Hey faithful readers, Chapter 10, first off an apology for the end part, I know it' short but I could not find anywhere the specific details of the Cheyenne part (cryptic enough for you) therefore rather than getting it wrong, I've left it purposefully ambiguous. Also for those who think it's the wrong direction/ thing to do, I seesawed on this chapter so much but in the end it was something I wanted to see so I included it in my plan. That being said I hope you enjoy it. And can I just say I LOVE writing Cloud Dancing!. Let me know what you think.
Also disclaimer, I don't own the bible just borrowed a few quotes clearly labeled
Two Blue, One white
Sully rose from the kitchen table at the sound of the knock on the front door. He managed to reach the door a millisecond after Katie, he smiled to himself at her attempt to turn the handle enough to open the door, "Katie" he lowered his voice "Ya know ya not sposed to open the door"
The little girl released the handle and turned to face her Pa, her arms folding in protest, her lower lip stuck out in a pout, "I big" she asserted
"Ya sure are" Sully grinned at he watching as she puffed her pale blonde hair out of her eyes
"I nearwy fwree" Katie informed him, as if he didn't know her age, hadn't watched her grow, hadn't brought her into the world.
"Not for a little while yet" Sully reached and lifted her up, she blew her hair out of her eyes again "Need to cut your hair Katie girl" he ruffled her hair before reaching to open the door.
"Nope, be like Mama" Katie informed him as she helped to pull the door open "Cwoud Dancin" she greeted the Cheyenne happily.
Cloud Dancing raised his arms to take the little girl from her father "Ha ho my brother" he greeted Sully "Ha ho blonde one" he bounced Katie settling her into the crook of his arm.
"Ha ho" Sully greeted him moving and welcoming his friend into the homestead.
"I hope I am not intruding" Cloud Dancing looked around the living room.
"Ya never intrude" Sully smiled at him he noticed Cloud Dancing's study of the room "Michaela is upstairs"
"She is well?"
"Sure is" he grinned "She's going through Katie's old baby stuff"
"Your new child will come soon" Cloud Dancing smiled
Sully smile widened with excitement and anticipation, "just over twelve weeks left" he ruffled Katie's hair again "and Katie came two weeks early"
"She expects this one to do likewise" Cloud Dancing inclined his head, his words were not a question but a statement.
Sully nodded, it was an unspoken fear of Michaela's but one he knew, she was frightened that the baby would come too soon, just as she was frightened about so many things, her night fears about their coming child, fears that she didn't let anyone know, he sighed "You know Michaela, she likes to be prepared"
"She does" Cloud Dancing agreed "Your trip was good?"
"I made money, it will cover us while Michaela is off work" Sully frowned at the thought of his 5 day trip "Mining Company wants to put in a rail line to connect to the main one so they can take the silver down to some depot"
"You cannot prevent them" Cloud Dancing told him sagely "The Company will pay the government to ensure their line, and your government will not ignore the gift of money"
The two men fell silent, both considering their past dealings with government. Bored by the stillness Katie wriggled in Cloud Dancing's arm "I down pwea puh-lease" he complied lowering the child to the floor, he watched as Katie scampered away.
"I need your help" Cloud Dancing spoke quietly
"Anything" Sully told him, staring at his friend with concern
Cloud Dancing sighed "I wish to build certain structures on the reservation land"
"Structures?" Sully looked at Cloud Dancing curiously
"Although Dorothy is a very open woman, she is like most white people and requires the need of certain privacies" he sighed "As such she does not like visiting my home for long periods of time." He smiled sheepishly "She has tried to cook as I do, but I have found myself in need of strong medicine on the occasions she does. I would like her to be able to do as she wishes in my home."
"Ya want to build a privy and a kitchen" Sully deciphered staring at Cloud Dancing with surprise.
"And a room for a desk for her to be able to write" Cloud Dancing looked awkwardly at the wall "I like to hear her tell stories, she is fascinating to watch when she creates them. She has a good voice for telling stories."
"Ya want a cabin."
"No" Cloud Dancing shook his head emphatically "I do not want what the soldiers forced us to live in. I want a space that she can feel comfortable in, that I also feel comfortable in."
"And ya want my help" Sully whispered.
Cloud Dancing nodded "You are talented in wood work and you made this home."
"I'll help ya" Sully told him quietly.
"You do not approve of what I ask" Cloud Dancing studied his friend "I am doing this so that I may share my culture with the woman I care for." He smiled at Sully. "As you with Michaela I did not plan on finding feelings for woman who is different to me. I want to share what is left of my world with her, not force it on her, just as I do not want the ways of white people to be forced onto me. It is a compromise"
Sully nodded his head thoughtfully, carefully he studied his friend, taking in how relaxed he look how happy, after so many years of being tense, anxious and angry with the trauma his people suffered, some of the terrible wounds seemed to be healing.
Dorothy strode down the street towards the store; there was a slight bounce to her step, the warm early spring day filling her with hope after the long arduous winter they had suffered. She came to a stop as she passed the clinic, surprised to see Michaela sat on the bench outside, apparently asleep, her hands neatly clasped around her large stomach, her eyes closed, feet outstretched, oblivious to all around her. Dorothy made her way over to her friend, watching the pregnant woman carefully.
