Westward Moon (19 page)

              After Marcus had vouched for Ben, Sasha told Marcus that if Ben asked her to dinner, she would accept his offer.  Ben wasn’t a regular visitor to the Samuels ranch, but he was on a mission.  When he knocked on the kitchen door, Sasha herself answered it.

              “Hello, Ms. McCall,” Ben said.

              Sasha returned his smile.  “Hello, Dr. Walker.”

              “I was wondering if I might have a moment of your time,” Ben said.

              “Yes, of course.  Please come in,” Sasha said.

              As he entered the kitchen, Sasha felt her pulse quicken.  “If you are not busy this evening, I would consider it an honor if you were to allow me to take you to dinner,” he said.

              Sasha pretended to think it over for a few moments while he watched her intently with his beautiful green eyes.  “I think that would be lovely.”

              Ben’s smile dazzled her even further.  “I am grateful, Ms. McCall.  Shall we say seven?”

              “We shall, Dr. Walker,” Sasha said. 

              “Please, call me Ben.”

              “Very well.  You may call me Sasha,” she said.

              Ben took her hand and bent over it.  He pressed the lightest kiss to it and smiled.

              “I bid you a good day, Sasha,” Ben said and left the kitchen.

              Sasha watched him mount his horse and ride off.  Feeling like a school girl, Sasha looked down at her hand.  It tingled where his lips had touched it.  She had never met such a gallant man before.  Laughing, she ran to where Tessa was working on her book.

              “Tessa!  He was here.  Right now.  In the kitchen.  Oh my,” Sasha said.

              Tessa looked at her and said, “Of whom are you speaking?”

              “Dr. Walker.  Ben.  He asked me to dinner and I accepted.  I have nothing to wear.  Oh, Tessa!  What do I do?  I haven’t been out to dinner with a man in six years!  I don’t know what to do,” Sasha said.

              Chuckling, Tessa rose from her desk and said, “You will borrow something from my closet and obviously being yourself has gotten his attention.  If you keep doing that, you will keep his attention.  Now let’s go see what you are going to wear and how we should style your hair.”

              “Oh, before I forget again.  When I was in the store the other day, Abby told Elliot that she had to quit her job and they were both overjoyed about it.  Do you know what that means?”

              Tessa put her hands over her mouth and laughed.  “Oh, Sasha!  It means that they’re going to have another baby!”

              She explained that Abby worked as a waitress at the Watering Hole, but only when she wasn’t expecting because the saloon could get very rowdy and Elliot worried too much about her safety.

              “That’s wonderful,” Sasha said.  “I’ll have to congratulate them before I leave.”

              “I am very happy for them and will have to do the same.  Well, let’s get to it, shall we?”

              Gratefully, Sasha followed Tessa into her bedroom to begin preparations for her evening out with Ben.

              “Jack, I am so afraid,” Sparrow said as they rode to the ranch.  “I don’t know if I can do this.”

              Jack reached over and held out his hand.  She put hers in his and he squeezed it a little.

              “I already told you what they all said, Sparrow.”

              “I know, but what if they have changed their minds?”  Sparrow was trying to quiet her doubts, but it was difficult. 

              The fact that she carried the baby of a despicable man made her feel as if his family would somehow think less of her or the baby.  The baby kicked and she put her hand over the spot and felt the baby kick again.  Jack saw and moved his horse closer so he could feel it, too.  He grinned and then straightened on his horse. 

              “I love feeling that,” he said.

              “I can’t believe you have accepted this baby the way you have,” Sparrow said.

              Jack had been extremely considerate of her condition and loving towards the baby.  He had made her all kinds of things to eat and had even rubbed her feet when they bothered her.  Owl had told him that this was something that would make Sparrow feel better and Jack had found that his uncle was right.

              “Well, believe it.  He or she is part of you, so of course I accept them.  I’ve explained that to you.”

“I know.  I’m trying to keep that in mind,” she said.

“Good.  You said that your talk with Uncle Marcus went really well, so you don’t have to worry about him,” Jack said.

              Sparrow nodded.  “Yes.  That’s true.  Still…”

              “You have to trust me when I tell you everything will be fine,” Jack said.

              “All right, Jack,” Sparrow said.  She couldn’t shake her anxiety, however.

              When they arrived at the ranch, Jack helped Sparrow down from her horse and began walking to the house with her hand in his.  The closer they got to the house, the tighter she held Jack’s hand.  At one point, she stopped and tried to tug her hand from his.  Jack put his arms around her for a few moments.

