Jesse has inherited his Grandfather's ranch. Now he must fight his father to keep the ranch and go on a quest to find Coyote and his spirit animal.

Thank you Hope for your help in editing and trying to keep this southern gal from embarrassing herself with improper English. All other errors belong to exclusively to me.

Chapter 15 Repairing Arms

The ride off the mountain was uneventful. The four wheeler that Josh was driving was a side by side so he could put a seat belt on Merry to get her off the mountain safely. Jesse sat on the back of George's four wheeler with her good arm around him to hold on. Her bad arm was held between them so that it wouldn't get tossed around too bad on the way down the mountain. Jerry would follow much slower bringing Big Spot. The ranch hand and horse would have to spend one more night on the trail. About dark Jesse, and the others arrived at the first of the fields. They would be back at the ranch house in a couple of hours. Merry was already sleeping leaning against Josh. He slowed down so as not to jostle the young girl too much.

Gail met the ranch foreman and the older girl at the ranch house. Jesse walked up to the plump woman and started to hug her. “Child wait 'til you had a bath before we hug. You smell something powerful. I've laid some clothes out on your bed for you.”

Jesse wasn't offended by Gail's reaction. She knew that was the older woman's way of saying I love you. The woman had a strong practical streak about her, and some folks didn't understand that her nature was to be practical first and affectionate second. “Miss Shilling, Josh will be here soon with Merry. I need to get to the hospital for my arm, then we will find away to bath.”

Gail noticed the arm in the make shift sling. “What did you do to your arm, child?” she asked with concern.

“I broke it back up the trail.”

“George, get the truck ready where you can take Jesse to the emergency room.”

Jesse stopped in the kitchen, “Miss Shilling when Merry gets here she will need a bath, but she has never had a bath before, so be gentle with her and don't scold her. She's a brave, stubborn, little girl, and she is not used to our ways. If she won't let you give her a bath, wait until we get back from the emergency room, and we'll give her one together.”

“What type of parent wouldn't give her child a bath?” Gail asked indignantly.

“A wolf,” replied Jesse. “I am sure that her mother licked her clean often enough. I'll explain when we get back.”

Gail turned toward her husband and said, “I hope she likes the clothes I have laid out for her. I was hoping she would finally be out of her tomboy phase. Now she brings home a wolf pup. I will fill a tub in the yard, but you will have to wash it. If you get bit, it'll be her fault for bringing home a wild animal.”

George just grinned at his wife and hugged her. “You have no idea.”

George helped Jesse into the truck and drove to the hospital.

As they walked into the ER, George asked, “Which doctor is on call tonight?”

“That would be old Doc Henley. Why?”

“He was a friend of my Grandfather,” answered Jesse.

“And who might you be?” asked the intake nurse.

“I'm Jesse Hartman. We came in because my is broken.”

“I'm Doc's daughter, Helen. I thought Bill Hartman had a grandson.”

“I was a bit of a tomboy, so everyone thought that.” said Jesse. She didn't want to have to go through the explanation of why she is a girl after being a boy.

“Its a good thing that my dad is on call tonight. The younger doctors would just splint the arm and make you go to a specialist in the morning. My dad still sets and put casts on broken bones if he doesn't think it is too complicated, which most times its not. Let's get the paper work done and back to x-ray before you see the doctor. Its a pretty quiet night, tonight. You should be in an out in little over an hour.”

It didn't take long to fill out the necessary paperwork an wheeled back to x-ray. After the x-ray tech had given Jesse the film of her arm, she was wheeled back to ER and put in a room to await Doc Henley. Doc Henley came in talking to George. “I told you she is prettier than her aunt,” said George.

Jesse blushed. “Doctor here are the x-rays. Thank you for taking care of my grandfather just before he died.”

As the doctor studied the x-ray, he said, “I'm sorry for your loss, Jesse. Your grandfather and I go back to Vietnam together. He was the reason I settled here. I'm glad I did. I married your grandmother's cousin. I was the one who suggested letting you dress as a girl to cheer up your grandmother on your visits. I didn't think it would turn into you choosing to be a girl.”

“I hate to disappoint you Doctor, but Coyote changed me into a girl when I was on my spirit quest. I was happy to be male.”

“What do you mean?”

“Up until a few days ago, I was completely male. Now, I am 100% female with working ovaries. If you examine my breasts you won't find a scar and I didn't have them two weeks ago. Ask George.”

“She is not lying to you Doc,” said George. “When She showed up at the ranch house a month ago, she didn't have breasts. I don't know about any other parts and I don't want to.”

“And your explanation is that an ancient Native American deity changed you into a girl. While I find that hard to believe, I cannot deny the proof before me,” said the doctor with grudging acceptance in his voice. “I guess I better get started on this arm, and you can tell me your tale while I put the cast on it. How long has this arm been broken?”

“About two days. I fell off my horse on the way back from my spirit quest.”

“It doesn't seem to have done much damage to the surrounding muscle tissue. I should be able to get this in a cast and it will be healed in about six weeks. Do you want something for the pain before I start? There shouldn't be much?”

“It has been broken for two days. I think I can stand it.”

George had been watching and listening to the exchange, “Doc, She can stand the pain. She didn't tell you she was knocked off her horse by a cougar.”

“That reminds me. Doctor, I need to find a cardiologist for Merry.”

“Who's Merry?” asked Doc Henley.

“Merry is my new baby sister. She's about three years old and has a hole in her heart?”

“There is a good pediatric cardiologist in Helena. Bring her in and I will get her an appointment with him.”

