Gray Skies

Chapter Thirty: Lies

Chapter Thirty: Lies

                Deniah smiled as she kneaded her bread dough on the countertop and stared out the window at the beautiful day they had woken up to this morning.       

                It had been nearly three weeks that she and Gray Skies had been living here and any worries Deniah might have had about Gray Skies living in a pale skins home had been thoroughly done away with.

                They worked hard together. They kept the garden free of weeds, tended the chickens and the two new cows, the three pigs and the mule. Deniah had sold off her father’s belongings to pay off his debts in town and purchase things that she and Gray Skies would need.

                Gray Skies had shaken his head and said he did not understand the ways of the pale skins and their ‘money’. He said it was their greed over that monetary symbol that would be their downfall and it kept them from truly enjoying life as the Great Mother had intended. Deniah had simply smiled and agreed with him but paid the debts just the same.

                Deniah laid her bread in her pan and set in her oven to bake before pulling her chicken out of the buttermilk she’d been soaking it in, rolling it in corn meal and tossing it on a hot skillet. She was going to make Gray Skies favorite meal today, fried chicken.

                It was sure to put a smile on his face.

                Deniah heard footsteps on the porch and it drew her from her thoughts. The steps had been far too heavy to be Gray Skies who often could not be heard coming and simply appeared with his arms slipping around her waist.

                She wiped her hands on her apron, glanced at the gun beside the bedroom door and decided against grabbing it. She stepped to the front door and pulled it open to find the store clerk from town standing with his hat in his hands preparing to knock.

                “Mr. Mason!” Deniah exclaimed with surprise. “What brings you here?”

                “Well I was….” His voice trailed off and Deniah knew it was because he felt eyes burning holes in his back. He turned his head and swallowed hard when he saw Gray Skies standing several feet behind him. Deniah knew that Gray Skies made the quiet and shy store clerk nervous. Mr. Mason had nearly passed out three times when they’d been in his store buying supplies.

                It had been a rough shopping experience to be sure. Many townsfolk had been downright rude and cruel but Gray Skies had held his head up high and Deniah had done the same.

                “Come in, Mr. Mason,” Deniah urged as she took a step back.

Mr. Mason shook his head but before he could speak aloud his denial, Gray Skies stepped forward and motioned toward the open door, his sharp eyes holding threat, “Fire Hair invited you in, will you not do as the woman wishes?”