Chapter Eleven
Elaina was so engrossed in staring at the beautiful smile on her daughter’s face as she slept that she was oblivious to the footsteps that approached her.
It was not till she heard someone clearing his throat that she turned around.
Her eyes widened in delight when she saw that it was Running Wolf.
Absently, she brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ears.
“Hello Running Wolf,” she said softly as she stood up.
He returned her smile and nodded at the sleeping Jessica, “It seems your little one has had her fill. She looks very peaceful.”
Elaina nodded shyly, “Yes, she is. She ate a lot and after that, it did not take a lot to get her to sleep.” Elaina tilted her head just then as she realized that he had something in his hands, “What is that?”
“Oh,” he said and in that moment, Elaina saw a flash of emotion she could not explain in his eyes. “I brought this for you. Here you go.”
Elaina took it from his hands, thinking it was his usual supply of fruits or meat. Her eyes widened when she saw the pile of deerskin inside the bag. “What...” she stuttered. She looked up at him, surprised.
He shrugged, “It gets very cold during this time, and especially up here where you live. You have a baby now. You are going to need as much warmth as possible.”
Elaina lowered her head as she bit her bottom lip.
She always did that whenever she was trying to fight back tears.
She looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
Softly, she said, “Thank you so much, Running Wolf. Thank you for caring for my child and me. I know that us being here is nothing but a nuisance to you, yet, you are still more than generous with us.”
“It’s nothing… it really...” Running Wolf started saying when Elaina grabbed his hands.
Her heart was bursting with unbridled gratitude.
She was unable to hold in how grateful she was to him.
Who would have thought that she would be able to find her footing after the terrible tragedy that took away the man she loved?
She had still not found her footing completely but she had been lucky to find this good man who was more than concerned about her and her child.
He was a support she could lean on. She could not bring herself to lean on him completely yet, but she was eternally grateful to him.
“Thank you, Running Wolf. Thank you so very much. Without you, I have no idea where my child and I would be. Frankly, I doubt I’d even have Jessica with me right now. Thank you.”
He stared at her with dazed eyes and he slowly looked down. Her eyes followed his. They went as wide as saucers when she realized that she was holding his hands. She must have grabbed them absentmindedly.
“Sorry about that. I’m just really, really grateful,” She smiled nervously as she crossed her arms.
He looked down at her with yet another unidentifiable expression in his eyes. He shook his head and quickly said, “Uh, it’s fine. It’s fine. Um… I should go, right? I need to go. Yes, that’s what I have to do. Well, I will see you later, then?”
“Yes,” Elaina nodded slowly. “I guess so. We will see each other later then.”
“Right...” he nodded but he made no attempt to move.
A voice calling Running Wolf’s name caused them to turn in the direction of the caller.
Elaina swallowed hard as Running Wolf’s friend, Chito came into the yard.
Running Wolf seemed to sense her anxiety because he turned to her just then and gave her a reassuring smile. Elaina nodded and gave a small smile.
“Running Wolf, old friend, I knew I would find you here,” Chito said as he approached both of them.
His eyes moved from Running Wolf to Elaina and they hardened at the sight of her.
The hatred in his eyes changed to shock when he looked closely at her.
Jessica chose that moment to let out a mumble as she turned in her sleep.
Elaina quickly sat beside her child on the wide bench. The little girl was nestled in a bed of deerskins. She patted the baby’s back softly as she went back to sleep.
“She’s given birth? The freaking pale face has had her baby?!” Chito exclaimed.
Elaina hissed, glaring at him, “Would you be a little quieter? My child is trying to get some sleep and you should know that your noise isn’t helping.”
A stunned Running Wolf and Chito stared at her as Elaina’s mouth gaped in surprise.
She had no idea where she had drawn up such fierceness from.
A mother’s protectiveness, in that moment, she remembered the words her grandmother had told her when she had chosen to live in guilt after her parents’ death.
Elaina shook her head and cleared her throat, “My apologies but I would appreciate it if you both leave now. I would like to tend to my child.”
“Sure, that is fine,” Running Wolf nodded as he grabbed his friend's arm.
But Chito refused to be moved. He gasped, “She can talk?! She can freaking talk?! When did this happen? Talk? But...”
“Let’s go, Chito. I will tell you all you want to know,” Running Wolf told his friend as he applied more pressure in pulling him out of the yard.
Just before he got out of the yard, Running Wolf turned.
He bowed his head slightly and he said apologetically, “This will not repeat itself again. Forgive my friend’s words. ”
Elaina smiled and nodded. Chito was already on another rant as he was being dragged away, “You are apologizing to her? Why on earth are you doing that? Why?!...”
Their voices drifted away as they headed off and Elaina sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. She settled down on the bench tiredly and groaned. She could only hope with all her heart that she had not gotten Running Wolf into trouble. It was the last thing that she wanted to do.
