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On the arranged day, Beth’s mom and dad took an American Airlines flight from Seattle to Flagstaff. There they rented a new Altima and drove to Joseph City and the turnoff to highway 77. They were following Beth’s handwritten directions of how to get to Aunt Julia’s place. It wasn’t too obvious because you couldn’t see the buildings from the highway.
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So, it was with great relief that they pulled into the little dusty driveway. As they drove in, first they saw the little blue mobile, then the garden and chicken house, the blue pickup and way in back the old hogan. This was a very exotic scene to these longtime Seattleites. In fact, they were amazed, and amused. They had never expected to find their daughter in such a remote unspoiled place.
Jack parked the car beside the blue pickup. The dust they had fluffed up began to settle and silence surrounded them. Feeling a little shy, Marjory opened her purse, took out a brush and ran it through her hair, quickly checking in the mirror on the windshield sunscreen to see how she looked. Jack said, “well, we’re here. May as well go knock on the door.”
Like Beth, her parents were sturdy people. Jack a bit podgy in his late 60s, and Marjory a well-preserved tall blond in her middle 60s. Climbing out of the rented Altima, they looked a little fancy and out of place for the scene they were entering. Marjory stuck her purse under her right arm, and they headed for the porch along the little path between the lines of small white stones. Sucking in his tummy, Jack rapped on the door quietly.
Inside, all three adults had been waiting for this knock. Julia was sitting in state in her usual chair. Jessie was sitting on the floor by Emmy’s car seat mugging for her amusement. Billy was right there, in charge, while Honda was sleeping near Julia. Beth was in the kitchen looking at supplies and thinking about making dinner for her parents.
When she heard the polite knock, Beth walked quickly to the door and opened it. Seeing her father, she reached for him, and her eyes teared up a little while she held him. Then she reached for her mother and held her for a long moment. Jessie stood up to greet them. They were introduced to Aunt Julia, who looked very pleased. Then they were seated on the sofa and Emmy was placed in Marjory’s lap. It was quite a moment. For the first time, they looked upon their only grandchild.
Julia Marie, Emmy, didn’t look out of place here on the Reservation. Like her father, she was dark eyed, and olive skinned. She was wrapped in a pretty little Navajo style baby blanket. She did not cry, she was wide eyed, looking at these new people intently. Emmy didn’t cry, but her grandmother did. She picked the little bundle up and held her close, in the ancient human gesture that all mothers know. All babies know that embrace also, so Emmy laid her little head, with all the black hair down on Marjory’s bosom and snuggled in.
Jack took in the whole scene with a smile and cleared his throat. He said, “Marjory and I tossed this around for a while, and this is what we came up with. We decided that rather than making you wait until go we go to the happy hunting grounds, to give you most of what will be your inheritance now, Beth, and Jessie too. It was sitting around making some interest for us, now it can sit around making some interest for you! How about that?”
Marjory rifled around in her purse and removed from it a few documents consigning a hundred thousand dollars to Beth and Jessie Nez. She handed these very precious slips of paper to her daughter with a big grin. For tax reasons there were three of them.
Beth’s hands shook as she received them and read them open mouthed.
Jack continued, “we don’t want our only granddaughter to ever know a day of need, and we want you to be able to do right by Julia here, who has been so kind to you both!”
“Be careful with it now!”
While Beth stared at the papers, Jessie said, “Jack and Marjory, I am speechless. I don’t know what sufficient thanks would be, but our greatest thanks you do have. We will be careful with it! We’ll never forget where it came from either.”
The men shook hands, the ladies hugged and cried. Aunt Julia almost purred with pleasure as she looked on. Even Billy looked happy. Honda slept serenely.
Beth made Navajo tacos for everyone. They all ate sitting around in the living room. Jack and Marjory had never had these big tacos before, and they were a big hit. Emmy was held again by both grandparents. If love has any impact at all, everyone was greatly blessed.
