Substitute for Lawson

9.2

All this time, Emily is standing near the arena and in order not to get involved in family communication, she looks at the horses alone. She likes them, but she never went.

Looking at the area, the girl found in the distance the back gate, through which they usually left on horseback for walks around the neighborhood. Watching all this, the girl made out a rider on a white horse. The man was striding toward them, and as he got closer, Emily managed to recognize him as Lawrence's second-in-command. The man was so engrossed in the ride that he didn't look like himself. Fox didn't even know how she managed to look at him and smile.

"Oh, here comes our prince on a white horse!" The older man chuckled loudly as Damian pulled up beside the group.

— This is not a horse, but a mare, - the deputy leans over to the animal and scratching the back of the neck, deftly jumps to the ground, finally discovering a not quite friendly atmosphere. Standing next to Richard Blount was a strange woman, perhaps a little younger than he was.

"Clarice, meet -" the judge begins, gently holding the woman by the waist. "This is my daughter!" Alice ... meet my beloved… Clarice…

— Very nice, - the woman smiles amiably and extends her hand to the girl as a sign of greeting.

"Me, too." she looks at the woman's hand in disbelief and crosses her arms over her chest, still not accepting the handshake.

Mr. Blount frowns at his stubborn daughter, because it's not polite, and Damian and Lucas are enlightened in Alice's relationship with their stepmothers, a little nervous about the whole situation, and decide to at least somehow defuse the situation.

"Nice to meet you," Lucas says first. "I'm Lucas, Alice's husband!" - he smiles his trademark smile and instead of his wife shakes the woman's hand that hangs in the air.

"Me too!" "It blooms in a moment."

— And I'm Damian, I'm a friend of Alice and her husband, - Chon then introduces himself, snatching the woman's hand out of his friend's hands, and like a true gentleman, he kisses her wrist, which makes Clarice blush like a tomato. Seeing the silent Emily standing a little behind him, Damian grabs the girl's elbow without ceremony and pulls her closer to the company. — And this is Alice's friend, Emily!"

"Nice to meet you," Richard's companion nods.

"Me, too," Fox says, and a small smile appears on her face.

Sensing his wife's tension, Lucas puts his arm around her shoulder and moves his fingers under her forearm to soothe her.

"Well, we'll go to the stables," Blount clears his throat and pulls the woman after him, walking away towards the high hangars. — What kind of horse do you want, dear?"

After watching them go, Alice exhaled heavily and looked down at her boots.

"Hush," he whispered softly, his lips brushing her temple.

"Mother, Mother! And when are we going to ride a horse? Mia, who had been standing all this time, held her mother's leg, and when she heard that even her grandfather was already going to choose a horse, she began to act up with impatience. - maaamaa, papaaaa!

"Come on, Princess," Damian scoops up the baby and walks over to the still-standing horse, stroking its nose. — Do you like this one?"

"Yeah," little Kim agrees, reaching out to follow her uncle and petting the mare, too. — What's her name?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Damian sees another person join their group. Emily is clearly bored by herself, so she moves closer, watching the guy babble with the little girl.

- Wow! Aunt Emily! Look how beautiful the moon is! - the child babbles enthusiastically.

— Beautiful... - the girl wants to stroke the horse, but for the umpteenth time abruptly withdraws her hand at the last moment. Damian finds this strange, and with an exasperated click of his tongue, he grabs her wrist and puts a woman's hand on the horse's neck, covering it from above.

"Well?" And what? he frowns at the secretary, who suddenly blushes. "That scary?"

While the young father and the instructor rolled little Mia in the arena, which every second screamed with delight and called on her mother to look at her as she knows how, and she stood at the fence with a slightly sad look, leaning her elbows on the railing.

Damian, having tied his horse to the fence, walked over to Alice, and leaning his shoulder against her, stood in an identical position with the girl. Looking ahead, neither of them spoke, but when Lawrence caught sight of the couple having fun, he sighed and opened his mouth first.

