Pink Angel

Odelia stared open-mouthed at the man who stood before her. Realization hit her and she sank back against the seat of her buggy. Charles wrapped his arm around her, afraid she was going to faint. With shaky hands, she brushed him off and climbed down. Dyami was alive. As she got closer to him, she saw the scars on his face and stopped dead in her tracks. Dyami watched her compose herself before she spoke. “What happened to your face?” “The explosion, remember. I was nearly killed in it.” “Why did you not tell me you were still alive,” she asked turning away from him. “Would you have let me in the house if I had,” he asked her coming up to her. “I don’t know,” she stammered stepping away from him. Seeing that he was making her nervous, Dyami walked past her and up onto the porch. Sweet Wolf came out carrying Fawn. Odelia looked to see who came out of the house. She saw the Indian woman hand Dyami the baby girl. “Who is she,” she asked Nitika. “Sakari Tala,” Sweet Wolf said. “I am Dyami’s wife. This is our daughter Awentia.” “I see it didn’t take you long to find another wife. She the one you’ve been living with since you left me?” “Odelia, it took me almost a year to fully heal from my injuries. It was Sweet Wolf’s tribe that found me and treated my injuries. I didn’t leave you. You had me declared dead and our marriage annulled. What was I supposed to do then?” “How do you know all that,” she asked accusingly. “I had a lawyer check into it for me. I wanted to know for sure if we were still married or not.” “Why? So you could marry her,” Odelia said flicking her fingers as Sweet Wolf. “No. Nitika told me you had found someone. I wanted to make sure there weren’t complications for you.” “What gave you the right to tell him, Angel?” “He’s my father. He deserved to know.” Feeling out of place, Hunter gently moved Nitika to the settee by herself. “I’ve got work to do. I’ll be back in time for supper.” Hunter sidestepped Odelia as he headed for the barn. He understood now why Nitika was reluctant to get married. How Dyami could love a such cold hearted woman like that, he didn’t know. The woman couldn’t bear to look him in the face once she saw the scars. If she felt any love at all for him, what he looked like wouldn’t matter. Odelia watched Hunter’s retreating back. Nitika had married below her class. That’s what falling in love did to a woman. It made her blind to the fact that her husband was living off her money alone, unlike her relationship with Charles. He had plenty of money for both of them. She only hoped that this man wouldn’t bleed her daughter dry. The last thing she wanted was to have Nitika coming home to live with her again. Especially with a screaming baby in tow. “Aren’t you going to invite us in,” Odelia asked haughtily. “Must I,” Nitika mumbled under her breath. Dyami gave her a reprimanding look. “Of course,” she said to her mother, “how could I have been so inhospitable?” Mary Beth came down the stairs as everyone came in the front door. She was covered head to toe in a layer of dust and cobwebs. She was dressed in an old outfit with her hair covered by a kerchief. She had been digging out baby things from the attic. Now conscious of her appearance, she tried futilely to brush away the grime. “Forgive me for the way I look. I didn’t know we had company.” “Do you let all the hired help walk around like this,” Odelia asked Nitika. “Mother, I’d like you to meet my mother in law, Mary Beth Huntington. Mary Beth this is my mother, Odelia. Is it still Brodie, or did you change it?” “How dare you ask me a question like that in front of-,” Odelia paused. “Did you say this is your mother in law?” “That’s right. Her name is Mary Beth Huntington. As in the Huntington Freighting Company.” “But you just said your husband’s name is Tilton. How can that be?” “Brady changed his name to Hunter Tilton,” Mary Beth explained. “And I respect his wishes to do so. But yes, he is my son.” “Mrs. Huntington, I do hope you forgive my rude comments. It has been a very long trip and I am quite tired. I simply don’t know what I am saying.” “I take no offense. I am a sight right now. I was up in the attic looking for the baby furniture Nitika said is up there. In her condition, I didn’t feel it was right for her to be crawling around up there.” “Yes, that is something we need to talk about, young lady,” Odelia said turning to Nitika. “Among other things.” “Leave her alone Odelia,” Dyami said coming up behind Nitika. “You made it clear that you weren’t raising Nitika when she was a child. If she isn’t the lady you wanted her to be, it’s your own fault.” Odelia turned to Nitika. “Is there some place I can lay down? I’m really tired.” “Do you remember where the guest room is?” “Of course,” Odelia said frostily. “Is that the only room available?” Dyami’s hand on her shoulder was the only thing that kept Nitika from saying what was really on her tongue. Her mother was just as hard now as she ever was. Odelia had tried to turn Nitika into a younger version of herself once she realized that Nitika was sixteen. By then, Dyami had raised her to be herself, taking away Odelia’s chance to make her a lady. “Until the men finish building the other houses, yes the only bedroom open is the guest room.” “Houses? I’m surprised anyone would want to live out here in this desolate place.” “One house is for me and the other one is for Mary Beth,” Dyami explained. “We don’t want to impose too long on Nitika and Hunter.” “Will Mr. Huntington be joining you?” “No. Brady and I are no longer together. We had a difference of opinion and I left him.” Odelia only smiled contritely. “Well, if you’ll excuse me.” Nitika’s patience wore out once she heard the door close behind her mother. “What gives her the right to berate me in my own home? She didn’t want anything to do with me growing up. Why does she want in now?”