by Liz Davis
Stuffing a taquito into her mouth, she tried to ignore the feel of Dylan’s eyes on her back. She didn’t have to turn around again to know that he was watching her. But what she didn’t understand was why he seemed so fixated on her. Averting her eyes from the clock, she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and glanced at the blank display screen. Now more than ever, Maya really needed to hear from Evan, and as the clock ticked on, she wondered.
Chapter 11
The delicious scent of frying dough filled Evan’s nostrils, causing his mouth to water in anticipation. He watched as his mother divided a ball of dough into smaller portions, and then rolled it into pancake-sized circles. She slapped the dough back and forth between her hands for a bit, occasionally stretching out the edges, and then she put it into a pan of hot oil. A sizzling noise filled the air as it cooked, and she peered into a second skillet that was sitting on the back burner. The bread inside had turned a golden blond color, so she lifted it out with a pair of tongs and set it onto a large plate that was lined with paper towels. She then lifted another flattened piece of dough, and put it into the skillet to cook. Having quickly devoured his first piece of bread, he grabbed a second helping from off the plate, and tore off a large chunk, then stuffed it into his mouth. A sound of appreciation came from his mouth as he contentedly munched, causing his mother to smile in response.
“Good to know you’re enjoying.”
“It’s delicious. You make the best fry bread in the world.”
The corners of her lips tugged into a pleased smile, and she walked over to the fridge to retrieve a bottle of juice. After pouring a cupful she sat it down on the table in front of him.
“Reyna’s on her way over,” his mother said as she kneaded another batch of dough.
“Are Tonya and Rick stopping by, too?”
“They’re busy with the kids tonight, but we’ll see them at the powwow on Saturday.”
Nodding his head, Evan continued to eat, savoring the texture and flavor of the bread. Glancing over at his cell phone, he picked it up and saw that the signal bars were nearly nonexistent. Receiving a good signal on the reservation always proved to be a challenge if you were located in one of the rural areas, such as the one that his mother lived in. He’d been trying for hours to get in touch with Maya, but every time he tried to reach her, the call ended up dropping off. He knew she was probably worried about him, but all he could do was just keep trying.
“Is the landline still connected?” He lifted the cold beverage to his lips and took a sip.
“Nope, I had to get it turned off. It was either that or the electricity, so I decided to let the phone go.”
“Mom, you should have let me know. I can always send you more money if you need it.”
“It’s okay. I do just fine without a landline. That’s what I have the cell phone for.”
“But the reception is lousy out here. Half the time you can’t even get a decent signal.”
Shrugging her shoulders, she said, “I’m not out here all alone. There’s family nearby, so if I ever need anyone, I can just walk on over.”
“What if I need to get in contact with you? I’d feel a lot better if you got the main line turned back on.”
“Okay then, I will.” She brought another piece of freshly cooked fry bread over to the table, placing it on the others which were stacked on the plate.
Evan’s eyes roved around the kitchen as he ate, and as his gaze landed on a space heater, he questioned his mother about it. “What happened to the propane tank?”
“I still have it, it’s just empty. It ran out of gas last week, but I had some extra expenses to take care of, so I didn’t have enough money to fill the tank back up.”
He uttered a little sigh of displeasure at the situation, and came to join his mother at the stove. His fingers dug into his pocket to retrieve a wad of cash, and then he handed it over to her, placing it in her palm.
“This should be enough to turn the landline back on, as well as buy some propane gas. It’s more than I gave you last month, so you’ll have some extra spending money, as well.”
“Evan, it’s okay. You already gave me money for the month. Plus, you brought me groceries.” She tried to give the bills back, but he refused to take them.
“Keep it. I’ve been taking extra shifts driving the tow truck, so I’ve been able to save up some extra money. I’m here to take care of you, Mom, so if you anything at all, please let me know, all right?”
She nodded her head and then tilted chin up to give him a kiss on the cheek. “You’re such a good son.”
“It’s no problem. That’s what I’m here for.”
She gave him a smile and then turned back to the stove to lift a cooked piece of fry bread out of the skillet. As headlights flooded through the windows, Evan pulled the curtains back, looking out into the yard at the car that was pulling up out front.
“Looks like Reyna’s here,” Evan said as he headed for the door. He pulled it open and stepped out onto the porch, giving a wave to his cousin who was emerging from the car.
“Hey there, Evan.” She shut the driver’s door and headed for the house. Standing at medium height, she wore her glossy black hair in a long braid that was draped over one shoulder. Her eyes had a tapered shape to them, and she had full lips that naturally formed into a pout.
“Hey, yourself. How’s it going?” He gave her a smile, and once she reached the front door, he ushered her inside.
“Not bad, it’s great to see you.” Her lips pulled back to flash teeth.
After closing the door behind them, he gave her a warm hug. Then she walked into the kitchen to embrace Evan’s mom, and gave her a hug and kiss.
“Hey, Aunt Marilyn, I see you’re making your famous fry bread. Mind if I have a piece?”
