Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ What If ❯ The call ( Chapter 1 )

Ring… Ring… ring. Hi this is Cat's answering machine. I'm not in at the moment so leave me a message and I will get back to you. Thanks. BEEP.

“Hey Cat it's me Jesse. Give me a call when you get in. It's pretty important.”

 

I walked up the steps to my apartment, just stopping long enough to grab the mail and newspaper. I placed my keys into my lock and unlocked the door. Stepping through the door I sat the groceries down on the kitchen counter, before dropping it in the floor. Looking over at the phone I noticed I had messages waiting for me, but they were going to have to wait. I had had a rough day at work and needed out of my uniform first of all.

I walked over to the television flipped it on to the news. Proceeding over to the computer I turned it on, and then headed down to the bathroom. Nothing was going to feel better than to get out of my work cloths especially after the day I had. Nothing had gone right from the time I stepped into the building. Now I was home and nothing was going to stop me from relaxing, maybe.

I could hear the news on in the living room they were talking about the war in the Middle East. I could remember the beginning of the war almost three years before; I was in high school at the time. The world trade centers were hit by two 747`s. The pentagon had been hit, by yet another plane. It scared the life out of me knowing that there were people out there that would do such a thing. We went after the person that did it but that wasn't enough.

More countries formed an alliance with Afghanistan one of these included Iraq. Saddam Hussein was one of the biggest threats to the United States. As leader of the Iraqian forces it was suspected that Saddam was building nuclear weapons. With nuclear warfare and the Middle East conflict, a nation was torn and bleeding, it was all a major threat. Even drug warfare was on the rise and with new threats of terrorism; it just wasn't safe to do anything anymore.

Last year was the worst; it was about October when men started getting sick. Seems terrorists had got a hold of something to cause the men to become ill. There was talk about Small Pox, West Nile, and even AIDS in the news. People were not sure what was happening, which had caused some widespread panic. Now there was talk about a draft, but even now that was out of the question with all the men sick.

I walked back to the living room and sat down in my recliner. The news was showing more cases of the strange illness in men, and how it was showing up in the military. If the virus were not cured then there would be a draft due to the decrease in healthy men. Not like I was interested in the illness but more or less what was going on with the war. Although in a ways, the virus was part of the war.

Ring.

“Oh god, who could that be,” I thought to myself. “Please don't let it be my mother already.”

I reached over to grab the phone, before the answering machine picked up. No telling who was calling now. I still hadn't checked my answering machine, which was still blinking with unread messages.

“Please, please don't be my mother.”

Ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey, where you been?”

It was Jesse, good thing too; I just wasn't in the mood to talk to my mother at that time. My day was bad enough I didn't need to hear about hers also. They were cutting back on workers and doing lay offs. I was one of the low men on the totem pole. I hadn't lost my job yet, but I was forewarned.

“I just got in a few minutes ago, and haven't had the chance to check the machine yet. Why what's up?”

“I just need to talk to you. But not over the phone.”

“Ok? You have my curiosity now. What's up?” I sounded interested.

“When do you think you can come over? Because this is pretty important, I talk to you in person, not over the phone.”

“Oh, ok. Well, I guess I can be over in about an hour. I need to call mom before she calls looking for me and get dressed. Is everything ok?”

“Ok just be here as soon as you can. I`ll tell you more when you get here.”

“Sure ok.”

“Bye.”

“See ya Jess.”

I hung up the phone and sat it down. Jesse had something to tell me that was too important to say over the phone. He was always the kind to joke around a lot. This was not like him, this had to be serious, and when he was serious it scared me.

Jesse and I had become friends' automatically after meeting and hit it off. The longer we were together the closer we became, but we never dated - which was good. People asked us if we were dating, and we laughed, if only they knew our joke. We had a brother and sister relationship nothing more. It even went as far as fighting, tormenting and picking on each other like real siblings.

I grabbed the phone and dialed my mother's number; she was the one person that did not like Jesse's friendship and mine. I always had to check in with her cause if not, well let's just say an ear chewing is the minor of it. But instead of my mother I got the answering machine. That seemed strange, so I left a message that I was going out for a while and would be back later. I learned long ago never to tell my mother I was going over to see Jesse. She was paranoid that something would happen on my drive over there and would somehow get kidnapped or killed and it was only a god forsaken half hour drive.

