“The Healys have invited me to go with them.” The women had returned to their seats in the living room.
“Well, I go to St. Peter’s-by-the-Sea. It’s one thing around here that’s older than I am.”
The more Laurette listened to this upbeat, personable woman, the more she liked her. Spending time with Ruth could be like having her own special grandmother. They chatted for a few more minutes, then Laurette announced, “I can move in as soon as I can find a vehicle. This would be too far for me to walk to work.”
“Maybe I could help,” John offered. “My cousin has a mini pickup he said he wanted to sell. Would you like me to call about it?”
“Yes, thank you.” Laurette watched as he pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and walked into the kitchen.
“I can’t get used to all this newfangled stuff. A phone that isn’t plugged in,” Ruth sputtered. “Now tell me about your home.”
Laurette answered Ruth’s questions about the farm and her parents until John returned.
“Mike says Emmy has gone to a Bible study meeting, and he’s home alone. He’d welcome company.” John then said to Laurette, “Says he still has his small pickup for sale. He claims it runs good. Would you like to check it out?”
Laurette looked at her watch. “If you can tell me where it is, I’ll ask Ryan to take me there tomorrow.”
“I can take you right now if you’d like. It isn’t that late. Have you had supper?”
“Yes, we ate before we came to see you. But it’s getting late, and you have to be on the water early.”
“That’s no problem. Let’s go see Mike.” He pulled his mother up to give her a big hug. “I’m going halibut fishing in the morning. I’ll call you as soon as I’m close enough in to get a signal on the cell phone.”
“You be careful.” She turned to Laurette. “Do you have my phone number? Then you can let me know when you’ll move in.”
Impulsively, Laurette gave Ruth a quick hug. It felt good to put her cheek against the papery thin one of her new friend. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
❧
“Mike has a tugboat out at Jamestown Bay,” John told her as he drove back through town and took Sawmill Creek Road.
“Your mother is delightful.”
He smiled. “It’s sad to have her mind start to fade. She’s always been so sharp. After my dad died, I worried about her, but she’s done fine on her own for twenty years.”
He pulled into a small road toward the ever-present water. “Mike and Emmy have a house in town, but they stay on the boat most of the time. He does a lot of work for SAM, so you’ll run into him this summer.” They passed a metal building. “When he isn’t on the tug, he’s in that shop puttering on something.”
A big man in overalls and a plaid shirt greeted them at the dock. “I was just coming to get the truck out for you. Come on in the shed. That way you can see it without getting wet.” He motioned to the mist filling the air.
Laurette followed the men. When Mike flipped on the light, she took a second look at the faded little truck. It had rust on the fenders, and a sheet of plywood covered the truck bed. She wondered how much rust that covered up.
“Not much to look at,” Mike admitted. “A crewman of mine was moving south and needed money, so I bought it. Been working on it this past winter. Runs real good. Want to try it?”
Might as well look, Laurette thought, opening the driver’s door. “It only has fifty thousand miles on it. How old is it?” she asked in wonder when she started the motor.
“Ten years old, but it’s only fourteen miles from one end of Sitka to the other. Don’t put on many miles around here.” Mike chuckled. “Take it out for a spin.”
Laurette backed out of the shed and drove up the driveway and down the road to a place to turn around.
“It handles great,” she said when she returned. “Motor sounds smooth. How much do you want for it?” she asked Mike.
Mike named a price before asking, “What’s a pretty little thing like you know about motors?”
“I grew up on a wheat farm and learned to drive a tractor when I was twelve. My dad said if I wanted to run the equipment, I had to learn how to take care of it. He taught me some mechanics.” She smiled. “My kid brother, Brian, didn’t learn the mechanics, but he’s a whiz at running the farm. Dad said he got his son and daughter mixed up.”
“Now you don’t have to do any grease monkey work. If that truck gives you any problems, you bring it back to me and I’ll have it purring in no time,” Mike told her.
“He would, too,” John assured her.
