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Image: Free Wallpaper from http://www.scenicreflections.com/ ~Sephrena.

Author's Note: Thank you Hope for your encouragement and help in editing. Thanks to Sephrena for making the post look professional. And Mostly thanks to all who have commented or left Kudos.

I must also apologize for the time lapse between chapters. I get in to these funks that keep me from performing at a …. Well you get the picture. Sephrena has the next chapter and it will be up to her when she posts.

A big thanks to Erin for trying and succeeding in keeping the site up.

If anyone gets offended by the comments from Jesse's father, Let me apologize now. ~Barbara.

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Chapter 26: Going Home

When Judge Stokes announced his verdict, Roy Hartman came out of his stupor shouting, “You can't give my ranch to that FAG. I don't care if he can change into a buffalo. The ranch belongs to me. I own the ranch and the mineral rights that go with it. Judge you are a @&^%(@ idiot if you think I am going to sit here while you give my ranch to a @&^%@ FAGGOT.”

The judge was banging his gavel for order. Then shouted over the elder Mr. Hartman. “Thirty days and if you don't control your client Mr. Johnson you get thirty as well.”

The attorney turned to try and calm his client down. When he did, the irate man swung at him hitting him square in the jaw. The lawyer crumpled to the ground from the blow. “I'm going to kill that queer then I'm going to kill me a judge.”

The bailiff ran to get in between Mr. Hartman and the young woman. As the bailiff tried to subdue the man, two other sheriff officers, hearing the ruckus, ran in to the court room to see the bailiff struggling with the out of control individual. They managed to get Mr. Hartman under control and his hands cuffed behind his back.

“That will be 180 days Mr. Hartman, plus assault on an officer of the court. Do you have anything to say now?! I can be persuaded to add more time to your stay.”

The man glared at the judge, but didn't say anything.

“Bailiff take him away.” As the bailiff ushered the elder Hartman from the courtroom, he turned to glare at the person who was once his son, but he didn't say anything.

Jesse watched sadly as they led her father from the courtroom. “Judge Stokes, I must apologize for my father's outburst,” said the young lady.

“Miss Hartman, I have been through this many times, but it is always refreshing when I meet someone as young as you who remembers her manners. I am sure your father will post bail and be out by tomorrow. If you are staying longer, I will hold him longer.”

“That will not be necessary sir. We are flying out tonight.”

“Very well.” As the judge left the courtroom he said, “You may want to use some of that healing power on Mr. Johnson.” The two Sheriff officers were tending to the lawyer who was still lying on the floor.

The young shaman walked over to the injured man, “Mr. Johnson are you going to be alright?”

“I think so. The officers want me to lie here until the paramedics arrive in case I have any further injuries.”

Jesse walked back over to her attorney, “Thank you Mr. Robertson. Now, I can get on with my life. This calls for a victory dinner. Doctors will you please join Mr. Robertson, Doc Henley and me for dinner out near the airport before we fly out. Mrs. Lancaster will join us as well.”

They all ended up at a nice local restaurant near the airport. Jesse had called the pilot to tell him that they had finished in court and to join them if he wanted. Mr. Robertson ordered a bottle of Champagne to celebrate the victory. “To Miss Jesse Hartman, may she always win in her endeavors.”

They sat around leisurely eating, because the pilot said it would take a a couple of hours to check over the plane and get it ready to fly. The flight plan had been filed, so it was a matter of boarding and leaving just before time to take off. “I hope you all can come and visit the ranch someday,” said Jesse. “There is a standing invitation for each of you. It is so beautiful out there and you will love my family.”

“You know I haven't had a vacation in years,” said Dr. Spencer. “Maybe I will come out this fall or for Christmas.”

“How about you Dr. Baker? When can you come out?” asked the young shaman. “I have someone you just have to meet.”

“Oh, And whom might that be?”

“My adopted daughter. She is in the body of a three year old human, but she has much learning to do catch up with her human age.

“She was a wolf pup from my pack, but because of medical conditions Coyote had me become her surrogate mother. The lesson was to teach me that sometimes I am to point people to the doctors for help instead of me trying to heal everyone I encounter. When I left, she was telling my cook that wolves don't wear shoes, and my cook telling her that little girls do. She is going to be a hand full.

“Mr. Robertson, I do hope that you and Sara can come visit someday.”

“We'll see. You and Dr. Henley have a good trip home.”

They drove over to the airport, and while the pilot made the final checks on the plane, Jesse called Gabriel, “Hi, Gabe. You wanted me to call you with the verdict. Well..... WE WON!!”

“Oh that's so good to hear, Jess. Is your dad finish fighting the will.”

