Motoyi

When the mail arrived at Ellie Smith’s Calgary, Alberta townhouse her hands shook with trepidation, when she saw the letter from the parole board, and then her heart sank when the letter advised her of Donna Youngwoman’s parole hearing. Now what would she tell Motoyi, her seven year old grand-daughter, the child who was born to Donna in prison.

Ellie never imagined that at age eighty she’d be raising a child. But she’d dedicated herself to caring for innocent Motoyi and protecting her from the wicked world in which her mother had bore her. As part of that protection she’d told Motoyi her parents had died in a car accident, for seven years she’d hoped and prayed she’d never have to tell Motoyi the truth...

Ellie hated the name Motoyi that Donna had given the child. Apparently it was Blackfoot Indian for spring – a time of beginnings and new life. Donna was in prison for armed robbery and the murder of a policeman.  As of late, Donna claimed to have embraced her Blackfoot heritage and expected to raise Motoyi on the reservation after her release from prison.

She didn`t want Motoyi to see the letter – or the way her hands were shaking – so she put the letter in her pocket and hurried into the kitchen, hoping kitchen chores would keep her mind off her worries. But from the day she received the letter until the day of the parole hearing nothing helped her concerns about what she`d tell Motoyi.

On the day of the hearing she took Motoyi to Lucy`s, her neighbour and best friend. Lucy was also babysitting Motoyi`s best friend Toni.  This was perfect. Hopefully Motoyi wouldn`t ask too many questions about her whereabouts.

Ellie arrived at the prison at 9 am and was instructed to take a seat in the waiting area. She had been waiting for what seemed to be an eternity, when she glanced at her watch and realized it was 9:45 am – the hearing was supposed to start at 9:30 am and she was concerned that she had been forgotten. 

Ellie stood straight with her head held high as she approached the guard at the reception desk and said, ``Excuse me sir, but I`m here for the Donna Youngwoman hearing and it was supposed to start at 9:30 am...``

The guard looked up and in a gruff voice said, `Look, Lady, it snowed last night. Everyone`s late – just have as seat and be patient will ya."

Finally, at 10:30 am a large olive-skinned female corrections officer called her name and escorted her to the room where the meeting was being held. Once seated Ellie listened to testimony from the prison staff, Donnas’ native addictions counsellor, and a victim`s impact statement was read.

Ellie thought, I`m a victim too.  If it weren`t for Donna Youngwoman, my son Daniel wouldn`t have gotten addicted to crack cocaine and killed in a shoot-out with the police.  Just then, a big-boned woman with close-cropped grey hair, that resembled a helmet on her head, stood up and looked directly at Donna, who was looking healthier than Ellie had ever seen her.

The woman said, `Ms. Youngwoman and, we recognize that you appear to be an excellent candidate for rehabilitation and eventual parole. However, due to the severity of your crimes we cannot grant a parole to you at this time.  That said, we have received a recommendation from your addictions counsellor that visits with your daughter, Motoyi, would be key to your success and we agree, therefore, it`s this panel`s decision that these visits should begin as soon as they can be arranged."

Donna looked at the panel with tears running down her cheeks and whispered, `Thank you."

Ellie was in shock.  Surely they didn`t expect her to expose Motoyi to that sort of environment. Well, she just wouldn`t...

On the way home Ellie decided she would call Jeffery Harley, the lawyer who had handled her late husband`s estate.  He seemed to be a fairly informed gentleman. Surely, he would know how to stop this nonsense.

Before picking up Motoyi, Ellie went home and called Jeffery Hartley. When he answered she identified herself and related her problem. `You remember my nasty daughter-in-law Donna,"she told him, “She had her parole hearing and even though she did not get parole.  She was granted visitations with Motoyi. Now I am extremely upset...  I don’t want Motoyi exposed to that woman and certainly not to prison.”

“Calm down, Ellie I will make some phone calls and we will meet for lunch next week. Okay?”

Ellie feeling much better for getting that off her chest said, “Oh yes, I’d like that very much.”

Jeffery Hartley was an experienced lawyer that had been around a long time, and he had friends and associates in every department of the justice system. He had an old friend and colleague on the board of corrections, John McNeil, so he called John for advice on how to proceed with this delicate matter.

John was a big man with no hair, always clean-shaven and his suits looked like they were a size too small on him. John said, Jeffery, the situation is hopeless as the people from Indian Affairs are involved and that always spells trouble, unfortunately the most that can be done would be to have the visits held at the Indian Affairs offices, rather than the prison.”

Jeffery took Ellie out for lunch at the Chowder House, a very popular lunch haunt, with the business crowd. Jeffery said, “Ellie I have found out that Indian Affairs have taken an interest in this case and the most that can be done is that the meetings can be held at their offices instead of the prison.”

