Chapter 6: The Tribe
*****A Few Days Later*****
Chief Thomas Rainwater read the report with interest. The niece of one of the tribe council members was attacked in an alley in Bozeman. A young teenage girl fought off the attackers, keeping her from being sexually assaulted. Rainwater was shocked and confused when the report said she was the granddaughter of their enemy John Dutton.
He looked up at his head of security and driver, Mo Brings Plenty, and said, "John Dutton has a teenage granddaughter named Buffy Summers staying at the ranch. The girl saved a tribe member from a sexual assault. How does he have a granddaughter we know nothing about?"
Mo frowned. "I do not know," he said. "You can always ask Monica Dutton since she is ours and theirs."
"Or I could go in person and thank the girl myself," Chief Rainwater said.
Several hours later, Mo drove him to the ranch, expressing his anger at all the land in hands of a white man.
"One day, Tate could own this land," Rainwater said. "Then it will belong to the tribe again."
"Lee could still have children. He is the oldest," Mo pointed out.
Rainwater nodded. He knew that. It was possible that the teenage girl was Lee's, but it seemed unlikely. Unlike Kayce, Lee talked a lot more. If he had a daughter, the entire state would know.
When they pulled into the ranch, he saw John Dutton and his oldest leaning against the fence, watching a girl on a horse. His ranch foreman was also there.
"Is that her?" Mo asked.
"It must be," Rainwater said.
"She is too slight to fight off two grown men bent on rape," Mo observed.
John turned to see the newcomers and walked toward them while his son stayed by the fence.
"Chief Rainwater," John said. "What can I do for you?"
"I received a report that your granddaughter came to the aid of one of our members," he replied.
"I arrested the men myself," John said.
"I wanted to express the tribe's gratitude if that is okay," Rainwater said.
"Of course," John said. "Buffy! Come meet our guest."
Rainwater watched the girl easily jump off the horse and propel over the fence with one hand.
"She is light on her feet," Rainwater stated.
"She is," John said.
"Hi," Buffy said, smiling at the two men. The short haired man was wearing a suit while the other sported very tribal looking braids.
"Buffy, this is Chief Rainwater, he is the chief of Broken Rock, Monica's tribe," John explained.
He held out his hand to her and was surprised at her strong grip. "It is very nice to meet you, Buffy," he said. "This is my head of security, Mo Brings Plenty."
"Hello," Buffy said, shaking his hand.
"I wanted to come and thank you in person for saving one of my members from being harmed by two men," Rainwater said.
"Oh, it was no biggie," Buffy said with a shrug and easy smile.
"If I may ask, how did you happen to be there?" Rainwater asked.
"We were eating with her mother, my daughter Beth, at a nearby restaurant," John replied, casually answering the man's unasked question. "Buffy heard the woman's cries for help and ran into the alley. By the time I got there with my gun, she had fought off both men."
"That is quite a feat for a young lady," Rainwater said, smiling at her.
"Yes, well, I'm full of surprises," Buffy said. "This is my first time on a ranch, but it's loads of fun."
"Bring her to the casino restaurant, John, and we will treat her to dinner anytime," Rainwater said, handing Buffy his card. "Just show them this card."
"I eat a lot," Buffy said with a grin.
"We have plenty of food," Rainwater said, smiling in amusement at the skinny teenager.
"Don't let her size fool you," John said. "She isn't exaggerating."
"The metabolism of the young is always impressive," he remarked with a smile. "Go back to your horse riding. I am sorry for interrupting."
"No big," Buffy said. "I have never met an Indian Chief."
"Where are you from?" Rainwater asked, unable to resist asking.
"California," Buffy said. "Land of sunshine and beaches."
"Buffy is going to stay the summer with us," John said.
"Well, thank you very much, Buffy, for using your skills to save one of ours," Rainwater said.
"My pleasure. I can't believe those guys thought they could get away with that in broad daylight. The sun hadn't even set all the way yet," Buffy remarked.
"You'd be surprised what the men in this state often get away with," Rainwater said.
"If you're done riding, you need to take care of your horse," Lee called out.
"Okay," she replied. Then she turned back to Chief Rainwater. "It was nice to meet you, Chief Rainwater."
"The pleasure is mine," he said. "Thanks again."
While she walked off, John said, "To answer your unspoken question, Beth hid her pregnancy and put Buffy up for adoption seventeen years ago. Recently, Buffy came looking for us, and we verified that she is Beth's."
"That is a very well-kept secret," Rainwater said.
"It's a private matter," John said. He and Rainwater were often on opposite sides of things, but the man knew how to be discreet. His ties to his grandson and daughter-in-law could not be ignored.
"How did she manage to take on two full grown men?" he asked.