              “Honey, it’s ok.  I promise.  Please believe me.  Have I ever steered you wrong?” he said.

              Sparrow stomped her foot.  “No!  I hate being like this.  I should be strong and I’m not right now.”

              Jack knew how much Sparrow prided herself on being self-reliant and brave.  “I know this is hard, Sparrow, but it’s better to get it over with and feel better once you see that everything is fine.”

              Sparrow nodded and took a deep breath.  “You’re right.  Ok, I’m ready.”

              The matter was taken out of her hands when Dean and Tessa came out of the house.  Sparrow couldn’t look at them.  She bowed her head slightly but stole glances at them.  Dean and Tessa hadn’t seen her since February and while they’d known how far along she was, they were still surprised by her changed appearance.

              Seeing how afraid she was, Dean decided to take the first step and came forward to greet her.

              “Hi, Sparrow,” he said.

              “Hello.  I’m so sorry,” she said.  “I am sorry for hurting Jack and for hurting you when you only showed me kindness.”  She cursed the tears that she felt coming on.  “I didn’t know what else to do.”  Her voice caught in her throat.

              Dean put his arms around her and drew her close.  “It’s ok, Sparrow.  We understand and all is forgiven.  No more tears.  Everything is ok, now.”  Dean felt the baby move and said, “See my grandson agrees.”

              Sparrow laughed.  “So you believe it is a boy?”

              “Sure do,” he said.  “You wait and see if I’m not right.”  He made her look at him.  “It’s ok, Sparrow.  Don’t be worried anymore, ok?”

              She nodded and smiled at him.  Then she looked at Tessa and was hesitant again until Tessa came near and held her out her arms to her.  Sparrow went into them and hugged Tessa tight.  She tried to apologize to Tessa but all that came out was a sob.  Tessa walked with her onto the porch and sat on the swing with her.

              As Dean watched his wife soothe Sparrow with words and rub her back, he knew that the porch swing would be another thing he’d never get rid of.  So many meaningful conversations had taken place there over the years and he was sure that many more were to come.  He’d grown up talking with his mother and father on that swing, watching sunsets and sitting there holding hands first with Sarah and then Tessa. 

              All of the kids liked to sit there with their Mama and Pa and watch the sunset or sunrise.  Now the tradition was being carried on by their grandchildren and Dean often wished that swing could talk.  Suddenly he thought of the secret he and Mike shared and he realized that it was probably better that it couldn’t so that certain things weren’t revealed that weren’t meant to be.

              Jack watched his mother hold his fiancée and felt his own nervousness abate.  Suddenly Seth appeared beside him and Jack realized that his uncle was getting good at walking silently.  Seth put an arm on Jack’s shoulder and leaned on his nephew a little.

              “That’s a nice sight to see, huh?” he said.

              “It sure is,” Jack agreed.

              Maddie bypassed the men and went to sit on the other side of Sparrow where she put an arm around Sparrow from the other side. 

              “Where the hell is Joe’s photographer when you need him?” Seth said.  “That’d be a real pretty picture to have.”

              “That it would,” Dean said as he looked at the three women.

              By the time dinner was over that evening, Sasha was officially smitten with the handsome doctor with whom she’d dined that evening.  He was attentive and charming.  At first, Sasha had no idea what she was going to say to the man, but Ben had taken care of that by telling her humorous stories of his medical school days.  Ben wanted her to have a good time and had kept the conversation light.

              Sasha was happy not to get into anything deeply personal and let him choose the topics of discussion.  As a man formerly of the upper society in Savannah, Georgia, Ben had been well schooled in the social arts and adroitly avoided sensitive subjects.  He discovered that Sasha had a good sense of humor and just the slightest bit of devil in her, too.  A nice combination, indeed, he thought.

              When he took Sasha home, Ben fumed inside because Sasha would be leaving in three short days; certainly not enough time to get to know someone better.

              He helped her down from his buggy and said, “Miss Sasha, I have had a wonderful evening and I only regret that we do not have more time together.  However, should you find yourself in Dawson again, please do not hesitate to look me up.”

              Sasha smiled even though the thought of leaving brought a pang of pain to her.  “I shall do that, Ben.  I thank you for a delightful evening.”

              Ben didn’t know if he’d ever get the chance to again, so he decided he was going to kiss her if she allowed it.  She must have felt the same way because she offered no objection as he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.  Sasha hadn’t been kissed in so long that she’d forgotten how nice it was and was willing to forgo proper etiquette in return for a small indulgence. 

