Jenny Cussler's Last Stand (20 page)

Then he was here with her...in the lodge, watching her from across the steaming rocks. There was no one else but the two of them.

Somehow, she could see him in the darkness; the faint orange glow of the rocks cast a soft light on his face. He smiled at her, and moved around the ring toward her on his hands and knees, sleek and shiny like a black panther.

But such a handsome cat!

Chapter Fourteen

Bright light awoke her from her fantasy. She blinked as Auntie Sara pulled the flap open wide.

“That was a long one, girls. Let’s go cool off.”

Jenny turned to Kate, who was ready to crawl out.

“What happened? That was quick.”

“I don’t think so. It feels like this round lasted half an hour, though it’s probably only been about twenty minutes. Did you faint? You didn’t fall over into my lap.”

Jenny crawled out and stood. She wobbled on weak knees. Kate dropped her grin and caught Jenny’s arm to steady her.

“I don’t think so, but I don’t remember anything that happened in there.”

“You’re probably dehydrated. Maybe you shouldn’t go back in. They’ll understand.” She nodded toward the women in the pond.

“Oh, no. I’m going back in. I’ll be fine.” Jenny was not about to give up the vision of Clint. He had come so close to her. She needed to get back in there. Maybe he would come back. Maybe he would touch her. She shivered, though the air was comfortably warm.

“Okay,” said Kate on a skeptical note. “Well, don’t let it go too long. If you pass out, how am I going to get out? You’ll be blocking the door.” The corner of her mouth lifted, but Jenny saw the concern on her face. They made their way to the pond and stepped in to cool off. Though Jenny relished the feel of the cold water on her heated skin, she wanted to get back into the lodge and resume her dream state. But this time, Auntie Sara seemed disinclined to rush back into the sweat. Jenny kept a sharp eye on her, ready to hustle back to the sweat lodge at Auntie Sara’s slightest movement.

Jenny dunked her head and dunked it yet again as she waited. Finally, Auntie Sara stepped out of the water, and the group followed. Jenny did not lag behind. She trotted up to the edge of the lodge and held the burlap flap open while the women crawled back inside. As Kate slid in, Jenny realized she hadn’t even bothered to attempt to cover herself. She smiled, dropped to her knees, and crawled inside.

With the flap securely closed once again, Auntie Sara tossed barley water on the rocks and began to tell the story of an ancestress of hers who had married a white fur trapper.

Jenny squeezed her eyes shut and imagined Clint coming towards her, on his hands and knees, svelte, lean, hungry. But Auntie Sara’s voice distracted her.

“So, she bore him a child, a son...my grandfather,” Auntie Sara said. “They called him John...”

Jenny opened her eyes in the dark, hoping she could see Clint once again. But she couldn’t recapture the moment.

“He had a hard time in the Indian School. The other boys said he wasn’t Indian, but none of the white kids would play with him, either.”

Please, Clint. Come to me. Clint? Can you hear me?

“My grandfather used to tell such stories of what it was like to grow up with blue eyes and brown skin. I loved the color of his eyes, but mine are brown...like my mother’s.”

Clint... Clint...
Jenny dragged the steaming air into her lungs.

“So, that’s what happened to him because he was of mixed blood. He married a nice Warm Springs gal like him and they lived for a long time. But, oh my, the stories he would tell...of beatings at the school because of his blue eyes, the name calling. I made sure to stick to marrying an Indian like me. Didn’t want any problems for my kids like my grandfather had.”

Clint?
Jenny shut her eyes once again, breathing in and out. A cold feeling swept over her though sweat ran down her arms.
Beatings? Name calling?
Surely, they didn’t still do that sort of thing, did they? People of differing races married all the time.

Auntie Sara began to sing, and Jenny dropped her chin onto her chest. Tears burned her eyes, but she assumed it was from the heat. She wiped at the moisture on her face, to no avail.

Auntie Sara’s song ended on a high note.

“Okay, girls, that’s it. The sweat is over for tonight. Let’s get dressed and go get dinner. The boys will be out here soon.”

They all filed out of the lodge one last time and ran over to the pond to rinse off before returning to the benches to grab towels and dry off. Auntie Sis’s group emerged in a few moments, and the air of the forest soon filled with the sound of female chatter and laughing. Most women sported ruby red cheeks and exhausted smiles as they donned clothing.

