A Day in June

A Day in June, Chapter 15

When Devon came home from school on Monday, he was met at the door by Dyani with her fingers to her lips. Devon smiled as he saw why she was signaling for him to come in quietly. There was Jade fast asleep in the recliner with Dakota in his arms. It was a "Kodak moment" if there ever was one. Devon took several pictures with his phone.

Devon joined Grandma at the kitchen table for iced tea, but he didn't sit long. He heard Jayden chortling from his crib. He'd evidently awakened from his nap.

The boy was still dry, so Devon picked him up immediately, talking to him as he did so. Jayden smiled and grabbed his daddy's nose. He seemed to be trying to tell Devon something with all the "chattering" he was doing. Devon could hardly wait until he could talk.

"Can you say dada sweet boy? Can you say dada?"

"Dudududud" Jayden responded.

"That's pretty close, but I don't feel like a dud!

Say dada."

"da-da-da-da-da-da," Jayden said.

"Wow, I think you've got it!

Dyani, I think Jayden just said his first word. Is he precocious, or what?"

"I have heard children say dada or mama as young as five months. It's possible.

Jayden, say dada for your daddy." Dyani prompted.

"Dadada."

"Say: dada," she requested, looking into his eyes and smiling.

"Dada," he mimicked.

"Awesome!" Devon exclaimed, rewarding his son with a hug and a kiss.

"Has your grandma been working with you?"

"I have been," Dyani grinned. "I've been hoping you'd be home when he finally mastered it. I'm so pleased that you are."

Jade roused and came into the boys' room carrying Dakota, to see what the excitement was all about. Jayden performed his new skill in time for Jade to hear it too.

"He's pretty young to be doing that. I suppose Dakota will look like a dummy if he can't do it at five months too," Jade joked.

"Nah, he'll probably develop in a different way. He'll probably have a mouth full of teeth and bite your finger, or better yet, bite his thumb at you like they did in Shakespearian times. Jayden hasn't shown any signs of cutting teeth."

"All babies develop at their own pace," Grandma said with authority. "Jade was talking in short sentences before he could walk by himself. Jimmy Gray Wolf was nearly three before he talked that much, but he still ended up being a smart kid."

"Not to change the subject, Jade, but the kids in my fifth period class would like you to bring Dakota in to show off. Tim is insistent that he wants to hold your son too. Shari Harmon would also appreciate a short visit to her parenting class. That is, of course, if you're not worried about taking him out so young."

"Since the weather is fine, I don't see any reason not to. When should I come?"

"Probably not before Wednesday, so I can notify the powers that be."

"Wednesday sounds good to me."

When Jade stopped by the main office to register as a visitor, all of the secretaries in the area abandoned their posts for a moment in order to get a look at Dakota. Again, everyone commented on how much he looked like his daddy. Jade simply smiled, and didn't go into any explanation about his kinship.

As he entered Devon's classroom, he wasn't entirely surprised to see Tim there already, but he wasn't expecting him to have one arm around Chip's waist.

"How did you two get here so soon," he asked.

"They both convinced their 4th period teacher that they needed a pass to come early," Devon answered for them.

The two boys had, by now, disentangled themselves and were eagerly hovering over Dakota's carrier grinning at him.

"I suppose someone wants to hold our new son," Jade said, looking pointedly at Tim.

"Indeed, but I'll defer to my boyfriend because I got to hold Jayden a lot. I want a turn before the rest of the class gets here though."

Chip sat in Devon's big desk chair, and Jade gently transferred his precious bundle. Dakota's face crinkled up and he looked like he was about to cry. However, Chip sang gently to him, and the sound of his sweet tenor voice calmed the baby immediately.

"Wow, I think we have an infant whisperer in our midst!" Jade exclaimed. "Now I'll know whom to call when we need a sitter."

"Uh, you'd need two sitters with two babies," Tim reminded him. "I'm sure we could work out a deal where you rent one of us and get the other one half price."

"You ARE a young entrepreneur. I thought you'd pay us for the privilege and for having a place where you could be together."

