Drumbeats Within His Soul

Blackhawk had seen visions of Dan in the classroom on a walk a few days prior. His visions never were untrue and he was relieved to have seen this one. He was surrounded by small Native children, not foreigners and he was genuinely happy. Blackhawk knew his reason for stopping by probably before Dan came to the conclusion himself.

"...I now know I can be a teacher again and I want to teach where I am wanted and needed. But, you knew that when you wrote back to me, didn't you?"

Blackhawk nodded. "You needed to find that out for yourself."

"You are very wise and very shrewd, sir."

Blackhawk merely chuckled. "So, what brings you to my house this evening?"

"I think you already know, but I'll ask anyway. I would like to live here permanently and teach, with your permission, of course."

"What about your position in Cincinnati?"

"I would have to finish the school term which ends next month. Then, I would resign and be able to move here in June and begin teaching," Dan explained.

"I see," Blackhawk said. "I cannot compete with the salary that you command. We might be able to pay you only ½ of your present salary."

"I never have thought much about money. If I did, I never would have gotten into the teaching profession to begin with. Whatever salary that you are able to afford to give me will be sufficient." Dan leaned closer to Blackhawk. "I belong here, sir. The children need me and I need them."

"And where does my daughter play into this scenario?"

Dan looked down, a bit embarrassed. He had not expected that. "Truthfully, sir, I like her very much. I wholly believe that we were married a long time ago, but whether that is in the future for us, I don't know. I do know I will miss her terribly when I go back to Cincinnati on Saturday and if you allow me to return, I will count the days until I see her again."

"I see." Blackhawk stood up and walked to the window, his back facing him. "I have been entrusted by my people to do what is best for them. It is a great responsibility I embrace each and every day I walk this earth. My eyes have allowed me to see you in our schools and I cannot go against what has been foretold." He turned back to Dan and faced him. "I believe you will be a great asset to our children and our community and I welcome you."

He moved to Dan and shook his hand, a broad smile etched upon his weathered face. "Teach our little ones what is good and what is true, Screaming Turtle, and you will forever have my blessing."

Dan couldn't be happier and his heart swelled. He knew he had a difficult time ahead as he would finish out the school year in Cincinnati and be away from Melanie, Blackhawk, and the children, but five weeks was not too long of a wait when you had so much to look forward to. Although it was late, he decided to walk to Melanie's house to tell her the news.

He remembered back to when he saw her for the first time at the school and he swore he knew her from somewhere. Who would know how true that would turn out to be? He still didn't know why these visions were appearing to him and perhaps he would never know. Now that he believed in the visions and knew in his heart that he and Melanie had been connected for over one hundred years, he wondered if the visions would continue or slowly fade from his subconscious. Dan didn't want to fight whatever was being shown to him and he would let it continue to happen, but now that he knew his purpose for being brought there, he wasn't sure if the visions would ever be exposed to him again. And that saddened him.

She was waiting for him on her porch, rocking quietly and listening to the sounds of the night. Hearing his quick footsteps from the road, she stood up and watched him come to a stop in front of her walk. The moonlight shone on his face and she could see the mixture of happiness and sadness as he looked her way.

"I suppose you already know," he said quietly.

"Yes, father told me."

Dan walked towards her until he was by her side. He breathed in her fresh scent. "I'll have to leave for a while, but I'll be back."

"I suspected that. When will you leave?"

"Saturday morning."

Melanie looked down at her sandals and sighed. She was going to miss him so very much. She couldn't believe she had never fallen for any of the males in the area, and there were quite a few males whom she had been attracted to at one time or the other, but yet she was falling for this stranger in such a short time. But he wasn't a stranger, was he? She had known him over many centuries, she now suspected, this Screaming Turtle, Black Water, or whomever else he had been in the past. And perhaps she would know him many centuries into the future.

Her head rose slowly and she looked at him. Without a word she brought him to her and hugged him. Her arms held him to her as his hand began to lightly stroke her hair, loving the feel of it's fine silkiness against his fingers. She pulled back slightly and stared at him again.

"I'll miss you," she said as tears began to form in her eyes. She wiped them away with the back of her hand and giggled. "I'm such a baby."

