Title: Equinophobia
Summary: After all the things Camille had forced Richard to do, it was about time for a little role reversal.
They got to call over the car radio when they were on their way back from interviewing a witness to an assault. There had been a small arson at the Christie Farm Park.
"Yeah, we'll take it, we're only a mile away," he told Dwayne. Camille looked surprised he wanted to deal with such a minor issue, but Richard thought it would be rather wasteful to send Fidel and Dwayne out when he and Camille were so close to the scene. Plus the interviews had been a complete bust, the supposed witness far too drunk at the time to provide them with any useful details, and he was feeling so frustrated that he could use something else to sink his teeth into.
"You sure you want us to deal with this?" Camille asked, seemingly reluctant.
"Well we might as well. This place isn't a proper farm, is it?"
"No," Camille said, biting her lip as she took the turning. "It's like a farm theme park, for families with young children. It has a petting zoo and a playground and such. It's been here for years, since before I was born."
"Oh right then, so if your mother forces me to look at another photo album I might spot a picture of you cuddling a goat here?" He asked, joking, as they pulled up - but Camille failed to reply. She seemed to be mentally preparing herself for something. Richard's first thought that was perhaps some ex-boyfriend she would rather not see worked here. Well, he was sure if that was the case she could manage to remain professional.
Richard got out, looking around. The fire couldn't be so bad, the place was still open for business. "Oh they do pony rides as well," he said, indicating the field behind Camille. She didn't turn around to look though, just nodded and marched off in the direction of the main office.
Richard didn't have to be at the scene long to establish there was no way they would catch whoever had set fire to the shed. There was no CCTV on the site and anybody could walk up to the place in the middle of the night without facing too many obstacles. It had probably been bored teenagers. Whilst he wrote up a crime number for the farm's manager, Camille wandered off to coo at the goats. He didn't really understand what she found cute about them. They were smelly and aggressive, and he had acted quickly to send the one that had been at the station off to a more suitable location. He had suggested the abattoir, but he believed Fidel had convinced an animal sanctuary to take it in.
"Camille!" He called from outside of the shed. He didn't want to step inside in case the goats started chewing on his trouser leg – or worse. She looked up and acknowledged him, but didn't seem in a hurry to join him. "Come on!"
He strode off towards the Defender, but paused before he unlocked it. The kids had stopped riding now and the pony, or possibly small horse, was grazing. Richard figured if Camille could have five minutes playing with goats he could pet the bloody pony. As soon as he got near the fence the animal trotted over, probably hopeful he would have a polo or an apple hidden somewhere on him. Sadly that was not the case, but the pony accepted his lack of food offering graciously and still allowed himself to be petted. He had expected Camille would join him since she hadn't seemed in a hurry to get back to work but when she didn't he looked around and realised she was sitting in the vehicle waiting for him, staring directly ahead. He gave the pony one last friendly pat on the neck and went to join her.
As soon as he had sat down, Camille went, "Let's go then!" She was pulling off before he had actually finished putting his seatbelt on.
"Camille!" He cried indignantly, and she muttered something that might have been an apology.
A few tense minutes passed. She nearly always talked when they were driving, and Richard wasn't sure what to make of the silence. He began to mentally review the morning to see if he had perhaps unwittingly offended her, but he drew a blank. Eventually she broke the silence, "So you like horses, then?" There was a note of accusation in her tone that he didn't understand. He knew the French ate horse, but didn't think that was the reason she would be annoyed at him for petting one…
"Uh, yes, ever since I was a child. My school actually had its own stables. Horses were sometimes better company than the other boys. I haven't ridden in years though." This last statement caused her to shudder, as if the thought of horse riding was repulsive to her. Suddenly, he realised why Camille might be acting so strange. "Are you scared of horses?"
"I'm not scared of them, I just don't like them," she snapped. Richard was pretty sure she was scared of them, but decided to let that little fiction go.
"Why on earth wouldn't you like horses?"
