{"id":27768,"date":"2022-05-06T13:26:05","date_gmt":"2022-05-06T18:26:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/?p=27768"},"modified":"2022-05-06T13:26:05","modified_gmt":"2022-05-06T18:26:05","slug":"forest-brook-chapter-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/2022\/05\/06\/forest-brook-chapter-9\/","title":{"rendered":"Forest Brook: Chapter 9"},"content":{"rendered":"

Life went on as usual, until one day Dietrich was walking home after a long day at the office, and through the window of a diner caught sight of his wife\u2026 with <\/span>that <\/span><\/i>stallion. Blood rushed to his head and he barged in, heading straight to the window table. \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said, scowling. \u201cAm I interrupting?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh. Dietrich!\u201d exclaimed Caprice, turning her gaze to him. \u201cNo, not at all. A bunch of us came over here to celebrate Tassles\u2019 birthday.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I see\u2026 that\u2019s very convenient. And you are the only two left?\u201d Dietrich inquired, deceptively calm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026 yes,\u201d said Caprice, as if just realizing that herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI should be getting on my way,\u201d said Graham, looking uncomfortably between them. \u201cNice seeing you again, Dietrich.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you do that,\u201d said Dietrich with a stony glance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDietrich, that was rude!\u201d Caprice hissed, rounding on him after Graham was out of earshot. \u201cHe\u2019s my friend.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA very good friend, by the looks of it,\u201d Dietrich muttered, settling back into a chair and crossing his forelegs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you\u2019re impossible,\u201d said Caprice, eyes flashing. \u201cI won\u2019t talk to you as long as you\u2019re like this.\u201d She turned away, sulking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow long has Graham worked at the shelter?\u201d Dietrich asked, attempting a conversational tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe started the same day,\u201d Caprice said, then realized what he was actually getting at. \u201cOh, Dietrich, you don\u2019t seriously suspect\u2026\u201d She trailed off, her face falling in dismay.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I find my wife so enamored of another stallion\u2026 can I help where my thoughts inevitably go?\u201d Dietrich snapped irritably.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t do this,\u201d Caprice begged, reaching across the table to him. \u201cI love you. I have not and will not betray you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There was a flicker of understanding in Dietrich\u2019s eyes. \u201cStop spending time with him,\u201d he stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caprice sighed heavily. \u201cWe work together!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to,\u201d Dietrich pointed out. \u201cI want you to stop volunteering at the shelter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t do that!\u201d Caprice said, her eyes flashing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their gazes locked, neither inclined to back down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, don\u2019t socialize with him,\u201d Dietrich muttered. \u201cI don\u2019t trust his intentions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t even know him!\u201d Caprice huffed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaprice, promise me. Please.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will do it for you,\u201d she agreed at length.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

Graham was musing over the mare working in the next room over, who was still frequently in his thoughts, even though he knew she shouldn\u2019t be\u2026 but she was perfection. Tender compassion, steadfast loyalty, and unquestionably unavailable. This was madness!<\/span><\/p>\n

Caprice had told him, after the run-in at the diner, that Dietrich had the foolish notion that there was more than friendship between them; and though Graham had done nothing wrong, out of respect for her husband, she had decided to keep her distance. \u201cI wish things were different,\u201d she had said sadly. Oh, how Graham wished that, too! Was even her friendship too much to ask?<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly, a cry pierced his thoughts, uttered by the very mare who had occupied them. Heart nearly stopping, Graham dropped the chart he was working on and ran.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaprice!\u201d he exclaimed, dropping to his knees at her side on the cat impound floor. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d he demanded, looking at Tassles, who was already present.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHer water broke,\u201d said Tassles succinctly. \u201cShould we take her to the exam room?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no time,\u201d Graham said, shaking his head as he saw that the situation was developing fast.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGraham, is everything okay?\u201d Caprice asked, voice faint as Tassles propped up her head on some pillows.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is fine, sweetheart,\u201d Graham said, the endearment slipping out without conscious thought. \u201cBut I\u2019m going to need you to push.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh-h-h,\u201d Caprice groaned in pain as she strained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaprice, you need to focus, for the foal, all right?\u201d Graham said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u2026\u201d said Caprice, taking a deep breath.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood, good\u2026\u201d Graham encouraged her. \u201cI can see baby\u2019s head. A unicorn. Keep going, Caprice. Push, a little harder this time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t!\u201d she shouted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you can!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And before anyone knew, Graham was clipping the cord and handing the colt over to a radiant Caprice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paramedics were arriving on the scene by then, and after exchanging a few notes on the delivery, Graham pensively melted into the background.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

