Naainish had then talked with us about a number of things, from Eagle feathers, to why we should be careful about what we wish for.

Sunday morning we went up on the cliff to watch a Sunrise. And that had turned into a nasty discussion with the leadership of the religious group. We’d told my aunts and uncles what had happened, and my uncles had a talk with them.

On the way back to Albuquerque, we’d stopped at our favorite clothing store. Dibe was there, and that made our day. We did buy a bunch of cold weather clothing and other things. When we were back home, we found that Jackie had gotten a letter about her scholarship, and she was happy. We also talked with Charlie and Jackie about the furniture at the resort.

Then Charlie had said. “I don’t know if this involves you or not. So, I’m not sure if I should tell you.”

“Just tell me and let me decide.”, I replied.

“Well, you know that I’ve been working in the university’s offices helping to remodel a couple of offices.”

“Of course.”

“We were working outside of one of the big wigs offices, and I happened to overhear something.”

“And?”

“Well, they were talking about a grad-assistant teaching in the electrical engineering program that shouldn’t be. And then they said something about that person not being who they appeared to be.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I didn’t hear much more, except they said something about bringing it up before the Board of Regents.”

“Hmm. I wonder what started this?”

“Do you think that this was about you?”

“I have a sinking feeling that it is.”

“What are you going to do?”, Jackie asked.

“I’m not sure. But, forewarned is forearmed. And there are some people who I need to talk with.”

“Do you want us to leave?”

“No. I’ve got nothing to hide from you. Whose office were you outside of?”

“I’m not sure. They had all the nameplates off the wall because they were painting.”

“Was it the President’s office?”

“I’m sure it wasn’t. The guys that I was working with told me that the offices that we were working on belonged to people like the vice-presidents, the Provost, the Chairman of the Board of Regents, and there was also a meeting room there.”

I got up, walked over to the phone, and called Vickie. When she answered, I said, “Hi Vickie, it’s Kai.”

“Hi Kai. What’s up?”, Vickie asked.

“We may have a problem. Is Chief Tom home?”

“Yes.”

“Can you put him on the extension, so that I can talk to both of you?”

“Hold on.”

When Chief Tom came on the line, the first thing I said was, “I’m not completely sure this is about me. But … ” And I went on to explain what Charlie had told me. There was a pause, then Vickie and Chief Tom started asking questions. And we talked for a while longer. The last thing that Vickie said before we hung up was that she was going to look into it on the quiet.

I hung up, and then called Dr. Joe and told him. And he was not happy. And he said that he’d also look into it.

After I hung up with Dr. Joe, I walked back over, sat down, and said, “This isn’t good.”

Jackie said, “I take it that everyone that you talked with is with the university?”

“Yes.”, I replied. “And, they’re also friends.”

“Is … Is there anything we can do?”

“Keep your fingers crossed that this blows over. And, please keep this to yourselves.”

“We will, Kai. But, what if it doesn’t blow over?”

I looked at Ajie, and said, “I don’t know.”

“Charlie.”, Jackie said. “I think we’d better leave these two alone.”

“I think you’re right.”, Charlie said. “Kai. Amy. Let us know if we can do anything.”

“We will.”, Amy replied.

Amy got up and walked with Charlie and Jackie to the door. I heard them talk a little while. Then Amy came back into the living room and sat with me.

Finally, Amy said, “Honey, we’ll get through this.”

I just said, “Maybe.”

“We will. We have each other. And some wonderful friends.”

“Yeah. But, win against the bureaucracy of a university.”

“Honey, don’t get depressed over this. Everything will work out.”

“Will it. Look what happened with the retreat group at the resort, now this. Is it an omen.”

“Maybe it isn’t you that they’re talking about.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Honey, maybe it isn’t.”

“Yeah. Right.”

“We should get to bed. We both have classes to teach tomorrow.”

“Do we.”

“Thomas Bly Young! You would let this keep you from teaching those boys. Teaching them things that you know. Helping them become good electrical engineers. You’re better than Kilmer ever was. You can teach these boys, Dr. Joe has told you that you’re a natural instructor.

“Tommy, pull yourself together. Do not let this get to you. You’re a bigger person than this”

“I guess.”, I said.

“Tommy, I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

We went to bed, but I couldn’t sleep. I worked my way out of bed trying not to wake Amy. And I think I accomplished it. I went downstairs and sat on the couch and just stared at the blank television. My mind was going a hundred different directions.

At some point, I heard our bedroom door open, and Amy come down the steps. She walked over to where I was sitting, sat next to me, and put her hand on my leg. We looked at each other, and she asked, “Honey, how long have you been down here?”

