Anchored in Alaska (At the Altar Book 13) Read online

  After her shower, Beverly hurried into the kitchen, hoping she could find food to cook for breakfast. He had a lot of cans of various things, but there was little she could actually cook with. His idea of cooking was obviously warming things up in his microwave.

  She found some bacon at the back of the fridge, and checked the expiration date, breathing a sigh of relief. She had a whole two days before it expired. There were only two eggs in the whole fridge, but she found some bread and a tiny bit of milk left in a gallon jug. After searching through the cabinets, she discovered some maple syrup. Perfect. She’d make French toast for breakfast, and she could buy what she needed in town later.

  By the time she was finished cooking, Colin wandered into the kitchen wearing just a pair of boxers. She blushed for a moment, but went on, setting the table and serving breakfast. When she was seated at the table with him, he took her hand and said a short prayer.

  “This smells delicious,” he told her with a yawn.

  “It’s just French toast. Super simple to make.”

  “For you, maybe. I tried once and had a huge mess that smelled to high heaven. I’m glad there’s someone here who can actually cook now.”

  “Are you still willing to take me to town later? I want to get the grocery shopping done early in the day. I’ve made a list on my phone.”

  “Yeah, as soon as you’re ready, I’ll take you. Do you just want groceries? Or do you want to explore a little.”

  “I wouldn’t say no to exploring. I love the idea of learning about my new home.” She ate a bite of her bacon, smiling a bit. She didn’t know what it was about bacon, but it always made her taste buds jump up and sing.

  “Sounds good. There’s a lot to do in Healy in the summer. We’re going to have to drive to Fairbanks to get groceries, but for the rest of the week, we’ll find fun stuff to do. I’d love to take you on an ATV ride, and show you the parts the tourists don’t see much. We could do some of the touristy stuff too and take a boat tour or a raft. I could also just drive you through Denali so you could see some of the wildlife. There are places we can hike as well, if you enjoy hiking.”

  “I haven’t been hiking in a really long time, but I wouldn’t mind giving it a try. And I love the idea of going on a raft. Maybe not today, but later this week. I think we should get the food situation taken care of, and then I can start worrying about what I want to do this week. I love being in the water, and I used to love walking, but there just hasn’t been time.”

  “Well, we’ll conquer the food today. Then tomorrow we can go on a rafting trip. Maybe we can do some hiking on Thursday. I don’t have to work again until Monday, so I would love to show you my world.”

  “Someday we’ll have to fly to New York for a week, and I’ll show you my world.”

  He frowned. “I have this strange feeling that I would hate your world. I hope you don’t feel that way about mine.”

  She moved her hand to cover his on the table. “I already love your world. I’m not going to hate it. Ever.”

  “I hope you still feel that way after winter. Our winters last nine months here, and they are not for the weak of heart.”

  “I’m sure all will be fine.” She looked at him for a moment. “And do you know why?”

  He shook his head. “No, why?”

  Beverly smiled. “Because there’s nothing weak about me.”

  Colin grinned. “You know? I believe that.”

  A short while later, they were in his truck on their way to Fairbanks. “It’s crazy to me you have to drive so far for groceries here. We had them delivered in Manhattan.”

  He laughed. “We’re a far cry from Manhattan. There are places closer to buy snacks. There are places to buy all kinds of liquor. But if we want real groceries, a trip to Fairbanks is the answer. You learn fast here that if you’re going to the store, you should ask all your neighbors if they need something, so they’ll return the favor down the road.”

  “So did you ask the neighbors before we left?” she asked, very curious.

  He shook his head. “Not this time. I figured I get a pass because I’m on my honeymoon. Everyone deserves a honeymoon pass.”

  “I guess you’re right.” She stared out the window, loving the views. “What river is that?”

  “The Nenana. Healy is in the Nenana River Valley.”

  “Such a beautiful area. I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of just looking around. How far are we from North Pole, Alaska? I’ve heard stories about it all my life. I’m really into Christmas.” It had been hard to keep her spirits up through the holiday season for many years, but now she was starting over. Maybe there would be a way for her to give back this holiday season. Glancing at her new husband, she felt she had a lot to be thankful for.

  Colin smiled. “We’ll be very close to North Pole. Do you want to go there? It’s a lot of fun.”

  “Yes, please!”

  “We’ll do that before we get groceries then. There’s even a little fudge shop inside the main store there.”

  Beverly grinned at him. “Fudge? You’re talking my language!”

  He laughed. “You seem like the type to be a chocolate worshiper.”

  “Oh, I am. I promise you that! If you ever need to apologize to me, skip the flowers and bring me boxes of chocolate.”

  “Are you supposed to give me clues like that so early in our marriage? Shouldn’t you wait a little while before telling me all your deep dark secrets?”

  She shook her head. “Nope. We’re married. You need to know the right way to apologize. Flowers would be a major faux pas!”

  “I’ll keep that in mind!”

  When he pulled into North Pole, she was watching around them like a child in a candy store. “The street lights look like candy canes!”

  “They sure do.” He hadn’t been to North Pole in a lot of years, but he was enjoying her excitement a great deal.”

