Alaskan Summer (15 page)

“Need help?”

“I will tomorrow.” He waved the stack of faxes. “Always something to handle.” He leaned back in his chair. “I’ve been meaning to ask you about Ruth. Is she staying home?”

“No, we—” Before she could continue, Ryan leaned forward in his chair.

“Did she take off again?”

“Relax.” She put her hands up as if to push him back in the chair. “Diane took Ruth and me to see the Russian Dancers. Then we walked through Totem Square. Maybe if we take her out often enough, she won’t feel like going for a walk alone.”

“What’s John planning to do about her situation?”

“He had to go back out fishing. He needs to get another haul of sockeye. We agreed that with the extra people keeping tabs on Ruth, she’s fine at home for now. And he insists that I don’t have to feel bad if something else happens since I’m not technically her caregiver, but it’s hard not to feel responsible for her.”

“I’d tell you to quit worrying, but now I’m doing it. Given any more thought to what you’ll do if Ruth goes in the nursing home before fall?”

“Diane offered to let me live there if I can’t find another place to stay.” She looked at him and felt her face flush. “I–I don’t want to leave until my job is over,” she stammered.
I don’t want to leave you.

“I don’t want you to go, either.” His voice sounded husky. Then he grinned. “We need you to keep running people to the medical clinic and holding their hands when they’re sick.”

“I should get home. Need to get my rest if I’m to keep working.” She smiled. “It is nice to know I’m needed.”

“Hey, let’s check the schedule and plan another fishing trip. Can you get away? Or do you feel you should stay home with Ruth?”

“Her church will have someone there whenever I want to go out.”

“Wednesday next week looks good. The last ship sails at two, so we should be out of here shortly after noon.”

“I’ll bring the lunch. Can you guarantee me good weather and lots of fish?”

“You sound like a tourist.”

“I feel like one with all the sightseeing I’ve been doing. Now I’m off to check on my roommate.” She waved as she went out the door.

FIFTEEN

Wednesday dawned bright and clear. Laurette had filled her day pack with a heavy sweatshirt and fleece vest Tuesday night. She always kept her rain gear handy. This morning she packed a small cooler with ham sandwiches, cookies, and apples. Ryan would bring chips and soda. She looked around the kitchen before leaving for work. Emmy and Mike Littlefield were going to take Ruth to their home for the day. Mike would take the last pilot off a ship early in the afternoon and be back to spend time with the ladies. Laurette smiled thinking of Mike. He always asked if the truck he’d sold her needed any repairs.

Pulling into the parking lot at work, Laurette noticed that Ryan had his boat and trailer waiting to be launched.
He and Tyler must have traded vehicles last night,
she thought, bounding up the stairs to start her day with SAM.

“You look bright and cheerful as usual,” Tyler greeted her. “Ready to catch lots of fish?”

“I’m ready to go fishing. Catching is a bonus.”

“Ryan’s picking up some freight at the airport. I’ll be around so hopefully you two can get an early start.”

“Sounds good. What needs to be done?” She glanced at the messages on his desk.

By noon they had cleared up most of the work to be done. “Debbie and I can handle what’s left. You two take a deserved day off,” Tyler instructed.

Ryan smiled at Laurette, sending her heart into a tailspin. “Let’s go,” he said softly.

She climbed on the trailer hitch to put her pack and cooler in the boat before Ryan backed it down the ramp. “Remember what to do?” he asked.

She nodded and gripped the bow rope. As soon as the boat floated free of the trailer, she maneuvered it to the dock and held it there until Ryan parked the trailer and joined her. An eagle called. She loved the sound and tried to spot where the bird perched.

Ryan pointed to a tree on the beach. “Look for the white head against the green.”

“Oh, I see it.” She turned to him in awe. “They are so majestic.”

As they left the harbor, Laurette breathed in the salt air. The deep blue sky was reflected in a calm sea, the sun making it look like a giant mirror. She closed her eyes and thanked God for the beauty that surrounded them.

When Ryan took the boat past Mitchell Rock, Laurette stood next to him to look over the windshield. As the boat gained speed, the wind washed over her face. She pulled off her hat so it wouldn’t blow away, and the breeze ruffled her hair. Standing close to Ryan in this majestic scene sent a shiver of delight down her spine.

“It’s so calm; let’s go across. We can look around St. Lazeria Island. Should have come out in May and June. That’s when the birds are nesting.”

“Is that Bird Island? They don’t let people go ashore, do they?”

“Yes, it’s one of the largest seabird colonies in southeast Alaska. Wildlife people don’t like anyone walking around the island. Could damage the nesting areas. We’ll just cruise around.”

“Okay. Look, there’s the Fuji look-alike again. When are we going to climb it?” She pointed to their right at the snowcapped mountain silhouetted against the blue sky. Small puffy white clouds floated above Mt. Edgecumbe.

He gave her a dazzling smile. “We’ll find time. You seem to attract good weather when we go sightseeing.”

She drank in the beauty of the water and approaching islands.
I never want to leave here,
she thought. Ryan’s arm brushed against her.
I never want to leave him,
her conscience insisted.

Ryan throttled down as they drew close to St. Lazaria. “We’ll coast in slow. Something like eleven different species live here. A bird-watcher’s dream come true.”

Laurette looked at the rugged coastline. “I don’t think I’d like to land there. Too many rocks.”

“See those dark shadows?” Ryan nosed the boat toward them. “They’re caves. I’ll go near enough so you can see where the seabirds nest.”

“Look at all that white stuff.”

“That’s years and years of buildup of bird droppings from the millions of birds. We won’t go too close.”

“I don’t need a close-up. I’ll take your word for it.”

He grinned. “Smart girl.” He slowly edged to the entrance to some of the caves before taking them around the island.

