Southern Comfort: Chapter 12

Southern Comfort

Chapter Twelve

Cupcake is my favorite out of all the horses at the stable.

She's a blonde Shetland pony so she's literally shorter than I am and as sweet as can be, fitting her name to a T. Maggie bought Cupcake for her granddaughter, Jane, a few years back, but when her son-in-law got a job out of state, the family relocated and Maggie couldn't bring herself to get rid of the horse. Jane visits every now and then, but now that her family is living in New York, it wouldn't be feasible to move Cupcake.

Shortcake's conception wasn't planned. One of the stable hands that worked for Maggie, before she hired Jasper on, had unknowingly let Cupcake graze in the same pasture as three Stallions and before anyone had caught on, it was too late. Jane was beside herself to learn that her pony was having a baby, but Maggie was furious.

"Hi Cupcake," Edward says in a soothing manner as we enter the foaling stall.

Cupcake is standing in the middle of the stall while Shortcake nurses. As soon as the door shuts the little colt tenses up and shyly shuffles behind his mother.

"Oh, he's so cute!" I breathe, reaching out to give Cupcake the apple I brought for her as a present. "Hi sweet girl."

She calmly takes the apple from my hand and allows me the pleasure of running my hand through her long mane. Once the apple is gone, she starts nuzzling me, nipping at me in search for more apples. Edward laughs when she pulls at my shirt and hands her the apple he's brought.

Shortcake stays close to his mother, but I'm able to get a good look. He's got her blonde hair, but his short stubby mane is darker. They aren't sure which stallion fathered him, but it's not a big deal because he won't be for sale or show.

Edward checks his naval to ensure there's no infection and then checks Cupcake over while I snap a few pictures of the colt. I'm able to coax him away from his mother and he follows me on wobbly legs into the light. Maggie is waiting for us outside because she doesn't want to make Shortcake nervous with so many people being around.

Cupcake keeps one eye on her baby as I circle him with my camera, flickering off every couple of seconds. She's on alert, even though I'm not a threat, and I can already tell Cupcake was born to be a mother.

Eventually Shortcake gets finicky, so Edward decides that we should leave mother and son alone to rest. I give Cupcake a quick pat before following Edward out of the door.

"Oh Maggie, he's beautiful!" I gush as soon as I see her freckled face surrounded by a huge mess of red curls.

"Thanks, girl." She gives me a quick hug before pulling away and staring at my hand that's still attached to Edward's. "Well, I'll be damned! When did this happen?"

"Very new," I explain, not wanting to get into a time specific conversation.

"Well about dang time the two of you decided to stop skirtin' around each other like a bunch of chickenshits," she chuckles. "I'm glad. The two of you remind me of me and Liam."

"Where is he by the way?" Edward asks. "I need to talk to him about that order of hay he received last week. It didn't look healthy; we might have to switch suppliers."

"He's around here somewhere. Why don't you take a look in the tack room while Bella and I head back up to the cabin to get something to drink and talk business? That is if the two of you can let go of one another for twenty minute intervals."

She snorts when Edward and I immediately let go of one another's hands. He's smiling like a mad man and I'm blushing like a retard. "See you later beautiful." His lips press against my forehead. "Bye Mags."

"Bye, lover boy!" She waves before turning to me. "Let's go get some hot white chocolate sug'."

My smile widens.

"That's my favorite part about visiting you in the winter months," I joke while we trek back across the snowing ground to the giant monstrosity she jokingly calls a cabin.

"I've noticed." She hip checks me. "And the fact that I pay you doesn't hurt."

"You know that's not true, Maggie." I'm immediately offended. "If I didn't have bills to pay and other responsibilities I wouldn't charge anyone."

"I was kidding, sug'," she laughs. "We all know the only reason why you spend so much time out here isn't because of the money or the hot white chocolate."

"It's not?"

"No, and it sure as hell isn't because of the horses. Edward practically forced me into hiring you when he started here," she says, giving me a wink. "It was an excellent choice because we've managed to pick up and actually start making a profit around here, but yeah, babe, you wouldn't be around here half as often as you are if lover boy didn't work here."

"Maybe you're right," I agreed, because it's true. "But that doesn't mean you're not my friend."

"Oh, I know that, darlin'. Anyone that knows you is blessed. You're a wonderful person inside and out." She looks out across the pasture and we both catch sight of Liam and Edward coaxing one of the new stallions back into the barn. "He's a wonderful person, too, sug'. It was inevitable you two getting together."

"You really think it's a good thing?" I ask softly. "We've loved each other for a long time, but transitioning from friendship to a dating relationship is weird to me. What if something happens and we end up ruining seven years of friendship?"

"What if the sky were to fall right now? What if I fell off a horse and was paralyzed tomorrow?" Maggie turns to me, her aged eyes full of wisdom. "You can't live with the 'what ifs', Bella, or you're going to set yourself for an early grave. And as far as your worries about the transition, it's all nothing."

"How is it nothing?"

I watch Edward and Liam as they head toward the cabin. Their laughing about something but I can't hear them from where I stand.

"There's nothing to worry about because there wasn't any need for a transition. Your partner, your lover, your husband should always be your friend. And you're one of the lucky ones. The two of you got to start off as the best of friends and that will only multiply as you get closer."

She waves to Liam. He catches the two of us standing where we are and blows a kiss. I watch Maggie smile and pretend to catch it and put it in her nonexistent shirt pocket. She blows him a kiss and he follows the same suit.

"God, I love that man," she murmurs.

"That's obvious," I giggle as I pull my computer out of its bag.

"Did you know that my marrying Liam was arranged by our fathers?" she asks, sitting across from me while I set up my computer and camera so that we can get to work.

"No."

"Well it was. I was forced to marry him the day after I turned eighteen and I spent the majority of my wedding night and the following weeks after that crying in that bathroom." She points to the hall bathroom. "Somehow Liam convinced me into coming out of my hiding place and it took a long time, but I grew to love him. Three years to be exact."

"Three years?" I exclaimed. I'm flabbergasted. "You lived with him for three years before you loved him?"

"Yes. But now he's my best friend and the love of my life. I used to question my choices. What if I'd given in and been happy about being forced to marry him? What if I'd begged for a divorce the second we left the courthouse? And then I realized that you can't live with the 'what ifs'." Her eyes grow misty. "You're lucky you've fallen in love with your best friend, Bella. It might have taken almost a decade for the two of you to become more, but it was meant to be this way."

My eyes are swimming with tears as the front door of the cabin opens. Maggie turns towards the sink to start the process of making her hot white chocolate and I wipe under my eyes, just in case, before jumping into my work head first. Liam and Edward don't notice the emotional moment we'd been having before their arrival as they sit at the bar and wait for their drinks.

Two hours later I'm hugging Maggie goodbye as she gushes over the wonderful job I've done on her website. Edward helps me into my coat and we bid her and Liam a goodnight before leaving.

"So what did you and Mags talk about?"

"Girl stuff." I smile remembering the words Maggie had whispered in my ear while Liam and Edward were washing the dishes from our impromptu lunch.

'A perfect friendship over seven years old could transition into a passionate loving relationship. You just have to let it happen, sug'. No questions asked. No what ifs.'