by Rita Hestand
The Sheriff came three days later, peaceably to talk with Hawk and Eve.
"You two are married?" He asked when he saw them.
"Yes, by the Shoshone's."
"I see, well, I took the time to check and you are right, this is Indian lands, granted by the government. So I suppose as long as you stay on your land nothing will happen. But I gotta tell you, you've got a lot of white people stirred up over this." The Sheriff told them.
"Sheriff, I was married to a white man for seven years. In Texas. We had two living children and two dead, caused by him kicking me across a room and aborting my children. He died of a fever, and then I met Hawk and we fell in love. We knew the hardships of falling in love with each other. However, we were willing to take the chance on our feelings for one another. The Shoshone Shaman married us; we are on the Shoshone land. My husband has treated me with respect, love, and honor. He has taken my white children as his own, he's raising them and teaching them and caring for them and protecting them. Now we are about to have our children, any time now. I ask nothing of the white people. Only to live in peace. We wish no one harm, but we expect the same from them. My husband was a scout for the U.S. Army, at Fort Concho. He served with honor. He is as American as I am, maybe more so, as he was here before I. All we ask is to be left alone now, and in peace."
The Sheriff considered her words.
"Well, since you're on Indian land and married and respecting the Indian customs of these people. I can see no reason to charge you with anything. Naturally, I don't have to point out the problems of such a marriage. Nevertheless, I can't do anything to change it either. Therefore, I'll let the people know, and legally, my hands are pretty tied at the time being. Laws change all the time; you need to keep up with them. Good day to you ma'am, sir." As he was about to leave he turned to look at them. "One other thing? Do you want to file a complaint about them trying to hang you?
"No…we want peace…" Hawk reiterated.
The Sheriff left.
Eve smiled. "They can't do anything."
"He can't. The people can give us hell, if they want."
"Maybe we not filing a complaint will have a positive effect on them."
"One can hope, honey." He said and kissed her on the nose.
"Oh dear…" Eve cried suddenly, her face in distress.
"What's wrong…?"
"My water just broke…"
"I'll get Fawn."
She nodded and sat down.
When Fawn came in, they went into the bedroom and prepared the room for the birthing. They used a sheet of rain slicker to protect the bed from stains. Fawn fixed the sheets over it, and fluffed her pillow. She put on the boiling water and got the blanket for the baby out.
"You're gonna need two hon." Eve cried as a pain hit her hard.
Fawn nodded and got another.
Eve pointed to a drawer, "In there, there are two sets of clothes for the babies…" She told her.
Fawn smiled and got them out.
She set them on the table by the bed.
"It's going to be a while, probably…" She said then another pain hit her.
Fawn decided she had better check to make sure. This was her fifth pregnancy so the babies could come at any time.
As Fawn checked her, she saw that the progression was much faster, "You will have the babies within the hour!" Fawn said excitedly.
Eve smiled. "I'm usually pretty quick about it."
Fawn didn't sit down; she fluttered about like a butterfly.
However, several times she reached for her hand and squeezed it so hard Fawn was in pain too.
Every time Fawn darted out of the room, she saw the front room full of men, waiting.
Hawk paced, Jinx kept fumbling with his hands in his lap, Bended Knee fretted, Little Eagle kept peeking into the kitchen, and Bear sat very quiet Matthew was in the floor playing with Jane Ann, and watching around the corner.
An hour and a half later, Fawn came out of the room with two babies in her arms, wrapped in swaddling blankets. "Your son and your daughter…twins."
Hawk nearly fell down; he was so flabbergasted he didn't know what to do.
Matthew came in from feeding his horse and saw them, rushing up to them as Hawk turned them so he could see them. "Gee…they sure are little," Matthew said.
Soon Jane Ann came into the room; she'd just got up from her nap. "Babies…" she shouted running to kiss them on the cheek and smile into their faces as they yawned and stretched.
All the men took turns holding them as Hawk went in to see Eve.
Eve was tired but happy.
"How are you feeling?"
"So much better now…no big tummy." She sighed.
"They are beautiful, a boy and a girl."
"Have you picked a name for them?"
"Yeah…Mark and Ruth from the Bible…" He smiled.
"Oh…that's beautiful…"
He smiled. "I love you Eve….so very much, and forever."
She smiled. "I'll give you a chance to prove that soon…" she chuckled.
"I'll look forward to it."
"We have a nice family Hawk, with wonderful friends…"
"We're rich in ways that some only dream about." Hawk told her.
"It may take others a long time to accept that people like us can marry and be happy. But we already know that is true. You promised me your heart, and I promised mine and that promise is all we will ever need between us."
He smiled and pulled her into his arms.
"Some day people will look at us and wonder why they ever worried about it. We have a good start here, and I can't wait to share our first crop with Black Eagle and his people."
"Me either, my love! And to show him our babies."
"You should see Jinx, he is just hopping around out there, so proud, he could spit. Never seen him this happy before."
"Tell Fawn I love her for helping me. Tell them all I love them…"
"I will sweet lady, you just get some rest." He kissed her again on the forehead.
She glanced up at the dream catcher above her bed and smiled, as a peace spilled over her. She smiled in retrospect, she knew that the man who watched over her and her children from the ridge would one day be hers, but she never imagined how happy he would make her.
Epilogue
Hawk and Eve lived on the Shoshone land all their lives, they had seven children of their own along with Jane Ann and Matthew. They had even more grandchildren. Through the years, they still had problems with an occasional white person causing trouble. The Indian problems began to solve itself as Mackenzie got control of the Comanche's.
The Shoshone lived out their lives on their land above the Red for many years. Before the turn of the century, they went to the reservations and stayed.
Jinx lived a long and happy life, dying at the age of ninety-two. They buried him on the property. Many of the Shoshone tribe came to live beside Hawk and his family and it did look like a village soon. Little and Fawn had three children, Bear grew up and married and moved to Hawk's land. Matthew grew up, went to college and became a Indian agent, helping to settle land squabbles and tribal problems for the Arapaho nation. Jane Ann became a nurse and lived in her families community all her life, nursing the sick of the village.
Hawk never got back with his real family, but he had a full life in his own village. Hawk and Eve lived to be very old and very comfortable.
The story for the Indians was sad in American history, as they were pushed from their lands and put on government land, but they did survive. Indian Territory now called the state of Oklahoma thrives with many tribes who still keep their culture alive today. And this book salutes them!
The End
About the Author
I’m a professional writer of romance and children’s books. I’m also a poet and short story writer. I’m working on another historical western right now, one mid-grade book and just finished two historical westerns. You’ll find a lot of facts in my historical
western romances not the run of the mill romances. Check them out.
I’m also a grandmother and great-grandmother who enjoys spending time with her family.
I hope you enjoy my books. Thank You and God Bless
Rita Hestand
Rita's Other Books
Beyond the Dream Catcher
Just One Kiss
Ask No Tomorrows
A Promised Heart
Be Free My Heart
Western Serial Killer Series
Better Off Without Her
Good Day for a Hanging
Bad Day for a Killing
The Travers Brothers Series
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Courting Abby
Hannah's Man
Along Came Love
The McKay's
Raining in My Heart
Ring of Fire
Twelfth of Never
Stand By Me
The Amory's
Heart of the Wild
Sweeter Than Wine
Mail Order Nanny
Singles
Always Remember
Love Rules
Jodi's Journey
Nick's Baby
Pretend Mom
Runaway Bride
Suspicions of the Heart
Wandering Heart