She sank onto the bench outside the clinic beside Michaela and warily touched her friend's arm. Michaela's eyes fluttered open, and she attempted to stifle a yawn.
"Are you alright?" Dorothy asked her gently
Michaela smiled sheepishly "I came out for some fresh air, I'm afraid I haven't been sleeping all that well"
"Baby keeping you up" Dorothy smiled in understanding
Michaela smiled and tenderly rubbed her belly "He does like to wriggle a lot, and I now need an exorbitant number of pillows just to find some remotely comfortable position in order to fall asleep."
"You managed on this hard bench" Dorothy teased.
"Yes" Michaela smiled "I seem to be able to fall asleep in any chair, however that does play havoc with my back" she shook her head, and changed the subject "How are you?"
"Oh I'm fine" Dorothy patted her hand "Where's Katie?"
"She went with Sully to help Cloud Dancing" Michaela smiled knowingly at Dorothy.
The older woman blushed, her pale skin flushing crimson under Michaela's gaze "Yes that."
"A privy" Michaela teased gently. "He must certainly care for you to be constructing that."
"I must say I prefer it to a bush" Dorothy looked self consciously at her hands "he's a very considerate man."
Michaela nodded in agreement, she reached for Dorothy's folded hands taking one gently into her own to give it a reassuring squeeze "He cares deeply for you, he wants to share his culture with you but not force you to accept it like ours has been forced upon him." Dorothy sighed heavily; her eyes focused on the ground, Michaela tipped her head sideways as she watched her friend "Dorothy?"
"Do you remember what I said when Loren asked me to marry him?" she looked up at Michaela "About wanting to feel alive, about how I cared for Loren but I felt I needed something more"
Michaela nodded her head indicating for her to continue "I think I've found my something more" Dorothy sighed "With an Indian of all people, Oh it doesn't matter that he's an Indian, not to me, I love his culture, it's fascinating, he's fascinating, and kind and wonderful, but it limits things."
"Limits things?" Michaela frowned, not quite following what her friend was implying.
"I see the way people look at me, how people stopped reading the gazette. Hank calling me Dorothy Dancing" She sighed her head flopping back against the worn wood of the clinic "I haven't felt like this about..." she trailed off conscious of those walking down the street, not willing to share her most intimate thoughts in the open for all to hear.
Seeing her friends discomfort Michaela took the lead "Dorothy do you mind if we move inside, I'm afraid this bench is becoming quite uncomfortable, I fear I need to change chairs"
Dorothy smiled, nodding her head in gratitude. She rose and held out her arm for Michaela to take, assisting her in rising. Michaela slowly made her way to the door, she turned the 'open' sign on the door to 'closed' before pushing it open and allowing her friend to pass across the threshold to her clinic.
Sully set the tray of carved wood pegs in front of Katie "Now I need ya to count the pegs for me, can ya do that?"
"Yep" Katie scrutinized the wooden items and began to count "one, two, frwee, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten," she paused "eweven, twelve, ... free and teen,... fo teen"
Sully backed away and joined Cloud Dancing beside a piece of wood that needed to be sawn.
"She is a clever child" Cloud Dancing commented watching Katie with interest.
"Takes after her Ma" Sully told him proudly, he chuckled slightly as Katie mispronounced nineteen as ninety and then began to count from 1 again "We're working on the counting though"
"Is it vital that we know how many pegs there are?" Cloud Dancing asked returning his attention to the task at hand.
Sully shook his head "Need ta keep her busy, so she don't try and pick up the tools, she has no fear this one. Building site ain't the safest place for a kid but Brian is at school and Michaela didn't sleep at all last night, she needs a chance ta rest when she ain't got patients"
"I apologise for taking so much of your time away from your family" Cloud Dancing sighed.
"You are family," Sully rested his hand on Cloud Dancing's shoulder.
"I appreciate your help. We have achieved a great deal"
Sully followed the Cheyenne man's gaze around the patch of earth he called home. In the ten days since Cloud Dancing had approached him, they had constructed a small outhouse, and the frame to what was essentially a two roomed cabin, today they were installing a metal groove into the ground, and a counterpart in a beam of wood, an idea that had occurred to Sully when he watched the train being unloaded. Runners so that the complete wall would slide open, and let the world in.
The structure was larger than he had envisaged, certainly bigger than was needed for fitting a small kitchen in one room and a desk in the other. It would certainly take longer than the two weeks he had planned to spend on the project; at any other time he would have gladly spent time with his friend but as Michaela's pregnancy progressed she was struggling more and more with daily life, he wanted to be around to help her, and more importantly to stop her from pushing herself too hard.
"We have" he agreed quietly "It should look good, when it's done"
"I cannot thank you enough for your help" Cloud Dancing told him sincerely, holding out a ladle containing water. Sully accepted the offering and drank until the bowl was dry "You worry for her?"
