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“I like that one also,” he said. “My mother was traditional. She didn’t celebrate regular holidays, but my cousin’s parents were Catholic, so they always had a Christmas tree and presents. It was great fun.”
She cocked her head. “Crow people have a proud tradition,” she said softly. “I grew up reading about them in Montana.”
“I forgot that you were raised there as well. Where?”
“Near Hardin, where the battleground is.”
He whistled. “The rez is close to there,” he reminded her. “That’s where I was raised.”
She laughed. “I’m surprised that we didn’t know each other then.”
“I’m not. I didn’t venture off the rez until I was in my late teens. When I did, I got into all sorts of trouble. I’ll bet you never put a foot wrong.”
She shrugged. “My parents were strict.”
“My mother died in my formative years. My cousin’s parents were lenient; they pretty much let us do what we pleased,” he confessed. “Probably not the best way to raise a child. But we’re not big on heavy-handed discipline.”
“I had a friend whose grandfather was Crow,” she recalled. “I learned a lot from her.”
His dark eyes searched hers. “Teddie wants to learn to speak it.” He laughed. “I told her it was a lot harder than it looked.”
She nodded. “I know it is. Most native languages have glottal stops and high and low tones and nasalization.”
“Do you speak any of them?”
She shook her head. “I just have Spanish,” she said. “I loved it from the time I was a child. I read a book that had Spanish words in it when I was in fifth grade. I took it all through high school and college.”
“Are you literate in it?”
“Yes.” She smiled. “I love to read books in the original language, books likeDon Quixote.”
“I envy you that. I can only read books in English. Well, and in Crow,” he added, “and there are a few, mostly about legends.”
“How about sign language?”
He chuckled. “I cut my teeth on that. My grandfather taught it to me.”
“I learned just a few signs. I can’t even remember them now.”
“You need to brush up,” he teased. “We can talk over Teddie’s head without her knowing what we say.”
“I’ll get out my books,” she returned, eyes sparkling.
He hesitated. “Well, I’d better go. I brushed Bartholomew down, by the way, and put him in his stall. He’s doing fine. Tell Teddie.”
“I will.”
“Have a good night,” he said.
Her eyes searched over his handsome face. “You, too.”
He smiled and turned away with visible reluctance. She watched him all the way to his truck. When he drove off, with a wave of his hand, she was still watching.
* * *
Parker came to get them on Halloween night. Teddie went as Rey from the newStar Warsmovies, complete with light saber. Katy was too self-conscious to wear a costume, although she did wear a pretty black silky blouse with pumpkins and lace, and nice-fitting jeans. She left her hair down, because she knew that their new friend liked it that way.
“The fire department is also handing out candy,” he said when they were on the way into Benton. “So we can make a lot of stops.”
