BDSM or what I do for a living. They think I make whips and saddles for horses.”
“Well, I have enough siblings to share. More than enough. Like I said, I used to dream of being an only child. We grew up very modestly, and I never had my own room. I didn’t even get my own bed until I was fourteen.”
“That sounds tough. And I remember you saying your dad died when you were little.”
“Yeah. My baby sister was only a few months old. She never knew him. He flew a crop duster plane, and it apparently had a defective engine. He was killed on impact. He was only thirty-four. My mom never remarried.”
“Wow. That’s two years younger than I am,” Adam said with a shake of his head. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for you all, especially your mom with five little girls to raise.”
Shani shrugged. “We managed okay. My mom is a nurse, and she made a decent enough living. We all had jobs from the time we were fourteen, so we could help out. We never felt poor. Our situation was no different from most of the families on the res and a lot better than some.”
Adam fished in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. “Want to give your mom a call? Let her know you’re here?”
“Thanks. Yes.” Shani took the phone and punched in a number. After a moment, she said, “Hi, Mama. It’s me, Shani. I have a surprise for you. I’m in Portland for a couple of days at a conference.”
Adam could hear an excited female voice emanating from the phone.
“Yes, Mama,” Shani began, before the voice twittered again through the receiver, interrupting her with excited chatter. “No, Mama.” Shani laughed. “I’ll tell you all about it, I promise.”
Adam glanced from the road to Shani. She was animated, her face flushed with pleasure, her eyes bright with tears. “I know. I know. I miss you, too, Mama. Yes, it’s been too long. See if you can get all the girls to come, too.” Shani paused, listening to another torrent of words. “Yes, I love you, too, Mama. So, so much. Oh! And Mama, there’s a guy—a—a friend of mine.” Adam could feel Shani’s eyes on him now, but he kept his focus on the road. “I want to bring him, too. Is that okay? What? Oh, yes, yes, Mama. He’s wonderful. No, nothing at all like—yes, Mama. I’m sure he’ll love your cooking. Okay. Yes, okay. See you tomorrow. Bye, Mama.”
She handed back the phone, her eyes shining. “I can’t wait to see them all again.” Shani looked so happy and animated as she chattered on. “Kaiah and Yareli are married with kids of their own. The boys—Jacy and George, my brothers-in-law, will take the kids to McDonald’s, their absolute favorite because they have a ball room, and they’ll join us after the meal.” She gave a small laugh, adding, “Thank you, Adam. Thank you for bringing me home again.”
Adam smiled, reaching for her hand. “Thank you for including me.”
They checked in at the hotel and headed over to the event center on foot, taking Shani’s small collection of jewelry along for the booth. There was no indication on the outside that the building was anything other than a typical modern warehouse made from steel and fiberglass. Adam led Shani around to the back parking lot, which contained a single car. He punched in the code to unlock the heavy steel door and pushed it open. As they stepped inside, Shani’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open as she took in the large space.
The ten thousand square foot warehouse was imposing, with high ceilings, the ductwork and beams exposed. Banks of windows on either side of the space let in the light, but were high enough no one passing by could see in. Vendor booths were already set up on either side of the front entrance. The rest of the space was devoted to well-stocked scene stations, as well as a large, raised stage with seating for easily fifty people.
“Wow,” Shani breathed. “I’d heard about this place, but I had no idea it was so huge. It’s gorgeous.”
A man stuck his head out of the back office, his face breaking into a large smile when he saw them. “Adam,” Bob Benson, the developer and owner of the event center boomed as he approached them. Bob was in his fifties, with thinning blond hair fading to gray, deep-set blue