Chapter 38.1

'How's the old boy doing?'

Jessie glanced around at the voice, seeing Tim standing behind her. 'Morning, Mr. Fleming.'

'You can just call me Tim, Jessie. That makes me sound as old as Jack.'

'Alright then, Tim.' She chuckled, patting Pegasus as he looked on. 'Scott is going to come check on him again this morning, hopefully there's some improvement with him.' Pegasus drooped his head, drifting off to sleep as she rubbed his neck. 'Pegasus was your horse, wasn't he?'

'Yeah, he was. I just thought I'd duck by and see him before I talk to Lou. Is she around?'

'I think she's in the house.'

'Thanks. See you Jessie.'

'Bye.' She turned back to Pegasus as Tim headed towards the house, picking up a brush Ty had left for her to groom him with. The gelding fell asleep in the sun, resting his head against the corral fence he was tied to. She brushed him down as best she could, her left arm still in its sling. She hoped that she wouldn't need it in a couple days but Barbra had confirmed she'd re-damaged it as a result of what happened with the barn fire.

Jessie glanced back at the barn, Ty and Caleb were hard at work finishing off the last of the repairs the others hadn't been able to complete when they'd come by to help a couple days ago. She couldn't believe it had been nearly a week since the fire, everything had happened so fast the days kind of just blended together into one horrible nightmare she was glad was over. Gazing at the barn, a shiver ran up her spine. Maybe it was stupid but she couldn't bring herself to walk in there. She hadn't walked in there since the day after the fire. She turned back to Pegasus, slightly ashamed. It was stupid to be frightened of a building, wasn't it?

The gelding's breathing was still rather fast and laboured but she thought she could see a slight improvement in his condition. Since she felt that she was partly to blame for how he was she'd taken over looking after him. The others understood she needed to do this, that it was part of her healing and they hadn't argued with her when she said she would take care of him. 'You saved my life boy.' She whispered softly, rubbing her gloved hand over his neck again. 'I'm going to help you feel better, I promise.'

'I'm worried about her Jack.' Lisa exclaimed, watching the girl as they sat together on the porch. 'She's been awfully quiet the last couple of days.'

'Just give her time Lis, she'll be alright. It's only been a few days since everything happened. She needs time to work through things.'

'I know.' She sighed, her head resting on Jack's shoulder. 'But since she told you what happened it's like she's gone into her shell again. She didn't eat anything for breakfast this morning either, and she hasn't eaten much this entire week.'

'I did notice she didn't seem particularly interested in her food.'

'All she does is spend all her time looking after Pegasus. While I'm not saying that's wrong, she needs to start looking after herself.'

'She feels indebted to him Lis, that's why she's working so hard to get him better but you're right, she does need to look after herself. I guess it'll just take some time, she needs to work through this in her own way, just like all of us need to.'

'Yeah.' She sighed again and she felt Jack kiss her head. Jessie wasn't the only one having a hard time dealing with things, they all were.

'You okay Lis?'

'I'm fine, just tired.' She lied. 'Had a busy day at Fairfield yesterday.'

'You know Lisa if you need to talk about it, I'm right here.'

'I know Jack, thank you.' Lisa closed her eyes, resting against him. 'I'm just worried about Jessie.' She said, to cover up what was really going on in her mind. 'She really needs a break.'

'You know, I was thinking exactly the same thing.' He exclaimed. 'I was thinking maybe if she had a couple days with Cindy it might take her mind off things, help distract her a little bit and you know how good Cindy is for her. Those two are like two peas in a pod.'

'That's a really good idea.' She nodded, sitting up as she looked towards Jessie and Pegasus. It might be just the thing she needs right now.'

'I thought you might say that.' Jack chuckled. 'I know she's been missing her even though she hasn't said anything. It might be good to get them together again for a few days.'

'I'll go ring Eleanor shortly.'

'Good. Let her know she's welcome to come stay too if she wants.'

'I will.' She glanced over towards the drive as she heard a vehicle pulling in, seeing Scott turn up. 'Hopefully he'll have some good news for Jessie about how Pegasus is going.'

'Morning Jessie.'

'Morning Scott.' She exclaimed as he walked over. 'Pegasus ate a bit of his food this morning, I think he's getting better. I've been giving him that tea too, I think it's been helping him.'

'That's good. How are you doing old boy?' Scott patted Pegasus as he placed his case down near the fence just out of the way. Pegasus snorted as he woke up, looking around to see who had touched him. 'Feeling any better?'

'Awe, he woke you up.' She chuckled, rubbing the gelding's neck.

'Morning Scott.'

'Morning Jack, Lisa.'

'Oh, hey you two.' Jessie remarked, seeing them coming over then she frowned, hearing a slight squeaky meowing sound coming from the open window of Scott's truck. 'What have you got in there Scott?'

