
“Do you think it’s really happening?” Adele asked, excitedly.
“Trust me, I know the sound of a horse when it’s foaling.”
Adele was struggling with her sweater so I gently eased her head into the hole. I chuckled and kissed her forehead. All thoughts of the will and my grandfather were gone from my mind. I would tell her later. For now, I would let her enjoy the magic.
We practically ran down to the farm.
A few days ago, we had relocated the other horses into the spare barn, giving Missy the space she needed. Charger had been hesitant to leave his mare behind but I had managed to coax him with a fair share of sugar cubes.
“What do you want me to do?” Adele asked, looking a little nervous.
“Hey, just relax. Everything is going to be okay.” I squeezed her hand. “We don’t actually have much to do. Missy is a veteran. She’s already been through this four times. She’s never had a problem.”
Adele nodded.
Missy was laying on the fresh hay, looking up at us. I approached her slowly, knowing she could be rather skittish. “Hey girl, how you feeling?” I kept my voice soft and soothing as I held out my hand, offering her some oats.
She huffed, sending some of them flying to the ground, but after a moment’s hesitation, she ate them. I patted her neck and smiled. “You’re going to do great, okay?”
Adele joined me, watching the mare with amazement in her eyes. “How do we know when she’s, you know...”
“She’ll get a burst of energy. She’ll start getting up and down and eventually, she’ll settle down and the baby just kind of… pops out.”
“Wow…” she whispered, treading very lightly.
Missy regarded her with a bit of weariness, but nonetheless remained calm, coaxed by Adele’s sweet, angelic voice. She rubbed the mare’s neck. Missy nudged her hand, whining gently.
It took all night for Missy to get to the end of her labor. Adele had practically nodded off in my arms. I gently shook her. “It’s happening,” I whispered.
Her eyes widened. “For real?”
I nodded.
We both sat there, witnessing the event. Missy was breathing heavily. The foal’s head could be seen, but then everything stopped. Missy got up, becoming flustered. She shook her head vehemently.
“Something’s wrong,” I said, springing to my feet. “I think he’s stuck.”
“Stuck?” Adele repeated, horrified. “What do we do?”
“We got to pull him out, or have they not taught you this in vet school?”
“We’re still studying cats and dogs. We haven’t gotten to the larger animals yet.”
“Well, welcome to Foaling Boot Camp 101. Go wash your hands, up to the elbow.”
She did as she was told, scrubbing viciously.
“I’m going to try and calm her down. While I do that, you’ll have to go behind her, stick your hands up there and pull out the foal.”
She was starting to look pale but nodded nonetheless.
I tossed her a pair of gloves. “I know you can do this.” I gave her a quick kiss for good luck before I turned, walking toward Missy who was pacing around the barn, looking for a way to escape. “Whoa girl, it’s okay. There’s no need to worry. We’re going to help your baby and everything is going to be okay. I promise.” I tiptoed forward, a coil of rope in my hand. If I could only get it around her neck, then I’d be able to guide her toward the harness. “Now, you know I’d never hurt you…”
Missy stomped the ground with her hooves, rearing her head.
“Easy! Easy!” I tried to soothe her, knowing that such movements could cause great harm to both her and the baby. “Let us help you.”
She looked past me as if she was about to charge. I took my chance before it was too late. The rope slid onto her neck. I tightened it a bit, pulling her toward the back of the barn. She resisted me at first but eventually relented.
As fast as I could, I rigged her up. This way, she couldn’t lay down, making Adele’s job much easier.
“Are you ready for this?” I asked her.
She nodded, stepping forward.
“You’ll have to be careful. She might try to kick you during the process.”
Adele gulped.
“But, I’ll be right here with you. We’ll get through this together.”
She took a deep breath and made the plunge.
Missy jerked forward, but the harness didn’t allow her much movement. “Easy…” I rubbed her side, trying to soothe her. “Everything is going to be okay.”
“What exactly am I supposed to hold onto here?” Adele was up to her elbows at this point.
“You need to grab him by the legs and pull him out that way.”
“But his legs aren’t anywhere near the entrance.”
“Then, push him back in and try to reposition him. Don’t worry, there’s a lot of room in there. You won’t hurt Missy.”
Adele stuck her tongue out as she focused all her efforts on saving the foal. I could see the muscles on her arms twitching under the skin.
“Come on, we don’t have much time here.”
“I’m almost there… Got it!” she exclaimed, tugging with a strong, steady force. Slowly, the foal started to emerge.
Suddenly, it dropped into her arms, causing Adele to fall to the ground. I quickly grabbed the foal, holding it upside down.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
“Sometimes, they can’t breathe because their nostrils are backed up with mucus. Grab that suction bulb, will you?”