John shrugged. "It seems she is an expert in hand-to-hand combat," John said. "Her hometown has some kind of gang problem. Saving people is kind of a thing for her. She heard the girl's cry, and she just ran. I saw no hesitation in her. No fear, either."
"That's extraordinary," Rainwater said. "The blessing of a granddaughter combined with having one that is selfless and brave."
John grinned. "I am very blessed," he said.
Rainwater shook his head—the man's blessings did irk the tribal leader. "You are. Bring her by this weekend for dinner. The woman she saved would like a chance to introduce her to her family and express their gratitude," he said.
"I can do that on Saturday," John said.
"Seven o'clock?"
"Okay," John said. He would try to get Kayce and Monica to attend. Beth would be gone, so there was less a chance of her embarrassing him in her normal fashion.
When he made it back to Buffy's side, she said, "He seemed nice."
"He will be glad you think so," John responded. No need to gossip about all the problems the man and his tribe give him.
"I know there's Indians in California because I've met a few," she said. "However, I never met an Indian Chief. Do they actually do rain dances?"
"That's a question for Monica," John said, smiling. "He did insist you come to his restaurant on Saturday evening. I thought I'd invite Kayce and Monica."
"And Rip," Buffy said.
"Sure," he said.
"Lee might get his feelings hurt if he's not there. And Jamie," Buffy said, grinning.
"You know there's more a chance of an argument the more we invite," John said, amused at her maneuvering.
"Beth isn't coming back this weekend, right?" Buffy said.
"No, but she could change her mind," John said. "She's kind of unpredictable if you haven't noticed."
Buffy laughed. "Oh, I noticed," she said. Her bio-mom was a hard nut to crack. Buffy had a feeling, though, she could be fiercely loyal to those she loved.
*****Saturday*****
Buffy had never been inside a casino since she wasn't eighteen. It seemed that an exception could be made if the person in charge said it was okay. Kayce and Monica left Tate at home with his maternal great grandpa. Lee and Jaime both came with her and her grandfather. She got to wear one of the nice dresses Beth bought for her. This one was gold and sparkly, more appropriate for a club or even a prom than a dinner with the family. The neckline wasn't too low, but it hugged her figure. There was a shawl to wear with it that gave it a bit more modest look, and Buffy wore the most amazing gold heels to go with it. Fortunately, Monica had on a sexy black dress, so Buffy felt good about her choice.
"You look beautiful, Buffy," John said, smiling at her.
"How can you walk in those heels?" Lee asked.
"I can walk and even run in about anything," Buffy said with a shrug.
"No running tonight, so you should be fine," John said.
"Where's Rip?" Buffy asked.
"This is not really his scene," John replied. "He said that he'd see you at breakfast."
Buffy was a bit disappointed, but she also didn't want her father to be uncomfortable.
"Let's try not to rouse the Monica-beast during dinner," Lee said, grinning at his niece as they piled in the truck. She sat in the front next to her grandfather while the two men climbed in the back.
Buffy looked at the lights and various games with avid interest as they walked through the casino to the restaurant in the back. "Are you sure we can't play some games?" she asked her grandfather.
"On your eighteenth birthday, sure," he said, smiling at her, his hand on her shoulder.
When they arrived at the hostess stand, John gave his name, and the host smiled.
"Chief Rainwater has a table reserved for you and your party," he said. Then he led them to a corner table where the woman Buffy saved was sitting with two other older people.
The woman rose when she spotted Buffy and smiled. "This is the girl who saved me," she said to her parents. She held out her hand to Buffy. "I am Megan White Eagle. These are my parents, Tom and Jan."
"We cannot thank you enough," her dad said. "You saved our baby girl from those animals."
Buffy felt acutely embarrassed at all the attention, especially as the Chief had just come up to them and added his own words.
"Please, have a seat," Chief Rainwater said. "Order anything you want on me."
"Thanks," Buffy said. "This isn't necessary. I only did what anyone else would do." Not once had she ever been publicly thanked for saving someone. Most of the time, she wasn't really thanked at all. Of course, it wasn't like she ever expected to be thanked. Normally, people who were nearly killed are too traumatized to think about such things.
Buffy chatted with Megan and her parents after her grandfather ordered two appetizers. Lee insisted that she try their steak as it was the best.
For Buffy, it was a great dinner. Her uncles had easy smiles and shared stories of their childhood on the ranch. Kayce didn't say nearly as much as Lee or Jaime, but he seemed to enjoy the reminiscing. Monica was polite and shared a story or two of Tate. Somehow, no arguments broke out.
For John, it was the best time that he had in a long time. All three of his sons were there, and they were smiling. Although he loved Beth very much, she often exploited any weakness and saw every family meal as a battle that she had to win.
