Michael drew Lena into his arms and bent to kiss her full, sensuous lips. She tilted her face toward his, all of her fears gone. Complete trust was implicit in her action.
Their lips touched. Michael drank from her sweet, moist mouth as from a cool, clear stream, a stream from which the water did not quench his thirst, but, in fact, increased it. Lena’s wondrous hair floated on the cooling breeze and brushed Michael’s cheek. He breathed her in, reveling in her unique scent, making it part of his heart, his very soul.
Reluctantly, he ended the kiss, but held the embrace. He cradled her in his arms, his heart full, his spirit soaring.
“We must be married, Little Bird,” he whispered.
Lena stood within the circle of his arms, trusting, loving, happy. Her heart lifted at his words and she marveled at the fact that she could love this man so deeply, so quickly. A thought came to Lena, and she
gave a start.
“What is it Winyan Mita?81” Michael asked with alarm.
“I don’t even know your name, Wicasa Mita,82” she replied with a chuckle. Lena gazed into Michael’s eyes with adoration and he into hers.
“Nor I yours,” Michael replied, love filling his voice. “I am Michael,” he offered.
“Michael,” Lena repeated.
“Say it again,” Michael begged. “Michael.”
He smiled his love, worship in his eyes. “And what is yours, Little Bird?”
Lena gazed at the tall, beautiful man in her arms, her love beaming
from her exquisite eyes.
“That is my infant name,” she offered. “My father called me that as a child. My name is Lena,” she offered in a whisper.
“Lena,” Michael repeated, looking toward the deep, velvet sky. “Lena,” he repeated, drawing the syllables out, as if tasting her
name on his tongue and savoring its flavors. “Lena.”
Julie, Vicki and Reva approached the lodge slowly. Michael and Lena’s silhouettes clearly seen in the moonlight, their bodies were as one, joined as they were in a tight embrace.
Reva gave a cough and the couple slowly disengaged, as if mesmerized and unaware of their surroundings. Michael whispered a question to Lena.
“Unci,” she replied. Michael whispered again. “Catcher, Reva Catcher,” Lena answered.
Taking Lena’s hand in his, Michael approached Reva. “Mrs. Catcher,” he began, “I will return shortly.”
Michael turned, and kissing Lena on the tip of her nose, walked to
Sonny’s lodge and entered. He quickly exited and returned to where Reva was standing. Extending his left hand, the one closest to his heart, he offered an eagle feather and a pouch of tobacco.
“I would like to marry your granddaughter,” he said softly, “tonight.”
Lena and Michael stood outside of the lodge. Reva, Vicki and Julie were inside, and the murmur of conversation wafted through the circular
81 Win-yan Meeta – My Woman
82 Wee-cha-sha Meeta – My Man
opening of the tipi. Michael tried to hide his anxiety, but Lena could feel it. It amazed her that, within a space of but a few hours, she could feel and sense Michael’s every mood. It was as if he were a part of her, like her arm, or leg, or…heart.
Julie stepped into the lantern-lit circle and signaled for them to enter.
Reva stood in the center of the lodge, her hands clasped in front of her. Lena peered into her grandmother’s face with trepidation. It was
important to receive the blessing of the family before a couple were
joined – what if Unci refused to bless the union!
Lena walked closer, her eyes fixed anxiously on her grandmother’s face. Unci was…why, she was smiling!
Reva approached the young couple, and taking Lena and Michael’s left hands into hers, brought them together, placing Michael’s hand on
top of Lena’s.
“Spotted Eagle Horse has convinced me that you are in love and should be wed,” Reva intoned. “However, your father is not here to give his blessing.
“I, as his mother and elder, will speak in his behalf and give that blessing.” She turned to Lena, “Your parents met on their wedding day, and their love is a beautiful thing to witness. It is a blessing when half sides meet and are joined, without family censure, as we join you today.”
Reva stepped back and Julie forward.
“Lena,” she began, “you are not yet 18, and must have a parent’s permission to marry. In addition, there is no time for a license. You are leaving tomorrow, Ohan?”
Lena nodded, her heart sinking.
“However, I can join you tonight in the old way, and you can legalize your marriage after you have obtained a marriage license.”
Lena and Michael looked at each other with joy. Julie approached them, and taking a strip of red trade cloth, joined their hands together.
She walked to a chest situated at the perimeter of the tipi, opened the lid,
and withdrew a star quilt. Returning to the couple, she wrapped the quilt around them. She returned to the chest and withdrew two eagle plumes and a pipe. Standing before the couple, she handed a plume to each. Michael tied his feather to Lena’s hair and she, in turn to Michael’s. Lena turned to Julie.
