In Shadows

1014 words of scene added. Enjoy…

In context, Anpo has returned Kathleen to her parents' homestead for a visit. Through miscommunication and cultural differences, it's thought she's returning Kathleen to her home permanently. In the native culture, however, the two women are married. It's just been very difficult for Kathleen to get that across to her family due to the stigma of homosexual relationships. Hence, no one knows but the women, and Kathleen has been less than supportive in her joy at seeing her family.

In native culture, 'throwing away' a woman meant divorce.

Stewart waited until he was on the porch to put on his boots, not wanting to rouse the rest of the family from slumber. False dawn crept across the sky, as he slipped his feet into the cold leather, stomping into the yard as he settled into them. Regardless of the early hour, he could not sleep, the excitement of having his sister home coupled with the unusual sounds of someone sleeping in the loft nearby. It had been far too long since he had had to share the space; five years or more since Kathleen had married and left for Stephen’s homestead.

He stretched with an audible groan, and hiked his suspenders over his shoulders before heading toward the barn. Da said the night before he had told that Indian to sleep there. He wondered if she had, or if she bunked down elsewhere. Besides, Stewart was eager to get a closer look at the ponies.

As he walked, he considered his sister’s odd behavior whenever the subject of Anpo came up. He had heard her words, plain as day, when the native said they were joined. He would be damned if he knew what that meant, but whatever it was could not be good. Kathleen blushed furiously, and changed the subject to something else. Stewart kind of felt sorry for the Indian, though. She seemed to be put out by his sister’s tactics.

Wonder what that means, though? Joined? Maybe it just meant they lived together to raise the boy. Or how about adopted? Now there was a thought, Kathleen adopted into an Indian family and all. And who was the father of Teca, anyway, some member of Anpo’s tribe? He discounted that thought almost as soon as it surfaced. The woman dressed in no recognizable style; she obviously came from far away.

The barn door stood slightly ajar, and Stewart pulled it further open. Just like a heathen, he mused. Not even enough sense to close the damned door. He shook the uncharitable thought from his mind. It was not Anpo’s fault she was an Indian, just an accident of birth. Besides, she had Kathleen’s friendship, so she could not be all bad.

The interior was murky, and he stood still to allow his eyes to adjust. Soon, he made out the stalls where the ponies stayed, and he eased closer. Somewhere in here was Anpo, and he did not want to scare her into something rash.

His fears were baseless, however, when he saw her watching him from the last stall. Her horse was saddled with one of those uncomfortable looking contraptions, her belongings tied in place. As his sight grew better, he realized she looked pretty ragged. Doesn’t look like she’s slept at all.

“Where is Ketlin?”

It took a moment before he recognized his sister’s name. “She’s still asleep,” he said, wondering at the hoarseness of her voice. If he did not know better, it appeared Anpo had had a really difficult night. Her eyes were reddened, her face looking gaunt and drawn. “Want me to wake her?”

“Hiya.” She made a sharp gesture with her thumb, and turned away.

Deciding her response was negative, Stewart leaned against one of the stalls and watched. Her movements were rigid, hard edged. He had no experience with her people, but he could almost swear the Indian was close to tears. Scoffing to himself, he put that thought out of his mind. From what he had heard over the years, these people did not cry or mourn, at least not in a way he was familiar with.

She bundled up a fur, lashing it tight to her saddle. Then she backed the pony out of the stall, leading it toward the door.

Stewart frowned and followed. “You going for a ride?” he asked. He would have thought she would stay around a little longer, at least to say good-bye to Kathleen.

“I am going back to my people.”

Not for the first time, he considered that these people were bizarre. Didn’t they have emotions like everybody else? Stewart could tell that Kathleen thought highly of Anpo; it was evident every time she looked at the native the day before. He had assumed Anpo felt the same way. If she did, she sure had a funny way of showing it, though.

They came out of the barn together. Stewart saw the yard clearly, the sky beginning to turn pink with dawn. Without further discussion, Anpo mounted her pony, pausing to stare at the cabin.

“Are you sure you don’t need anything? I know da wouldn’t mind giving you supplies for your trip.”

“You have nothing I need.”

The voice was icy, and Stewart felt a wave of anger. Ungrateful animal, he thought. “Then maybe you have a message for Kathleen?” he asked, his voice echoing Anpo’s. He must have hit a nerve because she froze, hardly breathing, and her dark skin paled. Shocked, he wondered if she was going to faint.

“Tell her-” Anpo’s voice broke.

Stewart stared at the emotion running just beneath the stoic surface. Good heavens, she’s really torn up about leaving. He urged himself to step forward, to offer consolation to this stranger who had helped his sister survive.

Before he could act, Anpo regained control of herself. She dug into a pouch attached to her saddle, pulling out a tin whistle. The instrument had been decorated with leather and feathers. She held it out to Stewart.

He stepped forward, reaching for the toy, barely catching it as it tumbled from Anpo’s hand.

“Tell her I throw her away,” she said, jaw clenching.

Before Stewart could get her to clarify her statement, she wheeled her pony and rode away from the cabin.

“Throw her away?” he questioned the empty dooryard. “What the hell does that mean?” A horse nickered in the barn, and he shook his head. He would ask Kathleen when she woke. For now, he pocketed the whistle and returned to the animals, remembering his desire to get a closer look at the ponies left behind.