by Linda Bridey
“In the office,” she answered.
“C’mon on out here, honey. We have company,” Dean said.
In a few moments, Tessa appeared. Zoe smiled at the beautiful woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes.
“Honey, this is Zoe Fontaine, Will’s girl,” Dean said. “This is my wife, Tessa.”
Tessa said, “How lovely to meet you, Zoe. Would you like some tea?”
“I’d love some,” Zoe said.
“Come sit down and I’ll put the water on.”
Dean and Zoe sat at the table and Zoe looked around the kitchen. It was attractively decorated and homey. “You have a very nice home.”
“Thanks,” Dean said. “I keep tellin’ Tessa that we could renovate the place, but she won’t hear of it.”
Tessa sat down with them and said, “That’s right. I love it just as it is and I don’t want to change a thing. There are too many memories here, and I just don’t think I could bear to do something different with it.”
Dean covered her hand with his. “Now, don’t get all sentimental on me.”
“I’m fine,” Tessa said. “Zoe, we are rather informal around here, so please don’t be offended.”
“I won’t be. I had a good time at dinner last night,” she said. “It was a little boisterous.”
Dean said, “So how do you like stayin’ with Aunt Pricilla?”
Zoe could tell from the sour expression on Dean’s face that he was not crazy about his aunt. “Fine. She and Mr. Samuels have been very nice.”
“That’s good. You let me know if she gets out of hand, and I’ll deal with her,” Dean said.
Zoe frowned. “All right. I don’t think there will be any problems though.”
Dean nodded as Sadie came into the kitchen followed by a tall blond man who resembled Dean. His blue eyes shone with good humor as he stepped inside.
“I hear we have a banjo player here,” Seth said with a grin.
Sadie introduced Zoe to Seth.
Seth sat down at the table. “Looks like Will’s got himself a pretty girl.”
Zoe giggled and said, “Thank you.”
“So how long have you been playin’ banjo?” Seth asked.
“Since I was seven.”
“Well, how ‘bout that? So you’ve had some experience then,” Seth said.
The tea kettle whistled, and Tessa started pouring tea into cups and passing them out. Then she sat down to join them again.
Sadie said, “She also plays piano.”
Tessa said, “You sound quite accomplished.”
Zoe said, “I don’t know about that, but I enjoy playing very much.” She made a motion with her hand and knocked her tea cup over. “Oh!”
Tessa quickly got a towel and sopped up the tea as it spread across the table.
“I am so sorry,” Zoe said as she righted the tea cup. She was relieved that it hadn’t broken.
“No harm done,” Tessa said with a smile.
Zoe’s cheeks burned. “I should warn you; I’m not very graceful. I bump into things, trip, and knock things over.”
Seth chuckled. “That’s ok. We have one of those around here. His name is D.J. and I don’t know where he gets it from.”
Dean smiled. “He’s talking about our son. I don’t know where he gets it either, but he’s a walking disaster. We don’t let him handle too many plates and such. So we’re used to it.”
“I think my little brother just needs to slow down and pay attention to what he’s doing. He talks a mile a minute, and he isn’t very focused,” Sadie said.
Tessa gave Zoe more tea, and she was very careful not to spill it again. As they were finishing their tea, a very beautiful blonde woman entered the kitchen.
“Hi, good-lookin’,” Seth said with a smile.
“Hi, handsome,” she responded.
“Zoe, this is my wife, Maddie. This is Will’s girl, Zoe,” Seth said.
The two exchanged pleasantries.
Seth said, “Well, c’mon, Zoe. I can’t wait to hear you pick on that banjo.”
Zoe grew nervous but said, “All right.”
Seth picked up his fiddle case and led her into the parlor. The others followed. Seth settled on the sofa and patted the place next to him. “Sit right here, Zoe.”
As both of them were getting out their instruments, a Lakota man came into the parlor. At first Zoe thought it was Raven, but then she saw that this man was older than Raven, and he had somewhat different facial features.
“I hear we’re going to have a concert,” he said with a grin.
Seth said, “This is Owl, our adopted brother.”
