A/N: I know, I know! I said I would only put new chapters up on Tuesday & Thursday. But today is Friday and I have a barrel race tomorrow, the ponies are fit and rearing to go. So I am happy today. So here ya go!!!
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***Thanks to my remarkable Pepsi loving Beta StephieB! I love ya girl!!***
Disclaimer – Stephenie Meyers owns all that is Twilight.
Chapter 5
Past Lives
EPOV
Becoming an Equine Vet was always a clear choice for me. My father Dr. Carlisle Cullen is one of the best in the field.
I grew up in Lake Forest, Illinois, which is a suburb of Chicago. My dad had his first practice there and he did well, but Chicago really wasn't considered horse country. That, coupled with several other reasons, prompted my family to move to Stephenville, Texas the summer before my junior year of high school.
I inherited my father's love of horses. Being from a wealthy family, my father grew up with the blue blooded thoroughbreds. They are the long-distance runners of the equine world; they are the athletes you see running on the first Saturday in May at the Kentucky Derby. The love of these magnificent creatures is what lured my dad into the veterinarian field to begin with and ironically the same beautiful animals would be the reasons for our move.
My dad was working as one of the track vets for the 1997 Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Kentucky. One of the favorites, Dixie Dynamo, broke from the number eight starting gate. When racehorses break from the gates, it is hard and fast. The slightest misstep can cause catastrophic damage and unfortunately, that is exactly what happened. When Dixie Dynamo broke, he stumbled with his right front leg. When the colt regained his stride, something was off. The jockey got the horse pulled up and it was then the extent of the damage could be seen. Dad was first on the track. The gallant colt just stood there on three trembling legs, in obvious pain. It was as plain as day that he had a broken canon bone.
The track assistants and other vets got Dynamo loaded in the ambulance and brought him back to the barn. Dad's x-rays confirmed the severity of the break, which was worse than anyone could have imagined. The leg was shattered. Dad explained the levity of the situation and that through the advances in equine medicines, surgery was a viable option. However, the owners made the decision to euthanize Dixie Dynamo on site. This wasn't the first time dad had to put down one of these glorious creatures due to man's greed.
My dad and I believe thoroughbreds are put into training at too young of an age. They are pushed to perform on the race track far too soon than their growing bones should be. All at the tender age of three, they are just babies!
When dad came home that evening with puffy, red eyes, we knew he'd cried after losing another great champion. It was then and there he made the decision to get away from the race track life, so we packed up and moved to Stephenville. We were right in the heart of cowboy country, which was a new world to me.
Quarter Horses were the breed of choice in Texas and this was where I was introduced to the world of rodeo…and her. I went to my first rodeo at the Lone Star Arena in Stephenville. Dad was asked to attend by one of his clients so of course I tagged along, eager to check out my first Texas rodeo. I loved the atmosphere immediately. It was such an odd combination of up tempo frenzy combined with an air of family. It was so different than the stuffy, ostentatious world of thoroughbred racing. I watched each event and studied every move made by these finely tuned equine athletes. I found that I really enjoyed watching the barrel racing.
Barrel racing is the only event in professional rodeo where women are allowed to compete. It's a timed event and electric eyes are used to gauge each run to the hundredth of a second. The barrel pattern consists of three fifty-five gallon drum barrels set up in a cloverleaf pattern. If a line was drawn from each barrel to the next, a triangle would be formed. It's called a cloverleaf pattern because when women make a run, the horse makes either one right turn and two lefts, or vise versa, depending on the horse. The shape of the pattern ran looks like a clover, thus the term "cloverleaf pattern." The horses enter the arena through what is called an alleyway and they rocket into the pen at breakneck speeds. They have to have athletic ability to gather and turn all three barrels; almost as if they are peeling the paint from the rim of each barrel, the turns are so tight. If a rider knocks over a barrel, five seconds is added to her time and in rodeo, that is basically the kiss of death. I was amazed at how woman and horse were a perfect team, relying on each other and trusting their partner as they navigated the pattern.
After the barrel racing was over, my dad went to check on the horse that belonged to his client's daughter. They had made a clean run, leaving up all three barrels and the horse was being walked so he could cool off. It was then that I met the girl who would dominate my world throughout the rest of high school and vet school while I was at Texas A & M; Tanya Denali. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever met. Her hair was red, long and beautiful. It spilled out in ringlets from under her black cowboy hat. Her smoky gray eyes were a compliment to her slightly tan complexion. We hit it off immediately. Tanya was my first love, or at least I thought it was love. It wasn't until later that I realized Tanya wasn't as honest about things as I thought she was. That's what has led me back to my parents' home, which is now in Phoenix, Arizona.
"Edward?" I hear my mom's voice call from downstairs, breaking me out of a memory I do not want to revisit at this moment.
"Mom, I am up here. I am just finishing up with the unpacking." I have missed her melodic voice. My mom is the sweetest, kindest person I know.
My parents' house is large enough to afford me privacy, for this I am extremely grateful. My room is the entire third floor, which was once used as a game room. It is plenty big enough, I have my own master bath and a balcony that overlooks the clinic, barns and a small side pasture. It is peaceful here it allows me time to think about the turn my life has taken in the last few months. I find it irritating that I was blind…for so many years when it came to Tanya. I am smarter than that! I allowed my emotions to cloud my vision when it came to her. I will never forget that day… it is forever etched into my mind. His beautiful black coat soaked with blood, there was so much blood, the desperation in his pleading eyes. Why didn't she call me sooner? Damn her, Damn her to hell! I sigh and turn my attention back to my wonderful mother who is still standing in the door way.
