“A naming ceremony?”
“Ihearyou’re officially one of us.” Chaska lay back on his bed, the sound of Naomi’s voice taking the edge off a rough day.
“Yes. It’s been all over the news here. They showed a photo that police took of me the night I was found. Mato called it my baby mugshot.”
That made Chaska laugh. “Is there any way to get a copy of it?”
Chaska wanted it, even if Naomi didn’t.
“I think Star already has it. Oh, I started Lakota classes last week.”
“Yeah? Let’s hear it. Say something.”
“Toníktuha he.”How are you?
He replied. “Waste.”I’m well.
Yes, he was fine, but, damn, he missed her. It had taken only a day for him to realize how colorless and empty his life was without her. She’d been gone three weeks now. Though they texted and emailed every day and tried to talk at least once a week, it seemed like she’d been gone forever.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever be fluent like you and Win.”
“That’s okay. Just keep at it.”
“The kids have been helping, especially the two little ones. Chay and Kimi run around touching things and naming them. It’s impossible to remember everything.”
She told him how her father had filled out the paperwork to have himself added to her birth certificate and how he’d hired an attorney to annul her adoption. “Peter and Ruth sent a letter, agreeing to the annulment on the condition that he pay them more than a million dollars to compensate them for the expense of raising me.”
“What? That’s outrageous.” They were lucky they weren’t in prison.
“My dad told me not to worry about it, that it was just them making noise. He’s pretty sure we’re going to win.”
Chaska found himself smiling at the easy way she called Dougdad. Things were going so well for her, and that’s what he needed to remember.
“I asked my father if he was ever going to tell me my mother’s name. He said he would tell me one day, but not yet.”
Chaska wondered what Doug’s reasons were for keeping the woman’s name secret. “How long before you find out about the annulment?”
“It could be months.”
She changed the subject then, telling him how Doug had set up space for her to work in the garage and how he’d introduced her to some artists at the college. “I asked about taking classes, but after they saw my work, they wanted to know whether I’d like to teach next term.”
He didn’t like the idea of her staying so long, but he didn’t say that. “That doesn’t surprise me at all.”
“I told them I couldn’t do that, of course, because I wasn’t staying here that long. As much as I love it here and feel at home, I want to be with you.”
Chaska tried not to let his relief show. “I’m sure they understand.”
“Star is taking me to an orthopedic surgeon in Rapid tomorrow to see if I’ve healed enough to walk again. I can’t wait to get this boot off and get rid of these crutches. I want to be able to drive again at the very least.”
Chaska’s bedroom door was open, so, naturally, Winona popped her head inside. “Are you talking to Naomi? Tell her about the owl.”
“Win wants you to know that they released the little burrowing owl back into the wild a few days ago.”
“Really? Wonderful! How is Win?”
“Ask her yourself—in Lakota.” He handed the phone to Win, listening as the two women caught up, talking for what felt like a very long time.
“I’d better give you back to my brother. He misses you a lot.” Win handed him the phone again and left him in peace.