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NORTHERN SURPRISES
CHAPTER ONE
It was to be the strangest job interview of my life – only I didn’t realize that it was a job interview at the time.

Speaking of job interviews, I had just come home from the most soul-crushing one imaginable. All the time I was in college, slaving for my BSN –Bachelor of Science in Nursing—I cherished a dream of practicing nursing in an unusual environment. Such as an airport! I had always been fascinated by airports especially, and by the idea of getting a ground job. I would meet fascinating people from all over world and attend to them in exciting situations. But airport nurse jobs were almost non-existent. Until I saw the ad online a few days after I graduated. And at our local airport!

Eagerly, I applied for the job online and received a response telling me the date and time of the interview. The morning of the interview, I dressed in my best suit and took off happily.

Only to be met with discouragement.

There were twenty-eight other candidates besides me. Men, women. Some young. Some older. Competition! I might have known.

The interview, in front of a stern triumvirate of two women and one man, wasn’t promising.

“Experience?”

I told them of my four years hospital experience at St. Mark’s Hospital in New York City, located in one of the toughest neighborhoods in the city, right next to the Bowery. Also, my concurrent BSN from a top college in New York. I had varied experience working with all kinds of people in the city, and worked through the pandemic. I had experience with the most up-to-date medications and treatments. Surely that must make a difference?

“Have you had any prison experience?”

“No, ma’am.” (Prison experience? WHY?)

“Where do you see yourself in five years?

“Uh, working as a nurse, I guess.”

(What a ridiculous question! Who did they think I was, Nostradamus?)

Finally, the interview was over, and I left. No, escaped was a better word.

They “would let me know.” (Don’t call us; we’ll call you.)

When I reached the home where I lived with my parents, I felt so discouraged. Nothing could have cheered me up.

Nothing except for a surprise visitor.

“Leta!” My mother called from the living room. “Come and see who’s here!”

I dragged myself reluctantly into the living room. And was taken aback.

“Look who’s here!” my mother caroled. “My baby brother, Mac! All the way from Canada!”

‘Uncle Mac!” I rushed right into the arms of my handsome young uncle, whom I’d seen too infrequently. Not since he and Aunt Heather had come down for Christmas two years ago. “Oh, it’s so wonderful to see you! Is Aunt Heather with you?”

“No, she’s back in Canada.” Uncle Mac laughed. “We’ve rented a house just outside Edmonton for the month. She sends her love, though.”

“What brings you down here, Mac?” inquired my father, getting up from his easy chair and putting his newspaper aside.

“I had some business in New York, and thought I’d drop by to see my favorite niece and her family.” He winked at my mother.

We lived in a suburb in upstate New York, about forty miles outside the city. (Incidentally, people in the New York metropolitan area never say New York. They refer to it as “the city”. FYI.)

“Oh, Uncle Mac, I’m so glad to see you,” I exclaimed. If there was any balm to my wounded soul at that moment, he could provide it. “Let’s go sit out on the patio. I have so much to tell you.”

“I’ll bring you both some lemonade.” My mother beamed. “Your Uncle Mac has already caught up with your father and me.”

Uncle Mac and I sat out on the patio. It was late afternoon.

“I’m sorry that you and Aunt Heather couldn’t come to my graduation last week,” I said between sips of lemonade. “But I love the card you sent.”

“The fifty-dollar check we enclosed didn’t hurt, either, I’ll bet,” Uncle Mac said on a laugh.

“Well, that didn’t hurt, either.” I was laughing now myself. “And I’ll need it, especially since I’m sure I didn’t get the job I applied for this afternoon.”

“Oh, and what job was that?” Uncle Mac queried.

“An airport nurse job; a ground job. I thought it would be exciting, as well as unusual work.”

“You didn’t want to work in a hospital?”

“Oh, no, Uncle Mac. I mean, this isn’t an insult to hospital workers. But I’ve had enough of hospital work. Twelve-hour shifts and crummy pay. No, I want to do something really different, to meet unusual people; to nurse in a different environment.”

“Unusual people,” Uncle Mac mused. Then, “Have you ever considered nursing in a foreign country?”

“Well, I did consider joining the Red Cross and going overseas,” I said. “They do important work, also.”

“Would you consider emigrating to Canada? Since the pandemic, we’ve been short of nurses. And we’re especially looking for BSN nurses—particularly where I work,” the last few words he seemed to be saying to himself.

“I’d consider it,” I stated. “I like Canada, even though I haven’t been there since I was a kid. And then, to Niagara Falls.”

Uncle Mac stared at me consideringly. “Do you have any more job interviews lined up?

I shook my head. “Not a one.”

Suddenly, he stood up. “Come on up to Canada. Your Aunt Heather would like to see you. And you can see how you like it there.”

“When would you like me to come up?” I asked excitedly.

“Would next week be too soon?”

“I’ll let you know.” Just then, my cell phone buzzed. I excused my self from Uncle Mac to glance at my message.

Well, it was official. I hadn’t gotten the airport nurse job. But had I really thought I would?

At that moment, I saw an airplane in the distance soaring past our house. Was I seeing my lost opportunity going past? Or was it a sign of flying onward to something better?

I turned to Uncle Mac.

“Next week would be great! I can’t wait to go up to Canada. How long do you want me to stay?”

“Five days,” Uncle Mac stated. He seemed to hesitate. Was there more to this than he was letting on?

“Is your passport in order?” he continued.

“Oh, yes! Complete with awful picture.”

Uncle Mac chuckled at that one.

“Make reservations on Air Canada to fly to Edmonton next Monday, “he went on. “I’ll pick you up at the airport. You can stay with your Aunt Heather and me. We have a spare room at the cottage.” He hesitated again. “And this is important: Bring your nurse’s bag.”

“Why?” I was a little surprised.

“It could be necessary.” He would say no more. “I have to fly back tonight, but I’ll call your Aunt Heather, and we’ll be ready for you.”

And I didn’t ask any questions. I was too excited by this unexpected invitation to what I remembered as a beautiful country, especially after the let-down I had just received.

It never occurred to me that there wasn’t just an ordinary invite. Or that there might be another purpose behind it.

Canada, here I come!

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CHAPTER TWO
The following Monday, I stood just outside the Air Canada terminal at the Edmonton airport, waiting for my Uncle Mac to pick me up. Having flown from Kennedy Airport in New York, I’d crossed two time zones, and wasn’t so much weary as amazed. Getting through Customs had been a chore, though. I’d had to show them the contents of my nurse’s bag, (sans medicines of any kind; I wasn’t taking any chances with the authorities about bringing any medications into the country); and answering questions about my presence in Canada. (“Five days. Pleasure.” Well, seeing my Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather was always a pleasure.)

It was warmer than I expected, which was surprising. Before I’d left that morning, I’d had yet another argument with my mother about what to pack and what to wear on the plane.

” Now, Canada is a lot colder than it is here, so you’ll have to wear warm clothes, and pack lots of woolies….”

“Mama, I looked up Edmonton on the Weather Channel app, and it’s actually warmer than here….”

“Nonsense. Your Uncle Mac and I grew up in Ottawa, and it’s always colder north of the border, no matter where you go.”

There was no arguing with my mother. I was in a hurry to get to Canada. So I left the house that morning dressed in a blue wool suit, cape, and hat.

The friendly Air Canada flight attendant did admire my hat, and asked me where I’d gotten it. I told her the name of the store in the city.

“And I got a real bargain on it. I got it on sale. And I wanted a hat to match this cape, also.”

As I got off the plane, the flight attendant wished me well. The last link with New York? With home?

Why was I thinking this way, all of a sudden?

Now, as I waited outside the air terminal, Uncle Mac came striding up to me. “Hi. Welcome to Canada! Ready to go?” He stopped short, mouth open.

He in his t-shirt and shorts.

Me in my wool suit, cape, and hat. And roasting!

Uncle Mac was trying unsuccessfully to stifle a smile. “Well, let’s get going. Got all your luggage?”

“Yes, Uncle Mac. And my nurse’s bag, which I brought as a carry-on.”

We got into the car, a small red Volkswagen, which my Uncle Mac said really Aunt Heather’s car, which she called Schnitzel.

As we drove away, I surveyed the area of this mostly-unfamiliar land. Flat prairie all around. Sunny. And yes, surprisingly hot.

Uncle Mac broke the silence. “I hate to ask, but what’s with the warm woolies? No, let me guess. Helen’s doing.”

“My mother insisted, She said that it’s always cold in Canada, no matter where, no matter when.”

“No weather app in your world?” Uncle Mac was grinning by now.

“I tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t believe it.”

“That’s my big sister for you. But she made the mistake most Americans make about Canada. Namely, that it’s always colder than the U.S. Here’s a lesson about Canadian weather: Edmonton in late May is actually warmer than New York due to our Chinook winds.”

“Yes, so I’ve found out,” I said, tugging at my cape. “Uncle Mac---Oh!” I exclaimed. “That bird that flew in front of our car! The black one with the long tail! What is that?”

“Oh, that’s a magpie,” Uncle Mac stated. “Common as crows around here.”

“They’re members of the crow family,” I spoke excitedly. “I’ll had to add this bird to my list as a life bird.”

“That’s right, you’re a birdwatcher,” Uncle Mac spoke reminiscently. “But what’s a life bird?”

“It’s a living bird you see in its native environment,” I was delighted to tell him. “Already, this is turning into a day of surprises.”

“There are going to be a lot more ahead,” Uncle Mac said. Was there a cryptic note in his voice?

We reached Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather’s rental house, a plain one-story ranch. It was located way outside the town limits, all by itself, with no near neighbors. (Why was it so far away from town?)

Aunt Heather came running out to greet us. She was a young, pretty redhead, only six years older than I was. I called her “Aunt Heather” out of respect and politeness.

“Leta! Look at you!” She hugged me, and then, held me away from her. She took one look at my wool outfit, exchanged a glance with Uncle Mac, and I could see them both trying hard not to laugh. She was also wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

“Come inside. I’ve got some lemonade ready for you.” We went inside the house.

It was furnished with worn furniture. A living room, kitchen, hallway, a small bathroom, and two back bedrooms. Aunt Heather put my suitcase on the bed in one of the bedrooms.

“You must be boiling in that suit. Did you pack any lighter clothes? T-shirts, shorts?”

“No,” I wailed. “I thought it would be a lot colder than it is!”

Aunt Heather smiled kindly. “Never mind. We’ll go to the West Edmonton Mall tomorrow, and get you some new clothes. In the meantime, you can borrow some of mine.” She left the room and returned with a black T-shirt with the caption, “Where the Heck is High River?” and a pair of shorts. I tried them on. They fit nicely. Well, that was at least one thing that had gone right today.

Uncle Mac, Aunt Heather, and I ate dinner—hamburgers and sodas—outside on the patio, and talked for hours. All about my family, and my nursing career, which officially hadn’t started yet.

“Uncle Mac asked me to bring up my nurse’s bag,” I explained. “It’s in my room with my suitcase and my birdwatching binoculars. I don’t know why he asked me to bring it."

Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather exchanged a look. Aunt Heather seeming to want to say something. Uncle Mac silently warning her not to.

“Well, anyway,” Aunt Heather spoke brightly, “tomorrow, we’re having a barbecue in your honor. We’d like to introduce you to some special friends of ours. I think you’ll enjoy meeting them.”

“Oh, who are they?” I asked delightedly.

“Well, for one, there’s Michael Twoyoungmen.” Uncle Mac put in. “Ever heard of him?”

“Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen!” I almost leaped from my chair. “Of course, I’ve heard of him! Only the greatest surgeon in the world! I never thought I’d ever get to meet him!”

“Well, now, you will,” Aunt Heather said. “He’s an old family friend. Also, his daughter, Elizabeth, will be coming over as well. She’s your age, and I think you’ll hit it off really well.”

“Just for those two, I can’t wait,” I exclaimed. “Who are some of the others?”
“Jean-Paul Beaubier; his twin sister, Jeanne-Marie…..Some other people who aren’t as well-known, but who are worth your meeting, anyway.”

“I just can’t wait,” I repeated. “I’d better get to bed, even though I’m still on New York time, two hours ahead.” Then, as I looked toward the western sky, I made another discovery. “Uncle Mac, what time is it?”

“It’s 10:45 PM. Why?”

“It’s 10:45 PM –and the sun is setting just now!” I was startled.

“What time does it usually set in New York?” Aunt Heather queried, amused.

“At about 8 o’clock; 8:30 PM.” I was so used to my New York sunset time, I couldn’t say for sure. “I guess I’ll say good night now.”

We exchanged good nights, and I went to bed. But I didn’t fall asleep for a long time. Between the late sunset and all the other revelations that day, it was hard to get to sleep. But I finally did.

In the middle of the night, I woke briefly. Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather were talking quietly in the other bedroom. Another revelation: the walls in this house were paper-thin.

“Mac, I think we should tell her.”

“No, I think it’s better that she should get to know them as people first. Then when I make my…proposition, it’ll be easier for her to consider.”

“Mac, you didn’t tell her anything about the reason you really wanted her to come up here? Do you think it’s fair to her? And to the others?”

“Trust me, Heather. I know what I’m doing here. We’ll see how tomorrow plays out.”

“Well, I hope it won’t be a shock to her….”

What was going on? I wanted to ask them right then. But jet lag had set in. I went back to sleep.

I had no idea what was ahead of me.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER THREE

“Wake up, Sleepyhead!”

I opened my eyes. “What time is it?”

“It’s after 10 o’clock in the morning. You slept so long that your Uncle Mac and I were worried.”