Sully looked up at Cloud Dancing's words "Yeah" he admitted "It's been hard for Michaela, don't get me wrong we're both excited to the baby coming, but she's gettin real big, and there's still a while till the baby gets here and the whole thing with Matthew going to Cincinnati, she ain't over that" he sighed "She's just so fragile. I want to keep her safe, protect her."
"You have always protected Dr Mike. You will both hold your child" Cloud Dancing took back the wooden ladle "Life is about the journey, sometimes it is hard and you must face many obstacles, many hardships. But joy outweighs what causes us pain. I hold the joy that Snow Bird and Walks on a Cloud brought me near to my heart more than the pain of their deaths. I remember all my people living" he subconsciously rubbed the scars on his arms, the marks he had made stood over the body of Snow Bird on the dreadful day he found her at Washita. "Sometimes in our journey, you see your destination but you are not sure how to get to it, other times the way is clear and sometimes there are forks and you must choose a path."
Sully thought on his friend's words for a moment, listening to the hum of the earth, to the animals and the birds, the sound of nature punctuated only by the noise of Katie quietly counting and the sound of his own breath as his lungs moved in and out. After a minute of quiet contemplation he spoke "What about your path?"
Cloud Dancing stared up at the sky, watching the clouds race across the spring time blue that had chased away the grey of winter "I must choose my path."
"This got to do with Dorothy and why we're building this?" Sully asked gently.
"Yes" Cloud Dancing sighed "I have lived my life with my people and then one among many nations brought together to forge a new people. Now I am alone, but I wish to share my life."
"What ya going to do?"
Cloud Dancing looked to the ground contemplating his answer "I must consider what is best for all involved, not just myself."
Dorothy dismounted from her horse and gazed upon Cloud Dancing's newly created homestead. He had banned her from visiting him on the old reservation land for over three weeks, almost the whole of March while he and Sully worked on the buildings.
Before where there had just been Cloud Dancing's tepee, now there stood alongside it a relatively large one story cabin and near the tree line a small outhouse. Dorothy smiled and moved to join Cloud Dancing who stood smiling broadly at her.
"You have been busy" Dorothy greeted him, accepting his kiss as he greeted her.
"Sully did most of it" Cloud Dancing informed her.
Dorothy laughed slightly, he was always so painfully honest.
"I believe the phrase is 'it's the thought that counts'." he smiled "Would you like a tour?" He held out his arm so that she could loop hers through his elbow. Together they walked to the wooden cabin, a door in the left wall leading them into the kitchen, handmade cabinets next to a reconditioned stove, a table and chairs on the right, near to a wooden wall, the opposite wall bare save for a small window that let a small amount of light it.
"What do you think?" he asked nudging her further in.
"It's lovely" Dorothy smiled, she let herself be guided through the door in the central wall into the next room.
"I made you a desk" he indicated the intricately carved desk on the right hand "And shelves" he held his hand up to show her the shelf that ran the length of the walls "So you may fill them with your words."
Dorothy looked around the large room, empty save for the desk "It's truly lovely Cloud Dancing but it's a little dark" she told him practically, thinking of her eyesight "It will cost a fortune in lamps."
"Not so" Cloud Dancing left her side and crossed to the windowless wall on the left. Near the central wall was a series of bolts which he slid open, he turned back to look at her, making sure she was watching and then pushed the entire wall, sliding it across the width of the room.
Dorothy's hands rose to her cheeks in surprise "Oh Cloud Dancing" she took a few steps forward moving in to step behind her desk. With the wall moved the world was opened up to them, the view of the countryside, the beauty of the land, the scent of the earth, the warm April sunlight shining in.
"It is the same in the kitchen" Cloud Dancing told her pleased with her reaction.
"It's wonderful" Dorothy held out her arms for him, he moved towards her and stepped between her arms, gently he rested his forehead on hers.
"I want to share my life with you" Cloud Dancing whispered, his voice a low hum "It has taken me many moons to accept that you are the song in my heart, that you are what keeps me whole. When you leave I wish you to be here, many a night I lie awake thinking of you being with me."
Dorothy moved her head away from his, studying his sincere face "You want me ta spend the night with you?" she looked shocked, in truth she often felt the same way thinking of him when they were apart, wishing she could be with him.
"I would like you to live here" he told her simply, gently he took her hand, "I would like for us to be married."
Dorothy pulled her hand from his in shock "Married!"
He frowned at her reaction "You do not want it."
"But I mean I'm not" she gesticulated to her breasts, reminding him that she was not in many people's eyes a complete woman.
"That does not matter to me" Cloud Dancing told her "What matters is the sickness is gone and you are alive and I may enjoy your life."
"I...I" Dorothy stammered completely lost for words, finally she managed to whisper "I need to think."
Cloud Dancing nodded his head slowly "Take as long as you need my feelings will not change."
Dorothy knocked on the door to the clinic, hearing Michaela permission to enter she walked in.
Michaela looked up and smiled, a smile which quickly vanished as she noted Dorothy's pale complexion "Dorothy?"