              That restrained power she noticed in the way Ben moved was brought to mind in the contained fierceness she sensed in his kiss.  It was exciting and that secret, womanly part of her would have liked to have seen that fierceness released.  Too soon Ben drew back from her and smiled. 

              “Good night, Sasha and safe travels,” Ben said.

              “Good night, Ben.”  Sasha felt tears prick the backs of her eyes as she watched him turn the buggy around.  He gave her a last wave and drove away.

              Sasha entered the kitchen and heard the Samuels family in the parlor.  She saw Sparrow and her eyes widened.  She cried out with joy at the sight of her friend and rushed in to take her in her arms.  There certainly was more of her to embrace, she noticed.

              “I’ve missed you so much, Sparrow!” she said.  “Are you all right?”

              Sparrow smiled and nodded.  “I am very all right and seeing my friend and savior again makes me even more so.  I am so sorry that I would not see you.  I have been very foolish.”

              “Yes, you have, but don’t worry about it any longer,” Sasha said.

              Sparrow laughed.  “I won’t be foolish anymore,” she assured Sasha.

              Tessa’s curiosity got the better of her as it often did and she asked, “How was your evening, Sasha?”

              Sasha’s smile turned wistful.  “Wonderful.  Dr. Walker was delightful.  It’s too bad that I must leave so soon.”

              Dean said, “So why go?  You’re always welcome.”

              Sasha smiled. “Thank you, but no.  I must return home,” she said even though it no longer felt like home.

              Sparrow said, “Promise you’ll come back to visit.  I want you to see the baby.”

              “I promise,” Sasha said.  “Well, goodnight, everyone.”

              Once she’d gone upstairs, Seth said, “It really is a shame she’s leaving.  She’ll be missed.”

              Maddie nodded.  “Yes, it is.  She’s such a nice person.”

              “Pretty, too,” Dean said with a devilish smile at Tessa.

              Tessa smiled sweetly at him and said, “It’s a good thing you like that sofa so much because that’s where you’ll be sleeping tonight, Mr. Samuels.”

              Seth laughed and the others joined him.

              Black Fox sent a smile Night Wolf’s way that chilled his blood.  The chief didn’t normally deal with traitors personally, but in this case he was making an exception.  Black Fox pointedly sharpened a knife slowly as he said, “So, you have proven yourself to be our enemy.  What should I do with you, Night Wolf?”

              “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Black Fox.  I have been nothing but a good warrior,” Night Wolf said.

              “You are a liar.  I have it on good authority that you have been conspiring against us with Two Dogs’ tribe.  What do you say to that?” he asked as he scraped the wet stone against the knife blade with maddening slowness. 

The sound grated on Night Wolf’s nerves, setting them even further on edge.  He was trying to think who could have seen him.  He’d been so careful.  “I say that
they
are the ones who are lying.  I am loyal to you, chief.”

Black Fox didn’t react to the insult against Mike.  “So you know nothing of any plans Two Dogs has to attack us.”

“No.  Nothing,” Night Wolf asserted.

“Tell me what you think about our continued friendship with our white brothers and sisters?” Black Fox said.

Night Wolf’s pause before responding gave Black Fox his answer. “I think it might be wise.”
              “How so?”

Night Wolf could see that Black Fox didn’t believe him and became angry.  He knew he was going to die, but at least he could die defending his principles.  “There is no advantage.  They will do to you what they have done to all the Lakota and other tribes, too.  You are a fool, Black Fox!  Two Dogs sees that and is right in his thinking.”

Black Fox showed no anger as he smiled again.  “So, my source was right.  He usually is.  Now, things will go better for you if you tell me about this plan.  If not, you will suffer the most horrible death you can imagine.  The choice is yours.”

White Deer and twenty or so braves retreated as Black Fox’s warriors overran them.  White Deer’s warriors had discovered that Black Fox’s army had been lying in wait for them.  As a result, their army had suffered many casualties.  He reported back to Panther, who became livid.  He looked at his second in command and slapped him.

“You’re an idiot!  Our plan has changed.  Gather whoever is left and follow me and the others,” he said as fury burned within him.  “We will make all of them sorry for this, but Black Fox most of all.  We will take away his white pets that he loves so much.”

Supper was over for the night and a game of cards was planned.  Mike went to the outhouse and when he came out, he was startled to find himself face to face with an Indian brave brandishing a knife at him.  Instantly Mike knew that this was not one of his tribe.  None of them would even think of holding a knife on him.

Mike said in Lakota, “What do you want?”

He heard another Indian slip up behind him and then rough hands pushed him forward.  “Call to your family to come out,” said a voice in his ear.

“Not a chance,” Mike said. 