"Don't be mad at him…

- I'm not mad ... - Alice sighed sadly and once again made a cheerful face at Mia passing by.

Alice, you're not a little girl anymore ... " Damian begins his role as a therapist, frowning slightly. — You already have a family, and your father is alone… You don't want him to be happy?

"I do, Damian… I want him to be happy, not selfish women! the girl blushes a little, casting a brief glance at the man.

"I understand," he agrees. The girl purses her lips.

— I want the woman next to him to love the person in him, not the status and money.

— I perfectly understand this state.

It was true that Damian was dealing with it right now. Maybe he wants the girls to see him as a person, for once?

***

After a couple of hours, the whole big company relaxed, decided that it was possible to take a ride together, see the surrounding area, and it seemed to be a good idea, if not for one thing:

— I can't!" Emily begged as she and Alice walked through the long hangar. Alice was determined to choose a calm and friendly horse for her friend, and the girl, who had been sitting in the saddle for an hour with the instructions of the trainer, was scared to the point of trembling in her knees when Lucas suggested a free walk. "What if I fall?" What if I can't stop the horse? It's me!

"But we'll be right there!" - the girl insisted and stopped at one of the paddocks and pointed to a horse named Thunder. — This horse is very calm!" He's never kicked a rookie before!

"I —" the girl froze. The black horse was looking at her, and she was looking at him. "No..." she bit her lip at the end. "Alice, I'll stay here, okay?"

"Please prepare him," Kim said, not listening to her secretary, but beckoning to a groom who was nearby.

When the horse was ready, the girl could not be persuaded to get into the saddle. Neither the groom, nor Alice, nor even Mr. Blount, who has a great deal of experience in riding, could agree with the stubborn girl. The panic - stricken fear of driving never left her.

— Why don't you go for a ride, and I'll stay here... look at the horses, feed them... help Mr. and Mrs. Green?" the girl pleaded, clasping her hands together in supplication.

Damian, who had ridden his horse around the perimeter of the farm out of boredom, was even angrier. He had heard the coward whine before, and now that he was tired of it, he had to get off the animal and go deal with it himself.

— So that's it, " the man barks, putting his hands on his hips. Both girls stare at him, and Emily seems to stop breathing. When Damian's face took on such an expression, it seemed she couldn't disobey. He comes right up to the girl, and making an unexpected maneuver for everyone, easily lifts her in his arms. The girl who screamed, already thinks that he will forcibly put her on the black horse, but he goes to his horse. He lifts her up as easily as ever, and as he lifts her into the saddle in a feminine pose, he lightly slaps her calf with his palm. "Come on, throw your leg over, can you do that?" - you can not disobey in any way, such a tone, just automatically makes you obey. She obediently throws her leg over and grabs the saddle with her hands, afraid that she will fall. Damian puts his foot on the running board and climbs in behind Emily. — If you're afraid to go alone, we'll go like this." — he snaps, taking the reins in his hands as usual.

A deep silence hangs in the air. Lucas, who had been rolling Mia, tried to look serious and just not laugh, Richard and especially Clarice were moved by this funny picture, and Alice could not come to her senses and understand what had happened.

— Well, since everything is decided, then let's go? Lucas interjects, and seems to be talking to Alice, who is frozen by someone else's horse.

"Yes, go ahead," Richard agrees. - Alice, wake up!

The girl returns to the spotted horse, and deftly climbing up, looks at everyone.

— I'm ready."

"Aunt Emily! Mia chimes in, giggling. "Dad said only princesses ride like that!" We're two princesses, Aunt Emily!

The child's words confuse her even more, and the others ... they are having fun, they all laugh loudly, they all appreciate the delicate situation that Damian has put the secretary in. And he himself grins and can't help but smile when he hears the girl's sullen and noisy breathing.

In pairs, the group moved in a small motorcade, preceded by an adult couple who had completely forgotten that they were not on a private date. Clarice and Richard whispered and laughed and eventually moved on, leaving the young family and their friends alone. The Kim family enjoyed not a quick walk, laughing at the questions of their curious daughter.