"We can do that anytime," Chip stopped his song long enough to converse. "Our parents approve of us going together. Once Tim and I figured out that each of us was, um, like the other, it's been a pretty smooth ride. We don't usually get to touch at school like we were when you came in, but other than that..."

"Congratulations! How come I didn't know about this already?" Jade said to Devon.

"I only found out a few minutes before you did. They've both been really cool and proper in class."

"I'd better change places with Tim pretty soon or I'll be in the doghouse," Chip giggled. "Then I won't get any lovin'."

Since Chip was afraid to stand up from the wheeled chair to make the transfer, Jade lifted Dakota and prepared to hand him off to Tim.

"Oops, we have a wet diaper here. Do I see hands of volunteers who'd like to change it?"

"We can do that," Tim offered.

"Seriously?" Jade asked.

"Yup, what kind of babysitters would we be if we couldn't?"

Jade laid Dakota on a blanket on Devon's desk, and the boys took it from there.

"Cool! He's got his skin too," Chip remarked as Tim and he accomplished their mission.

"I insisted that he not be circumcised," Jade told them.

As the rest of the class filed in, several girls asked if they could have a turn holding Dakota. Jade said that each could have a few minutes, but that he didn't want to take away from valuable class-time. They tried not to roll their eyes in response.

"We have a little gift for Dakota," Tim announced while Devon was checking the roll. "In fact we have two gifts because we don't want the boys to be treated differently.

This is for Dakota, and the other is for Jayden. They're exactly alike except there is a different, personalized inscription in the front of each."

Jade opened one of the boxes and Devon the other. The first thing they pulled out was a stuffed armadillo and that was followed by a children's book with the title, "Armadillo Rap."

"These are autographed by the author and the illustrator. Their names are Eric and Josh Larson-Brady. This updated addition has pages which are sturdier than the originals and they come with a plasticized surface that is supposed to wipe clean with a damp cloth." Tim announced. "It was an award-winning book a few years ago, and my mom said it will help kids learn to count.

The whole class donated money to buy them, and my mom got a deal because she's a librarian." Chip added

"These are wonderful!" Jade exclaimed. "I'm really pleased to have an educational book as one of Dakota's first presents. I know he'll love the stuffed animal too.

Thank everyone. Now, I need to run by Ms. Harmon's room on my way out."

After a brief stop to show Dakota off to Shari's fifth hour parenting class, Jade took the infant home. The baby had already fallen asleep before they got to the car.

By the middle of June, the household had settled into a routine. With both men free of school for several weeks, they could devote more time to their sons. Dyani still helped, but she was able to relax more, do a little sewing, and take a trip to the reservation to see to the sale of her home.

In one sense, she felt sad to see it go, but in another way, she was happy. After having fatally wounded her only son there, she knew she could never live in it again. She didn't believe in restless spirits or anything overtly superstitious, but she would always picture Robert's shocked look as he crumpled to the floor.

She was resigned to the fact that she'd likely never own a home again. She would live with the young men until she was no longer needed and then she'd retire to a small apartment, perhaps in an assisted living facility. She hoped she would live long enough to see her great-grandsons grow up. She was philosophical about the future. Whatever her lot would be, she would be content with it.

With summer vacation, the men could take care of the details for their wedding at the settlement. They had been so busy with the end of school and the adoption of Dakota that they had left a lot of the planning up to Dyani. She had been thrilled to be in charge of it because it made her feel almost like the mother of a bride. Many emails and text messages were exchanged between the tribal leaders and her.

The elders were quite pleased at the prospect of celebrating a marriage between two men. As far as anyone knew, the last same-sex ceremony had occurred sometime in the distant past, possibly in the 19th century, if indeed it had been a union of two males. Some tribal historians thought that the marks in the "gender" column of the registry were too blurred to be sure that they were both "M's", and the names were gender-neutral, so they could have been used for either sex.

