The old red pickup pulled into the long driveway that led to the families old ranch. Less than a minute later, the house was in view, and Woody parked.
"Hey Jess, I guess I should have told you this sooner but...I invited Buzz tonight. He said he'd be here around six."
The red-head immediately looked at the dashboard clock. It was quarter to five. That would give her a little over an hour to prepare herself. She nodded and quietly said okay.
Woody sighed and took off his cowboy hat and ran his hands through his short, thick brown hair. "You ready then?"
Jessie took a deep breath. "Yeah." She said, getting out of the truck. Her boots hit the ground and she closed the door. Taking a deep breath, she smiled. What was she thinking? This was where she belonged. She retrieved her duffel bag and purse from the truck bed, and Woody grabbed her two suitcases.
"We didn't change your room at all. All your old clothes and stuff are still up there."
"That's good. I didn't bring a whole lot. And I haven't really grown much or anything since I left so everything should still fit."
"Okay. Well, I'll be downstairs. Bo is already here, in the kitchen," said the cowboy, nodding towards his girlfriend's small white car.
"I'll come down in a little bit. I want to clean up and change out of these clothes," replied the red- head.
"Okay, just take your time. It'll just be us four tonight. Mr. and Mrs. P. were out of town, and Rex, Trixie, Dolly and Hamm are at a video game expo by San Antonio. And Slink is off on a business trip near New Mexico. I honestly don't know. He said he'd explain when he got back. Pricklepants is rehearsing tonight for some play thing...or..something. You know how he gets."
Jessie smiled at the mention of her old friends. It had been so long since she had heard from anyone.
They entered the big house and climbed the stairs near the door to her room upstairs. Woody was right. They hadn't changed her room at all since she went up to New York. The same floral walls greeted her when she entered. Her brother set her cases on the yellow, four poster bed and said that he and Bo would be downstairs whenever she was ready. She nodded and proceeded to go to her bed and open one of her cases, searching for her bag full of bathroom necessities. Upon finding it, she made her way across the hall to the small upstairs bathroom. She showered, letting the hot water relax her as she used her lavender scented shampoo and body wash.
She got out and dried her hair, deciding not to do anything with it. It was too short to do a lot with anyways. Jessie wrapped the big fluffy towel around herself and went back to her room to get ready. She decided on jeans and an old yellow button down shirt.
It was great to be home again. Even though she'd claimed to hate this small town as a child, she loved it now. The city just wasn't for her. No matter how how scorching the hot Texas sun was, or how they hardly ever got any snow, or how much she loathed the fact that you never got any privacy in a small town, she loved it and always would.
Glancing at the clock, she realized that Buzz would be here in about a half hour. She pulled on socks and her boots and went downstairs to see Bo.
As she entered the kitchen, she found herself in a pair of small arms being hugged...very tightly.
"Jessie! It's great to see you again!" said the blonde- haired girl.
"Can't-Breathe!" choked out the red- head.
"Oh! Sorry! I'm just so happy to see you!" Bo replied sheepishly.
"It's great to see you too, Bo. And thanks for making dinner..watcha cookin' by the way?"
"No problem dear! And your favorite! Roast with mashed potatoes, corn and homemade gravy."
Jessie smiled. "You remembered."
"Of course I did, silly! You are my best friend!" Bo replied, heading over to the stove to stir the potatoes. "Woody is outside, tending to the horses. He said to send you out whenever you came down."
Jessie nodded and said she'd be back and headed out the back door towards the big barn. She absent mindedly wondered about her old horse, Bullseye, and how he was doing. She entered through the barn's big doors to see Woody grooming a brown horse, who she instantly recognized as the Bullseye from before she left.
She approached him quietly, not sure if he'd know who she was or not. "Hey buddy, you remember me?" She asked the horse holding out her hand for him to sniff. He did, then lifted his eyes to Jessie, who he immediately nuzzled, asking for pats. "I take that as a yes. How ya doin' Bullseye?" she asked, not really expecting an answer.
"He's been doing good. In fact, an expectant father. Him and Buttercup both are. He's a great horse, Jess," her brother told her, giving the horse a pat before returning the brush to a grooming kit and setting the kit back in its place. "What do ya say we go for a ride later on?"
"I'd love to!"
Woody smiled. "There is the old Jess. It's good to have you home again."
Jessie returned the smile. "It's great to be home again."
The two sat in silence for a few more minutes before they heard a car pull down the driveway.
"Well, you ready for dinner?" asked Woody, not sure about Jessie's reaction.
Jessie took a deep breath, trying to make the butterflies disappear. "You bet! Flying makes me starved. You'd think they would serve better food with as much as you pay to fly," answered Jessie.
Guise. Remember. This story is a wee bit dark. So if you're offended by rape and everything..don't read..ye..