The 17hour flight was shorter than I thought it would be from her old home in Waterfall Sydney

Australia to the small reservation in Minnesota. Then again, with everything that had been
happening, it wasn’t really a big surprise
“Sweetheart, we’ve arranged with your cousin for you to live with her. You remember Rachel? Your
Aunt is away from Leech Lake right now visiting Jonathan in Longmont, Colorado. She must be so
proud of her son, and with Rachel a newlywed?” Her mother and father had informed her 2 weeks
ago. 2 weeks after her twin, Sullivan had passed away in a car accident on his way back from a
weekend trip just 2hours away in Nowra. Her parents weren’t cooping to say the least. Her brother
had been the force that had held them together; held her closer to her parents and vice versa. He
was her rock, her twin. And now he was gone, and so now, she was being sent away to live with
family
They couldn’t cope with her, looking at the other half of her brother.
“How long?”
“We’re not really sure. See how it works out” they had responded and after that, I didn't ask any
more questions. I said goodbye to Sully and my friends, our school, home. To the dry hot weather I
had grown to tolerate after we moved here from Colorado; Dad’s native country and his sister
Rachel and Jonathon’s mother, and now I was returning.
Sort of
Carrying my suitcase of luggage and take on bag, Rachel with all her frizzy yet immaculate short hair
lose in a pony tail, chocolate warm eyes that could melt you and a grin that you couldn’t help but
respond to, picked me up- literally, into a hug the moment I stood up from the waiting chairs in front
of the international airport. I hadn't seen Rachel since I was a child, nor had I seen the reservation
that was similar to the one I remembered growing up in but throughout our long distances we had
always kept in touch. I returned the intimate hug, because to each other, we were the sisters we
didn't have. And she was the family I had lacked since the accident took all of him away from her
“Finally!” she exclaims after a another tight squeeze with a contagious teary smile “now, you have to
live with me and my hubby, not Aunt Denise and Derik”
Rachel already held a disapproving opinion of her parents that she had made vocal to all but the
famous couple themselves, just like Sully had openly debated with their parents. They all agreed that
some couples were meant to live together without children
Her parents had been just that while Sully had been the tangible thread that had threaded them all
together until now.
I went to thank her again, and apologise for what I knew my parents who have forced on her and her
newly ‘hubby’ she loved to call him, but Rachel shot her a glare holding up her hands in front of her
face to stop any words before without a word and another stern warning look, she plucked my
suitcase from me, shoved me into the car and that was that
From the airport, the drive would take 2 and a half hours from St Cloud right across to the far
growing deserted path to Leach Lake reserve near Chippewa National Park it was a part of, rich with
native life
The whole time, Rachel talked. Talked about the life, her hubby obviously, about all her excitement
of her coming to live with her finally; she had apparently reminded everyone of her adventurous
little cousin that had broken her arm that time when she ran of exploring in the woods when she
was 5years old. Her parents had split up when she was only young; her mother from Colorado and
her father from the Leech Lake of Chippewa Native Indian Origin
I had high cheek bones, brown hair and a darker toned complexion thanks to her father and ancestor
bloodline. I had green eyes and long straight hair from my mother, making me look a little exotic like
my brother. The only difference between Sully and I?
Our Gender
Then the conversation of schooling came up
“Because you’re a bloodline as well, you are going to the reservation school as well alright? Just like
old times in Colorado” she smiles across to me, not having a ‘no’ for an answer. I remembered
mostly because Rachel kept reminding me- the kids I used to play with since little and when she
would talk and write to me about them from both the tribes. She mostly lived with her mother in the
Colorado in the city and only every few times a year did she see her father and not always would it
be down there, instead they would go fishing or he would come down into the city to spend time
with her and Jonathan. Then, on one of her yearly trips to see her paralyzed father after a hunting
accident, at the age 21 she said it was love at first sight with Benjamin, and she never left again
They had only been married for a few months before I came up, hence, I insisted on living with her
father Billy Rift “that old timer’s stoked to have some type of life breathed back into his home, don’t
you forget you can stay with me whenever though, you hear girl? You promised” she warns and I
smile holding my hands up in submission “alright! I will Rach, sheesh, hasn’t that hubby of yours
cooled you down yet?” I tease and she smirks “nah, I have too much fun riling him up. Someone had
to; he’s the eldest child of his family, naturally stubborn, hard headed-”
“-just like you” I muse folding my arms turned half to face her smiling back, daring her. Rachel shrugs
though then flashes her white teeth at me in response as we drive past the reservation sign, warning
this was Native Land and only Residential Property allowed including most of the National Park
That now included her
Nothing much had changed. Things had gotten older like the houses and people, but kids still
roamed the streets playing happily riding bikes, chasing, throwing balls. I even thought I saw one of
the famous mud pies we used to build castles of and even sell them for lollies from the Elders. The
sights all made me smile though
“nothing much has changed” Rachel shrugs as they drive into her old house, Billy’s, and I smile and
repeat with my own relief and approval “nothing much has changed” and I lean over and kiss her
cheek, making her always smile on her face broaden
Opening her door Rachel shouts out “Hubby! Dad! Sisi’s here” making me grimace startled and
winces. Extroverts generally didn't like attention by rule; Rachel was someone introverts tried to
hide from at all costs. Once she caught you though, she never let go
Sisi was what they had called each other since kids and it was something that stuck, saying sister’s
stuck together, just like Sully and her
A smirking and shaking of a head- hubby followed by a similar face of her father came through the
front door smiling at them both while Rachel was already pulling at her suitcase from the book
Benjamin was already casually striding across, still shaking his head with a look of amusement and
affection that astounded her as he simply with a half reprimanding look, took the suitcase off from
her and turned to me
“Good afternoon Lokk’a” Benjamin greets me with Native Chippewa gesture
“Nice to meet you” I reply back as Rachel squishes her into her side while reaching over and kissing
his cheek Benjamin changes to make her kiss his lips instead the same instant Billy wheels over
“Ryha!” he greets then giving her a hug he jokes “it’ll be nice having you finally around here Lokk’a”
he points to the happy love sick couple and winks “it’ll be good getting rid of these two as well”
I laugh “thanks for having me, Uncle Billy” I get out before he too could cut me off before Rachel’s
glare again
“Hey? Is that you Ryha?” I turn around with the surprised others, and it takes me a moment until I
recognize the 3 teen boys and Benjamin’s little brother Paul on Cheche’s shoulder with a football in
their hands.
Her cousin bounds over and tugs her into a warm embrace, “hey boys” Rachel greets and they all
smile up broadly at her, “Hey Rach” they respond back, and Kai can’t help but feel that edge of
loneliness begin to erode away somewhere inside since her brother had gone