Chapter Twenty Five
She woke in the early hours of the morning, her husband's arm draped over her; Lisa lifted her head to see the clock. And shifted deeper into Jack's arms, her husband slept soundly now, comfortable here. They had arrived late last night, Katie had been in bed and Georgie said nothing; Lou had approached and then backed up as she glanced to her grandfather.
Jack said nothing as he took their bag through to the bedroom, she had simply followed. Today she would have to deal with it, with Lou and Katie. At least it would only be for the first few hours; it was competition day.
She slept restlessly, she knew when he woke and began to shift; his internal clock telling him it was time for chores. Lisa sat up and she saw his shoulders drop, he turned back to the bed and kissed her; gently pushing her back. "You're still pale Lisa, try to get some more sleep."
Makeup helped with that, probably more than he realized but Lisa stayed where she was as he headed out. She didn't fall back to sleep and rose, dressing and making them both some breakfast. Georgie and Diamond had a competition today, they rode for Fairfield; she wasn't staying in bed.
Her husband washed up as she set their plates on the kitchen table, discussing their plans for the day. But they had barely started eating when Jack paused, a warm smile lighting his face; tipping his head to her shoulder. Lisa turned to see Katie standing in the doorway watching them, still in her pajamas.
"Good morning Katie." Lisa greeted the little girl, their voices must have woken her, knowing she had been seen the young girl drew closer.
"Hi." Katie had been asleep when they got in last night, and rubbing her eyes made Lisa wonder if their voices had woken her.
"Do you want some toast?" Lisa rose, Katie was up, she may as well eat something.
Katie nodded, standing in the middle of the kitchen until Lisa reached the fridge; little arms wrapped around her waist. She knew this would be confusing for the little girl, the last that the child knew she didn't want to keep taking the medications, but Katie had received a transfusion the day before.
Lisa put another plate down and added a glass of orange juice for Katie as the little girl sat with them for breakfast; shifting the direction of their conversation. They had been told one more round and so had Katie; but the little girl was also told after that round she could go back to school.
Katie had been out of school, and her other activities for far too long, the girl was excited about seeing her friends and the fun aspects of it, but Lisa shared a glance with Jack; hopefully she hadn't fallen too far behind her friends. Katie was slight and almost fragile, the only schooling she'd had was the activities teachers sent home, but her spirit had not broken; and it served her well.
Lou came in and glanced at them then went to make her own coffee, a look went between Jack and Lou that caught her eye; Lisa didn't comment. She had come back here for her husband, the longer they stayed at Fairfield the more he had worried; it did not mean that everything was fixed. But she suspected her husband had mentioned something about boundaries.
Georgie came down and nibbled a slice of toast before disappearing again, Mike was trailering Diamond up and they would meet him there; but they might be transporting a nervous rider. Lisa ran through her own check list, but at this point it was just a matter of seeing how things went.
Once they got to the arena things got busy and there wasn't time to worry. Jack and the others went to find seats as Georgie and Mike walked the course with the other competitors; Lisa eyed it from the side. She could see a few spots that could trip people up, Diamond was going to have to be responsive for this to go well; there were spots where she could open up but the right angle on approach would be important.
She overheard Mike warning Georgie about the same thing, he was worried about the red combination on the last section of course. The teenager nodded, listening carefully but eyes wandering to the activity around them; everyone was doing their final planning.
"Just do your best, that's all we ask." Lisa tried to reassure the girl who was looking a little overwhelmed as the first pair up was called; this was a stepping stone for a lot of up and coming riders. Many of whom had more competition experience than Georgie.
Mike stayed with Georgie and Lisa cut to the side to watch the first few teams; the last combination took them both out. In a competition like this, faults or any type of time penalty was the end of it. She winced as she heard her name, and a voice she did not feel like dealing with. "Lisa, this isn't your typical scene."
"No, Val; but I've got a jumper." Of course, Val Stanton was here, she had horses entered and it was a qualifier for riders looking to move on in the season. Val wouldn't miss a chance to make her opinion known.
"And a rider, well, if she doesn't quit on you at the last minute." Val joined her at the side and Lisa clenched her jaw; this was not how she wanted to pass the time.