“Do it!”

“No.”

A blow landed on the side of his head and Mike grabbed his ear.  He never made a sound, however.

“Do as I tell you or you’ll get a lot worse than that,” the voice said.

“You can do what you want to me, but I’m not going to call them,” Mike said obstinately.

Suddenly, the brave behind him yanked his arm up behind him and twisted it.  Mike’s shoulder threatened to dislocate and he couldn’t contain the scream that welled up in his throat.

Everyone in the cookhouse stopped what they were doing.  The scream came again and Dean recognized Mike’s voice.  He shoved his way past everyone and threw the door open.  When he went outside, he didn’t see anything.  Everyone had followed him and they began calling for Mike and searching for him. 

The braves came streaming at them from in back of the cookhouse and suddenly they found themselves surrounded by Indians.  One of them came forward and shoved Mike at them.  Jack caught the boy who held his left shoulder.  Another one snatched Maddie and pulled her away from the group. 

Seth moved towards them but three braves blocked his way.

“You hurt her and you’ll wish you’d never met me,” Seth said.

Maddie’s eyes were huge but she made no sound.  She was afraid of angering the man who held her.

Dean took Mike from Jack.  “Are you ok, son?”

“Yeah.  I’ll be all right, Pa,” he said as he rubbed his sore shoulder.

Jack moved Sparrow around in front of him so he could more easily prevent her from being taken from him.  Panther saw Sparrow and a cruel smile crossed his face.

“There’re my wayward wife and our child,” he said in Lakota.

Jack said, “She’s no longer your wife, you piece of scum.  She divorced you.”

“So the white boy knows Lakota.  Very good.  No, she didn’t,” Panther said.

Sparrow looked at him with hate in her eyes.  “Yes, I did, but Father didn’t recognize it which goes against Lakota law.  You are nothing to me!”

D.J. squeezed Tessa’s hand.  “Mama, what’s happening?  I thought Sparrow is marrying Jack,” he whispered in English.  All of the children spoke Lakota, so he understood what Panther was saying.

“Shh, D.J.”  She didn’t want to draw attention to the children.  Thankfully Katie stayed silent.

“Perhaps not, but that child is mine,” Panther said.

Jack moved Sparrow closer to Dean and stepped forward.  “Not anymore.  You don’t deserve to call that baby yours.  Any man who hits a woman is no man at all and not fit to raise a child.”

“Sometimes they need to be kept in line and be taught how to be obedient,” Panther said.

“Women are to be respected, to be treated as equals.  You were taught that the same as I was,” Jack said.  “The difference is that I’m a real man because I abide by those laws, but you choose to disregard them and act like a coward.”

Panther’s nostrils flared.  “I think we should see who the real man is.  I challenge you to a death match.”

“Fine,” Jack said, “but let’s make it interesting.”

“Jack!  No!” Sparrow shouted.  “Do not do this.”

Tessa said, “Jack, listen to her.  Please.”

Jack ignored them.  “If I win, your braves have to leave my family alone.  That includes Sparrow and our baby.”

“
My
baby.  If I win, well, there are a lot of nice women here, and a few children who would make good slaves.  And many fine things we could sell and trade, too.” Panther said.  “Do you understand what’s at stake?”

“Oh, I understand completely,” Jack said and started taking off his shirt.  He pulled a wicked looking knife from an ankle holster.

“Wait!” Mike said.  “Wait!  Please let me take the children inside so they don’t have to see this.  Please!  I ask that grant me this small indulgence.”

Panther smiled.  “You are lucky that I am feeling generous, boy.  Go ahead, but Golden Sun will go with you.”

Mike said, “Thank you.  Sasha, give Kayla to me and I’ll take her.  It’ll be ok.  The rest of you kids, come with me, too.  Do as I say.”

“Go with your brother,” Tessa told them.  She hated letting them out of her reach, but she didn’t want them to witness what was about to happen. 

Seth said, “J.R., you mind him now.  Understand?”

“Ok, Pa,” the boy said.

Mike guided the children into the house followed closely by Golden Sun.  He put them in the twins’ room and gave the baby to J.R.

“Hold her for a minute, ok?” Mike said.

“Ok,” J.R. said.  He was unperturbed by what was happening and disappointed that he wasn’t going to get to see the fight.

Mike turned to Golden Sun and said, “I’m going to change the baby before we go back out.  That way she won’t cry and distract anyone.  Don’t you think that’s a good idea?”

Golden Sun saw the wisdom in this.  “Yes.  Go ahead.”

