Love Finds You in North Pole, Alaska (24 page)

Sam half-expected him to say that prayer, or faith, or his church family had helped him get through those tough times. But it didn’t really surprise her when instead he said, “…put one foot in front of the other, and throw yourself into your work.”

“So
that’s
why you re-upped so many times.”

“Yep.”

She could hardly believe how much information Bill had managed to get out of the closed-mouthed marine in such a short time. Bryce might have shared so much based on the camaraderie borne of their similar military backgrounds, or because they’d each survived recent heartbreak. But Sam had grown up with Bill and remembered the many times he’d comforted
her
when life had treated her unfairly. She hadn’t been the only one to lovingly tease him by saying his heart was as big as his head. Maybe, she thought, Bryce simply found her brother as easy to talk to as she did.

Later, when they were alone, she’d make a point of thanking Bill, of stressing how blessed she was to have him for a brother and that working as a guidance counselor and athletic coach had no doubt been smart, God-willed choices.

“Well, I’d better turn in,” she heard Bill say. “Cora’s taking me sight-seeing in a couple of hours.”

Bryce laughed. “Watch your wallet, man. And your back.”

If she knew Bill, the comment had inspired him to thrust his head forward, like a turtle, and open his eyes as wide as the lids would allow. “Whoa. No way. Aw, man…leave it to me to attract a pick-pocket.”

“And here I figured you’d been out long enough to lose the ‘dumb army’ patch. Boy, was I wrong!”

Sam heard the smile in Bill’s voice when he said, “Spoken like a true marine.”

Bryce laughed harder. “I’m just messin’ with you. Seriously? Cora’s good people, and she’ll take good care of you.”

“Uh, how would you know
that
?”

“Don’t worry,” Bryce said, “she isn’t my type.”

“Good answer. Now I won’t have to kick your marine butt.”

“In your dreams,
army
.”

Sam joined their laughter—though hers was stifled by the pillow—as their chairs squealed on the linoleum. A moment later, Bill’s silhouette filled the living room doorway. “But I think I’ll put a padlock on my wallet, just to be safe….”

Bryce’s good-natured chuckle sounded farther away, and Sam guessed he stood at the opposite end of the kitchen to say, “Lookin’ forward to hearing all about your Cora-venture over supper.”

She waited for the telltale sound of his door clicking closed and said, “If there’s such a thing as a schmoozing trophy, you earned it tonight.”

“Jiminy Cricket, Sam, you scared me half to death!” Perching on the sofa arm, he turned on the lamp. “I guess it’s true what they say…”

She levered herself up on one elbow. “What do ‘they’ say?”“

“‘The more things change, the more they stay the same.’”

Yawning, she patted her mouth. “I’m sleep deprived, so you’ll pardon me if I don’t get it.”

“You always were a nosy little busy-body.”

Sitting up, she tossed her pillow at him. “What!”

He caught it neatly. “Please. You think we didn’t know you were always close by, listening in when we had team sleepovers and stuff?” Bill threw the pillow back, and it hit her square in the face. “Bull’s eye!” Then, “So you’ve been lying here eavesdropping the whole time?”

“Pretty much, I guess, though I didn’t really
mean
to.” She hugged the pillow. “So what do you think of him?”

Grinning, Bill shook his head. “Seems like a nice enough guy.”

“Oh, come on, you can do better than that.”

“He sure does talk a lot…”

“Because of you, Father Confessor.”

“Hey, what I have is a gift, I’ll have you know.”

“Gift of
gab
, you mean.”

“Call it what you will,” he said, shrugging, “it’s magic.”

“You know, I have to agree. It’s why you’re so good with kids. It’s the reason you’ve always been my favorite brother…and if you tell the rest of them I said that,” she said, using her bare foot to nudge his knee, “I’ll deny it.”

Bill grabbed her big toe and pinched. “I love you, too, sissy.” And standing, he stretched. “Better grab a few winks,” he said from the bedroom doorway, “or Cora will have to drag me from pillar to post.” The door swung shut, jerked open again. “And those sticky buns you made?” He blew her a kiss. “’Fraid all we left for you was the sticky
plate
. I tried to talk the guy into saving one for you, but he’s a marine, and as anybody in the
army
can tell you, they’re all pigs.” He chuckled good-naturedly. “Sorry, kiddo.”

“G’night, Billy,” she said, giggling.

Sam snuggled into her pillow and flapped the covers back into place, smiling into the darkness. Eyes closed, she counted her many blessings and thanked God for every one. Drowsiness settled over her as she listened to the quiet ticking of the kitchen clock, counting out the seconds until she’d see Bryce again.

The next days passed in a flurry of activity, with Sam working overtime in the shop and in her apartment to get things ready for the newlyweds’ homecoming. The table set and dinner in the oven, she dressed for the drive to the Fairbanks airport.

To save Olive and Duke the bother of renting a cart, Bryce had suggested the newlyweds grab their luggage and meet the threesome at the curb. “Won’t they be surprised,” Sam said as they circled the arrival lanes, “when they see how much work you and Bryce did at the B and B.”

Bill displayed his blistered palms. “Just in case there’s any doubt about my contributions…”

“There they are!” Bryce all but shouted. And in a more subdued voice, he added, “Sam, what do you make of that?”

Olive’s wan complexion was hard to miss, but her smile seemed as bright and cheery as ever. “Oh, don’t be such a worry wart,” she said, squeezing his hand. “It’s a long flight from the Keys to Fairbanks.”

“Not to mention that nasty recycled air on the plane,” Bill put in. “Maybe she picked up a bug.”

