Jesse has inherited his Grandfather's ranch. Now he must fight his father to keep it while he must honor his Grandfather's last wish of seeking Coyote. The White Wolf Chapter 36 Meeting Mom by Barbara Allan Copyright © 2013 Barbara Allan All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note: Thank you Hope for your encouragement and help in editing. Thank you Sephrena for making the post appear professional. Most of all thank you to all who have commented or left Kudos. For those who have left comments, I answer them with what I hope is something witty and appreciated. ~Barbara.

The two rode the horses at a lope toward the farm house. When they came to a gate the cowboy would open and close each gate as needed. When the house was in site, they let the horses walk so they would cool down before putting them in the barn.

“Why did you take your rifle with you when you walked with Silver Ears?” asked Jesse.

“Well it is a bit of habit. Besides bears, mountain lions, and badgers, there are other wild animals that may do us harm. Usually the wild animals will avoid humans, but there is the occasional rabid animal or one with a mean streak. Also, sometimes I come upon rabbits. Rabbits can burrow where the cattle will step and break a leg, and I like stewed rabbits possibly better than steaks.”

“I don't think I've ever tried eating rabbits.”

“We will have to find some later in the summer when they are fattened up some. There's not much fat on a rabbit to begin with, but they are raising young and are skinny from the winter months. I won't shoot them if they look like they have a burrow under a bush or a tree. It's those that burrow where the hole that can be stepped in that cause the problems.”

As the two rode up to the house, they could see Gabriel's father's truck parked by the back door. The young woman became excited anticipating Merry would be there. She let Big Spot pick up the pace as he too wanted to get home and see the young girl. When they reached the back porch, Jesse slid off her horse letting the reins dangle. She stepped into the house finding all was quiet. Wandering into the living room, she found Gabriel's father sitting with whom she thought was his mother. The TV was playing softy as the two snuggled on the couch asleep.

The young wolf motioned for the rancher to come over to show him his parents. “Merry must be upstairs napping. If we are quiet, we can shower and clean up before everyone wakes up,” she whispered.

“Okay, I'll go and take care of the horses while you shower, and then I will shower. Can you find me something to wear?”

“ You are about the same size as my grandfather. I'll lay something out for you.”

The cowboy went back outside to handle the horses, as the girl eased up stairs to shower and check on Merry. She looked in Merry's room to see the little girl fast asleep. Smiling, she walked in and licked her forehead and then kissed it. The girl smiled and rolled over still asleep.

The older girl showered and cleaned up. She looked in her closet and chose a jean skirt that reached to her knees and a pair of cowboy boots. Her blouse had a western theme, but it was made of satin. She put on just enough make-up to hide the tiredness she felt. She wanted to make a good first impression on Gabriel's mother. She was still cramping and feeling funny, but she placed a smile on her face and wandered downstairs. She had her arm in a sling made from a pretty scarf, so it would look good.

Gabriel came in and the girl took him upstairs to the master bedroom so he could shower. On the way they stopped to look in on the little girl. They closed the door to the master bedroom and he turned to the wolf and kissed her passionately against the door. “I can wait until we're married, and looking in and seeing such innocence makes me want you all the more,” said the young man.

The girl pushed him away with her good hand. “You keep kissing me like that and we will have to marry before the summer ends.”

“And why is that?”

“How would we explain to our first born that we weren't married before I gave birth.”

With an evil grin, the boy pinned her to the door again and kissed her passionately again. Then he opened the door, pushed her out and locked it. “No Fair,” she said to the door.

The girl wandered down to the kitchen to find some lunch. The ranch hands had been eating some of the meat that came off the trucks as they were towed back to town. In the house, the Johnstons had made a simple lunch of a spring salad and hamburgers. There were a couple of burgers left and some salad in a bowl on the table. She took two plates out and fixed a lunch for Gabe and herself. The young man came down a few minutes later dressed in her grandfather's clothes. He had shaved and used the aftershave he found.

He hugged her as she took a deep sniff of his smell. A small tear escaped down her cheek as she remembered her grandfather. “I love this smell. I'm glad you chose to wear it.”

They sat down at the table to eat. They were silent until a small voice asked, “Far Wander?” She turned to the voice and a sleepy little girl came over to her and crawled into her lap and laid her sleepy head on the older girl's shoulder and went back to sleep with her arms around the older girl's neck. Jesse held the small girl with her good arm and kissed the young child's forehead. A small tear trickled down the older girl's cheek. Gabriel looked over at the two girls knowing that this is where he wanted to be.

The cowboy helped the older girl finish her lunch as she held the small child. Skipper started barking outside which woke those in the house. Alex came into the kitchen to find out what the dog was barking at to find the young couple at the kitchen table. “I see you two finally made it. Anything exciting happen along the way?”

