Fosters: Blackhawk

by L. Ann Marie

  "Well, no but I didn't expect him to stop asking." She says like at makes all the sense in the world.

  I hit speed dial. "Are you going to marry my fuckin sister or what?" He says of course. "She's ready for you to ask again. Don't take for fuckin ever either. Ben will be here, he can do the words right away and the paperwork on Tuesday when everything opens." I hang up.

  Aleena is staring at me. Her phone rings. Danny laughs. "You might want to pick up, it's Chase asking you again."

  She scrambles to get her phone. "I was just riding, yeah I can. I'll see you in a few.” She slides the phone off. "I can't believe you just did that."

  I look at her for a minute. "You said you're ready. Did you want to wait longer? Guys don't think like women. I told him you're ready he'll ask and fix that. It's what you wanted. Don't keep him waiting now. Go get what you want Aleena." I tell her softly. She jumps up and literally runs out the door.

  CJ is hysterical. "I'm so glad we don't have to plan that wedding, she'd be one of the crazy ones."

  "I'm so fuckin glad you are nothing like her." I tell her making Danny laugh.

  He stops and looks at CJ. "You got married like every one of the old ladies. Except the party afterward. Mitch is fuckin nuts but the ceremony was the same, we just had different officials. None of them wanted anything crazy or extravagant. Tess had a big dress, Nancy had the big band, Jess had a big cake, you had a big party, Kate had a big honeymoon but none wanted long engagements or big weddings." He looks at Steve. "We should use that as a criteria for old ladies." Fuckin Danny. We all laugh.

  CJ takes Mase to feed him, we sit talking about the time tonight. I check the time and stand. "I need to get the boys dressed."

  "You need a hand?" Steve asks.

  "Yeah couldn't hurt. I have to tell them what the stuff they're putting on is. They'll need help getting into everything." They stand and follow me up. I like this collective parenting thing. Danny told me about it but it feels good to be part of it.

  I explain and Danny and Steve help get them dressed. The boots and headdresses were the hardest parts. When they have their bells and beads on they make a racket jiggling everywhere. I start pulling out breaches, boots and shirts for the other boys. I explain about not having the full regalia but hand them wrist and arm bands with navy and aqua beading. The shirts have beading on the back. "You are more than a friend to the tribe but not quite family." I waited for Little Ben last. "You are part of the tribe. You get regalia Little Ben. If you want to train as a scout you're welcome with the boys." I pull his out.

  He's stunned. "These are my people?"

  "Just because you don't know them doesn't mean they're not family. You share our blood." Steve stands and throws me chin and helps Little Ben dress, everyone watches knowing it is special. Little Ben stands tall in his regalia, it isn't over the top but it's regal in its look and holds tribal colors. "You look like pictures of my grandfather when he was young. "There is a picture downstairs you can see what he looked like.”

  Brantley goes to him. "I know what one he means, I'll show you." Little Ben and Steve follow.

  Danny slaps my back. I pull his from the box. He smiles. "More than friend." I tell him.

  He throws chin taking them, he goes into his room to change. Darren signs 'that was nice.' I throw him chin and look for Steve with his clothes bundled in my hands.

  The kids are showing CJ their regalia while Nunánuk braids her hair. I find Steve at the pictures in the living room. "He looks like him."

  "Yeah."

  "Never knew about you. Never knew about all this. I would have shown him." He looks at me.

  I smile. "You know now. You made a good warrior without the benefit of our lessons. He will too. Aleena has a dress for your warrior princess." I hand him his clothes. "The tribesmen and women helped outfit our whole family. It is custom that the family do the beadwork. Our tribe claims you and everyone helped. Nunánuk made a special shawl for Jess and put special beads on your family’s regalia. It was done to help right the wrong that was done, our grandfather should have brought you our heritage. He was your oldest male relative. I'm younger than you but the closest male relative you have. I hope you can accept them from me."

  He hugs me. "Honored." He walks up the stairs. I stand in the living room smiling.

  "Dad aren't you going to get dressed?" Taylor asks from behind me. Fuck! I kiss his head and run up the stairs.

