Helsinki Sunrise

by Marion Ueckermann

  He closed the Bible and wrapped his fingers around the precious book. Although he’d memorized many passages, Adam wasn’t going to start another day without God’s word right by his side. Especially now the battle had begun. He should put this inside his backpack right away.

  He’d barely taken two steps toward the door when her voice floated down from above.

  “Adam, I’m so glad you’re back.”

  Her long, perfect legs were the first thing Adam saw as Eveliina, dressed in the shortest shorts he’d ever seen, clambered down the ladder. A soft cream blouse floated around her body like a gentle breeze. Unbalanced, it exposed a delicate shoulder.

  “I was worried about you,” she said.

  Gone was the wildcat he’d met yesterday. Instead, this cute little kitten seemed ready to curl up beside him and purr. But certainly, as soon as he got comfortable, her claws would come out.

  Adam held his Bible tighter, drawing strength from its nearness. He felt the lump in his throat move up and down as he swallowed hard. “I had to retrieve the canoe. With all that happened yesterday, I completely forgot I’d left it on the other side of the island.”

  “Hmm.” She eyed him keenly, taking a step closer. “What’s in your hand?”

  Adam looked down, certain she wasn’t talking about his Bible. She knew what that was—she’d traced its pages. Immediately he spotted the forgotten laces, once upon a time white, that dangled from his fingers.

  “Shoelaces.”

  Eveliina inched closer. “No shoes?”

  “They’re in the sauna. I pulled these out of my shoes yesterday to tie up the canoe.”

  She opened her mouth and the puzzled look on her face told Adam she was about to ask a question he felt too embarrassed to answer.

  Quickly he added, “Don’t ask.” Adam didn’t want to elaborate on the stupidity that had left him floundering through the forest this morning, clad in the wrong footwear.

  Eveliina brushed against Adam as she slipped past him. Her delicate perfume wrapped around him like a vine, as enticing as the aroma of the blueberry pie on the table beside him. He closed his eyes for a moment, breathed deep, and sent a plea heavenward. Father, help. One temptation would be hard enough, but two?

  “You took so long to return. Did you go for a row on the lake? Mikko loves to row when he has things on his mind.” She lifted the long knife that had lain on the table beside her creation. “Do you have things on your mind, Adam?”

  “All I did was bring back the canoe.” Adam chose to answer only her first question. He couldn’t share what assailed his mind—her baking skills, her beauty.

  Steam escaped into the air as Eveliina cut into the pie. She lifted a large slice onto a plate and topped the pastry with cream.

  Adam focused his thoughts on what had renewed his strength earlier. “I spent time in prayer. It’s peaceful in the forest. God is so close.”

  “Mikko says so, too. I wouldn’t know, although I do find it relaxing to take metsä.”

  “To take what?”

  “Metsä…it’s what the Finnish people call taking a walk in the forest.” She smiled.

  Standing so close to her, Adam couldn’t help noticing how much prettier she looked without makeup, a natural beauty.

  “Really, Adam, you’ll need to learn these things if you’re going to live in this country.”

  “Perhaps you could teach me?”

  “I think I’d like that.” Eveliina placed a teaspoon beside the sweet slice and lifted the pie-laden plate. “How long do you plan to stay in Finland?”

  “If the Lord wills, a year.”

  “Well, if we’re going to have so much time to spend together, we’d best call a truce, don’t you think?”

  Adam watched her delicate pink mouth curve upward. Mesmerized, he nodded. There was nothing he’d like more, but was she serious?

  She filled the spoon with the end of the purply wedge. A blueberry escaped its silver captor and rolled back onto the plate. She brought the spoon up to Adam’s mouth. “Will you accept my peace offering then?”

  ****

  Eveliina held her breath as tightly as she held the spoon, waiting for Adam to succumb. If he did, she was certain he’d leave the island a defeated man, unable to live up to his goals and ideals, his God, and his Christianity.

