by Lee Wardlow
“You look good with a baby,” he told her.
She found her voice suddenly. “Bite your tongue Zachariah Daughtry unless you’re planning on helping me change dirty diapers.”
“Not me,” he replied clearly grossed out by the prospect.
They began to follow the procession to the cemetery where Halona would be laid to rest. In the next few days, Kale’s mother would have her funeral as well.
Tama Yaholo had died from a heart attack the same night as Halona when Kale’s babies were born. A happy and a sad event occurred at the same time.
They walked a long way to the reservation’s cemetery. She was glad that she wore the sensible shoes. Nova adjusted Dalton so that he was laying long wise against her body. She cradled his head with one hand, his bottom with the other.
Her sister looked at her and smiled. They were so different in looks. She was a honey blonde like Amelia her mother, while Lola had the sooty, black hair of their father. Her sister’s eyes were vivid and an unusual shade of green while Nova’s were nearly colorless, a pale blue. Lola almost looked Hispanic while Nova definitely looked more mixed of her black and white heritage.
Exotic, Lola had always called her. Her facial structure was sharp but beautiful. High cheek bones. Big, beautiful eyes that stood out against her honey, colored skin.
Dalton began to fuss during George’s prayers. Nova rocked him gently back and forth. Her sweet, soft coos soothing him. She looked up and found Tyler Danner watching her once again. Their eyes locked over baby Dalton’s head. She swallowed the pain that filled her at the intensity in his gaze. Nova looked away first.
After the ceremony, they walked back to Mary’s house. Kale walking between Nova and Lola this time. He left Dalton in Nova’s capable arms and she was grateful. The baby gave her something to protect herself with; a shield to hide from Tyler Danner.
At the house, a man on a motorcycle leaned casually on the seat of his bike. Kale walked faster leaving Lola and Nova behind. He met the man in the drive and the two embraced. Slapping each other on the back. Lola and Nova exchanged glances.
“I wonder who that is.”
The two women walked over to Kale and his friend. He turned to them and smiled. “This is my good friend Jamie Stone.”
“Nice to meet you Jamie,” Lola replied. “I’m Kale’s wife Lola.” He shook her hand gently as she cradled Davey in one arm.
“My wife, Lola is holding our son Davey and this is my sister-in-law, Nova Daughtry holding our other son Dalton.”
“Nice to meet you Jamie.” Nova was drawn to Jamie Stone by his intensity.
He was just over six feet but his power was defined by his build and a strength that seemed to ooze from him. He was a rock solid man.
“So you had twins?” Jamie teased his friend.
“Yes sir. Two beautiful boys.”
Jamie was looking directly at Nova with eyes so dark she couldn’t tell where the pupil ended and the iris began. The fierceness in his gaze forced Nova to look away.
“Maybe one of these two beautiful women will let me hold one of your boys before the end of the day?” Jamie was smiling. Nova caught a glimpse of beautiful white teeth. A smile that stretched across his mouth and lit up dark, passionate eyes. She was practically salivating at the sight of him. Just a look from Jamie did funny things to her belly. Sent a trickle of awareness up her spine.
“I think I can manage,” Nova replied sweetly.
“Let’s head over to the picnic tables. Uncle George will be saying prayers,” Kale suggested to his small group.
Jamie wrapped a big arm around Kale’s shoulder. “How’s your Dad holding up man?”
“Not sure. You know he’s good at hiding how he really feels.”
“I know.” He was shaking his head. “I was sorry to hear about your Mom. I wish I could be in town until after your Mom’s funeral.”
“I wish you could too man. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
They found seats at one of the two picnic tables. Kale and Roman had been busy. They had built another table like the first to accommodate the growing families of the Lake and Yaholo tribe. This one just as beautiful as the first.
Nova sat down protecting her nephew. Jamie sat beside her; catching her off guard. “Is this seat taken?” He asked afterwards.
“No, it isn’t.” She smiled at him. Kind of late to be asking after you’ve sat down.
