Morning Song

"I don't think that's such a good idea honey. Mr. Davis is a very busy man."

She could feel two protests coming her way but she stifled them. "This weekend we'll go to the pound and get you guys a puppy okay."

She was rewarded with shouts of glee. They had been bugging her for a dog for months but she had refused knowing that she would end up doing most of the care taking herself. But if getting a dog meant getting rid of Billy Davis then she was willing to do just that.

Billy ruffled their blond curls then gave her a tight smile. "It was nice meeting you all."

The boys gave Butch one last hug and then they were gone. Jasmine immediately placed them to the back of her mind. She had enough to think about already.

Early Monday morning Moses, her father's right hand man, found her pouring over her family's books. Moses had been with the family for as long as Jasmine could remember. Over the years, he'd been an affectionate uncle but over the last few years, he'd become the only family she had left.

"Doesn't matter how many times you look at it, those numbers will not get any better." He gave her a soft kiss on her furrowed brow.

Jasmine sighed. "I just don't know how things could've gotten so out of hand."

Moses poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down beside her. He took her small hands in his big callused ones.

"There is no money darling. Your pa spent most of it on your mother's medical bills."

"Yet no doctor white of Indian could cure her cancer," Jasmine remarked sadly.

Moses squeezed her hands. "Let's not dwell on the past. What's done is done. We gotta think now about how to keep what we have left."

Jasmine thought about it as she worked with her boys cleaning out the stables and feeding the animals. They had taken to farm life as easily as she had. She smiled as she watched them chase chickens around the coop. Lots of times they were no help at all to her but she preferred to have them close to her rather than cooped up in daycare. Besides, she couldn't afford it anyway. She threw a bag of wild oats over her shoulders and went to feed the horses.

"Hey Capricorn," she greeted her beloved horse. She ran her hands down the horse's midnight coat. She had been a wedding present from her parents. Mark had been afraid of her but Jasmine had connected with her gentle nature. Anxiously she ran her hands down Capricorn's expanding midsection. Any day now, she would give birth to her first colt. The veterinarian was an hour away. She'd seen dozens of healthy babies delivered by Moses and her father over the years but Capricorn was special to her. She couldn't help but worry. The horse was past her due date.

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Jasmine cooed softly.

But she wasn't sure. Unable to sleep that night she made her way to the stables. She heard Capricorn's desperate cries before she even opened the door. The heart wrenching sound chilled her to the bone. Capricorn lay on one side in her stall. She lifted her head as Jasmine entered her big brown eyes full of distress. She quickly dropped to her knees and began examining her beloved pet. The dampness of the hay and the amniotic sac visible at the mare's vulva told her that Capricorn had been in labor for some time. As the animal thrashed about Jasmine tried to soothe her frazzled nerves. But after a few minutes without change, she knew that she had to literally take matters into her own hands in order to save them both. There was no time to call the vet and Moses was an hour and a half away tying up some loose ends so that he could move in with Jasmine for moments exactly like this one.

As she rushed back to the house, she tried to recall everything she'd learned about birthing animals over the years. She grabbed a jar of surgical soap and vigorously washed her hands in scalding water. She was too concerned with Capricorn's pain to notice her raw fingers. Quickly she found latex gloves, lubricating gel and a new washbasin. Filling it with hot water, she hurried back to the barn.

She dropped to her knees beside the animal and started scrubbing her hindquarters. She slipped on a pair of gloves then prayed for strength and wisdom as she pushed her hand inside the animal. It terrified her that she had no real idea of what to do. She could only hope that she would feel whatever was wrong and try her best to correct it. Tears streamed down her face as the seconds quickly ticked by. If she did not act fast, she would more than likely have two dead horses on her hands.

A strong hand on her shoulder startled her. She screamed and pulled away from Capricorn causing the animal to cry out in fear and pain. She looked up and saw Billy looking down at her.

Billy took only a second to study Jasmine's tear stained face. In the next, he was down on his knees beside her. "I saw your light on. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay," he explained as he quickly slipped on a pair of gloves. Now completely overwhelmed Jasmine burst into tears. "I don't know how to help her. I can't loose her Billy." "You won't. I know what to do and I will not let either of them die."