“Okay, I will, but I have to be in court in three days to fight my father over the will. He's claiming my grandfather was incompetent by the way he referred to me in the will.”

“I told that old coot that he was making a mistake by referring to you as his grandson and granddaughter, but it looks like he had the last laugh. I gave a deposition on his competency and witnessing the will. I was hoping that it was enough.”

Before we begin, I will get a nurse in here to clean up that arm before we set it. Then you will have to be careful in taking a bath not to get it wet.”

Helen came in and was holding the arm in place as the doctor set Jesse's arm and started plastering the cast in place. The younger girl was telling her tale while the doctor was plastering her arm. He had just finished when a nurse came in looking for the doctor. “Doc Henley, Mrs. Waters is here about her mother. She is in a bad way, but the daughter can't get her to come in. The mother is afraid of some ancient spirit and says that the spirit is out to kill her.”

“I hate cases like this,” said Doc Henley. “I have trouble treating these older Indians. They seem to talk themselves to death. I try to be sympathetic to their beliefs, but they don't trust me. I guess I will have to go out to her place. Helen get hold of Two Bears. Maybe he can deal with the spirit and I can deal with the body.”

Jesse spoke up, “You won't find Two Bears. I left him at the lake on the mountain. I need to be heading out in a few hours to face my father in court, but I'll go with you out to the Waters' place. Maybe I can help, Coyote did say I was a shaman. Two Bears is to be my teacher when he gets back off the mountain.”

“I'm not sure that you can help, and you need to get ready to go east, but if you can get Mrs. Waters' mother to let me help, I will go to court with you.”

“George, I will ride with Doctor Henley and meet you back at the house. Check on Merry for me.” Jesse and the doctor followed Mrs. Waters out to her house to check on her mother.

As they walked into the house, the daughter walked in and called out, “MOM. I brought the doctor." The old woman was sitting in her room with a set of ancient prayer beads and a shawl around her shoulders.

“I don't need a doctor.”

“Mother, don't be that way. Doctor Henley came all the way out here to help you.”

“I don't need his help!”

Jesse said, “Let me try. Mrs. Yellow Dog, my name's Jesse Hartman. May I talk to you.”

“Have I met you before? How do you know my name?”

“I just know things Mrs. Yellow Dog.”

“Come here and let me see you child. There's something different about you.” The old woman took Jesse's hand. “I feel the wolf. You've seen Coyote. Are you here to take me to him?”

“Is that what you want? Are you tired of living? You have family that loves you and you have grandchildren that you need to teach the old ways.”

“BAH! The younger ones don't care about the People. They don't care about the old ways. Mother Earth and Coyote is not something they want to learn about. They're too busy playing on their computers and learning the white man's ways. And who can blame them. The old ways won't let them get ahead any more.”

“I'm a young girl. I honored my grandfather's wishes by going on a spirit quest. I've been blessed by Coyote and the Great Spirit. The old ways are the very things that will let me protect my ranch and those who depend on it for life. Your grandchildren just need to be challenged to seek the old ways. They do not know their heritage. They do not know how the old ones stood for freedom to live their lives the way they believed the spirits lead them. They do not know how the old ones fought for freedom around the world, and if it wasn't for the Navajo's, the outcome of the war in the Pacific could have been different. Only you can tell them.”

I'll make you a promise. You let Doctor Henley look at you and take care of you for the next year. Then, if you still think you are tired of living and your grandchildren have not taken their spirit quest, I will take you to meet Coyote.”

“But what about the evil spirit that is wanting to eat me.”

“When I get back from fighting my father in court over the ranch, Mr. Two Bears and I will come and help you fight the spirit. We will run the evil spirit off. Can you wait that long?”

“I will wait, but where can my grandchildren go for a spirit quest.”

“They can use the wild back country of my ranch. I only ask that they do not kill any of the wolves as the wolves will not harm them. The wolves are my family.”

“Will you stay with me as the doctor examines me?”

“Yes, old mother. I will be here to protect you from the evil spirit while the doctor examines you. I will sit in the corner where I will be out of the way and pray.”

Jesse walked out of the room and into the kitchen to tell the doctor that the old woman will let him treat her. The young girl sat in the corner chanting an old prayer that seemed to come to her as she prayed. Doc Henley checked the old woman's vitals and drew some blood for tests. He was watching as Jesse chanted and it seemed that the age of the woman seemed to slip from her shoulders as color returned to her face. Doc Henley told the old woman to eat something and to come see him when he comes back from helping Jesse in court.

It was early morning when the doctor took Jesse to the ranch and dropped her off. As he left, he told her he was going to change, pack and come back. George's son-in-law was at the house with his wife and new baby. He had the necessary paperwork for Jesse to get her new ID's.

“Jesse, this is my son-in-law Tom,” introduced George. “Tom, this is Jesse I told you about”

“I'm very pleased to meet you Tom. You didn't have to come all the way up here.”

“We brought Ms. Shilling up here yesterday. George had called and told me part of your tale, and he asked that I bring his wife back to help around the ranch while he goes east with you. My wife said she wanted to stay with her mother a few days while I do some work for the Governor that will take up most of my time.”

“Is Miss Shilling up yet? I need to check on Merry before I leave, I need a bath, I need to pack some clothes, I need to ...” she trailed off as a sleepy Merry walked in wearing a cotton nightgown. Her hair was mussed from sleeping, but otherwise it had been brushed out and was clean.

“Merry?! Wow you are so pretty!”

Jesse sat down in a kitchen chair and the sleepy girl came over to the older girl, crawled into her lap, and mumbled, “I didn't know babies could be so loud.” With that the little girl went back to sleep hugging Jesse.