Jolene Jonas had nothing but joy in her heart when she found out that she was finally pregnant after years of trying to conceive. Her husband was also over the moon when he found out the good news, but there was a member of their family that wasn't so thrilled for the happy couple.
Their horse, Keola, became irritable when he saw Jolene's pregnant stomach and he started acting very strangely after the couple found out that they were expecting. So, they scheduled an extra appointment with their doctor to check up on the situation and when they got their, the doctor immediately knew that something was wrong.
Over the Moon with Joy
Jolene and Ricky had been together for years before they found out that they were expecting a child together. The married couple already had everything that would make a child feel welcome, including a beautiful house with a large yard where their horse Keola loved to run. But Keola wasn't so happy when he found out that Jolene was pregnant. In fact, as soon as he saw her he started acting strangely in a way that he never had before.
Their Horse Acted Strangely
Some people think that animals have an extra sense that humans don't have that allows them to see things that we can't perceive. If that was the case, maybe Keola knew something about Jolene's pregnancy that she couldn't see herself. It would explain why Keola constantly hugged Jolene during her pregnancy and even licked at her stomach when he saw her. But Jolene couldn't imagine what her horse was trying to tell her.
She Had a Pain That Wouldn't Go Away
As Jolene's pregnancy progressed, it became obvious to her that something was out of the ordinary. She started to experience sharp back pains a few months into the pregnancy that wouldn't go away no matter how much rest she got. At one point, the pain was so bad that her husband Ricky knew that he needed to drive his wife to the hospital immediately. When they arrived, the doctor decided to do an ultrasound to monitor the situation, and it was then that he discovered something that made him immediately call the police without first telling the young couple. Maybe the horse had known something about the pregnancy all along. But how did this situation begin?
A Happy Couple
Ricky and Jolene had been together since they were teenagers and the couple loved each other more with each passing year. Soon after they moved in together they got their horse Keola and the three had been a happy family for years. But there is no such thing as a perfect relationship and even this couple had their struggles. There was one thing on Jolene's mind that she considered to be a red flag about her partner and he didn't do much to calm her fears.
It Was Always On Her Mind
Jolene was an outgoing girl and a free spirit while her boyfriend Ricky was much more quiet and reserved. It wasn't these traits about his character that irked Jolene, in fact she considered their differing personalities to be the reason that they had worked out so well together for so many years. The thing that concerned her most about Ricky was what he chose not to speak about, even to his closest friends.
Ricky Had a Mysterious Past
Even though Jolene and Ricky had known each other for a large part of their lives, there were things that Ricky didn't tell to anyone, including Jolene. She always wondered about aspects of his past that he was tight-lipped about, which included where he used to live before he moved to the town where they met, but he never answered these questions. He just considered that it was something that was in the past and it didn't really matter anymore. But why was it so difficult for him to talk about?
He Didn't Want to Bring it Up
Jolene even tried to bring up questions about his family on multiple occasions and Ricky maintained his silence then, too. He claimed that his family was out of his life for good, so she shouldn't waste time worrying about them because he certainly didn't waste any time doing so. He just wanted to forget about those things and he couldn't imagine why Jolene would constantly bring it up.
She Accepted His Silence
For the most part, Jolene accepted that her significant other didn't want to bring up his past and she respected his decision. After all, it was just about the only thing that she felt strange about in their entire relationship. Ricky was a prince in Jolene's eyes and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, or so she thought in that moment...
They Tied the Knot
Ricky and Jolene had been together for about a decade when they finally decided to get married. Jolene looked forward to the day they would be wed the entire time that they were engaged, mostly because she was so happy to imagine spending the rest of her life with her soulmate. But in the back of her mind, she couldn't help wondering if some of Ricky's mysterious family members might make a surprise appearance at their wedding ceremony.
His Family Was Nowhere to Be Seen
Jolene wasn't exactly surprised not to see any of Ricky's extended family at the ceremony, but she was a little disappointed that she still didn't know them. Ricky's friends all came to support them, but she still had no answers about what her husband's life was like before they had met so many years before.
