Epilogue
Two Months Later, Hotel LaBelle, Montana
Hand at the base of her back, Emma stood at the open window of the honeymoon suite, rubbed her baby bump, and smiled. The sun glinted off the Yellowstone River in the distance, and a small herd of mule deer waded in for a drink. Half the Crow Nation had arrived, filling the parking pad and surrounding grassy areas with pick-up trucks, four wheel drives, vans, and motorcycles. The dance floor, hammered into shape by Lucius and Bronco, had withstood the weight of a beetle-shaped car to ensure it would last through the night. Stephanie waved her hands, and directed the band to its place on the grass next to the dance floor. Emma doubted she’d be doing the Electric Slide anytime soon, but she would enjoy watching everyone else put on their best dance moves.
Servers circulated with trays of champagne flutes, while Lucius inspected the bars—one at each corner of the party—to ensure everything was in place. Franny trailed close behind Tallulah as she directed a small army of interns from the Montana State University hospitality program, all dressed in white shirts and black slacks. Armed with a pitcher and a napkin folded over her arm, she instructed the team on the proper form for pouring water at the white clothed tables. Emma was so engrossed in the scene below, she jumped at the rap on the door.
“Bronco, you’re not supposed to see me,” she called.
“It’s just me, come to give you some brotherly advice,” Bert answered.
Emma opened the door, leaned down, and hugged the man who would be giving her away. Handsome in his white suit and beaded vest, he wore the halo war bonnet of eagle feathers well.
She ran a hand over the feathers. “Nice hat, bro’.”
“I wasn’t planning to dress this way.” He adjusted the red, white, and blue beaded band on his forehead. “But the Tribal Council insisted.”
“Because you earned the right to wear it.” She shook her head. “Everyone respects you, knows you represent the best of us. You’re a role model, young people look up to you. That includes keeping our culture alive.”
“Enough about me.” He indicated her clothing with a wave of his hand. “What about you and your outfit? Make-up, turquoise jewelry, braided hair, beautiful beaded headband, white elktooth dress—”
“Which will require the jaws of life for me to get out of it,” she grumbled.
“Moccasins worth thousands of dollars—”
“Stephanie gave them to me. My feet wouldn’t fit into my boots. Too swollen.”
“What do you expect? You’re carrying twins!” He grinned. “I think you should name them Curtain Boy and Spring Boy.”
She snorted. “Not a chance.”
“How about Thrown-Behind-the-Curtain and Thrown-in-Spring?”
“No, a thousand times, no. Those are legendary twins with great powers. The babies are going to be perfectly normal.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “You sure about that?”
“How about you shut up and listen to the music?” She pointed out the window. “Everyone’s in their places. Time for us to go.”
“That’s just telling the guests to be seated.” He grabbed her hand. “I know I don’t say this very often”—he shrugged—“okay, never. I love you Sis. You are one helluva of a Warrior Woman and you are going to be a terrific mother.”
Tears blurred her vision. “Don’t. Stephanie spent an hour on this damn make-up.”
“Bronco is a very lucky guy. I want you both to be as happy as I was when I was with Susan.”
Emma’s heart stuttered. Susan Foxtail was a rehab nurse who took care of him and helped him get back on track when he lost his legs to the IED. Killed by a drunk driver, Susan’s name rarely left his lips after her funeral.
“Without her love and support, I wouldn’t be the person I am now. She came into my life when I most needed her. She was a gift from the Great Creator. Someday, if I’m lucky, I’ll find a woman like her.” He squeezed hard. “You are blessed with a man who adores you. Bronco is your soul mate, a warrior who matches your spirit. Never forget how fleeting life can be. Each moment is precious.”
“Look what you’ve done.” Tears splashed on her dress. “Now I’m in big trouble.”
He handed her an embroidered handkerchief. “Tallulah said you should have this. It was her grandmother’s.” The music grew louder. “Now that’s our cue.”
Emma nodded, took a deep breath, and lifted her simple posy of Montana wild flowers, purple blue lupines, and yellow Echinacea flowers. “Let’s do this.”
A short time later they arrived at start of the path to her beloved. The guests stood and a palette of vivid colors met her eyes at every step. From tiny infant to the oldest of the elders, everyone had come in their best apparel. It looked like a miniature version of the Crow Fair—minus the Indian relay races. She nodded at Marjorie Longjaw and Jimmy Two-Toes, who gave her a grin and a wave. There was Otterlegs holding hands with Wanda, a petite red-headed deputy who gazed at Tommy like he was a god. Her best friend from high school, Jessica, was in from Pryor with her husband Noah Littlebear.
Emma wondered who was minding her brood of kids. Maybe they were with Noah’s mother? A little further up, Eva who had renounced the Neo-Nazis, held her blond boys—Bronco’s nephews, soon to be her nephews, too—close to her sides and smiled. She had thanked Emma a million times for saving her life and was making amends for her past behavior. When not volunteering at the Indian Health Service clinic, she worked at St.Vic’s ED, identifying potential cases of domestic violence for intervention, among other duties. Bert held Emma’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Up ahead, the Elvis impersonator stood before a white teepee Emma had spent a month preparing, painstakingly painting each horse in her stable on it, along with Powderkeg and Indigo.
Wearing white gloves, an eighties-style purple mid-thigh chiffon creation with huge poufy sleeves and the big hair to match, Stephanie held a small bouquet of bright reddish orange Indian paintbrush in one hand and fanned her face with her other. Emma suppressed a giggle. Her cousin was in her element. Not only was she her maid of honor, Stephanie had been her wedding planner, band coordinator, and Elvis recruiter. The last part had been the easiest since Stephanie and Elvis, whose real name was Rod, were officially an item.