Dan laughed softly. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm going to miss you, too."

"You will?"

"Of course I will. Don't you know you're one of the main reasons I want to stay here?"

"I am?"

"Oh, come on Melanie, you can't be serious. Don't you know how much you mean to me?"

"You've not said much about that. Remember, you're the strong, silent type," she chided him.

"Well, no more. I screwed up one relationship because of my stupidness, but I don't want to mess this up. If I start getting too quiet, just slap me."

"I don't want to slap you, Dan, I just want you to feel comfortable talking to me and not keep things to yourself. Didn't it feel better when you told me about your visions?"

"Yes."

"Well, doesn't that tell you something?"

"Of course it does, but it's something that's not natural for me to do. One thing I've found out is I find it a lot easier to talk to you than anyone else I've ever been close to. That's something, isn't it?"

"It's a start." Melanie looked at the moon-lit sky and smiled. Although she knew he would be gone for a while, somehow she knew it would be alright. She glanced back at Dan, who was still looking at her and smiling. "The moon is full," she remarked, "we might hear the wolves tonight."

"I heard one the first week I was here. It was chilling. It went right through me, but I enjoyed it very much. It was almost like it was welcoming me. The dogs didn't like it, though." Dan laughed at the memory.

He looked at the moon with her for a minute or so and they were quiet for the moment. Dan was totally at peace being next to her and perfectly content to just stand there and admire the moon. Melanie sighed softly and put her head on his shoulder. Silently, the tears began to fall as she no longer wished to fight them. She sniffled and Dan tore his eyes away from the moon and saw the tears. Instinctively, he kissed her forehead and tried to wipe away the tears with his thumb.

"I'm really going to miss you," she said quietly, letting the tears fall freely. Not waiting for him to say anything, she pushed his hands away from her face, pulled his face to hers and began to kiss him.

He tried to say something, but she wouldn't let him. "This is one time when I want you to be quiet," she whispered. Her kisses were tentative, soft, and delicate, and Dan couldn't remember being happier kissing someone. Within seconds, Dan was returning her kisses with his own, which were a bit more urgent and passionate than hers. His hands found her face once again and he massaged her skin as he continued. Her eyes were closed and she was melting from his touch, his kisses, the moment. Dan kissed her nose, her cheeks, and nibbled lightly on her lower lip, eliciting a giggle from her.

That broke the moment as their lips parted and Melanie opened her eyes. "That was lovely," she murmured. "Were you this good a kisser a hundred years ago?"

"I hope so," he answered, thinking back to the dream.

It was after eleven when Dan finally left her house. Kissing and holding each other on the sofa, they lost track of the time. She led him to the porch and they stood arm in arm for a few more minutes, each not wanting to let go. "Stop by the school tomorrow, please," she pleaded. "I want to spend as much time with you as possible before you go."

"Won't I distract you too much?"

"Yes," she laughed, "but I don't care." She pulled him close and kissed him lightly. "Please stop by."

"You know I will." He planted a soft kiss on her cheek before he left her and began his short journey back to the lodge.

Doesn't it always seem to be that when you want the time to stand still, it speeds up instead. That is what it felt like to Dan and Melanie those last two days. Hours seemed like minutes to them and they dreaded the time when they would have to say good-bye. The Saturday morning sun was brilliant, but Dan thought that a gloomy day would have been more fitting. It would match the heaviness in his heart. The drumbeats within his soul were slow and mournful and he wasn't looking forward to his departure.

He packed quickly and placed everything in his car before breakfast. Dan ate a larger breakfast than usual, enough to keep him on the road past noon. After breakfast, he went to the front desk to settle his bill.

Mary came out to greet him and smiled. "All ready to go, Dan?"

"Almost. I just wanted to pay for my room. How much do I owe?"

"We don't charge guests of Blackhawk."

"What? I don't understand."

"Blackhawk forbids us to let any guest of his pay. He won't allow it."

Dan thought for a minute. It didn't make sense that he wasn't being charged. He had been there for two weeks and had eaten meals there countless times. Blackhawk was being unbelievably generous and Dan couldn't just leave without repaying his friendship.

