She headed to the lobby where Aunt Roslyn and Lance were waiting to give her hugs.
“Be strong for your mother,” Aunt Roslyn said in her ear as she pulled her in. She smelled of coffee.
Maya nodded. “I will,” she said with a long face.
She turned to Lance and embraced him. “Give your sister a hard time for me while I’m gone.”
“Oh, I plan on it!” He pulled away and winked.
Grandma Oriel sat on the couch, still unable to speak. Maya sat beside her. "Thank you for everything, Grandma. I had a great time."
'Goodbye my child...'
Maya pulled away, furrowing her brow and squinting as she looked at her grandmother's aged face. "Did you just say–" Maya said, looking at her from the corner of her eye. Nah... She kissed her grandmother’s forehead. “I love you.” She took her bag and strode to the front door where Roy sat in the car waiting.
'Come visit.'
Maya stopped in her tracks and looked over her shoulder. "I will, Grandma," she replied, then continued.
Outside, Warren surprised her as he had been hiding on the side of the building and wrapped her in his firm embrace. She hugged and kissed him back. Suddenly that sad feeling was creeping up on her again.
"I'll miss you," she whispered, feeling a knot forming in her throat.
He put his finger to her lips. "Don’t say goodbye. This is a temporary, arrangement. Two hundred and seventy moons from now, you’ll be back in my arms."
She melted at the thought, savoring every moment of his hungry eyes on her.
Roy honked and glared at the two of them, but they didn’t budge. She couldn’t tear herself away. Two hundred and seventy moons seemed so long. She clutched the key to the underworld that she kept in her pocket. Maybe I could run into the canyons. Roy would never find me... but mother...
Roy honked again.
Maya ignored him. "Call me?"
"Cross my heart," he said, putting an X over his chest.
She pulled away from Warren, feeling her chest ache as she turned to her suitcase and walked to the trunk of the car. Warren watched as she put her suitcase in, then walked around the side and sat in the passenger seat. Their eyes locked on each other.
Roy hit the gas pedal and peeled out, and soon Warren was out of sight.
"Quit driving crazy!" Maya yelled.
"Well, quit pissing me off!" his head bobbed in anger as he glared at her and then looked back to the road.
"What the hell is your problem?"
"You want to know?” He was clutching the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. “He knew you were leaving. You'll never see him again and you're living in a dream world wearing your rose-tinted glasses like you're going to marry him or something."
Maya felt her temper bubbling in her gut and rising in her like one of those volcanic experiments with vinegar and baking soda. "It isn't like that."
"Isn't it?" He gave her a hard stare, taking his eyes off the road again, which made her nervous. "A fifteen-year-old girl visiting her disabled grandma... never been in a serious relationship... only staying for two months... he probably told you he loved you...”
Maya looked at her hands.
“It was the perfect opportunity for him to take advantage."
She sat up straight and took a few deep breaths, realizing their relationship may have appeared that way to an outsider, but he had no idea what they felt for each other.
“Congratulations, Roy. You’ve successfully painted Warren into a monster in your own mind. Mind your own business. I don't interfere in your relationship.” The car started to veer off into the ditch. “Watch the road!"
Roy jerked the wheel and overcorrected his mistake, sending the car into a fishtail.
She grabbed the overhead handle to brace herself.
Roy stared ahead at the dirt road, getting his driving under control. His eyes widened, and he didn’t mention Warren for the rest of the trip.
Maya turned the radio on and raised the volume, then flopped back against the seat.
⭐⭐⭐
Roy pulled into the driveway. The headlights pierced through the darkness onto the garage door. They hadn't spoken much after their argument, except when Roy asked Maya what she wanted to eat when they pulled through the fast food drive-through for lunch.
The garage door went up and Dad was there to greet them. Seeing her father’s face made her realize how much she had missed him. She got out of the car and ran to give him hugs.
"I've missed you so much.” His eyes were red from tearing up.
"I missed you too." She pecked him on the cheek.
