Hero in Cowboy Boots Ch. 7 wc 944 Jayda Comes Home

Mark left the hospital and drove to Walmart. He picked up a few grocery items for himself and for Jayda. Milk, bread, pork chops, hamburger, cheese, pickles, mustard, potatoes, toilet paper and a cake that read “welcome home!” in blue letters on cream colored frosting all went into his cart. He also picked up a card that read “Thank You” on the front and that was blank on the inside. He planned to write his own words on the inner portion of the card.

He drove to Jayda’s farm and checked outside to make sure there was no damage from the storm or rabid boyfriends. He carried the groceries to the front door and let himself in with the key Jayda had given him. 

He put the groceries away and checked the inside of the house like outside. He found some trash in the garbage can and gathered it up in a large trash bag. On the top of the kitchen bag, he glimpsed a crumpled-up note on ruled notebook paper. He could see large handwritten words in all capital letters. Curious, he picked it up, and smoothed it out. Guiltily, he read the words and took in a sharp ragged breath. He found a gallon size Ziplock bag and put the note inside and sealed it. He would have to deal with this situation once and for all.

He looked up Brad Jenkins in the phone directory and found his address and phone number. Mark wrote it down on an envelope in his pickup truck. Then he locked the house up again and drove back to his own farm.

After his evening chores, Mark ate a quick supper, then placed a call to Brad’s house.  After four rings, a female voice picked up the phone.

“Hello?” The voice sounded young, maybe about twenty or twenty-five years old.

Mark hesitated, unsure if it was the right number. He checked his cell phone screen. Yep, it was the same number he had written on the envelope. Mr. “I’m not ready for Marriage” must have a new Sweetie.

 A asked politely. 

“Certainly, Mr. Reeves. Just a moment, please,” Mark could hear footsteps followed by a door being opened. A masculine voice, in an irritated tone, said, “What is it this time, Monica? I’m trying to work on this proposal, and you keep interrupting me.”

“I’m sorry, Brad. You have a call on line two. Can you take it, or shall I take a message?” Monica, who must be his secretary, replied. Mark faintly heard Brad on the other end of the call.

“Oh, just what I need, another distraction. Very well, I’ll take it. But the next time the phone rings, just disconnect or let it go to voice mail. I’ve got to get this done, or I’ll lose the account.”

Mark heard Monica say “Yes, sir. I won’t bother you again.” Then he heard a click and Brad spoke in a brusque tone.

“Brad Jenkins, Farm Equity and Associates, may I help you?”

“I hope you can, Brad. I’m Mark Reeves, and I believe we have a common acquaintance, Miss Jayda Michaels. Am I correct?”

“I know Jayda. What’s this all about? I’m a busy man and I don’t have time for social chit chat!”

“Well, Brad, I’m a good friend of hers, and I have reason to believe you have been stalking her, threatening her, and being a general nuisance to her. I want it to stop! Now!”

Scoffing, Brad replied, “I don’t know what in tarnation you are talking about. Jayda and I had a relationship once. A very intimate relationship. But it’s all over now and we don’t even speak any more. So you can take your threats and accusations and leave me the hell alone!” He slammed the phone down, and Mark heard the dialtone.

Mark hung up his phone and smiled. Let’s just see what Mr. Jenkins does now.

Mark walked out to his pickup and grabbed the box with the new car seat and installed it in his pickup. He had newborn Pampers diapers, baby wipes, and a baby care kit, with lotions, powders, and other baby needs in a box on the back seat of his pickup truck. A baby mobile was on the front seat beside Mark. Little farm animals rotated around under the umbrella with  sweet baby music playing. Mark grinned when he imagined little Mark Lee lying watching that mobile. The only better thing would be if it were all at Mark’s house and Jayda was hanging on his arm, not Brad’s.

 

Jayda fed Mark Lee and placed him gently in his little bassinet.  She worried that she didn’t have all the things she needed for him. But she had no money to buy them, and she didn’t even know how she would pay the hospital bill for her stay.  Thank God that Mark Lee was born healthy and didn’t have any physical problems. It would have been a financial disaster for her if he’d had deformities or breathing issues, or anything like that.

She wondered if she should sell the farm and move into town. She didn’t want to do that. Rent would be expensive and other bills would be more as well. But she might have to think about that. One of the office staff had just left, asking her how she planned to cover the costs that were rising every day. They wanted her to pay when she was released. There just wasn’t any way. Tears ran down Jayda’s cheeks as she sobbed quietly. Would the problems ever stop? What else could possibly go wrong?

