by Minkman, Jen
“No, I just want to stay in,” she said listlessly. “Play a bit of guitar.”
“Sure thing.” He gave her a hesitant smile. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I just…” Should she tell Ben about those weird guys in the village square? It would just freak him out. “I didn’t sleep too well.”
“Okay.” He shrugged. “Is that why you slept in?”
“Yeah.” It was as good an explanation as any.
“By the way, me and Josh are going on a hike to Rainbow Bridge after the weekend. Nick is tagging along. He’s going to make sure he keeps Wednesday, Thursday and Friday free in his schedule so he can come with us to the rez.”
“That… that long?” Her heart sank. That meant she’d all by herself in the cabin for days.
Ben cocked his head and put a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, no worries. I bet Emily can stay with you for a few days if you still feel uneasy. You know, after your run-in with those creeps.”
Hannah looked up at Ben, touched by the fact that he knew something was bothering her. He just didn’t know the whole story.
“Yeah, I might do that.” This whole unreasonable anxiety thing was utterly frustrating. Normally speaking, she loved some alone time. Stupid aura-less woodchoppers.
Once Ben had left the cabin with a beach bag slung over his shoulder, Hannah went into Ben’s bedroom to get his laptop. She wasn’t planning on playing the guitar at all. Ben probably wouldn’t approve of her using his horribly expensive roaming internet USB modem – or understand why she wanted to do a Google search for ‘people without auras’ – so she’d decided to not even ask.
She opened the laptop and waited for Windows to start up and the internet to connect. Then, she Googled the topic and browsed through the meager list of search results. No real hits except a website maintained by an aura reader who claimed that people without an electromagnetic field had crossed over to the other side – or were about to pass away.
Hannah shivered. Maybe Amber had made a mistake after all. Perhaps she hadn’t been receptive to the men’s auras. There was simply no other explanation. Unless they really were dead.
After putting Ben’s laptop back on his night table, Hannah settled herself against the porch railing and tried to concentrate on her book. When Nick parked his Jeep next to the cabin at three o’clock on the dot, she’d managed to forget about the events of this morning, if only for the time being.
Nick walked up the porch steps. “Hey Han, look at what I brought!” He held up a notebook. “So I can scribble down some notes this afternoon.”
“Whoa, someone’s going to be a busy-bee.”
“Yeah, or a brainiac, more like.” After putting the notebook down on the table, Nick pulled two packs of ground coffee from his bag. “And I bought this. Does coffee make a good gift?”
Hannah nodded. As she poured Nick a glass of soda, he rambled on. “You know, it’s really awesome I met you in Page. Without you and your friends, I’d be stuck at a dead end with this whole dissertation thing. But now I’m feeling so inspired. Josh told me so many things about Diné history and traditions. It’s downright freaky he knows that much. I mean, does he ever sleep?” He opened his notebook. “I love the Diné way of life. That principle of always being in balance with the forces of nature and supernatural powers? It’s fantastic.”
Hannah smiled. “Yeah, they call it hózhó. It means beauty, harmony and balance all in one.”
Suddenly, Nick looked past her at the road. “Look, there’s a dog standing there.” He frowned. “Actually, it looks more like a wolf or something.”
Hannah turned around and blinked in surprise. Was that a coyote standing by the side of the road? It couldn’t be. Of course, they were native to Arizona, but they rarely ventured out to populated areas. The animal stood among the shrubs across the road – immobile, menacing, fixing her with a predatory stare.
Her heart skipped a beat when two other coyote-like dogs emerged from the bushes and lined up on either side of the first one. The animals remained still, keeping the same posture while watching her. Six yellow-brown eyes observed her with unsettling intensity.
Uncertainly, Hannah took a step back, the hairs on her neck prickling. Three guys. Three men. And now, three dogs. What the hell was going on? If Nick hadn’t been here, she’d have thought she was imagining things, but the animals really were there, across the road, pinning her with their stares.
“Hannah? You okay?” Nick gave her a worried look, shaking her by the shoulder. Only now, she realized there must be sheer panic in her wide-open eyes. “Are you afraid of dogs?”
