第7章我的姐妹金纳MySisterGina（2）
Inthebegiledateachotherontheschoolbus。Ginawasatoughkid，andIguessasadefensemeism，shealutonthattoughkidarmorwheeraweekorsoofschool，westartedtalking。Andsiheonlykidintheareaofmyage，wereallykiogether。Myfolksweredivordbarelyspokeuo。I’djustmoved600milesfromtheonlyhomeI’deverknowninMississippiandIwashomesidshehadnorealhome。Oncewerealizedwebothhadwoundstolick，itdarable。Shewasagradebehme，sowehadher。Butassoonaswe’dboardtheschoolbusiilitwastimeforbed，weweretogether。
Welivedowasafive-minutewalkfromwherewelived，justamattertheroad。Ifitwaswarm，I’dgetoffthebusandhurriedlydomychoresthathadtobefinishedbeforemymomgothomefromwork。Thenquicklygetintomybathiupwithourtowelsandsmokesahesand。I’djuststartedsmokiGina。Shesmoked，nly，andithher，Ididn’tthinkaboutwhatmymomwoulddoifshefoundout。Inaway，IguessIwaeherfreespirit。ItwaserthatIrealizedtheintensesadhavefelt。
Aboutmidwayintotheschina’ssisteraskedhertoeahemi。Ioodwhyitttoask。SheknewGina’sdwhereshewasliving。Gina’smomstayeddruime，andIthinktheyhadabigfailingout，ahat’swheolivebehindme。Hermomdidn’twaleastthat’s>
SoGime。Iwasheartbroken。Butatthesametime，Iythatshewasgoihhersister。Ithoughtthatifshewaswithfamily，she’dbeOK。Wewroteeachotherlettersatleasttwiceaweek，butfourmonthslatershecameback。Igotseveralstinaastowhyitdidn’tworkout。Ihavemyowntheories。
&on，theschoolyearwasingtoay15thbirthdaywasjustaroundtheoma。Ginastayedbehiherpersonsomewhereincorpus，butwewroteletters，aouch。Taftwasonly18milesaway。Afterwewerethereabout6months，Ginawasagainlacetolive，andthenunswerelookingforsomebodytotakehersoshewouldn’tbeplaafosterhome。ThestotisGinastartedhavingathingwiththelady’s，thatshelivedwith，19-year-oldson。Ginawasjustfourteeime，andsheaskedGiually，shesawthisguyoffandonforawhile。Ginawasloose。Sheeratelylookingforsomebodytoloveherintheonlywaysheknewhow。Anditcosther。Sowebecameherfosterfamily，ofsorts。Iwasworried。MymomandIwerelivingsoskimpilyasitwas。Webarelyhadmoopaythebills，andaeswehadourelectriedofffor。Iwasworriedabouthavingaofeed。ButIlovedher，andmymomfeltsorryforher。Shecouldseealittleinatoo。Wehadsomu！Webothsooes，aogethereveryweekend。Weeveotce，utiionforawholeday，andwemissedhavingourschoolpicturestakenthatday。Intheschoolyearbook，forthatyear，wheremypictureshouldbe，there’salittlecharawithabarrelaroundhismiddleandasignonitthatsays：“Photonotavailable。”Actually，IbelieveitwasoorsthatstartedthebeginnioGina’sstaywithus。Ithinkmymomwasafraidshe’d“ruboffonme”。I’mamomnowandIbetteruand。
Ginawaswild，andyou’tcageawildanimalf。Shewaswithusabouteightmowaswinteragaiight，andfoodwassalikedthewildlife。Mymomdidn’tallowthetypeoflife，fegirl，thatshewasusedto。SoGinaeoneelsesheknew，andmadearraoleaveus。
&hewasthelasttimeIeversawher。We’dsharedaroomforsomanymonths，andittyaftersheleft。Imissedherterribly。Irememberherputtiuffintothebackofawhiteeverfetwatghershuttheliddown，aomewithasmileandsayihisisit，Iguess。”Ireplied“Yeah…youtakecareofyourself。Don’tdrinkaoomuch。”Welaughedandhugged。Shesaid，“Speakforyourself！”Thenwecried。She’dbeefrieerpartoftwoyearsahingihatIwouldneverseeheragain。
Ididmaime。Justoheplattofromours。Thenabouttwoyearslater，Igotaletterfromher，andshewasinMissouri。She’dhadababy，byamarriedman。“Buthelovesme，”shewrote。Ifeltverysad，andwonderedifshe’deverreallyfindwhatshesodesperatelywashethoughtshewanecessarilywhatsheneeded。
Ineverheardfraihesedletter。IwrotebaevergotarespohisdayIdon’tknoeoher，ifshe’salive，orwheresheis。Wheookpartofmewithher。WebecameliketasgolikeI’dlostsomethihi-like。Shewassofulloflife，anddidn’tdwelloiooutwardly。Andwewereclose，wesharedeverything。
Istillthieheseyears。Twoyounggirlsreaanhoodohs。Yeteachpathisfamiliartotheother。Shestillhastheabilitytomakemesmile，aeallthatIhaveandallthatIam。