After dinner, we’d hiked up to the cliff to watch the Sunset and the storms build, which they were doing. We chased the guests off the cliff and were at the hotel just before the thunderstorm hit, and the rain started. And the power went out. After the storm moved out, we lit a bonfire and had a campfire sing-along led by Ajie.

On Sunday, we headed home after breakfast. Chief Tom, Vickie, Dr. Joe, Mary, and little Mark were over for dinner. We had to explain to Chief Tom and Vickie why we were changing our names. Vickie chastised Amy for not telling her. After all, Vickie is her Dean.

And Auntie Kai was able to feed little Mark.

Tuesday had been Mr. Yazzie’s funeral. Nuff said.

After the funeral, we’d gone to lunch with the Yazzie family. And after we finished eating Ajie and I had a surprise. Mrs. Yazzie had given me a box with all of the silver that Mr. Yazzie had collected of my Great-Great-Grandfather Kilchii Nez’s silver work. There were five pieces.

We were then surprised when they gave us some silver pieces that Mr. Yazzie had said that he wanted us to have of his work. One of those pieces was a squash blossom necklace, a gorgeous squash blossom necklace. Neither Ajie or I could see this leaving the family. And since the necklace was now ours to do with as we saw fit, we’d given it to Mr. Yazzie’s granddaughter, Johona. She was amazed that we’d do something like that.

But the biggest surprise that we had was when we were given Mr. Yazzie’s maker’s marking tool. And we ended up telling the family that we were going to put it in the display case at the hotel.

Back at home, we ended up taking a hike along the river, and we were greeted by three of the Eagles, one of the immature Eagles and the two adult Eagles. Things felt good.

We’d set Wednesday aside to get ready for Bill, Amy’s brother, and his girlfriend, Bridget’s arrival tomorrow. And I ended up doing that all by myself, Amy had been called into the ER. But there wasn’t that much to do. Both of the small bedrooms were in good shape, clean, beds made, and fires laid in the Kiva fireplaces even though they wouldn’t be needed. I made sure the master bedroom was straightened up. The bathrooms were clean. The kitchen was spotless. And we’d go grocery shopping tomorrow morning. And I made sure that there was firewood where it was needed to be. And when you have ceramic tile floors, you sweep ‘em and then you mop ‘em.

Also, today, the second legal notice of our proposed name changes was to be published in the Navajo Times. Also, I was expecting a call from Dean Rutherford telling me that the delivery from Los Alamos was here and to come in and check on it. That call never came. Hmm.

When Amy came home, a little before to five, I had a nice dinner ready. I’d even tried my hand at making sangria using Amy’s recipe. Even if I do say so myself, it tasted pretty good.

As Amy changed, I put the dinner together. Then we sat out in the courtyard and ate, and Amy complimented me on my sangria. And she asked if I’d gone into the university to check on the stuff from Los Alamos.

“No.”, I replied. “They never called.”

“I hope they don’t call tomorrow.”

“If they do, I’ll need to go in and lock up what they sent.”

“It’s that important?”

“Yes, and it needs to be locked up.”

“Can’t the Dean do it?”

“Probably, but it also needs to be checked to be sure everything is there, and he can’t do that. I’ll call first thing in the morning.”

“Good. What’s left to do?”

“Nothing much. Just get the groceries.”

“We can do that first thing tomorrow.”

We spent the evening in the courtyard just relaxing and watching the stars.

Thursday morning at a little after eight, I called the Dean’s office. “Hi, Sara. It’s Kai.”, I said when Sara answered.

“Oh. Hi, Kai.”, Sara said.

“There wasn’t a delivery from Los Alamos yesterday. Was there?”

“No, Kai. There wasn’t. But the Dean did say something about it coming today.”

“Wonderful.”, I said sarcastically.

“What’s wrong?”, Sara asked.

“I hope it comes this morning. Amy’s brother and his fiancee are flying in this afternoon. And I need to check that delivery and lock it away.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

“Please call me as soon as the Dean gets it.”

“I will, Kai.”

“Bye, Sara.”

“Bye, Kai.”

Amy looked at me and said, “You’re not happy.”

“No.”, I said. “But what do you expect of a government agency.”

I stayed home, and Amy went grocery shopping. And by the time Amy was back and the groceries were put away, still no phone call. I wanted to call the airline and check on the flight, but I also didn’t want to tie up the phone encase the Dean called.

