North Country Mom

by Lois Richer

  “I don’t like gaps in my memory. I had to come up with the answer. And I did. You son was placed by the Forest Grove Adoption Agency,” she said triumphantly. “Out of Langley, British Columbia.”

  “Oh. Thank you for calling me back to let me know.” A thrill tickled through her at the information even though Alicia wasn’t sure how much it would help locate her child.

  But Mrs. Endersley wasn’t finished.

  “I remember Margaret Brown was the director of Forest Grove back then.” She paused a moment. “If you can find her, you have my permission to mention I sent you to her. That might help in your search.”

  “Thank you,” Alicia said, sensing this was a break in the woman’s usual protocol.

  “I once gave up a baby for adoption myself, Alicia.” Mrs. Endersley’s voice softened, brimming with sympathy. “I know what it is to want to be sure the child is all right. I wish you the best of luck.”

  “I appreciate your help so much. You’ve gone above and beyond your duty. God bless you.” Alicia hung up slowly, musing on the unusual call. God was answering her prayer, even if it wasn’t as quickly or in the way she wanted.

  She got lost in daydreams of the baby who’d been part of her life for such a short time and was still a part of her heart. How she longed to find him, to know he was safe.

  The honk of a horn outside broke her introspection.

  Grabbing her purse, she locked the door and hurried toward Jack’s car waiting at the curb. Giselle grinned when she got in.

  “Lazing around after supper?” the girl teased.

  Supper? Alicia’s stomach gave a loud growl as if to remind her that she’d forgotten all about eating.

  “A phone call,” she said, trying to ignore the persistent rumbles from her midsection when Giselle described the new taco salad recipe she’d created.

  Jack glanced her way but said nothing. It was a relief to finally arrive at Lives.

  Laurel invited everyone to gather around a table loaded with iced tea and freshly fried doughnuts. Alicia announced they’d soon be starting work, cheered immensely by the boys’ whoops of joy. She gratefully accepted the refreshments Laurel offered then leaned back and listened to the boys’ excited chatter as she savored every bite. She was about to reach for seconds when Jack called for order.

  “I think Alicia should explain how we’ll build this sod house,” he said. Every head turned to stare at her. “Go ahead, Alicia.”

  Now the focus of all the attention, Alicia’s stomach issued a different kind of protest. She didn’t like being in the spotlight. But since she’d given great thought to each boy’s strength and his possible role in the project, she might as well use this opportunity to explain her ideas. Hopefully, Jack wouldn’t disagree.

  “First of all, I want to make it clear that the sod house is a group effort. We’re doing this together,” she emphasized.

  “Hear hear.” Jack smiled and the world righted itself. “Together.” His support built her confidence.

  “Each of you has specific strengths in areas that we will need,” she continued. “I want to capitalize on that, but if you don’t like my idea or would prefer to do something else, please say so. Nothing’s etched in stone. Okay?”

  Around the table, one by one, each boy nodded.

  “Good. So here’s what I propose. I’ll start with Garret,” she said, identifying the boy to her left. “You have a way with cameras.”

  He lowered his eyes, embarrassed at being singled out but clearly pleased she’d noticed his skill.

  “I’m hoping you will help us with construction,” she reassured him, knowing how enthusiastic he’d been about the build. “But I’d also like you to create a photo journal of the creation of our sod house.”

  “Great idea,” Jack enthused. “I’ve seen your work, Garret. It’s excellent. We could use your pictures in a pamphlet or a display for tourists.”

  Alicia’s heart sang at the way she and Jack meshed on this.

  “Remember, that’s why we’re doing this—to help visitors who come to this place understand our history.” She didn’t want to push the boy, but she had high hopes that someone would see his work, someone who could help him advance as a photographer.

  “It’s quite an opportunity,” Jack agreed.

  “Okay.” Garret shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but he couldn’t hide his grin.

