Sanctified

by Maggie Blackbird

  He carried the cups from the truck to where Raven stood in the headlights. Swathed in her parka, long hair spilling down her back, she was as lovely dressed as she had been undressed.

  “Here.” He held out the cup and nuzzled against her backside he’d caressed earlier.

  Raven craned her neck, grinning. Her beautiful white teeth flashed at him. “Thank you. Such a gentleman. Is this also a part of your good Catholic upbringing?”

  “It has nothing to do with Catholicism. It’s thoughtfulness.” He pecked her cheek.

  She gripped the cup he held out. The scent of her pussy lingered on his fingers. She had a charming, strong aroma. He couldn’t help taking a deep breath to allow her lingering fragrance of musk to invade his nostrils.

  “What’re you doing?” She giggled.

  “Enjoying a sniff.” He couldn’t resist teasing her. “What man doesn’t enjoy smelling his fingers after they’ve been inside a woman?”

  “You guys are all the same.” She playfully smacked his hand.

  “Easy... you’ll lose your tea.”

  “Hmm, tea and a vape after sex. My fave.” She swiveled on her heel. Her stare twinkled like the stars above them.

  He kissed her forehead. So much warmth standing out in the cold.

  “Are we gonna run outta gas?”

  “Yep, if we don’t get going soon...” His chest sagged.

  “You’re busy the rest of the weekend?” Her question mirrored his caved-in chest.

  “I gotta get the kids tomorrow morning. They want to go tobogganing. Then it’s home for dinner and a movie.” He couldn’t keep the regret from his voice. The children came first, though.

  “It’s okay.” Raven’s eyes matched the wilt in her voice. “I understand.”

  “I know you do, but it doesn’t mean we both can’t feel... a bit bummed about it.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I guess I’ll see you...” Monday night was nominations. “Monday.”

  “I have to nominate Clayton. What about you?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  “Are you nominating anyone?”

  If he told her the truth, she might become angry. Not how Jude wanted to end their perfect night. “Maybe we should leave politics out of our conversations?”

  “I get it.” She shrugged and stepped back.

  Great. So much for their perfect night.

  * * * *

  Raven stared ahead at the straight road. She’d vacate the truck pretty quick and start her walk home.

  Jude reached over and laced his fingers around hers and squeezed.

  The warmth of his palm produced a lightness in Raven’s chest. She had a mad-on for him. A mad-on for everything about him. He was like everyone else on the reserve—wanting what was best for the community. Why else would he give up so much and move here?

  She squeezed back.

  He turned the truck onto Turtle Road. When he pulled over, he made sure he cut the lights and switched off the vehicle. Darkness engulfed them, since they were far from the four houses up ahead. “You gonna be okay walking alone by yourself?”

  His concern touched her. How many times had she stumbled off home after doing her walk of shame from some guy’s crib in the city? A guy who’d been passed out, not giving a shit what happened to her after they’d used one another?

  “Thank you.” She slid her nail along his finger. “I should jokingly say it’s the rez. But y’know, I’m glad you asked.”

  “I wish I could take you home. I don’t feel right dropping you off.”

  “I’m fine. Really.” She peeked at him sideways, grinning. “Don’t go feeling like you got your piece and now you’re done with it.”

  “Don’t say that. What we did wasn’t a piece for me.”

  “It wasn’t for me, either.” She started to slip her hand from his, but he didn’t let go of her fingers. “What is it?”

  “Make sure and text me this time.”

  “I will.”

  “I’ll text you, too.”

  “I’m all for it.” She was. Excitement fluttered in her belly. “G’night, Jude.”

  “G’night.” He leaned over.

  This was risky, but they were in the dark, lights and truck off. She leaned in.

  His mouth glided over hers. The heat of breaths from his nose caressed the dip above her upper lip. Not a kiss meant to lead into sex, but a lingering kiss saying how much he cared by his gentle puckers.

