Blood of the Rainbow (20 page)

Tom opened the door, and a woman in her late forties followed him out. She had long black and silver hair, which she wore in a single braid down the middle of her back. Her face lit as she hugged Jared tight. Then the tears started flowing. “Shiyaazh! I’ve missed you so much.” She eyed Sara approvingly. “You’ve got to be Sara.”

Jared put his arm around Sara’s waist and smiled at her, “Mother, this is Sara Foster. She’s my – ah – she’s my
girlfriend
,” he said, trying to find a suitable word to describe their relationship. Sara and Jared were
so
much more than friends, but not yet lovers.

Jared’s mother studied Sara’s eyes for a few seconds. She grinned. “Nizhoni!” she whispered to Jared.

Jared beamed and winked at Sara. She wondered what the Navajo words meant. She decided it was another compelling reason for her to find some books, and get started reading. The sooner – the better. Sara knew her chances of finding books on Navajo Indians in the hospital gift shop were slim-to-none. She guessed it would have to wait. It wasn’t
that
imperative right now anyway. Jared and his family were.

Jared squeezed Sara tighter. “Yes, she is…
very
!”

“Welcome Sara. My name is Nadine, but you can call me Nada, or Mother if you prefer.” Jared gave Sara a worried glance. Sara’s eyes widened. “I’m pleased to meet you at last,” Nadine continued, hugging Sara. “Jared speaks
very
fondly of you.”

Jared smiled, slightly embarrassed. “Where’s Myra?”

“She’s at the cafeteria, getting us some coffee. I’ll ring her and tell her to pick up a couple more.”

“I don’t want any,” Jared responded and glanced at Sara. “Sara?”

“No thank you.”

“Jared, you and Sara, should go in and see your grandfather soon,” Nadine suggested, a note of concern in her voice. “Tom and I will stay out here while you visit. The nurses get a little cranky if more than two or three people are in there at a time.”

Jared knew Sara was nervous about meeting his family. To Sara, it was crucial that she be accepted. He took her hand and squeezed it for moral support. “Come on Angel.” They entered the room. Jared quietly closed the door behind them. His grandfather was connected to all kinds of tubes and equipment. Had it not been for this, he looked as though he was sleeping. His wizen face showed no sign of pain or suffering. Jared’s mood changed to one of respect and reverence as he led Sara to the side of the bed. He kissed his grandfather’s forehead and leaned close to his ear, whispering something in Navajo. Even though Sara couldn’t understand what he’d said, from the tone of voice, she knew they must be words of endearment. A single tear slid down Jared’s cheek, and he quickly brushed it off.

Sara bit her lower lip to keep it from quivering. Not so much for Jared’s grandfather, she didn’t know the old man, but for Jared. It hurt Sara to see him cry. She squeezed his hand. Jared looked back at her and weakly smiled. Sara loved Jared, and his pain was almost unbearable for her.

“Grandfather, you were right – she
was
real. She’s here with me. This is Sara. The girl we spoke about, years ago. You remember – the girl from my dreams?” Of course, the old man couldn’t answer Jared, but Jared rattled on.

Sara lightly touched the back of the old man’s hand. It hardly felt warm, almost lifeless. From her own experience, Sara sensed death couldn’t be far away. “It’s an honor to meet you Sir,” she said, trying to keep an even voice.

“Sara, I need to speak with David Whitefeather, Granddad’s doctor. I want to see if David can tell me any more about Granddad’s condition. Would you sit with him?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll send Mother back in to sit with you, so you won’t be alone,” he said as he left the room.

------------

“Hi again Sara,” Nadine whispered as she walked up beside her. Sara nodded and smiled. Nadine motioned to a couple of chairs in the corner. Sara was half expecting to be raked across the coals. To her surprise, Nadine was courteous. She wanted to know all about Sara. Who her parents were. Where she went to school. When Nadine asked Sara if she had any Indian blood in her family, Sara’s heart jumped in her throat.
This is the part where she decides I’m not good enough for Jared.

Sara told Nadine as far as she knew, she didn’t. Genealogy was
not
one of Sara’s strong points.
Besides, with the hatred Mother feels to Native Americans – how could I?

Nadine raised both eyebrows curiously. “That’s interesting….”

