Helsinki Sunrise

by Marion Ueckermann

  He hadn’t imagined it.

  ****

  She couldn’t wait to start her day with Adam. Putting on her widest smile, Eveliina popped her head over the edge of her room’s entrance. Like a vapor, her smile dissipated at the sight of the neat daybed—cover straightened, quilt folded and placed to one side. Had Adam woken in the night and returned to the sauna? If he had, then he was either already up, or he’d slept on one of the hard wooden benches.

  She hurried down the ladder and put on a pot of coffee to brew. She briefly considered baking something, but decided against it, no longer wanting Adam to leave. All she wanted now was to savor the time she had with him. All too soon, it would be over.

  From now, if Adam was to taste anything forbidden, it would be her alone. She didn’t want some pastry to be on the receiving end of his lips.

  Eveliina stepped outside, searching for Adam. Only one boat moored at the jetty told her what she needed to know. Her eyes scanned the lake.

  Nothing.

  All she could do was get on with her original plans for the day and hope Adam returned soon. The idea of painting the cottage had seemed far more appealing with him in the picture. She knew exactly what would make the chore more bearable—ice cream and blueberries.

  With a full bowl of frozen dessert ready to go, Eveliina pulled out the tub of blueberries. Only a handful remained.

  ****

  The faded wall along the kitchen was the first to change back to a deep burgundy. It had been a morning of hard work, but as Eveliina stepped back to view her handiwork, she knew every painful minute had been worth it.

  Perfect.

  Despite her eagerness to see the rest of the cottage transformed to this deep red glory, she resolved to wait for Adam’s help.

  Speaking of…where was the man?

  She’d kept her eye on the lake all morning. Not a sign of him.

  Panic dug its sharp nails into her heart and squeezed. What if she’d over-stepped the line last night? What if he’d decided to take off this morning and not return?

  No—his backpack still stood outside on the deck.

  Thinking of Adam made her hungry. Time for more ice cream and blueberries.

  Drat. She forgot they were finished. Nothing to do but go pick more.

  Eveliina washed the paint from her arms and hands and strolled down to the jetty. She hopped inside the boat and pulled on the cord to start the motor. Only the slightest sputter—nothing else. She’d forgotten the motor wouldn’t start on Friday night. She’d have to ask Adam why.

  Despite the best berry pickings, and the berry comb, being on the mainland, she had no desire to row across. Eveliina hopped out the boat. She’d search the forest on the island first.

  ****

  Lord, I know you said to love her like you do, but I’m afraid I’ve overstepped the line. I love her…like Samson loved Delilah, like Solomon loved his Shulammite, like Adam loved his Eve.

  It’d been a long time since Adam had felt any kind of attraction to a woman—not since he’d entered the mission field six years ago. Even so, no woman had ever made him feel this way. It excited him. It scared him.

  If only Eveliina still walked with the Lord. But she’d turned her back on God a decade ago—a year after her parents died. Adam tried to imagine what he would have done in her situation. Would he have reacted the same way?

  Mikko hadn’t. Instead of running from God like Eveliina, he’d held on tighter to the nail-scarred hands.

  Adam rose from the forest floor knowing what he had to do. He’d return to the cottage and tell Eveliina exactly how he felt, and then he’d try to lead her back to Jesus.

  ****

  Normally, the blueberry bushes didn’t thrive on their small island, yet, just across the water on the mainland, the forests were purple, ripe for the picking. Strangely, this year was different and Eveliina’s berry bucket was nearly full by the time she neared the other side of the island.

  Her heart thrilled when she saw the yellow canoe bobbing in the water, tied to a birch sapling.

  Adam.

  She’d find him and surprise him.

  It didn’t take long. The red shirt he wore signaled to her like a beacon.

  Adam leaned against a rock, relaxed.

  Eveliina tiptoed through the forest until she came up behind the rock where Adam stood.

