by Rye Hart
My eyes widened just a little. He’d never said those words to me before and they sounded so profound now. My throat felt tight and I stared at him.
“What did you say?”
He caught my gaze and stared right into my eyes. “I love you.”
Tears came to my eyes and I threw my arms around him. I’d always dreamed of him saying those words, but I never thought I’d actually hear it. I hid my face in his neck and despite the tears and sobs, I managed to return the sentiment, kissing him anywhere I could possibly reach.
“I love you too, Johnathan. More than you could ever know.”
Chapter Six
“Where are you going so late?” Rebecca asked as she flipped through her paper.
It had been a few days since Johnathan admitted his love for me and I was still floating on a cloud. My stomach fluttered whenever I thought about it, and the telling smile was more than I could hide. When Rebecca addressed me she had a smile on her face. She was a good woman and never said anything to be rude or spiteful.
I blushed a little and smiled almost shyly, looking away. “Johnathan invited me to go see the fireworks with him,” I explained.
Her smile faded just a little and she set the paper down, walking over to me and stroking my hair. Rebecca wasn’t much older than me, but she had a motherly nature about her that I could not ignore. It was innate in her and came out so easily. She loved and cared about everyone.
“There are going to be a lot of people there.”
The comment confused me a bit and I found myself cocking my head to the side, unsure as to her meaning.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Be careful,” she said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
She sighed softly and shook her head. “Not everyone is as open minded as us,” she explained.
I still did not understand, but after a moment it sunk in. “You are afraid someone will say something about Johnathan and I.”
“Or do something,” she said. “Just promise me you’ll be aware, okay?”
I nodded and hugged her tight. “He’ll keep me safe.”
She nodded and smiled softly. “I know he will darling. Now, go enjoy yourself.”
I nodded and ran out the door and down the short road that led to town. Johnathan lived in a flat above his shop and so we met just outside. He held a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a blanket in the other. I could not help but laugh as I approached him.
“I suppose food isn’t quite as important as whiskey,” I teased gently.
He grinned and shrugged, offering me the blanket which I took. We headed down toward the empty field where everyone else had gathered and I started laying the blanket out. Johnathan settled on it shortly after I did and poured two small glasses for us to sip. We’d gotten to the field early enough to have a spot under a tree so Johnathan leaned back against it and I leaned into him. His arm settled around me and I sighed softly, just happy to be with him in that moment. Everything felt so good and my life felt perfect.
When I opened my eyes again I looked up and saw worry on Johnathan’s face. I was about to ask him what the matter was when I turned and saw that all eyes were on us. People were glowering at us, moving their children away from us and shielding them.
I was taken aback at the rudeness of their collective behavior. Neither Johnathon, nor I had done anything wrong. I was determined to stand my ground against their ignorance. I’d made up my mind and I started to settle back against Johnathan, when a man near us made a point of pulling his jacket back so that we could see the gun on his hip. My heart skipped a beat and I whimpered softly.
“Maybe we should just go-” I started.
“No. We’re staying,” Johnathan said sharply, revealing his own pistol.
The man scoffed and turned away, looking toward the sky as the show started. I watched the explosion of colors with mild interest, but I could not get the sight of that man’s gun out of my head. I would have liked to say that I was strong and that it was harder than that to scare me, but it would be a lie. I was afraid of what might happen to Johnathan and me at the hands of people who just did not understand our relationship.
After the show, we started to pack up and the man with the gun approached us again. I scooted closer to Johnathan who just looked up at the man with a bored expression.
“Yes?” Johnathan asked him.
“You can’t just come around, flaunting this abomination,” the stranger said.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Johnathan said calmly.
“You know exactly what I mean! You are opening us all up to danger! She’s probably here to spy on us and report back to her tribe!”
“She’s been here for nearly six months. Don’t you think something bad would have happened already if she had any plans to do that?” Johnathan asked him.
The other man looked right at me. “We’re onto you, you dirty savage,” he growled.
The word apparently set something off inside Johnathan. He spun around, his fist clenched and punched the man square in the jaw, knocking him back.
“Watch your language around a lady!” he snapped.
The other man blinked, trying to regain his bearings. “Why you-”
He started to pull his gun but the sheriff came up to us. “Is there a problem here gentleman?”
Johnathan shook his head. “Not at all.”
The other man shook his head, took his hand off the gun, and walked away, leaving me more than a little scared. We thanked the sheriff and wandered away from the crowd. I was shaken, but Johnathan seemed more than fine. He was humming, his fingers tangled in mine and I hated to seem crazy but I stopped him and stared at him, not sure whether to be impressed or angry at the fact that he’d all but brushed the situation off.
“How can you do that?” I asked.
“Do what?” he asked, turning to look at me.
“How can you act like nothing happened?”
He hesitated before pulling me close. I sank into him like I always did, closing my eyes and swallowing my fear. He stroked my hair for a moment, trying to calm me down before he finally spoke.