  Using her nail, she traced his strong cheekbone. Bold. Powerful.

  He pecked her mouth one more time. “I’ll text you tomorrow when I get a chance.”

  “Okay.” She rubbed his nose with hers.

  They both chuckled.

  “What kind of kiss is this?” His eyes crinkled.

  “A northern one. It’s meant to keep us warm in the winter.”

  “I must say I rather like it.”

  Raven did, too. There was something sweet about the tips of their noses touching. “G’night.”

  “Goodnight.”

  Raven forced herself from the truck. She shut the door and scurried ahead so nobody would see her when Jude started the vehicle. After a few more quick sprints, the headlights hit her backside and lit the road. She kept walking. The truck rolled by, but she continued to stare at the snowbank, since she was upon the first house. People had to believe she was out taking a stroll because the night wasn’t the bone-chilling Jack Frost coat of ice they’d endured for over a week, and everyone poked their heads out when the temperature lifted to the minus twenties.

  Two kids who should be in bed were playing with their plastic toboggans at the big ditch. They laughed and giggled while sliding downward. She used to do the same, too. It was a weekend. They probably lived at their grandparents’.

  Her cell phone beeped. She removed her mitten and reached inside her parka. When she gazed at the message, her heart thumped.

  Sweet dreams.

  Yes, she’d have sweet dreams of Jude. She texted back.

  You, too. And they’d better be about me.

  She couldn’t help the giggle. A couple of seconds later, the message popped up.

  Bossy lady. I bet you’re bossy somewhere else, too, hey?

  Raven slapped her hand over her mouth. She texted back.

  Stick around and find out.

  Her heart held its breath as she waited for his answer.

  Oh, I’ll definitely be sticking around. Can’t wait until next time. G’night.

  She texted back a goodnight. It was a good night. But her pattering heart deflated over Monday night just around the corner. She stuffed the phone into her pocket. There must be an answer to balance her commitment to her beliefs and her feelings for Jude.

  * * * *

  “I guess it’s a good thing I tagged along, since you’re not answering my texts.” Emery stood, hands in pockets, watching Rebekah and Noah slide down the big hill.

  Jude gazed out at the endless sea of spruce on the other side of the lake. Various ice roads led to different islands where people fished or camped out. “Didn’t you two ever get cold when’d you’d stay out here in the winter?”

  “No.” Emery stepped in front of Jude. “How’re you doing?”

  “How’re you doing? Still sleeping in the spare room? It’s been over two weeks.”

  “This isn’t about me.”

  “Look, this isn’t like you to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. What gives?” Jude folded his arms.

  Emery motioned up and down. “Most people would call this a closed-off, defensive stance, but technically it isn’t. It’s called a self-soothing stance when a person is attempting to draw comfort during an uncomfortable situation.”

  Letting out an exasperated breath of air, Jude dropped his arms. “Are you taking lessons from Bridget?”

  “Bridget?”

  “Yes. She should become a private detective instead of the director at t
he Indigenous Students Center.”

  “I’m not being nosy. I’m being... y’know, it’s okay for you and Bridget to butt into my life, but whenever I try and speak to either of you, the walls come up.” A hint of frustration lurked in Emery’s voice.

  Jude wrapped his arm around his little brother’s shoulder and steered them away from the edge of the steep hill leading to the frozen water covered in snow. “Feeling left out?”

  “Uh... no. You’re living up here now. I think we can start being brothers instead of teacher and student.”

  “I don’t treat you like a student.” Jude stopped. “I’ll answer you if you answer me. What’s going on with you and Darryl? If I’m his campaign manager and have to push to get him elected, I need his full cooperation, not a moping guy who’s upset because his spouse won’t share his bed.”

  Emery’s face reddened. “If you must know, we’re in the same bed.”

  Jude grinned. What man could deny himself sex? Not even Emery could say no to a roll in the hay. “That’s progress, but you still got him on ice, don’t you?”

