Eternal Blossom

Yona sat forward in his chair, “In the beginning of the world, The Great Creator made First Man and First Woman. Together, they built a lodge at the edge of a forest. They were very happy together; but like all humans do at times, they began to argue.”

At this point, he looked over at Matt with a smirk before continuing, “Finally, First Woman became so angry she said she was leaving and never coming back. Right then, First Man really didn't care. First Woman started walking eastward down the path through the forest, and never looked back.

As the day grew later, First Man began to worry. At last he started down the same path in search of his wife. The Sun looked down on First Man and took pity on him. The Sun asked First Man if he was still angry with First Woman. First Man said he was not angry at all any more. The Sun asked if he would like to have First Woman back, and First Man readily agreed he did.

The Sun found First Woman still angrily walking down the path. So, to entice her to stop, the Sun caused blueberries to grow beneath her feet. The blueberries were large and ripe. First Woman was still so angry she paid no attention, but kept walking down the path toward the West.

Further down the path the Sun caused some blackberries to grow. The blackberries were dark and very plump. First Woman looked neither left nor right, but kept walking down the path toward the West.

The Sun tried once again to entice First Woman to stop. Large, red raspberries grew beneath her feet. First Woman never looked down but kept walking down the path toward the West.

Finally, to attract First Woman's attention, the Sun caused a plant that had never grown on the earth before. The plant covered the ground in front of First Woman. Suddenly she became aware of a fragrance she had never known.

Stopping, she looked down at her feet. Growing in the path was a plant with shiny green leaves, lovely white flowers with the largest, most luscious red berries she had ever seen. First Woman stopped to pick one. Amazing...she had never tasted anything quite like it! It was so sweet! It was utterly delicious!”

Yona stopped, quite parched at this point, and took a long drink from his bottle. Everyone else was sitting back in their seats, enjoying the way that Yona was telling the story with motions to go along with each character in true Native fashion.

“Where was I,” Yona asked, looking at Rayne.

“The strawberries were delicious, and she was eating them,” Rayne prompted, knowing the story by heart.

Rayne snuggled back into Zacky, holding onto his arms from below as they were wrapped around her. Aiyana smiled over at her friend, having heard this story many times over the years, but never growing tired of how it always made Rayne’s face light up.

“Right. As First Woman ate the strawberry, the anger she felt began to fade away. She thought again of her husband, and how they had parted in anger. She missed him and wanted to return home.

First Woman began to gather some of the berries. When she had all she could carry, she turned toward the East and started back down the path. Soon, she met First Man. Together they shared the berries, and then hand in hand, they walked back to their lodge,” Yona finished the story, looking around at how all of their faces had turned from sadness at the first story to content and happiness at his own retelling of a Cherokee classic.

Matt looked at the ground, thinking a lot about the story and the meaning in it. Brian smiled and kissed Aiyana behind her ear, making her giggle. Her giggle brought Matt’s head up, and he quickly looked over at James.

James gestured for them to go in by nodding his head towards the door and the younger man, and got up from his seat. Zack watched the two of them leave, and tightened his arms around Rayne briefly before patting her side so she would know he needed up.

“What’s on your mind,” James asked Matt once they were standing in the kitchen.

“Kristy was convinced I’m in love with Aiya,” he sighed as he leaned on the counter, “and I’m not. I haven’t loved or cared to love in years. I love my life on the road, and the women I can have whenever I want. I love not having to answer to someone, or take care of someone.”

“Are you trying to convince me, or yourself,” James asked him before raising his glass in cheers as he walked back outside to the fire.

Matt stood there looking at the counter, getting more and more irritated with himself. He wasn’t in love with Aiyana. He liked her, sure, but he wasn’t in love with her. It wouldn’t matter anyways, because she was with Brian, and they were obviously happy.

Zack stood back, watching the conversation and Matt’s stiff posture after James left the room. Walking over, he rested his hand on the bigger man’s shoulder.

“Bro, it’s okay to settle down,” Zacky told him with a knowing smile, “I mean shit, we’re getting fucking old.”

Matt closed his eyes at the words of the other man, and shook his head. Zack was the most understanding in their group, but he was also Brian’s absolute best friend. They were all brothers, but what Bri and Zee shared was almost as close as what Bri and Jimmy had shared.

“I will eventually,” he said with a look at his friend, “I just haven’t met the right girl yet, I guess.”

Zack nodded, and clapped him on the back before turning to go back outside to his own girl. It was about time for them to get out of there, and head to the hotel for some sleep.

“Or you have, and you let her go,” he couldn’t help but toss back over his shoulder, thinking about Kristy.

Matt groaned, the first person popping into his mind was Aiyana, and he yelled after his rhythm guitarist, “Didn’t I just tell James I’m not in love with her?!”

Aiyana, on her trip inside with Brian stopped as she heard Matt yelling. Instantly, she thought of Kristy, and she cringed internally. Shaking it off, she couldn’t help but poke some fun at Matt if her father’s story had made him second guess not wanting Kristy back.

“Not in love with whoooo,” she sang at him as she entered the kitchen.

Matt looked up at her like a kid caught with their hand in their father’s top drawer. Aiyana danced closer, not able to help it as Brian entered behind her. Brian watched with a chuckle as she pinched at Matt’s dimpled cheek, and tisked him multiple times.

“Tell me, Mattykins,” she cooed, releasing his cheek from her grip between thumb and forefinger.

“Nobody,” he gruffed out, standing to his full height so she couldn’t get to his cheeks so easily.

“Come on, bitches, I’m tired, and mostly druuuuunk,” Rayne sang as Zack carried her inside bridal style, chuckling.

“To be continued,” Aiyana warned Matt teasingly as she bounded back to her boyfriend, who wrapped an arm around her waist with a laugh.

Notes

There, @synology. Bed time stories. ;)
Don't forget my waffles.