“Must have been my jet lag kicking in. I’m still on New York time, not on Mountain time.” I yawned, then, sat up. “What’s first on the agenda for today?”

“Well, after breakfast, I thought I’d take you over to the West Edmonton Mall. I’d love to show it to you, and we have some serious shopping to do, anyway. Your Uncle Mac will stay behind to get everything ready for the barbecue.”

I jumped out of bed. “Well, what are we waiting for, then?”

After a short, pleasant breakfast with Uncle Mac, Aunt Heather and I headed off for the West Edmonton Mall. And all I can say about that place is, “Awesome!” Acres and acres of stores, an indoor amusement park, a hotel, restaurants…. I didn’t think I could see it all in one day. Aunt Heather mpromised we would come back before the week was over.

“And in the meantime,” she added seriously, “you’ll need to get some summer clothes.”

I found everything I wanted at the Bay; a department store I didn’t have at home. There were some pretty good sales going on; (I always headed for the clearance rack in any store). In the end, I bought five T-shirts, (including a pretty flowered one I intended to wear that afternoon); three pairs of shorts; two pairs of capri pants; one pair of jeans; one pair of white shoes; and a pretty blue-flowered dress. I was almost broke at the end of this shopping spree; but after a heavy year of studying for my BSN and being in a pandemic lockdown; it felt good.

“I’ll have to buy another suitcase just for all this stuff,” I told Aunt Heather laughingly. “But after four years in scrubs, it’s worth it!” Aunt Heather laughed, also.

We didn’t have lunch at the mall. (“Not with a wonderful barbecue waiting for us,” Aunt Heather reminded me.)

So, we got home just before one. Uncle Mac was waiting for us at the door. “I’ve got the grill all fired up and ready. And our first guest is already here.”

“Oh, is he tall, dark, and handsome?” I teased.

“No, actually, small, dark, and handsome,” came a gruff voice from just behind Uncle Mac. Then, the owner of that voice came into sight.

He was a tough-looking, bald dwarf with a warm, friendly smile. I liked him instantly.

“Judd, I’d like you to meet my niece, Leta Macaulay,” Uncle Mac introduced me. “And this is Eugene Milton Judd.” I bent down to shake hands with him.

“How’s it going there, eh, cutie?” Mr. Judd shook my hand. “And call me Judd. Pleased to meet you, eh?”

What a charming man! Beneath his rough exterior, I sensed a kind and caring gentleman. I was taken with him right away. And I definitely wanted to get to know him better.

“Hello, Judd,” called Aunt Heather.

“Pleasure to see you, eh, Heather,” Judd called back.

“The same here,” Aunt Heather said.

We went out to the patio, where Uncle Mac was busy putting hamburgers, hot dogs, and spare ribs on the grill. Judd asked for a stool, so he could get closer to the grill.

“Hey, Boss, you got a special sauce you’re gonna put on these spare ribs, eh?”

“Well, no,” Uncle Mac admitted. “I thought I’d use the barbecue sauce we already have.”

“One side, then,” Judd climbed up on the stool. “I brought my own special sauce with secret ingredients. Let me take over the grilling, eh. You can help me, chickie,” he said, turning to me. “Just hand me that brush when I say so. And I’ll tell you all about the time I learned a new barbecuing technique when I visited Papa Hemingway in Key West.”

“Ernest Hemingway!” I exclaimed. “I didn’t know you knew Ernest Hemingway!”

“Sure did, cutie. Good friend o’ mine.”

“That’s amazing! Have you been all over the world?” Somehow, it seemed natural to ask this question.

“Just about.” He grinned.

“Please tell me. I’d love to hear all about it.”

“Surest thing you know, eh? Hand me that brush now, eh?”

Within half an hour, I heard many fascinating details about Judd’s life. He was a barroom bouncer from Toronto, who’d flown in for the day.

“Oh, did you fly in on Air Canada? I did.”

Judd’s look grew a little shuttered. “Naw, I flew in on my own. I’m a pilot.”

“I’ll bet there’s nothing you haven’t done.” I’d already heard about his year in Spain with his pal, Papa Hemingway. Not to mention running with the bulls in Pamplona; bullfighting in Spain; climbing the Matterhorn; playing jai-alai in the Pyrenees; and visiting Nepal, Tibet, and Bora Bora.

“Say, you know all about me, but I don’t know nothin’ about you, eh, cutie,” Judd said gruffly, “Other than that you’re the Hudsons’ niece from New York.”

“Well, there isn’t really much to tell,” I replied. “I just graduated from college with a nursing degree. I trained at St. Mark’s Hospital in New York city, not far from the Bowery.”

“I’ve been there, eh,” Judd said. “Rough area.”

“You should have seen the ER on Saturday night,” I went on. “It was pretty rough. And, you know, Judd,” I exclaimed, “before I came here, I applied for a job as an airport nurse, and didn’t get it. They wanted someone with prison experience. I can’t think why!”

“I can,” Judd spoke somberly. “A lot of rough characters can come through an airport. Drug smuggling, stuff like that. Don’t sweat it, chickie. Maybe the good Lord had something better in mind for you.”

“I can’t think what it could be.” I shrugged.

“I can, eh. Hand me that spatula. I wanna turn over these burgers. And because you’re such a nice guest, ol’ Uncle Judd’s gonna make you a special burger with bacon on it. How’s that grab you, cutie?”

“That sounds great!” I felt cheered and, and turned to get the spatula. Then, as I turned back to hand it to him, I caught a quick glance of Judd giving Uncle Mac a thumbs up, and Uncle Mac nodding.

Now what could this be about?

Just then, the doorbell rang. And our next guest was here. I wondered who it could be.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER FOUR
I excused myself from Judd to see who was at the door. Aunt Heather was greeting a stately First Nations man in civvies, and Uncle Mac was shaking hands with him. But I would have known this man anywhere.

Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen, MD! A world-famous, world-class surgeon. And my aunt and uncle actually knew him!

In nursing school, we had studied Dr. Twoyoungmen’s theories. The surgeons I had trained with him had copied his technique as best as they could. He was a hero to everyone I worked with. I never thought I’d get to meet him in person. And here he was in my relatives’ living room.

“….My niece, Leta Macaulay,” Uncle Mac was saying now. “This is Michael Twoyoungmen.”

As if I didn’t know.

Dr. Twoyoungmen clasped my hand warmly. “Pleased to meet you,” he spoke kindly. “Your uncle tells me you’re a new graduate nurse.”

“Yes, I got my BSN a couple of weeks ago,” I spoke proudly. “And I’m happy to meet you.”

“I have a daughter just your age,” Dr. Twoyoungmen continued. “Her name is Elizabeth. She should be here shortly. But first, let’s sit down here and talk.” He indicated the beat-up couch. We walked over to it, and sat down.

“Now, tell me about yourself,” he continued. “You trained at St. Mark’s Hospital in New York city. And earned a college degree at the same time.”

“Yes, sir.” I told him the name of the college.

“Why did you become a nurse?”

“I wanted to heal people; help them in a direct way.”

“What did you like best about nursing?”

“Seeing people get well; knowing I helped them get there. I had one patient, a sweet elderly lady. I was assigned to her one-on-one. We used to go outside into the hospital garden on walks. During that time, I did everything to engage her interest, anything that would take her mind off her troubles. Then, I found out she was a birdwatcher, and we were off and running! I told her all about black vultures.”

“Black vultures?” Michael’s smile was warm.

“Yes, I told her how they had been expanding their range northward into New York State. I saw my first life black vulture at Cape Canaveral in Florida, but now, we’re definitely seeing them in the north. There are a lot of them up at Bear Mountain in New York State.”

“Indeed?” Michael continued to smile in a fatherly way.

“Yes, indeed. And you know, doctor, that bit of information engaged her and may have helped her on her healing journey. The next day, she was discharged, and I happened to be there when she left. She said goodbye to me, and I watched her leave with her family. They were so happy to have her home. And I helped a little bit with that.”

“You may have helped more than a little bit,” Michael said kindly. “So, you’re a birdwatcher?”

“Yes, since I was about seven years old. My grandma was one, and she passed her knowledge along to me. And did you know that Louise de Kiriline, the Dionne Quintuplets’ first nurse, was also a birdwatcher?”

“Yes, I have heard that,” Michael admitted. “And I have a special patient who would appreciate your knowledge and understanding. You will meet her later. Her name is Narya. She is my foster daughter.”

“Oh, is she a birdwatcher, also?” I was interested.

“In a manner of speaking.” Michael’s expression seemed to close the subject. “Tell me, what is your favorite part of nursing?”

“Well, I like private duty nursing,” I went on. “I like concentrating on one patient at a time. You get to know them and their needs better that way, I think. I‘ve done triage in the ER, so I can handle that. I also like nursing in unconventional situations, like an airport or occupational health; maybe even at an urgent care center with regular hours. That way, I can be a nurse and still have a life outside my work. I need that balance.”

“A good philosophy,” Dr. Twoyoungmen approved. “Is there any part of nursing that doesn’t appeal to you?”

“Well, I didn’t like surgery that much. I felt like I didn’t get to know the patients as individuals very well—”

I stopped short. Oh, what a stupid thing to say! I could have kicked my butt all the way to Nunavut and back for that dumb remark. Here I was with the greatest surgeon in the world, and here I was telling him that I didn’t like surgery! What a total fool I was.

Fortunately, Dr. Twoyoungmen didn’t seem to notice. He spoke kindly. “The Great Spirit gives us all sorts of talents, Leta. There is a unique place in the world for each of us. Now I have a few questions for you. How would you handle a patient who had internal injuries and yet cannot bleed?”

“You mean, like a hemophiliac?” I queried.

“Something like that.”

I told him of the latest technique I had seen in the hospital, when we had a patient brought in from a car accident. “And we saved him.”

“You cannot save everyone,” Dr. Twoyoungmen spoke compassionately.

“I know that,” I spoke equally solemnly. “But my first nursing instructor gave me some words to live by. ‘Think of the one you can save.’ I’ve made that my philosophy ever since.”

“Wise words. A few more questions. Have you ever done any combat or disaster nursing?”

“Well, I’ve done triage in the ER, but I can’t say I’ve done any of the kind of nursing you mentioned.”

“Did you ever treat any super-heroes?”

This was turning into the strangest conversation. “Well, no. What we got were their drop-offs.”

“Drop-offs?”

“Yes. You know when Spiderman or the Avengers or the Fantastic Four rescue some people from a disaster? Well, they’d drop off the people they saved at the ER; and then, we’d take over.”

“So, you have no experience of this kind, then.”

“No, sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about,” Dr. Twoyoungmen was kind. “Your Uncle James asked you to bring your nurse’s bag. Would you mind showing it to me now?” He rose from the couch.

I rose also. “Yes, it’s in the back bedroom. I can show it to you right now, if you like.”

“Indeed, you should.”

We went down the hall and into the guest room. I opened the bag, and spread the contents out on the bed: scissors, blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, bandages, and so on.

“I’m especially proud of my bandage assortment,” I spoke proudly. “I feel like I’m ready for any emergency.”

Dr. Twoyoungmen looked at it with approval. “As indeed you are. You have begun well. This is well-equipped. Did your parents give this to you as a graduation present?”

“No, I had to buy it on my own.” I couldn’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. “They didn’t want me to be to be a nurse. They wanted me to be a teacher. Oh, not that I have anything against teaching. It’s just that I wasn’t called to it as I was to nursing. Do you understand what I mean?”

“Indeed, I do,” Dr. Twoyoungmen spoke reminiscently. “My grandfather did not approve of my being a doctor. I can well understand family opposition. But I was called to healing, just as you were. Shall we join the others now?”

I put everything back into the bag, and we left the room. As we passed by Uncle Mac, who was standing in the hall, I saw Michael Twoyoungmen give him a look that indicated that they would talk about this later.

I wondered what they would have to say.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER FIVE
I slipped into my bedroom to change into the pretty flowered T-shirt and light-blue capris that I had bought earlier in the day. I was just slipping into my new white flats when I heard the doorbell ring, and another guest admitted. I quickly went down the hall and entered the living room in time to see Aunt Heather greeting a lovely young First Nations woman.

“This is our niece, Leta Macaulay,” Aunt Heather introduced us. “And this is Elizabeth Twoyoungmen.”

Maybe, it was presumptious of me, but I warmed to Elizabeth Twoyoungmen immediately, and I suspected the feeling was mutual. After shaking hands with her, we sat on the couch and lost no time in getting acquainted.

“What degree did you get?” I inquired eagerly.

“Archaeology. And what degree did you get?”

“Nursing.”

“Dad would love you,” Elizabeth continued. “He can always use an extra pair of hands on the Rez or in---” She stopped short, as if she had realized that she was about to say too much.

“I can nurse in any situation, though I like private duty or unusual places best,” I continued. “I applied for an airport nurse job before I came here, but I didn’t get it.”

“I hear you,” Elizabeth said kindly. “I applied for a an assistant’s job on an archaeology dig, but didn’t get it at first. I was disappointed, also. But guess what? I ended up getting it after all when another assistant dropped out. Things can work out.”

I was touched by Elizabeth’s kindness. We continued to talk, finding things in common, (we both made the Dean’s List in our last year of college); and we had similar taste in movies and TV shows. I felt as if I’d made my first real friend in Canada.

And the guests kept coming. Uncle Mac opened the door to Jean-Paul Beaubier. World-class ski champion and millionaire.

He bowed over my hand. “Enchante, mademoiselle!” Maybe I would get to talk to him later. I didn’t know a lot about skiing, though.