Sara’s eyes widened. Her pulse quickened. “Is that a problem?”

Nadine patted Sara’s hand and smiled. “No Honey. It’s not a problem - just interesting.” Then Nadine started sharing stories about Jared and his sister, when they were children.

“Nada… thanks for letting me stay at your home.”

Nadine softly laughed. She seemed surprised. “Where else would you have expected to stay Sara? You’re with Jared. I wouldn’t throw my daughter out on the streets, or expect her to stay at a crummy hotel. You’re family Sara. You’re always welcome in our home. I just wish we’d met under more pleasant circumstances. Jared should have brought you to see us sooner.”

“Actually, Jared and I haven’t known each other that long.”

Nadine laughed again. “Oh but you have Sara. Just not in the waking world.” She patted Sara’s hand again and glanced at Jared’s grandfather. “Sara, Jared has shared stories with me about you since you were ten. I assume he’s shown you his sketches?”

Sara smiled. “Yes he has. Jared is a talented artist.”

From the way Nadine was talking to Sara, it was obvious even
she
believed Sara was Jared’s ‘dreamgirl’. Maybe she was – maybe she wasn’t. It didn’t matter to Sara, and Jared had already made it quite clear, that it didn’t matter to him either. If Jared’s family wanted to believe she was the girl from Jared’s dreams that was good enough for Sara. She felt more at home and welcome here, than she did at her mother’s.

Sara and Kaye hadn’t seen eye-to-eye in a long time. Nadine hadn’t judged Sara like Kaye would Jared. It felt nice to Sara to be accepted without conditions or criticisms. Eventually, Sara would have to introduce Kaye and Jared. When she did, Sara hoped her mother would at least be civil to him.

“Jared says he became a doctor because of what happened to my mother-in-law, but I don’t think that’s entirely right. I think you’re the reason,” Nadine continued.

Sara furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand.”

“Well, you see, it troubled Jared when you were hurt or ill in his dreams. He wanted to take care of you, and he felt, by him becoming a doctor, he would be able to do that. You’re the
only
girl he’s ever been serious about. Well,
really
serious about anyway. Has he told you about the girl from Australia?”

“Yes, he’s told me a little about Eve.”

“She seemed like a nice girl in the beginning, but she used Jared, and hurt him. She was very jealous of you.” Nadine smiled.

“How could she be jealous of me?”

“When Jared started getting serious about Eve, he felt it was only right, so he told her about you. From that point on, she changed. She was jealous of you, and she led him on. Eve never loved Jared, but she failed to tell Jared any of this until she’d broken his heart. Jared
was
heartbroken, but not so much as he would be if it didn’t work out with you. But enough talk about that,” she said, patting Sara’s hand again. “She was never right for him, not like you,” Nadine added earnestly.

“Nada… even if things
don’t
work out for us, I would never do anything to hurt Jared.”

“I know Sara. You’ve been there with him from the beginning, even when he was with Eve. You would no more hurt Jared than he would hurt you. He
loves
you
Sara.”

Sara smiled. “I love him too. I know some would say it’s silly, considering how long we’ve known each other, but I
do
love Jared. I have
no
doubts about that.”

“To an outsider, it would be silly, but not to Jared, and certainly not to us. We don’t see things the way the rest of the world does. Many a match is made in the dream world that never sees the light of day. What has happened between you and Jared is rare - special. Just because we’re shown our perfect match in our dreams, does not guarantee we will find them in the waking world. It all depends on how much we’re willing to sacrifice, and how patient we are. It also depends on how much we’re willing to sacrifice
for
them.”

Nadine checked on the old man, and then continued, eager for Sara to hear the whole story. The more Nadine told Sara, the more
Sara
believed.

“You see, it used to be that in the dream world every Navajo was shown his or her perfect match. Then, times changed, and our people became more modernized. Now days, only a chosen few enjoy this gift, tribal leaders and high council elders. Even still, some of them refuse it, because they don’t want to wait. They mistake what
feels
like the
real thing
, and then they forget the promises made to us by our ancestors.”

