Edward took a deep breath and turned around to face Debra. He leaned on the railing. "I want you to know that you do belong here, Debra. I would do anything to make you believe that."
"I see you were talking to Mrs. Gardner."
"Yes, as a matter of fact I was. And you aren't a burden. I love you more than anything. I hope you know that."
"Yes, of course I know that. I was saying I feel like an outsider and a burden because I don't know about this kind of life and I must be shown things that I don't understand. You have such a wonderful family here. You and Mrs. Gardner and the men around. You are a family and I have never had anything resembling this."
"Would you like to try to find your parents?"
"I tried before when I got settled in New York, but the search came up empty. I would just like to know why they left me."
"Well, it is their loss and my gain. I love you Debra. I didn't know that love could feel this wonderful."
"Neither did I." Debra said. "I know I shouldn't ask, but how many times did you get thrown today?"
"You're right, you shouldn't ask." Edward said then finished his coffee.
"I'm guessing it was a lot after that answer." Debra said then got up and crossed the porch. She turned around and faced him. "Edward, if this is going to work, you need to be honest with me. You don't have to dodge questions to spare me from worrying. I am still going to worry no matter what the answer is."
Edward got up and walked over to her. "I didn't count, but it was a lot."
"Thank you." Debra took a step back. "I just don't want to be lied to anymore."
"I'm sorry. I will try to be as honest as I can be with you." Edward stepped towards her. "I know you will worry, but there isn't really a need. I am more worried about you and the baby." He said then stepped closer. He reached for her and pulled her close. He wrapped his arms around her. "All I can think about is you and the baby. I don't want anything to happen to either one of you."
"We are fine. The doctor said so himself."
"Yes, I know, but it doesn't stop me from worrying, either."
"I have read all the information the doctor gave me and I am not going to do anything that will hurt me or the baby. You need to keep your head in your business. I don't want you getting hurt being distracted."
"I guess we will have to do better."
"I am going to be honest with you, now. You really need a shower." She said then stepped out of his embrace.
"I didn't realize I was that bad." Edward said. "I guess I should take one before dinner."
"Yes, please do."
"All right. I'll be back." Edward said then walked into the house.
Debra sat down in the chair and started reading again.
Edward came back a while later. He bent down and kissed Debra. "Better?"
"Much better." Debra said.
Edward walked over and sat down in the other chair. "So, I think we will start working with Misty tomorrow."
"Really? Won't that be too much for her in her condition?"
"No. We just have to take it easy. I want you close by. That way she won't try to kill me. You have that kind of connection with her."
"It’s like I can hear her thoughts."
"Some horses bond with one person and other people have a hard time getting them to do anything. Like Joe said, she chose you."
"Joe and Josh say that I have a gift. What do you think?"
"You have a gift with Misty, but I'm not sure if it goes farther than her."
"Do you hear their thoughts?"
"I have, but I tune into their movements and feelings."
"Oh. I guess I should put Misty in the barn." Debra said then got up. She walked off the porch and started towards the barn.
Edward fell into step next to her. "What's on your mind? I can tell you're thinking about something."
"It’s not important."
Edward moved past her and stopped in front of her blocking her path. "Don't you know by now; you can't dodge me with that answer?"
"I just have a lot on my mind. It jumps from one thing to another."
"You do know you can talk to me about anything, don't you?"
"I know. Some things I need to think through on my own. Don't worry, it is nothing about how I feel about you."
"All right." Edward said then stepped aside.
Debra put Misty in her stall with Edward's help and fed her. They walked back up to the house and into the dining room. Mrs. Gardner served dinner and they ate quietly. When they were done, Edward excused himself and went into the office.
Debra walked downstairs a while later. She went to Edward's office doorway and knocked lightly. "Are you busy?"
"Not too busy for you." Edward said as he looked away from his work.
Debra walked in. "I've been thinking, you asked if I wanted to ship my stuff here."
"Yes, I did."
"If the offer still stands, I want to take you up on it."
"Of course."
"I already checked into it to see how much it will cost. I'm going to pay for it myself."
"All right if you can afford it."
"Yes, I can. They won't send it to the post office box. They need a physical address."
"All right." Edward wrote down the address and then handed it to Debra. "Let me know when they are coming so I can put them on the schedule."
"You schedule deliveries?"
"Yes, or Pete and his men will stop them." He said. "Pete is security."
"Okay, I'll let you know, thank you."
"No problem."
"I will let you get back to work. I'm going to take care of this and take a relaxing bath."
"All right. Are you sure there isn't anything else you need?"
"Not that I know of."
"Are you sure you don't want to talk?
"There is nothing to talk about." Debra said and walked out of the room.
