26
Arnie showed up at the address she gave him, a new bistro in one of the trendy restaurant rows. Inside, the light was buttery yellow. The tables were small and cozy, with cloth napkins and piano music coming from the speakers. He'd dressed for it, but this place signaled a get-together more serious than the one he'd signed up for. The plan was to go over elder lunch. Here they were with heavy cutlery and stemware.
Katie stood and waved from a cozy table in the corner. Little black dress, hair pinned back in a fancy ‘do, lipstick. Somehow he'd ended up at a meal different from the one he prepared for.
"Hey," he said when he reached the table. "Hope you haven't waited long." She offered her cheek, which he kissed quickly and dryly. She smelled good, and the dress displayed a peek at intriguing cleavage. He could adjust his expectations.
"How was your day?" she asked.
"I was at home this morning. I cleaned up weather debris around Grandma's place. She sent me over to another aged relative who needed a clogged drain cleared. I'm out there doing the important work."
A server came over to pour water and give them menus. "This looks interesting," Arnie said, scanning the entrees for choices that resembled red meat and potatoes. His nephew gave him grief for his narrow palate but a man liked what a man liked. "How about you?"
"Movie done. I spent the entire day working on it. It's ready to submit to festivals. I'm looking forward to celebrating tonight," she said.
"What an accomplishment," Arnie said, trying not to get hung up on the word celebrating.
"I have ideas for expanding your film. We should create a story with the festival circuit in mind."
"Not my film," Arnie said. He could already hear Linda's protests, her voice taking on a wavering pitch that meant she was annoyed with him. She would worry about who was paying for it and how would film festivals build the relationships they needed. "Crooked Rock is a group effort. My contributions are minor."
"Perhaps you see it that way," Katie said. "You pick the wine."
Arnie picked up the wine list and did a double-take when he saw the prices. If it had been up to him, they would have met at a brew pub and had burgers and tots.
"Sure," he said, trying to remember what he'd learned about wine. His sister liked the red with the silver lion on the label, and that was all he could come up with. When the time came, he confidently chose the third-cheapest bottle.
Katie folded her menu and set it on her plate. "How do you manage all the back and forth?"
Arnie laughed. "I'm not sure I am managing. My mom says I do too many things poorly instead of one or two things well. She's entitled to her opinion."
They paused while the server poured the wine. Arnie raised his glass to hers. "To your film."
"And to our film," she said, tinking her glass against his. "You don't get along with your mother?"
"We get along fine. You know how moms are. To get to your question, sometimes, the time on the road wears me down, but for now it's necessary."
"Theo's piece on you was interesting. His insight was the conflict between your ties to your home place and family, and your commitment to the work that needs to be done."
"He nailed it. My offer to help is serious; he's a smart kid."
"He is a frustrating student, but he's got a lot going on."
"He said he works a lot. I hired him to write for my committee. The pay isn't great but better than delivering pizzas or whatever he's doing."
"There must be others who can do it. Why him?"
"That's the mission. We want our people working for our people."
She considered that for a moment and he waited for her comment. Instead, she steered the conversation to local restaurants and favorite foods. She didn't get out a lot but when she did, she liked to try new places. She talked about the challenges of teaching and asked questions about politics on the rez.
By the time the entrees came, his doubts had faded. She made a joke about a local politician Arnie had dealt with and made him laugh. This was exactly the kind of woman he was attracted to, the kind he chased after when he'd had more time for chasing. Or more like the kind who used to chase after him. It was nice being chased. Her confidence was attractive. He admired her brains and ambition.
She'd ordered fish with a fancy sauce she convinced him to sample and teased him about the vegetables he left on his plate. The food was delicious, and the conversation was easy. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been out for fun. Except he wasn't. This was a business dinner. The servers cleared away the dinner plates and Katie ordered a single dessert and two forks.
Arnie asked, "My team will murder me if we don't discuss elder lunch. How do we make the film part go smoothly?"
"What events will unfold?"
"Elders come in and get served lunch," Arnie said. "The staff arrives early to work in the kitchen. You could show how they make it happen. They are a fun group. The center has a bus and Tommy will go pick up folks to bring them over."
Katie thought about it. "Is there anything cultural?"
"The whole thing," Arnie said. "If you want specifics, there will be a group of veterans. They always make for good stories."
"What about dancing or singing?"
Arnie shook his head. He'd suggested Linda add entertainment to the event, but she said with the small staff, they needed to stick to the basics. He didn't push the issue with her. "Not for this."
"Oh," she said, making no effort to hide her disappointment. "People associate certain images with Native Americans. I want images and sounds they will grab onto."
"I understand where you're coming from," Arnie said. But he understood Ester's concerns, too. Katie wanted to rely on a particular image to tell their story. Well, they'd hired an experienced filmmaker, they needed to trust her.
"You'll have plenty to use," he said.
The servers took away the last of the plates and brushed the crumbs from the table. Arnie paid the bill and walked her to her car, still uncertain what his move would be.