“I sure hope so, but he was threatening me and the judge after the judge gave his verdict. He even punched his own lawyer and wrestled with the bailiff. The judge charged him with contempt and they will press charges of assaulting an officer of the court.”

“Your pa really messed up bad”

“The pilot is telling me I have to get off the phone. See ya when I get back.”

“Okay, I'll see ya when you get back to town. Love ya.”

The flight back was uneventful. The pilot had called ahead to have Tom waiting for them at the airport. “How did it go?” asked Tom.

“We won. The ranch is all mine, so I can make a safe haven for Merry's family. Have you heard anything from the ranch?”

“Everything has been quiet so far. I did talk to Cindy. She said that they are still having trouble with Merry saying she won't do things because she is a wolf and wolves don't have to do them. However, Gail is beginning to make a few inroads. I hope my little one doesn't turn out to be as big a handful as that little girl.

“I have a few more things I need to do here before I can get back to pick up Cindy and the Baby, so I've chartered a small airplane to fly you back home in the morning. We'll stay at my house tonight. Doc I'll let you take the master bedroom. Jesse will take the guest room. And I'll sleep on the couch.”

“Tom, I don't want to kick you out of your bed.”

“Don't worry Doc. The first few nights when the baby came home, I ended up sleeping on the couch with the baby on my chest. We got her something warm to sleep on and mimic the sound of someone breathing with a heart beat and we haven't had a bit of trouble laying her down since.

“That is very clever,” said the Doc.

Jesse yawned and said, “Gentlemen, it has been a long day and sleeping on the plane is not quite as restful as one would think. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed.” She stood as Tom pointed her to the guestroom with the en-suite bath.

They slept in the next morning, arising at noon to the phone ringing. Tom answered, “Hello.”

“Is this Tom? This is Joan. I met Jesse at the doctor's office and she offered me a job on the ranch.”

“Okay,” said a sleepy confused Tom. “Would you like to speak with Jesse?”

“Is she there? I thought she was not going to be in town long.”

“She had to fly east and just arrived back early this morning. Let me get her for you.” Tom laid the phone down and gently knocked on Jesse's door. “Jesse you have a phone call. Do you want me to take a message?”

“Yes, please. Tell them I will call them back in about fifteen minutes.”

“Joan, let me get your phone number and I will have her call you. She is just waking up.”

“Okay, Tell her I want the job as cook at her ranch. And here is my number.” After hanging up Tom went to start coffee and breakfast. The aroma of coffee and bacon frying brought the doctor out of the master bedroom and Jesse followed a few minutes later. Her hair was still wet from a shower.

“Is there anything I can help with?” asked the girl.

“No, just tell me how you like your eggs.”

“I like 'em the way my grandfather liked them, I like 'em just fine.”

Tom just shook his head, “Just for that you're getting them scrambled. How about you Doc?”

“Scrambled is good for me.”

“That makes it easy on the cook. By the way, that's who called you. Someone named Joan was saying she wants the job of cook at the ranch.”

“Good,” said Jesse. “That'll give Merry a girl her age to play with. Did she leave a number?”

“She did. It's on the refrigerator.”

“I'll call after breakfast. I have an appointment for Merry with Dr. Jones in two weeks. I can bring Cindy and the baby back when I come. That'll save you a trip if you are busy with the Governor.”

“That sounds like a plan. The state legislature will be in session so I'll need to be available most days.”

They finished breakfast and while the two men cleaned up, Jesse called Joan. The young shaman made arrangements to pick up her new cook when she came back in two weeks. This would give her company on the ride down and company on the ride back. Also, It would let Joan turn in a two weeks notice to her employer.

Tom came into the living room where the young woman just finished her call and said, “I have just talked to the pilot that will take you back home. He says if you can be at the airport in an hour he can get you home and get back before it gets dark.”

The twin engine Cherokee was sitting on the tarmac outside the private terminal with the engines running. The pilot shook hands with Tom as he walked up and introduced Jesse and the doctor. “Have a safe flight.”

Jesse hugged Tom and kissed him on the cheek, “Thank you for all your help.” The pilot and his passengers boarded the plane, taxied, and took off. An hour later they were landing at the small county airport.

Cindy was waiting for them, “Did you have a good flight?”

“It was good,” said the young girl. “We won!”

“That's good. Is the fight gone out of your father?”

“Probably not, but he has some jail time coming to him and it will be a while before he can cause anymore trouble.”

“Good. Are you ready to get back to the ranch?”

“Let me say goodbye to our pilot and then we'll be ready.”

They dropped Doc Henley off at his home before they arrived at the ranch. There Jesse was met by Merry at the door. “Far Wander!!” she shouted as she hugged the young shaman.

Gail came into the kitchen to see what the commotion was about. “Welcome home,” she said.

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To Be Continued...