Love's Redemption
By BlueBlazesWildcat88
A Strange Message From a Stranger
Hey… so, you don't know me, but I know your friend James. He's looking for you.
The phone buzzed. Its bluish glow temporarily illuminated the silhouettes of Dustin and Tiffany McDowell snoozing away beneath a low ceiling before going dark again. Neither of them stirred, oblivious to the sound. A pale light streaming from somewhere outside found its way inside the RV-like living quarters of their luxurious horse trailer. It seeped past the edges of the blackout shades covering the fat, rectangular windows on either side of them. After the buzz, everything fell into silence once more… except for the soft whisper of a portable fan mounted on the wall at the end of the loft.
That message came at the end of January… just months before it would change Tiffany's life forever. However, it wouldn't be until much later the following day when she discovered it.
"Bit chilly this mornin'," noted Dustin upon feeling the humidity lingering in the coolness of the early morning hours.
His average height and a stocky build towered over her shortness as he ambled along beside her with bowlegged strides. He was towing a cart full of the highest quality of alfalfa hay for the four equine athletes currently stalled in the show barn several hundred feet away from their RV spot in the park.
"Mmhm…" was Tiffany's reply to her ruggedly handsome husband.
Her voice was groggy from sleep. She browsed through the activity on her social media account while towing her own cart of carefully measured out grain and special supplements. As a professional barrel racer, the obligatory duties associated with caring for their high-caliber animals saw her up and running just before the sun began to rise.
"'Zack Murkoff?'" Tiffany scrunched her brow in confusion over her deep-set, olive green eyes as she came upon the aforementioned message. 'James?' Who is 'James?'
She brought it up on her screen, but she was even more baffled after reading it. Her mouth twisted skeptically as she decided to check out the stranger's profile, studying his profile picture.
He was a nerdy looking individual with short brown hair swept back against his head. Dark rimmed half-glasses sat perched in front of his almond shaped brown eyes, making his ears stick out like an elf. There was a full mustache formed above his upper lip, with the makings of a goatee on his chin. The rest of his rounded face was shaded by the thick hairs of a five o'clock shadow.
After a quick skim through his timeline, her previous suspicions about him being some poor schmuck in the Middle East with a fake account were put to rest, leaving her even more confused than before. She had no idea who he was; much less why he'd felt the need to contact her. His profile said he was a cell phone tech for AT&T from California, and there wasn't anything on his profile to even indicate an interest in horses or her profession.
So who is he? She turned to her husband, showing him the message. "Hey, do you know this guy?"
Dustin came to a stop beside her. "Who?"
His sapphire eyes squinted from the brightness of the screen. He was far-sighted, so he had to hold her phone at a distance to make it easier to see. That's why he wore glasses when he roped.
"Do you need yer glasses?" Tiffany asked, mildly concerned.
"No…" he drawled with an open mouth. He scrolled through the stranger's profile as well before going back to the message. "Who's James?"
"I don't know," Tiffany shrugged. "That's why I was asking you. I don't know anybody named 'James.' Nobody I wanna contact, anyway."
"I know a couple o' guys from the rodeo pen named 'James,' but I know you don't know 'em," Dustin handed the phone back to her. "I'd just delete it. Probably just a case of mistaken identity or jus' some weirdo messin' with you."
"Probably…" her voice trailed off, searching her memory. Weird…
Their attention was diverted to a shrill cry coming from behind them. "J.D.! WHERE'S MY RAKE?!"
"Ohh, hell…"
As if on cue, a man just into his twenties came sprinting towards them. His thick, but short mass of black ponytail was flapping behind him. Several strands hung in front of his handsome, sharply-defined face. His dark eyes gleamed with mischief, and his cheeky grin adorned by a shade of thick stubble matched the notion that he had just pranked his sister yet again.
"G'mornin'!" he shouted as he zipped past them.
Dustin dragged a hand across his own angled face with a growl. "Hey! You better get them horses fed! Quit playin' around, J.D.!"
It was a coin toss whether or not the young man in question even heard him.
"Damn kid…" Dustin muttered under his breath.
"I'd say he's too much like his dad… but I think he gets most of it from me," Tiffany smirked at her husband.
Altogether, she had three children; all of them sired by a certain pirate whose abrupt disappearance fifteen years ago left her a single mother. Her youngest had to stay behind at their ranch in Weatherford, being only sixteen and still in school. Dustin may not have been their biological sperm donor, but he'd loved and raised them like his own.
