by Medley, Lisa
He tapped his transcom. “Wash up better. With soap, please.”
Noah stepped into the men’s room to do the same then waited outside the ladies’ room door for Ela. Ten minutes was already beginning to feel like an eternity, and he regretted asking to meet at the café now that he saw how busy it was.
Ela opened the door, and Noah led her silently to a booth near the front door, as far away from the other customers as possible. He motioned for her to slide in against the wall then sat down beside her facing the door, while they waited for Jon.
A few minutes later, a waitress set two coffee mugs and wrapped utensils on the table in front of them. “I’m guessing you need menus?”
Noah looked up at the girl. Young, mid-twenties maybe, probably in the same ballpark as Ela. She was pretty, her long black hair twisted up into a bun at the base of her neck. “Yes. Thank you.”
“You take your time. We serve breakfast all day.” She poured coffee into Noah’s mug then Ela’s. “I’ll be back to take your order in a bit.”
She walked off and, slowly, the conversation behind them picked up to a steady twitter. He hoped the shininess of strangers had already worn off. The doorbell jangled again, and he looked up to see Jon Little enter with another young girl and an older man. They smiled and greeted someone behind Noah then the couple slid into the booth across from Noah and Ela while Jon dragged a chair to the end from another table. It was tight and uncomfortable around the small booth.
“Noah, Ela, this is Harold Goodweather and Danae, his daughter. His wife, Jennifer, couldn’t make it this morning. She’s the sheriff, but she’s also the aunt to a young niece, Raelee, whose maiden ceremony began this morning. They only have a few minutes, and then they need to get back.”
“Damn right. She’s been working for a year toward this. The sunrise ceremony was a couple of hours ago. Ten grand they’ve spent so far. Girls are expensive.” Harold looked at Danae. “But worth it. You are welcome to come to the ceremony tonight as our guests.”
“She’ll be in good hands, Noah. Danae, could you translate for Ela?” Jonathan said.
Danae was maybe seventeen. It was hard to tell with young girls anymore. They all looked a lot older than they should, even on the reservation. Danae leaned back against the booth and tilted her head then began to translate. He had recognized Harold and Danae’s names when she introduced herself, otherwise, the rest of the Apache was unintelligible to him. Ela nodded, though, so he assumed she understood.
“Harold works on the road crew. They have a house out of town a bit. Nice place. Interestingly enough, Harold is a direct descendant of Ela’s tribe. His great-grandfather worked as an interpreter for many years, through the Civil War negotiations.”
“Really? What was his name? I know—I mean—I’ve read some history of the Mescalero tribe.”
Harold studied Noah long and hard, clearly sizing him up before answering. “Jon has told me why Ela is here and where she’s from. We know what we’re getting into, and we offered to help because of my great-grandfather. He was a great friend to Ela’s father for many, many years. His name was Bimisi.”
Danae translated, and Ela’s eyes grew large. She gripped the edge of the table and leaned forward, peppering rapid-fire questions at Danae in Apache. Noah caught Bimisi’s name several times but nothing else. He reached up and tapped her transcom. “English, please.”
“They know Bimisi? Bring me to him.”
“They are only his descendants, Ela. Bimisi is long gone. This is his great-grandson and great-great granddaughter,” Jon said.
Ela continued to speak. Her voice rose significantly, and the Apache rolled off her tongue in a torrent. Jon shifted uncomfortably in his chair and glanced around the café as the other patrons’ conversation died down again. He motioned for her to settle down then spoke quickly and quietly in Apache to her.
“What is he saying to her?” Noah asked Danae.
Danae translated discreetly while they talked. “Quiet, Ela. Many still know the language of our people, even though not all speak it often. We don’t need folks to know your entire story. Not yet anyway. I know you have many questions still. We’ll answer everything we can, but not here. Not now. “
“Everything okay over here,” the waitress asked, startling Noah as she stood next to him.
“Everything’s great, Jaqueline,” Jonathan said. “Our friends here are in from out of town visiting. They’re just surprised at the exhaustive menu is all.”
