CALM BEFORE THE STORM

Ed turned the truck into a Sonic Drive-In. They were found all over Denver. Catalina had heard of them but never stopped at one. She qualified for free breakfast and lunch at school. There was no money for luxuries like fast food for her family.

Dinner's on us, Catalina." Ed said pleasantly. "Order whatever you usually get here or anything you'd like."

She pressed her face against the Ford's side window, looking at the sizeable colorful menu display. There were too many choices. She turned to Fran. "I, I've never been here before. I don't know what I want. There are too many choices, and they all look so good. What do you eat?" she asked, somewhat panicked.

"Well, if you order like el Jefe here," she said, pointing at her husband. "You get to order things like a double cheeseburger, large fries, a large vanilla milkshake, and coffee tonight," Fran replied, laughing. "Only because he played ball and your classmates gave him a real workout."

Catalina looked at Fran. La Señora Brown, as she thought of her, was slim and stylish, even wearing jeans, a long-sleeved t-shirt, flannel shirt, and boots. Catalina had never seen a more beautiful woman, and she wondered what she would order at a drive-in. "And you?"

"I would order a chicken sandwich, a salad, and iced tea. But you, niña, are still growing. You should enjoy your dinner, especially because my husband's buying."

Catalina finally ordered a hamburger combo with a salad and a chocolate milkshake. Fran suggested eating at one of the picnic tables when their food came. She ate with enjoyment, as did the Browns. The Browns asked questions about her family and school. Catalina answered enthusiastically.

"You don't play basketball, do you?" The Chief asked her. "I mean, I've never seen you out on the court with us."

She was pleased. El Jefe did pay attention to those kids like her that sat in the bleachers. "No, I don't like the game."

"You were up there in the corner scribbling away. Are you a reporter for the school newspaper?"

"No. I was writing a story my mother's mother told me once."

"About what?"

"About how the Great Coyote made the stars come to the sky."

"May I see it?" Fran asked. Catalina went to the truck and retrieved the spiral notebook. Together Ed and Fran read the story. Fran pointed out details in the pictures she liked.

"What clan are you born to?"

The girl looked surprised but answered. "I am born to To'aheedliinii, Water Flow Together Clan. My father is Nakaii, Mexican Clan."

"That's good to know."

"How did you know I'm Navajo?"

"I've been working on a photography exhibit of the Navajo Code Talkers for the museum. I've been repairing pictures of the Dinii, the Navajo, and the Dinetah, the homeland. I see a resemblance. Would you like to see the exhibit sometime? Get a behind-the-scenes tour?"

"Please," Catalina said, nodding, her mouth stuffed with a hamburger. She swallowed, following it with some milkshake."But I thought you just fixed paintings?"

"No, that's my main job, but I help with displays and photographs were needing to be fixed, so I've been doing that. In my part of the museum, we all help each other out when it's needed."

They talked more about different things, and Catalina took the time to observe the couple. Fran was a few years younger than the Chief, but they appeared happily married and seemed to have lots in common, and best of all, they were friends and in love. She could tell by the way they looked and talked and touched. That wasn't always the case at her house, and she knew why. They made her sad.

Fran took a card out of a small case. She quickly wrote a number on the back of it. "That's my cell number. Have your mother call me when you'd like to come to see the display, and I'll make arrangements for you to spend a day and see how we do this."

She looked at the front of the card. In embossed letters, it read DENVER MUSEUM OF ART and in smaller letters: Dr. Maria Francesca Muñoz Belding Brown, M.F.A., Ph.D.; Director of Conservancy Programs, followed by her office address and phone number. Never had Catalina seen anything so elegant.

"You're a doctor," she breathed.

"Not a medical doctor, but I still worked very hard to get the degree."

"I'll say you did," Ed replied, pride in his voice. "I carried her canvases home from school every day."

"I couldn't have done it without you, big guy," she said playfully." But, please call me Fran, ok. All my friends do."

Catalina was soaring; she and the wife of the Chief of Police. They were friends.

"Ok…Fran," she giggled. Shoving the card back in her pocket, she got back into the truck when they said it was time to go. On the way to her house, she talked endlessly about wanting to be a writer of children's stories and illustrate them. She felt a kindred nature with her new friend. The truck pulled up in front of her house. Still enveloped in the warmth of the Brown's caring, Catalina got out on her side, leaving her notebook in the back seat.