As the next rider started Lisa was silent, watching the pair go through, Georgie was in the middle of the pack, it was a small advantage, certainly better than being first; but any score set became a time to beat. That pair made it through cleanly, but their time paid the price; even with faults an earlier rider had a faster time.
"I wonder if Georgie remembers that she could have been riding this horse." Val commented, Lisa fought an eye roll as the announcer introduced Flame, and Briar Ridge's rider.
Still as the horse flew over the first several jumps she felt a knot of worry, she didn't require Georgie to win, but she did want her to place well and not just for the horse's stats; it would to the girl's confidence some good. A petty part of her was annoyed that Val was watching so closely beside her, sighs of frustration as the horse wasn't faster than the leading time. Lisa glanced to the stands, if there was ever a time for Jack to turn up it was now; the distraction would be welcome.
But then the horse took down a rail, and the next, she heard Val's breath hitch in and watched the rider give the horse several quick taps with the crop; they took out the red combination too. Val was simmering, and she had to bite back a couple comments that wouldn't help.
Two pairs later a Briar Ridge rider did get a clean run that was good enough for second; but that time wasn't likely to hold. Then it was Georgie's turn.
Lisa could tell she was holding Diamond back; the mare was flying and with big strides flew over the first few jumps and passed a combination that had tripped up more than one before her. Her eyes went to the clock as her gut tensed; they were fast.
"Excuse me." Finally, she had a reason to get away from Val, Georgie had put up a clean run; fast enough for first.
There were only six riders left to go, given how the event had gone so far, she didn't expect all of them to get through cleanly; Georgie would probably come out in a decent spot. Slipping back to the stalls she found Mike and Georgie, giving the teenager a quick hug. "Good job."
"I got the top spot! She was so good." Georgie stayed close to the mare, scratching her neck as Diamond sniffed her pockets; no doubt hoping for a treat.
"Just hold on." She winced, it was good run, but there was no guarantee it wouldn't get knocked down.
"That last combination was hard, I didn't think I was straight enough." Georgie was pleased with herself and Lisa nodded; listening for the announcer.
Mike was paying attention and began giving her some pointers. But Diamond's speed paid off, and they took it. She had wondered if the mare would react differently to being the only horse in the ring, on the track the horses ran in heats.
Georgie practically bounced out of her skin before Mike gave her a leg up, draping Diamond's blanket over the back of the saddle; the win certainly was welcome. While it looked good on the horse and was certainly good for Georgie's confidence it gave her something else to consider; there might be somewhere to go with this.
She left Georgie with Jack, Peter and the others to speak to Mike as he loaded the trailer; he would take care of getting Diamond back to Fairfield; but he had done well preparing that team. And he knew she was waiting for his feedback, Mike knew what she was thinking; he had trained horses on this level before. Georgie certainly had potential as a rider, but Diamond could match her.
When she turned back to the family Jack slid his hand along her back, pulling her into his side. "We're going to stop and pick up a treat on the way home to share with everybody."
"Sounds good." Katie would be eager to hear how her sister had placed, and likely to be more excited than anyone else.
And she was right, Katie was thrilled, following her sister upstairs when she went to hang her show clothes away. As Jack made coffee, she took down plates, Georgie had picked an ice cream cake; something both girls liked.
"Uh, Lisa; you can't have that." Lou eyed the box on the table and her, Lisa looked right back at her; she knew she had to stick to coffee and decaf at that.
She only nodded, she was not a child who needed to be told of her own restrictions; but she had chosen not to say anything. The treat was for the kids, it was a way to include Katie in Georgie's celebration and she hadn't been about to complicate that. Georgie was far too aware of everything going on around her, if the teen could forget about it for a little while Lisa wasn't going to remind her.
The girls came down and Lisa slipped back to the kitchen to pour coffee; Katie had distracted Jack. She felt her shoulders tense as Lou joined her. She felt the woman's eyes on her as she made Jack's and then her own. "Lou is there something you need?"
She glanced to her and when the woman shook her head Lisa took the drinks out to the dining room to join Jack and the girls who were already into the treat. Lifting Lyndy out of her high chair she settled the toddler on her lap, trying to reduce the mess. She was somewhat successful, Lyndy was at an age where she wanted to do things herself; her determination and personality becoming clearer.
