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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. 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.

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Chapter 38: The Fine Art of Shopping
 

Sue giggled like a school girl at her daughter’s reaction. “Just because we're old doesn't mean we don't enjoy a romp in the hay. Wait until you're married to that special someone, then you will understand. By the way, have you found that special someone yet?”

“Mom, I heard you introduce “yon female” as your daughter. Would you be so kind as to explain?” asked Debbie trying to change the subject.

“That is Jesse Hartman. She is your future sister-in-law if Gabriel behaves himself. If he doesn't, He will spend the rest of his life on the back forty chasing cows.”

“So that is the girl he has been pining for all these years. I can see why. She is a hottie.”

“You didn't think my son would attract anything less,” laughed the mother. “Look at us. Your a “hottie”, and I am no slouch in that department either. I could still rock a mini-skirt and get away with it.”

“I know. I'm so lucky Dad married you. They say if you want to know what you will look like in twenty years, look at your parents. And you two look like your still in your early thirties. We could surprise Dad with a slinky mini-dress and skyscraper heels. I know my boyfriend would like it.”

“Ah you do have a special someone. When are you going to bring him to the house? You know your father will want to meet him before he asks you to marry him?”

“I told him he would have to wait until he graduated college. He only has a year left.”

“Why so long?”

“I don't want dad running him off before I got to know him better.”

“I knew I raised a smart daughter.”

“I think Gabriel will ask Jesse to marry him next month so they can start wedding plans. Why don't you bring him by then? Your dad will be so preoccupied with his son, he won't have time to interrogate your beau.

“By the way, how're your studies going?”

“ I should finish my nursing degree next semester. I think I'll keep going and get my RN, then maybe my doctorate. It depends on when we start having children and then if we can find someone to care for them while I'm studying.”

“I always did want a doctor in the family.”

“I won't be an MD but I will be able to do most of what an MD does.”

“It looks like like they are about finished with Jesse. Lets go see.” The two women walked back over to the make-up counter. “Wow, I knew the Johnston women were babes, but you just finish us.”

“Thank you,” blushed the young wolf. “Monica did the magic.”

“I didn't have to perform much magic. You're naturally beautiful. I just tried to bring that out,” said Monica. “Here are the products I used. If you want an evening look, you would just go a little heavier on the eyeliner, shadow, and mascara. Also, you may want a more dramatic lipstick.”

“What would you suggest?” asked the future Mrs. Johnston.

“Much depends on the dress you wear. You want your lips, nails, and shoes to match the dress,” Mom added. “Lets do some shopping and then we'll come back and get what we need to finish out the dresses. Saturday, we will make the men take us dancing.”

“Jesse why do you have your arm in a sling?” asked Debbie.

“I broke my arm a few weeks ago, and the cast came off a couple of days ago.”

“How many weeks has it been since your arm was broken?”

“About three.”

“Mom, before we get started, lets get her over to the doctor and get the cast put back on. That arm has to be painful.”

“It's not too bad.”

“Still, you want it to heal correctly. Do you have a local doctor?”

“Doc Henley is my friend and is helping with Merry.”

“Who is Merry?”

“She is my ward, and has some medical issues.”

“Call Doc Henley and see if he can help us out.”

“Okay.” The wolf reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. “Hello, Doctor Henley?”

“I'm at the local department store with Sue and Debbie Johnston.”

“Yeah, their great folks. I lost my cast and Debbie said I need another cast for my arm to heal correctly.”

“Twenty minutes? Okay, we'll be there.” The young woman turned to the other women, “Doc said to be at his office in twenty minutes and he'll replace the cast.”

“May I ask how you lost a cast?” said Debbie.

“It's a long tale. Are you sure you want to hear it?

“We have time.”

“I'll tell you on the way over, but promise me you won't interrupt much or the tale will take all day. Doc Henley can confirm some of the tale if you want to ask him,” the newest member of the Johnston Clan, well soon to be anyway, said as they started toward the door.

“I have already heard some of this,” said the mother, “but I want you to start from the beginning. From where you started pretending to be a girl”

“Wait a minute!” exclaimed Gabriel's sister. “You're not a girl?”

“I am now”

“Okay, I'm officially confused,” said the sister.

The mother took her daughter by the arm just before they reached the car, “Do you know anything about Coyote?”

“You mean those mangy dogs that dad keeps shooting at?”

“No, Dear. This is going to be an interesting ride for us all.”

Once they were in the car, Jesse started “I was born a poor white sharecropper's son in Alabama... OUCH!”

