St. Elias

by Meris Lee

  “What’s he doing here if he’s rich?”

  “My guess is he’s the black sheep of the family. I heard he dropped out of law school. Howard University, a highly respected school on the East Coast according to Andy,” said Katy, a bitter grin now showing on her face.

  “Who’s Andy?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m so busy with work and Andy hasn’t felt good enough to visit, and so I haven’t introduced you to each other. Andy’s my boyfriend.”

  “I see.” Elias wondered why Katy didn’t seem too excited to talk about her boyfriend. “So, is Andy sick or…”

  “You can say that.” Katy took a sip of her tea and sighed. “Andy’s got a problem with…with his moods.”

  “How so?”

  “Well…” Katy rubbed her fingers against her mug. “Andy’s the life of the party when he’s fine, and you’d never guess there’s a dark side to him. And then, he’ll just crash into this hole, and there doesn’t have to be a reason. His grandmother died last year, and they were very close. So, he’s been in the hole more often than not since her death. And then there’s his business. It’s not doing well. He owes the bank money, and they almost took his plane last year. He needs the plane to take tourists around these mountains. The plane is his life.”

  “It sounds like a pretty tough problem.”

  “Tell me about it,” said Katy. “All the friends I grew up with have left the Copper River Valley as soon as they graduated high school. I also wanted to leave and go to college in Anchorage or another state and study medicine someday. But Andy wanted to stay, and he still does, even with these lousy prospects. He loves the mountains here, and I love him.”

  Elias was touched by Katy’s resolve to give up her dreams and future for the man she loved. Elias didn’t know if she would do the same, but then, she’d never loved. To her surprise, the image of sullen Samuel Collins suddenly flooded her mind, and she could feel a warmth in her face somehow. She couldn’t understand what was happening in her head. Surely, she was not going to try and fall in love with that grump of a man.

  “So, what are you going to do?” asked Elias, switching off the image of the ranger and attempting to refocus on her new friend and the issue at hand.

  “I don’t know,” said Katy. “I don’t know how to help him, other than to stay by his side, when he lets me.”

  “Why won’t he let you?”

  “When he’s in a mood he thinks he’s no good for me, that I deserve better. He pushes me away. We fought this morning. He wants to break up again.”

  “Oh, Katy…” It all seemed more complicated than it needed to be somehow.

  The cabin door opened, and in walked Gina and Shuping.

  “What a day!” Shuping plopped down on the futon. “I’m exhausted. These tourists drive me nuts. Why don’t you carry this? Why don’t you carry that? Can’t you have it special-ordered and shipped here next day?”

  Gina chuckled. “To which you should’ve answered, ‘No, sir, we’re not Walmart, and you’re welcome to return to the convenience of whichever city you’re from because clearly, this vacation is not working out for you.’”

  “And the next thing you know,” said Shuping, “I would be out of a job.”

  “Then you can come and work with me at the trail restoration project,” said Gina. “It’s awful fun working in construction. It builds character.”

  Elias laughed. She would never be able to quip like her new friends did, but she certainly enjoyed watching them do it.

  Shuping, playfully, gave Gina a disapproving look.

  “Okay, okay.” Gina looked around the room at her friends. “So, are we ready for the cookout at the Glacier Cabins?”

  “As tired as I am,” said Shuping, “I’m in fact looking forward to it. Are we going right now?”

  “No time like the present,” said Gina. “It’s supposed to have started twenty minutes ago.”

  “I’m going to skip it,” said Katy, somewhat despondently, getting up from her chair at the dining table and walking toward the back of the cabin. “I’m not in the mood to be in a crowd tonight.”

  “Maybe I should keep you company.” Elias knew Katy was still worried about Andy.

  “Don’t be silly,” said Katy, disappearing into the bedroom. “Go and meet some people. Have fun. I’ll be fine.”

  “Come on.” Gina pulled Shuping and the reluctant Elias out the door. “I’ve been waiting for a party to happen for forever.”