Owl smiled at Zoe. “I’m looking forward to hearing you play.”
She smiled shyly at him. “Thank you. I hope I live up to everyone’s expectations.”
“Let’s find out,” Seth said. “Just let me warm up a little.”
They made sure they were in tune with each other and then the two musicians decided on a song and began playing.
It didn’t take Seth long to tell that Zoe was an excellent player. He grinned and winked at her as they played. She grinned back, and she and Seth instantly bonded as two musicians who enjoy playing together often do. When the song was over, Seth put an arm around her and shook her playfully.
“You sure do know how to pick that banjo. Just wait till the rest hear you.”
Zoe smiled at his praise. “Do you really think I’m good?”
“I don’t think; I know. I’ve heard enough banjo players in my time, and you’re as good as any I’ve heard sweetheart,” Seth said.
“My father taught me. He used to play with a group,” she said.
Tessa said, “I’d say he taught you well.”
Sadie said, “I’m very impressed. You should play with them on Thursday.”
Seth nodded. “That’s a great idea, Sadie.”
Zoe’s eyes got bigger. “No, I couldn’t. I don’t want to intrude.”
“Are you kiddin’? Once they hear you play, they’ll be begging you to join in,” Seth insisted. “You might just luck into a job. Joe pays us to play now. It started out as just somethin’ we enjoyed, but a while back, he made it official. He’s half owner of the Watering Hole, and he said since we help bring in business we oughta get paid for it. Same for you. We play three nights a week. Usually Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Not too often on Saturdays.”
“Really? I don’t know if Will will like me playing there,” Zoe said.
“Don’t worry,” Sadie said. “I’ll take care of Will.”
Zoe was amused by her impish grin.
Dean chuckled. “I’m sure you will. You’re as bad as Marcus; always getting your own way.”
“I guess I take after him that way,” Sadie said.
Owl grunted. “Yes, my little brother knows how to manipulate people very well. You’ve learned how to do it, too.”
Sadie said, “I’d say Raven is just as bad as me, if not worse. He has Aunt Pricilla wrapped around his little finger. He can do no wrong in her eyes. I think it makes Luke jealous.”
Seth laughed. “I know it does. Luke’s always complaining about it. It cracks me up.”
“I still don’t know how he wormed his way in there. He genuinely likes her, too. I can’t see why,” Dean said.
Zoe said, “Why don’t you get along? I mean, it’s really none of my business, but I can’t help be curious.”
Dean said, “I don’t mind telling you. She’s always made Seth, Marcus, and me, feel like we’re beneath her. We were a little wild in our younger days, but we never hurt anyone. She didn’t approve, and she hasn’t approved since then. Plus, when Jamie moved here to marry Luke, she really did a number on her and told Jamie that she didn’t think she was good enough for Luke. It really ticked me off so I spoke to her about it. Jamie’s a great person, and Pricilla had no call to treat her like that.”
“Oh. I see. Things did get a little tense between them last night at dinner,” Zoe said.
> Seth said, “I’m not surprised. Aunt Pricilla can be pretty prickly.”
Maddie said, “Now don’t scare the poor girl.”
Seth patted her hand. “You’re right, honey. Zoe, I’m sure you won’t have any problem with her.”
Zoe smiled. “I hope not.”
Seth said, “I’d love to play more with you, but I gotta get back to work before the boss man cracks the whip.” It was no secret that Dean was regarded as the unofficial boss of the ranch and they often teased him about it.
Dean chuckled. “I don’t think a couple more songs would hurt anything.”
*****
Seth and Zoe played for another half hour, and everyone enjoyed their performance very much. Then the men decided to get back to work and Zoe wanted to return to town to go to Bradbury’s for a few things. As they were leaving the house, Raven came running up the lane. He wore only a breechclout and moccasins.
He waved at them. “Hau, everybody.”
Zoe stared at him, her mouth hanging open. She’d never seen that much of a man’s body exposed before. Raven wasn’t quite as bulky as Luke, but he was well-built with powerful legs, broad shoulders and a well-defined chest. His bronze skin shone dark gold as the sunlight hit him and his black hair flowed around his shoulders. Zoe thought she’d never seen a more beautiful man. Instantly she felt guilty for thinking such a thing.
