Jessica Barber
Bio
Just a girl sitting in front of her computer dreaming of a life worth reading about.
I like to write short stuff, poetry, short stories..etc. I'm an engineer but like writing on the side. It seems to come natural to me.
Stories (3)
Filter by community
The day superman cried
I remember it like it was yesterday, it's only gotten a little blurry. This chain of events that changed my life and I'm sure a few more. I got there and waddled inside. "Mom, I'm so tired of being pregnant". She turned smiled and gave me a quick squeeze, "sit down, put your feet up". I did as she said but looked at her suspiciously. She hands me her phone as she starts to explain " I have my procedure tomorrow, I can't take my phone. Last time I left it with Michele she went over on the minutes and it cost me two hundred dollars. So emergency calls only until after 7pm, you can two- way your dad if you need anything. Please listen for it, he ran out of gas last week and I had to save him." I could tell she is nervous, I had some how completely forgotten about her appointment. My mom wasn't the nervous type, she handled everything. I'm sitting there 9 months pregnant, feet on the table, just staring at her. She glanced at me to try to get a read. Then she continued " your aunt Lisa is taking me in, I should be home tomorrow night. When you get out of work I need you to swing by and get dinner going for your dad. Just get the stuff out of the freezer and get it going in the crockpot. It should be done when he gets home. I'll have Lisa let you know how it went and when to expect me home so you can tell your dad." I hadn't said a word, I was as content as a pig in mud. It was hot out they had air conditioning, I just worked another 10 hour shift on my feet. My toes looked like sausages, my feet were throbbing and I still couldn't remember what this procedure was for. She looked at me waiting for some kind of response. So I rubbed my baby belly and asked " remind me again what this one is for, your done with your foot surgeries right?" She laughed, and started rubbing my belly, she liked to wake him up so she could see him move around. She said " I thought for sure I told you, but this was for that spot on my lung, shop Doctor did an xray and found it". I said " no, I hadn't heard that, last I knew the doctor said it was bronchitis and gave you an inhaler". So now we are looking at each other. I said " I'm sure I would have remembered this one. Did you already tell Jared?" She said " I really thought that I told you. No I didn't tell your brother I didn't want anything to be misconstrued with Michele. You know she will make more out of it than what it is. My doctor gave me the inhaler before your dad and I went on vacation. It's been 2 months and I'm still coughing. Lisa made me go the shop Doctor and they did an xray and found a spot. The appointment tomorrow is to do a biopsy to see what it is. It's an outpatient procedure so Lisa is taking me. That way your dad doesn't have to sit up there and wait." I don't know, she seemed okay telling me. She seemed less nervous now.
By Jessica Barber4 years ago in Families
Raging bull
We all loaded up to go pick out our steers for fair. It was a big decision that couldn't be made ahead of time. There were so many things to consider. The price of grain, and price of beef fluctuate throughout the year. You always want grain to be low, and at fair time you want price of beef to be high. You have to feed them well so they finish out in time. The grade of meat they are is determined during the ultra sound at the start of the fair. It sees how much marbling is in the meat, the layer of fat on the animal, and the weight are all used to give it a grade. If you are Grade 'A ' you are more likely to at least break even if grain was high all year. Of course the goal is to come out ahead so that by the time the kids are nineteen they have money in the bank. Cierra liked to buy them smaller to save money upfront, then feed them well in hopes they would finish out good. Corbin liked to buy big, he'd feed them well and not have to worry how they finish. What counts in the end is how much they weigh, what grade of meat and what they bring at the auction per pound.
By Jessica Barber4 years ago in Fiction
Heart shaped locket
When she released the quiver we know it was a good shot, Mom is the best shot on base. As we approached the animal, it got up and ran off. We didn’t’ think we would have to track it that far. The trail led us off our lot. It is kind of an unspoken rule to hunt your own lots. We couldn’t let it go to waste, we knew it was going to die. We found it, cleaned it out and were heading back. It was already dark now, dampness was setting in. It was slow going carrying it and not knowing the area at all made it worse. There was a chill in air and we could hear an owl in the distance. Then out of no where we heard them yelling, telling us to stop. It was a group of 3-4 men from the neighboring lot. We dropped the carcass and started running. I heard two loud bangs. It had to be gunshots but I had only heard that sound once before and it was years ago. We thought they would see the carcass and just be glad they get to eat it, but they kept chasing us. Still holding my hand she slowed down to a walk. I did not realize one of the bullets hit her. She started to stagger, then fell. We had ran for so long. My lungs were burning from the cold air. If I had known I would have stopped sooner to try to fight them, probably why she didn’t’ want me to know. We have never been shot at for hunting off our lot. I didn’t think anyone had guns anymore. She was struggling to try to talk. I tried to calm her ”mom, stop don’t talk, just catch your breath”. I only had the light from the moon to try to look at her wound. “Mom, it’s bad, we need to get you back to base so we can fix this.” She pushed my hands away and touched my face. “ No, you have to go on without me” she said while gasping for a breath as the pain was setting in. We didn’t have much time. They weren’t far behind us now. As she laid there taking her last breaths she told me “the locket I gave you, it’s not just a trinket. Open it, it’ll help you find your father”. I tried to ask “Mom what are you talking about?” but she was gone. Tears running down my face, I wanted to scream and curse the sky. I could hear them getting closer I had to leave her there. I pulled some brush over her body in case I could come back to give my mother a proper burial. I started to head back to base. I had so many questions now. We never really talked much about my dad after he left. She only said that he left to try to makes things better for us. Would he even want me to find him? When she gave me the locket she told me to keep it safe. I thought she didn’t’ want me to lose it while training or hunting. I didn’t realize it was more than just a gift. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was my 15th birthday and I had just come back from a hunt. Mom and the rest of our tribe were in the dining hall. I brought in the rabbits and gave them to her. “Hey” she scolded, following me into the kitchen “you know better, you kill it you clean it”. She knew I hated skinning them. I made a face as I snatched them back from her. She grabbed a knife to help and smiled as she chased me outside with it. It was a perfect day, I loved hunting alone, it always put me in a good mood. Mom enjoyed the time alone but she was always in a good mood. She was happier than usual. As we started cleaning the rabbits, she started telling me how much I had grown. Until that moment, I thought she had forgotten it was my birthday. We never really made a big deal out them, with little money all we had to trade was what I hunted. She told me silly stories of when I was little. Dad was in a couple, she had a way of including memories of him. She said he would be proud of me. We finished up the rabbits, and were heading inside when she stopped me. She hugged me and wished me a happy birthday then placed the heart shaped locket in my hand. She told me to keep it safe. She seemed so happy to give to me. It was hers as long as I could remember. She got teary eyed as she followed me inside.
By Jessica Barber5 years ago in Fiction
