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Touched deeply by her feelings for his son, almost speechless because of it, White Fire watched Flame ride away at a brisk clip.
“Father, are you going to marry her?”
The question, the seriousness of Michael’s voice while asking it, drew White Fire’s eyes back around. He smiled at Michael. “Yes, I do believe I am,” he said. “How do you feel about that?”
“Am I going to live with you again, Father?” Michael asked.
“As soon as I feel it is in your best interest, yes, you will be living with me again,” White Fire said thickly.
“Then I am very happy over your plans to marry Flame,” Michael said, his eyes dancing. “That means that I will also be living with her.”
“Yes, I do believe that we will all be living together as a family,” White Fire said, laughing. “Son, it pleases me clean to my bones that you like Flame so much.”
“I do,” Michael said. “Very, very much.
“Can I go home now and pack my bags?” Michael then asked, his voice eager.
White Fire was drawn aback by the suddenness of the question. He was at a loss for words.
Then he reached over and grabbed Michael from his horse and placed him on his lap facing him. He placed a hand beneath Michael’s chin and lifted it so that their eyes met and held.
“Michael, I so badly wish to have you with me again,” he said. “And you will be. Soon. But things must be right, first, before I can take you from one household to another. My life must be set in order so that yours will be in order when you come to live with me again.”
“Like what, Father?” Michael asked, lifting an eyebrow.
“It would not be fair to you to bring you to my house just yet,” White Fire said. “After I marry Flame, I will then come for you.”
“But why must I wait?”
“Because you need a woman to be a mother, to do mother things that a father does not know how to do,” White Fire said in a rush of words. “I plan to marry Flame, but it just can’t happen overnight. There are obstacles in the way. Hopefully, we can rid ourselves of such obstacles real soon so that Flame and I can get married.”
“I will be patient,” Michael said, flinging his arms around his father’s neck, hugging him. “Father, I am so glad that you aren’t dead.... That you came back to me.”
“If only I could have returned sooner,” White Fire said, returning Michael’s hug.
Then he picked Michael up by the waist and put him back on his pony. “We’d better get you back home or I do believe Maureen and George might send out a search party for us,” he said, laughing softly.
They rode beneath the sunshine and through the warm autumn air, the air perfumed with the fragrances of the wild flowers that dotted the ground like a colorful patchwork quilt.
When they reached the Greer mansion, White Fire regretted with all of his heart having to give his son back to the care of the Greers. But one thing for sure, Maureen Greer truly loved Michael. It was in the way she grabbed him and hugged him when he dismounted his pony. Her look of desperation showed her intense caring for him.
White Fire could not help but feel something for the woman, especially a gratefulness for her having taken such good care of Michael in his absence, and for her loving him so much.
He knew now that when he did take Michael away from the Greers, he would still share Michael with them. He would permit them to come for him and have outings with Michael. It would otherwise be heartless of him if he forced them to altogether forget this child they had grown to love these past three years.
Maureen picked Michael up in her arms. As she held him, she turned to White Fire. “Thank you for bringing him home to me,” she murmured.
“I shall return soon to be with him again,” White Fire said, reaching a hand out to touch Michael on the cheek. “Michael, I will see you again real soon.”
“Can I keep the pony with me here?” Michael said, his eyes pleading.
White Fire gazed into Maureen’s eyes. Seeing her set, stubborn jaw, he sighed with disappointment. She was still against Michael having the pony.
“Yes, the pony stays here, Michael,” White Fire said, feeling just as stubborn as Maureen. He ignored her quick gasp. He leaned over and gave Michael a soft kiss on the cheek, stared at Maureen again, then swung himself into his saddle and rode away.
“Good-bye, Father!” Michael cried. “See you again soon, Father!”
White Fire gave his son a wide smile over his shoulder. “Soon, son!” he shouted back. “Soon!”