She blinked rapidly. “No,” she managed to choke out. “I just…”
Before she could say anything else, the nearby grumble of a car engine grew into a roar. A large pick-up truck appeared around the corner, trundling past the cabin in clouds of dust. When Hannah looked at the bushes on the other side of the road again, the three coyotes had vanished.
She shook her head. “I just don’t like coyotes very much,” she finished feebly.
“Well, they’re gone now. Shall I get you a drink?”
Hannah nodded listlessly, following Nick inside to get some water. She rubbed her forehead and breathed deeply in and out. Okay, so it was sort of weird that she’d seen three coyotes near the cabin, but she shouldn’t link up events that had nothing to do with each other. She had to stop riling herself up like this.
When Ben and the neighbors all returned from the beach, she’d managed to calm down again. Eager to make a good impression on the rez, Hannah went to her bedroom and changed into a new pair of jeans and a black halter top. Rummaging around in her beauty case to find a nice piece of jewelry, she pulled out a necklace with turquoise beads. She remembered making it by hand, together with Josh, sitting in his aunt’s hoghan on a rainy day when he’d been nine years old. She’d always kept the necklace because she loved the color so much. Thinking back to that afternoon, she wondered if Josh still remembered they’d made this necklace together.
When she stepped outside, Amber was already in the back seat of Nick’s jeep with her sack of flour and a six-pack of soda cans in her lap.
“Hey.” Hannah plunked down next to Amber. “How was the beach?”
“Fantastic. How are you? Were you able to unwind a bit?”
“Yeah, sure.” She didn’t feel like mentioning the coyote-dogs-whatever that had shown up at the log cabin.
Ben and Ivy got in, Nick started the Jeep and it didn’t take them long to get to Lakeshore Drive, driving in the direction of Page. “Where to next?” Nick inquired once they’d passed the Page welcome sign.
“Keep going south.” Ben pointed at a few road signs. “If you follow Navajo Route 20 you’ll end up in Naabi’aani.”
They passed the intersection at Big Lake Trading Post were Nick stopped to get some gas. Everyone in the Jeep was in good spirits. Nick switched on the radio and tuned in to a Native American-sounding channel with panpipe music, so Hannah thought up a song to teach the newcomers some important Navajo words. By the time the first hoghans of Naabi’aani came into view, Nick and the neighbor girls knew that ahe'hee meant ‘thank you’, ya'at'eeh was ‘welcome’ and ayor anosh'ni ‘I love you’.
“Park it here.” Hannah indicated a free spot at the side of the road. They’d walk the last bit to Emily’s parents’ house because the road was blocked by a multitude of cars and RVs further up ahead.
Once everyone had gotten out, Hannah and Ben led the way toward the Begay family hoghan, elbowing their way through the crowd on the village square.
“What’s that smell?” Nick sniffed, looking around. “Makes me hungry.”
“Traditional frybread,” Hannah replied. “And it’s a traditional calorie bomb, too.”
Nick grinned. “No problem. I have a lightning-speed metabolism. I never gain weight.”
“I hate you,” Hannah sing-songed.
“Honey, I love you too. Or should I say: ayor anosh'ni?”
&
nbsp; Hannah let Ben, Nick and the girls go ahead of her as the crowd closed in around them. She trailed behind Nick, making her way through the mass of people, passing a family with three small children clinging to their mother’s bright red skirt, begging their father for candy. Hannah gave them a friendly smile when she passed by. The kids on the reservation always reminded her of cheerful, tiny Inuit – the same slanty eyes, the same tanned skin and the same thick, black hair. Sometimes their entire appearance changed when they got older, Josh being a case in point. Come to think of it, where could he be? Hannah looked around and tried to spot him among the people in the crowd.
Her heart started to hammer in her chest when she saw him on the other side of the field used to host the dance festivities.
He wasn’t alone. He was standing next to a drop-dead gorgeous woman with long, black hair – a broad smile on his lips and his hand tightly holding hers.
8.
Ouch.
She never knew she could be this jealous. Hannah desperately tried to calm herself. Josh was allowed to stand hand in hand with a girl. It didn’t have to mean anything. Right?
