family, but, well â¦â She paused for a moment. âI donât know. I guess Iâm just anxious to be at my job.â Getting to her feet, Julie was just as anxious to drop the subject. âNow, if youâll all excuse me, tomorrow is October twelfth and that means itâs Augustâs birthday. Iâm going to see what I can whip up in the kitchen.â
August grinned. âI figured everybody would forget.â
âJust why do you think I braved the weather to come this way?â Sam said and laughed. âBesides, why do you think I let you win at chess yesterday?â
âWell, if it was a birthday present, you should have let me win today as well. Iâm a bit humbled by the entire experience,â August said as he got up, stretched, and looked at his watch. âI guess Iâd better go check on the dogs.â
âThatâd be a good idea,â Vern said. âLetâs go.â
âIâll lend you a hand,â Sam offered.
âNo.â Vern waved him off. âSomebody has to keep an eye on
her
,â he said pointing at Julie.
âMe?â Julie questioned as she pointed to herself. âI donât need a keeper. Iâll be just fine. I promise to behave myself and stay in the kitchen.â
Vern smiled at his daughter. âIâd feel better if Sam kept an eye on you.â
Julie rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders before she let the men go.
Who was going to keep an eye on Sam?
she wondered.
By the time the sun began to set, the weather had calmed, and the temperature had risen significantly. The silence left in the wake of the roaring wind was unsettling.
Julie bundled up against the cold and waved off her fatherâs protests. âIâm just going outside to look things over. Thereâs no wind, no snow, and Iâd best get used to the elements. I have a job to report to in little over a week,â she said, more harshly than sheâd intended.
Vern nodded. âI canât help worrying. I love you, Jewels.â
Julieâs expression softened as she reached out to put a reassuring hand on Vernâs arm. âI love you, too, Papa. Please donât worry. I was very foolish the other day. I realize my mistake, and I wonât make it again.â
Vern embraced his daughter momentarily and then opened the back door for her. âHave fun,â he said. Julie knew it was his way of giving her his blessing and confidence.
Julie walked out into the darkness. She turned back and saw the cheery glow of light shining from the house. Out on the nursing trail, there would only be the lighted windows of strangers to look forward to. Was she doing the right thing? Was she really cut out for the solitary existence her job required?
âYouâre mighty deep in thought,â Sam said as he came from somewhere out of the blackness.
âI was just thinking about my work.â
âApprehensive?â Sam questioned.
Julie looked rather quizzically at Sam. âHow did you know?â
âJust something I felt.â
âWell,â Julie continued before Sam could get personal, âIâm sure everyone has second thoughts. Iâm just settling mine, thatâs all. How about you? What brings you out tonight?â
âI just bought two new dogs from your father. We staked them out with my team this afternoon, and I was checking up on them. They fit right in,â Sam said as he moved closer to Julie. âI figure weâll leave sometime in the morning.â
âOh, so soon?â Julie questioned.
âDisappointed?â Sam asked with a grin.
Julie moved away from Sam and noticed the sky. âLook!â
Overhead, the sky filled with pulsating light. Green, pink, and white lights streaked the night blackness, and the heavens exploded with northern lights.
âThe aurora,â Sam said as he came to stand directly behind Julie.
âIâd nearly
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