Their Life Together Was a Dream
Jolene's disappointment didn't last long, as soon after their wedding, their small family was already thriving. They worked on fixing up the home that they owned together and focusing on their jobs to save some money for the future. Jolene didn't even have time to think about Ricky's past anymore because their present together was working out so well. Soon they decided that it would be the right time to let their little family grow, but it didn't go as expected.
She Struggled to Get Pregnant
Ricky and Jolene thought that because they were young they would be able to conceive a child without much thought. But this would turn out not to be the case because after months of trying, Jolene was not able to get pregnant. They then started to worry about their health and decided to see a doctor soon to determine if they were able to conceive a child on their own, or if they would need some extra help.
Getting a Check-Up
Jolene and Ricky both got checked up at the doctor's office to determine if there was a medical problem with either of them that would hinder their ability to have a child. The doctor did tests on both of them and then the couple anxiously awaited their results. They agonized over the possible problems that may be hindering their situation until the doctor called them a few days later. He told them that they should come into the office for their results, which made them both extremely anxious.
He Had Their Results
Once the couple got to the doctor's office, they started to calm down a bit. The doctor then lead them to his office where he told them that there was absolutely nothing medically wrong with either of them that should stop them from having a child and they were both completely healthy. That made the couple happy because there was still the possibility of a baby in their future, but they had no idea how long they'd have to wait before they could welcome them.
Their Gift Came Sooner Than Expected
After their minds were eased, Ricky and Jolene were stunned to find out just a week later that Jolene was expecting! The couple couldn't be happier knowing that they could finally start the next chapter of their lives. They couldn't wait to tell everyone that they knew, who would no doubt be overjoyed to hear the good news. That is, all but one, who didn't seem excited for the couple.
Their Horse Didn't Seem to Understand
As soon as Jolene started showing, their horse Keola started to act strangely. He would lick her stomach and stay very close to her when they were outside together, which started to worry Jolene. At times, she was even worried that her horse didn't understand the situation and thought that Keola might accidentally hurt her if she got too close.
He Tried to Hug Her
When Jolene let Keola get close, the horse even tried to hug her by putting his hooves around her body. Jolene had known Keola for years and this was something he had never done before, so it took her by surprise. Was there something wrong with the horse and was he trying to tell her that he needed assistance? Whatever was going on weirded out the couple, so they called in someone to give them a second opinion.
The Vet Came Over For a Check-Up
They called their usual veterinarian to check up on Keola because his behavior was absolutely out of the norm for him. He had never been so clingy with his owners before, so maybe there was something wrong with his health. The vet did a full body check up and didn't find anything wrong with the horse, which was good news for Keola, but Jolene still wanted answers.
She Wanted More Answers
Jolene was sure that Keola was acting strangely, and in the following days his behavior only got worse. He was extremely clingy with Jolene and kept putting his hooves on her even when she tried to force him away. So she turned to Google for more answers and the stories that she found about horses who displayed similar behavior to Keola shocked her. She almost started to cry as she read them, but she managed to keep her composure.
She Didn't Know Where to Turn
The stories she saw described horses who sensed that something was wrong with the expectant mother's baby before they knew the truth. This made Jolene's mind start to race. She didn't want to tell her husband Ricky and worry him, but she knew that she had to talk to someone about the information that she had just seen, so she decided to go to the only other person on Earth whose judgement she trusted more than her own husband's.
She Turned to Her Mother
She invited her mother over for the day without telling her why she had called. Jolene's mother was worried about her daughter, but she didn't expect why her daughter invited her over for lunch. Jolene knew that her mother was always level-headed in tough situations, so she could expect an honest and wise reaction from her. And of course, her mother delivered on that promise.
Mother Knows Best
After telling her mom about her horse's behavior and the similar stories that she had read on the internet, her mom gently told her that she couldn't believe everything that she read online. She advised her daughter to talk to her husband about the situation and maybe mention her worries to her doctor. Jolene knew that her mom was right, so she decided to do just that.
A Regular Appointment
Jolene already had another doctor's appointment lined up, so she planned on telling her doctor her concerns then. She was at the 18-week mark of her pregnancy and everything was going as expected, but every doctor's appointment brought its own stress. During this appointment, Jolene worried more than usual about her baby's health and anxiously awaited her test results.