  “Great. Now, Rod. You know plants so I’d like you to research various plants in the area that might have been used for food. Matt, you’re going to organize our tools. Eli, you’ll help plan the sign we’ll put up. Adam, I’d like you to help us collect driftwood. And Bennie, I’d like you to tape stories from some of the ancestors in the nursing home.” She wanted to single out specific areas in which each boy could offer something unique, something he could later point out as his special contribution to the project. But she hadn’t forgotten Giselle.

  She took a sip of her iced tea, then looked at the girl who had burrowed a place in her heart.

  “Giselle, you keep saying you want to learn more about the north. I believe there’s a way you can do that and help out with the sod house. But it will be a lot of work.” Alicia paused a moment and glanced at Jack. His face gave nothing away but she hoped he heard her warning. “Maybe you won’t want to devote as much time as it will take.”

  “I’d like to get involved,” Giselle assured her. “But I don’t want to horn in on this project if the boys would rather do it themselves.”

  Alicia hadn’t expected such sensitivity. A rush of warmth filled her. Like her dad, Giselle knew how to touch the heart.

  Eli cleared his throat.

  “Like Alicia said, this is a group effort. It sounds like it’s going to be a lot of work for all of us if we’re to get it ready in time.” He glanced sideways at Giselle, then pulled back his gaze, as if hoping no one would notice the spots of red on his cheeks. “Speaking for myself, I’m not ready to turn away any help that’s offered, including yours, Giselle.”

  Every other boy at the table echoed his sentiment.

  “Then I’d love to help however I can.” Giselle shared a smile with Eli. Jack saw it and frowned. Alicia decided to keep talking.

  “Thank you, Giselle. So, your focus could be on the interior and what we should put inside the sod house. You’ll have to do some research to learn the kind of things the ancestors would have valued and needed, but there are library books coming and you can talk to any of the elders. Does that appeal to you?”

  Giselle’s dark head nodded vigorously.

  “Excellent.” Alicia grinned. “Now to the plan. On the last day of school, in the morning, after you guys get your report cards, I’d like you to meet me at the site.”

  “Which is where?” Laurel asked.

  “Next to the old stone house, thanks to Jack.” Alicia explained how he’d persuaded council to grant their request. His mood had dissipated. His smile brought a rush of warmth to her insides. She looked away lest he notice his effect on her. “We’ll begin by marking out the dimensions. If that fits in with your plans,” she said to Laurel, chagrined she hadn’t considered her earlier.

  “It fits perfectly.” Laurel grinned. “I’ll bring some packed lunches so you don’t have to stop work to come back here. I know Teddy will take over for Jack. He seems totally thrilled to be so involved in the hotel. But what about you, Alicia? Who will mind your store?”

  “Lucy’s helping out,” Alicia told her.

  “Doesn’t she always?” Laurel shared a smile with her. They’d both benefited from Lucy’s hands-on assistance. Lucy was a part of everything in Churchill.

  Alicia leaned back, savoring the boys’ enthusiasm. After a moment she felt someone’s eyes on her. She turned slightly to find Jack watching her. He gave her a thumbs-up, then pushed the plate of doughnuts toward her, as if he somehow knew she was still hungry. Seconds later he scooted his chair closer.

  “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” His breath felt wa
rm, intimate against her ear.

  Alicia drew back slightly as her gaze met his.

  “With God’s help, yes,” she said firmly.

  “I’m not sure how much help He’ll be, but the kids seem gung ho.” After a last quizzical look, Jack rose and walked over to Laurel. He murmured something that made her chuckle.

  Some of the joy leeched out of the meeting for Alicia. The sod house was important to her, but rebuilding Jack’s faith was paramount. But what could she do?

  She wasn’t anything to Jack, other than a coworker on a project and a friend. Hoping otherwise was a silly schoolgirl’s dream, and she’d long since given up those. Men like Jack didn’t get involved with people like her.

  In that moment Alicia made a decision. She’d savor the hours to come, enjoy precious moments spent working with this man who tugged at her heart and almost, almost, made her believe in happily ever after. But she wouldn’t forget reality.

  The reality was that she had to renew her efforts to find her son. Romance wasn’t going to be part of her future.

