Page 128 of Chaos has a Name
It was so little, but meant so much. It was something they never had when they were children. Had they both been given the basics, they might not have run so wild.
Angrily.
Elkie refused to let go as she held their hands, and they walked around the food pantry. It was stuffed with so much food, and there was no doubt that no one was going to be hungry again.
To them, it cost so little.
To the reservation, it was worth so much.
In the one aisle, an elderly woman was picking out things to eat.
It made Ethan emotional watching the joy on her face that she didn’t have to live on only frybread and whatever she had in her cupboard. She didn’t have to survive on the kindness of her neighbors hunting and sharing their meat.
She had choices.
That joy was contagious, and heartbreaking all at the same time.
And for lots of reasons.
It reminded him of his childhood, and how much poverty had been here. It made him sad to know that no one tried to save them.
Until now.
He always wondered if his mother could have survived had there been healthy food, and medical treatment that didn’t cost too much.
It made him mourn her all over again. That was why he avoided coming here. The ghost of Catherine haunted him. He’dbeen too young to help her, but he still felt guilty she’d stayed to be his Mom.
When the woman turned, she saw them, and headed their way.
Standing in front of them, she spoke in their Native tongue, and luckily, they’d all learned it. Not as well as their wife, but enough that they could communicate with the people here.
When the older woman kissed them both, it was overwhelming.
“You’re welcome, Auntie,” Ethan said. “If you need anything, find us. We’ll make sure you’re taken care of,” he said, pulling out his FBI card, and giving it to her.
On the back, he’d scrawled his personal number.
She took it and pocketed it.
Beside him, Callen saw the raw emotion coming from Ethan, and he understood it.
Coming back here was difficult, but when a person made peace with it, the emotions helped fuel that emptiness, not drain the tank.
Ethan was working through it, and at some point, he’d stop avoiding it. There was no doubt that he’d dive in to do what needed to be done. His soul would always be called to this place.
They were a people of the land, born and raised here.
They were their ancestors’ children.
For Callen, the memories were forever what cemented him here.
He cried a lot the first time he came back.
They didn’t want to be known as salvation for their people. They were just doing the right thing.
That was the bottom line.
Good people did good things.