  But if he resisted…

  How many blueberry recipes did she have? Hopefully she wouldn’t need too many. How much temptation could a starving man stand? He’d been without food for several days. How long had he been without a woman?

  ****

  Adam gently pushed her hand away. “I can’t.”

  Her eyes flashed. She tossed the plate onto the table. It skidded across the smooth wooden surface. “Did I offend you that much last night?”

  “No. Of course not.”

  Arms crossed, she pouted. “Then why won’t you accept my peace offering?”

  If Adam didn’t already suspect that she was trying to make it impossible for him to stay, she might have had him fooled. “I’m fasting, remember? Finland, Helsinki…you.”

  Eveliina gasped and unexpectedly threw her arms around his neck. She nestled her head on his shoulder, tipped her face and whispered in his ear. “I’m so sorry. How could I have forgotten such an important detail in so short a time? You must think me a ditzy blonde.”

  Indeed. How could she have? Only four hours ago he’d turned down her breakfast for the very same reason. That could have been a genuine mistake. This was not.

  “You’re strawberry blonde, Eveliina, and I have no doubt you’re nowhere close to being ditzy.”

  Shrewd, yes. Determined, yes. But scatterbrained? Definitely not. Eveliina knew exactly what she was doing. This lady was intent on planting her victory flag on the island. Adam was even more resolute to wrap God’s banner over her heart.

  He knew if he’d given up and left, Eveliina would have conceded. She would have come after him, driven him back to the island, collected her belongings and headed for her grandparents’ summer cottage in Lapland. Deep down inside, that was her nature…at least, the nature Mikko had described of his little sister.

  But Adam announcing he was staying made her determined to fight for her right to the island. And only by being on the island with her would Adam have the chance to show her Jesus. But it was not going to be easy—not between the shortcrust pastry and the shorts.

  6

  Strawberries. Blueberries. Maybe Adam needed to take a row on the lake after all. He certainly had far too much on his mind.

  Although her arms around his neck, her body close to his, felt good—too good—he unclasped Eveliina’s hands and took a step away from her.

  “I appreciate your efforts, I really do. Maybe when I’ve completed my fast, we could meet up in the city somewhere and I’ll treat you to whatever blueberry dessert you desire.”

  “Why wait ‘til the city, Adam? I’m not going anywhere.” She placed her hand on his chest. “I’ll still be around for several days after you break your fast.”

  Adam took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he looked at her long manicured fingers, her pale skin stark against his black shirt. Could she feel the thumping of his heart? He raised his gaze to meet hers.

  Eveliina held his gaze. “I tell you what, the day you break your fast, I’ll cook up a Finnish feast like you’ve never had before.” She giggled. “Being around my brother, you probably haven’t had the luxury of Finnish cuisine, yet. Mikko’s more of a junk food junkie.”

  Adam opened his mouth to speak.

  Eveliina apparently didn’t notice, or chose not to. “We can go into the forest that morning, search for chanterelles…” She licked her lips. “Those yellow mushrooms taste best when fried fresh with butter. We’ll pick more blueberries, and while you’re out on the lake catching a salmon for our dinner, which I’ll pan fry with a lemon cream sauce, a fresh blueberry pie will be baking in the oven. Served with ice cream, it’s the ideal dessert to end a perfec
t meal. Now doesn’t that sound delicious? Something worth waiting for?”

  His taste buds reveled in the images she’d painted. At a loss for words, Adam said the first thing that popped into his head. “Sounds like a lot of hard work for a meal. Wouldn’t it be easier to visit the local grocery store?” Adam wanted to cut his words into bite sizes and send them back where they came from, not out of hunger, but out of the sheer stupidity of them. That’s not what he’d wanted to say. What he wanted to tell her was how careful he needed to be when he broke his fast—that for the first day it would be plain yogurt, followed by two days of juices and thin soups, then another two days of veggies and fruit, and finally, other foods.

  She’d probably be long gone by then.

  Eveliina threw her head back and let out a delightful giggle. “Adam, you have so much to learn. We Finns have a longstanding love of hunting and foraging. In time, you’ll love it too, I’m sure.”