“A while.”, I replied.

“Why?”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“The thing Charlie told us about?”

“Yeah. Ohio is looking better and better.”

“Don’t make any rash decisions. Let’s see what Vickie and Dr. Joe finds out.”

What time is it?”

“About five-thirty.”

“I’m going to be worthless teaching those classes.”

“No, you won’t. You’ll go in there and be yourself. You’ll teach what you need to, and it’ll be fine.”

“Yeah. But I’ll have problems with my eleven o’clock class. The prof is boring as hell. And, then there’s working with Dr. Joe.”

“Can you skip the class?”

“No, he takes attendance.”

“Dr. Joe will understand.”

“I hope.”

“Get yourself together, go take a nice long shower, and I’ll make us a nice breakfast. Then you can walk me to my class, and then see if Dr. Joe is in his office.”

“I guess I do owe it to my students.”

“Yes, and to yourself. You enjoy teaching those classes.”

I leaned over and kissed Amy. Then, I said, “I love you, and I don’t know what I’d ever do without you.”

“Lover.”, Amy said. “You’ll never have to find out. Remember what Naainish told us, I am in your heart, and you are in mine, and we share everything.”

I ran upstairs, and in trying to wake myself up, I took a cold shower. And it did help. I came back downstairs in just my robe, and Amy did have a nice breakfast on the table, two eggs scrambled just the way I like them, two pieces of toast, and a big glass of orange juice. Her breakfast was almost the same, except that her eggs were over easy.

After we’d finished eating, we quickly cleaned up the breakfast dishes, ran upstairs, and got dressed in our teaching clothes, and then it was downstairs, grab our purses and briefcases, kissed each other, and go out the door.

I walked Amy to her class, and we just told each other they’d we’d see each other at home later. I then walked over to Dr. Joe’s office, and he wasn’t there yet. I walked to the front of the building to wait for him, but just as I got there, Dr. Joe walked in the door. As I walked with him to his office, he said, “You don’t look good.”

“I didn’t sleep well last night.”, I replied. “Actually I didn’t sleep at all.

“I can imagine. Are you going to be able to teach?”

“Yes. I need to do that. But, I don’t think that I’ll make it to the lab.”

“That’s okay. I want you to be wide-awake when we're there. Besides, that will give me a chance to find out what’s going on without you knowing who I’m talking to.”

“Top secret stuff. Huh?”

Dr. Joe just smiled. I looked at the clock, and said, “I’d better get to my class.”

“Teach the class in Navajo, that should get their attention.”

“Yeah. Right.”

“Go on get out of here.”

I walked over to my classroom and taught my two classes. And, I guess I did a good job, no one, including me, went to sleep. But I had a real problem staying awake in my graduate level class. This prof talks in a monotone.

When I got out of there, I headed to the apartment. Amy had just gotten home ahead of me. When I walked in the door, Amy asked, “So, how did it go?”

“My two classes went okay. But that prof that teaches the course that I’m taking could put an insomniac to sleep.”

“Did he put you to sleep?”

“I did doze off once or twice.”

“Why don’t you take a nap.”

“I think I will.”

I went upstairs, completely undressed, flopped down on the bed, and was quickly asleep.

When I finally rolled over and looked at the clock, it was almost five. I got up and was going to go to the bathroom. But when I opened the bedroom door, I heard voices. I figured that whoever was here wouldn’t want to see my naked body, so I put on my robe and walked to the bathroom. The whole time, I was wondering who was here.

When I finished in the bathroom, I went back to the bedroom, got dressed, and headed downstairs. Sitting in the living room along with Amy were Vickie, Chief Tom, Dr. Joe, his wife, Mary, and someone I didn’t know. They were all looking at me as I walked down the steps.

When I made it to the bottom of the steps, I said, “Hi everyone.”

Vickie said, “Hi Kai. Did you have a good nap.”

“Yeah. I did. What’s going on?”

I saw Amy look at Vickie, then Amy said, “Go on Vickie, you’re the one that’s got all the dirt.”

“Wait!”, I said. Then pointing at the woman that I didn’t know, I asked, “Who’s this.”

“Oh.”, Vickie said. “Sorry Kai, this is Mary Harman. Mary, this is Kai Nez. And, Kai, Mary’s a lawyer.”

“Why is she here?”

“Kai! She’s here to help us. Now hear us out.”

“Okay.”

“I did a little snooping on the rumor that you heard, and it’s true.”

“I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!”

“Kai! Calm down and listen.”

“Sorry. Go on.”

Just then the doorbell rang, and Amy said, “That must be the pizza.”

“Pizza?”, I said.