He was definitely part Native American. His hair was glossy black but cut short. His skin was tawny like Kale’s. He had the hard, angular features that Kale had too.
“Would you like to hold Dalton now?”
“I’d be happy to,” Jamie replied.
He handled Dalton like a pro. Nova’s eyebrows raised in surprise at the way his big hands cradled her tiny nephew.
“You seem surprised.” He glanced at her then back at the baby in his hands.
“Boy am I.” Her hand fluttered near her mouth. Then she put it in her lap to hide her nervousness. “I guess I am. You have lots of experience with babies?”
“None of my own,” he clarified. “I’m the oldest of fourteen kids. You learn quickly how to take care of one of them.”
“Wow.” She really was surprised at that revelation. “What was that like? I only had Lola growing up.”
Dalton began to squirm in his arms. Jamie adjusted him against his chest. The baby’s mouth hung open with contentment snuggled against the man’s massive chest. Nova had to admit she couldn’t blame her nephew. Jamie looked pretty comfortable.
He looked over at Nova. “It was pretty insane with that many children. My father worked a few jobs so he wasn’t home much. My mother had her hands full so she relied on me a lot. It was chaos until my father came home. Then we were quiet because he was tired.” He wasn’t telling her the whole gory story. He would save that for another day.
Nova sensed something else. A hint of something in his eyes. A hurt. A memory that was causing him trouble when he thought about his siblings.
“I would imagine,” she replied. She didn’t know him well enough to ask him personal questions.
“What do you do?” He asked.
She liked his voice. A voice could do things to you. Nova had never experienced this before. His did those things to her with just a word or a question. She wanted to sigh and say, keep talking. She answered him instead. “I’m a third grade schoolteacher.”
“You don’t look like any of my schoolteachers,” he teased her.
She smiled at his compliments. “What do you do?” Nova asked.
“In between jobs right now.”
Jamie looked between the two boys. “Are they identical?” He asked seeing for the first time just how similar they were.
“They are,” Nova replied.
He glanced over at Kale. He poked him in the ribs. “Identical?” He said to him. Kale nodded. “Man, you’re going to have your hands full.”
George rose to his feet at the head of the table. “Excuse me. I’d like to say prayers before we eat and I’d like to say a few words about my grandmother. If you would like to say something about her as well, please feel free to put your two cents worth in after I’m done.” Everyone chuckled.
He bowed his head towards the table. “I grew up with a mother who saw everything that you did. We got away with nothing. You all knew Lilly or most of you did.” He gazed around. The younger generation didn’t have the pleasure of knowing his mother. “I didn’t understand what was so special about her until she was gone and I was a grown man.”
Dalton cried interrupting George. “I hear you Dalton. I miss them both too.”
Everyone chuckled. Dalton apparently was hungry. Jamie handed him to Kale who handed him to Lola after she slipped a sleeping Davey into his carrier. Kale rocked it gently to ensure their son stayed sleeping while Lola nursed Dalton beneath a blanket.
Nova glanced over at her sister. She had taken to motherhood so naturally but she had finished raising her s
o she wasn’t completely without skills. There was never a doubt in Nova’s mind that Lola would make a good mother.
She felt Tyler staring at her. She looked across the table where he sat next to the perfect woman and their eyes met. She had spent so many months with him usually at her apartment. Watching movies, eating pizza. Making love. He never took her anywhere, she reminded herself. She was convinced now that he was ashamed of her.
But they had a great time together locked away in her apartment. Just the two of them. She could see in the depths of his eyes he was thinking about that time too. Next to Tyler was her. She put her hand on his where it rested at the table. Nova looked away before Tyler did.
Her eyes met those of Jamie Stone. They locked on each other for a moment. Not uncomfortable. Nova wondered what he was thinking. Then she smiled at him. Nova turned her focus on what George was saying about Halona breaking away from Jamie Stone.
