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As Dela had expected, Mom gushed over her and Heath arriving at the picnic together. Told several people close to her what a lovely couple they made.
Dela rolled her eyes as she walked by Molly and Marty, sitting at one of the tables her mother had arranged on the back patio. They laughed.
In the kitchen, Dela was surprised to see Rosie’s mom, Iris Tapas. “Mrs. Tapas, it’s good to see you. It’s been a long time.”
“Yes, since your mother and I quit teaching, we haven’t seen as much of each other’s children. Rosie said you are doing a fine job at the casino.” The woman gave her a one-armed hug since the other hand was plucking fry bread out of a pot of hot oil.
“But it seems you two have remained friends.” Dela felt bad she hadn’t even asked her mom what she did now that she was retired. She figured with her gardening and keeping an eye on Grandfather Thunder she didn’t do much else.
“Oh, yes. We meet once a week and play cards or do crafts with other teachers who have retired. It is like a sisterhood.” The woman smiled. “Like you, Rosie, Molly, and Faith.”
Dela nodded but thought it sounded like her mom had more of a sisterhood than she did.
“Dela! I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve seen you since you returned!”
She turned to find another of her mom’s teacher friends. “Mrs. Frank. I haven’t seen you since I shipped out.” The memory of all the people who had turned out as she got on a bus to head to boot camp came flooding back. Nearly the whole community had shown up.
The woman pulled her into a hug. “I’m so glad you came back and are working on the rez. We need young people like you to revitalize the rest of us.” Mrs. Frank was a good six foot and two-hundred and fifty pounds. She was all muscle. Always had been. Just the sight of her had kept the kids under control. But she had a huge heart and a ready smile. Dela had learned that the one time the teacher had come over to work with her mom on a presentation to the school board.
“Thank you. And I’m sorry to hear about your husband.” Mom had written to her about Mrs. Frank losing her husband in a car accident.
The woman’s face fell a little, but she smiled and said, “Thank you. It was such a shock to lose him when we were making plans for our retirement.” She glanced at Mrs. Tapas. “But all my friends gathered round and kept my mind occupied.”
“Dela, what is taking you so long to drop off your cupcakes?” her mom asked, walking into the kitchen.
“We’ve been catching up,” Mrs. Franks said.
Mom’s face flushed. “Oh, yes. I understand. There is so much love here today, I can feel it.” She hugged both her friends and put an arm around her daughter’s shoulders. “Come back outside. I have someone I want you to meet.”
Dela shot a quick glance at the two women. They smiled and nodded their heads. At least she knew Mom wouldn’t be trying to fix her up with anyone since she’d been excited Dela had arrived with Heath.
They stepped out onto the patio as Grandfather Thunder and a Caucasian man, a good head taller than the elderly Indian beside him, walked through the gate that joined Mom and Grandfather Thunder’s yards.
Dela studied the man wondering who he was. He had a square jaw, tanned face, silver hair, and was dressed like most ranchers when they came to town. His jeans had a crease down the front of them, he wore a long-sleeved, pale blue with dark blue stripes snap front western shirt, and carried a cream-colored cowboy hat in his hands. Her gaze dropped to his feet and found him wearing shiny expensive leather cowboy boots.
Heath stepped up beside her as her mom held out a hand to the man.
When the newcomer stood beside her mom, their hands clasped, her mom said, “Everyone, I'd like you to meet Lance Truman. He owns a ranch outside of Pendleton. When we get married, I’ll be selling this house and moving there.”
You could have heard a spider skitter up the wall after Mom finished.
Dela glanced at Heath, then at her mom and Lance holding hands and smiling into each others faces. She’d never known her mom to even look at a man. She thought her father had ruined her for love with another.
Heath gave her a nudge. “Congratulate her,” he whispered in her ear.
Stunned, she stepped up to the couple. “Congratulations.” She hugged her mom and held out her hand to a man she didn’t know.
“I tried to tell your mom we should break this to you alone but she wanted this picnic to tell everyone she cared about the most.” Lance returned a firm grip and smiled at her.
“I’m happy for you both. It’s just a shock. Mom never, that I know of, went on dates.” She studied the man her mom had decided, after decades of being alone, to marry.
