Chapter Twenty-Nine

Jon hummed quietly to himself as he finished dressing, his mood had improved substantially now that he had plans with Jenn for dinner. He had made reservations at a swanky rooftop restaurant in the city and was looking forward to an evening of showing her around town. As he headed for the hall closet to grab a jacket, the blinking light of the answering machine caught his eye. Hitting the play button as he swung an arm into the jacket he stopped short when Dorothea’s voice came out, softer than he’d heard it in an age.

‘Hey……I’ve been tossing the idea around of taking the kids to the Hamptons house for the weekend……we need to talk………and they need to spend more time with you ……..…call me when you get this ok?”

Slowly shrugging on the rest of the jacket, he stared at the machine, a frown creasing his face. He’d had a couple of short conversations with her earlier on in the week but they had been somewhat muted ones following their phone argument the previous weekend. Not once had she suggested they spend anymore time together than what was absolutely necessary.

Setting the alarm on the apartment, he pulled the door behind him and headed for the elevator. After calling it to his floor, he pulled out his cell to call Dot back when it bleeped in his hand. Grinning widely as Jenn’s number flashed up on the screen, he opened the message as he stepped into the elevator. What the hell?

Confusion ripped through his brain as he read the short text. What the fuck was going on? Panicking he hit her number only to howl in frustration when the standard ‘No Service Provider’ message blinked angrily on the screen. Damn elevator was blocking the signal. Thinking furiously as he descended down the floors at a painfully slow pace, he couldn’t understand her sudden change of heart. Finally the doors pinged open to the basement car park and he stormed out, frantically waving his phone around in an attempt to pick up a signal. After an eternity, two weak bars showed up on the screen and he fumbled in an anxious effort to call her. No ringing ensued on the other end of the line, just the standard voice mail reply. Fuck!

Flinging himself into his car, he hit redial several more times only to hear the same message each time. He had absolutely no clue what had gone on to change her mind, had Steph said something to upset her? Setting his phone into hands free mode, he hit the gas and accelerated up the ramp onto the street. As he made rapid progress towards Jersey, more attempts to ring Jenn proved futile and in a last ditch attempt to get some answers he speed dialled Steph.

“Hey Daddy!” Steph answered in her normal, cheery tone. Nothing different so far.

“Hey baby girl, how are ya?” Jon with his eyes fixed on the road ahead attempted to keep his voice as normal as possible in an attempt to hide the frustration that was currently coursing through his body.

“So you comin to the Hamptons with us tomorrow?”

“Eh………I’m not sure yet honey…I need to talk to your Mom about that first” Since getting Jenn’s text, he had completely forgotten about Dot’s message.

"Oh okay, you want me to put her on? She’s just downstairs I think…“

Thinking he may as well talk to Dot now and get it over with, he nodded at her voice,
“Yeah okay if you can find her………how did you get on at the farm today?” As he sped along the freeway, he could hear Steph moving around her room heading off to look for her mother.

“Great, we got the whole barn ready! Jenn thinks I missed my calling as a painter - haha! MOM!…Hang on Daddy I’m lookin for her…MOM!!”

Dammit, this wasn’t getting him any answers.“A painter huh?”

“Ha ha yup, I got like the whole office done in an hour! I think Mom was impressed!……MOM! DAD’S ON THE PHONE! …”

Well fuck! Dot was at the farm! Punching the steering wheel he swore under his breath.

“Your Mom was at the farm today?”

Steph was starting to sound a bit annoyed now. Apparently Dorothea was nowhere to be found, at least she didn’t seem to be in ear range of her daughter anyway.


“Um yeah, she picked me up this evening so I showed her round and introduced her to Jenn………Daddy I’ve no idea where she is…….”

His mind was going into overdrive as he gunned the car forward. No wonder Jenn was pissed, Dot must’ve said something to upset her. God knows he knew all too well how blunt Dot could be if she didn’t approve of something or somebody.

“That’s okay baby, don’t worry, just tell her I’ll call her back in a little bit okay?”

“Will do, love you!”

Ending the call Jon cursed himself for not having the foresight to see this happening. He had intended for Jenn and Dorothea to meet in due time, naturally, but well when one thing had lead to another, it had kind of gotten pushed to the kerb.

Twenty minutes later he was pulling into the space beside Jenn’s house which appeared deserted at first glance. The blinds were pulled in all the front windows and as he tried the front door he found it locked. Knocking, he called out her name several times but all that came back to him was the echo of his own voice bouncing off the panelled walls.