  “So you’re not planning to go back home, then?”

  She turned to the table and retrieved the blueberry pie she’d discarded minutes before. Filling the spoon once again, she took a bite and shook her head.

  Adam had his answer. “I guess this island is big enough for two.” He wiped away a crumb that clung to the corner of her mouth. Pink flushed her flawless cheeks like a porcelain doll. “And the sauna isn’t too uncomfortable to sleep in, provided you don’t mind if I drag the mattress in and out every day.”

  Her gray eyes warmed. “You could sleep inside on the daybed, if you want. It’s not like…you know…” With a smile, she pointed to the roof. “After all, I’ll be way up there. You’ll be down here.”

  Adam shifted in his Jesus sandals. “Will you excuse me?” Without another word, he fled for the door.

  Outside, he grabbed a pair of shorts from the top of his backpack and headed for the jetty. He was desperate to get onto the open water, convinced he’d row the entire circumference of Lake Sahajärvi several times before being ready to return.

  ****

  The afternoon sun was warm, the glare on the lake bright. Adam wished he’d brought his hat, and his sunglasses. Thankfully he’d thought to grab shorts. But even though he’d be half blind and roasted by the time he returned, he stubbornly stayed on the water, safe from temptation’s reach.

  Lord, you’ll have to give me an extra measure of endurance if I’m to survive this. Can’t you send her home?—let me concentrate on what I came here to do…prepare for the mission.

  But what if Eveliina was the mission?

  As the oar disappeared in the dark water, Mikko’s voice whooshed through Adam’s head, clear as if he was standing right next to him. “She’s become the black sheep of our family, Adam, but I love her…she’s my little sister.”

  Adam’s thoughts drifted to his favorite parable. Doesn’t a good shepherd go seeking after the stray sheep? Doesn’t he leave the safe open country, venturing into dangerous territory until he finds the one that is lost?

  Heaven will rejoice more the day you show Eveliina the way back to Jesus, than at your teaching the Finnish church to pray. The thought struck Adam like the cold water splashing across his back as the oar skimmed the water instead of sinking deep.

  Both took his breath away.

  ****

  “So, Mikko, Adam seems…nice.” Sitting on the daybed, feet curled up, Eveliina rolled her eyes as she spoke into her cellphone, even though she meant every word said to her sibling. Adam was nice, but he wasn’t good for her—not for her time of serenity, and certainly not for her relationship with Joel. Anything to do with Adam would have a domino effect—he’d expect her to be a Christian, she’d have to break up with Joel, and that would mean she’d have to quit her job, maybe even move. Only one of those options was tempting. No, falling for Adam was too great a price to pay.

  Her thoughts lost in the pros and cons of Adam Carter, she barely heard what her brother said.

  As soon as Mikko paused, Eveliina grabbed the opportunity. “Is there anything I should avoid while Adam’s here? I know he’s fasting. Anything he really likes that I shouldn’t make?”

  Eveliina listened intently as Mikko rattled off the things he’d come to know about Adam during their time together in Africa.

  “Right. I got it. No smells of coffee filling the air, no steaks, no puddings, no cakes…yes, Mikko. I understand. Absolutely no sweet things…of course I won’t bake Mummo’s blueberry pie while he’s fasting.” Eveliina checked her nails as Mikko launched into a lecture. Her manicure was still perfect.

  “I told you, I won’t do anything to make Adam uncomfortable. Do you think me that wicked, Mikko?” She looked down at her feet, wiggling her toes as she checked her pedicure. Still all intact, except the nail she couldn’t see beneath the bandage. Visions of her first encounter with Adam flooded her mind. “Where’s he sleeping? On the daybed.” She loved her big brother, but this call had run its course. “Mikko, I have to go. I’ll call you soon.”

  Eveliina cut the call and threw her phone down on the daybed beside her. She stretched out and pulled the cover back slightly. A faint scent of Adam still traced the pillow. In an instant, she stepped back in time—an hour ago. How good it felt to wrap her arms around his neck, to whisper in his ear. To feel his chest, separated only by the thin fabric of his shirt, taut beneath her touch. Joel had never made her feel this way. Not once.

