Wild Whispers

When she saw Eloisa’s reaction, and how she suddenly swayed, as though she might faint, Kaylene started to rush to her and hold her.

But Fire Thunder’s hand moved like a streak of lightning as he grabbed her arm and held her back.

“You cannot approach her any closer than this,” he said flatly. “You cann

ot chance it, Kaylene. You must control your strong desire to hold her, to embrace her. She is unembrace-able, Kaylene.”

Tears flowed from Kaylene’s eyes. “Yes, I know that,” she murmured. “But for a moment I forgot.”

“Emotions make one forget,” Fire Thunder said, easing his hand back to his side. “And she will understand why you cannot come to her. She would not even want you to. She would not want to condemn you to the same sort of life she has been forced to live.”

“You are my daughter?” Eloisa finally said, sobbing as tears rushed from her eyes.

“Yes, I am your daughter,” Kaylene said, wiping tears from her cheeks. “My name is Kaylene.”

“How did you know how to find me?” Eloisa asked, her eyes taking in every inch of Kaylene.

“I only knew recently that I had been raised by people who were not my true parents,” Kaylene said. “When I discovered that I had been taken as a child, and raised by someone other than my mother, I demanded to know who my real mother was. As soon as I knew, I came looking for you.”

“I would have never given you up had I not been forced to by circumstances,” Eloisa said, her voice breaking. “Have you been happy?”

Kaylene hesitated, for she was not quite sure how to answer that. Except for John Shelton, for the most part, she had done well enough in the carnival. So it would not be so much a lie when she told her mother that, yes, she had been happy enough.

“And I soon will be married,” Kaylene said, reaching a hand out to Fire Thunder, twining her fingers through his. “Mother, this is Fire Thunder. He is a Kickapoo chief. I so badly wanted you not to only know me, your daughter, but also the man I will soon marry, who will then be your son-in-law.”

Kaylene noticed how her mother suddenly flinched. She wasn’t sure what had caused her reaction. It surely had to do, though, with whom Kaylene was marrying. Perhaps she disliked Indians, as so many white people did.

One thing for certain, Kaylene was not going to ask her. She did not want to know that her mother was prejudiced toward Indians.

Fire Thunder nodded a silent hello to Eloisa, and she to him. Then Eloisa’s eyes brimmed with tears again as she took the time to again slowly look her daughter over.

“You are so beautiful,” she then said. “And you are a woman of kind heart for having come to talk to me.”

“I so badly wish to embrace you,” Kaylene said, stifling a sob behind a hand.

“As do I you,” Eloisa murmured. She used the loose sleeve of her dress to wipe the torrent of tears from her eyes and face. “But it is enough for me just to get to see you and talk with you. Never had I thought it possible to see my daughter again. And now here you are, a grown woman who is soon to marry.”

“And soon I hope to also be a mother,” Kaylene said, feeling Fire Thunder’s grip tighten on her hand at the mention of children. She knew that what she said pleased him. “I will bring your grandchildren and let you see them also.”

“You would do that?” Eloisa said, her voice breaking again.

“Yes, I promise you that I shall,” Kaylene said, again wiping tears from her eyes.

“Where do you live?” Eloisa asked, glancing over at Fire Thunder, then back at Kaylene.

“I live with Fire Thunder now at his Kickapoo village not that far from San Carlos, Mexico,” Kaylene answered. “Yes, it isn’t all that close to your home, but I will still manage to come from time to time to have such chats as we are having today.” She swallowed hard. “That is, if you wish me to.”

“I have been quite lonely,” Eloisa said softly. “Yes, do come whenever you can.” She glanced down at the wolf. “Wolf is my best friend. He does not fear my scaly body.”

Kaylene started to kneel down to embrace the wolf, but again Fire Thunder stopped her.

“Who is to say the disease of your mother would not be carried on the fur of the wolf?” Fire Thunder said thickly. “Do not chance it, Kaylene.”

Eloisa whistled for the wolf.

He turned toward her and ran quickly to her.

She reached out and patted him, then guided him to her side.