  “I got you.” She giggled as she jumped out at Adam. “So this is where you’re hiding.”

  “Eveliina…what are you doing here?” His shocked expression wasn’t something she’d expected.

  She also hadn’t expected the T-shirt he wore.

  For a chilling moment she eyed the red shirt that hung loosely over Adam’s shorts. Then recoiled.

  Lifesaver—Mine walks on water.

  The writing was set beneath a white cross.

  One look at the shirt and suddenly he was the matador, except he didn’t wave a red flag—he wore it. If she’d had horns, she would have gored him. All she had were words.

  “How dare you?” Tears stung, but she refused to allow them to fall. Not now. “How dare you flaunt this at me?”

  Adam’s eye’s widened. “My Lifesaver walks on water? It’s true, Eveliina. He does. I wish you could believe that.” He took a step closer. Reaching out, he touched her cheek. “I’m sorry if you find that offensive.”

  She shoved at Adam.

  He stumbled backward against the rock.

  “Mine drowned, along with my mother and father, and the bush pilot who crashed their plane into the sea.”

  ****

  How could he have forgotten?

  He hadn’t. Her pain had been foremost in his mind for two days. But when he dressed this morning, he didn’t see anything wrong in his choice of clothing. Then again, how could he have known she’d react this way?

  “I’m sorry,” Adam said.

  Eveliina wiped the corners of her eyes. “Didn’t you know?”

  “I did. Mikko told me when he was in Africa.”

  It would be easy for Adam to tell Eveliina how much God loves her, that He has a plan for her, that there’s a reason for her pain. But that was not what she wanted to hear. Not now. He would revisit this later, when she’d calmed down.

  He took off his shirt and handed it to Eveliina. “I should have thought before wearing this. Do with it what you need to—use it in the kitchen as a rag, or as fuel for the sauna. The choice is yours.”

  Eveliina grabbed the shirt, tears brimming in her eyes, and stormed off, back toward the cottage. As she disappeared into the forest, the last thing Adam saw was his shirt swaying at her side. Like a red flag, it warned of the heavy load she carried.

  9

  Standing in front of the sauna fire she’d lit, Eveliina twisted Adam’s shirt in her hands. Up until now, she’d been determined to burn it. But what if God’s wrath poured down from heaven on her because she’d thrown a shirt with His words on it into the fire? She’d pushed the spiritual boundaries too often. Could she do that now? There was something about Adam, and it wasn’t his easy-going nature, his good looks, his well-toned body, or his magnetism. Despite being down-to-earth, Adam had an aura about him. He was special, set apart for a higher purpose. God may not look favorably on Eveliina burning His chosen one’s shirt.

  She sat down on the bottom bench and allowed a fresh batch of tears free rein. She’d expected Adam to run after her. He hadn’t. He’d let her walk away. Perhaps it was best. She needed space to sort things out in her head. Like why she’d reacted that way, over an item of clothing?

  Deep down Eveliina knew.

  For years she’d blamed her emptiness on her parents’ deaths, trying to fill the void with achievements and success. All in vain.

  She needed rescuing. She needed a lifesaver.

  ****

  Everything was quiet when Adam returned to the house. The moored motorboat told him Eveliina hadn’t left the island. He looked up at the cottage. Perhaps she was inside, baking again? Smo
ke drifted out the sauna chimney. Of course. Where else would a Finn go to cool off?

  After securing the canoe, Adam sat down at the end of the jetty, Eveliina’s rescued bucket of blueberries safely by his side.

  The sun warmed his skin as he prayed.

  Lord, I’m failing miserably at this mission. All I’ve managed to do is reduce this strong, beautiful lady to tears.

  Adam picked a blueberry from the bucket and flicked it into the lake. Ripples floated outward from where the tiny ball landed. What had gone wrong? One minute he’d resolved to tell Eveliina how he felt about her, how Jesus felt about her, the next she was pushing him up against a rock, screaming.

