Chapter 44

Me and the boys left while the other four were still figuring out what size ‘boat’ would be required to keep out the bears. I couldn’t be of any help in that. Instead, I went to see the puppies. Bear and Rock left me there and went on to Maritsuki’s home, which was to be their base here in the Wind River Reservation.

Shen, the mamma dog, remembered me from the last time, but to the pups I was new all over again. Judging by how much they’d grown in just six weeks, they were going to be VERY big dogs. That was fine by me. If things were going to be touch and go for me personally at some point, having a pack of big wolves protecting me was okey-dokey.

I got down and rough-housed with them. And five rambunctious wolves could be quite the pack. ‘Rough-house’ didn’t begin to describe it; ‘rough-stadium’ would be closer to the mark. I watched Toni’s training sessions with them. First, one at a time, and then, all together. Doyobi (the Mountain) was clearly the alpha male, and Toni’s training emphasized his position in the pack. The session was only an hour, and finished up with all the dogs eating, each having his or her own bowl.

Despite Doyobi being the leader of the pups, Shen didn’t take any guff from any of them. She’d snarl, looking quite serious about it too, when Doyobi approached her food. Of course, he backed off. Maybe when he was full grown she’d change her mind about him, but for now, he was (literally) just a puppy.

Toni kept them active for about half an hour after they were finished eating, and then the whole pack, mamma and all, went outside. She’d fenced in the entire back yard, and she planned to leave them out all night. It wasn’t cold, and they were wolves! Well, half-wolf and half-akita.

I looked in on them before I left and found them sleeping in, over, and around each other and Shen. I’d have had to pick them up to find a nose or a tail. They were just a pile of fur. It was hard not to think of them as playful pups. They were going to have a job – like Painted Rock or Sun Bear.

Speaking of the guys, what was gonna happen to them in the school year? We were getting to September and that meant back to college. It would all work out, I figured. I’ll talk to them tomorrow.

I got a ride over to Dark Wolf’s place, and found that Crying Wolf and his father were busy talking. More like one would say something and that would elicit a silence that dragged on for several minutes.

Desert Flower and I watched the summer reruns of ‘Fantasy Island,’ which I’d missed the first time through and the ‘Fernwood Tonight,’ which I’d also missed in life #1. Fernwood was hilarious. That bitch of a mother really messed up my teenage years.

I’d had a long day, and crashed soon after Fernwood ended. The Wolf’s, pater et fils, were still engaged in their style of conversation. I looked outside toward the paddock, and was relieved to see Hunter still sitting there, as always. It seemed to me that he always looked at me, but that could have been my imagination.

[I don’t think it’s all imagination. He’s here to give you strength and a feeling of security. On another matter, Lexi, you didn’t do any of your katas today and didn’t even meditate.]

Thanks, grandma Red. How about I do a light meditation while I do some katas, and then you can replay that recording of the alpha/theta tape for me, while I go to sleep.

[You know best what will keep you progressing on the path you want to be on.]

We used to call that passive-aggressive behavior, back in the 2000s.

[Yes. Effective, isn’t it?]

...

Later that week, I got orders from Red to go shopping, first thing in the morning.

[You need to get a business suit and get some nicer clothes for the boys, too.]

I do? Why?

[Because Dick Cheney is coming to Casper and you’re going to meet him. He’s going to run for Congress from Wyoming, and he’s going to win. He was President Ford’s Campaign Chairman, but he’s out of a job now. You know where he’ll wind up.]

Yeah, I remember. Cheney manipulated the country into invading Iraq. He was a jerk. Why do I want to meet HIM?

[Why, Lexi? Because you’re going to be one of his early supporters, and one of his biggest financial backers in the future. He’s going to introduce you to George W. Bush.]

So why do I need to get a business suit?

[So he won’t think ‘Here’s a little Indian girl and she wants to support me. How cute.’ You want him to think ‘Here’s a young Indian woman, with two body guards, who’s got more money that I do.’ In fact, now that I think about it again, you should have Linc head up your security team for this meeting.]

I have to shop for Linc, too?

[Maybe. Check with Linc. He’ll know what to wear, I think.]

When is this meeting?

[They just announced the rally this morning. It wasn’t even in next week’s newspapers yesterday. Now it is.]

Okay. I’ll get with Linc right away.

I picked up my phone and hit *1.

“Yo. This is Linc.”

“I need to speak with you right away,” I said. “Not an emergency, but soon.”

“You are speaking with me now,” he pointed out.

“Um ... yeah. I have to meet with a politician next Tuesday. I have to look like a young, successful business woman, not a girl in work boots. And I want to have a security detail, headed by you. Do you have a suit or something you can wear, you know, to look professional?”

There was silence on the phone. “Who is the politician?”

“Dick Cheney, he’s running for Congress next year. And he’s gonna be in Casper next Tuesday.”

“Cheney? He was Ford’s guy, right?”

“Yeah.”

“First of all, stop saying ‘Yeah’ when you talk to him. And don’t get impressed with him. He’s your EQUAL. Remember that ... Yes, I’ve got a suit. I’ll need a red, white and blue striped tie ... You planning on taking the boys?”

“I dunno, what do you think?”

“That’s ‘I don’t know’ not ‘I dunno.’ But as for the boys, I’d say definitely yes. They have to wear a dark blue suit, no ties. White, long-sleeved shirt. They’ll wear a beaded necklace from the Shoshone. Maybe a tribal emblem if they have them. An emblem what will match the one on your pin.

“You should wear a red suit ... no that’s too much. Yellow. It will set off your coloring. Get a silk blouse with a print, nothing too bright.

“Tell the boys asap. They’ll need some coaching. I’ll handle that ... I take it that this isn’t going to be a one-off?”

“No,” I said. “I doubt that. We may be meeting some pols in Arizona, too.”