~*~ Burden of Proof ~*~
Stepping out of his car, AJ scanned the park to get an idea of where the gazebo was. A sign for the lake was just past the parking lot and he started in that direction. It wasn’t far down the path when he saw the gazebo and a lone figure sitting on the steps looking out at the lake. He knew immediately by the tilt of the person’s head that it was Andi and his heart skipped a beat. Wanting to hold her once more, he picked up his pace.
Reaching the gazebo, AJ stopped to just simply watch her. She was so calm, at peace. What had happened to bring this about?
Not wanting to frighten her, AJ spoke softly, "Andi."
Turning to see him, she jumped up and rushed into his arms. "Alex! I didn’t think you were coming?"
"Not come? Woman, are you nuts? You called me and said to meet you here…your every wish is my command. Haven’t you figured that out by now?" teased AJ as he held her to look in her eyes.
Andi laughed. "I guess I should have known."
Getting serious, AJ asked, "What’s going on? Why aren’t you asleep? Have you been here long?"
Andi couldn’t help laughing as she placed her hands on his chest. "Slow down, Alex. So many questions and we were just together not that long ago."
"Come on, Andi! I’m dying here! What’s up? Why did you want to meet me here? What if we get caught?"
"We’re NOT gonna get caught and I don’t know exactly what’s going on myself. Howie dropped me off…"
"Seth called your grandfather. Damn that prick!"
"Would you just let me explain? Geez! Impatient much?"
AJ laughed at the exasperation in her voice. "YES! I want you and all this crap is killing me!"
"Okay, then let me explain. Grandfather was asleep when I got home so I don’t think Seth called him. He DID leave me a note along with your cell phone and your ring." She showed him that she was wearing his ring. "He asked me to call you and meet him here at sunrise."
"And you have no clue why?"
"No, but I have my suspicions. I think Drew may have talked to Grandfather for me. It’s also possible that Seth spoke up and told the truth. Now for your other questions. I’ve been here since about fifteen minutes after I called you. And no, I haven’t had any sleep other than what I got at your house."
"I doubt Seth told the truth. How are you gonna get through classes today, baby?"
"Adrenaline. Alex, this could be what we’ve been hoping for."
"I’d like to think so but I’m not gonna get my hopes up. Your grandfather is an honorable man and when he gives his word, he’s not gonna back down from it. You can’t keep this pace up, Andi. You have got to rest."
"What about you? You haven’t had any sleep either…and you’ve been drinking."
AJ hung his head remorsefully at her reprimand. "Don’t be mad, Andi. After you left, I had this bad feeling in my gut…that I wasn’t ever gonna see you again or hold you. As hard as I tried to convince you that everything was going to be okay, I still couldn’t convince myself. When you left ‘Tabu’, I sat in Howie’s office. I could still feel the warmth of your body but it started to fade and I got scared. I thought if I could just hold on to it…that’s when I went to get a bottle of Jack Daniels and I’d taken two drinks when Howie came back. He took the bottle from me."
As AJ told her, Andi watched his expressions. He was hurting and he was scared. She put her hand on his cheek caressing it, trying to ease the hurt.
"Baby, drinking isn’t gonna solve the problem, just create more problems," whispered Andi.
"I know." His eyes held her as he took her hand and kissed it. He needed to feel her against him so he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her tight. Her arms slid around his waist as she nestled her head against his chest.
They stood this way, locked in the security of each other’s love and that love a shield to protect them from the outside world. Around them, the world began to awaken like their love.
From a distance, the old man watched his granddaughter with this man. He saw the trust, the tenderness, and the love that flowed in their touch and remembered his own love. It had been an arranged marriage but they had loved each other with passion; the same passion he was seeing between his granddaughter and AJ. Had he been wrong to try to ensure his granddaughter’s future? Seth loved her, or so he thought but obviously, so did this man. And this man could clearly provide for her. He’d taught her to follow her heart and that’s what she was trying to do but he was standing in the way. She’d never disappointed him before so why didn’t he trust her now? The pictures Seth had shown him were a big part of his doubt but there was something about those pictures that he couldn’t explain. Andi had said it wasn’t her idea too. What if he allowed her to be with this man? What would it to do his credibility with his people? He had always lived by his word was his bond and he’d given his word that Andi and Seth would be married.
Clearing his throat to make his presence known, he stepped closer to the couple. They broke apart to face him but not completely letting go.
"Grandfather, I’d like you to meet Alex McLean. Alex, my grandfather, Joseph Powell."
AJ held out his hand to the older man. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Powell."
The old man shook his hand. "Alex. Let’s go sit."
Holding AJ’s hand, Andi led the way to the step where she had been earlier and they sat together. Her grandfather took a seat on a bench across from them and they all watched the sunrise. Andi and AJ were wrapped up in their feelings for each other and their thoughts as to what was going on but they were attentive to each other. AJ touched her, caressing her arms and stroking her hand in his. They both waited for the old man to speak.
Time passed and when Andi wasn’t looking at AJ, she was watching her grandfather. She knew him as well as she knew herself and she could see he was looking for a way to fix all this. The struggle with the conflict this whole situation was causing him was plain in his eyes.