Damian and Emily drove in silence. The calmly walking horse no longer frightened the girl, but to feel the close contact between her and the man sitting behind her was maddening. Fox could feel her back against the hard chest of her boss, and the pleasant scent of his perfume that followed her everywhere, even at home. From time to time, she looked at his hands, which were so strangely inviting to touch them. He himself was calm, even lost in his own thoughts, and could not (or could still) suspect how the cowardly girl was now tense.

"Ah..." the girl suddenly spoke, making a single sound. Damian, lost in his thoughts, blinked in confusion and stared at the girl in surprise.

— Isn't it hard for her?" Emily clears her throat.

"What do you mean?" the man asked, frowning slightly.

"Well, we're riding it together… "

No," she grins, twisting the corner of her mouth. - It's not hard for this one…

***

In principle, a horse ride, and even outside the city, is a great idea for the weekend. The weather on Saturday was wonderful, the sun was blinding brightly from the very morning. Having dug out a more or less normal suit in my wardrobe, that is to say, I had to pull out a helmet, boots and jeans that looked like they should have. Previously, out of boredom, they often went to this farm with Lucas, a walk in the fresh air brought their brains in order, but later this entertainment was forgotten, but with the appearance of a daughter, who recently decided that she was Princess Mulan, and that one, as they say there was a horse, the young father decided to teach that horse riding.

By agreement, Damian arrived at the farm closer to dinner. Having parked the car on the territory, in a specially designated place, he found a familiar car. Lucas was apparently already here. Climbing out of the car, Lowsen looked around and, with inspiration, closing his eyes, breathed in the pleasant fresh air. If you are thinking that the farm probably smells of dung, then it is definitely not in the front area. There were a couple of houses that the owners usually rented out for vacationers, a large estate of the owners themselves. They were an elderly couple who had been engaged in horses for a long time and not in the first generation already. The sun was shining too bright, Damian had even lost the habit of this, so squinting hard, put on dark glasses, which were usually lying around in the car unnecessarily, or to give an important look.

- Oh, Damian! - The hostess also appeared in the distance. The woman was carrying two buckets in her hands and in between times stopped beside the man.

- Hello Mrs. Green! - He smiled with all his mouth and immediately took away from the woman, as it turned out later, not so light buckets of food. - Where are you taking this?

- Oh, how where? In the stables!

- And the workers? Why are you carrying weights? Lowsen frowned, groaning carefully around the woman.

- Well, I myself want to, not to sit still all the time, - the woman laughed and the two of them moved into the depths of the huge courtyard.

- Did you happen to see my friend?

- Yes, he is already there in all new horses running around! The woman exclaimed fervently.

As it turned out, Lucas was in the same stable, hugging his pet. Love for animals could not be taken away from him, so the man lisped with a horse, almost kissed him and fed him well.

- Hey! Damian laughed merrily. - I'll tell Alice everything that you are cheating on her with the horse!

- Oh, I've arrived already, - the general director looked up from his occupation.

Coming closer to his friend, Damian reached out to stroke the horse's neck, but he snorted and staggered back.

- Yes, what would ... - he clinked annoyedly.

- He still doesn't love you! Lucas laughed triumphantly, handing out a carrot to Rich.

- Does this horse even love anyone other than you? BUT? Lowsen frowns, crossing his arms over his chest.

Damian examined his friend carefully. If we compare the two of them now, then Lucas was an aristocrat, and Demin was his servant. The friend's suit was clearly new, and Lousen wouldn't be surprised if it was from Gucci. The deputy himself looked like an ordinary farmer: jeans, high boots, rubber boots and a shirt. And Lowsen himself got a kick out of the fact that he could look like that now.

- Well, also Mr. Green, - after a little thought, Lucas shrugs as he continues to feed the gluttonous stallion.

- And where are your ...

“Mistress Mia is picking up a suit,” Kim proudly says, knocking Lawsen out of his mind.

