Chapter 1
1281 Words
This book is dedicated to Michael Greyeyes. He is my favorite and beloved actor that I have loved forever. I can't thank you enough for your dancing, acting, directing, and many other talents that have encouraged me to write a book about the traditional ways of the Indigenous people. As well as having inspired my leading male persona into being a family-oriented, loving, and passionate character. Thank you for allowing me to use your amazing profile. My heart is so excited that you have bestowed me the honor.
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Treasure, Qaletaqa, Isabell, and Tatanka are traveling back to Willow Creek Falls on a stagecoach. Qaletaqa's arms were around his wife, trying to keep her calm. This is the longest time they have spent away from their twins Tokalah, Tarantula, and one-year-old Takoda. Let’s not forget their three-year-old daughter who was named after her grandmother Salome.
They have been in San Franciso, where some of Isabell's paintings are being displayed. Qaletaqa and Treasure are proud of their daughters, and sons-in-law Tatanka and Little Horn.
Tatanka and Isabell are also overseeing the Art Gallery at home. The couple is the proud parents of Lisa Marie. Two-year-old son Tashunka and nine-month-old Mahpee.
Audrey became interested in dressmaking. Now she has been designing and making dresses to sell at Wanda's dress store. She plans to open a shop of her own when she turns eighteen in three months. Little Horn has become Qaletaqa and Richard's right-hand man and works in the bank during the morning. Frank is teaching Little Horn everything about the banking business. Little Horn will be overseeing the bank after he and Audrey are married.
While in San Francisco, the two couples did run into a bit of trouble. Isabell for being married to an Indian. Treasure, Qaletaqa, and Tatanka because of the color of their skin. That is until the people realized Treasure's last name is Abbott, and her husband is none other than the legendary Qaletaqa.
Two men there never approached them but just stood back and watched. Qaletaqa didn't get a good feeling about them. He made it a point to have Wayne, the stagecoach operator, find out their names. Since he didn't know them, Wayne could only find to out that the men were gamblers who had arrived a couple of days before Qaletaqa and others arrived.
The stagecoach is making its last stop to pick passengers up before they arrive in Willow Creek Falls in the morning. That is where they pick up two couples. An older couple introduced themselves as Reverend Matthew Hawkins and his wife, Ruth.
The younger couple didn’t speak when their eyes went on Qaletaqa and Tatanka. Then the man looks at Treasure. She is asleep with her head on Qaletaqa’s arm. “I see the stagecoach lets anyone ride on it these days. Don’t they Redskin?” He chuckles. “Is that your woman? I see she’s a half-breed.”
“This is my beautiful wife. Not my woman. Call her half-breed again. I'll scalp your stupid ass right here. Don’t call me Redskin again, either. As for this stagecoach, I have more cause to be on here than you do.” Qaletaqa clenches his fist and kisses the top of his wife’s head.
She raises her head and opens her eyes. Treasure's eyes go to his balled-up fists. Then she sees the man and woman staring at them. “Oh, I see.” She mumbles while still looking at the young couple.
The woman looks at Isabell and Tatanka, then back at Treasure. Treasure is giving her a grim look. The woman drops her head for a few seconds and then pretends to be looking out the window.
“Damn, he must have lost his way. There aren’t any reservations in this area. Now tell me what makes you think you have the right to be on this luxury stagecoach?” The man shook his head.
Qaletaqa put his hand out the window and tapped the side of the stagecoach. A few seconds later, the stagecoach stops moving. Qaletaqa opens the door. “Get the hell out.”
“I must say you have a hell of a nerve. Especially if you believe that you can put me off.” The man folds his arms and gives Qaletaqa a stern look.
“Either you can get the hell out on your own, or I’ll drag your ass out.” Qaletaqa narrowed his eyes and pointed to the door.
About that time, Reed, the stagecoach driver, is standing at the door. “Is there a problem?” He looks at the man and then at a very angry Qaletaqa.
The man smirks, “hell yes, this Indian here thinks he has the right to throw my woman and me off. I need you to straighten his ass out." He points at Qaletaqa with his head.
“Well, son, if I were you, I would do as he says. What color are your bags?” Reed is looking at Ike, the stagecoach gunman.
The man looks at Reed in total disbelief and rubs his chin, thinking, "maybe I heard this old fool wrong." That is, until he hears.
"Ma'am, what color are your bags? It seems that your man is trying to find a way to get his foot out of his mouth." Reed looks at the woman.
"A brown bag that has a rope wrapped around it." She's embarrassed, so she looks at the floor of the stagecoach.
"Damn." He looks at Qaletaqa. “Just who in the hell are you?"
“The owner of this stagecoach line. Now you and your woman get the hell off. You are lucky today that I don’t just kill you. Rest assured that the next time we cross paths, I will. I'm sure you will do something to piss me off." Qaletaqa points at the open stagecoach door.
Isabell looks at the couple. "Be glad that my father is feeling generous today. He isn't known to let many jerks stay alive. Also, my mother is tired and didn't ask for a body part. She loves collecting body parts," she chuckles.
The older couple's heads snapped to look at Treasure. She is still looking at the woman.
Tatanka chuckled and shook his head, thinking, "man, you just don't know how lucky you are."
The man steps off the stagecoach. "Your father and mother?" The man looks at her and points at Qaletaqa and Treasure.
The woman grabs her man's hands and looks around the woods, " what are we going to do? We can't stay here."
"Yes, they're my parents." Isabell is looking at her husband closing the door.
The man snatches his hand from the woman and looks at Qaletaqa. "I never did catch your name."
"I never threw it. My name is Qaletaqa." He taps the side of the stagecoach.
"When will these fools ever learn," Reed is looking at the couple as he pulls off.
Ike laughs. "Never."
"We can't walk to Willow Creek Falls," The woman yells.
"Shut the hell up. Do you know that I'm lucky as hell to be alive? That was Qaletaqa. Fuck," he throws his hat on the ground and rubs his forehead. "Damn it."
She folds her arms. "Now, what are we going to do?"
He just looks at her and rubs his hair back.
On the stagecoach, the Hawkins are still looking at Treasure, wondering, "what does she do with the body parts."
Treasure kisses his cheek. "It will be good to be home where there aren't any prejudiced assholes."
Qaletaqa nods, thinking, "it's hard sometimes to be civilized. I hope the buzzards feast on him."
- Writer
