by Pamela Clare
Winona found the button that reclined Naomi’s seatback. “I think you should lie back and rest, okay?”
Naomi nodded, clearly anxious. “Thanks, Win.”
Winona smiled, doing her best not to let her fear show. “What are sisters for?”
She got into the back seat and saw Grandpa hurrying toward them. “Hang on, Chaska. Grandpa’s coming, too.”
Grandpa climbed into the back seat. “Hoka hey! Let’s roll.”
They kept the conversation light on the drive down to Scarlet, talking about the morning’s progress and how kind and helpful the volunteers had been. But Winona couldn’t shake her fears.
Naomi had been under so much stress since the fire. First, she’d believed for a few hellish hours that her husband, her grandfather, and people who had depended on her had burned to death. Then she’d had to face rebuilding the camp. That much stress would be hard for anyone, but for a woman in her third trimester…
Winona wasn’t an obstetrician, but she was medically trained and had cared for lots of pregnant animals. Stress put both mother and baby at risk, no matter the species.
“That Jason Chiago—he knows how to use a hammer,” Grandpa said. “He worked construction in college.”
Chaska met Grandpa’s gaze in his rearview mirror. “You did some construction work back in the day, didn’t you, Old Man?”
“That was a long time ago. In those days, living was hard. You had to build and repair your own house if you didn’t want to freeze to death.”
Not that life on Pine Ridge was easy now.
The charred landscape gave way to green forest as they reached the edge of town. Chaska took the shortest route to Mountain Memorial Hospital, where he parked outside the emergency entrance.
Winona opened her door, climbed out. “I’ll go get a wheelchair.”
Naomi shook her head. “I can walk.”
“I’ve got you.” Chaska carried Naomi inside and hurried over to the check-in desk. “My wife is three weeks from her due date and just collapsed. She said she was feeling dizzy and has a headache.”
“I’ll need her insurance card and a photo ID.” A young man at the check-in desk held out a clipboard with several sheets of paper on it.
Winona was about to tell the guy what to do with the clipboard when Ellie Moretti, an RN and wife of Jesse Moretti, a friend and Team member, walked out. “Bring her back. We’ll deal with the paperwork later.”
Thank God.
Chaska carried Naomi into an exam bay and set her gently down on the gurney. Winona stood off to the side so as not to get in the way.
Grandpa motioned toward the waiting area. “I’m gonna sit out here and pray.”
Naomi and Chaska explained what had happened and answered Ellie’s questions, while Ellie took Naomi’s temperature, checked the baby’s heartbeat with a fetal doppler, and hooked her up to an automatic blood pressure monitor.
“The baby’s heartbeat is strong, so that’s good news.” Ellie gave them all a reassuring smile. “Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”
Naomi shook her head. “We wanted to wait.”
But when the blood pressure monitor had to try a second time to get Naomi’s reading, Ellie’s demeanor grew more serious. “You’re at thirty-seven weeks, right?”
“Yes.”
“You said you’ve had a headache?”
“I’ve had it off and on for the past few days.”
When the monitor finally gave its result, it put a knot in Winona’s chest.
Much too high.
Ellie gave them the news. “Your blood pressure is dangerously high. I’m going to start an IV and page the on-duty OB. We’re also going to need to draw some labs. In the meantime, try to rest. We’ll take good care of you and your baby, Naomi.”
Naomi’s eyes filled with tears, her fingers twining with Chaska’s. “Thank you.”
Chaska kissed Naomi’s cheek, smiled, his voice projecting calm strength. “It will be okay, Tanagila. They’re not going to let anything happen to you or the baby.”
Tanagila was their Lakota nickname for Naomi. It meant hummingbird.
Ellie returned quickly and set up the IV, stepping back for the lab tech, who drew four vials of blood. “We’re checking your kidney and liver function and several other things, too. We should have the results soon.”
A few minutes later, a woman in a white lab coat stepped in. “I’m Dr. Peterson, the OB-GYN. You must be Naomi. And you’re the baby’s father?”