Regardless, the elders decided to go all-out with a feast for any members of the settlement who wished to attend. The only stipulation was that everyone must register so that there would be an accurate headcount for planning the amount of food needed. There was plenty of casino money available in a fund for social events such as this.

As Devon and Jade tried to decide on the appropriate attire for their special day, Dyani brought two shopping bags from her bedroom – one for each of them.

"I hope I'm not being presumptuous here, but you said you'd like to have a traditional wedding on the reservation. Please see if these are what you have in mind. If not, I can donate them to be used in a theater."

The men opened their bags and held up the beautiful items of clothing Dyani had lovingly prepared for them. Both outfits had "buckskin" shirts and breeches made of suede cloth, decorated with hand-sewn bead-work.

"These are awesome!" Devon exclaimed. "I'll be pleased to be seen in this."

"I would have made them from real leather, but it's difficult to work with and quite pricey," Dyani said.

"Grandma, I think this is better. It has the right look, but will be cooler than buckskin on a warm day."

"On hot days, men may have worn loincloths with leggings, but you might feel a bit exposed in them. I can still make those if you'd like them better."

Jade and Devon went into their room to try their outfits on. When they came out, Dyani checked them over to make sure the fit was okay. She had made her pattern off of slacks and shirts that she knew fit them well. It was amazing how accurate she had been.

"I made these for the boys," Dyani said, as she held up two shirts and pants which looked like miniature copies. "I embroidered them instead of using beads because I feared they might try to eat the decorations."

"That's good thinking," Jade complimented her. "Is this symbol for good luck?"

"It is, and the other is for love. It signifies the kind of family you have formed together."

By the 20th of June, all the preparations had been made and everything appeared to be on schedule. Devon and Jade, accompanied by Don, Dale, Dyani, Jayden, and Dakota headed out mid morning in two vehicles for the long drive to the reservation. It took a bit more time than usual because of taking care of the little ones' needs along the way. Fortunately, they could be fed and changed at the same time.

They arrived in time to have dinner in the small café in town. Everyone there knew Dyani and stopped by the table at one time or other to admire the babies whom she referred to as her great-grandsons.

After finishing their meal, they drove to the motel where most of them would stay during their time at the reservation. Dyani's home was in the process of being sold. She was just as happy that she couldn't have stayed there because it held too many bad memories for her. She liked being down the hall from the rest of her family so she could take care of the boys in her room.

Devon and Jade wanted to keep the boys with them on the night before their wedding. However, they would appreciate spending their honeymoon the next evening without the babies.

Don and Dale offered to take care of Jayden then so Dyani could have only Dakota to tend, and the newlyweds could enjoy their honeymoon time without interruption.

Dyani would appreciate Don and Dale's help the following night because the trip had tired her out more than she admitted. Having one baby to look after would be enough. Hopefully, he would sleep most of the night. He had quickly become a good sleeper after his weight came up to normal.

Their special day had arrived at last. It dawned clear and slightly cool. The weather forecasters predicted that it would be pleasantly warm, but not so hot as to require the use of air conditioners – a perfect day.

The solstice was an auspicious occasion for them, being the longest day of the year in the month that they had met. It was a time marked by feasts and rites throughout history in many cultures.

What better time could a couple pick for a colorful ceremony to be officiated by the tribal shaman? It would be mixture of tradition and 21st Century elements blended into a celebration which would consume a good part of the afternoon, and last into the evening.

For the grooms, it began after an early lunch, with a ceremonial bathing in the creek in an area screened from the view of others. After drying each other off, they donned the camo briefs Devon had ordered from the Internet which lifted and supported their "boys." That was followed by their "buckskin" clothing.

When they were dressed, one of the elders brought in a number of pairs of beaded moccasins from which they could choose. They found ones that not only fit, but also coordinated well with the designs and colors Dyani used on their shirts.

From there, they were escorted to special seats to watch the dancers. The structure, Devon learned, was called a wikiup, and was built like their old traditional houses, but at a larger scale. Unlike the dwellings used to survive cold weather, this one served to keep them shaded from the sun. It had willow and pine branches over the framework, but was open on the sides to allow the breeze to blow through. While it was newly erected for their wedding, it wouldn't go to waste because it would be refurbished for the annual powwow in August.

