The Army's New Rehab Center:
County General Hospital:
Corporal Jessica (Jessi to her friends and siblings) Johnson walked out of the hospital with her siblings after letting her younger siblings say goodbye to their parents. They would get only one more chance to say goodbye and that was at the funeral. General Holden and his wife, Kernel Sherwood and his wife and the rest of their friend walked out behind the Johnson clan. General Holden had granted Corporal Johnson with three weeks of Emergency Leave to get everything settled with the family. He promised that they would have a house by the time she got back to Post.
When the Johnson's got back to the Farm, they immediatley started on their normal chores. Despite the fact that their parents had just been killed, they still had a Farm to run. When most of the chores that needed to get done right away were done, they all headed back into the house just as Claudia Joy and her friends were arriving. Pamela's and Roxy's kids were in school for the day. Roland had Sara Elizabeth but since she was sleeping, Jami-Lynn had taken her into the nursery and laid her down in Johari's crib.
Corporal Johnson went outside and greeted Claudia Joy and her friends, then invited them inside. They were just getting ready to make some lunch.
"This is one big house." Pamela commented.
"Well what did you expect, a small house? Twenty people did live here all at one time before. We're just about to make some lunch if you want to stay."
"Sure, we were wondering about that comment back at the hospital. You know, the one about the Army buying the land back?" Denise said.
"Yeah, what about it? My dad bought it from the Army when he retired about twenty years ago and we've been on it ever since. The Army can use it as a Resort for families that want a vacation but can't go far do to having to deploy soon or they can use it as a rehab center. When my parents ran it, it was used as a kind of 'Get out of Jail Free Card'. The non-violent criminals were given a choice: go to jail for a certain amount of months or go to the Johnson Ranch and Wildlife Sanctuary and do what they say as community service. It's the Army's choice; I just don't want to have to give all the animals away. Most of them were here before my parents bought the land."
"Well I can talk to Michael about buying the land back, but could you tell us more about the Ranch and Sanctuary itself, it would give Michael and the Board a better idea of what could become of the place."
"Yea sure, better than that, I can give you a tour once lunch is over."
"That would be great."
"So, what are you making for lunch?"
"Our parents' favorite meal, homemade fried chicken."
"So you guys bought the chicken from the store and making it homemade that way?" Roland asked.
"No, we killed one of our chickens and are making it that way." Jada said.
"Sounds yummy." Denise said.
"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to. We're used to killing the chickens to make food. Our parents told us that if we really wanted to live like we were dying, make food the right way." Jackson said.
"Your parents taught you that huh?" Pamela asked.
"Of course, though, we've always used our animals as a means of food. When we didn't have enough money to go to the grocery store, we would go out to the chicken coop or cows and kill one for food." Jerry-Lynn said.
"So they were kind of giving you a lesson while you were growing up, say, if you were stranded on an abandoned island after a plane crash." Roxy said.
"You've been watching too much 'Lost'. But yeah, I guess it was a lesson they believed we couldn't live without."
"You can make the salad if you want and we normally make homemade baked beans as well. Jeremy has started the baked beans if anyone wants to help him."
"I guess I'll help with the baked beans." Denise said.
"And I'll help with the salad." Claudia Joy said.
"And the rest of us can do what?" Roxy asked.
"Well, we normally have fresh milk from Daisy and Trooper, our dairy cows. You guys could go with Jadzia and Jacinta and help bring the buckets of milk in, then help strain it into the milk jars."
"That sounds like fun." Pamela said.
"Normally we have one of the Parolee's doing stuff like this, but I called their Parole Officers and asked them to find a different place to volunteer for the next two weeks. They understood; everyone liked our parents."
"So, not only was this a working Ranch where you all grew up, but your parents allowed recently Paroled Convicts to work on the Ranch as well?" Roland asked.
"Well, not the violent criminals no, but most of the less violent offenders that have been recently paroled have turned their lives around with the help of our Ranch and Sanctuary. Most of them still work here even after there parole time has ended. And because of that, we employ them and pay them. The house out behind the barn is for the ranch hands and those that are no longer on Parole. We plan on building another house if the Army decides to buy the land back and make it into a Rehab Facility. That house would house those in Rehab as well as the doctors. The main house would house my family if we were allowed to stay." I finished.