“Because I know that we’re going to face things like that from time to time. It isn’t easy to have the kind of love that we have. Even when I was a child, I knew that if I wanted to love you it was going to be hard. Even then I knew we were hiding for a reason,” he explained, kissing my forehead. “If we’re going to continue loving each other, we have to be brave.”
I nodded and pressed my lips to his for just a moment. “We have to be brave and have faith that God will protect us.”
He smiled and nodded. “We’re going to be okay, but we have to be strong. Can you do that, my love?”
I nodded and put my head on his chest, my eyes fluttering closed for a moment. “Yes. As long as you are with me, I can be brave.”
Chapter Seven
Jonathan's words had reached inside my soul and would not let go. I was going to be brave and I knew that I'd be able to stand tall because I was fighting for something bigger than myself.
All of those thoughts had kept me up at night and as I stared up at the ceiling, my mind raced. This wasn't just about me and Jonathan. As time passed, the natives and settlers would begin to interact more and more and the inevitable result of those interactions would be relationships like mine and Jonathan’s. I realized that I was fighting for them. I was fighting for the people who would come after us.
Those thoughts were spinning round and round as I sat at the table, sipping my tea and reading a book. I was still improving my English every day and I found that reading was the best way to do it. Rebecca and her family were out of town for a while and so my chores consisted of simple housework that was mostly upkeep. I'd already finished my work and was looking forward to relaxing.
A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts and I blinked, glancing over at the door. I stood, curious as to who might be knocking since I wasn't expecting anyone. When I
opened it and saw Jonathan standing before me, my heart swelled and I smiled, leaning against the door frame. I was surprised to see him in a suit. I looked him up and down and wrapped my arms around him.
"This suits you,” I said.
He chucked and pulled me close. "I'm glad you think so. Are you busy?"
I shook my head and he tugged me from the doorway, kissing me gently "Do you think you could come with me a while?"
"How could I say no to such a finely dressed gentleman?" I teased.
He grinned as I closed the door and locked up, taking his hand. "Where are we going?"
He led me to his horse and helped me get on. "It's a surprise. I'd hate to ruin it."
I chuckled and rolled my eyes playfully, wrapping my arms around him as we moved forward toward the forest. I could not help but wonder why we were heading in that direction, but I did not question it. Jonathan clearly had a plan and I trusted him completely.
When we arrived at the exact same spot we’d met so many years ago, I was surprised. I'd never come here from Billings and so I hadn't recognized the scenery at all, but here we were, standing under the same tree where we'd played as children.
I stared up at the tree as he helped me down, my eyes wide. “Why are we here?”
He smiled and kissed my cheek. “Have you been here since you were a child?”
I shook my head slowly and looked at him, smiling almost nervously. I wasn’t sure what he had planned or why he brought me here.
“No,” I said.
“I have,” he admitted, looking up at the tree. “When I could not get you out of my mind I would come here to remember all the fun we used to have and the way you made me feel even then.”
“The way I made you feel?”
He smiled and kissed my cheek. “Come on now, don’t play coy. I saw it in your eyes too.”
I smiled tearfully and nodded, kissing his cheek gently and stroking his hair. “I cared deeply for you and I knew that one day we’d be together,” I whispered.
He nodded and caught my lips, smiling as our gazes met. Slowly, he lowered himself to one knee and smiled up at me, holding my hands in his delicately. “My love, I feel like I’ve dreamed of this day for so long and now I’m finally able to make it come true.”
My eyes widened and my heart began to beat faster as I realized when he was doing. He pulled a ring from his pocket and looked up at me, smiling. The ring had clearly been made in his work shop and crafted with love and adoration. I covered my mouth with a shaking hand, staring at him for a long moment as he started to speak.
“When you came into my shop that day, I knew without a doubt that we were meant to be together. Our love was something stronger than what had separated us. God brought us together and He made sure that we were reunited,” he kissed my hand gently. “I want you to be my wife. I want you to live with me and have my children. I want to spend every waking moment with you, and when we go to bed I want to sleep with you in my arms. I love you more than I ever thought was possible, and I want you to be mine in the eyes of the church. Dyani, will you marry me?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but no noise came out at first. I was just so overcome with joy that I was struggling to find words. Slowly, I fell to my knees and wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close.
“Of course I will marry you,” I whispered, smiling through the tears.
Chapter Eight
When I told Rebecca about the proposal, she was almost as excited as I was. Tears had come to her eyes and she wrapped her arms around me, insisting on helping us pay for the wedding. I tried to tell her that wasn’t necessary, but she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. So despite the fact that she paid me handsomely for my work, Rebecca was still planning on taking on most of the cost.
Johnathan and I wasted no time in putting the wedding together. We were more than a little excited to be married and we did not want to wait any longer than we had to. We agreed that we’d be married on Rebecca’s extensive ranch. There was a beautiful field just behind the house where we could set everything up, though I did not expect there to be too many people.
