by Linda Bridey
“You’ll see,” Dean said. “It’s important that I show you this.”
Hannah could see that she wasn’t going to get more out of him about it. “So how was your day?” she asked.
“Fine. The twins were driving me crazy today. We’re trying to get some more cattle branded and they kept running in the pasture getting in the way. Jamie had her hands full with them. Mikey was at the camp, so he wasn’t there to help. Tessa is trying to get the final draft of her book done to send off,” Dean informed her.
“Sounds like a busy day,” Hannah said.
“It always is,” he replied. “Here we go. Stand here. See ya later.”
“What? Where are you going?” she called after him.
Dean just waved and smiled and went on his way. Hannah looked up at the sign that said “Jacobs’ Finery”. Then she looked down at the street and remembered the rainy April day when the streets were so muddy and slippery and she’d first met Owl. She remembered her shock at meeting her first Indian and how handsome she’d found him as she’d lain on top of him. Hannah thought about how funny it had been to see his impression in the mud after he’d gotten up.
She jumped when she felt a hand settle on her shoulder. Hannah knew that touch and looked up into Owl’s eyes and then did a double take.
“Oh, my Lord! What are you wearing?” Hannah asked as she felt her breath leave her body.
“It’s called a suit,” Owl said.
Hannah stared openmouthed as she took in how delicious he looked in the formal attire. She didn’t think she’d ever seen a man look so good in a suit. He’d pulled his long hair back in a loose ponytail and the effect was masculine and exotic. He smiled and gently closed her mouth before holding out his hand to her.
Hannah took it without thinking and followed him into the store. The displays were pushed back and a beautifully set table sat in the center of the store. Hannah felt underdressed in her nurse uniform. As if he’d read her thoughts, Owl said, “There’s something for you in the changing room, I’m told.”
Hannah said, “What is it?”
His eyes held a mischievous light as he said, “You’ll have to go see.”
Too curious to object, Hannah left him to go to the dressing room. She found a beautiful Lakota dress hanging there. She reached out to touch the ornate beadwork and felt the supple material. It was a very light shade of beige and Hannah wondered how they got it that color. As she slipped the dress over her head and let it slide down her body, Hannah was amazed at how soft it felt. It fell to just above her knees and left most of her arms bare.
She smiled as she looked in the mirror. Hannah liked what she saw and hoped Owl would, too. That thought stopped her. What was she doing? She was confused and then she remembered what Marcus had told her about Owl showing people what he was feeling or thinking. Hannah decided to see what Owl had up his sleeve. On impulse, Hannah took her hair down and then braided it and put it over one shoulder.
Looking down, she thought that her shoes did not go with the beautiful dress and decided to just go barefoot. Feeling a little giddy, Hannah went back out to the main room and found Owl sitting in one of the chairs. He looked relaxed and had been waiting patiently. It was one of the things she loved about him. He never made her feel rushed no matter what was going on.
He saw her and rose from the chair. Owl thought she’d never looked more beautiful than at that moment. Her hair shone in the soft candle light and the dress fit her womanly figure perfectly. He smiled when he saw her pretty bare feet.
Hannah stopped in front of him and allowed him to help seat her. She wondered where he'd learned such things. No sooner was Owl seated when Jack and Jamie entered the room dressed in servant uniforms carrying silver serving trays. Though both of them smiled, neither spoke as they sat the trays down and lifted the lids. Joe followed with a very fine bottle of wine.
He didn’t speak either as he poured the red liquid into their glasses and then sat the bottle down. Then he bowed and left them.
“What is all this?” Hannah asked.
Owl smiled. “This is a date.”
Hannah wasn’t sure what to say to that. “A date?”
“Yes. Do you like it so far?” Owl asked in Lakota.
She smiled and switched also. “It’s funny to hear you speak Lakota while you’re in that beautiful suit.”
“And it’s funny to hear you speak English in a Lakota maiden’s dress. I wanted to hear you speak Lakota while you were wearing it,” Owl confessed.
“You’re tricky, Owl,” Hannah said.
“I’ve been told that,” Owl said.
