Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am

The next morning Ferin was the first one up. She fed her horses, went for a quick run then came back to Castle Bam and showered. Now she was sitting out on the deck in the morning sunshine drinking some orange juice staring at the barn at the far end of Bam's property.

She was having a hard time comprehending the fact that Bam had done that for her. They'd only been dating for about a month. What happens if they were to break up? She really hadn't thought that one through.

"Sweetie what are you doing up so early?"

Ferin swung her head around to see April standing in the doorway of the sliding glass doors in her housecoat.

"I went for a run." Ferin smiled at Bam's mom softly.

Ape smiled and stepped out onto the deck, breathing in the fresh air. She walked towards the railing and frowned when she looked down.

"I know," Ferin read Ape's expression. "Bam hired them to clean the pool, all they did was drink."

"I swear I'm going to kill that kid." Ape turned around and headed back for the house. "Do you want some breakfast?"

"Sure." Ferin smiled. She was slowly learning that cooking was kind of like a comfort thing for Ape. She loved looking after everyone, and that's what made her a truly beautiful person.

Ferin followed Ape downstairs into the pirate bar and sat down at the island while Ape went about her business.

"Do you have to work today, Ape?" Ferin asked as she crossed one leg over the other.

She shook her head and pulled out a couple frying pans. "No I don't. But I should get this house cleaned up." She broke some eggs into one pan and placed some bacon in the other before beginning to mix up some pancake batter.

"Here." Ferin jumped down off her stool. "I'll mix that and you can watch the eggs and bacon."

"Thanks." Ape handed over the bowl. "What are you doing today?"

Ferin whisked the batter quickly. "I should go looking for a job. Then I was thinking you and I should go for a ride."

Ape grinned as she scrambled the eggs with her flipper. "That would be fun."

"What would be fun?"

Both girls looked up to see Phil and DiCo coming towards them.

"What would be fun?" DiCo asked again as he came over to inspect what they were making.

"Get out of here." Ape pushed him away and he actually listened, moving around the island and perching on one of the stools.

"Going riding."

DiCo began laughing and glanced at Phil. "Depends on what you're riding."

Ferin rolled her eyes. "Horses smart ass."

By the time Ape and Ferin had breakfast ready, nearly everyone in the house was up.

"Yo, Ape, you gotta hurry, these guys have to get back on their plane in a couple hours."

Ferin glanced up at Bam as he made his way towards them with the boys from The 69 Eyes not far behind him.

"Well come eat then." April pointed to the plates and the guys jumped right in line.

Ferin grabbed the orange juice out of the fridge and began filling everyone's glasses for them.

"What time did you get up this morning?" Tash asked as she handed her glass to Ferin.

"Early, I fed the horses and went for a run."

"Wow." Melissa smiled. "You have much more self disipline than me."

"Are you coming with us?" Bam interrupted their conversation.

"Where?" Ferin assumed he was talking to her.

"To the airport."

She thought about it for a moment before she shook her head. "No, I think I'm gonna head into town and see if I can't find a job."

Bam frowned. "Why the hell do you need a job?"

Now it was her turn to frown. "Because I'm not bumming off you," she stated matter of factly.

"You're not bumming off me. But your loss." He grabbed his plate and headed up the stairs.

"He can be such an ass," Melissa laughed.

Ferin agreed. But that was Bam. He came off as cold, but it wasn't meant to be that way.

After breakfast the girls helped Ape load the dishwasher. Tash, Johnny headed to their new house with Dunn and Melissa in tow.

Ferin thanked Jyrki for coming to play for her before DiCo, Bam and Raab took them back to the airport in Philadelphia.

"Where did everyone go?" Rake asked as he finally came down stairs. Ape fixed him a plate and handed it to him.

Phil filled him in while Ferin headed up stairs to get dressed. She pulled on a white racerback top and a pair of blue jeans. She fixed her hair, threw on some make-up then stole one of Bam's belt's before heading back downstairs.

"I'm gonna head into town and see if anyone is lookin for a massage therapist."

"Ferin." Ape dried off her hands and leaned against the counter. "What if, you offered massage therapy out of Salon Nochea?"

She thought about it for a moment. It could work. Plus she'd get to work with Ape and Melissa.

"Would everyone go for that though?"

Ape nodded. "I'm sure they would, I'll talk with them tomorrow."

Ferin smiled in response. "Thanks, Ape."

"You're welcome."

Now she had nothing to do. She should have went with Bam. No. She re-thought that. She didn't wanna be in the vehicle with all those guys.

"Do you need help cleaning the house?" Ferin offered her services but Ape declined them.

Phil went outside to mow the lawn and Rake went to work.

Ferin took one glance and pool and decided she'd do that first. Soon she was on the phone with a company that would come to clean the pool as soon as possible.