“Lance has asked me three times over the years and I always wanted to make sure you were settled and happy before I left the reservation.” Mom’s gaze landed on Heath before she glanced around at everyone. Her gaze remained on Grandfather Thunder the longest.
It hit her. What was the elder going to do with her mom not living next door?
Dela walked over to the old man, who stood smiling as the others gathered around to congratulate the couple. “Did you know about this?”
He nodded. “Deborah and I have spent many hours with her telling me why she loved him and why she couldn’t marry him. Finally, this time she accepted his offer.”
Dela glanced at her mom. Her face was glowing. Something Dela didn’t remember seeing the whole time she grew up. “I’m happy for her, but you. What will you do?”
He smiled, again, and said, “Hope whoever buys this house takes pity on the old man next door.”
She grasped his hand as Heath joined them. “You can always call Heath or me to come help out.”
“Yes,” Heath said, placing a hand on the old man’s shoulder. “We are family and we’ll help where needed.”
The old man studied them with his rheumy eyes. “You two have been the best thing to come out of this family. Keep doing what you are doing and we will be back in favor with the Creator.”
Dela stopped her jaw from dropping open. What did he mean? Did it have to do with the man no one would talk about? She started to ask and Heath said, “I think your mom wants you.” She glanced at Heath and could tell he knew she was going to bring up the worms she’d told him not to talk about.
With a nod, she walked over to where Mom was talking to all the women present. Marty had pulled Lance to the side. She hoped he was grilling the man. Even though both her mom and Grandfather Thunder said he’d asked her mom several times to marry him, that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to find out all she could about him. Having this hit her out of the blue, felt wrong.
She listened to the chatter about wedding plans and such until Mrs. Tapas excused herself to get huckleberry sauce. Dela followed her into the kitchen.
“How long have Mom and Lance been dating?” she asked her friend’s mother.
Mrs. Tapas was built like Rosie only several inches taller. As a child, she was the teacher with the best hugs. She faced Dela and smiled. “He has been asking your mom since she taught his son. They had meetings at the school over Lincoln’s dyslexia. Then when she was no longer Lincoln’s teacher, Lance came around asking her out. She never went on a date with him until you joined the Army. She didn’t want you to grow up in a blended family.” Mrs. Tapas put an arm around her shoulders. “Your mother has always put you before any of her needs. Now it’s time to let her be happy. Truly happy.” She returned to stirring the bubbling sauce. “Besides, this way you don’t have to worry about her when you and Heath start your life together.”
“Why does everyone keep shoving Heath and me together?” Dela liked Heath, even loved him, but she wasn’t sure it was the kind of love that made a good marriage.
Mrs. Tapas slowly set the spoon down and covered the pot. She turned the stove off and moved, centering her body in front of Dela. “Because everyone knew when you and Heath dated in high school that you were meant to be together. You brought out the best in one another.” She glanced out the kitchen window. “Still do.” She brought her attention back to Dela. “Don’t let pride, stubbornness, or whatever it is that makes you keep him at distance, make you lose him.” She put a hand on Dela’s arm. “You two make Nixyáawii a better place. Time will show it.”
Dela stared into the women’s eyes. What did she know? How did she know what the future held for her and Heath?
Laughter in the yard drew her attention out the doorway. Everyone was talking, laughing, and having a good time. She should be out there with them. After all, it was her mom’s big announcement, and from what Mrs. Tapas said, it would be Dela’s reaction to it that would help her mom be happy.
“Can I come see you tomorrow? I have some questions about the Kindale family.”
Mrs. Tapas frowned. “Sad business. Yes, you and Heath may come talk with me.”
“Thank you.” Dela rejoined the group outside. Now besides talk of Molly and Marty’s upcoming wedding, they were talking about another wedding, on New Year’s Eve. Mom and Lance said they had waited a long time for this and didn’t want to wait any longer than it would take to make arrangements.
Dela glanced at Heath, he was smiling at her mom and talking with his. She sighed. Did she dare try to bring up the Thunder family today? Because while she felt like family to everyone here, well except the man she still didn’t know very well, after her dream and Mrs. Birdwhistle’s warning her off asking, she didn’t know if she was ready to upset things.