Damia liked Mama Callie. Mama didn't think Damia was stupid. She wanted Damia to read. Damia had to read aloud, but she could use a very soft voice and speak into a recorder, alone. Callie would listen, and tell her how to pronounce some words. Bao listened to the Chinese, and Henry to the Paiute. She liked to make a word sandwich, or a word salad, by mixing words. She had to do that three times, switching words in each language; but it was fun. David showed her poetry, and little bites of words that could be (as David put it), “swallowed” or “chewed.” She liked chewy words like "drummer," and "heart," and "heat," and "light." These were all desert words. David took her on walks or pony rides, and told her the names in English and Paiute. Special names of the desert plants and animals. He was quiet; letting her silence grow until it flowered into new words.

Hu went on these walks with them, sometimes. She was good at finding animals, and at telling the Chinese names of things. David was teaching them silent walking, so they didn't scare the animals.

Grace stayed home and did her chores (or lessons, or paintings) because she was loud and liked to complain. Damia painted in sand because she loved the colors of the desert. The reds and blues, yellows and grays, and soft blacks --and the silver of sparkly stars. She put her paintings in jars. She learned the names of the stars and the pictures in the sky from Callie. She drew pictures, and learned that long word --constellations.

Vu absolutely loved having Damia nearby. She would mute her voice, telling stories softly. The room would go nearly silent, with only the clack of the men making beadwork, or the softness of the sound of carding wool. Damia loved the alpaca wool and the super-soft angora fur. She learned to wash and card, and spin wool. She spent many happy hours there.

Chayton taught her how to swim, either early in the morning before the Owl Pack did their morning exercises, or right before dinner when Hu and Grace helped with dinner. Grace liked to splash and screech in the pool, so loud that Hu told her to lower her voice. It was too loud for Damia in the kitchen; she would chop, and rinse, and cook when Vi or Mama gave her private lessons. They learned how to make apple-cinnamon muffins together, and eggs and fat sausages for breakfast. Sometimes, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and little sticks of celery with peanut butter and “raisin ants” for lunch. Then, tacos for dinner, baby apple pies, or peanut butter cookies with chocolate on the top, made especially for dessert.

It was tough, with Mom, and Henry, and David gone when they went on the ride. Henry and Mom knew how to look at Grace out of the corner of their eyes. Henry even had a grunt. Grace would look up, then try to quiet her voice, but she was so loud. Mama said Grace didn't know how to think first, or how to hear herself.

Finally, Damia spent nearly a whole day dealing with Grace because it was just Mama, and she had the babies, too. The babies were not so loud now, and Damia learned how to touch them, and give them pacifiers. She taught them to sign, and they told her if they were wet or hungry. She fed them cut-up grapes --and Cheerios in the mornings. Grace talked very loudly, and scared Kiya. Kiya wailed.

Damia told Grace to be quiet, and Grace said, very loudly, "I don't have to!" Kiya screamed louder.

Mama picked up Kiya, put her in Grace's arms, and said, "Now you have to soothe her, because you scared her. Then, apologize to Damia."

Grace put Kiya back into her crib, and gave her a pacifier. Mama went over and made Grace check if she was hungry or wet. Grace then tried to stomp off, but Mama made her apologize to Damia. Then, after she did, Grace stomped off. Grace lost two Happy Points for that. Damia helped with the babies, so she got two Happy Points.

Mama helped her set up her schoolwork and get started. Hu sat down at the same table, and apologized in sign language. "Sorry. She woke up angry and stupid."

"Let's work," signed Damia.

Hu helped her with the Chinese. They got Happy Points for doing their schoolwork, and for doing their chores. They also got points for helping feed the babies, and getting them down for their naps. They fixed lunch together. Grace stayed in the corner, doing her work alone. Hu brought Grace her lunch on a tray, since she wanted to be alone, and because she yelled. Mama told her not to wake the babies, and to think about what she did before she did it, and that great word came up. The big one --consequences. Grace refused to eat, and she refused to do chores. She lost a Happy Point for each chore she didn't do.

Numa came to take Grace for a walk, and Grace refused to go. Hu took Damia to see the ponies and to do outside chores. They also did it so they didn't have to listen to Grace being loud and whining. They played soccer, running back and forth, and came in for a drink and a snack. They diced pears and apples, added grapes and cheddar chunks, and put them on sticks, with juice. They helped with the babies while Mama got her own snack, making Aiden and Kiya giggle by playing with them. They put them on blankets and watched them try to get up and roll.

Grace came to dinner at the Big House. They had tacos and mango salsa, and tomato salsa with little green chilis. Damia hated the chilis, so Vi gave her salsa without them. They laughed, relaxed, and used a lot of Sign. Then, it happened. Grace threw a temper tantrum. She was angry about losing her points all day.

She used a cussword, and Mama said, "That's another point," and passed the salsa. Grace stood up, and threw her fork. Everyone got deathly quiet.

"You treat everyone else better than me! Hu doesn't get her points taken away! Damia gets anything she fucking wants!"

Damia used Sign. "I know you have ADD. I know you do not concentrate, or think ahead, or know how to be quiet. I have autism. I need quiet. You have ADD. You want to be loud. Maybe I should move here, where you won't be loud."

Grace's jaw dropped. Vi said, "Tell her, sister." Mama nodded her head. The Owl Pack applauded the Sign way, with hands in the air and turning them back and forth.

Grace spoke. She said, "I do not have ADD."

"Yes, you do," said Mama. "Mom, Bao, Henry, and I. We all have told you this. You're angry because you have a condition you have to work to control. And, you're taking it out on everyone else around you. That stops; today, right now! And you're not driving our other daughter out of the house because you're too stubborn to listen or behave. At this point you have no privileges, none. No TV, games, or internet. You've been loud and horribly rude to everyone around you, and for long enough. Now, sit down, finish your tacos, and spend the time before bed writing apology letters to every single person you've been rude to over the past two weeks."

Grace sat down, her face was bright red. The conversation started again, as if she'd never thrown her fit. Everyone completely ignored her, even Hu. They cut her out of every conversation, and every disgusted look was ignored.

Damia was angry, and sad too. She knew Grace was so mad she wanted to have a fit, like Damia did. She signed "overwhelmed" at Grace. Grace ignored her, finished her tacos, slipped off her chair, put her dish, silverware, and glass in the sink, and sat down with her tablet to write her apology letters.

Grace was quiet for three days. She didn't even listen to her favorite rock music. Damia was stunned. Mama and everyone else treated Grace the same. She ate, did her chores, and slowly got enough points to watch television or play video games. She wrote and emailed individual apology letters, even to Mom on her ride. She also added some for David and Henry. But still, she was quiet. Mama explained that Grace needed to change her mind, her thinking, her actions, to do things in a new way. And, that way involved a lot of quiet time. Damia was happy. Finally, the house was as she wanted it. It was quiet.

* * *

Dragon Mama had swooped in to make tea, in the middle of Bao's negotiations with a book distributor. She put the distributor on hold, bade her mother make any tea she so desired, and finished the call. She went in, furious, and told her mother that she actually worked during the day, and to please text (or call) beforehand. Dragon Mama shoved the complaint aside with a wave of her hand, then served using the best tea set from China, and her best Panda tea. The one that Bao used for visitors, not the everyday green tea that Mama liked best. She was buttering up her daughter. I'm not going to like this, thought Bao.

"Honored Mother," she said. "I only have half an hour before my next call," she said, wondering --how am I going to get her to get to the point, let alone out the door in half an hour?

She rued spending the day at home, and not at the Grey Owl's office table, or in Henry's office. But, the day was supposedly going to be quiet, with the babies at a checkup with Callie and Ivy, Damia with Inola and the ponies, and Hu and Grace with Henry. That's how she knew, thought Bao. She asked my daughter where I was. Her face grew cold. She couldn't wait for the tea to steep, or make the small talk she was expected to make.

"I must be on the call. Why are you here?"

"Patience," said Dragon Mama, "the tea must steep."

"I cannot wait," said Bao. "I am a businesswoman. I have a wedding to plan, a daughter to raise, and I cannot be late. Why not tell me why you have come?"

"Very well, impatient one," said Dragon Mama. "But, you do not have to plan your wedding, I have already done so."

