"What do you mean?"
"I mean, for these last five years, the man you say is not interested in you has yet come to me for English lessons. He has even sometimes avoided dances, councils and other camp excitements in favor of learning to speak English. I always wondered about it. Why was he so interested in speaking a language so foreign to him? And yet, on many an evening, he has sat with Eagle Heart and me as I taught them both the English tongue."
"But," asked Amelia, "couldn't he have been coming to your lodge because he and your husband are good friends? Or, maybe he wishes to learn the language in order to obtain a fair trade."
"Yes, and this is what I thought at first. But, to avoid a social engagement to learn to speak English properly? There had to be another reason for his interest. I know what the reason is now, even if Gray Falcon hasn't, himself, figured it out. Now, before we begin our work, I should tell you a little about Gray Falcon's family because I think it might bring you to understand him a little better."
"I would like this very much," said Amelia. "Laylah, I feel so close to him, and yet, I have now realized I didn't even know he had sisters. How could I pretend to be so much a part of his life and be unaware of this simple fact about him?"
"If he didn't tell you himself, how could you know? Now, let me reveal a little about his family to you, for I think it is important. His father is a medicine man and his mother is a medicine woman. Gray Falcon has been raised strictly, even more so than other boys, for he is expected to take his father's place amongst our people. All Pikuni boys are taught to hunt, to run, to play sports and to go to war, as well as to scout. But Gray Falcon's schooling—if I might call it that—went further because, even in the cradle, he showed he possessed a kind of medicine he retains even to this day, although his sisters have told me he has yet to understand how to use this power. And, unless he does learn its power…"
"What do you mean by 'he showed he had medicine?'"
"The people here," explained Laylah, "think of 'medicine' as a mysterious force that can be used to heal. My husband tells me that even as a child Gray Falcon exhibited an unusual interest in the fields of herbs and healing. Probably you should know Gray Falcon has been endowed with a particular 'medicine' which is all his own, given to him by the Creator, or Sun, as the people here call the Creator."
"Oh? Do you know what his particular 'medicine' is?"
"I do not," answered Laylah. "Perhaps only he is aware of it, and a medicine man will rarely speak of what his medicine is. But, this I do know: he has not yet learned how to use this gift he was born with, though he has spent many a day with a medicine man."
Amelia frowned. "He has never said anything about this to me," she murmured as she hunched her shoulders and looked down. What else was she going to learn about this man? Had she really thought herself so wise as to believe she knew so much about him?
"Do not look so downtrodden," soothed Laylah. "Most men never talk about such things to their wives, let alone mention them to a friend. But, let me tell you a little more. Gray Falcon is still learning many of the ways of a medicine man. He is young, and there are still several rituals he must learn in addition to coming to utilize his own special gift. And, although he is very popular with our people, for he is generous to them, he has been raised knowing his path is a little different from other men's because there is much more expected of him than most.
"And so," continued Laylah, "sometimes Gray Falcon keeps himself apart from others. His father long ago asked his only son to take his place as a medicine man if something should happen to him, and Gray Falcon could have declined the offer. But, he didn't. You should know this: a medicine man walks a different path than other men. He does not take up bad habits, and this is because his power is given to him by God, and, if he were to veer off the strict path of good living, he could lose favor with God and begin to fail his people.
"It might be for this reason," Laylah went on to say, "that he is telling you he is not interested in you as a wife because you are white, and the Pikuni people do not hold a favorable opinion of most white people. He might even believe his parents would object to you because you are white. Or, maybe his reasoning is because when he first came to know you, both of you were too young to be interested in each other in this way."
"I have always been interested in him in this way."
"But, then," said Laylah, "we are girls, and we are, perhaps, more romantic in nature than most men."
Amelia gazed at her sister and smiled. Then she laughed as she said simply, "Yes."
Laylah, too, chuckled.
"Truthfully," Amelia said after a while, "I appreciate your telling me this. I didn't know any of it because Gray Falcon has told me very little about himself or his family. You should know this, however: he has been in my heart since the first day I saw him. When you were lost in the blizzard, it was Gray Falcon who took the time to talk to me and who tried to bring peace into my troubled world. He introduced me to his auntie and uncle, and I stayed with them overnight once. I even came to address them as my auntie and my uncle. He ensured there were people who watched over us so we had supervision. He never complained that I came to see him most every day, and when I was with him, he used to tell me legends and stories, some of them funny. Why wouldn't I have fallen in love with him? He is the most handsome man of my acquaintance, and he is also the kindest man I have ever known."
Laylah hesitated a little before responding, until, at last, she said, "Of course you would love him. As you say, how could you not?" Laylah then looked at Amelia mischievously before adding, "Well, I guess we're going to have to make this man realize he loves you after all. Oh, look! Here comes his sister. Her name isItsiiy-Aakíí, which means Sweet Woman in Blackfeet. I think she is about your age, although she might be a little younger than you. She doesn't speak English, but, like all Indians, she is fluent in the sign language."
"Good. Then, I am sure we will be able to talk to each other. I must admit I am a little nervous of meeting her," confessed Amelia. "But, please, before she gets here to help us, let me tell you that I need to speak to you further, and soon. Something has happened regarding our mother and our father, and I believe you should know what it is and what I am required to do because of it. Perhaps later today we might speak of it?"
"Yes. But, let me ask this before Itsiiy-Aakíí joins us. Are they well?"
"Yes, they are, but…there is not the time to tell you what has happened to them and to me right now. When we can both of us gain a moment of time, let us sit and talk about it."
"We will," said Laylah. "Maybe tonight."
"Yes. Good."
****
As Amelia's sister had predicted, it wasn’t yet noon when all three of Laylah's sisters-in-law did, indeed, join her, Itsiiy-Aakíí and Amelia in the effort to paint the new tepee. And, so much chattering and giggling was shared between the women, Amelia couldn't remember a time when she had so greatly enjoyed herself or laughed so wholeheartedly.
As the hours of work fled by, Amelia discovered that, by simply being Laylah's sister, she had become a member of Eagle Heart's family. Further, she learned she would always be welcome in each one of the family's lodges, and, in addition, she had only to ask to be able to use any tool she needed to set up her own lodge.
She also discovered that food was to be shared, always. Indeed, upon learning of the women's ready acceptance of her, Amelia had felt her heart expand, even as the sting of tears had filled her eyes.
As though not to be outdone, Gray Falcon's sister, Itsiiy-Aakíí, Sweet Woman, had declared she liked Amelia so greatly, she had decided to take her as a sister, and Amelia had been invited to partake of the same custom of sharing between sisters. Amelia had cried, right then and there. To be accepted so easily and so readily was a new experience for her, outdone only by Gray Falcon, himself, who had readily come to her aid all those years ago.
