Chapter 173 – Consequences of a Temper
After Nathan walked away, he went to Jack.
"Jack." Nathan said. "I understand why you are upset, but you need to control that temper of yours. The horses are fine. Carlos said that Ghost was only in the pen for a few minutes before he moved him to the round pen."
"Sorry." Jack said. "I guess I am still angry about how things went down with my parents this past week."
"I get that." Nathan said. "But they aren't here and they can't do anything to you right now. Now clear your head and then we will go ride. I think you need to figure out something to deal with your emotions before you really get yourself in trouble. I mean hitting Bouchard on Saturday night, now yelling at people, even if they were in the wrong. Just please take a moment. I was hired to protect you and if that means protecting you from yourself, I will."
"You are right." Jack said. "I am sorry. I don't deal with emotions well and I feel like I have been on a rollercoaster for the last couple of months."
"All I am asking is that you are more aware." Nathan said. "Also, maybe listen to me when I say to step back."
Jack nodded.
"Give me a minute and then I will get changed." Jack said.
"Good." Nathan said. "We will change and tack the horses up. Are you riding both Honey and Bandit?"
"Yeah." Jack said.
Lee and Elizabeth both headed back upstairs at the same time. They both set up their laptops at the table. Lee had both his and Jack's. He figured it would be easier to have both of them than having to go back and forth. Elizabeth just looked at him confused.
"Jack has set up an account on the computer." Lee said. "I can access certain things, like the show and other shared files, while his private things remain private. There is an account like that on each of our laptops that we all know the passwords to the other laptops. When I said we share everything, I mean everything. Granted, we don't talk about money and things like that, but if one of us asked the others, they would answer it honestly. We all get that there are certain business things that Jack can't talk about. It is the same with my father's businesses. So since I knew I could access things on Jack's computer, I thought it would be easier to have both than trying to flip back and forth between screens."
"I guess I didn't think about it that way." Elizabeth said. "I am just surprised that you have access to Jack's computer."
"I have access to his.." Lee said. "Just as both Jack and Doug have access to mine. And Jack and I have Doug's. When you turn the computer on, you get to the sign-in screen. I chose the shared account and entered the password. Like I said, we trust each other."
Elizabeth nodded. She hadn't ever thought to give Rosie access to her computer. Yeah, she had handed her phone over a few times, but that was different. Elizabeth also realized that she would have to be careful handing her phone to Rosie in the future, at least until she knew that she could fully trust her. That thought alone made Elizabeth a little sad. Her face must have changed because when she looked across the table, Lee was looking at her.
"Everything alright?" Lee asked. "Your face changed to something I am not sure I can describe."
"Sorry." Elizabeth said. "I realized that I don't have the level of trust with anyone that you have with Jack and Doug."
"What about your best friend who is coming?" Lee asked.
"I will have to see." Elizabeth said. "I thought I could trust her, but after talking to her on Sunday, I will just have to see."
"Don't shut her out." Lee said. "Once she sees that you are okay and that you are happy, then she should be happy for you. If not, then maybe she really wasn't the friend that you thought. I am sorry to sound harsh, but I have been in that type of situation. Before I met Jack and Doug, I had a friend that I thought I could trust. I told him about my brother Patrick and he turned around and told everyone in our homeschool group about what I had talked about. My mother pulled me aside and told me that a true friend wouldn't treat you that way and would hold things in confidence that were told to him. Not only that, but a true friend would be happy if you are happy and there to comfort you when you are sad or hurting. Do you see what I am saying?"
"I think so." Elizabeth said. "I said I would give Rosie a chance, but I am also not going to just blindly trust. She has said a few things and I have tried to tell her that they aren't true. I need to see how she will react to things. I want her to come along on this journey with me, but I also don't want someone who is going to believe everything that is written online or in the papers."
"I get that." Lee said. "Hopefully when she sees what the rest of us have seen, she will be supportive of you."
"I hope so." Elizabeth said.
"Me too." Lee said. "Even though I don't know your friend, I hope she is happy for you and we can include her into our group. As far as the trust that Jack, Doug and I have, well we have been through things that most people haven't been through and it made us a lot closer than most other people. What could have tore us apart, actually drove us closer together. Not many people have what we have between us. I am sure that you and Jack have a level of trust that he doesn't have with other people, including Doug and I. We trust each other, but the trust with you is different then the trust with us guys. Just as the trust that Doug and I will have with our future wife will be different then the trust we have with Jack. I hope that makes sense."
"Yes, sort of." Elizabeth said.