Rebecca seemed convinced the whole town would show up, though and prepared for it as such. She’d asked her cooks to prepare enough food to feed everyone in town. While I wasn’t convinced we would need that much, she would not hear any of it.
I liked seeing Rebecca excited and I could not help but feel that she saw me as one of her children. I appreciated the help more than I could express, though I was a bit overwhelmed by the whole process. There were days when I just did not know what to do and so I would go to Johnathan’s and just rest against him, silently hoping his strength would ground me. I wasn’t having doubts about marrying him, I was just starting to feel the pressure of being the center of attention.
Despite my uncertainty, Rebecca sent invitations to everyone in town and while I appreciated her initiative, I could not help but be nervous. I’d never really recovered from the encounter in the park. The idea that someone might hurt Johnathan or me was still a thought that was very much alive and well in my mind.
When the day finally came, I was nearly vibrating with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Rebecca had bought me a long, beautiful ivory wedding dress that was fit for a princess. It seemed far too beautiful and expensive for me, but Rebecca had insisted and I couldn’t argue.
I was trying to put on a traditional native necklace, wanting a piece of my home with me on my wedding day. My hands were shaking so badly however, that it made it impossible for me to fasten the clasp. Rebecca hummed and came up behind me, smiling as she fixed it, kissing my cheek.
“There we are.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, running my hands over the bone and beads almost sadly.
Rebecca looked at me for a long moment and touched my cheek. “We could have invited your tribe. I would not have had any qualms about it.”
I smiled sadly and nodded. “I know you would not have, but I don’t think everyone else would be happy to see them and I would not want that fight. Besides, I haven’t seen them in so long now. I don’t think they’d want to come. They made it clear to me that when I left I was turning my back on them.”
Rebecca frowned. “If that’s how they see it then it’s their problem. You did not turn your back on anyone, sweetie. You were simply being true to yourself. If they don’t want to be a part of your life, then that’s a choice they’ve made and one they will have to live with.”
I smiled weakly and nodded as Rebecca brushed a few of the delicate curls around my face back. I looked up in the mirror and took myself in. Vanity was a sin, but I felt beautiful. Maybe it could be forgiven just for today. I turned and looked at Rebecca and wrapped my arms around her. “Thank you,” I said again.
“For what, darling girl?”
“For getting me through this. It’s scary, all of this,” I said, looking around and waving my hand.
“Getting married?”
I sighed and shook my head. “I’m excited to get married, I just hope he never gets tired of me. I’m nervous about what’s going to happen afterward.”
She chuckled and shook her head. “That man is never going to get tired of you.”
I smiled and nodded, standing and taking her hand. “Will you walk me down the aisle?”
“Of course I will. It’s about time for it anyway, isn’t it?”
I nodded and stood, heading for the door that would lead outside. The thundering of horse hooves stopped me in my tracks. My brow furrowed and I glanced outside, my heart dropping into my stomach.
Riding toward Rebecca’s ranch was a face I would recognize anywhere. I could not stop myself from whispering his name fearfully.
“Dakota.”
Chapter Nine
Rebecca was looking in the same direction as me, her own eyes wide. “Dyani?”
I did not hesitate. I picked up the hem of my dress and I ran to meet Dakota and his warriors at the entrance of the field
. As I ran forward I was surprised to see just how many people had showed up. The whole town really was here. In any other situation, I might be happy about it, but right now I was terrified. Men from the town had already stood and had a firm grip on their guns.
“Dakota!” I gasped, holding my hands up to stop them.
Johnathan wasn’t far behind me and when he was close enough he reached out and grabbed me, pulling me close. “Who are these people?!” he asked quickly, his eyes shifting back and forth.
As I looked closer I noticed that my mother was with Dakota. My heart sank as he jumped down from his horse, looking around for a moment before his eyes fell on me.
“We’re here to bring you home, Dyani,” he said firmly.
My eyes widened and I shook my head. “This is my home!” I shouted.
He reached out to grab my wrist but Johnathan pulled his pistol out and aimed it right at Dakota, his eyes narrowed. “If you touch her, I won’t hesitate to pull this trigger.”
Dakota’s warriors raised their bows, arrows trained on Johnathan. My heart was beating out of my chest as the situation escalated. I had to do something or Dakota and Johnathan were going to destroy each other.
“Wait! Lower your weapons!” I begged, my eyes wild with fear. “This isn’t going to solve anything! You need to lower your weapons! Both of you!”
Johnathan glanced at me a moment but slowly lowered his gun first as a sign of good faith. When the gun lowered I could breathe again. I offered Dakota a sharp look and frowned deeply. Finally, he had his men lower their bows. I took a deep breath and looked to Dakota.
“This is my home now. I’m marrying this man because I love him,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I wanted you and everyone else to be here, but you told me never to return. You told me that once I left the tribe, I was no longer a part of it. What was I supposed to think, Dakota?” I whispered in my native tongue.
His brows furrowed. “This isn’t where you belong. You’ve just convinced yourself of it.”
