Tony and Frankie

‘Come on Jaden, we’re going to be late!’ My little brother slammed the trailer door behind himself. ‘We wouldn’t be late if you’d waken up on time Ema.’ He ran are old Subaru and got in next to me. I started the engine and backed out are drive. It took half an hour to get into town and I dropped Jaden off minutes before the bell rang then high tailed it over to the dinner where I worked.

‘Your almost late again Ema.’ Shane my coworker said. She was in her 60s and large and lovable. ‘Sorry I had to drop Jaden at school.’ Her eyes softened as they always did when I mentioned my younger brother. ‘I can’t imagine raising my little brother they way you have dear.’ I tied my apron on and put my note pad in my pocket. Are mangers refused to get iPad kind. ‘It’s been four years now. I’m used it. Besides he’s thirteen now.’ The bell jingled as someone came in.

The dinner closed at 2:00 and usually got off around 3:00. I was just finishing sweeping when I saw Jaden and his friend Lenny were tapping at the front door. Leaning my broom against the long counter I walked over and flipped the lock. ‘Hey sis,’ Jaden set down on one of the spinning stools in front of the counter Lenny at another. ‘What’s up?’ He was fidgeting with his thick black curls. His big brown eyes not looking up at me. ‘Today at school they had sigh ups for Boy Scouts and 4h and stuff like that.’ I picked back up my broom as Jessy are dishwasher walked in. She was tall, and beautiful. ‘Hey handsome, how was school?’ She ruffled Jaden’s hair as she walked by with the mop. ‘It was good.’ His voice came out kinda Squeaky like it always did around Jessy. ‘I sighed up for 4h.’ She squatted down to mop under a table. ‘Nice, what kinda animal ya gonna get?’ He spun round on his stool, his soft dark skin glowing with excitement. ‘A cow!’ I looked up from the cash register where I’d been doing my tips. ‘A cow Jaden? Where are we going to keep a cow?’ His face fell. ‘I’m sorry Em, I didn’t think about it I just got all excited and sighed up and put cow because I’ve always thought they were cool.’ My chest tightened. We were barely making it as it was. Even on food stamps and going to the food bank. ‘Where would we even get a cow?’ Slowly Jaden took a piece of paper out of his pocket. ‘They gave me a phone number of a farm.’ He handed it to me. Jessy had gone back into the kitchen to rinse the mop.

‘Hello,’ ‘hi my name is Ema, my younger brother is in 4h and I was wondering about getting a cow from you.’ Jessy walked back in, spinning her mop like a bow staff. Jaden jumped up. ‘Can you teach me to do that?’ Lenny right beside him. ‘Me too!!’ She grinned like a wolf. ‘Sure thing handsome.’ And tossed it at Lenny. There was fumbling and a crashing sound. By this time I’d hung up the phone. ‘He said to come out and pick a calf. First we have to call uncle and make sure it’s okay.’ The trailer I was still making payments on, that we lived in was on are uncles land. He had five hundred acres and let use stay on a small plot. While I made the call Jaden and Lenny helped Jessy finish up and take the garbage out.

‘A cows gonna be work kiddo.’

‘I know but how can I say no to him?’

‘I guess you can’t.’

‘So it’s okay?’

Yeah, I don’t give a toss what you two do out there.’

‘Thank you uncle.’

‘Yep’ click.

He was Jaden’s dads brother so he wasn’t technically my uncle but he treated me the same as Jaden. My dad had never been around and Jaden’s had raised me. Tell he and are mom past away. Jessy walked back in with Jaden and Lenny in toe. ‘What’d he say sis?’ Jessy walked past me to the computer to clock out. ‘He said it was fine.’ I turned to Jessy. ‘You wanna come with us to pick one our?’ She smile. Her two different colored eyes creasing. ‘Sure, I love cows!!’

Jessy set in the front seat next to me and Jaden and Lenny in the back. ‘I gotta stop at the bank.’ We pulled up to the atm and I got, Jessy jumped out after me. ‘Hey Em, do you have enough money for this?’ I put my card in and entered my pin. ‘I don’t know.’ I looked at my account and took out my last 400$ dollar. New brakes were gonna have to wait. ‘I can help you out.’ Jessy had a pastel blue bob that’s she’d acquired over the weekend. ‘It’s okay, but thank you Jessy.’ She put her card in the atm. ‘I said it’s okay.’ She huffed at me. Maybe I want a cow too.’ I rolled my eyes and she took out her money.

