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Mav only releasedwhile he closed the trunk and then he grabbed it again His grandfather had barelyat hi and then slowly re tiaze connected with Mav’s just before he dropped the picture to the ground and then stepped past Mav to where thecontainer fro in Lakota as he stood next to the container and placed his hand on it as he clutched the bag of possessions to his chest with his other arm

“Let’s go,” Mav said harshly as he pulled on ed the picture that had gotten stepped on at soed beyond that Mav noticedBy the ti a processional towards the sweat lodges and the hearse had started the process of turning around

“Are we co back for the funeral?” I asked as Mav turned the car around

“No,” he said “I’m not allowed to attend”

Sadly, the statement didn’t surprise rave,” I offered

“They won’t bury her”

“What will they do?”

“While randfather believes in following the traditions before the reservations were formed They’ll build a scaffold in a tree and leave her body and possessions there”

I shook my head because I couldn’t even find words to respond to that Several minutes of silence passed as we drove out of town, but I found I couldn’t contain my need to know more about Mav’s former life “Did…did you live in that house with all those people?” I asked

Mav nodded “Uncles, aunts, cousins…one big happy fa humorous about his expression

“I’m sorry, Mav I had no idea-”

“Doesn’t matter,” he bit out and I knew fro about it

“Are we flying out tonight?”

“You are,” Mav said “The pilots had to fly the plane to Rapid City to refuel, so we’ll meet them there”

I barely heard the last part because I was still stuck on the first part of his sentence “Wait, what do you et your motorcycle?”