His strong voice comforted her. Instinctively she trusted him. Billy lathered his hands with gel before sliding them in. in a second he made his assessment. "The foal is trying to come out head first. Do you have a strap?" Jasmine nodded and quickly found one for him.

She watched in amazement as he worked. She wanted to know everything he was doing but she knew that there was no time to explain. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears as she sent prayers to every god Christian and Indian, that she could think of.

Someone was listening and answered. She cried joyfully as she watched her new baby come into the world with the help of the man she had once despised. She buried her face in Capricorn's sweaty coat as her body was wracked by grateful sobs.

"They should both do fine," Billy said in a voice that crackled with emotional relief.

Jasmine looked up at him. The raw joy and admiration on her beautiful face took her breath away. She scooted over to him and threw her arms around his neck. She held on to his strength as suddenly the air was ripped from her lungs. It was in that moment that she realized that she hadn't hugged a man in two years. It had been even longer since she was cocooned in masculine warmth or felt her skin come alive by the tingle of day old stubble.

She gazed up into Billy's strong face. For the first time she noticed the soft lines around his eyes. He looked like he laughed a lot, she thought. She couldn't remember the last time she'd shared a good laugh with someone other than her kids or Moses. She missed what his eyes promised. She longed to melt into him, to forget about everything except the sound of their heavy breathing as they stared deeply into each other's eyes.

Never before had she felt such a connection with another soul.

Somewhere in the depths of his eyes, she saw the same kind of loneliness she'd endured even during her brief marriage. She couldn't look away from those eyes. She felt herself drowning deeper and deeper into an abyss that left her feeling open and raw.

Billy pulled off his gloves then reached out and wiped a few damp tendrils away from her cheek. His fingers lingered, drawn to the softness of her skin. Jade closed her eyes. She did not notice his head lowering towards hers as he fought an inner battle not to kiss her. But their mouths never connected. The soft sounds of the weak mother and her new baby drew them out of their trance.

After the animals were cleaned and resting comfortably Jasmine was finally able to reflect on all that had happened.

"How did you know what to do?" she asked Billy.

He smiled. "Believe it or not I grew up on my grandparents farm. My mom died when I was six and well, my dad didn't seem to have much use for a kid so my grandparents basically raised me. I didn't spend much time with my dad until college."

"I imagine that William Davis would be a hard man to love," she said bluntly.

Billy laughed but Jade recognized the tinge of sadness behind it. "He is. For most of his life, he was power hungry. That's why I could never work for him. I started my own development company right out of college and I was pretty good at it. I have to admit that it felt good to show my father that you could have a successful business and a conscience."

He sighed. "I know that my dad has been giving you a hard time and because of that you're afraid to trust me." His eyes turned serious as he looked deeply into hers. "But you can trust me Jade. I may have my father's looks and name but that is about all we have in common. I am in charge of this project now and I run a different sort of business."

"What happened to Mr. Davis?" Jasmine asked.

Billy swallowed. "He had a heart attack a few weeks ago."

Jasmine's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh my God! I am so sorry. How is he?"

"He is fine. I agreed to take over because I couldn't bear to see him loose something he's worked so hard for. The important thing is that he has slowed down. For years he smoked three packs a day and lived on fried foods and drove himself like a horse. Now I think that he is beginning to realize that life is more than money."

"I wished that my husband had learned that," Jasmine confessed. "I'll have to tell you about him sometime."

"So there will be a next time for us?" he asked. They joy in his voice brought a big smile to her face.

"Yes, I'll forever be in your debt for what you did tonight Billy. I don't even know how to thank you."

He shrugged but Jade could see that her words had touched him. "It was nothing. I'm just glad that I was here to help."

She stood up. "Well it's late and I'm about ready to pass out from exhaustion." She walked him out to the driveway. "Thanks again Billy." She stood on the tips of her toes and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Then feeling suddenly shy, she turned and walked back to the house without even looking back at him. Billy waited until she'd disappeared around the back before getting into his truck. Even after he drove away into the cool night air a faint trace of her aroma lingered on his skin.

