I am "the bastard daughter of a woman [Ida] who wouldn't even admit she was my mother." I also just recently found out that I am the illegitimate daughter of Ida's father Lecon and her sister Clara. However, I was brought up as "Aunt" Ida's daughter and never learned the truth about my real parents. As a child, I "was never satisfied," but I did develop a blind loyalty to my younger brother Lee and a strong faith in Catholicism, especially the martyred saints.
My faith reached a crisis when I thought the contents of the "Portugal letter" would determine the end of the world unless Russia converts to Roman Catholicism. When nothing happened on the appointed night, I becomes disillusioned with the Church. Another time, when I found out that Dayton Nickles didnt want to be my boyfriend, my self-esteem took such a plunge that "it took me years to forget." My one true friend was my younger brother Lee. "He wasn't just my best friend, he was the only one I trusted, the only one who never let me down." When Lee switched his main allegiance from myself to Dayton, an anti-Vietnam activist, I ploted successfully to separate them by telling Lee that being considered unpatriotic would end his political future on the reservation.
Angry at Aunt Ida's disapproval of my promiscuous social life, I left home and moved in with Ida's sister Pauline's family. I took a job at the Tribal Council, and continued my usual playgirl/party life, eventually leaving for Seattle. Distraught when Dayton writes that Lee is missing in action in Vietnam, I met my future husband Elgin in a bar. We got married but it didnt last, and by the time my daughter Ray was a teenager, I was told that I was dying from liver and pancreatic cancer. Angry because Elgin wouldn't take responsibility for Ray, I decided to commit suicide. But Ray foiled my plan, and I was forced to take her to her "Aunt" Ida's, then hitch a ride to Dayton's, where I decided to spend my final days. With the financial and emotional stability that Dayton offered me in his new life after prison, I was able to get Ray back into my life for a brief period. I taught Ray to drive and gave her my prized silver turtle ring. But having learned from Aunt Ida not to reveal painful truths, I could never tell Rayona that I was dying.
My faith reached a crisis when I thought the contents of the "Portugal letter" would determine the end of the world unless Russia converts to Roman Catholicism. When nothing happened on the appointed night, I becomes disillusioned with the Church. Another time, when I found out that Dayton Nickles didnt want to be my boyfriend, my self-esteem took such a plunge that "it took me years to forget." My one true friend was my younger brother Lee. "He wasn't just my best friend, he was the only one I trusted, the only one who never let me down." When Lee switched his main allegiance from myself to Dayton, an anti-Vietnam activist, I ploted successfully to separate them by telling Lee that being considered unpatriotic would end his political future on the reservation.
Angry at Aunt Ida's disapproval of my promiscuous social life, I left home and moved in with Ida's sister Pauline's family. I took a job at the Tribal Council, and continued my usual playgirl/party life, eventually leaving for Seattle. Distraught when Dayton writes that Lee is missing in action in Vietnam, I met my future husband Elgin in a bar. We got married but it didnt last, and by the time my daughter Ray was a teenager, I was told that I was dying from liver and pancreatic cancer. Angry because Elgin wouldn't take responsibility for Ray, I decided to commit suicide. But Ray foiled my plan, and I was forced to take her to her "Aunt" Ida's, then hitch a ride to Dayton's, where I decided to spend my final days. With the financial and emotional stability that Dayton offered me in his new life after prison, I was able to get Ray back into my life for a brief period. I taught Ray to drive and gave her my prized silver turtle ring. But having learned from Aunt Ida not to reveal painful truths, I could never tell Rayona that I was dying.
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