Not Alone

Chapter Three

 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Helushka asked me that night looking at the marks where the mountain lion had attacked me before I had killed it.

“Yes I’m fine it felt good to kill it.” I nodded.

“I’m not worried about how good it felt to kill it I’m worried about all the cuts.”

“I’m not worried about those.” I shook my head looking up a few seats from us at Nosh who’d even refused to eat my meal that I’d provided.

“Do you want to take a walk?” Nosh asked coming down to me. I looked around expecting to see somebody else because never before had he asked to take a walk with me. I got up though and followed him away from everybody. I got the message when the walk was into Shimasani’s tipi. We were talking before she could interrupt.

“I’m sorry for being disrespectful.” I whispered.

“Move over here.” He whispered opening his arms for me. “I’m sorry that I made you upset by calling you Wenonah and not Sitsi but you are the Wenonah you have a Shideezhi.”

“You were gone a year how did you leave her so young.”

“Not from when I was gone.” He shook his head.

“When?”

“Your mom and I had another child and we gave her to a family in the tribe because it was obvious our parenting styles didn’t click.”

“So my Shideezhi is in the tribe?”

“Yes.”

“Who?”

“Who are you closest to in the tribe?”

“But Posala is my same age?” I asked.

“I know…” he took a deep breath, “You are twins… identical… you two have noticed that one… we gave her to Chief Heammawihio when you two were four.”

“How’d you choose which to give?”

“Your Shimasani had had a vision that you and Helushka would end up together that couldn’t happen if we gave you to them.” He whispered.

“So all the times we asked if maybe God had meant us to be twins we were right we were twins.” I whispered and I just left shaking my head but I kept walking straight past Helushka and on over to Posala.

“Did you and Ahote solve everything?” she asked.

“We need to talk.” I shook my head.

“What’s wrong?” she asked me worriedly as we ran to a secluded place.

“Nosh isn’t just like a father to you because you are my best friend.” I whispered.

“What are you talking about?”

“Posala, we’re twins. Nosh and Mom gave you to Chief Heammawihio and Abedabun when we were four because they could tell that their styles of parenting weren’t going to work together and especially not for two of us.”

“They chose to keep you because of Shimasani’s vision.” She whispered.

“Yes.”

“You know that Helushka was old enough to remember it.” She said carefully.

“I know it’s already come to my mind.”