"Where do you stay when you're in town?" she asked with exaggerated casualness.
Arnie smiled. He always appreciated a direct approach. One benefit of dating as you got older, there didn't have to be so much guesswork.
"I stay with my sister, Tildy. Her place is between downtown and the road out to the rez."
"She expecting you?"
"She is," he said, wavering on his commitment to going over there. He needed to stay professional. Linda would not approve. "And tomorrow, I need to be up bright and early."
"Me too," she agreed, gazing into his eyes. She came over and kissed him softly but with promise.
"Next time," she said.
27
Ester used her phone camera to zoom in on hands forming meatballs.
"Henry is giving us lessons in handling his balls," Rayanne said. They were in the longhouse kitchen prepping for elder lunch.
Ester laughed. "I might want to use this for something. Keep it clean."
"Our hands are perfectly clean for ball-handling," Rayanne said.
Tommy held up the meatball he was working on. "Is this how you like it, Henry?" He took his time caressing the meatball with his fingers.
Ester collapsed against a stainless steel counter, shaking with laughter.
"That's enough," Linda said, although she was smiling, too. "Technically, this is sexual harassment although I'm not sure who the victim is."
Henry put his hand to his heart and pouted.
"Toughen up, pal." Linda checked the time. "Food going out when we said it will? We can't have elders rioting."
"Close enough," Henry said. "Time to get the sauce going. Rayanne wisely suggested we use store-bought bread product so that part will be a snap."
"No frybread?" Tommy and Ester said together.
Rayanne made a face.
"The elders will complain if there's no frybread," Linda said.
"Hard cheese," Henry said. "They can have toasty g
arlic bread or plain white rolls with butter. Or they can eat at home."
"A pox on those frybread-yearning elders," Ester said.
"Green salad and a berry cobbler for dessert," Henry said.
"That's kind of boring," Tommy said.
"They are coming for the company," Linda said. "You did great, Henry."
Ester caught Henry's pleased smile on camera.
Someone knocked on the main longhouse door. Linda washed her hands before going out to open it.
Ester peeked out the kitchen doors. "It's them," she hissed.
"They came in together?" Rayanne said. She hurried to watch over Ester's shoulder. "What do you think?"
Arnie carried the big camera case and had a bag on his shoulder. Professor Stone carried an additional bag. They both looked freshly showered and cheerful but their body language didn't scream sex happened.
"Inconclusive," Ester said.
"What's going on?" Tommy said.
Rayanne put her hand to her lips. "Arnie had a date with Professor Stone last night."
"So?" Tommy said.
"Don't tell Linda," Ester said. "I want this to be a good day for her."
"Why would Linda care if Arnie—?"
Ester gave him a look. Must be nice to go through life so clueless. Linda returned to the kitchen with them. Professor Stone eyed their meatball production line with a bland smile.
"Morning," Ester said in a loud voice. She put her phone away.
"My, aren't you cheerful?" Arnie set the hard case on the floor and dropped the bag on top of it. "Didn't you used to hate mornings?" He patted Ester's shoulder as he walked by to get to the coffee.
Ester caught Rayanne's eye and smirked. "Depends on the kind of morning it is."
Rayanne choked back laughter.
"Katie?" he asked, holding up a cup. She nodded.
Linda washed her hands again and dug into the pan of meat as if making meatballs was her last chance to save the world.
Arnie brought the cup to Professor Stone. If they'd been doing it, they would exchange a loopy grin. Nope, they stayed all business. If Arnie had stayed with her, they would have already had coffee at her place. Unless they fluffed the pillows and had to rush to get to the longhouse on time.
Ester pulled out a big box of paper napkins and fumbled to open it. Arnie pulled out a pocketknife and slit it open.
He mimicked her knowing tone. "Where's your friend, Theo?"
Oops. Lesson learned—don't underestimate Arnie.
Ester blinked before blushing with the force of a second-degree burn. I didn't have THAT kind of morning, she wanted to protest. Instead she grabbed a pile of napkins and folded them in half with the precision of an engineer.
"Where is Theo?" Professor Stone asked, taking the coffee from Arnie.
"I have no idea," Ester said. "I haven't talked to him since yesterday."
"He hasn't contacted me at all," Professor Stone said. "Ester, I'd like you to give me a hand today." Much as she enjoyed working with Professor Stone, elder lunch would be busy for the staff and she didn't want to abandon her friends.
But Linda nodded that it was okay. "Henry and Rayanne can holler for you when they need you."
Professor Stone picked up her bag and Ester grabbed the other. Arnie dragged the case out into the main room. The staff had set up the tables but hadn't decorated them yet.
"How many are showing up?" Arnie asked.
"We invited thirty elders so we're prepping for ninety," Ester said.
"Sounds about right," Arnie said.
"Why?" Professor Stone said, a questioning look on her face.
Arnie laughed. "You must be new to Indian Country."