“Please, could we go outside? I would like to be married under the stars.” She turned to Michael, who smiled his agreement.
The evening was soft and fragrant. Shimmering moonlight lent a majestic quality to the night. Julie took a deep breath, enjoying the fragrance of the dew-tipped grass.
It was a good choice to come outside, she thought to herself.
The small group re-assembled and the ceremony commenced.
Julie began to pray in the language of The People:
“Grandfather, Great Spirit, it is me, Two Strikes. Have pity on me. I am pitiful; I am small.
“This couple has come to me with good hearts, and with love for each other. They see each other as a half side and wish to walk their life roads
together.
“Bless these two people. Grant them the wisdom to see that it takes two hearts to work together.
“Tunksila83 Wakan Tanka, we offer smoke and we ask that the smoke carry the prayers skyward that they may be heard.”
Julie turned to Michael:
“Spirit of the Grass,” Julie began, “In the old way, I would ask you to show proof of being able to make meat for Lena. Since this is not
practical in these times, I will ask that you pledge your life to Lena and
that you will provide for her.”
Michael turned and looked into Lena’s incredible eyes.
“I promise that you will never want for the rest of your life,” Michael vowed.
Julie now turned to Lena:
“Cedar Woman,” she intoned, “will you pledge to always take care of your husband? Will you make sure that he is not shamed by his wife’s negligence?” Lena looked into Michael’s deep, brown eyes.
“I swear,” she breathed.
Julie took the couple’s bound hands and held them in hers. “Your two lives are now one,” she announced.
Michael and Lena turned toward each other. Embracing, they kissed. Vicki let out an audible sigh, Reva wiped a glistening tear with the sleeve of her dress, and Julie stood, beaming, at the newly joined couple.
Giving Reva a nudge, and Vicki a wink, she waited until the couple
parted.
“This woman’s life is now yours. Take her into my lodge, join with her and know her as your half side. Make her your own.
Cricket song filled the moonlit lodge. Lena lay, curled against Michael’s side, her leg across his hips, her lips against his throat. Michael sighed. It had never been like this before. Lena, he knew, was a virgin, but he was not, or at least he didn’t think he was. But if you judged this experience by the others he’d had, he was, for tonight he had made love for the first time.
83 Toon-cash-eela - Grandfather
Michael ran his fin
gers through Lena’s long, lustrous hair. He couldn’t believe his luck in finding this beautiful woman. She smiled at him, a trusting smile, full of love and contentment.
“My sweet woman,” he murmured, and kissed her deeply.
She clung to him, holding him to her in a tight embrace. Michael moaned. They made love again.
Michael lay with his hands behind his head. The night had cooled and a light blanket covered the supine couple. Lena’s head rested contentedly on Michael’s chest. He needed to talk to her, so he took her chin in his hand and lifted her face toward him.
“Mitawin,” he murmured, and kissed her lightly on the forehead. “Yes, Mihinga,” she answered, savoring the word as she spoke it. “We have to be practical for a moment. There are things which we
must discuss.”
Lena sat up abruptly. She was beautiful. Her small breasts were high and firm, her lustrous hair fell about her like a silken veil, brushing against his chest – tantalizing his senses. Her skin glowed in the moonlight, shimmering and pale, like a spirit visiting a mere mortal. The turquoise pendant fell just to the beginning of her cleavage and seemed to nestle there contentedly. Michael lifted it from her warm, glowing skin and examined it.
“This is a beautiful stone,” he offered, stalling for time. “It’s my birthstone – December,” Lena smiled.
Michael processed the information, and realized that his bride was
17, as Julie had mentioned just before the ceremony. It had not registered with him then, but now he grasped the fact that Lena was not
of an age to marry legally without parental consent. Reva, as an elder of
the family, and Peter’s mother, gave verbal consent for the traditional NdN wedding, but parental consent was necessary, or they would have to wait until Lena turned 18 in December to marry legally, if they wanted to do so without involving her parents. In addition, he thought to himself, it may take a few months before he could resettle, so they may as well wait until she turned 18.
Michael wrapped her in his arms and began.
“Lena, I have a life here in Keokuk. I have an apartment, a job and my family is here.
Michael tightened his embrace when he felt Lena attempt to sit up. “Cha, listen now, Little Bird – excuse me, Cedar Woman,” he
laughed quietly, chucking her lightly under the chin.
“I will need to close up my apartment, give notice, and begin the search for a new job. When I have accomplished these things, I will meet you in Columbus. It’s going to take me a few months, Mitawin, but
I will be there!