Jean-Paul went over to Uncle Mac in a corner, and began talking to him in a low voice, occasionally casting glances in my direction. Uncle Mac spoke to him in the same sort of low voice, as if warning him not to say anything much.

There was a loud knock on the door, and Aunt Heather opened it admit three more people. “Dr. Walter Langkowski,” Aunt Heather introduced us to a big, blond, jovial man. “Aurora.” She was a beautiful woman who looked like she could be the twin sister to Jean-Paul Beaubier. And I found out that’s exactly who she was!

“Ah! La infirmiere!” Aurora exclaimed. “Enchante!” She said something in French that I could not understand. I had taken French all through high school and college, with the end result that I knew about five words of French. Well, maybe she knew more English than French. I would have liked to talk to her some more. Well, maybe later.

But it was the third member of the group that caught my attention. He was a young man about my age. With blond hair, blue eyes behind thick glasses, and a shy manner. But beneath his awkwardness, I sensed an intelligence and kindness.

And, irrationally, I fell in love with him on sight. Do you believe in insta-love?
Well, until that day, I didn’t, either. But now, I do.

“And this is my number one lab assistant,” Dr. Langkowski was saying. “Philip Maltby. And Phil, this is the Hudsons’ niece, Leta Macaulay.”

Philip shyly took my hand. And in that moment, I never wanted to let it go. And looking into Philip’s eyes, I could see that he felt the same way.

“P-pleased to meet you,” he stammered. I didn’t mind that he was stammering. I liked everything about him. He didn’t have to be perfect.

But Uncle Mac didn’t look happy. He drew Walter Langkowski into the hallway, and spoke to him in a low, angry voice.
“Walt, I thought I told you—no outsiders.”

“Philip’s all right,” Dr. Langkowski said seriously. “Although he doesn’t know anything about our….set-up, we can still trust him. I’ve known him since he was in his freshman year of college, and he was one of my best students. He’ll be a good diversion for Leta. We may need one, later. Anyway, it was Aurora’s idea to bring him.”

“I’ll bet it was Aurora’s idea to bring him.” Uncle Mac spoke bitterly. “The fewer people who are in on this, the better….”

Philip and I walked over to the other end of room. Elizabeth stood smiling at us. Aunt Heather called her into the kitchen. I overheard a snatch of conversation from there.

“Elizabeth, we don’t have much time. When Narya gets here, I don’t want you to fight with her or tease her….”

“Oh, Heather, Narya and I are getting along great now. Just like sisters. But she still needs to loosen up a bit. Mac said so.”

“That may be true. But you can still argue like sisters. I’ve heard you, and not long ago.”

“Heather, I’ve just gotten her past that last ‘illness’ she had. If she finds out Leta’s a nurse, Narya may have a ‘relapse’ and want to take up all of Leta’s time. You know what a hypochondriac Narya can be. And Leta doesn’t know who we really are….”

I turned to Philip. “Let’s sit down.” We sat on the well-worn couch. “Where do you live?”

“Vancouver,” Phil spoke diffidently. “I’ve lived there all my life. And w-where you live?”

“Upstate New York. You’re a chemist, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I graduated last year with a degree in medicinal chemistry. Dr. Langkowski took me on as his assistant immediately. And where do you live?”

“A little town you’ve probably never heard of. It’s just outside of Newburgh. I just graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from a college in New York. My hobby is birdwatching….”

“Hey, that’s mine, also!” Philip’s face lit up. “I don’t know any other girls who are into it.”

“I saw my first life magpie when I was coming here from the airport,” I spoke excitedly. “I hope to see lots of other unfamiliar birds while I’m here.”

“Maybe, if we go outside before lunch, we’ll see some more,” Philip continued.

“Oh, let’s!” I exclaimed, jumping up. “Aunt Heather!” I called. “Philip and I are going outside for a little while. Please call us when the barbecue is ready.”

“Will do,” Aunt Heather called back.

But as I was going out, I overheard Elizabeth saying. “Heather, I still don’t think it’s fair not to tell her the truth about us…..”

What truth could that be?

Chapter Text

CHAPTER SIX
Philip and I stepped outside the house into the afternoon sunshine. We stayed in the front yard, looking for local birds.

“So far, all I’ve seen are a magpie and house sparrows, and I can see house sparrows at home,” I sighed.

“They’re all over the continent,” Phil supplied, “You know, they were an introduced species, not originally native to this continent.”

“I was hoping to see something different,” I went on. Suddenly, looking to the north, I gasped. “Phil! Look!”

Approaching us from the north was the most beautiful snowy owl I had ever seen. Phil and I were mesmerized by the sheer majesty of this magnificent bird.

“Snowy owls are not uncommon in Canada,” Phil informed me. “But it’s rare to see one this far south. Must be a bad year for lemmings on the tundra.”

The beautiful owl soared past us to disappear behind a large bush farther away.

I turned to Phil. “Let’s go inside and tell everyone about what we’ve just seen. My first life snowy owl!”

“Mine, too!” Phil was equally excited. We rushed into the house.

“Guess what?” I called to everyone as we burst into the living room. “Phil and I saw the most gorgeous snowy owl just now!”

All talk in the room stopped. Everyone turned to look at us. Why?

Elizabeth was the first to speak. “Well, I guess she’s here, at last. Making everyone wait as usual.”

“Now, Elizabeth,” Aunt Heather warned.

Elizabeth came up to me. “Look, we should have made time to warn you about our last guest. My foster sister, Narya.”

“Your dad mentioned that she was a special patient of his,” I said.

“So, he’s already mentioned her? Figures,” Elizabeth spoke with a slight bitterness. “How much else did he tell you?”

“Just that she’s a sort of birdwatcher,’ I continued.

“If that’s how he wants to present her,” Elizabeth continued enigmatically.

Aunt Heather stepped forward. “I wanted to let you know about Narya. Don’t be alarmed by her appearance. Her eyes are really unusual. Black with white pupils. But she isn’t blind. As a matter of fact, she has eyes like a hawk.”

“But…unusual eyes? How did that happen?” I was surprised.

“She was born that way,” Aunt Heather continued. “But when you see her, don’t say anything about it.”

“I won’t,” I promised. “I’m used to unusual patients.”

“And she’ll probably end up as a patient of yours,” Elizabeth burst out. “Dad spoils her to the point where she’s turning into a hypochondriac. Be careful she doesn’t highjack your services while you’re here.”

Just then, the doorbell rang. Aunt Heather went to answer it. “Now remember,” she whispered to me in passing.

She opened the door to admit an ethereally lovely tall pale-blonde woman, who looked delicate. And Aunt Heather was right about her eyes. Narya’s eyes were like white pearls against black velvet.

“This is Narya,” Aunt Heather introduced us “Narya, this is our niece, Leta Macaulay. And this is Philip Maltby, Walter Langkowski’s lab assistant, another honored guest for the day.”

Narya acknowledged us both with a gracious nod. I felt as if we were somehow in the presence of a queen. “I am quite pleased to make your acquaintance.” The tone was formal, and yet, seemed so natural, coming from this cool young woman. She sat gracefully in a chair, almost as if it were a throne. "I should like the others to come and greet me now."

And they did! One by one, everyone came up to Narya, and bade her welcome.

When Elizabeth came up to her, they greeted each other in a remotely affectionate, if somewhat constrained, way. “It is good to see you again, my sister,” Narya spoke calmly.

“Yeah, good to see you again, too, foster sis,” Elizabeth replied. “How are you? No more palpitations or other health issues?”

“None, my sister,” Narya replied more confidently. “Of course, my health can still use some supervision….” She looked in my direction.

“Well, don’t start anything else,” Elizabeth warned her. “Remember how this country still needs you.”

“I will remember,” Narya continued. But there was a strange crafty air about her. “Now, if you will excuse me….”

She came over to where Phil and I were sitting. “I should like to become better acquainted now.” Phil and I allowed her to sit between us.

“So, you are James MacDonald Hudson’s kinswoman,” Narya spoke, turning to me. “I can see the resemblance. The same black curly hair, blue eyes, and complexion. Yet, your features are different.” This woman definitely wasn’t blind.

“I take after my father in that way,” I said proudly.

“And you are Walter Langkowski’s lab assistant,” Narya said, turning to Phil. A strange expression crossed her features then, as if she had seen him before, but couldn’t remember where. “You belong here. In all our lives. Both of you. How, I cannot say.” She closed her eyes for a second, then opened them again, and turned to me. “I know a little of your background. James Hudson told Michael that you are a nurse. Our….program can use a nurse. And if this….scheme does not work out, I can still use your personal services. I have had many illnesses.”

I was instantly concerned. The nurse in me came out. “Oh, what were they?”

“I had a heart attack in the spring, and palpitations for a short while afterward.”

I shouldn’t have been shocked, but I was. “This heart attack you mentioned…was it something congenital?”

“No, it was acquired, you might say.” She smiled coldly. “But my heart managed to repair itself, and I am strong again. I thought you might need to know some of my medical history. After all, I am the one you would see most often.”

I was puzzled by this, as well as some of the other words that were floating around. Scheme? Program? And just where would I be seeing her, anyway?

“Phil and I are both birdwatchers,” I chimed in. “I’d like to tell you about some of the birdwatching trips I’ve taken in upstate New York. There was one to the Shawangunk Grasslands….”

“Where is that?” Narya queried

“In Orange County. We saw short-eared owls flying at sunset. But I remember another winter-birding field trip where it was so cold that the birds didn’t appear. Even our trip leaders complained about the cold – and these were people who’d been to Antarctica! Finally, we gave up, and all went out to dinner. I guess the birds were smarter than we were.”

Suddenly, Narya laughed. It was a lovely, unexpected, silvery sound.

Everyone else stopped talking and turned to us.

Jean-Paul was the first to speak. “Is that the sound of hell freezing over?”

“No,” Walter Langkowski replied. “It’s Narya laughing. Which is the same thing.”

“And we saw the most beautiful snowy owl just now,” Phil spoke up.

“Yes, I know.” Narya smiled enigmatically.

“Oh, did you see it, too?” I spoke excitedly. “Phil said it must be a bad year for lemmings on the tundra for it to be seen so far south.”

“It is,” Narya said matter-of-factly.

“How do you know?” I asked.

Narya smiled cryptically. “First-hand experience.” She would say no more.

Just then, Judd called into the room. “Hey, folks! Grub’s ready, eh?”

Narya stood up. “Sit beside me at the table. I wish to know more about your land, and its wildlife. Canada and the United States have some species in common.”

“And I’ll sit on the other side of the table,” Phil spoke happily. The expression on his face suggested that we would be holding hands under the table.

Narya smiled at us both. As she approved of our relationship. Then, she excused herself to go over and speak to Michael Twoyoungman.

Uncle Mac and Walter Langkowski were setting up card tables and chairs in the living room. We all went to find places.

Before we sat down, Narya spoke to me in a low voice. “After lunch, I would like you to take my vital signs. Under Michael Twoyoungmen’s supervision, of course. It is his suggestion as well as my wish."

I was surprised. “I don’t mind. But why?”

Narya continued to speak quietly, “Just do as I say.”

“But I can’t practice nursing in Canada! I don’t have a license or work visa!”

“If necessary, your kinsman James Hudson can arrange it. And we will protect you.”

Protect me? How? Why?

Strangely, though, I was flattered. Suddenly, I had to tell her. “I feel somehow honored to be asked. As if it’s the highest honor I can have for me to serve you.”

Narya gave me a genuine smile that time. “Good. I was hoping you would feel that way.”

Elizabeth, passing by, heard the last part of this conversation. “What’s this?” she inquired sharply.

“Narya wants me to take her vital signs after lunch,” I spoke proudly.

Elizabeth shook her head disgustedly. “I might have known. Starting already, foster sis? Hypochondriac!” She continued on to her place at the table, seating herself next to Michael, with Narya sitting on the other side of him. I wondered how significant it was that he was between the two of the them.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER SEVEN
We all eagerly sat down to lunch, only to find we were short a chair.

“Oh, dear!” Aunt Heather fretted. “Why didn’t I anticipate this?”

“Oh, do not worry, chere Heather,” Aurora chimed in. “If we are short a chair, I can always sit on Walter’s lap….”

“Here now!” Uncle Mac commanded. “No monkey business, you two. Jean-Paul, see if you can find your sister a chair.”

“D’Accord,” the handsome Frenchman replied. Suddenly, out of nowhere, it seemed, he produced a chair.

Now, how had he moved so fast? Or was it my imagination?

Lunch was wonderful. We all enjoyed the superbly-barbecued hamburgers, hot dogs, and spare ribs prepared with Judd’s special sauce. Well, nearly all of us. Narya picked at her food.

“Hey, Narya.” Elizabeth leaned across Michael to address her pale foster sister. “Why don’t you eat something? You don’t want to pass out again like the time in the gym when we found out you hadn’t been eating enough in your human f—I mean, you hadn’t been eating enough.”

“I shall eat when I feel ready,” Narya replied in a regal manner.

“Yeah, well, I wonder just WHAT you’re going to be eating later….”

“Elizabeth!” Aunt Heather’s voice was peremptory. “Stop teasing Narya.”

“Oh, come off it, Heather! You know I wasn’t teasing her. But her eating habits are weird….”

“Daughter,” Michael interrupted. “As Narya said, she will eat when she feels ready to do so. Now attend to your own meal.”

“You mean, mind my own business,” Elizabeth’s tone was slightly bitter. “Well, this is what I get for trying to help….”

Aunt Heather quickly changed the subject. “Leta, please tell us about upstate New York. You said there’s a lot of beautiful wildlife up there.”