  Finally, they reached the Santa Claus house, and she hurriedly jumped out of the car. She sat on a sleigh, smiling at Colin as he took her picture, before wandering along the outside of the house. There were pictures painted along the walls, all of Christmas scenes. “I want to come here every time we go to Fairbanks for groceries!”

  He laughed. “I’m not sure that’s going to be possible, but we can come sometimes.” He took her hand, leading her to the door. “Wait until you see the inside.”

  She walked in with wide eyes, staring at all the beautiful ornaments and Christmas decorations. As she walked through the store, she picked up several things, carrying them to the checkout counter. “You should go get us fudge,” she said over her shoulder to Colin.

  “What kind?”

  “Surprise me. Get a variety!”

  “All right.” He wasn’t sure a variety was the best idea in the world, but if it was what she wanted, he’d do it. He found he was already willing to do just about anything that would bring a smile to her face.

  She paid for her purchases, and he brought her a bag of fudge, handing her the lighter bag and carrying the heavier one. “Our house is going to look like Santa Claus puked in a few months, isn’t it?”

  “Oh yeah. You’re going to love it!” She couldn’t wait for the holiday season to start. There was no doubt they’d have a white Christmas.

  After he loaded up the car, they drove into Fairbanks. “Any idea what you want for lunch?”

  She shrugged. “What’s here?”

  “Do you want fancy or casual?”

  “I really don’t have a preference. Just something yummy.”

  “There’s a place in a small mall that does crepes. I’ve been there a few times, and I think it would be something you’d like.”

  “So they have savory as well as sweet?” She didn’t want to be locked into a lunch that was just sweet when she had fudge waiting for her.

  “Yes, they do. Want to try it?”

  “Sure. Sounds like fun.” He pulled into a parking lot near a small mall, and she jumped down from the tru
ck.

  They held hands as they walked into the mall, and he led her to the crepe shop. “Worst thing about this place is you have to get a key to use the bathroom, and it’s all the way around the corner.”

  “That sounds like a pain! I hope the food is worth it.”

  “It really is!”

  They ordered. He got a ham and cheese crepe, so she followed suit. She’d never had a savory crepe before, so she trusted his judgment. They sat on some stools facing a wall. As soon as she’d taken a bite of the crepe, she sighed. “These are delicious. And now I need to learn how to make crepes.”

  “Do you think you could?” He nodded to where the employees were making the crepes right in front of them.

  “I do think so. It’s just a matter of getting a recipe. Now that I’ve seen it done, I’ll have a better idea of how to do it at home.”

  They watched them long after they’d finished their meal. “Do you want a dessert crepe?” he asked. “We could split one.”

  She shook her head. “I’m stuffed, but we’ll be sure to come back here and have them again.”

  They got back into the truck and drove to the grocery store. The store he chose was huge, much bigger than the grocery stores she’d been to in Manhattan. They each got a shopping cart and stocked up. She bought enough to completely fill up his extra freezer as well as non-perishables. “I can cook for a while on this.”

  He nodded. “We’ll still make another trip in a month. We want to make sure we have a good stock of food before the first snows fall.” He loaded the bags of groceries into the truck before getting in and starting the engine.

  “Is there anywhere I can buy crafting supplies here? I need some fabric and some more yarn. I want to keep making the quilts and afghans for the babies.”

  “So you don’t just run your foundation, you make stuff too?”

  “Yeah, that’s how it started. I was looking for something I could do from my mother’s bedside. It was the perfect solution for me.”

  “Are you going to make some stuff for the house too?”

  “Absolutely, if you don’t mind. I like the idea of having some things I’ve made on the back of the couch and hanging on some of the walls.”

  “Let’s go then.” He loaded all the groceries into the truck and drove the short distance to a craft store. “Do I have to come in?”

  She laughed, shaking her head. “We wouldn’t want them to take your man card away!”

  “You know about the man card? Women aren’t supposed to know about that. Don’t tell anyone!” Colin looked around furtively, looking to be sure no one had heard.

  “You’re a bit messed up in the head,” Beverly told him. “You know that, don’t you?”

  “I couldn’t do my job if I wasn’t…”

  Chapter Five

  By the first of October, there was a layer of snow on the ground. Beverly was thankful there were places close by where she could get a gallon of milk, and not have to drive all the way to Fairbanks for everything.

  Being married was so much more than she’d dreamed it would be. She had made the changes to the house she wanted to make, and she was happy to be there. She met a few local women, and some had even agreed to help her with her foundation.

  It was a Wednesday in the middle of October, and she had to run out to get milk and eggs. Everything else could wait for the weekend when she and Colin would drive into town together, but she didn’t want to have to make the long drive alone.

  As she was walking through the convenience store, she felt a bit dizzy, which surprised her. She’d expected it when she first moved there, because the altitude was more than she was used to, but it hadn’t happened then. Why would it happen now?

  She bought the eggs and milk, taking them to her vehicle and sitting there behind the wheel breathing deeply. What could be wrong with her? She had no idea, but she pulled out her cell phone and made a couple of calls, determined to find out. Hopefully she was just anemic or something. She’d done that before.

