Mail Order Bride: Westward Christmas Novel (Montana Mail Order Brides, Book 11) (14 page)

              Snow swirled in the frigid air as the mourners filled the church for Wendell’s funeral.  The sanctuary became packed and a few people had to stand out in the vestibule.  Pastor John noticed and spoke loudly as he said the prayers and sermon. 

              When he’d finished, he left Joe to come up to deliver the eulogy.  Joe had carefully prepared what he was going to say, but suddenly as he stood up at the front of the church, the things he’d written didn’t really seem to fit.  He folded his notes and put them in his suit pocket.  Lacey wondered what he was up to at first, but when she saw a certain gleam come into Joe’s eyes, she knew that Joe was going to speak off the cuff and directly from his heart.

              “Folks, I had everything I wanted to say written down and if anyone wants to read it later on, you can, but for now, I’m going to tell you about Wendell without all of that.  I was nineteen when my daddy moved us here from Texas and I hated it.  No, it’s true, I did.  There wasn’t nearly as much to do here as there was in Austin and I was bored as heck.”

              Joe laughed.  “That was until I met Luke over there and some other people and started having fun.  Wendell was a big part of that.  I liked him first off and as soon as I heard him play that piano, I knew that I was very fortunate indeed to have such a fine accompanist.  I’ve never seen anyone be able to follow me with such ease and instinct.  We quickly got to know each other’s thoughts on how each song should be performed and so forth.

              “He used to play tricks on me while I was singing, like changing keys without notice and making me sing out of my comfort level.  I didn’t realize it for a while, but he was training my voice and expanding my range.  He should have been a voice instructor, but Wendell didn’t like to draw attention to himself that way.  No, he preferred to stay in the background, to let others shine…”  Joe’s throat constricted at this point and he had to take a few moments to collect himself.  “He was a humble man, who was always there for his friends.  His quiet ways were comforting in troubled times and his advice was invaluable to me and I’m sure to others here as well.

              “No, it wasn’t just his musical prowess that endeared the man to me.  He knew what a hellion I was and yet never judged me for it.  He never criticized me or made me feel like I wasn’t good enough.  He didn’t condone it, but neither did he try to change me.  After Lacey and I were married, I asked him about it one time, why he’d never ragged on me about my behavior when a lot of other people did.

              “He just smiled at me in that patient, quiet way he had and said, ‘Son, you had to get it out of your system before the right woman came along.  I always knew that once she did, all of that would be behind you.’  And folks, he was completely right.  That man was wise beyond belief.  The moment I met Lacey, all of that certainly was behind me and I’m thankful every day for my beautiful wife and daughter.

              “I don’t know how I’m going to go on singing without him because he was one of the driving forces behind why I did it.  He was my helper in so many ways and it’s going to be so very hard.  But if I don’t, if I just hang it up, he’ll come back to haunt me about it,” Joe said, smiling. “He will.  I know it.  I’ve always tried to make him proud of me and so I have to keep doing what I’ve been doing so that he’ll look down and still be proud.  His music is his legacy and since I was a part of that, I have to honor him by keeping that music going.  Thank you all for letting me tell you about my dear friend and I want to invite everyone to the Watering Hole for a wake after the graveside service.  Please come and share your memories of Wendell with everyone.”

              Joe went to sit by Lacey and held tightly to her hand as he fought for control.  Lacey squeezed back as tears trickled from her eyes.  She was trying to give him support at such a sad time.

              It had snowed enough to whiten the ground by the time they filed out of the church and into the graveyard.  Due to the inclement weather, Pastor John kept the service short.  While many of the mourners left, those who considered themselves Wendell’s family stayed behind.  Marcus had been Wendell’s doctor once Doc Turner had retired and he took the death as hard as anyone else. 

As was his custom, Roscoe had also participated in the funeral.  His sorrowful howl was lifted as he stood by the grave.  Jake smiled at the wolf-dog, thinking that Roscoe’s sad serenade expressed what they were all feeling at that moment.  Roscoe finished his song and lay down by the grave. 

Ben brushed tears from his cheek and left the cemetery with Sasha at his side.  Despite his best efforts, guilt weighed him down.  He was silent on the way to the Watering Hole and Sasha just let him be.  There was really nothing she could say that hadn’t been said before.  Ben was comforted by Sasha’s presence and he reached over to hold her hand as they travelled. 