Before she had a chance to rise, Dorothy slid onto the bench beside her desk "Cloud Dancing asked me to marry him."
"Oh" Michaela gasped.
Dorothy gave her a disapproving stare, indicating she wanted clarification on the meaning behind her utterance.
"I'm surprised" Michaela told her.
"You're surprised!" Dorothy sighed raising her arms and then dropping them into her lap "Michaela what do I do? I care for him. I love him. But marriage?" she sighed again "I don't know if it's even legal."
Michaela thought for a moment "As far as I'm aware, anti-miscegenation laws in Colorado only prevent blacks and whites from marrying. Were you hoping that would give you your answer?"
"I don't know. Michaela I don't know" Dorothy looked up at her friend pleadingly "What should I do?"
"I can't tell you what to do Dorothy." Michaela told her quietly "It's your decision, you need to decide if your love for Cloud Dancing outweighs your fear of what people will think."
Dorothy looked sheepishly at her hands, Michaela's words hitting a nerve "Oh Michaela, I just don't... it's so complicated." she gave an exasperated sigh "I want this to be easy. It should be easy. As easy as saying I do. But..." she slumped back in the bench "Why am I so afraid? Why can't I just say yes? What must he think of me? Telling him I need to think."
Michaela took her friend's hand "Dorothy, Cloud Dancing will understand, he knows what he is asking, he understands that we are ruled by our heads as much as our hearts."
"So what do I do?"
Michaela rubbed her stomach as she considered what to say; gently circling her fingers around an area the baby was kicking. "Perhaps you need to look at it objectively, try to remove your emotion. Create a list of the pros and cons of your decision; see which presents the best case."
"A list" Dorothy whispered.
"A list" Michaela confirmed "It may bring you some clarity."
Sully watched Michaela with interest as she began to undress, it always thrilled him to watch her reveal herself. She was uncomfortable with him looking he knew that much, so he tried to watch her surreptitiously, every time she looked around he turned his attention back to the book in his hands. The sight of her body simultaneously thrilled and shocked him. It shocked him by how much her once lithe body was bulging out, the angry pink hue of her skin and the livid red lines on the lower half of her belly testament to the amount it was being forced to stretch by, but yet he couldn't help but be excited at the vision of her carrying his baby, glowing even through her discomforts. It surprised him how big her dresses looked when they were hung up but were so tight on her. She was wearing only the ones with buttons down the front now, finding it too difficult to battle with those that fastened at the back. He knew that on the first day of her eighth month she was counting the seconds till the baby was born, but strangely he wished this time could last as long as possible, she was never more beautiful then when in pregnancy and her condition made her need him even more.
"Sully" He returned his gaze to her "Could you help me with this please?" He rose and crossed to her, she was fighting to untie a lace on a garment he had never seen her wear before, a sort of wide belt that was wrapped around her lower abdomen, laces at the side holding it on "The knot has pulled too tight" she told him as he stepped in beside her.
"Michaela is this a corset?" he traced his finger down the white cotton fabric.
She shook her head "No, Cynthia made it for me, to help with my back, help support my abdomen."
"It help?" Sully asked lowering himself to his knees to study the pulled knot, his thick fingers gently teasing the leather strip to untie.
"Some. I don't hurt, just ache" she sighed and ran her hands around to hold her back; she wobbled and lurched to the side.
"You alright" Sully reached and held her firmly by the hips.
"My balance is completely gone." She smiled at him "I believe I have outgrown my feet!"
Sully glanced down at her bare feet "They're swollen, ya ankles as well."
She sighed with resignation "I'm not surprised."
He succeeded in releasing the knot and carefully helped her step out of the belt; the support gone one of her hand came round to brace the underside of her stomach. "Thank you."
Sensing her want to continue undressing alone Sully made his way back to the bed pretending to return to his reading. He smiled as she removed the remaining undergarments, gaining a brief glimpse of her naked body before she pulled on her shapeless shift.
He exhaled slowly; it had been months since they had last made love, she had found it much too uncomfortable on the last attempt and the time before that, she had fallen asleep as he had sensually massaged her. She turned, her face falling as she instantly read what was on his mind "I'm sorry" she whispered, her voice so forlorn. She waddled over to the bed and lowered herself down.
"It's alright" he ran his hand down her back.
"I'm not being much of a wife" she laid back against the bed frame, her bottom lip trembling.
"Course ya are" he kissed her sweetly. "You just got more important things ta be doing" he ran his hand down her belly smiling at the movement within, he felt a hard shape beneath her skin "Is that the head?"
She shook her head and lowered his hand. "Here."
He ran his hand over her stomach again "It's lopsided" he muttered with a smile.
"It's just his position it will change tomorrow" she told him, raising her hand to match his movement.
"Or hers" Sully insisted.
She smiled weakly "Sully?"
Seeing her need to talk he lowered his book "Yep"
"Did you know that Cloud Dancing was going to propose to Dorothy?" she looked at him wide eyed.
"I had an idea" Sully chewed his lip pensively "I didn't know he'd done it though."
