"I'm Hannah." She shook his hand. "Well, in that case you've come to the right place. Page isn't far from the reservation."
Nick flopped down on the couch despondently. "You make it sound so easy. The truth is, I don't know anybody in Navajo Nation, and most Navajos aren't exactly eager to talk to a paleface asking them all kinds of questions about their culture and customs. So books are my best friends at the moment."
"Well, maybe I can help you out. My best friend actually lives in Naabi'aani on the rez. And my brother's best friend is also a Navajo. I could ask them to talk to you."
Nick's face lit up like a light bulb. "Really? Do you live in Page? Can you introduce me to them?"
"I don't live here. My brother and I are staying in my mom's log cabin in St. Mary's Port for the summer. Why don't you drop by on Saturday? We were planning to go to the rez for a rodeo anyway."
Nick looked so excited she half-expected a 'you're-my-savior' hug from him. "That would be awesome! I'm staying with my uncle in Page, but I can borrow his car and drive to St Mary's. No problem."
Someone next to them distinctly cleared his throat. Hannah looked sideways and caught a dismayed librarian glaring at them. They were clearly talking too loud. "Let's go outside. I think our enthusiasm is bothering people."
Nick followed her stare. "Good idea. I want to borrow this one." He grabbed the book about Navajo religion and followed Hannah to the library desk. A few minutes later, they were outside, walking toward a bench in the shade.
"So why did you decide to write about the Diné?" Hannah inquired.
"Well, I'm a history student, but I took a few extra courses in sociology. I started to read a lot of background information about the birth of our nation, and about the way the European colonists dealt with the original inhabitants of this country." He waved the book in his hand. "And I was wondering if it's possible to explain why the Native American culture couldn't withstand white domination by looking at it from a sociologist's point of view. My uncle lives close to the reservation, so I picked the Navajo history as a case study."
"Oh, I'm sure Emily and Josh can help you with that. Especially Josh. He knows a lot about his own history, but don't expect an objective story."