Jenny pulled her sweatpants and sweatshirt on and sank onto one of the benches to wait for Kate. In an effort to avoid ogling the women, she raised her eyes to the softly swaying tops of the pine trees. Soon, Clint would be here, and she would be gone. Would he think of her as she had thought of him? His presence dominated the sweat lodge area, as if he stood by and watched over them. Jenny closed her eyes to bring him nearer to her.

“Hey, wake up. We have to hurry and shower before dinner. Boy, you’re going to sleep well tonight. I can tell.”

Jenny opened her eyes and smiled at Kate’s sparkling face. The sweat seemed to have invigorated her. Her brown eyes sparkled and curls abounded in her brown hair. Jenny raised a hand to her own hair, which felt surprisingly soft. She wondered if her face was as red as Kate’s.

She followed Kate and the other women across the bridge and up the path leading away from the sweat lodge area. As they rounded the bend, the object of her desire, the man she could not put out of her mind, stood by, waiting. He wore black sweat pants and a dark blue T-shirt.

“Go ahead, Clint. It’s all yours. The fire’s dying down, so you’ll have to stoke it.”

“Thanks, Auntie Sara. Is everyone out?” He pulled the flag from its impromptu stand in the bushes. Jenny blushed when his eyes met hers and dropped her gaze to the gravel on the path. He couldn’t possibly know of her fantasy of him, could he?

“Yep. We’re the last.”

Jenny prepared to follow Kate and the rest of the women, but she couldn’t resist a question as he passed by them.

“Aren’t you eating dinner? What time does the men’s sweat start?”

Clint turned back and flashed her a grin that made her weak knees wobble even more.

“Oh, yeah. I just have to get the fire going again and throw some rocks on. Then I’ll come and eat. Save me a seat, will you?”

A warm glow started in her toes and worked its way up to her face as she replied.

“Oh, sure.” She threw him a quick, shy glance before turning away and hurrying after Kate, who strolled and chatted with Auntie Sara.

Showers taken, albeit with a little less bashfulness than before, Jenny and Kate went down to the dining hall for dinner. Expecting the usual pointed stares from Susie and Sandra, who served food on the line, Jenny was pleasantly surprised to note they hardly looked at her. She grabbed her tray of spaghetti and turned away, smiling. So, it was only when Clint was around that she was subject to intense examination. That was good to know.

Kate led the way to a table where Brad and Tim were sitting.

“So, how was the sweat?” Brad looked up and asked. Jenny set down her tray and made sure there would be room for Clint when he came.

“Great!” Kate said. “Hot.”

“Very hot!” Jenny added with a grin as she dug into her food. Starved, she wanted to eat as much as possible before Clint arrived and her stomach twisted into familiar knots in his presence.

“You guys are going up tonight, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. What was it like?” Tim asked. “Do we really have to go in naked? I was thinking I’d wear my swimsuit or something.”

Kate and Jenny exchanged amused glances.

“Stark staring nude, Tim. No clothes.” Kate smirked. “If bashful Jenny can do it, anyone can.”

“Funny.” Jenny gave a wry smile. While Kate went on to describe the sweat, Jenny kept her eyes on the entrance, watching for Clint. It seemed like hours before she saw his tall frame, but it must have been only ten minutes. Tray of food in hand, he paused at the doorway and searched the room.

Jenny wanted to jump up and scream, “I’m here. Over here,” but she reined in her unruly compulsion and opted to raise a hesitant hand.

“Who are you waving to?” Kate said through a mouthful of food.

“Umm...Clint,” Jenny replied, hoping her face wasn’t as red as it felt.

“Ohhhhh,” Kate drawled. “Well, he’s not going to see you that way.” Kate stood up and waved. “Over here,” she called.

Clint turned toward them, grinned, and made his way over to their table.

Kate plopped back down. “And that’s how it’s done, my girl.”

“Oh, Kate,” Jenny said on a sigh. If only she had the courage to jump up as Kate had. Since she’d arrived at camp, she’d turned into a mealy-mouthed, blushing, stuttering bundle of nerves. She knew the handsome Native American man sitting down beside her was the source of her ailment, but she seemed particularly unwilling to get rid of the disease.

“Hello, everyone. Kate, Jenny.”

Jenny stuck some food in her mouth and nodded mutely. After all, she was chewing, wasn’t she? He smelled wonderful, a combination of the talc soap or shampoo she’d noted before and the faint aromatic scent of burnt wood.