Edward walked upstairs later that night, he stopped by Debra's room and knocked on the door frame. "Are you busy"
"No, just crafting."
Edward walked in. "I was just heading to bed and I wanted to say goodnight."
"Talking about family today depresses me. It gets me thinking about what I never really had. I don't know why, I never really felt like I had a family or a home. I've been here a little over a week and I feel more at home then I have ever felt." Debra said. "I didn't even feel this way in my own apartment."
"I'm glad you feel that way."
"I did a search for my parents but didn't come up with anything. It's like they have vanished."
"Would you like me to ask Ace if he can look into it?"
"I don't know." Debra took a deep breath. " I don't know if I want to know why they treated me like the way they did." She said.
Edward went over and sat down next to her on the bed. "If you are thinking about it this much, you want to know." He said.
" I never really thought of it before, it just hit me." Debra explained. "I hate to say it, but it is probably just my hormones."
"We can blame in on the hormones then. "He said. "I will ask Ace and Jared, my other foster brother, to look and see if they can find out any information about your parents, maybe they can find out something."
"Thank you."
"It's not a problem. "Edward leaned over closer and gave her a kiss. He got up. "Goodnight, Debra." He said, then walked over to the door. He turned and looked at her. "Get some rest."
"I will. Goodnight." Debra said. Edward then walked out the door.
Debra walked out of the room and downstairs an hour later. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, stood there a minute, then drank it. She turned and walked upstairs, stopped at her room, then walked down the hallway to Edward's door. She stopped in the doorway and watched Edward lay in bed.
"Are you going to stand there all night," teased Edward.
"I didn't know if you were sleeping or not and didn't want to wake you if you were." Debra said as she walked into the room. She went over to the bed and got in.
Edward rolled over and put his arm around her and told her, "I love you."
"I love you." Debra said. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, darling"
Debra woke up to see Edward staring at her. "What are you doing?"
"You look so peaceful when you are sleeping." Edward said as he leaned over and kissed her. He pulled back." Are you going to get sick?"
" Not that I know of."
"Tell me if you want me to stop." He whispered to her as he kissed her again.
Edward put on his shirt later that morning. "I have a huge closet here if you want to put your clothes in it.'
"I know." Debra said.
"Come out to the barn when you are ready."
"Why can't you just stay in bed with me all day?"
"Because then, nothing will get done." He said then went over and kissed her. "Make sure you try to eat something."
"Yes, I will."
"I'll see you soon." He kissed her again and left the room.
Debra walked down to the barn about an hour later. She waked inside and over to the puppy stall. She watched them few a few minutes, before she continued down the aisle. She stepped at Misty's stall.
"Good morning, girl, how are you?" She said as Misty came up to the door.
"We are going to do a little work today, if you're up to it." Misty nodded her head.
"Good girl, I want you to be good, all right?" She said as stroked her mane. "I'm going to be right back." Debra said. then walked out of the barn. She walked down the aisle to the office where she heard voices.
"Are you sure she has a true heart. I don't know if you can trust her. You don't even know what she will do." Josh said.
Debra took a deep breath, then walked into the office. "Am I interrupting?"
"Not at all." Josh said. "I'll get the arena ready." He said then hurried out.
"Was he talking about me."
"No, we were talking about Misty; Josh did some research on her." He said and held out the papers.
Debra took the papers and scanned them them over. "So, she got her rider hurt and went crazy." She said. "She's feeling guilty.
"That's putting it bluntly."
"Were you being honest about trusting her?"
"Yes, I don't sense a mean bone in her body, do you?"
"No, what happened was an accident."
'Yes, and all the wildness is an act."
"And her hormones." Debra smiled.
Edward put her arm around her shoulder. "Yes, and her hormones. I guess we will see what she can do." He said. "Don't worry about Josh. He is just being cautious."
"I know." Debra dropped the papers on the desk. "This doesn’t change anything."
"I know. So, since she knows the saddle, I'm going to show you how to tack her up."
"Ok, let’s go." Debra said. They walked out to Misty's stall. Debra put the lead on and led her out to the tack room. Debra held her as Edward showed her how to put the saddle and bridle on her. Debra led her out to the arena where Josh and a handful of men were waiting for them. They walked her inside and Josh closed the gate.
"Tell her to be nice to me." Edward said.
"She can hear you Edward." Debra said. Misty nodded her head. "Show him what you can do, girl." Debra said to Misty. "You can trust him, remember?'' Misty nodded again.
"OK, I'll take it from here." Edward said as her took the reins. "Go over by the fence out of the way."
Debra walked over to the fence. Edward talked to Misty quietly for a few moments the slowly mounted her. He started out slow then gained speed as he rode her around the arena. He used certain commands and she responded. About half an hour later, Edward rode over to Debra and dismounted. He handed the reins to Debra. Debra pet her. "You did good, girl."
