The Dance

Chapter 21 Loose Ends

Jack and Becky were happy to see Lila again. From the looks of her, she appeared to be adjusting to the Alaskan lifestyle again quite well. Gone were the heels and the dress, replaced by boots, jeans and flannel. Becky rushed to give Lila a bear hug and filled her in on the details of their visit. Jack kissed Lila's forehead and grabbed her bag.

"Baby sister, you ready for the trip back to Juneau?"

Lila nodded compliantly. She took a last look at Hoonah, exhaling deeply, and spilled her guts to Jack and Becky on the return home. Jack and Becky took the news in stride. After all this time, Lila was home, in love with a bush man and hopefully, it was a love that would keep her in Alaska. They couldn't have asked for more.

Arriving back home in Juneau was a welcome pleasure. It was good to be back in the old homestead again. Lila made a hasty departure to her room and a long hot bubble bath. She never appreciated the amenities of her home and lifestyle until she had to bathe in a creek with a bear.

Lila wrapped herself in a warm, fluffy robe and proceeded to unpack her things. She placed Bam's photography portfolio on her dresser so at least a little bit of him could be close to her.

She unfolded her clothes, throwing some in the basket for washing and hanging the others in her closet. She carefully unpacked her hair comb, the one she wore when she met Joshua at the dance. She pressed it close to her heart and thinking of her dad and mom and how she wished they were still here to know she had found someone special. She took her shoebox of letters from her dad out to place them in her closet. In the bottom of her last bag, the one she had taken to Browntown, she found a wrinkled envelope. She hadn't seen it before. Carefully, she opened the note and revealed it's author. The note was from Bam. The paper was heavy and singed on the edges by fire. The script was beautiful but it was the three little words written on the paper that had the greatest impact.

Dwell in possibilities.-Joshua

Lila recognized the words immediately. They were written by her favorite poet, Emily Dickinson. She knew what they meant immediately...they were his way of telling her what he hadn't said outloud yet. He loved her.

Sleep came quickly that night for Lila. The events of the day had taken their toll on her. Lila placed Bam's note under her pillow and slipped softly into dreamland.

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A week had already passed and Bam was noticeably more argumentative and short with his brothers. He was definitely preoccupied by Lila's departure which did not go unnoticed by his brothers. After much discussion amongst his brothers, Noah was elected to be the spokesperson of the foursome and talk to Bam about his attitude. Noah, being the most direct of the group, waited until they had finished their last delivery before making his not so subtle approach.

"Bam, you're being an ass. Go and get that girl before we mutiny. Ever since she left, you been nothing but a jerk to all of us. If you love her, go and get her."

Bam could feel the anger rise up in him and lashed out. "It's not that simple."

"Yes, brother, it is. You obviously care for her and I know she feels the same about you. Go to Juneau, tell her how you feel and bring her back home fast before we drop you in the middle of Icy Straits and leave you there."

For being the youngest of the brothers, Noah had a way of simplifying the obvious. He should have never let Lila leave without offering to go with her. He decided then if she was not back by the following week as promised, he would go to Juneau.

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Lila was tired from the week's activities. Meeting with lawyers and magazine staff, pouring over contracts, signing an endless trail of papers and paychecks was exhausting. Complicating matters, Bradley Kensington was coming to Juneau to check on her. Lila's emotions were somewhat mixed over the call from New York. At one time, she would have been thrilled to know that he was coming to check on her but now things were different. For the first time in Lila's life, she could distinguish between her feelings for Brad and what she now felt for Joshua. She thought this would be two weeks spent tying up loose ends, but little did she know how life altering this next week would be.