Bill’s and Bridget’s flight was due in at two-fifteen. By one o’clock I was nervous. No phone call from the Dean, and we needed to leave the house no later than one-thirty.

At ten minutes after one, the phone rang. I jumped. Then I answered the phone, “Hello.”

I heard Dean Rutherford say, “Miss Nez, it Dean Rutherford.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The package from Los Alamos was just delivered. Can you stop in and check on it.”

“Sir, Amy’s brother and his fiancee’s flight are due in at two-fifteen. So, it will have to be after we bring them back to the house.”

“Sara told me that. And I’m sorry.”

“We’ll work around it, sir. And I’ll see you as soon as I can.”

“Okay, Miss Nez. I’ll see you as soon as you can get here.”

“So long, Dean.”

“Goodbye, Miss Nez.”

And we both hung up.

Then Amy said, “Honey, why don’t we take two cars. I can bring Bill and Bridget back here. And you can stop at the university, do what you need to do, and then join us.”

“I guess that’ll work.”, I replied with a sigh.

“Honey, it’s not the end of the world.”

“I know. It’s just a little disappointing. But I’ll live.

Both Amy and I drove to the airport. As we walked up to the gate, the plane was just taxing up. We watched as the boarding stairs were rolled up to the plane, and the door opened. We watched as people disembarked the plane. And it wasn’t hard to spot Bridget with her red hair. Bill spotted us, pointed us out to Bridget, and they waved. And we waved back.

As they came through the gate in the fence, we heard Bridget in her Scottish brogue say, “It’s so guid to see ye.”

“And it’s good to see you, too.”, Amy and I said together.

And the hugs started. After we finished with the hugs, I said, “So, how are Mr. and Mrs. Grant?”

I watched as Bridget’s eyes got big, and she stammered in Gaelic, “Como ... como Sabía? - (How … How did you know?)”

“Excuse me?”

“Sorry. But, how did ye know?”, Bridget asked.

“I didn’t know for sure until just now.”, I replied.

“Ye guessed?”

“It was kind of a feeling that I had when we met you at Christmas and how long you spent in Scotland.”

“Ye scare me.”

I knew Bill was grinning through this whole exchange, and even though I couldn’t see her, I figured that Amy was also smiling.

Then Bill said, “Honey, didn’t I tell you that they’d know.”

“Aye, ye did. Kai has that way about 'er.”, Bridget replied.

“She does.”

“I was hoping that we’d be going to Scotland for a wedding.”, I said.

“You still might. We might go back for a formal wedding in a couple of years.”

“That could be fun.”

“Bill, did mom explain what we’re doing about going back home with you?”, Ajie asked.

“Yes.”, Bill replied. “Something about you flying home with us on Saturday instead of us flying back on Sunday. And that was so you can attend a baptism.”

“Right. Is that a problem?”

“Not at all.”

“Good. Let’s get your luggage and then we’ll stop by the airline counter and change your reservations and make our reservations.”

And that’s what we did. And the airline worked it out so that we’d be sitting together. Then we walked out to the parking lot. I opened the trunk of Amy’s car, and we put their luggage in it. Then as I closed the trunk, I said, “I’ll see you back at the house as soon as I can.”

“Where are ye going, Kai?”, Bridget asked.

“I have something that I need to check on at the university.”

“I'd love tae see your university.”

I looked at Amy. She looked at me, and then she said, “I guess I could give them a tour.”

“I’ll be in the office, and I shouldn’t be more than an hour.”, I said. “Once you give them a quick tour, you could stop by and see if I’ve finished.”

“How’s that sound?”, Amy asked Bill and Bridget.

Amy, Bill, and Bridget followed me to the university, and we parked in the faculty parking lot. As we got out of the cars, Bill said, “Is it always this hot here?”

“It’s August, Bill.”, Amy said. “The predicted high for today is ninety-one.”

“I sure hope your house is air-conditioned.”

“It doesn’t need to be.”

“It doesn’t?”

“You’ll see.”

“Dad did say that your house was something else.”

Bridget had been looking around, and she said, “These buildings ur interesting.”

“They’re built out of adobe.”, I said.

“Adobe. What’s adobe?”

“They’re bricks made out of mud.”

“An' th' rain doesn’t wash them away?”

“No, it doesn’t rain much out here. And we can show you some adobe buildings that have been occupied for over 1,000 years.”

“I'd like tae see that.”

“I think that could be arranged.”, Amy said.