Sadie saw her startled expression. “Don’t worry, Zoe. You get used to it. He’s not the only one that runs around like that. Uncle Owl does sometimes and Uncle Marcus, too. Not to mention Reckless, Raven’s cousin. Oh, and my little brother, Mike.”
Dean said, “Raven, go put some clothes on for God’s sake! We have company.”
Raven trotted over to them. “I’ve already met Zoe. She’s not company anymore. How are you, Zoe?”
“F-fine,” she said as she looked up into his black eyes. She thought it better to focus on them than to look at the rest of him. “And you?”
“I’m good, thanks. I have to put clothes on anyway to go to work, Uncle Dean,” though he spoke to Dean, Raven looked into her gray eyes that reminded him of rain clouds. Then he winked at her and said, “Don’t let them tell you horror stories about Auntie. They just don’t understand her the way I do. You will be fine. I’ll make sure of it.” With a wave he trotted away again.
As she followed his progress, she noticed for the first time that there were two tipis off in the distance. “Does he live in one of the tipis?”
Owl said, “Yes. The other one is Dean’s.”
Zoe looked at Dean. “Yours?”
“Well, it really belongs to the family. We all use it off and on,” he answered.
“I’ve never seen a tipi,” Zoe said.
Owl took her hand and said, “Then you should come have a look.”
Zoe went with him willingly, excited at having a new experience. Everyone followed them. Owl pulled back the flap that covered the doorway of the tipi and motioned her inside. Zoe looked around at everything. It was a large tipi. There were several sleeping pallets on the floor along with buffalo hides and blankets.
She saw a fire pit in the center and noticed that there were all manner of containers, dishes, and cooking paraphernalia. Various small bags hung on support poles along with a dream catcher and some other decorative items.
“It certainly seems well-used,” she remarked. “It’s beautiful”
Dean said, “Thanks. We really enjoy it. I never thought I’d have a tipi, but I got used to them in camp and I conned Black Fox into giving me one.” Suddenly Dean got choked up and had to walk away.
Sadie saw and felt badly for her father.
Zoe asked, “Is he all right?”
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sadie said, “It’s hard because last September, the army found our tribe and forced them onto the reservation at Fort Peck. A couple of our family members along with others were killed in the fight. Uncle Owl’s brother and sister-in-law were among them. Over the years, Pa became very close to them all, and it’s been difficult on all of us.”
Zoe looked at Owl and saw sadness in his eyes. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
He smiled at her. “It’s ok. It’s not your fault, and there’s no sense avoiding the subject. You were bound to hear about it sooner or later. We can visit from time to time, but it’s not the same as it was, and it never will be again. There are a few of us that are still able to stay free because we’ve become part of white society, but the rest must stay on the reservation.”
Zoe felt tears sting her eyes. “How horrible. I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you,” Owl said.
Sadie said, “Well, c’mon, Zoe. We’ll get back to town, and you can go to the store.” She gave Owl a hug and a kiss. “See you soon.”
“I’ll hold you to that. Bring Tucker and the kids with you,” Owl said.
“I’ll do that,” Sadie said.
Zoe bade him goodbye and followed Sadie.
“Are you ok, Pa?” Sadie asked as she embraced him.
Dean laid his head on top of Sadie’s and said, “Yeah, honey. It just gets to me sometimes. Don’t worry about your old man. You two go on and have a nice day, ok?”
“Ok, Pa,” Sadie said as she gave him an extra squeeze and then the two women got into the buggy.
Chapter Five
Zoe’s thoughts were preoccupied all day. She wondered how Will’s day was going and thought that the next day she would go see him at work on his lunch hour. She would rent a horse and ride out to surprise him. She smiled as she thought about their walk the night before. He was such good company and they agreed on many subjects.
Will’s parents and sister were very nice people, just as Pricilla had told her they were. It was a relief to her that her future in-laws would be easy to get along with. She would hate to have a situation like the one between Pricilla and Jamie. She wondered what Pricilla would say if she did join Seth’s band and played in the bar.
