“What is that?”
“A pile of stones.”
“I’m well aware that they are stones. Exactly what is the pile doing here?”
“Just sitting.” Her sarcasm wasn’t helping his humor.
Sorry, Lord.
“We are getting ready to build an inukshuk, Dr. Steele.”
He blinked. “A what?”
“An inukshuk—it’s an Inuktitut word. Technically it means ‘a likeness of a person,’ but it’s a stone landmark used as a milestone or directional marker by the Inuit.”
Seeing his confusion hadn’t lifted, she launched into an explanation to buy time for his temper to mellow.
“The Arctic Circle has very few natural landmarks, so the Inuit build their own to mark a special ceremony or a date of significance. Then every time you go past it you remember.”
“Very interesting, I’m sure.” He rubbed his temple with the pad of his index finger. “But this isn’t the Arctic, Dr. Cranbrook.”
So they were back to formalities again.
“No, it isn’t, Dr. Steele. But it is a foreign place for most of these kids.”
“Uh-huh.” He shifted from one foot to the other. Waiting.
“The hospital is strange, we’re strangers, and for most of the kids the palm trees, the ocean, the hills—none of it’s familiar. They’re strangers in a strange land, and they hurt.” She tried to make him understand. “They need to do this.”
“Because?” He glanced around as if bewildered.
“Because they need to have one thing in this place that is uniquely theirs, one thing they helped create. The inukshuk will be that, a monument that says to the world, ‘I was here. I survived.’”
“It’s a great idea, Dr. Steele.” Nurse Kemper stepped forward, her eyes shining in her gaunt face. “The children are so excited. Some have even begun to discuss returning to Agapé after they’ve healed, just to see their stone. They encourage each other through the treatments. It’s really exciting to watch.”
“This one is Bennie’s.” She knew the moment she held out the hunk of black lava rock that he didn’t approve.
“I see. And the drum?” He raised one eyebrow.
Glory giggled.
“That was improvisation. Toby isn’t into painting. He can’t write his name with his hands bandaged. Anyway, he doesn’t know his letters yet. So he’s making music for us to work by.”
“Music. I see.” A twinkle, the barest flash lightened his steely eyes. “You really love these children, don’t you, Doctor?”
The question disturbed her. If he had to ask—“Don’t you?”
Jared never answered. His blue eyes fogged over in confusion as he studied the stones. When he paused at the exit, he studied her with unnerving intensity.
“I apologize for missing dinner last night. Perhaps I can make it up to you by treating you to lunch.”
“That’s not—”
“I’ll meet you by the sea in half an hour, Glory. And bring your swimsuit.”
“Yes, boss.”
He glanced over one shoulder, as if to check whether she was taunting him, then left.
“Well!” Nurse Kemper blinked. “A lunch invitation. That must be a first.”
“He’s just trying to be kind. I invited him for dinner last night and he canceled.”
“Yes.” The nurse nodded. “I heard Sister Philomena had a bad turn.”
“I must meet her, to thank her. She left tea and cookies with a note when I arrived.”
Nurse Kemper’s harsh face softened. “That’s her. She’s the sweetest thing. Agapé was originally her idea.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Oh, yes. She’s Elizabeth Wisdom’s cousin. That’s how Elizabeth became involved with Agapé.”
“I’d like to meet the sister.”
“She sometimes comes for tea, though I understand she’s recently become quite frail.” Nurse Kemper checked her watch. “I’d better get Toby ready for lunch.”
Nurse and child hurried away, chattering a mad combination of English and a language Glory didn’t recognize. She tidied the room, checked on Bennie, who was still asleep, then left the mission. It took
“A pile of stones.”
“I’m well aware that they are stones. Exactly what is the pile doing here?”
“Just sitting.” Her sarcasm wasn’t helping his humor.
Sorry, Lord.
“We are getting ready to build an inukshuk, Dr. Steele.”
He blinked. “A what?”
“An inukshuk—it’s an Inuktitut word. Technically it means ‘a likeness of a person,’ but it’s a stone landmark used as a milestone or directional marker by the Inuit.”
Seeing his confusion hadn’t lifted, she launched into an explanation to buy time for his temper to mellow.
“The Arctic Circle has very few natural landmarks, so the Inuit build their own to mark a special ceremony or a date of significance. Then every time you go past it you remember.”
“Very interesting, I’m sure.” He rubbed his temple with the pad of his index finger. “But this isn’t the Arctic, Dr. Cranbrook.”
So they were back to formalities again.
“No, it isn’t, Dr. Steele. But it is a foreign place for most of these kids.”
“Uh-huh.” He shifted from one foot to the other. Waiting.
“The hospital is strange, we’re strangers, and for most of the kids the palm trees, the ocean, the hills—none of it’s familiar. They’re strangers in a strange land, and they hurt.” She tried to make him understand. “They need to do this.”
“Because?” He glanced around as if bewildered.
“Because they need to have one thing in this place that is uniquely theirs, one thing they helped create. The inukshuk will be that, a monument that says to the world, ‘I was here. I survived.’”
“It’s a great idea, Dr. Steele.” Nurse Kemper stepped forward, her eyes shining in her gaunt face. “The children are so excited. Some have even begun to discuss returning to Agapé after they’ve healed, just to see their stone. They encourage each other through the treatments. It’s really exciting to watch.”
“This one is Bennie’s.” She knew the moment she held out the hunk of black lava rock that he didn’t approve.
“I see. And the drum?” He raised one eyebrow.
Glory giggled.
“That was improvisation. Toby isn’t into painting. He can’t write his name with his hands bandaged. Anyway, he doesn’t know his letters yet. So he’s making music for us to work by.”
“Music. I see.” A twinkle, the barest flash lightened his steely eyes. “You really love these children, don’t you, Doctor?”
The question disturbed her. If he had to ask—“Don’t you?”
Jared never answered. His blue eyes fogged over in confusion as he studied the stones. When he paused at the exit, he studied her with unnerving intensity.
“I apologize for missing dinner last night. Perhaps I can make it up to you by treating you to lunch.”
“That’s not—”
“I’ll meet you by the sea in half an hour, Glory. And bring your swimsuit.”
“Yes, boss.”
He glanced over one shoulder, as if to check whether she was taunting him, then left.
“Well!” Nurse Kemper blinked. “A lunch invitation. That must be a first.”
“He’s just trying to be kind. I invited him for dinner last night and he canceled.”
“Yes.” The nurse nodded. “I heard Sister Philomena had a bad turn.”
“I must meet her, to thank her. She left tea and cookies with a note when I arrived.”
Nurse Kemper’s harsh face softened. “That’s her. She’s the sweetest thing. Agapé was originally her idea.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Oh, yes. She’s Elizabeth Wisdom’s cousin. That’s how Elizabeth became involved with Agapé.”
“I’d like to meet the sister.”
“She sometimes comes for tea, though I understand she’s recently become quite frail.” Nurse Kemper checked her watch. “I’d better get Toby ready for lunch.”
Nurse and child hurried away, chattering a mad combination of English and a language Glory didn’t recognize. She tidied the room, checked on Bennie, who was still asleep, then left the mission. It took
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