When Sable’s ex-husband gives their son a rocking horse, her instincts warn her something’s wrong. Her worry grows when it starts making odd sounds, leading to a shocking find. Determined to keep her family safe, Sable quickly calls her lawyer.
When Talon showed up at my doorstep with a big rocking horse, I sensed he was up to something. My ex-husband never did anything without a hidden plan, especially when it came to Ansel.
He stood there, smiling like he’d just handed Ansel the stars, while my irritation started to build.
“Hey, Sable. Thought Ansel would like this,” Talon said, his voice annoyingly upbeat. He always hid his motives with that fake charm.
I forced a smile, though it probably looked strained. “That’s… kind of you, Talon.”
I could never have imagined how this toy would turn my life upside down.
I stepped aside to let him in, watching as he carried the large toy into the living room.
“Ansel’s in his room,” I said.
Talon didn’t wait. He hurried up the stairs, shouting, “Hey, little man! Come see what Dad got you!”
I leaned against the doorway, rubbing my head. This wasn’t the first time Talon tried to win Ansel over with fancy gifts. It was always the same pattern.
My son’s eyes would sparkle with joy over the toy. Then Talon would drop bad news, leaving me to deal with the emotional mess after he left.
“Mom! Look what Dad got me!” Ansel’s voice came from the stairs, full of excitement.
Moments later, he rushed into the living room, Talon following close behind. Ansel’s face glowed with happiness, his hands holding the horse’s reins. I managed a smile, but I was bracing for the bad news part of the visit.
“It’s awesome, Dad! Can I ride it now?”
“Of course, champ,” Talon said, tousling Ansel’s hair. “Just be careful, okay?”
“Alright,” I said, “but only for a bit. It’s almost dinnertime. Dad’s taking you for pizza, remember?”
“That reminds me…” Talon flashed a charming smile as he turned to me. “I can’t take Ansel out tonight.”
“What?” Ansel stopped rocking to stare at Talon.
I let out a sigh. Here we go again.
“Sorry, kiddo, but Dad’s got work,” Talon replied, kneeling beside Ansel. “I’ll make it up next weekend, I promise.”
Ansel hung his head and sniffled.
“But until then, you can play on your horse, okay?” Talon continued. “If you ride it every day, I’ll get you a real cowboy hat to wear while you’re riding Dusty here, alright?”
Talon patted the horse’s neck. Ansel nodded slowly and climbed onto the horse.
“I’ll ride him every day so you can visit me, Dad,” Ansel said.
My heart hurt a little, but Talon just ruffled Ansel’s hair and headed for the door. I caught his arm as he passed by.
“You can’t keep doing this, Talon,” I said quietly. “Big gifts don’t replace time with your son.”
Talon pulled his arm free. “Don’t lecture me, Sable. You should be nice to me. Or have you forgotten my lawyers are fighting the custody deal?”
I rolled my eyes. “How could I?”
He gave me a smirk that felt like a jab and walked out. As I watched him leave, I wondered if we’d ever parent together peacefully.
“Hey, Ansel, we can still grab pizza if you want,” I called to my son as I shut the door.
“Thanks, Mom,” Ansel replied.
As Ansel climbed off the horse, a bad feeling tightened in my chest. Something about this felt off, more than Talon’s usual games, but I couldn’t pinpoint it.
Over the next few days, Ansel was glued to that rocking horse. Every free moment was spent riding it, his laughter echoing through the house. It was almost enough to ease my growing unease. Almost.
Then, the noises began.
At first, it was a faint ticking, like gears sticking inside the toy. I ignored it, thinking it was just an old part. But the sound got louder, more constant, until it was impossible to overlook.
One night, with the wind rattling the windows, I heard the ticking again, stronger than ever. Ansel had been asleep for hours, and the noise came from his room.
I grabbed a flashlight and crept down the hall.
Pushing Ansel’s door open, I saw the rocking horse moving slightly, swayed by a breeze from the open window. The ticking sent a shiver through me. I stepped closer, set on stopping the annoying sound.
I knelt to check the base. As I tilted the horse, the ticking grew louder. My fingers touched something hard and strange. I pulled back, shining the flashlight under the horse.
That’s when I saw a small, hidden compartment on the horse’s belly. The toy didn’t need batteries, so what was this?
I tugged at the compartment’s edge with my nails and popped it open.
Something dropped into my hand. I was surprised, but that turned to pure shock when I saw it was a tiny voice recorder.
I stared at it, trying to figure out how it got there, when the truth hit me hard. Talon.
He was trying to gather proof against me to fight our custody deal. Anger boiled inside me. How dare he use our son like this?
I slipped out of Ansel’s room, leaving the horse behind, clutching the recorder tightly.
My mind raced as I paced the living room, tears of anger welling up. I tried to recall everything I’d said near that horse. Could any of it be twisted to make me look bad?
My thoughts were a mess of fury, pain, and betrayal. I couldn’t believe Talon would sink this low.
Sure, our divorce was rough, but dragging Ansel into this? That was a new low, even for him. My hands shook as I stared at the recorder, wanting to smash it.
But I had to be clever. I needed advice, someone to assure me I wouldn’t lose my son over this.
With shaky hands, I dialed my lawyer’s number. Tamsin picked up on the second ring.
“Sable? What’s wrong?” Tamsin’s steady voice was a lifeline.
“Tamsin, you won’t believe what Talon did,” I said, my voice trembling. “He hid a voice recorder in Ansel’s rocking horse. He’s trying to get evidence against me.”
Tamsin sighed, and I heard papers shuffling. “Take a deep breath, Sable. Evidence like this won’t work in court. He can’t use it against you.”
“Are you sure?” I asked softly.
“Completely,” Tamsin said confidently. “Stay calm. This could backfire on him if it comes up. How did you find it?”
I explained everything, from the odd noises to the late-night find.
Tamsin listened patiently, and when I was done, she said, “Alright. Here’s what you do. Use this to your advantage. Make sure that recorder has nothing useful. Turn it around on him.”
Her words gave me a spark of hope.
I wasn’t going to let Talon win. “Thanks, Tamsin. I’ll handle it.”
Determined, I held the recorder and spoke into it. “Hear my lawyer, Talon? Your plan’s not going to work.”
I spent the next few hours setting a trap. I placed the recorder by the TV and let it record hours of kids’ shows and ads.
The dull, repetitive noise would leave him with nothing but annoyance.
When I was done, I carefully put the recorder back in the horse, making sure it looked untouched. The thought of outsmarting Talon felt so good.
The weekend came, and so did Talon’s visit. I greeted him with fake politeness, my stomach twisting with excitement. I watched closely as he played with Ansel, his eyes glancing at the rocking horse more than once.
“Ansel, why don’t you show Dad how you ride your horse?” I suggested, my voice extra sweet.
Ansel happily hopped onto the horse, rocking away. Talon watched, a sneaky look on his face.
I waited, heart pounding, as Talon quietly took the recorder. I could barely hide my grin, imagining his frustration when he heard the useless recordings.
Days passed, and Talon never mentioned it. His silence said everything. It was like he knew he’d been beaten and didn’t want to admit it. I took his silence as a quiet defeat.
The relief and victory I felt were huge. I had protected my son and outwitted my ex-husband. This small but important win strengthened my resolve to stay alert.
Talon wouldn’t get the better of me. Not now, not ever.
In the quiet nights after Ansel went to bed, I found myself smiling. The house was calm, the rocking horse sitting innocently in the corner.
I’d been tested, and I’d come out on top. And I knew I’d do it again, whatever it took, to keep my son safe and happy.