by Linda Bridey
Stepping outside, she looked around the ranch. It was a pretty place and she could see the care and work that went into keeping it well maintained. Cattle lowed in the distance and she could hear horses nickering in the barn. As she looked towards the paddock in the growing dark, she spotted Raven and Zoe locked in a passionate embrace.
Shocked by the very familiar way Raven handled her daughter, she started their way.
“Zoe! Zoe Fontaine! You stop that this instant, young lady!” she shouted.
Raven and Zoe broke their kiss and watched in surprise as Dana came stomping in their direction.
“Get your hands off her! How dare you touch her like that?”
“Mother! Stop it! He wasn’t doing anything wrong,” Zoe said.
“That is not acceptable behavior, young lady! You’re not married yet and even if you were, doing that sort of thing in public is distasteful,” Dana said.
Raven said, “Out here by the barn is not in public. There was no one else out here, Dana.”
“It’s Mrs. Fontaine and I should have known better than to listen to Pricilla. You are not going to continue to paw at my daughter as though she were some plaything,” she said.
“Paw at her?” Raven yelled as he took a step towards Dana.
“Mother, he wasn’t pawing at me,” Zoe said. “Raven, she didn’t mean that. Did you, Mother?”
“Oh, yes, I did. What was next? Just take her there on the ground like an animal in rut?” she shouted.
Raven inhaled a sharp breath and his head snapped back as though he’d been slapped.
By this time, they’d drawn a crowd and Tessa and Reckless reached them first.
The smile Raven sent Dana chilled her blood. “You mean like the animal I am, Dana? I don’t have to stand here and take this from you. You who are nothing more than an ignorant, vile woman who wouldn’t know a good person if she fell over one. It’s because of people like you that my family has suffered so much loss and pain.”
Tessa had Dana by the shoulders and was trying to lead her away. Dana broke free and came closer to Raven as she said, “Maybe they’re where they should be so they don’t attack more women and kill our men!”
Zoe was so mortified that she felt faint. “Mother! How could you say that?”
“Because it’s true!” Dana shouted.
Raven was furious but displayed a calm demeanor as he looked at Zoe. “I am leaving and I do not ever want to see her again. Either you come with me now or we are through.”
Zoe looked at him incredulously. “What? Why?”
“I need to know where your loyalty lies,” Raven said. “I will not have a wife who is torn between the two.”
Reckless said in Lakota, “Cousin, think carefully about this.”
Raven looked at Reckless and asked, “Would you stand for that? Or for a wife who condoned it?”
Reckless shook his head slightly and said, “No.”
“Then why should I?” Raven said. To Zoe he said in English, “You have a choice to make. What is your decision?”
Zoe wanted to go with Raven, but she also wanted to try to fix things. “Raven, let’s just all calm down about things and discuss them,” she said.
“She is not going to discuss anything with me,” Raven yelled as he pointed at Dana. “She thinks that I was going to throw you down and rape you, Zoe! I told you that I would not stand for that kind of treatment. I warned you that I would not allow those kinds of insults to be said of me. And worse than that, she has insulted my family and my entire race! You have a choice to make. Right here and now. Either you go with me or we are done!”
Zoe was angry and incredibly embarrassed as she looked around at all the people who had come to see what was happening. She couldn’t think straight and felt as though she was going to pass out. “I, oh, Raven, please don’t make me decide right now.”
“What good will more time do? You will simply try to get us to make amends and there will be no reconciliation. You must choose. Her or me?” Raven said as he shook inside with rage.
Zoe couldn’t answer him. Tears coursed down her face and she shook her head.
Raven drew himself up to his full height and said, “So be it. We are done,” and made the Lakota hand sign for washing one’s hands of something. “Go home, Zoe, where there are none of us animals.” He looked at Zoe one last time, his heart cracking into tiny pieces, and he turned from her. Proudly he walked away, jumping the fence with ease and disappearing into the woods.
