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I reached up with ently touched his bruised cheekbone "What happened?" I repeated softly, hoping he wouldn’t pull away

"Compliments of my mom’s husband"

"He hit you?" I whispered, shocked

"Yeah I hit hiot In fact, I had to hold back a little because he was so drunk it really wasn’t a fair fight" Samuel’s voice and face were s it

"Your mom lets hi at this point She drinks way too much too, and she’s scared of him But she’s more scared that he’ll leave, and even more scared that I will be the reason he does It’s better for everyone if I go and stay gone"

"But…I thought your randparents said"

"My et myself killed in some "white o She says she never should haveher because I aone, but she doesn’t want o"

I felt his helplessness and didn’t kno to comfort him I didn’t understand the relationship he had with hisof mixed race, from mixed cultures, full of mixed emotions

"What made you decide to coe to leavethe winter the sheep are corralled close to horandmother works als and blankets She says her ability to weave is a gift fro around his firm lips "Spider Woman is of no relation to Super Sam or Bionic Josie" He quirked his eyebrows at ain "Spider Woman is considered one of the Holy People - kind of like the Gods of the Navajo people

"My grandmother never went to school Her parents were suspicious of the schools of the white man They hid her in the cornfield when the social service people came to enforce the education laws on the reservation There were boarding schools for the children then The children were sent away, and they weren’t allowed to speak Navajo Her parents worried that school would change her They told her the sheep would provide for her, give her everything she needed

"The funny thing is, they were right My grandmother is very independent She cares for the sheep, and they provide for her She kno to shear, wash, card and spin the wool into yarn Fros and blankets to sell The Navajo narateful for the gift of weaving froan, for her life…but she wishes she had been able to go to school

"When I was there she told e and not be afraid of myself She said I was Navajo, but I was e was not rew quiet, and I sat next to him in contemplative silence

"I’ll help you, Samuel"

"I know you will Josie…and Josie?

"Hmm?"

"Re fro the derision hich he’dwhen I ithfaintly "You remind me of her…funny, huh?"

I pondered that for abefore I left Usually the chants and the songs are sung by the old men, but she said the words are like a prayer, and prayer is for everyone" The words of the song are:

There is beauty behind me as I walk