"Dorothy is so confused." She shifted her position, turning her body to face him.
"What she gonna do?" Sully frowned.
"I'm not certain" Michaela sighed "I told her to weigh up her options, to make a list" she paused as Sully chuckled.
"You and lists" he teased her gently.
Michaela smiled "I made one for us." She lifted her notepad from the bedside cabinet and handed it to him.
Sully studied what she had written, a list of ten names and their associated meanings. "They're all boys" he looked up at her "You really certain?"
"No" she admitted quietly as she traced a line down her stomach.
He studied the list, his hand gently moving to stroke her stomach tenderly "Ya don't want ta name him Josef? after ya Pa"
Michaela smiled weakly "I would love to, but Maureen's eldest son is called Joseph" she sighed "I would like it as the middle name."
"Think that can be arranged" he kissed her.
"Do you like any of them?" she asked drawing the list from his fingers
"Some of em" he told her helping her to ease down flat on the bed and handed her one of her support pillows "I think we should wait."
"Wait?"
"See what it looks like," he kissed her tenderly "see if it is a boy" he kissed her again "Come on bed time" he handed her another pillow.
Sully lowered the lamps as Michaela busied herself with getting herself comfortable, finally still, Sully rolled in to support her frame from behind, his arm folding over her to stroke her stomach.
"Sully" she spoke in the darkness "What are we going to do about Dorothy and Cloud Dancing?"
"We ain't going to do anything, if they ask for advice we will give it, but it's their decision, they're adults, the know their own minds."
"But" Michaela started to protest.
"No buts" Sully told her firmly "Bed."
She pushed his arm off her side. He raised himself up onto his elbow to peer at her face, she was frowning, annoyed by his response. Slightly frustrated he rolled himself away from her, never sure when she was annoyed if she wanted him near her. After five minutes he felt her shift, the mattress moving as she laboriously rolled over and positioned her belly against the small of his back. They lay still for several minutes, the baby kicking hard, awake as she tried to fall asleep. He smiled relishing the feeling of their baby nestled between them, he listened to her for a few moments her soft noises of discomfort filling their room "Michaela, let's turn over."
"You're not angry with me?" she sought reassurance.
"Nope"
She retracted her belly, rolling herself back to settle on her pillows, a few seconds later Sully followed, returning to his original position, carefully supporting her from behind. He nestled his face into her neck, drinking in her scent.
"Would you like to try?" she asked in a small voice.
Sully held his breath, wanting to say yes, but not wanting to force her "I don't if it's gonna hurt ya or makes you feel uncomfortable."
"I'm uncomfortable all the time" she sighed heavily "And I want to make you happy."
"Ya are" he raised her head and studied her face, she looked pensive and her brow was creased in response to how uncomfortable she was feeling, he swallowed, forcing his own wants to one side, her needs coming first, he kissed her cheek. "Ya havin our baby, ain't nothing that makes me happier."
Sully leapt from his horse and seized hold of the reins. The reservation land was eerily quiet almost like Cloud Dancing had gone on one of his trips to the northern Cheyenne, the fire pit still, no evidence of a fire from the night before; even though it was early April and the days were warm at night there was still a chill, and Cloud Dancing would have needed it to cook. He released the reins letting the horse wander to a particularly tasty looking patch of grass and he followed his instinct. Slowly he approached the woods and stepped inside, his feet quiet on the dry twigs and grass; he crept towards the clear stream, his ears listening for anything that did not belong in the woods. He caught the sound of an animal being startled and moved in the direction. He crossed the creek as quietly as he could, his trousers soaking the water up. Energetically he leapt up the bank on the other side, his well placed feet making barely a whisper across the earth. After a few steps he found what he was looking for, his friend sat in a stone circle, deep in thought, his eyes closed, as if on a vision quest, but he was not. Sully lowered himself to the ground outside the circle, from Cloud Dancing's stance he could see his friend was not communing with the Great Spirits that his mind was too fractious. Sully waited patiently for his Cheyenne brother to open his eyes, the older man doing so slowly, moving his stiff body as little as possible "Ha ho" Sully greeted him quietly.
"Ha ho" Cloud Dancing closed his eyes again "Michaela has spoken to Dorothy."
"You know women they like to talk" Sully attempted to ease the mood.
"They like to think also" Cloud Dancing told him glumly.
Sully nodded in agreement "Ain't worth speaking to ones who don't. She ain't said no."
"She looked shocked that I asked her." Cloud Dancing unfolded his legs, drawing them up to his chest and hugging them. "I do not understand, she came to the Northern Cheyenne to find me yet..."
"You know as well as I do, Cheyenne don't judge, they welcome everyone, till the person proves they cannot be trusted, with white folk it's different, they judge first, earn trust later."
"She is afraid of what people will think."
Sully nodded sadly "This town seen plenty of ugly, like when Grace and Robert E bought a house in town." He sighed "I gotta ask you why?"
"I have explained already" Cloud Dancing evaded the question.
"I don't understand, what's changed? You would never marry an Arapaho, so why would ya want to marry a white woman?"
