Chapter 20: Winter Solstice

“Done,” Maggy chirped as she finished entering the execution orders on her computer. It was late morning Thursday, the day after his conversation with the twins. Peter and his financial planner had been watching the market closely and talking several times over the last two days. The December Options were set to expire at the market close the next day.

The software giant reported earnings on Wednesday evening, exceeding estimates as expected and causing a gap in the stock’s opening price. However, there was almost no change in the Bid for his contracts. The Ask predictably went haywire, causing Peter and Maggy to watch closely until the Bid started trending higher. They agreed on their exit strategy, and as soon as the target price was reached, she entered the orders to sell on the market immediately. Due to the volume of calls, they didn’t all execute simultaneously or on the same bid. Still, it happened fast enough that Peter found himself nearly $30 million wealthier by the 3 pm Central market close.

“Nicely done, Cher,” she said, smiling through the phone. “We both made a tidy sum of money.”

“That’s the idea,” he replied happily. “Now pull up the June, September, and December option chains for next year—”

The Winter Solstice lasted two days and was celebrated across both reservations (including the San Carlos community). The main venue was Fort Apache Fair Grounds, where colorful teepees surrounded log cabins. Corrals held sheep, goats, and horses for trading and performances. Food, music, ceremonial dances, and prayers were abundant. Traders set up camps and stands, exchanging money and goods nonstop. Items ranged from leather and furs, food, jewelry, handmade weapons like knives and spears, clothing, saddles, boots, herbal remedies, traditional medicines, and vast amounts of hand-made pottery and cookware. Livestock included chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, cows, horses, and even llamas and alpacas.

There were celebrations of life, births, good harvests, weddings, blessings, and prayers for a promising future. In a separate arena, different tribes showcased their horsemanship in races and contests like roping and barrel racing. Groups performed smudging ceremonies with wild sage while others discussed current events and rumors.

On the first evening, a feast was arranged around a huge bonfire. Long tables made from heavy lumber were laden with traditional and multicultural food. The Whiteriver community families offered most of the deer and elk, and Kathy’s smoked and roasted salmon was welcomed and enjoyed by everyone. Peter wandered from table to table, sampling everything. Kathy found him eating Navajo fry bread smothered in butter. She wore a traditional Apache dress and looked ravishing with a simple braid, and feathers adorned her dark hair, glimmering in the firelight.

“God, they must hate you!” he muttered as she tore off a piece of the bread he offered.

“What do you mean?” she replied defensively as she munched on the bread. She nodded appreciatively as she licked her fingers and turned to the vendor, a pretty young Navajo girl with flour up to her elbows, “May I?” she asked and smiled when the girl handed her a flat round piece of her own. “Thank you,” she said, reaching into her woven beaded purse for money. She handed the woman a $10 bill and insisted when she tried to decline it. She turned back to him with an expectant look. “Why do they hate me again?”

“Because you’re the most beautiful girl here and a lowly fish-eater,” he replied, sneaking a smooch with his buttery lips.

“You’re a punk,” she growled playfully. “Damn, this is good bread!”

“I know, right?” He nodded towards the fire where they roasted the salmon. “For a taboo, your squaw candy went fast.” All 25 prepared Chinooks were consumed. Another 25 were on ice for tomorrow’s banquet.

They walked shoulder to shoulder around the gathering.

“God, babe,” she breathed next to him. She was holding his left arm with both hands. “I love it here! I don’t think I ever want to leave.” She glanced at him earnestly. “Everyone is so wonderful and welcoming. Don’t you feel the lightness in your spirit here?”

Two-Spirit ... feathers burst into flames...

He shuddered and nodded. “I’m with you completely, babe. I feel at peace with myself and my surroundings for the first time.” He spotted Charity dashing around with a group of children on the opposite side of the bonfire. After she returned to school, they agreed that he would reward her if she focused and got top marks. He was prepared to offer a lot, but she insisted the thing she wanted most was a new saddle for Max. They were picking it out tomorrow.

“Oh, I can’t wait for Ronnie-kins to arrive!” Kathy squealed, bouncing excitedly.

His sister was flying into Phoenix in the morning, and he and Kathy would pick her up for the last gathering day. Lenna was away with a small group of women participating in a private ceremony that kept her apart from her family and friends. It was shrouded in mystery but explained to Peter and Kathy as an ‘awakening and welcoming’ ceremony. Bradly described it as recreating herself as an independent woman to be recognized as such and no longer a part of her parent’s lineage.’ lineage.

Something struck Peter from behind, nearly knocking the breath out of him.

