Derby Disaster

ChAptEr fOUr

Ava and Tina Maddox grew up together on the farm that was now called Horseland. Ava was into horses, all kinds of sports, knitting, maths, and baking. The brunette never had any malicious bone in her body, helping every friend she had out of tight spots. She met John Handler in high school, got a degree in agricultural and equine studies in at a local college, got engaged to her high school sweetheart, got married, and had a son. She never wanted anything more, being completely content with her life being simple. She liked getting up early, taking care of animals before herself. She had her parents' values of community, compassion and family. 

Tina Maddox was blonde. Tina Maddox did not like horses and she did not like living on a farm. She spent her childhood avoiding chores, and refusing to help out with anything. She fancied herself better than her sister; after all, she was the beauty of the family. She was a tall, slender, blond girl who built a reputation for herself as being a rather fast party girl. She went to beauty school, getting a cosmetology license. She married young, a man named Martin Taggert. 

Martin Taggert was tall, athletic and kind--but he was poor. He could not give Tina the life of grandeur she hunted for. He gave her his heart, his home, and his life. The young couple had a child, and Martin died shortly after in a car accident. Tina was now a widow with an infant son and slim funds from a scant life insurance policy. Her son became a tool. Will was her ticket to welfare and charity from those who had sympathy for a baby that would now be fatherless. But babies age, and Tina could not give him the love a mother should. He was a possession to her, and she amused herself by going to parties, leaving him at home much like one would leave a sofa to stay in the living room.

One night when the towheaded boy was still a toddling thing, Ava Handler stopped by to see her sister and nephew. Upon finding him alone, Ava sued for custody and Will Taggert came to live with his aunt, uncle, and squalling newborn cousin. Tina never forgave her sister for taking her child, taking that thing away from her. At first, it was fantastic not to have a little brat pulling at her all day for something, some toy or coddle. She frankly forgot she had a child for years, not wanting to be a mother in the first place. She found several other husbands, taking half their money when she broke their hearts and becoming a very wealthy woman.

But then like babies, Tina got older too. She felt like this child owed her something although she could not say what, and after many ignored phone calls to her sister, she formed a plan. She did her homework, finding information about Horseland and their show schedule. Dale Ridge was the next show on the summer calendar so that was her target. She scoped out the barn, deciding to sabotage her sister's barn's performance. However she couldn't do it herself. She was too noticeable in this place.

Rory McKenna caught her eye when he was cleaning out stalls. He blended in to the background perfectly, and he became her pawn after being bribed sufficiently. And now, everything was in place to get her revenge. 

                                                                                ***

Will hung up the phone after calling Ava in the wake of being taken out of his classes by someone. His anger had subsided into confusion. He did not understand why a person would do that to him. Nobody sprang to mind. Feeling very defeated, he sat down on a haybale in the barn aisle and buried his head in his hands. 

The sound of footsteps caused him to lift his eyes. That boy from Dale Ridge, the one Molly or Alma had known...Ricky? Ronnie? Whatever, something like that. The boy sat down across from him on the concrete, leaning against the stall walls. 

"I'm sorry," the boy spoke, "I pulled your classes."

"Why?" Will stared hard, his anger returning. 

Rory's face was full of regret, "I....I wanted my barn to win more classes." Rory knew the reason--the excuse--was flimsy. It sounded flimsy and cheap and made up. 

Will thought for a moment. Dale Ridge was sort of non-competitive when it came to shows, and this boy didn't look like he could do something that sneaky, "You're lying...I think you did it, but that isn't why."

Rory opened his mouth to speak, then shut it. He stood, hands in his pockets and slouching like a guilty dog that has been caught in the trash. He turned on the heel of his old work boots before leaving. 

The tall blonde watched him go, his brain's gears whirring quickly. The regret in the boy's face had been genuine, but he didn't explain except for the thin excuse. It wasn't believable. Whatever was happening, Rory knew. So, Rory would be where he would start. 

A/N

We needed to have some backstory for Will so here we go.