Bao froze. She felt herself grow hot, then cold. "Honored Mother, we are no longer in China. Also, I have more... funds. More to draw upon than before. So, we will go together to pick out a dress..."

"Drink your tea," said Dragon Mama.

"I was clear," said Bao. "I do not wish for you to plan my wedding. My husband and I must balance. It is right to do so."

"Already done," said Dragon Mama. "You will have these invitations." Dragon Mama laid them on the table. They were Chinese red and gold, with a busy pattern. They were very expensive, and hideous. "And your dress, Mrs. Wang will do."

"No!" said Bao, and stood up. "No, I will not use those hideous invitations. And, Mrs. Wang was very rude to me last time I saw her, so no. I take it you tried to order my cake?"

Dragon Mama ignored her, and poured the tea. "Sit down, impatient one," she said.

"No," said Bao. "Not until you tell me why you went ahead of me, without speaking to me, without finding out --at all, what I wanted. Who. Did. You. Order. The. Cake. From?"

Dragon Mama finally realized her daughter was well and truly upset. "I only ordered the best..."

"The name," ground out Bao.

"Wu's Catering."

"I'll cancel," said Bao, picking up her phone, "before they mistakenly spend money on a tasting." She strode out of the room. She stepped back in as Dragon Mama sipped her tea. ""You're still here?" She turned, and walked away.

Dragon Mama knew better than to chase after her daughter. Bao was losing being Chinese, and did not understand the network of families and favors. She sipped her tea. It was excellent. She would bend her daughter to her will. It never occurred to her that she was making a mistake that would cost the goodwill of nearly everyone she knew. She sipped her tea, and smiled.

* * *

Tito entered the office, and was nearly mowed down by guys going the other way, and out to a job. There were desks everywhere with cubbies on top, full of blueprints and completed work orders, and the project manager Eir staring at a huge screen, with her assistant Tanvi at her side staring at the screen on the other corner. They were both making little hissing noises in between their teeth. Tanvi had graduated from business school in India, and Eir had flown her and her husband (and their daughter) over. Her husband, Rohan, had a job within the week.

The jobs were multiplying. Even with training, and hiring two of the Soldier Pack --one was from the Army Corps of Engineers, and needed barely more than an overview. Now they were swamped. He divided it all in his mind, raised the assistant (Tanvi) to project manager, then hired two new assistants. Even with all the for-cost work they were doing for the Wolfpack and Soldier Pack, they were far in the black.

"Eir," he bellowed, "Find a new fucking office, and put it right in the middle of the other side of town. We're splitting."

"'Bout time," she said, and made more whistling sounds with her teeth. She used her tablet to add someone to the project management software line, and the time on a job shrank by an entire day. "Tanvi found the dome building we bought out, by Rainbow. Kind of a rehab. Distressed property. Used to be a jeweler, then a dentist. Tons of space. This place is getting a second trailer on Thursday. The guys can use it to see what they have to do, take a break, and then see us. They already get paid electronically, and log in their hours by the foreman's tablet. Keep the guys from tracking mud on my fucking carpet. Tanvi's ready to move up. She passed the project management test last week."

"Shit, woman," said Tito. "Then why am I here?"

She held up a finger, touched her ear, and answered the phone. "Desert Construction and Rehab, Eir speaking. How may I help you?" She gestured to Tito. She whispered, "Nico's calling from Bao's phone." She hit a button and the phone in Tito's ear buzzed.

"Bruiser," he said.

Nico groaned. "You know I hate that name."

Tito grinned. "Fun to piss you off, though."

Nico said, "Supplier's late. Went to Home Depot and got what we needed. On time, under budget." It was their mantra. Words to live by. The other one was, "If you hesitate, you're lost."

"Of course you did," said Tito. "And what's going to piss me off?"

"Ran out of Gregory's money. Had to dip into ours to get all the garages and the houses. No expensive stuff like bike elevators, either. Paired Franco and Reyes for Mesquite, Kestros and Wanakana for Tonopah, Davis and Yan in Hemet --partnering with Randy at Rainbow Construction in California. And he's got two of his people too --and Buzz Construction in Bullhead City; made Sergeant Havek the project manager with Buzz Construction in Bullhead City. Buzz is ex-army. Should get along great. We want him back to be a project manager here. He's studying for the project manager exam. I'm afraid Buzz will steal her, but it's a risk we have to take. We're spread too thin as it is."

"Fuck me," said Tito, staring at the new project manager board Eir was pulling up. It was loaded with the new names and partners for each of the out-of-town jobs. "You're going to be putting in a lot of miles."

"No, we're alternating. My wife is planning a wedding, and Dragon Mother is trying to get her to either commit homicide, or suicide. Plus, we both have kids, dude. I watch them a lot."

"You've also got the Wolfpack on your side, and grandparents who actually help. I love my Mamacita half to death, but she causes more trouble than she fixes."

Nico sighed. "Hire the Wolfpack, and send your mamacita on a cruise. Tried that with Dragon Mama, but she knew damn well I was trying to get her out of the way. Will get her out of the way on a spa weekend right before the wedding --before she gets herself dead. My mother is a fucking saint. The way the light of my life tells it, my mother gently supported whatever decision the light of my life was willing to make. Saw her light up with a simple sheath, with a shimmery gold wash on it. Dragon Mother freaked out, said it wasn't Chinese. The light of my life said that she would wear a Chinese jacket, frog toggles, and a high collar over it and all, and she knew just the seamstress to make it happen. Her mother went so full-bore-Chinese-crazy that she was escorted from the shop. Bao went back, ordered the dress, had it altered, and has refused to go to all the teas and whatnot. The ones Dragon Mother wants her to go to, because they're veiled attempts to get her to pick these peoples' businesses for her wedding. She's already chosen her Chinese merchants, and most of the merchants are Chinese. Her mother wants her to drop people she's already chosen, because Mommie Dearest made promises to people without saying a word to her daughter. She's lost face, and wants it back, come hell or high water."

"Life sucks. Now, if you're done moaning, can you figure out this alternating schedule thingy?"

"Eir and Tanvi are on it. I've got Hemet tomorrow. Have a nice day!" He hung up.

"Fuck you," said Nico into the phone. But he was gone.

He went to call two suppliers while simultaneously planning a trip for his mamacita and her best friend, Luisa. That would get her out of the way when he was taking all these trips, and the Wolfpack could help out his wife in peace. And, come to think of it, he could do all the things around the house he wanted done. He could hire the Wolfpack to help, without Mama hanging over him telling him what to do and how to do it.

Despite the fact he had his own construction business, Lupe firmly believed her son was still seven years old. She couldn't live on her own, with severe arthritis in both knees and hips from a lifetime of scrubbing floors. He loved her, worshiped the ground she walked on, but she made getting anything done without interference, impossible. He found a mystery book tour, and added spa treatments, as many as she and her friend so desired. It was worth it, to get the things done they needed to get done. Then, he'd take his wife when all these jobs were done, right after Ricki's graduation. She wanted to be in the marines. He sighed and called another supplier.

Nico had to set the office to rights, first. All the dental equipment had been moved, but all the little offices were just weird. He knocked out some walls, got the Soldier Pack and Wolfpack in for cleanup, and to paint. Their favorite office furniture consignment store looked like it got robbed after he got through with them. YYY got two, corner-mounted, project screens hung on the walls, and both a new assistant and a receptionist. They had the place jumping, hired a bunch of construction people flowing in for construction season. He turned four-day workers into permanent ones, once he saw what they could do, and then started working on getting people certified, and getting some apprentices in to help (and to learn something).

The Hemet thing was banged out quick, because the garage just needed to be cleaned and painted, with the equipment installed. And Sergeant Liya Adams, Private First-Class Benny Bagan, and Lieutenant Chandra Lavan were put up in a hotel as they cleaned their own three-bedroom house, not even six blocks away from the garage. It was a cookie-cutter, low, white house with a tiled roof, and a two-car garage. Just perfect for three motorcycles. Bad renters had knocked holes in walls, stuffed up the plumbing, and left wrecked furniture behind. After that, squatters had done the rest. They brought over some Wolfpack to fill up a dumpster, do demolition, and fill up the dumpster all over again. The electrician checked everything, the plumber snaked out the pipes, the brand-new drywaller and tiler went to work. Davis and Yan moved over to Tonopah to finish things up there, then all four descended on Mesquite.