Jaqueline snorted. “Right. Nothing but the best here at the Jackalope Café. You all ready to order?”
They ordered. Noah ordered a biscuit and gravy for Ela. And they spent the next hour, going over the details of Ela’s stay with the Goodweathers. Ela was surprisingly quiet and compliant once her Bimisi outburst subsided. Again, he wasn’t exactly buying the submissive act. Not after what she’d done to the sick bay. And that rabbit.
She was up to something. He wished he knew what it was.
The more he got to know Harold and Danae, the more comfortable he felt leaving her with them. Of course, he hadn’t met Jennifer, but, hell, she was the sheriff. She ought to be able to handle Ela if she got out of control. Harold assured him that Jennifer was also fluent in Apache. Communication would be a non-issue. Danae was happy to show Ela around the reservation. Jon promised to spend several hours a day with her as well. They had some amazing historical resources at the Welcome Center. He’d make sure she saw and experienced them all. The maiden ceremony tonight would be her first opportunity to get acquainted with her new tribe. Ela would get the full and immersive Mescalero experience.
See? This was good. Danae would be a friend for Ela.
It was basically an extended, educational play date.
And when he got back, she could decide what she wanted to do. Stay on the reservation and make a life or come back to the spaceport.
She’d be fine.
Probably.
Harold stood abruptly. “We need to go. I’m sorry. I’ve got a teepee to build for the maidens. Jennifer and Raelee need us back at the fairgrounds.” Harold nodded at Noah. “Bring her by tonight. There will be ceremonial dancing and feasting. Raelee and the other maidens will dance all night.”
Danae translated for Ela who replied in Apache. Noah had no idea what she said, but she seemed excited to go. So much for getting back to the base early.
Harold and Danae said their good-byes and left.
Jonathan tossed a couple of twenties on the table next to the bill. “You have a few hours before you need to be at the fairgrounds.” He pulled a piece of paper from his back pocket and unfolded it on the table. “A map of the reservation. This might be a good time to explore a bit. Get your bearings. Stop by the fairgrounds around 5:00 p.m. Things will be in full swing by then.”
Noah picked up the map. “Thank you, Jonathan. I know this is all…unusual. I feel better after meeting the Goodweathers.” He smiled at Ela but didn’t translate. “You’ve already given her more than I could.”
“Enjoy your day together. I’ll see you tonight.” He nodded at Ela and said something to her in Apache. Noah and Ela followed him to Noah’s car.
Noah made a quick call back to the SpaceXport to buy himself a bit more time. A few more hours wouldn’t kill anyone. Then why did he feel like he was dying inside every time he thought about leaving Ela?
***
Ela was excited for the maiden ceremony but also nervous when they finally arrived. She and Noah had spent the day exploring the lands in his car. Traveling by car was so much faster than by horse, but not as intimate. So much was missed by being trapped inside the rolling cage. On horseback, she could feel the wind through her hair and inhale the earthy smells of the desert. Plants passed by so quickly by car, she couldn’t make out one from another. Many times she wanted to jump from the car and look more closely but the strap held her much too tightly for such inspection. Noah seemed intent on following every inch of solid trail as quickly as
possible. She had to ask to stop to relieve herself after a few hours, only then having a chance to set foot on the ground she’d traveled with her family only a few months ago.
She still couldn’t fully comprehend how those few months had become hundreds of years, yet she was unchanged. It was miraculous and terrifying. When they finally returned to the village, the sun was low in the sky. She was surprised to find almost as many cars there as people. A handful of horses grazed lazily on short green grass near a large structure Noah had told her was a concession stand. A large fire blazed in the center of the gathering.
Her heart thundered in her chest as Noah opened her door and reminded her how to undo the restraint. He tapped his transcom.
“Ready?” he asked, extending his hand to her.