"Yeah, or somethin'," he scoffed. A random thought occurred to him. "You ain't heard from 'im, have you?"
Tiffany shook her head, glancing at him curiously. "Nope. Why?"
He shrugged, watching J.D. disappear into the barn. "Jus' wond'rin."
He didn't know what made him ask… just a feeling he had.
"Imma beat 'is ass when I see 'im," Tiffany muttered under her breath.
Dustin didn't know if she meant her son, or his father. Doe'n't matter… I may jus' beat 'er to it. Damn kid's always causin' trouble…
The change in circumstance made her shove aside the strange message. Her mouth twisted into a frown as she slipped the phone into the pocket of her insulated vest. She would have to deal with it later.
The barn was already ringing with the sound of eager whinnies from the hundreds of horses lodged in the expo-style stalls set up inside. Twelve out of a long row of forty stalls belonged to them; each having brought four horses a-piece to the week-long event in Kinder, Louisiana.
One by one, Mr. and Mrs. McDowell distributed each ration to their mounts. Tiffany spared a quick glance over every horse to make sure they were in good spirits and comfortable before moving on to the next one. A pretty, young blonde woman who bore a striking resemblance to her mother joined them, her face flustered and her blue-gray eyes dark with frustration.
"I'm gonna kill 'im," she growled when she was close enough. "It's way too early in the morning for this."
"Have you gotten your horses fed yet?" Tiffany asked in hopes of diffusing her daughter's anger. Dustin finished putting out hay and left to grab what they needed from the trailer to start cleaning their part of the stalls.
"Yeah. Now, if I could only find my rake," Veronica Sparrow bore a hole through the back of her twin brother's dark head as she spotted him sauntering down the aisle to the next horse's stall. "J.D.!"
Her brother lazily turned at the sound of her voice.
"Hey! Quit yelling!" Tiffany snapped. "Tell your brother to come here."
Veronica left her side to relay the message. The difference in their skin tone was evident beneath the bright lights of the barn as she escorted him up the aisle towards their mother. He was just slightly darker; naturally bronze—another genetic trait from his father.
"J.D., where's your sister's rake?" Tiffany asked pointedly.
The fact that he kept a straight face when he answered was irritating. "I don't know. I tried to find it, but I couldn't."
"You're lying, and I can tell," she countered.
J.D. grinned innocently. "No, I'm not. Seriously. I can't remember where I put it."
Tiffany sighed and rolled her eyes shut, shaking her head. It was a wonder how her face had yet to show signs that she was about to turn forty. "Alright, fine. Whatever. Just… go help your sister clean stalls."
They started to walk off.
"And I mean help. Not be a butt. You understand?" Tiffany sent her impish son a warning glare. "I mean it. We don't have time to mess around. We got stuff to do."
"Alright," J.D. held up his hands as if to comply and turned to follow his sister.
But Tiffany knew her son. You are too much like your dad, kiddo…
She met Dustin halfway down the path after feeding. "Hey, I sent J.D. to help Veronica clean her stalls. He said he can't find her rake—"
She stopped short when she noticed he was carrying it.
"—Yeah, I found it. Little shit had it hidden up inside her truck," said Dustin. He was trying his hardest to suppress his amusement. Kid's too smart for his own good… I'm glad he decided he likes a guitar better 'n anything else…
"Say what?" Tiffany raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah," he nodded. "Had it hidden up in the suspension."
"Little crap…" Tiffany shook her head and followed him back to the barn.
"Hey, he's your son," Dustin pointed out.
"Don't remind me."
He only grinned.
She tried to enjoy the peace while it lasted. Dustin gave J.D. a stern warning as he returned Veronica's rake to her. He volunteered to do J.D.'s portion of the stalls while sending him on 'water duty' with the hope that it might deter him from causing anymore problems. Tiffany looked up as her son came into the stall she was working on to check her horse's water buckets.
"Are you behaving yourself?" his mother asked.
"Yes, ma'am," her son answered.
He poured what little contents were left in the buckets into the much larger bucket that was now sitting on the empty feed cart. He was still grinning from ear to ear… as was his nature. He was just a happy person; always had been. And that was the trouble.
"I is," he added.
"Good," Tiffany watched him close the door and move to the next stall.