“Guess what?” It was Charity, dressed in traditional garb with a unique gown and headdress representing the very special occasion of her ascension to womanhood.

Over a dozen other girls at the gathering were similarly attired and participating in the ceremonial Sunrise Dance. On the eve of the ceremony, each girl was taken aside by her family to participate in a secretive and sacred ritual. The following morning, she appeared for the first series of dances meant to test her strength and endurance, and for the remainder of the four-day event, she was known as the Changing Woman. The following day was the culmination of their trials, and they would be presented during an open ceremony that afternoon.

“Oof!” Peter gasped as she grabbed his other arm and started jumping excitedly. “Jezuz girl! How much sugar have you eaten tonight?”

The exuberant fifteen-year-old laughed maniacally for a second, grinning at them. “A lot! But that’s not important! Come quick! You gotta see this!” she began pulling on his arm, trying to drag him and Kathy around the giant circle. “Come ... on!” she demanded. “This is a matter of national security!”

“What the hell has gotten into you?” he frowned as she dragged them towards a break in the tables.

“It’s Dad!” she hissed with a conspiring giggle. “You won’t believe this!”

He glanced at Kathy, who returned his perplexed expression. She shrugged and followed along curiously.

Outside the ring of tables, dozens of smaller fires lit up the teepee scattered around the fairground. Dozens of trailers and temporary trading booths were arranged to facilitate foot traffic. Charity led them carefully between two vendors offering tribal headdresses and cured animal skins. She crouched suddenly and tugged on his arm.

“Get down!” she hissed, causing them to drop lower until they were peeking around a stall. “There!” she pointed.

Outside a larger teepee was a clearing with picnic tables around a bright campfire. Bradly Littlewolf was seated on a tabletop with one booted foot on the seat and the other on the ground. He held a beer in his hand and was focused on a vibrant middle-aged native woman standing close to him, sharing a cigarette.

“Oh, my God!” Peter gasped. “I’ve never seen your father drink!” Alcohol was technically prohibited within the gathering, but it was only frowned upon or ignored outside the traders’ circle.

“Not the beer, stupid!” she slugged him in the arm. “Her!”

“Oh no!” Kathy replied dramatically. “Don’t tell me he’s talking to a ... girl!”

The story behind Charity’s mother took several weeks to uncover. It was strangely similar to Kathy’s past in that the woman had become ‘lost’ in the words of the elders and had disappeared one night, shortly after Charity’s birth.

“Stop it!” the girl whined. “This is serious!”

“Who is she?” Peter breathed, feeling trapped between the two girls behind the trader’s booth.

“Sue Meadowlark,” the girl whispered. “She is part Zuni, I think. She’s from Holbrook, where she owns a Petrified Wood shop. That’s her booth,” she pointed.

“They look pretty chummy,” Kathy remarked.

“They were dancing at the last concert,” Charity breathed. Every few hours, the festivities shifted to a musical venue where participants gathered before a stage to enjoy different artists. Sometimes, a full band played popular songs and other times; locals played traditional tribal drums or flutes. Kathy was scheduled to perform with her guitar and keyboard the following evening after sundown.

“That could be dangerous,” Peter mused, receiving another elbow.

“I think he’s gonna give her a horse,” the girl whispered excitedly.

Peter clenched his jaw in frustration and pinched the girl’s leg. Don’t blow it!

“Ow!” she hissed. Then her eyes widened as she saw Kathy beside him. ‘Sorry!’ she mouthed.

“Why is he gonna...?” Kathy started to ask before Charity spun around and tugged on both of them.

“Come on!” the urchin urged, frantic to distract her. “I want to show you the saddle I picked out!”

Kathy jumped back and turned to follow, gazing at him bewilderedly. He just smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

Good save, kid.

After sundown, the gathering was settling down for the night. Many participants returned to their teepees or camper vans to rest for the next day. Hundreds of people wandered about or gathered near the central bonfire, which was burning down since no dry logs were added. The final band of the night ended half an hour earlier, and quiet tranquility surrounded the empty stage beside the large table ring. Peter and Kathy stood with a group of the Whiteriver clan to one side of the empty dancing area.

Many elders sat in folding beach chairs, drinking herbal teas or coffee. Peter sipped his own cup as conversations continued. Kathy was called away when Lenna reappeared in a long, beautiful gown heavily embroidered with tribal patterns and various floral and animal arrangements. She wore a band of wildflowers woven into a pinyon crown atop her vibrant black hair. When she returned with the smiling woman at her side, Peter exchanged tearful hugs and kissed her cheek.