Thirty-nine
‘What now?’ Mia patted Willow as Dex, Ryder, and Bree returned to the empty dog pen after testing all the water troughs inside the dogs’ tent, even the tanks and troughs for the horses. None of them came back positive for any toxins. Only Atlas and Fern’s water bowls had, that Policeman Porter had taken for evidence.
Mia fingered the keys to the Tojo in her pocket, keen to drive around to the vets already.
‘We pack up and go home. Ash and Harper are packing up our displays in the tent as we speak.’ Ryder scowled as he read something on his phone. He glanced up, narrowing his eyes at Bree, collecting Cap’s dog supplies.
‘Even you, Bree?’ Mia asked.
‘I sold out hours ago, and was planning on partying, but I’m not in the mood now. Pity, I was really hoping to see Cap and his dogs. You’ve both worked so hard for this.’
‘You know, we have one more dog.’ Dex nodded at Willow, lying quietly on her lead near Mia. ‘You could go in Cap’s place in both the agility and the muster dog trials.’
‘Dex, sometimes your brain amazes me with your ideas.’ Bree patted Dex’s shoulder and faced Mia. ‘One of Cap’s goals was to show how easy it was to connect rehabilitated muster dogs, with people who have never used them before, like new farmers.’
‘And we know you’ve only been doing it what, three weeks?’ Dex nodded along with Bree.
Mia had to step away from Bree and Dex ganging up on her. ‘Yeah, but in fun. Only when Cap was training his dogs. And Cap was going to compete against others who have been doing this for years and years. I’m only learning.’
‘Yeah, but Willow has been training right alongside Atlas and Fern,’ said Dex. ‘I saw you train with Cap. You two have been inseparable since my brother brought you home. You both walk in sync and talk your own language even when you’re not speaking.’
Was that true? ‘I don’t do public events. I’m a behind-the-scenes kind of person. I hate being in the spotlight. I don’t do confrontations.’ Like this!
‘Let’s put it this way,’ said Ryder, taking a step closer, his presence powerful. ‘If Cap were in your position, I know he’d do it for you. No questions asked.’
‘I-I-I… I can’t. I’m barely holding it together after seeing Gavin—who might still be out there.’ She pointed to the car park. ‘I just want to see Cap and the dogs.’ But the guilt trip they were laying on her was like hot steel pressing across her shoulders for not having the courage to face a crowd.
‘Can I tell you a story, Mia?’ Bree took her hands.
‘Does it come with a happy ending?’ She could do with one about now.
‘Now, let me see if I remember it correctly.’
‘Bree?’ Ryder frowned. ‘It’s not the time for stories.’
‘Cupcake, please. This matters.’ She playfully rolled her eyes at Mia, and said, ‘Once upon a time—’
‘Are you flippin’ kidding me?’ Dex groaned, dragging a hand over his face.
‘There was this little princess.’
‘Right, next it’ll be dragons and castles and white knights who can’t see squat out of their ridiculous tin helmets. Have you been sneaking into my goodies stash, Bree?’
‘Dex, let it play out.’ Ryder nodded at Bree to continue.
‘As Pop would say, Anyhoodle...’ Bree bobbed her eyebrows up and down, making Mia smile a little. ‘This princess, who had her own white horse, found her prince and moved to a faraway land.’
‘Seriously,’ mumbled Dex under his breath.
‘They got married, had a child, and all was blissfully perfect. Until…’ She paused.
‘Until?’ Mia grinned at the game.
‘Her prince went dark and hit her.’ Bree’s smile fell, as did the fun mood. ‘The princess thought she could save him, fix him, make the home better for him, but he only got darker and darker.’
‘What happened?’
‘The princess remained loyal to the prince she loved. Thinking no one else could help her, that it was all her fault that the prince was like that, believing she could save her prince.’
‘Lost cause, she should’ve dumped that prince on his ass,’ mumbled Dex.
‘Maybe she might have, if they didn’t have a child.’
The air got heavy as if everyone paused, the brothers who went to extra lengths for family were silent.
‘Was the child safe?’ Mia whispered.
Bree nodded. ‘The princess built this special cupboard just for the child, who thought it was part of a special secret game. The princess told their child to hide inside this teeny, little cubbyhole, where the child would find new toys to play with, along with promises of ice cream and trips to the zoo if the child stayed quiet. Because they both knew that the prince would become the perfect husband and the perfect father after his black moods had faded and the bruises disappeared. Until the next time the black moods returned.’
‘What happened to them?’
‘He killed the princess. Murdered her before breakfast.’
Mia gasped, holding her stomach. Beside her, Dex sucked air through his teeth with a hiss.
‘The princess thought her family couldn’t help, when all she had to do was call them and they would have been there in an instant.’
Mia dropped her head, the guilt of not calling her family now making her ill.
‘However, the princess’s child did get the support of the princess’s loving family, they helped her heal so she could grow up stronger, to not hide from the world. They gave her the support and the confidence to be anything she wanted to be.’ Bree squeezed Mia’s hands like a sister. ‘The reason I’m telling you this is that you have your family to help. And there’s also us. Ryder and Dex won’t let anything happen to you. You’ve got me and Charlie as your support group, Harper too, that we know you’ll handle anything, and we’d be willing to help you. Especially Cap. But do you think your family would have helped you out?’
Mia nodded. ‘My family would have caught the first plane out to take me home. But I don’t want to go back there. At first I was just ashamed to tell them, but now I don’t want to go back there at all.’
‘Because you have your home, with Cap, at the station.’ Bree cradled Mia’s hands, lowering herself so Mia couldn’t look away from those empathetic green eyes. ‘The reason you didn’t call them is that you are far stronger than you realise. You knew, deep down, that you were always going to be okay. This past month, you could have left Elsie Creek Station at any time, but you chose not to because you’ve been proving to yourself that you have that strength to keep moving forward to put all that horribleness behind you.’
‘Is that what you do? I know about your son, the dogs…’ Mia swallowed.
Bree didn’t even react, no frown, no raised eyebrows, nothing. ‘It’s why I know you can do this, Mia. You are far stronger than you realise. And you deserve a big win after what you’ve been through. So, by entering Willow and yourself in the trials, you’ll not only be helping Cap in the biggest possible way, but you’ll be returning that kindness that the Riggs brothers have done in making sure you’re kept safe and have a home where you belong.’
Dex nodded, over Bree’s shoulders. Ryder didn’t react, as per normal.
‘More importantly, precious, doing this event will help you.’
‘Me?’
‘You’ll prove to yourself that Gavin hasn’t beaten you. No one can, because your past will only make you stronger.’
‘Do you really believe that?’
‘I do. Now you need to believe that, too. So, what do you say? You in?’