Unexpected Change Ch. 02

The room was filled with couples and families. I got the feeling they were all looking at us. I held the chairs for Kay and Aunt Buzz. I sat after they did. A waitress brought us water and menus. I read the menu while I wondered what we did to get the attention of all the people.

I looked up and saw a Shoshone man standing beside us. He asked, "May I give you a gift?" He held out a pouch of tobacco. I knew from things I'd read about Native Americans that the gift of tobacco was an honor and he would lose face if I declined. I stood and accepted the gift and shook his hand.

I said, "You honor me. Thank you. May I know your name?"

"I am Michael "Tall Antelope" Browning. We are Yellow-Calf."

I thought introducing him to Kay and Aunt Buzz was appropriate so I did. I pointed to Kay and said, "This is Kay Peterson, my wife and this is our Aunt Buzz Peterson."

Buzz stood and faced Michael saying, "Michael, it is good to see you." She hugged him. When the hug ended she said, "Michael was a student at my school."

Michael said, "I am sorry Mrs. Peterson. I was so focused on them I didn't see you."

"I understand. They only linked yesterday."

"Wonderful. May I have my family meet you all?" He asked me, not Aunt Buzz. I nodded. He signaled and a woman and two children came to his side. We met them all and the kids were afraid of us. I bent to one knee and spoke with them, a boy and a girl, and told them not to be afraid, what they saw was love and love is a good thing."

The boy said, "They smell of sage. I like sage."

They went back to their table and we sat back down. We ordered and were interrupted again. We met every Shoshone family in the restaurant. The last were an older couple that came to us at the end of our meal. As they approached I stood.

I said, "Grandfather, I am honored that you came to our table." The tobacco pouch I was given by Michael "Tall Antelope" Browning I had put in my back pocket. I took it from my pocket and held it out to this old man. He smiled and accepted it. He spoke in Shoshone. His wife translated, "I know who you are. You have not been given your name, you have not sweat with the men of your tribe. You will sweat. Your name is Pale Eagle." The restaurant was deadly quiet as Grandfather and his wife spoke. When he was done he shook my hand and the two of them left. I sat back down and waited a long time before I spoke.

I looked at Kay and asked, "Do you understand all this?"

"I understand enough to know they see you as someone important. Spirit names are not given to everyone. There are quests, training, and trials before a man gets a name. You just met a chief. The right way to address him is Grandfather. You did it. I am blown away, proud and so happy to be your wife."

The next time a waitress came by I stopped her and said, "We'd like our bill now, please."

She said, "Your bill is paid. Come anytime. Your bill is paid." She smiled at us and walked away. Aunt Buzz said, "Don't shame them by paying a bill. Just leave a nice tip."

We got up and I left twenty dollars on the table.

As we drove back to Aunt Buzz' I said, "Please tell me how they knew anything about us."

Buzz laughed. "You are not normal. I can see it and so did they. Both of you glow. Some people see auras and can describe them. Individuals have auras. You each had one when you came to me. Now you have one. You sat three feet apart and the color flowed around both of you. They saw it. Michael has a strong aura. So does his wife, but they are not always joined. If you drive home tomorrow and leave Kay here her aura will be connected to you. They honor that strength of love. When you shook Michael's hand he felt it. Your combined aura flowed into him."

"This is a lot to let in."

"You never have to deal with anything alone. You have Kay. She has your extra arms to help carry the burdens of life. She has a mouth to help you laugh, eyes to help you see, a heart to help you love. You also have your Dad, Uncle Walt, Sue and Kay's brothers and me."

Kay said, "You also have the entire Shoshone tribe. We won't know who paid for dinner tonight. The men who gave you tobacco feel honored to give it. Their families feel blessed to have shared a meal with us."

I said, "But I didn't do anything. Don't I need to do something?"

Aunt Buzz said, "You are doing something. You're loving at a level of energy that they love being near. It's like you are a light shining in front of them. All you ever need to do is love and they will feel it. You'll see."

Kay said, "I think you'll get a lot of peaches this year."

Aunt Buzz looked at me and saw the look on my face that said what I was thinking, "Where did that come from?" She laughed. "Didn't the two of you love each other under that tree for hours? All that energy translates into the love expression of the tree: peaches. The sweat and energy the two of you gave to my garden will show up in the food that grows. You may not know it, but one of the most successful farms in Oneida County belongs to a linked couple: Walt and Sue."