In the meantime, Josh had spotted her too. He started to cross the makeshift dance floor, still holding the girl’s hand. Hannah’s jaw clenched as she tried to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Josh stopped in front of her and looked down with a broad smile. “Welcome! Ya'at'eeh. You just got here?”
“Yeah.” She made a halfhearted attempt at smiling back. “We were on our way to Emily.”
He nodded, his eyes scanning her face curiously. “You all right? You look a bit pale.”
Oh, she couldn’t be better. Suffering from nightmares, chased by aura-less lumberjacks, and stalked by coyotes. And meanwhile, he’d managed to hook up with Miss Navajo Nation.
“Of course I’m all right,” she snapped irritably. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Josh almost imperceptibly raised an eyebrow. “Never mind. By the way, have you met my cousin yet?”
His cousin? She blinked owlishly. “No, uhm, I don’t think so.”
“This is Linibah.” Josh pointed at the pretty girl next to him. “She’s visiting from Chinle with her husband and kids.”
Hannah smiled widely, hoping the relief wasn’t too apparent on her face. “Oh! it’s very nice to meet you.” She shook hands with Josh’s cousin. “I’m Hannah.”
Ben appeared next to her. “Are you coming or what?” he asked. “Or do you want to drag that sack of flour around all day long?”
Both guys snickered, and Hannah sheepishly joined in.
Josh smiled at her. “Blue Bird flour? That’s very thoughtful of you.” His eyes drifted to the turquoise necklace she was wearing, and his smile intensified. He didn’t say anything about it, just gave her a happily surprised look. “So, let’s go and say hi to Hosteen’s family. Emily’s already inside.”
He led the way toward an octagonal hoghan. When their group entered, the father, mother and two sons of the Hosteen household stood up from the buck skin on the floor they’d been sitting on.
Hannah blinked her eyes when they suddenly bowed in reverence for Josh, who emerged from behind Hannah and started to speak to his clansmen. Everyone else in their group fell silent.
Now Hannah finally understood what Emily had tried to explain to her about the people of Naabi’aani – Josh’s tribesmen were in inexplicable awe of the seventeen-year-old guy she’d known all her life. He was the focus of everyone’s attention, and it felt natural. She could see the respect and admiration in their eyes when he talked to them in Diné Bizaad, their own language.
When Josh was done speaking, Ben came forward with his container of pasta. Hannah shuffled after him to shake hands with the Hosteen family.
One by one, the presents were handed over. Afterwards Josh led them out of the hoghan to sit down in the grass on the left side of the house. People were sitting around cross-legged, chatting and eating the food that the Hosteens had prepared for the occasion.
“Don’t you want anything to eat?” Hannah asked Josh, when he plonked down next to her only holding a can of Coke.
“No, I’m doing the opening ceremony for the rodeo. I’d rather do that on an empty stomach.”
“Oh? What kind of performance?”
“Singing. And hand drumming.”
“So you’re going to sing a traditional song?”
Josh nodded. “I’m one of the two hataalii of Naabi’aani. Sani is the oldest medicine man of the village, and I am the youngest.”
Hannah gaped at him. Emily had mentioned Josh being close to Sani, but she’d left out that he was a medicine man himself. “Where on earth do you get the time to become so good at everything you do?”
He looked back at her. “Well, time...” he started out, his voice trailing off. “Let’s just say I’m a quick study.”
A woman walking around with bowls of corn porridge on a tray tapped his shoulder. Josh declined, but nudged Hannah. “Sha’di? You want another bowl?”
Hannah gulped down a sudden lump, looking at Josh tongue-tied. Okay, that was clear. Crystal. Not shilah to address her as a female friend. He’d just called her sha’di, like before. His big sister. So nothing had changed after all. She swallowed back sudden tears.
Still in a daze, Hannah turned around when she heard Josh’s mother call out to them from a distance. She was walking toward them, addressing her son. “Shiyáázh?”
Josh turned around and smiled up at her. “Hey, shimá. Is it time already?”
“Yes, they expect you in the tent.”