  *

  “Excuse me, Jack. I need to take this.” Two days later Alicia offered him an apologetic smile and hurried to the back of the store, the phone clutched to her ear.

  To give her privacy, Jack moved to the doorway, but he didn’t get far enough away. Her words floated to him, quietly intense.

  “But I must find out where he is.” A note of urgency made her sound passionate. “I’ve got to make sure he’s safe, loved.”

  He should probably leave and come back later. But those words held him transfixed. He knew she was talking about the adopted person she’d said she was searching for, but her words told him she couldn’t be looking for a birth parent. Alicia had to be searching for a child, someone she felt she needed to protect. Her child?

  “It’s not that I’m intending to do anything,” she responded in a harried tone. “I’m sticking by the agreement I made. I just want to know he’s okay.”

  Agreement? An adoption agreement? Jack had no time to consider that as Lucy Clow scurried past him.

  “Excuse me, Jack,” she puffed in a breathless greeting. “I’m late. It’s so annoying to be late when Alicia is counting on me.”

  “You don’t have to rush,” he told her. “We’re not on a timetable.”

  “Alicia’s always has a timetable.” Lucy smiled, her eyes twinkling. “That girl is driven to accomplish things that benefit all of us.” The wind toyed with her white hair. “That’s why we love her.” She patted the strands back into place as she hurried away.

  “You’re sure there’s nothing more you can tell me?” The frustration in Alicia’s voice mixed with disappointment and a hint of resignation. “Send me whatever papers you think necessary then,” she said finally. “If you learn anything more, this is my number.”

  At the sound of the phone being returned to its hook, Jack moved toward the counter where Alicia stood staring into the distance.

  “Good morning.” He could not tear his gaze from her proud beauty.

  Alicia smiled and a burst of warmth spread through him. “Hi, Jack. Ready to make a start on our project?”

  “Yes. I brought you something to energize you.” He held out the large coffee cup he’d picked up at Common Grounds. “Caramel.”

  “My favorite. Thank you. I didn’t have time to make coffee this morning so I’ll really enjoy this.” She took a drink and savored it until the tap of Lucy’s shoes sounded her return from the back room where she’d stored her purse. “Thank you so much for helping out, Lucy.”

  “My pleasure. I love this place.” Lucy smoothed a tender hand over a clay mask that hung behind the counter. Then she straightened. “Off you go now. Hector’s already there, waiting for your instructions.”

  “You and your husband are godsends.” Alicia hugged the small woman and pressed a kiss against her hair. “I have my cell phone if you need me.”

  “I won’t. Go have some fun,” Lucy insisted.

  Jack picked up the box Alicia had left under the front window and loaded it. Then he held open the door of his old pickup truck until she’d climbed inside. He got behind the wheel but, after a sideways look at her, decided not to interrupt whatever she was contemplating so deeply. He couldn’t think of anything that wasn’t a question about that phone call, so he started the truck and drove toward the stone house on the edge of town.

  The boys were already there, exploring the area. To Jack’s surprise, Giselle was there, too. He was certain she’d said she was babysitting this morning. Given the way she was gawking at Eli, he had a hunch the boy had something to do with her changed plans. He grimaced. He’d have to find a way to keep some distance between them. He did not want Giselle falling for any boy. Not yet

  “Don’t look so grim,” Alicia murmured. “Eli’s a great kid. Besides, they’re only becoming friends.”

  “Uh-huh.” He wasn’t going to argue it and wreck the day, but Jack intended to keep an eye on the pair. After all, his primary goal in coming to Churchill was to protect his daughter. When he sensed Alicia was ready, he beckoned for everyone to gather round her. Then he asked, “Where do we start?”

  Alicia proved Lucy correct. She did have a timetable and it didn’t include standing idle. Within five minutes she had assigned everyone a job. Hector rumbled off in his old but serviceable truck while Jack helped the boys measure the digging area. They then outlined it with orange spray paint.