“Halona has designated my sister Mary as the new Clan Mother of the Muscogee tribe at the Southeast Reservation. We, Creeks have a long tradition of following the Clan Mother’s ways and will honor Halona’s wishes. Mary will be naming the new Faithkeeper to replace her in a few weeks or months.
“If you would bow your heads and pray with me for Halona to find her peace in Heaven. For Mary to find guidance in choosing the next Faithkeeper. For all of us to have health, happiness and anything else we are of need of at this moment. I’m sure you are all ready to eat. So thank you Lord for the food my sisters worked so hard to prepare for this celebration of Halona’s life.”
He led them in a Christian prayer. Then he chanted in his native tongue. Nova didn’t understand the language but she thought it was beautiful. She had seen the men dance at Lola and Kale’s wedding. She had heard Walker, Kale’s sister sing in their native language. She never got tired of hearing them.
“You can dig in now everyone. My sisters worked hard on preparing this meal. It’s getting cold.”
“What were you thinking?” Jamie asked leaning closer to Nova so that his question was only heard by her.
She wasn’t uncomfortable by his invasion into her space. She smiled at him. “How beautiful the language is.”
“There is nothing beautiful about Muscogee. It is hard and guttural. As difficult to learn as it is to speak.”
She laughed softly and he smiled at her. Her laughter was sweet and soft like her. “Maybe not to you who has heard it his whole life but it is beautiful to me. When Walker sings and Kale dances. It is an amazing thing. You forget what senses you are using…they almost blend together.”
“Now that I will give you.”
“So what have you been doing that Kale hasn’t seen you in a while Jamie Stone?”
“Why do you think he hasn’t?”
She stopped eating and glanced at him. “The surprise on his face. The reaction to seeing you. A hard hug between old friends who haven’t seen each other for a while.”
He nodded. “Perceptive and beautiful. I was a Navy Seal for a while…until about three years ago,” he clarified. “I was injured in a mission. Had to retire.”
“I’m sorry. Are you better now?”
He was chewing his food slowly. Hell, even that was sexy about him. His strong jaw covered in whiskers moved with each movement of his mouth. His beautiful mouth. Full, lips. Kissable lips. She was looking at them. Then she looked up into his eyes. It was like he could read her thoughts.
“Can you read minds?” She asked.
He appeared puzzled by her question. “No,” he finally replied.
“Good,” she said.
He threw back his head and laughed at her. Then his focus was captured by Kale and she missed talking to him. Nova found herself talking to Street, Kale’s younger brother who was sitting to her left.
After the picnic lunch was complete. She helped the women clean up. She noticed that Tyler’s perfect woman helped too. They bumped into each other once. Nova smiled at her and the woman walked around her, snubbing her.
She stood where they had bumped into each other, her feelings hurt. She hadn’t done anything to this woman. It wasn’t her fault Tyler had been staring at her all day. Nova was just trying to be nice to the woman.
Mary cupped Nova’s elbow. “Come with me,” she said softly.
They went to Mary and her husband Mark’s bedroom. They sat at a window seat that overlooked the yard. From here Mary and Nova could see everyone. Mark looked up at the window and smiled as if he knew his wife was there. Nova looked at Mary.
“Does Mark see you?”
Mary smiled at her. “He does, just not with his eyes, Nova. I saw what Tyler’s friend did to you.”
“I think she’s more than a friend.”
Mary grasped Nova’s hand. She gazed out into the yard. “Maybe. Maybe not.”
Nova couldn’t let herself feel for Tyler Danner again. “He is torn between what is expected of him,” Mary said to Nova, “And what he feels in his heart for you.” She looked pointedly at Nova.
“Tyler doesn’t date women like me Mary,” she said softly.
The sun was shining through the window on Mary. Her hair glistened with different colors. Some auburn streaks some so dark they appeared blue. Mary was George’s sister. Kale’s aunt. She was an attractive woman in her mid-fifties. She was soft spoken and comforting.
“What do you mean? Women like you?” She dropped Nova’s hand and crossed her arms over her chest. One eyebrow raised in question.