We pulled up and the boys were out of the car almost instantly. Jessy and I got out more slowly. As we closed are doors a man in his mid forties walked up to us. ‘You must me Ema.’ He reached his hand out and I shook it. He looks us over and gave us an odd look. I guess we made up a somewhat strange group. Me pale with red hair, Jessy with her blue bob and strange eyes, Lenny blue eyes and blonde curls and Jaden dark with warm brown skin. ‘Yeah I am. This is Jessy and my little brother Jaden and Lenny.’

‘Nice ta meet ya all. The calfs are over here.’ He led the way to a field full of cows and calfs running around looking happy. He clapped Jaden on the shoulder. ‘Go catch yourself one kid.’ The boys scampered over the fence. Jessy climbed over after them. ‘So, you said it was 300$ right?’ I watched them prowling around the field, the cows moving away slowly. ‘We could work something out for a little less.’ He moved closer to me. ‘Ya know with one of you girls.’ Smiling he put his hand on my lower back. I stepped away. ‘No thank you sir. I’m perfectly happy paying, full price.’

‘You oaky?’ I jumped at the sound of Jessy’s voice right next to me. ‘Are you a god damm ninja or something?’ She just smiled. ‘Yeah I’m fine. Thank you.’ She walked back to where Jaden and Lenny and cornered a calf and angry momma cow. I counted out 300$ dollars and handed it to him. ‘What else do I need for it?’ I asked.

‘Well there not weaned yet so a bottle and formula. A halter and lead if your gonna walk um and a few other things. Do you have a barn or anything.’

I took a deep breath. ‘No I don’t yet. Do you know how much that’ll run me?’

He whistled. ‘Just feeding the thing is gonna run you a few hundred.’

‘Shit.’

He went to hand me the money back. I shook my head. ‘No this is important to him.’ I stared hard at my little brother. We liked nothing alike but that didn’t matter at all. ‘Have you picked one?’

Jaden came up struggling to carrying what had to be the cutest calf ever. It’s had enormous brown eyes and black and red spots all over its white fur. ‘I reached over the fence to stroke it’s head. Jessy leaned on the fence next to him and Lenny climbed back over to my side. ‘He was surprisingly easy to catch.’ He said as he landed next to me. ‘He’s what a month old?’ Jessy pulled herself up onto the fence as she asked. ‘Yes mama, right about a month old.’ I reached over and took him from Jaden so he could climb back over. He was surprisingly heavy. As soon as Jaden was over he wanted him back. I happily handed him over. ‘I guess we’re all set.’ I turned back to the man. ‘Thank you sir.’ And we headed back to my car.

The little calf rode on the backseat between the boys and seemed happy enough. He made little mooing sounds every so often. ‘What are ya gonna call um?’ Jessy asked turning in her seat to pet him. ‘I don’t know yet.’

‘It has to be something cool!’ Lenny said next to him. Scratching the calf behind one ear.

‘You could call him hamburger.’ Jessy said grinning. Both boys made ewwww sounds. ‘No something that’s gonna suit a big strong bull.’ While they argued over names all of which seemed silly. Almost as silly as driving around with a cow in my car, I drove us to the feed store.

‘Hey, Lenny did you join 4h too?’ Jessy asked as we walked in. ‘Yeah I did.’

‘What animal did you pick?’

‘A rabbit.’ He walked over to them.

I spun around. ’We could have gotten a rabbit and there’s a cow in my car?’

‘I love him.’ Jaden said starting me in the eyes. I crumbled like always. Well let’s get his things then and get home. ‘Lenny, pick out a rabbit and I’ll buy it.’ Jessy said leaning over the cage. ‘Call his mom first!’ I yelled from the tack section. Lenny called his mom then picked out a rabbit. Lenny was a good kid. He didn’t talk much and was shy so a rabbit seemed to suit him. It was a cute little thing with brown floppy ears.

After we paid for everything and were back in the car the boys were hungry so I called Lenny’s mom and asked if he could spend the night. She said it was fine. Lenny was one of seven kids so he often stayed over. ‘What about you Jessy?’ I asked as we pulled into the stores parking lot. ‘I have nothing better to do.’ After a quick shopping trip where the boys stayed in the car with there animals we were on are way home.

