Children, raising children. At least here in Ahousaht, Cameron and his parents were surrounded by family, mothers and aunts and fathers and grandfathers. Most of them were here today and Silas knew all of them were willing to help in any way they could.
The shy young parents sat side by side holding hands as the members of the welcoming circle cradled the newborn to their hearts and hummed the traditional ahhhh nook, ahhhhh nook deep in their chests. Conveying love and welcome and support. Then they sang the welcoming songs, the dancers up and moving to the beat of the drums. Silas said a prayer, and as soon as the blessing was complete, got to his feet and headed toward the door.
His half sister, Christina Crow, caught him just before he escaped.
She gave him her wicked wide grin. “Hey, Silas, you’re coming to Mom’s birthday party tomorrow night, right?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there.” They both knew he wouldn’t stay, but he’d put in an appearance. He was, after all, Rose Marie’s firstborn. After her divorce from Silas’s father, Angus Keefer, Rose Marie had married Peter Crow and five years later she’d had Christina. Twelve years after that, Patwin, her third child, was born, but Christina was the half sibling Silas really knew well. Patwin hadn’t been home much since Silas had moved back to Ahousaht. And Silas was profoundly solitary.
But who could help loving Christina? She’d been born smiling. Tiny and slender, his half sister had thick black hair permed into a curly, electric frizz. Her dramatic, high cheekbones, deep-set eyes and glorious copper skin drew the hungry glances of men. But it was her sunny nature that captivated people as much as her beauty. She had a streak of mischief that made her fun to be around, and her smart mouth brought shocked smiles to even the most dour of the elders.
Over the six years he’d lived in Ahousaht, Christina had somehow wormed her way through all the protective barriers Silas had erected.
And just like all the women in the family, she was nosy as hell.
“So what’d you get Mom for her birthday?”
“That marble pastry board and lazy Susan she’s been eyeing in the new kitchenware store in Tofino.”
“Super.” Christina beamed up at him, dark eyes sparkling. “That’s gonna get you brownie points, big brother. Dad and I each got her another one of those copper-bottomed pots she’s nuts about.” She shook her head and her curls lifted and settled. “Mom’s the only woman I know who actually wants kitchen stuff for her birthday. I’d flatten anyone who gave me pots instead of perfume.”
“How’s it going with Andy?” She’d been dating Andy Makinna for a couple of months now.
“It’s over.” Christina shrugged and wrinkled her nose. “Him and Eli didn’t get along.”
“That kid’s got a good shit detector.” Silas hadn’t been particularly fond of her latest admirer, either. Good for his nephew for putting the run on the guy.
“Yeah, well, Eli’s gonna end up supporting me in my old age unless he takes a shine to one of these guys pretty soon.”
“He’s only eight. He’s got lots of time to dig up a stepfather before that.”
Christina rolled her eyes. “I’d just as soon have a man who’s breathing.”
“I’ll pass that on to Eli, but a woman with a personality problem like you have can’t be too fussy.”
She grinned and thumped him on the shoulder. “Take your own advice, older brother.”
“I’ll give it my best shot.” Silas gave her a quick hug and eased past her, toward freedom.
Christina grabbed a handful of his shirt and held on. “Why not stay for coffee?”
“Can’t. I’ve got a deadline on an article, and I’m trying to improve the Ahousaht Web site.”
She knew it was an excuse, but she didn’t challenge him. “Okay. See you tomorrow morning at the meeting, then. No applicants yet for the medical posting, I’m beginning to wonder if we’ll ever find a doctor who wants to come and live here.” Christina was nursing supervisor for the medical center. She was the one who’d convinced the Council about the advantages of having a resident M.D.
“You know, somebody did call about that posting.” He’d forgotten all about it till now. Silas was one of the band’s healers, but he was the first to admit the need for both healing modalities. “Just before the ceremony, I dropped by the band office to get some stuff Bennie left for me, and the phone rang. It was a woman. She asked if the position was still open. I told her I didn’t know.”
“Did you get her name and number?”
“Her name was Jordan, Jordan Brick or Bruk or something.” Silas shook his head. “I was late for the welcoming ceremony. But I did tell her to call back and talk to Bennie before I hung up on her.”
Christina gave him a look. “Probably the only person who’ll ever even think of applying, and you pissed her off right up front, eh?”
Silas shrugged. “You know me, I’m not exactly Mr. Congeniality.”
“Mr. Porcupine is more like it.” Christina shook her head and rolled her eyes. “You need a crash course in human relations, big brother.”
He smiled down at her, not in the least offended. “I’m way too old to change my wicked ways.”
“Thirty-six going on ninety-seven?”
“If that woman really wants the job, she’ll call back. And she’ll have to really want it or she’ll never stick it out through the first few weeks of culture shock. She’ll find out—” he ticked them off on his fingers “—there’s no sushi bar, no movie theater, no health club and it’s a forty-five minute trip by water taxi to the nearest pizza joint, which for some strange reason won’t deliver. And then there’s the rain. Mustn’t forget we have an annual rainfall of a hundred and ninety-six inches. So if I was a little abrupt on the phone, it’s a good thing—a test. We’ll see how determined she is to live on an island populated by wild Indians.”
Christina blew a raspberry. “The elders hear you call us that and they’ll revive scalping. You make it sound so bad anybody would turn tail and run. If by some fluke she phones back and even comes for a look-see, maybe you oughta lay low while I convince her there actually are advantages to living in Ahousaht.”
“If she comes, I’ll stay out of the way. Promise.”
Christina shot him a mischievous look. “Come to think about it, that’s not the best idea, either, big brother. If she’s single, the sight of you might entice her to remain in spite of the rain and the lack of a mall. You’re not half-bad to look at, although your manners leave a lot to be desired.”
Laughing, Silas made his escape when someone else came by to talk to Christina. He took the path that would lead him out of the village, along the forested path to where he’d built his compact cabin.
The rain that had been falling all day had stopped. The rising wind, chill and brisk, blew the clouds away, and overhead the late-afternoon sunset streaked the sky crimson and gold. Boats rocked at anchor in the bay, and kids in T-shirts raced up and down the gravel road on their bikes, impervious to the chill air. He was thinking about what he’d said, about there being no pizza joint in Ahousaht.
Personally, he’d settle for a faster and more reliable connection to the Internet.
CHAPTER FOUR
A CAB DROPPED Jordan and her two gigantic suitcases on the end of the pier just after ten on Monday morning, June 26. As well as her sizeable medical bag, she also had two shopping bags stuffed with groceries. The small convenience store in Ahousaht reputedly carried only the most basic essentials, so she’d