              The urge hit Ben as soon as he entered the Watering Hole.  He had no idea where it came from or why, but there was no denying it.  Though he tried to fight it, after a little over an hour, he couldn’t hold out any longer.  He said nothing to no one.  Moving through the wake participants, he slowly made his way into the barroom and over to the stage.

              Silently he stood by what everyone thought of as Wendell’s piano and ran his hands over the lid of the keyboard.  Reverently, he opened it and sat down.  Closing his eyes, much the way his twin sister did before playing, he listened for inspiration.

              Several people had noticed his actions, including Rebecca.  She put a hand over her mouth as Jake joined her in the barroom.

              “What’s he doin’?” Jake asked quietly as he put an arm around her waist.

              “He’s going to play,” Rebecca said.  She felt it.  Though she and Ben hadn’t been close in years, when they were younger they’d shared the special connection that twins often do.  Since his arrival in Dawson, their relationship had come a long way and it seemed as though that connection was repairing itself over time.  She felt the music flowing through her twin and knew that he was going to put his hands on that keyboard and play as surely as she stood there with her husband.

              “He plays?” Jake said.

              “Yes, but not in so very long,” Rebecca said.

              It was true.  Ben had taken piano lessons along with Rebecca and they’d played many duets over their younger years.  They were very talented and highly sought after to play at parties and such.  Then their interests had changed and their estrangement had ended those performances.

              Ben heard a whisper in his ear and smiled a little.  As soon as his fingers played the first chords of
Amazing Grace,
Ben knew he wasn’t alone on that piano bench.  It had been over ten years since he’d touched a piano keyboard or had any desire to play.  He should have been rusty.  He wasn’t.  His keystrokes should have been hesitant.  They weren’t.  He should have felt insecure or bashful.  He didn’t.

              Ben knew that Wendell played through him that day.  It was Wendell’s gift to them all and the fact that he’d chosen him to play told Ben that Wendell harbored no ill will towards him and that he didn’t want Ben to be burdened by guilt.  He was only halfway through the first verse when he heard his sister join in on the other piano and his smile grew broader.

              The Watering Hole filled with the beautiful music the two pianos created with one another.  Rebecca and Ben played in perfect unison through the first verse and then on the second, they split off in an arrangement that was more classical and that touched the hearts of everyone gathered there. 

              Soon voices were raised and two fiddles joined in as Seth and Luke stepped onto the stage.  Like other master musicians, they were able to find the perfect place to join in and pick up the melody.  They played through four verses.  On the last verse, Seth and Luke faded out, as did Rebecca.  They thought it only fitting for Ben to finish what he’d started.  Ben listened to the voice in his ear and made it an ending befitting the man who’d last played that piano.

              When the last strains of the piano faded away, there was no applause, no whistling, nor any stomping.  A hush fell over the Watering Hole and all those present knew that the wake was concluded.  Silently the mourners left the Watering Hole.  Ben didn’t leave the piano bench for a long time and no one disturbed him.  They knew that something extraordinary was going on with Ben and they had no desire to interrupt.

              At long last, Ben rose from the piano bench and felt exhausted.  He’d shed many tears sitting at that piano and he wiped away the last of them with his shirt sleeve.  Ben knew that he was a different man than the one who’d sat down on the bench, but couldn’t really define how he'd been changed.  He closed the lid to the keyboard and gave the piano a last pat before stepping down off the stage.

              Ben saw Sasha quietly waiting for him at one of the tables along with Jake, Rebecca, Seth, Luke, Joe, and Jamie.  He sat down with them and still didn’t speak.  Joe broke the silence after a while by quietly saying, “Ya’ll did Wendell proud, Ben.  If I hadn’t seen and heard it with my own eyes and ears, I wouldn’t have believed what took place here today.  A finer tribute couldn’t have been paid to Wendell then what all of you did.” 

              Ben smiled slightly.  “You, too, Joe.  I’m sure you and Jamie got the singing started off.”

              Joe shook his head.  “No, sir.  It wasn’t us.  I do know who it was, though.  I would have never believed that either.”

              Rebecca asked, “Who was it?”

