Iris moved into position and skimmed her fingers across the folders, pulling out files and passing them to Anna. It was a relief not to make small talk or explain anything to this efficient woman. Anna wondered briefly what Iris did before she had retired. She didn’t volunteer the information, and Anna didn’t want to ask. She obviously knew what was required and nothing more was needed at this point.
Anna checked blood pressures and listened to stories about impending grandchildren visits. She heard about the bridge club which sounded like a fantastic support group. There were whispers about a poker club.
After they finished, Iris said, “Thank you, Anna. You were professional. Everything ran smoothly and on time.” She tidied the office. “Margaret will give you a coffee and cake. She saves a piece for the nurse.”
“I couldn’t have done it without you, Iris. Thank you for your hard work.” Anna extended her hand and Iris shook it vigorously.
That afternoon she thought about Nick and the army and about his relationship with John Good. Could John and Murray be related?
Anna checked her watch and noted two hours’ difference between Saskatchewan time and Ontario time zones. Murray’s parents would have finished their dinner. Anna hated to bring them more pain but there wasn’t any other way to solve the mystery. She needed to talk with them.
Besides, Murray had resembled Mr. Good.
Nick had risen before the sun and drove to the Regina army barracks. Fitness instructor Gerald Laporte was waiting for him.
“Sergeant Nickolas Donnelly, reporting.” His handshake was firm.
“Nice to meet you, Sergeant Donnelly. I’ve read your report from the medical physician and your physiotherapist. They concur regarding your readiness to attempt the physical endurance test.”
“I’m ready.”
“Let’s head over to the gym. I understand you would like the swimming portion at the end. Understandable.”
They passed time along the walk discussing the weather, the prospects for a good farming season. The prairie was rooted in the thoughts of the land, regardless of who might actually be involved. It seemed everyone’s consciousness knew the devastation of a poor crop year on the local economy and also the world’s food supply. The armed services received more recruit applications in a bad crop year from the sons and daughters of farmers looking for an education and a career with adventure.
They stopped at the medical office, and a civilian technician checked Nick’s pre-test blood pressure and resting heart rate. Nick pulled the snaps on his breakaway pants, knelt on the mat, and assumed the start position. For the push-ups, he’d practiced with his prosthesis on and knew his ankle flexibility was amazing. His toe box stability had improved over time. The instructor checked his position and stepped back. Nick began his repetitions and stopped when the movement became forcibly strained.
He rested, then positioned himself for his sit-ups. The instructor motioned to a private to hold Nick’s ankles. “When you’re ready.”
Placing his hands on either side of his head, Nick curled up and touched his knees with his elbows, counted off, and returned to the starting position, concentrating while Laporte kept time. “One minute.”
Nick rested for a minute before moving over to the handgrip. He started with his left hand. Between his fingers and palm at the base of his thumb, he held the dynamometer. He squeezed vigorously, exerting his maximum force. He switched to the right hand and squeezed a second time. The combination of his best score for both hands was calculated.
“You’ve surpassed the basic requirements for your age in both the muscular endurance and muscular strength, Sergeant. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Nick felt his confidence growing.
“Get some water and we’ll head over to the track,” Laporte said.
They walked past other men and women lifting weights, running on treadmills and climbing the stair climber.
Nick would have to run one and a half miles in under twelve minutes. He used to be in the superior range before titanium entered his life. He surveyed the empty track.
“Ready when you are.” Laporte had his stopwatch ready.
Reminding himself to relax, Nick walked to the start position, took the center lane, and filled his lungs with air. He cleared his mind and put his left foot on the start line, pushing off from his toes and using his natural and comfortable stride. He watched the lap board count down from six to five, and he continued. He didn’t think about his stump inside the socket. He just ran as if his life depended on it, and in many ways it did.
When he completed the last corner of the last round, his heart felt lighter. No matter what the results, he had given it his best. He bent over to pull air into his lungs.
Laporte handed him a water bottle. “Here you go. You did it, ten minutes, fifty-nine seconds. Your time is within the acceptable range.”
Nick punched his arm into the air when he was in the change room. He pulled off his prosthesis, exchanging it for his crutches in the locker.
The pool was a snap.
When he emerged from the water, Laporte handed him his crutches. Nick made his way to a bench and toweled off.
“Good job. I’ll send these numbers to Ottawa.”
Nick’s eyes welled after Laporte had turned his back. Now he could make a choice. The bomber’s IED hadn’t made it for him.
He wanted to share this news with everyone, but not many knew the challenge he had faced. Only his father and Sharon, Margaret and Herman, and of course, Anna.
Nick stopped and picked up two bouquets of flowers, then added a third. Driving home in a state of euphoria, he sang along to the tunes on the radio, feeling as if a weight had been lifted. He’d done his best and now the decision was up to his superiors.