  Chapter Nine

  The Glacier Cabins, across the Kennicott River from McCarthy, was the resort where Katy parked her Jeep the day Elias arrived. The evening air was cool, and Elias had to don a coat, gloves, and a wool hat. The sun already set behind the mountains, but there was still some daylight left. When Elias and her friends arrived at the Glacier Cabins, a suckling pig was being roasted over a fire pit, and aromatic smoke filled the air. Men and women sat or stood in small groups chatting while children ran around picking wild raspberries from the bushes nearby. A trio of acoustic guitar players provided the entertainment. Platters of vegetables, potato salad, bread, and cold cuts spread out over a long table under a white canopy, the underside of which was decorated with Christmas lights. Gina and Shuping wasted no time in sampling the food and offering their critical opinions about the dishes.

  “Andy’s here.” Gina peered over Elias’s shoulder.

  She turned and saw a lanky man with a beard that covered the hollows of his cheeks. The man stopped in front of her and waved. He looked happier than she expected.

  “Elias, meet Andy,” said Gina. “Andy, meet Elias.”

  “You’re the new roommate.” He offered a hand.

  She shook it. “Nice to meet you, Andy.”

  “Same here.” Andy scanned around. “Where’s Katy?”

  “She said she was tired and wanted to stay home,” said Shuping.

  “I’m hungry,” said Gina. “Do you guys want to check out the pig?”

  “I do,” said Shuping.

  “I’ve got to help grill salmon in a minute, so no,” said Andy.

  “Do you mind if I stay with you and watch?” Elias asked him, hoping to talk to him in private.

  “Of course not,” he said. “I love sharing the art of grilling our world-famous Copper River salmon.”

  “See you guys in a bit then.” Gina walked away with Shuping.

  “The grill’s that way.” Andy began to turn.

  “Wait,” said Elias. “I want to talk to you about Katy.”

  He nodded. “Did she tell you about our fight?”

  “Yes. She didn’t want to come because she was heartbroken.” She wanted to say something to help Andy make up with Katy, but in her heart, she wondered whether they should split up for good so Katy could leave the Copper River Valley and pursue her dreams of becoming a doctor.

  And as if Andy read her mind, he said, “I don’t want to tie her down. She should live the life she deserves.”

  Elias didn’t want to comment on that response because she didn’t think it was her place to do so. Andy led her to the grill. The smell was sublime. A tall man, wearing a gray campaign hat and a gray short-sleeved uniform shirt tucked into a pair of green slacks, was carefully turning a salmon fillet onto its reverse side.

  “Come on, Sam,” said Andy. “Hungry people are waiting for the fish.”

  Elias felt her heart flip when Sam turned around. He also looked a little surprised to see her, but he only said stiffly, “Cleaning, marinating, and cooking salmon properly requires time.”

  “Haven’t you heard of sashimi?” Andy chuckled. “It’s trendy in Anchorage now. We can eat the fish raw, especially when it’s so fresh.” Andy turned to Elias. “He and I caught these salmon a couple of hours ago.”

  “I was approached by the organizers of this function to grill salmon,” said Sam. “I do not wish to disappoint by presenting the alternative—sashimi.”

  “My goodness,” exclaimed Andy. “Must you always be so seriou
s? I was just joking.”

  “I’m aware of that,” said Sam.

  Elias wanted to laugh but suppressed it instead. Stuffy Sam was, well, stuffy.

  “Anyhow,” said Andy. “Elias, this is my buddy, Sam. And Sam, this is Katy’s new roommate, Elias.”

  “We met earlier at the visitor center,” said Elias.

  “What?” said Andy. “You didn’t tell me, Sam.”

  Sam raised an eyebrow. “Am I to report to you every visitor who shows up at my place of employment and announces random information about him or herself without being asked to?”

  Elias was hurt when she heard this. Stuffy Sam was also Mean Sam. So, she was right that his friendly discourse earlier regarding the park was just a professional act. “Nice seeing both of you,” said Elias. “I’ll go and find my friends now.”

  “No, no, no. Stay,” said Andy. “Sam, what’s wrong with you? Do you not know how to act around a lady? No wonder you’re a bachelor.”