The woman drove me nuts half the time and the rest of the time well lets just say we did not get along too well. She still treated me like I was 8 years old and could not do anything for myself. It had come to the conclusion that we were too much like each other to live with each other so I had finally moved in a little apartment on the edge of town. This didn't make her very happy either because I was not where she could see me. But I tried my best to get along with her and call or come out at least once a day. It always made me wonder what would happen if I had ever moved completely away.

I hung up the phone and went to get dressed. I pulled out of my closet a pair of shorts and a tee shirt, threw on my sandals and grabbed my car keys from the table as I headed out the door. The answering machine was still blinking.

Jesse always surprised me, one way or another, but the way he talked this time had me worried. I didn't know what he would tell me. We had never held secrets from each other and always talked over the phone, even about complicated things. Why was it important that I go over there? What was it he had to tell me that he couldn't tell me over the phone? Did this give me the right to be so nervous? Yes!

Jesse lived in the next town over from me for the last four years.

The drives took around twenty minutes give or take the stop lights. It always gave me some time to think before I got there. To relax and unwind but today I couldn't. Hopefully turning on the CD player would calm me down for my drive today.

It was half an hour later, when I pulled in to Jesse's driveway. I just sat there in the car, not wanting to move from it. But nothing was going to happen if I didn't get out of it. And I was almost sure my brain was not going to shut up if I sat here. All the questions I thought of while I drove over here and the possible answers. Ok, here I was and I could not turn back, so here goes nothing. I got out of the car and walked up to the door. This was it, the big moment. I just took a big breath and knocked on the door. But what I saw next threw me into a shock; Jesse came to his door wearing his old army fatigues.

“Hey girl, come on in.”

“Forget to do your laundry again?”

Jesse looked at me very seriously. “No. This is what I wanted to tell you.”

“What that you are wearing your army clothes?”

“No Cat, I'm going back.”

“What?”

“I'm going back to the Rangers.”

I sat down in the chair in total shock, not knowing what to think. Jesse was leaving me. He was going back to the army. I really do not know how long I sat there before I said anything more.

“Tell me you`re joking?”

“I have three weeks before I ship out.”

“Three weeks!! No, you can`t!”

“You know I have too Cat. I have been on call this whole time. Other than my family you're the first person to know.”

“No, wait I am confused.”

“It's all simple. I am going back to the army.”

“No! They can`t take you Jesse they just can`t.”

“Cat listen you knew I was on the standby list. I have been since we met. I am not backing out of it like a coward.”

“I never said you was a coward Jesse.”

“Good.”

The shock of his words made me start to cry. I had known Jesse was an Army Ranger before we even met. I didn't know he was on call though, and to find out that he was leaving was a different story. What was I going to do with out him? What if he got killed? Why him and not someone else? Why did my best friend have to leave me?

“I just can't believe it.”

“Listen, nothing you say is going to change my mind. I am going. There are a lot of men out there that won't go. They are taking the cheep way out.”

“Jess how am I going to change your mind? What do you think I am, God? I can't stop you from doing anything you don`t want to. Do you think that makes me happy? No it doesn't. I'm going to lose my best friend and I can't do jackshit about it.”

“Well it is done and over with, I am going.”

Everything was getting worse than I expected. The day had gone from bad to worse in less than an hour. My best friend was leaving. Going over sea's to fight a war for our country. I was about ready to lose my job. When it rains it pours in my world.

Jesse sighed, “I will be alright, I am going back to my old squad. You remember me talking about them. I don't know how often I can write though, but I will write to you. I'll also kill some of those sons of bitches for ya.”

I had to laugh about that. There was nothing more Jesse wanted to do than to get a hold of one of these terrorists. He was a true fighter for his country.

“How soon are you heading out?” I asked between sobs.

“I am supposed to be at base in three weeks. But I think I am going down a week early.”

“What about your apartment, your horse and your car? Where are you going to keep them?”