There's Nothing to Worry About
A few hours after she left the doctor's office, Jolene got a call from her doctor. Her tests and ultrasound looked fine, so they scheduled Jolene for her 25-week appointment to do another check up. This made Jolene feel secure, but she couldn't help but continue to worry. Maybe Keola was just worried about no longer being the sole object of Jolene's affection once the baby came around, but she still worried that this wasn't the case.
A New Worry
By the time Jolene had reached the 23rd week of her pregnancy, she had new symptoms to worry about. She started to experience severe back pain whenever she walked and it started to worsen quickly. At one point she even thought that she may be going into labor, and it was then that she begged her husband to take her to the hospital right away. Ricky didn't think twice about it and got his wife into the car so they could figure out what was going on.
Stuck in Traffic
Unbeknownst to the couple, they departed their house during rush hour so as soon as they started in on their route to the hospital they got stuck in traffic. Jolene was still in severe pain, but the car was in stand still traffic. Ricky knew that he had to do something to get his wife some help, but only one idea came into his mind. It wouldn't be easy, but he would get his wife to the hospital any way possible.
He Called an Ambulance
Ricky's genius idea was to call an ambulance that could bypass traffic and get the couple directly to the hospital. Sure enough, his plan worked and within minutes the vehicle arrived and Jolene and her husband got inside. The ambulance zoomed past the traffic and the couple now only had one thing to worry about on their minds.
They Did a Routine Ultrasound
The doctor immediately got Jolene ready for an ultrasound when she got to the hospital. She was growing used to this routine, but this time would be different. The doctor looked at the monitor as he examined her, and suddenly the expression on his face changed. He looked confused and then upset as he told Jolene in a voice just above a whisper, "I have to call the police."
Jolene Was in Panic Mode
Jolene's instant reaction at what the doctor had just said was shock. Why didn't he explain to her what was going on? Ricky, who was in the room with them, instantly grew angry. As the doctor left the room to make his phone call the couple looked at each other with bewildered expressions. Jolene was terrified, but her husband was too upset to console her. When would they get some answers?
The Police Arrived
Just a few minutes after the doctor left the room, a police officer walked in to take his place. This was extremely out of the ordinary for a medical checkup and the couple was visibly scared. The police officer gestured to Ricky and told him to follow him. The officer simply said, "Sir, I have some questions for you about your wife." Ricky wasn't even sure that he would be able to answer what they asked, but he followed along anyway.
The Interrogation Begun
The line of questioning started out very simply. The officer asked Ricky who he and his wife were and where they lived. Ricky knew all of the answers to these questions, but he had no idea why they were being asked. Suddenly, the questions shifted in tone and Ricky wondered just why the police were called into the doctor's office in the first place.
The Questions Continued
As the police continued to question Ricky, he got more and more worried about his dear wife. The police got more personal with the line of questioning, soon asking about the nature of Ricky and Jolene's relationship and then asking about Jolene's pregnancy. Surely this couldn't be relevant information, but Ricky continued to answer their questions. But why would they need this information?
A Sudden Outburst
As the minutes passed without any more information about Jolene's situation, Ricky grew increasingly angry. With every new question he found himself getting more upset with the police officer in front of him until he just couldn't take it anymore. In a fit of anger that he would soon grow to regret, Ricky shouted, "Go ahead and do your job, but leave me alone!" He immediately knew that what he did was wrong, but he couldn't take it back now...
Ricky Was Taken to the Police Station
The police didn't appreciate Ricky's outburst, so they decided that it would be safer for everyone involved to take him to the police station to continue questioning. Ricky hated that this meant that he would be far from his wife, who needed him at this difficult moment. Jolene had no idea where Ricky was, but she would soon get some answers for herself.
She Was in a State of Panic
Ricky was told by the police that he would get more answers at the station, but he was not allowed to say goodbye to his wife at this time. As Jolene sat in her hospital bed, she caught a glance of Ricky being escorted out of the building by the police from her window. She grew more afraid with every second, but then her doctor came into her room with some answers.
She Had to Go In For Surgery
The doctor simply told Jolene that she needed to have surgery. Due to the police's orders, he couldn't tell her why this surgery was necessary, but he could tell her that the health of the baby depended on it. Jolene was stunned at this information. How could she know whether this was the right course of action if she didn't have more information? But just then, the doctor offered her a choice.