"She did very good except for being distracted by wanting you."
"Yes, I noticed. I want to get on her."
"There is a chance it could hurt the baby."
"That is a chance I am willing to take." Debra said. "Nothing is going to happen, Edward. I just want to feel what’s it is like to be on her."
"I don't like it."
"Neither do I." Josh said from the fence.
"She won't let anything happen to me. She is the one who saved my life. Please, Edward. You need to believe in me."
Edward looked up at Josh then down at Debra. "You make it awfully hard to say no." He said. "Ok, Five minutes. That's it."
"Yes, sir." Debra said then moved to Misty's side. Edward helped her mount up. She took the reins. Misty started walking. Debra held on to the saddle as she moved slowly around the arena.
Misty stopped in front of Edward as they came around. Edward grabbed her. "That wasn't part of the deal, Debra." He said as he went to the side then helped her down. "Are you feeling all right?"
"Yes, I feel fine."
"That was a one-time thing. Don't let it happen again."
"Yes, boss." Debra said.
"Don't patronize me, Debra." He said as he pulled her close. He kissed her, then stepped back. "I'm going to have Joe show you how to brush her down while I go work on the other horses.
"Ok, Be careful."
"Always." He said then kissed her again. "Joe, show Debra how to brush Misty down. Josh, ger Scarlet ready."
"Yes, sir." Joe said as he jumped off the fence and took Misty's reins. "Don't worry, ma'am. Edward is good at what he does."
"I know." Debra said as she turned her attention to Joe and Misty.
Debra worked on the flower garden for the rest of the morning. She walked into the house, washed up, then checked her email. She went downstairs and ate some lunch.
Debra put on her headphones and worked outside for a while in the afternoon when all of a sudden, she saw Janet and Joe run towards the barn. She took off her headphones and heard commotion coming from the side of the barn. She stopped what she was doing and walked towards the barn. Her heart was pounding as she made her way around to the corral. She saw everyone standing around someone on the ground. As she walked closer, she noticed it was Josh. She let out her breath then walked over closer. "What happened?" She asked Joe.
"He was thrown into the fence." Joe said without looking at her.
"I'm fine." Josh yelled as Janet and Edward looked at him.
"No, you need stitched and you could have a concussion." Janet said. "He needs to go to the hospital."
"Janet, take him to the hospital and get him checked out." Edward said as he helped Josh to his feet. "Report back to me as soon as you get back." Edward said as he walked away.
Debra caught up to him by the barn doors. "Hey, are you all right?"
"Do I look all right?" Edward asked in a raised voice.
"Well, as long as you're not hurt or anything." Debra said then turned and started through the barn in the opposite way.
Edward turned and jogged up to her. He stopped in front of her. "I'm sorry. I'm just mad that he did what he did. I shouldn't take it out on you." He said.
Debra looked up at him. "It’s fine."
"No, it's not. I shouldn’t have raised my voice to you. I am really sorry." Edward said.
"I just saw Joe and Janet running and I thought the worst."
"If anything would happen to me, you would be the first one to know."
"I would appreciate that."
"I didn't mean to scare you." Edward said as he stepped closer. He bent down and kissed her softly. He stepped back. "I better get back to work."
"All right. Be careful." Debra said then walked around him. She walked out of the barn and up to the house. She went inside and into the kitchen. She got a glass of water and leaned against the counter. She drank it slowly.
Edward walked up onto the porch around five. He stood on the steps and watched Debra for a few moments. Debra was sitting in the chair on the porch with her eyes closed and her headphones on. He watched her for a few more moments then walked over to her and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Debra opened her eyes. Edward squatted down next to her. "Are you feeling all right?"
Debra took her headphones off. "Yes, I’m just resting."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
"I’m going to take a shower before dinner." Edward said as he stood up.
"All right."
Edward walked into the house.
Edward joined Debra in the dining room for dinner. He sat down and started eating. "The flowers look nice."
"Thanks. Tomorrow, I am going to need some help moving the pots."
"All right. I will make sure someone is around to help you." Edward said. I have to go into town to get the mail. Would you like to come?"
"No, thanks. I think I will just hang out here." Debra said then finished her dinner. She pushed her plate back. "My stuff will be arriving sometime on Monday. They didn't give me a time."
"That was quick. I thought it would take longer."
"Yeah, I thought so too."
"I will put it on the schedule. Then you can be more comfortable with all your stuff here."
"It may help." Debra said.
Josh came to the doorway. "Excuse me boss."
Edward looked over. "Come on in, Josh."
Debra stood up and picked up her plate. "I'll leave you to business." She said then walked out.