Their family members sat with them, as did some of the dignitaries from the settlement who would be involved in the ceremony. The guests sat in the shade of surrounding trees.

Magnificently attired drummers, mostly middle school youth, with older men overseeing them, began to beat the rhythms used in the first dance.

A group of teenage boys in traditional regalia of breechcloths with beaded skin capes and leggings assembled to begin the friendship dance. Most had bear claw necklaces and all had feathers in their hair. They were as handsome as they were skillful.

The next event was the swan dance performed by young ladies in brightly colored silky dresses. It was quite elegant, as the name would suggest.

Men of all ages participated in the shield dance which honored braves who had fought to protect their community. It honored fighting men from ancient times down to those who had more recently served in the Middle East.

In the late afternoon, the wedding ceremony began in the wikiup where the wedding party and elders were already seated. Accompanied by the drumming of several of the elders in exquisite regalia, the shaman chanted a prayer to the Great Spirit, asking for a blessing on all those assembled and special favors for the grooms. Then he addressed the whole assembly.

"We observe these rites to unite the spirits of two people. Usually, it is the spirit of a man and the spirit of a woman. Today we unite two grooms who each are of two spirits. Today, their four spirits will become two."

From that point on, the words used sounded very much like what might be heard at most American weddings. The grooms expressed their love and pledged themselves to each other, sealing their vows with the exchange of the handcrafted silver rings they had purchased some time ago.

The shaman then pronounced them to be husbands by the power granted to him from the state in accordance with the current laws of the land. (There was no need for them to have a second, civil ceremony at a courthouse.)

After their public kiss, they held up their sons for everyone to see. Each man said a few words that they had prepared. Devon went first.

"We are now officially a family. It is something we both desire very much. We are blessed. This is our older son, Jayden."

"This is our younger son, Dakota," Jade added. "They will be raised as brothers with traditions from both of our worlds. We pray that they will always know how much they are loved by us and by you."

Everyone applauded.

The dance which followed was the rabbit dance. It was a two-step which the entire assembly, young and old, joined in on. Some said its purpose was to ensure fertility in marriage. Others thought it was simply an old tradition.

The men liked the first explanation and grinned, thinking of their honeymoon when they planned to copulate with the abandon which bunnies allegedly do. They might not be able to get pregnant, but they could enjoy the experience of coupling freely.

While the dancing went on, a number of young men set up tables in the large wikiup for the grooms, their immediate families, and the elders. The grooms were served first, and then the elders, and finally the guests got into buffet lines to get their dinner which they would eat on the picnic tables surrounding the wikiup.

The food was a fusion of traditions with venison and rabbit as well as turkey and buffalo as the meat entrees. There was Bannock bread*, vegetables, and salads to complete the meal.

Devon and Jade had to exercise a lot of willpower not to stuff their stomachs to the point of being uncomfortable when they finally got to be alone to consummate their marriage.

Because of the dreadful memories of his father's drinking problem, Jade chose not to have any alcoholic beverages at the feast. Many toasts were made to the grooms, but in sparkling grape juice instead of wine. Devon was pleased with his choice. He didn't want to be in a position of consuming anything that would dull his senses on this special day.

The top tier of the wedding cake was chocolate because that was the grooms' favorite. However, the sheet cakes for the guests were made in two different flavors - half white and half chocolate so most could have their choice. It was also a subtle symbol of the differences in their racial and cultural backgrounds.

The sky was still light when two young men in a Jeep drove up to take Devon and Jade to their honeymoon accommodations. The men had had a choice of a completely modern air conditioned cabin or a traditional wikiup with thatched walls and roof located by the creek. They had chosen the latter. It had some modern conveniences, like mosquito netting over all the windows, and it was situated not far from a shower house with flush toilets. However, it was surrounded by a fence and plantings to prevent others from straying into that area.