“Maybe,” Bryce said none too convincingly. But he was smiling when he got out of the car and headed for his aunt and her new husband.

“I’ve never even met the woman,” Bill whispered, “but she looks pretty green around the gills to me, too.”

“Well, thanks for being here for Bryce,” she said, patting his hand. “You haven’t known him long, but already you’re behaving like a good friend.”

Bill squeezed her shoulder before they stepped onto the pavement.

“Sam!” Olive said, disengaging from Bryce’s hug. “I’m so glad you’re here!”

The instant the woman’s arms went around her, Sam knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong. Because Olive’s zest for life showed in everything she did—her big bear hugs in particular—and this one was anything but hearty. “I hope you guys took lots of pictures,” Sam said, forcing a joy that she didn’t feel, “so you can tell us all about the trip after supper.”

“Who’s this handsome young fella?” Olive asked as she grabbed Bill’s hand.

“My brother, Bill.”

“Her
favorite
brother,” he said, “but that’s our little secret.”

When the introductory hugs and handshakes ended, Bryce grabbed the couple’s suitcases. “Sam made your favorite for supper, Olive,” Bryce said, sliding them onto his pickup’s bed.

“Fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy? Sammie-girl, you’re a peach!”

Duke pulled her into a hug, “She’s right. You
are
a peach, girl!” And then he whispered, “Something’s bad-wrong with my sweet Olive, and she refuses to let me take her to the hospital. I’m hoping you and Bryce will help me talk some sense into her….”

Sam peered over his shoulder at Olive, who was struggling to buckle her seat belt. “How long has she been like this?”

“The better part of a week. She barely ate, kept getting weaker and paler, but every time I suggested we see a doctor, she got all riled up, which only made matters worse.”

Sam thanked God when Olive leaned against the headrest and closed her eyes, and she took advantage of the moment to signal her brother. “Help Duke distract her, will you, while I have a quick word with Bryce?”

She thanked God for Bill, too, because instead of asking for an explanation, he read the urgency in her tone and said, “You got it, kiddo.”

Even before she joined Bryce at the back bumper, Sam could hear Bill cracking jokes that inspired tired laughter from Olive and Duke. She positioned herself in a way that forced Bryce to stand with his back to the truck.

“What’s with the ‘cat that ate the canary’ smile?” he asked, slamming the tailgate.

“Duke just asked me to help him talk Olive into going straight to the hospital.”

Bryce started for the driver’s door, but she grabbed his arm, stopping him. “She might be able to see your face in one of the side mirrors,” Sam explained, silly smile still in place, “so bear with me a minute, okay?”

Nodding, unspoken pain etched his handsome features as he crossed both arms over his chest.

On the heels of a deep breath, Sam said, “It makes no sense to drive all the way back to North Pole, just to appease her, when we’re already so close to the hospital.” She swallowed, hard, and prayed that the Almighty would give her the strength to continue the façade, for Olive’s sake as well as Bryce’s.

“I know her, Sam. If she doesn’t want to go to the ER, she won’t go, period.”

She gripped his forearms and gave a gentle shake. “We can’t give in to her. Not this time. It’s probably like Bill said, just an ordinary virus or something. But if it’s more serious than that, we can’t afford to waste precious time.”

“You have something in mind. I can tell…”

Sam looked toward heaven and closed her eyes, then ran both hands through her hair. “I don’t know what, exactly, but I’ll think of some reason for you to drive to the hospital. I’ll fake a pain in my side or—”

“You’d lie for Olive?”

She hadn’t thought of it in terms of truth versus lie, and his question shook her to her core. Chin up and back straight, she said, “If it’s a choice between telling the truth and risking Olive’s health, and asking God’s forgiveness for being
un
truthful? What choice do I have?”

He pulled her to him in a fierce hug. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Sam.”

“Better get a move on,” she said, “before Olive gets suspicious.”

“If I know her, she’s
already
suspicious.” Then, “So what’s it gonna be? Migraine? Appendicitis?”

“Now there’s an idea! My brother Scott had an emergency appendectomy a few years ago. I think I remember enough about it to fake the symptoms….”

“Your ambulance awaits,” he said somberly.

And as Sam climbed into the passenger seat, she hoped the Father would forgive her for the boldfaced lies she was about to tell.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look on her face,” Sam said, sobbing into Bill’s collar, “when she realized I’d betrayed her.”

“She’s sick, not stupid,” he said, patting her back. “She knows you only did it to help her. Down deep, Olive realizes she needed to have herself checked out.” He plucked a tissue from the box on a nearby table. “She’s got more to live for now than ever before,” he said, handing it to Sam. “I think once the docs figure out what’s wrong and she’s home again, safe and sound, you’ll be forgiven.”

Dabbing her eyes, Sam nodded and slumped onto the seat of a chrome-and-orange chair. “I pray you’re right,” she said as Bill sat beside her.

Bryce entered the waiting room and flopped onto the chair on Sam’s other side. “Believe it or not, she hardly fussed at all.” Leaning forward, he knuckled his eyes. “Too weak to protest, I guess.”

“It’s been almost three hours,” Sam said. “Do they have any idea what’s wrong?”

Shoulders slumped, he shook his head. “They’re still running tests, so we probably won’t know anything for a while yet.”

She rubbed his back. “Well, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Me, either,” Bill chimed in.

A sad, slanted grin on his face, Bryce said, “Thanks, guys.”

Sam grabbed Bryce’s left hand and Bill’s right and squeezed. “I think we need to pray.”

“Have at it,” Bryce said.