Laurette thought of her bank balance. Her dad had told her to buy a clunker that she could sell cheap when she left Sitka. Wait ’til I send him a picture of this, she thought, laughing to herself. “Will you take my check? It’s on a Seattle bank.”
“Where are you going to go around this town? Only way you can get out is by boat or by plane, and I doubt the truck is that important.”
Laurette pulled her checkbook out of her pocket. “May I borrow a pen?”
Mike led her to his workbench. She marveled at how each tool had been cleaned and put back in place.
With the paperwork completed, John asked, “Can you find your way home?”
“Like Mike says, I can’t go far, so how can I get lost?” She laughed with the men.
She shook hands with the cousins. “I’ll call your mother tomorrow, John. I should be able to move in with her right away.”
He patted her hand. “I’ll sleep a lot better knowing you’re with her. God bless you,” he said and released her hand. She waved to the men and drove her new vehicle back to town.
❧
Ryan pulled into the parking lot early the next morning. He parked in his usual spot but stopped when he got out. “Now who owns that piece of junk?” he muttered.
“You like my new truck?”
“That’s yours?” What will this girl do next? he wondered, shaking his head at Laurette. “It’s a rusted-out wreck. How will you keep it running?” He looked at her and wondered who had sold her this disaster on wheels.
“I can keep it running.”
“You?” He shook his head. She’s certifiable. And I’ve got to spend the summer with her.
“I’ve been working on farm machines since I could see over the hood. I can keep it going.”
“Farm machinery!” he exclaimed. “You expect me to believe that?”
“Ryan, I grew up on a big wheat farm in eastern Washington. Machinery is crucial to our way of life, and I learned how to take care of it. My dad didn’t treat me like some weak little girl. He taught me to work the fields and the equipment we used.”
He just stood there, dumbfounded.
“Sorry, but I’ve got to get postage stamps,” she said with a smile, pointing her thumb over her shoulder toward a ship. “Mustn’t keep the customer waiting. See you later.”
Motor sounds good, he thought as she pulled out of the parking lot. Wonder how she found a vehicle so fast. He started to the office, pleased that she was picking up the job so quickly. “Things might work out okay,” he muttered to himself, walking up the stairs to the Southeast Alaska Maritime office.
FOUR
Laurette stopped by a hardware store before going to the post office. She had to buy a tarp. In Sitka, blue sky or not, it could be raining five minutes from now. She moved her things from the truck’s tiny cab, where she’d hardly been able to see over them, into the cargo bed and tucked the tarp securely around her duffel bag and box.
As she climbed back into the driver’s seat, she remembered the scene at breakfast. Laurette hadn’t unpacked many of her belongings, so it hadn’t taken her long to stuff everything back in her duffel bag and backpack. Edith had been busy whipping up an omelet when she went into the kitchen.
“Did you enjoy your card game?” Laurette asked, sitting down with a cup of coffee.
Edith started describing every hand, allowing Laurette time to
enjoy her toast, jam, and omelet before breaking into her landlady’s monologue.
“I’ve rented a room, Edith. I’ll get my things out of your bedroom this morning. Thank you for your hospitality. I’m sure we’ll meet around town while I’m here this summer.” Laurette picked up her coffee cup and did not look at Edith for fear she’d see that lonely look in her eyes again.
Edith gushed with good cheer and tried to pry loose the name of the place where Laurette planned to move.
“The Healys found someone wanting to rent a room. It looks like I’ll be working long hours and won’t be there very much. I think it’ll be fine.” Laurette put her cup down and pulled out her checkbook. “Let me pay you for my time here.” She smiled. “I’ll miss your good cooking.”
Edith kept dithering but took the offered money and wished Laurette good luck. Lucy came by to rub her legs, purring loudly, as if adding a feline farewell.
“Now that I’m checked out,” Laurette muttered as she entered the post office, “I sure hope the room with Ruth works out.”
Back at the SAM office, she read through the fax messages. “I can’t believe all the things they need to keep the ships going.”