"Well, just from the lunch part of the view, I think we can make a great case for the Army. When the tour is over, we'll be on our way and I'll let Michael and the other Board members decide. It would be a shame to let all the hard work your folks have done go to waste. And who knows, maybe Michael will let you stay on here as well and help with the running of the Ranch." Claudia Joy finished as she finished making the salad. Jeremy and Denise were also finished making the homemade baked beans and Roland, Roxy & Pamela came in with Jacinta and Jadzia with the pails of fresh cow milk. With the help of the twins, Roland, Roxy & Pamela strained the milk into all of the milk jars and then entered the kitchen with three of the Jars. The others would be put into the root cellar where they would keep cool till they were needed. But for the time being, they sat on the counter, pushed back so they didn't fall and break.
"Thank you, but I'm pretty sure my CO would wonder why I didn't return to Post and deploy to Iraq after the three weeks Emergency Leave I was granted."
"Frank was with Michael when he granted you the three weeks Emergency Leave. And he'll be in the Board Meeting when the Army decides if they want to buy the land back and keep it as a Working Ranch and Sanctuary and also use it as a Rehab Center. He'll know what's going on the whole time." Denise said.
"Yea, that's not the most I'm worrying about right now. My division might wonder why I'm not deploying with them and even when they are told they'll wonder why I'm not in Iraq with them after I come back from My Emergency Leave."
"I'm sure Michael and Frank will tell them together. And I believe your father will be getting a 21 gun salute at his funeral. And he'll probably be buried at the Army Cemetery or at Arlington National Cemetery."
"No, he and my mother will be buried here, on our land. We have a personal cemetery here, back in the woods. Our grandparents are buried there and a few aunts and uncles that died from natural causes."
"Well, that's unusual." Pamela commented.
"Not really. Being on this land as long as we have, you would have expected my father to think of a way he wanted to be buried. It states in their Will's where they wanted to be buried and I believe it says what is to happen to the land but I can't be quite sure."
"Well, now that lunch is over with, why don't we get that tour we came for? I know the kids will be out of school soon and they'll need to be picked up."
"That's a good idea. Uh, Jordan and Jeremy, make sure the kitchen gets picked up and the food is put away. Then make sure the milk jars are capped and put into the root cellar. Everyone else, once the kitchen is clean, the food put away and the milk jars are in the root cellar, you may go play with the animals or stay inside. Jordan and Jeremy, keep an eye on Sara Elizabeth as well will you?"
"Yes Jess.'
Tour of The Ranch:
Jerry-Lynn and Jessica went outside with Claudia Joy, Denise, Roland, Roxy & Pamela and started the tour. They started at the barn with the regular farm animals. In all, there were ten animals in the barn at all times. The chicken coop was fenced off so the chickens couldn't get out and so no animals could get in either. There were four riding horses, two dairy cows, two sheep and two goats. Jerry-Lynn and Jessica explained everything as they showed them around.
Next they moved to the Sanctuary, which was behind and to the left of the barn. The Sanctuary housed lions, tigers, bears, wolves, cougars, snow leopards, mountain goats, wild turkeys, wild boar, and a few boa constrictors. After the Sanctuary, they moved on to the Wild Horse Paddock. There were over 150 wild horses in the paddock (a 150 acre of land surrounded by fence).
Passing the Wild Horse Paddock, they moved to the valley and were shown the cow and horse herd that roamed the land. Roland, Roxy and Pamela were commenting on all the land that had yet to be used up and all the land that seemed to say 'visitor's and tourists welcome'. Denise and Claudia Joy were laughing at all the funny places the two sisters were pointing at and remembering what they had done at those places.
By the time they had gotten to the underground houses, it was nearly two o'clock. The underground houses were what really put the historic value to the Ranch. And it also sold all five of the friends especially Claudia Joy who believed that the Army wouldn't be able to pass up an opportunity such as this one. Jessica turned the small tractor trailer around and they headed back to the Johnson Ranch.
Kids Have Fun, Adults Talk:
As soon as Michael, Frank, Joan, Emmaline and the young kids were inside the house and the rest of Jessica's siblings were inside from playing with the animals, Emmaline took charge of Sarah Elizabeth who had woken up from her nap, Roxy & Pamela's kids as well as the younger kids in Jessica's family with the help of Jordan, Jami-Lynn, Jeremy and JayLee. They all went upstairs to the game room while Michael Frank and Joan stayed outside with Roxy, Pamela, Roland, Denise, Claudia Joy, Jerry-Lynn and Jessica.