Ela nodded her acquiescence despite her apprehension. When she stepped from the car, the top of the teepee rose high over the heads of the gathered crowd. The sounds of chanting and drums stirred emotions in her she’d been afraid to acknowledge. The grief of losing her father and tribe in such an unexpected and unexplainable way overwhelmed her. Even though all of that was gone, when she closed her eyes for a few seconds, the sounds of home and her culture took her right back there again. Unbidden tears blurred her vision as they neared the festivities.
Noah grasped her hand, and she let him lead her forward. While the faces that turned to look at her were those of strangers, they were also familiar. These were her people more than they were not. Noah was more the stranger here than her. As far as any of them knew, she was a distant relative. For months, she’d been the foreigner, trapped amongst Noah’s people. Here, it was Noah who was different.
“There’s Danae, dancing around the fire next to the girl on the right,” Noah said, motioning toward one of the four families.
One girl wore a white doeskin dress with intricate bead and quill work. All four girls wore colorful ribbons in their hair and their faces were streaked with white paint consisting of cornmeal and clay, as well as pollen.
“They are beautiful,” Ela said.
“They don’t look very happy,” Noah replied.
“They must show no emotion. It is a solemn time. They will dance all night in a test of endurance. They are being prepared and instructed for the trials of womanhood. They have become the Changing Woman,” Ela said.
“What are they chanting?” Noah asked, preferring not to use the transcom and interrupt the ceremony.
Ela closed her eyes and listened, her body swaying with the chant’s cadence.
“Red clay, its power is good,
White clay, its power is good,
Long life!
The sun, the rays of the sun, he is holding up his hand painted with them:
The sun has come down.
It has come before you,
It has gone in.
Red clay, its power is good,
Long life!
He will paint you red with it,
He will paint you white with it,
The sun has gone into your body.”
Jonathan waved from across the fire, then came to join them. “Glad you two made it. Have you eaten yet?”
“No. We’re starving,” Noah said.
“Good. More than enough to share. Come on over.”
Jonathan took a paper plate from a stack on the end of the table then proceeded to fill it as he made his way down the buffet line. Ela found foods familiar to her including fry bread, stew, and other traditional dishes. She recognized the roasted mescal hearts, the namesake of her people, which would have taken months to gather.
“There are some bleachers down that way,” Jonathan nodded. “If you’d like to sit to eat and watch,” he said. “Find me later, when you’re ready to leave, Noah. I’ll make sure Ela gets home with the Goodweathers.”
The girls lined up near the ceremonial teepee. Men and boys sat, chanting and singing nearby. The girls danced perpetually in place. At their mothers’ urging, they raced toward a series of baskets on the ground and circled them, down and back four times, then continued to dance. The girls’ medicine men and women painted them again, their adornment washed clean from sweating in the heat, burdened by their cumbersome dress. Their spiritual guides whispered to them, most likely encouragements.
Noah led her to the bleachers. They climbed to the top and sat side by side.
“How long does this last?” Noah asked.
“Four days. This seems to be the beginning,” Ela said. “The girls’ suffering builds character and fortifies them for the struggles to come in their lives. On the last day, they will round the basket one final time then wipe the white paint from their faces and retreat to the teepee, where they will be welcomed by their family and friends.”
The crowd of spectators joined in periodically, as the spirit moved them, with chanting and dancing. Ela was overcome with emotion, despite her efforts to hide it. It was all she could do to keep her feet still and not join in. The chanting pulled at her. While the clothing was different, more colorful and made of exotic fabrics, and there were so many cars and buildings everywhere, the songs and traditions were unchanged. Noah reached to brush the tears from her cheek. She turned and burrowed her face against his shoulder. Some Apaches were uncomfortable with emotion and affection. Ela had been ruled by hers since birth, her passions perhaps leading to her rebellious nature.
“And then it’s over?” Noah asked.
“No. Then they’ll each get their Apache woman’s name and the tribe will recognize each of them as a woman of the tribe,” Ela said.
“Did you have this ceremony?”
