Whispering Spirits Read Free

certificate said I was
born twenty-four summers ago. Why would you and father make any
decisions for me?” Summer drew in a deep breath and slowly released
it.
    “We told you we would support you while
you’re going to school. You’ve just graduated. You either get a job
or—”
    “Or what?”
    “You…take care of your beloved grandmother
for the summer or until you get a job.”
    “I have no intention of returning to the Res,
other than to visit Father and Nah’ah .”
    “I know you swore you’d never to return to
the reservation to work, but your grandmother needs you. As much as
I’d like to say go your own way—and good luck, your father wanted
me to explain your choices.”
    “I’m ready to make some choices and…start a
new life. I’ve been offered a position to teach creative writing at
Carroll College in Helena and I’ve also been offered a similar
position at Montana State University here in Missoula.”
    “I thought your degree was in Native
History.”
    “I have my Masters in writing and a BS in
Native History. Wouldn’t you think a mother would know such
things?”
    “Summer, that’s about enough from you for one
day. Even if you start teaching at one of those colleges in the
fall, you’ll need work for the summer. I’m not certain spending the
summer with your grandmother is going to put much money in your
pocket, though. You have your choices, think them over, and let me
know tomorrow when I return.”
    “Don’t bother coming back. Like I said, I’ll
call Father and ask him to bring Nah’ah here.”
    “Aren’t you ever going to forgive me, Niipo ?”
    “Don’t talk Blackfeet to me, mother. You hate
everything that’s Native…including Father. You walked out of my
life when I was ten. Don’t expect you can just walk back into it
when I’m twenty-four.”
    “Your father has forgiven me.”
    “I’ve forgiven you, too. That doesn’t mean I
have to accept you as my mother and welcome you back. It just means
I don’t hate you anymore.”
    “Fine, if that’s the way you want it. You do
realize I paid for half of that fancy degree you hold. A little
gratitude and respect would be nice.”
    “I’ll pay you back.”
    “That’s not my point or what I meant and you
know it. Your grandmother has turned you against me, hasn’t
she?”
    “ Nah’ah tells the truth. She doesn’t
play games with people’s lives. She was there for me when I needed
a mother. She nursed me back to health when I fell off my horse,
and she was there when my first boyfriend broke my heart. She’s now
eighty summers and I’d be honored and happy to be there for her
when she needs me.”
    “That would mean going back to the
reservation. Do you really want to spend your life in Browning,
Montana?”
    “It wouldn’t be a sacrifice to take care of Nah’ah for the summer. It’ll give me time to think about
which university I’ll want to teach at. Nah’ah can help me
make that decision. The further away from here and Jordan’s death
the better.”
    “You…missed the funeral last week. I sent a
bouquet of white roses from you.”
    Summer swallowed hard. Tears flooded her
eyes, then spilled onto her cheeks. “Thank you for doing that. I’m
surprised you even bothered. You never liked him.”
    “It’s not that I didn’t like him…you never
gave me the chance to get to know him. I had to form an opinion
from information I read on the internet. Your father wasn’t much
help.”
    “Can you blame him? You left him, too. His
family ranch couldn’t be picked up and moved…so he had to face his
family and friends…humiliated his wife ran off to California with
some rich salesman. I’m glad Father’s finally over you and
has—”
    “Has what…who?”
    Summer smiled. “You really thought he’d never
find love again, did you? Isn’t it funny you seem so surprised and
almost angry? I can see it in your expression. You thought he
couldn’t love anyone but you, didn’t you? You revel in the