Sue had swatted the young girl on the arm. “Now start with the real tale. Poor, White, Sharecropper, My foot. Your tale is strange enough without reliving Forrest Gump.”

The two girls giggled at the mother and said, “Forrest who?”

“I'm not that old. And if you two don't want to walk back to the ranch, I would suggest that you treat your poor ole wore out mother with more respect.” Which started all three of the women giggling.

Jesse started her tale with how she found herself dressing as girl for her grandmother and finishing where she had to kill the rustler. She told of meeting Coyote and being changed in to a wolf to be able to meet the Great Spirit and his Son. She told of becoming a shaman and being able to change into a wolf, and that Merry was changed from a wolf into a little girl. “Now you know my tale. I was a boy, but now I am a female looking forward to marrying Gabriel and having his children.”

“Mom, what do you think? Made up or is fact stranger than fiction?”

“Your dad believes her story, and you know how hard he is hoodwink.”

“But to meet an ancient god, then to meet God and Jesus, turned into wolf and a girl, and made a shaman. Don't you find this bit out there?”

“I would, until I saw a three year old girl call a wild wolf daddy and run over to hug him. How would you explain losing a cast? I believe her.”

“Thank you, Sue,” said Jesse. “Debbie, ask Doc Henley. He won't lie to you.”

“I think I will. Lets go in and while he is fixing your arm I will ask him.”

The three women got out of the car and walked into the doctor's office.

The receptionist greeted the women, “How may I help you?”

“Hi, I'm Jesse Hartman. Doctor Henley is expecting me.”

“Have a seat and fill out these forms. I will let him know you're here.”

The wait wasn't long when the nurse called, “Hartman”

“Yes ma,am.”

“Come on back.”

“May my mom and sister come with me?”

“If you want.”

The women followed the nurse to an examination room where she weighed, took the young wolf's temperature and blood pressure. She wrote everything down and asked, “When was your last period?”

“She is starting her period now,” answered the mom. “She will need a referral to a OB-GYN. I use Dr. Killingham.”

“Okay, I'll make a note. Follow me and and we'll set up for the cast.” They left the exam room and followed the nurse to another room set up for casts. They were joined a few minutes later by Doc Henley. Jesse hugged him with her good arm.

“Okay, Jess how did you lose the cast?” the doctor asked as he examined the broken arm.

“I was changing into a wolf to sneak up on the rustlers. I thought my arm might be healed enough or heal as it changed into a leg, but it didn't. I could walk on three legs, but if I had to run I couldn't. So I changed back and didn't get the cast back on.”

“At least you show some restraint in not charging ahead in wolf form.”

“Excuse me doctor. Do you believe her story?” asked the Miss Johnston. “I mean people don't turn into werewolves.”

“My dear, Jesse doesn't turn into a werewolf. She becomes a wolf and is a member of the pack of wolves that live on the wild land of her ranch.”

“Have you seen her change?”

“I have seen her begin to change. Her ears moved to the top of her head and her face began to elongate.
She controlled the change before she transformed completely to a wolf.”

“Did you know Jesse when she was a boy?”

“Actually, I treated Jess when he fell out of the barn back when he was thirteen. He had a big laceration on right leg about 6” above the knee. The scar may still be visible. When we went to court back east she was examined by a gynecologist and had her DNA pulled. I can attest that she was a boy at the age of thirteen and is a full fledged girl now.”

“Thanks Doctor Henley. After the tale she told on the way over, I didn't know what to think. My medical training in college just wouldn't let me believe this was possible.”

“Medical training?”

“Yes I'm studying to be a nurse. I want to become a Physician's Assistant.”

“How much longer do you have to go before you finish your first degree?”

“I will be finished in June.”

“Have you lined up a job yet?”

“No.”

“You have now. My nurse will be retiring and moving south to help her daughter with her grandbabies.”

“Thank you Doctor Henley. I appreciate this. I'm sure mom and dad will appreciate it too.”

“Yeah, you can pay for your own college,” laughed the mom.

“There you go Jesse. I'm finished with the cast. Try not to lose this one. Give it at least another four weeks if not six to finish healing.”

“Thank you Doc. You have been so kind to me and Merry.”

“Merry was such a lovely girl. My wife had so much fun with her. They got on the floor and played wolf. Then she got her to play dolls. While they were playing wolf, Merry would carry the doll in her mouth like she would a pup. Afterward they carried the dolls like babies. It was funny seeing them carry the dolls like pups.

“I should have the report on her MRI on her heart tomorrow or the next day. I will call you.”

“Thank you for your help Doc,” Jesse said as she hugged the older man.

“Now, back to the store, we have some shopping to do.”

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To Be Continued...