Zoe couldn’t believe that he’d really walked away from her. She’d thought that he would calm down, and they could at least talk about things. His highhanded attitude didn’t sit well with her at all. How was she supposed to make such a life altering decision in a matter of seconds? How could he expect her to cut her mother out of her life just like that? Fury at both her mother and Raven made Zoe’s hands shake as she took off her engagement ring and shoved it into Maddie’s hand since she stood the closest to her.
Dana tried to comfort her daughter, but Zoe pushed her away roughly. “Don’t touch me. I’m leaving, but I’m not going back to Green Bay. I hate you, Mother. Leave me alone.” Zoe went to the paddock to retrieve her horse.
Mike followed her. “Zoe, you can still go to him,” he said. “If you go to him now, it’ll be ok.”
“No, Mike. It won’t. I won’t be treated like some kind of property by anyone. And I won’t have ultimatums shouted at me in the presence of so many people. I’m going to Pricilla’s, and I’ll be making travel arrangements right away. I’ll let Joe know that I won’t be working for him anymore.”
“I’ll ride to town with you,” Mike said. “You shouldn’t be alone right now.”
Zoe closed her eyes a moment to gather control over her anger and then reopened them. “Mike, I know you’re only trying to help, but I prefer to be by myself. I know the way. I don’t need help. Thank you for your friendship. I’ll miss you all.”
She mounted her horse and Mike opened the paddock gate. She put her heels to her horse and tore down the lane out of sight.
From the shadows of the trees, Raven watched her ride off. He’d actually held out hope that she might come to him, but once she left, he knew that that wasn’t going to happen. Turning away from the ranch, he ran down the trail by the stream that led to the camp, his long legs making it a fast trip. Once in the camp, he changed into his loincloth and ran to the rock ledge to sit there in the moonlight. He heard a wolf howl somewhere across the river and the plaintive, mournful sound unleashed his grief and anger. Laying his forehead on his knees, Raven’s shoulders shook as he let his pain come forth.
Chapter Nineteen
Zoe arrived in Smokey Mills, Nebraska two weeks later. Her best friend Camille and her husband, Mort, were there to meet her at the train station. Camille hugged her tightly and Zoe hugged her back.
“Things will be all right, Zoe. Don’t worry. I’m here to help you and you’ll make plenty of friends here. You’ll like Mort’s family, too,” Camille chattered.
Zoe tried to smile, but couldn’t muster any enthusiasm. Ever since the night she and Raven had split up, she had only been going through the motions of living. She had not spoken to her mother nor to Raven since that night. Pricilla had helped her make her travel arrangements even though she had also tried to convince her to talk things out with Raven.
Zoe had made it clear to Pricilla that that was not going to happen. Pricilla had reluctantly given up on it, but she was very distressed about it. She made Zoe tell her where she was going because she wanted to keep in touch with her. Zoe gave her Camille’s address and promised to write her when she arrived in Smokey Mills.
Camille and Mort took her to their house, a large brick structure that was very pretty. Zoe didn’t notice and she didn’t care what it looked like. She just wanted to be alone and escaped to the room Camille gave her as soon as possible. Zoe shut and locked her door and sat mutely on the bed.
Though her grief was great,
she didn’t throw herself on her bed and wail. Zoe got up and began putting away her clothing in the drawers and organizing her toiletries. This was something mundane and manageable in her desolate state.
Memories of Raven assaulted her as they did all the time and she tried to shut her mind to them. She didn’t want to remember his heart-stopping smile, the heady sensations his kisses created or the way his hands on her body made her come alive. In her head, she heard his laugh and his deep voice. At night, the Lakota words he said to her as they made love echoed in her mind and prevented her from sleeping because she yearned for him.
Looking around the unfamiliar room, Zoe couldn’t imagine how she was going to go on living and yet, she knew she had to. Maybe if she took things one hour at a time, one minute at a time, she could begin to rebuild her life again. However, Zoe knew that she would never love anyone the way she had her Lakota brave. The way she would always love him.