The soldiers painted their own house, inside and out, went to the consignment furniture store and bought them out, moved in, bought three new bikes to refinish with money earned from other projects, and settled in to work. They were making a profit within a month without dipping too far into savings, and worked for Habitat for Humanity and the soup kitchen as well. They did so well that they scouted and bought another auction house with Gregory's money. They even brought on Staff Sergeant Tamon Tadeki, Sergeant Rain Koblaski, and Lieutenant Federico Ulan, and started running two shifts, and working on bikes in the garages, too.

"That's fucking great," said Nico, and hung up the phone. He called Tito. "Bullhead City's a mess. Fucking idiots didn't get the proper paperwork for a business. Tanvi is kicking ass and taking names. I was all set to send the herd in Mesquite there, but now we're getting backed up."

"Can you pull the plug on Buzz?"

"Wasn't him; was his office manager, and Buzz fired his ass. Buzz says it'll take until Monday or Tuesday to get it straightened out."

"That just means they can't do business yet. They can still build bikes in their garage, can't they?"

Nico sighed. "I should have thought of that. Sorry. No law against working on bikes in your own garage. I'll tell the herd to stampede to Bullhead City, and get things knocked out there."

"Chill out, man," said Tito. "We've done a ton of work. And, the punch list on my own house is nearly finished, and I found a duplex to move in my mamacita, and her best friend Luisa. Far enough away that she won't be looking over my shoulder. If she hates it, we'll sell it, start over. We can get a caregiver to help, as well as all of us, but she's gotta go."

"My starlight's Dragon Mama is doing the Chinese freezeout. No talking, nothing. The thing is, she's also not spending time with Hu. Hu thinks it's her fault, and she cried yesterday. At some point, I'm killing her. With my hands around her little, Dragon Mother neck."

"Jail is bad," said Tito. "Now, call your posse, and tell them to get down to Bullhead City and finish the house, first."

"Thanks for talking me down, Tito," said Nico.

"I hear ya," said Tito. "You got her the hell out before marriage. Wish I'd done the same."

Six Wolfpack came down to help with the household stuff, and his two oldest who were still living in the house. Paco was at a robotics conference and living with his uncle Camilo. They fixed sticky doors, stopped drips, repainted the kitchen, fixed the grout, added a ramp front and back (so anyone in a wheelchair or having trouble negotiating steps could visit), and eliminated a closet to put in a spa tub in the master bath. Then, they put in wardrobes in the wide bedroom to compensate, installed shelves, and had enormous amounts of fun installing a deck. They rotated through six parishioners the church had identified as needing much the same work, minus the spa tub or deck. They installed rails, replaced shingles, and even called a roofer when Alo put his foot through the roof.

He was deeply embarrassed. "Dude," said Tito, "Better to have done that, now. During the six inches of rain a year we get in the same five minutes? Could have flooded the house."

The able-bodied parishioners helped, and the church members came out for the sanding, staining, cleaning, and painting. They also installed tile and even (in the case of an old woman with scarred wooden floors) re-sanded and stained her floor. They ate pizza and drank five flavors of water and Gatorade. They cracked so many jokes they had to put up a joke ban for at least thirty minutes during roofing, just to prevent anyone from putting another foot through the roof.

Nico decided to have a come-to-Buddha moment with his mother-in-law, right after he came back from Bullhead City. He was hot and dusty, but did a drive by of the triplex where his future mother-in-law resided. He saw his wife's car. He went to a coffee shop, ate a meal, and washed up in the bathroom, and then he swung back. As he did it, he noticed that his wife's car was gone. Dragon Mama was sitting on the steps, staring at nothing. He rode up, put up his helmet, and strode over. He sat down on a step, opposite her.

"I will be at the wedding," she said, curtly. "And I will visit Hu. That is all you need to know." He nodded, got back on the bike, and went looking for a flowering plant, a box of chocolates, and chocolate-cookie mint ice cream, just for his lady. And in that very-particular order.

Acceptance

Mike loved getting up in the morning, now. What used to be fuzzy recollections of the present, combined with the bizarre in danger/but want to go back dichotomy, had left him. He got up wanting coffee, a big breakfast, and the laughter around the breakfast table. But, PT first, as Gunny (both Gregory and Gunny Hacayon in Basic Training) would say. So, he got up, pulled on shorts over his boxers, and a T-shirt over his head. He put on his sock, then his blade, then the other sock, and one athletic shoe. He slithered down the stairs and out the back door, stretched, and pounded out a circuit in the dawn light. The horses neighed as Inola, the only other one awake, went into the barn to feed them. She turned, then waved. He waved back.

The PT went well, with a wide trail cleared of stones. He'd worked hours in his downtime --walking them and clearing out the rocks with his walking stick. He could walk, jog, and run, all without thinking about it, now. He even jumped over a small stream. He came back sweaty. He slipped in the back and up the stairs, and caught the shower in the hallway. David and Henry had one, and so did Inola and Bella --and baby Ryder. He hurried because he could smell the bacon. He was glad of his habit to bring clean clothes to the shower, because on his way down the hall Bella opened her door, put Ryder in his arms, and shut the door again without a word. Ryder babbled and clutched at his shirt. He smiled down at her.

"Morning, sunshine," he said. She cooed.

He walked down the stairs at a more sedate pace than his usual one. Vi exclaimed and kissed the baby's head. "Growing so fast, that one," she said. Ryder signed "hungry." Vi smiled. "Of course, little one, your Cheerios await."

Mike put her in her chair, grabbed some applesauce from the giant jar --Nantan made it --and spooned it into a small plastic cup. He added a baby spoon, and played "helicopter" with the applesauce. Vi gave him a sealed cup of coffee with cream, and a touch of cane sugar, just the way he liked it. He sipped it as he fed the baby, then was able to feed himself as Vi put out multicolored Cheerios on the tray, just for Ryder to eat. He ate bacon, biscuits with honey butter, home fries, and a single egg scrambled with cheese, and bits of bell pepper.

He got up, put his dishes in the dishwasher, and said, "Vi, amazing as always." He kissed her cheek and she giggled. He went over to Ryder and kissed her head. She giggled too.

"Quit kissing my girl," said Henry. Ryder signed "H," her word for him. He went over and kissed her cheek, making her burble and reach for him. Henry said, "Have a great day hunting the wild bell pepper," to Mike as he topped off his coffee and doctored it. Henry cleaned up Ryder and drew her into his lap, and she hugged him tightly.

Mike smiled. "Have fun with Monkey," he said, and waved two fingers. Ryder waved back, and giggled into Henry's neck.

Henry accepted his bowl of oatmeal (with brown sugar and honey) and a side of bacon from Vi. He washed it down with his very own sealed cup of coffee. Mike waved again, grabbed his tablet, then stepped out of the house and shut the door behind him.

Inola had the ponies in the yard, and Damia was up at the crack of dawn currying them. He waved to them. Inola waved back. He went to the greenhouse, and began checking all the electronics on his tablet. He checked all the lights and gauges, and created a checklist of the plants needing harvesting. He started with the pumpkins, which seemed to grow faster under LED lights. He worked his way to the gourds, then the squash, and then the watermelon. He had bushel baskets in the aisles on a small hand cart. He filled up the cart, then pushed it out to the cutting center.

Leafort was there, pulling up that day's orders. "Pumpkin pie!" he said, seeing the fat orange pumpkins. "It's weird eating pumpkin pie without it being October, but some of our customers like it so much, they say they'll take them in, whenever."

"Especially the way Vi makes it," said Mike. "And the seeds make good eating. Where's Little Bear?"

"Like a bear, he likes sleeping in," said Leafort. "But he loves gutting those pumpkins. I'll text him, and get him out here."

"Good," said Mike. "Let's unload this cart. I'll have lots for you all to do, today."

"Busy is good," said Leafort. "Some of us want to stay, but we know we need to give our rooms to the next batch. Some of us are two weeks past getting our GED. Jason Yellowrock says he'll hire us to refinish his barn, and put us in loft apartments, two to a loft. His barn is huge, so that'll be six of us. Do you think Nantan will let six of us work here?"