  Emery’s face remained red. He ducked his head. “I guess we’re trying to jump the first hurdle all married couples have to either jump or walk away from.”

  “You don’t strike me as the kind of man who gives up.”

  “No, I won’t give up. I made a commitment. When I said till death do us part, I meant it. Although the church doesn’t recognize our marriage, in my eyes it’s a sacrament. I’m... simply disappointed in him. He kept the truth from me. What he did might cost him the election if anyone finds out.”

  “Nobody’s going to turn on him ‘cause he solicited the services of a prostitute.”

  Emery scowled. “See? Every time I hear that, I—”

  “Get mad? Burn?”

  “Yes.”

  “Give it time. If you’d been a man on the loose—” As if Emery would get drunk and holler at a prostitute to come on over and suck his dick. “Remember, evolution made us all—”

  “Evolution? Don’t you mean God?” Emery studied Jude, curiosity glittering in his green eyes.

  “Yes, God. He made us different for a reason. Think about how the world would be if six billion Emerys were running about.”

  “It’d be pretty boring, hey?” Emery grimaced.

  “Not boring. A little intense, but not boring. If you were boring, Darryl would’ve found someone else. You two balance each other. Darryl gets carried away with causes he believes in. Carried away with everything. He’s ruled by his emotions. You pull him back and make him contemplate his decisions.

  “As for you, Darryl loosens you up. He makes you act on instinct. Sometimes the gut feeling works. Spontaneity can be fun.”

  “Balance. True. Darryl’s a big believer in balance. For him, it’s the Ojibway world. And the Ojibway world follows nature’s law of stable equilibrium.”

  “No good and evil, hey?” Jude had to agree with Darryl. His brother-in-law’s philosophy was a heck of a lot better than reenacting the Bible’s story of Job.

  “Okay, we talked about me. What about you?”

  Jude wasn’t about to confess he’d had sex. That was between him and Raven.

  “Well?”

  “I guess I’m gonna have to wait and see.” Jude shoved his hands inside his parka pockets. “I worry how it’ll affect them.” He used his chin to point at Rebekah and Noah running back up the hill, laughing and rosy-cheeked from the fresh cold.

  “And don’t tell me to put it in the Lord’s hands.” There, he’d shut down his little brother before Emery could give his usual answer.

  “Why not? If He can create all of this...” Emery used his hand to make a sweeping motion. “Why can’t he resolve your problem?”

  “Are you using Him to resolve yours?” Jude winked.

  “It’s taking time, but I’m learning.”

  “What’ve you learned?”

  “To let go of the past and past regrets. I kept blaming myself for Darryl’s, uh, bold behavior while we were estranged. But I’m not to blame. Darryl chose to do what he did as a single man. I chose something else.”

  “Such as the priesthood?”

  “Yes.” Emery heaved his shoulders up and down. “I made the right decision for me at the time. And I guess he did what he had to do. I can accept what he chose, but it doesn’t mean I have to agree with him, or what he did. Am I disappointed? Very disappointed. That man isn’t the Darryl I knew growing up. And he isn’t the Darryl I know now.”

  “Who was he then?”

  “An angry man. He did the I’ll show you and hurt me.” Emery cast Jude a weak smile. “Isn’t that what we do when we believe we’re getting even? We do things to spite others and hurt ourselves in the process?”

  “Yeah, we do.” Jude used his boot to brush at the snow. “I’m trying not to hold any resentments against Charlene. I’ll be honest. Her emailing you really pissed me off. I can’t believe she wanted you to witness at the annulment.”

  “Are you going to contest it?”

  “No.” Jude shook his head. “Why would I? The annulment will allow us to move on. She can marry the jerk.” Not the snarling feeling again.

  “Are you ready to... date?”

  “Yeah.” He honestly was. For a year he’d sat in gloom and doom. “But I don’t know if they’re ready for me to date.” He lifted his hand at the kids. “Then there’s the election. We try not to talk about it. There’re some big differences we have that’re gonna crop up the longer we see each other.”

