A/N: Happy New Year everyone! I have decided to start off the new year with a new chapter! This is still in Kris' perspective, but don't be worried. We'll be back in Junior's head soon! Enjoy and tell me what you think!
Kris Furillo-Davis
It takes a minute before I register the horse inside the trailer. It also takes me another minute to realize this is bad. Not only for me, but for Junior as well.
"Well? What do you think? Were you surprised?" Jean asks. Her hands are cupped together in excitement and anticipation.
"Is that who I think it is?" Pablo is the first to speak between us two. He's in such a shock too that I fear his eye balls will fall out of their sockets.
"Yup. It is. The one and only." Jean says. "Can you take him out for me?"
Pablo just nods and hurries to take the horse out of the trailer. I watch Pablo do this and I feel like everything is happening in slow motion. I'm too shocked to even believe it. I just can't.
As Pablo redirects the horse to face us, I feel bile coming up my throat. I don't want to make a scene now, so I swallow up whatever I can force down.
"What do you think, Kris?" Jean asks me directly as the horse looms over me.
I can't think of anything else to say. Nothing positive, negative nor reassuring. I didn't even notice when my mouth opened. "That's Avatar. Ken's horse." I choke out.
"Not anymore. He's our horse now." she says this in such triumph as she pets Avatar's back. "We're going to train him like new again."
"Jean, why Avatar?" Pablo asks her. I want to know too. Why?
"Why not?" Jean answers coyly.
"Does Ken know about this? Does he?" My voice wavers a bit. I'm afraid how this outcome with affect my already strained relationship with Junior's father.
"Not that I know of. He was bidding to buy Avatar back when Dani sold him to pay Ken's debts while he was in jail, remember?"
"But Jean, he'll be furious. You know this right?" Pablo tells her this for my sake more than his.
"I honestly don't see why you two are so worried about Ken. It was a public bid. It's just too bad for him that my price was the one that got the call."
I've never heard Jean speak this way. I know there's a quiet rivalry between Raintree and Davis Farms, but it was always behind closed doors. This is why Matt and Junior's friendship lasted this long. The competition between their family was never really a problem because it never got personal. Never. Until now.
What she doesn't know is that Ken will take his anger out on me. Not only because Jean bought the horse for Raintree, but because I work here and I must know about it. Even if I didn't, it doesn't matter.
"Pablo is right, Jean. Ken will lash out when he calls. Especially if he lost his favorite and prized horse to you. He's still has hard feeling towards you, remember?"
"Oh, Kris! Stop it!" Jean blushes.
Before Pablo came out with his real feelings for Jean, she had a little fling going on with my father-in-law. It was nothing serious, but of course Ken took it the wrong way. When Jean broke the news that she was in love with someone else, to Pablo no doubt, he was furiously hurt. I couldn't show my face to him for over a week before he finally let it go. I think he's fine now, but lets just say me working here wasn't one of Junior's best ideas.
"Ok, that's enough." Pablo takes on a serious tone. Lets face it, he was jealous of Ken. Pablo didn't think he would have a shot. With Ken being rich and all. Pablo should know better.
"If you're up to it. We can start Augustus on the track." Pablo tells me before he walks away to take the horse out of his stall.
Looks like I'm not going back home after all. This is going to be one long day.
-
I step inside the house, praying that I don't run into Ken. I've been trying to keep my mind off Jean and her decision on buying Avatar.
The sun has just set, making the house come alive with it's brilliant fluorescent lights. I shut the door behind me and quickly go up the stairs. I slip into the room Junior and I share.
The room is a mess from this morning. The housekeeper didn't clean up, but then again she never does. It was one of my agreements with Junior. I would live here on a condition that no one would enter our room. He didn't question me and happily agreed. I didn't want the housekeeper cleaning up in here and finding something that would be passed along to Ken. I want my privacy.
I silently curse myself for doing so because now I have to clean up the mess. I start will all the clothes that was thrown onto the floor. I don't bother to inspect whether they are clean or not and dump them straight into the hamper. I will let the housekeeper do the laundry, but not enter this room to retrieve it.
I look to the drawers and see most of them are ajar with clothing either sticking out or thrown inside. It's a tedious job. Folding and refolding until the shirts, underwear, shorts and socks fit perfectly into the drawers. The bed is unmade and it takes me a minute to consider making it or not. Junior and I will be back in bed in a few hours.
As I turn to inspect the bathroom, I think of Ken and his disapproval of me. It'd be another notch on my bedpost if he sees the sight of that bed.
I sigh heavily and stomp my way back. I toss the comforter onto the floor and strip the pillows and the mattress bare. I gather newly washed sheets with matching pillow cases from the closet in the hall and begin my mission of making the bed. I toss the filthy linen in a separate hamper for later washing.
Once the bed is made, my feet pulls me towards the bathroom. Of course, the damn seat is up. I've told Junior a million times to put the seat down.
It was never a problem before until one night, I didn't bother to turn on the lights. I blindly stumbled into the bathroom. I sat down expecting the toilet seat to catch my fall. Instead, I fell right in with the cold water touching my bare skin as I screamed. Junior stepped into the bathroom, nearly doubling over with laughter at the sight of me. I was furious for hours until he promised he would put the seat back down after every use.
I approach the toilet and firmly shut it, not caring how loud the noise is. I rearrange all of Junior's hair products on the counter and put the toothbrushes back to where they belong. The bathroom is in a much better condition than the bedroom, taking me only minutes to clean up.
I take a step back. I look up and see my reflection in the mirror. Why hadn't I noticed earlier?