"Oh." I said.

We got home and got ready for bed and packed to go home. Kay looked at me as we packed and said, "I'm having trouble understanding and I understand more now than ever before."

"How's that?"

"All my life it's been like Momma knows what Daddy is thinking. I can remember many times coming home from school and asking Momma what we were making for dinner. She'd tell me, we'd make it and when Daddy came home I'd ask him what he wanted for dinner. He always knew! I didn't understand how they did it. Now I get it! I get it because they are linked. I think he knows if Momma stubs her toe while he's miles away on a tractor."

"So, you understand how they do it? It's a function of being linked."

"I understand that. What I don't understand is how we got picked to be linked. How linking actually happens. The how and why we are who we are now. Three days ago I was seventeen years old and now I'm married and anxious to get into the loft with you! I don't understand that. Any of it!"

"Maybe we won't." I said. I saw something flash across her face and then she was calm again.

"You meant maybe we won't ever understand, not maybe we won't go to the loft."

I nodded. I said, "You just did something we may never understand. Somehow you looked inside me and got what I meant. My words weren't clear, but you got me anyway."

I reached for her and quickly we were down to panties and briefs and in bed. We held each other and kissed a few times, then we slept. Early Monday morning Aunt Buzz made breakfast. Kay woke me with kisses and we dressed. We ate the wonderful breakfast and by eight we were ready to get on the road. Kay kissed Aunt Buzz and I felt energy pulse from both of them. I stepped close and turned Buzz in Kay's embrace so I could be included.

We kissed her together. When the kiss ended I said, "Don't walk us to the truck. I don't want you to fall. We'll call you often and invite you down to the farm soon."

Buzz stayed in the living room and we left her.

We filled the truck with gas and headed south. Kay put her hand on my leg and we let the wind blow us all the way. We didn't talk. I didn't feel the need.

When we got to the fence where Kay had kicked me out before I could see two plumes in the distance. "The left one is Daddy." Kay said.

"Stop. I need to be with him. Ok?"

"I know. I understand." She stopped the truck and we kissed. As I stepped out of the truck Kay said, "Daddy stopped the tractor. He knows you're on your way." I closed the door and Kay drove on.

Uncle Walt was sitting on the tractor when I got to him. He said, "I can tell you this now, when the two of you kiss I feel it and Sue gets wet. Thanks."

I climbed on the tractor and we resumed work. I told him all about our trip to Aunt Buzz'. He explained things for me and I felt older, more grown up. He gave me information I didn't have before.

There was a big dance in town this coming weekend. "The family will be going." He said.

"Everyone but me." I said. "I'll be four days short of eighteen."

It's Ok. Your Dad is coming from Taiwan for the dance. He wants to be here. The chief will meet with you on Thursday along with the tribal elders. By Saturday you will be Shoshone and your mother has no standing in the tribe. Your grandfather was adopted Shoshone. I was adopted, too. Now you. Don and Steve aren't ready, but they aren't linked. When we are done with work today, you'll meet Don and have dinner with us. After dinner someone from the tribe will come and get you. I haven't asked, can you ride a horse?"

"Yes. I love riding."

"Western saddle or eastern?"

"If I have to use a saddle I like western."

Uncle Walt smiled. When they take you, do whatever they ask of you. You'll be Ok, mostly. You've seen the scars on me?" I nodded. "You'll have a few when you come back."

"When will I be back?"

"That's not up to me or any man I know. The chief would say it's up to the Great Spirit."

"Oh." I realized Kay had been told by Aunt Sue, so I didn't need to ask.

It happened as he said. As we carried the remains of supper to the house a man rode up riding a paint and bringing a paint with him. The man was wearing leather pants and moccasins. He motioned to me. Kay rushed out the back door and the man raised his hand. She stopped. I jumped on the paint, he handed me the reins and we were off. That was Monday evening.

I cannot say what happened for the next eighty-two hours. At six Friday morning I was back and owned the paint I had ridden away on. When I looked in a mirror I did not look like the seventeen year old who rode away. I was sure that I could have stood in front of my high school and no one there would have know it was me. I saw my reflection in the glass of the back door. Kay was standing on the other side of that glass. She had changed too. My hair was no longer blond, but dark brown going black. I was not burnt from the sun, but brown. My clothes fit differently.