“Yes, honey. I figured that you’d get up when you got hungry. So I ordered some pizzas from Nunzio's for everyone.”

“I hope you ordered some wine too.”

“Be quiet and listen to Vickie while I get the pizza.”

Vickie continued with, “Kai, as I said, I did a little snooping on the rumor that you heard. And, it’s true. The Board of Regents received a letter that told them that you weren’t who you appeared to be, that you were a boy dressed as a girl.

“The biggest point is, it was an anonymous letter. It wasn’t signed.”

“And they believed it?”, I asked.

Mrs. Harman said, “This group of Regents has a habit of going after things without having all the facts.

“I’ve also heard some very interesting things this afternoon. I wasn’t aware of what a two spirit person was, but now I am, and I find it very interesting. And what I’ve learned that you and Amy have done is amazing for someone so young.”

“Mrs. Harman, why are you interested in this?”, I asked.

“I’m a lawyer, and I’ve helped some people when they’ve had problems with the Board of Regents, and I’m working on trying to get them replaced. A couple of them are all right, but it’s the ones that have been there for a long time and act like they are a god that are the problem. They’re appointed for a six-year term, and some of them have been on the board for too long. And, the poor student who’s on the Board doesn’t get to say much.”

“Who appoints these people?”

“The governor with the approval of the state legislature.”

“So, it’s political?”

“Very.”

“So what do we do?”, I asked.

“If they work like they usually do.”, Mrs. Harman said. “You’ll get a letter asking you to attend a meeting of the Board of Trustees for some off the wall reason. And, it will be very vague as to why they want you there. And once you’re there, they will confront you.”

“What do you suggest I do?”

“It’s what we will do.”

“Really?”

“Yes, why do you think we’re all here?”

“I was wondering about that.”, I said.

Amy and Mary started handing out the pizza at this point. And Amy also handed me, and a couple of the others, a glass of wine.

“What we need to do is confront them.”, Mrs. Harman said. “Before they realize what’s going on. I do know that you are indeed a boy. And that’s hard to believe because you’re so pretty.

“I also know that some of the people at the university know that. I also know that your people, the Navajo people, accept you with open arms and that Amy is your wife. And Dr. Oshie has told us that you are an outstanding instructor and researcher.”

I looked at Amy, and said, “Someone has been telling tails out of school.”

“Honey.”, Amy said. “Mrs. Harman is our lawyer. I gave her a retainer to make it official.”

“And, Kai.”, Mrs. Harman said. “Everything that you and Amy tell me is covered by attorney-client privilege.”

“How do we go about confronting them?”, I asked.

“First we don’t let them know that we know. You’ll go to the meeting that the Board requests you go to, and we take along some of your friends, acquaintances, and people we can trust from the university.”

“Okay. So until I get the letter, I act like nothing is going on?”

“Right. Now, we want to make a statement. Who do you know from the community and the university that would stand up for you?”

“From the university, there are three deans that I think could be good. I hope. Dr. Joe and Vickie would know better. Then, of course, there’s Vickie and Dr. Joe.”

“Who are the deans?”

“Dean Milford of the nursing school, Dean Miller who’s dean of the grad school, and Dean Rutherford who’s dean of the engineering schooling. They all know about me.”

“I’ll have to check them out. What about people from the community?”

“Of course there’s Chief Tom. Then there’s Chief Kinlicheeny.”

“Who is this Chief Kinlicheeny?”

I looked at Tom, smiled, then looked back at Mrs. Harman, and said, “He’s the Chief of the Navajo Nation.”

“The whole Nation!?”

“Yes.”

“Oh! Who else?”

“Naainish Yazzie.”

“And he is?”

“A well respected Navajo medicine man. Who knows me better than I know myself.”

“Anyone else?”

“Mr. Bylilly.”

“Who is he.”

“The assistant editor of the Navajo Times.”

Mrs. Harman looked at me for a second, then said, “Kai, do you know any other important people?”

“Maybe my uncle, he just retired as the Chief of the Navajo Nation Police Department.”

“Kai, you know more Chiefs then I do judges.”

I just shrugged my shoulders, then said, “I know a lot of regular people too.”

“I bet you do. Do you think that we could talk these people into helping?”

“I don’t think it would take much talking to have the people from the Navajo Nation come and help Kai.”, Vickie said. “The deans, I don’t know.”

“Let me feel them out.”, Mrs. Harman said.

“Oh.”, I said. “There is one other person at the university that knows about me.”

“Who is that?”

“Dr. Lingham.”

“Dr. Lingham! The President of the University?”

“Yes.”

“How does he figure into this?”

