Sister Heart (7 page)

Crying tree is a big old tree

with branches stretching high

and a snug hollow

in the trunk

Janey says

Kids here got special places

to cry

This is me and Tim's special place

but you can share it with us

At home I share

with my cousin brothers

and cousin sisters

and they share with me

Mum would like Janey sharing

This is the tree Tim fell out of

I thought he was dead

till he screamed

Some kids think this tree is unlucky

but I reckon it's a lucky tree

Tim coulda cracked his neck

or smashed his head

All he got was bruises

and a broke leg

I stare up at the tree

I know what she's saying

When little sister could walk

she wandered away

Mum found her

sitting in the creek on a rock

Little sister could have drowned

All she got was scratches

and a fright

Janey bites her fingernail

You think it's unlucky?

I slide into the hollow

This tree is good and strong

Janey grins

slips in next to me

Me friend Margy liked this tree, too

Margy's a sou'wester like me

Reckon you'd like her

Janey taps her head

She's real smart with schoolwork

Poor Margy

turned fourteen

so they sent her out to work

Now she's stuck on a farm

scrubbin' dishes

cookin' food

washin' clothes

cleanin' floors

No more readin' and writin' for her

We sit inside the tree

looking out at the bush

watching birds

insects

lizards

I can't believe Janey is quiet

Nancy lends Janey her comb

to fix my hair

Reckon those knots'll take all night

Give it back in the mornin'

she says

Janey runs her fingers down Nancy's comb

Nearly everyone here owes me favours

'cause I know how to get stuff

If Janey pinched Teacher's stick

like Tim said

she does know how to get stuff!

Okay, Annie, sit on ya bed

Promise I won't stop

till all the knots are gone

When it gets dark

I'll feel 'em with me fingers

Janey teases my hair out in little bits

Nancy is right

This will take a long time!

Janey tries not to tug hard

Margy used to do me hair

If she was here

she'd help us

You know the jobs we do?

Margy says

it's Domestic Training

The jobs are practice

for when we go into Service

Lotsa people

don't wanna do their own jobs

so they use us

That's Service

When I turn fourteen

I don't wanna go into Service

I wanna go home

I want to go home too

I want to go home right now!

Sleeping place is cold

but it gets colder

and colder

while Janey does my hair

I'm shivering bad

I huddle under the blanket

I don't feel the cold like you

Janey says

Got to be ice before I shiver

Harder for nor'westers

you used to more sun

When you been here a long time

your blood'll get thick

then cold won't be so bad

Some of the other girls yell

Shut up, Janey!

We tryin' to sleep

We sick of your talkin'

Shut ya trap!

Janey grumbles

Can talk if I wanna

Janey whispers

Listen, Annie

I got to tell ya bad news

You hopin' your mum will come

and get you, huh?

I sit still as stone

But she can't come, Annie

How does Janey know?

She doesn't know my mum

Your mum wants to come

Mums always miss kids

But she dunno where you are

and she dunno your new name

Will your mum ask for Annie?

My throat goes tight

Mum doesn't know anyone

called Annie

Policeman won't tell her where you are

Policeman won't tell her your new name

Janey is right

Policeman who took me from the station

won't tell Mum anything

Government people

got lotsa secrets, Annie

But I got me own secrets!

I know stuff from before

Know where me country is

Know some of me language

I don't talk it here

Got too many

whacks round the earhole!

Janey bends over

gives me a secret smile

I know me real name

Mum didn't call me Janey!

My eyes widen in surprise

Janey is a new name?

If Janey is the same as me

other girls must be the same too

I didn't know

We lucky, Annie

We not like the babies

here in cots

We not like Tim

I had to tell Tim stuff

about our family

Dad's tall like a gum tree

Mum likes cuddles

Granny Alice sings real sweet

He didn't remember nothin'

Didn't remember our country

I had to tell him

We ain't whitefellas, Tim

But you and me, Annie

we old enough

to remember lotsa things!

I remember Mum's silly songs

Little sister's bubbly laugh

Granny Rosy cooking damper

Grandpa Mick hungry for more

Uncles getting kangaroo

to fatten skinny rations

All my aunties singing

voices rising high on campfire smoke

Running with my cousin sisters

and cousin brothers

dogs running too

hot wind in our faces

I remember

the people I love

who love me back

I'm glad when my knots are done

My head is full of Janey's words

full of thinking

Janey cleans Nancy's comb with her fingers

Gives it a wipe on her dress

This is a good comb

Next comb I'm stealin' for me

Night, Annie

I give her a moonlit smile

Lie down on the bed

wrap my blanket tight

hold the laughing stone

Tim gave me

squeeze it

and remember

I am blind

choking

dying

I am on the ship

in the sea

I am drowning

Mum calls my name like a warning

Eyes fly open

breathe in

breathe out

not air — spew!

Soup I ate for lunch stinks terrible

I didn't want to eat it

Looked like the sea with floaty bits

Now it's all over the floor

Janey wakes

Hears me crying in the dark

You have a bad dream, Annie?

I did too!

She cries with me

In the morning

we have red puffy eyes

My mouth tastes sour

Nancy gives me rags

Clean up your mess

Janey, Emmy and Dot help

Nancy doesn't

Janey says

If Nancy helped

be more spew to clean

Weak guts!

Another girl holds her nose

Pooh, you girls stink!

Nancy snaps

I seen you spew worse!

When clean-up is done

Nancy says

Let's fix Annie's hair

Knots are gone

What's wrong with my hair?

Dot says

Hair's all bushy, Annie!

Emmy giggles

Proper nor'wester, alright!

Nancy makes short things

on the side of my head

Now you got two fat plaits

I've never had plaits before

They make my neck cold

Janey wiggles a plait

But Nancy

Teacher don't like plaits

fat or skinny

Nancy shrugs

Best we can do

Teacher stares at my hair

but she doesn't growl

I think she does like plaits

A boy snickers

Hey — funny hair!

Quick as a wink

Teacher darts over

Whack!

Boy rubs his hand

tries not to cry

tears leak out

Another boy hisses

Sissy!

Whack!

Boy rubs his knuckles

tries not to cry

A kid snorts

Teacher snaps

Timothy

are you laughing?

Exactly what are you laughing at?

Janey turns her head

eyes big and worried

Tim's coughin', Teacher

His chest's been playin' up!

I sneak a look at Tim

His face is red

but I don't think he was coughing

Teacher points her stick at Tim

Wear your jumper all day

Yes teacher

he splutters

Tim's striped jumper is a mess