Mike laughed. "Be stupid to turn down the work, even with getting a new Wolfpack. Someone's gotta train the cubs, right? And, we're not getting less business, we're getting a lot more. I've got more plantings today, in fact. The restaurants love the Indian corn and squash, and lots of other veggies. So, that's growers, order processing, preparers, delivery drivers, all twice a day. That's turning into a huge business. You ever thought about pooling your money and buying a delivery truck?"

Leafort grunted as they shared the work of getting a pumpkin to the processing table. "We were thinking a van. Big Tom on the res has one he wants to sell. We can put racks and baskets into it, and that will make separating and moving easier. To fill up whole carts for the restaurants."

"Have Bonnie or Ghost check out the van," said Mike. "Or Jake Red Moon. He's honest and fair, and you can work with him to fix it up."

"Okay," said Leafort. He pulled out his phone and sent another text.

Little Bear stumbled in, with a sausage biscuit in one hand, coffee cup in the other. "Uun," he said.

Mike laughed. "It's alive!" he said. "Bye, gentlemen, I've got a cart to fill."

"Not without me," said April Wyatt. She wore the same boots, jeans, and T-shirts that the boys did, but hers was emblazoned with a woman in a superhero costume. "Let's do this."

"Okay," said Mike. "Did you eat?"

April snorted. "Ran the other direction, so you didn't see me. Ran, showered, fed, just like you."

"Make a Valkyrie of you yet," said Mike.

April followed him in. She did her own check of everything from a checklist, then double-checked his list of what needed harvesting. She started on the grapes, and he finished off the gourds. They took a coffee break after twenty-five minutes, and when their alarms went off. Before they returned, they stretched as well.

"Are you in, on the living-over-the-barn thing?" asked Mike.

"Got a line on a house on the res, big enough to fit three of us," she said. "Just off the road to this property, too. Old woman that lives there does carding and stuff for the Goat Girls."

The Goat Girls raised goats for their milk, alpaca for their wool, and now had a few fat sheep, too. They also made the straps that held dogs in the boxes that Ghost and Killa made. The ones in Bonnie's shop for dogs to be transported on the back of Harleys. They had a woman that made rugs with them named Undine; she'd recently graduated from rag rugs to wool, and alpaca rugs after she spent time with the Navajo to learn weaving. Undine came back twenty pounds lighter and much happier.

"She needs someone to take care of her house, and she has a barn, too. We can fix it all up. We can spread out, do work here, delivery, and Tito loves us. We could help the Goat Girls with a bigger herd, making fancy cheeses for restaurants with delivery, too. Samma and Winnie want to do it with me, and get trikes to make delivery better, to hold up better on dirt roads. We all passed our GEDs last week. A lot faster than we thought, actually, but there wasn't much to do in the winter but study."

"Sounds good. Any of you want to work with Ghost and Killa?"

"I didn't think we could get in," said April. "They've got the Soldier Pack."

Mike waved his scarred hand. "I did it and survived. They run three shifts. Surely you can work nights, make deliveries in the morning, then crash."

April nodded. "Not up for doing respiratory tech, like Samma. And Winnie wants to clean teeth." April made a face that made Mike laugh.

"What do you want to do?" he said, and stood up from the little table and chairs they used for breaks outside the hydroponics lab. He went to the tiny counter, and filled up on fresh coffee.

"Hate cleaning things," said April. "Watching babies is cool, but I don't want to do it that much, because the cleaning goes with the babies."

Mike laughed. "Absolutely."

"Love growing stuff, and riding with the Valkyries. Would love to build my own bike. I'm learning beading and sacred songs from David."

"So, get an agriculture degree, and do all the other stuff, too."

"Okay," said April. "But, I have only the money I've earned here. I can't afford school."

"Scholarships," said Mike. "Or do my thing, and go military, but it changes you. A lot. You can go National Guard and won't have to train as much."

"I'll look into It," said April. "Now, those snap peas won't pick themselves."

"Sadly, they won't," said Mike. They went out to fill up another cart.

* * *

Nantan rolled over and kissed Chayton again. Chayton smiled. "You know the boys are going to wake up."

Nantan smiled. "I checked in on them twice, and they both stayed up way past their bedtime, reading and talking."

"Devious," said Chayton, and started kissing Nantan's neck. Nantan stroked Chayton's arms and legs while Chayton kissed lower... and lower… and lower. He nipped, licked, and kissed Nantan's nipples all the way down to his crotch. There, he took one of Nantan's balls in his mouth, then another, then sucked him until Nantan let out a strangled gasp, and came. Chayton cleaned him up, then it was his turn to be kissed, stroked and loved. Nantan used his teeth, which made Chayton groan and hold on tightly. Afterward, they put on boxers, and held each other close, reveling in the ability to sleep in.

"Mike is fantastic," said Nantan into Chayton's hair. "He lets us sleep in."

Chayton chuffed laughter. "I don't think that was sleeping."

Right on cue, the boys popped in. "Food," said Tam, imperiously.

Chayton laughed. "There's usually a ‘please’ involved in polite society, but let's get started on bacon and eggs, shall we?" He put on a robe, and padded after their son.

* * *

"I call this meeting to order," said Vu, sitting in the sunroom on her favorite recliner, with her hair still a bit wet from her morning swim. Chayton and Bao laughed. Vu grimaced at them and said, "Bao, I won't ask about the for-profit stuff, but I assume your Mandarin stuff is going well?"

Chayton laughed. "You won't ask and then you did ask."

Bao grinned. "Fine. Very good. Dragon Song went so well that there are several studios asking me and my illustrators to make it to a movie, to be simultaneously released in English and Chinese. I've never written a full-length movie before!"

Vu and Chayton let their jaws hit the ground. Chayton recovered first. "That will be hard, with your getting married and the new house..."

Bao giggled. "The house is doing just fine."

Vu smiled knowingly. "He took my advice about the sheets."

Bao blushed. Chayton put his head in his hands. "Um, can we get back to the meeting?" asked Chayton.

Vu smiled. "We've had requests from tribal councils from Alaska to Maine, and down to Florida and back. We even got requests for textbooks in Chinese from an immersion school in San Francisco, and Spanish and Hawaiian immersion schools --as well as the First Nation speakers. Some just want our format, and want to do their own things, and I've already given it to them. Some want curriculum design."

"I've never done that," said Bao.

"I just started my master's degree in curriculum design," said Chayton, quietly.

Both women stared at him, open-mouthed. "That's wonderful!" said Vu. "And, I taught school in both Vietnam and here in America for thirty-five years. I think we can agree on a curriculum. I'll use you two as up-and-comers, modern teachers, and what have you, for that part."

"We need more help. Robert Five Stones is Zuni and one of the Soldier Pack. He's okay with working on bikes, but he got a degree in language acquisition. He tried returning home, but needs more excitement. He's waiting outside if you want to meet him," said Chayton.

"Love to," said Vu.

"Of course," said Bao.

Robert Five Stones was tall, with nutmeg-colored skin, black eyes, straight back hair that was growing out since his discharge, and missing both a leg and an arm. He had a blade on the left leg, and a robotic arm, with fully functioning fingers of plastic and metal. He brought in his tablet, and sat in the straight-backed chair Chayton offered. Chayton rolled over a laptop desk, and Robert put his tablet down.

"I'm Robert Five Stones. I'm Zuni, and I want to preserve our language and our culture."

"You're in the right place," said Vu. "Bao here's preserving Chinese, and I'm Thai and want to preserve my language, and Chayton here created the framework with Bao to make books. We've started with children's stories, and we've found some fantastic illustrators. Everything we do is online. Bao's business makes a profit, and she donates tablets, cell phones, and e-readers to native schools. They are preloaded with our software, in whatever language they specify. Chayton here's working on Apache."

"Well, hot damn, Ma'am," said Robert. "I'll text them to move in another soldier on the list. Inola's got one more over-the-barn apartment left, since her cowpoke Jeffrey went away to vet school. I'd love to do this, if you'll have me."

"Shut up," said Chayton. "We wanted you at 'Zuni.' Great language. What's your degree in?"

"Got it in the tent," said Robert. "Masters of Education, specializing in curriculum design."

