12. Drake brings a companion for Stella.
1662 Words
Stella woke up as the sun rose. She had the best nights sleep she had ever had here in the summer house, and it was in the stables.
Drake had to go into the office, he had been absent to long, his cousin Sam was getting frustrated picking up the slack.
" Stella, I promise I will be back soon. We need to talk about the wedding my love." He tried to sooth her mind, he still wanted to marry her despite their current estrangement.
He didn't know why she was avoiding him.
Stella nodded and moved away, he was a cheater and a liar.
Drake turned and walked to his car.
She fed and watered the horses and one by one let them out into the yard as Teddy had done.
A large male, name Hercules was getting rowdy.
He didn't care to have her handle him.
She was strict and kept him under control.
When he kicked her, she flew across the yard.
She was very sore from that powerful kick.
She tried to laugh. She respected the danger but felt so alive!
" See, the problem with you Hercules, is that just like Drake, you think women are your little puppet. But I know your weakness you see dear horse."
She breathed deeply in pain.
She limped to the stable and got some sweet oats and coaxed him back into his stall.
She fed him an apple, he nuzzled her hand, he wanted more.
She shut the pen closed and limped away.
Her leg began to swell up.
By the end of the second day, she needed to hold onto the fencing to move along.
Her leg was too tender to put her full weight on it.
Stella learned a powerful lesson.
" Don't trust the stallions." She said. "Especially the human ones, they will kick the snot out of you."
Stella checked her phone. A text message....
" Stella your aunt passed away this morning, I'm so sorry, Sara."
It happened, her aunt Sophia's caregiver had just given her the sad news.
Stella cried all day the third day, she was limping and crying as she focused on her work.
Crying from the loss of her precious great auntie and the pain in her thigh.
Teddy arrived home later that night.
He came into the home and she asked him,"how was your trip, did you have a good time?"
He noticed that she was sitting on one of the bar stools in the kitchen.
She had prepared for him some spaghetti and meatballs, he devoured it like a starving man.
She made small talk and told him about how her time with the horses went and that she was amazed that he did all this work day after day by himself.
He smiled at her and took her hand.
" Let me tell you something, if I were a younger man I would ask you to marry me, right here and now."
She blushed.
" Teddy, that's the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me."
He got up and started to put the dishes on the sink.
She told him,"It's ok, I got this, you go ahead and go on to bed. I bet you're tired after your long trip."
He nodded and moved away, heading out the door from her.
She got up and limped over to the sink and began to wash the dishes.
She was limping horribly around the kitchen.
He saw her from the window and came back into the house.
" I knew it, you've never sat still a day in your life since you've been here.
I don't know what happened but take your pants down right now. I want to see it!"
She nodded and obeyed him.
He saw a huge black bruise on her thigh which extended into her leg.
He knew that a horse must have kicked her, because he'd had one of those once upon a time himself.
" Hercules?" He asked.
She nodded. "Day one."
He noticed several other bruises on her inner thighs which were in various stages of green.
He said," I can see where you got this one... but what about these?"
She looked away and swallowed hard.
" I...I think Drake, I mean I must bruise very easily."
He got angry and silent, he moved away.
When he turned around he told her quietly," I made love to my wife often during our marriage, and never once did I put bruises on her like these.
I'm going to have words with that man.
I might even put in my notice.
I need to make sure that you're well cared for first Stella.
Don't ever hide something from me like this again. I want to protect you.
That man deserves to be hung for what he did to you, you're just an innocent young girl... he's such a jerk."
Stella expected Drake to come on Saturday, he did not show up she tried to text and call him.
Can we talk about what you want? I'm sorry Drake, did I do something to make you hate me?
He did not respond. He was swamped by work and school. She thought he was with those other women.
A few days later, a letter arrived for her at the summer house. It was from a law office.
Stella looked over the envelope and set it aside.
She had made a little life, a home for herself. She was scared that it was from Drake officially kicking her out.
She continued to do her chores and enjoyed her beautiful surroundings, she couldn't look at the letter, she knew it was not good knews.
Drake pulled up in morning. He had a plan.
He jumped out of the car and opened the door for his ex girlfriend Olivia. She was tall and blond with full, fake boobs.
Drake helped her out of the car. He thought she could be a good assistant, companion for Stella.
Stella saw him and approached slowly. She limped towards him.
" Hey, Stella Palmer." She put her hand out to Olivia.
Olivia looked her up and down. She reluctantly took her hand, seeing dirt under Stella's nails.
Stella smiled at Drake, feeling a lump in her throat.
He said,"Hey twerp, how are you?" He asked as he reached for her hand.
She shook her head. She couldn't speak, he brought his lover there, flaunting her in front of her.
He said," Well, listen, I brought Olivia for you, she can help you. We've got family coming, my cousins are heading here soon."
She quietly went to the house, tripping on the door jam, nearly falling.
She was distracted, she had nowhere to go, no money, she couldn't stay with him and his lover.
He watched her, worried at her gait. Why was she limping?
Teddy came up to speak to Drake. He pulled him aside.
" I need to have a few words with you." He frowned.
Drake nodded, watching Stella.
" Wait in the car Olivia." He told her, this is not going to work, he could see his mistake.
Olivia had been his lover once. Of course Stella could see this.
" Sure, it smells like horse s**t out here." She held her perfect nose.
Teddy grabbed Drake's shirt.
" You ever lay a hand on her again, I will kill you!" He said with menace.
Drake didn't understand.
" Her limp?" He asked. " I didn't do that."
" No! those damn bruises on her inner thighs!" He yelled.
Drake knew he was rough with her last time, had he hurt her?
He felt sick, he didn't know, she never told him.
He quickly walked into the house to ask her about this.
She was holding the envelope from the lawyers.
He said," What's that?"
She stared at it quietly. "I'm sure you know. Didn't you send it to me. To evict me?"
" No, maybe from your parents? I know they didn't want you, to them you were nothing but a bastard twerp." he said.
Stella gasped at his bluntness.
"Just open it and find out."He was frustrated that she actually thought that he would evict her.
He saw that she was cool to him. She looked anxious. He realized Olivia was a mistake, a big one.
He pulled her into arms and kissed her, "I will take Olivia back, I'm sorry I thought she could be your assistant, I was wrong. What happened to your leg, honey?"
She had big tears forming.
" You said...you said you would never lie to me Drake." She sniffled.
Cheater.
" And I'm not lying to you!" He yelled as he squeezed her arms.
" Why do you lie to me, what did I do to you to deserve this?" she cried.
" Damn it Stella, I'm not the man that you need, I have responsibilities. I brought Olivia to be a companion to you!"
He was talking about work, she was talking about other women.
Stella nodded." I don't believe you, I know it can't be true, she's your lover." She ran off recklessly.
Drake felt compelled to run after her, to apologize. He saw Olivia look at her watch.
Teddy went after her. He would comfort her.
Stella rode off on his horse Cupcake.
The mare roared up as she took off with a bare back Stella on her.
She was running away.
Stella couldn't see through her tears, she blindly held onto the big horse as she recklessly rode away from him. Her life was over.
Drake watched as Teddy yelled for her and ran after her. " Wait!"
Drake got into his car and drove away. He was swallowing his tears back.
He loved her, he didn't want to leave her, but he had to let her go.
He was no good for a sweet girl like that. She would be lonely, he had responsibilities to his company.
- Writer