  Covering his face with his hands, he breathed out heavily. Doubts and questions assailed him, but Adam knew God was in control. It was no accident he’d worn that shirt today, no chance happening Eveliina had stumbled across him in the forest. He’d return to the cottage in a while, seek Eveliina out, and tell her what he wanted to—that he loved her.

  And that God loved her even more.

  Give me wisdom.

  ****

  Lost in the presence of his Maker, Adam wasn’t aware of Eveliina’s arrival until her body brushed up against his as she sat down.

  Surprised she’d come to sit beside him, Adam’s gaze searched hers.

  She couldn’t disguise the redness rimming her eyes.

  For a long time, silence reigned. Both seemed content to dangle their feet in the water as they gazed across the lake.

  Finally, Eveliina handed the crumpled red fabric to Adam. “Here, you’d best put this on before the mosquitoes descend on you.”

  “Are you sure?” His mind cartwheeled. How could he turn her gesture into an opportunity to share God’s love—and his—without making things worse? He couldn’t afford to make a mistake and turn her away even further.

  Eveliina nodded and returned her gaze to the lake. “Perhaps I overreacted,” she whispered.

  “Perhaps not.” Adam turned his shirt inside-out and slipped his arms into the armholes.

  “What are you doing?” She offered a thin laugh, a meager gesture, but probably all she had to give at this time. She was hurting.

  Adam wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight, tell her everything would be OK, that God made all things beautiful in their time—even the tragedy of her parents’ deaths.

  “Putting on my shirt.” Adam pulled the T-shirt over his head, the painful reminder safely hidden against his skin.

  “You know that’s inside-out?”

  Adam smiled. “I know.” He stole another blueberry from the bucket, flicking it out into the lake as far as he could. He turned to Eveliina and brushed a finger across her face. “Do you know you have red paint on your cheek?”

  She rubbed the spot. “Is it gone?”

  “Almost.” Adam gently flaked the paint off her skin. “What were you painting?”

  “The cottage. At the side.”

  “You intend to paint the entire cottage?”

  Eveliina nodded.

  “On your own?”

  She shook her head. “I hope not.”

  “I hope not, too. I tell you what, today’s the Lord’s day, but I’ll help you tomorrow.”

  She remained silent. A good thing. At least she didn’t curse or mock him. Perhaps this would be a good time.

  “Eveliina, I have something I need to tell you. I—”

  Her cellphone rang. What bad timing.

  “I’m sorry.” She stood and fumbled in her shorts’ pocket until she found her phone. She turned to Adam. “I need to take this. I won’t be long.”

  “It’s OK.”

  Eveliina stepped to one side.

  “Joel?”

  ****

  What was Adam about to say? Eveliina found it difficult to keep her annoyance from her tone as she whispered into the phone. “Why are you calling?” There were things she would have liked to talk about with Adam, but would they recapture that moment when she returned? She had to get Joel off the phone—fast.

  Joel came back with his own question. “Why are you whispering?”

  Eveliina raised her volume a notch. “You promised you wouldn’t contact me.”

  “Uh-uh. I promised I wouldn’t follow you. You never said a thing about not calling. Besides, I’ve left you alone for nearly two days. That’s a record.”

  His teasing did nothing to humor her. “I told you I need time alone.”

  “And you’ve had it, Eveliina. Or aren’t you alone? Is that why you’re talking in hushed tones?”

  “Of course I’m alone.” How could she explain Adam’s presence? She didn’t want to either. If she told Joel, he’d be over there in a half-hour and that would be the end of any interlude with love.

  “I was hoping to talk with you. I’ve missed you. But I can tell you’re in no mood for this conversation.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.” Best to keep him happy. The last thing she wanted was him coming to the summer cottage—and he’d do just that if he suspected the slightest thing was amiss.

  “That’s my girl.”

  His words grated to her soul. “I don’t mean to be rude, Joel, but I’m in the middle of something.”

