Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, Stephanie Meyers does. However, I do own this plot and storyline. I also own my own original characters.
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Chapter 8: Learning the Ropes
EPOV
My alarm goes off way too early and every muscle in my body aches. But at least both my rooms are done, and I'm pleased with the way they turned out. Climbing out of bed to get ready for the day has my body deciding a very much needed shower is in order. I think I found muscles I've never used before.
After swallowing down a couple of ibuprofen, I take a long, hot shower. I don't feel as sore by the time I get dressed, and I think I have a better chance of trying to conquer what today throws at me. Lleu is running around my feet as I come out of the bathroom. I decide to see if he can manage the stairs by himself, so I call him to follow me as I walk out of the bedroom.
He's hesitant and cautious as he looks down at the set of stairs in front of him. Bella and Cassie pass by the stairs from the main floor and as soon as he catches sight of them, he begins to hop down the steps. His little yips and barks cause them both to stop. Once they see that my little guy is making his way down the stairs on his own, they start to giggle and coo at the sight. As he reaches the bottom step, Bella swoops him up and lavishes him with praise. He responds to her coos by licking her face and bouncing in her arms.
"Are we gonna let him be a big boy today instead of carrying him everywhere?" She laughs at my pout as she gently sets him back down.
"Yes. Apparently, I baby him too much, and he needs to get used to his surroundings," I answer like a petulant child, adding a dramatic pout for good measure.
"Whatever, you big baby," she sings out while walking to the kitchen as Cassie and I follow with Lleu right on our heels.
Bella walks to the patio door, opening it for Lleu to dart out. Dasher is already out there running around, chasing the birds.
I start preparing breakfast as Sarah and my mother walk into the kitchen, jumping in to help get the food finished. Breakfast is being served from the side table today in a buffet fashion. Everything is done as everyone makes their way to fix a plate.
After saying grace, Bella clears her throat to get everyone's attention. "Since we're all here, Billy and I have a few things we'd like to discuss while y'all eat."
"Sure, boss," Seth pipes in. "But, before you get started, would you mind if I take Cassie to school this morning? I need to run an errand in town," he asks, sharing a sly smile with Bella and a quick nod of his head. If you weren't watching him, you would've missed it.
"Of course," Bella answers with a gleam in her eye. "Just remind Kate that Cassie won't be there Thursday or Friday." At his nod, she looks to Billy.
"First thing this morning, I need Jake, Tyler, Jasper, and Sam to check the outside fences," Billy states, his tone serious. "Jasper and Tyler can each take a side, while Jake and Sam take the back together."
"Sir," all four of them echo.
"Jessica, dear," Billy calls, getting her attention, his tone much softer. "Figure out who we need to notify, because at noon, we're settin' off the fire alarms on the entire ranch in order to test that they are workin' all right. We need to make sure the signals alert the right people."
"Um ... okay," Jessica stutters out, not expecting his request. "I think we can call it in as a fire drill or something."
Bella takes over the conversation then. "Everyone else is gonna be moving livestock. I want all the horses in the far pastures, away from the barns. The dogs and cats need to be in a crate and moved outside.
"It's gonna be loud. We're gonna set the alarms off in stages so it's best to have all the animals away from any buildings," Bella sighs out, clearly frustrated.
"Sure thing," Eric agrees. "We'll be ready by noon."
"Um ... Carlisle," Bella calls hesitantly, getting my father's attention. "Cassie and I are goin' to Houston Wednesday evenin'. She has some appointments Thursday and Friday. Would you mind going with us? You and Esme, I mean?"
"Of course, sweetheart," my father answers immediately. "Do we need to make reservations for a hotel?"
There are a few chuckles around the room as Bella shakes her head, "No, y'all will be staying with me and Cassie. I have a small apartment close to the hospital; it's easier when we have to stay over for her appointments."
My father just shakes his head as he laughs out, "Got it."
"All right," Billy demands, "finish up so we can get this place locked down. Seth, when you come back from town, check the fence along the road and make sure the entrance gate is secured."
"Everyone meet at the pavilion at eleven-thirty," Bella finishes. "I want everyone accounted for before we test."
We finish eating, and then Bella gets Cassie ready for school. Cassie and Seth leave shortly after that. The rest of us head outside, following Billy and Bella toward the main barn. As we enter the office, Jessica is already on the phone, I assume with the alarm company.
Billy walks over to the far wall of the office and pulls down a rod from a box attached to the ceiling. Getting a better look, it's a roll down screen organizer. The one he pulls down looks like a layout of the ranch.
"All four barns will need to be cleared out. Move the main barn horses to this south pasture, and the mares to this pasture next to them. We'll put the stallions in this north pasture, and then move the rescue animals to either this front pasture or one of the paddocks across from the pond.
"So you guys checking fences go ahead and take off. The rest of us are gonna move some horses," Billy finishes. "Jessica, as soon as you find out what we need to do with regards to the drill, call over the radio." Jessica nods once sharply while still on the phone. The rest of us jump into action and make our way outside.
We follow Billy into the aisle of the main barn, "Does everyone here know how to ride?"
"Esme and I do, so does Alice," my father answers. "My boys and Rose have never ridden, that I know of." he states, turning toward Rose, who just shakes her head.
"Angela and I know how to ride," Ben answers. "Cole loved going horseback riding."
Billy squeezes his shoulder in comfort as he turns to the rest of us, "Y'all are gonna learn this week, but for today, you're gonna be tackin'," Billy explains. "Put the halter on the horse and then a lead rope. Lead the horse out to a rider and then grab another horse and do the same. Each rider will take two horses."
