‘Saved the world? I did not realise I was sitting next to a hero?’
‘I think hero is a bit much, I just care about the world we live in, and attempt to save it a bit at a time.’
‘Very admirable, I’ll drink to that, I hope there are a few more like you around, cheers.’
The two of them drank the Jack Daniels measures from the expensive drinks trolley, and talked about their partners until the plane landed. He arranged to meet Constance in Upernavik in ten days, but for now his trip was further north to Qaanaaq and his old friend.
Archer and Katherine were enjoying the first peace in months. The ranch was the best place to escape, the main house was located some distance from the working part of the ranch. Anita liked the isolation. Katherine had flown them there from the nearby airport, leaving Debra to run maintenance on the Global Surveyor with her new helper Juan Garcia Moreno. The Ecuadorian had found a sudden interest in engineering, Katherine thought it was more likely to be the engineer, and invited them to join her in a few days.
Archer was calmer in his old home, every corner, beam and door invoking pleasant childhood memories. She was more at peace, knowing that her mother was more than she could have ever imagined, and missed her more than ever. She knew that the man responsible for her accidental death was no more, and would never bring such horror and heartache to any other person.
The events of the past few weeks had left their mark on Archer. The death of his mother, like any child leaves an open wound, whether the parent was good or bad. The fatigue that can be caused by grief must be fed, with explanations and understanding, to help the people left behind to process the loss. He had not taken the time to deal with her passing, and jumped to conclusions about his parent’s relationship, without fully understanding it.
What child truly knows their parents, and in some cases what parents truly know each other. He had discovered that although the exterior displays he could remember, sparked thoughts of isolation and abandonment of each other and family. The actual relationship was very deep, a linking of two kindred spirits, who relied on each other for support, even though they were quite capable of surviving anything. He thought that had his mother and father spent every day together like many others, they would have divorced before he was born. They welcomed their space and independence, but embraced the time they had together treasuring it more because of its fleeting rarity.
Many couples did not take the time to just be truly together, thinking that just sitting in the same room, watching TV was sufficient. Anita had never allowed a TV in the house, until Archer lost his brother, then she bought one, to allow him to escape for a short while. Of course she only allowed him two hours a day, so he was selective with what he watched. However, she never set limits on reading, or riding, or adventures around the ranch with her, Katherine or Kevin. She let all the children live, let their imagination flourish ensuring they kept in touch with who they were, or were to become. She always thought that the best start you could give. A child that enjoyed their childhood, got a true childhood. No loss of innocence can ever be undone, or replaced.
Archer was done with fighting for now, informing Briggs that he had resigned his position, Briggs accepting and wishing him well, letting him know that he had nothing to do with Mastasson’s actions in Mabalia or Panama, which Archer accepted.
Jacob called, ‘Hey Archer, how are you?’
‘Well Dad I feel truly rested, and you?’
‘Just landed in Greenland, I will see you in a few weeks.’
‘You take care up there.’
‘I will, and you take care of the ranch and Katherine, how are you two getting on?’
‘I will tell you when I see you, or you can ask her later?’
‘Maybe I will. Listen about your mother; she left a message for you.’
‘Have you seen it?’
‘No, she left separate ones for each of us, they are all private, Katherine has seen hers already. Do you want to see it?’
‘I am not sure, but do you think it will help?’
‘Well my boy, you get to see your mother talking to you again; that cannot be so bad.’
‘No you’re right, where is it?’
Jacob gave Archer directions to the location of the memory card containing the message, and hung up.
Katherine came back into the room, the smell of horses still on her jumper and jeans, ‘Who was that?’
She brushed her hair and looked at Archer, ‘What?’
‘Nothing, just forgot how beautiful you are.’
‘Thanks Archer. I love you. You know that.’
‘I do, I think I always did.’’
‘Listen I have to watch my mother’s message, do you mind if I have some time alone?’
‘No take all the time you need, I will be in the stables if you need me.’
‘Okay I will come and get you later.’
Archer kissed Katherine lingering just long enough to convey his love for her. He held her after they had stopped, savouring the moment.
‘There is just one more thing I need to know.’
‘Anything Archer?’
‘Why do they call you ROBBIE?’
‘I am going to kill my brother!’
‘Come on, it can’t be that bad.’
They walked out onto the porch. ‘Kevin and I were riding bikes in town, and we got into somewhere we should not have been. The owner came out to chase us away and we climbed over the barbed wire fence. Well I….snagged my underwear on the fence, tore it right off. So I have to ride back home in just a skirt. Kevin decided to call me Robbie after that.’
‘So it stands for?’
‘Alright, alright. Rides On Bikes Butt Is Exposed.’
Archer could not stop laughing even after Katherine hit him in the arm repeatedly.
‘That is brilliant. Can I share that one?’
‘If you do I will have Debra shoot you.’
‘Well because I love you, it can be our secret.’
‘You love me?’
‘Of course. I’ll be back soon.’
They kissed again, longer this time, with intent, and then Archer went to his mother’s bedroom to watch the message. The layout was unchanged since she left. Jacob had tidied up, but not altered anything, and Archer knew that he never would.
Qaanaaq had not changed since Jacob was last there, the houses up on short legs to stop them sinking into the thawed land, the poles showing the roads, for when the snow storms arrived. He loved the tranquil simplicity that it offered, and the lack of hustle compared to the rest of the world. Here the climate and nature dictated the pace, and you just went with it, which was more conducive to his personality.
He could see the bergs out in the bay near Thule Airbase, the most northerly US facility in the world. The tug was out dragging the icebergs away from the end of the runway, it was the only airbase in the world with a tugboat, but it had to for safety to keep the runway clear.
Jacob greet his old friend, ‘Aleqatsiaq Daorana been a long time.’
‘It has Jacob, I expected you a few weeks ago, what delayed you?’
‘It’s a long story.’
‘Well Jacob, if you put on this headset inside your helmet, we can chat on the way to my house.’
Jacob obliged and got comfortable on the skidoo, and recounted his story from the iceberg in Canada to the complex in Ecuador. When they arrived at Qaanaaq, Aleqatsiaq had some news for Jacob.
‘That amulet that did not fit into the cylinder, where is it now?’
‘I have it, thought you might want it.’
‘And why would you think that Jacob?’
‘Because I researched the glyphs on the amulet, and the style of writing is similar to Inuit scripts, specifically Northern Greenland.’
‘Really? I think we need a detour.’