As I started to walk away, I said, “I’ll see you in a little bit.”

“We’ll see you, honey.”, Amy said.

I went into the engineering build and to the Dean’s office. Sara saw me and said, “Kai, I’m glad you’re here. The Dean has been chomping at the bit.”

“Why?”, I asked.

“I think he’s nervous about having that briefcase.”

“He shouldn’t be.”

Then I heard Dean Rutherford say, “Oh good, Miss Nez. You’re finally here.”

“Yes, Amy’s brother and sister-in-law just got here.”, I replied.

The Dean and I went to his office. I signed for the locked briefcase, and he gave it to me. As I walked out of the office, I said to Sara, “I think the Dean feels this is filled with gold.”

“As nervous as he’s been holding on to it, I think you’re right, Kai.”, Sara said.

“See you later, Sara.”

“Later, Kai.”

I went to the office, opened the door, turned off the alarm, turned on the light, set the briefcase on the work table, and opened it. Yes, it’s the same briefcase as always, so I knew both combinations.

I started looking through the contents of the case, comparing it to a list of the contents, and everything was there. I quickly glanced through the paperwork that was also in the briefcase, and it was interesting.

Then I heard a knock on the door, and I said, “Yes.”

“Kai, it’s us.”, I heard Amy say.

“Okay. Give me a minute to put things away.”

I quickly put everything back in the case, locked it, and put it in the fireproof file cabinet, and locked that. I walked over to the door, unlocked it, and opened it. Amy, Bill, and Bridget were standing there. And I said, “Come on in.”

Bill said, “I’m impressed. You have your name on the door.”

“Brother-in-law, you’re easy to impress.”

“Are you ready to head home?”, Amy asked.

“Let me call the Dean and tell him that everything’s here.”

I picked up the phone, dialed a number, and when the phone was answered, I said, “Dean Rutherford, this is Kai Nez.” … “Yes, sir, everything that’s supposed to be in the case is there.” … “Yes, sir. It’s all locked up.” … “Dr. Oshie should be back on Monday, and I’ll see you the following Tuesday.” … “Yes, sir. So long.”

I hung up the phone and said to my three companions, “Let’s get out of here.”

As we walked out of the office, I armed the alarm system, turned off the lights, and closed and locked the door. Bill said, “An alarm system. Must be some secret squirrel stuff.”

“Some times it is, and sometimes it isn’t.”, I said. “But it keeps the people who we do research for happy.”

“Who’s that.”

I looked around like I was checking for prying eyes, then in a loud whisper, I said, “The Los Alamos National Laboratory.”

“You are kidding me?”

“No, but only non-military things.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“We did that one thing for NASA and the Apollo missions. And even that we had to treat as secret.”

“Whit is thes Los Alamos National Laboratory?”, Bridget asked.

“Do you remember the two atom bombs that were dropped at the end of World War Two?”, I asked.

“Aye. Of course.”

“That’s where they were developed.”

“Oh! Is it safe.”

“Yes, now they research a lot of other things. And we help them with some of the other, non-military, things.”

We walked out to the faculty parking lot and headed to the house. Bill rode with me, and Bridget rode with Amy. Bill and I talked about the area that we were driving through. Then as we pulled into the driveway, I stopped and grabbed the newspaper and the mail. Then I pulled down the driveway until we saw the house, and Bill let out a whistle and said, “Mom and dad said that this house was nice.”

I opened the garage door and pulled the car into the garage. And Amy opened her garage door and pulled in next to us. As we got out of the cars, I said, “Normally, we’d go into the house through the door off the garage. But the first time someone comes, we like them to come in through the front door.”

So the four of us walked out through the garage door and to the gate in the front courtyard wall. I opened the gate in the wall, and we walked in. Then we walked to the front doors, and as I unlocked the doors, I said, “Bill, pull that rope.”

“Why? What’s it do?”, Bill asked.

“Pull it and see.”

He pulled it, and you could hear the bell ring. And I said, “It’s the doorbell.” 

“Now.”, I said. “We have something that we always say to someone who’s visiting us, especially for the first time.”

Together Amy and I said, “Yá’át’ééh. T'áá shoodí wóshde´e´’.”

Then I added, “That’s a Navajo greeting and means, ‘It is good. Please come in.’”

We walked into the house, and Bridget said, “Thes hoose is also adobe.”

“Yes.”, Amy said. “They use it a lot for building out here.”