“There are birds everywhere.” Laurette looked at the rolling green hills and scrub trees. “Like so much of Alaska, it’s beautiful.” She put her hand up, anticipating his comment. “I know, I won’t say that in the dark of winter. Everyone keeps telling me that.”

“I don’t know. I think we have the dark days of winter so we appreciate all this beauty when we can see it.”

“Kind of like Jesus. He’s always there, but when life gets dark we don’t always see Him.” She gave him a thoughtful look.

He nodded. “Something to think about.” He brought the boat close to the gap leading into open water. “Let’s run out and take a look. If it’s not too rough, we can try to find an early silver salmon or two.”

“You mean into the ocean?”

“It’s a calm day. Shouldn’t be too bad, and we’ll only go a little way down the coast. I know a good fishing hole.”

“You’re the captain.”

Ryan sped up and took them along the windward side of Kruzof Island. He slowed and took the boat into a large inlet. “More calm inside where it’s protected, and I’ve caught some good-sized fish here.”

“Let’s give it a try.” Laurette pulled the fishing poles from their storage place at the side of the boat.

Ryan laid out the proper lures. “I’ll show you what to do to rig a pole to catch salmon.” He took her fishing pole and pulled out line.

Laurette watched intently.

“The flasher moves in the water to attract the fish. Then he sees the green squid and smells the strip of fish.”

“If you say so.” She grinned and stood to let line out behind the boat.

“Let me put the motor in gear. Then you can put line out.”

Laurette followed his directions, put the pole in the holder on the gunwale, and started to sit down.

“Can you take the wheel while I get my gear ready?”

She slid past him into the seat in front of the wheel. “Where do I go, Captain?”

“Try not to hit any rocks.”

She stood quickly to look over the windshield. “Where are the rocks?” she asked in concern.

Ryan gave her a hug. “I’m teasing. Just head for where the inlet goes back into the ocean.”

He got his line in the water and relaxed in the passenger seat. When they got close to the point, he told her to steer back to where they’d come from.

“Aren’t you going to use the trolling motor?”

“We’ll see how it goes. Currents are strong here, and we may need the power of the outboard.”

The words were hardly out of his mouth when Laurette’s reel started to scream. “What do I do?” she yelled.

“Put the engine in neutral and grab that pole.” As he spoke, Ryan started reeling in his line.

Laurette did as she was told. “Maybe I just got stuck on the bottom. It’s not coming in.” Her pole bounced. “I think I’ve got a whale,” she squealed, working the pole up and down as Ryan had taught her.

“He’s coming in,” she said, reeling frantically as the fish swam toward the boat.

“Hold the line tight. You’ll have to tire him out before we can get him into the boat.”

She gave a sigh and pulled the tip of the pole up from the water again.

“Are you tired?”

She pursed her lips. “I’m not ready to give up yet.”

It was nearly twenty minutes before Ryan could slip the net under the big fish and pull him into the boat.

Laurette sank onto the passenger seat. “My arms hurt.”

“They should. That fish must weigh thirty pounds.”

“Felt like three hundred.”

Ryan got the hook out and the fish free of the net. “First one in the boat,” he said, dropping the salmon in the fish box. He took Rette’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “Good work.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

“Let’s catch another fish,” she whispered, before he could kiss her again.

“That’s what I like about my crew. Always willing to work,” he quipped, letting go of her.

The mood of the day remained golden. Ryan caught a smaller salmon before the wind picked up and they headed to the lee side of the island in search of calmer water.

❧

“We forgot to eat lunch,” Laurette said, searching under the bow for the small cooler.

“I didn’t forget. Couldn’t get you to quit fishing long enough to feed me,” Ryan said with a mock growl. “This could cause a mutiny.”

“It’s the crew that mutinies, not the captain.” She gave him a mischievous grin and pulled the cooler out of its hiding spot under her pack. “You want a ham sandwich, or are you too faint with hunger to take solid food?”

“Just give me the sandwich,” he groused teasingly.

“Did you bring anything to drink? I could die of thirst in all this water.”

“Now you’re getting nasty just because you got the biggest fish.” He spoke through a mouthful of sandwich. He motioned to another small cooler under the steering wheel. “Only the best for my lady.”

She handed him a soda. “What? No chocolate milk?”

“When I fish, I drink soda.”

She opened a can of cola and took a drink. “Seriously, I am thinking about that fish’s future. Could I send some of it to my folks? My dad would love fish from Alaska.”

“Especially if his little girl caught it.” He took another sandwich.

“That would please him.” Laurette opened the bag of chips she found.

“Why don’t you send your folks the whole fish? They could have a party and show off your catch.”

“Can I do that?”

“Since 9/11, individuals can’t ship airfreight, but we could send it through SAM. We just sent one for a captain off one of the ships.”

“I’d like my parents to see this beautiful country,” she said, munching on a sandwich. “I don’t think my dad has ever taken a vacation. All he does is work on the farm.” She looked toward Mt. Edgecumbe. “This is so different from what my folks are used to. They see Mt. Spokane. Brian and I used to ski there when we were kids, but we never thought about climbing it in summer.”

“Do you miss your family?”

“I did when I first went to college. Now when I go home, it’s not the same. We keep close by e-mail and phone calls, so I don’t need to live close to them.”

Maybe she
would
stay in Sitka. Ryan’s hopes soared. He pushed his thoughts back and bunched up his sandwich bag. “I’d better get the fish cleaned while we’re in still water.” He fastened a tray over the side of the boat to hold the fish while he worked on them. “I’ll cut the head off, but I’ll leave your fish whole to ship. When we get back to the dock, I’ll put it in my cooler and put crushed ice over it ’til we can pack and ship it tomorrow.”