*****
After that initial night of grief, Raven set out to rid himself of Zoe’s memory. He steeled himself against the crushing pain her choice had caused and began focusing on his family’s return from the reservation. The celebration had still gone on; he had insisted that his family be welcomed home joyously despite recent events. He would not let anything spoil their homecoming.
He hunted every day and went to work. He laughed and teased his family and friends. To some, it appeared that he was bouncing back well, but his parents and Reckless were not fooled. His actions merely masked his pain, each smile covering up the fact that he really felt like crying. Alone at night, Raven lay awake trying to keep thoughts of Zoe at bay, but he couldn’t. He’d never thought anything could hurt so badly, but he was determined that if he could live with the grief of losing his aunt and uncle, he would learn to live with Zoe’s defection.
Maddie had tried to give him Zoe’s ring, but he had asked her to keep it. He didn’t want it in his tipi. There was a pile of lumber that had been delivered to the camp. It was supposed to have been for the cabin he and Zoe were going to build, but there was no longer any need for it since he planned to keep living in his tipi.
Raven knew he would never marry. He figured that he would eventually go back to enjoying female company, but he would never let himself get involved in a relationship with a white woman again. It only caused heartache. Too bad he hadn’t learned from his cousin Reckless’ bad experience with that kind of situation. He should have been smarter. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
*****
Black Fox stood on the rock ledge overlooking the river and inhaled the fresh, slightly damp morning air. He couldn’t believe he was free to be there again. Even when they’d moved to the canyon, he had longed for their old camp. It had only been worse when they’d gone to the reservation.
He’d had a hard time deciding if he could live with leaving their tribe in order to return home. Ever honest with himself, Black Fox knew that his heart was no longer in leading the tribe, especially since he’d always been a chief of action and there were no more hunting parties to organize, no raids to go on, no real dangers to guard against. The issues that needed dealt with were the kind that a new kind of chief could manage.
When he’d spoken to their council about this, they had been surprised by his decision to become a citizen and leave the reservation. It had never occurred to them that he might do such a thing. It had never occurred to him to do it, either, until the opportunity had presented itself. Both he and his wife had missed their son and all of the others, too. They had also missed the freedom to go where they wanted, when they wanted. An older man named, Little Moon, was chosen as their new chief. Black Fox had been pleased by their selection. Little Moon was a wise man who would look after their tribe well.
That Winona decided to stay with her new husband saddened her family, but they would visit her. Black Fox had tried to convince her husband, Red Elk, to come with them, but he wouldn’t leave his tribe. Winona hadn’t been angry that they were leaving. She was happy that they were getting to go home again, but she was content to stay since she was so much in love with her husband.
The former chief had gone hunting that morning, another activity he’d greatly missed. Though he was rusty, he’d managed to bring down a sizeable buck, which greatly pleased him. Wind Spirit had smiled at him as he’d carried into camp and sat it in front of their tipi. She’d cleaned it right away and started smoking some of the meat and roasting more of it. The rest of it, she’d put on the new drying racks the men had made. It was good to once again be doing the tasks they’d done all of their lives.
Katie appeared at her uncle’s elbow and he smiled down at her. Since they’d been back, she’d been his constant shadow. Her blue eyes met his gaze and her pretty smile flashed. Black Fox stroked her hair and thought how much like Dean she looked. The girl put her arms around him and leaned against him. Still smiling, Black Fox looked back out across the river valley.
“You look funny in your white people’s clothes,” Katie said.
Black Fox chuckled. “So you keep telling me. I only wear them when I am going into town. I will change when I come back.”
“Why are you going to town?” she asked. The concept of her uncle going into Dawson when he used to avoid it all costs was foreign to her and she couldn’t help being inquisitive about it.
“I am going to the store.”