Patricia was waiting on the Fairfaxes\u2019 doorstep. \u201cIt\u2019s about time you showed up!\u201d she said, shaking her head reproachfully. \u201cThe baby came!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWh-what?\u201d Dietrich gasped, feeling his heart drop.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, they\u2019re at the hospital, Meadow View!\u201d she enlightened her neighbor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs she–they–okay?\u201d Dietrich demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know the details. But she sounded pleased as punch over the phone,\u201d Patricia said. \u201cShe said the foal is waiting to meet his father.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Arriving at the hospital, Dietrich hastily gathered directions to his wife, and strode into the room where she was reclined in bed with a bundle clutched in her hooves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDarling! Why didn\u2019t you call me at work?\u201d Dietrich complained, chagrined.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it all happened so fast! I don\u2019t think anyone really had the time, until you had already left your desk and I had to leave word with Patricia,\u201d Caprice chattered excitedly. \u201cLook at him–so much like his daddy!\u201d And he was a perfect blend of the two, with Caprice\u2019s ivory coloration and Dietrich\u2019s sepia brown hair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re still happy with the name you picked?\u201d he asked her, taking in the profound implications of becoming a father.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes, he\u2019s the perfect little Thomas,\u201d said Caprice, beaming.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Underhoof would be proud.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he is,\u201d Caprice agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell me everything that happened,\u201d Dietrich requested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was going about my business grooming the cats when my water broke–it\u2019s a blur, really,\u201d Caprice said, shaking her head. \u201cI tried to walk, but the contractions were so hard–I must have gone down on the floor. There was a bit of a crowd forming by that point, I think. Tassels was there and the next thing I knew, Graham was handing me–\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGraham was there?\u201d Dietrich interrupted, trying to bury his irritation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he delivered Thomas!\u201d Caprice revealed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut he\u2019s a veterinarian,\u201d said Dietrich, stupefied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Thomas didn\u2019t very much care; he was ready to come out,\u201d said Caprice, gazing down at her sleeping son complacently. \u201cMost of the action was over by the time paramedics came and transported us here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It felt so unfair that <\/span>that<\/span><\/i> stallion had been the first to see his son, and Dietrich hadn\u2019t even been there! But it was no one\u2019s fault, so he bit his tongue against any further barbed comments. <\/span>His son<\/span><\/i>\u2026 and even Dietrich had to admit there was no mistaking it, the resemblance being so striking.<\/span><\/p>\n

He kissed his wife tenderly. \u201cI\u2019m sorry I ever doubted you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe in future you can trust me,\u201d Caprice said with an arch look.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlways,\u201d Dietrich promised.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

Caprice, though thrilled with the responsibilities of motherhood, was nonetheless determined to return to her pre-baby activities, seeing it as incumbent on her for the support of her family.<\/span><\/p>\n

But, then, what to do about foal care?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll look after him, of course,\u201d Patricia said when Caprice laid the dilemma out to her over a cup of tea.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I wouldn\u2019t dream of imposing,\u201d Caprice said hastily. \u201cI never intended–\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo trouble at all. I can read my novels with a baby just as well as without,\u201d Patricia said, brooking no arguments.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caprice was not sure of the truthfulness of that statement, having experienced a significant lack of time for hobbies since the birth, but did not disabuse her neighbor of the notion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patricia consented to accept a stipend at Caprice\u2019s insistence. Perhaps Patricia was not as agile as one would want in a babysitter, but she was available at a far lower rate than daycare ran; and as the baby did not have extensive mobility–yet–the Fairfaxes gratefully accepted Patricia\u2019s offer.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