"Why wouldn't you like snakes?" She shot straight back, though Richard didn't think the comparison was in any way fair.
"Camille, snakes are poisonous and kill people. I think being, uh, nervous of them is perfectly acceptable. Horses on the other hand are domesticated, intelligent and beautiful creatures."
"Horses can kill you!" She cried. "They are massive, I bet they could eat you if they wanted to."
Okay, that statement gave away the extent of her phobia. "That is ridiculous Camille, I have never heard of a horse eating somebody before."
"Fine but they could kick you in the head and kill you that way," she announced triumphantly, and he had to admit she was correct on that front.
"Fine, I suppose I wouldn't advise you to go near any horses that aren't properly broken in but those ones at the Farm Park have excellent temperaments, I mean they are suitable for children to ride for God's sake! They are perfectly safe." His reasonable argument fell on death ears, Camille ignored him completely and concentrated on driving. Richard decided to try another tact, "Why are you scared of them?" He assumed there must have been some sort of traumatic childhood experience along the line.
Camille just turned the conversation back around again, "Why are you scared of snakes?"
He hesitated for a moment, and then admitted, "My cousin Ella put an adder in my sleeping bag when we were little. It was cold when she caught it so it was too sleepy to move, but it soon warmed up and bit me. I had to spend the day in hospital." He was unable to prevent the shiver as he recalled the memory of waking to realise something was moving in his sleeping bag. "So why are you scared of horses?"
His admission has the desired effect, and Camille felt obligated to share the reason, "Maman took me to that Farm Park when I was, oh I don't know – before I started school anyway. I tried to give this horse an apple but it put my whole hand in its mouth! It was horrible, a really MASSIVE horse and I thought it was going to bite my whole hand off! Luckily Maman pulled me away before it did."
"It was very unlikely to have actually bitten your hand off Camille." He managed to keep the sarcasm from his tone, aware that she had been polite enough not to laugh at his story. "And it probably wasn't even that big, it just seemed it because you were small," he continued to try and reason.
"You don't know that!" She was angry now, and distracted enough that she hit a massive rut in the road and lifted them both from their seats. Richard decided to drop the subject for the moment, but was already forming an alternative plan of action.
A few days later Dwayne and Fidel drove Camille down to his bungalow. They called ahead to warn him that she was quite frankly suspicious, which he supposed he should have expected. Richard still hadn't decided if what he had planned was actually a good idea, but for reasons he probably shouldn't examine too closely he had found he was uncomfortable with the idea of her despising horses when he is sort of quite fond of them. Further justification came from the fact it was probably about time they had a little role reversal, he couldn't resist the opportunity to be the brave one for once.
When she rounded the corner and saw what is waiting for her she promptly turned around and marched off again. She was caught by Dwayne, but would not agree to be led back. Richard had to leg it over there to start to convince her otherwise, because he was pretty certain she could floor Dwayne if she so desired.
"How could you do this?" He heard her spit at Dwayne when he got within ear shot.
"The Chief promised me beer. Besides, I agree with him, you can't go about being scared of horses Camille. Not at your age!" Dwayne gave Camille an encouraging smile and then left to join Fidel on the veranda where there was, in fact, beer.
"I am not speaking to you," Camille said as soon as they were alone.
"Excellent," he replied. "Then you won't interrupt me for once when I am trying to explain something." He paused, expecting her to refute that, but she remained staring stubbornly at the ground. Richard realised she was doing her best not to show just how scared she was and guilt shot through him – but he knew deep down he was doing this for her own good. "Right then, I thought you might like the opportunity to get over your fear. Marcus over there," he said, indicating the man holding on to the reigns of a palomino mare. "Is currently in possession of the horse with the best temperament I have ever met. The only thing on this island more laid back than that horse is Dwayne."
The last comment caused her to smile, but Camille deliberately turned away in an attempt to prevent him from seeing it. He sighed, "Come on Camille, think of all the things I didn't want to do but did for you." She lifted her head and raised an eyebrow at his comment. He quickly corrected himself, "Because of you. Stuff you made me do. Oh you know what I mean!"
