STARTING ANEW
Chapter Forty-Five
Much Later
Jack sat near the campfire leaning against
the tree, with Rose cradled in his lap. They had donned their jackets and were
wrapped in one of the blankets that Gus has sent along. The only sounds were of
the popping and crackling of the fire and the crunching of small animals who
were scurrying through the darkened forest. The lake was motionless like a
satin coverlet. Above the stars shone like pinpoints through a velvet curtain.
"I don't think I've ever seen anything
so perfect in my entire life," whispered Rose, as she looked up at him.
"Me either," he said, gazing down
at her.
"No, not us Jack. This, the world around
us here."
"I know what you mean, Rose. I wanted so
much for you to see this."
He shifted Rose in his lap and stretched his
legs to a more comfortable position.
"Look up there," he said pointing
to the sky. "There are millions are stars up there. You can see the Milky
Way."
"Do you know the names of any of
them?" Rose asked.
"I wish I did. I just know a couple of
them. See that is the North Star. And the Big Dipper. And I know one more.
Cassiopeia. Golden Moon's people call all of that the Star Nation. They believe
that everything in nature has a name and a personality. I guess I know more
about that, than the early astronomers. The trees are the Standing People. Then
there is Grandfather Sun, Grandmother Moon, Mother Earth and Father Sky."
Rose sighed against his chest. "You know
so much about everything that is beautiful."
"I know about you," he answered.
"Oh, but Jack, this is all so important.
Someday you will make a wonderful father."
Jack held his breath waiting for her to say
more. But Rose remained quiet.
When she spoke it was about something else.
"Remember when we were in Chippewa Falls
and Golden Moon said you were like a hawk because you could see people or see
into their thoughts? What was that all about?"
Jack looked down at her with a tender
expression on his face.
"The People," Jack began,
"believe that each person has animals that walk with them all the time.
Those animal guides give them medicine, or really characteristics that make up
their personality. There are nine for each person, but the two most important
are the ones that walk at your side."
"What are yours?"
"Whew," said Jack. "You would
ask that. I used to remember all nine, but now I only know the two. One is the
hawk and the other is the dolphin."
"The dolphin?" questioned Rose.
"The hawk I can see by your eyes, but I don't exactly see you as a
dolphin."
"It's not the physical things. It's
what's in your mind. A person with dolphin medicine spreads joy."
"I see," said Rose. "Well, you
certainly have brought me joy. Do you think I have any of that animal
medicine?"
"I'm sure you do Rose. I used to know
all this. When Jay and I were kids, Golden Moon made us learn all the totem
animals and then give us a reward when we memorized it. Let me think for a
minute."
Jack looked down and Rose and studied her for
awhile. Her hair cascaded over his arm like a sheet of fire. Her body warmed
his in the evening chill. Looking at her made thinking almost an impossibility.
"I might not be right, but I would say
that you have the medicine of the butterfly and the deer. The butterfly because
that symbolizes a kind of self transformation. And the deer because of your gentle
spirit. In spite of your fiery temperament, you are a very gentle and caring
person."
"Oh, Jack, you've made me feel so
special," she said, stroking his arm. "Do you really think that is
true?"
"I know it's true. I wouldn't be here
with you otherwise."
Then Jack was quiet. The silence of the night
enveloped them. He could almost hear her heart beating. Jack stared into her
eyes with an intensity that Rose had never seen before.
"Rose, stand up."
Rose got up and stretched as they had been
lying on the ground for some time. Jack too stood up. He pulled up the blanket
and folded it over his arms.
Rose stood near the campfire where the light
from the fire played on her hair. Jack took both her hands in his. His piercing
eyes were riveted on her. With the shadows on his face and the look of want in
his eyes, he appeared to Rose as some sort of pagan god.
"We have to go somewhere now," he
said whispered.
"Where, Jack," Rose said
breathlessly.
"It's time for our trip to the
stars," he said gently caressing her face.
"Oh, Jack," she sighed, with her
heart pounding.
He led her to the small tent and held the
flap open for her to enter.
And there, under the watchful eyes of the
Standing People, and with the approval of the Star Nation and Grandfather Sun
and Grandmother Moon, Rose and Jack become one with Mother Earth and Father
Sky.