There Was No Question
The doctor gave Jolene a choice of whether or not she wanted to have the surgery. She could decline, but she was already told that the surgery was in the best interest of the baby, so she didn't have to think twice. She knew without even consulting her husband that she wanted to have the surgery if their baby was at risk in any way whatsoever. So she waited for the doctor to take her in to the operating room.
Ricky's Interrogation Continued
While Jolene was being wheeled into the surgery room, Ricky was at the police station. The officers there had taken him into the interrogation room where he felt the dim lights on his face as he answered their increasingly strange questions. He still had no idea what was going on, but he knew that he had to continue to cooperate.
His Frustration Grew
Ricky couldn't help but think about the situation that he was currently in. What started out as a medical check up had turned into something that he couldn't have imagined in his wildest dreams. Was he the suspect in this situation, or an innocent bystander? He couldn't even imagine what the police wanted with him until they finally started to explain themselves.
A Lineup Appeared
On the other side of the window in the interrogation room, a lineup started to form. Ricky recognized what was happening from television and movies, but he couldn't believe that he was seeing a line of suspects with his own eyes. As the line formed, the police officers asked Ricky if he recognized any of the men lined up in front of him. And sure enough, Ricky was shocked to find that he did recognize one of them, but how did they get into this situation?
It Was His Doctor!
Sure enough, Ricky recognized one of the men to be his doctor, who he had visited for years. Jolene had even gone to see him too. When Ricky told the police what he knew, they seemed to soften in a way. They soon gave Ricky more context about the situation and why the doctor was on the other side of the glass.
An Illegal Medical Chip
The police let Ricky in on the fact that Jolene's doctor found an illegal medical chip in her body during her ultrasound, which is why he called the police in the first place. The chip was meant to regulate medicines, but it wasn't legally on the market yet. The doctor had put the chip in Jolene's medication, which were in Ricky's name. Ricky was relieved to finally know the truth, but his ordeal wasn't over yet. He had to get back to the hospital to check on his wife.
Back to the Hospital
Thankfully, Ricky didn't have to worry about driving in the situation because the police were able to give him a ride back to the hospital. All that Ricky could think about was his wife and the health of his baby. But when Ricky arrived back at the hospital, he couldn't find his wife in the room where he left her, so he frantically ran to the front desk to locate her.
Where is She?
While he was running to the front desk, Ricky caught sight of Jolene's doctor so he ran directly towards him. By this time, Ricky was panicking and the doctor could tell that he was nervous, so he politely asked him to calm down in front of the other people in the waiting room. Ricky had already been through the wringer that day, so it was hard for him to contain his anger in that moment. But once he told the doctor what he wanted, he was lead directly to his wife.
Following the Doctor's Orders
The doctor filled Ricky in on the details of the situation. He already knew about the microchip in his wife's body, but he was most concerned about the health of their baby. His wife was still in surgery, so it would be a moment before they had any conclusive answers, but the doctor was optimistic about their situation. The doctor then asked Ricky to follow him down the hall.
They Would Both Be Okay
Ricky followed the doctor to what happened to be the operation room. They got there as soon as the surgeon was coming out, and he immediately pulled the doctor aside to fill him in on the details of the surgery. Ricky waited to hear the information directly from his doctor, who luckily had a smile on his face when he turned back to Ricky.
They Could Return Home Safely
Jolene and their baby were both safe after the surgery, which had gone exactly as expected. The chip was removed and Jolene could continue her pregnancy at home without any worries to the baby's health. The chip was determined as the cause of Jolene's back pain, so she should be pain free for the weeks that followed.
Their Baby Was Healthy
When Jolene's pregnancy had progressed to the 40 week point, she gave birth to a beautiful, healthy girl named Julia. The negative experience didn't weigh on their mind and when they returned home their horse Keola was happy to see them all and didn't do anything strange. Jolene and Ricky knew for sure then that they would never question their horse's behavior again.
The events of this story are entirely fictional and are products of the author’s imagination. Images included are meant for illustration purposes only. Any resemblance to actual events, places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.