She took the little girl out to the kitchen to wash her face, this time she bristled when Lou followed again, a bit annoyed Lisa focused on Lyndy, ignoring her shadow. She set Lyndy on her feet and crouched to steady her as the little girl found her balance, tottering a few times before taking off towards her cousins' voices.
"Lou is there something you want to say?" She didn't have the time or energy for mind games.
"You didn't tell us you were going back on the medications, or that you had a hold in the first place." Lou squared up and Lisa nearly groaned; this was not the time or the place to get into that. "In fact, you haven't told us anything during the whole process, I mean, other than Grandpa none of us know what is going on."
"You didn't ask."
"That's not fair, I know you are mad at me, but if you would tell me some of these things I..." Lou started.
"No, I am not mad at you. You made assumptions about my plans, you never asked what I intended to do and frankly I expect you to understand that there is a difference between when my husband is involved in my health, what he needs to know and what you do." She bit back, and she knew she shouldn't have. "If you want to talk, then we'll talk, not that it has gotten us anywhere yet. But it will not be right now."
Crossing the kitchen quickly she rejoined everyone in the living room, sliding into Jack's side, he caught her eye in a silent question as his hand slid across her back; she shook her head. Lou was not going to get in her head today, and she had a feeling she knew why Lou thought she might be mad.
When Amy and Ty took Lyndy back to the loft Georgie went to the barn to see Phoenix, Jack rose and drew her towards their room. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm fine." It had been a long day though, and she took the excuse to change into something a little more comfortable; Jack dropped onto the end of the bed; still watching her. "You told Lou about the medications, didn't you?"
"I did." He spoke slowly, she felt him assessing her. "Lisa, she needed to know, and it is almost over."
"Now she thinks I am mad at her." And perhaps there were moments when she had been, but the reality of Lou's situation was never far from her mind either.
Jack only sighed, his eyes met hers again, only one aspect of this ended; Katie would live with this condition the rest of her life. As long as the bone marrow transplant worked, and her body did not see the cells it did not know she would be okay, in time they might even say she was cured; but the threat would always be there. Lou was going to have to adjust to living with that, just ask Katie was going to have to be taught to take certain precautions as she got older.
As a family they had to find ways to move on, and to make things normal again. They only had to get through one more round with these meds, and for her that was likely to be the end of it.
...
That evening when Georgie went out for night check, and Katie was tucked into bed Lisa made two cups of tea and brought them to the dining room table where Lou was sitting; Jack kept his eyes on his book. He had a good view from his arm chair, but he would leave this to his wife unless Lou got stubborn.
"Lou I am not mad at you, I was hurt that you spoke to Katie before you spoke to me and I went to Fairfield because I needed some space and some time." His wife's voice was matter of fact, her tone warned against arguing; she covered Lou's hand with her own to stop her from speaking.
"I did not, and I will not quit on Katie. If in a year we are back in the middle of this I will be here, as long as I am able. If you have questions for me Lou, ask them. But I do not want you at my doctor's appointments anymore than you would want me at yours. I will follow any instructions my doctor give me, and if I need or want help, I will ask." Lisa paused, and he did look up, watching to see Lou nod. "I don't have kids and I don't know what you are feeling; but please do not assume that because you're not blood to me, I think of Katie any less as family."
Jack felt his own throat close, that distinction was hardly fair anymore, at this rate Katie had more of Lisa's blood than anyone else's. Their relationship had taken a different shape than most did, but then most women didn't have to contend with the whole of their husband's family on a daily basis either; they'd been family before he and Lisa had married. They might be struggling with each other right now but deep down Lou knew that, she'd known that before Katie was even born or else Lisa wouldn't be the little girl's godmother.
He could tell by Lou's face she was listening, he saw the tears in her eyes, how much she would take in he wasn't sure, but he did know that she meant well. He rose, pausing to press a kiss to the top of his wife's head and headed for the door; they could finish that conversation privately.
He joined Georgie in the barn, Buddy eagerly leaned over his stall for some attention. And Georgie wasn't done talking about the show, or what she thought that mare was capable of; Jack didn't mind listening. Georgie was taking the first steps into the career she wanted whether she knew it or not.