She sighed. “Look at me Mary,” she said. “I’m half of well…my mother was white. My father was half white, half black. I lived on Greenbriar Street in a poor part of Savannah. I’m a third grade schoolteacher. I never shopped for nicer clothing than a Target store until Beau came into our lives. Then he insisted we have whatever we wanted. He enjoyed spoiling us.”
Mary smiled at Nova. “There is nothing wrong with Target,” Mary informed her. “Beau never had daughters,” Mary added. “He enjoyed taking you and Lola shopping. I heard about it when we talked on the phone.”
“I enjoyed him too. He was so kind to us. I had been missing my father and suddenly I felt like I had one again.”
She patted Nova’s hand.
“You underestimate your appeal. Jamie Stone is smitten already and he’s only known you for a few hours.”
“He isn’t the son of a State Senator either.”
“Jamie is no slouch Nova. He under sells himself too.”
“How so?”
“That my dear is for him to tell you if and when he is ready. Nova, that woman is aware of you and how Tyler looks at you. That is why she snubbed you because she feels threatened by you.”
“Did the spirits tell you that?” Nova asked.
“No, that would be my women’s intuition. You and Lola are both pure of heart and kind to everyone. Sometimes those like you are hurt easily.
“Tyler took advantage of you. He knows that. His reasons were selfish. He knew that his family would not approve but not for the reasons you are thinking.”
“What reasons then?”
“You are part of Beau’s family. He has never settled down. They wouldn’t want you to be hurt and sweetheart you are so young.”
“He seems to be settling down quite well right now with the right woman.” She gazed into the yard where the woman put her hand on Tyler’s back. Nova watched him turn slightly and smile at her and felt a little clench of pain around her heart still. Once that smile had been directed at her. “See?”
“I see more than you,” Mary told her.
Nova put her arms around Mary’s neck and hugged her. “I can’t do this again Mary,” she whispered. “He hurt me before even if he made no promises. I was devastated. I can’t risk it again.”
“I understand. I just wanted you to see what he is feeling before you make a hasty judgement about your self-worth.”
“I see plenty,” Nova replied.
Chapter 3
As the sun faded into the night th
e sky became brilliant with color. Orange, pink and lavender. Nova was looking at the different colors and knew that Halona would love this sky. She sighed.
“What are you thinking, beautiful?” Jamie stood behind her. Close almost too close considering they barely knew each other.
“How lovely the sky is and how much Halona would have loved it.” She looked over her shoulder. He had one hand leaning against the tree while he peered down at her.
He glanced up into the sky quickly then focused his intense gaze on her. “She would have,” he agreed. “So tell me, did you date the Senator’s son sometime recently?”
She shot him a look over her shoulder again. “Why?” She was uncomfortable with that question and he knew it. Jamie was good at reading people.
He chuckled. Jamie was so close; she could feel his breath on her cheek. “Because I was just talking with the Senator and the son was downright rude to me. I got a cold shoulder so strong it would freeze the tropics. The only reason that I can come up with is that I have been hanging around you all day.”
“You have,” she agreed.
“Am I bothering you?” He asked.
She turned completely this time. Her folded arms brushed his chest and he gazed down at them. Then his eyes met hers. Before she could respond he said, “Damn you have the prettiest eyes I think I’ve ever seen.”
“Apparently, you didn’t look at my sister’s eyes.”
“Nope, can’t say that I did. Kale might not like me being this close to Lola.”
She laughed. “Probably not.”
“So did you date the Senator’s son?” He asked.
A sadness came over her face that made him regret asking her that question. He brushed his fingers down her cheek. “I’m sorry that he hurt you.”
“How badly are you going to think of me when I tell you that we didn’t date?”
He had to think about her statement for a moment. “Friends with benefits?” He asked.
She smiled at him. “That is putting it nicely. I’m not sure we were even friends.”
He looked over to where Tyler Danner was standing with Beau Daughtry and the Senator. The woman that he had brought with him was watching Tyler watch Nova and Jamie.