“Well as for the apartment the rent is almost up anyways. That is also why I plan on going down early. Mom and dad can take the car to use. But, I don't know what I am going to do with Venom. I can't leave him at the stables.” Jesse looked at me.

I knew what Venom meant to him. Just about as much as I cared for my quarter horse. I kept her and a few other horses out on my parent's farm. It was very funny - Jesse and I met because of our horses. I could remember it like it was yesterday in fact.

 

It was my last year of 4-H and I was there with my horse. The last day of the fair there was a rodeo. Jesse was there for with his horse Venom. He had come over to the horse barn to check in for the rodeo.

“Hi, nice looking horse you got there.” I had said.

“Thanks, but watch out he's a biter.” he smiled. “You here for the rodeo?”

“Um, no. This is my last year of 4-H, plus I don't think my horse would like that much.” I laughed.

“Names Jesse Daniels and this black pain in the rear here is Venom,” he said.

“I'm Catherine Parker and over there in that stall is my trouble maker Mischief.” I said as I pointed to a near by stall.

“A trouble maker huh? She sure doesn't look like a trouble maker.” Jesse had laughed.

“Trust me she is no saint.” Just then my horse stuck her head out of the stall and nickered. “She is also a huge flirt.”

“I can see that, she sure has Venom here a bit excited.”

“Let me guess, a stallion?”

Jesse was holding his horse back from dragging him across the pavement. “How did you guess? Venom stop that, get your mule ass back here.”

After we had Venom stalled, Jesse and I talked for a long time. We had become instant friends in mere hours.

 

Now three years later, we had learned a lot from one another, but never dated. It always felt like we were trying to date a sibling, it always made us laugh. We even told people that we were brother and sister at times.

“I guess I will have to sell him.” Jesse said sadly.

“No, you can't do that! Jess I know how much Venom means to you.”

“Cat I can't keep him while I am away. I have no way of paying the stable. Mom and dad can't keep him they live in town. What else is there to do?”

I could see Jesse was upset. Venom was his pride and joy. His father had given Jesse the horse just after he got back from the army. Now he had to look at giving him up. I couldn't let that happen. Somehow I would figure out what to do.

“We have two weeks before you leave, right?” I asked.

Jesse looked at me and nodded yes. He still had those pleading eyes. God those eyes could haunt a person for the rest of their life.

Luckily Jesse turned away from me. He walked over to the wall and just stood there staring at a picture. It was of him and Venom. They had just won regional calf roping competition. It was a great picture. Jesse had just snared the calf and was jumping off of Venom. They were a great team. One more reason I could not see being separated.

“What are you thinking?” Jesse asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Your quiet. When you're quiet you're thinking. So what's on your mind?”

I sighed. “Just trying to figure out what to do next. All of this is still such a shock.”

“Don't worry about it. If I have to sell him then I sell him. But what about you, shouldn't you be on your way to your parents house?”

“Oh, shit! Mom is probably throwing a fit right now.”

Jesse laughed he knew how dramatic my mother could be. She would call every two hours just to see what I was doing. She would ask if I had eaten or what time I had to be at work. But she was a typical mother, just one that liked to worry more than others.

“I'm so sorry Jess I have to go. I promise I will try and figure out something.”

“Hey it's cool. I'll catch you later.” Jesse said.

Jesse came over and gave me a hug before I headed out the door. I walked to my car and got in. I looked in the mirror to see Jesse standing in the door watching. It was all I could do to keep from crying.

 

The drive back to my town was a short one; too short if you asked me. I knew my mother would be waiting for me to get to the farm. Truthfully I did not want to see my mother. I wanted to go home try to figure things out. But I had always said I would be out each day to take care of the horses.

God why was this all happening? The war had seemed like it had gone on forever. And it sure did not look like it was going to end very soon.

I turned off onto the road that led out to my parent's house. It would be good to see the place maybe I could calm down. I could take mischief out for a ride to relax. So much was running though my head at that time. Mischief helped me out before when I had a lot on my mind. But first thing was first I would have to deal with my mother.

