Fifteen Days Later
I inhale sharply with shock. No. No, this is wrong, so wrong and so disturbing.
"Thomas, please, don't do this. I don't want this." I say all too fast.
"Come on, you!" He laughs, helping my foot into the safety stirrup.
It's too embarrassing how much I know about this.
"I feel like I might faint, Tom, please no."
"You put your foot in there, good girl, then you, hang on, you hold on to 'er hair."
My eyes widen. "Her hair?!"
Next thing I know she swallows me whole for hurting her and kicks Tommy too!
He makes his way around the horse. I do hold onto her hair, but I put my weight on my leg, not on her hair. It's Norma who I'm riding, she's the most stunning horse I've ever seen. The last thing I'd want to do is pull her hair. Alexander and Moby watch from a far, neighing at us because they knew it was time to play, not for a pregnant Jade to attempt to ride Norma.
"Throw your leg over 'er, come on, Jade."
No no no. I panic, "Tom!" Where the hell did he go?
"I'm here. Ey, don't be scared." He adds, "Come on, love."
I do so, throwing my leg over. I yelp as Tom puts my foot into the other stirrup. Wow, I am officially straddling this ginormous horse.
"There you go." He replies. "Now grab onto the rope there, and..."
The horse begins moving and I scream.
He laughs, pushing hair from his forehead.
I laugh back but sound as though I might cry, "Oh, Tom, please! I hate this..."
"It's nice!" He coughs as he laughs. "She isn't even moving much. Eh?" He rubs his nose, trying not to laugh.
"You arsehole, don't you dare laugh at me."
"I'm sorry," He clears his throat. "I'm sorry."
Again, Norma begins walking and Tom tells me to lean back. Balance myself properly. Before I know it, the horse taking long strides, moving and Tommy's guiding her. And here I sit, on top of her.
"You look absolutely lovely." He says. "Soon enough you'll be riding her on your own."
"Do I look like a proper equestrian?" I ask, chucking.
He nods. "That you do, Jade. That you do."
Finally, when I've had enough, Tommy helps me down and catches me. I laugh in his arms and stare at him.
Thomas looks at me, "Let's have lunch, ey?"
"Lunch and then a nap." I nod.
"I was thinking we could do something else before the nap." He leans down and kisses me.
Once we're standing in the kitchen of our Hampshire home, Thomas unzips my safety vest. "Your clothes are getting tight on you." He tells me, "You're growing so much," He whispers, amused.
I smile, "This is only the beginning too. Maybe I am having twins."
"The more the merrier, Mrs. Shelby."
I pull off my helmet.
My bun falls low against my back. Thomas gently pulls my hair from my hair tie, he caresses my face and kisses my lips. "There's my girl."