  “What?”

  “Painting.” It wasn’t entirely untrue.

  “A portrait of me, I hope.”

  “I decided to paint the cottage.”

  He laughed out loud. Eveliina held the phone away from her ear and pulled a face. “Then I’m glad it’s Sunday and I have work in the morning,” she heard him say when she returned the phone to her ear, “otherwise you might have wanted me to come and help.”

  No, I wouldn’t. I already have all the help I need—or want.

  “Listen, I need renders of the pirate ship, the abandoned boat and the damsel in distress by the end of the week.”

  “Have you forgotten I’m on holiday?”

  “I know, and I’m sorry. The client called this afternoon and requested those visuals by Friday. They actually asked for a whole lot more. I delegated some of the work to Kristiina, Teemu, and Roope.”

  “I can’t believe this.”

  “I told you I’m sorry. You know what this client is like. There’s nothing I could do. You’ll have to spend some time getting those visuals done.”

  “Some time? Do you know how long those models will take to design?” Not waiting for an answer, she continued. “Of course you do, but why would you care? I’ll try, but I’m not making any promises because, unlike you, I actually do attempt to keep my word.”

  “Eveliina…”

  “I have to go. I’ll email whatever I manage to get done, whenever I manage to get it done.”

  “Don’t be like that—”

  Eveliina cut the call. She’d wasted enough time on Joel. She turned.

  Adam sat kicking the water—over and over—the action so unlike the gentle dangling of their feet in the lake’s coolness moments ago. Gone were the calm waters. Drops sprayed, sending ripples onto the lake as they fell back into the expanse.

  Even from where she stood, Eveliina could tell their moment had passed.

  10

  She missed him? This Joel.

  Adam hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. It was difficult not to overhear Eveliina’s conversation. If only she’d walked to the top of the jetty instead of standing a few steps away. From the tone of her voice, it didn’t sound like things were hunky-dory. Why had she lied about being alone, about what she was doing? She had nothing to hide. They’d done nothing wrong.

  His fingers clenched against the jetty’s edge. Another watery spray flew into the air as Adam’s foot cut through the water. How could he continue their conversation now, without knowing who Joel was and what he meant to her?

  Eveliina slumped down beside him.

  Adam turned to her. “Trouble?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  A warm sensation flowed through him as she reached around his back, leaning again
st his shoulder to pull the blueberry bucket closer.

  “Now, where were we?” She rummaged in the plastic container and then popped a blueberry into her mouth.

  “Discussing our painting schedule for tomorrow?”

  Eveliina shook her head. “No. That wasn’t it. You were about to tell me something.”

  Adam grabbed a handful of the purply-blue fruit and held out his hand for Eveliina to take from there. She obliged. He chose a plump one and flicked it out into the water. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Of course it does, Adam. It sounded important.”

  “Another day.”

  She shrugged.

  Adam hoped he’d made the right choice not to pursue what he’d been about to tell her. Was Joel’s call God’s way of stopping him? Perhaps it was too soon to tell her everything that was on his heart. He flicked another blueberry into the water.

  “Hey, what are you doing?”

  Like a child caught doing something wrong, Adam gave a weak smile and a flimsy explanation. “Feeding the fish.”

  “Fish don’t eat blueberries.”

  Adam chuckled. “You know that how? Have you ever seen what a fish does when a blueberry floats past its face?”

  “No. Have you?” The expression on her face challenged him for a good response.

  He rummaged in his hand until he found a blueberry with a small stem attached to it. He dangled the tiny ball in front of Eveliina’s face. “No, but I can imagine what they’d do.”

  “I can too.” Cross-eyed, Eveliina puckered her lips and nibbled at the blueberry. With a disgusted look, she shook her head, “That’s not a worm,” and turned her attention to Adam’s hands, nibbling at his fingers. “Hmm, that’s more like it. Tasty.”