- A suit? How is your daddy? - He chuckles, patting him on the edge of his jacket. - Okay, - the deputy sighs and looking around. - I'll go to my baby. - Turning around, leaves in the opposite direction, looking for a paddock with a horse, which he usually rode.

- That's what women love you so much, huh? - After Lucas throws and, after seeing his carefree friend, decides to take the horse out of the manger.

While Damian was rolling his beloved horse outside the farm, Lucas stayed on the grounds, waiting for his wife and daughter to arrive. Walking around the paddock with Mr. Green, the man chose a horse for his daughter, because a little rider needs an obedient and loving child.

- Maybe this one ... - offers an elderly man stroking a curious young horse on the nose.

“Well, maybe…” Lucas shrugs. Concentration and idyll are interrupted by a sudden squeak.

- Dad! - A little girl squeaks loudly as she runs into the hangar with open arms. Taehyung has to distract himself, and that leaves a wide, gentle smile on his face. He squats down and also throws open his arms and catches his daughter in his arms.

- And here my future rider has arrived!

- Yeah! - Mia laughs, wrapping her arms around her father's neck. - Look what my mom bought a suit! - The girl is boasting.

- My princess looks great! - Dad admires the appearance of his daughter. - Where's mom?

- There! - shrugs off in the direction of the door and it seems she is no longer interested in anything except horses. - What horse am I going to ride?

- How do you like this one? Lucas suggests, pointing to the one they were standing next to. They come closer and, reaching out with a small hand, the girl strokes the horse on the nose.

- Here, give it to her, - suggests the mistr Green, holding out a carrot to the girl. The girl feeds the horse and squeaks with admiration, clapping her hands.

- Daddy, I fed her!

Having dealt with the horse, the young father and his daughter leave the hangar, followed by Mr. Green leading the horse. At the street arena, Alice is leaning on a wooden fence with her arms, and next to her is Emily, admiring no less than Mia herself. The girls watch the workers train someone or just run the horses and chat about something fun. At Alice's feet sits quietly the dog Caleb, who, due to his age and intelligence, was not going to mindlessly bark either at others or at animals. Placing his ass on the toes of his mistress's high boots, he seemed to show that she was under his reliable protection.

“Here we are,” drawled Lucas, approaching the girls and drawing their attention to himself.

- Well, have you chosen? - the girl kisses her husband on the cheek and takes her daughter from his hands.

- Yes, mom, look what! - she exclaims with admiration, pointing at a young cream-colored horse that has now entered the arena together with the owner of the farm.

- Is she calm? - Anxiously asked the girl, looking from the horse to her husband.

- Yes, quite, - he nods and walks right up to the fence. - Mr. Bluthne will not come?

- Dad? He said he was on his way ... - Alice sighs and purses her lips. - He said that he had a surprise for us ...

- Surprise? - Before the man has time to get an answer to his question, the voice of his former lawyer is heard from afar.

- Hey, youth!

All four of them turn their attention to Mr. Blount, and Alice, at the sight of her father, turns a little darker or even just becomes sadder. The man goes in their direction not alone, but by the hand with the woman. It seems this is the surprise.

- Grandpa! - today a little girl admires everything, so every now and then you can hear her loudly calling her relatives by name. He gets off his mother's arms and rushes to meet his grandfather to hug him and boast of his new suit.

Emily all this time stands near the arena and, in order not to get involved in family communication, looks at the horses alone. She likes them, but she never went.

Looking closely at the area, the girl discovered in the distance a rear gate, through which horses usually rode out for walks around the neighborhood. Watching all this, the girl saw a rider on a white horse. The man was heading swiftly in their direction, and when he was already closer, Emily managed to recognize him as Lawrence's deputy. The man was so carried away by the trip that he did not look like himself. Fox herself did not understand, as soon as she managed to look at him and smile.

- Oh, here is our prince on a white horse! - the older man laughed loudly when Damian slowed down beside this whole company.

- This is not a horse, but a mare, - the deputy leans towards the animal and, scratching the scruff of the neck, deftly jumps to the ground, finally discovering a not quite and friendly atmosphere. Next to Richard Blount stood an unknown woman, about a little younger than himself.