  “When did you last see her?”

  “Last night. We went for a drive to Geoff’s Camp.”

  “Geoff opened the dining hall? I didn’t think he was back from Mexico yet.”

  “He’s not.” Jude shot Emery a don’t ask look.

  “Never mind.” Emery bit down on his lip. The smile appeared anyway. “Darryl and I preferred the Treaty Grounds. Adam and Bridget? They thought the trail at the church was a great place.”

  “Oh man...” Jude groaned. “Let’s not go there. I don’t even wanna think about my sister... Ugh. Get me some brain bleach. Geez.”

  Emery burst out laughing.

  The most Jude could do was take the dating one day at a time. But the odds stacked against them... not good.

  Chapter Thirteen: Too Many Enemies

  Picking up Dad to ride together to the community center had been a great idea. Jude drove. They were leaving the Grassy District and heading for Sandy Point, where nominations were being held. Emery and Darryl had opted to stay home.

  As for Mom, she was watching the kids. Although she’d gained status as a band member before Bill C-Thirty-One came into effect back in nineteen eighty-five—when the Federal Government had stopped allowing non-status women to become Status Indians under the Indian Act through marriage to Status Indian men—Mom never felt comfortable becoming involved in elections, but she did vote.

  Jude never dared bring up the subject to Bridget or he’d get six hours of nonstop complaining. She loathed the Federal Government’s patriarchal interference in determining who could or couldn’t be classed as a Status Indian, since native women had lost their rights if they’d married non-status men.

  This could one day impact Jude’s children, because they claimed their Indian status through him. However, his grandchildren, if the government kept interfering, might not qualify, all depending on whom his grandchildren married.

  At least women no longer lost their status—after the passing of Bill C-Thirty-One—if they married non-status men. And women who’d previously lost their status had had it reinstated.

  For the sake of the future, maybe being dragged into politics was a good idea. As a deacon, Dad had to stay neutral.

  “Roy’ll be there to second the nomination. We have plenty from the church attending.”

  “That’s great.” Jude turned onto the main road to Sandy Point.

  The big brown
building was where bingo, suppers, and any other major-sized events took place. When he turned onto Lynx Road, the parking lot was already full. He glanced at the dashboard clock. They were twenty minutes early.

  “This is serious business if they’re on time. Hell, if they’re early.”

  Dad chuckled. “They take their elections seriously.”

  Jude parked the truck. The spot near the ditch meant a jaunt to the building. At least the warmer weather was holding up at minus eighteen.

  They entered the main lobby to people mingling about, holding coffees, and talking. As they wove their way through the crowd, they stopped to say hi and chit-chat for a few moments. Then they joined the table where the band members from the church sat.

  “Norman. C’mon over here.” Roy patted a seat beside him.

  “Sit here.” Jenny, Mom’s BFF, motioned at Jude.

  He slid in the chair beside her. She talked, but Jude only nodded. He couldn’t resist searching out Raven, who Marilyn-Monroe-ed her way through the crowd, holding a tray of coffees. As Raven sashayed to the table, she laughed if one of the many men waylaid her, while the women shot her dirty looks.

  She kept flipping her hair, wiggling and giggling at her fan club, who continued teasing her. It was hard to believe no male had piqued Raven’s interest during the time she’d returned to the reserve. She was so busy putting on a show, she didn’t seem to be searching out Jude.

  Raven reached the table where the Kabatays sat. She bent over to set down the tray, which earned her spectacular ass many gawks from the men.

  Jude whipped out his phone and typed out a message.

  Evening. How’d your weekend go?

  While Jenny continued to talk, Jude snuck peeks at Raven. A serious woman had replaced the vamp who’d strutted her stuff through the hall. Dark brows narrowed and red lips set in a straight line, Raven was leaning in, seeming to listen to what Fawn was saying.