“Need help with your bags?”
“No, I’ve got it. Don’t worry.” She pulled away and went to the trunk where Roy was pulling his things out.
She grabbed her bag and hurried past her father.
"Where are you going so fast?" he asked suspiciously.
"I have to go to the bathroom," she lied.
He nodded and turned to Roy.
This was her opportunity. She dropped her suitcase in the hallway and hauled herself up the stairs, not even flinching as she flung the forbidden door open and switched the light on.
Her mother slowly sat up, with raspy breathing. Her complexion was pale and she had a colorful scarf wrapped around her bald head. She recalled the skeleton from the underworld and thought of their similarities. She had never seen someone so thin.
"Mom." Maya rushed over to her bedside and knelt. "How are you feeling?"
She opened her mouth to answer but started coughing. It sounded horrible, like at any moment she might take her last breath. "Honey, I don't want to make you sick."
"You won't." She delicately hugged her. "I've missed you and I love you."
"I," cough, "love you too, honey, but you’re not supposed to be in here."
"Mom, stop. We’ve wasted too much time already,” she fumbled with her hand in her pocket. “I can hardly wait to tell you about my visit to Grandma's."
"You can't, your father will be furious if he finds out you are in here. You're not allowed to see me unless I get better." She smoothed Maya's hair back with her bony hand.
"Things are about to change. I have something that will make you feel better." She pulled the tiny clear bottle out of her pocket, yanking the cork out.
Her mother looked from the bottle to her then back to the bottle. Her smile faded. "What is it?"
"Please don't ask questions. Just take it... there's nothing to lose, right?" Maya thought about Ahote's words. Something will be taken from her. But they would deal with whatever was it was later. She held the bottle to her mother's lips.
“No,” her mother said quietly. “I don’t want that tribal medicine.” She made a move to stand up, but she was too weak.
“Mother!” Maya thought about her trip to the underworld, and if her mother refused to take it everything she had done was in vain. “Don’t turn me down. You have no idea what I’ve been through to get this for you.”
“I don’t want it.” Cough.
Maya took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “Mother, if you don’t take this serum, I’ll never forgive you.” She got closer to her and took her hand in hers. “Say you will.” She held the bottle up.
Her mother frowned, but she allowed Maya to put it to her lips and drank it.
She tried to clear her throat. Maya rubbed her back trying to comfort her. At first, the coughing was rough, but as she continued the raspiness cleared away and her voice became beautiful when she said, “That feels better.”
Maya smiled as she felt relief, like a rock had been lifted from her chest. "It's working."
Within moments, her mother sat up straighter and her eyes began to look like they were full of life again. "I’m hungry." Her voice was crisp and clear. "Let me make us dinner."
"No, Mom, please... let me. Dad will have a coronary if he finds you out of bed. Don't tell him I was here. He'll figure out that you've gotten bett
er. Besides, I want to be the one to do something nice for a change. We need to put meat on those bones."
Her mother nodded and Maya pulled the covers over her.
She headed to the kitchen to find something for dinner, but when she opened the fridge all she found was nearly empty take-out containers, condiments, and moldy bread.
She had a vacant stare as her thoughtful dream drifted out the window. She had promised to make dinner and she was determined to make it happen.
She searched through the pantry and found pancake mix. "Breakfast for dinner. Why not?" She mixed the batter and whipped up a couple of pancakes on the griddle, then lathered them with butter and doused it with syrup.
Her father entered the kitchen with her suitcase. "What are you doing?"
She thought for a moment, flipping the hot cake in the skillet. "Making dinner for everyone after the long drive." She flashed her teeth at him.
"Pancakes?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Mmm... yep." She nodded.
"Ok. I'm putting your suitcase in your room." He walked back toward her bedroom.
“Thanks." She spied on him from the kitchen. He came back from her room and took a seat on the couch, flipping on the TV. She grabbed a glass and opened the milk carton. As she poured, she noticed a sour smell and chunks of what looked like lumpy cottage cheese came out. She put it down on the counter, gagging. "I guess water will do."