Fran and Ed walked behind her, Fran slipping her arm through her husband's. Catalina heard them speak in another language.

"He said that to you?"

"Look, he's just worried about his girl. She was lost. The Chief of Police is bringing her home. Just be careful." Pass auf!"

"You too. Hopefully, I can get him to change his mind." Ed replied.

"I'm counting on you to do just that," Fran said, switching back to English, letting go of his arm.

The front door of the Montez house was flung open, and the worried form of Mrs. Montez appeared, smothering her daughter in her embrace and pulling her inside. The Browns followed into the small but immaculate house.

"Mrs. Montez, I'm Chief Brown, Denver Police. This is my wife, Maria Francesca. Your daughter's fine; I got the radio call and told my aide I could probably find Catalina without much help. She just was up in the bleachers writing. She's had dinner and got no homework. She just lost track of time, is all. So we'll be taking off now."

Catalina caught the cue and hurried back to her bedroom. Peeking out the crack she left in the door to see and hear what was going on. Ed could see her face become worried, fearful. He pressed the issue.

"Where's Catalina's father, ma'am?"

"I'm right here. What's this you telling me about how I need to deal with my kid, Anglo"? Montez's voice was loud, angry, and slightly slurred. He came out of the hall that Catalina had just disappeared down.

"Eso es Jefe de Policía Denver Anglo a usted." Ed said.

"Tellin' me I can't discipline my kid for disobeyn me?"

"She knows she did wrong, and she feels terrible about it. Ground her, make her do extra stuff around the house, but you don't have to show her your hand's backside. You do, and I'll come back.

"You and your puta get outta my house."

Fran saw Ed's body tighten and his eyes squint.

"What did you call my wife?" He said calmly.

"You know what I called her, Mr. Police Chief."

"That's what I thought. Apologize now to her." Ed felt his right hand roll up into a fist. Unconsciously he squared himself.

Pete Montez took a step forward as if to strike Ed and then caught his wife's eye.

"¿Quieres ir a la cárcel?" She shouted at him. Do you want to go to jail? "We can't afford your bail if you go." She turned to Ed, forcing her voice to be calmer. "Catalina will be grounded all next week and receive extra chores, Jefe. It was kind of you and your wife to find Catalina and give her dinner. Please understand it is difficult for us now. Pete is a hardworking man, a good father, and husband."

"I'm sorry for the trouble I caused." He said to Ed with a hangdog-beaten look. "Look, I should have been the one to find her, bring her home. That's a father's job."

Ed looked at the man. Poverty and bad choices had worn him down.

Pete Montez turned to face Fran. "There was no call to what I said to you, lady. No call at all. I'm sorry."

"Gracias"

He went to a very used couch and sat down, putting his hands on his face. Ed took a card out of his pocket, scribbling a note on the back."Call me at this number tomorrow. I've got a friend in construction. He's looking for guys willing to put in a ten-hour day. I'll put in a word for you if you're interested."

Montez took the card. "Kinda stunned you'd do that for a guy like me."

"Second chances get earned," Ed said. "Good night Miz Montez, Pete. Adios Cat."

Ed and Fran walked down the steps. "So I can let out that breath now that I took when I thought you would hit him to uphold my honor." She said.

"Yeah, it's ok, but I wanted to." Ed put his arm around Fran and thought about his luck in marrying her. He realized that there would be more situations like this. Fran could and would take care of her problems, but she let him solve this simply by saying nothing. She'd done that before when they were partners back in San Francisco. It was something she learned the hard way to do. "Let's go home, honey. I'm tired. It's been a long day."

"And you need a shower before you put any moves on me, mister chief of police. You stink!"

The ranch was quiet when they got home. Patrice had ensured the animals were fed and secure, and the light in his mother's bedroom was out. Quietly they entered the house. Ed took his shower and afterward found his wife already nearly asleep. Getting into bed, he turned and draped his arm over Fran's side. She snuggled closer to him.

"G'night," she mumbled.

"Love you."

She rolled over for a kiss. Then they resettled themselves.

"Thanks for having my back tonight."

"Always will," Fran replied.

Ed fell asleep in Fran's arms. It was a good sleep, free of troublesome dreams, until the phone rang. Then the nightmare began.