Elizabeth smiled at Lee and then went back to her computer. Gran had overheard the conversation and knew that she was going to have to keep an eye on Elizabeth and her friend Rosie. Gran wasn't afraid of laying down the law and speaking with Rosie even though she hadn't met her yet. Gran took a moment from her baking to say a quick prayer for Elizabeth. The last thing that Gran wanted was more discord in the house. It had been nice the last couple of days with Thomas and Charlotte gone. As much as she loved her daughter, she was over her behavior. Gran wasn't sure what was going to happen in the future, but she knew that as long as she had breath in her body, she wasn't going to allow things to get as bad as they had been. She felt bad about sending her daughter away, but Gran also knew that Charlotte needed to learn that she can't treat people the way that she was treating them.
After she got two pans of cookies in the oven and two more ready, she took a cup of coffee over and sat down at the table.
"How are things looking for the show?" Gran asked.
"Great." Lee said. "We have had a few more registrations. Most of the lower classes are almost full. There are also seven signed up for the advanced class. I am surprised since it was such a late addition to the calendar."
"What about the show over in Utica?" Gran asked.
"Not bad." Lee said. "It looks mostly local and those from the Syracuse area. As far as I can tell, all the farms, ranches and stables here in Saratoga are either signed up for our show or they don't look to be showing that weekend."
"Good to know." Gran said. "I don't want to see their show fail, but I am glad that we had such a huge response to a show that was added so late in the game."
"I think it helped that we were doing a show for the lower levels." Lee said.
"I think you are right." Gran said. "I remember when the kids were at different levels. If there was a show that we could all go to, we would go to that one instead of trying to split the group."
"I think that we were lucky." Lee said. "Not only hadn't you had a show here in a few years, but the increased interest in Jack, I think it drew a few more people in that might have been on the fence."
"Again, I think you might be right." Gran said. "I just know that JP is not going to want to deal with a ton of fans that weekend."
"We will do what we can to be a buffer." Lee said. "But you know that there are going to be people that want his attention."
"Do you think that the press will try to come into the show?" Elizabeth asked.
"Security won't let them." Gran said. "One or two might slip in, but by large they will be kept out. Don't worry, James showed me the plans and there will be lots of security and everyone has to show an id to get in. Security will have a list of known members of the press."
"I also think that the group that Nathan invited up from Pennsylvania will help." Lee said.
"What group?" Gran said. "I know he said something about some friends coming up and offering to help."
"Did you miss the entire conversation with John about who this group was?" Lee asked. "Maybe we had it while you were gone shopping."
"I must have." Gran said. "Care to share."
"The group that is coming up is a biker group." Lee said. "Apparently Nathan is a member and they will be bringing their bikes as well. They offered to have them on display. So we have added an unofficial motorcycle show to the weekend."
"No, I didn't know that. Gran said.
"Don't worry." Lee said. "John already voiced his concerns, but we agreed that overall they were a good group of men and women. From what John said, many are vets. Nathan said they have done quite a few freedom rides to raise awareness for disabled vets."
"Then I won't worry." Gran said. "I am sure that John had them checked out or will be doing it."
"I think he might have." Lee said. "I am looking forward to seeing some of the bikes. I don't have one of my own, but I do have my license. My dad has a bike I have ridden a few times. I was hoping to get one maybe next year."
Gran shook her head.
"I will never understand that." Gran said.
"I take it you have never been on a bike." Lee said.
"No." Gran said. "My older brother had one and crashed. He was hurt pretty badly and that is all I can think of when I see one."
"I understand that." Lee said. "However, we only ride at safe speeds and wear helmets, vests and other safety gear."
"Who are we?" Elizabeth asked.
Lee ducked his head.
"JP and Doug have their licenses as well, don't they?" Gran asked.
"Yeah." Lee said. "We all got them together."
Gran closed her eyes.
"Like Devin said." Lee said. "Safely riding a motorcycle is no different than safely riding a horse, only a motorcycle won't try to stomp you after you fall."
"I know." Gran said. "I just can't help but worry."
"And you weren't worried when he went after that injured horse at the show?" Lee asked.
"Good point." Gran said. "How about we don't talk about it anymore?"
"Okay." Lee said.
The timer went off for the cookies, so Gran got up and went to the kitchen. Lee was actually glad that the timer went off. He was worried that Gran was going to ask him about if Jack had plans to get a motorcycle. Lee knew that Jack did have a plan, but he wasn't sure at this point if he still would. A lot of the plans that Jack had made with Lee and Doug had to be looked at since there had been major shake ups in the last couple of weeks. Lee knew that there were still things that Jack wanted to do and they included Doug and himself, but Lee wondered how much of Jack's plan would change if Elizabeth didn't like or agree with something. He hoped that they would all be able to work toward the dream together.
It hadn't started out as Lee's dream to want to work for Jack in the future, but the more that Jack talked about the plan and his dream for Coal Creek and Thornton Thoroughbreds, the more that Jack and Doug wanted to be a part of it. It had already been decided that Doug would get his MBA and then go to work with John, eventually he would learn what he needed to be Jack's right hand man in running the vast businesses. It would not only allow Jack to do what he loved – be with the horses, but it would also allow Jack to take over both companies without it being overwhelming. Lee wasn't sure what his future role would look like as he had agreed to get his MBA as well, but the plan was to help his father. There was a part of Lee that wanted to bring his father's businesses under the Thornton Inc, umbrella, but he wasn't sure how his father would feel about that. His father was proud that he had built Coulter Enterprises into one of the largest logging and woodworking companies in all of the Northeast.