“We’re talking thousands of people. A huge business, and it’s a floating one. Can’t just run down to the corner to pick up a loaf of bread,” Tyler told her. “What have we got there?” he asked, pointing to the messages.
“The ships coming in today want everything from prescriptions filled for passengers to finding lost luggage.” She sifted through the stack. “These are from ships due later in the week. They’re ordering fresh flowers and produce. How do we do that?”
Tyler reached for the page and scanned it before answering. “I’ll call Seattle and have it flown in. I need you to go to the bank and get some change. The steward on the ship due in at two o’clock wants us to deliver it when they anchor today.” Tyler reached into his desk and withdrew a ledger. “I’m going to give you a check; they need the funds in those denominations,” he said, pointing at the page on his desk. He wrote out the check, then handed it and the fax to her. “By the way, Diane wants to know how you made out with John Stevenson.”
“His mother is very sweet. I’m going to move in for a week or so and make sure we both like the arrangement. John took me by his cousin Mike’s and I bought a little truck from him.”
“We do a lot of business with Mike Littlefield. He takes the harbor pilots out to the ships for us, and I call on him when we have freight that needs moving. Good man. If he sold you a vehicle, it’s in great running order.” Tyler smiled. “Mike’s a fantastic mechanic. Keeps his old tug in tip-top condition.”
“The truck doesn’t look like much, but it’ll serve me for the summer.”
“You plan on moving right away?”
“I’ve called Ruth Stevenson and arranged to take my stuff up there after work.”
The phone rang, ending their conversation. Laurette headed for the bank.
❧
Stopping by the fish-and-chips place, Laurette picked up take-out orders for her and Ruth. “Have you eaten yet?” she called as she entered the kitchen.
Ruth came to the door looking puzzled. “Is it lunchtime?”
Laurette didn’t correct her. Instead, she took plates from the cupboard and put a kettle on to boil for tea. “Come sit down. We’ll eat while things are hot. I’ll bring my things in later.”
“I didn’t expect you to cook for me,” Ruth protested. “I’ll make dinner tomorrow night.”
Laurette poured hot water into the teapot. “That would be nice.” She sat down and asked, “Would you like to say grace?”
Ruth rewarded her with a big smile. “You’re a believer.” She patted Laurette’s hand. “I’m glad.”
After devouring the fish-and-chips, the women sat over cups of tea while Ruth talked about her sister. “Esther was a year older than me. We grew up in an orphanage in Rose, Alaska. It’s in the interior.” She smiled and sipped her tea. “That’s why when we came here we went to St. Peter’s Church. The Episcopal Church ran the orphanage, and we grew up with the liturgy.” She shrugged. “I like knowing the service will follow the same pattern each week. I get confused easily these days, and it helps to have things I can depend on.”
“Let me wash the dishes. Why don’t you go sit in your chair and I’ll be there shortly.”
Laurette carried her bags and boxes to her bedroom. When she unpacked her laptop computer, she decided to e-mail her parents. She typed a quick note and went to the living room to plug the modem into a phone jack so she could send her message.
“Is that one of those computer things?” Ruth asked.
Laurette nodded as she shut the machine down.
“My granddaughter Marty is one of those computer people. She says she’s a nerd, whatever that is.”
“Does she live around here?”
“Oh, no. She works in Seattle. I think she’s married to that computer. Nearly thirty and not even a boyfriend. I don’t think I’m ever going to have great-grandchildren. John’s boy is no better. Craig’s in the Coast Guard.” She picked up the book in her lap. “Marty sent me this. Said I could read the big print.”
Laurette looked at the red leather Bible. “Does the large print help?”
Ruth scowled. “Yes, but I still like the King James better. Just an old-fashioned old woman, I guess.”
Laurette jumped up. “Let me get my King James and I’ll read to you.”
“Bless you, dear.”
❧
The evening passed quickly. When Ruth’s head started to nod, Laurette put the Bible down. “I need to be up early. Time I got some sleep. Good night.” She kissed Ruth on the cheek and went to her room.