Chayton hung his head. "I'm so inadequate."

Bao laughed. "He just started his master's degree in the same thing."

"I'll help any way I can," said Robert.

"We've got two boys, Little Nico and Tam. Big Nico works in construction and is marrying Bao here. Then we got two more, Josh and Nick, and we're planning to adopt them too; their mom loves them and will visit them --but she's horrifyingly busy. Gives them more structure to handle being college bound. Bright boys. Anyway, that's just me and my husband Nantan. And there's the Wolfpack; students from all over the southwest who come to have Henry, Chayton and Bao here, help them pass their GED. And Inola lives here, with Henry and David, and Inola is married to Bella, and they have a baby named Ryder, and now Bella's going to have Nantan's baby."

"Overshare," said Vu.

"Wow," said Bao, her eyes misting. "Another baby!"

"And Bao here's going to live with Big Nico, just over the ridge, and Ivy and Callie, and Aiden and Kiya live there, with older girls Hu, Grace and Damia," finished Chayton.

"Hu is my daughter," said Bao. "Ivy and Callie helped with Hu when I was in China. And I'm pregnant. And getting married next week."

"Pregnant?" said Vu. She leaned out of her recliner and half-tackled Bao with an embrace. Chayton hugged her too.

"Wow," said Chayton. "That's the most I've ever said at one time. What the hell was in my coffee?"

Robert watched them all, wide-eyed. "What a fantastic family," he said. "It's almost Zuni." They all laughed.

Robert moved in, after making sure Jeffrey's stuff had all been shipped to him. Bruiser/Nico drove up with a flatbed with a mangled bike attached. Josh and Nick ran out to help him, followed by Tam and Little Nico.

"What's with the bike?" asked Josh. "Did you kill it?"

"Nope, previous owner did. He's alive. His insurance company sold me the bike for scrap," said Robert. "I'm gonna put it back together. Inola's letting me put it under that overhang there." The overhang was on the side of the barn, helpful for putting hay bales or other such things there, without getting them wet.

"Can we help?" asked Nick.

"After our schoolwork and chores are done," asked Little Nico, with a stentorian voice that had to be him trying to imitate Nantan.

"Schoolwork and chores first," agreed Robert. "Can't let our people down."

"How does skipping your homework let people down?" asked Tam. "I get the chores stuff. Too much to do on a working farm, even with the eighty-eleven people we have here, already." Robert smiled at his number-word effort.

"Ever tried to get an uneducated guy to do a job that requires an education?" asked Robert, taking his duffel out of the front and putting it in front of the barn. The boys helped Bruiser/Big Nico unhook the chains that were holding onto the bike. Robert rushed to help them take it down and roll it on its working back wheel, and then to the side of the barn.

"Huh?" asked Little Nico.

Josh got it. "It's one thing to build the inside of houses, with Big Nico here. But you can't design them until you become an architect, and know how to do the framing, put up the roof, put in all the pipes and wires and cable and stuff, then the kitchen, and bathrooms..."

"Architecture school is no joke," said Big Nico. Robert rushed to help him lower the metal "horse" that would hold the engine block when Robert disassembled the bike. "Takes years of study. Have to understand math, angles, degrees, weights. And stuff like --which is a load-bearing wall, and which isn't. One you can cut into, or one you can't."

"Load-bearing?" asked Tam.

"Bearing the weight from the roof to the ground," said Robert. "My dad worked construction. Architects draw plans, get them approved, and contractors or building companies, they build them. Hey, Bruiser, didn't you say Callie in the house down there," he pointed to the slight rise, "that she can help me build bunk beds?"

"Sure," said Bruiser.

"Aren't you a little old for bunk beds?" asked Little Nico.

Robert laughed. "Spent all my time in the army, in one. My sister wants to come up to work on the Zuni stories with me. She's a weaver, too, and she is absolutely amazing. She can throw pots and make the most gorgeous silver jewelry, ones inset with stones."

"Be a nice side business," said Bruiser. "We can add on to the barn, make one apartment up top, a workshop for you, and a place with a potter's wheel for your sister. She can do her silverwork there. She and Jake can walk all over these mountains looking for stones. We got a couple that do jewelry here, mostly beadwork, though."

"I just got here," said Robert. "Wouldn't want to overstep."

"Shut up," said Bruiser. "You're family. You do your share of the work, whatever's needed, ‘till I get back. Be back to measure," said Bruiser. "Now, I've got to see my wife. I'll tell Callie when I'm over the hill about getting you some pods, but I think maybe, you should hold off until we get this extension built. We can frame it..." He pulled out his phone and poked some buttons. "Next Thursday. Expect you all." He pointed at everyone, and added, "To help. Family does for family."

"Yes, Sir," said all the boys, and Robert.

Bruiser hopped in, and drove off to see Bao. Robert stared at the barn wall, then his bike, schooling his face. A Zuni being taken in by Paiutes. Well, stranger things had happened. They were all Pueblos, weren't they?

* * *

Sheriff Xenia took her pregnant self to Vegas. She told Bob (Robin) it was a little vacation. Not true, not really. Sigrun had called for help, wondering what to do with Wraith's despair. Being in traction, unable to move, still on a catheter, was really messing with Wraith. She couldn't attend Bao and Nico's wedding, except via Skype. She was even unable to toss and turn at night. She was in pain, and angry, and definitely exhausted. Furthermore, Saber was off on some super-secret escapade to pay back favors he'd called up after she'd been run over. She was getting tired of seeing the same faces every day, and getting testy, irritable, and downright mean. She took online courses with her good hand on law enforcement, and worked on her Old Norse. She even began a single course toward a master's degree in criminal psychology. But, she couldn't shake her frustration, and it was hardening into rage.

Xenia badged her way into Wraith's room. Rota and Skuld were nearly glaring at her; it was obvious Wraith had upset them. "I see you look like a porcupine, and act like one too," said Xenia. Rota and Skuld grinned. Sigrun looked shocked.

Wraith laughed. "Hey, porker," she said, and made a pig noise.

"That's Sheriff Porker to you, missy," said Xenia. "Okay, what we're going to do will hurt like a son-of-a-bitch, unless we all do it in sync." Skuld moved to her head, Rota to her feet. "Sigrun, you take the feet. Rota, you reach up and get ready to move that mess of pulleys." Xenia took the sheet on the other side, at her hip, and said, "Don't scream, or the nurses will run in here. One, two, three."

They moved her over, a bit at a time, until she was nearly at the railing. The bed was wide to accommodate her pins and pulleys. Xenia took off her cop jacket and boots, crawled in, and held her as Wraith cried out in pain.

"I know," she said. "Let it out."

Sigrun brought wet wipes, and the others went to get coffee. Xenia let her cry it out, then helped her wipe her face. Rota came back with real coffee from the Starbucks down the street, then gently grasped Sigrun and dragged her from the room.

"Did I ever tell you about my mom?" asked Xenia. Wraith shook her head. "Well, I was born from --not a good marriage. My mom married a guy, got pregnant, the usual bullshit. He was controlling in that insidious sort of way where you don't read the signs, don't see the monster. Then, one night, knowing she was pregnant, he smashed in her face. She waited until he fell asleep, grabbed a few things --and her secret stash of money. Went to a bank branch several towns away, closed out all their accounts, moved to a small town in Nevada, from South Carolina. South Carolina! Can you believe it? Back then, changing your name wasn't quite as hard. She got a social security card from a dead baby, got a new name, new driver's license. New face, as he'd rearranged hers some. Then, a new hair color and glasses. She worked at a diner, volunteered at the library. I was born, and she married a nice guy named Alec Poulolakis. Ran a small Greek restaurant and a deli. She waited tables and rang people up. He kept things stocked, and had a friendly patter going with everyone."

"So, she got away." Despite her irritation and pain, Wraith was interested in the story.

"Not exactly," said Xenia. "My dad died when I was ten. I was six when they married, and so I knew he wasn't my birth dad. And my mom just said my bio dad was dangerous, a very bad man. I imagined he was in the mob after watching a few bad movies."

Wraith laughed, then moaned. "Don't make me laugh."

