There was an awkward silence as they strolled side by side, down the pavement. Jared didn’t know what to say and Sara was too embarrassed to say anything. Finally, he broke the ice. “So,” he drew out, “are you going to college, in Shreveport?”
“To be honest, I hadn’t given it a lotta thought. If I could get past my stage fright, I’d like to pursue my music.”
He grinned. “I think I could get you past that.”
She took a slow breath to control her breathing. I’ll bet you could too. He’s flirting with you stupid! Do something! Say something. I can’t! I just can’t! Sara, you’re a chicken!
Jared softly chuckled. She certainly seems like the right girl. “Luce is right. Raging Storm could use another female vocalist. Maybe you and I could do some duets?”
His voice is so sexy, I can only imagine what he sounds like when he sings. She snorted. “You might not say that after you’ve heard me sing.”
“Not hardly,” he grinned.
Sara tittered and blushed. “Um, do you sing or just play?” You idiot! Lucy already told you he does both. What’s wrong with me? I’ve been around guys before. But he doesn’t even compare to Jeff – the cheat! Try asking him something he hasn’t answered - dunce!
“I do both,” Jared smiled, sensing her embarrassment.
“Can I ask a question?”
He chuckled and answered the questions she was too shy to ask. “No, I’m not married. And no, I don’t have a steady girlfriend – yet,” he said giving her a sideways glance.
“Very informative,” Sara sighed and lied, “but it wasn’t what I wanted to know.”
He frowned. “Oh,” his voice trailed off.
Sara’s cheeks showed some color. She took a deep breath. “I don’t want you to think I’m prejudiced, but which tribe are you from? I mean, obviously you’re Native American, right?”
“Aren’t we observant?” Jared smiled. “Was it my dark skin, high cheekbones or long hair? Please tell me it wasn’t the accent. I’ve been working hard, not to say ‘how’, when I greet people. You tell me. Guess Sara.”
Great, you’ve offended him. He’s too polite to say anything. Offending him was the last thing I wanted to do. “I’m not good at guessing games!”
He stood in front of her, forcing her to either look up at him or at her feet. “Oh, come on, try, please.”
Oh, God, don’t beg, Jared. She taxed her memory but came up blank. Since a child, she’d been intrigued with Native Americans. It was one of the things which had attracted her to him. She glanced at his leather wristband but didn’t recognize the baying wolf. “Navajo?”
His expression was serious, his eyes were unreadable.
Oh, no! I got it wrong!
Close enough. “Yep,” Jared finally grinned and stepped to her side again.
Sara sighed noticeably, still not thinking too clearly. “Do you live on a reservation?” Idiot! Her face turned a deeper shade of red. You’re so stupid! Of course, he doesn’t. There are no Navajo reservations anywhere near Shreveport. You moron!
Jared softly laughed. “I live at Wisteria Hall, to the north of Cross Lake. But, my grandfather lives on one in Arizona. Maybe I could take you there sometime. Raging Storm plays at the annual country music convention every year. If I can clear my schedule.”
“I’ve always wanted to see Arizona,” she smiled. “I loved ‘Geronimo’ and ‘Last of the Mohicans’.”
He laughed again. “Well, at least you got one of them right.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “What?”
They started walking again. “Um, Sara, ‘Last of the Mohicans’ was filmed in North Carolina.”
“Oops, sorry,” she blushed and tittered again. “Guess I took the movies too seriously.”
“It’s alright,” he smiled. “I’ll enjoy serving as your guide.”
She frowned. “For where? North Carolina?”
“No, silly! Arizona. I’ll look forward to showing it to you, all of it.”
~ ~ ~
They had walked a while longer before Sara mustered enough courage to say anything else. “Is Wisteria Hall some kinda plantation?” Maybe the house is a safer subject. If you embarrass yourself much more, your face is gonna burst into flames. You already look like you’ve been sunburned!
Jared slightly smiled. “Yes. During the slave days, it was a cotton plantation. It’s about eight or nine miles outside the city limits.”
They neared the curb.
“Then why is it called Wisteria Hall?” she asked, feeling braver.