“An' th' rains doesn’t wash it away?”

“No, as we said, there is very little rain out here. Even the roof is adobe.”

“An' it’s so much cooler 'en here.”

“It’s the twenty-inch thick adobe walls. They act as a thermal mass.”, I said. “And help cool or warm the house. There are also five fireplaces in the house because it does get cold out here in the winter.”

Then we gave them a tour of the house starting with the office, and the two smaller bedrooms with the attached bathroom. We told them that they had a choice of either of the bedrooms. Both Bill and Bridget loved the Kiva fireplaces. Then we showed them the big room, the kitchen, and the dining room.

We then took them to the master suite, and they were amazed. And they were taken by the Kiva fireplace in the bedroom. And Bill said, “Hey, sis. We’ll trade you bedrooms.”

“In your dreams, little brother.”, Amy said.

We took them out through the sliding doors from the master suite to the back courtyard. They loved the courtyard. We told them that we liked to spend most of our free time out here. Then we went out into the backyard, and I pointed out the Sandia Crest, the national forest, and the desert.

Then Bridget pointed at the hogan and asked, “Whit is that?”

“That’s a typical Navajo home. It’s called a hogan, and it’s a sacred home for the Diné or Navajo people. This one is fancier than what you’d find out in the Nation.”, Ajie said.

“Can we see inside?”

“Of course. Kai, why don’t you open the hogan and light some of the lanterns.”

“Lanterns?”

“There’s no electric in the hogan. You’ll see in a minute.”

It didn’t take me long to light a few of the lanterns. Then we took Bill and Bridget into the hogan and explained that usually there was only a dirt floor and no bed. And that the only light was from lanterns, a fire in the fire pit, and the smoke hole. And that the people only slept on straw covered with a blanket.

Bill then said, “Mom and dad said it was interesting sleeping in here.”

“And, you two are welcome to spend a night or two here.”, I said.

“Maybe.”, Bridget said. “An’ these wall hangings that ye have here and in the hoose are so bonnie.”

“Thank you.”, Amy said. “They’re all hand made by local people of local hand-spun wool.”

Amy, Bridget, and Bill walked out of the hogan as I started to extinguish the lanterns. But I heard Bridget ask, “What’s that big bird?”

Then I heard Amy say, “Kai, come out here quick.”

I hurried out of the hogan and asked, “What’s up?”

Amy pointed and said, “Look.”

I looked to where Amy was pointing, and I saw a reasonably large bird circling over the forest and the back of our property. I quickly ran into the house and grabbed a pair of binoculars. When I came back outside, Amy pointed to a tall tree that was on the edge of the Cibola National Forest. I looked through the binoculars and said, “That’s an immature Bald Eagle.”

“Let me see.”, Amy said.

I handed Amy the binoculars, and she looked, and asked, “It is. Is it one of ours?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think that there are any other Bald Eagles or Golden Eagles around.”

Then Bill and Bridget got a look through the binoculars, and Bill asked, “So that’s an Eagle?”

“If you look at the head, it’s an Eagle. But the question is it an immature Bald Eagle or a Golden Eagle?”

“Whit did ye mean when ye said, is it one of ours?”

We gave Bill and Bridget the short story of the Eagles at home and out here. And they couldn’t believe what we said. So, I told them that before they left, we’d take them to see the Bald Eagles.

Then the Eagle took off, circled a couple of times and flew off towards the river.

I looked at Amy and said, “That was interesting.”

“Very interesting.”, Amy said. “Why would he come here?

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s just exploring.”

Then Amy said, “We’d better get dinner started. These two are probably hungry.”

“More like starved, sis.”, Bill said.

The three of them went into the house, and I finished closing up the hogan. Then as I walked towards the gate in the courtyard wall, I turned looked at where the Eagle had perched and thought out loud, “Why were you here?”

For dinner, we put together what we’ve been told are Navajo Frybread Tacos. These are crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. The frybread is topped with a mixture of taco seasoning, ground beef, and beans, and then covered with sour cream, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, and tomatoes. We also put together southwest rice for a side dish.

Bridget watched with interest as we made the supper.

As we ate, Bill asked, “Mom and dad said that you two are changing your names. What’s with that?”

We explained about wanting to adopt and that we felt that the child should have a Navajo name. And we told them that most of the people out here already know us as Kai Nez and Ajie Nez.

Bill said, “I think that makes sense.”