“That will never do,” said Ellie. “Motoyi thinks her parents are dead. I told her that to protect her – she is much too young to understand – let alone deal with the truth.”

“Ellie you must tell Motoyi the truth – the sooner the better – you see if the authorities find out she doesn’t know the truth they will tell her. They will take her away from you and place her in foster care, as you don’t have legal custody,” said Jeffery.

Tears welled up in Ellie’s eyes. She did not know how she would tell Motoyi – but she did know this -– that she now must tell Motoyi the truth to protect her from being bounced around from foster home to foster home and losing her forever.

Ellie decided take Motoyi to the Zoo and tell her, as this was Motoyi’s favourite place to go. The child was such an animal lover, with was true to her gentle good nature. When Ellie picked up Motoyi and went home she said, “Motoyi, how would you like to go to the Zoo tomorrow?”

Motoyi’s face lit up and she started jumping up and down and said, “Can Toni come too?”

Ellie made a sad face as she said, “I’m sorry Motoyi, but Toni can’t come this time – maybe next time.”

Motoyi said, “Why? Tone is my best friend we do everything together.”  Ellie said, “I know but this time it has to be just us – I have something important to talk to you about.”

Motoyi said, “What is it?”

“It’s a surprise. Now go to your room and draw me a picture of the animals you want to see at the Zoo,” instructed Ellie.

It was a beautiful sunny day, with a light warm wind blowing from the Chinook that, a couple of days ago, had melted all the snow from last week. Ellie dressed in a cream coloured linen suit. Underneath her jacket she wore a light, weight pink blouse. Her sleek silver hair was tied back with a pink ribbon.

Motoyi chose to wear blue jeans and her favourite Calgary Stampede t-shirt. Motoyi’s feather fine, long sandy brown hair was blowing in the wind.

As they walked through the entrance to the Zoo all the smells assaulted their noses, Ellie wrinkled her nose and Motoyi breathed in deeply through her nose and said, “Grandma I love that smell it’s the best smell in the whole world. What is your favourite smell?”

Ellie said, “Fresh baked apple pie – I love apple pie.”

After they had seen what felt like every animal in the Zoo. Ellie suggested they go have their lunch in the green house. This was Ellie’s favourite part of the Zoo – where there was every possible plant and flower in the world in there, of this Ellie was certain.

When they found a place to sit and eat their lunch in a secluded sport, Ellie said, “Motoyi do you remember when you asked me about your mother?”

Motoyi said, “Yes Grandma, you said she went to sing with the angels in heaven.”

“Well, that isn’t exactly true. You see Grandma lied. I’m sorry Motoyi I didn’t and don’t want to hurt you – I only want to protect you.”

Motoyi looking confused said, “I don’t understand, if she is not there then where is she?”

With a heavy sigh that shook her whole body, Ellie said, “She is in prison, your mama’s in prison, and then the tears came that Ellie had tried so desperately to hold back.

Motoyi got up and put her tiny arms around Ellie’s neck and said, “Shh shh, it’s okay Grandma.”

Ellie whispered, “I’m so sorry Motoyi.”

Motoyi rubbing her Grandma’s back said, “I forgive you, in bible class they said everybody deserves to be forgiven.”

The days up until that first meeting passed by slowly for Motoyi.  Meeting her mother was a dream come true for Motoyi. Her secret wish had always been to meet her parents. But secretly, she feared that they would not like her.

The day of Motoyi’s first meeting with her mother Donna was a dreary rainy day that fit Ellie’s mood perfectly. Ellie knew that this was a dream come true for Motoyi, however the fact that her mother was in prison seemed completely irrelevant to Motoyi. Why Motoyi hadn’t even asked why her mother was in prison. Ellie was very relieved that she hadn’t asked that question, as she believed it would be better if that answer came from Donna herself. All that seemed to matter to Motoyi was that she was finally going to get to meet her mother.

When they arrived at the Indian Affairs offices they were led to a large room that resembled a studio apartment that had a little kitchen, an area where there were couches and chairs for seating, and a multitude of toys. It was bright, cheery and the walls were decorated with children’s art.

Donna was sitting on one of the couches with her addictions counsellor and there were two guards standing on each side of the doorway as they entered.

Donna rose and walked over to Ellie and Motoyi and said, “Thank you Ellie, I understand how hard this is for you.”

Ellie looked at the woman she blamed for her son’s descent into hell and said, “No, I don’t think you do.”

Donna then got on her knees and looked directly into Motoyi’s eyes and smiled with tears in her eyes said, “It’s been so long my child.”

Motoyi then looked back into her mother’s eyes with unrestrained awe, and said, “You are my mother, we look exactly the same.”

The End.