She glanced quickly at the horse and then muttered, "I don't, um, need to touch it near its mouth do I?"
He is surprised by how happy her question makes him, "No, no we can start with the neck. Horses like being patted on the neck." He immediately loped off towards Marcus and the horse, then realised Camille was following much more reluctantly so slowed in order to wait for her. She stopped a good 10 metres from the horse, and Richard decided perhaps introductions were in order.
"Right, Camille, this is Honey. She's 18 years old and like polos, rolling in dirt and long canters on the beach," The last bit was supposed to be a joke, but Camille was too busy staring at Honey with barely suppressed horror to notice. "You are going to have to come a bit closer in order to touch her," he suggested gently, worried that he sounded a bit too much like he was talking to a child.
"I think I am just fine here," she replied. He bit back a sigh, and exchanged a look with Marcus who merely shrugged in response. Neither of them were psychologists.
"I could distract her with mints whilst you petted her, if that would help," he offered tentatively.
Camille closed her eyes, looking resigned, and with a small sigh said, "Yes, I suppose." She took a few cautious steps forward holding her hand out directly in front of her so she could touch Honey whilst being the maximum distance possible away still. Richard fed Honey mints and spoke to her in a soothing voice which he half hoped would also work on Camille. Just before her hand touched the horse Camille screwed her eyes shut and then finally made contact. Richard realised he was holding his breath as he watched her hesitantly - well it was more tapping than petting, but she was doing it anyway!
"Oh," said Camille, opening her eyes. "She's quite soft." Her fingers became less reluctant, and she started stroking the horse in a more traditional manner. "It's not that bad really."
He was unable to keep the triumphant smile off his face, "Right, where is the hat?"
"Hat?" Camille asked, confused.
"Yeah, you can have a go at riding her now. Don't worry Marcus uses her all the time for beginners!" He explained brightly, then realised Camille was looking at him in dread as she backed rapidly away.
"Richard, touching the horse does not mean I want to ride the horse!" She cried. "There is no way I am getting on that things back. I appreciate you are trying to help but no. Just no."
"Oh come on, then you can properly say you are over your fear. It's like immersion therapy, I read all about it. I'll be holding the reigns and leading her and I'm not going to let the horse gallop off with you." He held out the helmet but she didn't make any move to take it from him. He needed to come up with another option and fast.
"Do you have another?" He asked Marcus as he strapped on the riding helmet.
Marcus didn't answer his question directly, "You aren't seriously going to ride her in that suit, are you?"
"It's only few a minutes, it'll be fine." He was relieved when he managed to get onto the saddle without losing any dignity, even though it is 20 years since he last rode a horse. On the porch, Fidel was wearing a shocked look and Dwayne was trying hard not to laugh – he probably did look a bit of an idiot in the helmet. Honey barely acknowledged his weight, instead she carried on chewing the mint she had just been given. "See, she doesn't mind. You could get on behind me," he suggested to Camille.
She looked like she was fighting some great, mental battle. Eventually she nodded tightly. Marcus was a gentleman and helped her up behind Richard, where upon she grabbed him so tightly he was a little worried she was going to do damage. Richard could hear her breathing hard and fast, but then when no disaster immediately happened she seemed to calm down. Eventually she asked, "Well, aren't we going to move somewhere?"
"I would, but you have sort of pinned my arms to my side making it a little difficult," he told her. With an embarrassed little laugh she managed to let go enough that he could take hold of the reigns properly, but was still gripping him pretty tightly. Richard tried not to think about the fact he rather liked it, and was glad she couldn't see his face. Dwayne caught his eye though, offering a wink and a knowing smile. Richard glared back, which only caused Dwayne to start laughing.
"Right, um, I guess we'll just go a couple of hundred metres down the beach and then back. Ok?"
Camille made a small noise that was half ascent, half fear. When Honey started off at a sedate speed she somehow managed to press herself closer to him – and this time he didn't try to keep the smile off his face.