“Yes,” Ela answered, studying her plate more intently than was necessary. “My mother made me the most beautiful dress. She died my fourteenth year. The year after my ceremony.”
“I’m sorry. I knew I hadn’t met her, but in all of the chaos of our time in your village, I hadn’t thought to ask. Is Ela your Apache woman’s name?”
Ela felt her cheeks grow warm. “Yes. It means Earth.”
“It fits you.”
“What does Noah mean?”
Noah shrugged. “I don’t know really. It was the name of the guy in the Christian Bible who built the ark and saved all the animals from the great flood. But honestly? I’m pretty sure I was named after a soap opera doctor from the General Hospital television show in the 1980s. My mom liked the retro stuff. And bad boys with long hair.”
They spent the next two hours watching the ceremony. As the night grew darker, Ela grew more uneasy in the knowledge Noah was anxious to leave her and return to his spaceship.
He had brought her here to be near the place and people she knew and for that she was thankful. Still, she would not be swayed. She stared up at the star-filled night and prayed to the Great Ones to right what had been wronged, knowing full well that the Great Ones helped those who helped themselves.
Chapter Six
Noah drove away in the dark wagon. Ela watched the lights of his car disappear into the distance.
“He’s cute,” Danae said in Apache, just out of earshot of her father. She twirled her thumbs in the loops on the waist of her pants.
Ela liked Danae already. Of course, just because these people looked like her, spoke like her, occasionally, and knew at least a bit of her own family history, it did not make them her family. Ela shrugged in answer.
“What? You mean to tell me you don’t think he’s delicious?” Danae laughed. “Liar.”
Ela felt her face flush. She didn’t understand the reference to food completely, but she got the implication. Danae was very open and forward, her independence impressive for one so young. Her father didn’t seem embarrassed by her or angry with her for her unconventionality, which gave Ela a bit of hope for her gender in this futuristic landscape.
“Come on, girlfriend. Let’s get home. I can’t wait to quiz you.” Danae led her back in the darkness to her father’s conveyance, a large, green wagon much taller and longer than Noah’s. Danae opened one of the fo
ur doors and climbed in. The back part of the wagon was open and uncovered, shaped like a rectangular basket of sorts.
Grasping hold of a loop within the door, Ela hesitated, then climbed in to sit beside Danae. Clutching her backpack on her lap, she watched out the window as Harold and Jonathan talked animatedly nearby, occasionally pointing back toward the truck. Ela couldn’t help thinking they were talking about her. Of course they were talking about her.
“Don’t worry. Dad’s not angry at you. He’s angry at Jonathan. Mom’s the sheriff. It’s a power thing. It will all be fine, but I’ll bet there’s a hell of a council meeting tonight. You won’t have to worry about any of that though. We’ll be safe and sound at home. Promise.”
Ela smiled weakly and nodded. “Is your home far?”
“No, just outside of town about a mile.”
Thank the Spirit. She could walk back to the corrals later tonight. It was a relief to be able to communicate more easily in her own language without the transcom.
Harold and Jonathan’s conversation finally ended, and Harold opened his door and climbed in the front. “Mom’s going to be late. Emergency council meeting tonight.”
“I figured,” Danae said.
Harold glanced at Ela in the mirror. “They have a lot to discuss.”
Danae took Ela’s hand and squeezed for reassurance.
The wagon started up, and they headed away from the fairgrounds, in the opposite direction Noah had gone.
***
The Goodweather home was beautiful and nothing like Ela had ever seen before. It rose two levels above the desert floor, and the entire back of the house was clear windows overlooking a great lake. The full moon glowed brightly, reflected in the lake’s surface. A wooden plank-lined path led to a platform extending out into the water.
Danae walked up and stood beside Ela as she stared at the moon behind the mountains. “We can swim tomorrow. That’s Mescalero Lake. See those lights there.” She pointed to an entire expanse of buildings lit up like stars. “That’s Inn of the Mountain Gods, our casino. I work there cleaning rooms on the weekends. I’ll take you there next week to see it.”