Hunter's Choice (23 page)

Jessamine

Hunter had to stay in the hospital for close to two months.
I took as much time as I could off work to stay with him, but in the final two
weeks, I was limited to visiting on just the weekends.

We spoke of my dream that wasn’t a dream and Hunter told me
what he had given up for me. I had cried and he’d told me to stop. That in his
eyes, while feeling physically free as an owl, he had been locked in a lonely
emotional prison while in that form. It took me time to come to grips with that
but I had never seen him so at ease before. He worked hard to get better and he
would have months of therapy to go, but today, today he was coming home…

I pulled my truck up to the hospital’s main entrance and
rushed around to open the passenger door. I bounced on the balls of my feet,
waiting for the nurse to wheel him out. It was a little disheartening how much
weight he’d lost, but when I’d said something he’d told me my cooking would put
it back on in no time and the muscle definition would come back in time too.

After two months of artificial hospital lighting, Hunter put
his hand up to block out the sun when they finally brought him out to me. He
got into the truck with only minor difficulty, they smiled and waved and he
waved back and we drove away, heading for I-5 and the James street on ramp.

“What became of the boy?” he asked me as we pulled onto the
freeway, I put the truck in its final gear and he linked fingers with mine
immediately. We always touched when we could.

“Convicted, attempted murder, tried as an adult… He’s going
to prison for a very long time.” I said.

“A shame.” He said, and I could hear he meant it.

I was glad Jordan was going to prison for what he’d done,
but I still couldn’t help but feel bad for him just a little bit too. No one
had tried to stop him, no one had cared enough to keep him from going that far.
I was sure Fallon had tried but that was a lot for one lone seventeen year old
girl.

We spoke of plans for Hunter to get back on his feet, and of
finances as well… a victims’ advocacy group had reached out to see what could
be done to help with Hunter’s medical bills which were in the hundreds of
thousands of dollars.

We spoke of what he wanted me to fix for him when he got
home. He celebrated that he would have to eat no more hospital food. When we
got there, he reveled in his first experience of driving onto a ferry. We took
the Edmonds to Kingston run across the water, a short thirty minute voyage and
about fifteen minutes into the almost hour drive home, he was fast asleep. My
hand clutched in his lap.

He woke when we pulled into the driveway.

Balloons and a big ‘welcome home Hunter’ banner hung on the
barn, Aaron, Fallon, Charlie, John, Jodi and Jaye and a small phalanx of her
volunteers were all there to greet him.

Jaye had risen to the occasion, and along with John and
Charlie had managed both her sanctuary, the North West Raptor Center and
Moonchild Owl Haven since Hunter was hurt and I lost my mind for a while. Now
that I wasn’t divided between Seattle and home, I would be able to take better
care of my fly babies. I was forever indebted to Jaye and her kindness though,
with no way I could ever repay her.

We had let Winter go two weeks after Hunter went into the
hospital. I felt bad he couldn’t be there but Fallon had taken video with her
cellphone and uploaded it to YouTube so he could see. She was very
technologically talented and was building Moonchild’s a better website.

People began cheering when Hunter got out of the truck and
he waved at them before we helped him inside. Charlie had dragged one of the
recliners into the kitchen for him and he sat gratefully while I cooked and
everyone laughed and drank and was merry. It was quite the welcome home party.
My favorite part though?

When everyone was gone and it was just Hunter and me alone
in our bed. Carefully and slowly we made up for the last two months, and
conceived our first child.

Six months later…

Hunter

I stood, and for the first time I could ever remember I was
nervous about seeing Jessamine. Family, friends, all were gathered under the
protection of the barn. Lights had been installed, bird enclosures moved
upstairs, carefully ringing the rails so not only did the humans bear witness
so did the owls.

The railings and pillars dripped with ribbons and lavender,
perfuming the air lightly as everyone directed their attention to the barn’s
massive door.

I stood in front of the Alter which we had placed at the
foot of the tree burned into the back wall. The wooden leaves fluttering on
their hooks. Charlie was my best man, John and Aaron my grooms men. Jessamine
had Jaye, Jodie and Fallon as her Matron of honor and bridesmaids.

Dave and Margie were bringing her up the aisle and for a
moment I forgot what it was to breathe.

She wore a long sleeved gown, the sleeves sheer; the satin
bodice hugging her delicate curves in a fall to the floor that left her
silhouette both sensual and alluring. The swell of her pregnant stomach did not
seem out of place in the dress but rather made her more beautiful to me, my one
and only love, the mother of my son who was growing inside her…

Dave and Margie gave me the hand of their great niece and
adoptive daughter and we stood before our friends, our family, and our owls and
made the most solemn of pledges, the strongest of vows we could muster from the
depths of our hearts.

I married my wife, the other half to my whole, and made our
union one of forever before the gods.

Never had I been happier in the choice that I made.

I chose Jess, for now and forever.

My love.

My wife.

My heart.

Some very special people and organizations made this book
happen and they deserve some special recognition.

First of all, Jaye Moore is a real person, a real special
person that run a very real and special 501c3 Nonprofit by the name of the NW
Raptor Center. Yep, it’s real folks. Jaye and her troupe of volunteers are out
there on the Northern Olympic Peninsula of Washington State living the life of
Jessamine Connors and I’m here to say the could use your help!

Without Jaye’s knowledge and input I never would have been
able to understand the commitment and methods behind wildlife rescue. I wanted
to make sure I made Jessamine’s world as believable as possible but at the same
time I have to say, if you find sick or injured wildlife, do not try to help
them yourselves! You need to get on the web and find the number of a
professional like Jaye to come to the rescue.

I know folks mean well but…

If you are interested in helping with the cause please visit
Jaye and NW Raptor Center’s home on the web at:
http://nwraptorcenter.com
and remember,
all donations are tax deductible and not only go to the rescue of the owls of
the Oly Peninsula, but also a myriad of other wildlife including hawks, eagles,
falcons, deer and more!

It is vitally important to call in the professionals when it
comes to this kind of thing, not only for your safety but for the animal’s
safety as well. If you want to do more than just throw money at one of these
organizations, take the time to volunteer and learn to do it the correct way.
There are a lot of operations out there that could benefit from your help and
if they can’t they are usually more than happy to direct you to one who can!

Finally, to my medical go-to guy and childhood friend Josh
Grant. Without his knowledge and input on how to help and care for the humans,
I would have been woefully underprepared in dealing with our hero, Hunter’s
injuries. Josh is a real life hero, serving as a medic in the U.S. Army, and in
case you missed it, yep, that’s right! You knew you recognized that name, he’s
the real-life inspiration for another army medic, Grant Mason in my book
Lyrical Hearts!

Thank you Josh. You sir, are the awesome!

As always, dear readers, thank
you
for picking up my
book and reading. I hope I’ve entertained you again, and as long as you are out
there reading, I’ll be in here writing…