He pursed his lips and glanced at her sidelong. He smiled again and took her hand. “You’ll understand when you see it,” he said and led her across the street. They crawled over a low, white picket fence. Instead of letting go of her hand, he laced his fingers with hers.
Sara drew in a quick breath; her eyes widened. She shivered. If I’d known you were here, I would’ve moved long ago. Even if it meant running away from home and finishing school in Shreveport!
He grinned knowingly and led her to the edge of the river. Every so often, he looked at her and smiled. After a while, it made her feel self-conscious. Each time their eyes met, she blushed and glanced away. She stared across the water. “Why do you keep doing that?”
Jared frowned. “Doing what?”
“Staring at me and smiling.”
“Oh, I’m sorry!” He cleared his throat. “I didn’t realize I,” he broke off. “I’m just making sure. I’m afraid you’re gonna vanish like you do in my dreams.”
Sara cocked her head. We’re strangers! Maybe it’s a pickup line. “You’ve seen me in your dreams?”
“That’s why I crossed the street when I saw you with Lucy.” He tucked his chin. “It’s stupid, but I had to find out if you were real.”
“Um, to say the least, I’m flattered, but why would you dream about a total stranger?”
Jared skipped a stone across the water and snorted. “Depends on who you’re talking to.”
Without thinking, she picked up a stone and skipped it all the way to the opposite bank. “I don’t understand.”
His lips parted. “You’re good at that!” he said, attempting to change the subject.
Sara smirked and arched an eyebrow. “And you’re good at avoiding questions.”
He reflected her grin. “I wasn’t avoiding your questions,” he sighed. “I didn’t wanna scare you.”
“How could you scare me?”
He took a slow breath. “If you asked my grandfather, he would say, you were my destiny.”
Her eyes widened; her heart began to pound. Me? His destiny? She laughed to diffuse the situation. She didn’t want him to see how much he’d peaked her attention. “Destiny?”
Jared shook his head. OK, here goes. “A Tribal leader, something similar to royalty for us, has a heavy responsibility to look out for the welfare of our people. As Navajo, we have a responsibility to look out for all people. We don’t view relationships in the same way as others do. We don’t divorce. We don’t need to. Our perfect match, if you believe the legend, finds us. We’re drawn to each other by an invisible force.”
He studied her eyes. She doesn’t look freaked out, yet. “It starts in our dreams,” he smiled. “When we find this other person, this perfect match, in the waking world, well, nothing else matters to us but them. Our goal in life, our duty, is to secure the relationship and pass it on to our children. According to my grandfather, neither, of the pair ever wants or needs anyone else. Oh, God Jared, you’re pushing this. They um, they never wanna be apart. We’re like wolves. We mate for life, or until our mate dies. Sometimes, we might find someone, but it seldom comes close to our perfect match.”
Sara glanced away and blinked to clear her vision. She swallowed hard and fought to keep her voice steady. “You think I’m your perfect match because you saw me in your dreams?”
Easy, Jared. He chuckled, afraid if she thought he believed what he was saying it would scare her off. Sara’s eyes weren’t wide with fear. They were wide with wonderment and awe.
“If you believe my granddad’s stories,” he snorted. “You see, in the spirit world, we’re all the same, made up of two parts, one male, and one female. When we enter the world of the waking, which is what we call this world, those parts split and go their separate ways. But,” he said slowly, “neither person ever feels quite the same until they find each other again. Only then, do we feel whole. We might have short-term relationships with different people before our perfect match, but it never lasts.”
Sara wouldn’t make eye contact with him. She couldn’t. She didn’t dare. Jared felt her hand, moist and slightly shaking in his.
Either ask him or drop the subject. “Do you believe the stories?” she asked quickly.
He gazed at her for a long while and smiled. “I didn’t,” his voice trailed off.
She blinked to break away from his penetrating eyes.
Jared squeezed her hand. “Come on. We better go back. Lucy’s gonna think I’ve run off with you.”
~ ~ ~
On the way back, they talked continuously. He told her stories about his people and some more about Raging Storm. He shared his dreams of eventually going on the road, professionally, but said he was torn between the band and his medical practice.
