It’s not polite to stare. But I can’t stop myself from staring at her eyes. They look so familiar to me. Then, with a sick feeling in my stomach, I realize why and I look away. Her eyes. They are the same as my father’s. Not only has she been able to have my father all to herself, she even has his eyes. The same kindness and intelligence that I just saw shining out of the eyes of Sequoyah are also there in the eyes of my little half sister, Ahyokah. It troubles me to see that. It’s not right!

“What’s your name?” she asks.

“Uwohali.”

My voice comes out as a growl, but she pays no attention to that. Instead, she smiles.

“Uwohali! Good.” She places her hands on her chest. “I am Ahyokah. You are my big brother. It makes me happy to see you. After you eat you can meet my dolls. I know they want to be your friend.”

Then she opens her arms and hugs me around my waist. That is as high up as she can reach since she is only six years old and I am tall for my age.

I’m not sure what to do. I feel uncomfortable. I don’t want to like this little girl who took my place in my father’s life. I want to say that I am not happy to see her. I don’t want to meet her dolls. I don’t want to be their friend or hers. But I don’t say anything. I just stand there while she keeps hugging me and smiling.

My father clears his throat and we turn to look at him. There’s a smile on his face that looks just like the one Ahyokah beamed up at me.

“Your brother is tall,” he says, “but he is not a tree for you to climb, daughter. Come, the food is ready.”

“Yes,” Sally Guess says. “Sit here, Uwohali.”

She pulls back a chair for me from the table. As I sit I take note of the fact that the table’s legs are beautifully carved to look just like the legs of a deer. It has to have been crafted by my father.

In front of me on the tabletop is a pile of papers covered with markings. Sally picks them up. She lifts one eyebrow toward my father and motions as if she is going to throw them into the nearby fireplace. My father just chuckles and continues limping toward his seat at the head of the table.