“Aye, it does. Maybe we’ll change our last names to my maiden name, MacDonald.”

“What!?”

“Aye, Ah think we’ll do that.”

“Bridget!”

“I’m kiddin’ ye.”

“I hope so.”

Then Bridget asked, “Kai and Amy, why aren’t ye havin' yer own bairn?”

“Bairn?”, I asked.

“Aam, sorry. Ah meant, baby.”

I looked at Bridget and just said, “We can’t.”

“Och, I’m sorry. Ah shooldn’t have pried.”

“That’s alright, sister-in-law. You’re family and should know.”

“Och, that’s th' first time that I’ve bin called that.”

“Amy and Kai.”, Bill said. “Please keep our marriage to yourselves.”

“Little brother.”, Amy said. “It’s up to you to tell who you want to tell when you want to tell them.”

“Thanks, sis.”

“And, Bridget.”, Amy said. “Tom was badly beaten … ” And Amy went on to tell Bridget about when I’d been attacked on campus and the aftermath.

When Amy finished, Bridget looked at me with tears in her eyes, and she said, “I’m so sorry that someone could be that mean tae ye.”

“Bridget, don’t cry.”, I said. “It’s water over the dam. And Amy and I are taking it in stride.”

“Aye. But it’s so sad.”

“It is. But life goes on.”

“Aye, it diz.”

After the dishes were in the dishwasher, we went out into the courtyard. I lit a fire, and we sat, talked about Bill and Bridget’s trip to Scotland, them getting married over there, and watched the stars.

After a little bit, I said, “We have something fun that we think that you might like to do.”

“What’s that?”, Bill asked.

“We know that Bridget wants to find out about our southwestern barbecue.”

“Aye, I do.”, Bridget said.

“Well, tomorrow night is the barbecue at the resort, and we’re going. Then on Saturday, there is an Indian dance competition, a big one, in Santa Fe, and we thought that you might like to see that.”

“Aye, that soonds like fun too.”

“And we’ll be spending Friday and Saturday night at the resort.”

“How can we do that?”, Bill asked.

“You’ll be guests at my aunt and uncle’s house.”, I replied.

“We can’t do that. We’re already imposing on you.”

“Bill, first you are not imposing on us. We invited you. Second, my aunt and uncle love company, especially young people, and they want to meet you. And they really want to meet Bridget.”

“If you’re sure.”

“One-hundred and fifty percent sure.”

“Okay. All right with you, Bridget?”

“Aye. Let’s dae it.”, Bridget replied.

Bill and Bridget turned in before Amy and I did. And we told them that if they get up before we do, that they should consider the house theirs.

After Bill and Bridget went to bed, Amy and I continued to sit out in the back courtyard. The stars were brilliant tonight, and we saw a shooting star, and that made Amy’s day. Then I said, “I’ve been wondering about that Eagle and why he showed up.”

“Maybe he was just exploring.”, Amy said.

“Could be.”

“But there’s no lakes or rivers close to here. So, no good food source.”

“I know.”

Then Amy said, “You sure threw Bridget for a loop when you called them Mr. and Mrs. Grant.”

“I figured that I would.”, I said with a smile. “But Bill kind of knew that we’d figured it out.”

“He knows you better than she does. She’ll learn.”

Amy and I were in bed about an hour after Bill and Bridget went to bed.

Friday morning, when Amy and I were up, I looked out at the courtyard and smiled. I quietly said, “Honey, come here.”

As she walked up to me, Amy asked, “What?”

“Look out in the courtyard.”

“Amy peeked through the curtains, and whispered, “That’s cute.”

“Yeah, young love.”

We were looking at Bill and Bridget cuddled together on the couch in the courtyard under a blanket.

Amy and I got dressed and went out into the house. We started making noise preparing breakfast. And it wasn’t long until Bill and Bridget joined us.

As they walked into the kitchen, I asked, “Did you two sleep well?”

“It’s so peaceful here hoo can you not sleep weel.”, Bridget said.

“And it’s so cool in the morning. I can’t believe that it’ll be ninety later today.”, Bill added.

“It’s one of the perks of living out here in the high deserts.”, I said. “Cool mornings. And the heat isn’t bad because of the low humidity. And with the house being made of adobe, it stays cool and being this far out of the city, it’s quiet.”

“Would you like a southwest scramble and toast for breakfast?”, Amy asked.

“What’s in it?”, Bridget asked.