"Did you need help with something Mom?" I look at my mother's sweet face. There is sadness there when she looks at me sometimes. I know she worries about me. I try to hide how badly I truly am hurting around her. My mother is a fixer by nature, I know she means well. Honestly, I only told her part of the story with Tanya. The full story is just too painful for me to speak about right now; it only haunts me in my dreams. Those eyes….I shudder as Esme speaks again.
"No sweetie but your dad has a new client that he might need some help with." She says as she walks across the room to where I am sitting. She places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I look up and giver her a comforting smile. She still has those worry lines on her forehead.
"Sure mom, I will go down to the clinic in a minute. I just have to finish unpacking this last bag."
My dad's clinic is another reason I wanted to move back closer to my parents. I wanted to join my dad in his practice and it was an opportunity to learn from the best. I want to able to heal the horses that no one else can. I never want to look into another pair of big, brown eyes and know the horse is in pain, the same look I saw in his eyes on that faithful day and to be helpless to do anything. I may not be able to save every horse, but I will always try with every fiber of my being to save the ones that I know I can.
I walk into the reception area of the clinic, I notice Mom is back sitting at the reception desk. I look up at her questioningly not knowing exactly where dad was. She points to the back examination area. I nod and go through the door that adjoins the reception area to the rest of the clinic. I slowly close the door behind me so as not to spook the horse that dad is working with.
I look up and see the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on, for the first time in months my heart actually beats. Tanya Denali has nothing on her. She is small in frame, her hair is brown, but it has some natural auburn highlights running throughout it. It is so fucking shiny, I just want to walk over to her and run my fingers through it. I am sure it is soft and probably smells out of this world! I can't see her eyes, only her profile. She is intensely watching every move my father makes around her horse and almost has a frightened look on her face. Something inside me flutters at the thought of this woman being sad. Inexplicably, I feel protective over her and I want to do whatever it takes to make her happy.
I look over at dad and he is setting up the portable x-ray machine. "Dad? I just got finished unpacking the last boxes from the move and wanted to see if you could use a hand." Please say you need help, Dad. I want to get closer to the horse's owner and see if her hair smells as good as it looks. Jesus, Edward, snap out of it!
At that exact moment, the object of my infatuation turns towards me and it is then I see the extent of her beauty. She literally takes my breath away. Her eyes are big and so full of expression, almost doe-like. They are brown in color but there is much more to them than just plain brown. I could get lost in them forever. Her face is almost heart shaped and her complexion has a milky tone to it, even though I assume she's often out in the Phoenix sun working with horses.
Dad's voice snaps me from my thoughts. "I've got this Edward. I'm almost done anyway. Bella, this is my son, Edward. He just moved here from Stephenville, Texas and is going to be joining me here at the clinic."
I seize my chance to get closer to her and almost run across the exam room. Before I know it, I'm standing right in front of her, close enough to reach out and touch her soft skin and silky hair. She smells even sweeter than I imagined, like freesias with a hint of strawberry. Good God almighty! That has got to be the most intoxicating scent in the whole wide world. I feel myself becoming stiff in my pants. I shift my stance praying she does not notice.
I stick my hand out, hoping she will take it and dull this aching I have to feel her skin on mine, even if it is something as innocent as a hand shake. "Very nice to meet you, Bella." I gaze straight into her eyes then shift my sight down to her full lips. Fuck! Her lips look so kissable and just like she's reading my thoughts; she starts to bite her lower lip. Shit! What I wouldn't give to be biting that lip.
Suddenly, as she grasps my hand to shake it, a jolt of electricity shoots from her hand to mine the minute our skin touches. I feel it quake throughout my body. Jesus fucking Christ, what was that? Bella must have felt it too, because her eyes got wide and she withdrew her hand quickly. Great, now the situation that was starting earlier in my pants just got larger. Thank goodness they are baggy jeans because Lord knows I definitely do not need the woman of my dreams thinking I'm some sort of perv.
"Bella, I am going to process these films and I'll be back in a minute to go over them with you." My father leaves for his office to develop the x-rays and Angela follows behind him.
Well, this is my lucky day! It's just the two of us now and this is just the opportunity I need to get to know her better. Maybe, just maybe, I'd get to run my fingers through that thick, beautiful hair…dear God, Edward! Stop it! I have to calm down or I'm going to freak this poor, insanely beautiful girl out with my new found hair fetish!
As I gauge the likelihood of actually getting my hands in her hair, I hear her speak with the most angelic voice I've ever heard. "So, um, Edward, you just moved here? How do you like it so far?" I look down at her to answer and fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck, she is blushing! She is actually blushing! Who does that anymore? It's the most beautiful, yet innocent thing I've ever seen a girl do. I know I'm smiling the most ridiculously goofy grin as I answer her question.
"Well, I just got here yesterday, but so far I love it." Oh Bella, you have no idea how much I love Phoenix now that I've met you. Right on que, Daddy Cockblock comes out of his office ready to go over the x-rays with my Bella. Wait! Hold up – did I just say my Bella? I've known this girl all of five minutes and I'm already laying claim to her. Smooth man, real smooth.
"Well um it was really nice meeting you Edward, maybe I will see ya around?"
Ugh there she goes with the lip biting again, the bulge in my pants is definitely getting immensely bigger by the minute.
"Most definitely Bella, most definitely." With that, she turns and heads into my dad's office while I am left standing here like a fool. Not just a regular fool either, but one with a raging hard on. I slip back to the house to take care of the problem that has been caused by the woman I know I am going to marry some day.
*~*~*~*
End Note: I know I sounded kind of harsh about the horse racing, but it is the realty of the sport. But I would like to point out that not all owners are driven by greed. Barbaro's owners are a good example of owner's that went above and beyond. They truly loved their horse.
I want to thank everyone that has added my story to story alerts it means a lot!!! I will be going back to my normal updating schedule next week, Tuesday and Thursdays.
Reviews are what spur me on to write the next chapter.
