Black Eagle Dream

A Novel by Kawika A. Stafford

Chapter 1

In 1996,

Sonny Ray was living in
Las Vegas, Nevada when his father died.
Sonny Ray and his family had arrived at the pow wow on the Paiute Reservation on Saturday evening.

It was the annual event for the Memorial Day weekend.
Sonny Ray was standing in line for some frybread when his phone rang.
It was his older brother Walter, calling from Arizona with some really bad news.
“Sonny Ray,” she called out softly, momentarily interrupting his thoughts. “Are you going to be all right?” Nikko, had taken their daughter, little Raye for a walk, and was not there when he had first taken the call. She was clearly shaken herself, but her concern now was for her husband.

After leaving the pow wow early, they headed home, exchanging occasional glances, and holding hands. Sonny Ray now stared straight ahead, hot stinging tears rolled slowly from his eyes. Nikko caressed his shoulders, gently rubbing the nape of his neck.

Little Raye lay fast asleep in the back seat of the car, as they continued south on interstate ninety five.

Sonny Ray was numb. He just wanted to get home to make some calls, and check on a flight to Tucson.

The following morning, Sonny Ray sat on the edge of his bed, thinking about the last conversation he had had with his father. He was packed and ready, waiting on the girls.
Sonny Ray sat on an emotional precipice, teetering on the edge but outwardly behaving like his life was; as it always had been.
“Sonny Ray can I get you something, are you ok?” Nikko asked again, pleading now more present in her voice. “Yeah, no I’m
fine,” Sonny Ray responded, trying to sound casual like he had been in a fender bender.
But like most people who find out unexpectedly, that someone that they love has died, there is a sudden queasy pain; like how it felt when you got sucker punched in the stomach by the neighborhood bully.
A dull uneasy feeling coursed through his body.
A feeling that literally wanted to make him curl up in a ball, and pretend he never heard the words. For Sonny Ray, guilt spread slowly over his body.

Just two months prior, Sonny Ray’s father Billy had called. He sat on his bed staring at the floor, his fathers question reverberating over and over
again in his mind.

‘Son, when are you going to come down and visit your old man?’

“Nikko I’m ready, can we go?”
Sonny Ray sat quietly, because he realized not even his dad dying could alter his wife’s perception about time. She always appeared preoccupied; searching for something, forgetting nothing.

Sonny Ray knew he had to keep his composure, as he was feeling emotionally unstable, since receiving the news about his father. Nikko pulled up to the terminal to drop her husband off. Sonny Ray held his five year old daughter little Raye in his arms. Nikko kissed Sonny Ray on the lips, and squeezed his hand gently.

“Don’t forget to feed Thunderheart,” Sonny Ray said trying to give his wife the stink eye. “Whatever Son,” Nikko said, feigning offense.

Nikko had forgotten to feed his horse one Saturday when he had went to Casa Grande, Arizona to ride a few bulls at Charlie Sampson’s bull riding school.

Over the years it had become their banter.

“Call me when you get a flight booked babe,” Sonny Ray said, as Nikko and little Raye drove away.

Sonny Ray grabbed his bag out of the overhead compartment, and stood quietly impatient like everyone else; desperate to get out of this confined space. His older brother Walter greeted him at the gate. They bear hugged and left the cool confines of the airport, venturing out into the warm Arizona night.

Sonny Ray and his family had migrated to Las Vegas two years previous. The two men had barely spoken. After a few miles Walter asked, “You feel like stopping at Johnny’s for something to eat?”
It was their old man’s favorite spot. “Sure, let’s go,” Sonny Ray replied.

“Mommy, when is my daddy coming home, huh when mommy?” Nikko smiled as she tucked her baby in for the night. “I don’t know baby your daddy has to help uncle Stewart with the funeral arrangements…” Nikko suddenly realized she was speaking to a five year old. “Daddy has to help uncle with grandpa’s things.” “What’s a funernull? What did you call it mommy?” “I called it goodnight little lady, mommy will talk to you more about it in the morning. Sleep tight. I love you.” Nikko kissed her baby on her cheeks, as was their custom. “Okay mommy, love you.”

Nikko finished the dishes and made herself a cup of chai tea. She sat curled up on the couch, wrapped in a warm Pendleton blanket. She looked at the picture of her husband, and her brother in law Walter, in happier times. “I hope those two can keep it together,” Nikko thought out loud.

For two brothers who were really close at one time, they could be equally stubborn about a lot of shit. Typical petty guy shit. Nikko enjoyed her tea before heading off to a hot relaxing soak in the bath.

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