Life after the Lottery Ch. 62

"Can we do anything?" Amy asked.

"Just don't worry about me. I'll see you in the morning."

It was now about 7:00 and Dawn got up and headed up the stairs.

"James, what is she doing?" Amy asked.

"When she does this, she just goes outside alone and sort of meditates. Give her some space."

We had cleaned up after dinner and were watching TV about 7:45 when Dawn came down. I had seen this many times, but the girls hadn't. Dawn had her hair braided and had on her plain leathers and moccasins. She also had a leather bag.

"Sun is almost down, I'll see you all later," Dawn said as she headed to the back door.

We watched as she walked off the patio and toward the woods at the back of the property.

"James? What's up?" Samantha asked.

"When she is like that she is going to be going on one of her journeys."

"Where is she going?"

"Into the woods, she has a place she mediates."

"Will she be okay?"

"Yes, don't worry about her. She may be gone all night."

Samantha got up and walked to the back door, and watched Dawn walk away.

"James, can we see her on the cameras you had put up around the property?" Samantha asked.

"We could, but we are not going to intrude. Do you two need to be studying?"

"Yes," Amy said and got up and went to her sister and led her away from the door and they grabbed their computers and headed upstairs.

I walked to the window and watched as Dawn disappeared into the tall trees. I was concerned. I didn't go to bed until midnight, and she hadn't come in.

*****

I woke up when I heard Dawn in the bedroom. I looked over at the clock, and it was about 4:30.

"Hey, are things okay?" I asked.

"Yes. Let me get cleaned up."

She went into her room and took off her leathers, and came back out and went to the bathroom. A few minutes later, she came out naked and climbed in bed with me and held me.

"Emmm, I haven't smelled the sage in a while," I said.

"Go back to sleep."

****

When I woke up again Saturday morning about 7:00, Dawn was still wrapped around me. I looked, and Samantha was standing at the door of the bedroom watching. I motioned for her to come to the bed.

"When did she come in?" Samantha whispered.

"About 4:30. Why don't you start breakfast and I will be down soon."

Samantha left the bedroom.

"How long was she standing there?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know."

"Let me shower, and I will be down," Dawn said.

"Sleep some more."

"I don't need to."

Dawn rolled out of bed, and I let her shower then I went down to the kitchen while she dried off.

"James! Come here!" Samantha exclaimed as she stood at the back door. "Look! It's just standing there!"

I walked over to Samantha to see what she was looking at. I looked out the back door, and there was a large deer with a huge set of horns standing at the edge of the patio looking at us.

"It's beautiful," Samantha said, as the deer looked us over.

"I haven't seen one that big before," I told them.

"What are you two looking at?" Amy asked walking up. "Oh, wow!"

"Dawn is up and will be down in a few minutes," I told them as they looked.

"What did she do until 4:30?" Samantha asked.

"Just ask her, she will tell you."

"Has she done this before?"

"Not for a while. She must have something bothering her she needs to talk to her ancestors about?"

"What?" Amy asked as she watched the deer.

"Talk to Dawn."

I went to cook while they watched the deer.

"Emm, everything smells so good," Dawn said as she came down later.

"Dawn! Come look!" Samantha exclaimed.

I watched Dawn walk over to them.

"Isn't it beautiful," Samantha said. "It has been standing there watching us."

Dawn said about five words in Cherokee.

"Ahh, it's running away," Amy said.

Dawn walked to the kitchen.

"What did you say to it?" Samantha asked as she followed.

"I told him it was time to go home," Dawn replied.

"I think you need to explain to these two what you did last night," I said.

"Sometimes I need to be alone and spend time with my ancestors."

"Where are they?" Samantha asked.

"Everywhere. I can go on journeys and be with them and talk to them to get their wisdom."

Samantha and Amy were just looking at Dawn.

"You two, I can communicate with my ancestors at times when I need their help. It's called a Spirit Journey. I meditate and connect with them, that's all it is."

"You can do that here? At this house?" Amy asked.

"Somewhat. When I was growing up, I was taught how to do this on the reservation. I can be close to them and can talk to them."

"What did they say?" Samantha asked.

"We just talked."

Dawn began eating as the girls watched. They finally started eating knowing that was all they were going to get from her.

"I will explain more to you one day," Dawn told them when she finished eating. "You two saw the Spirit at the reservation, that is similar."