“Oh, yes,” I leapt eagerly into my favorite hobby. “On my first winter-birding field trip to Orange County, I saw rough-legged hawks and harriers for the first time. Did you know that rough-legged hawks hover over their prey?”

“I know that,” Narya spoke quietly. “We have them in Canada, also.”

“Oh, have you ever seen one?” I asked brightly.

“Better than that.” Narya smiled a secretive, cryptic smile. “I can actually become—”

“Leta, you trained in New York City?” Jean-Paul hastily interrupted. “I do a lot of business there.”

“And New York City is also special to Walter and me,” Aurora spoke reminiscently. “Remember, chere Walter?”

“Indeed, I do,” Walter spoke kindly.

“Ah, but there is more romance here as well,” the beautiful Frenchwoman continued. “I think you and Walter’s lab assistant are holding hands under the table, n’est ce pas?”

As a matter of fact, we were, but I was embarrassed to have it announced at the table like this.

Then, I embarrassed myself even worse.

“Mr. Judd,” I called.

“It’s Judd, chickie. What’s the matter, eh?”

“You said you’d put bacon on my burger.”

“I did.” Judd’s expression was blank.

“But there’s this round ham on it, not bacon strips.”

“That is bacon.” Judd’s voice was matter-of-fact.

“Oh!” It suddenly dawned on me. “CANADIAN bacon!”

Everyone at the table erupted into laughter. Everyone except for Philip. He looked sympathetic. “I know how it feels to be laughed at,” he said in a low voice. “I’d never laugh at you.”

I squeezed his hand under the table.

Fortunately, Uncle Mac came to my rescue. “Don’t mind us, Leta. We’re just not used to an American point-of-view, that’s all.”

“You ought to try poutine,” Jean-Paul put in.

“What’s poutine?” I asked.

“A uniquely Canadian dish. It consists mostly of cheese curds,” Uncle Mac put in.

“We’ll make a Canuck out of you yet, eh.”Judd grinned.

After lunch, the guests dispersed. Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather went into the kitchen, ostensibly to wash up. The Beaubier twins were talking together earnestly in French. Judd sacked out on the sofa. “Think I’ll take a siesta before dessert, eh?” Walter Langkowski came up to Philip, grinning. “I’d like to borrow your new boyfriend for a while, if I may.”

“Sure.” Philip looked a bit uncertain.

Just then, Michael Twoyoungmen and Narya came up to me. “If you do not mind, I would like you to come with us into your room to take Narya’s vital signs, as she has requested,” Michael stated.

“Oh,” was all I could say. Then, “Go ahead, Philip. I should be busy for half-an-hour or so.”

“I’ll wait for you,” Phil said. Forever, his expression said.

I understand, was the look I gave him.

Elizabeth picked up a sketch pad. “Well, I’m going outside for a while to do some sketching.”

“I’d like to see your artwork, Liz,” I said.

“Sure. After you give Narya her check-up. Not that she really needs one,” Liz added the last sentence under her breath.

“Elizabeth,” Michael warned.

“Okay, okay, I can take a hint.” Liz ducked out the back door. “See you later.”

Michael, Narya, and I walked down the hallway to my bedroom. I ducked into the bathroom long enough to wash my hands, then emerged. “I’m a fanatic handwasher,” I explained. “Even before Covid.”

Michael looked approving. “Good. Hygiene is important.”

We entered my room. I moved my bags off the bed; then, motioned Narya to sit down where I had cleared a space. “Let’s get started,” I said.

Michael stood off to one side, watching. He was the doctor here. But somehow, I felt this was my show.

Narya looked calm. Calmer than I was. Inside, I was a wreck. This was the first patient I would have since my graduation. And I suspected an unusual one, as well.

But then, I remembered my training. Let’s do this, I thought. I can handle a challenge.

I started by asking Narya a few questions. “How are you feeling generally?”

“Better than I have in many months,” Narya spoke confidently.

“No pain?”

“No.”

“Nothing unusual going on with you? No more palpitations?”

Narya smiled. “Not anymore.”

“We’ll start by taking your temperature, pulse, and respiration.” I took a digital thermometer out of my nurse’s bag. “Open up, Narya. Put this under your tongue.”

Narya obediently did so. I took her graceful wrist to take her pulse.

Michael spoke up. “Why are you not using the clip-on pulse oximeter you have in your bag?”

I spoke up immediately. “Because the patient is wearing nail polish. And the pulse oximeter will not pick up her pulse that way.” Narya was wearing a pale-blue nail polish, obviously new for the occasion. “Anyway, I think Narya would appreciate the human touch more.” What instinct made me say that just then?

“Correct.” Michael spoke in an approving tone. “Continue.”

I felt Narya’s pulse just then. It was strong! I counted it, using the nurse’s fob watch I had dug out of the bag. “88,” I said aloud to them both.

“Quality?” Michael asked.

“Strong.” This was a former heart patient?

I also counted Narya’s respirations. “Respiration 20.”

“Good,” Michael said. “Continue.”

The digital thermometer beeped. I removed it, and got a surprise. “This can’t be right,” I said under my breath. “It says her temperature is 94.0!”

I could see Michael and Narya exchanging an amused glance. “No, that is normal for Narya,” Michael assured me in an amused voice. “Continue.”

Next, I took Narya’s blood pressure, winding the cuff around her slender arm, lifting that arm up so that it would be level with her heart, using the stethoscope on her brachial artery and inflating the cuff. And I got a bigger surprise. “Her BP is 80/50.” I tried to keep the alarm out of my voice.

“That is also normal for Narya,” Michael was reassuring. “She has hypotension.”

Low blood pressure! I’ll say! I stripped the cuff from Narya’s arm, and put it and the stethoscope back in my nurse’s bag.

“However, her readings are all normal for her,” Michael continued. “I see that you are competent in your work. And I am personally reassured that Narya continues to be in good health."

If you could call these weird readings good health.

“We can rejoin our friends now,” Michael started for the door.

“One moment,” Narya spoke.

We waited.

Narya turned to me then. “I have had other nurses. But none has treated me with the concern that you have shown just now. You have the right touch. This is important, especially to me. And now, we can join the others.” She rose from the bed, and walked gracefully to the door. But she turned and looked at me again before she went out. In that moment, our eyes met, and I sensed the beginning of a real link between us.

I wondered if the taking of Narya’s vitals was meant to be some kind of icebreaker.

We re-entered the living room in time to see Uncle Mac assemble all the guests into the living room. He looked significantly at Walter Langkowski.

Walter took over. “Why don’t you two kids go outside for a while? There’s some good bird-watching to be had. Wander as far as you like, but keep the house in sight.”

He ushered Philip and me to the kitchen door. “Now off you go!”

We walked down the back steps, turning in time to see Walter’s grinning face in the doorway, before it disappeared.

“You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d say we were being nicely pushed out the door,” I muttered to Phil. “Did Dr. Langkowski say anything to you about wanting us out of the house?”

Phil looked innocent, clueless. “No, not a word. We talked about work. And he did say something about possibly giving me some vacation time.”

We walked a little way from the house before I remembered something. “Phil! Some birdwatcher I am! I forgot my binoculars! I left them in my room. Wait here, and I’ll go inside and get them.”

Phil stood waiting patiently, while I went back to the house to get them.

I opened the back door, and got a surprise.

The living room was still and deserted. There was no sign of anyone in it.

But there were voices coming from inside Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather’s room.

A secret meeting?

I went into my room, and picked up my binoculars from where I had left them on top of my bag.

Now, you have to understand I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. But the walls were paper-thin, remember?

And in the next few minutes, I came one big step closer to learning why Uncle Mac had really invited me up to Canada.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER EIGHT
The voices in Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather’s were low, but nevertheless audible.

And I stood riveted.

“She begins well, James.” Michael’s voice was serious. “She is well-equipped and competent.”

“Yet you still have doubts, Michael.” Uncle Mac’s voice. “Why?”

“I will get to that presently. First, I would like to hear what the other members of the Flight think. We are a team, after all. And she would be dealing with all of us.”

The Flight?

“Jean-Paul? What do you think?” Uncle Mac asked.

“As you know, James, I spend most of my time in New York with my husband and our daughter, Joanne. I have few dealings with your team nowadays. ‘Owever, she seems like a nice girl. You should consider her for the position, even though I will not see her much, no?”

“D’Accord.” Aurora’s voice. “Elle est tres douce. Une belle infirmiere. The young men around the Base should flock around ‘er no?”

“I know my niece has a nice personality, but we’re looking for nursing competence here.” Uncle Mac’s voice was firm. “That’s what really counts.”

“Boss, want my opinion, eh?” Judd’s voice.

“Wait your turn, Judd,” Uncle Mac’s voice was stern.

“Well, you’re gonna get it anyway, eh.” Judd’s own voice was firm. “I say hire her. And I’m gonna explain why. I’ve traveled all over the world. Been in one war zone after another. Been inside hospitals. Sometimes as a patient or visitin’ a buddy. And I can tell you that bedside manner makes a real difference. I’m pretty good at sizin’ up people, and I can tell you that your niece is a sweetheart. A real girl-next-door type. In the last big war, she was the one the soldiers wanted to come home to. And I’m willin’ to bet she has a great bedside manner. All right, so she ain’t got combat experience, and she’s young. So what? Ain’t no crime in bein’ young. She can learn. I know one thing: if I had a busted leg or somethin’, she’s the one I’d want takin’ care of me.”

“And Mac,” Aunt Heather put in, “Leta’s a new grad. Her career is a blank page. If we hire her for Department H, we can train her to do things OUR way. And just how many other candidates did you get for the position?”

“Very few.” Uncle Mac’s voice was resigned. “There’s such a nursing shortage in Canada, especially since the pandemic, that we’ve had to import nurses from other countries. And you didn’t see the last candidate we got.”

“I didn’t know about this one,” Walter Langkowski put in. “When was this?”

“Two weeks ago.” Uncle Mac again. “Michael and I interviewed her in an office in downtown Ottawa. Now listen to this, Walt. She came half-an-hour late to the interview. Wore a dirty T-shirt and ripped jeans. Kept saying, 'Yo!' in every sentence. In the middle of the interview, her cell phone rang, and she picked it up and talked to some guy who must have been her boyfriend for five minutes, ending the call with 'Yo! I’ll call you back.' Then Michael asked her if she had any combat experience. 'Yo! What’s that?' At this point, I was ready to say 'Yo! There’s the door!' Instead, I politely thanked her, and told her we’d be in touch. And that was that.”

Everyone laughed, Judd’s “Haw! Haw! Haw!” rising above the rest.

“But seriously, Walt, what did you think about Leta?” Uncle Mac continued.

“Well, I haven’t interviewed her or seen her practice as a nurse,” Walt said seriously. “But I’m willing to give her a trial.”

Elizabeth put in a word. “I won’t be here past September, but I like her. Yes, give her a chance. And anyway, anyone who’d be willing to take on Narya as Leta did now, has a lot of courage.”

Narya’s voice. Calm and cool. “I do not think anyone who would have to deal with me would need courage, Elizabeth Twoyoungmen.”

“That’s what you think, lady,” Elizabeth muttered.

“However, I find her most amusing,” Narya continued in her regal, cold voice. “In addition to having nursing skills and the right touch, she would make an excellent companion.”

“Oh, sure. Are we interviewing for a nurse for Department H? Or does the Ice Queen desire a royal handmaiden?” Elizabeth was bitterly sarcastic.

“Indeed, if this interview for Department H does not work out, I would be willing to hire her for myself as a personal attendant,” Narya continued coolly.

“A personal attendant!” Elizabeth was shocked. “Since when do you need a personal attendant?”

“There have been some rough missions lately, in which I felt that I could use a personal nurse afterward. Nurse Leta proved to me this afternoon that she could be such an attendant. A goddess should have an attendant.”

I almost choked. Goddess?

“To pander to your hypochondria, Narya?” Now Elizabeth was really getting angry.

“I am not a hypochondriac, Elizabeth. But as you know, until recently, I have been quite ill.”

“Oh, here we go again. The Ice Queen playing her trump card. The Bad Heart. Will you quit beating that dead horse, lady? Your body can heal itself. You’ll never need a nurse.”

“I can still be injured in battle.”

“And that hasn’t happened yet, Bird-lady. And it isn’t going to happen. Don’t your god-relatives look out for you anyway?”

“We are sent into dangerous situations in our work, Elizabeth Twoyoungmen.” Narya’s voice continued coolly. “I would trust Leta as a nurse. But the final decision is up to Michael.”

There was a silence. I sensed all heads turning to Michael Twoyoungmen. He spoke quietly but definitely.

“No.”

“No?” There were several shocked voices at once.

“Let me explain why I don’t think Leta would be a good candidate for our department. Leta is a nice young woman. A new graduate who has worked with the latest techniques and medications. She is compassionate and competent in her work. She has a great bedside manner. She truly cares about her patients. I saw her face light up when she spoke of the elderly woman she helped to get well. The reason I asked her to take Narya’s vital signs this afternoon was so that I could observe her with a patient, perhaps the most challenging patient she would encounter on our team. And Leta did well. She wasn’t afraid to treat Narya, as a few of the Department H nurses have been.

“However, I don’t think Leta is the nurse that Department H needs. She has no combat experience. She admitted to me that she does not like surgery. Now, this does not make her a bad nurse, James. As I said, she has excellent people skills. However, I have found that such nurses do not make good surgical nurses. You need a tight focus and a mechanical approach to surgical nursing. Leta sees patients as people, not bodies to be fixed. Also, since she has no combat experience, we do not know how she would react under fire. And sadly, this kind of experience is necessary for our medical department.”