Not long after Caprice returned to the shelter from maternity leave, Graham came to a decision. In part, this was because strictures had been relaxed, and she returned to work with cheery regard for everyone, including Graham. There was nothing inappropriate, not even bordering on it, but Graham did not trust his own emotions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaprice, I\u2019m leaving,\u201d Graham said quietly, entering the cat impound and coming up behind her. \u201cI\u2019ve accepted an offer in Pinepetal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I will miss you!\u201d Caprice said, turning around and facing him with a tremulous smile. \u201cWhen are you leaving?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is it. I\u2019m heading out now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh!\u201d she exclaimed, looking surprised. \u201cStay in touch–let me know your address.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s better if we not remain in contact,\u201d Graham said, looking downwards.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026 oh,\u201d said Caprice, with a fair amount of sadness and dawning realization. \u201cSo… this is goodbye?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Graham said with conviction, daring to look her in the eye. \u201cYou\u2019re a very special mare, Caprice. I\u2019ll never forget you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And then he kissed her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have to go,\u201d he said brusquely.<\/span><\/p>\n

And he strode away, leaving a wide-eyed Caprice staring after.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

That evening, Caprice was working on dinner preparations, Thomas was in the playpen throwing toys on the floor, and Dietrich was at the table with the evening news.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caprice cleared her throat in preparation to speak. \u201cI talked to Graham today,\u201d she stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Dietrich put down the paper and looked at her inquiringly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s leaving town,\u201d Caprice disclosed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there\u2019s a world of opportunities out there,\u201d Dietrich noted nonchalantly, going back to the paper.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caprice thought very carefully before making the following announcement: \u201cHe kissed me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe bounder!\u201d Dietrich said, shooting to his hooves. \u201cI\u2019ll -\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going away; let it be,\u201d Caprice pleaded. \u201cLet him have this one small thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA kiss from you is no small matter!\u201d said Dietrich, perturbed. \u201cHow many other broken-hearted stallions must I allow to kiss you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not saying it was the right thing to do; but it\u2019s over, and let\u2019s leave it at that,\u201d Caprice urged. And after Dietrich remained silent, she added: \u201cI didn\u2019t have to tell you, but I did, because I don\u2019t want there to be any secrets between us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNever again,\u201d said Dietrich after a long pause.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, never,\u201d Caprice said, burying her face in his shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then the baby started wailing, and Caprice leapt into action.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere’s a Christmas card from Hubert and Agatha,\u201d Caprice noted that holiday season, hooves full between the stack of mail and the baby pulling at her mane.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, how are they doing?\u201d Dietrich asked from the other side of the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey had twins!\u201d Caprice said, face lighting up. \u201cLovely little fillies, identical! So adorable.\u201d She stared at the enclosed photo dreamily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs that so? They have their hooves full now… unless they are paying to have that work done for them,\u201d Dietrich added a bit cynically. \u201cAgatha would never get her hooves dirty.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI’m sure they are doing everything in the foals\u2019 best interests,\u201d Caprice said with a stern look. \u201cHere’s a picture of them\u2026\u201d She hoofed the picture across to him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith the nanny,\u201d Dietrich noted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh… if I had little girls like that, I don’t think I could bear to set them down!\u201d Caprice said, stifling a wistful sigh.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo I suppose not… Well, is Patricia still on for watching this one tonight?\u201d Dietrich asked, gesturing at Thomas.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, not tonight; he’s teething, and I really can’t leave him,\u201d Caprice protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut we had plans\u2026\u201d Dietrich\u2019s brow furrowed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, and I am sorry, but this is out of my control,\u201d Caprice said matter-of-factly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou’re coddling him. You need to let him cry sometimes,\u201d Dietrich protested as she bounced the colt on her leg.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s called attachment parenting–listening for and responding to needs,\u201d Caprice said in a superior tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he has to learn to stand on his own four hooves,\u201d Dietrich maintained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he <\/span>will<\/span><\/i>,\u201d Caprice assured him. \u201cIt’s a process. Don\u2019t worry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dietrich sank into quiet contemplation. He loved her, as much as he always had, and maybe that’s what made this so hard–having to share her attention. Life wasn’t quite how he had imagined it would be. They had had so little time together before the baby came along, before parenting responsibilities overshadowed everything else. He missed his wife.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

