Chapter 24: Acceptance

Brenda picked Mary Jane up Sunday morning for the ride to the Rez. It was a beautiful day. Mary Jane had decided when she woke up and saw the sun shining through her bedroom window that she was going to have a great day today.

She decided that she was not going to fall into her personal pit of self-pity. Every time a negative thought arose she fought to have the negative thought trigger a positive thought. Something she had read sometime and it worked. Somewhat. She fought to live in the moment.

Brenda was chatty today so Mary Jane engaged to learn what she could. She asked Brenda if she would mind sharing her opinion about people that Mary Jane had met. Brenda thought that would be fun and Mary Jane asked if she knew Big Bob. Brenda smiled and said every woman over sixteen did. Mary Jane wondered, ‘What’s with the men and sixteen-year-olds?’ Rather than offer another name, Marry Jane cut her off and asked her to tell her about the history and customs of the people.

Brenda accepted the abrupt change happily and launched into a fourth-grade history and culture lesson about their tribe. She told Mary Jane that she only told her as much as did because Mary Jane was going to be an auntie and should know.

A lot of the questions she had wanted to be answered found their responses during the chat. Pieces fell into place. Things she had seen and been a part of during the child’s illness and her Sunday childcare time.

She was beginning to understand how she fits in. What they were doing to her. What her future might look like. She wasn’t sure she was against that future which surprised her to her core. Well if it was with Jack. Your career? The argument started and it appeared that Mary Jane was losing to MJ more and more.

The kids were screaming at the car as they drove in. Both ladies were sporting grins themselves.

The day’s fun was over. Mary Jane was bending over picking up foam balls when she heard a child’s high-pitched squeal and looked up. Across the field she saw Frank, looking her way. She blushed. She smiled. She stood facing to the side. Brushed herself off and turned to look at him. He was gone. She sought him out everywhere she could see. He was just gone. He had been smiling. She saw that. She smiled at the thought of his smile. ‘Oh, you’re hooked girl.’

She had a meeting with the chief so when she was sure Frank wasn’t going to appear she walked into the reception area of the chief’s office, the secretary was there typing. She was always typing. Mary Jane had to wonder how busy the woman was. The chief’s door opened, he saw and nodded his head to MJ then turned and gave directions not to be disturbed and motioned Mary Jane inside his office and closed the door.

He directed her to a seat on the couch and sat down in his big single chair at an angle to her. “How is it going MJ,” He was waiting for another snap that didn’t come. She smiled at him and replied, “Fine.” He waited for her to say more but she didn’t give it. She sat calmly and waited for him.

He let the silence linger for over a minute then said, “You are getting stronger.” She accepted the compliment and was surprised that she wasn’t surprised, she was stronger. She still waited. She expected to be told to strip. That’s what she was waiting for.

She didn’t want to miss her ride back to the city with Brenda. Mary Jane had enjoyed the drive out this morning and had an unending list of new questions she was looking forward to asking.

“What have you learned about yourself since we met.” ‘He is serious’ she thought, be careful, quick answers.

“I have learned that I made a very serious mistake, that I owe a debt and know how I am to repay that debt through penance.” He is impressed.

Mary Jane continued, “Sexually? I am a great cock sucker, I enjoy it. I like sex a lot more than I realized. I enjoy it in every position. I enjoy some cocks more than others, I don’t like smelly men, I don’t like mean men, and I do enjoy dominant men, it seems. Also, I am apparently a good exotic dancer.” She was smiling at him. Maybe the first time she had.

She was more attractive than he had first recognized. He had been receiving excellent reports on her progression as an apostate. Maybe she deserved a chance.

He asked her to ‘offer’ herself. She smiled at him and said, sliding her fingers off her shorts and down her long leg, “I thought you’d never ask,” removing her shoe.