'Ah, a couple of kittens I picked up on the way over.'

'Can I take a peak? Please?'

He thought about it for a moment then put his stethoscope back and nodded. Checking Pegasus over could wait a few more minutes. 'Sure.'

'Brilliant.'

'She loves cats.' Lisa chuckled as the girl followed Scott around to the passenger side of the truck, her and Jack joining her to take a little look. 'Don't you Jessie?'

'I do.'

'Well these guys are pretty small.' He exclaimed as he opened the door, grabbing a little cardboard box off the seat. 'They're only a couple days old.'

Jessie's heart melted instantly looking at the little fluff balls. 'Oh my God they are so cute!' The two kittens were trying to meow but all they could manage were tiny squeaks as they cuddled up to one another. They were so tiny their eyes weren't even open yet. 'Where's their mom?'

'I don't know, the person I got them from said that her dog had found them. She looked around for a while to see if she could find her but she couldn't and so she rang up the clinic to see if I could find them a place that would take them.'

'Poor guys.' She exclaimed, touching one of the kittens very gently. It squeaked hungrily, trying to latch onto the finger of her glove. 'Your hungry aren't you? Yes you are.' She didn't care what they thought of her fawning over to the two little tabbies. 'Oh they're so adorable.' She looked at Scott. 'Have you found someone to look after them yet?'

'No, I was going to ring a couple of animal shelters but they normally don't take in orphan kittens as young as these two are. Kittens this age are a lot of work.'

'Could I look after them?' She turned to Jack and Lisa. 'Please?'

'I don't know Jessie-'

'I'd take really good care of them.'

'You'd be doing me a huge favour Jack.' Scott added. 'I've got a full day booked at the clinic, I don't really have the time to look after these guys.'

He looked down at Jessie, the girl using those puppy eyes she knew worked when she wanted to get her way. He sighed inwardly, Lisa was right. She certainly knew how to twist his arm. 'Lisa-' He motioned for her to follow and they walked away a little bit to talk. 'What do you think?'

'Jack, I know that look on your face.' She chuckled. 'I think it might be good for her, you know how much Jessie loves her animals and looking after these two kittens would definitely take her mind off things.'

'That's what I was thinking.' He sighed, shaking his head. 'Old age must be making me soft or something.' The woman laughed as they walked back to Scott and Jessie. 'Either that or or I can't resist how cute those kittens are too, just don't tell her that.'

'Well?' Jessie looked up from the kittens. 'Can I?'

'Yes. You can.'

'Aww thanks Jack!' She exclaimed with a slight squeal, throwing her arm around him then turned back to the kittens. 'Hear that little guys? You get to stay with me.' The kittens squeaked softly as she touched them again with her gloved finger. 'You guys are going to need a feed, aren't you?'

'I was hoping that you would agree Jack.' Scott turned to him with a grin. 'Actually, I knew you would.'

'Don't push it.'

'I've got the stuff you'll need for them in a bag in the back Jessie, maybe you could grab that and go give them a feed?'

'Sure.'

'Here, I'll take the kittens.' Lisa offered with a chuckle, Scott handing her the box. 'What are you going to name them Jessie?'

'I'll think about it. Are they boys or girls Scott?' She replied, coming back over with the bag.

'They're both girls.'

'Okay then.' She looked into the box again at the kittens. 'Let's go get some milk in your little tummies girls.'

'Thanks Scott.' Jack remarked as Jessie and Lisa headed back to the house with the kittens. 'Jessie's had a really hard time lately, those kittens will do her a world of good.'

'I really should be thanking you Jack, I was trying to find a place for them yesterday when the lady rang up to tell me about them and nowhere wanted to take them.' He closed the door, the two of them walking around to where Pegasus was tied. 'She was a bit of a mess the night of the fire. How's she doing?'

'She's alright, she's managing I think.' He gave Pegasus a pat as Scott started looking him over. 'She's been worrying over this guy so I'm glad the kittens will give her something else to think about.'

'That's partially why I wanted her to have them too.' Scott admitted, growing as he listened to the horse's lungs. 'Pegasus is an old horse, Jack, Jessie needs to understand and face the fact that maybe he won't get better.'

'You thought of names yet for them?' Lisa asked as she checked the temperature of the milk again, testing it on the inside of her wrist to make sure that it wasn't too hot. She glanced around, looking to see the girl holding both kittens in her hands and she smiled. 'They are cute, aren't they?'

'They're so adorable.' She gushed, a huge smile on her face as one of the kittens yawned, showing her its little pink tongue. 'I'm trying to figure out how to tell them apart before I name them, but it's so hard to find something to distinguish them by. They look so alike.'

'Milk's ready.' She exclaimed, filling up the syringes they would use to feed them with as she carried it over and sat it down on the table. 'I'll feed one and you do the other?'