Perhaps tonight, he and Anna would be in a canoe and he’d paddle them around the point. The sky was blue, cloudless, and the grass in the ditch beside the highway wasn’t moving. A perfect night. His cell phone rang, so he pulled over to the side of the road. The voice message was from Janis.
He returned her call. “Hi, Janis.”
“How far are you from Regina Beach? The regional health inspector is in the office and wants to speak with you,” Janis said in his ear.
This didn’t sound like good news. “I’m on my way in.”
Because he hadn’t heard of anyone else getting sick and the filtration plant was working at top capacity, and since the water line was repaired, he had felt confident whatever had happened was over. Nick set the cruise control to avoid going over the speed limit.
His mind raced. What had he missed? How bad was it going to be? Thank goodness he hadn’t lifted the boil water advisory. He’d planned on lifting it tomorrow just before the weekend when more cottagers would be coming out to open their summer homes.
He looked at the bouquets on the front seat of his jeep. Maybe he could keep them in the town office until he had time to deliver them. But that wouldn’t be fair when he didn’t think to bring one for Janis. If he went home, Molly might get all excited. No, she wouldn’t because Jack was there.
Driving into town, he spotted Margaret’s car ready to swing onto Center Street. He signaled and pulled up beside her. As she stopped, he swung out of his jeep. “Hi, Margaret.” He leaned into her window.
“I was just thinking about you,” she said, “and here you are. How’d things go?”
“Fantastic. But I have to go to the town office. Someone’s there to meet me.” He brought one bouquet from behind his back, “I got these for you.”
“Daffodils, my favorite.”
“I know I shouldn’t tell one woman I’ve also bought flowers for other women, but I don’t have time to deliver these.” He gathered the remaining bouquets of tulips and lilies. “Would you put these in water for me until I ca
n pick them up later?”
“Certainly, Nick. I’m just pleased to be on your list.”
He gave her a peck on the cheek after setting the flowers on her back seat.
“You know I’ll be speculating who they’re for,” she added.
“If you guess right, I’ll bring you another bouquet next time I go into the city.” He smiled, waved, and jumped back into his jeep.
When he pulled up outside the office, he took some deep breaths and walked calmly up the steps. Panic wouldn’t serve the town. He needed a cool head.
Nick shook the health inspector’s hand and followed her into his office.
“Thank you for coming so promptly. I have some good news and some bad news for you.” She was direct.
“Let’s have the good news.” He sat behind his desk.
“The water tests have come back within normal limits. Whatever caused the initial problem wasn’t in the water. You can lift the boil water advisory.”
“Very good news. I had hoped to lift it before the weekend.” He relaxed a moment, then leaned forward and looked directly at her. “The bad news?”
“It has come to our attention that some waste material is stockpiled on the edge of your municipality, in line with one of your major aquifers.”
“What kind of waste material?”
“A compost pile of over one hundred tons of canola seed treated with pesticide. We know who put it there, and we’re having it removed.”
“Okay.” He nodded. “What now?”
“The risk of exposure to residents around the site has been minimal. However, we need to place some monitoring sites for the next few years.”
“There must be more to it.”
“You’re right. The seed went through a treatment process. The levels of pesticide residue were within safe levels at the time it was stored according to the records. Something has changed, and now the levels measure up to ten times what is considered hazardous waste material.”
“I’m not familiar with the procedure of storing waste crop in the open.”
“One of the neighboring farmers gave the company permission to dump on his land. The department took samples before it was hauled. The tests indicted the levels in the seed were below the province’s hazardous waste guidelines at that time. However, someone reported their concern and we went out and measured again. That’s when we found the levels had increased. We’re doing a full-scale investigation.” She raised her eyes from her notes.
“I’m surprised someone would jeopardize our health by dumping this stuff in our backyard.” Nick stood and walked around his desk.
“Remember, at the time it was safe. It’s turned toxic and we don’t know why. We haven’t determined if it’s carcinogenic.” The health inspector placed copies of reports on his desk. “I recognize your knowledge of water treatment facilities. It’s the reason we were so cautious when you called and we supported the boil water advisory.”
She adjusted her jacket. “I wanted to inform you first, and I will be writing a report to council. I wanted you to be aware we will be monitoring the situation.”
The adrenaline that had kept Nick going all day was seeping away at a fast rate. “Thank you, Ms. Kane. I’ll do some research on my own and inform the council. We’ll keep our residents healthy.”
“Very good. I hope Regina Beach knows how lucky they are to have someone with your expertise looking after them.”
“At this point, I’m temporary. I’m sure they’ll replace me with an equally qualified person.”
“I hope so. If you ever want to pass on your expertise, we could use someone like you at the main office.”
“Thank you, but I’m looking forward to serving my country again.”
After she left, Nick found some reports on the Internet and printed them off. He’d look at them later.
“Nick, I’m off. Lock up when you’re done,” Janis called to him.
