calves.
See me.
The air was thick with the connection he felt for her as if a wedding blanket had been draped over them both. He thought about making love to her by moonlight on the banks of a babbling stream, the lights from the stars present in her eyes. His lovemaking would make her cry, like it did the first time. He knew what that was. She didn’t have to tell him.
See me, Luci, he willed in his mind again. Do you know how much I want to hold you in my arms? Can you feel the vibration the singers are bringing to you? It’s a message, my love.
And just as his ancestors had given him the gift of his heritage, he was granted the gift of her attention, for she turned slowly at first, looking at him from the corner of her eye. She bent her head down, not because she was shy, as someone outside the community might misunderstand. She bent her head to acknowledge the deep rumble in her own belly. He knew that was the case.
Her neck was long as she peered over her shoulder, one breast pushed up, as she nursed his young son. Just as she was giving her body to the child for strength, he knew that some night very soon, she’d give her body up to him again. Like the night they’d made Griffin.
And all would be right with the world.
Lucy had gone to the hospital to be with her mother and Sarah. The crowd of rescue vehicles and the curious onlookers had dissipated by morning. He felt like a boy of fifteen again with a new crush. Although filled with emotions he was deliciously enjoying, he was unable to categorize or manage. So he let them run free. He’d spent the night with Jeffrey and Wilson, and the three of them hadn’t slept more than an hour, they were so pumped up.
He was filled with anticipation as he saw her again at first morning’s light. She’d worn another white smock, but this time adorned it with a silver and turquoise belt that gathered the white material in a flair over her hips. Her light blue denim skirt had been adorned with beadwork he knew to be done by hand. He couldn’t speak.
Jeffrey had watched their gazes toward each other, and he’d caught his SEAL buddy whispering things to Wilson. Luci’s mother was still in the hospital. That left Sarah in the company of Wilson and Jeffrey, something Sarah was enjoying immensely.
Jeffrey acted the perfect gentleman, bringing her water, smiling down at her, and patting the top of her head as if he were her big brother. Wilson had stopped swearing. Danny felt a balance had returned to his world at last. Less than twenty-four hours ago he’d learned he was a father. He also nearly lost it all within that same stretch of time. Now equilibrium was returning. A new future was blooming right in front of him.
The three of them watched TV, Sarah sitting proudly between the two Navy men. It seemed important to resume somewhat of a normal routine after a day of such high emotions.
Except Danny welcomed the emotions. They were elixirs and concoctions he felt could heal him. Part of his spirit was expanding, and he could see things he hadn’t noticed before. Little things like the sweet peas along Luci’s back fence he remembered from his own grandmother’s garden. The little blue lizards that hid whenever he walked in her backyard. He saw the streaks of pinkish clouds in the now-fading afternoon sun. The warm rosy hue of the soil contrasted with the bright blue of the sky in this land of the changing woman, his people, and his land. The colors were more vivid than he’d remembered.
He hadn’t touched Luci except to place a hand on her shoulder and whisper a request, to see if he could be of service to her in some small way. He spoke carefully, softly, working to bring her as much honey in his voice as he could find. He noticed the hairs at the back of her neck rose whenever he talked to her, and felt the glorious tickle of the hairs around the side of her face when he spoke softly into her ear.
Quite unexpectedly, she walked toward him after putting the
See me.
The air was thick with the connection he felt for her as if a wedding blanket had been draped over them both. He thought about making love to her by moonlight on the banks of a babbling stream, the lights from the stars present in her eyes. His lovemaking would make her cry, like it did the first time. He knew what that was. She didn’t have to tell him.
See me, Luci, he willed in his mind again. Do you know how much I want to hold you in my arms? Can you feel the vibration the singers are bringing to you? It’s a message, my love.
And just as his ancestors had given him the gift of his heritage, he was granted the gift of her attention, for she turned slowly at first, looking at him from the corner of her eye. She bent her head down, not because she was shy, as someone outside the community might misunderstand. She bent her head to acknowledge the deep rumble in her own belly. He knew that was the case.
Her neck was long as she peered over her shoulder, one breast pushed up, as she nursed his young son. Just as she was giving her body to the child for strength, he knew that some night very soon, she’d give her body up to him again. Like the night they’d made Griffin.
And all would be right with the world.
Lucy had gone to the hospital to be with her mother and Sarah. The crowd of rescue vehicles and the curious onlookers had dissipated by morning. He felt like a boy of fifteen again with a new crush. Although filled with emotions he was deliciously enjoying, he was unable to categorize or manage. So he let them run free. He’d spent the night with Jeffrey and Wilson, and the three of them hadn’t slept more than an hour, they were so pumped up.
He was filled with anticipation as he saw her again at first morning’s light. She’d worn another white smock, but this time adorned it with a silver and turquoise belt that gathered the white material in a flair over her hips. Her light blue denim skirt had been adorned with beadwork he knew to be done by hand. He couldn’t speak.
Jeffrey had watched their gazes toward each other, and he’d caught his SEAL buddy whispering things to Wilson. Luci’s mother was still in the hospital. That left Sarah in the company of Wilson and Jeffrey, something Sarah was enjoying immensely.
Jeffrey acted the perfect gentleman, bringing her water, smiling down at her, and patting the top of her head as if he were her big brother. Wilson had stopped swearing. Danny felt a balance had returned to his world at last. Less than twenty-four hours ago he’d learned he was a father. He also nearly lost it all within that same stretch of time. Now equilibrium was returning. A new future was blooming right in front of him.
The three of them watched TV, Sarah sitting proudly between the two Navy men. It seemed important to resume somewhat of a normal routine after a day of such high emotions.
Except Danny welcomed the emotions. They were elixirs and concoctions he felt could heal him. Part of his spirit was expanding, and he could see things he hadn’t noticed before. Little things like the sweet peas along Luci’s back fence he remembered from his own grandmother’s garden. The little blue lizards that hid whenever he walked in her backyard. He saw the streaks of pinkish clouds in the now-fading afternoon sun. The warm rosy hue of the soil contrasted with the bright blue of the sky in this land of the changing woman, his people, and his land. The colors were more vivid than he’d remembered.
He hadn’t touched Luci except to place a hand on her shoulder and whisper a request, to see if he could be of service to her in some small way. He spoke carefully, softly, working to bring her as much honey in his voice as he could find. He noticed the hairs at the back of her neck rose whenever he talked to her, and felt the glorious tickle of the hairs around the side of her face when he spoke softly into her ear.
Quite unexpectedly, she walked toward him after putting the