For Kayce, it was the first time since he married Monica that he felt such a strong sense of connection to his father and brothers. Somehow, this slip of a teenage girl had done something he didn't think could happen ever again. He felt like he was a Dutton. War and violence and his marriage to Monica had worked to dull the ties that bound them all. When Buffy and Monica began a debate about which dessert was best, he did something that he hadn't done in a long time.
He laughed.
*****The Next Day*****
Kayce had invited Buffy to spend the day with her cousin on the reservation. Always looking for ways to spend time with Tate, her grandfather insisted on driving her over there.
"She's here!" Tate announced as he was sitting on the sofa watching out the window for his cousin's arrival. As she was blonde and beautiful and from the exotic state of California, he was eager to show her off to his other cousins and family members.
"My grandson is very taken with his new cousin," Monica's grandfather, Felix, observed, smiling. Monica and her brother, Robert, were raised by him after her parents died.
"She is pretty and new," Monica said.
"White Eagle told me that she saved his daughter from a rape and possible murder," her grandfather said.
"That's the story," Monica said.
"You doubt Megan's account?" he asked, surprise.
Monica shook her head. "No. It just seems so unlikely that a girl a slight as she could accomplish such a feat," she said. She didn't think Kayce was being completely truthful when he said she held her own in their sparring match. Surely, he was just being nice.
Her grandfather soon saw that Monica had a point as he observed the short teenager next to his grandson. Tate brought Buffy in by her hand, and she was smiling at his enthusiasm.
"Grandpa, this is Buffy. Buffy, this is my grandpa," he introduced.
"Actually, I'm his great-grandfather," the man said, standing. "You can call me Felix."
"It's nice to meet you, Felix," Buffy said, shaking his hand. She had never been inside a mobile home before, and she was curious. It was small but had a homey feel to it.
"John," Felix acknowledged.
John said hello to all of them. "I don't even get a hug?" he asked Tate.
Tate grinned and let go of Buffy's hand to greet his grandfather.
"Buffy, I'll return to pick you up at six," he said. "Our cook may cry if you aren't there to enjoy his dinner. Buffy gives him the accolades the rest of us don't."
"Okay. I do love the cook since I love food!" Buffy said, smiling. "How are you, Kayce? Monica?"
"Fine," Kayce said. "It is good that you could come. Tate is very excited to show you his room and introduce you to his cousins. They'll be here at lunchtime."
"Come on," Tate urged, pulling her along.
"It must be gratifying to discover a granddaughter," Felix said.
"Yes, it has been pretty wonderful," John said. "Of course, we're all still shocked that Beth had a baby without telling us." It had been decided that most people would hear that version only.
"There's been a few stories at the school over the years of teenage girls having a baby without their parents even knowing," Monica shared. "They wear big, bulky sweaters. The parents just assumed they put on weight."
"I can't imagine being told, 'Dad, I'm in labor. Drive me to the hospital,'" John said, shaking his head.
"She was adopted by a good family?" Felix asked.
John nodded. "She was," he said. "Her parents got divorced, though, two years ago and moved her out of Los Angeles to a town a few hours away called Sunnydale."
"I am happy for you and your family," Felix told him.
"Do you want to check out the horse I'm breaking in before you go?" Kayce asked.
"Sure," he said. His son was gifted with horses in a way none of the rest of them were. No matter how difficult the horse was, Kayce could gentle it. Breaking horses was what he should be doing for the Yellowstone. After several minutes talking about the horse, John couldn't resist saying, "I wish you were doing this at home for our horses."
"Dad, don't start," Kayce said.
"Start what? Asking you to not stay away from your heritage," John said.
"Monica wouldn't like it," he said. "I don't know that I would either."
"It's funny," John said. "Your wife has such pride in her Indian heritage, but she resents your own. She wants you to forget about your blood. She wants Tate to never know the other half of his."
Not waiting to see his response, John walked to his truck, waving at his grandchildren as he went.
*****Several Hours Later******
Buffy hadn't spent much time around children Tate's age or his cousins age, but she was enjoying her day.
They played some games in his room, and then she and Tate challenged his parents to Monopoly before lunch. Then they started playing soccer outside with his cousins who arrived after lunch. They had sandwiches and soup, abandoning their Monopoly game in favor of going outside to play with the new arrivals.
Monica watched Buffy play with the kids for two hours. "She seems to have as much energy as the kids," she observed.
Kayce looked out the window. "True. I think I'll go join them," he said now that they had started playing soccer, a game he enjoyed.
They kids were excited when Kayce decided to play with them. Of course, he took one side and Buffy the other. Kayce played soccer in high school, yet his niece kept up with him effortlessly. Then she over kicked the ball, and it went into the nearby woods.
Tate's oldest cousin yelled, "I'll get it!"
Kayce let him run ahead to the woods, and then he heard his scream. Instinctively, he ran toward the screams, but Buffy somehow got to the boy ahead of him.
There was a very large black bear attacking the boy.
*****Chapter End*****
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