“Of course, help yourself. I made more than enough for the both of you to enjoy. I can’t have any, of course, so it has to get eaten up somehow. Evan here could probably eat the whole plateful himself, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind sharing at least one piece with you.” Looking over her shoulder, she threw her son a little smile.
“Well, normally I wouldn’t share Mom’s fry bread, but since she says I should then I guess I really have no choice.” He offered her a grin.
She rolled her eyes playfully. “Yeah, whatever, man. Not like you could keep me away from it even if you wanted to.” She grabbed a piece off the plate and popped a portion of it into her mouth.
Evan’s mom placed the last piece of fry bread onto the plate, and then set the skillet in the sink.
After wiping her hands on a dish towel, she said, “Well, I’m going to bed now, so you guys enjoy. And Evan, I’ll see you in the morning, okay?” She gave him an affectionate rub on the shoulder and a kiss on the top of the head.
“Good night, Mom, sleep well.”
“Night, Aunt Marilyn,” Reyna called out to her.
“Night, sweetie.” Evan’s mom offered a wave and then headed for her room.
Reyna turned her attention back to her cousin. “So it’s good to see you, Evan. We’ve missed you, you know.”
“I’ve been missing everyone, too. I know it’s been awhile since the last time I was out here, and I feel bad about that.”
“It’s okay. I understand you’ve got your own life out there.”
“Yeah, but I just don’t like being away from Mom for so long. I need to be out here checking on her as often as I can.”
Taking the last sip of his juice, Evan stood up from the table and headed toward the fridge. “Do you want anything to drink? We have juice, soda…”
“I’ll take some juice, thanks.”
Evan poured two glasses of cranberry juice and then brought them over to the table.
“So has Aunt Marilyn been feeling okay this evening? I took her for a walk earlier this morning, so I’m hoping that it did her some good.”
“When I first arrived she seemed pretty worn out. She was in some pain as well, but she took her in
sulin shot a few hours ago, so ever since then she’s been pretty good. Tomorrow I’m hoping to get her out of the house again so she can get some more fresh air and exercise.”
“That would help. I come over a few afternoons a week to try and take her out for walks, but lately she’s been feeling so lousy that she hasn’t felt like leaving the house very much at all. But you know I can always come over after work to check on her, right? There’s also Jim, Chris, Tonya, and Rick. We’re all here to help her out.”
“Oh, I know there’s plenty of family to take care of her. It just bothers me that I can’t be around more often. These flare-ups she’s been having worry me.”
“Yeah, this past week was particularly rough on her. A few days ago, when she had the flu, it sent her glucose levels sky-high. That’s what made me end up taking her to the doctor.”
“How was the trip out to the hospital, and were they able to do anything for her?”
“Well, you know how it is getting out there. It takes an hour for us to drive from Porcupine all the way out to that hospital, and then once we do get there, it takes the whole day just to see a doctor. They gave her some medication to help regulate her glucose levels and by the time she woke up in the morning, she was feeling a lot better.”
“That’s good. I just hope she won’t go through any more bad spells like that. It worries me to know that I’m hours away from coming out here to help her.”
“I know you can’t help it, but try not to think about it, okay? Just remember she has lots of family and friends to watch over her.”
He nodded in response.
Hoping to lift his mood somewhat, she decided to change the subject. “So, how’s life in the city?”
“Oh, you know, same as always. Just working hard and trying to save money.”
“Cool. Well, tell Uncle Gary hello for me the next time you see him.”
“Sure thing.” Evan took a large swig of juice and then set the glass back on the table. “So how do you like teaching at Oglala College? Are you still enjoying it?”
“Yeah, it’s going really well. There are plenty of challenges to deal with, but it’s really rewarding. Remember when I was a student at Black Hills State and I complained about that one professor who used to assign tons of research papers?”
“Ahhh yes, Sadistic Sampson, I remember him.”
Her face broke into a wide grin. “Yeah, Professor Sampson. Well, I never thought I’d say this, but I think I’m beginning to realize there was a method to his madness.”
“Wow, seriously? That guy was a nightmare. You used to call me late at night practically in tears about how rough he was on all of the students.”
“I know, but now that I’m a teacher, I can understand what he was doing. He was just trying to toughen us up so we would be prepared once we graduated. I used to think he was just being a difficult, grumpy old man, but now that I’m in the position to teach others, I understand how important it is to prepare your students.”
“Well, it’s good to know the torture was worth it. I’m sure you’re doing a great job, though.”
“I try.” She took a sip of her cranberry juice. “So enough of the small talk, tell me about this girl you’re seeing.”
Evan’s lips widened into a grin. “That’s right, I said I would tell you about her, didn’t I?”
“Whoa, check out that smile. So what’s her name? Tell me all about her.” Shifting her weight, she turned to face him, curling her legs up beneath her.
“Her name is Maya, and she’s a waitress. She’s twenty-seven years old, and a complete sweetheart.”
“And how long have you two been going out?”
“Almost three weeks.”
“Do you have a picture of her?”
“Yep.” Reaching into his back pocket, he retrieved his wallet then opened it up to take out the photo.