  Jack dug a small section to demonstrate the depth he and Alicia wanted. Later, when he glanced over his shoulder, he saw her demonstrating the way to use a wedge to split the logs to Matt and Bennie. She had a deft hand and the boys seemed eager to become just as good. Jack paused a moment to wonder where and when Alicia had acquired such skill.

  That’s when he noticed a few onlookers had gathered at the side of the stone house. Their focus was on Alicia. Jack was near enough to catch their rude whispers about “that Indian woman.” He’d heard denigrating comments about Aboriginal people for years, but never had those comments made him so angry or caused him to understand why Alicia felt so strongly about educating others about her culture.

  Alicia must have heard because she was closer to them than he, but she pretended nothing was wrong as she continued to work, smiling her encouragement at the boys, urging them to keep splitting the logs.

  Jack’s blood boiled when one man commented a little louder with more obnoxious bias than the others. Unable to let it pass, he turned, met the man’s mocking stare and said, “I was told Churchill is a community where people work together. So where do you want to pitch in and help?”

  He should have been pleased when the man flushed a purplish red and quickly left with his pals, but all Jack felt was heartsick sorrow that this kind, generous woman who gave so much should be treated so shabbily. He wondered how often Alicia had to endure such attitudes and decided he’d now be on the lookout to quash any bias he encountered.

  Then Hector reappeared with a load of driftwood logs. Alicia produced something she called an adze and showed the boys how to use it to shape split logs into planks for the floor. Every so often she had the groups rotate so that each boy had an opportunity to try their hands at every skill and no one got bored.

  At noon Laurel arrived with bag lunches for everyone. Grateful for the break, Jack sat on the smooth surface of a massive boulder, closed his eyes and took a long, deep drink from his water bottle.

  “Tired?” Alicia sank down beside him. In contrast to his lack of energy, she looked revitalized.

  “Will you think I’m wimpy if I say yes?” Funny how much it mattered what Alicia thought of him.

  She tossed her head back in a burst of laughter.

  “There is no way you could ever look wimpy, Jack,” she assured him.

  “I feel like a dishrag. How do teachers do it?” he asked. “Twenty-five, thirty kids in their rooms, and yet most of them maintain order for an entire school year. I’ve got to give teachers credit
.”

  Alicia seemed to freeze.

  Her shoulders hunched as she unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite. The tension that filled the air between them was palpable.

  “Good thing I never chose that profession. I like to crack the whip. Law and order’s more my style,” he joked, hoping to make her smile.

  “Order. That’s why you let Bennie dig a foot beyond the lines?” She chuckled when he jerked upright and peered at the area below them where he’d been working. “You never noticed?”

  “No. I was focusing on teaching Adam to level the ditch we made,” he said, tilting his head toward the youngest boy. “We’ll fill it in after lunch.”

  “Why?” She studied him. “There’s no right or wrong size here, Jack. We can make it however we want. It doesn’t have to be square,” she said, tongue in cheek. “Odd shapes are fine.”

  “Go ahead. Laugh at me. I’m too tired to be offended.” He leaned back and let the heat of the rock penetrate his aching back.

  “Why are you so tired?” she asked quietly. “We didn’t do enough to wear you out this morning.”

  “I was up at five.” He felt stupid for even admitting it. “I wanted to do some landscaping at the lodge with those stones that were piled up at the back of the lot. It was heavy work.”

  “Well, for goodness’ sake, why add this?” Alicia glared at him. “You don’t have to kill yourself. There will be plenty more to do here in coming days.”

  “I promised I’d help and I intend to,” he insisted.

  Jack didn’t say that he had come because he’d wanted to spend time with her. He didn’t tell her he admired the way she devoted her attention to each boy as she taught them what they needed to know. He most especially didn’t say he admired her.

  “Don’t overdo it,” she cautioned. “I don’t want to be responsible for injuries.” She pulled a paper out of her back pocket. “Would you sign my petition?”

  “Petition for what?” Jack scanned the paper, noted that many of the signatures belonged to her friends who worked or helped out at Lives.

  “I’m asking council to hire a presentation from an Inuit couple for the August celebration when we’ll unveil the sod house.”