down to a pile of embers, which deceptively reflected a warm radiance on her father’s stern features. He leaned wearily onto his hands, resting against the amber-colored mantel, which he had lovingly carved and finished out of an old oak beam.
In addition to being a former president of the Navajo Nation Council, Paco was a master woodcarver and had made a lot of the furniture that decorated their home, from the huge, oak dining room table and chairs to the cherry wood kitchen cabinets. He had also carved many of the elaborate decorative statues and figurines that his wife sold at the market at prices fetching hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of dollars.
“Papa, you don’t know him.” Anna stood meekly at the other end of the large, high-ceilinged room. Cedar beams crossed overhead in an A-line frame, and stone covered the fireplace. A large couch and two recliners rested on a homemade rug, which covered a golden wood-planked floor. The room was much like the rest of the Becenti home, grand yet comfortable and homey.
“I know his kind,” Paco said, turning now to face her, a tall, formidable, handsome man who had aged well, his black hair graying at the temples, his dark brown eyes flickering with emotion. Anna knew she saw love in them but also sadness and a fierce, father-like determination to protect her. He uncrossed his arms and thrust his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I know he’s up to no good and that you need to stay away from him. How dare he come into our sacred hogan and offer you drugs? How dare he try to take advantage of you? It’s a good thing I showed up when I did!”
Anna felt her cheeks flush red, not finding any words to say. Paco crossed the room and looked into his daughter’s eyes, grasping her shoulders firmly, his tone somber and deep. “You are forbidden to ever see him again. Do you understand me?”
Anna nodded meekly, unable to defend herself as she looked up into those piercing dark eyes, her father’s figure towering over her petite five-foot-six frame.
His grip softened, and he wrapped his large arms around his daughter, giving her a bear hug, enveloping her, making her feel safe and loved.
“I love you, Anna,” he whispered into her hair and kissed her on the cheek. She could see tears of love filling his eyes, and her own tears spilled over onto her cheeks.
“I love you too, Papa.”
BUT, as water finds a way to cut through rock, Anna’s love and desire for Jack found a way.
Since her parents had taken away her phone privileges, she waited until one night when she was alone in the house to call Jack. Flo had just left for a weekend spiritual retreat for teenagers and her parents had taken Dena out shopping to get new school shoes. Anna complained of having a stomachache, saying she really didn’t want to go shopping. She called Jack to tell him she was thinking of him.
“I miss you too, Anna.” She heard Jack’s irresistible voice and smiled. “I really want to see you, to be with you. I think I’m falling in love with you.”
Anna’s heart pounded. “I am falling in love with you too,” she whispered, sighing. “But my father has forbidden me to see you.”
“It will be our last chance to be together since we’re leaving to go home in two more days. Can we meet tomorrow night at our old meeting space at the entrance to the Coconino National Park? Please, Anna. I need to feel you next to me. I want to make love to you.”
Now her whole body ached with desire. I have to see him one last time, say goodbye to him in person and together we can figure out a way to see each other in the future. She wanted to make love to him. What did her father know of young love? Her parents’ marriage had been arranged like so many Native American marriages in the past. But I’m in a new generation. And I’ve been sheltered way too long. I’m old enough to make my own choices, to live my life, to experience love.
“Yes, oh yes, Jack, I’ll meet you. Tomorrow night then.” Her heart felt like it would fly out of her chest, and she danced around the room after hanging up.
Fortunately, Anna knew that her parents planned to dine out with friends the next night, and her older sister Dena had to work.
She waited anxiously for the designated meeting time and then snuck out the door, through the forest, and up the hill. Jack arrived a few minutes after.
But instead of looking happy to see her, the lanky teenager seemed nervous and agitated, giving her a perfunctory hug.
“Jack, what’s wrong, I thought you’d be happy to see me.” Anna tried unsuccessfully to hide her disappointment. “I took a big risk coming here, but I knew it would be worth it.”
“I know, so did I,” Jack said tersely. He dug his hands in his pockets, fidgeting from side to side on his feet.
“I thought we were going to talk about when we would…you know, see each other once you leave here to go back home. And I thought tonight would be the night…”
“Look Anna, I do really like you and all, but there’s something you gotta know. I’m in big trouble—”
“We can find a way around my dad, I’m sure he’ll cool off eventually and—”
“No, much bigger trouble.” The color drained from Jack’s face and in the moonlight, he looked haggard, older. “I’m in trouble with one of your people. I helped smuggle some marijuana into Navajo land a week ago to sell to this guy named Frankie who said he wanted it for medicinal purposes. I know, it was dumb, but I really needed the money to get me out of another jam I’m in back home.
“Anyway, I was supposed to deliver more to Frankie tomorrow night, but I couldn’t get any from this source I originally found down in Sedona. Frankie said if I didn’t show up and bring the stuff he would rat me out and the Indians would come after me and probably skin me alive or hang me. I don’t know what to do. I know you can’t talk to your dad, but…do you have a friend or cousin who can help me out? Maybe they’ll know Frankie and can tell him you and I are friends and—”
“Friends?” Anna raised her voice in indignation. “I thought we were a lot more than friends, Jack Foreman. I was starting to fall in love with you. Maybe Papa was right. Maybe I—”
“I’m sorry, Anna.” Jack instantly enveloped her into his arms. “You’re right. I was being selfish. We are more than friends. Forgive me?” He stepped back and smiled, and her insides melted all over again. He tilted up her chin with his thumb and forefinger and kissed her on the lips, gently and then fervently until she felt her whole body pressing against his, wanting to feel his hands on her like she did in the hogan.
He backed away suddenly, breathing hard. “Anna, I lose all control when it comes to you. We don’t have much time though. Do you think you can talk to someone to help me?”
Achak Yazzie. Her friend’s name somehow found its way into her swooning mind. He once told her he would do anything for her. They had made a blood pact when they were kids, cutting the palms of their hands and shaking on it. Anna and Achak had grown up on the reservation together, and when Achak’s father had died of a heart attack when his two children were still under the age of ten, Anna’s father had virtually adopted the boy and his younger sister as his own, helping widow Yazzie by providing the children and their mother with anything they needed.
Achak and Anna had practically grown up as siblings. He was a year older than she and had attended the same well-to-do Christian Academy on the reservation since money wasn’t an issue for the Becenti family.
“DO