I opened the door and she kissed me. When the kiss ended she spoke in Shoshone and said, "My place of love welcomes you." I answered her in kind. We went the rest of the way into the kitchen and everyone was at the table. Hugs were exchanged and I met Don. We sat and ate. No one asked what I did. They knew I could not tell. Walt asked, "Are you Pale Eagle?"

"Yes." Tears came to my eyes when he said the name.

Kay leaned to my ear and whispered, "I have a spirit name too."

I turned to her ear and whispered, "Pale Feather, I love you. We are one."

Steve said, "You even whisper with strength. What did you do with the skinny boy who came here from California?"

"Maybe Aunt Buzz is right. Stand in manure long enough, you'll grow." We all laughed. As breakfast ended I asked, "Uncle Walt, what can I do today?"

"First, tend your horse. He'll have the stall farthest from my mares. Then spend the day with your wife. We'll be stopping work early so we all can get ready for the dance."

He, Don and Steve took their plates to the sink and kissed Aunt Sue good-bye. The phone rang. Kay said, "It's Nick." Aunt Sue answered. Uncle Walt looked at me and said, "When she was my daughter I kissed her. Now, she's your wife."

"Of course you will always be her Daddy. Kissing is what we do in this family. Why should that stop?"

"I agree, it needn't. Kay?"

She stepped to him and they kissed. I watched and had the feeling I was in that kiss. What Kay felt transferred to me. The kiss ended and Uncle Walt left for the day.

Sue handed me the phone and I answered. "Son, I need to talk seriously to you."

"And we need to talk seriously with you as well. You first."

"Our plan was that as soon as you turn eighteen I'll file for divorce. I can still do that, but some things have come to light I want us to consider." He told me about the choices he faced, what mom would get, what he'd be left with and what would happen to his company if he had to split it in half with Nadine.

When he was done I realized he had spoken to me man-to-man more than father-to-son. I told him I needed some time to think it through and talk with family. He agreed, reminding me that I needed to stay hidden.

I said, "Dad, I don't need to hide anymore. Hide my name, yes, but my face? I don't think so. Last time you saw me I was a tall, blond, skinny boy. I'm not him anymore. My hair is naturally darker, I stand a little taller and I'm up more than a few pounds. My first day here I sunburned. For the last three days I've been out in the sun with no sunscreen and I'm brown. I could walk up to mom on the street and she wouldn't know me."

"What are you telling me?"

"Dad, you know that Uncle Walt and Aunt Sue are linked, right?"

"Yeah. It changed both of them."

"Kay and I are linked. I just came back from a few days with the Shoshone. I'm different."

"So if I ask you to wait before telling your mom where you are, it won't matter?"

"I'll miss her and I miss you. There's nothing that will be helped by confronting anyone that I can see. We'll talk it over and if we need to talk I'll send you an email."

"Wait!" He almost yelled. "If you and Kay are linked, you're married!"

"No, not yet. The medicine man and the chief had us promise to wait until Kay is eighteen. Then we will be married and pregnant. Kay's birthday is early in September. Any chance you could be here?"

"I'm sorry, no. But I'm scheduling a month off in May, when the baby will be due. Is that Ok?" It was. I told Aunt Sue and Kay about the call. They agreed that no one would recognize me at the dance. We could still go.

I put my arm around Kay and we went out to my horse. We worked together and got his stall ready and him pampered, fed and watered. Kay brushed one side and I did the other.

That done we took a blanket and went for a walk. We didn't go far. We walked into the family garden, stripped and went to work. As we worked Kay shared with me about her time with the women of the tribe. She had been learning how to live as a linked wife.

I shared about much of what I had done. My mentor had told me that the only person I could share everything with was Kay, "Pale Feather."

We worked in the sun all day. I no longer needed the lotion. I had come from California with a little tan. On the day I rode back to the ranch I was darker and no longer burned easily. Pale feather was still pale and covered with freckles, but she no longer burnt either. At about five we stopped work in the garden and went to the shower. Aunt Sue joined us.

Under the water we washed each other, mostly in silence. Aunt Sue washed my new healing scars and kissed them. Kay washed my new healing scars and kissed them. Finally Aunt Sue said, "I watched the two of you. When Walt and I first linked we did what I watched you do. You work as one, without talking. You are linked so that the communication is sometimes effortless. I saw Ben reach and you put what he was after in his hand. It happens often between Walt and I too."