“Good luck,” Hannah mumbled as he got up and disappeared in the crowd to prepare for his ceremony. It was actually a relief he was gone. That way, she was able to catch her breath and try to convince herself it was no big deal that he didn’t like her like that.
Nick sat down next to her. “Man, I love this place! The people here are so different than what I’m used to. They’re so friendly and unassuming.” He put away his notebook and pulled a camera from his bag. “I’m planning on filming Josh’s performance. You think he’ll mind?”
“No, he won’t,” she replied flatly.
Absently, Hannah looked around, suddenly spotting a tall, lanky Navajo guy waving at her. He started walking toward the group of visitors from St. Mary’s Port. Confused, she poked Emily.
“You know who that is?” she hissed.
Emily looked up and followed her gaze. “That’s Yazzie! Don’t you recognize him?”
Hannah batted her eyelids in astonishment. Yazzie had always been a short and chubby guy before. Apparently, he’d finally had a growth spurt – she wouldn’t have recognized Josh’s cousin, who would take them to Rainbow Bridge on his boat tomorrow, if Emily hadn’t clued her in. She scrambled to her feet. “Hey, Yaz!” she waved.
When Yazzie stood face to face with Hannah, he was at least four inches taller than her. “Hi, biligaana!” He embraced her in a warm hug. “You ready for the show?” He was wearing skinny dark-green jeans and a black t-shirt saying ‘Rez Litter’.
Hannah couldn’t help giggling. Yazzie had always addressed her and Ben that way – biligaana meant ‘paleface’ in his own language.
Yazzie tilted his head to the field surrounded by a large crowd of spectators. “I saved some standing-room for you guys. Follow me!”
He elbowed his way through the multitude, everybody following him in single file. Just before they reached the fence bordering the rodeo ground, they hit an open spot, like Yazzie had promised them. Hannah looked aside and unexpectedly saw Josh’s father standing there. She’d have thought he was with his son in the tent, helping him prepare. Or maybe not. That was probably Sani’s job.
“Ya'at'eeh. Hello everybody,” he said, shaking hands with all of them. He kissed Hannah on the cheek. “It’s been a while. Good to see you again.” He smiled widely, and the crow’s feet around his eyes suddenly reminded her of Josh’s older face in her dream.
A lo
ud drumstroke interrupted their conversation. Everyone turned toward the field to watch the ceremony.
Josh entered the rodeo grounds, wearing an amazing Diné outfit. His upper body was clad in a long-sleeved velvet blouse. His hair was wrapped up in a headband and tied into an eight-shaped bun, and he was wearing pants in a warm, red-brown color. Dangling from a chain around his neck was a stunning round pendant with inlaid turquoise stones. He was carrying a large drum in one hand, and a long, thin wooden beater in the other.
The chatter died down, the crowd becoming silent. In that silence, Josh started to drum softly but intensely, singing at the same time. His voice rose above the beat of the drum. Hannah couldn’t help but marvel at him as he performed the traditional song with such ease that it seemed he’d been a hataalii for years. His voice sounded different from when he’d sung his own song. For a split second, it felt like a completely different person was standing there on the ceremonial field – as if Josh were someone else.
Another, older man entered the field to do a hoop dance, accompanied by Josh’s singing. When the song was over and Josh and the hoop dancer trotted off the field, there was no applause, just a respectful silence. Slowly, the crowd started to murmur again, some of them dispersing to the bleachers lined up in a semi-circle around the rodeo grounds.
Nick turned off his camera and gave the thumbs-up to Hannah. “Got it! Available on DVD soon.”
“What’s going to happen now?” Hannah wanted to know, when a set of speakers on the other side of the field started to emit upbeat music.
“It’s time for the naa’ahóóhai,” Yazzie replied.
She raised an eyebrow.
“The rodeo,” he translated enthusiastically, tilting his head at the field. “Oh, and there’s dancing on the lawn across the road.”
“That sounds like a safer option,” Ivy remarked drily.
Yazzie grinned. “Okay. Dancing it is then.”
As they all made their way to the other side of the road, Josh joined them out of nowhere, falling into step next to Hannah.
“Hey there,” she said with a slight smile. “That was one hell of a performance.”