  “My apologies,” said Sam. “I don’t seem to be able to find the right words around you, Elias.” He placed a piece of grilled salmon on a plate and offered it to Elias. “Please.”

  “Yes, Elias,” said Andy, grinning. “Sam is not known for his conversational skills. Don’t take it personally. He’s that way to everyone.”

  Was he? Elias looked up and met Sam’s contemplative eyes. He said that he couldn’t find the right words around her, not around people. He was singling her out. What did it mean?

  She took a bite of the salmon. It was buttery and flavorful, melting away in her mouth like a piece of chocolate, giving her an immense sense of satisfaction and pleasure. “Um…” she muttered.

  “Well, well, well, Andy Thompson, I thought I might run into you here,” said a man in a sports coat approaching with another man who wore a hat similar to Sam’s except it was dark blue with a gold cord around the base of its crown.

  “Ranger.” The man in the sports coat patted on Sam’s back. Sam gave a nod as he lifted the salmon from the grill onto a serving plate.

  Andy’s jolly demeanor gave way to a cool, reluctant greeting. “Who invited you?”

  “Now, now,” said the man with the blue hat. “Let’s be friendly.”

  The man in the sports coat shook hands with Elias. “Zack O’Brien, president of the Copper Valley Natural Resources Corporation.”

  “Uh…” She thought for a second. “Elias Dodsen, a line cook at the Kennecott Hotel.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” said O’Brien, letting go of her hand. “Tell Mr. Mason I said hi, and that I think he’s done a smart thing hiring you because I’m sure your culinary skills are as beautiful as you.”

  Elias was embarrassed by the comment and didn’t know how to respond as she had never been complimented before, especially not by a man of such ingratiating manner. In fact, she was annoyed and didn’t think the comment was appropriate at all.

  O’Brien continued. “I detect a slight twang. Where are you from? I was born and raised in Arkansas.”

  Elias thought her heart had stopped. She didn’t want people to know where she was from. She was even more ruffled when O’Brien added, patting on the shoulder of the man with the blue hat, “This is Sergeant Wolfe, Alaska State Trooper.”

  Wolfe saluted her instead of shaking her hand. She shivered, an abrupt feeling of doom descending upon her. The trooper scanned her from head to toe, resting his gaze on her feet just a tad too long for her to feel comfortable. She brought her left foot in front of her right. Did he notice a protuberance around her right ankle where the monitor was hidden inside her jeans? She felt like she couldn’t breathe.

  “So, Andy,” said O’Brien. “Have you given it more thought? The offer’s still good.”

  “I’m not leasing my grandmother’s land for you to dig for oil,” said Andy sternly.

  “Your father tells me you could use the money,” said O’Brien. “I know your business is struggling—”

  “My business is fine,” yelled Andy. “And don’t bring that drunk into this conversation. My grandmother left her land to me, not to him.”

  “You’ve got to face the reality that it takes a bold move to ensure future prosperity for both you and your tribe,” said O’Brien. “And think about Katy. Think about the life you can provide her.”

  Andy’s fists balled up. “Quit your sales pitch. No one’s buying.”

  Wolfe chimed in, “Mr. O’Brien is making a valid point. The state is supportive. The tribal leaders are supportive. We the non-Natives are supportive.”

  “The tribal leaders do not represent all of the tribe,” Sam said in his solemn, baritone voice, and everyone turned to him. “And, with all due respect, Sergeant Wolfe, you do not represent all non-Native Alaskans. The federal government supports protection of wilderness and limited development, as do many young people whom I’ve spoken with. This is their future we’re talking about. They need to have a say in this matter.”

  Wolfe turned red in the face. “Young people take everything for granted. They don’t know how hard we have to work to build the schools and keep the electricity running.”

  “Relax, Sergeant Wolfe.” O’Brien chuckled. “I’m sure Andy will come around when he’s finally marrying Katy.”

  “Don’t hold your breath,” said Andy.

  “Katy’s not getting any younger,” said O’Brien.

