Two-Spirit

Chapter 18

I watch Yona carefully as she walks ahead of the rest of us. I wish to invite her for supper. I know it would make Amadah happy if she was to attend just as she once did before me.

I take a breath and look to Inola. "I am going to have a talk with Yona."

She gives me a worried look. "I hope you have a good reason for doing such."

I nod. "I do."

She smiles a little with a shake of her head. "Then I wish you the best of luck."

I smile back though it's tainted with nervousness before walking until I'm beside Yona. As soon as I'm beside her she looks down at me. Her and her sister are similar in their height.

"Why are you near me?" She asks, annoyance clear in her tone.

I sigh as I look up to her. "Why do you despise me?" I believe I know the answer but I want her to clarify.

"You are a white man's daughter." She no longer looks at me and keeps her gaze forward.

My frown only deepens, though I expected such an answer. "That can't be the only reason."

She sighs. "I want you to be different for my sisters sake, you seem pure in heart but so did he."

I raise a brow in confusion. "Who is this he you speak of?"

She looks up to the blue sky. "A white boy I loved once."

That takes me by surprise. "Oh. What did he do?"

Her mood seems to simmer even more. "When time came for my people to leave he was part of the men that forced us away and took all we had. He admitted he knew it was to come for the longest and begged for my forgiveness. But betrayal is something unforgivable to me."

"You don't think he had good reason for not telling you?"

She glares at me. "You would justify it."

My eyes widen as that wasn't what I'm trying to do. "I-I'm not. If he begged for your forgiveness surely he cared about you and what you thought of him."

"Are you really that gullible or are you pretending?"

I sigh giving up on trying to convince her but I don't think myself to be gullible. "Neither. Does Amadah know?"

She laughs but without humor. "No, we we're a secret. She would have killed him. She took my sadness for only the move."

I didn't take Amadah as the type to do such a thing.

"That is why you don't trust me?"

She nods her head. "Your people give many reasons to not trust."

I sigh once again and look around. "You don't have to trust me but won't you attend supper tonight for your sister? She misses your time together."

She watches me curiously. "As much as I despise you, you do seem to make my sister happy. I will tolerate an occasional supper."

I smile at her agreeing and at her thinking I make Amadah happy. Amadah makes me more than happy. "Thank you."

She grunts in reply and I fall back until I'm next to Inola once again.

"What did you talk about?" Inola asks

"I invited her to supper. Amadah told me of how they once ate together and she seems sad that Yona no longer comes."

She smiles. "That is sweet of you. Yona may not see but I know you really care for Ama. Ama smiles when you're around."