 

 

 

Mark left the hospital and drove to Walmart. He picked up a few grocery items for himself and for Jayda. Milk, bread, pork chops, hamburger, cheese, pickles, mustard, potatoes, toilet paper and a cake that read “welcome home!” in blue letters on cream colored frosting all went into his cart. He also picked up a card that read “Thank You” on the front and that was blank on the inside. He planned to write his own words on the inner portion of the card.

He drove to Jayda’s farm and checked outside to make sure there was no damage from the storm or rabid boyfriends. He carried the groceries to the front door and let himself in with the key Jayda had given him. 

He put the groceries away and checked the inside of the house like outside. He found some trash in the garbage can and gathered it up in a large trash bag. On the top of the kitchen bag, he glimpsed a crumpled-up note on ruled notebook paper. He could see large handwritten words in all capital letters. Curious, he picked it up, and smoothed it out. Guiltily, he read the words and took in a sharp ragged breath. He found a gallon size Ziplock bag and put the note inside and sealed it. He would have to deal with this situation once and for all.

He looked up Brad Jenkins in the phone directory and found his address and phone number. Mark wrote it down on an envelope in his pickup truck. Then he locked the house up again and drove back to his own farm.

After his evening chores, Mark ate a quick supper, then placed a call to Brad’s house.  After four rings, a female voice picked up the phone.

“Hello?” The voice sounded young, maybe about twenty or twenty-five years old.

Mark hesitated, unsure if it was the right number. He checked his cell phone screen. Yep, it was the same number he had written on the envelope. Mr. “I’m not ready for Marriage” must have a new Sweetie.

 A asked politely. 

“Certainly, Mr. Reeves. Just a moment, please,” Mark could hear footsteps followed by a door being opened. A masculine voice, in an irritated tone, said, “What is it this time, Monica? I’m trying to work on this proposal, and you keep interrupting me.”

“I’m sorry, Brad. You have a call on line two. Can you take it, or shall I take a message?” Monica, who must be his secretary, replied. Mark faintly heard Brad on the other end of the call.

“Oh, just what I need, another distraction. Very well, I’ll take it. But the next time the phone rings, just disconnect or let it go to voice mail. I’ve got to get this done, or I’ll lose the account.”

Mark heard Monica say “Yes, sir. I won’t bother you again.” Then he heard a click and Brad spoke in a brusque tone.

“Brad Jenkins, Farm Equity and Associates, may I help you?”

“I hope you can, Brad. I’m Mark Reeves, and I believe we have a common acquaintance, Miss Jayda Michaels. Am I correct?”

“I know Jayda. What’s this all about? I’m a busy man and I don’t have time for social chit chat!”

“Well, Brad, I’m a good friend of hers, and I have reason to believe you have been stalking her, threatening her, and being a general nuisance to her. I want it to stop! Now!”

Scoffing, Brad replied, “I don’t know what in tarnation you are talking about. Jayda and I had a relationship once. A very intimate relationship. But it’s all over now and we don’t even speak any more. So you can take your threats and accusations and leave me the hell alone!” He slammed the phone down, and Mark heard the dialtone.

Mark hung up his phone and smiled. Let’s just see what Mr. Jenkins does now.

Mark walked out to his pickup and grabbed the box with the new car seat and installed it in his pickup. He had newborn Pampers diapers, baby wipes, and a baby care kit, with lotions, powders, and other baby needs in a box on the back seat of his pickup truck. A baby mobile was on the front seat beside Mark. Little farm animals rotated around under the umbrella with  sweet baby music playing. Mark grinned when he imagined little Mark Lee lying watching that mobile. The only better thing would be if it were all at Mark’s house and Jayda was hanging on his arm, not Brad’s.

 

Jayda fed Mark Lee and placed him gently in his little bassinet.  She worried that she didn’t have all the things she needed for him. But she had no money to buy them, and she didn’t even know how she would pay the hospital bill for her stay.  Thank God that Mark Lee was born healthy and didn’t have any physical problems. It would have been a financial disaster for her if he’d had deformities or breathing issues, or anything like that.

She wondered if she should sell the farm and move into town. She didn’t want to do that. Rent would be expensive and other bills would be more as well. But she might have to think about that. One of the office staff had just left, asking her how she planned to cover the costs that were rising every day. They wanted her to pay when she was released. There just wasn’t any way. Tears ran down Jayda’s cheeks as she sobbed quietly. Would the problems ever stop? What else could possibly go wrong?