A Novel by Kawika A. Stafford

Chapter 53

Three weeks had passed.

Sonny Ray sat on the couch watching an animated movie with his now sleeping daughter. The phone rang. Nikko, who was upstairs packing a few boxes, answered the phone. She looked over the railing and signaled to her husband that he had a call. Sonny Ray gently laid his daughter on the couch. After placing pillows strategically next to his little girl, he quietly slipped upstairs to take the call. “Who is it?” Sonny Ray whispered. Nikko smiled at her husband. “Dwayne.” Sonny Ray’s eyes lit up. “Dwayne how are you?” “Hey Sonny Ray, I’m fine, how are you doing?”

“Everything is coming along. We received an amazing offer for the house. Some couple from California paying cash, so we’ve been packing. “I’m glad to hear that,” Dwayne replied.
“So how is everything in Antelope Springs?” “Things are settling down. The Mayor is going to begin recruiting, I hear he is looking for a new Police Chief and perhaps another officer. Oh, and by the way, Bob is still sitting in jail at the moment,” Dwayne said.
“Really? How did he manage that?” Sonny Ray asked. “Well if he had kept his big mouth shut the judge would have allowed him to post bail. But he kept getting louder, and belligerent so the judge held him in contempt.”
“Wow, well good for him,”
Sonny Ray said sarcastically. “So how is the black eagle doing in sin city?” Dwayne asked. “Well it has all the birds in my area shook up, that’s for sure. Not to mention all the cats and dogs in my neighborhood.”
“Well please keep me posted Sonny Ray, and say hello to your family for me,” Dwayne said.
“No worries bruh, I will. Likewise Dwayne. Give my best to Nadia, and Natalia okay? And your cousin Greg too; if not for him we might not have made it out of there.

Oh, and I cannot forget about your grandmother.”
“I will,” Dwayne replied.
“Take care my friend.” Sonny Ray hung up the phone. He was happy to be leaving Las Vegas. He felt a twinge of regret in regards his new friend Dwayne. Sonny Ray was friendly with most everyone, but he didn’t make friends easily. The fact of the matter is, his wife was his only friend.

It was a trust factor, one that had been seared from his psychological profile.

In his heart however, he knew he had found a friend in Dwayne. And that was the hard part. He had to go, wanted to go, dreamed about returning home to the big island for many years.

This was the story of his life.

Sonny Ray headed down the stairs to check on little Raye. He sat down to resume the movie. As he reached for the remote, the phone rang.

Sonny Ray stopped short, as he looked upward waiting for his wife to appear. She smiled down at him. He sighed but quickly headed upstairs. “It’s not my mom is it?” Sonny Ray asked, whispering. Nikko had placed her hand over the receiver.

“It’s a Dr. Campbell, from Tucson. He needs to speak with you about, well I’ll let him tell you,” Nikko said, handing him the phone.

He took the phone from her hand, and sat quietly at the top of the stairs. He paused for a moment to gather himself. “Hi, this is Sonny Ray.”

“Hello young man, I imagine you remember who I am.”
“Yes sir, I do,” Sonny Ray replied.
“The reason I called Sonny Ray was to let you know something that your father had whispered to me before he slipped into a coma.
I apologize for not telling you sooner. I only remembered because i was finalizing your Dad’s medical report, and I came across it in my notes.”

“Dr. Campbell it’s okay, please, there’s no need to apologize really,” Sonny Ray said, reassurance in his tone.

Sonny Ray leaned back against the wall. “I have it written down somewhere here in your Dad’s file.” There was a long pause of silence. Sonny Ray could hear the sound of papers being shuffled.
“Oh yes, here it is. Your father said, and I quote, he said,

“‘Tell my son, tell Sonny Ray, I have seen the black eagle dream,’”

end of quote,” Dr. Campbell said firmly.
Sonny Ray was speechless.

“Does that ring a bell, or make any kind of sense to you?” Dr. Campbell asked.

Sonny Ray was too stunned to reply.

“Young man are you there?”
“Uh yeah doc I’m right here,” Sonny Ray was reeling.

“You know I have no idea what he meant by that,” Sonny Ray said,

telling a little cream colored lie.

“Well, I wanted you to know his last words,” Dr. Campbell said gently.
“I appreciate you for taking the time to call me doc, thank you. Take care Doctor Campbell.”
Sonny Ray hung up. He sat there quietly for several moments with his eyes closed.

He said his father’s last words aloud, in the hope that it might provide a spontaneous epiphany. He thought about his Dad. He thought of Cyrus. Sonny Ray wondered if his mom had told his father about Cyrus. He was doubtful.
Sonny Ray began to recall what Cyrus had asked him, that night in the hogan. Cyrus had asked him if he had seen the black eagle.

The old man had asked him twice. He had given Cyrus the correct answer when he had finally understood the question; and acknowledged seeing the black eagle in his dreams.

“Tell my son, tell Sonny Ray I have seen the black eagle dream.”

His father’s last words reverberated in his mind.

Sonny Ray’s eyes began to well up. He blinked, as warm tears rolled slowly down his face. Sonny Ray whispered his father’s last words.

“‘Tell my son, tell Sonny Ray; I have seen the Black Eagle Dream.’”

“I Love you Dad.”

END

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