[Alaskan Quest 03] - Whispers of Winter (30 page)

Leah worked the dirt of her garden, feeling great pride in the appearance of new growth. The long hours of sun had worked out favorably for her garden, and she meant to take every advantage. There would surely be enough to can for the entire family.

“Did you miss me?” a female voice questioned.

Leah straightened to see Ashlie standing at the end of the carrot row.

“I didn’t know you were coming home!” Leah put down her hoe and ran to where Ashlie stood. “Just look at you.” Leah gave her a hug, being careful not to get dirt on Ashlie’s pristine blue-and-white day dress.

“I wanted to surprise everyone.”

“Well, you have certainly accomplished that. Your father was quite ornery to keep this from us.”

“Don’t be too hard on Father. It’s my doing.”

“You look so grown up. I can’t believe it. At Christmas you still appeared so much a child, but now you are clearly a woman—and a beautiful one. You’re doing something new with your hair, aren’t you.”

Ashlie smiled and reached up to touch the carefully pinned creation. “Actually, I am. But I may soon be cutting it all very short.”

“Surely you’re joking.” Leah had seen some women cut their hair short, even in Alaska, but that was usually the result of fever having damaged it or some other such reason.

“I’m not joking. That’s kind of why I came out here. I wanted to tell you what I’m thinking about.”

Leah dusted off her hands. “Why don’t we sit over there?” She pointed to a large bench under a collection of spruce, hemlock, and alder. “Jayce built that for me just a couple of weeks ago. It makes a nice place to sit and watch the children.”

“I can hardly wait to see the twins,” Ashlie declared. “Father said they were very sick. I’m glad they’re better.”

“They’re napping now. Those times of slumber come in fewer intervals, but I still insist on an afternoon rest. For them and me.” She grinned. “So what’s your news?”

“I know I didn’t write much, but I found myself very busy. Cousin Myrtle was of course so sad about Mama. To my amazement, however, instead of making her more reclusive, it caused her to get out more. It’s almost as if seeing Mama die young was an announcement to her that she needed to cherish and use the time she had left.”

“That’s understandable. It definitely made me more aware of how fleeting our time on earth can be.”

Ashlie nodded. “That’s why I started doing some serious thinking about what I wanted out of life.”

“And what did you come up with?”

Ashlie folded her hands and straightened her shoulders. “I want to be a nurse. I just kept thinking of how things might have been different for Mama if she’d been in a place where there were better-trained people who could have helped her. Of course, I do not say that to make you feel to blame; I know you and the doctor did what you could for her. I just wish there might have been a nice big hospital with the newest innovations and a well-trained staff. As I thought about this, I figured I would do well to be a part of the solution instead of the problem. Then I met someone who really helped to confirm what I was thinking.”

Leah leaned back and waited for Ashlie to continue. The girl was clearly excited about her decision. No wonder she seemed more grown up. She was full of adult thoughts and feelings and now was planning a future that would take her into a job of helping people on a full-time basis.

“I’m in love.”

Leah hadn’t been expecting this. She looked at Ashlie, knowing her expression must have registered the shock she felt inside. “Love?”

Ashlie grinned and nodded. “He’s a wonderful man. His name is Winston Galbrith. Dr. Galbrith. He’s been studying to specialize in surgery. He’s working now with a physician in a Seattle hospital. He’s pledged four years of work with this man and hopes to be a highly qualified surgeon after completing his study. Meanwhile, I’ll train to be a nurse at the same hospital.”

“Whoa. Back up a little. How did you meet this young man?”

“We actually met at a church dinner. Our church has everyone bring food and share it together once a month. Myrtle decided since it was so blustery outside that this would be a good way to spend the afternoon instead of venturing across town to see one of the relatives. While at the social I met Winston. It was love at first sight for both of us. We sat and talked nearly the entire time, and when the social was over he looked at me and said, ‘I feel as though I’ve known you all of my life. Would you permit me to call on you?’ I told him I felt the same way and would very much like for him to call. We’ve seen each other nearly every day since. He tells me about his cases at the hospital, and he helped me to get into the training program for nurses.”

“My, but this all seems so sudden,” Leah said, shaking her head. “What does your father say?”

“He’s concerned,” Ashlie admitted. “However, I’ve persuaded him to come to Seattle and meet Winston for himself. I even managed to talk those ornery brothers of mine into coming as well.”

“That couldn’t have been easy,” Leah said with a chuckle.

“Well, once I explained how important this was to me and that I couldn’t move forward until I had their approval as well as Father’s, I think they saw the importance. Father said we will all head down in a couple of weeks. I wish you could come too.”

Leah shook her head. “I fear that would be quite impossible. I will look forward to hearing what Adrik has to say about your young man, however. He sounds very industrious.”

“He is. And he loves God and wants to serve people. I want the very same thing. And here’s the best part: We both plan to come to Alaska after our training is complete. We want to live here and offer the best medical care possible. We’d like to open our own hospital, in fact.”

“That is very impressive,” Leah replied. She was happy to hear that Ashlie planned to return to Alaska. That would have pleased Karen very much.

“I know it all seems very sudden, but if Father approves of Winston, we’d like to marry right away. Cousin Myrtle wants us to live with her, to help us get through our training without the additional cost of housing.”

“I can’t imagine you married,” Leah said in wonder. “It seems just yesterday you were a little girl in pigtails. Now you’re talking of cutting your hair short. Which, by the way, you didn’t explain.”