One day, Caprice\u2019s supervisor called her into the office. Caprice wasn\u2019t sure what it could mean.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCaprice, you’ve been volunteering with us for three years,\u201d Tassels began, looking very serious from across the desk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHas it been that long?\u201d Caprice asked disbelievingly, sitting lightly on her chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tassels cleared her throat. \u201cWe\u2019re looking for a volunteer coordinator.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Caprice, not immediately seeing the connection, nodded. \u201cOh, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll find someone wonderful. You\u2019re so good at staffing decisions,\u201d she said earnestly. In some ponies this would be considered brown-nosing, but in Caprice\u2019s case it was her authentic nature.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d like to offer <\/span>you<\/span><\/i> the position,\u201d Tassels continued. \u201cIt\u2019s Monday through Friday, eight to four.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI would love to, I really would, but the time commitment–I just don\u2019t think I could give it my full attention with the job at Foster\u2019s, too,\u201d Caprice said, shaking her head apologetically.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a paid position,\u201d Tassels clarified. \u201cYou would have a salary of two thousand a month.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a modest sum, but a far cry better than her current paychecks from Foster\u2019s, and would have a favorable impact on the family\u2019s finances.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSurely there\u2019s someone better qualified,\u201d Caprice protested, still feeling a bit incredulous of the offer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know this shelter inside and out. You\u2019re our top pick,\u201d Tassels assured her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen\u2026 then\u2026\u201d There was no possible reason to hesitate. \u201cI would love to. Yes!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When Dietrich heard of his wife\u2019s promotion, he was thrilled beyond measure and insisted on a celebration. Patricia was amenable to keeping Thomas into the evening, and the couple went out to dinner.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut I have to ask, have you thought any more about school?\u201d Dietrich prodded after a lull in conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t feel that it\u2019s the right time, not now,\u201d she confessed. \u201cAnd the loans we would need to take on! How could we budget for more payments?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to prevent you from doing what you want,\u201d Dietrich said, frowning. \u201cWhat about becoming a veterinarian?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026 you know\u2026 I was never<\/span> that<\/span><\/i> into the idea,\u201d Caprice waved his concern away. \u201cYou\u2019re not preventing me from anything. I\u2019m doing exactly what I want.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay then,\u201d Dietrich said after looking at her long and hard. \u201cIf you change your mind, you\u2019ll tell me, won’t you? We would find a way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, darling,\u201d Caprice said with an adoring look.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

Caprice flourished in her new position; and Dietrich made his own advancements, working his way up the ladder at the newspaper from senior reporter to bureau chief to section editor.<\/span><\/p>\n

