4 Sandra Laronde Pretty fast replied Misko with a shrug Kokum nodded motioning to a wall unit in the corner Misko went to look and there she was young Maddy her hair long and loose Her self-assured smile was familiar but her face was softer somehow more open There were many other framed photos in sepia black and white and color but most were frameless snapshots There were pictures of great grandparents grandparents aunts uncles sisters brothers siblings children babies and pets Wow you have I mean we have such a big family Kokum Misko could see a familiar glint in her relatives dark brown eyes It was like looking at many versions of her own face staring back at her across gen erations of time Then she came across a photo of two people who did not fit in at all They were a fancy couple tossing a striped beach ball on a white sandy beach Kokum who’s this Kokum looked at the photo blankly for a moment blinking as she tried to remember Oh those white people they came with the frame You have a picture of people you don’t even know asked Misko yet she replied Kokum chuckled Not sure who goes in that frame Misko moved to the next photo Is this one here a picture of you Kokum
She Holds Up the Stars 5 How do I look It’s hard to tell because you look blurry Must’ve been when I was young Kokum said with a grin There was another photo that stood out to Misko She picked it up It was a picture of a young girl That’s your mom said Kokum The girl was holding the reins of a brown and beige pony A quiver ran up Misko’s spine but she didn’t know why She my mother had a horse Ah-hey The girl in the picture seemed about her age but her hair was cut short and tucked behind her ears Her eyes were bright and stared at whoever held the camera and they seemed to look directly into Misko’s at that exact mo ment She felt a strange collapsing of time as if she and Mother were here together now in this same room Two 12-year-old girls looking at each other across time You remind me of her said Kokum I do Ah-hey She looks happy I didn’t know she had a pony Misko stared at the photo a little longer then put it down and picked up another that had fallen sideways Her mother was holding a baby and squinting into the sun The shadow of whoever took the picture lay across the fore ground hovering over their bodies Is the baby me
6 Sandra Laronde Her grandmother contemplated the photograph Misko stood still waiting impatiently for her to respond Too small So cute Kokum finally said softly Misko held her breath to hear A baby bird Bineshiiwens Nothing but a little chickadee I love their song she cooed So that’s where my nickname comes from I wonder how they fly south for the winter with such little wings Misko wondered aloud Kawin those birds don’t fly south m’girl Them people build birdhouses in their backyards Kokum drew the outline of a tiny box with her hands Them birds go right inside and what do they do They build a nest They build round inside I don’t know why the white man wants to put everything in a box Even cut up our land into boxes No those birds don’t leave Not like people When her grandmother spoke again the words seemed to float on the air as she exhaled Anna Gone eight years What’s that Kokum But Kokum didn’t answer and Misko could feel the energy shift in the room Kokum stood up slowly turned and wiped an invisible tear from her cheek Well dear I have to get some rest now Misko’s throat tightened as she watched Kokum amble down the hallway and into her room She didn’t remember her grandmother being sad like this the last time she was here It had been eight years since Misko’s mom disappeared Eight years of longing for her mother Eight years of
She Holds Up the Stars 7 Kokum waiting for good news of her daughter Anna Eight years of people saying to let it go to forget about it and to move on But it’s our loss and it’s still unsolved said Auntie Madeleine
