After a few seconds, he gripped me back, taking handfuls of my clothes in his fists and holding tight. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head, speaking to me in Anishinaabemowin. I felt those words under my ribs. In that moment, everything snapped into clarity. I knew for certain, regardless of the odds or risks, that I would do whatever it took to keep them safe, all of them. Even my asshole brother, who had big dreams of being a Supervising Asshole. I would do whatever it took.

The twins had taken Mitch to start setting up our temporary camp and show him where to pitch the tent, a place to dry wet boots. Wab and Chi Boy were getting some plates ready, and Slopper was still trying to pull himself together.

“Where’s Rose?” I couldn’t wait another minute.

Miig sighed a bit and held me at arm’s length. “Before you go worrying, she is fine—she’s always fine, that one. But still, you’d better come sit. Slopper, is there tea left?”

Come sit? Tea? Oh boy, this couldn’t be good…

✦✦✦ ✦✦✦ ✦✦✦

“Derrick! She left with Derrick?”

I was on my feet and couldn’t sit back down. Rose was somewhere, headed toward a school, and she was with that insufferable show-off who was so obviously trying to get in her pants. “When did she leave?”

“Right away—we couldn’t keep her back. Almost six weeks ago now. Made a decision and then left the before the sun.” Miig folded and refolded his hands, not making eye contact.

I was being irrational, and I knew it. Why did it matter who she was with when she was in danger? I should have been happy she wasn’t alone. But still…Derrick?

Then another thought occurred to me. “That’s too long to be gone. What if she got taken?” Then I sat because all feeling left my legs. Rose could be in a dark room. Rose could be huddled in the middle of a siren screech. Rose could be in an isolation cell, scribbling words on a napkin with spaghetti sauce.

She wouldn’t survive. I knew it. Rose would never break, never falter. They’d weed her out and lock her up first chance they got—her passion was contagious, and that was the last thing they allowed in the schools.

“Why did you leave without her? Oh god, she’s dead, isn’t she?”

“We don’t know anything yet. You can’t think the worst,” Miig responded. “We left because we received some news that forced our hand—there was no way we could safely stay. There’s a train that’ll take us across the border, out of the schools’ reach. And the schools, they’re changing. We had to get Wab—”

“I know the worst, and that’s all I can think of,” I interrupted. “She’s dead. What else could it be?” The end of the sentence was pinched. I ran out of breath and forgot how to put more into my lungs.

“Okay, easy, there.” He rubbed my back. “Slow down, in and out. You’re here with us now. In and out. We got you.” I matched my breathing to the pattern he massaged into my skin.