As she dressed for dinner with Will, Zoe decided to broach the subject with him that night to see if he minded her doing it. She had had a wonderful time with Seth and thought that she would like very much to play with the others, too. She didn’t want to go against Will’s wishes, however.
When she went downstairs to wait for him, Pricilla exclaimed over how pretty she looked.
“That color suits you well, dear,” the older lady said.
“Thank you,” Zoe said as she smoothed down the skirt of the deep blue dress. She wore a silver necklace and earrings that her mother had given her the previous Christmas.
“Will won’t know what hit him. You are so pretty with that red hair and your gray eyes. I’ve always admired Jamie’s hair, and yours is very similar in color.”
Zoe was surprised to hear her compliment Jamie. “I like Jamie. She seems like a lot of fun.”
“Oh, she is. I confess that I haven’t always been nice to her. I think I was jealous of her at first. Luke is our only child and, well, you know how it is with mothers and their children. I had him to myself for so long, that when another woman entered the picture, I was afraid she’d take him away from me,” Pricilla said. “Oh, I know that’s silly, and it was no excuse for the way I acted. I’ve tried to make up for it, but I’m afraid I sometimes say something that offends her. She’s always been good to Luke and she’s a wonderful mother. I see how happy she makes him, and that’s all that matters to me.”
Zoe smiled. “That’s nice that you feel that way. I hope Betty will feel the same way about me. I’m not trying to take Will away from his parents, and I’m sure Jamie wasn’t trying to do that with Luke, either.”
“Betty and Edward seemed to like you very much. As far as Jamie goes, I know she wasn’t, but I’m afraid I bungled that. Well, it’s water under the bridge, and I can’t undo what’s been done. Now, enough of all that. You and Will have a nice dinner and I’ll see you whenever you get back. I’m going to get dinner started.”
Zoe smile
d. “All right.” She went out onto the front porch to wait for Will. As she sat on the swing, she thought about what Raven had said about Pricilla being misunderstood by many people and thought maybe he was right. Pricilla had revealed some things to her that she doubted many people knew.
She didn’t have more time to ponder it because Will came driving up to the house.
He grinned at her as he hopped down from the buggy. “Well, look at you, Zoe. You look beautiful,” he said.
She returned his smile. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
He came up on the porch and kissed her cheek. “Did you have a nice day with Sadie?”
She blushed and said, “Yes. She is so much fun.”
Will laughed. “She’s got a little bit of the devil in her. Are you all set to leave?”
Zoe nodded and accepted the arm he offered her. Will helped her into the buggy and looked her over as they rode. She was very attractive in her blue dress. Her pretty auburn hair was done up in curls and her gray eyes shone with good humor. Her neckline, while demure, hinted at her bosom, but Will didn’t let his eyes linger too long.
“So what did you two do today? Why did she want you to bring your banjo?”
“We went out to her family’s place, and she had me play with her Uncle Seth,” Zoe said.
Will laughed. “I should have known. That man would play fiddle all day if he could. He can’t resist playing when he has someone else to play along with. Their son, J.R. is quite a fiddle player, too. Every so often, Seth has him play at the bar. The crowd loves it.”
“He wants me to play there with the rest on Thursday night,” she said and bit her lip.
“That sounds like fun. I’m anxious to hear you play, myself,” Will said.
Zoe was thrilled that he didn’t mind. “I can’t wait. I’ve never played with a bunch of people before. Well, outside of school, that is. But these are real musicians. I’m sort of nervous about it, but excited, too. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind.”
Will looked at her eager face and said, “Why would I mind?”
“Well, I didn’t know how you felt about a woman you might marry doing such a thing,” Zoe said.
Will understood. “You were wondering what my morals were. Well, when it comes to the Watering Hole, I’m not too fussy. Like I said, it’s a clean place, and the bouncers do a good job. Raven, Reckless, and Caleb don’t put up with a lot of foolishness. I only ask that you don’t go on Saturdays because it does get really rowdy and it can be dangerous,” Will said.