She huffed in spite of herself as she watched him leave, shaking her head with a grin. As she picked each stall clean, she looked over every horse, checking for any discernible signs of injuries while making sure their blankets were firmly secure. The last thing she needed was one of her mounts coming up lame because of a loose strap.
Man, I love the sound of munching hay… I love the smell of alfalfa, shavings, and horses! She thought to herself.
Stomping hooves, swishing tails, and a random snort or two combined with the sound of rolling carts and muffled voices to create a busy scene of morning barn chores in the midst of being completed. This was her paradise… a place where life had meaning, and all her problems could disappear. A place where she was in her element, and truly felt free.
'We lose ourselves in the things we love. We find ourselves there, too,' she reflected.
Then another famous quote came to mind.
'There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man…' I know that's gotta be true. I've never been a fan of people. People cheat you, and hurt you. A horse may hurt you but nine times outta ten, it's because of something you did. But the thing about that kinda hurt is that it teaches such a great lesson. Horses are my life. I truly feel so blessed to have this gift to get to work with some of the best horses in the world. God certainly knew what He was doing when He gave me this passion for them… just like He knew what He was doing when He sent Jack to this world. I love my kids… they mean the world to me. They're my babies…
She thought about the question Dustin asked earlier: had she heard from Jack?
I wonder what made him ask that. I could say that I miss him, and I guess a part of me still does. Rather, I miss what we had…
But a wave of guilt consumed her.
… But my life is so much better without him. I turned my dream into a reality and made a successful career out of it. I had to teach myself how to be strong again after he just up and left without so much as a 'goodbye.' I had to, though. I was a single mom of three. I had to be strong for us to make it. I seriously thank God I had my mom there to help. And Dustin… what a blessing he was! I couldn't ask for a more perfect man to come into my life at just the right time. He's been such a great father to my kids… a better father than Jack ever was… or ever could be, for that matter…
She sighed, smiling in spite of herself.
He was just too wild. Untamable, roguish… like the sea… I think even he knew that. That's why he left. He wanted to go back to doing something he knew he was destined for. That's why we fought all the time about it…
Another sigh was accompanied by a steady glance at her surroundings. Bright, orange beams from the morning sun flooded through the opened doors, bathing everybody and everything inside in a warm glow. Yes… there was no place else she'd rather be than here.
I just love my life! I love my job, I love my house, and I love my family… even if my son can be a total turd sometimes…
She chuckled at that and went back to work. Finishing up her stalls, she found Veronica. "Hey, do you need any help?"
"No, ma'am. I got it," her daughter answered. "Last one."
Tiffany nodded in approval. She put the same question to her husband when she found him.
"Nope. Almost done. Where's J.D.?" he replied.
Tiffany looked up the aisle, finding him gradually making his way down the stalls with the water hose in his hand. "He's comin'. Filling up water buckets."
"Good."
"I'm gonna go ahead and take blankets off."
She started back up the aisle, heading for the first stall. As she passed her son, she gave his broad shoulder an affectionate rub. He smiled at her appreciatively. She entered the first stall that housed her prize stallion, One Slick Cajun. He was the first foal out of the mare who'd carried her to the National Finals Rodeo several years ago, and was sired by a leading stallion in the industry. His glossy chestnut coat glistened like a brand new penny beneath the lights when she removed his navy blue and silver blanket. His long mane was silky smooth as she ran her fingers through it, picking out the bits of shavings that clung to its thick, black strands. She smiled as the stallion turned his small head to look back at her, her eyes tracing the crooked stripe on his face. Cajun blew into her hand as if in indignation when he realized it was empty before going back to munching his hay.
Unfortunately, her moment of bliss was ruined yet again by the sound of her daughter screeching.
What the hell did he do now?!
"MOM!" the blonde whined.
Rolling her eyes, Tiffany stepped out of the stall and trudged down the aisle. She had taken no more than a few steps when she looked up and saw the reason why her daughter was upset: her face was dripping wet.
"What did he do now?" Tiffany dared herself to ask, despite its obviousness.
J.D. pretended to be occupied with filling up water buckets, not saying a word.
"He friggin' sprayed me with the hose!" Veronica spat vehemently with a violent wave towards her brother.
"You two… I swear," Tiffany shook her head in exasperation.
As if on cue, Dustin came down the aisle, having heard the commotion. "What's goin' on? What happened?"
"Oh, J.D. sprayed Veronica with the hose," Tiffany explained flatly.