Are trailer was nothing to fancy. It was 35 feet with two pop outs. It had a living room kitchen area, a front bedroom that was basically just a big bed. Then a back bedroom that had a table and bunk beds. That was Jaden’s rooms. The bathroom had been remade into storage. I’d built an outdoor shower off the back with an ever flow hot water heater, and we had an outhouse that got pumped. There was no way I could hook the trailer up to my car let alone drive it to get it pumped. I’d put the down payment on it right after are parents died. There’d be no way for me to pay the rent where we’d been living so I did what I thought the smart thing. Put all the money into this. Lucky are uncle didn’t charge us anything to stay. We had a generator for power and propane to run the stove refrigerator and shower. I smiled as we pulled up in front of it. We had a nice little garden with veggies and herbs. Jessy’s got out and one of are three cats that had decided that it lived with us came running up and rubbed all over her. Jaden had put the halter on his calf on the ride home and he slowly led him out of the car. Lenny got out holding his rabbit like it was the most perfect thing in existence. It was so small it fit in one of his little hands. He’s gotten a tiny harness for him as well and the boys showed there new friends around.

Jessy and I carried the food inside and started dinner. Are dog Hunny the cutest Pitbull you’ve ever seen came waddling out to say hello to Jessy then outside to see what was going on. Jessy and I listened to music and made dinner. I heated up the calf formula and Jessy grabbed a quilt off the couch. After filling a bottle with it we went outside Jessy spread out the quilt and Jaden set down to feed his calf. ‘Tony.’ I looked at him. ‘What?’

‘His name is Tony.’

I looked at the little fella. ‘Tony it is then.’

‘What about your little guy, Lenny? Jessy asked.

‘Frankie.’

‘I like it. Tony and Frankie.’

‘Me too.’ I smiled at them.

Jessy and I went inside then brought the food back outside and ate dinner on are quilt with all three cat, the dog, rabbit and cow.

Tony had been sleeping inside. I’d made him a bed where are bathtub used to be. But more often then not I found him in bed with Jaden. His horns had started to grow and he’s over doubled in size. So had Lenny’s little Frankie. Tony and Frankie were just as exciting to see each other as there humans were. Frankie spent most of his time sitting on Tony’s back in the sunshine. The mouths went by fast and Tony was now a big bull. He was the friendliest thing in the world though.

Tony had outgrown are bathroom and had been sleeping outside the last few nights with Jaden woke me up. Lenny was standing by the front door holding Frankie. He was squirming around. ‘What’s going on guys?’ I asked sitting up. Then I hurt was sounds like a kinda scream. I sucked in my breath fast and shot out of bed. I flung the door opens and told the boys to make sure Hunny and the cats were locked in the bathroom so no one else could get out.

I pulled my phone out and clicked on the light. Slowly I made my way toward where Tony was tied up. There I found him crouching back. His eyes huge and scared. ‘It’s okay boy I’m here.’ I tried to sooth him as I fumbled with the knot. There was blood on his back lag and I cursed. I had just gotten it undone with something slapped me in the side so hard I hit the ground. That’s when I saw it. The biggest mountain lion I’d ever seen. ‘Oh shit.’ I’d lost my phone somewhere and didn’t have time to look for it. I grabbed Tony’s lead and pulled him towards the trailer door. The mountain lion took another swipe at us and I whipped at it with the knotted end of Tony’s lead. He flung his horns at it and snorted. ‘Open the door and turn on all the lights!’ I saw the yard light up and it cringe back. Lenny was at the door coming down the steps. ‘Grab Tony’s halter and pull him inside!’ Suddenly it ran forward swinging its paws making that awful screaming noise that sounds like a woman. I squealed and shoved as hard as I could trying to get Tony inside. But he didn’t want to leave me out there with it. I ran around his front and started to help the boys pull.

Suddenly we were all inside on the floor. I scampered up and slammed the door shut. ‘Make sure everyone’s inside and the windows are closed.’ Jaden just stared at me. ‘What?’

‘Sis, your bleeding.’ He’s big dark eyes were full of tears. I looked down. There was a set big scratches on my side. ‘I’m fine. I didn’t even notice.’ Jaden nodded his head still crying. Frankie had come up and was licking Tony’s nose. Tony had a few scratches as well. I got up and searched until I found the antibiotic ointment and super glue. We washed and trimmed the fur away from Tony’s cuts then I packed them with ointment and super glued them closed. Leaving a little hole for them to drain. Then did the same to myself.

After I got everyone settled back down I took a shot of vodka and set on my bed. The cuts hurt and I could still hear him outside. ‘Ema?’ I looked up to see Jaden standing there. I patted the bed next to me. ‘What’s up?’ He started to cry. ‘I was so scared! What if it’s gotten you?’ I rapped my arms around his shoulders. ‘I’m okay Jaden and so is Tony.’ I stroked his fluffy hair. ‘Tomorrow were gonna figures something out for him. He clearly can’t sleep outside anymore.’ We set on the bed together like this for a while longer tell he fell asleep. I covered him up and climbed into bed myself. The last thing I remember thinking was that I hadn’t turned off the generator.