Uncle Mac sighed. “So it’s no go, Michael?”

“I am afraid so, James. However, if your niece wants to stay in Canada, I can find her private duty jobs. In this area, she will excel.”

“And a recommendation from Dr. Michael Twoyoungmen will be gold,” Uncle Mac said thoughtfully. “If she wants to stay, we can arrange for a working visa….”

I continued to stand still, the binoculars still in my hand but forgotten.

This was no ordinary barbecue among old friends.

It had been a job interview.

And I had failed again.

And all that strange talk I had heard. The Flight. Goddesses. Department H. Combat experience. What was all this?

Well, I was going to confront Uncle Mac as soon as Phil and I came back from birdwatching.

I rushed into the hallway, past the closed door of Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather’s room.

Phil was waiting outside where I had left him. He looked concerned. “Why’d you take so long?”

I told a white lie, hating myself for it. I usually try to be an honest person. But what I’d overheard was too overwhelming to take in right away, let alone discuss with another person. And I wasn’t sure of Phil’s part in it, though I suspected he was innocent as I was. Or until a few minutes ago, I had been. “I couldn’t find my binoculars.”

“Oh, is that all?” Phil looked relieved.

I smiled at Phil. “Let’s see how many birds we can find, Phil. You can tell me what they are….”

Chapter Text

CHAPTER NINE
Phil and I didn’t see any new birds. But we continued to talk, and found a lot in common. We both liked classic movies and animation, comparing notes on recent animated movies we’d seen.

How I wished we’d have more than this one day together…..

“You know, Phil, it seems strange, but I feel like I’ve known you forever. That I can say anything to you and be comfortable,” I mused.

“I know,” Phil confessed shyly. “I felt the same w-way about you. Is that weird?”

“I don’t think so,” I replied. “I’ve been out with lots of guys, and I was engaged once, but broke it off.”

“How come?” Phil asked.

“He wasn’t nice like you. At least, you wouldn’t criticize me all the time and try to make me give up my hobbies to take on yours. What about you, Phil?”

“I h-had one girlfriend,” Phil admitted. “She was a fellow chemist in college. We broke up, and after graduation, she moved away.”

I didn’t know this girl, but I suddenly was jealous of her. Well, feelings never had to make sense.

I started to say something, but Aunt Heather appeared in the doorway off the kitchen to call us back in just then.

I took Phil’s hand. “Come on! It’s time for dessert. Aunt Heather baked a wonderful cake for us yesterday. And someone named Marrina --who couldn’t be with us here today—sent some cookies she’d baked herself.”

“Who’s Marrina?” Phil asked.

I shrugged. “Darned if I know. Uncle Mac or Aunt Heather will probably explain later.”

Uncle Mac definitely had a lot of explaining to do, I thought.

We were seated back at the table. The cake and cookies were served. I felt like I must have been looking daggers at Uncle Mac. Was it my imagination or did he look guilty?

Aunt Heather looked at Uncle Mac just then. “Mac,” she announced meaningfully, “I think it’s high time you….”

She never finished the sentence. In the next instant, all hell broke loose.

Aurora leaped up, screaming. “Une souris! Une souris!” She zipped around the room – at super-speed?

Walter Langkowski jumped up and grabbed a broom. “I’ll save you, babe!” But something strange was happening to him, also.

Before our eyes, he turned into a huge, orange-furred creature, at least ten feet tall.

I would have grabbed Phil and screamed, but I was too paralyzed with shock to do that. I did turn my head in time to see that he was as absolutely shocked as I was. In that moment, I knew that he was a total innocent in this situation, and not in on any conspiracy.

Aunt Heather had leaped on a chair. “Mac, why didn’t you get those mousetraps that I asked you to get the last time you were in town? I told you I thought I saw a mouse the first day we moved in….”

To my surprise, Judd somersaulted off his stool, and cartwheeled over to the baseboard, peering out a small hole. I was surprised at his agility. “I think it ran out this hole, eh,” he muttered, squinting through it.

I turned to Narya—and got the most shocking surprise of all.

Narya’s body seeming to be melting. Flowing into another shape. Gradually taking on the shape of a – snowy owl.

The beautiful snowy owl Phil and I had seen earlier in the day?

“Now,” the owl spoke in a woman’s voice. “Now….I am hungry.”

“Jean-Paul, get the door!” Aunt Heather called.

Jean-Paul zipped to the kitchen door, and opened it in time for the snowy owl to fly through. He closed the door. And there was silence. In the room and in the house.

I felt dazed. As if I couldn’t take it in. The most unbelievable past few minutes of my life.

A pair of speedster twins. A man who transformed into a giant orange monster. An acrobatic dwarf. A woman who turned into an owl. And Michael and Elizabeth? Where did they fit into this scheme? And Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather? What part did they play in this scenario?

Who WERE all these people?

Aunt Heather looked at Uncle Mac sternly. She broke the silence.

“Mac, I told you that not telling Leta the truth in the first place was a bad idea.” Her green eyes hardened. “Well, you’ll have to tell her. NOW.”

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TEN
“I run a government program. A defense team composed of super-powered agents.”

Uncle Mac and I were sitting facing each other in Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather’s bedroom. Everyone else was in the living room. Except for one. Narya had not yet returned.

“Our department is called Department H. The ‘H’ after Hudson.” Uncle Mac smiled wryly.

“Ten years ago, I was approached by the Prime Minister to form a team of super-powered Canadians. We would become the first line of defense against any threat to Canada.

“The first member we recruited was Wolverine. He…left. Under less than happy circumstances. He’s a member of the X-Men now.”

“Oh, I know who Wolverine is,” I exclaimed. “Everyone does.”

“Yes, well, everyone does.” Uncle Mac sighed. “But his leaving crippled our team. I’ve worked hard building our team up again.”

“All these team members you’ve mentioned,” I went on. “Are they all here today?”

“All but Marrina,” Uncle Mac continued. “A sweet space alien with power over water. She couldn’t come today. It’s a shame you’ll probably never get to meet her now. I think you two would hit it off.”

“But the rest of the team is here?” I queried.

Uncle Mac smiled. “Yes, they are. And all are remarkable people. In the past couple of hours, you’ve met twin mutant speedsters: Jean-Paul and Jeanne-Marie Beaubier. Code-named Northstar and Aurora.”

(A charming pair of twins, I thought.)

“Dr. Walter Langkowski. Gamma -radiation specialist. Code-named Sasquatch.”

(A jovial, boisterous, friendly man.)

“Eugene Milton Judd. Acrobatic dwarf. Master of martial arts. Code-named Puck.”

(An entertaining man whose tough exterior covered a warm character and a lifetime of world-wide experience, and many more stories that I would probably never get to hear now.)

“Narya. Shape-shifting demi-goddess. Code-named Snowbird.”

(A queenly young woman whose haughty attitude possibly masked her inability to relate to other people and her loneliness.)

“Elizabeth Twoyoungmen. A powerful Sarcee sorceress. Code-named Talisman.”

(And so friendly and down-to-earth that you’d never know that she had any mystical connections.)

“Michael Twoyoungmen. The most powerful medicine man and healer in the world. Code-named Shaman.”

(And the best surgeon in the world. What a shame I didn’t have the skills he wanted me to have for this job. Now I’d never know what it would be like to save lives at his side.)

“And I’m their leader. I wear a geothermal electromagnetic battle suit with a red maple leaf on the side. My code name is Guardian.”

(My Uncle Mac a super-hero! I could hardly take this in. How could I not have known this? Probably because Canadian super-heroes didn’t get the press in the lower 48 that they got in Canada.)

“And Aunt Heather?” I asked. “Is she a super-heroine yet?”

Uncle Mac smile wryly. “Not yet. She wants to get into the suit. Perhaps, she will, eventually. But right now, she’s the head of administration in Department H, responsible for all the paperwork.”

(Aunt Heather was good at that kind of thing, I reflected. She had started out as a secretary, but was intelligent enough to rise through the ranks to an upper-level position. How would she be in a suit like Uncle Mac’s, I wondered? That remained to be seen. But would I ever get to see it?)

There were things I still didn’t understand. Answers I had to know now.

“Uncle Mac, why didn’t you tell me the truth in the first place?”

“Because I thought it would be better—and less frightening, perhaps—to get to know them first as people. You’re the type of nurse who sees patients as people. And these would have been your patients.”

I remembered the words that I had overheard from Michael Twoyoungmen. (“She sees patients as people, not bodies to be fixed.”) Which brought me to my next question.

“Uncle Mac, what was the real reason for your asking me up to Canada? Did you have a possible job for me in mind all this time? A job with this Department H that you mentioned?”

Uncle Mac got up and walked to the window. He was silhouetted against the afternoon light. Then, he turned back to me.

“Yes. When I heard that you had just graduated as a nurse and hadn’t found a job yet, and that you also wanted an unusual job, I thought of what a godsend you would be for this department. We need support staff in Department H, and especially in the Medical Department. The turnover there is especially high. Not everyone has the patience or the open mind to deal with the strange health problems of super-beings. Snowbird alone has allegedly frightened off several members of the medical staff within the past two years.”

“I’m not afraid of her,” I piped up. “I would love the chance to know her better.”

Uncle Mac smiled. “Then, you’d be the exception, not the rule. She spooks a lot of people, including Puck.”

“I can’t imagine that tough guy being afraid of anybody!” I burst out.

Uncle Mac laughed outright. “I should think not. But to get back to the Medical Department. We’re operating on a skeleton staff right now. There’s only the head nurse, Norma Kilbride, there now. And she threatened to walk if we don’t find someone soon. Michael Twoyoungman is head of our Medical Department, and he insists that it’s a very necessary part of Department H. But, what with budget cuts and our inability to retain staff, any nurse who came into the department would have to have expanded skills and be everything to everybody. That’s why Michael wanted to know if you had surgical skills. You would have to occasionally assist him in the operating room he insisted we have onsite. And you would have to also go out with us on field exercises, which is where the combat experience would have come in. We often use live artillery. And you might have had to deal with battle injuries. And on super-beings whose physiology is often unpredictable.”

Uncle Mac sighed deeply. “I’m sorry, Leta. The team likes you. If we had a bigger budget, we could have hired you and put you on light duties to start. Front-desk; convalescent care; maybe even private duty. Which I know you like.”

“But Uncle Mac,” I exclaimed. “I can’t work in Canada! I don’t have a nursing license up here. I’m a foreigner…..”

“I could have gotten you a work visa. And pushed your nursing license through so that you can work in Canada,” Uncle Mac said. “Of course, until that happened, you could still work as a nurse’s aide or nursing assistant until your papers came through. You still could have done that in Department H. After all, you still would have been doing important work for Canada. Taking care of special people.”

He walked over and took my hand. “I’m sorry that this job offer didn’t work out. You still have four days here. Make the most of them. I know a certain young man who would have made it worthwhile….”

He opened the door, and we walked into the hallway; into the living room.
Everyone was sitting around, looking serious. Philip left Dr. Langkowski’s side—Dr. Langkowski was restored to human form again—and took my hand.

“I know all about it,” he said simply. “Dr. Langkowski has told me everything.”

I smiled bravely at him. “Well, we still have another day until you have to go back to Vancouver. Let’s make the most of it.”

Chapter Text

CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Maybe we can go to the movies tonight,” Phil suggested. “There’s a movie theater at the West Edmonton Mall. The Scotiabank theater. I’ve never been to the West Edmonton Mall, though.”

“I was there this morning,” I volunteered. “Aunt Heather took me shopping for clothes. Including,” I added flirtatiously, “the outfit you see me wearing now.”

“Yeah, it’s real pretty,” Phil said shyly. “I don’t have to fly back to Vancouver till 11 PM with Walt and Aurora. If it’s all right with your uncle, maybe I can borrow his car, and we can go over to the West Edmonton Mall for dinner and a movie. I’ll look on my phone, and see what’s playing.”

“All right, Phil.” Our first and last date, I thought. “While you do that, I’ll go outside and join Elizabeth. I’d like to see the sketches she made earlier.”

“Okay,” Phil spoke matter-of-factly. “I’ll look up some movies, and talk to your uncle.”

I went out into the backyard. Liz was sitting on one of the trio of deck chairs set out there. She had her sketchpad with her.

“Hey, Liz, let’s see those sketches,” I spoke brightly. “I didn’t get the chance to earlier.”

Liz looked at me with kindness. “Okay. Here’s one I did of a sparrow….”

We went through her sketches of various birds and trees in the area. It felt as if we were concentrating on the sketches in order to avoid a sad topic that was on both of our minds.

Then, suddenly, Elizabeth burst out, “I think it absolutely stinks!”

I didn’t pretend not to know what she meant. “Look, Elizabeth. Maybe, it just wasn’t meant to be. Like that airport job I didn’t get before I came here. I’ll just go home and look for a private duty job or one at an urgent care center. Anyway, I couldn’t work in Canada right now, anyway. No license up here.”

“Yeah, well, Mac Hudson could have fixed that for you,” Elizabeth went on. “You would have been great as a nurse in Department H. I guess your uncle told you all about us by now.”

“Yes, he did,” I responded.

“Yeah,” Elizabeth sighed. “Well, anyway, we can be Facebook friends. I’ll give you my phone number so that we can text…. Anyway, I think you would be good for Narya as well. She can use a few more friends beside the other women in Department H.”

“That’s great,” I responded. “Say, what’s the deal with you and her, anyway? You said she’s your foster sister.”