I pulled into the driveway but no one was there. My parent's cars were gone. She knew I was coming out; I had always come out the same time each day. It was basically part of my daily ritual. Come out check in feed the horses and visit then go home. I parked my car and got out just to be bombarded by three shelties.

“Get down, go on, and get back.” I told the dogs.

I shoved the dogs away and threw a ball so they would go get it while I snuck into the house. There lying on the table was a note to me.

 

Catherine

I had to run into work for a little bit tried to call but you was not home. Check on the horses and feed them please. I should be back around 5:30

Love ya

Mom

 

I looked up at the clock. It was only four o'clock. So I went out to the barn. But before I could even get out there I could hear the neighing of Dusty the family pony. He would start neighing at three in the evening and not let up till they got fed.

“Oh shut up Dusty, you're not starving.” I yelled.

I got to the barn and there was Mischief and Dusty standing with Destiny - a paint filly. She was Mischief's first foal, a beautiful filly, which almost died when she was being born. But Destiny held out and that became her name. She sure was a prize and would make a good horse when broke out.

I opened the gate to the barn and let the horses out of the pasture. They all went inside the barn and into their own stalls. People were amazed at the fact that they would do that. But after working with them for so long, they knew the drill better than I did at times, although Destiny tried to join her mother at times it all still worked out ok.

I walked into the barn after the horses and stopped. Mischief's stall was the closest to the door. Then Destiny in the middle and Dusty's stall was nearest to the hay. Opposite were three other stalls. One I had used to put Dusty's cart and a wheelbarrow and a few other things in. The last two stalls were open. I used them when it was raining, to put the horses in while I cleaned their own stalls out.

I walked past Mischief's stall and closed the gates to the other two stalls. I continued over to the tack room where we kept the feed and equipment. Grabbing Destiny and Dusty's buckets I measured out feed. They could eat while I took Mischief out for a ride. I could use a ride it would allow me to think better.

After taking the feed buckets down to the other two horses stalls I went back to the feed room and grabbed up my boots, the practice saddle and Mischief's bridle. A long ride in the pasture would do me some good. It was also a good way for me to check the fences. I hadn`t checked them in awhile and Dusty was notorious for finding the open spots.

“Come on Miss, I need some time to think.”

I brought Mischief out into the isle to saddle and bridle her. I told her about my problems. The mare knew all my secrets. She was comfort to me in a way, like a living diary with four legs. At times I almost thought she could really understand me.

I climbed up into the saddle and took off into the pasture. This would be a bit of a ride. The farm was about fifty acres total. Small compared to most of the farms around the town, but was not so big that my dad could not control it. He had fenced off most of the land for the horses. Forty-five acres just for the horses alone…

“Miss what am I going to do. Jesse is on the verge of losing Venom. Now he is going to the army. I am on the verge of losing my best friend next to you.” I sighed. “I wish I knew what to do. If only we could bring Venom out here….”

With that the idea had sprung up into my mind. Why couldn't we bring Venom out here? We had enough pasture and an extra stall. And it wasn't like mom and dad did not know the person who owned him. The one bad idea about that was Venom was still a stallion and Jesse was his owner. How would they react to that?

I urged Mischief into a canter out in the pasture and let the wind hit my face. I let all my worries float away in that wind. All I had to do now was talk to my parents and persuade them into letting Jesse bring Venom out here. I come out here anyway to help take care of the horses, what would one more horse be anyway. It wasn't like I hadn't ever messed with Venom to begin with.

I heard the dogs barking in the distance and knew someone was at the house. I turned Mischief around and headed back to the barn. When I got closer I could tell it was my father, just the person to talk too.

I waved, as I got closer to the barn. He was heading out there to check on the horses was my guess. I got down at the gate and led Miss through it.

“Hey, home already?” I asked.

“Yea, the horses fed?”

“Just Destiny and Dusty. I took Miss here out for a ride, we both needed the exercise.” I told him.

“Where is your mother at?” he asked.

“She left a note saying she had to run into work. Should be home around five thirty.” I said as I started to unsaddle Mischief. “When she gets home I need to talk to you both.”

My dad was not much of a talker. He just shook his head ok and went back to the garage. He spent most of his free time in there building anything he could out of wood. A few times he stopped and picked up a ball and threw it so the dogs would fetch it. He was a great father, not much in the way of conversations but what male was?

