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with a perfect memory.
    While in Oregon, Ukiah found memories of his childhood as Magic Boy. Dismembered with an ax early in the previous century, Magic Boy’s various body parts fled his murder site. Some unknown amount went on to form Ukiah, a child running feral with the wolves. Magic Boy’s hand or foot transformed into the turtle Little Slow Magic, who made his way back to his mother’s people. A quirk in his alien genetics meant that the turtle retained much of the memories that the child had lost completely.
    Absorbing Little Slow Magic and the memories the turtle held, Ukiah added to his quilt work of knowledge, a heritage only half-remembered. “My people believe they are ghosts dancing.”
    Mom Lara turned to look at him, the star shine pale on her blond hair. “That’s so poetic. I’m so happy you finally managed to find yourself.”
    Yes, he had found parts of his ancient past, but only at the cost of contaminating his present self. Magic Boy lived for nearly two hundred years, several lifetimes of joy and sorrow, rewards and frustrations. Ukiah felt like a child that put on hisfather’s clothing and stood before the mirror, lost in the skin he one day would grow into. Even though Ukiah had completely forgotten his childhood with his mother’s people, much of Magic Boy’s personality remained, seemingly a rock-solid base that could not be erased. In the overlarge memories, Ukiah could now see the roots of his own personality. Much of what he thought Mom Jo and Mom Lara taught him were only reinforcements of what his mother, Kicking Deer, laid down.
    â€œBut you really should have called instead of leaving Kittanning with Indigo,” Mom Lara said, continuing blithely, unaware of his turmoil. “I could have flown home and been here before you left.”
    Unfortunately, all the similarities between Ukiah and Magic Boy only made judging the differences harder. Was it him or Magic Boy who bristled at Mom Lara’s comment? “Indigo was happy to do it.”
    â€œIt wasn’t fair to her,” Mom Lara said. “Letting her play mommy and then taking it all away from her.”
    Indigo was listed as Kittanning’s mother on his birth certificate, and Ukiah had every intention of marrying her, making her Kitt’s mother in truth. Why couldn’t his mothers accept that he knew what he wanted? If he was man enough to drive, drink, and carry a gun, surely he could marry a woman as good and strong as Indigo. Were their objections to Indigo based on the fact that she was only six years younger than they were? Or that she was part Hawaiian-Chinese?
    Ukiah snapped his mouth shut on words that would have just led to more trouble, and instantly wondered. Was it truly him that was angry—or Magic Boy—and which part of him had the wisdom to keep silent? Certainly before he left for Oregon, they’d fought over Indigo; but now he saw his moms’ actions in a more hostile light. It never occurred to him before that they might be bigoted or saw Indigo as an age-equal to themselves.
    â€œI’m sorry, Mom,” he said instead of all the uncomfortable truths he could have spoken. “It’s been a rough day. I’m going to pop into Kittanning’s room, and then crash.”
    â€œAll right, honey,” Mom Lara accepted his tactical retreat.
    â€œI told Mom Jo that I’ll go shopping for you tomorrow if you give me a list of what you need.”
    Even his moms didn’t realize how well he saw in the dark once his eyes adjusted. She winced at his offer, but said brightly, “That will be a great help, honey. I’ll work up a list and give it to you tomorrow morning. Good night, honey.”
    Â 
    He climbed the stairs wondering. His perfect memory told him that nothing had changed between his mothers and him, except his own point of view—or more correctly—the addition of Magic Boy to his point of view.