Elizabeth sighed. “It’s complicated. I don’t know if you know the whole story or if Heather told you everything. I’ll make this short. Dad and I were estranged for many years. I never forgave him for not saving my mother from death when I was four years old. I went to live with Heather’s family, the McNeills, while Dad went off to live in a cabin in Banff. During that time, he was contacted by the spirit of his grandfather, and began to train as a shaman. Also, he was contacted by the Northern goddess, Nelvanna, who needed him to deliver the baby she had conceived with a mortal man. Dad delivered the baby, whom he named Narya, and then, after Nelvanna departed for the heavens, brought the baby back with him and raised her in the woods. One day, Mac and Heather came to visit them, and, after learning of their powers, invited them into the new super-hero team they were forming.”

“So, Narya is really a goddess, then,” I mused. All that talk about her being a goddess was true. This was a day full of surprises.

“She’s a demi-goddess,” Elizabeth corrected me. “She was born to fight the Great Beasts, legendary evil creatures who arise now and then. She actually has a lot of other powers besides turning into an owl. She can turn into any creature native to Canada. Fly in her human form. And she has great strength in her human form; I’ve seen her lift up to 25 tons in the training room we have at Department H, not to mention crushing steel in her hands. She has post-cognitive sight, and can see six hours into the past. She’s one of the most powerful members we have. But she has her weaknesses, also.”

“What are they?” I was rapt by this time.

“She can’t leave Canada. When Dad delivered her, he saw that she was a transmorph and needed a solid body. So, he bound her to the land. But he was still new to the shaman business, and was too specific in his spell. As a result, he bound her to Canada only. The one time she left Canada, she shriveled up and nearly died. And for a while afterwards, she had health issues before her healing factor finally kicked in.”

“She has a healing factor?” The nurse in me was curious.

“Sometimes, I think she only uses it when she wants to,” Elizabeth spoke bitterly here. “She’s a bit of a hypochondriac. Sometimes I think it’s because she wants Dad’s attention, and other times, I think it’s because she was really scared to see her mortal side come out. I have a kind of love-hate relationship with Narya. She can be really supportive of me, like when I finally got the assistant job I wanted on the archaeology dig. But then, her goddess side comes out, and she acts like a snob and treats everyone as if they’re her personal servants. In a way, I feel sorry for her because she’s been really sick recently, and Heather especially wants us to get along, but….” She broke off. “Well, speak of the devil. She’s back now.”

A beautiful snowy owl glided into the yard, coming in for a landing. It reached the ground; then, its shape flowed upward to change into the form of the lovely young blonde woman I had met earlier. But this time, she was attired in a white costume with an enveloping sky-blue cape, and a white tiara. She walked over to us.

“I’ll try to be nice to her.” Elizabeth whispered. “Well, here goes….Hello, Narya.”

Narya greeted us in a cold and gracious way. “Hello, Elizabeth, Leta.” She sat gracefully on one of the deckchairs.

“Well, did you catch anything while you were out?” Liz asked brightly.

“Indeed, I did.” Narya smiled coldly. “Several field mice and a rabbit. I am quite full now.”

“Well, that certainly ought to fill you up.” Elizabeth smiled.

“Yes, we can certainly use you in the New York City subway system,” I chimed in. “You should see the rats down there. They’re huge! You could have the city cleaned out in no time!"

For the second time that day, Narya laughed. It was a beautiful sound on the warm spring air. How wonderful that I was able to make this strange young woman laugh.

Elizabeth turned serious. “I forgot to ask. How did your check-up go this afternoon?”

“Quite well,” Narya assured us graciously. “I was found to be in good health.”

“Did Dad listen to your heart?” Liz asked, still concerned.

Narya looked a little surprised. “No. There was no need for him to do so. I assure you, I have been cured of that.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Liz sighed happily. “You know how Dad worries.”

“Yes, I know how he worries.” Narya smiled at Elizabeth, and Elizabeth smiled back. For a moment, they reached out and briefly clasped hands, and there was understanding between them. Then, they released their hands, but continued to look at each other with fondness.

“So, I guess you know the bad news,” Liz continued. “Dad didn’t hire Leta for the Medical Department.”

“Indeed, I am aware of that.” Narya spoke almost sadly. She turned to me. “You were in your room listening to us.”

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” I exclaimed. “I went into my room to get my binoculars, and happened to overhear your conversation. But how did you know I was there?”

“I sensed a presence outside the room,’ Narya went on. “After the meeting, I went to the door of your room, and used my postcognitive sight. I saw you standing there with your binoculars in your hand. And from the shocked expression on your face, I realized that you had overheard our conversation. So, your kinsman must since have explained to you who we really are.” She thawed slightly. “And I am indeed sorry that you will not be joining us after all. However, I would like to make an alternative offer. How would you like to stay on in Canada as my personal nurse?”

I was flattered to be asked to nurse a demi-goddess. “Oh, I’d love to. But what about my nursing license and working visa?”

“Your kinsman can arrange that,” Narya continued a trifle more warmly. “And since you will be of service to me and thus to Canada, our organization will protect you.” She smiled benevolently.

Suddenly, Elizabeth exploded into indignation. “Personal nurse to a demi-goddess with a healing factor! And just what do you expect her to do, Bird-lady?”

“Attend to me after missions. Monitor my vital signs as she did so well this afternoon. Take care of my personal needs, such as preparing my bath and washing my hair.” Narya went on. “Become a companion to me. You are bright and amusing, Leta. You will nurse my spirit as well as my body.”

Elizabeth snorted. “And just where is Leta going to do this?”

Narya stared coldly. “At my home in Yellowknife.”

Elizabeth exploded at this. “Yellowknife? Up near the Arctic Circle? Leta, do you know what you’d be getting into? For one thing, for all that Narya’s a goddess, she doesn’t live in any royal palace. Do you know where she actually lives? In a crummy tract house. Correction: In half a crummy tract house. Because the Mountie guy you’re living with now only rents a couple of rooms there. It’s pretty crowded enough with just the two of you as it is. Where is Leta going to fit into this cozy little setup? And what about Phil?”

“He can visit her anytime,” Narya spoke coldly. “I have no objections to that. I know what it is to love someone.”

“Do you, Narya? Do you, really?” Elizabeth was spitting mad by now. “The way I look at it, you only use people to suit your needs. Leta was trained to help sick people. Not to waste her time taking care of a spoiled demi-goddess who never really gets sick.”

“Have you forgotten.” Narya spoke in a deadly quiet voice, “that it was an argument with you that caused my heart attack a couple of months ago?”

Elizabeth looked a trifle ashamed. “All right, Narya. I’ve since apologized to you again and again for that. But it wasn’t fair of you not to tell us that the trip to New York had weakened your heart, and that it took a long time for you to recover.” But then, her expression hardened. “But I talked sense into you, and you’re fully healed. So, what do you want a nurse for now? Let Leta do the job she trained for. Don’t make her your slave!”

Narya’s face took on a strange, faraway expression. “Elizabeth Twoyoungmen, why do I have the feeling I may need Leta’s services desperately very soon…..?”

She never got to say any more. In the next second, chaos was about to erupt not far away.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER TWELVE
The sound of distant fire sirens split the air. Both Narya and Elizabeth froze. Then, they turned simultaneously in the direction of the town.

Narya was the first to speak. “It is Tolomaq, the fire beast. He has risen in the center of the town. There are people in danger. This is a physical as well as a mystical threat, Talisman. We must go immediately. The rest of the team can follow.” With that, she shapeshifted into the form of a snowy owl, and took off.

“I hear you, sister,” Elizabeth exclaimed. “Leta, tell the rest of the team to meet us downtown, if they haven’t figured it out already.” She disappeared from sight. I sensed she was teleporting into the town.

I raced into the house, only to see the rest of the team assembling. They were all in super-hero mode. The twins were in matching black-and-white costumes, with a white star on the side. Michael Twoyoungmen was in green-and-yellow Shaman garb. Walter Langkowski had already transformed into Sasquatch. Judd had changed into a black full-body costume, complete with an open-face mask. And my Uncle Mac was emerging from the bedroom, wearing his red-and-white Guardian suit, fixing a white helmet on his head. I could only stare at them in astonishment. So did Phil, his cell phone forgotten in his hand. Only Aunt Heather had an air of acceptance.

“We know,” Uncle Mac stated solemnly without my asking. “Michael sensed the mystical threat. And then, we saw it on the internet.”

“Narya and Elizabeth have already taken off,” I informed them.

“Mystical threat? Figures they’d be first at the scene,” Uncle Mac stated. “All right, people. We have a serious situation here. A mystical threat that can also do physical harm and injure innocent people. We’ll get over there immediately. Northstar, Aurora, Shaman, you and I will fly directly there. Puck and Sasquatch, you follow in the Ominjet which Puck parked far away from the house behind those large bushes…..”

Physical harm. Injured people. A disaster in the making. Possible burns and fractures. And suddenly, I knew what I had to do.

“Uncle Mac,” I stated simply. “Let me come with you.”

Uncle Mac stopped speaking. He turned to me. “It’s going to be dangerous, Leta. I can’t vouch for your personal safety. And you have no experience…..”

“But I can help.” I cried. “I want to get this experience. Please let me go with you.”

Uncle Mac looked at Michael, who nodded. “Let her,” Michael said simply.

Uncle Mac nodded decisively then. “All right. Get your nurse’s bag ASAP. You’ll go in the Omnijet with Puck and Walt. But remember one thing. As you know, you cannot work as a nurse in Canada. But according to Good Samaritan laws, you can be a bystander offering first aid. Now run!”

I saw Aunt Heather smiling approvingly, if a little enviously. “How I’d like to get into the suit….”

“Heather,” Uncle Mac said gently, “they also serve…..”

“Who sit and wait,” Aunt Heather finished. She sighed. “I’ll stay here with Philip.”

I came racing out of my bedroom with my nurse’s bag slung over my shoulder. “Let’s go!”

Uncle Mac laughed, even in the face of this crisis. “That’s the kind of spirit we like to see!” He and the others went out the back door, and the group dispersed, though Puck and Walt waited for me.

Just before I left, Philip took me in his arms by the back door.

“I feel like we’re in one of those classic World War II movies, with the soldier saying goodbye to his girl at the train station,” he said softly.

“I know,” I replied. “Only it’s the twenty-first century, and I’m a nurse going into a disaster scene.”

“Good luck,” Phil said.

“Thank you, Phil,” I said. And then, I kissed him fervently. Our first kiss.

And maybe our last?

Then, I raced out the back door, in time to join Puck and Sasquatch on the Omnijet, a sleek craft parked out of sight behind a large stand of bushes. We boarded it, and strapped in. With Puck as the pilot, we lifted into the air, and shot forward towards downtown Edmonton. I should have been scared, but I wasn’t. Just the prospect of going into action alongside a super-hero team held an excitement that superseded all other emotions.

I quickly reviewed in my mind what possible injuries I might encounter there. Burns, broken bones…..

But nothing prepared me for what would happen there.

Puck parked the Omnijet on the outskirts of town. He and Sasquatch raced into the center of town, which I could see was already engulfed in smoke and flames. Before he left, Puck gestured toward a group of ambulances and fire trucks.

“I see the EMTs are here. Go join ‘em,” he advised. “But remember. Here you’re just a first aider. Now, scoot, eh?” Then, they disappeared into the fight.

I went over to the group of helpers and told them that I had knowledge of first aid, and would like to offer my services. They accepted my help gladly.

Then the wounded started coming.

Burns. Cuts. A broken arm. A lost child I restored to her grateful mother. During the next hour, I cleaned and bandaged wounds, applied salve, helped with splinting. It wasn’t easy, but I was so eager to be of help that I found I didn’t mind.

At one point, I turned to greet another victim –and there was Puck! With a cut arm.

“Judd!” I rushed to him. “Let me help you.” I quickly cleaned his wound and bandaged it. “How is everyone holding up?” I had to know.

“Your Uncle Mac has rescued some people from a burnin’ building. The twins likewise. Sasquatch is liftin’ rubble to free people trapped inside. Shaman, Snowbird, and Talisman are dealin’ with the mystical threat that Tolomaq presents. He’s one of them Great Beasts, you know.”

“Well, no, I didn’t” I admitted. When this was over, I would have to read up on the Great Beasts. Or maybe Snowbird and Talisman could tell me. I intended to keep my friendship with them no matter what.

There were explosions in town and a few over our heads. Puck got up, and prepared to go back into the fray. I was alarmed.

“Judd, that’s a pretty serious cut you have there,” I exclaimed. “You can’t just go back into the fight.”

“Have to, chickie,” Judd stated matter-of-factly, “Fight’s not over yet.” He eyed me. “Are you goin’ to leave?”

“No” I said.

“Why not, eh?”

“Because the fight’s not over yet for me, either,” I stated matter-of-factly.

Judd patted my arm “Good girl. I was countin’ on you to say that. If it was up to me…..” He shrugged and said no more, but disappeared into the smoke-filled city once again.

I had never seen such a brave group of people.

How long was it? Two hours? Three? It seemed to take forever for the Canadian heroes to rescue everyone. But they did.

When at last the fire was extinguished, the people saved, and the Great Beast defeated, Uncle Mac gathered the team together by the Omnijet to compliment them.

“Good work, people. All we need are Snowbird and Talisman. Where are they?”

“They are on their way back now,” Shaman stated seriously. “I can see them.”

Sure enough in the distance, the two heroines were flying towards us, Snowbird in blue and white, Talisman in red and gold. Two very different but equally strong and courageous women. How wonderful that Canada had them ready to save the country.