  I meet Danny telling him he looks good and Ben and Kate's clothes are in the box. I run up the next flight thinking I should have put in an elevator. I get dressed and get two braids on the sides of my hair to help keep it out of face. I run back down. Aleena should be here helping the women and girls. When I get to the kitchen Jess and Kate are showing their dresses to CJ. "Where's Aleena?" They shrug. CJ smiles. Shit.

  "Maybe she'll finally get married." Nunánuk says with a smile, "I'll help." She calls for the girls to follow her.

  I take the boys and men down to the Center. The tribesmen are there and yell their appreciation for our regalia. I smile and join them. We talk about what's happening and when. Our chief comes and inspects the boys then the men telling them they pass. The tribesmen laugh. The kids and Danny crack up. Steve looks at him. "You came to my house. I was about ten."

  Ted nods. With a sad smile. I'm surprised he never said. "Your grandmother wanted to see you. Your grandfather was a stubborn mule. I went on her behalf. Your father wouldn't allow it. I am sorry we couldn't have done better for you, when I tried again you moved. We didn't have internet then. It wasn't until Cloud found you that we knew where you ended up."

  "My father was Indian?" Steve asks, he's never known anything of his culture.

  "Yes he's from the old tribe." Ted says looking confused. "You know Brody. He is your cousin." Fuck. Wow. Steve stares at him. "Your father didn't see his family?"

  "No, use to beat me because I was Indian. Never met anyone. Never knew I had family until I saw Cloud. He looks like me, was hard not to notice." Steve is stunned. He looks at me.

  "I had no idea. Brody didn't say anything about it. Does he know Ted?"

  Ted looks from Steve to me. "This is all common knowledge to the older tribesmen; I don't know what the young know. I thought you knew all this." He's looking uncomfortable.

  "Maybe we need to hear the whole story. We don't know any of this. Why didn't Nunánuk tell me about Steve before? I could have found him." I ask. Not real happy that they are keeping things from me about my family.

  "She promised your grandfather. She cannot tell you, it was up to Steve's father to explain his story to him. His father's tribe should have been teaching him the lessons of his people. You know how it works Cloud. We have no right to step in. I was wrong to go the first time but your grandmother was so upset. I went on her behalf. The second time they were gone. She heard the old tribe didn't know him. He is here now. We can right the wrong. I had no idea he doesn't know anything about his people. We can change that starting today. Little Ben looks like his grandfather. I hope he's not as stubborn." He says wiping his hand down his face.

  Steve laughs. "No, he's too smart for that." I nod. "I want to know where I came from for him too."

  "I'll be at the feast tomorrow. We can talk after the food. It will be good for you to know. I'm sorry our customs sometimes get in our way and we lose sight of right." Ted puts his hand on Steve's shoulder. Steve nods. The tribesmen are yelling again. The women are arriving.

  Ben comes to me, "What's going on?"

  I smile, "Bunch of fuckin savages don't know how to act in front of women." Ted and Steve laugh.

  I go to my beautiful CJ. "You are so beautiful my warrior princess." I bend to kiss her and pull the necklace from my pocket. "We met one year ago today. The best days I've had on this earth have been with you my beautiful wife." I show her the necklace with the tribal colors. "The necklace has been blessed by the shaman of our tribe." She smiles with tears in her eyes. I pull the bracelet. "I would say she
blessed this too but she was peeling potatoes and not really paying attention to me." She laughs. Nunánuk slaps my back. "Sorry my shaman, she blessed both in an ancient ritual for my wife." I put the bracelet on her.

  "They are beautiful. I love the tribal colors." She pulls me down to kiss me. It was worth Nunánuk’s slap. "I love you my warrior." She says then turns back to the truck.

  Fuck. I forgot about Mase. I grab his seat from her and see he's in his clothes. "I forgot to dress him. I'm sorry."

  She smiles, "You dressed something like fourteen boys and men I dressed Mase. I'm calling it even."

  I kiss her laughing. The drums start and we sit. Eagle Feather announces the new scouts. My boys go up and dance with the other new scouts. I'm proud as they manage the dance without tripping anyone up. One of the tribesmen's scouts tripped another. My boys just moved around them.