After dropping the boys off at school, Lenny was living with us at this point. I heading into work. The instant Shane saw me almost dropped the coffee pot. ‘What in the name of god happened to you girl?’ Jessy popped her head out of the kitchen. ‘What’s going on?’

‘Tony got attacked by a mountain lion last night and I got a little beat up trying to save him. We’re both okay though.’

Shane shook her head. ‘My god girl going head to head with a mountain lion for a bull that’s gotta die in about a month. Your a crazy child.’ My head snapped up. ‘What?’ Jessy echoed my question. ‘I mean I know how much he means to your little brother, but it seems foolish to me.’

‘No what do you mean about Tony dying in a month or so?!’

‘The county fair. All 4h kids enter there animals in the fair then they action them off to butchers, farmers and whatnot.’

Both Jessy and I’s jaws dropped. ‘You girls didn’t know that?’ We shook are heads. ‘Do the boys?’ We shook them again. ‘What about the rabbits?’ Jessy asked. ‘Um I don’t think so.’ We both gave a slight sigh of relief. At least Frankie was going to be okay. ‘Can we bid on him?’ Jessy asked. ‘Yeah I mean maybe we can buy him back.’ I said with hope. ‘I think so, but they go into the thousands.’ Both are shoulders dropping. ‘Oh.’

I was close to crying my scratches hurt and the bandage needed to be changed. I’d have scars for the rest of my life and they were going to take Tony away from us. During my lunch brake I looked at pictures of him. The cats all asleep on his back as he lay in the sunshine. Frankie’s nose pressed up against the huge bulls. Tears tapped onto my phone. ‘I think I have an idea. At least about were Tony’s going to sleep.’ Jessy set down next to me with a chicken salad. ‘Your uncle has all those old trailers right, maybe we could push one up against the back door that’s Jaden’s room and he could live in there?’ She took a slow bite. ‘I think the fronts open right up and it should be easy.’ I nodded my head and said I’d call him right away.

He’d said that he had a spare one and would drop it by for us. I told him about Tony and the mountain lion and the fair and everything. I was crying as I told him. My bosses called me so I had to hang up and get back to work. Jessy came home with us that afternoon.

Uncle was out front putting the horse trailer up against are trailer. He’d been Jaden’s dads younger brother. He was tall and handsome. A deep dark black with shining eyes that seemed to know everything. ‘Hey kids.’ He smiled as we walked up. Jessy tugged at my arm. ‘Oh my gods you didn’t tell me he was a god!’ She fanned at her chest. I looked over at my best friend. Her hair was still in a bob cut but was now a lemonade pink. ‘Um, uncle Garson. This is my coworker and best friend Jessy.’ She gave him her best wolf grin and he smiled right back. ‘If I’d known your friends we this pretty I’d have been coming around a bit more.’ He winked at Jessy and she grinned back. Garson was around fifteen years older then me and Jessy something like five. I rolled my eyes.

Jaden and Lenny were already putting hay down and dragging there bedding in to sleep with there animals. ‘He’s living here now to right?’

‘Yeah he is.’

‘How do you afford to pay for him too?’ I could see the concern in his eyes.

‘We get by okay.’

The three of us watched the boys and now four cats because another had showed up, the old Pitbull, rabbit and bull. I smiled. Suddenly I felt Jessy’s hand on my shoulder. ‘Your crying babe.’ I wiped my face. ‘I don’t know what to do. I can’t let them kill Tony!’

‘The bar down the way is hiring.’

I looked up at my uncle. ‘I think the boys are old enough to stay home alone.’ For a minute I thought about the mountain lion and getting home after dark and the boys being home after dark. Then I turned back to my car. ‘Boys I’m gonna be home in a little bit. Be good.’ They both waved to me as I got in my old faithful Subaru. Jessy clicked her seatbelt. ‘I thought you’d want to stay here and flirt with Garson.’

‘Flirting can wait. Maybe they need two.?

Jessy was working the bar and I was working the room. Running drinks I’d never heard of back and forth. My uncle had been at the trailer more helping out. He’d built us a fence to help with the mountain lion and was teach the boys to shoot. Jessy and I now had the same screen saver. It was a picture of the boys each with a rifle shooting cans off a fence. Frankie sitting on Tony’s head next to them Garson leaning on the bull. I suspect Jessy had it for less sentimental reasons then I did. She was now living with us too. Having put her rent money into the save are bull found.

