Second Spirit -15- by Melanie Brown

Second Spirit

By

Melanie Brown

Advisor: Lisa Charlene
Copyright © 2024

Part 15

 “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Compared to what? Sticking your head in a wood chipper? Okay. It wasn’t that bad.

 We’d just returned from the grocery store where we picked up items for me to make dinner. Me. Granted; Mom will be directing. That’s beside the point. I don’t want to make dinner. I don’t want to learn to cook. Just because I’m now a girl? Let’s enter the twenty-first century.

Sheila has been a girl since birth and she was never forced to make meals. What’s the point when you have Uber Eats on your phone? Even in Window Rock. But this was an argument I couldn’t win.

For my first outing as a cook, I was going to be making Navajo tacos which seems to be a family favorite. I’ve had one of these at a restaurant. They’re not the tacos most people think of. For starters, instead of using a box of pre-made taco shells, I’ll be making fry bread from scratch. Cooking the beans and ground beef I just know I’m going to poison everyone.

Mom directed where she wanted the groceries placed after we brought in bags from the store. We heard the front door open and slam shut.

Mom shook her head. “Sounds like John is home from school.” I looked out the kitchen window and saw a school bus driving away from the curb. “Let’s go meet your brother.” Terrific.

I followed Mom down the short hall. She knocked on the door to the room next to mine. The door opened revealing a grumpy looking teen boy. “What, Mom?” He didn’t open the door all the way and was standing in the way.

“We need to come in. I have someone you need to meet.” He opened the door wider and looked at me suspiciously as I entered. Standing next to me with her hands on my shoulders, Mom said, “I want you to meet your new sister. Say hello to Linda. And Linda this is your new brother John.”

I brought my hand up in a hesitant wave and forced a smile. “Hi.”

John looked indifferently at me and then back at his Mom. “A girl huh? At least she can clean my room.”

I scowled John. “So I’m your maid too along with being the head cook and bottle washer?”

Frowning, Mom said, “John! Linda is not your maid!”

 hate this!” I cried. “I want my old life back!” I ran from the room. Why don’t things get better? How long will that old medicine woman punish me?

I ran to the back door of the house and threw it open. I had no idea what I was going to do. I just had to get away. Being passed off to some family I don’t know and without any input from me. I had no desire to be forced into being a short order cook and house maid or otherwise domesticated. How come no one cares what I want?

I ran into the back yard. It was enclosed by a chain link fence and of course the gate was padlocked. Where was I going to go anyway? There was a brick BBQ pit against the back wall of the house. There was a gap between it and the fence. I sat on the grass in that gap, brought my knees up.

I wrapped my arms around my knees and buried my head in my arms and cried. Why am I here? Was my crime so heinous? I don’t want to be this girl. I don’t want to be in this place.

“Oh. There you are.” I looked up to see John walking past the BBQ pit. “I was worried you’d climbed the fence.” I mentally slapped myself. Why didn’t I think of that?

He sat down on the grass next to me. He plucked a piece of grass and chewed on it for a moment. He finally glanced over at me his long unkempt black hair falling across his eyes. He forced a smile. “I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

I pulled my own long hair from my face and smirked at him. “Ya think?”

He grunted a laugh. “Yeah. I’m very sorry about what I said. I’d just come off a bad day at school.”

I frowned at John. “That’s not my fault.”

John hung his head and plucked up another piece of grass. “I know. And I apologize.” He paused for several moments. I had to squint into the sun to look at him. He suddenly chuckled. “I ran into Kajika at school. We’re in the same grade. Somehow he knew you were being given to us. He told me some things about you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh great.”

John laughed. “He said you shot a dude and you’re totally badass. He said I better treat you right. And he said you’re very pretty.”

I squinted at John. “He said I was pretty?”

Nodding, he said, “I think he likes you.”  He was quiet for a few moments before elbowing me lightly. “Let’s go back inside.” He stood up and held out his hand to help me up.

Right now he was being nice. I wondered how long that will last. As I took his hand, I said, “Thanks.”

Grinning, he said, “Mom said you’re making Navajo tacos for dinner. That’s my favorite. So, are you a good cook?”

I chuckled, “No one’s died yet.” But then I haven’t cooked anything besides toast before.

John said, “Don’t worry. Mom wants me to help and supervise.”

I gave him a puzzled look. “Really?”

Shrugging, John said, “We all have to know how to take care of ourselves.”

Mom smiled as we came back inside the house. I worried her for sure when I stormed out of the house. She said, “We should probably start making the fry bread.”

John said, “Just a minute, Mom. I want to show her something.”

Mom nodded. “Just don’t be too long. Your father will be home soon,”

We entered his room and he walked up to his dresser. He opened the top drawer and removed the most lethal, wicked-looking hunting knife I’ve ever seen.

 “Dad and I are going bow hunting soon.” He handed me the knife to look at it. “Instead of hamburger, we’ll have fresh venison.”

 They took away our way of life. The tomahawk and the bow and knife…

 I hefted the knife in my hand. Trying to affect an Australian accent, I said, “Now that’s a knife.”

 Grinning, John said, “Being a badass, I thought you’d appreciate it. Dad is getting me a new hunting bow.”

 I gently set the knife down. “Well, I really don’t think I could hunt deer.”

 John looked at me curiously. “Don’t be silly. Of course you’re coming with us. You’ll need to learn how to gut and clean the kill as well as skin it and tan it. Dad will get you a knife just like this one.”

 “I honestly don’t think I can stomach that,” I said with a whine.

 “You don’t like venison? Have you tried it?” John asked sincerely.

 I shook my head. “The wild smell made me sick.”

 John chuckled. “You best get used to it. We’re going to be having a lot of it. And where do you think the leather comes from that you’ll be using to make moccasins for my… and I guess it’s your aunt as well, to sell to tourists?

 Sheepishly, I said, “Hobby Lobby?”

 I heard the front door open and close.

 John said, “Dad’s home. You better go greet him.”

 I swallowed audibly.

End of Part 15