The Petersons, Jack, and Marjory, decided to find a hotel in Winslow before they flew home the next day. Promises were made to visit again, and invitations were made of course, to come up to Seattle to visit, though Beth and Jessie both thought maybe they didn’t want to go up there anytime soon. They thought maybe they were just better off in Arizona! But neither mentioned it to Beth’s mom or dad.
Jack parked the car beside the blue pickup. The dust they had fluffed up began to settle and silence surrounded them. Feeling a little shy, Marjory opened her purse, took out a brush and ran it through her hair, quickly checking in the mirror on the windshield sunscreen to see how she looked. Jack said, “well, we’re here. May as well go knock on the door.”
Like Beth, her parents were sturdy people. Jack a bit podgy in his late 60s, and Marjory a well-preserved tall blond in her middle 60s. Climbing out of the rented Altima, they looked a little fancy and out of place for the scene they were entering. Marjory stuck her purse under her right arm, and they headed for the porch along the little path between the lines of small white stones. Sucking in his tummy, Jack rapped on the door quietly.
Inside, all three adults had been waiting for this knock. Julia was sitting in state in her usual chair. Jessie was sitting on the floor by Emmy’s car seat mugging for her amusement. Billy was right there, in charge, while Honda was sleeping near Julia. Beth was in the kitchen looking at supplies and thinking about making dinner for her parents.
When she heard the polite knock, Beth walked quickly to the door and opened it. Seeing her father, she reached for him, and her eyes teared up a little while she held him. Then she reached for her mother and held her for a long moment. Jessie stood up to greet them. They were introduced to Aunt Julia, who looked very pleased. Then they were seated on the sofa and Emmy was placed in Marjory’s lap. It was quite a moment. For the first time, they looked upon their only grandchild.
Julia Marie, Emmy, didn’t look out of place here on the Reservation. Like her father, she was dark eyed, and olive skinned. She was wrapped in a pretty little Navajo style baby blanket. She did not cry, she was wide eyed, looking at these new people intently. Emmy didn’t cry, but her grandmother did. She picked the little bundle up and held her close, in the ancient human gesture that all mothers know. All babies know that embrace also, so Emmy laid her little head, with all the black hair down on Marjory’s bosom and snuggled in.
Jack took in the whole scene with a smile and cleared his throat. He said, “Marjory and I tossed this around for a while, and this is what we came up with. We decided that rather than making you wait until go we go to the happy hunting grounds, to give you most of what will be your inheritance now, Beth, and Jessie too. It was sitting around making some interest for us, now it can sit around making some interest for you! How about that?”
Marjory rifled around in her purse and removed from it a few documents consigning a hundred thousand dollars to Beth and Jessie Nez. She handed these very precious slips of paper to her daughter with a big grin. For tax reasons there were three of them.
Beth’s hands shook as she received them and read them open mouthed.
Jack continued, “we don’t want our only granddaughter to ever know a day of need, and we want you to be able to do right by Julia here, who has been so kind to you both!”
“Be careful with it now!”
While Beth stared at the papers, Jessie said, “Jack and Marjory, I am speechless. I don’t know what sufficient thanks would be, but our greatest thanks you do have. We will be careful with it! We’ll never forget where it came from either.”
The men shook hands, the ladies hugged and cried. Aunt Julia almost purred with pleasure as she looked on. Even Billy looked happy. Honda slept serenely.
Beth made Navajo tacos for everyone. They all ate sitting around in the living room. Jack and Marjory had never had these big tacos before, and they were a big hit. Emmy was held again by both grandparents. If love has any impact at all, everyone was greatly blessed.
The Petersons, Jack, and Marjory, decided to find a hotel in Winslow before they flew home the next day. Promises were made to visit again, and invitations were made of course, to come up to Seattle to visit, though Beth and Jessie both thought maybe they didn’t want to go up there anytime soon. They thought maybe they were just better off in Arizona! But neither mentioned it to Beth’s mom or dad.
So far...They haven't taken my phone yet.docx
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