"So you five look like you've had some fun." Michael stated.
"Yes, actually, Jerry-Lynn and Jessica just got finished giving us a tour of the Ranch. And I have to say, I really think that the Army should think about buying the property back and making it into a Rehab Center. Jessica believes that the animals will help our soldiers heal as they have helped the Parolees heal. And she says she's willing to build a home to house the soldiers staying here as well as the doctors and nurses that are needed. Besides that, it looks like a great place to send some of our visiting high ranking military members who are looking to get a great feel of living in the rustic part of South Carolina." Claudia Joy finished.
"You feel that strongly about it?"
"Yes, actually I do. Denise and I were just discussing staying out here for a week or so in the underground houses out near the lake. They look absolutely historic and I know the military won't want historic land ending up in the wrong hands."
"We figured you might believe the Army should buy the land back. Corporal, we talked to your parent's lawyer today and he showed us the Will. According to your mother and father, they wished you to be in charge of the day to day running of the Ranch but that the Army had already accepted buying the land back and using it as a Rehab Center for the soldiers. Other than that, I don't see the need to bring you and your siblings back to the Post. Granted you will have to be on Post for your assigned duty Day and PT, but other than that, you and your family are free to stay on the Ranch as long as you like. Where would you be willing to build this Rehab Center?" General Holden finished.
"We would be building it over there, past the barn, Sanctuary and Farm Hand housing. My parents had already started on the building, but we'll have to expand it. Most of the building materials have already been bought. Did our parents' Will say anything else Sir?" I finished.
"The lawyer said that he would be over this weekend to read it to you and your family. He figured we would want to know about the land and he figured right. Now all we have to do is put a price on the land."
"I think my parents were saying sell it back to you for about $550,000 dollars. My father bought it for $600,000 so he was figuring in everything we've done to the land since owning it, Sir"
"I see, well, we'll have to talk to the Board about it but I don't see a need to go under that amount. We'll talk later."
"Thank you Sir. Um, did you guys want a tour as well? I can teach you how to drive the tractor trailer and let Roland drive it and show you around. Just don't be gone too long. We're going to need the tractor and trailer to go out and get some of the smaller animals that have a hard time walking back to the Ranch."
"Maybe another time, we have to get back to work. Just keep doing what you are doing and we'll let you tell us when the Funeral is going to be." Kernel Burton said.
"And we'll all be out here and help you bury your parents as well as bring some food out to you." Claudia Joy and Denise finished together.
"Wait, you're not having your parents buried on Ft. Marshal or at the Arlington National Cemetery?" Kernel Sherwood asked.
"No, we have a private cemetery here for our family. That's where our parents wanted to be buried."
"I see, well, let us know what the arraignments are and we'll see to it that your father gets a proper military burial." General Holden said.
"Thank you Sir, and will do. See you in a little while."
Later That Night:
After Claudia Joy and her friends plus all of their kids left, Jessica made sure that all the animals were taken care of with the help of her siblings before heading back into the house to get the kids ready for bed. The 'Tribe' and their kids had stayed for dinner, another home cooked meal, but this one didn't involve chopping the head of a chicken off or anything like that. It was just the kind of meal where the ingredients were from the local grocer.
The kids seemed to like the 'Tribes' kids very much and asked if they could come over anytime to play. The adults said they would see, but only after the funeral was over and after all the paperwork was signed and all official business was over. Jessica went up to the game room where her siblings were all lounging and being the oldest, grabbed one of the family's favorite books, sat in the middle of the kids and started reading. The book was 'Disaster Child: Nahamo's Story' a book that Jessica had bought while in Africa on one of her father's deployments. It was one of her favorite books and all the Johnson kids read it at one time or another.
Once Jessica stopped reading at one of the middle chapters, she sent her siblings to bed and then she herself went to her own room, which had not been touched as she had been to the Ranch as much as possible when she didn't have to be on Post. She got into some pajamas and then headed to her bed. She fell into her bed and for the first time in twenty-four hours, really slept for the first time.