Lena lay quietly in his arms. A glistening tear fell from her eye, and dropped onto Michael’s chest. He took his index finger, wiped up the tear and kissed the salty liquid. His heart ached for his lovely bride. His heart was also heavy, but they needed to do this right, so that their life together began with honor, and with all people involved taken into consideration.
“I will be in Columbus soon to look for work. I need to request vacation time from my current job. I’ll tell them that I am moving. My boss is a good man, he’ll give me the time, and keep me on until I find something else.”
Lena interrupted. “Mihinga! I don’t know what you do!” she exclaimed.
Michael chortled. “I’m a chef. I have a degree in the culinary arts,”
he added.
This time Lena managed to sit up. Her eyes were blazing, their deep brown depths sparkling with excitement. The pupils of her eyes dilated, causing her eyes to appear to be of the same deep, brown color.
“Michael!” she exclaimed, “Michael, this is perfect!” she continued excitedly, grabbing his hand and pressing it to her breast. “I run a restaurant. Vicki, the lady for whom we had the Wopila today, has just become Unci’s sister. She’s the owner, and she is looking for a chef!”
Michael was dumfounded.
“Why do I feel that Wakan Tanka is behind all of this,” he queried with wonder.
“So, you can leave with us tomorrow!” Lena exalted.
Michael drew Lena into his arms again, and digested the latest bit of information. It was extraordinary how the day had turned out. He’d gotten up, made coffee on the camp stove, wakened Sonny, and prepared for the powwow. Now, here he was, a married man, at least in the eyes of The People, and about to move, lock, stock and barrel to a new city, a new state, a new job and a new family.
Michael noticed the circular opening of the tipi beginning to grow
light.
“Lena,” he whispered, “dawn is almost here.”
Lena gave a small cry. She didn’t want the dawn. She wanted to
stay here, with her new husband, make love again and stay within the circle of his arms forever.
“Lena,” he continued, “I will come to you as soon as I can. I have to give notice and close up my apartment.” Michael was quiet for a few seconds.
“Sonny can help me. I know he will. That may expedite the move. Do you live with your parents?” he asked, almost as an after thought.
“No, I live in my own apartment. It has a small living room, two
bedrooms, a bath and galley kitchen,” she offered.
“See if you can move in with your parents,” Michael instructed. “No,” he interjected as Lena began to protest. “We will do this right. We will not live together until legally man and wife.”
Lena showed her disappointment, but knew that he was right. Truthfully, she didn’t think she could live with Michael openly until they were legally married. Her mother and father would not wish for her to, and she wanted to start her marriage off right.
“I will move into your apartment,” Michael continued. I can use the second bedroom to store anything that I can’t find room for in the living areas. Then, we can search for a new home while we wait for your
18th birthday. When would you like to be legally married, Little Bird?”
he questioned, reverting to the pet name he had selected for her that morning.
“Well,” she mused, “my birthday is December 2nd. Can we marry on the 5th? It’s Vicki’s birthday.”
Michael smiled and pulled her close again. We shall be married on
the fifth then,” he affirmed. Drawing her close, they made love again as the opening of the tipi filled with dawning light.
Chapter Thirteen
Dedicated to the real neighbor, my beloved friend
Jo-Ann Glockner
1939 - 1998
Half Sides
Now you will feel no rain, For each of you will be Shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold, For each of you will be Warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness, For each of you will be Companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies, But there is only one Life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place, To enter into the days
Of your togetherness.
And may your days Be good and long Upon the earth.
Apache Wedding Prayer
Lena stood in the kitchen of a ninety-year-old condo, which she had moved into only the week before. She leaned against the stove sipping a glass of iced water. Before her loomed her latest project – an old, Hoosier style hutch, complete with a white porcelain countertop. Found in a flea market, Lena bought the antiquity in spite of the fact that someone had removed the flour bin and pounded in a metal medicine chest in its place. I wish they had left the bin, she mused, Oh, well. At least I can put spice bottles in there for now, and use the top as extra counter space. Besides, I couldn’t have afforded it if it had been complete, she reasoned.
Michael, as promised, arrived in Columbus two weeks after Lena, Vicki and Reva returned from the powwow. By then, Lena was temporarily installed in her parents and grandmother’s home. For now, their couch would do well for sleeping, immersed as she was in her dreams of another bed, soon to be occupied by both her and her handsome husband.
Michael arrived in the early evening. Lena rushed to the door o
f her parent’s and grandmother’s home, and threw herself into Michael’s arms. Michael chuckled and held her to him, as he quickly lowered a wicker laundry basket to the porch.
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