Wildcat Fall [NEW] Chapter 9

Dear Readers, Here is a newly rewritten chapter that integrates with the core of the original Wildcat Fall. This is the continuing saga. I would appreciate any feedback. Constructive criticism is important to me as I am rewriting this story. Thanks.
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New Chapter Nine
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Jessica kissed Mac goodbye and headed into Philly. After driving an hour in traffic, she park in a lot and followed directions until she saw the sign, Fertility Center, on the building. Jessica waved to Lisa, who was waiting out in front. “Hey, are we ready?”

After completing the identification process inside, the receptionist was extremely helpful. Thirty minutes later, the two of them were reviewing the records of John Dempsey while having coffee at Starbucks across the street.

Lisa glanced at Jessica. “Could this guy be a John Doe, you know, a fake name?”

Jessica frowned. “Not likely. We know that Jack Dempsey had to show ID, undergo a physical, then provide blood and urine samples before selling his sperm. We also know they still have more sperm samples in their freezers. So now we’ve got two jobs - finding Jack Dempsey and testing to make sure his DNA is A-OK.”

“His DNA is A-OK. You’re quite the poet with your acronyms.” Lisa was grinning.

Jessica shook her head. “Yep. Mastering acronyms is a military thing. I guess it’s pretty silly.”

Lisa frowned as she looked at the beautiful woman. “I forget you were special forces.”

Jessica smiled but looked off into the distance. “Yep. It’s part of my past. And it’s as deeply ingrained as growing up with a crazy father. Looking at the bright side, I made the best friends and found my husband in the service. And now, Mac and I are paying back by helping our soldiers deal with their post-war world.”

Lisa shook her head. “Sometimes I feel pretty selfish just playing music and shutting out the politics.”

Jessica squeezed her hand. “Well, you need to keep yourself sane. We all do what we can do. The Cats donated a lot of concert money to good charities on the tour.”

“Thanks, but we can do more.”

Jessica smiled. “I work at helping to elect people that I believe will do the right thing. But I think the twenty-four-hour news cycle explodes your brain.”

Lisa sighed. “Yeah, everything seems so complicated and desparate. And we still need to find a lab that can analyze DNA.”

Jessica nodded. “I know that answer. Your mom works with a doctor who’ll send us to the right lab.”

Lisa took out her phone and paused to read. “The answer is yes; a person’s DNA can be tested to predict whether they are a carrier for genetic defects. So Jenn, Smith, and I could also have our DNA tested. That’s great to know!”

Jessica nodded. “I wonder if we could get Jack Dempsey give a DNA sample and have more blood work done.”

Lisa smiled. “Well, we know that before we’re done, we’ll learn a lot more about Jack Dempsey.”

Lisa called her mom and the doctor called them back.

“Lisa, I’m happy to provide you with the name of a lab that specializes in DNA testing. You know they did a complete workup on Teri when we were working on her intersex diagnosis.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

Frankel reminded them that intersex is not a disorder, just a natural variation.

Lisa arranged for the sample to be picked up. She smiled at Jessica. “It was just a question of giving them my credit card and asking to expedite the procedure.”

Jessica nodded. “It’s simple. Money talks.”

Lisa pondered this, then shook her head. “Money. You know, it’s crazy not to worry about money anymore. I have it and need to share it. I’m going to write you a check and donate to your organization.”

Jessica laughed out loud. “Check? Do you even have a checkbook?”

Lisa shook her head. “A figure of speech, right? What I need to do is give you my credit card number and make a donation.”

Jessica nodded. “Great! We’ll use your money to help battered wives and families, and to help our soldiers successfully re-enter society.”

Lisa smiled. “You’ve been our guardian angel through the entire Wildcat experience.”

“I’m happy to help you deal with Jack Dempsey. You and Teri have helped me out plenty of times in the past. You both saved my life after I got shot.”

Later, when Lisa called her younger sister, she was in a good mood. “Ah, my dear lost daddy. Tell him that my birthday’s coming up, and I want a pony. I want a black and white pony, and I need a pink cowgirl outfit with white boots.”

Jessica heard her on speaker phone and laughed. She yelled out. “Don’t cry, little girl. I’m working my way through Google, Facebook, the White Pages, and Ancestry.com. I’m hoping to get a hit.”