“We saw a large male elk, but nothing else. It gave us time to talk,” answered the cowboy.

The rancher's mother walked in following his father. “Gabriel!” she said as she walked over and hugged him.

“Mom, let me introduce my girlfriend, Jesse Hartman. Jesse this is my Mom, Sue Johnston.”

“It's about time you introduced your girlfriend to me son. My husband has told me how pretty you are, but he didn't do you justice,” she said to Jesse.

“It's my pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Johnston.”

“You don't have to be so formal, call me Sue.”

“Any idea what Skipper is barking at?” asked Alex.

“That could be Silver Ears. He was traveling with us.”

“Daddy's outside?” asked a a little girl getting excited.

“Yes,” said the young woman. “Do you want to go see him?”

The little girl jumped down out of the older girl's lap and ran to the back door. Skipper was standing on the porch growling at the older wolf to keep him away from the door. She came out and hugged the neck of the old dog, “Don't be mean to Silver Ears, Skipper. He's my daddy.”

“Daddy?” asked Sue.

“Come see.” said the young man's father. “There are things you need to know. I hope you can accept them.”

“What things?”

“You will see.”

Alex held her hand as they walked toward the door. When they walked out on the porch, the older woman caught her breath as she saw the child running toward a wolf. She started to shout for the child to stay away from the wolf, until she saw the girl throw her arms around the wolf's neck. The wolf reached around and licked the little girl and lay down where she could climb on his back and hug on him.

The young child started talking to the wolf telling him about going to the hospital and being placed in a large noisy cave like machine. The wolf sat there listening intently. “What's going on, Alex?”

“The wolf is called Silver Ears. He is Merry's father.”

“How can a wolf be the father of a little girl?”

“Merry is safe with the wolf. Let's go inside and I'll explain.” They walked inside and sat at the kitchen table. Jesse started some coffee. Alex began to explain, “You know Bill and Joanne were fine people. Joanne attended church with us regularly, but Bill was a bit stand-offish when it came to religion. That was because Bill was raised with the local First Nations and followed their beliefs more than the Christian beliefs.”

“I know. That seemed to frustrate Joanne, but they loved each other. Because he was always helping the community no one said much to Joanne.”

“It would have been very poor of them to say anything to Joanne, but we are not here to talk about Christians. I don't know how much you understand the beliefs of the Native Americans. They go way back and each tribe has different deities. Even today, some tribes hang on to their beliefs. Given how the white man and the Christians have treated them, I really can't blame them. Bill's family has a long bloodline in the First Nations, though the original Hartman was Scottish. These Native American beliefs tie Indians to the spirit of the land and the spirit of the animals on it. The deities, also, walk among the Indians at times. Usually to effect change for the good of the People. Indians will refer to themselves as the People with a capital P.

“Did you know Jesse was a boy?”

“There is no way that someone as beautiful as that girl could have ever been a boy!”

“Thank you,” said the young woman. “But Alex is right. I used to be a boy.”

“When you were with your grandmother shopping, I never saw a boy. Just a shy little girl.”

“Do you remember how depressed my grandmother became after she lost my aunt. My dressing up as a girl seemed to ease her depression and she felt better while I was here.”

“I do remember she seemed to be more chipper at church when you came to visit. I just thought it was because you were in town.”

“At first it was, then she projected her fixation of my aunt onto me and she seemed to do much better. It was a small price to pay for her happiness.”

“Are you boy now?”

“Let me finish the explanation,” said Alex. “When Bill died, his last request was for Jesse to take a spirit quest into the mountains. While on this quest the boy met the deity, Coyote. Coyote is known for playing tricks on people. Coyote changed Jesse from a boy into a girl and gave her the task of being a shaman to the People.”

“Okay. Stop right there. You expect me to believe that a pagan god changed this person from a boy into a girl?”

“Well, Yes!”

“Mrs. Johnston, I would be happy to go to a gynecologist with you or we can go into another room and you can examine me. I was happy being a boy. I didn't ask to be a girl and I had hoped that Gabriel had found a wife before I came back. I had no intention of deceiving him further about my gender. As I said, I only dressed as a girl and acted like one to ease the depression of my grandmother.”

“Mom, she is cramping so bad now, I know she is ready to start her first period, but I was hoping to get Debbie over here to explain what is happening to her. I didn't know if Jesse would be comfortable talking female issues with you. And I didn't know you would be here.”

“And why wouldn't she be comfortable talking to me? Come on dear. Grab your purse and let's run to the store and get you the stuff you’re going to need before you start making a mess in your panties. We'll leave these men folk to watch the child. Here we have been sitting talking and you are in need of help.” The older woman shook her head as they walked out to the car.

“Merry, we'll be back in a little while. Mind your father and Gabriel. And Silver Ears, She doesn't have a scruff to pick her up by.”