Epilogue
One Year Later
This year’s FEI Dressage World Cup Finals were held again in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the MGM Grand Garden Arena, located in the MGM Grand Hotel on the Las Vegas strip. The United States was represented most prominently by Ms. Elizabeth Randall, riding the spectacular Hanoverian stallion, Tempest. The pair were favored to place in the top three, but were expected to have significant competition from riders representing Great Britain and Germany. The competition was fierce, but Liz and Tempest showed their mettle and performed spectacularly, executing flawless tests and amazing the crowd with their brilliance, ultimately winning the championship.
Jessica Warren Stafford and her husband, Michael Stafford, familiar faces to the international competitors and acknowledged training partners with the USDF in support of Elizabeth Randall and Tempest, strode through the aisles of stalls housing the most talented and expensive dressage horses in the world and their riders, grooms and trainers, looking for Liz. Michael carried their three-month-old son, Trevor, in a sling cradled against his chest. The baby, who had his father’s black hair and clear blue eyes, was fast asleep cradled comfortably in his father’s arms.
“There she is!” Jessica exclaimed. “I see Amy in her wheelchair and Cynthia is there with her. I also see Herr Mendelssohn, the sweet man, basking in Tempest’s glory. Liz is there right behind them, talking with her groom.” They showed the security guard their identity badges, then approached Liz.
Liz spotted them right away and waved, sporting a huge grin on her face. “Jess! Michael! I’m so glad you’re here. I could not have done this without you, and wanted to make sure you were here to be acknowledged before the international press.”
Jessica moved over to Michael and took the sling and sleeping infant from him. “You were the trainer here, Michael. I’ll take the baby and stay on the sidelines while you and Liz talk to the press.” Michael looked chagrined, but allowed Jessica to stand to the side with Trevor while he and Liz talked to the press. Michael didn’t like Jessica being relegated to the sidelines, but in the past few months, she had been confined due to complications that developed late in her pregnancy, then required a cesarean delivery that necessitated her recuperating at home rather than accompanying him on his trips to the US to help Liz train Tempest. At least Michael had ensured he was home for Jessica’s labor and delivery, and was there in person to welcome his son into the world.
Liz was well aware of Jessica’s situation, so before talking to the press, she approached Jessica and peered at the sleeping infant. “He’s beautiful, Jess. You’re so lucky.” Jessica beamed with pride, then she and Michael exchanged a look of such love and devotion that the sight made Liz’s heart constrict. These two truly loved each other wholeheartedly.
“I hate to do this, Jess,” Liz said, “but I have to steal Michael away for a few minutes to help me deal with these reporters.”
“Sure, Liz, no problem.” Jessica smiled. “Just make sure you return him when you’re done.”
Liz and Michael joined the press corps and Jessica looked on.
Seeing Jessica standing alone with the baby on the sidelines, Herr Mendelssohn approached her and filled her in on their latest collaboration. Without Michael’s knowledge, Jessica and Mendelssohn had been talking, and Mendelssohn had learned through his dressage breeding connections that Michael’s former mount, Romeo, had sired a colt, now nearly three years old, that looked extremely promising. Mendelssohn, at Jessica’s urging, had been quietly making inquiries about the colt, and was encouraged by what he was hearing. Based upon Mendelssohn’s assurances, Jessica was exploring establishing a syndicate of buyers that could help her purchase the colt for Michael. If Jessica was successful and Michael was as successful with the colt as he was with Romeo, they could use his success to establish their own breeding farm, which would support them and their family out into the future.
From what Mendelssohn had just told her, all was going just as they planned. With any luck, she should be able to inform Michael of her surprise in just a few weeks. She smiled her gratitude at Mendelssohn, and hoped the Michael didn’t interpret too much into their interaction. Seconds later, when Jessica wasn’t looking, Mendelssohn caught Michael’s eye and winked at him. Michael surreptitiously winked back.
Michael sat next to Liz during her interview, interjecting occasionally when asked a direct question, but in the back of his mind he quietly reflected on his plans, still secret, to get Jessica back into competition. Liz had approached him out of Jessica’s hearing and told him that she had decided she didn’t want to continue to compete at the international level after the World Cup. However, she and Michael both knew that Tempest was still in great shape, and could continue to compete and could easily be competitive for the next Olympic Games in two years. Michael had suggested to Herr Mendelssohn that if Liz were to retire from competition, he would suggest that Jessica be the rider to compete Tempest from that time forward. Mendelssohn had loved the idea, but Michael hadn’t approached Jessica with it yet. He didn’t doubt that Jessica would be thrilled to compete Tempest. The two of them had obviously developed a rapport during their time together at Michael’s farm, and if she were worried about leaving the baby, Michael and Trevor would travel with her wherever she would be competing, so they would continue to be together as a family. Michael, Liz, and Mendelssohn planned to speak with the USET about their plans in the next few days. He expected the Team would go along with their plans, especially since Jessica’s status as a Team member would naturally bring Michael along as a trainer. His acknowledged success as a rider, then as a trainer with Liz and Tempest, had established him as an asset any country’s dressage team would covet.
Michael smiled to himself as he looked at Jessica gazing with motherly love and pride at their son, and reflected back over all that had happened in the last year.
First, after learning from Lionel how he had tricked Emma into believing that Michael was unfaithful to her, Michael had contacted Emma and related Lionel’s confession. Emma was shocked, but grateful to Michael for telling her, and apologized profusely to him for not believing him despite the evidence Lionel had created. Michael assured her that he understood how she must have felt given what Lionel had done, it was more than reasonable to draw the conclusions she had, and he even secured an invitation for himself and Jessica to Emma’s upcoming wedding to her footballer boyfriend.
Next, there were some complications with Jessica’s pregnancy, but everything had worked out perfectly. In addition, the private investigator that Ian’s attorney had hired was able to locate the mysterious woman in the bar that had witnessed what happened and she had agreed to talk to the police, who in turn talked the prosecutor, who decided to drop the manslaughter charges against Ian. Unfortunately, the woman’s willingness to testify made her a target for some very unsavory people, and Ian was called into action to help her to deal with the fallout. As a result, the two of them seemed to be developing a very close relationship, which seemed very serious.
Lionel was even more successful in his thoroughbred rehabilitation business, and was dating a man seriously for the first time since Nigel’s passing. His future seemed bright as well,
Hailey graduated high school with honors in Ohio, and moved to the UK to live with Michael and Jessica until she could decide what to do with the rest of her life. It was a Godsend having Hailey around during Jessica’s late pregnancy and post-birthing complications since Michael was traveling so much, so that situation also worked out to all of their advantage.
Michael and Jessica’s recent success had made it possible for Hailey to get the more advanced prosthetics she needed, and the change in her was amazing. Now that she could move about without difficulty, Hailey’s approach to the life and the outside world had changed dramatically in the best possible way. He looked forward to seeing what the future held for her. As the interview concluded, Michael looked again at Jessica and Herr Mendelssohn talking together. He sincerely hoped Mendelssohn could keep a secret.