Chapter 17 - The Wedding at Red Mesa
They married beneath cottonwoods beside the canyon.
Not directly at the sacred spring.
Aayoka chose the place.
Her surviving relatives attended.
Amos dressed in a suit that looked older than he was.
Major Mercer came without uniform.
Judge Webb performed the legal portion of the ceremony.
Children decorated the path with desert flowers.
Elias stood beneath the trees wearing a clean dark coat.
Amos leaned toward him.
“You nervous?”
“I've been shot.”
“Not an answer.”
“I'd rather be shot.”
Amos laughed.
Then Aayoka appeared.
Elias forgot every prepared sentence.
She wore a simple blue dress, deeper than the desert sky, with turquoise jewelry that had belonged to her mother.
Her braids were decorated with small beads.
She looked toward Elias.
Everything else disappeared.
When she reached him, she whispered, “You look frightened.”
“I am.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Now we're equal.”
They exchanged promises.
Not promises that nothing bad would happen.
They knew better.
Instead they promised to remain when life became difficult.
To speak truth.
To protect each other's freedom.
To build rather than possess.
When Webb pronounced them married, Elias kissed her.
Applause filled the canyon.
Amos cried and denied it immediately.
That evening music carried beneath the stars.
Elias walked away briefly.
He stood beside the spring.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Nothing answered.
Then Aayoka appeared.
“Talking to water?”
“Apparently.”
“Did it answer?”
“No.”
She took his hand.
“Maybe it has nothing left to tell you.”
Elias smiled.
“Maybe.”
May you like
They returned to the celebration together.
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