I squint my eyes at myself. I just realized that my hair is an unkempt ponytail. My eyes are sad looking and have deep, dark circles beneath them from lack of sleep. My face is grimy with dirt from the track. Then I look down at my stomach. I turn to my side and lift up my shirt. It seems so unreal that a baby is growing inside of me. I lay my left hand softly against it. I still don't show, but soon I will. I won't be able to hide it with clothes in a few weeks. I'll start to grow a pouch.
As I continue to study my midsection, I hear the bedroom door creak open.
"Junior?" I call out.
"Yeah." he says softly.
I step out of the bathroom and find Junior sitting on the newly made bed. I grit my teeth at the sight of the crinkled comforter. Then I see Junior's face. Solemn and seemingly exhausted.
"What's wrong?" I ask him cautiously as I approach the bed and sit next to him. I make myself comfortable by tucking my legs beneath me. I know I shouldn't sit on the clean bed since I'm filthy, but Junior doesn't seem to notice.
"It's been a really long day, Kris."
"I know what you mean." I tell him. "I feel more exhausted today than I've ever been. Must be the pregnancy, huh?"
Junior shrugs and lets out a heavy sigh. He closes his eyes and lets his body fall onto the bed. I shift myself so I'm facing him.
"Did you have a bad day?" I whisper softly.
"You could say that." he says under his breath.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No, but I will have to eventually. Tell me about your day first."
No. I don't want to tell him about my day. I wanted him to tell me about his first. I don't want to tell him about Avatar. I don't know how to break the news.
"My day was boring." I say this with clenched teeth. I really don't want to tell him, but I can't hide it either.
"I got into a fight with my dad after you left for Raintree." he mumbles.
"Let me guess. It was about me?"
I didn't have to look to know the answer. Ken and Junior only ever fight about me. There is nothing else to fight about.
"What did I do this time?" I ask. I just want to know now, so I can apologize. Junior's relationship with his father is already strained. I don't want to make it worse.
"You didn't do anything, Kris." he says this as he sits up. "It's all him. I just want him to love you like a real daughter."
"But I'm not his daughter, Junior. It's fine he doesn't accept me. I've gotten over it, all right? Don't worry about me." This might be a little white lie. Of course I want Ken Davis' approval. But not for my sake.
"I care, okay Kris? I want you two to get along. It can't be like this. You two always at war with each other. Always speaking to each other with clenched teeth and fists. Always unnecessarily polite. I want normal. I want to be able to be in a room with my father without getting angry with him for being rude to you." He's so exasperated, I really don't know what to say.
"I don't understand him, Kris. I really don't." he continues. "I thought he finally accepted us when he came to the wedding. You saw, didn't you? He was clapping and smiling with the rest."
I think about this for a moment. I know I told Junior to invite his father, even though he said he didn't need his approval. I know Junior wants it though. He wants his father's approval. He wants Ken to be proud of him for all that he's accomplished. Even if he accomplished to marry an ex-convict who works at the rival farm. That's why he's fighting so hard. For me, for Ken. For both of us. With all the emotions during the wedding, Ken probably just got swept up. Even Matt too, for that matter. They were probably the only two that weren't one hundred percent into this marriage. Ken doesn't want me for Junior and Matt doesn't want Junior for me.
"Junior, he's accepted that we're married. You can't make him accept me for me. It's no use to fight over something that cannot be changed." I tell him. And this is true.
"Don't you think I know that? I can't stand it anymore. I can't live this way." he says, throwing his hands up.
"What do you want to do then?" I ask.
Before he can answer, there's a loud knock on the door that startles me. Junior stand ups quickly and wrenches the door open.
There stands Ken. His face is crumpled up in anger. He's completely seething and I can tell he's holding it all back. I don't need to know why he's angry or at whom. I know the answer.
"We need to talk." Ken angrily grumbles.
"What for?" Junior snaps back.
"We just need to talk, okay? I need you and Kris downstairs for dinner in thirty. Dani will be joining us as well."
"What if I don't want to join you for dinner?" Junior asks condescendingly. He's really pushing his father's buttons today.
"I'm not asking you, Junior. I'm telling you. And you will be there. Both of you." Ken says. His voice raised slightly.
"Will Matt be coming too?" I ask. It's a long shot and I brace myself.
"Matt will most certainly join us. I've asked Dani to bring him along." Ken answers me in a surprisingly honest tone, but he doesn't look at me directly.
"Why? What's Matt got to do with anything?" Junior asks his father.
"This has everything to do with Matt and Raintree for that matter." Ken retorts.
"Raintree? Why do we need to talk about Raintree? I don't want to talk to you or even be remotely near you right now." Junior huffs.
"You will be there, Junior. This concerns all of us, all right? I won't take any excuses. Suck up any feelings you have towards me for now. We'll talk about it later. Be down in thirty minutes. I won't wait for you." he says hurriedly.
He doesn't turn to leave without looking me right in the eye first. "And you." he points at me. "Clean yourself up! You may work with horses, but you're not one! I don't want you all filthy while we eat dinner!" he yells and stomps away.
Asshole. That's what he is. He must know about Avatar and somehow connected me to it all, along with Matt. I can't blame him for being angry. I'd be the same way if it was Wildfire. But Ken Davis is a complete asshole. How he and Junior are related, I have no damn clue. Like I said, he'll be taking the anger out on me.
"God! He's such an ass!" Junior yells after slamming the door.
I can feel the floor vibrate from the impact. It makes me want to throw up.
"I'm so sorry Kris." Junior says softly. These are the kind of times where Junior never fails to remind me how much he loves me and how much I love him.
"It's all right, Junior. I know why he's angry, especially at me." I begin to say.
"What? Why?" he asks as he leans against our drawers.
I look down at my hands as I twirl a loose thread. I have no choice but to tell him. It'll soften the blow later.
Ken's outburst towards me won't be his last.