Upon arrival Maria and Rick were met by a short woman with grey hair and a lined and weathered but smiling face. “Abuela!” Maria shouted and went to hug the tiny woman who hugged her back.

Rick followed with the bag she had dropped. When he reached them the old woman, who couldn’t have been as much as five feet tall hugged Rick as well and with surprising firmness. “You must be Rick,” she said then continued on in another language.

“He only speaks English grandma,” Maria said.

“You must teach him our language child. But for the moment we will go home and talk there. Have you more luggage?”

“I do but he does not,” she replied.

The old woman smiled, “Good for you! Too many possessions way a man down although too few and he becomes flyaway like the wind.”

“I shall try to keep a good balance then,” Rick replied. “How may I call you?”

“My name is Kimama but you will call me Abuela or Grandmother. It is a title I earned and I am very proud of it.”

“Yes Abuela,” Rick answers.

They picked up Maria’s luggage and went outside where there was an old four-wheel drive being driven by a man who jumped out and came over to take charge of the luggage.

“Hey cousin,” he said kissing Maria’s cheek. Then held out his hand, “Hi, I’m Cameawhait, but you can call me Cam. You must be Rick?”

Rick put a bag down and shook, “Yes, I go to school with Maria. She invited me and I’d love to get a better look at the area.”

Kimama laughed, “You were too distracted by Maria to enjoy the other scenery eh?”

Rick blushed and so did Maria. Cam looked from one to the other, Maria said, “Long story. I’ll tell you later if Abuela says it’s okay.”

Cam shrugged and put the suitcases in the back of the 4X4. Rick followed with his bag and two of Maria’s and added them to the pile in the back.

“You always bring so many clothes. I never see the point,” Cam said as they got in.

“That’s because you are a boy Cam. Rick is the same way. I bet half his suitcase isn’t even clothes, it’s ‘just in case’ supplies. I brought my shower kit and my makeup bag as well as clothes for both desert day and night and for dressy and casual and sleeping and just sitting around the house. It takes up a lot of room.”

“Just in case supplies?” Cam asked.

Rick said, “You know, like a compass, a good folding knife, a map of the National Park the reservation is in, lists of edible and poisonous flora, my Swiss army knife which they wouldn’t let me bring in my pocket, stuff like that.” He shrugged, “Nothing special, Maria just likes to tease me.”

She held his hand, “I do. I’m glad you’re prepared but it makes you easy to poke fun at. It’s like dating Batman.”

“I didn’t think your dad would let you date yet. Speaking of that, where is he?” Then he received a look from Kimama and shut up for the rest of the trip.

Once they were within the reservation Kimama said, “I will tell you what I know but it goes no farther than the tribe and use your discretion even there Cameawhait.”

“I will Grandmother,” he said seriously. “What has happened?”

“You know my daughter went off to New York and married that stupid Spaniard. Well he has disowned Maria and is not coming here because I told him my granddaughter was always welcome in my home.”

Cam started swearing, Rick didn’t speak the language but he could tell it was swearing.

Maria looked sad and leaned against Rick, “I’m glad you still want me Abuela.”

“I’ll always want you. Your father is a fool and your mother is one for letting him do this. I told her she should put her foot down but she stopped listening to my advice long ago. Let that be a lesson to you both. Always heed the advice of your elders.”

All three of them answered, “Yes Grandmother.”

They eventually pulled up to a one story stone house surrounded by bare earth. There were other houses nearby but no hint of crowding. Cam parked the car and they all got out.

“Once we are all inside I’ll bring out food and then I think you have a long story to tell. Right Maria?”

“Yes, Abuela. I’ll tell you all about it just as I promised,” Maria replied.

Rick and Cam brought the luggage in and Maria helped Kimama serve lunch.

During lunch Maria told the tale of meeting Rick and Bobby and their eventful summer. It took quite awhile to tell especially with two of them asking questions and Rick trying to be modest but eventually it was done.

“Thank you for that tale child,” her grandmother said. “I knew there must be a good reason for you to be at that silly tourist trap. I am even gladder to have helped now that I know the full story.” She gestured, “Why don’t you take this nice young man and introduce him around? From what you tell me he’ll want to get a feel of the terrain, just in case.”

Rick blushed because it was true. He had made mental notes of all exits and large windows while assisting in lunch and the clean up after. He had also mentally placed the house on the map he’d memorized and would be happy to walk the neighborhood a bit, just in case.

Maria stood and smiled at him, “Come on Batman, let’s go increase our tactical awareness of our surroundings. Maybe we can even find a spot or two to kiss and act like teenagers in love.”

Rick smiled and took her hand, “Whatever you wish Maria. I’m completely at your disposal for the entire time.”