“I have to go in here to get the diapers and such,” Mike said as he pointed to his parents’ room.  “You guys stay here,” Mike said.

Golden Sun followed him into the room and watched every move Mike made.  Mike gathered what he needed and returned to his siblings’ room.  He took the baby from J.R. and laid her on the bed.  He turned around to Golden Sun and said, “Do you make it a habit to watch a baby being changed?”

Golden Sun glowered but averted his eyes a little.  He’d been surprised by Mike’s challenging stare.

As he changed the baby, Mike motioned D.J. closer.  “When we go outside, you follow the stream to the camp and get help, ok?  As fast as you can run.  And be quiet along the way.  Understand?”

D.J. gave him a small nod as he watched the Indian.  Mike finished and gave J.R. his sister back.  “You take good care of her, J.R.”

“I will.” J.R. said.

When they walked outside, Golden Sun roughly pushed Mike ahead of him.  Anger flashed inside Mike and he turned around and pushed back.  “Keep your hands off me!”

The other braves laughed and Golden Sun glowered at Mike.  “You better be careful, boy, or I’ll be going home with your scalp.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Mike said with a smile.

“Mike!” Dean said.  “Get over here!”

Mike walked backwards over to his family so he could Golden Sun in his sight.  Dean pulled him close and whispered, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Mike whispered back.

“Now, where were we?” Panther asked. 

“I was just about to wipe up the ground with you,” Jack retorted. 

Dean said, “Jack, you don’t have to do this.”

“Yeah, Pa, I do.”  Jack pointed around at all of the braves.  “You are all witnesses to the deal that was struck and if you have any honor in you at all, you will abide by it.”

“Enough talk!” Panther said.

Jack rolled his shoulders and said, “Ok.  Fine.”

The two men faced off and began circling, as they waited for an opening.  After a few minutes of this, Jack used a trick he’d learned from Marcus.  He straightened and laughed.  “Well, this isn’t getting us anywhere.”

Panther leaped at Jack, but Jack sidestepped at the last second and swung his knife in a wide arc.  It caught Panther across his left shoulder blade and a red line appeared on the brave’s back where the blade had cut.  It wasn’t deep, but the color was enough to bring out Jack’s animal instinct to inflict more pain on the man who had hurt Sparrow.

Panther rolled and gained his feet.  His back burned and he knew Jack had scored on him.  He narrowed his eyes at the white man.  “I think perhaps I have underestimated the white boy.”

Jack laughed.  “You forget who my uncles are, jackass.”

“Oh, no.  I have not forgotten.  Why they would adopt white slime is beyond me,” Panther said with a sneer.

“I could explain it to you all day, but I doubt you’re smart enough to catch on,” Jack said.  He looked at Panther’s right leg and the brave followed his movement.  Jack then struck Panther’s left shoulder, but Panther was ready for him and smashed a fist into Jack’s exposed ribcage.  Jack went down and Sparrow screamed.

D.J. and Katie ran along the stream.  They’d been silent until they were far from the house. 

“You weren’t supposed to come with me,” D.J. whispered.

“I wasn’t going to let you go alone,” Katie responded.  “You might need me.”

“I can take care of myself,” D.J. groused.  “I keep telling you that.”

“Just shut up and run,” Katie said.

At eleven years old, their legs were growing longer and they were strong.  They flew over the ground along the stream.  Though they were young, they understood full well that the lives of their family at least partially rest in their hands. 

The first person they saw when they burst through the trees was White Horse.

“Do you know where Black Fox is?” D.J. panted at the old man.

“I’m not sure.  What is it?”

Katie ran on while D.J. explained to White Horse.  She saw Reckless headed towards the horses.  She called to the brave who turned as soon as he heard her.  He smiled at her until he saw that she was crying.

“What is it, Katie?” he said as he knelt down.

“It’s a bunch of bad Indians.  They’re at our house.  They took us prisoner, and Jack is fighting the one.  They called it a ‘death match’,” she said.             

Reckless stood.  “You stay with Wind Spirit or my mother, Katie.  Do not leave camp until someone comes for you.”

He stood and sent out a trill to get as much attention as he could.  Everyone knew that sound meant trouble.  Reckless apprised their chief of the situation.  Black Fox assembled his warriors and gave them instructions.

Jack and Panther rolled on the ground exchanging blows and slicing at each other’s flesh.  Dean, Seth, and Mike wanted to help Jack in the worst way, but the one brave still held a knife to Maddie’s throat.  The other braves held their spears on the rest of them.  Then suddenly something occurred to Dean.  Jack always performed better at some tasks when he was harassed about doing them.