Ester helped Professor Stone get out the equipment she wanted and stashed the rest out of the way. They walked through the table set-up and talked over how the event would unfold. Ester had a few ideas but chickened out when Professor Stone explained how she planned to work. As the morning progressed, delicious smells filled the room. Ester's stomach growled as she decorated the tables. A few people had arrived already.
She checked her phone but still no word from Theo. Something had to be wrong.
Arnie disappeared but about the time she was ready to grumble about it, he returned. He held the door open and a diminutive elder hobbled in using a rolling walker.
"Margie!" Ester called. She used her phone to film Margie's progress into the room. Arnie tried to take her elbow, but she jerked it away.
"I can move fine. Let me be," she said. "You young men can't keep your hands off me."
Arnie laughed and backed away.
Ester skipped across the room to give Margie a hug. "I've missed you," she told the elder.
"I miss you, too," Margie said.
They had a special table reserved for VIPs and Ester guided her to a seat.
A loud engine rattle announced the arrival of the bus. Ester searched for Professor Stone but she was busy talking to a group of veterans. Ester ran out to get clips of Tommy helping the elders climb off the bus.
"Gus!" she called. She ran over to hug Rayanne's grandpa when he was safely off the bus. "You here with the band?"
"You bet," he said, hugging her back. Gus was part of an elder inter-tribal drum group. "Where's my granddaughter?"
"Making food," Ester said. She stepped back to film a shot of the others as they got off the bus, and then ushered them into the longhouse. She would offer the clips to Professor Stone later.
In the midst of everything, she saw Theo run across the parking lot.
The moving job had taken twice as long as scheduled. Theo returned to a dead car battery followed by an endless wait for a jump. Then an accident had the freeway backed up and by the time he figured out the problem, he was stuck in it.
Ester standing outside the front of the longhouse was the best thing he'd seen all day.
"Did I miss anything?" He reached for her but she pulled away.
"You're late," she said.
"I'm aware there's a problem," he said, trying to take her hand. "The moving job ran late—"
"You took a moving job?"
"I'm not getting paid for this. You know how it is for me." Ester's ire was an unexpected jab when he was already on edge. "The last thing I need is you on my case." The words came out angrier than he’d intended.
She blinked in surprise.
He took a deep breath and tried one more time. "I could use a hug."
"Sorry you're having a bad day," Ester said. She put her arms around his waist. He pulled her close and inhaled her sweetness.
"Things going okay in there?" he asked.
Ester made a dismissive grunting sound.
"You here to work?" Professor Stone called from the door to the longhouse.
"She's mad," Ester whispered.
He would have been shocked if she weren't. "On my way," he said.
He pulled a thumb drive out of his pocket and handed it to Ester.
"For me?" she said with exaggerated delight. "You shouldn't have. People will talk."
Theo kissed the top of her head. "I'll explain later."
Inside the longhouse, Theo found another version of the chaos he'd experienced with Arnie's family, except here they had more elders and no dogs. Kids tore around long tables filled with visitors. Bursts of laughter floated from every corner of the room. The food smelled incredible.
Ester followed him with a finger crooked into his back pocket. She said, "I'm doing a lap with a pitcher of drinks. There's a plate of food for you in the kitchen when you can get away. I have a lot to tell you." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and slipped through the crowd. He watched after her with longing.
"Focus, Dunne," Professor Stone said, her mouth a hard line.
"Sorry, I—"
She held up her hand. "It's not important. Let's get the work done."
The next hour passed in a blur. The relaxed and informed filmmaker who’d shown up in Warm Springs had turned into a person who misu
nderstood the room. When Professor Stone spotted an elder she wanted to talk to, she pushed into the conversation. Theo would move in and talk about the film and coax them into answering a few questions. The elders were more inclined to talk to Theo, which only intensified Professor Stone's irritation. She communicated with abrupt hand gestures and two-word orders.
They got through a brisk interview with Linda and then a longer back and forth with Arnie, which earned the only genuine smile from Professor Stone all day.
Theo sighed with relief when the crowd thinned. As people began to make their way out, Ester found them again.
"Professor Stone, would you like to interview Margie? She founded the center and now she—"
"We can interview Margie," Professor Stone said.
They followed Ester to a tiny gray-haired woman with bright eyes.
"Margie, this is Professor Stone. She's the one helping the center with the film. And, uh, this is Theo."
Margie shook Professor Stone's hand. She gave Theo a careful once-over before nodding approvingly at Ester. Theo wanted to make a smart remark but not in front of Professor Stone.
They set up the equipment for the interview. Ester stayed out of Professor Stone's sight, filming on her phone.
"What were you hoping to accomplish when you founded the Crooked Rock Urban Indian Center?" Professor Stone asked.
Margie gestured at the room. "This. Bringing our people together. Some folks get lost when they're in the city. We want them to have a place where they're welcome like home."
"Can you speak specifically about programs the center offers that address problems in the Native American community?"
"I thought that's what I was doing," Margie said. There was no mistaking her impatient scowl.
Professor Stone closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. "What about mentioning specific programs? For example, addressing alcoholism or unemployment? What issues do Native Americans face living in an urban area?"
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