"You are right" Cloud Dancing agreed. "I would never marry an Arapaho, because I do not love an Arapaho woman." He looked at Sully, the mountain man waiting patiently for his explanation "I have learnt to adapt, and my people have always changed we used to stay in one place, and then the buffalo came and we followed them across the plains, now there is one place my people call home, one place where they are free. You asked me before why I do not join them; I do not because they are not my kin. You are my family Sully. You are my brother. I live here to be with you, to be a part of your family."
"And Dorothy?"
"I wish for her to be a part of our family too."
"Got an advert to place" Hank dropped the scrap of paper down besides Dorothy; she ignored him lost in her own world as she poured over her list. "Hey, Dorothy," he banged the desk "Wake up. Got an ad to place" he grinned as she looked up at him.
"I'm busy Hank" she told him, her voice sounding as tired as she looked "Leave it there and I'll get to it."
"What so interesting?" he peered over her shoulder, his eyes widened as he caught what she was working on. Before she had a chance to stop him he ripped the paper out from under her hand.
"HANK" She pleaded trying to reach for the paper as he stepped away from her. In a flash he was out on the street. She followed him desperately begging him to return her list, with Hank's long legs she had no hope of catching up with him as he raced towards the store.
"HANK" she screamed at him, amazingly he stopped.
Instantly she wished he hadn't, her shout had drawn a crowd and an audience was clearly what he wanted.
"Take a look folks, Miss Dorothy Dancing bout ta make it official, gonna be that Indian's squaw." He grinned at the reaction he garnered, the shocked and gaping looks from the towns folk, the instant whispers. He turned to face Dorothy, her hands grasping her scarlet cheeks, her face mortified. His lips twisted into a cruel smile, pleased with the reaction.
"HANK" Loren's voice broke the static crowd, his tone disapproving.
"Just a bit of fun Loren" Hank excused himself; he shrugged his shoulders, pleased with himself his work done.
"Well it's enough now" Loren chided him. Hank grinned at him and gave another lackadaisical shrug, turning and slopping off towards the Gold Nugget. The instigator gone, Loren stepped forward forcing his way through the assembled crowd towards Dorothy. He approached her carefully his hand outstretched to reach her "Dorothy?" he whispered gently, his voice loaded with questions, not just if she was OK but also if it was true. His fingers made contact with her bare skin and she baulked, her blue eyes wide, tear filled, unfocused. "Dorothy?" he repeated, he jumped as she moved, her body spinning so fast that her skirt whirled around her, smacking him with force. She ran from him and everyone else, retreating from them as they mumbled on, as they cast judgement about her life, retreating into her sanctum, closing the door that was intended to be always open.
"Hey Ma"
Michaela lowered her book, surprised to see Brian back so soon. He had gone into town to assist Dorothy with printing the paper, something he helped with every Saturday for the last 3 years.
"What are you doing back?" she asked curiously, raising her cheek to accept his offered kiss. Since the fire he had become more affectionate, always kissing her hello and goodbye. She lowered her feet off the ottoman giving him space to sit opposite her so that they could talk and she would not have to rotate her awkward body.
"Dorothy wouldn't open the door" he told her with a sigh, slumping down on the over padded pouf. They were interrupted by Katie scampering into the living room.
"Bw-rian" she greeted him with a sloppy kiss "You read me?" she requested holding out a book to him.
"Not now Katie girl" he appealed "I'm talking to Ma."
Katie sighed dramatically and wheeled round intent on joining in on the conversation, she studied her mother for a moment, her brown eyes narrowed as if sizing up the available space for her to sit on her mother's lap. Deciding it was not worth the effort she turned back around and pulled herself to join Brian on the ottoman.
"Why won't she answer the door?" Michaela asked when she was satisfied that Katie was settled and wasn't about to fall off.
Brian scrunched up his face slightly "Ya know what I said about Hank causing the scene yesterday."
Michaela nodded, she had not gone into town yesterday finally agreeing to Sully and James's requests to cut back her working week to four days, she vaguely remembered her son mentioning something about Hank and Dorothy, but she had been so distracted by the baby seemingly making an attempt to escape from her stomach that she hadn't paid that much attention.
"She's real upset" Brian summarised "and lots of people are whispering, Sheriff even had to arrest someone for vandalising."
"Vandalising!"
"Yeah" Brian looked miserably at the ground "Painted some rude words on the side of the gazette."
"Ohh" Michaela scoffed "Will this town never learn?" she shuffled herself forward in her chair and gripped hold of the arms.
"Don't Ma" Brian placed his hand on hers, forcing her to stop "Loren has been trying all morning, and I tried and Miss Grace tried. She won't come out. Loren's gone to speak to Cloud Dancing"
"Are you sure that's wise?" Michaela tightened her grip on the chair arms intent on pushing herself up.
"Ma" Brian pleaded with her "You won't be able to do anything, Miss Grace tried tempting her with Freddie, Dorothy won't open up."
"Dorothy is my best friend, I should speak to her" Michaela reasoned.