  She closed her eyes and allowed her fingers to trace Adam’s strong, square jawline. His days without shaving prickled beneath her fingertips. It excited her. She tipped her face upward, and brushed a finger across his lips before losing herself in his kiss.

  Wouldn’t it be nice if he could stay?

  Her eyes flew open and she jumped to her feet. What was she thinking? Lying around dreaming of things that couldn’t be, instead of getting to work turning the screws tighter on Adam?

  First thing Eveliina did was fill the cottage with the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee. She poured a cup and sipped the hot liquid while she busied herself with phase two of “Operation Missionary Elimination”.

  After making dough for Pulla, she kneaded the sweet bread mixture until it was smooth and satiny. She placed the dough in a mixing bowl, covered it with a clean dishtowel, and set it outside on the banister in the sun. Eveliina hoped Adam would be gone long enough to allow her to bake the Finnish bread. There’d be nothing as tempting than to walk into a cottage filled with the aroma of coffee and freshly baked sweet bread buns, especially after a long, hard row on the lake.

  While the dough spent the next hour rising in the warm sun, Eveliina lit a fire in the sauna. There was no way she was going to miss her sauna, or dip in the lake, today. That done, she looked around the cottage. She had to keep busy, keep her thoughts away from Adam. She pulled her laptop from its case and set it up on the dining room table.

  Might as well start on some designs for work.

  When she left home yesterday, she’d wondered how long it would take her to turn on the laptop. If not for Adam’s presence, she might have disappeared into blissful nothingness for two weeks. Not now. She shoved the laptop lid open. In her need to find things besides Adam to occupy her mind, Eveliina had fallen prey to her own temptation.

  She’d made progress on the first design when she remembered the dough. It would have risen more than enough by now. She saved her work.

  On the kitchen patio, Eveliina removed the dishtowel and punched the dough down before covering the bowl again and leaving it to rise once more. The action reminded her of Adam. He showed resilience, too. Except for this afternoon. Had she struck a nerve? Said or done something to crack his firm foundation? Would he soon break and fall?

  Part of her hoped not.

  She pushed the thought aside and checked the sauna fire, soon returning to her laptop and the land of pirates. More lines and more calculations went into her design as the digital picture took shape. She did a quick test render and smiled, satisfied with the outcome.

 
Stopping work to finish making her sweet bread, she brought the warm bowl inside the kitchen and turned out the soft elastic mixture onto a floured surface once more. Eveliina shaped it into small round buns before coating them with a sugar and butter topping. With the care of a craftsman, she added her own touch. Cupping her hands around the outside of each bun, she pushed her palms toward each other, creating a more oval shape before denting the buns in at the top with her fingers. She stood back to take a look. What would Adam think of her heart-shaped Pulla?

  Before she crumbled to the urge to change the shape back to ordinary, she popped the buns into a hot oven for twenty-five minutes. As soon as they were baked, she’d head for the sauna. That was one sure way to rid her body of the tension that had built up over the afternoon. Perhaps she was the one who should have gone rowing. Adam was a difficult thought to get out of her mind, especially since she’d gotten up close and personal, and touched the forbidden fruit.

  After arranging the hot buns on a cooling tray beside her laptop, Eveliina paused to look out over the lake. The yellow canoe glided through the water toward the cottage. Adam’s timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

  She slipped into her bathing suit, wrapped a soft white towel around her body and disappeared inside the sauna. She wished she could see his face when he found the hot sweet bread on the table, smelled the coffee simmering in the pot. She smiled at the thought of what he’d find kindling in the sauna.

  7

  “Eveliina,” Adam called as he tied up the canoe beside the jetty. Grinning, he jogged toward the cottage. He would ignore all she’d tried to do, and was guaranteed to still do, forgive her past and future transgressions, and love her like Jesus loved her.