Chapter Seven

Johnny sighed and rubbed his face. He was seated at a table in the library, holding books on Reservations. He took any he could get his hands on, looking for one place in particular. "It's pointless." he muttered. He stood up, stretched, and carried his books back to the counter. "Thanks for all your help ma'am." he said the librarian.

"No problem, find what you were looking for?" she politely inquired.

"I didn't, but didn't have much to go on in the first place, thanks though." Johnny walked out the door, hands in his pockets. He walked over to a nearby park bench and sat down, not ready to leave. He ran his hand through his hair. An idea popped into his mind, he stood up and ran back into the library. "Do you have any adoption agency numbers?" he asked.

She nodded her head and walked out from behind the desk. "Follow me." she said pleasantly. She led him to the reference section and pulled a large book. "They should be in here."

"Thanks." Johnny said to her, too anxious to smile. He sat down again and flipped through the pages of state adoption agencies. "Montana, Montana" he muttered. His finger landed on the M states. Johnny pulled out a piece of paper and pen out of his pocket and jotted down the ten-digit number. He closed the book and put it back on the shelf. He thanked the librarian again and made for his rover.

He opened the door to his favorite diner, "Hey Rosie!" he hollered from the door.

"Hey Johnny boy!" She hollered back, "Take your normal booth!" Johnny waved to indicate he heard as he meandered to the back booth. He sat down and looked out the window while fiddling with the heavy piece of paper in his pocket. He felt someone sit across the table from him. "Penny for your thoughts." a voice said as she slid a glass of chocolate milk and a grilled cheese sandwich across the table.

"You'll need a quarter today." John replied as he took the glass of brown milk, the glass pausing it's course to his mouth to thank her. He pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket and put it on the table. On it was the number to Montana's State Adoption Agency.

"Oh," the lady said simply. "Why you trying to call there honey?" Rosie was the only person who knew Johnny's whole life story. He had gotten a second job shortly after graduating from the academy. After a bad call, he accidentally ended up telling her about his past. She was Johnny's second mother, at least that's how she saw herself and Johnny had no intentions of telling her otherwise. "I thought you were never going back." She looked up at him concerned.

"I'm not, at least I'm not trying to." He turned the offensive piece of paper upside down and took a bite of the sandwich. "I think I have family outside of the rez."

Rosie's mouth dropped open. "You mean to say, that after all of these years, you've found family? I'm happy for you John." she said seriously wrapping his free hand in hers, holding them as a mother would.

"Look," he said stopping the excitement and pulling his hand back, "I don't know if she even is family." He said, then paused, "We can't not be, we're practically identical. 'Cept she's white."

"She?" she said excitedly, then pointedly asked, "Do you care?"

"Of course not!" he exclaimed. "Why would you think that?"

"Okay sugar." Rosie replied putting her hands up.

"Sorry, it's been a couple rough days."

"Sounds like it Johnny boy, it's okay." She used his nickname to ensure him things were okay. "How'd you meet this twin of yours?"

"Funny you should ask that." Johnny smirked and then explained the whole rescue to the soon amused woman.

Rosie struggled to keep a straight face then managed, "Those ice machines, they're out to get ya." Johnny snorted and nodded, polishing off the sandwich.

His smile disappeared, "I really need to go and make this phone call." He stood and pulled his wallet out of his pocket.

Rosie quickly stood up and scolded him, "Ah ah ah, what did I say about that!"

"But, but-" Johnny quickly protested.

Rosie adeptly cut him off again, "John Gage, unless you come in here wanting anything other than some advice, you don't need to pay. You've done plenty for this place." Momma Rosie said, looking around at all the repairs John had made over the years. Johnny rolled his eyes but reluctantly agreed. He hugged Rosie and whispered his thanks in her ear. "You take care of yourself Johnny," she replied, "Let me know if you find her." Johnny nodded and walked back to his car, his spirits, for the moment, lifted.

An hour later, he was pacing in his living room, his carpet begging for relief. He glanced at the table with the phone and a piece of paper with ten numbers on it. He put his hands on his waist and huffed. "Just call." he tried to convince himself. Flopping down in his chair, he picked up the phone. He managed to dial the first three numbers then stopped, quickly hanging up again.

He stood up and continued his pacing. Momma Rosie's words popped back into his mind, "After all of these years, you've found family? I'm happy for you John."

"Just call the number damn it." He sat down again, and slowly dialed the number. The phone rang, Johnny's leg bouncing in anticipation.

"Montana State Adoption agency, how may I help you?" a pleasant voice said. John introduced himself, and asked his question.

"Is it possible to get the number of the Montana reservation I came from?"

A brief, "Hold on a minute." came from the phone then silence. He could hear typing and paper rustling in the background. Nearly five minutes passed before the voice came back. "Sorry about the wait, we just got a new computer record system, and it doesn't work. I personally prefer the paper. Anyway," she cleared her throat and John gulped. "Here's the number, are you ready?" she asked. John gulped, fingers now drumming on the chair's armrests. "Hello?" the voice asked.

"Yeah, sorry" Johnny was able to muster up. "What's the number?" he asked, his voice shaking.

He couldn't call it, try as he might. Finally giving up, he left it on the table. Grabbing his gym bag, he left the apartment. While he ran on the treadmill, his mind wandered. "Who is she? Is she the person who left, the one my dad was furious about? Is she even related to me? Am I chasing a dead end? What if she thinks I'm like my dad?" "I'm not," he said out loud. He looked around sheepishly, thankful he was alone at the moment. He looked down at the mileage tracked on the treadmill, "Huh." he said intrigued. He'd run four miles without meaning too. He slowed down and stepped off, finishing his workout routine.