"No Mama" Katie spoke as she slithered from the ottoman, she moved beside her mother and placed her little hand on Michaela's belly, gently pushing against it. "oo rest" Michaela watched her daughter with tear filled eyes, at that moment so much her father's daughter. She acquiesced to her daughter's request, inching her way back to her original position, Katie's little hand pressing against her stomach ever so lightly until she was satisfied that her Ma was properly seated. Katie patted her belly twice "Good girl" Katie's inflection a perfect copy of her own. "Anty Dowotee be OK"
Michaela did a double take "Sorry sweetheart, what did you say?"
"Anty Dowotee be OK" Katie repeated.
Michaela glanced at Brian, silently asking him where Katie's name for Dorothy had come from.
Brian shrugged and rose from the ottoman "She's right Ma, Dorothy will be OK and you need to rest" he kissed her on the top of her head "Loren will sort this out and you will see her tomorrow at Church."
Loren brought Jasper to a stop and nodded a greeting to the Indian man; Cloud Dancing had been waiting for him on his arrival, or at least waiting for someone, the stiff posture indicative of someone who had been stood still for a long period of time.
"You have come to speak to me about Dorothy" Cloud Dancing spoke quietly, his voice as ever measured and precise, he moved to hold Jasper still so that Loren could dismount.
"You've been waiting for me to come" Loren surmised.
"I have been waiting for someone to come" Cloud Dancing told him with a small smile "Perhaps a lynch mob."
"Dorothy's been the one dealing with that" Loren told him ruefully.
"I am sorry for the pain I have caused her, I did not wish this for her, I was foolish..."
"Never a man who weren't foolish when it came to loving a woman" Loren offered wisely "But ya meant it didn't ya?" his face hardened "Ya want ta marry her?"
Cloud Dancing nodded sincerely "I want to share my life with her."
"Ain't ya doing that already?" Loren reasoned "Ya spend enough time together."
"It is true that we spend time together, but it is not the same as laying with a woman."
"This is about sex?" Loren butted in.
Cloud Dancing shook his head "The carnal passions may have interested me when I was a young man, but I have learnt that there is more to laying with a woman then sampling her flesh, there is the joy of waking with her every morning, opening your eyes and seeing her beauty, thanking the spirits that she was created."
"Then I give ya my blessing" Loren told him quietly.
"Your blessing?"
Loren nodded "It's customary ta ask permission from the father for the lady's hand in marriage, failing that a member of her family. Ya don't need my blessing but I want to give it" he held out his hand for Cloud Dancing to take.
"I will accept your blessing" Cloud Dancing took Loren's hand clasping it between his own "But I am not certain that Dorothy will accept my proposal, I fear she is too frightened of what the town thinks of her."
Loren patted Cloud Dancing on the back "Ya leave the town ta me, I got ways and means, ways and means."
The Reverend fixed his congregation with a meaningful stare, to the uninitiated the man did not appear blind, his eyes deep and soulful, it was as if he could see them all.
"I wish to say that this is a short service today. I will sing no hymns for I feel no joy. My congregation, my Church has lost its way" There was a murmur around the church as the Reverend took a pause for effect "I cannot change the events of the last few days, and I know that you are all aware of what I'm talking about. I have no words of wisdom to correct the path that some of you have taken, but I have 5 words of advice, words from Peter chapter 2 verse 17. 'Honour all people. Love everyone.' Honour all people" he paused for effect again "Love everyone...Now follow me" he strode down the centre aisle of the church.
With his unfathomable sense of direction the Reverend marched his way across the grass to the bridge his bemused congregation following after him like excited school children. He stopped just as abruptly as he started, coming to a halt alongside the alleyway between the clinic and the gazette.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27) he paused, the murmur of curiousness died down as the assembled began to realise one by one what he was doing "Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it." (Ezra 10:4) The Reverend began to walk towards the mercantile "Now go in peace" he waved his hand dismissively indicating the service was over.
As the crowd began to disperse Michaela ambled to the gazette. She tapped her knuckles against the glass, hoping that her friend had heard the Reverend's words. She tried the handle, amazed that the door was unlocked and that slowly the door creaked open a fraction.
"Dorothy?" Michaela called, peering into the gloom of the store; with the blinds closed it was impossibly dark "Would you like to join us for the picnic?" Michaela pushed the door timidly; she was surprised when it rebounded slightly, Dorothy evidentially stood directly behind it. Michaela pushed it open again "Dorothy, can I come in?" she tried pushing the door slightly wider; the gap which she would have easily squeezed through 8 months ago now unfeasibly small and impossible to fit through. "Dorothy?"
"Michaela" Sully stepped up beside her, "We got her to unlock the door, it's the first step." He put a guiding arm around his wife "Dorothy if ya need us we'll be at the meadow and then we'll be heading home." There was no response though he did not expect one.
"Papa" Katie asked clambering up onto the veranda outside the gazette "Me twy" much like her father she did not wait for a response instead slipping between the door and the doorframe and slamming the door.
"It dark!" she exclaimed.
"Katie" her mother rapped her knuckles on the window.