“The scramble is made of eggs, butter, tortilla pieces, black beans, salsa, and shredded cheese. And the bread is made at the local grocery store. It’s made with whole wheat flour, cornmeal, and honey. And it’s delicious.”

“It diz sound guid.”

“Eat a good breakfast and a light lunch, because you’ll have all the food that you want tonight at the barbecue.”, I said.

As we were eating breakfast, Amy asked, “Do you have bathing suits with you?

“No.”, Bill replied. “Why?”

“For the resort.”

“The resort?”

“Remember, they have mineral pools that you can soak in?”

“Steep in.”, Bridget asked. “Loch in a tub.”

“In a way, yes.”, Amy said. “But they’re bigger. And each pool has a different kind of mixture of minerals in it, and there’s even a mud pool.”

“Mud!?”

“You just cover yourself with the mud, bake in the sun, then wash it off. We’ve done it, and it’s fun covering each other. And you feel good when you’re done.

“And I do have a suit that a can loan Bridget. But what do we do with Bill?”

“I still have one of Tom’s suits.”, I said. “But it may be too small for him.”

“How about a pair of shorts?”, Bill asked.

“Maybe. We’ll have to ask my aunt.”

“How should we dress for the barbecue?”

“The guests dress like you’re dressed now.”, I replied. “Amy and I dress up. You’ve seen the long skirts, blouses, and wrap moccasins that we wear. Plus, we wear a lot of jewelry.”

“Amy, could Ah borraw a lang skirt an' bloose?”, Bridget asked.

“Of course.”, Amy replied. “You and I are about the same size. And I have a pair of moccasins that you could borrow.

“We could even dress Bill up.”

“Sis, I’m not wearing a skirt.”, Bill said.

“Don’t worry, little brother. At the worst, it would be a red shirt, white linen pants, a red headscarf, and moccasins.”

“Yeah.”, I said. “And I think that Uncle Paul’s things might fit him.”

“I don’t know. He’s taller than Uncle Paul.”

“Oh, he is. Isn’t he.”

“We’ll see when we get there.”, Amy said. “Bridget, did you happen to bring the clothes that you wore to that Christmas Eve church service that we went to?”

“Do ye mean th' long plaid skirt, sash, an' th' white bloose wi' lace?”, Bridget asked.

“Exactly. It would be fun to wear to the dance competition on Saturday.”

“Aye, Ah, have it. Ah din’t know how dressed up Ah might need tae get.”

“Kai and I like to dress up even more for special occasions. And if you don’t mind drawing a little attention to yourself, it might be fun to dress up as a Scottish lassie.”

“Nae, Ah don’t mind drawin' attention.”, Bridget said with a smile.

After we’d cleaned up the kitchen, Amy found a skirt, blouse, and moccasins for Bridget. And the four of us packed for two nights at the resort, plus going to the dance competition.

We dressed comfortably for the drive to the resort, Amy and I in our hiking clothes, and Bill and Bridget in shorts, shirts, and sneakers. We took the suitcases out to the car and put them in the trunk.

Then I went to the safe and opened it. Bill saw the two long guns in the safe and asked, “You don’t hunt, do you?”

“No.”, I said. “But we hike in the woods, and there are bears. So along with those, we also carry sidearms.”

“Ever need to use them?”

“Thank the Great Spirit, no.”

“So, what else do you keep in here?”, Bill asked.

“Most of the silver jewelry.”

“Why?”, Bridget asked.

“Because of its value.”, I replied.

“But then ye wear it.”

“We wear it, because, like with the Eagle feathers that you see around the house, it needs to be seen.”

“Oh.”

“But for different reasons.”, I said. “We display the Bald Eagle feathers to honor the strength and wisdom of the Bald Eagle and their special connection to the Great Spirit. The silver jewelry is worn to display the artistry. And most of the silver jewelry we have was made by my grandfathers.”

Bridget just nodded yes.

I took a lot of the jewelry out of the safe and put it in the camera case. Two items that I didn’t put in the case, the two rings of Mr. Yazzies that we’d received after his funeral. I handed one to Amy and I slipped the other onto my right ring finger. Amy did the same.

Then put the camera case in the trunk. Bill followed me around as I locked up the house. Then the four of us headed north towards the resort.

As we got close to Los Alamos, I pointed to my left and just said, “The Los Alamos National Laboratory is just over that way a few miles.”

Bill asked, “Could we see it?”

“Sure.”