"Sorry," said Xenia. "So, I happened. I did some research. Found some real names in a box of stuff my mom didn't want to get rid of. Wound up with a cold trail. It turns out Daddy Dearest had been looking for my mom. He thought he'd had a son, and he wanted that son. Must have freaked him the fuck out when I contacted him. He saw his chance for revenge, and an angry little girl who hated her dad for dying --and her mom for not telling her about her bio dad. To be honest, I didn't believe my mom. Didn't think she was right. I had grown up loved, and I didn't know what nastiness was out there. In the “real” world. I was also angry at her for working all the time, then when I complained, she sold the deli and restaurant, and went to school to become a librarian. Now, I felt I had too much oversight."

"You were stupid," said Wraith.

"I was criminally stupid. He stole a car, made his way across the country to me. I can't say he kidnapped me, because I went with him, but I can say that everything he said was a lie. He'd marry my mom, we'd all be a family again." She wiped her eyes. "I led him to our front door --the man she changed her name (and her whole life) to protect me from. She talked to him in a sing-song voice. Asked me why I was talking to her abusive ex. I told her she was lying. She was crying silent tears; half angry, half sad. Finally, she got close enough to snatch me away from him, and he hit her. I was so shocked, I ran to the kitchen. Mom had a baseball bat behind every door; now I realized why. I ran out with it, and got a good whack in before she grabbed it from me and proceeded to pound the daylights out of him. She kicked his side, and told him to crawl out like the dog he was, and if he ever darkened her doorstep or tried to talk to either one of us again, she'd beat him to death. He crawled out after she broke his hand because he kept lying there. He was quite literally bleeding on the floor, threatening to come back and kill her."

Wraith held onto Xenia's hand. "What did you do?"

"We had to move. He couldn't find us. I lost all my friends, my school, everything I loved, all because I didn't trust my mother, and so did she. The worst thing was, I'd lost her trust completely. She drove us to the outskirts of Reno, finished off her courses, and became a librarian, with a new hairstyle, and no glasses, and totally different clothes; librarian clothes. She took self-defense courses, became a black belt in karate, and had me do it, too. I'd never mentioned our last name, so we didn't have to change our last names, just our first ones. She treated me so lovingly, with such care and concern, but I'd broken something I couldn't unbreak. I listened to everything she said, tried to be a good girl, but it wasn't enough. I knew I'd fucked it up, completely. I tried to apologize, and she said she understood, but I knew she didn't. I trained hard, got a bike, learned to drink like a fish, got into the military. Never once said an ugly thing to her again."

"Where is she?" asked Wraith.

"Drunk driver got her when I was on leave. I had literally just gotten on the plane back when the driver crossed the median as she drove home from dropping me off. Then," she said, "the gloves were off."

"You found Daddy Dearest?"

"Oh, yeah," said Xenia. "He'd remarried, and was beating that wife. Bruises on her neck, and her small shoulders. Two terrified kids. I waited until he left the house." She stopped, stared at a wall. "Later on, I called someone I knew, someone with clout. I paid to have her sister move in with her, to help with the rent. My friend would go by with money and pay some bills, from time to time. She got a new guy; a nice one, married him with no problems since then. Sister's moved out and married, too, got a house around the corner, and the big extended family has picnics on the lawn."

“Thank goodness,” said Wraith.

Xenia looked down at Wraith’s mangled hand, then at her leg hanging up in the air. "Get some of this out in two weeks, more in three," she said. "Can't walk worth shit for six more weeks, though."

"You're lucky you can feel your toes," said Xenia. "You should have been paralyzed. Your brain is rewiring itself, and now you can talk. You'll have to learn to walk again, and ride again. You'll be in a wheelchair for many months. Your life is gonna suck. The point is..."

"I have a life," said Wraith.

"And a husband and a wife, and your sisters in the Valkyries, and friends from your DEA days that stop by. And me."

"And you," said Wraith."

"So, accept that it sucks. Take up coloring with one hand. Read books. Write dirty novels." Wraith laughed. "Watch every movie that's ever been made, and pop some popcorn, or drink some soda. Relax. I know that goes against our code. But, never, ever take what you have for granted. I did. I made our lives much worse because I couldn't accept things the way they were. Took the trust of a loving mother and threw it out the window.”

"You were ten," said Wraith. "A bit too young to think deep."

"Yes, but the lesson still stands. If you don't accept the current suckiness, then your life will get a lot worse as you drive everyone who loves you away. Now, give me your tablet. I'll show you how to use your library card to download eBooks."

"I can do that?" asked Wraith.

"Damn right," said Xenia. Wraith looked over her shoulder as Xenia showed her how to log in.

Brain Points

Lieutenant "Wild Bill" Williams, Corporal Thandie Wells, and Specialist Saleem Jeffries showed up on a Monday morning on the backs of Harleys from Minnesota, Washington, and Alabama. They were given billets, and brought to their jobs the first day. The two Iron Knights and the Valkyrie stayed to help. Robert helped, along with all the boys of Chayton and Nantan's household. They poured cement the first day, ate a huge lunch, and went off to help Nico with a second job before a huge dinner back at the farmhouse, and before calling it a day and heading home. The second day they learned bike fundamentals. On the third day, they added framing, extended the roof, and began roofing, under the direction of Tito's roofing subcontractor, Dalim. Dalim even had the boys up, showing them how to stand and how to pound nails. No one fell off the roof. Then, the outside walls went up, and the ducts, pipes, and wiring were installed for both the upstairs and downstairs, with the floor put down for the upstairs apartment, and then they called it a day. They learned insulation and drywall the next day, and the plumber and the electrician checked things out. The boys loved hanging the glass tile in the shared bathroom, and the bedroom got bamboo floors and closet doors.

Robert absolutely loved building his sister's place. He called Suni, and begged her to come. "My bike is in there, and there's a table and bins for me to disassemble the bike. I'm going to get the engine on the block tomorrow."

"What reason do I have to come?" said Suni. "You have a bike shop. Where is my wheel?"

"We put the wheel in the middle, right under the two windows. There's cubbies for clay, and slip, oh, and washes and paints. Then, there is the jewelry stand in the other corner, separated by a wall so the clay doesn't travel. Trays for stones, and a table and rolling chair like you enjoy --and silver solder."

"Ah," said Suni. "Who am I to be far from my people?"

"David lives here. He is the medicine man for the res. He will sing sacred songs with you."

"What of the carvings?" asked Suni. "I will miss Davis. He makes the most excellent carvings."

"He is also your love?" asked Robert.

"He is," said Suni.

"He doesn't need a huge workshop," said Robert. "He can carve while sitting outside, or when watching the horses prance."

"I will think on it," said Suni.

"You can stay where you are," said Robert. "Of course, the Zuni Nation is beautiful. It is much drier here. More wind. But, you can choose to live here, and I will help you in any way I can. You have the stories, and so does Davis. We can make books for our people with the old stories." He realized what she really wanted. "You can come visit. Bring Davis. He will like it here for a while, I think."

"We will come," said Suni. "We will spend some time thinking about what to bring."

At first, he was upset that his new friends had gone to all that work and expense, only to have his sister, who had begged to come live with him before (many times), and not stay permanently. Then, he thought of the other Soldier Pack, as the Wolfpack called them, and he realized that may end up being a blessing. She could give lessons, he thought. So could Davis. He liked Davis. Where his sister was round, Davis was tall, and with a narrow face and piercing eyes that missed nothing. His Zuni name translated to Eagle Sees, a very powerful name. The day is not over, he told himself. He began to take the mangled bike apart.

He rotated, two hours on the bike, two hours putting Zuni into books. He asked his people for pictures --there were incredible artists on the res. Painters, and Davis and his fetish carvings, and Suni and her bowls. He got Reynaldo Hawi to illustrate the books, and began typing up stories in both Zuni and English.

Vu was very excited. "Ask the illustrator how much he wants. We will pay you too, of course."

Robert was very pleased. He sent the text of his first book to Reynaldo, and asked for illustrations. "Less words, more powerful," said Reynaldo. Robert agreed, and began editing. Reynaldo asked to do two more illustrations for more money, as he liked them both, and Robert and Vu agreed.

