Be With Me

Chapter Twenty-Two

The calming crackling sound of the fire was the only thing she heard as the music stopped and everyone grew quiet. Ben didn't give anyone the chance to comment on his surprisingly beautiful singing voice and instead asked Cliff if he had his hand drum on him.

Ben turned to Rey, "you think the guys in the arena can drum? You should hear Cliff and Sacheen sing."

Sacheen blushed but quickly explained to Rey that she was sometimes a backup singer at pow wows whenever her dad or Cliff were a part of the drum group. As Cliff brought out his round, flat traditional hand drum made of dried rawhide with a black and turquoise bear paw painted on it, Sacheen explained that all hand drum songs have one verse that is repeated four times. Four times as that number is sacred and honors the medicine wheel. The songs usually have the theme of a love song and are often sung for communal round dances.

"What's a medicine wheel?" Rose asked with her hands perched on her fists, elbows resting on her knees. Her straight, jet-black hair swayed in the evening breeze.

Cliff pushed his thick braid over his shoulder and pulled out a leather necklace through the collar of his shirt with a small pendant in the shape of a wheel with four spokes. Each spoke was a different color: red, black, yellow and white.

"The medicine wheel is the symbol of all things sacred. The wheel is life, balance and all knowledge of the universe," Cliff explained. "It's a metaphor for a variety of spiritual concepts. The circle represents the circle of life and that it is eternally ongoing. The four spokes represent all four sacred things such as the four natural elements, four cardinal directions, four stages of life, four seasons, four human races, etc."

"It reminds us to stay connected and in balance with ourselves and Mother Earth," Jay added. Jay pulled out his keys and pointed to a keychain made of a small cylindrical beaded base with leather fringes hanging from the bottom. In the four sacred colors was that same symbol incorporated into the beadwork.

"Is that what that is on your chain bracelet?" Tali looked up, addressing Sacheen who nodded and showed a small metal version of the symbol dangling from a fine chain link bracelet on her wrist. Tali examined the metal charm that she held between her fingers.

Sacheen nodded to Ben, "he has the same one."

Rey's eyes went straight to Ben's wrist which was full of multiple leather bands, thin chain link bracelets and the one bracelet she made him a few weeks ago with her name on it. He twisted some of the silver chain bracelets and there it was, that same metal version of the medicine wheel. The twin to Sacheen's charm. She had never noticed it before. She wondered why Ben had twin charms with Sacheen and looked back and forth between the two.

"Ah, so you do still have it," Jay's cousin teased, her beautiful almond shaped eyes sparkling in the light of the fire and her bangs lightly bouncing as she moved.

"Of course, I still have it. Why wouldn't I?" He almost seemed offended. Jay gave Ben a pleased and slightly proud smile and patted his knee.

"Uhm," Tali perked up from between Jay's knees looking back and forth between Sacheen and Ben, "that better not be a best friend charm." She crossed her arms in a pout.

"You know what I like that idea!" Sacheen answered her. "Sure, Ben you're my bestie. This proves it." She held up her wrist and pointed at the charm.

"No, no, no," Tali shook her head, "find your own bestie. This one's mine!" She moved her pointer finger back and forth.

Sacheen's warm, melodious laugh filled the chilly air. She put her hands up defensively, "ok, ok. You win."

Ben leaned to Tali and squeezed her shoulder, "naw, you're so cute when you get all jealous and protective."