"Do they appear like that wolf to you?" Samantha asked.

"Sometimes. When I meditate, I can go and be with them."

"Wait! Was that your Spirit deer?" Samantha asked. "You said yours was a deer!"

Dawn smiled at her.

"It's was, wasn't it!"

"Dawn, is something going on?" Amy asked.

"There are some things I'm trying to work out."

"Like what?"

"Just some things."

After breakfast, Amy and Samantha headed outside to swim.

"Any of these things you want to talk about?" I asked.

"Not now. Once I get everything sorted out, I will know what to do."

"Okay."

Dawn went back upstairs while I was left to clean up. When I walked by the back door, I saw Samantha out near the gazebo looking for the deer in the woods. I went up to the bedroom to check on Dawn; she was in her room.

"Honey, in the past, when you have visited your ancestors it usually meant something was going to change. The last time I know of you doing this was just before we won the lottery. That time you came back and told me things were going to change."

"I didn't know we were going to win the lottery, my ancestors only told me that a change was coming."

"Did they give you the lottery numbers?"

"No! It was a quick pick, you know that!"

"But, you knew you needed to talk to them then, you told me that."

"Sometimes I just feel them calling me, and I know I need to talk to them to find out why."

"Is there a reason you need to talk to them now?"

Dawn took a deep breath before she said anything.

"Since everything has happened this year...I have known a change was coming. After we met Amy and Samantha, I thought that was it."

"But?"

"It's not all."

"What is it then?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. Something my great-grandmother said has stuck in my mind. She knows something, and I need to find out what it is."

"Any luck?"

"I'm not sure. My ancestors told me that there was something I would have to make a decision about and either decision would work out fine."

"Did they say what?"

"Not really. They only told me that two trails would appear to me, and I had to choose the one that I knew was correct."

"What are the choices?"

"I'm not sure...it wasn't clear."

Dawn worked quietly for a minute.

"I shouldn't ask you this honey, but is there something you are not telling me?" I asked.

"I need more time," Dawn said.

"Okay. May I ask what your great-grandmother said that started this?"

"When she was showing me the ancestor book she said it was now mine because I was the last of our line...for now. Then she said it may all end with me."

"Is it troubling you that you are the last of your family line?"

Dawn looked up at me for a moment.

"Am I?" She asked.

I wasn't sure what to say. I didn't know what Dawn meant.

"Are you what?"

"Why am I going to be the last? My great-grandfather always told me that I was chosen to learn all of his knowledge. No one else was ever interested. I always asked him and great-grandmother why I was chosen if I was not all Cherokee? He always told me I had more Cherokee spirit than anyone else in the family. Why?"

Now I knew what was troubling Dawn; she was upset that she was going to be the last of her family. No one else to pass on all of her family's knowledge. I wrapped my arms around her and held her. We stood quietly for a long time.

Amy and Samantha came back in about 9:00 after swimming and sunning and went up to their rooms about the time Dawn came down.

"Samantha was looking for your deer," I said. Dawn smiled. "It was yours wasn't it?"

"He kept me company last night."

"You amaze me."

"Just be happy we don't have bears," Dawn said smiling.

"You could probably conjure up one."

Dawn came to me and hugged me.

"We do have a large bobcat," she said.

"Any other creatures?" She smiled.

"We need to eat early tonight so we can be ready to leave by 7:30," Dawn said.

"What time will you all start getting ready?"

"About 4:30."

"Okay. I promised Wild Bill I would start teaching her to shoot this morning."

"Have fun."

Dawn's cell phone rang, and she answered it.

"Hi, Linda."

She walked down the hall to talk.

"Sam!!" I yelled.

"What!!"

"Get dressed if you want to learn to shoot!"

"Okay!"

While I read the newspaper waiting on Samantha, Dawn came back. She was all smiles.

"What is Linda doing?"

"She wanted to know more about the doctor I am going to fix her up with."

"What about Rachel?"

"They are taking care of that."

"That sounds hopeful," I said.

"I'm ready!" Samantha shouted as she ran down the stairs.

"Come with me," I said.

I took Samantha down to the safe room where all the guns were stored. I grabbed a range bag and opened the safe and got out a short barrel 38 and made sure it wasn't loaded.

"Hold this," I said as I handed it to Samantha.