“What for?”
“You are as nosey as Seth and your mother.”
Katie laughed. “I am not.”
“Yes, you are. Why do you bother asking me questions when you know you will be going with me?”
“I am?”
Black Fox arched a brow as he looked down at her. “You always do. Why should this time be any different?”
She smiled. “Do you want me to stay home?”
“Do you want to stay home?”
“You just said I was going with you.”
“No, I said you knew you were going with me.”
Katie shook him a little and said, “Stop that! You are confusing me.”
Black Fox laughed and said, “Come, little one. We will go. I need more candy.”
She took his hand and said, “I want to go hunting with you someday.”
“Oh, no. You are not going to get me in trouble with your father. If you want to go hunting, you will go with him if he agrees,” Black Fox said.
“But he doesn’t use a bow and arrow,” Katie protested.
“Then I will teach him,” Black Fox said.
“I do not think he would be very good at it,” she responded.
“Do not be too sure. People have a way of surprising you,” Black Fox told her.
“Like you wearing white man’s clothing?” she teased.
His grunt was a sound of displeasure. “Yes. I feel silly in them, but it is better than being trapped behind a fence and ordered around.”
Katie squeezed his hand and said, “I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.”
For her smart remark, Black Fox quickly hoisted her over his shoulder and let her hang down head first like a sack of potatoes. Her shrieks of laughter echoed around the clearing as they entered it. Wind Spirit looked up to see what was happening and laughed when she saw them. Black Fox stomped over to their tipi with exaggerated movements that shook Katie around.
“I have another deer for you, wife. Where would you like it?”
“Just drop it anywhere. Maybe here,” Wind Spirit said pointing to a spot.
Black Fox pretended he was going to drop Katie but caught her at the last second. He did this a couple of times and then sat Katie on her feet. She weaved a little as she walked as the blood started receding from her head. Her aunt and uncle laughed with her.
Katie caught her breath and rooted in her dress pocket for something. She brought out a piece of paper and handed it to her uncle. “Mama needs that stuff from the store.”
Black Fox frowned. “I am not her errand boy.”
“I told her
you would say that and she said if you want blueberry cobbler, you’ll get the stuff on that list,” Katie said switching to English.
“Bossy woman,” he said and sighed. “It is like I have a second wife and she is nagging me.”
“Hush, husband. You’re going to the store anyway. Don’t be so grouchy. Do what your other wife is asking so she may make your treat,” Wind Spirit said.
Black Fox grunted. “Another wife nagging me.” He winked at Katie as he turned away and they went for their horses.
*****
Pricilla Samuels was angry. She was angry over the situation with Raven and Zoe, angry that Dana Fontaine had turned out to be a prejudiced shrew, and angry that Raven barely came to see her. Three weeks had gone by since the young couple had parted ways, during which time, she’d finally gotten the whole story of what had happened from Jack and Marcus. She was also angry at herself because once up on a time, she had shared a couple of Dana’s opinions about the Lakota. She was happy that Raven had shown her how wrong she’d been.
The tall brave’s absence grieved her. She missed him bursting in the kitchen door, kissing her, and trying to snatch a bit of whatever she had cooked. She also missed hearing Raven bound up and down the stairs and his teasing during meals.
One morning when she rose, Pricilla made a decision; since Raven wasn’t coming to her, she would go to him. She dressed in her older clothing and walked to the sheriff’s office. Jack was surprised to see his aunt walk into the office.
“Hello, sheriff. Hello, Jack,” she said with a smile.
“Hi, Pricilla,” Mitch said with the feeling of misgiving he always had around the woman.
“Aunt Pricilla, how are you?” Jack asked as he became a little anxious. “What can we do for you?”
“I’m angry is how I am,” she said. “That cousin of yours hasn’t been to see me much. When he has, I can see how sad he is. He might be able to fool some people, but not me.”
Jack sighed. “I know. You want some coffee?”
