tucked under her, she pulled a blanket around her shoulders.
For a long moment, she stared at the envelope with Richard’s bold handwriting. Was he still angry? She slid a finger under the seal, lifted out the letter, and opened it.
“ Dear Kate,” he began. She took a deep breath. That didn’t sound angry. “Since you left, I’ve done nothing but think about you. I know you don’t believe there’s a chance for us and maybe there isn’t, but I want to try. Love is strong enough to heal all wounds. If you can give me any hope, I’ll wait for you.”
Kate stopped reading and pressed the letter to her chest. What did she feel for Richard? An ache like that of homesickness pressed down on her. Had she been too impulsive? Piloting in Alaska was harder than she’d imagined. And yet, she felt as if she belonged here.
Her eyes returned to the letter. “ I’m trying to understand your reason for going. I want you to be happy, but please consider coming home. In the meantime be careful. I dread receiving word that something terrible has happened to you. I don’t think I could bear that.
I’ve been busy. Got hired on at a new government project and there’ll be lots of work, as long as the winter isn’t too hard. I’ll be saving up money, maybe enough for a trip north. If you come down, even for a visit, maybe we can go fishing, and you can take me flying.”
Kate’s heart squeezed, remembering warm summer days spent at their favorite fishing spots.
“ I’m waiting. Please write back soon. All my love, Richard.”
Melancholy settled over Kate. She missed him.
She folded the letter and returned it to the envelope. Could she return? Should she? Kate couldn’t imagine giving up her new life. The possibility of Richard moving to Alaska flashed through her mind and hope flickered. Was it possible? Maybe she should ask him?
That night the gale charged down from the north. Temperatures plummeted, and winds howled, lashing Kate’s bedroom window with icy pellets. The small stove in her apartment barely staved off the cold. Several times during the night she climbed from beneath her blankets to feed the fire. Each time her mind went to Richard and the possibility of his moving north. She couldn’t imagine him leaving his home or his family. Everything that mattered to him was in Washington. It wouldn’t be fair to ask him.
She bundled deeper beneath the covers, but still cold raised gooseflesh on her skin. Clearly, she’d need more blankets before winter truly set in. With the wind wailing outdoors, she lay in the darkness, her unsettled mind rolling around questions and doubts.
When the first light of day pushed back the darkness, Kate peered at the clock. It was nearly eight. Feeling as if she hadn’t slept, she climbed from beneath her blankets and moved to the window. Ice had crystallized on the interior glass and she could barely see the frigid outside world. She hoped Mike and Frank were safe. She even felt concern for Jack. As infuriating as he was, Kate didn’t want him hurt and hoped he’d stayed put.
She returned to her bed, the warmest place in the room, and briefly fell back to sleep. She woke to a hush. The wind had stopped. She scraped away enough ice from the window to see outside. The alley had been transformed into a sparkling white world. There was only an inch or two of snow, but like a frozen cape, it clung to everything.
She heard the door to the store open and wondered who had come in so early. No one usually showed up until 10:00 on Saturdays. A few moments later, a knock sounded at her door.
“Just a minute,” she said, pulling a quilt around her.
She opened the door to Albert, who was bundled in an oversized parka, his face barely visible in the midst of a heavy fur fringe. His expression was serious.
“Is something wrong?” Kate asked.
“Got a call from Sidney.”
Kate’s stomach tightened.
“Says he needs you at the airfield.”
“Did he say why?”
“Nope.
For a long moment, she stared at the envelope with Richard’s bold handwriting. Was he still angry? She slid a finger under the seal, lifted out the letter, and opened it.
“ Dear Kate,” he began. She took a deep breath. That didn’t sound angry. “Since you left, I’ve done nothing but think about you. I know you don’t believe there’s a chance for us and maybe there isn’t, but I want to try. Love is strong enough to heal all wounds. If you can give me any hope, I’ll wait for you.”
Kate stopped reading and pressed the letter to her chest. What did she feel for Richard? An ache like that of homesickness pressed down on her. Had she been too impulsive? Piloting in Alaska was harder than she’d imagined. And yet, she felt as if she belonged here.
Her eyes returned to the letter. “ I’m trying to understand your reason for going. I want you to be happy, but please consider coming home. In the meantime be careful. I dread receiving word that something terrible has happened to you. I don’t think I could bear that.
I’ve been busy. Got hired on at a new government project and there’ll be lots of work, as long as the winter isn’t too hard. I’ll be saving up money, maybe enough for a trip north. If you come down, even for a visit, maybe we can go fishing, and you can take me flying.”
Kate’s heart squeezed, remembering warm summer days spent at their favorite fishing spots.
“ I’m waiting. Please write back soon. All my love, Richard.”
Melancholy settled over Kate. She missed him.
She folded the letter and returned it to the envelope. Could she return? Should she? Kate couldn’t imagine giving up her new life. The possibility of Richard moving to Alaska flashed through her mind and hope flickered. Was it possible? Maybe she should ask him?
That night the gale charged down from the north. Temperatures plummeted, and winds howled, lashing Kate’s bedroom window with icy pellets. The small stove in her apartment barely staved off the cold. Several times during the night she climbed from beneath her blankets to feed the fire. Each time her mind went to Richard and the possibility of his moving north. She couldn’t imagine him leaving his home or his family. Everything that mattered to him was in Washington. It wouldn’t be fair to ask him.
She bundled deeper beneath the covers, but still cold raised gooseflesh on her skin. Clearly, she’d need more blankets before winter truly set in. With the wind wailing outdoors, she lay in the darkness, her unsettled mind rolling around questions and doubts.
When the first light of day pushed back the darkness, Kate peered at the clock. It was nearly eight. Feeling as if she hadn’t slept, she climbed from beneath her blankets and moved to the window. Ice had crystallized on the interior glass and she could barely see the frigid outside world. She hoped Mike and Frank were safe. She even felt concern for Jack. As infuriating as he was, Kate didn’t want him hurt and hoped he’d stayed put.
She returned to her bed, the warmest place in the room, and briefly fell back to sleep. She woke to a hush. The wind had stopped. She scraped away enough ice from the window to see outside. The alley had been transformed into a sparkling white world. There was only an inch or two of snow, but like a frozen cape, it clung to everything.
She heard the door to the store open and wondered who had come in so early. No one usually showed up until 10:00 on Saturdays. A few moments later, a knock sounded at her door.
“Just a minute,” she said, pulling a quilt around her.
She opened the door to Albert, who was bundled in an oversized parka, his face barely visible in the midst of a heavy fur fringe. His expression was serious.
“Is something wrong?” Kate asked.
“Got a call from Sidney.”
Kate’s stomach tightened.
“Says he needs you at the airfield.”
“Did he say why?”
“Nope.
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