              “Gus.  That ole cuss has been holding out on us.  He can sing.  All these years and I never knew he could sing,” Joe said.

              Jamie said, “Gus? 
Our
Gus?”

              “The very same, Jamie girl.  I was standing in front of him when he started.  I turned to see who was singin’ in that gorgeous tenor and it was him.  It was like he was in a trance or something.  His eyes never wavered from that stage.  I couldn’t sing a note the whole time.  I just stood there bawlin’ like a baby,” Joe said with a smile.

              Seth smiled and then motioned at Ben with his chin.  “Seems like Gus isn’t the only one holdin’ out on us,” he said as he looked at the doctor.

              Ben smiled and said, “I can’t explain it.  I just had to play.  Wendell was here and he wanted me to play for him.  That’s all I can say about it.”  He didn’t want to talk about it because there wasn’t an accurate way to describe what had happened.

              Joe nodded.  “I believe it.  Take care, ya’ll.”  Getting up, he gave Ben’s shoulder a squeeze and walked from the bar. 

              Soon the group broke up and went their separate ways.

              That afternoon, Sammi went to the clinic and asked Hannah if she would be able to see Marcus.  Hannah was upset with Sammi, but also understood how a mother could become overprotective.  She also understood Sammi’s past and why she had such a violent temper when it came to protecting her daughter. 

              When Hannah had first let Marcus know that Sammi wanted to talk to him, he was disinclined to grant her wish.  Then he decided he wanted to hear what she would say and had Hannah show her to an exam room.

              Sammi fidgeted as she waited in the room.  Marcus came in, shut the door, and leaned against the examination table.  He didn’t speak; he simply raised an eyebrow at her and waited.  Sammi understood that he was not going to help her get things started.

              She cleared her throat and said, “I want to apologize to you the same way I have the rest of Reckless’ family.  My actions were horrible and I am ashamed of myself.  I miss Reckless’ friendship and I need help.”

              Marcus scowled at her and said, “What makes you think I want to help you?”

              “Because I’m afraid that this thing is going to fester and grow and I don’t want that.  Not just for me, but for everyone involved.  This is a situation I created and I need to fix it.  I know that there are ways the Lakota have to make restitution to a family for an offense.  What kind of restitution do I make?”

              “Why didn’t you ask Owl?” Marcus asked.

              Sammi bowed her head and said, “I did, but he won’t talk to me.  It’s the first time he’s ever been angry with me and it really hurts.  That’s not your problem, so we won’t talk about that.  What can I do to pay restitution and start being friends again with Reckless and everyone else, too?”

              Marcus pursed his lips and sighed.  He could tell that Sammi was genuinely contrite.  “Sammi, before we get into that, tell me exactly what happened because if I’m going to help you, I need to know all the facts.”

              “Last night, Rachel came home cryin’ her eyes out.  It took Mitch and me a while to get her calmed down enough to tell us what happened.  She didn’t want to talk to Mitch about it because it was female talk, she said.  So, he left the room and she said that Reckless had broken things off with her.  He said they couldn’t be together and it was better to end things now instead of later.  Marcus, she told me that they’d been intimate a few days before this and that she felt that he’d used her and broke up with her once he’d gotten what he wanted.  Now, if this was Aiyana telling you this about some boy, what would you have done?”

              Marcus sat down in the other chair and said, “I’d have probably done exactly what you did.  It’s funny how we’re so protective of our girls and always assume that things like this are the boy’s fault.  Reckless says that they never…slept together.  What does Rachel say about that?”

              Sammi’s face tightened with anger.  “She only told half the truth and she’s been dealt with severely for it.  She’s almost twenty now, but I don’t care how old she is; we won’t tolerate lying, especially about this kind of thing.  Now, I shouldn’t have gone after Reckless the way I did.  I know that, but I saw red.  I’ve been used before and much worse by guys and the thought of someone, anyone, treating her that way, well, I lost my good sense.  They did some foolin’ around and stuff, but nothing serious.”