Resplendent in a white rhinestone studded jumpsuit, matching belt with gigantic cowboy buckle, and a flowing yellow scarf, the faux King of Rock and Roll grinned at the crowd. Bert and Emma halted, and Bronco stepped out from behind the teepee, a black bow-tie wearing Gaucho at his side. Cotton-mouthed, she could only stare at her soon-to-be husband. From head to toe, the love of her life wore the contemporary attire of the men in her tribe. From his white cowboy hat, black hair hanging in braids on either side of his face, red shirt with turquoise bolo tie, white vest beaded with floral designs, down to his polished black cowboy boots, her fiancé looked as if he belonged to her tribe. Touched by his efforts to show her how much she meant to him by dressing this way, butterflies swooped in her belly, and her heart felt as if it would burst out of her chest.
Emma clutched Bert’s hand.
Elvis drawled, “We are gathered together to celebrate the fact that this couple can’t help falling in love, and they’ve decided it’s now or never to pledge their love. If there is anyone who has cause to believe this couple should not be united in marriage—keep it to yourself!” Elvis put his hand over his eyes like a visor and made a show of searching the audience. “Who gives this bride?”
Bert shouted. “I do!”
Stephanie put her hand on her chest as if about to faint.
“Bronco,” Bert continued, “I give you my sister’s hand, but in truth, she is her own woman. You are dressed as one of our clan and at the end of this ceremony, you will truly be a member of our tribe, with all that entails. Take good care of my sister—or you’ll be hearing from me.” A ripple of laughter rolled through the crowd. “Okay, Elvis, you’re on.”
“I unh, unh, want to say you are a handsome couple.”
The crowd murmured agreement.
“Today we are gathered together to celebrate this couple’s desire to be one. Right now, Bronco is your hunka hunka burning love, and Emma has got you all shook up. You are young and beautiful, have those tender feelings, and a house that has everything. But when your summer kisses turn to winter tears, and time slips away, that’s when you’ll be sayin’, what now, what next, where to? Hey, hey, hey, you gotta say, who are you, who am I? But there is no you, no I, there is only we. And when we surrender to the power of love, then we know these words to be true, I can’t stop loving you.”
Choking back a laugh at all the Elvis references run together into a wedding ceremony, Emma held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t burst into song just yet.
Instead, he said, “Unh hunh, unh hunh, Do you have your vows?’
She nodded. “I, Emma Blackfeather Horserider, take you Brandon, aka Bronco Winchester, to be my partner, lover, spouse, companion, and hero in sickness and health, in good times and bad for today, tomorrow, and forever.”
Bronco smiled and looked deep into her eyes, his blue eyes matching the big sky above. “I, Brandon, aka Bronco Winchester, take you Emma Blackfeather Horserider, to be my partner, lover, spouse, companion, and heroine in sickness and health, in good times and bad for today, tomorrow, and forever.”
Elvis nodded. “Do you, Bronco, take Emma to be your wife?”
“I do.”
“Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her?”
Bronco grinned and said, “I do.” Gaucho chirped. “And he does, too,” her soon to be husband added.
Stephanie giggled, and Emma bit the inside of her cheek.
Elvis nodded. “Do you, Emma, take Bronco to be your husband?”
“I do.”
“Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?”
“I do.”
The King nodded at Bert, who handed a velvet pouch to Bronco.
After extracting the jewelry, Bronco said, “This ring symbolizes your connection to your people and this land.” He took her left hand and slid the Black Hills band onto her finger. “It also represents my steadfast love, which has no beginning and no end. I honor you and your tribe and promise to move into your home and be with you forever.”
Taking a band into her hand, Emma said, “This ring is from the hills that remind me so much of you. A strong man who will be there for me for eternity. I honor you and your family members, some of whom are no longer with us, but live on in our memories. Their love shaped who you are, and for that I am grateful beyond measure. I give you my heart and soul for now and forever, ’til death do us part—and beyond.”
Elvis chortled, “By the power vested in me by the great State of Montana, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your beloved.”
A hand landed on Emma’s back and pushed her into Bronco, her belly bouncing into his. She laughed and murmured, “I can do this on my own, Beautiful.”
Eyes crinkled in mirth, Bronco slanted his lips over hers and gave her a hard passionate kiss. She closed her eyes and the earth fell away. In the distance, the crowd roared, whistled, and stomped their feet. Lucius’ voice rose over all the others. “Get a room!”
The babies drummed from within, their kicks connecting with their father.
Astonishment wreathing his face, Bronco pulled back and said, “Soccer players?”
Invisible hands rested on her shoulder and time stood still. In the silence, the hairs on her neck stood on end and a reedy voice whispered Crow words into her ear.
These are special babies. There will be those who want them for bad medicine. Protect them.
Sound roared back, and she shook her head. “Not sports.” She looked up at Bronco. “The babies—they’re exceptional. I think they have both our powers—maybe more than we have combined.” The responsibility for caring for the twins felt heavy, and her heart filled with foreboding. “The future of the world is in my belly. You and I are going to need every ounce of strength we have to protect them.”
He pulled her tight. “Right now, let’s enjoy the day. This is our celebration, our party to share our joy with our friends.” He stroked her back. “You and I will face whatever comes together—with our family and friends at our side.”
In that moment, she surrendered and again sealed their love with a kiss.