After what seemed like eternity to AJ, the old man spoke his voice gravelly. "Raising children is a difficult task. You try to make the right choices for them, to teach them to make the right choices, and instill in them a pride of who they are, where they came from. I don’t know how much you know or understand about our culture, Alex, but it is rich with tradition…customs."
"Andi’s told me a little about it, explained certain ceremonies to me. I’d like to learn more though and I know Andi respects her heritage and is extremely proud of it."
Her grandfather smiled proudly. "Did she also tell you that I believe that a man’s word is his bond?"
"Yes sir."
"When Andrea was born, she was a ray of sunshine for me…a hope that tradition could be carried on. None of my children or my other grandchildren were able to carry on the tradition of the chief’s child marrying the medicine man’s child. When she turned thirteen, I performed a ‘Promise’ ceremony…giving my word that she would marry Seth…the son of the medicine man. He was born just a few months before Andrea. By society’s laws, this marriage couldn’t take place until she was of legal age but she chose to go to college. I was extremely proud of her. She has a way with people, able to ease their pain and suffering, and I agreed that the wedding would wait until she was out of college."
"I understand all that and I respect that."
"But Grandfather, you also taught me to follow my heart, that dreams are your heart’s way of expressing your desires."
"Yes, I did," acknowledged the old man.
"Alex is the man who walks in my dreams, Grandfather."
"How can this be? You two just met a week ago."
Alex spoke up. "A friend of mine told me that love doesn’t make sense, that it can be explained, but you know when it’s right. You shouldn’t look back or try to analyze it, just trust it."
Andi smiled knowing that Howie had told him that…just like he’d told her.
The old man nodded. "You’re right, Alex."
"Grandfather, I have known Seth all my life and he has NEVER made me feel the way Alex does. He’s never walked in my dreams."
The old man looked at the couple. They were older than he had been but every bit as in love. "Andrea, Alex, I want to help you but…"
"I understand your conflict," assured Alex. "What can we do to get Andi out of this arrangement without making you go back on your word?"
The old man smiled, "You’re very quick. The only way is to prove Seth is doing something illegal."
"That’s going to be difficult," admitted AJ.
"Yes, it is. Now, about those pictures."
"Grandfather, I swear, I didn’t voluntarily sleep with those guys…it was Seth’s idea and I NEVER knew Seth was taking pictures or taping it."
"What about the ones with Alex?"
Andi blushed tucking her head. "I didn’t know the pictures were being taken but I don’t regret it, Grandfather. I love Alex with every breath I take and making love to him was right. He showed me what love is, Grandfather. He treats me with respect, not like his property to satisfy his needs."
AJ didn’t want to get into this now so he quickly changed the subject. "How long do we have to prove Seth isn’t on the level?"
It didn’t escape Mr. Powell’s attention what AJ was doing but he said, "Seth has set the date for December 21st. That gives you four weeks. You give me solid proof that Seth is doing something illegal, I’ll call off the wedding and give my blessing to be together. No proof…"
"I walk away and let Andi go." AJ squeezed Andi’s hand to reassure her that he would do whatever it took to make sure that he would NOT have to let her go. "Between now and then, can I see her?"
The old man looked at the two as they anxiously waited for his answer. Nodding his head, he gave his consent for the couple to see each other.
Andi jumped up and went to her grandfather hugging him happily. "Thank you, grandfather."
AJ watched silently but he was excited too. Now all he had to do was prove that Seth was doing something illegal.
"Now, have either of you had any sleep?" asked Mr. Powell as he watched Andi rejoin AJ.
Both blushed and Andi said, "We’ve had a few hours…earlier tonight."
"We want to be honest with you, Mr. Powell. Andi didn’t have to work tonight. I got Howie to cover for us so that we could be together. We spent most of the evening together."
Following AJ’s lead, Andi continued, "Grandfather, we never meant to hide ANYTHING from you. Everything just happened so fast and you were gone all weekend. I’ve never lied to you before and I didn’t want to start now. It’s Seth who’s lying to you."
"And we’re going to prove it," finished AJ.
"How about we go back to the house for some breakfast?" suggested Mr. Powell. "I’d like to get to know you better, Alex."
"I’d like that," smiled AJ.
"Grandfather, what about Seth?"
"What about him?"
"He’s not going to like this."
"So? I really didn’t appreciate him bringing me pictures of you with all those men either."
"You know, he thinks he’s gonna be chief if he marries me."
"He can keep dreaming. The right to be the chief is by birth…not marriage. This promise I made has NOTHING to do with the next chief. All I wanted to do was ensure your happiness and continue a tradition. I obviously made a mistake."
Andi smiled, "It’s okay, Grandfather, we all make mistakes."
"Yeah, like running stop signs and hitting someone else," smirked AJ.
Andi cut her eyes at him. "Oh, I don’t know….if I hadn’t run into you, we’d have never met."
"Let’s go. You, young lady, have classes this morning…."
"And I have to be in the studio by eight," said AJ looking at his watch.
AJ and Andi practically floated as they all headed to AJ’s car. They had been given a chance but the burden of proof lay on them now.
