heaven. It was pretty moving.
The plaque read:
T O COMMEMORATE THOSE IN THE SERVICE OF THE C ANADIAN P ACIFIC R AILWAY C OMPANY WHO, AT THE CALL OF KING AND COUNTRY, LEFT ALL THAT WAS DEAR TO THEM, ENDURED HARDSHIP, FACED DANGER AND FINALLY PASSED OUT OF SIGHT OF MEN BY THE PATH OF DUTY AND SELF SACRIFICE, GIVING UP THEIR OWN LIVES THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE IN FREEDOM. L ET THOSE WHO COME AFTER SEE TO IT THAT THEIR NAMES BE NOT FORGOTTEN.
1914–1918 1939–1945
“That’s what we should do at Black Briar,” I said, suddenly very determined. “We should erect a monument. Like they used to do in the olden days, you know, like the Vikings.”
Katie held my hand and leaned her head into my shoulder, staring at the statue. “That is very sweet,” she said quietly.
We stood on the sidewalk for a long time, lost in thought. I’m not sure what Katie was thinking, but I could not get the last moments of Susan and Maggie out of my head. That kind of love, that determination and dedication … I hoped I had that someday. Oh, I was sure I loved Katie, but we were newbs with all this. Maybe we’d grow into that strong a bond, and I was keeping my fingers crossed, but it didn’t come along very often in life. I kept my arm around her after that. It was a big step for me, being out in public and all, but it felt right.
Past the train station, we watched a cruise ship launch. It must have been a common occurrence, because there was no one on the dock, so Katie and I waved at them as they left, hooting and hollering along with the cruise folk. Seemed to make them happy, and I know it helped my spirits.
We watched the ship until we lost sight of it, then we stopped at a nearby deli, ordered an instant picnic, and hiked over to Stanley Park.
I wanted to walk over to Second Beach before we ate, but Katie insisted we stop and pay our respects to Robert Burns. His statue was at the entrance, so we didn’t have to go out of our way. We spent ten minutes admiring the wide array of bird droppings and little notes people leave at these sorts of places, and then we made our way through the wooded area toward the water.
Second Beach is stunning. We found a fallen tree and spread out our foodage. I was starved and dove into my sandwich without much thought to conversation. Katie ate more sparingly, picking her food apart and watching the water. Once I’d knocked off most of a pastrami on rye I leaned back against the tree and pulled out my knitting. Knit one, pearl three. It was a pain.
After I finished two rows, Katie sighed.
“What’s on your mind, hon?”
She looked over at me and smiled. “This is just nice, you and me, alone.”
There were a dozen people on the beach below us, but I took her meaning. “Yeah, parts of this weekend have been great.”
We sat enjoying being in each other’s space.
“I wish you’d just move in with me,” she said finally. “It would be easier.”
I dropped my knitting into my lap and turned my head to look at her. She was so earnest.
“I’ve been thinking about it,” I told her. “You know that. I just can’t leave Julie right now. She’s got nothing at the moment. I can’t abandon her after all she’s been through.”
She kept smiling, but I thought it was a little more brittle than before. “She’s a grown woman, Sarah. She doesn’t need a nursemaid.”
I shrugged. The guilt was enormous. I’d brought the dragon down on her. It was my fault the sword was reforged. If I hadn’t acted, she’d still have her home and her forge. I had to make amends. Had to see her safe.
I shrugged again. “What else am I supposed to do, Katie? I owe her.”
She reached over and touched my cheek. “Guilt is a terrible weight to bear.”
“It’s only until she can get back on her feet,” I promised. “We can talk about it in a few months, okay?”
“Sure,” she conceded. “Just makes it hard to have any quality alone time at your place with Aunt Bea always
The plaque read:
T O COMMEMORATE THOSE IN THE SERVICE OF THE C ANADIAN P ACIFIC R AILWAY C OMPANY WHO, AT THE CALL OF KING AND COUNTRY, LEFT ALL THAT WAS DEAR TO THEM, ENDURED HARDSHIP, FACED DANGER AND FINALLY PASSED OUT OF SIGHT OF MEN BY THE PATH OF DUTY AND SELF SACRIFICE, GIVING UP THEIR OWN LIVES THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE IN FREEDOM. L ET THOSE WHO COME AFTER SEE TO IT THAT THEIR NAMES BE NOT FORGOTTEN.
1914–1918 1939–1945
“That’s what we should do at Black Briar,” I said, suddenly very determined. “We should erect a monument. Like they used to do in the olden days, you know, like the Vikings.”
Katie held my hand and leaned her head into my shoulder, staring at the statue. “That is very sweet,” she said quietly.
We stood on the sidewalk for a long time, lost in thought. I’m not sure what Katie was thinking, but I could not get the last moments of Susan and Maggie out of my head. That kind of love, that determination and dedication … I hoped I had that someday. Oh, I was sure I loved Katie, but we were newbs with all this. Maybe we’d grow into that strong a bond, and I was keeping my fingers crossed, but it didn’t come along very often in life. I kept my arm around her after that. It was a big step for me, being out in public and all, but it felt right.
Past the train station, we watched a cruise ship launch. It must have been a common occurrence, because there was no one on the dock, so Katie and I waved at them as they left, hooting and hollering along with the cruise folk. Seemed to make them happy, and I know it helped my spirits.
We watched the ship until we lost sight of it, then we stopped at a nearby deli, ordered an instant picnic, and hiked over to Stanley Park.
I wanted to walk over to Second Beach before we ate, but Katie insisted we stop and pay our respects to Robert Burns. His statue was at the entrance, so we didn’t have to go out of our way. We spent ten minutes admiring the wide array of bird droppings and little notes people leave at these sorts of places, and then we made our way through the wooded area toward the water.
Second Beach is stunning. We found a fallen tree and spread out our foodage. I was starved and dove into my sandwich without much thought to conversation. Katie ate more sparingly, picking her food apart and watching the water. Once I’d knocked off most of a pastrami on rye I leaned back against the tree and pulled out my knitting. Knit one, pearl three. It was a pain.
After I finished two rows, Katie sighed.
“What’s on your mind, hon?”
She looked over at me and smiled. “This is just nice, you and me, alone.”
There were a dozen people on the beach below us, but I took her meaning. “Yeah, parts of this weekend have been great.”
We sat enjoying being in each other’s space.
“I wish you’d just move in with me,” she said finally. “It would be easier.”
I dropped my knitting into my lap and turned my head to look at her. She was so earnest.
“I’ve been thinking about it,” I told her. “You know that. I just can’t leave Julie right now. She’s got nothing at the moment. I can’t abandon her after all she’s been through.”
She kept smiling, but I thought it was a little more brittle than before. “She’s a grown woman, Sarah. She doesn’t need a nursemaid.”
I shrugged. The guilt was enormous. I’d brought the dragon down on her. It was my fault the sword was reforged. If I hadn’t acted, she’d still have her home and her forge. I had to make amends. Had to see her safe.
I shrugged again. “What else am I supposed to do, Katie? I owe her.”
She reached over and touched my cheek. “Guilt is a terrible weight to bear.”
“It’s only until she can get back on her feet,” I promised. “We can talk about it in a few months, okay?”
“Sure,” she conceded. “Just makes it hard to have any quality alone time at your place with Aunt Bea always
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