She quickly snuck back upstairs to her mother's room with the plate and glass of water.
"Here, Mom." Maya smiled, feeling proud of herself.
Mom gave her an oblivious look, scooting back in her bed. "What?" She seemed clueless, as if she hadn't remembered their conversation about Maya bringing her dinner.
"You said you were hungry. I made them for you. You love pancakes." She sat on the side of her bed, extending the plate to her.
Her mother looked from the plate to Maya, like she was insane.
"I'm sorry," Maya apologized. "There wasn't anything else to eat."
Her mom stared at her. "Who are you?"
Maya knitted her eyebrows together and smiled. "Mom, don't be silly. You know who I am."
Her mother’s expression didn’t change and she repeated in an uncertain tone. “I know who you are?”
“Don’t be silly, Mom.” Maya chuckled and scooted closer. “I’m your daughter, Maya.”
Mom paused. "I don't have a daughter. Only a son, Leroy."
"Mom, don't be weird," she laughed.
Mom raised her voice, "Weird? I don't know who you are and you're sitting on my bed like you belong in it."
Maya's smile faded as she realized her mother was serious. She didn't remember who she was. She stood from the bed. Could the medicine have erased me from her memory?
Maya backed up to the door and turned back to look at her, just to be sure her mother wasn't joking.
Mom ate the pancakes, giving Maya a distrusting stare.
Maya closed the door behind her then put her face in her hands. This is all my fault. Of all the things that could have been taken from her, why this?
Maya spent the remainder of the evening in her backyard. Ahote had packed sticks of incense to burn. The thin twig had multiple colors of bright orange and yellow stuck to it. There was a flat piece of wood with holes in it. She placed the twig into it and lit it with a lighter. She closed her eyes.
Earth Mother, please hear me.
The smell of the incense was powerful, and it had a wonderful botanical fragrance she had never smelled before.
Please restore the balance after the injustice of the oak that once grew here and thrived in this yard under thousands of moons. Teach me to follow my heart, trust in my intuition, and walk in balance with under passing sun.
A breeze kicked up, rustling the leaves of nearby trees. The sound compelled her to dance the way she had learned at the pow wow. She heard a chorus of voices chanting and a drum beating. The voices were of all that had come before, loud and beautiful, singing to the song of her heart.
Quotes
Chapter 7
Men fear death as children fear to go into the dark. -Francis Bacon
Chapter 8
Treat the Earth well. It is not given to you by your parents, it is loaned to you by your children. -Crazy Horse
Chapter 11
Hold onto what is good,
Even if it is a handful of Earth.
Hold onto what you believe,
Even if it is a tree that stands by itself.
Hold onto what you must do,
Even if it is a long way from here.
Hold onto life,
Even when it is easier letting go.
Hold onto my hand,
Even when I have gone away from you.
-Unknown
Chapter 16
The Universe is alway speaking to us, sending us little messages... causing coincidences and serendipities, reminding us to stop, to look around, to believe in something else, something more... -Nancy Thayer
The power of the universe will come to your assistance if your heart and mind are in unity. -White Buffalo Calf Woman
Chapter 19
Give thanks to unknown blessings already on their way. -Old Native American saying
Chapter 35
When the blood in our veins returns to the sea... and the earth in our bones returns to the ground... it is then that we remember this land does not belong to us... it is us that belong to the land. -Native American saying
Chapter 36
Live your life so that the fear of death can never enter your heart. -Chief Tecumseh
Chapter 39
You cannot eat money. -Cree
Chapter 41
A warrior's strength is measured by his heart. -Unknown
There is no death, only a change in worlds. -Chief Seattle
Sky Whitehorse lives in Colorado with her husband and two daughters. She has goats, chickens, and three dogs. Her favorite thing to do is travel. She is working on her next book and hopes it will be finished soon.
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