Friend though she was, he was reminded of another reason why he had always tried to keep her at a distance. He felt a similar emotion now. Her enthusiasm, while welcome in most circumstances, was better reserved for the very young, not for a fine-looking woman, fully grown.
He caught her eye, and he was well aware when she, at last, recognized him. Thankfully, she didn't call out to him nor wave.
He saw when she took her friend's hand into her own and watched as the two of them disappeared for a moment, only to emerge again, this time accompanied by a gentleman—most likely her friend's to-be-husband.
All three of them departed the ship and, A'sitápi, as he tended to call her, was immediately surrounded by her sister and her sister's Pikuni family, which consisted of her sister's husband, Eagle Heart, and their son, as well as Eagle Heart's mother and father, his two sisters, his brother, his brother's two wives and their children. Gray Falcon watched as A'sitápi threw herself into her sister's arms for a long, emotional hug. Both laughed as they backed away from one another and held hands. Then the introductions were made to the others, and he looked on as A'sitápi squatted down to greet Ikoan,her sister's son.
Several of the engagées from the fort appeared at her side, carrying her belongings from the steamboat. Gray Falcon watched as she talked to the men, most likely issuing instructions to them. Once done, the men picked up her trunk, as well as her other possessions, and carted them away, carrying them toward the inner sanctum of Fort McKenzie.
And, then she turned her head and looked at him. He almost backed away from her glance, imagining she might greet him in a similar manner as she had done her sister.
But, he didn't back away. Arms still crossed in front of his chest, he awaited her, certain she would come to him. She had always been a little too bold with him; he didn't expect anything less now.
He watched as she touched her sister's hand and indicated the direction to where he stood.
Her sister nodded in response, and he looked on as A'sitápistepped across the distance between them. Oddly, a sentiment he didn't recognize caught hold of him, making him swallow hard. Suddenly his eyes teared a little, and he shook his head against the feeling of the utter joy sweeping through him.
The feeling startled him out of his usual stoic demeanor. Indeed, he was more than aware that he—who was inclined to show little emotion even under great stress—was happy to see her. Even considering all the reasons he knew as to why he should keep her at a distance, he wondered how he could not have recognized how much he had missed her friendship.
Pest, she might be. Forthright and bold, she was. But, she was also his friend.
She stopped her pacing about two feet away from him, and, instead of throwing herself at him as he had feared she might, she stood before him. She looked down at the ground. And, then she said the words he only now realized he had been waiting to hear. She murmured, "I have missed you so much."
"I, too," he replied in English.
"Do you mean it? You missed me, too? Wait! You speak English now?" Her eyes were wide as she gazed up at him, and she said, "I thought you would not understand me."
"Áato your questions. And, I did understand you."
"But—"
"Your sister taught me English. She taught me, along with her husband. But, he was a much faster learner than I was, and he, even now, can read the words of the Americanas, whereas I cannot."
"You never told me."
"You never asked."
"I thought my heart would break," she uttered, "when we had to part. I have grown up as quickly as I could, but it was not fast enough for me. As soon as I came of age, I did everything I could to return here to see you again. I have thought of you so very much, as you know, and it has been hard for me to be without you in my life."
He smiled down at her, and, without thinking through what he was about to say, said, "Perhaps you should not tell a fully grown man about this, in case he thinks you invite him to share your blanket with him tonight."
"Share my blanket? I don't understand. What do you mean?"
He didn't answer. He merely smiled at her, but at the same time he wondered at himself. Never had he ever mouthed words so suggestive to a woman—and he had said them to this girl-turned-woman whom he had always considered to be little more than a troublesome ally.
"Oh, I think I understand," she said at last. "Oh, Gray Falcon, I am so happy to see you!" And, then she acted as he had feared she might. She threw herself against him, placing her arms around his neck and hugged him closely to her. Standing on her tiptoes, she stretched up and placed a kiss on his cheek. At once, he was reminded of another time when she had stolen a kiss from him.
Involuntarily, he found himself physically excited, and he honestly didn't know what to do about it. Unsure of her and of himself in reaction to her, he backed away from her slightly. She didn't, however, allow him to leave her arms completely, and at last he took the only action appropriate at this moment, and, putting his arms around her, he drew her to him.
He wasn't prepared for the feeling of utter pleasure their embrace brought him, and the idea that he should be experiencing so much delight sent shock waves through him. Indeed, he was struck by the fact that holding her was much more pleasant than it should have been for being mere friends. Worse, he became more and more aware of a strictly male problem—a physical one caused by having her in his arms.
He placed her gently away from him so she wouldn't become aware of the extent of how truly "happy" he was to see her. Also, he required a moment to gather his wits about him so as to provide himself a defense against the impact of her womanly charms.
Hánnia, she had grown up.
Disengaging her arms from around his neck, he took a few more steps backward, leaned against the tree at his back and crossed his arms in front of him. A white-and-blue-striped trade blanket hung over his right shoulder, and, reaching up to grab it, he pulled it as discreetly as possible in front of him so he might hide his "joy" in seeing her.
It seemed to work well. Already he could feel his body returning to its normal state.
