The Future Awaits
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Chapter 8
We stop along the way for the night, eat, then fall into our beds, so we can get an early start. When we leave the interstate for a secondary road near the reservation, Tor pulls over and asks Tommy to drive, since he knows the road. His smile is broad when he slides under the wheel, but he drives carefully and under the speed limit. I'm glad, because the road has a lot of sharp curves, unlike the flat straight roads I'm used to. He stops at a small motel on the outskirts of Cherokee.
"I know the manager, so he'll give you a quiet room." He goes in with us and we're given a family room large enough for the three of us. We drop our bags in the room and go back out with Tommy.
"Why don't you all rest, and I'll see you after I check in at the council office to see about my job."
Tor frowns. "How far is it? We're not even in town."
"It ain't but three miles. I've walked it a lot."
"To hell with that. Get in the car and drive. We can see some of the town, then take you home."
I look up at the nice brick building when Tommy parks. Offices of the Tribal Council is lettered on the front.
"I won't be long," Tommy says.
Within seconds he's staggering out the door hugging two charred and blackened items to his chest, tears flowing down his face. Mike jumps out and runs to him. "What's wrong?"
When he doesn't answer, Mike puts his arm around him and leads him back to the car, easing him down in the seat. "What is it, buddy?"
"It … it's all gone," he replies in a broken voice.
"What?"
"My … my cabin done burned up last week. This is all I got left." He holds out an old Bible and a small photo album. The tears are flowing faster now.
"I'm sorry, buddy." Mike puts his arms around Tommy and hugs him, giving Tor and me a beseeching look.
When he's fairly composed, I ask, "Where will you stay while you work?"
"I don't know. I … I just run out after she told me."
Tor marches straight into the building. In a few minutes he comes out with a lovely woman beside him. She walks over to Tommy.
"I'm so sorry, Tommy. Carol should have told me you were here, so I could have told you more gently."
Tommy quickly stands and wipes his tears on his sleeve. "I'm sorry you was bothered, Chief Williamson."
"Don't be. All of my people are important to me. I know I should have called you at school about the fire, but I knew you were in exams and I didn't want to upset you when there was nothing you could do."
"Yes, ma'am. This is my roommate Mike, and this is his dad Doctor Drew, and his other dad Doctor Tor."
She smiles and shakes our hands graciously. "Tommy has told me how good you have been to him. I appreciate that. He's fortunate to have your son for a roommate."
"Thank you, Chief Williamson. What concerns me now is Tommy." Tor says.
"Please come in my office for a few minutes."
When we're all seated, I realize this woman is the chief executive of the government of all these Indian people. She must be busy, yet she's taking the time to be gracious to us and trying to help Tommy. No wonder he's so proud to be Indian.
"Pardon me while I make a call." She dials a number and speaks quietly for a few minutes, then swivels her chair back around to face us. "Tommy needs somewhere to stay, of course. I have just spoken with the manager of the casino. There is an efficiency apartment for employees available, so I asked him to let Tommy live there for the summer."
"Thank you. Is there anything we can do to help him?"
"You might drive him to the apartment, if you would, but there's nothing else I can think of. Tribal services will see to his needs. We try to take care of our people, Dr. Torrence. It's when they are away like Tommy that the kindness of others like yourselves is welcome."
"May he spend the night and tomorrow with us? He's very special to us, Mike especially."
"If he wishes. Tommy is free to do as he chooses."
"Thank you, Chief Williamson. I know you are busy, so we'll not detain you further."
"It has been a pleasure to meet you all. I hope you will enjoy your visit to Cherokee." She shakes hand with all of us. "Be sure you see the manager of the casino this afternoon, Tommy, and get the key to your apartment."
"Yes, ma'am."
She lays her hand on his head and says a few words in Cherokee. Tommy blushes, then says, "Thank you, Chief."
He seems calmer now, and directs us to the casino. We wait for him, and when he comes out he points to a building not far away. Mike picks up Tommy's suitcase and a few other things he's brought along in a plastic bag. We go with him to see his new home. It's a typical one-room efficiency, with a unit kitchen along one wall and a small bath. It's scantly furnished, but Tommy looks around as if it's the most beautiful place he's ever seen. "I'm sure lucky they're lettin' me live here. It's a lot nicer than my cabin was." His face saddens at the thought. "I want to see it one more time."
"We'll be glad to take you. Let's go."
Tommy tells us where to go, but when he tells Tor to pull over and park, I see no sign of a burned house, just woods.
"It's up that path there. We gotta walk from here."
Mike walks beside him, arm around his shoulders. The odor of burned wood gets stronger, then we're at the edge of a clearing, surrounded by masses of purple rhododendron blooms. Without the heap of charred rubble before us, it would be a beautiful spot.
Tommy stares at it with a lost look for a few moments, then says, "Let's go. I'll come back my day off and see if I can find anything else."