  Andy raised his arm and was about to take a swing at O’Brien when Sam stepped in and seized Andy’s fist. “I suggest,” said Sam, “in the spirit of this lovely soiree, it’s best for you and Sergeant Wolfe to enjoy the rest of your evening elsewhere.”

  “Just because you’re dressed in a uniform doesn’t mean you can talk to us like you’re one of us,” shouted Wolfe, and then he uttered a word derogatory to those with dark skin.

  Elias gasped. She looked at Sam. His face knotted and his lips shut tight, daggers of fierce exasperation charging from his eyes. Andy, right fist still in Sam’s hand, now tried to take his left fist to Wolfe when all of a sudden, the latter began to wave his arms around his head and twist his body from side to side.

  “God damn it,” the trooper cursed as he dashed away.

  O’Brien gave an embarrassing look and said as he followed Wolfe, “I’ll talk to you later, Andy.”

  “Don’t,” Andy shouted, laughing.

  “What just happened?” asked Elias. Sam, still agitated, let go of Andy’s hand.

  “The wasps,” said Andy. “Big Bad Wolfe was stung by a wasp a couple of months ago and almost died. Now he’s terrified of them. Oh, boy. Wasn’t that funny the way he ran off?”

  Elias noticed two or three wasps were buzzing around now the smoke from the grill had dissipated. “Are you all right, Sam?” she asked.

  “Big Bad Wolfe’s an idiot,” said Andy, still not finished with laughing. “Don’t take him seriously, Sam.”

  “I’d better take this over,” Sam responded somberly. He walked away with the plate of salmon toward the canopy.

  Elias wanted to talk more with Sam, to find out how he felt about Wolfe and how he processed these unpleasant exchanges, but she was too timid to go after him and pursue a conversation. Andy put another fillet of salmon on the grill. She decided to go and look for her friends, who happened to have also come back under the canopy. Sam was chatting with a couple whose toddler girl wore his hat and held his hand when she arrived. She didn’t want to interrupt, but she felt like the episode earlier by the grill should have boosted familiarity and comradery between them, and perhaps he would come and talk to her when he was finished with the couple. But when the couple made their child return the hat to him and walked away, the ranger merely tipped his hat to her and rejoined Andy at the grill. Elias couldn’t help but feel disappointed somehow.

  “Come on,” said Gina. “Let’s dance.”

  She dragged Elias in front of the guitar players. Shuping was already there, swaying to the rhythm of pop music. Elias remembered dancing with Ce’Rainitee but was
now surprised to find herself not as bitter or sad as she used to feel whenever she thought of her childhood friend. In fact, the bitterness and the sorrow were slipping away, diminishing little by little each day in the presence of her new pals.

  A young man came and asked to dance with Elias. She was nervous, but she accepted and held the hand of a man for the first time in her life. He twirled her around, nudged her to one side, and then pulled her close. She was getting dizzy following his lead.

  “I’m Josh,” said the young man when the song was over. “See my buddies over there?” He pointed his chin toward a group of men around a fire ring. “They bet I couldn’t get the most beautiful girl here to dance with me. Wanna go to a movie with me with the money I won from them?”

  This was the second time tonight, and the second time in her life, she was called beautiful by a man, although Josh seemed much more sincere than O’Brien did. She wondered whether this was what flirtation was all about, and she sort of liked it. “I didn’t know there was a movie theater around here,” said Elias.

  “So, that’s a yes?” asked Josh.

  Elias was giddy. She was being asked out on a date for the first time in her life. Josh was not bad to look at, and she did enjoy dancing with him. She looked over to the grill. Andy was no longer there. Sam, unexpectedly, seemed to have been watching her intently with an enigmatic look of amusement on his face, but upon seeing her looking in his direction, simply nodded and walked away, again.

  “No,” said Elias. “I’m sorry. I have a boyfriend.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize. Is he here tonight?”

  She cursed at herself for having lied impulsively for no reason at all. She could’ve just declined without making up a boyfriend, but she liked the sound of it. “No, he’s in Texas—” Now she wanted to kick herself for blurting out her home state. “We’re on a break.”

  “So why not go out with me?” asked Josh.