Adele jumped to her feet and snatched it from the workbench. She kneeled, carefully clearing out the foal’s airways.
“It’s not—”
“No,” I said. I wasn’t going to let it die. Not on my watch.
Behind me, Missy was starting to get restless, concerned about her newborn.
“It’s okay Mama, we’re going to get him breathing.” I shook the little creature, praying for a miracle.
Just then, I felt it kick. My heart leapt with joy. I placed it on the ground and it lifted its little head. I then freed Missy who immediately greeted her child, licking up the afterbirth.
Adele stood beside me, a smile on her face. “That was… amazing.”
I smiled down at her. “You did great. Are you sure you’ve never done that before?”
“Never.”
“You’re a natural. I might have to hire you.” I winked, wrapping my arm around her waist. “Why don’t we give the new mom some space while we take a nice, hot shower? You look like a mess.”
“Jeez. Thanks,” Adele laughed.
Before she could walk out the door, I snatched her in my arms.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like I�
�m doing?” I countered. “I’m carrying you.”
“But, why?”
“Because you deserve to be carried.” I kissed her forehead and smiled.
Once we were back inside the house, I sat her down on the sink. “I’m making a mess,” she protested, about to get down.
“Don’t worry about it. We can clean it later. Right now, I just want us to enjoy a nice shower together.” I patted her thigh before turning on the water, making sure it was just the right temperature before I walked back over to her, slowly stripping off her clothes, piece by piece.
I was gentle with her, taking my time. My fingers danced along her skin. For the first time since we got back together, I didn’t have the burning desire to ravish her. Instead, I just wanted to care for her—to love her. I truly was falling for her.
I had already fallen for her.
She kissed me, holding my face so I wouldn’t pull away. The kiss was sweet, relaying all the emotions we had yet to express.
I held her a little closer before I brought her over to the shower.
“Wait.”
“What?” I looked down at her, wondering what was wrong.
“You’re still dressed.”
“Right,” I laughed.
She hopped off the sink and started to undress me. As she did so, there was a bright smile on her face and adoration in her eyes. Could it be that she felt the same way about me as I did about her? A man could dream…
“There, that should do it,” she said, patting me on the chest.
In turn, I slapped her ass, pushing her into the shower. Seconds later, I kissed her, letting our bodies lock together, supported by the wall.
I teased her with a hand on her ass but didn’t push things any further. I just wanted to enjoy this moment. I pulled away and grabbed some body wash, lathering it in my hands.
Gently, I started to wash her body, taking my time. Once that was done, I grabbed some shampoo, running my fingers through her hair.
She practically moaned, her head tilting back until it pressed against my chest.
I continued to massage her scalp, glad that I could make her feel good in a non-sexual way. This felt right somehow. Something that loving couples did together whenever they were comfortable with their relationship. That’s what I wanted. A relationship with Adele that would last an eternity.
She pushed my hands away.
“What? Am I doing something wrong?”
“No. No. Everything’s perfect. I just thought I would return the favor,” she whispered, already running her hands over my body.
I moaned, allowing her to do as she pleased.
Her hands started at my chest before they moved down, lingering on my abdomen. I groaned, knowing she was teasing me on purpose.
Finally, she took me in her hands, rubbing me up and down in an excruciatingly slow manner. She toyed with the tip, letting her thumb flick it back and forth.
Here I was, trying to make this scene a little more romantic and she was already edging me on. I could feel the lust bubble up inside of me. This woman was too much for me to handle. The girl of my dreams. The one I wanted. The one I needed.
I pulled her close, our hips locking together. I looked into her eyes and for a moment, it was like the whole world had come to a halt. Nothing else mattered. I held her even closer, almost as if I didn’t tighten my grasp, she would disappear forever.
Our lips gravitated together like a couple of magnets.
Her sweet taste permeated my soul, making me weak in the knees. She had me wrapped around her finger, my heart tightening with desire. She kissed me with a fervor, her fingers tangling into my dark curls. I tilted my head down and gently suckled on the hollow of her neck until I heard her moan.
When we were both out of breath, I pulled away, my hand on her cheek. “Adele…” I whispered, our foreheads pressed together. “These past couple of weeks have been amazing. You’ve made me a very happy man.”
Her cheeks reddened at my words. Growing bashful, she looked down, her long eyelashes fluttering. I tilted her chin upwards.
She smiled, the sight causing my heart to somersault inside my chest.
“I want you to know that I really do care about you. I always have.”
Her smile deepened as she rested her head on my chest.
I ran my hands up and down her spine, trying to prepare myself for what I was about to say.
“Adele… I think I—”
She looked up at me, pressing a finger to my lips. “Shh… Don’t ruin a good thing.”