  She was surprised when the doctor got her right in. There had been a cancellation. Driving to the doctor’s office, she parked beside the building and hurried inside. She filled out the paperwork, and waited to be called back. She hadn’t established care there yet, because she wasn’t anywhere near needing her annual physical, so she hadn’t worried about it.

  She was playing a game on her phone when the nurse came out to get her. “Mrs. Geller?”

  For a moment, she didn’t even realize the woman was using her name. She’d been Miss Snow for so long that Mrs. Geller sounded foreign to her.

  She stood up and followed the nurse, putting her purse on the counter so she could be weighed. There was nothing more demoralizing than standing on a scale. She had never been overweight, but she still hated to step onto the scale. There was too much emphasis on a person’s weight in the US.

  She followed the nurse into the room and had her vitals taken. “What was the date of the first day of your last menstrual cycle?”

  The question stumped Beverly. “I think it was May. Right before my mother died, but I’ve never been regular.”

  The nurse made notes on a chart, and then left the room. “The doctor will be with you shortly.”

  The doctor was a short little Asian woman, who was very no nonsense. “So you were dizzy today? That’s why you’re here?”

  “Yes. I’ve been dizzy before, but it was always because I was anemic. I expected some dizziness when I first moved here, but I’ve been here since the end of July. That seems like a long time for it to show up.”

  “Oh, it’s definitely not the altitude.” Dr. Yung looked at the chart. “What birth control method are you using?”

  “I’m not. I’ve always had problems with my cycles, and I had a doctor tell me several years ago that without surgical intervention, I wouldn’t be able to have children. My husband isn’t interested in children, so we’re not going that route.”

  The doctor frowned. “Did your doctor tell you what was wrong with you?”

  “I have endometriosis.” Beverly shrugged. “It’s never been a big deal to me, because until a few months ago, I was taking care of my invalid mother. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever even marry.”

  “Do you mind if I do some bloodwork?”

  “Not at all. Do you know what’s wrong?”

  “I have my suspicions, but I’m going to confirm them before I say anything.”

  Beverly shrugged. “That works.”

  “I’d also like a urine sample if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all.”

  The doctor sent her into the bathroom with instructions for the urine sample. When she finished there, the nurse was waiting to take her blood. “How long will it be before I get my results?”

  “Probably tomorrow. We do a lot of the lab work in house, because we’d have to ship them so far.”

  Beverly stood up, catching the counter. She was dizzy again. Hopefully there would be an answer and some medicine soon.

  The door opened, and the doctor came back in. “Sit down, Mrs. Geller.”

  Beverly frowned, but did as she was told. She’d been obedient to doctors for too long to stop now. “It just happened again.”

  “I don’t need to run anymore tests. Your urine test told me everything I need to know.”

  “Oh? What’s wrong with me?”

  “Absolutely nothing.”

  “Nothing? But why am I getting dizzy?”

  “You’re expecting. I’ll know better what your due date is when I get your blood test results.”

  Beverly sat blinking for a minute. “There’s no way. I can’t have children.”

  “Doctors make mistakes every day. You’re definitely having a baby. We need to get you on some prenatal vitamins.” The doctor kept talking, but Beverly sat in stunned silence. She was having a baby. She knew that Colin wouldn’t be thrilled, but she was. She was more excited than she’d ever dreamed she’d be at that news.

  She s
topped and had the prescription filled on her way back to the national park. As she drove, she couldn’t stop thinking about the baby. She actually had a life growing inside her. She couldn’t wait to hold the baby in her arms. All those years when she’d thought she was infertile and would never have a child disappeared. She was pregnant!

  She had no idea how she would tell Colin, because he’d made it clear on many occasions that children weren’t in the cards for him. He didn’t even like kids. She thought about telling him over dinner, but after some thought, she decided it might be good to wait a little while to tell him.

  When she got home, she started supper in the crock pot, thinking that a nap was in order. She hadn’t had one in a long time, but she was tired. The doctor had encouraged her to sleep more, and she was going to do just that. She’d put in a lot of hours getting the house where she wanted it before winter, and now it was just a matter of keeping up with the daily tasks. She had a quilt she was making in Christmas colors, but she’d continue with that after her nap.

  When she woke a couple of hours later, she felt fully refreshed. She still didn’t know how she was going to tell Colin about the baby, but maybe if she talked to him about children, he’d realize just how much he wanted them. This pregnancy had been an accident, but the child was anything but unwanted.

  As they ate dinner that evening, she asked, “What made you decide you didn’t want children?”

  He put his fork down, looking at her with surprise. “I’ve never wanted kids. Now that I’m in my mid-forties, I can’t imagine having a child to raise. I’d be in my sixties before he or she graduated from high school. That’s way too old.”

  She shrugged. “People do it every day.”

  “Why bring this up? I thought we were in agreement not to have children.”

  “We were.” She decided not to push the topic any further. Not just yet anyway. She’d find just the right time to tell him, and she was sure he’d be thrilled about the birth of his child. How could he not be? He was a caring man, and he seemed to care about her. Surely he’d understand that a child can come from a loving marriage.