But as they got closer, we could see that all was not well. They seemed to bickering as they flew. Then, they stopped and hovered in mid-air. Talisman was shouting, “You’re always on my case, Bird-lady! I can never do anything right as far as you’re concerned. Well, you know what? I wish something would happen to you so you’d be off the team for good!”

As it turned out, the danger was not completely over. A twisted Fate was about to claim another victim.

There was a sudden explosion out of nowhere. Shards of metal went flying through the air. The biggest one was heading for Talisman.

She turned, a shocked look on her face.

The metal was flying right at her.

It never reached her.

With tremendous speed and strength, Snowbird pushed her out of harm’s way.

But the metal caught Snowbird instead. It sliced into her abdomen, cutting it wide open.

There was an unearthly shriek. It sounded as if the heavens were being rent apart.

Snowbird was falling from the sky. Falling….falling. She hit the ground. Hard.

We were all in shock. Then, Puck cried out,

“Boss, Snowbird’s down!”

Chapter Text

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Shaman was the first to reach the fallen Snowbird’s side. He knelt beside her, and inspected her gaping wound.

I was second on the scene. Placing my fingers on her wrist, I felt for a pulse. It was there. Weak and rapid. I looked over at Shaman. He looked up, and our eyes met.

“110. Thready,” I reported. What a change from the strong pulse she had had earlier this afternoon.

Shaman’s face took on a grim look. “The wound is deep. There are actually four shards of iron/steel in there. The biggest one is dangerously close to her aorta.”

I shuddered. The largest artery in the body, supplying oxygenated blood to the rest of her body. “She has a healing factor,” I offered. Knowing even as I said it what a foolish thing it was to say under the circumstances.

“Not with a large metal shard inside her body.” Shaman confirmed my instinct about the ridiculousness of the remark I had just made, though he was too kind to say I was stupid. “I will have to operate to remove it, as well as the other debris, immediately.”

“Then, we must get her to a hospital right away.” I spoke calmly. “Where’s the nearest one?”

“There is an excellent one nearby,” Shaman replied. “I have been a guest surgeon there a few times. But we cannot go there.”

“Why not?” I was surprised.

“Because Narya has never had surgery before. We do not know how she will react to it. On the other hand, the operating room at Alpha Base is equipped to deal with even the strongest super-hero.”

“Where is it?” I asked.

“At a secret military base just outside Ottawa.”

“Ottawa!” I was astonished. “But that’s a four-hour plane ride from here.” I knew this because I had changed planes in Ottawa to get to Edmonton. “How will we make it in time?”

Puck stepped forward from the shocked crowd of super-heroes, as well as a few onlookers with cell phone cameras. “I can fly us to Ottawa in an hour, Mike. I can put on the afterburners. The Omnijet is like a rocket-ship.”

“Then, that is what we must do. We will airlift Narya to Alpha Base. If we can get there within the hour, I can call ahead to have our on-call surgical team assembled. With a combination of mysticism and medicine, I think I can keep her alive that long.” There was decision in Michael’s voice. Suddenly, he looked at me. “Leta. This is important. Can you follow my instructions and do everything I tell you without question?”

“Yes,” I spoke in a strong voice. “Yes, Michael.” Did he even have to ask?

“We will need a nurse on the transport to monitor Narya’s vital signs. You are familiar with her physiology as of this afternoon. She likes and trusts you. Come with us.” It was not a request. It was an order.

“Yes, Michael.” I felt strangely honored to be asked to be asked to attend this demi-goddess.

I looked at Uncle Mac. He nodded. “Go. I’ll explain to your Aunt Heather and Philip.” He looked over at Shaman, who nodded definitively, as if there was a change of mind between the two men. As if there was a sudden reversal of opinion between them.

Judd looked over at Uncle Mac, who gave him an inexplicable thumbs up. Judd grinned briefly, and gave him a thumbs up back. Then, he sobered, and boarded the Ominjet.

Shaman withdrew some sparkling dust from the medicine pouch at his side. He spread it over Snowbird’s body, which levitated above the ground. Then, he gently carried her through the air towards the Omnijet, whose hatch had opened to receive us.

Talisman brought me my nurse’s bag. She was weeping openly. “Here you go.” Then, she burst out, “I didn’t mean all those things I said this afternoon. About her being spoiled, and thinking to myself that she’s selfish. I really do love her like a sister, even if we fight. Bring her back to us. We all love Snowbird, actually. The team would fall apart without her.” Then, she added in a dazed voice, “She saved my life. I argued with her….said mean things to her…and yet, she saved my life….”

I had time to squeeze Liz’s hand. “I’ll take good care of her.” Then, I followed Shaman and Snowbird into the waiting Omnijet. I glanced behind me in time to see Liz breaking down in tears, and Aurora zipping over to comfort her.

Just before I boarded, I turned to Uncle Mac, who was standing close by. “I didn’t run, Uncle Mac.”

“I know,” Uncle Mac stated. “You showed courage under fire. You can do this. Now, go!”

I boarded the Omnijet, and settled into a jump seat beside Michael. Narya was strapped in onto a stretcher across from us. There was an IV running already, and an oxygen mask covered her face.

“Let’s do this, Michael”, I spoke firmly.

Michael smiled slightly. “Good,” he said simply. “I had hoped that this would be your attitude.”

We strapped into the seats then. Puck switched on the engine. The Omnijet was going to be speeding into the sky due east. I felt the ground falling away beneath us as the plane lifted into the air and shot into space.

We were aloft.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
There is a concept in trauma medicine of “the golden hour.” It means that you have an hour to get a trauma patient to a hospital in order to save that patient. After that, the mortality rate will go up.

That saying was in my mind now.

We had an hour to save the life of a demi-goddess. A valuable member of Canada’s magnificent super-team. A protector of the country.

But would we be in time? Did we have enough time?

As soon as we could, Michael and I unstrapped ourselves out of the jump seats, and rushed to Snowbird’s side. Michael began spreading magical powder over Snowbird’s wound, chanting mystical phrases. A shaman’s chant.

I removed my nurse’s watch, blood pressure cuff, and stethoscope from my nurse’s bag, wrapping the cuff around Narya’s arm and placing the stethoscope on her artery. I made the first reading. “80/50.” I took her pulse. “110.”

“Quality?” Michael asked.

“Still thready.”

We exchanged a silent glance. We just had to keep her alive!

Michael spoke heavily. “As a demi-goddess, Narya is not allowed to bleed. I know this. She knows this.”

Light dawned. “Michael, when you asked me before about how to handle a patient who is not allowed to bleed, did you have Narya in mind?”

“Yes,” Michael stated somberly. “I was always afraid that something like this would one day happen to her.”

“And yet, she puts her life on the line to save innocent people,” I offered. “She’s a brave woman, Michael.”

Michael sighed. “I am aware of this. We must do everything we can to save her. Not only because she is a heroine, but because she is personally precious to me as well. I delivered her and raised her before we joined the Flight. She is like a daughter to me.”

I could sense the loving relationship between them, as well as Talisman’s desire to rejoin her family. She had issues with Narya, but she would be devastated if Narya died. They needed a chance to continue to work things out.

And even in this short time, Narya had become a special friend to me, as well. It’s strange how quickly you can become attached to some people. But I had instinctively liked Snowbird from the first. I sensed she was, beneath her cold and aloof exterior, a lonely woman who was afraid to embrace her human side, because to do so would mean weakness to her.

But a few hours ago, I had made her laugh. We had enjoyed a wonderful short time together. She was glorious in that brief happy moment.

And now she was fighting for her life.

And she had asked me to be her personal nurse. Well, I was now, but in a way I had never imagined.

It was time to monitor Snowbird’s vital signs again. I did so.

“Pulse 114. Still thready. BP 74/50.”

The intensity of Shaman’s chant increased. Snowbird’s vital signs were faltering. We would have to fight to keep her alive until we reached Ottawa.

It wasn’t until I was taking Snowbird’s blood pressure for the third time that I realized something.

“Michael!” I cried out.

Michael looked at me sharply. “What is it, Leta?”

“I’ve broken the law!”

“In what way?” Michael asked calmly.

“Count the ways, Michael. I’ve just been practicing nursing without a license. I’m not a citizen of Canada. I’m not even an employee of Department H….”

“Aw, you ain’t gonna get busted, chickie,” Puck called from the cockpit.

“And as far as not being an employee of Department H, you no longer need to worry about that.” Michael spoke calmly.

“How so?” I queried.

“It’s still unofficial, but I would say that as of five o’clock this afternoon, you were hired by Department H.”

I was speechless.

“That is, if you want the job,” Michael continued.

Did I want the job? Oh, did he even have to ask?

“Yes, Michael!” I cried. “Oh, yes! I accept!”

“Good.” Michael smiled briefly. That was all the approval I needed. “Now, let’s attend to our patient. BP? Pulse?”

I reported these readings in due order.

It was almost an hour into the flight. We had done our best to stabilize Snowbird.

But the closer we got to Ottawa, the more she seemed to be weakening. Michael had tried to stop the internal bleeding inside this demi-goddess who could not bleed. But I could tell he was worried.

I reported Narya’s vital signs one more time. “Pulse 120. Weak. BP 60/40.”

Live, Snowbird! Live! Live for the country you were literally born to fight for.

Michael asked to borrow my stethoscope. He pressed it over Snowbird’s heart. The expression on his face as he listened was not encouraging. He removed it and handed it back to me.

“Hey, Michael,” Puck called from the cockpit. “I got Alpha Base on the radio. The surgical team is assembled.”

“Excuse me,” Michael said briefly. He went up to the cockpit. I heard only bits and pieces of the conversation. “Doctor Yee for the anesthesiologist? Excellent. Rita Whitehawk? Yes, my usual assisting nurse…..” He mentioned the names of other people, with whom I was not familiar, and reported details of Snowbird’s condition and gave orders of what he expected to do when we landed.

I took Snowbird’s vitals once again. “Pulse 124. BP 58/38.” Her blood pressure was falling rapidly. Descending…descending…..

And the Omnijet was also descending. Michael came back to me. “Strap into your seat. We are almost there.”

I did so. Shaman spoke another mystical incantation over Snowbird’s body, obviously meant to stabilize her condition. Then he got into the jump seat beside me, and strapped in himself.

The Omnijet descended through the clouds.

It reached the runway and touched down. Stopped.

“Alpha Base, eh,” Puck announced simply.

We had made it.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The emergency team was assembled and waiting at the end of the runway. As soon as the Omnijet landed and came to a stop, they rushed forward with a waiting gurney.

The hatch opened. Michael and I came out. We had Snowbird on the stretcher with us; I holding her IV bag, and Narya breathing into the oxygen mask. The emergency team transferred her to the gurney, and one of them took the IV bag from me. They raced her into the building; a plain two-story structure. I could see, in passing, that the other buildings were mostly Quonset huts.

So, this is Alpha Base, I thought.

I had no more time for thought. Michael was following in the wake of Snowbird’s gurney, giving orders right, left, and center.

Snowbird was to be X-rayed to see the exact local location of the metal shards. Then, she was to be prepped for surgery.

“OR is ready, Dr. Twoyoungmen,” a surgical tech said. “We still need a type and cross-match for her. There is no blood type on record.”

“No,” Michael stated. “Nor will there be. Snowbird is a child of the Northern gods. As such, she cannot be allowed to bleed. She has never had a blood test. And even if she did, her blood type would probably be unique. No transfusion in the world would be possible for her. We will have to do the surgery without this knowledge. And I will pray the Northern gods will protect her in this instance.”

The surgical tech had no choice but to follow him, open-mouthed in shock.

Just before we entered the operating suite, Michael turned to me. “Leta, I will not ask you to assist me as a surgical nurse. My regular nurse, Rita Whitehawk, will assist. However, I would like you to come in as an observer. I wish you to see the kind of surgery I perform here. And I feel your presence here will also be a comfort to Narya. I sense that from a region far beyond our ken, she will be aware of it.”

“I would be honored, Michael,” was all I could say.

“Rita will show you where to change for the OR,” Michael said kindly. ” Now, hurry. There is no time to waste.”

Rita, the surgical nurse, located some operating scrubs for me to slip into. Add a surgical cap, mask, and shoe covers, and I was ready to go.

I came into the OR just as Michael was about to start. The anesthesiologist, Dr. Yee, had just put Snowbird under.
Michael asked for the first instrument. Rita was just handing it to him when Dr. Yee gave a startled exclamation.

“Dr. Twoyoungmen! Look! Her face!”

We looked. And I drew in a shocked breath.

Under the mask, Narya’s face had turned a strange, burning reddish-black. What on earth….?

Michael peered over the operating field to glimpse Narya’s face. He spoke, and his tone betrayed almost no surprise. “I might have known this would happen. What we are seeing here is the patient’s true fires. This is her actual face, the one she hides from mortals. The deep anesthesia she is under now has brought them to the surface. It is nothing for you to worry about. Now, let us continue. Time is of the essence here. We must minimize the patient’s blood loss…..”

And I watched with awe Michael Twoyoungmen’s world-famous surgical skills. With deftness and precision, he quickly removed the metal shards and did internal repairs. What an honor and privilege to see this, even I was only an observer, not the assisting nurse. Michael Twoyoungmen made surgery sing. And the fact that the patient on the table was someone we both loved dearly made this occasion extra-special.

Speaking of which, Snowbird was holding up wonderfully. The steady beeping of the cardiac monitor in the background attested to this. And Dr. Yee’s firm reports of her other vital signs confirmed it. Was this her healing factor coming back into play? Or were there forces beyond our knowledge also supporting us?