“Yes. Chaska Belcourt.” Chaska shook the doctor’s hand.
“I’m Winona Belcourt, Chaska’s sister.”
“Nice to meet you all.” Dr. Peterson glanced at the blood pressure monitor. “It looks like you’ve developed severe preeclampsia, Naomi. While we wait for the results of your blood tests, we’re going to give you IV medication to bring down your blood pressure and prevent seizures. Then it will be time to have this baby.”
Chapter 3
Jason had no idea what had just happened, but it was clear that people needed to step up to keep things moving. He helped McBride and Rossiter clear what was left of lunch off the picnic table and carry it into the Mess Hall.
They found Kat talking on the landline. “Tell Naomi not to worry about anything, Win. We can manage. Let us know how things go. If you need anything… Okay. Thanks for keeping me in the loop. Bye.”
She hung up, a worried expression on her face.
Rossiter set an armful of condiments on the counter. “What’s going on?”
“Naomi has preeclampsia. Her blood pressure is so high that it’s life-threatening to both her and the baby. The doctor wanted to induce labor, but her blood tests showed her condition was more serious. They’re doing an emergency C-section.”
“Ah, hell.” Rossiter shook his head. “Is there anything we can do?”
“Pray.”
Jason nodded. “I’ll gather everyone into a circle.”
Most of the volunteers were already back at work, their mood somber.
Jason raised his voice, shouting to be heard. “Listen up! Gather around!”
When everyone had formed a circle, Kat shared the news and then led the prayer, holding her husband’s hand. “Creator, we thank you for the gift of life and ask for strength for our sister Naomi as she gives birth to her child. Keep her and her baby safe. We also pray for our brother Chaska, her husband, that he might be strong for her. May they walk in beauty always.”
There was a moment of silence afterward.
Then Jason led the volunteers in a quick strategy session. Rossiter offered to help Kat in the kitchen. Chaska’s team needed someone with construction experience to take his place. The three teams that were shorthanded would do their best. Any team that finished quickly would divide up to help the others.
He did his best to encourage them. “I know most of us don’t know Naomi and Chaska well, but we came to help anyway because of what this camp represents. They can’t be here, so let’s put our hearts into this for their sake and get it done.”
“Aho!”
“Yeah!”
“Let’s do this!”
They went back to work with a new sense of urgency, Adam joining Jason and McBride, apparently feeling better now.
Jason pointed to the rolls of insulation with his hammer. “Let’s insulate the corners before we put on the sheathing.”
Roof rafters would come next and then the front wall, which was already framed.
They were halfway through getting the sheathing onto the cabin when Kat and Rossiter walked out of the Mess Hall, both smiling.
They came to stand in the center of the cabins. “We’ve got news from Winona. It’s a boy!”
A cheer went up.
“The baby weighed seven pounds three ounces and is healthy and doing well. Naomi isn’t out of danger yet, but she…” Kat’s words trailed off as three vehicles drove up the dirt road and parked, a small army piling out. “Oh!”
“Nice of yo
u all to show up,” Rossiter called out to them.
“Who are they?” Adam asked.
McBride grinned. “They’re friends. Remember the Rocky Mountain Search and Rescue Team I mentioned, Chiago? Chaska and Winona are both Team members. It looks like some of them have come to help. In Scarlet, folks take care of their own.”
Jason watched as they put on hard hats.
“What?” McBride shot him a look. “You seem surprised.”
“I guess I didn’t expect this kind of community off the reservation.” Jason had never gotten to know his neighbors in Phoenix.
Then again, maybe he hadn’t tried.
McBride seemed to study him, as if trying to understand this. “There are only about fifteen hundred people in Scarlet, so everyone knows everyone.”
Jason followed McBride down to meet the new arrivals, the volunteers stopping work to listen. Kat, Rossiter, and McBride hugged the newcomers or shook their hands, Kat sharing the news about the new baby.
