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He looked down at her. “You coming? I want to show you the stars of an Alaska sky.”
“Ye-ah!” She ran to get her outside clothes. Once he saw her, he yelled down, “Grab that tarp and quilt I set aside and hand it up to me.”
She did as he asked. “What about Glen?”
Another voice sounded from above. “I’m here, Demi. Climbed up the snow piled behind the house. Come on. It’s brilliant.”
Not wasting another minute, she made her way up the ladder and once on the roof, Glen helped her settle back on the blanket they’d laid over the tarp. While they got comfy, Whit closed the trap door, making sure the rope was accessible for later. Then he came and laid down beside them.
Demi reached for his hand, and he tucked them both into his pocket where they clung together. Then she reached for Glen’s and the three of them looked up at the miracle unfolding.
Once her eyes became accustomed to the cold, she stared above and swore that the stars appeared closer… brighter, big enough that one could reach up and poke them to see if they’d twinkle more. Drawing in her breath, she lay mesmerized. How could a mere mortal describe such wonder? She blinked and then again.
Thank you, God. I know you provided us with this paradise. Help us to care for it. More importantly, help the whole world… not to destroy what we can never replace.
For quite some time, no sounds were heard. Only clouds of misty breath floated above the humans. Listening, they all heard the forest’s noises, often the cracking of icicles that the sun had melted earlier in the day, and the mesmerizing calls from roaming animals carrying on with their everyday lives.
No words were needed for Demi to understand the feelings each one experienced. Some precious moments were meant to be relived many times and for her, this was one of them.
She wondered if her grandfather had felt the same when he came up on the roof. Finally, she got it. His love of the wilderness and why he chose to live his life here. She’d been hooked before, but this incredible, intoxicating experience cemented her decision.
She’d never leave Alaska.
ChapterThirty-three
The day of the dance arrived, catching Demi in a mess. She’d burned her last batch of cookies, trying to get the finishing touches done to Norrie’s sweater. Rushing, she slapped together another batch and got the first tray in the oven.
Deciding she still had time to wrap some presents she wanted to bring to town with her, she went into her bedroom and spread everything out on the bed. At the same time, with her earphones in place, she dictated the final chapter of her book.
By the time Whit returned from helping Clive clear the streets in town again so most of the folks could get to the tavern, he’d had to bellow to get her attention. “Demi. Where are you?”
As soon as he swung open the door, she blinked and smelled the smoke. “Oh, no. Not again. My cookies.”
He’d taken the tray from the oven, and she rushed over to the stove to see the charcoaled mess. “Fuck!! What is wrong with me? I totally forgot about them.”
Whit stopped her fussing by imprisoning her in his arms. “Honey. I know you figure you can multi-task, and you do it well. But sometimes, it can be a mistake. Look, I see you have more dough. So, why don’t you get the next batch ready, and I’ll sit in the living room, do some reading, and watch over them as they cook. Then you can do what you need to do. Okay?”
Sarcasm just slightly noticeable, Demi nodded. “Fine, Mr. Dependable. You can save my butt. I do need a bit more time. I’m so close to finishing the story. It’ll be the perfect Christmas present to send Laurie the final chapters.”
Half an hour later, she opened the door to the stink of burned cookies. Thinking the smell should have dissipated by now, she went to where she saw Whit curled in his chair.
That’s when she saw his eyes closed and his book flattened on his chest. “Oh, no. You let my cookies burn too.”
Watching Whit dive from the chair all disoriented, flushed, and then embarrassed to see the burnt chunks of charred dough dissolved her righteous anger. Instead, she began to laugh. “It’s a good thing I made ten dozen of those suckers yesterday.”
“What? And here I am feeling so shitty.” Whit took the last batch and threw them outside. “Let’s see if the birds will eat them.” They both watched out the window and saw Nito rush to the blackened pile, and in no time, he’d cleaned it all up.
Worried, Demi murmured. “Will he get sick?”
“Who? That little bastard? He’s got an iron stomach.”
“He’ll need it.” Her words made them both crack up, and it set the mood for the rest of the day.
***
Later, dancing a two-step that Whit had insisted she let him teach her, Demi could hardly believe how relaxed she was now compared to when she’d first arrived in this northern community. Dancing hadn’t been something she ever felt comfortable doing, and now she loved it.
Snuggling close, she let him guide her through the steps while listening to the country music she’d learned to love. Before the song ended, Glen cut in and snatched her close. Now dancing with Whit could be likened to a smooth sail whereas being with Glen made a person feel like they’d hit rough waves. But his enthusiasm made up for every time he apologized when he stepped on her feet. She loved seeing him having fun and would have put up with more of the torture if she hadn’t noticed Whit accepting the guitar Clive handed him.