Shit! Sighing heavily, he shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned back against the screen door gazing out across the paddocks. A few horses dotted the horizon here and there, grazing peacefully and for a second he closed his eyes and imagined himself with a life which was that simple. Some fucking chance of that!

A noise to his right caught his attention and he straightened up quickly in the hope it was Jenn but to his disappointment and slight embarrassment it was Paul that came trudging along the path from the barns. Spotting Jon he grinned and gave him a great wave.

“Hey Jon! How ya doin?”

Jon forced himself to smile and walked down to meet him.

“Hey Paul, good to see you!” Reaching out to shake his hand he looked around innocently. “Any idea where Jenn is?”

Paul regarded him for a moment and took in his appearance. Dressed in dark jeans, a light blue shirt and a fitted suit jacket, Jon made a smart figure. And looked awfully like a guy who was headed out on the town for a night.

“Yeah she’s down in the bottom ring working one of the horses for me - claimed she was bored!” Paul rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. “Sure would love to know where she gets her energy from!”

Thanking him, Jon bid him farewell and headed in the direction Paul had pointed him in. Rounding the corner he spotted her cantering around on a powerful chestnut gelding. Against the setting sun, they made a picturesque combination, seemingly moving as one. Choosing to watch a little longer, he folded his arms and leaned against the side of the barn, partially obscured from view. Mesmerised he followed her with his eyes as she worked the horse through it’s different paces, going from a bounding forward stride back to an almost indiscernible canter. It was so controlled it looked like the horse was motionless above the ground until she released her hands slightly and once again he bounded forward, willingly and fluently. Jenn sat tall, her legs wrapped around the horse’s sides, giving invisible directions as she guided the big horse through each movement.

Even Jon could tell from his untrained eye that he watching something special. He had attended numerous competitions with his daughter over the years but never had he witnessed something as entrancing as what he was seeing happen in front of him. Forwards, backwards and sideways, the horse flicked through every instruction effortlessly - they looked like they were dancing to a silent melody.

Finally Jenn eased the horse down and relaxed the reins, allowing the horse to stretch his head low to the ground as they walked the perimeter of the arena. As she approached, Jon stepped forward quietly from the shadows, hands in his pockets as he waited for her to pass by.

“Hey.” he spoke softly as she came toward him.

The shock on her face was evidence enough that she had no idea she was being watched. She sat silently aboard the steaming horse, staring at him until she eventually replied stiffly,“Hi”

Jon’s heart twisted as he looked at her. Even from under the baseball cap she seemed to have permanently glued to her head when she was working, he could see her red rimmed eyes and tear streaked dust stains on her face.

“We had dinner plans……” cocking his head at her, he offered up a small smile.

Easing her feet out of the stirrup irons, she let her legs hang long before sliding off the saddle. Turned away from him, she concentrated on letting the horse’s girth down a few holes.

“I sent you a message.”

Sighing, Jon kicked at a small stone with his polished boots,“Yeah, I got it……was just hoping I could come out here and change your mind?”

Swivelling around to face him as she went to lead the horse in from the arena, she avoided looking at him directly.“Jon, you have a life that I know nothing about and I think it’s best that it remains that way. There are things you need to discuss with your wife about Stephanie’s plans here and right now I’m not sure they involve me.”

He looked up quickly and winced as she placed special emphasis on the ‘wife’ part. Confused he raised his hands in surrender mode.“Jenn, I’m sorry I had no idea Dot was coming out here today, if I’d known…”

Rounding on him, she cut across;“If you’d known you’d have done WHAT Jon?! Jesus Christ!” she swore looking straight at him now. “You’d have rung me and told me to hide? Is that it? Can’t let wifey dearest know that you’re fucking your daughter’s trainer?”

Wounded he drew in a sharp breath and looked at her in desperation.“NO Jenn, fuck no! That’s not what this is about, don’t ever think that!” Stepping back he ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “Jesus what did she say to you?”

Shaking her head she gave a short humourless laugh, “It’s not what she said Jon, it’s how she said it!”, stepping forward to lead the horse into the barn she looked back at him. “Go home to your wife and family Jon, I hear you have a weekend away to enjoy and I’ve got a job to do here….or then again maybe I don’t. Call me when you‘ve decided Steph‘s future.”

Walking on toward the barn she left Jon standing in her wake. He watched in disbelief as both she and the horse disappeared into the shadows of the aisle, how in hell had this all gone so wrong? Muttering to himself he crunched over the gravel to find the path back to get his car. There was only one place where he was going to get answers tonight and he was about ten minutes away from getting them.