She took it in her hands and held it up and looked down the barrel.

"Good enough. Give it back."

I took it and dropped it in the bag and grabbed a couple of boxes of ammo. We went up and out to the garage and opened the door. We grabbed two of the four-wheelers and headed to the back of the property where the range was.

I spent about 30 minutes going over gun safety and the pistol with Samantha. After that, I unlocked the shed and put up a full-size silhouette target on a backstop. I stood Samantha about 10 feet from it.

"Okay, I am going to give you the pistol. The first thing you will do is make sure it is unloaded like I showed you."

I handed her the revolver, and she did a perfect job of opening it up and checking.

"Remember, a gun is always loaded, even you if you know it isn't. Keep that pistol pointed down range at all time, understand?"

"Yes."

I gave her five bullets.

"Put them in like I showed you."

She took the bullets and slowly put them in the revolver and closed it up.

"Okay, I explained how to aim. I want you to hold it up and point it at the center where the small X is and fire one shot."

We put our hearing protection on, and she held the pistol up and aimed it as I stood behind her.

"Bang!"

"Dang! That kicked!"

"Keep it pointed down range. Look where you hit."

"Not, bad, near the X," she said.

"From this range, it should have hit the X, but not bad. Fire the other four shots at the bullet hole."

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Samantha was doing better than I expected. I went over some aiming issues, and her grip then had her empty the spent rounds and put in five more.

"Now, hit the X this time."

She fired off five rounds and came close.

"Not bad," I said.

"From this close, I can't miss."

"Wanna bet. Samantha, 90% of self-defense gun battles will be within 10 feet of your target."

"Really?"

"Yes. From this distance, you need to be able to put the rounds wherever you want them to go."

She fired off another 15 rounds and was getting the hang of it.

"Not, bad. Now, reload, and I want you to fire one round from the hip. Hold it down and out in front of you a little and see if you can hit the target."

"No problem."

She reloaded and held the pistol down at her waist.

Bang!

The round hit the target below the belt line.

"I thought you said you couldn't miss?"

"Give me a minute!"

"Fire the other four rounds."

Bang! She adjusted

Bang! Bang! She adjusted.

Bang! The last one hit the center.

"You're getting it. This close you will never be able to bring the pistol up to aim if your attacker is coming at you."

"Really?"

"Yes. You have to get very good at shooting like this."

She went through 20 more rounds and was getting the hang of it.

"You're getting it!"

I walked her back to about 20 feet from the target and gave her some more rounds. She loaded them and did a good job.

"Not, bad, slim." She laughed. "Let me see the pistol."

I dumped the rounds out and reached in the bag and opened a box of 357 magnums and put five in the pistol.

"Okay, don't get sloppy, make sure you hold the gun tightly."

"Okay."

I handed her the pistol.

"Aim for the head."

She held it up and aimed.

"Bang!!"

She almost dropped the pistol.

"Fuck!! What was that!!"

"That was a magnum round. They have a little more kick."

"That almost knocked the gun out of my hand!"

"I said hold onto it. Now fire the rest."

She held up the pistol and fired off the remaining rounds.

"I don't like those," she said.

"Usually those rounds are in a heavier gun, but, when you pick up a weapon you didn't load, you have to expect anything. You can't let anything surprise you."

"Let me rest my hand a minute."

I took the pistol and put five rounds in it and fired all of them.

"Damn," Samantha said as she looked at the five bullet holes that could be covered with a dime.

"It takes practice," I said.

"How good is Dawn?"

"Very good."

"Of course, she is."

I put up a new target, and we walked back about 25 feet. I explained to Samantha how I wanted to her to fire at the target as she walked toward it.

I gave her the pistol, and she fired then took a few steps and stopped and fired, and repeated until all the rounds were gone. She came back and gave her five more rounds.

"Don't stop to shoot this time, fire as you walk."

She did as told and did a good job.

I walked up to the target and looked at the holes with her.

"Now, let's do it in reverse."

She reloaded, and I had her start about three feet from the target and fire as she walked backward.

"That's a little harder, isn't it?"

"Yes, I was afraid I would trip over something."

"Let me show how to do it."

I had her practice holding the pistol up and taking steps backward by sliding her foot back instead of picking it up. We did this for a few minutes, and I had her try again. She did a better job of hitting the target.