"Can't I help you, buddy?" Mike asks.
Tommy shakes his head. "Gotta do this myself." He suddenly hugs Mike.
None of us are in any mood for sightseeing, so we go to a restaurant for lunch, then back to the motel. Mike takes Tommy to the room next to ours and helps him clean the Bible and photo album, while Tor and I sit in our room and look at each other.
Finally, Tor bursts out, "Damn it, Drew, this is really getting to me. When I think of how much we do for Mike and then think of Tommy, it kills me, especially now. I wish we could do something for him."
"Me, too. But he's so damn proud I don't see how we can. He needs some family to love him so bad, and he's got nobody. You've seen how he looks when we hug Mike."
"Yeah. I want to hug him, too." Tor's face brightens. "What say we take Tommy back home with us?"
"How? He's got to work to pay his scholarship."
"I mean adopt him like we did Mike. Hell, we've got enough we can pay his tuition and get him a few things he needs."
"I wish we could, but he's eighteen. He's an adult, so what we want doesn't count. We have to consider Mike's feelings, too."
Tor jumps up and goes next door. A few seconds later he's back with Mike. "Sit down, babe. We're going to have a serious talk and we want you to tell us how you really feel."
Tor talks hard and fast to Mike. When he finishes, Mike stares at us for a minute, then jumps up with a big smile and hugs us both. "Tommy will be a great brother. He lets me hug him once in a while now. I can tell it means a lot to him."
"Go get him. If he wants to come with us, it'll be better now than after he starts work. He can still get in summer school."
When Mike dashes from our room, Tor says, "You talk to him, Drew. You seem to get through to him better than me."
Mike comes back with Tommy and sits next to him on the bed. When I've finished telling Tommy what we would like to do, he stares at us in disbelief. Mike puts his arm around Tommy's shoulders and pulls him closer. "Now we'll be real brothers. You can share my car and everything."
Tears are near the surface again. "I want to, but I can't. I owe the tribe and the Chief's been nice, gettin' me in college and all."
"Do you really want to live with us, Tommy?" Tor asks.
"More 'an anything."
"All right. Let me see what I can do." He looks up a number in the thin phonebook and dials. His conversation is short and demanding. He hangs up with a satisfied look. "I've got an appointment with the Chief in an hour. We're all going."
This time the Chief is all business. When Tor has finished speaking, she looks at Tommy. "Is this what you want?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"And you sincerely believe they have your best interests at heart?"
"When Mike took me home with him the first time, they treated me like family I ain't never had. An' his aunt and uncle done the same. They made me feel like I was wanted every time I been there since. Dr. Drew's done rented a place big enough so's I can live with him and Mike when I go back to school."
"This is most irregular for someone having a tribal scholarship, Tommy. You're a man and I have no right to hold you here against your will, though I am disappointed. You would be a real asset to us. If you leave, you will have to repay the council what they have spent on your education this year."
"If you will give me the total expenditure, I'm ready to write you a cheque for the full amount." Tor says.
"You're willing to do that?"
"I certainly am."
Her face darkens. "Are you attempting to buy this young man?" She snaps.
Tor jumps up, his face turning red. I start praying he holds his temper.
"Madam," he says in that icy voice, "you told Tommy he is a man. That is precisely what he is, and if he chooses to leave our home, he may do so at any time. I do not condone slavery."
"Please sit back down, Dr. Torrence. You misunderstood me and I apologize. There have been a numerous instances of white people wanting to adopt Indian children, then denying them all access to their heritage. We are a proud people, and I will not be a party to anything which might deny one of our people his birthright."
"I assure you that Tommy will be in total control of his own life. What we wish to give him is a loving home and a good education. Our son already thinks of him as his brother, and we would be delighted to have him think of us as his fathers just as Mike does. You or any other representative of your people are welcome to visit us at any time."
"I think you are sincere, Dr. Torrence, and that eases my mind."
"He is and I feel the same." I add.
"Well, Tommy?" She asks.
He suddenly smiles. "They're good people, ma'am. I … I love 'em."
"Then I wish you the best. The council will be as disappointed to lose you as I am, but you will always have a place with your people. If you have taken anything to the apartment, please get it and give the key back to the manager." She holds out her hand to Tommy. "Please let me hear from you often."
"Thank you, ma'am."
After Tor has paid what Tommy owes the tribe, we get his things and go back to the motel. When we're in our room, Tor hugs Tommy and is hugged in return. I'm next, then Mike. "I love you big brother," Mike says.
Tommy hugs him tightly. "I love you too, Mike. I always wanted a little brother."
When Tommy addresses him as Dr. Torrence, Tor says, "If you're going to live with us as our son, Tommy, you will call me Tor and Drew, Drew, like Mike does."
We get another hug. Tommy's hunger for affection is no longer confined to that little wistful look.
To be continued...
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