  We watch the little girls dance then he introduces Joey. She's surprised but goes up with a smile on. He gives the head of women's dance a nod. She brings a shawl to Joey showing it to us first then Joey. She's got tears and a big smile on. I get up and go to her lifting her I spin her so the shawl shows to everyone. She laughs and everyone claps with oohs and aahhs. I bring her back to her crutches and walk her to her seat. I kiss her head telling her how pretty her dress regalia is. She's smiling like Rich says, her world is lit with happy. The new warriors go up. I'm sad to see only two. They start their dance and he calls for the warrior's to help them out. The drums beat louder and we dance behind our new warriors. The women dance, Aleena is in a new dress with a new shawl. CJ comments on it and Aleena and Nunánuk call her up. She is now one of them. She goes smiling. I lift Mase and show him his beautiful momma. Jeremy and Jacob sit beside me watching. I tell them how good their scout regalia look on them. They're all smiles watching. They call for everyone to go up and we all go, I'm shocked to see Steve up here with Danny and Ben. Jess is holding Steve's hand dancing right along with him. Kate spins following Aleena and Ally. Brenna is doing the scout dance with Devan, they are so fuckin cute. Darren is following Little Ben's steps. Every single one of them is up making me proud.

  I hand Mase to Aleena and dance with my wife with the other couples. She does every step and smiles the entire time. "You are beautiful, your regalia is perfect. I've been looking forward to this dance all day. Thank you for learning it."

  She kisses my lips and spins. I laugh. I love when she teases me. "Aleena taught me the dance just for you. She told me how you always look sad during the couples dance. I'm proud to dance with you my pilot, badass biker, ex seal, warrior husband. Just don't add anything to that and we'll be good." She laughs and spins away.

  We finish our dance and I pick up Mase. Aleena kisses CJ's cheek telling her she's beautiful and did her proud. Then she asks me to walk with her to be married. "Of course." She laughs saying tonight. I nod with a smile. "Let CJ feed Mase first." She nod and turns around walking to Ben. We go into the tepee Nunánuk set up, I sit them on my lap while Mase eats and talk to my wife about our year.

  "I can't believe I slept with you and was married so friggin quick. Must have been the wine." She laughs making me laugh. "For the most part I feel like I'm living a dream. I got the guy and the kids. It's perfect like you." She hands me a ring. "I wouldn't miss the anniversary of the day we met, it changed my life."

  "Thank you." It's feathers all the way around with aqua and navy stones as beads on the top. "It's perfect like you." I slide it on my finger. "Wow, it really is perfect." I kiss her sliding my tongue in her mouth.

  She pulls away and laughs. "You have to walk with Aleena. No time for a quickie." I moan, its been forever since I’ve been in her, maybe she’s ready. I give myself a mental shake and lift Mase to burp him.

  We walk out and see Aleena waiting for us. She's excited and nervous. "If you are nervous that he's not the one, he's not the one." I tell her.

  She laughs, "I'm nervous about what he's going to say when I tell him I'm pregnant." Fuck, I'm stunned then I yell and spin her around. She looks a little green so I put her down and step back.

  I look for Nunánuk. She's smiling at me, she knew. I laugh hugging Aleena but not spinning her. "Let's go get you legal." I walk her down the line of my tribesmen, my Brothers, my family. I'm so proud to have a full family here with me today. We get to Chase and I put Aleena's hand in his, I kiss her telling her I love her.

  I step to CJs side and watch her. She's so happy for them. My beautiful wife, inside and out. She rises up on her toes; I bend low so my ear is by her mouth. "There's nothing under my dress." She whispers. Fuckin CJ. I'm hard in a fuckin New York minute and she's smiling thinking she's cute. She's going to tease the fuck out of me the rest of the night. I fuckin love it.

  Afterword

  This book was fun to write. I used bits and pieces of information that I carry in my mass of useless information. I was told of the Indigo and Crystal Children and just ran with it. Cloud was always a mystery to me. I’m glad he found a home and the family he was hoping for. CJ reminded me of a friend. Friggin always saying friggin. Cute and funny, nothing could shake her. I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the ‘Club kids’ or not. I guess it depends on how many people actually like the mystical/native theme. I’m pretty sure I have another Foster book swirling in my brain.

  I hope you enjoyed the Blackhawk/Club Kids. It was fun!

  As always, write me your thoughts, critiques or questions. I appreciate the feedback.

  L. Ann

  Other books by L.Ann Marie

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