Hannah looked at the food and recognized the same dishes they’d eaten on their first date when he’d taken her to the empty campsite. “Did you cook these?”
“Yes.”
“In the ground?”
“Yes,” Owl said. “In Sammi and Mitch’s backyard so they would stay hot.”
Hannah cut into the meat and put a bite in her mouth. The savory flavor she remembered flooded her taste buds and she smiled. Owl got enjoyment simply from watching her enjoy the meal so much. He didn’t make conversation. He just let her eat her food and drink her wine. She didn’t seem to mind the silence.
When they put their silverware down, Tessa came in carrying a peach cobbler, which she sat on the table. She smiled at them and walked from the room. Hannah looked at Owl in amusement. “I can’t believe you did all this.”
“I have my moments,” he said with a smile.
Hannah’s pulse quickened at the sight of that smile. She thought again what a beautiful man he was.
He served the cobbler and they once again ate in comfortable silence. Hannah thought she was hearing things when violin music began to play. Owl stood and held out his hand. “May I have this dance?” he asked.
Hannah put her hand in his. I must be dreaming. If I am, I don’t want to wake up, she thought. She recognized the waltz being played as Owl took her in his arms and began to move with her. His steps were smooth and graceful and she looked into his eyes with wonderment. Owl moved confidently and never stepped on her bare feet as they danced.
Hannah’s mother had taught her how to waltz but she hadn’t done it in so long that she was a little rusty. It came back to her and she enjoyed moving with Owl. Owl delighted in having her back in his arms again and could have danced with her forever. The violins slowly stopped playing and Owl halted their dancing.
“Come with me, please,” Owl said and led Hannah outside the store. He guided her to where he wanted her to stand and said, “Right on this spot is where we first met and my life changed forever. We lay there in the mud and when you looked at me, I felt something between us. Call it crazy, but I did. Ever since then, I’ve been happier than I ever thought I would be again. After Blue Star and Wild Horse died, I closed my heart to the possibility of this kind of happiness, but you came along and opened it up again.”
“I know that I hurt you when I left and I hate myself for that. But, I promise that if you let me back into your life, I’ll never leave you again. You will come first and I’ll spend every day making you happy and showing you how much I love you.”
He shocked her by kneeling and taking out a ring box from his suit pocket. Owl became nervous as he opened the box and said, “Hannah, will you marry me?” he couldn’t get more than that out and held his breath as he waited for her answer.
All of her love for him bubbled to the surface as she knew that this was the ultimate way for him to show that he meant what he said and was making the most serious commitment to her. Softly she said, “Yes, Owl. I’ll marry you.”
He put the ring on her finger and stood up again. They kissed in the street. Suddenly there was a lot of clapping around them. Owl released her reluctantly and they were congratulated by their family and friends.
Hannah saw Dean and shook her finger at him. He just laughed and said, “I told you I had something to show you.”
Epilogue
; Black Fox struggled against the tie and Marcus swatted his hand away. “Stop it. I’ll do it.”
The Lakota chief sighed and stood still as Marcus made the adjustments.
“How did I let myself get talked into this?” Black Fox said.
Marcus laughed. “Because you can’t say no anymore than Seth can. I swear you two are related sometimes. There now don’t mess with it. You look great. Besides, it’s only fair. Hannah went through the Lakota ceremony and now there has to be the white ceremony.”
Black Fox scowled at Marcus and looked in the mirror. He’d only seen himself in a mirror on rare occasions. He had to admit that he sort of liked the way he looked. Owl turned away from the window where he’d been standing and smiled at his older brother.
“Careful, brother, or you’ll get to like wearing white man’s clothes,” Owl said.
Black Fox snorted. “No, I won’t.”
Owl laughed. “That’s what I said the day I walked Sammi down the aisle and look at me now.”
He Who Runs had absolutely refused to wear a suit or stand up front. He wore his best finery, but he was not comfortable in actually participating. Owl didn’t mind. He understood He Who Runs’ aversion and didn’t hold it against him. Dean bumped the chief out of the way and made sure his tie was straight. Owl had asked Marcus to be his best man, but he’d also asked Dean to be a groomsman.
