Be With Me

Chapter Twenty-Four

For the next hour of their hike, Rey and Sacheen bonded over dancing and exchanging insights on their respective dance styles. Rey could've spoken for hours about her love for ballet, and she could've listened to Sacheen for hours talking about the same love for Jingle Dance.

Sacheen explained that the Jingle Dance came to be a century ago, when the granddaughter of an Ojibwe medicine man got sick and in multiple dreams he saw his spirit guides, four women, wearing Jingle Dresses. The dresses were calf-length dresses in bright colors with multiple rows of metal cones attached to the back and skirt part. A total of three hundred and sixty-five jingles, each for one day of the year. In his dreams the medicine man was shown how to make the dress, which songs to sing and play and how to perform the Jingle Dance. The tinkling of the jingles sounded like rain on tin and each sound was a prayer meant for healing. The granddaughter was shown the ways of the Jingle Dress and when she performed it, she was healed. Since then, this particular dance style was considered the healing dance or prayer dance. Sacheen also explained that dancers never dance for themselves, only for others. When dancing, they pray for someone in need, either someone in particular or generally for anyone who needs a prayer. But, through the movements and the beating of the drum, healing oneself is inevitable. Rey thought about how Sacheen's beautiful braids would bounce like the metal cones on her dress, her feet elegantly and lightly moving in intricate patterns to the rhythm of the drums. She couldn't wait to see Sacheen dance, but that excitement faded, knowing she would have to wait until her knee was healed.

They didn't stop speaking until Jay finally gave them the signal that they had arrived. They all looked around, looking for what it could be, but Sacheen, who probably knew their destination, walked over to Jay. They both slid between two bushes and into a dense patch of shrubs, leading to what seemed like nowhere just further into the dense woods. Ben followed suit. Then Rey, Tali, Finn, Rose and Poe right behind them. The tiny trail that led to wherever they were going was full of shrubs, bushes and trees that for someone who didn't know where they were going seemed like a dead end. But, after a few minutes they all stopped and Jay pushed some thick branches out of the way to get to the spot he was looking for. And as Rey emerged from behind the branch, she saw what their destination was. Carved right into the mountain was a bright turquoise natural pool, surrounded by rocks and shrubs and large branches. The steam above the water's surface indicated that it must have been a hot spring and Jay's request to bring swimwear implied it wasn't too hot to bathe. A small waterfall gently trickled down into the milky blue hot pool and the contrast of the forest's autumn colors with that rich blue of the water made for a stunning picture. Rey stopped to gawk at the sight and listened to sound of the water, the steady rhythm of the cicadas, the wind whistling in the trees and the flapping and chirping of various birds.

Jay looked pleased when she met his stare and he walked over to set down his backpack. Ben did the same and let Sacheen have access to her belongings.

"This is amazing!" Poe said with his hands on his hips, taking it all in. Finn was already putting down his things and taking off his sweater and shirt. Poe, Finn, Tali, Sacheen and Rose were already in the water. Rey hadn't noticed everyone eager to get in as she studied her beautiful surroundings. She walked up to the pool, set down her bag and clothes which she had quickly slipped out of and held folded in her arms. She looked down to see how deep the water was and after seeing Rose wading around, the water to her arm pits, she deemed it shallow enough to get in. She looked back to see Ben and Jay spreading two blankets on a flat spot on the ground and then taking off their clothes as well. Jay was tall, slim and had the body of someone who did a lot of physical activity which his well-toned muscles confirmed. His copper skin was beautiful and she saw Tali's eyes glued to his every movement. Jay slowly got into the water with Ben right behind him, pulling his shirt over his head. Rey blushed a tad as she looked over Ben's upper body. His was impeccable. Broad shoulders, muscled arms and torso, strong legs. The wind rustled through his raven hair and she caught herself staring longingly.