“So, are you guys coming up to the sweat tonight?” Clint looked over at Brad and Tim.

“Oh, yeah, we’ll be there,” Brad replied.

Tim spoke up hesitantly. “Well, let me ask you. Is there any chance I can wear my swimsuit? I mean, I don’t...” He stopped short at the shake of Clint’s head.

“I’m afraid not, Tim. You’ll be fine. It’s just a bunch of guys.”

“Yes, well, I’m not...” Tim seemed unable to complete a sentence. Jenny felt for him and wondered if he’d been in the same kind of gym class as she.

“It’s dark inside, Tim, and after the first round, you won’t even care anymore.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Clint look at her.

“How did you like the sweat, Jenny?”

She put down her fork, any pretense at trying to eat gone.

“I-I...well, it was...”

“Jenny is on the bashful side, Clint. Like Tim here. She managed, though, didn’t you, Jenny? Even though she got a little lightheaded.”

Jenny elbowed Kate. What a blabbermouth!

“Are you all right, Jenny? What happened?” Clint paused with his fork in midair and put it back down. He shifted his body to face Jenny who stared down at her plate, suddenly lightheaded once again. She had no intention of describing her visions. She snuck a peek at him from under veiled lashes. His long hair, tied at the neck, was so sleek, as black as a panther’s. She took a deep breath.

“Oh, nothing. I’m sure I was just dehydrated. I’m fine.”

Clint seemed to hesitate for a moment before responding. “Be sure to drink plenty of water after the sweat is over. Just to rehydrate.”

“I will,” Jenny said, with a faint smile. She automatically reached for her glass of water and took a sip.

“Sometimes, the heat is so intense that people have hallucinations...visions. I know I have. Did that happen to you?”

Jenny squirmed under his narrowed gaze. He couldn’t possibly know...could he? She gulped more water, squared her shoulders and responded with a shake of her head.

“No, I don’t think so. How about you, Kate?” She turned to her left, away from Clint.

Kate shrugged. “Not me. That would have been interesting. I can’t wait for the next sweat. You guys are in for a treat.” She waggled her eyebrows toward Brad and Tim.

“Well, I’m glad you ladies enjoyed it.” He set down his fork, and Jenny, acutely aware of his every movement, knew he was leaving. Disappointment sucked the breath from her lungs.

He rose. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get back to the lodges and keep the fire going. I’ll see you two shortly.”

“I’m not sure. I feel kind of...” Tim’s voice held a note of anxiety.

“We’ll be there, Clint.” Brad spoke for Tim.

Jenny, longing to raise her eyes to the panther in her dream, stared unseeingly at Brad and Tim across the table. She almost jumped when something brushed her shoulder, and her eyes flew up to see Clint smiling at her as he picked up his tray. She managed a tentative smile.

“Later,” he said, and made his way out of the dining room.

Jenny couldn’t take her eyes off him. She had to see him again this evening. Somehow.

She turned to her companions and did her best to affect a nonchalance she didn’t feel. “So, what time is the men’s sweat over?”

Brad looked at his watch. “Well, let’s see. What did they say? It takes about two hours, so...”

“Hey, ours was only an hour or so.”

“We’re probably shorter because it’s so close to dinner.” Jenny managed one logical thought.

“So, I guess we’ll be done around nine o’clock or so. Just in time for bed. I know I’m going to sleep good tonight. A sweat, a hot shower, and bed.” Brad leaned back and stretched. “Hey, Jenny, are you still planning on sleeping...” He didn’t finish but pumped his eyebrows in the direction of the vehicles parked near the building.

Jenny dropped her eyes. She was so odd. Why couldn’t she be like other people? She gritted her teeth and brazened it out.

“Yup! It worked out just fine. I slept pretty well.”

“Didn’t you get cold?” Tim asked. “I was freezing last night.”

Jenny shook her head with a twinge of defiance. “Nope, I had plenty of sleeping bags.”

“I’ll say,” Kate said.

Jenny threw her a withering look.

“What’s that mean?” Tim asked.

“Nothing,” Jenny said firmly. At that moment, Celia walked in, accompanied by George. Jenny watched her scan the room and hoped she wouldn’t consider heading in their direction. Luckily, she chose another table, and the besotted George followed.