We drove over to the laboratory and drove where we could. Which around the Laboratory isn’t much. A lot of it is off-limits. So we drove around the perimeter.

Bill said, “Other than the city, there sure isn’t anything around it.”

“For good reason.”, I said. “And it’s surrounded by Federal land. And there are some parts of the lab further out in the desert.”

When we left Los Alamos, we were driving on New Mexico 502. And just as we came off of 502 onto New Mexico 30 and headed towards the resort, we came across a traffic accident. And it looked like a car had crashed into the bridge abutment, and it looked bad. There were already two or three other cars there that had stopped. Of course, we stopped, and before the car came to a complete stop, Amy was out of the car and heading for the crashed car.

I got out of the car, as did Bill and Bridget. Then I noticed that one of the cars that had stopped had a U.S. Government license plate on it and as I walked up to the guy standing by it, and I asked, “What happened?”

“I’m not sure.”, the guy said. “It was here when I drove up. So I called my dispatch and had them call the sheriff, the State Police, and the fire department.”

“How long ago?”

“About five or ten minutes ago.”

Then I heard Amy yell, “Kai, come here. I need help. And bring Billy and Bridget with you.”

“Who’s she.”, the guy asked.

As I walked away, I said, “She’s my cousin, and she’s an emergency room nurse in Albuquerque, and she knows what she’s doing.”

I ran over to the car, and Amy put me to work, supporting the guy on the passenger side’s neck. And I had to do that through the passenger's side window, as the door was severely crumpled and wouldn’t open. 

I looked at the guy in the driver’s seat, and he didn’t look good at all, and neither did the steering wheel. The steering wheel was badly bent. Amy saw me looking at the driver and said, “He’s gone. They smacked that bridge abutment hard, and his chest hit the steering wheel. The guy your supporting hit the windshield. He’s lucky he didn’t go through it.”

I looked at the windshield, and you could see where his head had hit the windshield.

Amy then went and checked on the two people who were in the back seat. And we started hearing sirens. I heard her say something to Bill about his t-shirt. Then I heard her put Bill and Bridget to work, and it sounded like it was stopping some bleeding.

It wasn’t much longer until the fire department from both Los Alamos County, and the Laboratory showed up. I heard Amy in her take-charge voice, talking to someone. I then listened to the guy that she was talking to, call on his radio and request two more ambulances and the coroner. Then we heard more sirens as the police showed up.

A short time later, one of the guys from the fire department took over for me, and others took over for Bill and Bridget. Bill, Bridget, and I walked away from the car. Then we stood there and watched as they worked to remove the four people from the car. And Amy coordinated the care of the two in the back seat. Bill finally said, “I don’t believe Amy. She really takes charge.”

“Yeah.”, I said. “I’ve seen it before, and I’ve heard that she’s that way in the ER too.”

“Aye, she is somethin’ else.", Bridget said. “Ah could never do somethin' loch that.”

“You might be surprised if you had to.”

Finally, Amy walked over and said, “The two guys in the front seat didn’t make it. The two guys in the back seat have a chance.”

“And you’re a mess.”, I said.

“I figured as much.”

“Let’s go to the resort. I need to clean up.”

Half an hour later, we were pulling into the resort. And, Bridget said, “These is th' resort!?”

“Yes.”, I said.

“These is amazin'!”

“We love it.”

We pulled up to my aunt and uncle's house, and as we went to walk into the house, Amy said, “Honey, will you get our suitcase. I need a shower.”

Bill and Bridget followed Amy into the house. I went back to the car and grabbed our suitcase and the camera case. Then as I walked into the house, I caught the end of the introductions that Amy made between my aunt, uncle, Bill, and Bridget.

And I heard my aunt say to Bill and Bridget, "While you're here, I want you to consider this house yours."

Amy grabbed the suitcase and headed to the bedrooms. “Kai.”, my aunt said. “Ajie told us that you’d tell us what happened.”

“Let me wash up first.”, I said. “Then, I will.”

Then looking at Bill and Bridget, I said, “Do you two need to wash up?”

“Aye.”, Bridget said.

“Me too.”, Bill added.

“Aunt Ruth.”, I said. “They’re in the other bedroom. Right?”

“Yes, Kai.”, my aunt said.

As I tossed Bill the car keys, I said, “Bill, get your suitcase, and I’ll show you your room.”