Alone at last, Devon and Jade stripped to the waist and shared a kiss which was filled with the hunger they had for each other. Their moccasins and breeches soon followed suit, landing on the floor near the bed. Then their underwear came off.

Since their lives had become more complicated with two babies in the house, they hadn't had many opportunities for an uninhibited romp. That deprivation made their current activities all the hotter. They acted like a couple of teenagers who had just discovered that their dicks were made for more than peeing.

They kissed, licked, and rubbed their bodies together until they were ready to burst. Then they cooled down and started all over again.

In their first coupling of the evening, Jade took the active role. In the second, they reversed positions and he became the receiver.

In their post-coital bliss, they cuddled and talked.

"So, is this what's meant by `happily ever after?'" Jade asked.

"This is part of it. It won't be all sex, as you well know from taking care of the boys. We'll have challenges and struggles like most couples, but we're a team and we can face them and come out on top."

"Wanna go out and see the last of the sunset?"

"That would be the perfect ending of a perfect day," Devon agreed.

"What makes you think the day is over?" Jade grinned.

They took along their towels and bathed in the creek as they watched the last red streaks fade in the sky. They felt a bit chilled when they came out of the water, but that soon changed when they dried one another off briskly. As they embraced and kissed before going back into the wikiup, their bodies began to respond again. Indeed, the day wasn't over.

----------------------------------End------------------------------------

*Native American Indian Bread (Bannock Bread)

By Terri Wuerthner

"Bannock bread was a staple bread to native(sic) Americans. The use of oats are an indication that it may have originated in Acadia (now Nova Scotia), as bannock means oats, and many Acadian breads contained oats. While this recipe has been in our family for many years, I have no idea where we got it, only that it was on a handwritten, old card yellowed with age.

This is a good recipe to use to teach kids how to bake, as the dough is simple to make, and is just patted into a pie plate--there is no rolling or cutting. The texture is a bit like shortbread, and it's a perfect breakfast for kids on the go."

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon corn oil

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus some for flouring hands

• 3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant oats)

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cube butter (1/4 pound),melted and cooled

• 1/2 cup water, or more if need

• Yield: 8

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Grease a pie plate with the oil.

Mix the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until well combined.

Add the butter and stir just until mixed; add the water and stir just until blended; don't over-mix or the bread will be heavy. Small lumps are okay as long as the flour is absorbed into the dough.

Place the dough in the pie plate. Lightly flour your hands and gently pat the dough evenly into the plate. Score the dough into eight wedges to make cutting easier when the bread is done. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until light golden and slightly darker around the edges. Cut into eight pieces and serve with butter, jam, syrup, and honey.

Author's notes: Dear readers, thanks for taking this journey with me over the past few weeks. Many of you are new to my stories, and I appreciate it that you let me know of your presence. I've felt a LOT of love from everyone, and you know that makes me feel good.

Once again, I'd like to thank Tom H and David S for their tireless work of reading and rereading each chapter in an attempt to rid the story of typos and other errors. They've saved by butt more than once.

Thanks to Nifty for making these stories available to us. Please donate to Nifty as you feel able so that this site may continue its free service to me and to you.

I have several stories in bits and pieces and I will choose one of them to begin posting soon. It may be a short story with a title like "Clean Hands and a Pure Heart" in the college section, or possibly "Changes" in one of the adult sections. That title may have to be altered because it's probably been used already.

Many of you are already on my "alert" list to be notified when a new story or chapter is being posted. If you aren't and would like to be, just let me know so I may add your email to the list.

And now, once more, I'll list the people who have emailed since last posting: Jim B, Mendy D, Nick S, Wayne, Tony W, Geoff, Bill K, Rich L, Jim W, Anonymous, Douglas and Lawrence, Jim L, Walt S, Joe W, Luke C, Jeremy R, Desert D, Zero, Chris, and Paul R.

Remember, you're always welcome to stay in touch even when I'm not posting.

Love and peace,

David Lee