“Back when they were trying to figure out how to handle my teaching, the three Deans had a meeting with him, and I guess everything came out.”

“How did you find out about it?”

“Amy and I met him in the engineering college office, and he told us.”

“How did he seem to take it?”

“He seemed to be fine with it. He never came out and said anything about me being a boy, but I could tell he knew. And I felt good about him.”

“You felt good about him?”

“Yes, I can tell how people feel about me. And I didn’t feel anything bad from him.

“Hmm. We may be able to use this to our advantage. Dr. Lingham and the Chairman of the Board of Regents don’t get along. I’ll have to look into this.”

“The only person who I’m not sure of is Dean Miller, dean of the grad school. I get mixed feelings from him.”

“We’ll have to take a closer look at him.”

“So.”, I said. “We just get these people all lined up, and then when I get the letter, we just walk in and confront them.”

“Basically that’s it. But, we’ll talk some more before that. In the meantime continue as if nothing has happened.

“But, I think we should pull the wool over the Board’s eyes as far as Kai not being a real girl. I’m not saying that we lie to them, but if they don’t ask, we don’t tell. But, if they ask, we tell.”

“Mrs. Harman.”, Chief Tom said. “I’ve heard Kai speak in front of a large group of people. And I was impressed. She has a way about her that draws you in to listen to what she has to say. And, she can even bring you over to her point of view.”

“I have to agree with Chief Etsitty.”, Dr. Joe said. “I was a little concerned with her teaching a subject that was in a predominantly male-dominated area. But, I was pleasantly surprised by what I heard when I sat in her class. She took command of the class and had the boys in it paying attention to what she was teaching them. And, Dean Rutherford, who also sat in, was also surprised by her. At first, he was expecting her to fail, but when she didn’t, he was also pleasantly surprised.”

“What you two are telling me is, is that Kai in an outstanding public speaker?”, Mrs. Harman said.

“I would say that she is an excellent public speaker.”, Vickie added. “In fact when her grandmother, who was a member of the Navajo Nation Council, passed away, Chief Kinlicheeny personally asked Kai to fill her grandmother’s seat. And, I feel that it was because she is such a good speaker.”

“Kai, you did accept the position. Didn’t you?”

“No.”, I replied. “I have too many other things going on, and felt that I couldn’t give it the time that it would take to do the job properly.”

“I see.”, Mrs. Hartman said. “After what I’ve heard just now, I think that maybe Kai should be the one to stand and confront the Board.”

“Me!”, I said.

“Yes, Kai, you. It’s a lot better in circumstances like these if the person in question confronts their accuser. And, from what I've just heard you don’t have problems talking in front people, and that you are also a very confident person.

“And, I think with the proper coaching that it will work to our advantage. They will be flustered when you show up with your contingent of friends. And, then if you are the one to stand up to them, it will throw them another curve.”

I finally sat back, ate some cold pizza, and drank some warm wine., and thought, ‘Maybe there is some hope in this mess. But, is it all worth it?’

We talked some more, then as everyone was leaving, Mrs. Harman was the last one, and she asked, “Kai, you are a boy. Aren’t you?”

I smiled, and said, “Yes. I have the body of a boy and the spirit of a girl. There is something about being here in New Mexico that brings my girl’s spirit to the forefront. She’s strong. She wants to be out. And she’s very outgoing.”

“I’ve had some interesting clients before, but you top them all. And I mean that in a positive way. I also feel very comfortable around you, like I’m with a girl.”

“Mrs. Harman, most everyone that meets Kai feels that way.”, Amy replied. “She makes people feel that way when she meets them. And she can tell how people feel about her. If she hadn’t felt comfortable with you, you wouldn’t have heard half of what you heard here tonight.”

“Kai, Vickie had told me that you were special, and I’m beginning to see that.

“You mentioned some very powerful names tonight. Are you really friends with these people?”

“Mrs. Harman.”, I replied. “I don’t toss out names to be tossing out names. Chief Kinlicheeny and Naainish have been friends for a couple of years. Mr. Bylilly is the father of the girl who was awarded the first scholarship from the scholarship that Amy and I started, and we’ve come to know him. And of course, my uncle is my uncle.

“And, Mrs. Harman, I’m not bragging. You’re my lawyer, and I’m just telling you what you need to know.

“I’ve also made some enemies out here. There was a man, Peshlakai, who was Chief of the clan that Amy and I are members of. He knew about me. And Peshlakai is now in prison because of some things he did before we even met him. He’s up on both Federal and Tribal charges. But, we helped bring what he was doing to the surface.

