The Seer And The Stetson

Always

"Pîsim (Sun)! You must hold on to the horse with your legs and let him guide you!" Maskwa bellowed watching Annie struggling to stay mounted on the pony in the small corral.

"But what if I fall, Nisis (My Uncle)?" Annie complained.

Maskwa clasped his hands over the railing, "Ah, yes, this may happen but what if you fly?"

"Annie can't fly Nisis (My Uncle)." Essie chuckled.

"Pîsim (Sun) can do whatever she puts her mind to." Maskwa tucked two fingers behind his tongue and gave a loud whistle. "That's enough for today. Time to go in."

"Aw!" The girls whined in unison.

Maskwa hissed sharply. "None of that, your mother will-"

"Annie!" Essie's eyes grew wide and animated. "He's here!"

"Already?" Annie slid from the back of the pony and raced to the corral gate.

"Wait, girls. Who is here?" Maskwa's brows furrowed. Though the twins were only five years old they were wise beyond their years. Unfortunately, their wisdom came without experience and landed them in trouble on more than one occasion.

"Mama's friend!" Essie said, scrubbing the back of her hand across the brown skin of her cheek.

"Kōna (Snow), which of Ellie's friends?" Maskwa was even more confused. No one except the Cree ever visited Ellie.

"You know him too Nisis (My Uncle)!" Annie added, "Come if you don't believe us."

Annie reached out grabbing the hand of her duplicate as they ran past the barn to the woods behind Ellie's little farm. They followed the trees until they ended at the edge of a steep ridge overlooking a slope below.

"Wait," Essie breathed as she searched the scenery devoid of human life. "There! She pointed at a group of trees. He's coming, I just know it."

"Kōna (Snow)! Pîsim (Sun)! You come here right now!" Maskwa shouted chasing them down a goat path leading to the base of the ridge.

"It'll be alright, Nisis (My Uncle). You'll see." Annie clutching her sister's hand ran in front.

They stopped at a bed of wildflowers in a clearing between the trees a few meters at the base of the slope. The aureate afternoon light filtered through the thick grouping of trees, sending ribbons of gold dancing over the flowers.

A man dressed in snug brown trousers with two pistols belted low on his hips wandered aimlessly through the trees. He wore a wide-brimmed brown hat to shield him from the sun. His was facing away from them but Annie knew it was him. His aura was a spectacular undulation of colors, like a walking rainbow.

He turned and both girls gasped. Eyes eerily like their own stared back with just as much astonishment. He curled his full bottom lip nervously between his teeth. A thick beard hid his jaw and upper lip but Essie knew his face just as well as she knew her own.

She'd seen him in her mind's eye so many times this last year. She didn't know what it meant only that it was good. Her spirit guide Abigail had already told her so. No one knew about Abigail, not even Annie. Abigail was insistent that no one should ever know especially her mother.

The stranger stepped slowly toward them. The girls laced their fingers and locked hands. A nervous tension buzzed back and forth between the two of them. Annie smiled and Essie swallowed hard.

He stood before them, hard scrutiny and recognition in his gaze. "You-you look like my mama." He stuttered.

Annie chuckled, "Was your mama a negro?"

"Annie!" Essie chided.

"I's only kiddin'." She shrugged.

"I'm sorry ladies. Forgive me." He removed his hat and gave a gallant bow. "My name is-"

"River." Essie interrupted.

"Yes," His stunned look deepened. "How did you-"

"River Collins?" Maskwa's questioning voice came from behind the girls. "What in the hell are you doing here?"

"Mama! Mama!" Ellie's girls came bursting into the kitchen. They leaped and jumped about excitedly. With both of them speaking at once Ellie couldn't make heads or tails out of what was going on.

"He's here! He's here!" They screamed.

"Who's here?" But Ellie should have already known the answer to that question. Because he was standing in her backdoor looking just as rakishly handsome as the day she met him.

"Hello, Ellie. I hear tell you been trying to find me in someone else?" His lips pulled into a cocky half-smile.

Ellie stood there staring wordlessly. A first in his recollection.

"Now I know what you're 'bout to say but I'm not leaving you. Not this time." He strutted into the kitchen and sat at one of the four chairs around the small table.

"Collins, I don't know why ya doin' this but it will never work. I thought we had an understanding." She said finally finding her voice.

"I don't believe in never. Ellie, you and I were always meant for each other." He said leveling a look that shot a chill down her spine.

"Girls, go outside and find Kisis (Your Uncle), tell him it's time for supper." When the girls filed out of the kitchen, Ellie turned a stern look on River. "You know how this world works River, don't be stupid. Besides I don't believe in always." She folded her arms over her breasts.

He stood slowly, the wooden legs of the chair dragged lazily across the floor. "Well, they say opposites tend to attract." He said inching his way towards her.

"Never," She said raising an eyebrow.

Standing but a hand's width from her, River's presence did interesting things to her body. It curved her back and parted her lips. She was crazy for wanting it knowing the trouble that waited on the other end of his touch and kisses.

Hooded eyes under heavy lids burned a path to her soul as he whispered, "Always". He finished with a smirk.