              Marcus nodded.  “That matches what Reckless said.  He told me that he wouldn’t go that far without being able to offer marriage and since they still travel south for the winters sometimes, he didn’t feel it would be fair to expect her to not see him for six months out of the year.  She told him that she won’t go with him, either.  He loves her, but it’s a hopeless situation.  Although, the situation might take care of itself since there are so few buffalo thanks to the white man and the army.  Things are getting desperate for my family with so many Lakota being forced onto reservations and so forth.  Our tribe is lucky that they’ve been able to stay where they are.  I know it’s another reason that they’ve been staying here in the winter.  Black Fox is trying to not draw attention to our tribe and if they don’t travel, they won’t be spotted by the Calvary.  Here they’re pretty well hidden.  And they certainly don’t need any trouble with the town,” he said, giving Sammi a hard stare.

              Sammi dropped her eyes.  “I know, Marcus, and I can’t tell you how sorry I am about it all.  I would never do anything to cause them trouble with the military or anyone else.  I want to make restitution.  I owe it to Reckless most of all, but I know that I offended the rest of his family, too.  What do I do, Marcus?”

              Marcus blew out a breath and leaned back in the chair.  “Well, normally giving someone buffalo hides and horses is the best ways to make a restitution payment, but I don’t think you have buffalo hides lying around, right?”

              Sammi laughed a little.  “No.”  Suddenly her eyes lit up.  “Thank you, Marcus!  I know what I’m gonna do!”  She got up, hugged him, and hurried from the exam room before Marcus had a chance to respond.

              Sammi rode into camp and found Reckless over on the far side of the camp again with his buddies.  It seemed to be a popular gathering place for them.  She kept a short distance away and cleared her throat.  The braves turned towards her.  Reckless saw her and his face registered his displeasure.

              “What are you doing here?  I thought Father told you to stay out of camp?” Reckless asked with anger in his black eyes.

              Sammi remained silent and kept her eyes downcast.

              “I asked you a question,” Reckless said.

              Sammi was still silent and didn’t look at him.  Reckless suddenly realized that she was waiting for permission to speak.  His eyes got bigger as her actions sank in.  He looked at his friends who were as puzzled as he was.  Sammi never asked for permission to do anything and no one expected her to.

              “Are you going to make her stand there all day?” He Who Runs asked his son.

              Reckless scowled and said, “I should.”  Then he relented.  “You may speak, Sammi.”

              Sammi said, “I greatly offended my friend and his family and I wish to make restitution to you for my terrible actions against you.  I hope you will accept these gifts as a sign of my sincere apology and that you will forgive me someday.”

              Sammi took out a small bundle of cloth and held it out to Reckless.  He was hesitant to take it at first, but he slowly slid it from her hands.  It was heavy.  Untying the bundle, he drew in a sharp breath as he saw the exquisite pair of knives wrapped in the cloth.  They were two knives for which he had expressed great admiration at one time.  Sammi had remembered.

              He held up each one, examining it in the sunlight.  The craftsmanship was excellent and he knew that these knives were of the finest quality. They were also very expensive.  That she would part with them spoke louder to Reckless than any words she could have offered as an apology.  More than their monetary worth, Reckless knew how much Sammi valued her weapons.

              Reckless finished looking at them and wrapped them up again.  When he was finished with that, he was surprised to see Sammi hold out a lead rope to him.

              “The knives are for you alone, but this horse I give to your family as further restitution,” Sammi said.

              Reckless looked at the colt that tugged against the rope.  It looked to be a yearling and if he wasn’t mistaken, it was a Thoroughbred.  Had she bought this horse from Joe to give to them?  His gaze went from Sammi to the colt and down to the knives in his hand.  Reckless had a choice to make.  Could he forgive Sammi?  Did he still want to be friends with her?  If not, he was going to have to make up his mind here and now about it.

              If Sammi had been looking at Reckless, she would have seen the good humor that lit his eyes.  Her gifts were very fine ones and showed the high regard in which she held his friendship.  That she had chosen to make her apology and restitution public also helped him regain much face within the tribe.  Her submissive behavior also factored in because Sammi was never submissive to anyone, especially him since he was so much younger than her.  On the whole, Reckless considered it an excellent apology and he decided to forgive her.  He really did not want to lose her as a friend, either.

              He took the lead rope that she still held out to him.  “It is a good apology and your restitution gifts are very fine ones.  On my behalf and also my family’s, I accept them as a gesture of goodwill and I would like our friendship to continue.”