Unlike his father, Raven was enjoying being dressed in a suit and he looked sharp in it. Hannah had asked Raven to be their ring bearer and Aiyana would be their flower girl. He moved in front of Dean and smiled into the mirror.
“I look good, huh?” the boy said.
Dean laughed and put a hand on his shoulder and said, “Yeah, buddy, you look great. Just wait a few years and you’ll have all the girls chasing after you.” He remembered when Jack was Raven’s age and as always wondered where the years had gone.
“I will wear this in our village one day and see what the girls say.” Raven’s statement made them all laugh.
Claire and Sammi helped Hannah with the finishing touches and pronounced her beautiful. Hannah smiled into the mirror. “I can’t wait to be Mrs. Night Sky. It sounds so exotic, doesn’t it?”
Claire said in a very formal tone, “Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Night Sky.”
They laughed and Hannah could have jumped up and down with happiness. Sammi laughed when Hannah let out a little squeal of excitement. “You sound like me the night I found my engagement ring and rifle.”
“It seems as though our men have all found unique ways to propose to us,” Claire said.
“Yes, it does,” Hannah agreed.
Someone knocked on their door and Claire opened it and gasped. Black Fox entered the room and Sammi said, “Oh, good Lord! Get a load of you! You clean up good, chief.”
He smiled at Sammi and said, “I do, don’t I?”
Hannah said, “Yes, you do. I can’t thank you enough for doing this for me.”
“You’re welcome. I think they are ready for us,” Black Fox said.
It was an unusual ceremony but beautifully blended with both cultures. Hannah’s dress had hints of Lakota beadwork in it and she wore her hair loose. It flowed around her shoulders and shimmered in the light. Black Fox proudly walked Hannah down the aisle to Owl who couldn’t stop looking at his bride. She was having a similar problem and really didn’t hear Black Fox state that he was the one giving her to Owl.
He didn’t say it, but Hannah saw in Owl’s eyes how beautiful he thought she looked. They recited their vows in a sort of dream state where their attention was focused intently on each other. Their kiss was a slow, lingering embrace that made Dean poke Owl on the back when it went on too long. Marcus stood by laughing and was no help at all.
Finally the couple was separated and Joe made sure their pictures were taken. Of course, he had to be in a couple of them. He said it was because he was mayor and it was good for posterity. Owl told him to stay out of the rest of them or he would put the mayor on his behind.
The reception dinner was also a blend of the two cultures and everyone had fun trying each of the dishes that were unfamiliar to them. He Who Runs found that he liked the cake and tried to steal Seth’s piece. Seth promptly stabbed He Who Runs’ hand with his fork. Owl and Hannah’s dance was graceful and sweet and brought tears and smiles to many faces.
A collection had been taken up and the couple was being sent for the weekend to Wolfe Point. Joe loaned them his Standardbred team, King and Rook to take for the trip. As Owl and Hannah pulled away from the community center, Raven and Mikey ran behind them for a little bit and then waved goodbye to their uncle and aunt.
Their hotel room was beautiful, but Owl and Hannah really didn’t notice much. That dreamlike focus they’d shared at the church came back to them now. Slowly Owl undressed his bride and said, “Hannah, I lo—‘”
Hannah put a finger to his lips and said, “Shh. Show me.”
The End
******
CLICK HERE to read book 8 in this series (Westward Holiday)
Westward Holiday Synopsis:
Dawson, Montana isn’t what Georgian socialite Rebecca Walker had bargained for when she answered Jake Henderson’s ad for a bride. Neither is Jake or his saloon, the Watering Hole. The handsome saloon owner captivates her from the beginning, but Rebecca has a lot to learn about the way of life in Dawson. Jake isn’t sure that Rebecca is going to be able to adjust to the rowdy atmosphere of the Watering Hole, but her beauty and her gifted musical ability casts a spell on him. As Christmas nears, they’ll have to learn to compromise and listen to each other or be trapped in a loveless marriage. In the season of joy and good will, can they find it their hearts to let go of their pride and reach out to one another again?
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Copyright
© 2014 by Linda Bridey
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, ev
ents and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, or places is purely coincidental.
First Printing, 2014
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