- Clarice, meet ... - the judge begins, gently holding the woman by the waist. - This is my daughter! Alice ... meet me, this is my beloved ... Clarice ...

- It is very pleasant, - the woman smiles friendly and as a sign of greeting, holds out her hand to the girl.

- Me too. - she squeezes out of herself, and looking at the woman's palm with disbelief, she crosses her arms over her chest, never accepting the handshake.

Mr. Blount frowns at the stubborn daughter, because this is not polite, and Damian and Lucas, enlightened in Alice's relationship with their stepmothers, begin to get a little nervous about this whole situation, and decide to somehow defuse the situation.

“Nice,” Lucas breaks in first. - I'm Lucas, Alice's husband! - smiles with his trademark smile and, instead of his wife, shakes the woman's hand hanging in the air.

- Me too! - That blooms instantly.

“And I’m Damian, I’m a friend of Alice and her husband,” Chon introduces himself, grabbing the woman’s hand from his friend’s hands, and, like a true gentleman, kisses her wrist, which makes Clarice blush like a tomato. Seeing the silent Emily standing a little behind, Damian without ceremony grabs the girl by the elbow and pulls her closer to the company and introduces her as well. - And this is Alice's friend, her name is Emily!

“Nice,” nods Richard’s companion.

“Me too,” Fox says, and a faint smile appears on her face.

Feeling the tension of his wife, Lucas puts his arm around her shoulder and gently bent his fingers under his forearm to reassure her.

- Well, we'll go to the stable ... - Blount clears his throat and, pulling the woman behind him, leaves in the direction of the high hangars. - What horse do you want, dear?

Following them with her gaze, Alice exhaled heavily and looked down at her boots.

“Hush,” Lucas whispered softly, his lips touching her temple.

- Mother Mother! When are we going to ride a horse? - Mia, who was standing all this time, held her mother by the leg and when she heard that even her grandfather was already going to choose a horse, she began to be capricious with impatience. - maaamaa, papaaa!

- Come on, princess, - Damian picks up the child in his arms and, approaching the calmly standing horse, strokes it on the nose. - Do you like this?

- Yeah, - agrees little Kim and stretching after his uncle, he also strokes the mare. - What is her name?

“Luna,” Damian notices out of the corner of his eye as another person joins their company. Emily is seen to be bored alone, so she comes closer, watching the guy lisp with the little girl.

- Wow! Aunt Emily! Look how beautiful the moon is! - the child babbles enthusiastically.

- Beautiful ... - the girl wants to stroke the horse, but many times she abruptly withdraws her hand at the last moment. Damian finds this strange, and with an irritated click of his tongue, grabs her by the wrist and puts a woman's hand to the horse's neck, covers it on top.

- Well? And what? - looks gloomily at the secretary, who has suddenly burst into color. - So scary?

While the young father and the instructor were rolling little Mia in the arena, which every second screamed with admiration and urged her mother to look at her as best she could, she stood a little sadly at the fence, her elbows leaning against the railing.

Damian, having tied his horse to the fence, approached Alice, and leaning his shoulder against her, he stood in an identical pose with the girl. Looking ahead, both were silent, but when Lawrence caught sight of the amusing couple, he sighed and opened his mouth first.

- Do not be angry with him ...

- I'm not angry ... - Alice sighed sadly and once again made a cheerful face as Mia passed by.

- And then we all did not see ... Alice, you are no longer a little girl ... - starting his role as a psychotherapist, Damian frowns a little. - You already have a family, and your father is one ... You don't want him to be happy?

- I want, Damian ... I want him just happiness, not selfish women! - the girl flashes slightly, throwing a short glance at the man. - You see ...

- I understand ... - he agrees. The girl purses her lips.

- I want the woman next to him to love the person in him, not status and money.

- I perfectly understand this state.

Indeed, Damian just now faced this. Maybe he wants the girls to see him as a person, at least once?