To Jasmine it felt like her boys were knocking on her door a second after her head hit the pillow. Dragging herself out of bed, she noticed from the bedside clock that it was well past eight. Her first thought was Capricorn and the baby that was yet to be named. She opened the door to her rambunctious boys. They fell into her arms joyfully with shouts of "Mornin' mommy!"

Jasmine buried her face in each blond head. They needed haircuts.

"I've got s surprise for you!" she told them excitedly.

"Is it a puppy?" Nicholas asked.

"No we're going to pick one out this weekend remember."

"Is it new toys?" Justin asked hopefully. Jasmine shook her head.

"I know, I know!" Nicholas cried. "It's Butch and Billy."

"Would you like to see Billy again?" Jasmine asked.

"Yes!" they cried in unison. "He's really nice," Justin added.

With a child on either side, Jasmine led them to the stable and the new addition to the family. She was elated to see the foal walking around on strong legs.

"Wow!" the boys cried. They ran up to the animals. Capricorn felt completely at home with them but it took a few urgings for her baby to accept them. Jasmine watched as they cooed over the horse. They looked so much like their father but inside they were Indians with a love of the land their mother cherished so much.

While they carefully brushed the baby Jasmine told them how Billy had brought it into the world.

"We should name it Billy," Justin decided. Nicholas nodded in agreement.

"But it's a girl," Jasmine informed them.

"Then we'll call her Billy Girl," they said together.

"Okay, Billy Girl it is."

"Did I hear someone call my name?" They all looked around as Billy's large frame filled the doorway.

"Billy!" The boys ran to him each embracing a muscular leg clad in old denim.

"Where's Butch?" Nicholas asked.

"Outside in the truck. I didn't want him to frighten the new baby. Let him out and keep him busy okay guys."

"Okay!" Their blond heads bobble outside.

His eyes were soft as he gazed down at Jasmine. Her skin looked radiant in the soft sunlight. She was wearing sweats and a thin white cotton tank, which fully outlined her full breasts. His body responded to the sight of her. He wanted so badly to feel her in his arms again. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Since Noreen had divorced him, he'd kept himself busy with work. He hadn't had time to miss a woman. But Jasmine had stopped him dead in his tracks. He should be at work but he couldn't get her off his mind. This proud and elusive woman was the epitome of everything he'd always wanted. But how could he get close to someone who seemed hell bent on keeping him away? He could only hope that they'd made some strides in the right direction after last night.

"How's the baby?" He got down on his knees beside her.

"She's perfect," Jasmine said. "The boys named her after you, Billy Girl."

Billy threw back his head and laughed in delight. "I'm touched."

"She wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you so it is appropriate."

His tone turned serious. "How are you Jasmine?"

She shrugged. "I'm okay. Moses my helper will be moving into the guesthouse today. I hire a few extra hands on a part-time basis. It's not easy but we make do."

"It just seems a lot for you to deal with."

"Is this another vain attempt at getting me to sell?" she asked angrily.

"Jasmine God no! I was only trying to help. I don't want to destroy your land Jasmine. In fact, I want to help preserve it. My vision is to create a place where people can get back to nature and what is really important. I want to use as much local produce as I can. That will keep a lot of the small farms in business."

Jasmine wanted to believe him but she'd seen other people get swindled by big business before. Billy read her mind.

I will put everything in writing," he said. "But I want you to know that you can trust me."

"I tried that once with a man, " she said.

"You cannot change the past Jasmine but you can ruin the future by living in it. Your heart teaches you what you need to know."

By the look in his eyes she knew that he wasn't just talking about business and for the first time in a long time she wanted to trust again, and to love again. She decided to take that first tentative step.

"So your father will just agree to change his plans because you say so?" she asked.

"No, this was always the vision for this new project. My father was just greedy enough to want to bring in his own farmers instead of helping the owners make a living. But thanks to people like you, he'll have no choice. You don't know how much I admire you for that." Jasmine smiled as an incredible warmth spread throughout her body. "I would love to show you my land after breakfast," she told Billy.

