Sister Heart (14 page)

Me and Tim

have a big bunch of wildflowers

for Janey

Nancy and Emmy and Dot

cried themselves sick

helping us pick them

We spread out the flowers

and I lay some boronia

on the little graves

Tim says

They baby graves
,
Annie

I come here as a baby

They took me from the hospital

Janey told me

Tears flood his eyes

Me heart's busted

busted wide open

Hurts real bad, Annie

Poor Tim

I can't fix him

I can't stop him hurting

I can't bring Janey back

But I can be a big sister

I hug him tight

Hours are days

days are weeks

weeks are months

without Janey

Everything is slow

without Janey

Everything is dull

without Janey

World's too sad

without Janey

I do the same things

Sleep in Margy's bed

do jobs

go to school

eat stinky soup

help Tim

get bossed by Nancy

Same

but not the same

Not without Janey

I dream I tell Mum about Janey

Dream she holds me

Dream I am crying

I wake up

Crying

I sit in the crying tree

looking out at the bush

watching birds

insects

lizards

Like I used to

with Janey

Wildflowers are fading

No more billy buttons

pepper and salt

bacon and eggs

boronia

No more Janey

talking

giggling

whispering in my ear

Tim finds me in the tree

crying for home

crying for family

crying for Janey

crying for him

crying for me

He slips in beside me

You watchin' the bush, Annie?

Won't see no more flowers

they all gone

Look, Tim

I open my hand

He gasps

The last billy button!

Tim looks at me

eyes wet and shining

We gunna give it to Janey?

We lay the last billy button

on Janey's grave

So bright

here

in this place

It's a smile

A sad smile

but a good sad smile

Like Janey

smiling at us for the last time

Like us

crying our hearts out

but smiling back

Tim stands tall

I ain't a baby no more!

I don't forget what Janey told me

I got country

I got family

Dad's tall as a gum tree

and he's a good bushman

Mum likes blue dresses and cuddles

Granny Alice sings real sweet

and drinks black tea

I remember, Annie!

I nod

I remember my family too

Mum's high voice

bright as the stars

Little sister's sloppy kisses

Aunty's hugs

Uncle's bush food

Grandpa's jokes

Granny's stories

My mum will tell little sister

Big sister has curly hair

And she's a fine singer

My mum will tell her

like Janey told Tim

They won't forget me

I won't forget them

A kookaburra calls

KOO – KOO – KAA – KAA

The bird skims the treetops

swoops low over me and Tim

soars away

Tim's eyes go big

Janey loved kookaburras

They special to her

like mudlarks are special to me

What you think, Annie?

Is sister flyin' home?

Tears stream down my cheeks

Yeah, Tim

she's gone home

We gaze after the kookaburra

You know what, Annie?

Someday

I'll grow me own feathers

Fly home to Mum and Dad

and Granny Alice

like Janey wanted

I give Tim a shaky smile

If birds have wings

so do songs

Tonight

when all the girls are sleeping

I will send a song

on the moonlight

to my mum

She will hear my song in a dream

Listen to my voice

Know it's me

I will sing

I am not lost, Mum

Watch for me

Someday

I am coming home

Tim looks up at me

Home's waitin' for us, Annie

And we are waiting for home

I squeeze his hand

Someday, Tim

we'll all fly free

Sally Morgan was born in Perth, in 1951.

She has published books for both adults

and children, including her acclaimed

autobiography,
My Place
.

Sally is also a celebrated artist and has works

in many private and public collections.

First published in 2015 by

FREMANTLE PRESS

25 Quarry Street, Fremantle 6160

Western Australia

www.fremantlepress.com.au

Copyright © Sally Morgan, 2015.

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher.

Cover design by traceygibbs.com.au.

Printed by Everbest Printing Company, China.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-publication data

Morgan, Sally, 1951– author.

Sister heart / Sally Morgan.

ISBN 9781925163131 (hbk)

Children, Aboriginal Australian—Juvenile fiction.

Children, Aboriginal Australian—Institutional care

—Juvenile fiction.

A823.3

Publication of this title was assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Fremantle Press is supported by the State Government through the Department of Culture and the Arts.