Bill ran out to the car, and when he came back, he was carrying their suitcase, and he handed me the car keys. Then I grabbed the camera case and took Bill and Bridget to their room, and pointed out the en-suite to them, which Bridget couldn’t believe.

Then I went to our room, and Amy was in the shower, so I put the camera case in the floor safe, and washed myself up in the bathroom sink. Then I asked Amy, “Honey. Are you okay.”

“Yeah. I’m fine. I just hate losing a patient on my watch.”

“You did all you could. They weren’t wearing seat belts, were they?”

“No. That was an old car, and it didn’t have any.”

I finished cleaning up and went back to the kitchen. Bill and Bridget were already there. My aunt looked at me and asked, “Is Ajie okay?”

“Yes, she’s just unhappy that two of the guys in the car died. She doesn’t like it when a patient dies on her.”

“Bill and Bridget were telling us about it.”, my uncle said. “And it sounded bad.”

“It was. It appeared that they hit the bridge abutment at a high rate of speed. And no seat belts.”
 
 My uncle shook his head and said, “Not good.”
 
 Then I asked, “Aunt Ruth, do you have Wednesday’s Navajo Times.”
 
 “Sure, honey.”, Aunt Ruth said. “It should be in the paper pile by the fireplace.”
 
 I walked over, looked through the stack of papers, and found the newspaper I wanted close to the top. I took the paper over to the kitchen table and started looking through it. I found the legal notice buried in with the want ads. And, I said, “Good.”
 
 “What’s guid?”, Bridget asked.
 
 “They published our last legal notice for the name change.”
 
 “So, it’s dain?”
 
 “Oh, no. We have to file a petition with the court. Then appear before a judge.”
 
 “So, it’ll be a while?”
 
 “A couple of weeks.”
 
 “Guid. Nae lang now.”
 
 “Nope.”
 
 “What won’t be long?”, Amy asked as she walked into the kitchen.
 
 “Our name changes.”, I replied.
 
 “No, it won’t be long.”
 
 Amy was dressed for the barbecue, minus the jewelry. She looked at my aunt, and asked, “Aunt Ruth, do you have anything that’ll get blood out of clothes.”
 
 “I’ll try.”, Aunt Ruth said. “But let’s do it before it sets up.”
 
 “It may be too late. Anyone else have blood on their clothes?”

Somehow no one else did. Amy went back to our room and came back with her blood-spattered clothes. Then she and Aunt Ruth went to the laundry room. They were back quickly, and Ajie said, “We’re going to soak them for a while.”

Then I asked, “Aunt Ruth, Ajie is loaning Bridget a long skirt, blouse, and moccasins. You wouldn’t happen to have anything in the way of linen pants and a red shirt that would fit Bill?”

Aunt Ruth shook her head no, and said, “He’s too tall. Even what we’ve gotten for Charlie wouldn’t fit him.”

“Oh, well. It was just a thought.”

“That’s okay.”, Bill said.

We had time to take Bill and Bridget for a tour of the resort before I needed to change for the barbecue. Bridget didn’t say much until just before we were back at the house, then she said, “Now Ah can see wa ye loove thes place. It’s amazing.”

“Yes, we love it here.”, Ajie said. “And we also feel the spirits that are here.”

“Spirits?”

“The area around the fire pit and the hot springs are sacred to the native people.”

“Sacred to th' natife people?”

“Yes, we believe that everything has a spirit. And in this place they are strong. I think you’ll see it tonight at the bonfire.”

When we were back at the house, Amy took Bridget back to Bridget’s bedroom to help her change and get her some jewelry. Bill and I stopped to talk with my aunt for a minute.

My aunt watched Amy and Bridget walk down the hallway to the bedroom, then she said, “Bridget is cute and so full of energy, but how do you understand her?”

I smiled and said, “It’s her Scottish brogue. You just have to listen closely, and you’ll pick it up. Ajie and I have.”

Bill then said, “You should have been in Scotland with us, at first when she was talking with her friends I couldn’t understand a word. They talked fast, and that made it worse. But after a while, it was easy.”

“We’ll throw some Navajo at her.”

“That’s not fair, Kai. She’s speaking English.”, my aunt said.

“I know, Aunt Ruth. I was just kidding.”, I said. “I’d better get changed.”

“Oh, I did find a shirt for Bill and a headband. If he wants to wear them.”

I looked at Bill and said, “It’s up to you, Bill.”

“I think I’m fine.”, Bill replied.

“Okay, I’m going to go and get changed.”