Teri laughed. “No Bat Cave? No digital magic where you travel back in time and see my sweet papa donating his sperm. I wanted to see him walking out the door with a check in his pocket.”

As soon as she mentioned the word check, both Jessica and Lisa started laughing.

“What? What did I say?”

Lisa laughed at her younger sister. “Have you ever written a check?”

Teri thought for a minute. “No, but didn’t Mom give us checks on our birthday, or did she just put cash in an envelope?”

They were all laughing.

Teri spoke up. “Hey, Jessica. If you get any hits, can I come along? I want to see my daddy up close and see if I look like him. I promise not to talk to him, just stare a bunch.”

Lisa shook her head. “And what if your dear poppa is spending life in a state prison for murder, or he’s on the run from the FBI for embezzlement?”

Teri’s voice softened and got serious. “Oh. I never thought of him being a bad guy.”

Lisa wasn’t budging an inch from reality. “Well, he did sell his sperm for cash. I’m wondering how desperate he was. Maybe drugs were involved.”

Teri sounded serious. “I never considered any bad stuff. Or how about if Jack Dempsey has a real family and is a great dad? I’d knock on his door and tell him about us.”

Lisa laughed. “You’re so ten years old.”

Teri smiled. “Yeah. I like being a kid. There’s no harm in being Peter Pan.”

Lisa shook her head. “You’ve gotten away with that because you’re the baby in the family. Jenn’s in love with the boy who wants to run away with the circus.”

Teri shook her head. “Hey, my musical ability is all mature and grown up; it’s just my point of view that’s juvenile. And now listen to this. I don’t know if I can be the little kid anymore. Jenn wants me to be a mommy, too. How weird is that? She says there’s a way that I can take shots to nurse our baby.”

Lisa shook her head. “Picturing you as a nursing mother blows my mind.”

“Yeah, me too. It’s strange to say it all out loud. But seriously, don’t you have any curiosity about this guy? Half your DNA comes from a stranger.”

Lisa laughed. “Okay, okay. You’ll be the first to know what we find out. And, we’re giving a big donation to Jessica’s charity.”

“Yeah, that’s a great idea. I was thinking…”

Lisa smiled, “Okay, my sweet sister. What’s your idea?”

“Let’s talk to Robert and play at the Rendezvous. We could do a long weekend of fundraisers. We just have to wait until I can stand on my feet for an evening. Maybe in a couple weeks?”

Lisa smiled. “That’s a great idea. We should run it by the band, too. However, you’ll need your doctor’s approval. Without her permission, it’s a no-go. And I’ve gotta add, you always have great ideas, Pan.”

“Huh?”

“Sure, little sis. I can’t very well call you Peter Pan. I mean, that’s not fair to call you a boy’s name.”

Teri struggled to find something good to say. “Pan sounds like a character in a Shakespeare play. You know, Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“You’re thinking of Puck.”

Teri turned to her sister in awe. “You know Shakespeare?”

Lisa laughed excitedly. “Big secret here. I’ve read them all. But news flash, kiddo. A woman wrote some of his plays.”

“Huh?”

“I like reading about Shakespeare. Of course, we’d need a time machine to verify who wrote them.”

“Wow, I never knew any of that, and you’ve read them all?”

“All. Will gets credit for 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and numerous poems. Back in sixth grade, I checked out his plays, one at a time, from the library. And now, I’ve downloaded all of them to my computer.”

Teri shook her head. “I never knew you read anything. I thought your whole life was working up a sweat. Like with Smith.”

“C’mon, sis. Are you jealous?”

Teri started laughing. “Of your reading or your lovemaking? We imagine your lovemaking is as physical as everything else you do. You’re a rock babe, tough girl, athletic jock type. We pictured the two of you going at it like a mixed martial arts cage match.”

At first, Lisa stared at her sister. She was trying to work through what Teri had just said. After a minute of thinking, she grinned, smacking Teri on the arm.

Teri immediately rubbed her arm. “Ow! Hey, why’d you do that?”

Lisa went to smack Teri again, But Teri grabbed Lisa’s fist and surrounded it with her two hands. Using her extra height, she pulled that fist downwards and held it there. Then, she let it go. Getting right in her face and gritting her teeth, Teri said, “You bully. First, I’m still recovering and shouldn’t be stretching my muscles too much. Second, this is not over, big sis. Just cause you're older doesn't make you better. When the doctor releases me, I promise to take you down until you beg for mercy.” Then, Teri reached out and hugged her.