"Hey?"

"Down here!" Ferin yelled up the stairs. She recognized Glomb's voice, but not the other voice.

"Where'd everyone go?" Glomb asked her when he came into view. Sweetheart was behind him.

"Morning boys." She smiled before filling them in on everyone's whereabouts.

"Oh." Glomb nodded before laughing. "Actually that's good, maybe I can get that fence built before they get back."

Ferin followed them down towards the barn. Bam had marked off where he wanted the fence to go with Ape's flour, and sugar.

A few more guys showed up with a post pounder and soon they were hard at work. Ferin headed into the barn.

"Hey boys." She greeted her horses for the second time that morning. The nickered softly and watched her as she moved past their stalls into the room Glomb had built her for tack. She grabbed one saddle and bridle before returning into the main area. JD turned around in his stall but Cowboy watched her intently.

"Wanna go for a ride boy?" she asked him before opening his stall door and closing it behind her. She tacked him up and carefully lead him out.

He snorted in disgust but followed her anyway. His hooves clicking against the wooden floor.

She lead him outside into the sunlight and his ears perked up as he took in his surroundings.

"Why couldn't Bam have just used barbed wire?" Glomb muttered as he moved past her carrying boards.

"Because barebed wire is alright for cattle." Ferin slipped her foot into the stirrup on the left hand side and hoisted herself up. "Horses skin isn't thick enough."

She could see Glomb roll his eyes and she laughed softly as she stood up in the stirrups, centering the saddle. Cowboy shifted underneath her but stood still as she sat down. She urged him on with her legs and he began walking.

She walked him past the boys before squeezing her legs slightly and shifting her weight forward causing him to pick up his pace. He loped nicely towards the house. Ferin noticed Ape, who was cleaning the silding glass doors, come out onto the deck.

"He's so pretty!" Ape yelled down at her.

Ferin nodded. Cowboy's white and brown coat shone in the sunlight. "You still wanna go for a ride Ape? I can have JD ready in a few minutes."

"Of course," Ape beamed, "but I haven't ridden since Bam brought that horse here for my birthday."

Ferin laughed softly. She'd seen that episode. "That's alright, Ape. He's gentle."

Ape headed back inside to change and Ferin rode back down to the barn.

"Hey, Sweetheart."

Seth glanced at her and smiled. "Yeah?"

"Wanna do me a favor?"

"Sure." He stood up straight and walked towards her.

"Wanna watch him?" she asked as she slipped both feet out of her stirrups and slid down the right side.

Seth looked puzzled. "Watch him?"

Ferin dropped the reins to the ground and smiled. "Yeah, watch him," she repeated.

"What if he runs away?"

Ferin laughed and headed towards the front of the barn. "He's ground tied, meaning he was taught to stand still when he's left. But should he decide to go anywhere, just grab the reins."

She disappeared into barn and tacked up JD then lead him outside. Cowboy was in realatively the same spot, Seth was petting his neck.

"Have you ever rode before?" Ferin asked him as she lead JD towards Cowboy.

Seth shook his head. "No."

"Do you want to?"

He shook his head again. "Not really. Maybe one day."

"Alright." She smiled as she mounted Cowboy again and held onto JD's reins. "Tf you ever want to just let me know."

He nodded and she urged Cowboy back up to the house. When she got by the pool Ape was ready to go.

Her face dropped as they approached. "I've never ridden western before."

"It's easy, Ape."

Ferin dismounted and moved over to JD. She held her hands together and gave Ape a boost up into the saddle. JD shifted slightly and Ape patted his neck.

"I'm just going to make these a little shorter for you." Ferin adjusted Ape's stirrups and soon she was ready to go.

"They're barrel racing horses," Ferin informed her. "So they're neck reined and leg reined."

Ape took JD in a few circles to get a feel for him. Ferin waited while she got comfortable.

"He'll look after you," she promised Ape. "Do you wanna go now?"

Ape nodded and the headed down the snake run driveway to the front gate. They left Bam's land and stayed in the ditches. Ferin didn't know how long they were gone but it must have been a long time. By the time they were on their way back to the house, Bam, Raab, and DiCo had pulled up beside them on the road.

"Don't do anything stupid," Ferin warned DiCo as he reached out the passenger window to pet Cowboy on the cheek.

"Hey Ape!" Bam yelled at her through the window. "Can we get you one?"

"I don't need one Bam."

Bam glanced at DiCo and grinned devilishly. "Maybe I need one."

Ferin was shaking her head. "Bam, you can't remember to feed the cats, how long would it be before you remembered to feed the horse?"

Bam laughed. "That's true, I'll just use yours then."

Ferin's eyes widened but before she could reply, Bam drove off, but not before honking the horn just to be an ass.