“There’s was also a doctor here at the university, a Dr. Kilmer. He physically attacked me, and it cost him his position with the University. I’m also working with Dr. Joe Oshie, who you met tonight. I’m his graduate assistant, and I’m teaching the classes that Dr. Kilmer was supposed to teach. Plus Dr. Joe and I are working together on a research project that Kilmer was supposed to be doing, and we’ve found some things with his work or lack of it, and that is going to have the University going after him for various things.”

“Kai.”, Mrs. Harman said. “I’m glad you told me these things. It will give me some more ammunition. And, young lady, the more that I hear about you, the more interesting you become.”

Both Amy and I received a hug as Mrs. Harman said, “Goodbye.”

Of course, Amy gave Mrs. Harman her speech about saying goodbye.

When Amy and I were alone, Amy asked, “Any better?”

“A little. I think.”, I replied. “But, I still don’t know. With everything that’s happened out here. It’s like I attract trouble. I don’t know how much more I can take.

“There are times that I wish we’d never come out here. But, then I remember all the good things out here.

“But, then I think back to Ohio, our families, our friends. And the fun times we had then.”

The tears started. Amy held me. And I could tell she was also crying.

When I finally calmed down, I looked at her, wiped away her tears, and asked, “Why the tears?”

“Because I love you.”, Amy said. “And I feel your trouble.”

I took her face in my hands and kissed her. I kissed her for a long time.

When we broke the kiss, I said, “Amylin, there are times that I wish I wasn’t like this. Times that I wish I was just your husband. Times that I … ”

She held her index finger to my lips, and said, “Tommy, you are my husband. Nothing will ever change that. You know that I love you so very much. I will be with you through everything.

“Let’s get through this crap with the Board of Regents, and finish this quarter. Then we’ll go home during the quarter break, and we can decide then about staying in Ohio or coming back here.”

“God I love you so much.”, I said.

“No more than I love you. Now, I think that you should call your Aunt Ruth and Uncle Paul, and talk to them about this.”

I looked at the time, and said, “I guess it’s not too late.”

I walked over, picked up the phone, and dialed my aunt and uncle’s number. My aunt answered, and I said, “Hi Aunt Ruth, it’s Kai.” … “Yeah, kind of okay. Is Uncle Paul there?” … “Could he get on the extension?” … “Yes, I have something to talk to the two of you about.” …. When my uncle picked up the extension, I told them what was going on. And, they were very concerned about Ajie and me.

I then told them about the meeting that we’d just had and what we’d decided to do. Both Aunt Ruth and Uncle Paul thought that we’d come up with something that just might work, and they said that they’d talk with Chief Kinlicheeny, Naainish, and Uncle Gaagii, and tell them about our plan. I cautioned Aunt Ruth and Uncle Paul to keep it as quiet as they could. They promised that they would.

Then Aunt Ruth told me that she’d heard from Uncle Gaagii about me obtaining a New Mexico driver’s license. And he said that I could go to any office of the Motor Vehicle Division and apply for a learners permit. And, that I would need a proof of identity, and my university ID should work for that, and two proofs of residency.

Then set up a date for your written and driving test, and that they usually do them on the same day, if you pass the written. And all that Ajie had to do, was take her Ohio drivers license and proof of residency, and they’d issue her a New Mexico license.

After I hung up, I said to Amy, “You know. I think I should have my New Mexico driver’s license before we get deeper into this mess. That way if they ask for some kind of identification other than a university ID card, I’ll have something.”

“Good point.”, Amy replied.

I was still tired, so we were in bed fairly early.

On Tuesday, I had my two classes to teach and one grad-level class to take. And Amy was working at the ER from three to eleven. When my grad-level class was over at ten-fifty, I all but ran to the apartment. I quickly changed out of my teaching clothes into a long skirt, blouse, and moccasins. Amy had gotten together a couple of things to prove our residency in New Mexico and other things that we would need, and we headed to the closest place that gives drivers tests. As Amy applied for a New Mexico drivers license using her Ohio license, I applied for a learner’s permit and set up my written and drivers test for Friday at eleven. This wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.

Amy dropped me off at the university, and I walked into the lab just before one. Dr. Joe looked at me, and said, “Why so dressed up?”

“Believe it or not this isn’t dressed up.”, I replied. “This skirt and blouse are very comfortable, as are the moccasins.

“We went and got our driver’s licenses.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“Yeah. Amy got her driver’s license, and I got my learners permit.”

“So, Amy didn’t have to take a test?”

“No, they took her Ohio license as being good. And, I’m going to take my test on Friday.”

Dr. Joe and I worked on the project for a few hours, and we made some real progress. I feel that we’re close to getting the output that they want from the input specifications that they gave us.

That night, Amy and I just relaxed.