"Would you accept a donation instead?" he asked. Maybe there was a way around this, he thought.

"Your money is no good here," Blackhawk's voice said calmly from behind.

Dan turned and saw the chief behind him at the doorway. Melanie was behind him and smiling.

"Perhaps we can work something out," Dan said.

"We will not accept payment for your lodging," Blackhawk said firmly, his jaw set.

"Would you accept an anonymous donation for the school instead?" he asked.

"What do you have in mind?" Blackhawk asked. He was testing Dan's character, wanting to see what he would do and say.

"Someone will leave an envelope of money in his room after he leaves. He only asks that some of the money goes to a little girl named Autumn, who needs to have her eyes checked. The rest of the money can be used for any other purpose deemed necessary for the school. That is what the anonymous donor wishes to do."

Melanie's eyes shone and moistened at the thought of his request. She turned away to wipe her eyes.

Blackhawk's eyes raised slightly and he was impressed with Dan's thinking. He liked the fact that Dan was putting others in front of his own wishes and he was pleased. "I think that a donation to the school would be a very good thing," he said.

"Good," Dan smiled, "I'll let the donor know."

Dan and Blackhawk said their good-byes and Blackhawk went to the general store to leave Dan and Melanie alone for their own fair well. Dan went back to his room for a few minutes before he returned to the front desk. "I had to talk to the anonymous donor," he winked to Mary. She understood immediately and went to the room before anyone from the cleaning staff arrived.

They stood on the deserted back porch and held each other for a few minutes. Dan figured it would be a difficult parting, but he didn't realize until then how much he wanted to stay and be with her. He continued to hold her close and not saying anything. It was close to nine o'clock and he wanted to get on the road soon. He always liked to drive until supper time and find a motel to stay in for the night. He would then have a relatively short drive the next day. They kissed for a few minutes; light, soft kisses that were feathery and breathless. Melanie opened her eyes when Dan pulled back slowly.

"Call me when you get home, okay?" she asked, fighting back tears.

"You know I will," he answered. He knew it was going to be a long and difficult five weeks without her. He kissed her forehead and said, "It's time to go."

"I wish you didn't have to."

"You know I don't want to go. Please don't make this any more difficult for me."

"It's hard to let someone go when you love him," she said tenderly, touching his face with her fingertips.

"But..."

"Sssh," she said, pressing her fingers to his lips. "Don't say anything. Just know that I love you and carry that with you on your journey."

They walked slowly to his car and stopped when they arrived at the driver's door. He pulled her close and hugged her, feeling her soft, warm body against his. He was really going to miss that. He pressed his lips near her ear and whispered, "I love you, too."

He kissed her lightly on the cheek and was in his car before his words sunk in. Dan started his car and looked up at Melanie, whose face was wet with tears. He reached out his hand for her and she took it with both of hers.

"I'll be back before you know it," he said.

"I'll miss you. I love you, Screaming Turtle."

"I love you, Wind In Her Hair."

She let go of his hand and he backed away slowly from the lodge. She watched him drive down the road until all she could see was the dust that his car made.

Dan didn't know how he could be so happy and so sad at the same time. He dared not look in his mirror as he drove away for fear he would turn around and never go home. But, he had a duty, an obligation to fulfill. The only good thing about going back was the fact he could begin writing his letter of resignation.

Blackhawk walked back to the lodge when Dan drove away. Melanie was still near the entrance, her tear-stained face nearly dried by the morning sun. He patted her tenderly on her shoulder, "He will be back soon, daughter." Melanie nodded and followed him into the lodge.

Mary handed him the envelope left in Dan's room and he opened it. Inside was the money and a short note.

Dear Blackhawk,

No one can put a dollar amount on happiness. It is priceless. You and Melanie have shown me much kindness over these past few weeks and I will be forever grateful to both of you. Please put the donation to good use and remember that special little girl for me.

Yours,

The Anonymous Donor

Blackhawk gave the note to Melanie and she began to read it. Meanwhile, Blackhawk started to count the money. When he got to one thousand dollars, he stopped counting, even though there were more bills inside. He pressed the envelope into his pants pocket and sighed quietly.