The fair was only a few days away and between us Jessy and I have saved everything from the bar and all are tips at the restaurant. And everything else we could. We had 4246.57$. I was getting nervous and so was everyone else. We took as many pictures as we could and spent as much time together as we could. Finally the big day came. Uncle picked the boys, Tony and Frankie up. I cried as I watched the trailer pull out of the driveway. Thinking this could be it. We might lose him. I know Jaden had been crying and was scared too. We all were.

The fair had lots of rides and cotton candy and all the other things fairs have. But none of us enjoyed any of it. Jaden spent every night sleeping with Tony. Lenny would sneak in with Frankie after everyone else was asleep and the four of them would share Tony’s little stall. Uncle keep telling us to try and cheer up we’d get him. The boys looked cute in there little white and green 4h uniforms. Tony and Frankie seemed to be doing well in the judging. Which worried me even more. The better he did the more he’d cost and the little that we had seemed to be little indeed.

Tony placed third only because of the scares on his lag and the slight limp. Frankie won blue! Jessy and I went into the bidding room, my heart in my throat. We waited for Tony to be called up. Then waiting to see how the bidding went. Depending on who you asked it went really well. That would not have been us. He was already up to 4000$ and it didn’t look good. My vision was starting to blur with tears and I could feel Jessy’s hand squeezing mine. I looked over and she was crying too. I squeezed back. Then someone bid 4450$ and I know we’d lost him.

With utter defeat I sunk to my knees. Jessy next to me. ‘How are we going to tell the boys we lost him?’ The bidding was still going but I wasn’t paying attention anymore. The sound of the hammer as he yelled sold broke my heart and I moved as quickly as I could away from there. I was heading back towards the stalls to tell the boys but Jessy had turned and made for the pen. She jumped in and grabbed Tony’s halter then led him quickly to the gate. I hurried over. ‘Jessy, what are you doing?’ She stared at me. Her different color eyes shining. ‘I’m taking Tony home.’ She opened the gate and let everyone out. Then pushed past me and moved with speed towards were the cars were parked. Garson was waiting by my Subaru. The seats laid down. ‘What’s going on?’

‘We’re stealing a bull.’ Jessy led Tony in and he laid down. Quickly she cover him with a blanket. Then slid behind the drivers seat. And put my keys in. ‘Where did you get my keys?’ I was still crying but utterly confused. ‘Your pocket. Now you guys have to stay here. I’d look really suspicious if he’s the only one lost and his people are gone.’ She turned over the engine and was gone.

‘You knew this was Jessy’s plan didn’t you?’ I asked Garson. ‘Yes I did. She came up with it last night when it looked like Tony would place.’

‘Do the boys know?’

‘Not yet. It’s probably best we don’t tell them until they stop looking.’

We could hear all the noise now. It was clear they’d realized that the bulls were lose.

We went back and played are part. The boys cried and we grabbed Frankie and told them to please call us when they found Tony. We got into uncle Garson’s truck and headed for home. ‘Where’s Jessy and your car Ema?’ Lenny asked.

‘She went on ahead of use to get dinner ready. I looked over at Jaden. His eyes were red and his head hung low. ‘She has a surprise for you.’ He didn’t even look up. I felt so mean not telling him but the look on his face was going to be worth it.

We pulled up to the driveway and Garson parked next to my car. Then honked the horn three times. The boys looked over at him, but got out. I hooped down and looked at my little brother. Tears streaked his face. ‘Why so sad looking handsome?’ His head came up at the sound of Jessy’s voice and he started to run. Lenny with Frankie close behind. Jaden rapped his arms around his bull and cried. Frankie set on his back and Lenny cling to his other side. ‘How?’ Jaden asked between sobs. ‘I stole him.’ Jessy patted his head. ‘So we have to keep it quiet that he’s back. Okay boys?’ The both nodded.

I set down in the middle of are driveway and cried like a three year old. We were together again.

A few months went by and they came by a few times looking for Tony. I had my 24th birthday and Jaden his 14th. Jessy and Lenny still live with us. Tony and Frankie still lived in the horse trailer and uncle Garson comes by all the time now. Almost every day. We quit the bar and just work at the restaurant in the mornings now. Jessy bought a flock of chickens the other day so Garson and her are building a coop for them. We now have five cats I don’t even know when this one showed up.