Evan held it out for Reyna to see. “Pretty girl. You must like her a lot, to already be carrying around a picture of her.”
“I really do care a lot about her. She’s an amazing woman.”
“Is she the only girl you’re dating?”
“Yep.”
“Wow. Only three weeks, and you’re already a reformed ladies’ man, huh? This girl has you whipped.”
“I am not whipped.”
A light chuckle fled her lips. “Uh-huh, okay.”
Evan picked up his cell phone to see if the signal bars had gotten any higher, but disappointingly, he saw that they hadn’t.
“You must really be missing her.”
Evan turned his attention back on his cousin. “Why do you say that?”
“You’ve glanced at your cell phone at least four times since I first got here. She must be pretty heavy on your mind.”
“Well, today was her birthday, so I’m just hoping she’s enjoying herself.”
“What did you get her as a present?”
“An inscribed heart pendant.”
“That’s cute. So was that your way of telling her you wanted to go steady?”
One of his brows lifted. “You’re making fun of me, aren’t you?”
“Come on, I was only joking around. I think it’s very sweet. So what is the inscription of?”
“It’s the date of our first meeting.”
“How romantic. Nice gift!”
“Yeah, it seemed to make her pretty happy.” His lips curled into a smile as he thought about her reaction.
He allowed himself a few short moments to indulge in thoughts about her, remembering the way her face looked when she realized he’d brought her a present. He also thought about the sweet smell of her skin and the way her eyes sparkled whenever the light hit them in just the right way. Suddenly he became aware of the complete silence in the room, and dragging himself from his thoughts, he turned his head to look at Reyna. As their eyes met, he realized she had a funny expression on her face, and he could see that she was holding back a smirk.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“It’s just so funny seeing you like this. Just right now, you were thinking about her. I could tell by the look on your face. And that present you got for her? You must be sprung.”
“I care for her very deeply.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” It seemed that she couldn’t stop grinning at him.
“Actually it’s been awhile since I felt this way. It kind of scares me.”
“Why? If things are good between you two, then you should be happy.”
“I am. It’s just been some time since I was last in a committed relationship, so I’m afraid of messing up or doing something wrong.”
“What, you mean like cheating?”
“Oh, hell no, I would never cheat on Maya.”
“So what is it then? What are you afraid of?”
“Well, earlier today, we were spending time together, and then all of a sudden, she told me she loved me.”
“Okay, so did you say it back to her?”
“No, I was too scared. And now I feel really bad about it.”
“So you’re afraid of falling in love with her?”
Evan gave a little sigh and stretched his legs out in front of him. “I guess you could say that I am, but it’s only because she’s not completely over her ex yet.”
“So you’re worried that she might go back to him?”
“I feel like it could be a possibility. Even though he’s a total jerk, it seems as if he still had a piece of her heart. And that worries me.”
Reyna was quiet for a moment, and then she offered a suggestion. “Speak to her about it. Tell her how you feel.
“I have, but she always tells me the same thing. That she doesn’t have feelings for him anymore, and that she only cares for me.”
“So what makes you doubt her?”
“One situation in particular. The other night, she found this odd note on her windshield.”
“And what did it say?”
“He’s hiding something from you.”
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Reyna’s brows furrowed. “Okay, that’s really weird. So did the note actually have your name on it, or was it just implied?”
“It was implied, but she took it to mean that it was about me.”
“Sounds like she has some trust issues.”
“She does, and it’s because of that bastard she used to go out with.” He crossed his arms against his chest, and averted his gaze, from Reyna’s. His mind was suddenly flooded with the memory of the fender bender that he and Maya had been involved in, and how it had resulted in their unpleasant meeting with Dylan. His body tensed as he recalled how that fateful day how had thrown him and Maya into an emotional tailspin.
“Well, I guess all you can do is just let her work out those issues. It may take some time for her to completely heal, but it’ll eventually happen.”
A sigh escaped his lips. “I sure hope so.”
“She did tell you that she loves you, and I’m sure that took some courage, so it seems that she really cares a lot for you.”
“Yeah, I know she does.” He looked thoughtfully into the distance for a few moments, and then once again spoke. “I wanted to tell her that I loved her back, but I just couldn’t say the words. I guess I was too scared to do it.”
A light chuckle came from Reyna’s lips.
“That sounds really stupid, doesn’t it?”
“No, not all. You’re a guy, so you’re naturally going to be less emotional than she is.”
“Yeah, and if I’d said it anyways, then I would have felt like I was being dishonest to her, and she deserves better than that. When I speak those words, it means that I’m fully committing myself. Not just physically, but also mentally. I need us to reach a more stable place in our relationship before I can comfortably say it.”
She nodded. “I can see where you’re coming from, but you shouldn’t let fear hold you back. Despite what’s going on behind Maya and her ex, if you truly feel like you love her, then I think you should just come out and say it.”
Evan remained quiet, losing himself in thoughts of his lover. He needed to hear her voice, and to tell how much she’d been on his mind.