*
“What on earth was happening there, Running Wolf? You freaking lied to me!” Chito hissed as they made their way from the house. Chito kept looking back at the house and Running Wolf continuously pushed him forward.
“When did I lie to you?” An absentminded Running Wolf replied.
“How can you act so stupid? You never told me that she had already had her baby! That child looks over a day old, so it certainly had to happen a day or so ago,” Chito glared at Running Wolf.
Running Wolf shrugged as he said, “I did not lie. You never asked if she had delivered the baby. Now if you had asked and I said no, that would have been a lie. Not supplying information that was not sought is not a lie, my friend.”
“Oh, don’t you dare try to wiggle your way out of this. I will not let you. You lied! You could have easily told me that she had had her baby and you didn’t! I mean, she talks now, and you hid that information too. I cannot help but wonder why,” Chito eyed Running Wolf.
Running Wolf shook his head, “Like I said, I did not give the information because it was not asked for. Can you not realize how weak your claim is? It does not hold water, my friend. So, what if I didn’t tell you a few things about my guest that you do not like?
Frankly, there is nothing wrong with that. She is my guest after all, is she not?”
Chito gaped and he stuttered, “We… eak…. claim…. Weak claim?! You have to be joking! How on earth is her talking and her having her baby weak claim? You my friend are crazy. And since when did she become your guest?”
“She is staying in my shack, is she not?” Running Wolf said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Chito frowned and he looked like he was thinking hard. He grabbed Running Wolf’s arm, pulling him to a stop, “She talks now and she has had her baby. Do you not think that it is time to send her away as well as time for you to go on your vision quest?”
“What does one have to do with the other?” Running Wolf frowned.
“I think I should be asking you that question and not the other way round. Ever since this woman literally drifted into your life, you have refused to think about your vision quest, your purpose in life. So yes, I have every reason to believe that it is all connected. That I have no doubt about.”
Running Wolf shook his head. He ran a hand through his hair as he said, “What on earth are you thinking, Chito? Why would I choose not to go on my vision quest because of her? Have you ever thought of the ‘why’ while you were making up thoughts in your head?”
“Well, let’s see… could it be the fact that she was heavy with child and reminded you of someone? Perhaps you are trying to apologize for something that you are not responsible for, yet you feel you are?”
Running Wolf glared at his friend and said, “Drop it, Chito.”
“Why? Did I hit a nerve? Come on man, she is not Fala. You do not have to let her story bring up your past ghosts. And you need to put to rest the thought that you are responsible for Fala’s death and your child’s.
You are not, Running Wolf. You must finally let go of the past and move ahead with a bright future in mind.
Meet a woman, get married, have a couple of kids, grow old together and of course, defend the village. That goes without saying.”
“Are you done planning out my life?” Running Wolf rolled his eyes as he resumed walking.
“I am just saying, brother. You are still living in the past, blaming yourself for all the misfortunes that you have encountered and that is why you are helping this woman and you don’t want to go on your vision quest.”
“I simply have a lot of things to do but I will go on my vision quest soon.” Running Wolf said in a tone that was very final, urging his friend to drop the issue.
“Fine, fine, I will let it go for now, but for now. You have been saying soon for a while now and that soon is still nowhere in sight.” Chito saw the glare that Running Wolf threw his way and he sighed, “But I will let it go for now, like I said.”
They walked in silence for a few more seconds, heading to Running Wolf’s tepee. Suddenly, Chito let out a gasp and froze mid-step. Running Wolf sighed and crossed his arms as he turned around,
“What is it this time, Chito?”
“You didn’t… no, you didn’t… did you?”
Running Wolf rolled his eyes, “Do you have something to say or not? You keep stuttering.”
“The childbirth, you didn’t help her, did you? You know we men are not supposed to help and...”
Running Wolf interrupted his friend as he said, “I never said I did, Chito. You are the one who is assuming I did.”
Chito nodded his head slowly, “Yes, you know the laws. Sure, you have bent them a few times, like what you are doing now with your vision quest, but you would not actually flat out ignore the rule about childbirth. I know you wouldn’t, right?”
Chito looked closely at Running Wolf. Running Wolf covered his mouth as he tried his hardest not to laugh. The sight of Chito stretching on his toes to peer up at him and search his face was a hilarious picture.
Chito frowned, “You aren’t answering my question, Running Wolf.”
“I have heard you,” Running Wolf said as he tried to walk around his friend.
“No, no. Hearing me is one thing but you still haven’t replied in the positive that you did not assist her when she gave birth,” Chito frowned.
Running Wolf nodded, “I know the laws, Chito, and I know how to obey them.”
“So…?” Chito shrugged.
“So?” Running Wolf patted his friend’s shoulder and walked around him.
Chito ran after him, shouting, “Answer the question, Running Wolf!”
Laughing, Running Wolf hastened his footsteps. At the back of his mind was the thought that he had not laughed that hard in a very long time.