"Anty Dowotee" the little girl called nervously "It dark."
"Katie" Dorothy's voice croaked, she appeared out of the darkness, her grey dress blending in with the gloom, her pale face the only thing illuminated by the chink of light allowed in by the blinds. Katie reached up and gripped Dorothy's face preventing her from disappearing into the room and leaving her alone. "Anty Dowotee" Katie repeated again "Dem not portant" she shook her head, "Mama and Papa and Bwrian an an and Misser Bway and Cwloud Dancin portant."
Dorothy took hold of the little girl's hands and pulled the child into her arms "Oh if only life were that simple my angel."
"Is simal" Katie confirmed "No be scared."
"I'm not scared" Dorothy stroked Katie's downy soft hair, a feeling of safety and comfort washing over her.
"Y-oo hidin" Katie pointed out "Me hide when I scared."
Dorothy smiled weakly.
"Katie!" Michaela rapped on the glass again, her voice rising with concern.
"We sood go out, Mama getting fwightened." Katie snuggled against Dorothy's chest "Dust member wove you, dats portant."
"Thank you angel" Dorothy kissed the child.
"Salwight" Katie slipped of her lap. She moved to the door and tried to open the door, the little girl grunted with the effort "not open" she bleated trying again. At the third attempt she flopped onto the floor and gave the wood a frustrated kick. Dorothy rose slowly and turned the handle, opening the door a fraction. Katie gave her a beaming smile and pushed her way through the gap into the waiting arms of her parents. Alone Dorothy sank back down onto the floor her mind racing once more, endless possibilities racing through her mind as she analysed what she should do but they all seemed to come back to one idea, what did she want.
Cloud Dancing smiled as he saw the horse approach, Dorothy's shining crown of red curls letting him know from a distance that it was her before he could see her face. His smile wavered slightly as she drew nearer, her face was pale and tired looking, dark circles under her blue eyes, he instantly felt guilt, as he knew he was the instrument of her torment.
"Ha ho" he greeted her softly helping her to dismount from her horse.
"Hello" she smiled weakly at him; she looked at him silently for a few seconds before turning to examine her saddle.
"You have come to give me an answer?" Cloud Dancing pressed her.
Dorothy nodded and gave him a small smile "I would like to say yes." His brow furrowed not quite sure what she was saying "I mean yes" she quickly added seeing his confusion, she held out her hand, stopping him from hugging her in happiness "On a few conditions."
"Conditions?"
"I want to get married here, at your" she paused "I mean what will be our home, but I want the ceremony to be both of our cultures, your prayers and my prayers. And I don't want to change my name, but I would like you to give me a Cheyenne name for when we are at home alone, and I don't want our life to change, you can still go off to trade and hunt, and I still run the gazette. Am I asking too much?" she gripped his arm, staring at him cautiously her blue eyes wide almost fearful.
Cloud Dancing smiled, his warm brown eyes pulling in to half moon crescents "No" he shook his head, his long hair flying around his head in a messy haze "I believe that all you conditions are achievable" he kissed her softly on the cheek.
"That's it" Dorothy looked at him surprised "You don't have any demands"
"No demands, a request maybe?" He took hold of both her arms "I would like for you to sleep in the tepee with me. I will construct whatever bed that you will need to be comfortable but I cannot sleep beneath the wooden roof it will remind me too much of when I had no freedom" he looked at her hopefully.
"I would like to sleep in the tepee." Dorothy smiled "I don't mind where we sleep as long as I get to sleep with you and wake up with you." She giggled slightly, her cheeks flushed pink.
"So we are agreed?" he smiled widely at her "We are to be partners?"
Dorothy nodded "Yes we are to be partners."
Sully stood alongside the Reverend, Cloud Dancing's and Dorothy's wedding as their future life would be a mishmash of their cultures. The betrothed stood wrapped in thick dark blue woollen blankets hastily procured on a trip to Denver by Loren for the event, beneath their blanket each wore the dress that was traditional to them, Dorothy a simple elegant white dress and Cloud Dancing the shirt that Michaela had made at the time of her and Sully's wedding.
It was testament to the feelings of those around them at the speed at which the wedding had been arranged, the service pulled together in 5 days following her acceptance of his proposal. The few that were around them were their deepest friends, the ones that they felt were family, none of the assembled taking sides, instead looped in a half circle around the couple. There was silence as the Reverend spoke the familiar words of the Christian wedding service, the group only contributing in the appropriate places.
The Reverend stopped his words just short of the crowd pleasing 'you may kiss the bride' allowing Sully to step forward and say the Cheyenne words and prayers used in their ceremony with Brian accompanying him on the flute. Sully paused and nodded to Loren indicating for the older man to step forward; together they wrapped the bride and groom in a soft white embellished blanket. All traces of Dorothy and Cloud Dancing's blue blankets were gone wrapped beneath the white cloth. Under the cloth they were one shape, one mass, one unit. They linked together in the each other arms and tenderly kissed and at that moment, with their friends around them, and under the gaze of her God and his Great Spirit they joined as man and wife.