              “Thank you,” Sammi said softly, but still didn’t look at him.

              While this was desirable behavior for a woman of his own culture, Reckless found it annoying in Sammi.  “Sammi, you do not have to keep averting your eyes.  It’s not necessary.  I appreciate it, but you can stop now.”

              Sammi shook her head.  “No, I really can’t.”  She couldn’t bring herself to look at Reckless.  If she did, she was going to start crying and she didn’t want to do that.  She was barely holding in her emotions as it was.  “I’ll see you later,” she said, and turned away from him.  With quick strides, she walked in the other direction.

              “Where are you going?” Reckless called after her.  He looked at his father for guidance, but He Who Runs offered none.  He was saying that Reckless’ actions were his own to make.  Reckless pressed the lead rope and knives into He Who Runs’ hands and ran after Sammi.

              He put an arm around her shoulders and made her stop.  Her shoulders shook and Reckless enfolded her in his embrace.

              “It’s okay, Sammi. You’ve made restitution.  There’s nothing else that needs to be said about it.  It's okay,” Reckless said. 

              She shook her head against his chest as she cried.  Reckless took the reins of her horse from Sammi’s hand and dropped them.  The horse would stay put.  He drew her to Marcus’ tipi, which was close by, and pulled her inside.  He sat her down on a sleeping pallet and sat on another one.  Reckless sat still while Sammi’s tears poured forth, waiting patiently until she was done.

              She pulled out a handkerchief from her jeans and blew her nose loudly, which made Reckless smile. 

              Reckless said, “I thought you were too tough to cry.”

              Sammi laughed and finally met his eyes.  “I don’t too much.  It takes a lot for me to cry and this was a lot, let me tell you.  Reckless, I am so sorry about treating you like that.  How’s your arm?”

              Reckless flexed it.  “It’s sore, but it will be fine.  I’ve already accepted your apology.  You know that the Lakota do not keep going over and over things.  It is done.  I need to know what Rachel said that made you so angry.”

              Sammi nodded and told him.

              Reckless shook his head and said, “I think your daughter has a problem with men.”

              “What do you mean?” Sammi said.

              Reckless gave her a piercing look and replied, “If we discuss this you cannot get mad at me.  Do you agree?”

              “Yeah.  I agree,” Sammi said.

              Reckless said, “I think that she is searching for love, but in the wrong way.  Make no mistake, I love Rachel, but I will not marry her.  I want that to be clear.  Even if we did not travel, it would be impossible.  We have talked about this.  She will not live here in camp and I will not live in a house as my uncles do.  I have adopted some of the ways of the white people, but I will not live in Dawson.  I want to preserve my way of life as long as possible and truthfully, I would feel too boxed in if I were to spend most of my time inside a building.  I already work in one.  That is enough for me.  I do not wish to wear white clothes any more than I have to and living in Dawson would require me to wear them all the time.  Do you understand?”

              “Yeah, I do,” Sammi said.

              “Also, if she were to live here in camp, she would be required to learn proper etiquette for women and abide by it, something else she is not willing to do.  I could have no wife of mine defying me on a regular basis for many reasons.  When my Aunt Claire or Aunt Hannah is in camp, they abide by these rules, even if they do not like it.  If they argue with my uncles when they leave here, I do not know it.  I only see what they do here.  Rachel would be expected to do the same,” Reckless said.

              “I didn’t know you were so traditional.  You’d never know it by the way you act,” Sammi said with a smile.

              Reckless returned her grin.  “The way I act when I am in town doesn’t abuse our rules. I do not steal, I am not truly disrespectful to my elders, I do not harass the women, nor do I abuse alcohol.  What my job requires me to do is also not against our laws.  As long as I live up to my responsibilities here at home, there is no problem with me working at the bar.”

              Sammi thought about that for a minute.  She saw the wisdom in what Reckless said and her regard for Reckless grew. 

              Reckless sighed and pressed onward despite his discomfort in talking about the subject.  “Regarding Rachel, my treatment of her has also crossed no boundaries.  She would have wished it so, but I would not.  I am not saying that it wasn’t hard to resist, but resist I did.  I think she thought that if we did…sleep together—this term you white people have is very strange to me when you are not sleeping at all!”