So Bella, Emmett, Rose, and I halter the horses then lead them out of the barn, handing them off to whoever is available. This took a few hours, but all the barns were cleared. Once Jasper is back from checking the fence, he helps me move the chick brooder out of one of the main barn stalls and into a paddock, while the other horses that were used for moving the livestock are led to a pasture.
All the animals have been moved, and we are in the pavilion by eleven-thirty as requested. Jessica is there with Garrett and another man, who is introduced to us as Chief Tanner from the fire department.
"Hey, Chief," Bella greets him as she walks up with Billy. "Thanks for coming out."
"I have to ask, dear," Chief Tanner directs towards her, "is there reason for concern or is this just precautionary?"
"Precautionary," she answers, glancing toward Garrett. "Just wanna keep my ranch safe."
Chief Tanner pulls the radio from his hip holster and calls in the test as a drill. "District 2 to Leon County dispatch."
"Go ahead, District 2," a woman's voice is heard crackling through the radio.
"Disregard but acknowledge each alarm you're about to receive from Swan Lakes Ranch 16402 FM 3. We're testing the fire alarm system," he relays through the radio.
"That's clear, District 2. Testing the fire alarm system at Swan Lakes Ranch 16402 FM 3, 1154 hours," the dispatcher replies.
Bella turns to Jessica, who is sitting at a table with her laptop open, "You ready?"
"Yeah, Seth is securing the front gate now," Jessica replies, never taking her eyes off the computer.
"Where's Tyler?" Bella asks, looking around for the only missing person.
"He loaded the dogs and cats in his truck and drove out to the river road," Jake answers her, holding up a radio. "He's standing by on the radio."
She nods at him and turns back to Jessica, who hands her a remote pad about the size of a small tablet.
"Stallion barn," Bella states sliding her finger across the pad.
A few second later we hear a wailing siren.
"Lights and sprinkler active for barn A," Jessica responds, continuing to look at the laptop in front of her.
"Dispatch to District 2," crackles through the chief's radio. "Alarm activated at barn A."
"Copy that. Stand by," the chief replies.
They do this for the rescue, mare, and main barn, which all pass.
When they go to test the utility building though, Jasper speaks up, asking, "What about the hay barn?"
"There's not an alarm on that one," Billy answers him.
"Whoa," Jasper blurts out, clearly concerned. "Why not? If that thing catches fire, there's no putting it out."
"It's the original barn. It's not wired for electric or water," Bella answers this time. "That's why I want to build a new hay and feed barn further away from the horse barns."
He just shakes his head as they finish testing the remaining buildings and the entrance; they all pass.
"District 2 to Leon County dispatch," the chief calls through the radio. "Fire alarm system test complete at Swan Lakes Ranch 16402 FM 3."
"Copy that, District 2," the dispatcher confirms. "Fire alarm system test clear at Swan Lakes Ranch 16402 FM 3, 1329 hours."
Sarah hands out sandwiches, and we all sit at the pavilion eating lunch. The chief leaves but Garrett stays, talking with Bella and Billy.
Once we finish eating, it takes us well over a couple of hours to move all the animals back to their respective barns. I'm exhausted by the time Ben, Emmett, and I start dinner. However, before the others were able to make it back to the house, we had everything prepped on the patio for dinner and the steaks sizzling on the grill.
Everyone is sitting around the pool talking and lazily bantering back and forth while we eat. Cassie is inching closer and closer to the pool. I'm about to say something when an alarm starts beeping. She looks up at her mother, who is giving her those eyes as only a mother can. Dasher is immediately between her and the pool, nuzzling her away from the water. The alarm finally stops when she's far enough away.
Of course, Lleu has to check it out now, setting the alarm off again. I rise from my seat to get him but Dasher is already there, picking him up by the scruff of the neck and moving him away from the water.
Bella praises him for his actions while my family just looks on in awe.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Seth stand and kneel at Jessica's feet. He's whispering to her and then reaches in his pocket, producing a small black box. I look at Bella, who is just staring at them with tears welling up in her eyes. Seth jumps up grabbing Jessica and spinning her around yelling, "She said yes!"
Bella and Sarah are wiping their tears away as they congratulate the couple.
I walk over and shake Seth's hand, kissing Jessica's cheek, "Congrats, guys."
"A wedding," Sarah is blubbering out. "We get to have a wedding."
Jessica goes to walk over to Billy but glances at Bella, who nods at her.
"Billy, would you stand in my father's place and walk me down the aisle?" Jessica asks him quietly.
"I would be honored, sweetheart," he replies, pulling her into a hug.
"I wanna help," Rose claps, bouncing like Alice, who is nodding beside her in agreement.
"Well, it's gonna be a small ceremony here on the ranch, so nothing big," Jessica contends.
"It'll be beautiful," Bella confirms. "When do y'all wanna get married?"
Jessica looks to Seth, who is just shrugging his shoulders. "Soon. I don't wanna wait forever," she confirms.
"Well then, how about May 4th?" Bella asks. "That gives us a little less than two weeks."
"Perfect," Jessica exclaims, hugging Bella. "We can look for my dress and yours in Houston this week when we're there."
"My dress?" Bella asks confused. "I have plenty of dresses to wear."
"Yeah," Jessica quips. "You don't have a maid of honor dress though."
"You mean one I can't wear with boots?" Bella teases her friend.
Jessica just hugs her as they whisper to each other.
So for the next two days in between chores, we begin planning a wedding for thirty people.
Bella, Jessica, Cassie, and my parents leave Wednesday evening after dinner to head to Houston for Cassie's appointments and dress shopping. I hear the words zoo and children's museum thrown in there when they are packing up to leave.
As soon as Bella's Tahoe pulls out of the driveway, something feels ... off. Yeah, I'm going to have to do something about these feelings soon.
I miss her.
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