Then an older woman turned toward the volunteers. “I’m Megs Hill, director of the Rocky Mountain Search and Rescue Team. We heard about Naomi and the baby and came to help. This is Mitch Ahearn, my quieter half. This is part of our motley crew. Sasha Dillon. Creed Herrera. Bahir Acharya. Conrad and Kenzie Harrison. Someone give us hard hats and hammers and show us what to hit.”
As it turned out, Creed and Conrad had both worked in construction. They focused on making roof rafters for the cabins, while the others were divided up and kept busy helping in the kitchen, carrying plywood sheathing, hauling lumber, fetching nails or house wrap, or doing whatever else needed to be done.
When it came time to put sheathing on the roof rafters, these Team members seemed to have an advantage, especially Sasha, the young blond woman, and Megs.
Jason took a water break, watching as the two walked like cats along the edges of the wall frames, helping settle the roof sheathing into place. “They’re all like Rossiter, aren’t they?”
McBride nodded. “Yep.”
“They’re not afraid of heights at all.”
“Nope.” McBride chuckled. “Sasha is a five-time world champion sports climber. Megs Hill is a climbing legend, one of the first women to make it in rock climbing. Mitch, her partner, was a big name in climbing in the Seventies. Conrad Harrison has climbed Mount Everest more than once and had his face all over magazines.”
Jason crossed his arms over his chest, watched Sasha jump, catch the top of a wall frame, and pull herself up with seemingly little effort. “The only climbers I’ve met are the ones who trespass on our land and want to climb at sacred O’odham sites. They don’t care about our customs or beliefs. They think they should be able to climb anywhere.”
“That’s not who these people are. Megs would kick their butts if they climbed on sacred land. Team members are dedicated, man. They save lives all the time—and they don’t charge a dime.”
“Really?” Jason was impressed, but there was work to be done. “Let’s get this cabin wrapped.”
“Isn’t he adorable?” Winona turned off the highway onto the dirt road that led up the canyon to the camp, her heart full, her emotions caught somewhere between elation about the baby and worry for Naomi.
Grandpa hadn’t stopped smiling. “He looks just like his father.”
Winona had gotten to hold the baby for a few precious moments, Chaska carefully placing the tiny bundle in her arms. “We named him Shota. It was Shota who saved Naomi’s life, after all. He brought us together.”
Winona’s eyes had blurred with tears. “That’s … perfect.”
Little Shota Belcourt had felt so tiny in her arms. She hadn’t known she’d fall instantly in love with the little guy or that the intensity of that feeling would turn her world upside down. The best part had been watching Chaska, tears in his eyes, place his newborn son in Grandpa’s arms.
Grandpa’s expression had been one of wonder. “My great-grandson.”
If only Naomi’s blood pressure would go down…
Winona had already called Naomi’s father, Doug Otter Tail, and his wife, Star Tall Grass. They were driving down from Pine Ridge today to help with Shota. Winona had gotten to see Naomi for a few minutes. She’d been resting, the baby in her arms, contentment on her face, IVs carrying life-saving medications into her veins.
The doctor had warned that delivery wouldn’t make her preeclampsia go away but was hopeful that her condition would quickly improve.
All they could do now was pray.
Grandpa’s stomach growled. “I didn’t get to eat my sandwich.”
Winona hadn’t had lunch either. “Hopefully, there will be plenty of stew left for us. If not, I’ll take you to Knockers.”
She needed to get Grandpa home and check on the animals again, but first, she wanted to see if there was anything the volunteers needed. They had been shorthanded today, but she hoped they’d made at least some progress.
As they drew closer, she saw vehicles she recognized. That was Megs and Ahearn’s Outback. The red Forester belonged to Creed. “The Team is here.”
She parked, climbed out—and stared.
The six cabins the volunteers had started on this morning all had their walls and roofs, and the volunteers had begun work rough-framing the other four.
“Look, Grandpa. Look what they’ve done. The Team came to help, too.”
Grandpa glanced around. “They’ve been busy beavers.”
That’s when people noticed Winona. Work came to a halt, volunteers and Team members alike setting down their tools and gathering around her.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Thank you. Thank you all. This is more than I imagined. I’m so grateful. This will mean so much to Naomi.”