"No, I didn't," J.D. feigned innocence.
"J.D.…" Dustin growled with a warning glare.
Tiffany looked at her son. "You know what? One of these days, your sister's gonna knock the shit outta you and I'm not gonna do a damn thing about it."
"Sounds fun!" J.D. replied with a daring grin over his shoulder.
Veronica rolled her eyes in disgust. "You have a death wish, don't you?"
"To die would be an awfully big adventure," J.D. quoted.
"You're a walking cliché, you know that, right?" his sister hissed.
Their mother quickly intervened. "Alright, alright. J.D., finish up watering. Veronica, did you take blankets off?"
Her daughter nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
"I did, too," Dustin added.
"I'll do mine after I get done waterin'," J.D. offered.
"I already did 'em," countered his stepfather. "Tiff, if you an' Ronnie wanna go get ready for breakfast, J.D. an' I'll finish up here."
She knew the look he gave her. "Okay."
Nothing else was said as she led Veronica away. They both knew what was about to happen: he was about to give J.D. another one of his 'talks.' Whatever was exchanged between the two men would remain a mystery, as it always was. And really, it didn't matter, because what happened the minute they returned to the trailer could only be described as poetic justice.
And the sound of her brother's surprised yelp was like music to Veronica's ears.
Now caked from head to toe in leftover horse manure from their trailers, Jackson David Sparrow sent an upwards glare to his sister, who stood perched above him on top of his trailer. In her hands was a now-empty plastic muck tub, a victorious smirk stretched across her face. Her golden hair billowed in the light breeze that blew, seeming to almost give her an omnipotent look to her otherwise small, yet stocky being.
"Veronica!" J.D. scowled. His skin crawled from the dried balls of manure sliding down his back inside his shirt. "What the hell?!"
"Payback!" she declared proudly.
"Yeah, well, you're dead when you come down," and he wasn't kidding. His eyes burned like fire, his body shaking from having been bested by his twin.
Then his mother showed up.
"Phew! You stink, kiddo!" she exclaimed in amusement.
J.D. turned his head… and the color drained from his face at the sight of the phone in her hand. "Aw—Mom! Really? You're on her side?"
"Oh, come on… you know you're my baby boy," Tiffany cooed sweetly.
Then J.D. got an idea.
"Well…" he began, grabbing a handful of muck still caked along his shirt collar. "C'mere, Mama! Come share the love!"
His mother sent him a verbal warning as she backed up before turning tail to take off at a dead run. Her son pursued her. His long strides easily caught up to her, his arms seeming to extend to extra length to snag her mid-stride. She shrieked in protest before he smeared the wettest part all over her pretty face. She shoved him off, spitting and trying not to gag from the smell.
"What's the matter? I thought you liked the smell of horse poop," J.D. teased.
"Not on my face, you turd!" Tiffany growled. She should've seen it coming. He was her son, after all.
Looking up, she saw him beaming from ear to ear. "Hey, it's good for the wrinkles."
Tiffany slugged his shoulder. "Oh, shut up."
He flinched, but it didn't hurt. "Just saying."
Dustin just stood back, witnessing it all. That's my family…
AUTHOR'S NOTE- Well, I finally did it! After being inactive here on for several years, I have finally uploaded again! This chapter has been a long time in the making, and the story has been in development for years. Y'all, I cannot tell you how happy I am to finally have this thing posted! I would like to thank my dearest friend and my fellow writer, W.F. McLaughlin, for helping me so much on this! You will see me thanking her in future chapters, as well. She is a brilliant author who has great insight and gives me fresh ideas when my own stream has dried up. *lol* You can find her on Facebook, as well as find her books on Amazon and Kindle: A True North Love and A True Canadian Love. Show her some love and thank her for helping me out on this!
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS THE FIRST INSTALLMENT IN A FOUR-PART SERIES!
Okay, so I know that some of it may be confusing, so let me clarify:
Jack Sparrow has already come to my world and gone. That is a story that probably won't be written because I felt like it wasn't interesting enough nor did it really have much of a plot line outside of lots of rambling. Also, most importantly, this does take place pre-DMC and will follow the events of the 2nd and 3rd movies.
If anybody has any other questions that need answering before proceeding to the next chapter, please feel free to ask them when you leave a review. Don't forget to 'favorite' so you can get the latest updates regarding chapters.
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