Lisa sighed. “I’m sorry. But you just tossed our whole relationship into a bucket, making us sound like we’re rutting dogs.”

Teri squeezed hard. “Well, we enjoy the fireworks that go on twenty-four seven. It’s like you’d been saving it. But now I have to tell you a secret that I haven’t shared with anyone except Jenn.”

Lisa stared at her, waiting to hear.

“Okay. All the Wildcats have urges and needs. And I kinda vicariously ride your ups and downs. Right?”

Lisa nodded.

“Well, I don’t get incredible moments. Grace thinks it’s because my body doesn’t produce any testosterone. Women have small amounts of testosterone that get their motors going.”

Lisa was shaking her head. “I heard that somewhere, but never gave it much thought. I just figured it was all the same for us.”

Teri wiped her eyes. “Not for me. I don’t have any, and it’s not being produced. It’s okay. I’m not in any pain just makes me different. But back to what I was talking about. It’s right out there, big bold capital letters, how you are head over heels over Smith. I see love with all the Wildcats.”

“Oh, my God, Teri. It’s so bad. He drives me crazy. Every time that I’m with him, well, I get so revved up, and well, I’ve never felt this before.”

Teri squeezed her again. “I love you.”

Lisa was grinning. “Thank you for sharing about your testosterone. Maybe you can take some pills or shots and try to balance all that out.”

Teri nodded. “I’ve talked with Grace about it and contacted the endocrinologist who helped to diagnose me as intersex. I hope we can discuss this, and it might make things better. But the truth is that I am so happy with Jenn and wouldn’t want anything different.”

“I can see that. I love the way you both are together. And I am sure that you make Jenn just as happy as she makes you.”

“Yeah. In the meantime, let’s get back to discussing a weekend at the Rendezvous. I want to make it special so that we fill the place every night, and people not only pay the cover but also donate money. It would be a good excuse to get the band rehearsing sooner than later.”

Lisa was nodding and listening carefully enough to encourage Teri to go on. “I’m sure Robert will donate part of the ticket price or the liquor. Do you think Zoe would be okay with that? I mean, can she play four nights straight?”

Lisa was nodding. “I know that Zoe will be excited about playing to help out moms and kids. And how cool would it be to see her showing and rocking on stage with her boomer inside?”

Teri thought for a minute. “I’m going to start working on arranging my Vampire opera so we can play those songs live. Yeah, that would be so cool to do a few at the Rendezvous.”

Lisa laughed, “Hey, Rock Star. Keep it simple and just teach us one new song at a time. And make it a dance music tune, I am sure that DJ Blank will see that it’s played everywhere.”

Teri paused. “Do you think that’s going to bother Wiggins and Warner Records?”

“Nope. He’s all about good causes, and maybe we can release it as a single and donate the sales, too.”

After talking to her sister, Teri got excited and opened up her songbook. She found the lyrics to describing when the two young lovers meet. She tried to imagine it in her head. She pictured it as a series of Haiku poetry.

Walk in the daylight
Trout swimming in a cold brook
Chasing after mayflies.

Sensing another one
No heartbeat, empty like me
Saw inside his mind

Staring at my face
He was ready to run far
Fearing he was prey

I whispered, No, don’t run.
I control my thirst.
Stay, I begged.

He stared, frozen in his tracks.
Fear on his face.
Worried I might drain his life.
And imagined I was a monster

No, stop. This girl does care
And she isn’t bad
I want to know you
I want to talk to you

His voice was soft and gentle.
I intended no harm
was just caught up in your beauty
And wanted to know your name

We’re so different from you
We only bleed animals, not human flesh.
But I can’t stop thinking about you

After rereading and rewriting the words, Teri texted it to Zoe and wrote, “It’s my opening scene in my Vampire Opera. For some reason, the first three verses are Haiku. Interested in hearing feedback. Right now, it’s too Phantom of the Opera and seems flat.”

Within minutes, Zoe had written back. “Crazy, awesome! I’m picturing playing soft, love music in the background while Gina recites the Haiku poems, like the Moody Blues did in their album Knights in White Satin. Then you and Lisa sing the song together.”