Redemption [3]

Horse Shows and Drama

"Oh, well you don't mean the one at the Stone Orchard Stables?" Lily asks.

"It is. I don't..." Blair is lost for words which she never is. "Chuck?" Blair looks to my brother for help.

"Oh, I haven't been in years. It's a fabulous event. And a wonderful opportunity, Charles for all of us to get together as a family. What do you say Ella are you free?"

"I mean I'm not the biggest fan of horses and..."

"Oh, that's right you have that fear of being thrown off but you won't be riding them."

"I guess if I'm just near then I'll be fine."

"Perfect, I'll call your father to make sure he's available." Lily reaches for her phone but Chuck stops her from dialing his number.

"Oh, please. No, don't tell him. This should be a surprise." Chuck has us join him on the couch so we could talk through why we're going to a horse show. I don't understand why since it starts soon.

"I can see why you don't feel like socializing with your father, but why would you insist on keeping your attendance at an equestrian event a secret?" Lily asks Chuck who I can already tell is lying his ass off.

"I could care less about the horses. I'm looking at the property. As long as my father and well my sister are both in the real estate game in New York, there will never be peace in our family." I keep my mouth shut Chuck is up to something more than buying a horse ranch. Lily is too kind to notice how much of an ass Chuck can be.

"Stone Orchard is for sale?" Chuck nods his head. "Oh, my god. What a shame. It's been in the same family for two centuries."

"Well, I head they lost fortune in Facebook stock." Blair joins in and I raise my brow at her as she avoids my gaze.

"I'm just exploring the possibility, and don't want Bart to know until it's real."

"This is fantastic Charles. Good for you. I'm so proud of you for thinking outside of the box, and outside of Manhattan. I know the place quite well. I actually put my horse there when we first moved back out East, and I mean, I could show you around? I promise not a word of this to your father."

"As nice as that is I would like to hear the same from my sister." Everyone looks to me.

"Unlike some, I don't lie. If you want to purchase real estate who am I to stop you. Besides I care more about the international front than local. It's all yours brother." Chuck gives the fakest smile as we head out for the stable.

We head to the car as Lily calls Bart to tell him about our plans. She hands me the phone and I take the call knowing what he's going to ask.

"Ella, am I walking into something I'm not going to like?"

"Chuck just wants to get the family together." I say with a fake smile.

"That better be it."

"Just because you would go back on your word doesn't mean everyone is like you. See you at the horse show." I hang up the phone and shimmy into the awkward car ride. I know Chuck is up to something and if we were on speaking terms he would tell me but he lost trust in me just like I did him.

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I honestly don't see the fascination in watching people race horses. It may also do with my fear of horses in general. All I can think about is the time Bart signed Chuck and me up for horseback riding lessons and my first time on my horse without any guidance I was bucked off and almost trampled on. Ever since then I dislike events with horses. I even must look away from the scene in Elf where the horses chase after Santa. There's only so much time a person can take and I had it up to my limit with horses.