"Good, job. You need to practice moving forward and backwards as you shoot."

"When can I shoot a gun like yours?" She asked.

"After you have mastered this one. You can come down here and practice on your own, make sure you wear your glasses and hearing protection when you do. Does that pistol feel good in your hands?"

"Yes."

"You only practice with this one then. Make sure it is unloaded before you leave the range, understood?"

"Yep."

She shot up another 30 rounds before we stopped. I covered some more fundamentals with her before we drove back up to the house.

We walked into the kitchen from the garage.

"That was fun!" Samantha said and headed for the den.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Uhmmm..."

"Come with me. You get to clean your weapon now."

I took Samantha downstairs and taught her how to clean her pistol.

*****

We rode the elevator back up.

"You need to go shower to get all the gunpowder residue off," I said.

"Will you come with me?"

"Of course."

We went up to Samantha's room and got naked and went to shower.

"That gun cleaner stinks," she said.

"It takes some soap and water to get it off. There are gloves downstairs."

Once the water was hot, we got in the shower. We soaped each other up, and Samantha let me wash her hair so she could work on it for the party. After I rinsed her hair, she got down in front of me and began sucking my cock.

"Why does my hair turn you on?" She asked looking up at me.

"I have no idea. I have always liked long hair on a woman."

She went back to sucking my cock and took her time. Once I filled her mouth with cum, she stood and hugged me.

We got out of the shower and dried off. She had me comb her wet hair out until it was smooth.

"I'll let it dry this way so I can curl it for tonight."

She turned to me and looked at my hard cock.

"Damn, you have a serious hair fetish."

She grabbed a robe, and we stopped at my bedroom so I could grab some sweats. When we went downstairs, Amy and Dawn were in the den talking.

"Did you do well?" Dawn asked.

"I did!"

"She did pretty well."

"Amy, you need to learn the basics so you can handle a gun safely," Dawn told her.

"Next time," Amy said.

"We will need to start getting ready about 4:30," Dawn said.

*****

We all hung out around the house until about 4:30 when they went upstairs. They didn't want to eat much so I made some salads about 5:30 and called them to come down to eat.

"Who all will be at this thing?" Amy asked.

"Faculty, administrators, and donors," I said.

"Which are you two?" Samantha asked.

"All of them," Dawn said.

"Dawn, are you going to do any teaching?" Amy asked.

"At some point, I have to get things going first."

"James, are you going to teach anymore?"

"Maybe after I get everything else going."

"Dawn, have you thought any more about teaching a class on Cherokee Medicine?" Samantha asked.

"Only a little."

"Well, you can always teach sis and me."

Dawn smiled at them.

"I can."

After they finished they headed back upstairs. I called Brian to make sure he would have the limo at the house at 7:30. He wanted to talk about the limo business for a while.

By 7:00, I had my tuxedo on and was getting ready as I watched Dawn getting dressed. She was walking around in a black thong.

"You need to go check on the girls," Dawn told me as she walked to the closet.

I went down the hall to Samantha's room; she was holding her dress up looking at it. She had on the little makeup she wore and all that mane of red hair tamed and curled.

"How are you coming?" I asked.

"I'm getting there. I still can't believe what this dress cost."

"Honey, when Dawn wants elegant, she does it right. You are going to look very elegant and great in the dress."

"It's pretty revealing for something at school."

"Is that a problem for you?"

"No, I'm just wondering what all the big shots at the university will think about us. This will be the first time all those people will see us together."

"Honey, don't worry about it. It's time for everyone to know."

"I'm just worried they will say something," Samantha said.

"If they do, it's their problem. We have nothing to hide. Now, get dressed."

I walked to Amy's room. She was looking in the mirror as she adjusted her dress.

"You look beautiful," I told her.

"Thank you. This is a great dress."

I stepped behind Amy and looked at her in the mirror. The sequined white dress looked perfect on her. All of her fire red hair was trailing down her exposed back. The front of the dress was very revealing, and a lot of her cleavage was exposed, and the side was split up high on her thigh.

"You look perfect," I said.

"Will all the faculty be there?"

"All the faculty and administrators, along with all the big donors. They put on this party every year so they can hit up everyone for money."

"James, how much money do you and Dawn give the university?"

"You mean how much money do the four of us give the university? Around half a million or so a year."