“How is she?” Megs asked.
“She’s doing better. They’re monitoring her.”
“I hope you took photos of the baby.” That was Sasha.
“I did. I need to get my grandfather something to eat, and then I’ll show you.” She led Grandpa to a picnic table. “Sit here, Grandpa.”
“I’ll get him some stew. It should be ready now.” Kat walked over to the cookfire, stirred the stew with a large wooden spoon, and dished some into a bowl. “Are you brave enough to be the first to eat it, Grandfather?”
Grandpa chuckled. “It smells good enough to me.”
While Grandpa ate, Winona shared the photos of her nephew. “They named him Shota. Grandpa says he looks just like Chaska when he was born.”
“He’s precious.” Smiling, Kat scrolled through the photos, then handed Winona’s phone to Sasha.
“Aww!” Sasha held the phone so Megs could see over her shoulder. “Look at all that hair. He’s so tiny.”
“Uh-oh.” Megs shook her head. “He does look like his daddy. He’ll be breaking hearts before he’s in high school.”
Laughter.
Winona thanked Kat and Gabe for making the meal and helped them serve it, filling bowls and handing them to volunteers, the rich scent making her mouth water. When everyone else had been fed, Winona filled a bowl for herself and sat beside Grandpa, who was now on his second serving.
The sun had sunk behind the mountains, the camp slipping into shadows, heavy clouds threatening rain. Some of the volunteers had built a campfire in a fire pit in the middle of the ring of tents and sat around it, one of them playing a guitar. Jason, Zach, and Gabe sat together at one table, ribbing one another. Most of the Team members sat at another, laughing and talking.
Winona closed her eyes for a moment, exhaled, willing herself to relax. She had so many reasons to be grateful today. So many people had helped her and her family—volunteers, her fellow Team members, Ellie, Dr. Peterson, the hospital staff.
She sent up a prayer of gratitude to Creator.
Pilamayaye. Thank you.
She made a spirit plate, setting aside a little bit of everything she was eating as an offering. When she’d finished her meal, she set the spirit plate on the porch of the Mess H
all, cleared the tables, and went inside to help Kenzie, who was three months pregnant, wash the heavy stew pot and other dishes.
By the time they had finished, it was dark outside. Winona thanked Kenzie, Megs, and the other Team members, who promised to be back in the morning if they weren’t toned out for a rescue.
“Taylor and Hawke wanted to be here, but Taylor is on duty, and Hawke…” Megs didn’t have to finish.
Austin Taylor was a park ranger and worked most weekends. Eric Hawke, the town’s fire chief, had been badly burned on one leg during the fire and wasn’t yet back to his regular routine.
“Thanks, Megs. This means so much to us.”
Megs gave Winona a motherly pat on the arm. “I know.”
Winona spotted Jason standing with Gabe and Zach on the creek bank, and she knew what they were doing. She walked over, heard Gabe recounting the day of the fire. Even two months later, the story sent chills down her spine.
“We stood on the banks of the creek, knowing we were trapped. Then I saw it.”
Jason looked up, frowned. “I don’t see a cave.”
“That’s because it’s hidden behind that arete.” Gabe took a few steps to his left. “We didn’t see it either, not at first. Look now.”
Jason stood where Gabe was standing, then his jaw dropped. “Holy … shit. You climbed up there?”
“I climbed up, hammered a pulley into the rock, and pulled the others up.”
Jason was still looking up at the cave. “That cave is a geological accident that’s millions of years old. It’s amazing to think it’s been waiting there all this time just for that day.”
“Yeah, we got lucky.”
“That wasn’t luck, man. That was a damned miracle.”
Winona couldn’t have agreed more.
Firearm in hand, Jason moved as quickly as he could through the darkness, fresh blood on the spines of an ocotillo and the distance between footprints telling him the suspect was getting careless and running now. Jason knew where the bastard was heading. He thought he’d slip across the border and disappear. Jason wasn’t going to let that happen. The son of a bitch belonged in a prison cell.
