Read Online Summer of the Midnight Sun by Tracie Peterson - Free Book Online
Authors: Tracie Peterson
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perfect.”
“And what will you do while I’m gone?”
Jacob looked away. Leah could see he was uneasy with her question, and then it dawned on her that he meant to take Jayce up on the exploration offer. “You’re going to go with Jayce, aren’t you?”
“I think so. I’ve been praying on it, and . . . well . . . I think it might be exactly what God wants for me.” His expression was one of hopefulness—rather like a little boy asking if he might keep a stray dog.
“I see,” Leah said, wanting to be supportive. “I suppose to be honest, I was considering it myself—at least going to see the family. I know Karen would love it.”
“Look, just think about it. I need to get out there with the dogs. Jayce wants me to show him the best and help him to train with a couple of teams. I’ll be busy all day.” He headed to the door. “Happy birthday, Leah.”
The words rang in the air long after he’d gone. Leah sat down to the celebratory breakfast but found she wasn’t at all hungry.
He’s made up his mind to go away with Jayce . The thought left her feeling rather empty. It wasn’t that Jacob wasn’t entitled to his own life. Goodness, but they’d talked about this on many occasions. Leah had always maintained that she’d go back to Ketchikan if Jacob wanted to set out on his own. They’d only stayed together because neither one had anyone else—at least that’s what they told each other.
Leah picked at the cakes, each piece drenched in the precious maple syrup. But even this sweet treat couldn’t make the meal more palatable. He’s leaving me. He’s leaving and going far away . But it wasn’t Jacob’s leaving that held her thoughts captive.
“Knock, knock!” a female voice called out.
Leah immediately recognized Emma Kjellmann’s Swedish accent. “I’m in the kitchen.”
The blond-haired woman immediately pushed back the fur and stepped inside. “Happy birthday.”
Leah smiled. Emma was the only other white woman in the village. She and her husband had come to the Seward Peninsula to bring the Word of God to the natives. While there, she’d given birth to three children, the oldest of whom shared his birthday with Leah.
“Thank you. Are we still planning to celebrate this evening?”
“Oh ja,” Emma said with a grin. “Bryce has talked of nothing else.”
“Well, turning four is a big event. Would you like some coffee?” Leah asked, getting to her feet. “I’m afraid I’m behind this morning. Jacob let me sleep late.”
“Good for him,” Emma replied, her accent thick. “It’s good for you too, ja?”
Leah laughed. “I don’t know about that, but I do feel very rested.” She held up the pot, but Emma shook her head.
“I’ve had plenty. I just wanted to let you know that we’d expect you and Jacob at six. Oh, and bring your visitor too. We’ll have plenty of food, thanks to Jacob’s trip.”
The mention of Jayce caused Leah to consider sharing her woes, for if anyone could advise Leah, it would be Emma.
“Do you have a minute, Emma?”
“Ja. Bjorn is seeing to the children, and the baby is sleeping, so he won’t have it that hard. What’s troubling you?”
Leah came back to the table and sat down. Emma took the seat opposite her. “It’s about our visitor.”
“You knew him from before, Jacob said.”
“Yes.” Leah struggled for words. Emma was such a dear friend, but it was still hard to speak aloud what she’d only dared to admit in her heart.
Emma put her hand over Leah’s. “You have feelings for this man, ja?”
Leah looked at the woman in surprise. “How could you know that?”
Emma shrugged. “Why else would you be sitting here instead of helping Jacob with the dogs?”
It was true, Leah thought. She was always outside working with the dogs when there weren’t people wanting to purchase something from the store. “I was in love with him once—nearly ten years ago. He spurned me, saying I was too young to know my heart. I
“And what will you do while I’m gone?”
Jacob looked away. Leah could see he was uneasy with her question, and then it dawned on her that he meant to take Jayce up on the exploration offer. “You’re going to go with Jayce, aren’t you?”
“I think so. I’ve been praying on it, and . . . well . . . I think it might be exactly what God wants for me.” His expression was one of hopefulness—rather like a little boy asking if he might keep a stray dog.
“I see,” Leah said, wanting to be supportive. “I suppose to be honest, I was considering it myself—at least going to see the family. I know Karen would love it.”
“Look, just think about it. I need to get out there with the dogs. Jayce wants me to show him the best and help him to train with a couple of teams. I’ll be busy all day.” He headed to the door. “Happy birthday, Leah.”
The words rang in the air long after he’d gone. Leah sat down to the celebratory breakfast but found she wasn’t at all hungry.
He’s made up his mind to go away with Jayce . The thought left her feeling rather empty. It wasn’t that Jacob wasn’t entitled to his own life. Goodness, but they’d talked about this on many occasions. Leah had always maintained that she’d go back to Ketchikan if Jacob wanted to set out on his own. They’d only stayed together because neither one had anyone else—at least that’s what they told each other.
Leah picked at the cakes, each piece drenched in the precious maple syrup. But even this sweet treat couldn’t make the meal more palatable. He’s leaving me. He’s leaving and going far away . But it wasn’t Jacob’s leaving that held her thoughts captive.
“Knock, knock!” a female voice called out.
Leah immediately recognized Emma Kjellmann’s Swedish accent. “I’m in the kitchen.”
The blond-haired woman immediately pushed back the fur and stepped inside. “Happy birthday.”
Leah smiled. Emma was the only other white woman in the village. She and her husband had come to the Seward Peninsula to bring the Word of God to the natives. While there, she’d given birth to three children, the oldest of whom shared his birthday with Leah.
“Thank you. Are we still planning to celebrate this evening?”
“Oh ja,” Emma said with a grin. “Bryce has talked of nothing else.”
“Well, turning four is a big event. Would you like some coffee?” Leah asked, getting to her feet. “I’m afraid I’m behind this morning. Jacob let me sleep late.”
“Good for him,” Emma replied, her accent thick. “It’s good for you too, ja?”
Leah laughed. “I don’t know about that, but I do feel very rested.” She held up the pot, but Emma shook her head.
“I’ve had plenty. I just wanted to let you know that we’d expect you and Jacob at six. Oh, and bring your visitor too. We’ll have plenty of food, thanks to Jacob’s trip.”
The mention of Jayce caused Leah to consider sharing her woes, for if anyone could advise Leah, it would be Emma.
“Do you have a minute, Emma?”
“Ja. Bjorn is seeing to the children, and the baby is sleeping, so he won’t have it that hard. What’s troubling you?”
Leah came back to the table and sat down. Emma took the seat opposite her. “It’s about our visitor.”
“You knew him from before, Jacob said.”
“Yes.” Leah struggled for words. Emma was such a dear friend, but it was still hard to speak aloud what she’d only dared to admit in her heart.
Emma put her hand over Leah’s. “You have feelings for this man, ja?”
Leah looked at the woman in surprise. “How could you know that?”
Emma shrugged. “Why else would you be sitting here instead of helping Jacob with the dogs?”
It was true, Leah thought. She was always outside working with the dogs when there weren’t people wanting to purchase something from the store. “I was in love with him once—nearly ten years ago. He spurned me, saying I was too young to know my heart. I
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