I said, "I didn't notice we weren't talking. We were together."

Kay asked, "Are we going to the dance? I don't want to dance with anyone except Ben."

I added, "We could do that here."

"Since you linked there is a noise in the community. Everyone knows, feels, the disturbance you caused. Even those who don't believe. They need to know who you are and since you are now members of the tribe your mother cannot do anything to you. We want you to go. Show the people who you are and what you are about without using your old names."

"Ok. What do we wear?" We asked together.

We went in the house and dressed. Kay had opened the void I made in the loft and cleaned all my clothes. They hung in her closet. When we were dressed Uncle Walt, Don and Steve came home. As they got clean the three of us got supper ready. I carried the salad out onto the back porch and said, "Steve, please take this to the table."

He looked up at me and said, "You sure have changed." He took the salad and went to the table. Kay gave the veggies to Don. The meat Sue gave to Walt. I carried two pitchers of iced tea. We sat and Walt pointed at Sue. She looked at each of us and said, "Thank you."

I looked up and said, "Do you know a lawyer?"

Walt smiled. "I do. What do you have in mind?"

"I want you to offer me a job, a paying job and let me pay rent on the loft. I want the lawyer to file papers to have me emancipated. He'll know how to block Mom from interfering before I turn eighteen. Then we can drop the petition."

Aunt Sue asked, "How long a work contract do you want?"

"If it's up to me, a year." Walt and Sue nodded. Walt asked, "You don't trust that becoming part of the tribe will stand against your mother in court?"

"I want the lawyer stuff as insurance." I said. Walt nodded.

Sue asked, "Will you go to college?"

I nodded and said, "Yes, but I won't play football!"

Steve said, "We could have used you as a goal post, but not any more."

Walt got his cell phone out and made a call. He told whoever the outline of what was up and then handed me the phone. He pointed out that I'd never get a hearing before I turned eighteen. I asked if we could ask that I stay in the county until the hearing.

He laughed and said he'd get the petition filed that evening with his brother, the judge.

I hung up. Walt was smiling. He said, "You've still got a lot to learn. You just hired a lawyer without discussing money."

Steve said, "He might have to work for the family forever!"

"I'll help him pay the bill." Kay said. I looked at her and she winked. I blushed.

At eight we were all dressed up and headed for the dance. All dressed up in Idaho isn't the same as all dressed up in Southern California. As Walt parked I heard his cell ring. We all sat still and he answered. He handed me the phone.

The lawyer said, "You're emancipated. Walt owes you a thousand a month, minus rent and food." He was laughing as he hung up.

I said, "I'm emancipated. Can I use your phone, Uncle Walt?" He nodded and got out of the truck. Aunt Sue kissed me and got out. Steve leaned over as if to kiss me and laughed. Don saw a lady he was interested in and was off on his adventure. Kay slid next to me, hooked my arm and stayed quiet. I started punching buttons on Walt's phone.

Kay asked, "Who?" I said, "Dad."

I hit the button and we both could hear. Dad answered, "Nick Peterson."

I said, "Thank you."

I heard a sob. I said, "I'm emancipated. Mom has no power over me anymore. I have a job as a farmer and a family I love. Kay and I are about to go to a dance. I love you! We're here for you. Got it?"

"I've got it. Thank you."

We got out of the truck and went inside the dance. Quite a few heads turned as we entered. I looked for Uncle Walt and handed him his cell phone. Kay was attached to my arm. Walt said, softly, "You are Pale Eagle. You look good together."

Kay touched her Dad and we moved onto the dance floor. The music was a two-step and fortunately it had been taught in the dance class I took in eighth grade. As I expected we fit together perfectly and danced effortlessly. We had a great time. Pale Feather mostly danced with me, with a couple of dances with her Dad. I danced with Aunt Sue when Walt danced with his daughter.

In one of those dances Aunt Sue said, "Have you noticed we're the only ones who dance with you?"

"I had noticed. Why?"

"They're afraid. Most of these people have only known Walt and I. Now there are two new linked people. They aren't sure what will happen if they touch you."

"What will happen?"

"They will be changed. Their energy will be happier, more harmonious, less anxious."

"Then I think the four of us should spread a little love in the room." I said. The song ended and the four of us gathered in the middle of the dance floor. Uncle Walt and Kay didn't need a conversation. They knew what was up.