Nadine paused briefly, sighed, and then continued. “People put more trust in today’s modern ways of life. Jared almost made that mistake. Thank goodness you were patient with him. You stuck by him, and kept reminding him that you
were
out there, waiting. Even when the mortal part of your spirit thought it had found true love, your immortal part held fast. You kept steering events in the right direction for the day when you and Jared would meet in the waking world.”

“Nada, Jared believes I’m his perfect match – the girl from his dream. What if I’m not? Is there
any
way of knowing for sure? If the girl in his dreams
is
his destiny, I don’t want to be the one that stands between them.”

Nadine sighed. “Oh you are a noble one. There is one way of knowing for sure.”

“Tell me,
please
, I need to know.”

Nadine opened her mouth to speak. Sara sat, her attention piqued, eagerly waiting.

There was a tap on the door. Nadine glanced at it. “Later,” she silently mouthed and turned. “Come in,” she said.

A girl with long, straight jet-black hair that shined like obsidian came through the door with two cups of piping hot coffee in her hands. “Would you hurry up and get this – it’s burning my hand, Mother!” she grumbled.

“Myra, this is Sara, Jared’s girlfriend. Sara, Myra is Jared’s sister.”

Myra’s attitude changed, almost as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “I am
so
pleased to meet you Sara. We’ve been waiting a
very
long time for you.”

Sara furrowed her brow in confusion.
How can they all know so much about me?
I’ve been accepted as a member of their family even before I met them, and I hardly know their names.
“It’s nice to meet you too Myra.”

Myra glanced at Nadine, her mood serious, “Have you told her yet?”

Nadine glared at Myra. “No, I haven’t, not yet.” Myra cowered. Apparently, she’d said too much.

Sara glanced from Myra to Nadine. “Told me what?”

There was another tap on the door. Jared and David Whitefeather, the old man’s doctor, walked through. “What is this?” Dave looked annoyed. “I told you, two visitors at a time.”

Sara stood, volunteering. “I think I could use that coffee now.”

Myra stood too. “I’ll go with you.” Nadine gave Myra a look of warning and so did Jared. “I’m just going to show her where the coffee shop is – ok? Geez!” Myra rolled her eyes.

What was going on in the Thundercloud triangle of secrecy? Why were Jared and Nadine so concerned for Sara to be alone with Myra? Was Myra likely to tell Sara something she
needed
to know, or maybe something Sara didn’t
want
to hear?

Chapter 11

Jared fixed a warning glare on Myra, his voice strained. “
Myra
, I’m sure Sara doesn’t
want
someone tagging behind her like a lost puppy.”

Jared’s response piqued Sara’s curiosity. She slightly furrowed her brow. “No, I don’t mind Jared,” she said, hoping he wouldn’t press the issue. “I would appreciate the company. Without
somebody’s
guidance, I probably would have gotten lost anyway,” she added, now even more determined.

Jared moved toward them, keeping his fixed gaze on his sister. “Then I’ll go with you.”

Myra drew in a quick, shallow breath, looking nervous.

Sara glanced from Myra to Jared, bewildered and confused. She sighed and swallowed hard. “No, Jared. You stay. You need to be here for your grandfather. Besides,” she added, faking a smile. “Myra can get me there and back. Can’t you Myra?”

Myra nervously glanced from Jared to Sara, as if she were afraid to answer. Finally, she sighed and smiled, moving towards the door with Sara. “Sure I can,” she scoffed, but Sara could tell Myra’s smile was forced.

Myra seemed frightened of Jared in some way. To a certain extent, he frightened Sara too. She’d seen Jared upset. He’d even been upset with her, but this was new. Almost as if Jared had a split-personality. A dark side, fearful, intriguing, but filled with mystery.

Sara was now
eager
to be alone with Myra. Whether it was good or bad, if there were something Sara
needed
to know, she wanted to know about it
before
it caused problems between her and Jared.

Myra smiled, nodded, and attempted to move closer to Sara. Jared grabbed her wrist, hard, holding her firmly. For that few seconds, he locked eyes with her. Myra’s smile faded. She looked as if she might cry.

“
Don’t
!” Jared said in a low, guttural growl, squeezing her wrist.

Myra’s eyes widened. She nodded submissively, blinking a couple of times as if she were in a trance. “I won’t Jared…” her voice was barely above a weak whisper. She grimaced. “I promise,” she stressed.