'You might need to do both, we'll see if I can manage feeding them with these gloves on.'

'Maybe take them off?'

'Or I could do that.' Gently Jessie placed the kittens back down on the blanket in the bow, wrapping them up so they would be warm while she took her gloves off. Her hands were still a bit sore but she was thankful that she hadn't burnt them any worse. As it stood both her palms were bandaged and a few of her fingers were wrapped with bandaids but she was happy she could move them somewhat. 'Yeah, I should be able to feed them. Which one do you want to feed?'

'I'll take this one.' She picked up one of the kittens and the girl took the other, both kittens suddenly going silent as they began to drink from the syringe. 'Oh they are so cute.'

The girl chuckled, looking at Lisa feeding the kitten then back down at the one she was holding in her hands. 'Maybe one should be yours Lisa. You love cats too.'

'Oh no Jessie, I couldn't. They're yours.'

'Well, would you look at that.' Tim exclaimed as he walked into the kitchen, seeing the two of them feeding the kittens. 'What strings did you have to pull to get Jack to let you look after those two Jessie?'

'Use sad puppy eyes. Like this.' She pretended to pout at him and then turned back to the kitten. The kitten was holding onto the syringe with both little paws, milk going all over its face. 'Oh you rascal. You're having a bath.'

'Where did they come from?' Lou asked as she joined them, grabbing a glass from the cupboard so she could get a drink.

'Scott got a call from a lady whose dog found them.' Jessie explained, taking the syringe away from the kitten for a moment to let it catch its breath. 'They're orphans.'

'Awe, poor things.'

'More like poor Jack. Those kittens are going to want to feed all the time.'

The girl chuckled. 'Yes Tim, I know. I raised Cougar on a bottle. I have had some experience doing this.'

'Just look out when Mallory and Amy get home, they're going to be all over them.' Lou put her glass down in the sink then looked over Lisa's shoulder at the kitten she was feeding. 'Oh, they're so adorable. Have they got names yet?'

'I'm still thinking on a couple.'

'What have you got so far Jessie?'

'Well, I thought of Rose and Blossom but I want to choose something more meaningful.' She paused for a moment, then a smile spread across her face. 'Miracle and Hope.'

'Those are good names.' Lisa complimented, grabbing a tissue to wipe the milk off the kittens face. 'What made you think of those?'

'Miracle because it's a miracle that I've got a new life and Hope because when you have nothing else to hold onto you've still got hope.' Jessie rubbed her thumb gently over the kittens head as it finished drinking. 'You full now hey?' The kitten squeaked again, trying to latch onto her finger and she giggled. 'No, you've had enough for now. You'll get to have some more later.'

'Well, I best be off.' Tim announced, giving Lou a kiss on the cheek. 'Bye honey.'

'Bye Dad.'

'See you Lisa, Jessie.'

'Bye.'

'So, which one is Miracle and which one is Hope?' Lisa asked as she placed her kitten back in the box and got up to clean the syringes for their next meal. 'How are we going to tell them apart?'

'I think my one is a little smaller than your one, so I'll name it Miracle.' She placed her kitten back with its sibling then glanced around. 'Hand me that marker Lou.'

'Here.'

'Thanks.' Gently she rubbed the marker over the tip of the kitten's ear, a red patch of ink appearing. 'There we go, now we can tell them apart.'

'Good idea.' Lou looked up at the clock, realizing what the time was. 'I've got to get down to the dude ranch, I'll leave you two to it.' She glanced down at the kittens as they started to drift off to sleep. 'Oh they are so cute.'

Jessie chuckled again as Lou walked out, covering the kittens with the blanket. Now that they had their stomachs full they were more than happy to go to sleep. 'They remind me of when Cougar was little.'

'I bet she was just as cute.'

'Yeah, she was.' She glanced around, seeing Cougar walking in upon hearing her name. 'Hey girl.' The cat sniffed her hands gently then stood up on her hind legs, placing her front paws on the table as she tried to look in the box. 'Hey, sit down girl.' She pushed the cat away, making her sit on the ground again and she picked the box up. 'See? They're kittens.'

Lisa smiled, watching Jessie as she showed Cougar the kittens, the big cat purring loudly as she sniffed them gently. She had a good feeling about this, maybe these kittens were just the kind of distraction the girl needed at this time. She placed the things she'd used to prepare the kittens milk in a pot to sterilize them for the next time then wiped her hands on a towel. 'I need to go make a phone call honey, you okay with the kittens?'

'Yep, we're just fine.'

'Okay then.' She grabbed her phone off the bench and headed into the living room, glancing back to watch the girl fawning softly over the kittens, telling them how cute they were and explaining to Cougar about them. She chuckled, a feeling of relief coming over her. She'd been worried that the girl was going to back-slide further but as she watched her with them she knew the girl would be okay. These kittens couldn't have come for her at a better time.