Blackhawk looked at his daughter and smiled as she finished reading. "If you let him get away," he warned, "I will thrash you!" He laughed lightly at the perplexed look on her face and led her out of the lodge and into the sunshine.

A feeling of dread came over Dan as the skyline of Cincinnati came into view that early Sunday afternoon. In one respect, though, he looked forward to being home because he could call Melanie and hear her voice once again. He arrived home to find the mail and newspapers stacked on his kitchen table. His landlord had been kind enough to do that favor for him. Dan always had the feeling that she liked him more than just as a tenant, but her being about fifteen years older than he put a damper on any thoughts he might have had of pursuing a relationship with her. Nevertheless, he would make it a point to thank her.

He threw his suitcases onto his bed before he came back to the livingroom to make his call. Dan checked his answering machine first, but found nothing interesting except one or two calls from his parents. He dialed Melanie's number quickly and she answered on the second ring.

"It's about time you called," she said indignantly as her greeting, although she was smiling on her end.

"I could hang up," he replied.

"Don't you dare!" she squealed. "It's so good to hear your voice. I miss you."

"I miss you, too. How are you?"

They talked for almost a half hour as Dan recounted his trip back to Cincinnati to her, his plans for the next few days, and other such details. Melanie made no mention of Dan's gift and Dan didn't talk about it. In his heart, he knew he did the right thing and knew good things would come from it. It made him feel good about himself and he was glad to have been able to do it. Reluctantly, they hung up after several long good-byes.

Dan set about writing his letter of resignation. Surprisingly, it took him very little time and he had the final draft completed within an hour. He sighed happily upon it's completion and set it aside for typing that evening. Next, he took his briefcase and emptied it's contents onto his desk. He studied his syllabus and his notes for each class and began to familiarize himself with his classes expected progress since his departure. Of course, he had to take into account that the classes could be behind schedule for one reason another, but he hoped everything would be in place.

After a while, he sat back and reflected upon the past two weeks and what he had learned from it. He definitely learned he still wanted to teach and it was his duty and profession to continue teaching children who desperately wanted to learn. He also found he needed to be more open to the people who cared about him and not to close up and shut people out who wanted to help. Thinking about his former wife, Cheryl, he knew part of him still loved her and he deeply regretted the pain he caused her. But, he felt that neither one of them wanted to get back together. At least he didn't. He wished things had gone better for them, but they had been married only two short years and they both had plenty of time to find someone else. In the grand scheme of life, two years was not very long.

And maybe he had found that person in Melanie. He almost felt as close to her already as he had with Cheryl. Dan laughed to himself at the thought of knowing Melanie for maybe centuries in one form or the other. Who would believe that? Well, he did, and that's all that mattered. Melanie was becoming very special to him and he really did love her. Was he in love with her? That, he couldn't answer truthfully. He only wished the next few weeks would go by quickly so he could begin his new journey.

Blackhawk never told Melanie how much money was in the envelope. Melanie could only guess it was a sizable sum. It was enough to impress her father and he was not easily impressed. His statement about not letting Dan get away amused her. Her father had rarely taken any interest in her personal life. In fact, it appeared he was perfectly content with her being single. The same could not be said for Melanie. She did not like being single and she wanted to find someone and get married. That is not to say she would marry solely to put an end to her singleness. Melanie wasn't entirely sure how she felt about Dan, yet. She felt she definitely was not in love with him. She didn't take the word "love" lightly when she told him she loved him at the lodge before he left. Melanie cared for him very much and would miss him terribly over the next five weeks. She loved him in that sense, but she thought they hadn't known each other long enough for her feelings to go any deeper.

Melanie genuinely wished he didn't have to go home to Cincinnati, especially at a time when their relationship was just starting to turn into something special. The timing couldn't have been worse. But, she never expected a foreigner from Ohio to embrace her heart in less than two weeks. Dan stirred her soul like no one else she had ever known. The scenes he described concerning his visions frightened her and fascinated her at the same time. She believed in his visions entirely. Her father's visions had become legendary and she had no reason to doubt Dan. She could not help but believe they were linked so many years before.