The next hour I spent cleaning the stalls and preparing to bed down the horses for the night. Across the aisle were the three empty stalls I would talk to my parents about. Venom wasn't the only horse I thought about bringing to the property. Another girl at the stables where Venom was now was moving closer to the area. In the mean time, she was looking for a place to keep her gelding and pony so she would not have to drive far. The horse and pony belonged to her daughters to show in local 4-H shows.

 

A few hours later my mother finally showed up from work. I told her and my father about the situation Jesse was in with Venom. It wasn't pretty but somehow they agreed with me that it would not really be a problem to have him there but there was some worry about the mares.

“Catherine what about Miss and Destiny? You don't know how that stallion is going to act around them.”

“Mom, Venom is not that bad of a stallion as stallions come. What if I got another boarder to bring their horses as well and stable them here? One that has already worked with Venom?”

“How many horses and have you thought about feed costs?”

I also mentioned to them about the other person at the stables looking to switch her gelding and pony to another barn. This would help with the income of the horses, as well as give some assistance while Jesse was gone.

“The other pony could be stalled with Dusty if it came down to it,” I told my mom.

“I am not sure how you see this is going to help with the money. You said this other person has also had some experience with Jesse's horse?” she said.

“Yes mom, she has had experience with Jesse's horse. She tends to him when Jesse couldn't. That is why this might be a good idea to have her horses here also. Besides she is moving to this town. Maybe you can rent out the guest shack.”

“Catherine you know that place has not been used since you kids was little. It needs a lot of work done on it. Besides, it is only three rooms and a bathroom, where would they eat and do laundry?”

“It will give you guys someone to look after the place. Take that vacation like you and dad always talk about doing someday.” I started to beg. “Please just give it a chance?”

“Does this person have a name?”

“Yes she has a name.” I said. “Allison Jameson and she has two daughters. I think their names are Megan and Melissa. The oldest takes ridding lessons right now.”

“We will try it out Cat, but I am not going to promise anything.” my mother said with a sigh. “But the first sign of trouble….”

“I know they are out.”

“You can ask if she wants to fix up the place for the first few months rent. She can use the kitchen and utility room here in the house if needed.”

“You won't regret it mom, I promise.”

The look she gave me said it all. That was all it took before I was on the phone calling Jesse. The phone rang what seemed like forever before he picked up.

“Hey, I got great news,” I said to him before he could speak.

“Oh, hi, what's up?”

“Mom said you can bring Venom out here. But only on one condition.”

“What? Huh? Hold on a minute a condition? Back up here.”

“Ok I will go slower. I talked to mom about Venom and the situation you are in.”

“Ok?”

“She said that you could bring Venom out here and try to send a bit of money if you can. We are also going to take Allison's horse and pony also. To help out with things, they can rent the guest house if they like.”

“That's great. Hey if they want, they can use him for stud. My dad would also come out and check on him. Cat I am thrilled this helps me out a lot. I didn't think about your parents place at all.”

“Funny thing is I didn't either until I went out there and took Mischief for a ride. I thought why not we had the extra stalls and stuff.” I said excitedly.

“Well hey, I was just heading to the barn. While I am there I will tell Allison and get some of my stuff ready.” Jesse said. “Oh hey? I guess I should ask when should bring him out there?”

“Hold on. I forgot to ask.”

I ran to the back door to see my mom and dad walking toward the barn possibly talking about things that were getting ready to happen.

“Hey mom when should Jesse bring out Venom?” I yelled out the door to my mother.

“Well we all work Cat so best to bring him out on the weekend. When someone is home.”

“Ok.”

“Hey you still there?” I said to Jesse.

“Yea, and about half deaf now.”

“Oh, Sorry about that. Mom said no one is going to be home all week. So probably be best to bring him out on the weekend.”

“Ok that's good. I can do that. Gives me a chance to make sure I have everything.”

“Well catch you later I guess. I need to finish up with the horses, and start preparing stalls for some invites.”

“Ok, see ya later.” Jesse said then hung up.