Laurette glanced at her watch and muttered, “Too late to unpack. I’ll pull out enough for tomorrow and get settled later.”
The house was silent when the alarm went off. Laurette showered and dressed as quietly as she could. Finding cereal, she poured herself a bowl and made a note to check the cupboards. “I don’t know whether Ruth eats regularly, so I’ll start doing some cooking,” she whispered to herself.
The pattern of her days didn’t vary. Only the tasks to be done to help keep the cruise ships working smoothly changed. She learned to keep her day pack with her. When she took a passenger to the medical clinic, she could read while she waited for them to see the doctor. Tyler explained that there were doctors aboard the ships, but insurance coverage made it necessary for some passengers to seek medical care while in port.
On Sunday, Tyler suggested Laurette take time off to attend church. “Diane will meet you in the parking lot. That way you’ll have someone to sit with.”
“I wouldn’t recognize your wife, but I’ll recognize Kate and David from the pictures on your desk,” Laurette quipped. “Your children are adorable.”
Tyler beamed with pride even when he protested the four-year-old girl and six-year-old boy were both imps and always into mischief.
Ryan had been filling his coffee cup during this conversation. Laurette took her own cup over to be topped off and asked, “Do you go to the same church, Ryan?”
“Not much for church anymore. My mother used to play the organ at church, but I haven’t gone back since she left. I’ll be around here to take care of business.” He sipped his coffee and headed for an incoming fax.
❧
Laurette had disappeared when he returned from picking up luggage at the airport. Tyler had gone aboard a ship with immigration papers. Ryan knew his boss did that so the immigration officer could have time off. He picked up the local paper and opened the carton of chocolate milk he had purchased on his way back to the office.
“I wonder if Laurette likes music,” he mused. “The annual music festival will be here in a couple weeks.” The phone rang, and he put down the paper.
Later that day, Laurette greeted his invitation with the cheerful enthusiasm she seemed to have for everything. “What kind of music will t
his be?”
“The emphasis is on chamber music. It’s an annual thing with professionals coming in from around the country. I’ve got tickets for Tuesday night at Centennial Hall.” Her smile warmed him. I’m glad I asked her, he thought.
“Sounds like a wonderful evening. Do I have to get dressed up?”
He chuckled. “In Sitka, dressing up means a clean pair of jeans.”
“Will you come have supper with Ruth and me before the concert?”
Ryan didn’t know how to answer. “Do you cook for Ruth?”
Laurette gave him her hundred-watt smile. “She forgets to eat sometimes, so I try to cook up something in the evening. That way I know she eats at least once a day.”
“If it’s good enough for Ruth, it’s good enough for me. What time should I be there?”
❧
Delicious smells greeted Ryan when he entered Ruth’s house at the appointed time.
Ruth welcomed him warmly. “I used to know your mother. She played at our church sometimes. Is she well?”
“I hear from her occasionally. She and her husband live in Chicago, and as far as I know, both are well and enjoying music.”
“And do you play?” she asked, letting him seat her at the table.
“A little.”
“He plays jazz piano at the Dockside Hotel,” Laurette said as she put a Crock-Pot in the middle of the table. “Shall we eat while this is hot?”
Ryan kept his head down while Laurette said grace. He did sneak a peek at her face and found her eyes closed and her expression peaceful. She’s a gentle person, he thought, taking the bowl she offered him after the prayer.
“Have some bread,” Ruth urged, passing the hot French bread. “I didn’t know I got a cook as well as a housemate. She even reads to me. What do you think of that?”
Ryan swallowed the bite of bread. “I do think you got yourself a good cook in the bargain. This stew is tasty.” He grinned at Laurette. “And she even has my favorite drink.” He held up his glass of chocolate milk in a toast to the ladies.
Ryan watched the two women and saw the bond between them. He picked up the bowls and carried them to the sink for Laurette. “I’ll dry,” he offered. Is it her faith that makes her so sweet?
Alaskan Summer Page 3