Chapter 10
Adele
In the morning, I woke up to the smell of thick-cut bacon. My stomach growled, remembering the light dinner I had the night before.
Quickly, I rolled out of bed and tossed one of Braden’s shirts on. I was starting to wear them more often than he did, not that either one of us minded it very much.
Once I reached the kitchen, Braden had his apron on, slaving away at the stove. I snuck up behind him, folding him into a hug.
“Mmm… Good morning, sleepyhead. I thought you’d be asleep for a little while longer. I wanted to surprise you with a breakfast in bed.”
“I’d rather go check on the foal. Do you think everything went well after we left?”
“I think so. Missy is a great mother.”
“Can we go check?”
“Don’t you want to have breakfast first?”
“When we come back.”
Braden chuckled. “Only because you’re so cute and I can’t say no to your pretty face.” He grabbed two pieces of toast from the toaster. “Here, at least nibble on this.”
“Thanks.” I took a bite, but of course, the bread was burnt. “How do you manage to burn toast, every single time?”
“It’s a skill, really,” he chuckled.
Outside, the sun was shining bright, painting the fields in a golden hue. Silently, we crossed the woods into the farm. Roger greeted us in his usual fashion before he ran off to play with some of the other goats.
“You ready?” Braden asked, just about to open the doors to the barn.
I nodded.
Sunshine spilled into the building, illuminating Missy and her foal. They were cuddling up together, looking peaceful and serene. The foal looked up, regarding us with big black eyes, full of curiosity.
We were silent for a while, just watching mother and child. Eventually, they got up. The foal was still a bit unsteady on its long and lanky legs, but it managed to canter up to its mother, suckling for milk. As he did so, Braden walked forward, feeding Missy some high-quality oats.
“What are you going to name him?” I asked, finally gathering the courage to step forward. A part of me felt like this was all a dream. I could wake up at any moment and ruin the magic.
“I’m not sure. Do you have any ideas?”
“How about… Dive?”
“Dive?” Braden furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “How did you come up with that?”
“Well, it’s how we met again. The Dive.”
Braden chuckled. “Sure, we can go with that. It’s cute.” He walked up to me and kissed my forehead. “You know, that little guy wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for you.”
“I just did what you told me. I couldn’t have done it on my own.”
“Well then, I guess we make a pretty good team.”
I laid my head on his shoulder, digesting his words. I wanted nothing more than to have a baby. Realistically, I would raise it with Braden, but I didn’t really expect him to go along with it. He had just come out of a divorce. He had a farm to tend to. The last thing he needed was a baby to take care of.
“You know, I don’t mind if we keep things casual between us.”
“What do you mean?” He looked down at me, his arms tightening around my torso.
“I mean, we can keep going with our current arrangement. You know, friends with benefits. We don’t even need to co-parent if you don’t want to. I just want to have a baby, but I do
n’t expect anything from you. I just want you to know that.”
Braden was quiet for a moment. His eyes never left mine, but no matter how hard I studied them, I couldn’t guess what he was thinking. Finally, he shook his head.
“No.”
“No?”
“I want to.” He held my arms, positioning me right in front of him. “I want to be part of the baby’s life. Wait here. I want to show you something.” He disappeared out the door, jogging to the other side of the farm.
I watched him, trying to figure out what he was doing. When I could no longer see him, I turned my attention toward Missy and Dive. They were both looking out the door as well as if they were wondering along with me.
“Do you guys want some sugar cubes?” I asked, grabbing some from a nearby dispenser.
Missy was the first to approach. She sniffed the treat before taking it into her mouth. When she saw that her foal hesitated, she nudged him forward.
“It’s okay little guy, I won’t hurt you.” I held out my hand in his direction, but that seemed to spook him because he quickly hid behind his mother, looking at me from beneath her belly.
I waited patiently, my palm still outstretched. I knew, sooner or later, he would trust me.
Missy moved to the other side of the barn. Dive followed close behind.
As a peace offering, I placed the sugar cube on the ground and stepped back.
He eyed me suspiciously before slowly tip-toeing forward. He sniffed the treat with caution before gobbling it up. He stomped the ground in a happy little dance. With newfound confidence, he walked right up to me, nudging my hand, asking for more.
I was just about to get a few more when Charger came barging into the barn.
Missy greeted her mate with enthusiasm, her tail flicking back and forth with excitement.
Soon, however, Charger turned his attention to his son. He approached slowly, but with obvious confidence. His chest was puffed out, his movements elegant.
Dive stood there, frozen in place as if his hooves had been tacked to the ground.
Charger sniffed him before nudging him affectionately. It was like a switch had been flipped. Suddenly, the two of them were frolicking around the barn, playing with each other. Missy soon joined in. The trio looked like the epitome of a happy family.