Ashlie laughed. “Well, the fashions are changing, but more important, it would be easier for me with my nursing duties. Several of the nurses at the hospital have already cut theirs, and it works quite well for them. I figured that if Winston didn’t mind, I might give it a try too.”

“And Winston doesn’t mind?”

“Not at all. He says that whatever I choose is fine by him, as long as I’m happy.” She laughed again with such girlish delight that Leah couldn’t help but join in.

“I’m happy for you, Ashlie. He sounds like a wonderful man.”

“He is, Leah. He’s helped me so much to deal with my grief and sadness. It’s like God knew exactly what I needed— before I ever knew it for myself.”

“He did, Ashlie. Just as He knows what you need now. We’ll pray about this young man of yours and for the future the Lord has for you. But I have a feeling that future is well on the way to being established. Come on. We’ll need to start putting supper together.”

“Well, the plan is to go to Seattle and then return in August or early September to Ketchikan,” Adrik told them after supper that night. Oliver and Christopher nodded in unison as if they’d had great say in the matter. “I would be happy if you would all join us there. I know I convinced you to give this area a try, but for my family, it’s been anything but ideal.”

“What do you have in mind, Adrik?” Jacob questioned.

“I figure to return and start making furniture again. I’ve already had several of the railroad officials tell me they would be happy to pay top dollar for whatever I might supply. They are working hard to put in permanent housing for some of their officials and stationmasters. Those houses will of course need furniture, and it would be much cheaper to get furnishings here in Alaska than to ship them all the way up from Seattle or San Francisco.”

“You’ll still have to ship it up from Ketchikan,” Jacob replied.

Adrik leaned back with a nod. “I’ve explained all of that. They like the quality they see, however, and for now they want whatever I can provide.”

“Well, it sounds like you’ll have a trade,” Jacob said. He appeared deep in thought.

“I mainly wanted to extend the invitation so that … well … we might remain close to each other.” Adrik held up his hands before anyone else could speak. “I know, however, that we all have our own lives to live. I’m not suggesting you have to do this for me. The boys and I will be fine either way.”

“Of course you will,” Jacob replied. “That has never been in doubt.” He reached over and tousled Christopher’s hair. “With boys as ingenious as these, how could you not be fine?”

“I ask simply because I want to stay close to my family for a while,” Adrik admitted. “I was foolish in spending so much time away. We need each other now more than ever.”

“It wouldn’t be so different opening a store in Ketchikan instead of here, would it?” Jayce asked Jacob.

“I’m sure there wouldn’t be as much business—at least not if this area continues to grow as they’ve suggested it will. There’s already talk of incorporating the town next year; with the railroad and the push for statehood, I can well imagine that this would be a more prosperous area. However, that much said, I loved growing up in Ketchikan. The area is a good place to raise a family and certainly not as given to drifters and rowdies. There’s a kind of peacefulness in Ketchikan that I’ve not known anywhere else in Alaska.”

Jayce nodded. “I agree.” He looked to Leah. “What do you think?”

She smiled. “I’m happy to live wherever you choose. I simply want to make a good life with my family. I loved my home in Last Chance, but there’s nothing left there except empty houses.” She stopped for a moment to regain her composure. “I want to look to the future—not the past. Ketchikan would make a good home. It’s true your business probably wouldn’t be as prosperous, but maybe in time you could have two stores. One here and one there.”

“That is a possibility,” Jacob said, looking to Leah. “In fact, it just might be the answer. We could start small and work our way up.” He looked to Jayce. “What do you think of that?”

“I like the idea of returning to Ketchikan. As for the stores—well, I think if the Lord is behind it we can’t fail,” Jayce said, grinning. “Ketchikan blessed me before—it introduced me to Leah.”

“What say you, sis?” Jacob asked.

Leah smiled, excited to share her own secret. “I loved my life there. I would very much like to have my baby there,” she announced. “There are good midwives who know me from my childhood.”

Everyone turned in unison to look rather blankly at Leah. She laughed in delight at the expressions. “Surprise! I’m going to have another baby—this time in January. Leave it to me to pick the coldest part of winter.”

“That settles it.” Jayce shook his head. “Ketchikan will be less cold.”

“I agree,” Jacob said. “I’m for Ketchikan if that’s all right with Helaina.”

Helaina nodded. “I think it sounds fine.”

“How soon will you be ready to leave?” Adrik asked, excitement in his voice.

“Well, there’s nothing to really keep us here. I’ve been offered money for the cabin on several occasions,” Jacob replied. “I know you and Jayce have received similar offers.”

“Yes,” Adrik said. “The railroad would be happy to buy all three cabins. They have people they’d like to put in them immediately.”

“Then I suppose we should arrange the sale and leave as soon as that’s concluded,” Jacob said, looking to Jayce and Leah for approval.

“I agree,” Jayce replied. “Adrik, why don’t you make the arrangements. Tell them we can also leave the larger pieces of furniture and the stoves.”

“I will. I’m sure they’ll make it worth our while. Meantime, when you are ready to head out to Ketchikan, go ahead. You can stay at my place while you see what’s available to buy. If there’s nothing suitable, you can just stay with us until we can build something else. That house has plenty of room. It’s twice as big as this one, and we all managed to live here without too much trouble. Your families can take the upstairs bedrooms, and my family can live downstairs.”

Leah felt Jayce reach for her hand. He squeezed it and she glanced up to see the pleasure in his eyes. She had wanted to tell him about the baby when they were alone, but it seemed important to mention the matter here as they discussed their future. It seemed they had come full circle: They had met and she had fallen in love in Ketchikan. Now they would return to live and raise their family. It all seemed very right.