Meanwhile, the bike's engine was mounted on his block. He went for the dusky red, and yellows and blacks of the sacred paintings, and painted the new fenders and gas tank himself. The boys were eager to help, and delighted to watch him paint with zigzags, dots for corn, lines for rain, and the lizard for rain as well. They called it the Lizard Bike. He had Ghost over to help with the kids.

"This bike be da bomb," she said. "Boys, dis be a real artist. You all watch him, ya heah?" They all nodded. "Now, see how he got the parts ready? Dis one first, den dat one?" She pointed to the table where the parts were all clean and laid out. "He be ready. No one got no bike built by bein' stupid. Be ready."

All four boys nodded. Tam asked, "How do you know what goes first?"

Ghost did a double face plant, slapping her head with each hand. "Dem boys don't know de parts o' de bike. Robert, what in de hell you been teachin' dese boys?" Robert hung his head, making them laugh. "You gotta start with da engine block. Da engine not work, da bike not go, ya heah?" All four boys nodded. "You, Josh, point to da engine." He did, and the others laughed. Ghost smiled wide. "Ya laugh now, but ya gonna get smoked pretty soon. Where's da brake line?"

Soon, the lesson went from humor to actual work. She brought five of her disassembled miniatures, and brought them to what would be his sister's jewelry table.

"Now, dese don't have all da parts. Buildin' a baby one, not da real ting. Now, ya look." She turned on the powerful lens light she used to see up close. "Dis be like a docta wit’ an oper-a-shun. Now, let's do dis." She assembled her miniature bike, in slow motion. "Dis be like the trikes me an' my wife Killa make in da Nighthawks garage. We done started rotatin' so everyone can do one o' da trikes. Robert, ya got out befo' da rotatin.' Everyone dat miss da rotation can come back an' get it. Gonna have to sleep in a hotel if ya done moved, but it be okay. So, ya come and do it, ya heah?"

"Wouldn't miss it," said Robert.

She put it together, naming the parts, and the boys all got a crack. She brought paints; black and silver, and the boys got to paint them, too.

"Be back tomorra ta get dem," she said. "You boys be real-good. If ya learn from Robert heah, ya can learn from me later. But I ain't got no time fo' no stupid folks. Ya gotta be ready."

"We'll be ready," said Nick. The other boys nodded.

"Now, we be gettin' somefin' ta eat. I heah ya Vi makes da best biscuits odda den my woman."

"She's making cheese ones today," said Robert. The boys bolted. "Wash your hands with the green soap!" he called out after them.

Robert helped Ghost clean up. "You sure are good with them," he said to her.

Ghost smiled. "My wife be tellin' me, you don' raise da boys up right, dey become da problem, not da solution. Dey raised right, dey be da excellent lovas and fathas."

Robert nodded. "Let's get some of those biscuits before the boys eat them all." She laughed, and they headed to the main house.

Ivy handed Aiden to Robert. Aiden grabbed his shirt and babbled. Then she met Ghost with a killer hug --after they washed their hands, of course.

Robert patted his back, and Aiden let out a mighty burp. "Wow," said Robert. "Good one, little dude." Aiden smiled.

"We can't do that anymore," said Tam, disappointed. "Vi says if we burp or fart at the table, we don't get fed."

"Burping after the meal is acceptable," said Vi, putting platters of smoked chicken, biscuits, sliced fruit, and a tomato veggie sauce on the table. "Not before or during the meal." The boys went insane for the food. "Whoever eats too much doesn't get pie," said Vi, and they calmed down.

"Great motivational technique," said Robert. "Withhold food."

"Works for me," said Callie. Henry gave Kiya more Cheerios, distracting her while Callie went to hug Ghost. "Works even better on my wife."

"I resemble that remark," said Ivy, sitting back down and reaching for a biscuit. "Will work for pie."

"Will do almost anything for pie," said Robert. He put Aiden in a high chair, and tied on a bib. Vi came behind him with cheese sticks and cut-up fruit.

"Have a seat and stay awhile," said Henry, smiling at both Robert and Kiya.

"Where are the pixies?" asked Robert. He snagged a chicken leg.

"Out being schooled," said Callie. "Bao took them out for a math game tournament. Inola is with Damia in the barn."

"Of course she is," said Henry. "Girl would live there under a horse blanket."

Ivy bent her head. "We may have to. Bring her down to the big house. Damia's up at oh-god-thirty, anyway. Grace has gotten better, more reasonable, but her ADD treatment works best if she treats life like a constant video game, getting immediate reinforcement online for things gone well. We've got apps for that. So, she's still loud. Less disrespectful, but loud."

Callie took her wife's hand. "Two daughters with incompatible conditions."

"Not that incompatible," said Robert. "Both are brain differences. Both cause the girls to act in ways that those with other brains don't get or understand. Give them 'brain points' for recognizing and accommodating the other's brain. The video game is a great way to do that, for both of them. When they get enough brain points during the day, they get something within the hour or day. Long-term rewards really don't work on either one of them."

Ivy stared at Robert. "Where have you been?" she wailed. "We've needed you for months!"

Henry clapped Robert on the shoulder. "Welcome home," he said. Robert ducked his head to hide the wash of tears.

They altered a video game to make both girls "game" their lives. They got in-game points to dress up their avatars, with potions and the like. They got extra "brain" points as well. Bao contacted the game designers, who promised to add "brain points" on their next iteration. They had many customers with ADHD, and loved the concept. The girls could either use the points internal to the game, or redeem them for external points whenever their parents, or whomever they wanted to redeem them from, were not too busy. The girls loved the idea, and Hu joined in. They got homework, exercise, chore, and brain points. They soon were comparing their avatars, and specifically asked for extra chores they could do. They earned real-world money for the chores.

The Wolfpack was interested in gamification, but didn't like the "baby game." It was too retro, too old-school for them. So, they invented their own, with quests, treasure packs, tons of rewards based on the theme, and added beach, mountain, forest, desert, and city themes, and everything from biking to ultimate sports quests. It could also be set for sword-and-sorcery, modern-day, and futuristic times. Chayton and Bao fielded questions until they made them take game design courses online, and ask their actual professors. They put it under the Wolfpack company name, adding a game division, and the game had several wolves howling in unison on its opening screen. It was called Wolf Day.

"We'll be coding the whole time we're here," said April, excitedly, to Robert, who was helping Mike oversee the Wolfpack. "Get the game to market about the same time we all get our GEDs. We're using the gaming thing as a way to keep ourselves in line, and do gameplay to catch bugs as well." She pulled out her cell tablet. "I added animal and sorcerer avatars. We're thinking of adding a level based on First Nation people, but there's so many languages and cultures. We wouldn't know where to start." She held up her wolf avatar, a gorgeous she-wolf in gray and white.

"Start with the objects," suggested Robert, and carefully clipped the globular Boston lettuce at its base. "Carvings, baskets, blankets, tipis. I know not all of us lived in tipis. Many lived in hogans. Have tipis and hogans all over the place for housing. Caves too. And the Enemy Ancestor dwellings."

"Anasazi," said April, typing the plants into the checklist on her tablet. "Carve a village right into the rock."

"Yep," said Robert. "Could probably get a history paper or six out of it." He moved himself and the cart with its three shelves of baskets over to the spinach, which was coming in beautifully, in a deep green.

"Good," said April. "Thank you. This will make all my chores fly by, thinking of the levels."

"More picking and thinking," said Robert. "Get to those strawberries. If we have enough after the orders, we get strawberry pie."

"Okay," said April. "I'll tell them when we start cutting and packing. They'll get so excited!"

"Nice having a Wolfpack around when you need it," said Robert.

"At first, it was a pain in the butt to get to know everyone, and to remember the names. And the boys are gross, but we set them straight. Dock them points if they fart and burp, and/or act the fool. Now, we're pulling for each other, helping each other in math or science or English, or whatever --if someone gets stuck. We wanna be the Wolfpack that got our GEDs the fastest. We get this game to work, we be making bank, to allow us to go to scholarships. Already applying."

Robert nodded. "I never thought in a million years repairing bikes would be fun, that I could make a living just telling Zuni stories, and that my sister and her boyfriend coming to live here for a while would mean so much to me." He laughed as he finished the spinach. "I used to hate her. We liked very different things. She loves horror movies, the bloodier the scene, the more it makes her laugh. I saw war, don't find that funny at all. She's quiet until she has something to say, then it all comes out at once. She loves a man so quiet I think I've heard him speak twice in his whole life. For me, I need my partner to talk to me, you know?"