Lucy smiled as they entered the kitchen. “It’s about time. I was getting ready to send out a search party.”
Sara frowned. Oh God, she’s turning into my mother. That’s all I need now.
“Just kidding,” she smiled. “Your mother wanted to talk to you, but I told her you were out walking with a friend of mine.”
“What did she say?”
“Oh, you know your mother. It’s gonna take her a while to get used to the idea of you being an adult. She still thinks of you as a little girl.” She glanced at their hands. “I’m finding it a little hard myself, but you are most definitely growing up.”
Jared stood. “Well, I need to run and get the studio set up. I’ve got people to do it for me, but I like to do some things by myself. Besides, I don’t trust anyone with my equipment.”
He glanced at Sara. She looked as if she might burst into tears any second. She wasn’t willing to let him go, and he wasn’t ready to let her go either. He smiled. “Why don’t you and Sara ride with me, instead of coming with Laurel and Hardy across the street?”
Lucy’s eyes widened. “Now? Jared, I can’t. I’m waiting for a phone call.” Sara gave her a pleading look. Oh, no – her puppy dog eyes. Kaye’s gonna kill me for this! “Sara you can go if you want to.”
She cocked her head. “Are you sure?” she prompted, trying to sound indifferent.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Lucy sighed and smiled. “I’ll ride with Curly and Moe.”
Sara frowned. “Don’t you drive your car?”
“Not to band practice. Why should I, when two of the members live right across the street from me? Seems a little silly to waste gas when I don’t have to.”
“We could always take my….”
“Sara – go!” she broke in. I know you’re being polite. If I were in your place, I would already be in his car.
She hugged her. “You’re the best, Luce,” she whispered.
Lucy smiled as they walked out the door. Yeah, the best who always settles for second best for you, kid.
------------
Jared led Sara across the street to where his car was parked. “Come inside for a minute. I’ll introduce you to two of the Three Stooges, my buddies in crime.” He led her to the kitchen. Both men were facing the opposite direction. Jared whistled. “I’m gonna cut out now, and get things set up for practice. Sara, this is Steve Goodard, and the ugly guy by the sink with the goatee is Carl. This is Sara Foster, Lucy’s niece, and my newest female vocalist.”
Steve and Carl stumbled into each other, to be the first to shake her hand. With an elbow to Carl’s side, Steve succeeded, holding her hand a little longer than necessary. “Very pleased to meet you, Sara. Will you be spending the whole summer in Shreveport?”
She smiled. “I moved in with Lucy, today, so I guess I’ll be hanging around for a while.”
He smiled and arched an eyebrow. “Really?”
Jared glanced at Sara’s hand and gave Steve a look of warning.
He abruptly let go of her hand and swallowed hard. “Welcome to Shreveport, Sara,” he said platonically.
She smiled shyly. “Thank you,” she smiled and dipped her chin.
“Nice to meet you, Sara.” Carl briefly shook her hand. “Welcome to the neighborhood and the band. Now, I’ll see if I can find a mop to clean up Steve’s drool.”
Sara laughed.
He punched Carl in the arm, hard. “You moron!”
Jared rolled his eyes and sighed. Morons! “As you might’ve guessed, they’re brothers. They could easily pass for two of The Three Stooges, the way they trip on their feet. Carl, here, can make a lead guitar talk, and Steve’s one hell of a drummer,” he said and put an arm around her shoulders, reaffirming his claim on her. “How long will it be before you three come over? Lucy said she was waiting for a phone call.”
Steve sighed. “Bonehead here needs to stop by the music store, and get some new strings. Maybe an hour or an hour and a half at the most. Depends on when Luce gets here.”
Damn! So soon! “I guess we’ll see you then,” Jared sighed and tried to sound enthusiastic. He certainly didn’t look the part. “There’s um, there’s no rush. We’re having dinner first. I’ve got the cooks grilling steaks and the works.”
Steve followed them to the door. “OK, cool, sweet!”
Jared led Sara to his convertible. He held the door for her and hopped behind the wheel. “Don’t forget to put your seatbelt on.” He revved the engine and backed out onto the street.