And several years down the line, another foal was born, a little filly named Elaine. It was a difficult delivery, and though both mother and baby came out of it, Caprice was told that enough damage had been wrought to her system that there would be no more foals in her future. Swallowing any disappointment she might have felt, she did all that she could for the well-being of her family of four.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, here\u2019s the card from Agatha and Hubert,\u201d said Caprice when another Christmas season came around. \u201cWe should try to see them again sometime. It\u2019s been ages.\u201d She opened the envelope and put the enclosure down after some time reading, ashen-faced.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Dietrich asked, concerned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHubert went missing on an expedition earlier this year,\u201d Caprice said slowly. \u201cPoor Agatha, and the girls without their father! I must invite her for a visit next time she\u2019s in town.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And several months later, Caprice did manage to meet Agatha for dinner at a swanky restaurant for a rushed catch-up. \u201cHere are pictures of Thomas and Elaine,\u201d Caprice said, sliding the photos across the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, how lovely,\u201d said Agatha, giving the pictures a peremptory look. She seemed preoccupied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow are Tabitha and Tamara?\u201d Caprice asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re growing up,\u201d said Agatha, a surprised note in her voice. \u201cI felt like there would be more time as babies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou must make the most of every moment,\u201d Caprice urged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s challenging when I\u2019m pulled in so many directions,\u201d said Agatha distractedly. \u201cI mean, they\u2019re cared for, naturally,\u201d she amended hurriedly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no replacement for a mother,\u201d Caprice said, sighing as she thought about her own mother from whom she had heard nary a word since the night she left with Dietrich eight years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut we do well enough in our own way,\u201d Agatha said enigmatically. \u201cTamara is a perfect little lady, and Tabitha is\u2026 Tabitha is\u2026\u201d She grasped for words. \u201cVery curious.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d love to meet them,\u201d Caprice hinted. \u201cWe should have a play-date.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course, that would be delightful,\u201d said Agatha politely. And later on: \u201cHave you been back to Forest Brook?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t been invited,\u201d said Caprice sadly. Every year she sent Christmas cards to her and Dietrich\u2019s parents with pictures of the foals, but never was word received in return.<\/span><\/p>\n

Agatha shook her head. \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u2026 for what it\u2019s worth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGiven a chance to do it over again, I would go with Dietrich, always,\u201d Caprice said with a smile. \u201cThere have been no findings in Hubert\u2019s disappearance?\u201d she asked cautiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, and I\u2019m afraid I must resign myself to the fact that he is gone. He made his decisions.\u201d Agatha sighed deeply and did not seem inclined to continue the topic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caprice impulsively squeezed Agatha\u2019s hoof. \u201cI wish only the best for you, Agatha.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The blue unicorn was distracted as a mare with orange hair approached the table. They had a quick exchange of words, and then Agatha turned back to Caprice. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Caprice, but there\u2019s a situation that demands my intervention, and I have to cut this short.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAgatha, if you ever need anything\u2026\u201d Caprice trailed off.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been lovely catching up,\u201d said Agatha, gathering up her purse. \u201cTake care–goodbye.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Caprice sat alone at the table, feeling like she had lost something irretrievable.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

The years marched on. Thomas was a precocious first grader and Elaine was a very busy toddler.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere hasn\u2019t been a card from Agatha this year,\u201d Caprice said, frowning at where the year\u2019s collection of cards had been placed on the mantle. \u201cShe must be very busy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeems like every day there is another Westcliff Events extravaganza in the news,\u201d Dietrich noted. \u201cShe\u2019s done well for herself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut at what cost?\u201d Caprice fretted. \u201cI wish I could have done more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not responsible for the welfare of Agatha\u2019s family,\u201d Dietrich said chidingly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know. I just wish\u2026 I\u2019m afraid that the girls\u2026\u201d She sighed and trailed off. In her heart, ever since their dual wedding, she had always felt that Agatha\u2019s family was intrinsically interwoven with her own.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure they\u2019ll make their way in the world. We all do,\u201d Dietrich said prosaically.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll just write her a note so she knows we\u2019re thinking of her,\u201d Caprice said with conviction, opening the desk drawer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elaine was tottering about the room while Thomas was engrossed in building amino acids with his molecular chemistry building set over by the fireplace. \u201cMom,\u201d he whined, \u201cElaine took the fluorine molecule, and it\u2019s the only one in the kit!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCould you use something else in its place?\u201d Caprice asked rather distantly, struggling to finish her thought on paper.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d the colt said, horrified. \u201cShe needs to give it back!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cElaine, honey, give it back to your brother,\u201d Caprice said with a sigh, setting the partial note down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elaine popped something into her mouth and ran off, giggling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Frowning, Caprice pushed her desk chair back and went to intervene. The note would have to wait.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is the end of the prequel, but the story continues in the \u201cThe Heiress and the Veterinarian<\/a>\u201d on Kindle Vella and Patreon.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Life went on as usual, until one day Dietrich was walking home after a long day at the office, and through the window…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1071],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27768"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27769,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27768\/revisions\/27769"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}