"Nope," said April. "Not dating, don't want to date. Gotta know who I am first before I start picking others to hang out with, as more than friends. Here, we're study and business partners. I know some may pair up, but not me. That's a distraction we don't need right now, and I tell them that. Get the hormones out of your head, take a cold shower or something. Once we have our GEDs and can decide where and how we want to live. That is the smart way, otherwise the other stuff can just derail you."

"Happen to someone you know?" asked Robert. He put the full basket of spinach back on the cart and got an empty basket for the radishes.

"Best friend Mimi got pregnant. Guy pretended he didn't know her, you know? Moved away. Mimi got stuck with a little kid. Dropped out. Works at the trading post for next to nothing. Barely keeps her kid in diapers."

"She can replace you here," said Robert. "You could all take turns taking care of the little one while the others study or work."

"She'd replace two of us," said April. "No one will want to room with a mom with a baby."

"You would," said Robert, selecting two more radishes.

"In a heartbeat," said April.

"If you would, so would someone else," said Robert. "Maybe someone just like her, someone with a kid.

April nodded. "Uncle," she said. "We need to talk at least once a week. And rotate so the others can talk to you, too."

Robert blinked his eyes at being called Uncle. It held a special place with his people. "Okay," he said. "Anytime."

Tam, Little Nico, Josh, and Nick. They all wanted to be in on the coding, once April showed a checklisted plan on the main screen in the Wolfpack study room. April made them all invest a dollar, and insisted they do Wolfpack "training chores," like working with Nico or picking strawberries in Hydroponics. They all agreed. "You can use them for your coursework," she said. "I'm doing independent study on architecture."

"That's awesome!" said Little Nico. "The coding stuff we're doing is bor-ring. This is much more fun."

"Remember, you all have to add something First Nationish to my level," said April. "Too many Nations for me to keep up with."

"Cave paintings you actually have to interpret," said Josh. Everyone stared at him. "What?"

"It speaks," said Winnie. Josh threw a foam basketball at her. She caught it out of the air and made a three-pointer with one of the several baskets mounted all along the wall.

"Great idea," said April. "Let's fill up this checklist, and divide up into teams with their own checklists. Our new Wolfpack can find little stuff to add until they get more in the groove." Everyone added to the checklist, then it got divvied up.

"Does anyone else think it's weird that we're using our own program to write our own program?" asked Nick.

"Beta testing," said April. "Besides, this way we get a lot more points, and can play higher levels."

"Let's get some snacks and get this going," said Samma. "I've got time with Ghost tomorrow to learn to build trikes, and I need to clear the decks before that."

Everyone hit the kitchen to fill up on coffee, flavored waters, sodas, and trays of pretzels, peanut butter stuffed pretzels, chips, dips, and sliced veggies. Then, they hit up the coding. Chayton came to pick up the boys to put them in bed, but they wanted to code, and so he simply told them to come up when they were ready.

* * *

Chayton headed up the stairs. Nantan was braiding his hair, still wet from the shower. Chayton pulled up a padded seat, pushed Nantan's hands away, and took over.

"I don't hear the shower," said Nantan, rubbing lotion into his elbows.

"They're downstairs coding. They have the most amazing game they're coding. They've brought the Quad into it." The Quad was how they referred to their four boys.

Josh and Nick's mother had okayed Chayton adopting them, but leaving her as a parent as well. Chayton was already in the process of adopting Little Nico and Tam, so they decided to have him go whole hog and get four boys at once.

"The Quad are officially Wolfpack?" asked Nantan. He bent his leg, and rubbed peppermint balm onto his feet, of his own creation. He nodded to himself. "It was inevitable. Both younger boys are testing way above their 'regular school' levels, and Josh and Nick are banging out all the requirements for high school, even AP courses, at a level I wouldn't have thought possible." He sighed, and switched feet. "It looks like we're going to be doing a lot of driving to work sites."

"We already do," said Chayton. "This way, all four boys get real-world job experience."

Nantan sighed. "We need a bigger van."

"No," said Chayton. "We need another van."

"We're short on funds. We added onto the main barn, again, and we've taken on a lot of Wolfpack, and sales are up but we have to meet demands..."

"Hush," said Chayton, and kissed Nantan's cheek. "Love, we'll just make them pay for it themselves. Get someone to fix it up with them, maybe Robert. Or teach them automotive science, maybe someone from the community college."

"With what...? Gosh, you think the video game checklist thing is going to be that big."

"Bigger," said Chayton. He finished the braid and wound it with black and silver braided cord. "I don't think they'll have to worry about college, any of them." He rubbed Nantan's shoulders, making him groan.

"You have forever to stop that," said Nantan. He felt muscles relax he didn't know were tense, even those in his neck and jaw.

Chayton chuffed a laugh. "We kept adding --well, they did, actually, adding businesses. Those coming up came up with new ideas, and some of them made money. Now we've got a real powerhouse here. We are at the tipping point, I think."

"They eat and drink more than twice their number would, in adults. Growing teens. And the more chores, the more they eat." Nantan groaned as Chayton dug into a sore spot. "And yes, they do grow a lot of what they eat, and work to grow and deliver, and we do recoup some of it there. The flavored sparkling water machine was a genius idea."

Chayton bowed theatrically. "Thank you."

"They still run up huge bills, even with growing food and living frugally."

"Each generation will be cheaper, as we dry and store food, like beans, and corn and rice."

Nantan groaned. "Rice is a bitch to grow. You need real hydroponics for that, not just misters. It loves to grow in charred clay. The UAE is making great strides growing it, but it's not a large-scale thing."

"Okay, no rice. We've got all sorts of things growing, from vines to leafy, to really big; like those pumpkins. You're a genius, love." Chayton dug into another knot, making Nantan hiss.

"Not a genius. Just following the science of others," Nantan said. "So glad we got both Mike, who's been drinking the Kool-Aid, or the coffee, in the case of the plants he planted in the corner, and Robert. Robert's so steady and --just real, you know? There, in a solid way."

"When is his sister coming?" Chayton moved his hands lower down, digging into Nantan's right side.

"After the wedding, which is just stupid. We're going to have a great time. I think both the sister and her significant other are afraid of crowds."

Chayton nodded. “You may never see more than fifty people your entire life on some parts of the reservations. I hope they do well." He sighed. "The man knows a lot of Zuni. Took the pressure right off me. He's got Vu all in a tizzy to get everything he knows into his computer."

"We've got the pressure off us," said Nantan. "Even with seventy teens to look after, and four of our own..."

Chayton huffed a laugh. "It just seems like seventy."

"Anyway, we can take some time. Take the boys and go somewhere, hiking, camping. Or, just take us."

Chayton kissed Nantan's neck. "Sounds wonderful. Let's start planning trips." He pulled his shirt off over his head, and laid it over the back of a chair. "Later." He turned Nantan's face toward him, and kissed him deeply.

"Later," agreed Nantan, when they came up for air.

They touched each other lightly, with long strokes and even longer kisses. They went deep, then back to the surface, then deep again. Chayton knelt, and stroked Nantan, making him groan. He sucked on Nantan, making him arch his back, then stroked him, then sucked again. Nantan came, arching his back, and groaned. Chayton found a wet wipe and cleaned them both up.

"Hurry," said Chayton. "Before the boys knock at the door." Nantan sat Chayton down in the chair, and did the same, stroking and kissing all the way down, then teasing by kissing his thighs. He used his teeth, making Chayton jump, before sucking him, then stopping, making Chayton ask for release. Chayton came more quietly, digging his fingers into Nantan's shoulders. Nantan cleaned them both up, then they put on boxers. Chayton put on a robe and went to check on the boys. They were in their bunks, coding away. He kissed their heads, and headed down to check on Josh and Nick. They had set up a screen in between them, and they were coding together on a split screen in their bunks.

"Night, boys," said Chayton.

"Night, Ma," said Josh, making Chayton laugh. He left them to their coding, and went back upstairs to do the one thing he and Nantan had nearly forgotten how to do --sleep.

"Talents lie in every heart. Not everyone gets to express them --or go looking for them."