Elizabeth had looked at Lee when the timer went off, as she was going to offer to get the cookies, but Gran got up. Elizabeth wondered if she was upset with the idea that Jack and them had an interest in motorcycles. It wasn't that Elizabeth hated the machines, but they were definitely not high on her list. She knew that they could be dangerous, but she also realized that Lee was right that in reality it wasn't any more dangerous than riding a horse in competition.
After Nathan walked away, Jack went into the feed room and punched a hay bale. He did it without thinking and hit it with his sore hand. He winced at the pain. He stood there shaking his hand for a moment. Jack then took a deep breath and went over to the office. He knew that he could have used his cell phone, but he needed to sit for a moment. Jack took a seat at the desk and then picked up the phone and dialed the number he knew by heart.
("Hello." The voice said, when they picked up.)
"Hey Devin." Jack said. "I think I messed up."
("You mean more than hitting Bouchard on Saturday?" Devin asked.)
"Yes." Jack said. "I was upset that people weren't doing their job right this morning and I hit a hay bale. When I did, my hand really hurt."
("So who messed up?" Devin asked.)
"Tommy." Jack said. "Well actually, Blaine, the one assigned to Tommy. They put Ghost, Athena, Honey and Aphrodite all in the same pen so Tommy could muck the stalls. One of the other hands noticed right away and moved Ghost, but it could have been bad and he didn't even care. And before you ask, I have already spoken to Ed and he promised it wouldn't happen again. I just don't know if it is the best idea to have Tommy here. I get that they are trying to teach him that the money that this place generates takes work, but I don't trust him around my horses. Especially with two big shows coming up."
("I see your concern." Devin said. "So tell me about your hand? Does it hurt to flex it? Did you break the skin?")
"No broken skin." Jack said. "But I can see that my knuckle is a little swollen. I can flex it but not without pain."
("I would suggest that you ice it." Devin said. "I know that you are leaving for Toronto tomorrow, but if it is still hurting, I would suggest that you go in. I just don't know how to get you to the hospital and back without causing a scene with the press.")
"I see what you mean." Jack said. "Maybe instead of coming right back to the farm on Thursday, I could have Grandpa John meet me at the airport and take me into Albany. Then he can take me back to the airport and we can all take off in the helicopter to come back here."
("That might work." Devin said. "I would suggest that you call your grandfather and talk to him about this. I am sure that he would help you, but I also know that he will be worried about you riding if something is wrong.)
"We don't have a show this weekend." Jack said. "But I know what you mean. I think I will ice it and not use it today and make a call later this afternoon depending on how it feels."
("Fine." Devin said. "But I am going to call Andrew and give him a heads up. So don't be surprised if John calls you.")
"Understood." Jack said.
("Are you going to ride this morning?" Devin asked.)
"I will see." Jack said. "I can ride with only one hand. Besides, we aren't actually jumping, just flat work."
("Take it easy." Devin said. "I will talk to you later.")
"Later." Jack said.
Devin hung up the phone and Jack did the same. Jack sat there for a moment and then let out a harsh breath. He didn't want to admit that he messed up, but he also knew that there would be no way to hide it from Elizabeth. He went over to the cupboard and pulled out an instant ice pack that he knew was kept there. He used his left hand to pop it and then put it on his right knuckles. He then went over to the changing room and saw that Nathan and Doug were not in there. He went out to the sand ring and saw that they were working there. Bandit and Honey were both saddled and in the round pen. Nathan saw Jack approaching, but he wasn't dressed to ride. Nathan looked at him until he saw the ice pack. Nathan shook his head, dismounted and went over to Jack.
"Let me see." Nathan said.
Jack held out his hand to Nathan.
"Make a fist." Nathan said.
Jack did as Nathan asked and he winced with pain. Jack tried to hide it, but Nathan saw it.
"I don't think it is broken." Nathan said feeling around Jack's hand.
"I don't think so either." Jack said. "I think at most it is dislocated or sprained."
"I would agree about the dislocation." Nathan said. "Want me to fix it or are we going to get x-rays?"
"I would rather not have to go in." Jack said.
"Then I will fix it." Nathan said. "But if it is still painful to move when we get back from Toronto, then I am not giving you a choice."
"Fine." Jack said. "I told Devin as much already. I was thinking that Grandpa John could run us to the hospital or clinic in Albany then back to the airport to come back here. We would just have to move the departure of the helicopter."
"We can do that." Nathan said. "Now take a deep breath and hold it."