“Good night, Janis. See you tomorrow.”
When he opened the door of his jeep, the receipt for the flowers blew off the seat. He wanted to take Sharon’s home, and he might as well drop off Anna’s bouquet. Nick headed to the Lambs’.
He parked and sauntered up the walk. He wondered if Margaret had guessed some of the flowers were for Anna. He gave a quick knock and walked in.
“Hey, Nick,” Herman yawned from the table. ”Margaret told me you did well.”
“I passed, though not with the colors flying as high as they had in the past. But I qualified.” Nick could feel his smile stretch from ear to ear. “Margaret, I’m bushed and I want to deliver those flowers before I crash.”
“They’re right here.” She handed him two spring bouquets still in the cellophane, but their stems had been kept wet. Margaret chuckled. “I’m guessing one bunch is for Sharon and the other is for . . .” She nodded toward Anna’s place.
“I owe you another bouquet the next time I’m in Regina.”
“What’s this all about, showing me up in front of my sweetie?” Herman demanded.
“Don’t get jealous over a big bouquet of flowers. When you’re driving again, I’m sure you’ll be bringing home flowers, too.” Margaret placed the vase in the center of the table.
“Now why would I buy them when I can walk along the path and pick those free ones?”
Margaret got a dreamy look in her eye. “Just like the bouquet I carried on our wedding day.”
Anna looked up from her novel with a curious raise of one eyebrow when Nick strolled through the opening in the hedge to where she sat on the deck.
He held up the bouquet of tulips and handed them to her. “I wanted to share my excitement with a friend.”
Anna blanched. “Thank you.” She clutched the bouquet. “I’m a little slow. I missed the fact that you’re Army.”
He frowned. “I thought everyone knew.”
“No, only the real town residents, not outsiders.” She clipped her words.
“Not everyone in town knows I lost my leg and not everyone knew I had my military endurance physical today. I needed to pass certain tests. One of them was a mile and a half run in a specified time. I wasn’t right at the bottom of the accepted level, but I wasn’t superior the way I used to be, either. So now it’s up to the top brass whether they let me go back to the front line.”
Anna almost seemed to shrink into her chair. “Congratulations.”
He saw signs of the woman he’d met a few weeks ago—buttoned-down and pressed, and not only her clothes reflected such an attitude. Still . . . “It looks like it will be fine tomorrow morning,” he said. “Want to meet me at the pier and I’ll show you the lakeshore by canoe before sunrise?”
She looked up at him and shook her head slowly. “I can’t.” She rose slowly and walked into the cottage and closed the door.
Chapter 14
The morning sun glowed fuchsia from beneath the horizon and kept Anna company as she walked down the path. With her hand in front of her face, she broke spiders’ webs with her fingers rather than her nose. There wasn’t a breeze and the birds sang. She kept her eyes on the path, glimpsing the lake through new, bright green-leafed branches. The lake was as calm as a sheet of glass. Against the light, she saw a robin fly by toward its destination. A caterpillar inched along a rock. Pure bliss.
The minutes passed until she approached the clearing and the old wooden pier came into view. Her heart fluttered like a sparrow’s wing when she saw the town truck.
Nick must have received her message that she had changed her mind about a canoe ride. They weren’t related biologically but they were connected in experiencing loss. If anything, he could have been related to Murray in some way. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do. Tell him? Not tell him?
During the evening she had wrestled
within herself. When had she become so secretive? Anyone would think she was part of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, protecting national secrets.
His foot rested on the bumper while he faced the lake. She stopped and observed him for a second. He was a nice man and a woman should surround herself with nice men. She approached him and touched his arm. “Good morning,” she whispered.
Nick drew her closer, whispered back, “Good morning,” wiggling his eyebrows as if they were in a conspiracy together, to avoid breaking the splendor of silence with banal pleasantries. He motioned toward a green canoe bobbing against the side of the pier, then passed her a life jacket and put one on himself.
He held her hand. “Step near the keel.”
Anna opened her mouth to ask for clarification.
“The center bottom. If you step off center, the boat might tip. Sit down and stay put.”
She obeyed and held onto the sides of the canoe when it rocked slightly as Nick slid into position. He pushed away from the pier with the paddle.
He turned east and they floated into the sunrise. “Anna, to your left,” Nick said, just loud enough for her to hear. They approached a flock of pelicans paddling their prehistoric feet until they were airborne against the sun over the horizon. Anna snapped photographs of this beautiful, peaceful moment.
“We’ve reached the limits of Regina Beach.” He turned the canoe back to where they had started.
She wished she could watch him. She didn’t want to move around too much, especially since she was only a guest on this voyage and not providing any sort of power. She twisted and aimed her camera at Nick, outlined in the sun. His jacket sleeves were pushed up and she saw the play of muscles in his forearms as the paddle dipped into the water, creating its own eddy as they moved forward.
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