The Dance

Chapter 69 Beginnings

Farewells were always the hardest as Jack drove Bam and Lila to the dock in Juneau. It seemed of late Lila was always saying goodbye to someone. Jack wiped the tears from Lila's cheeks with his thumbs and assured her they would see her soon. Bam had offered to take Jack hunting and fishing and he knew Ami would love the company of Becky again.

Lila and Bam boarded the ferry to Hoonah. This would be their first time in Browntown as husband and wife. It was a time of new beginnings and much still needed to be done. A proper home was at the top of the list. The trapper shack was a basic accommodation suitable for him but he couldn't very well have his wife and future family living in one room. He appreciated that Lila never complained about bush living but she had traded many of the comforts of home to live his lifestyle.

Once in Hoonah, the couple disembarked one boat to board the family boat. Before letting Lila board the Integrity, Bam scooped Lila up and carried her over the threshold of the boat to the pleasure of the trademark family howls.  Lila and Bam were bombarded with hugs, kisses and questions. As soon as his mother began to ask the inevitable question of grandbabies, Bam cast her a frown and she stopped mid-sentence. Lila gave her husband a knowing wink as the expectations and pressure to have children would be coming from all the Browns.

Bam assumed his usual position at the helm of the Integrity giving his father a break on the return ride to Chicagof. Bam felt at home behind the wheel of the boat but his thoughts and eyes were never far from Lila.

Noah and the girls kept Lila company as Bam steered the Integrity away from Hoonah. Noah enjoyed having Lila as part of the family. She was well read and had an inquisitive mind. They had clicked immediately when Bam brought her to Browntown the first time.

Matt stuck his head in the wheel-house and gave Bam a shout out. "Hey, old man, how's married life treating you?"

Bam tried not to break a smile and kept his eyes on the horizon. "It's good man. We're good."

"And the fringe benefits?" Matt inquisitively asked.

"Remember man, that's my wife you're asking me about."

Matt apologized to Bam for getting too personal. He was truly happy for them. Maybe one day he would find that kind of peace, a woman that could provide safe harbor from the pressures of being the eldest brother.

Bear and Gabe plopped themselves down in the wheelhouse quizzing Bam on his honeymoon. Bam stuck with his original comment to Matt and kept his personal life to himself. He quickly switched the subject to his need for a proper home for his new bride and asked the duo for assistance in getting the land cleared and prepped. Always the enthusiastic pair, Bear and Gabe pledged their support to get the project done as soon as possible.  The pair secretly hoped that with a new face in town, she might invite friends of the female persuasion to visit her in Browntown.

As the family neared home, everyone fell into their usual routines in advance of anchoring just off shore. Matt ferried the family in three separate trips to the beach at Browntown bringing Bam and Lila last. As Lila was about to jump in the water, Bam again scooped her up and carried her to the dry part of the beach. "Joshua, how many times are you going to carry me over the threshold?"

Bam planted her squarely on the ground and replied, "At least two more times...once at the main cabin and once at the trapper shack."

Lila secretly loved all the attention. She had never been the center of someone's world and she quite appreciated being the center of his. Every gesture he made only proved to her over and over how deep his concern for her well-being was. She knew he would one day make a wonderful father. She closed her eyes and the image she had first seen at Kay and Kenny's of him, her and a little boy and girl seemed more real than ever. They had casually mentioned children and she had already picked out the names of her imaginary children...Jace and Lily. One day she hoped to bless him with that family but for now she was content to be a family of 2 and an extension of 8.