Follow Me, into the Mist (#OnceUponNow)

Chapter 1 - The Smudging Ceremony

       Jenna Raye Stevens checked her messages for the tenth time. Surely the mail had run at her foster parents house. Finally, the message she most hoped for hit her phone. Reading it several times, she shook as tears cascaded down her cheeks. Now she would know the truth, or as much as she could get from a man who could no longer speak.

       Her friends thought she had lost her mind. All but Derrick Rainwater. He was her only friend who had ever encouraged her to find out about her biological family. She might never know who left her, days old, on the steps at the Sheriff's Department. But ever since the DNA test results told her she was twenty-five percent Native American, she had hope. It was more than hope. It was a belief her burning desire to know from where she came, where she belonged, and more importantly, what her mission in life was to be, might actually be sated.

       Arriving for work on time, she was happy to be assigned to work the drive-thru window. It was after an hour when Derrick came through. Handing him his change, she whispered, "We got approved to take Atsadi out for a ceremony, can you get off Thursday since it is solstice?"

      Nodding, Derrick grinned but remained silent. Watching him pull up to the next window she resumed taking orders.  Derrick's grandfather was Shawnee and had performed many smudging ceremonies, but the man had a stroke which has left him with use of one leg and one arm on his right side. To get permission to take him for an outing from the nursing home had been a long shot. Both she and Derrick had written his physician, the judge who had probated him, and the nursing home administrator.  To think they had permission  caused her to tear up.  Happy she was scheduled off Thursday, after work she headed straight home to plan.

       Thursday morning came after a sleepless night.  Up early, she met Derrick for breakfast and then drove to the nursing home to pick up Gary Atsadi Rainwater.  They were early but the man was dressed and sitting in a wheelchair on the porch, his long grey hair braided.  Taking Atsadi's hand in hers, she gripped it hard. "Thank you, Mr. Rainwater, for agreeing to spend Solstice with Derrick and me." The man nodded, tears in his eyes.

       Derrick hugged his  grandfather, whispered, "I've missed you so," and then turned his back to them as he cried. 

       The orderly handed her feeding instructions, medicine and a schedule, then left them, hurrying back inside. Carefully placing the items in her backpack, she leaned over, winked and whispered, "you're not a baby, feeding instructions, really?" His smile was all the reward she needed.

       Unlocking the wheels, Jenna pushed Atsadi to her car. It took some effort, but they  were able to get  him loaded into the front seat. Derrick placed the wheelchair in the boot and climbed in. After adjusting Atsadi's seat belt, she drove off.

    "There is a friend of mine who owns a farm where there is an ancient burial mound. He told us we can do our own ceremony there, since he keeps the area fenced off from the animals. I thought you would spend time with us and teach us how to smudge and we can have our own ceremony. Then we would drive over to Adams County, if there's time, to go to the Serpent Mound for a quick visit." Jenna kept chatting away, the entire time she drove. "I know the mound builders were ages before the Shawnee, but the place is sacred. It's where I met Derrick."

       Eventually they arrived at the top of the hill. From the rocky cliff, you could see the Ohio River, snaking through the valley below.Driving close, she parked while rolling down the windows, enjoying the crisp breeze. "If you get too cold, let me know."

       They sat for several minutes, before Derrick got out and helped his grandfather into his chair. Atsadi pointed towards the rocky cliff, so they took him as close to the edge as they felt safe. Atsadi held up the one hand not rendered useless from his stroke and seemed to be in prayer for some time. Eventually he pointed towards a cedar tree so they made their way over. Derrick spoke as they went.