Seth said, “Tasha! What are you doing here?”
Tasha looked at Seth with a frown. She said, “Where else would I be husband? I thought we were returning home this morning?”
Seth sat a moment. She had called him husband again. She had said “we were returning home this morning”
Seth looked perplexed and said, “What do you mean?” He began to smile and continued, “You mean you’re going back to Colorado with me? When did you decide that? I mean…”
“What do you mean when did I decide that? Don’t you want me to go back with you? Was I just a piece of ass you used for a while then you brought me back to the reservation? I thought you loved me? You said you did! You agreed to accept me as your woman when Grandfather offered. You performed the ceremony last night!”
Tasha was crying and turned her head from Seth. He reached out and grabbed her when she opened her truck door. He pulled her back into the vehicle. “NO! I mean YES I love you. I mean don’t get out of the truck. I thought when Gramps asked me to bring you all home that you were going to stay. I thought you were done with me. I thought that you felt you had paid your debt and were going to stay on the reservation with your family. I decided that if that was what you wanted I would not try to force you to change your mind. I would just go back home and try to forget you.”
“Oh, Seth. Didn’t anything we said sink in at all? I’m YOUR WOMAN now Seth. Grandfather gave me to you. I love you. You said you love me. You went through the wedding ceremony with me last night and we made love in the bridal teepee. The Shaman blessed us.” Tasha gasped and put her hands over her mouth then continued, “Oh my GOD. You didn’t want to be married to me? Is that it?”
“NO. I mean YES I want to be married to you. That isn’t it. I just. I guess I misunderstood. I thought you were leaving me and I wanted you to be happy so I didn’t try to get you to stay. I know I’m not much of a catch. All I have is a piece of ground in the mountains. I don’t even have a steady job. I barely make ends meet.”
Tasha laughed and said, “Oh, Seth. Don’t you realize what you have at all? You OWN a square mile of land. You have a house that is much nicer than many of those here on the reservation. You have a truck that runs. You have a place to grow food. You have all the game and fish we could possibly want on your land. You work when you can and provide all we need. You do not drink to excess or smoke. You are gentle and tender to me and other people but when the need arises you can and do fight. No my husband. You are a maidens dream. Or at least you are the dream of many of the maidens on the reservation. I suspect any of them would go with you in an instant. I would bet a significant number of the married women would go with you also if you offered.”
Seth grinned and looked at Tasha then continued, “You know what? This is dumb. Let’s go home.” He reached out and gently touched Tasha’s cheek then continued, “I love you wife. Now we need to get home. We have a lot of work to do before it gets colder.”
wpDiscuz