What the boys wanted. And continued to want for as long as Mia could remember. She was ignored in junior high and high school, except by one or two Norman-like guys in her extracurricular activities. She’d had a few boyfriends in college, but when she refused to sleep with them, they drifted away. And so five years ago, when Mia had been a twentyfour-year-old virgin who truly wondered if she’d die a virgin, she’d been an easy target for a manipulative man. A handsome, charming, intelligent man whose manipulations were at first so subtle, Mia wasn’t sure if she or he had had the critical thought of her.
She’d been easily seduced, easily changed into the flashy, stylish woman he wanted her to be. The woman he wanted her to look like. And so within a few months of his constant criticism, she’d gone from mousy brown to blond, from chinlength to shoulder-length, to a new wardrobe he bought in stores she’d never think to enter, to perfecting the makeup application tips she’d learned from the saleswomen at the cosmetics counter at the mall.
Sometimes, when Mia looked at her wedding album, she was sure it was Margot who stood smiling next to David.
Their marriage had lasted as long as David thought he could also change her personality. Oh, he’d tried, but no matter how he berated her from shyly glancing down every time she was introduced to someone new, a client or friend of his, no matter how he criticized her for how dull her small talk was at parties, she remained the same old Mia. The same old boring Mia.
He’d finally considered her a lost cause, told her she’d never be the woman of his dreams. Margot, essentially. On the surface, anyway. Of course, David had nothing but criticism for her sister, who ran too wild for his taste, intimidated him with her reckless ways. The two of you combined would make the perfect woman, David used to say. But alone, you’re both off. She’s a reckless whore and you’re a schoolmarm bore.
She had never been enough for David. But what hurt, what really hurt, was that she hadn’t been enough for herself. At twenty-nine, Mia was just starting to believe that she was enough. More than enough. Just the way she was.
She glanced at sweet, quiet Anne Farley, in her baggy jeans and baggy T-shirt, her blond hair in a neat ponytail, and Mia wished on every star in the galaxy that the girl would have more self-esteem than Mia had had. That it wouldn’t take Anne into adulthood to realize how very right she was as she was.
Finally, tonight, Mia would look right again, look like Mia Daniels, the person she’d been before she’d married David Anderson—the person she had grown into since him.
Her appearance was about to change so dramatically there was a very good chance that even Norman Newman wouldn’t recognize her.
Mia smiled.
Author’s Note
This is the third and final novel in my Lakota Skies Series, about the children of Chief Rising Bear and Winona, and Rising Bear’s son with a white woman. Each story features the romance and adventures of one of the children as the main character, with the rest of the family playing minor roles. I hope you enjoyed reading about War Eagle and Kawa Cante/Caroline and learning about the noble Lakotas, other tribes, and historical events.
The first book, Lakota Winds, featuring Wind Dancer and Chumani/Dewdrops and Lakota Dawn, the second, with Cloud Chaser and Macha/Dawn are available from my publisher or your local bookstore.
Two points for historical clarity: Chief Brave Bear also was known as Conquering Bear, and General “The Butcher” Harney as Mad Bear.
If you would like to receive a current Janelle Taylor newsletter of other books available, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (long size best) to:
Reader’s Heart
P. O. Box 285
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or e-mail to www.readersheart.com.
Reading is fun and educational, so do it often!
Best wishes from,
Janelle Taylor
JANELLE TAYLOR is a multi-award-winning
and New York Times bestselling author of
45 books and three novellas. Her books
include SAVAGE CONQUEST, DESTINY MINE, CHASE THE WIND, and FIRST
LOVE, WILD LOVE. LAKOTA FLOWER is
the long-awaited third book in the Lakota Skies
series, which began with LAKOTA WINDS
and LAKOTA DAWN.
Janelle Taylor lives in Georgia. She can be
contacted via www.readersheart.com and/ or
[email protected].
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Copyright © 2003 by Janelle Taylor
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Lakota Flower Page 37