He stood up then held out his hand to her. After he pulled her up, he continued to hold her hand as they walked out of the stable. Loving the feel of him, Jasmine didn't try to pull away.

They found the boys in the back yard playing catch with Butch. "I think he really missed them," Billy said. "They missed him too. I have to admit it just doesn't feel like a real farm without a dog. I always had one growing up. It's just that these two have more energy than the energizer bunny. Add a dog into the mix and I've got more than I can handle." They both laughed as the boys bumped into each other then fell on their behinds in a fit of giggles.

"Do you like chocolate chip pancakes?" Jasmine asked Billy. "They're my favorite," he answered. "They're our fav'rite too!" the boys said in unison. Over a bowl of pancake batter she got to know Billy better. She soon found that he had a wicked sense of humor that she found refreshing. His eyes were so gentle, so different from his father's.

"So, tell me about your husband," Billy said.

Jasmine was amazed at how easily the words flowed. Usually she was a very private person. But she found herself tell Billy things she'd told to no one else. Billy took her hands and something in his eyes caused the dams that protected her heart to break.


"I understand that kind of betrayal," he said. "After I married Noreen, I found out that we were complete opposite. She loved my money and the lifestyle I could afford her but she had no interest in children even though she'd said so before the wedding. I guess she found my simple way of living boring. We barely made it two years before she filed for divorce. Last I heard she was married to some old oil tycoon. I guess by now she's living what she sees as the good life."

"It's amazing how you could be so completely wrong about a person," Jasmine observed. "Makes you wonder who you can ever really trust."

"You can't let one mistake rule your life honey. If you did you could end up missing out on the best thing that ever happened to you."

He leaned over and softly kissed her cheek. His lips lingered as if asking her permission for him to proceed further. She turned her mouth towards his. He breathed her name just before their lips connected. He sank into her softness. She opened her lips, inviting him inside. His tongue, tentative yet sensual, slipped into her warmth. Jasmine groaned as she sank into his hard flesh. It was so long since she'd been kissed. Still she'd never been kissed like this. His only goal seemed to be to please her. His tongue touched hers, tasting and quickly learning how to drive her out of her mind. Every sensation was heightened. She felt his kiss in the deepest part of her. The part of her that Mark had stopped touching towards the end of their marriage. He cupped her face then tangled his fingers in her hair. Her entire body sank for joy when his lips traveled down her neck. She swung her head back, offering herself to him. In that moment, she was ready for him. As his tongue glided over her skin Jasmine prayed that he would carry her to the old table and have her for breakfast. She wanted to shut out the world and remember what it felt like to be a woman.

Instead, he buried his head in her chest. For a while, she just held him close to her body. She realized that it had been a long time for him too. He missed the most intimate human contact. In the long run, it was worth more than all the sex in the world. She buried her face in his hair. She wanted to memorize his smell, the feel of his hair on her skin. She still clung to the aromas of the people she'd lost, her mother's rose perfume, her father's shaving cream, Mark after they'd made love. She fought hard each day to remember the feel of her mother's hair when it was rich and full. She wanted to make him a part of her, just in case. She felt him pulling away from her.

"The boys could walk in any minute," he reminded her.

"Oh, yes of course." For a few delicious moments, she'd totally forgotten that she even had kids.

When she called the boys in for breakfast she watched him being just as goofy as they were. In a matter of days, they had accepted him just as easily as they had accepted his dog. As they toured the land she loved, Billy played with the boys. It was obvious that he loved being outdoors in the fresh air. When they got a little ahead of her Jasmine stopped for a moment to enjoy the silence. From an overhead dogwood tree a little blue bird began to sing a song so sweet, a melody so enchanting it filled her heart with joy. She closed her eyes as a gentle wind caressed her face. It's going to be okay it whispered in her ear. Smiling she ran to catch her boys and Billy her heart singing sweetly once again.

Despite her newfound joy, Jasmine still had a restless night. She still needed to come up with new ideas to save her business. She was happy for the plans that Billy had told her about but she still wanted something that did not involve him. She knew that she didn't have to be but she was independent to a fault. A few days later while in town stocking up on supplies, Jade ran into an old college friend.