Michael performed the rest of the surgery quickly. Then, the last suture was being tied. The anesthesia was turned off. Michael stepped back from the surgical table. Snowbird was moved to a gurney, and moved to what I assumed was post-op.

One thing I could tell, the operation was a success. Snowbird had survived, and when she recovered, would return as Canada’s champion once more. And I had witnessed this miracle. I knew the surgical team was here only temporarily for the surgery, and were not a permanent part of the department. They would disperse and go back to their lives after the operation was over.

But what part would I play here from now on?

I didn’t have long to find out. Once we were outside the operating room, Michael motioned me over.

“Leta, you are assigned to Narya’s post-operative recovery. She will shortly be moved into a private room, a special reinforced one we have for super-beings. We cannot predict how Narya will react when she emerges from the anesthesia. We will bring the hypo-gun into the room, and you must have it ready at all times.”

“What’s a hypo-gun, Michael?” I asked. I had never seen such a thing at St. Mark’s.

“It’s a special hypodermic-gun that we load with barbiturates, and use to sedate any super-powered patient that gets out of control. You will learn to carry it with you at all times while you are in this department. In Narya’s case, she may transmorph into a polar bear or a sasquatch when she emerges from the anesthetic. Then, again, she may emerge normally. My guess is that you will see her true fires fade as she regains consciousness, and she will emerge as a normal woman would. We can only wait and see. Now, I would suggest that you go outside and get some fresh air. I have called Norma Kilbride from where she has been visiting in Saskatoon, to come and relieve you. She has handled Snowbird before, and understands her to some extent.”

“All right, Michael.” I walked to the door at the end of the corridor, opened it, and walked outside. The sun had just set. Then, I looked up at the sky – and gasped.

There, in great colorful, shimmering ribbons of light, the Northern Lights glowed in the sky over the hospital roof. They shifted and crackled, waved and undulated.

I rushed back into the Medical building. “Michael! Come quick!”

Michael rushed out the door.

I pointed upward. “Look!”

Michael smiled happily. “You need not be startled, Leta. Those are Narya’s relatives, the gods of the North, the Inua. They have come to show their support while we were saving Narya’s life.”

“We” had saved her. I liked that.

“I thought the Northern gods didn’t allow her to bleed,” I had to say it.

“Under ordinary circumstances, no. But Narya is half-human. And since her life was in danger in this instance and this was the only way she could be saved, they allowed it. Now we are seeing their gratitude.” And we looked up as the lovely shimmering gesture of thanks continued to wave and crackle overhead again and again.

Snowbird was sleeping peacefully in her bed in the private room assigned to the strongest of recovering super-beings. As Michael and I watched, the reddish-black face of her true fires faded, and her beautiful features returned. Her strange eyes opened, and she turned her head to look at us.

“Michael, I am at Alpha Base. In the Medical Department.” There was no surprise in her voice, only an acceptance that this was where she needed to be.

“Yes, the operation was a success.” Michael spoke kindly. “I have ordered pain medication for you as necessary. And I have asked Leta Macaulay to be your special nurse during your recovery. Do you wish this?”

“Oh…yes, of course, Michael.” Narya’s voice was breathy “I would have none other as my personal attendant.” She smiled faintly, obviously remembering our conversation earlier in the day. A thousand years ago.

“Leta will stay with you through the night, until Nurse Kilbride returns to spell her. You remember Nurse Kilbride, Narya. The head nurse of this department.”

“Yes, Michael. I have seen her when I have visited the Medical Department. I can….accept her.”

“And you will be seeing Leta as well from now on,” Michael added. “She has been hired by Department H.”

Narya’s eyes widened. “But how wonderful! I look forward to your presence in this department.” Suddenly, she grimaced. “Michael! I hurt!”

Michael prepared a hypodermic needle with the pain medication required, then handed it to me. I nodded, and explained what I was going to do. “Narya, I’m going to inject you with a pain medication right now.” Then, I slipped the needle into Narya’s arm. “There you go, Snowbird. You should feel better in a few minutes.”

Snowbird nodded. In a few minutes, her eyes closed, and she fell into a healing sleep.

Michael nodded, and then, led me into a corner of the room. “She should sleep through the night. But if she doesn’t, have the hypo-gun ready.”

I nodded.

“It is going to be a long night.” Michael sighed. “I have just had word that Nurse Kilbride’s plane has been held up. Can I trust you to stay with Narya till she arrives?”

“Oh, Michael, of course,” I spoke quietly. “You don’t have to ask. I have grown to love Narya, also.”

Michael smiled. “Good. Not many have tried to understand her, yet alone love her. I feel you will be good for this department. By the way, do not worry about working as a nurse without a license in this country or about security clearances. Because you have been instrumental in helping save the life of a demi-goddess –and a champion of Canada—we will protect you. Narya especially would plead your case, if necessary. And as far as paperwork and security clearances go, your uncle James MacDonald Hudson will handle that. He is adept at that kind of thing. You will start in our Medical Department on Monday morning, which will give you enough time to go back to New York state to settle your affairs before returning to Ottawa. Does that suit you?”

“Yes,” I was happy. “Oh, yes, that would be fine, Michael.”

“Good. I will inform the rest of Alpha Flight of Snowbird’s condition, as well as your acceptance of our job offer. And I will return in the morning to check on Narya. Until then, fare you well.” He shook my hand. “Welcome to the Flight.”

Then he turned and left. And I was left alone with the peacefully-sleeping demi-goddess.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It was 1 AM.

Nurse Kilbride’s flight was still held up, but I had a reassuring text from Michael that she would be there within the hour. In the meantime, I was to continue to monitor Snowbird’s vital signs, and notify Michael immediately if there was any change.

But there was no change. As a matter of fact, I marveled at the fact that Narya’s vital signs had been growing stronger throughout the night. Her body, which had been through so much trauma in the past few hours, was steadily healing itself. Was it possible that by morning she might be fully restored? For the first time, I was seeing a healing factor in full display. What an amazing patient she was! And what amazing surprises could I expect from my new group of patients?

1:30 AM….

“They shunned me.”

I was standing by the window, trying hard to keep awake for my patient’s sake. At the sound of Narya’s soft voice coming from the hospital bed, I whirled around and hurried back to her bedside.

“Narya! What is it? Are you all right?” I felt anxiously for her pulse. Strong. Steady. There didn’t seem to be any kind of crisis. At least not a physical one.

But an emotional one?

“Who shunned you, Narya?” I asked softly.

Narya turned her face to me. Were there tears in her strangely beautiful eyes?

“The medical staff,” Narya said on a sigh. “They feared me. They did not wish to treat me. Or even to touch me. One even….” She swallowed convulsively, then continued. “….Mocked me. To my face. ‘Ice Queen.’” A hint of anger came into her voice. “Yes, I know that is what they call me. As well as a lot of other unflattering names which you would undoubtedly have learned if you were working there then. I can tolerate only so much disrespect when I am well. But when I am ill….” She paused, and her face took on a sad expression before she went on.

“Once when I was writhing with stomach pains on a stretcher inside the Medical Department, I overheard the nurses and medical technicians arguing behind closed doors about who was going to do my intake. ‘You take her!’ ‘No, you take her. That woman gives me the creeps.’ Fortunately, Nurse Kilbride came in at that moment, and took over my care until Michael could arrive. The stomach pains were caused by a small poisonous mushroom I had ingested in one of my animal forms. I healed quickly. But the emotional pain of that experience has never gone away.”

“That was unprofessional of them!” I burst out. “Why didn’t you tell Michael?”

Narya turned her head away. “I was too ashamed. It was an experience I wanted to forget as quickly as possible. And it does not matter now. All those people are gone now. Left Department H and gone elsewhere.” She added softly, “And good riddance to them.”

“I’ll never leave you, Narya.” I took her hand. “I’ll stay with you as long as it takes for you to get well again. Those people will never know what an honor it was to have you as a patient. As a demi-goddess or as a person.”

“Thank you, Leta.” Narya smiled faintly.

“You know, I can’t be your private nurse, after all,” I added. “I’ll be employed by Department H from now on. But it would have been wonderful.”

“And it still can be.” Narya’s voice was stronger. “I come to the Medical Department quite often. I still suffer small, fleeting illnesses. Let us make a pact. Any time that I come into the infirmary, I will request your services as my personal nurse.”

“If it’s all right with Nurse Kilbride and Michael.” I spoke delightedly.

“It will be.” Narya smiled happily. “Nurse Kilbride is a professional and at least tries to understand and help me. And Michael has been pleased at the care you have given me.”

“Then, it’s a deal!” I clasped her hand even tighter. We looked into each other’s eyes, and in that moment, our pact was sealed.

2 AM….

Snowbird had gone back to sleep. I had just taken her vitals again, and was walking up and down the room to keep awake when the door opened softly.

“Have no fear, Norma’s here,” I heard a quiet voice. Then, a woman in scrubs entered the room.

That was my first glimpse of my new supervisor. Norma Kilbride. She was a motherly woman with a reddish hair and the kindest face in the world. Probably about fifty, I guessed. She extended her hand. “Norma Kilbride. And as of Monday morning, your new supervisor.”

I shook her hand. “Leta Macaulay. Pleased to meet you. I can’t wait to start work with you on Monday.”

“Yes,” This woman had a kind voice. “I heard from Michael that you had a rough time of it, but that you came through with flying colors. And you would have to have the hardest patient on the team to start with. That takes bravery.”

“Oh, it didn’t take that much bravery,” I said quietly. “I find Narya fascinating. I can’t wait to get to know her better. To understand her is to treat her.”

Norma Kilbride smiled then. “I believe you’ve found the key to treating Snowbird and the rest of this team. You’ll stay with us, I think. Welcome aboard, my dear.”

Norma and I spent the next few minutes discussing Snowbird’s care. I showed the notes I had typed in the computer by Narya’s bedside, (at least, this place had gone paperless); and informed her that Michael Twoyoungmen would be back in the morning to check on Narya.

“Now you get some sleep, dear,” Nurse Kilbride advised me kindly. “We have a small break room with a couch. Get a pillow and blanket from Supplies, and lie down in there.”

“What about you, Nurse Kilbride?” I asked. “Aren’t you tired?”

“Bless you, child, I slept on the plane coming here. Now get along with you.”

I did as she said, and settled down on the somewhat beat-up, but comfy, couch in the break room where Norma had directed me down the hall. I’ll never sleep, I thought. Too much has gone on…..

I was asleep almost before my head hit the pillow.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
I opened my eyes slowly. It took me a few seconds to realize where I was.

In a break room. In the Department H Medical Department. In Ottawa.

Miles and miles and two time zones away from Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather and Edmonton.

I looked at the clock on the wall.
8 AM!

I leaped off the couch. What had happened while I was asleep? How was Snowbird this morning? Was she still asleep? How far had she progressed with her healing?

After a bathroom break, in which I managed to thoroughly wash my hands, I went up to Snowbird’s room and knocked on the closed door. At Norma’s, “Come in,” I entered the room. And got a surprise, though it shouldn’t have been a surprise.

Snowbird was wide awake, sitting up in bed. Michael and Norma were standing at her bedside. They looked at me approvingly when I came in. “Leta,” Michael said approvingly. “You are just in time to assist in my post-operative examination of Narya.”

I looked at Norma. She smiled and nodded understandingly, seeming to know it was Snowbird’s wish. She stepped back, and let me take over.

And so, I assisted Michael with Narya, discreetly lifting her hospital gown, so he could examine her abdomen. And I received a surprise! Her abdomen was fully healed! It was as if the injury had never been. Snowbird really did have a healing factor! Michael palpated her abdomen and listened to her bowel sounds with his stethoscope. Then, he listened to her lungs and heart also, instructing her to breathe deeply. Finally, he seemed satisfied; even pleased.

“Well, Narya, you have recovered perfectly. Your condition is excellent. Lungs clear. Heart strong. Bowel sounds normal. The wound has healed perfectly, as if it had never happened. I can mark you fit again for duty.”

I was astonished. This was a woman who had been through trauma? Who had had major abdominal surgery less than twelve hours ago? Now she was healed and whole and ready for duty.

Snowbird saw my baffled look and actually laughed. “Yes, it is my healing factor, Leta. It has come into play again. But--” She sobered. “I would not have come to this moment if you and Michael had not helped me through my initial trauma. In my human form, I can be as vulnerable as any other mortal.”

She turned to Michael. “And now, with your approval, I would like to fly back to Yellowknife. I believe I have enough strength for that.”

Nurse Kilbride beamed. Michael nodded. “Go ahead. But contact me as soon as you arrive, so that I will know that you have arrived safely.”

Snowbird seemed about to speak, when there was a sudden knock at the door. At Michael’s, “Come in.” The door opened to admit Elizabeth Twoyoungmen.

She looked as if she had been crying recently. Her eyes looked swollen with tears. “Hi, Dad, Norma, Leta.” She spoke listlessly. At the sight of Narya sitting up in bed, she stopped short. “Foster sis! You’re all right!”

Snowbird looked at her regally. “Indeed I am. Did you think I would not be?”

Liz shook her head. “I don’t know. It looked pretty bad when it happened. And Dad had to operate.”

Snowbird smiled coldly. “You need no longer worry. The operation was successful, and I have fully recovered.”

Liz looked over at Michael, Norma, and me. “Uh, I’d like to talk to Snowbird in private for a moment.”

Michael nodded kindly. “We will give you that moment. Come, Norma and Leta.”

We left the room and closed the door just as Elizabeth was saying, “I’m sorry I said all those things to you yesterday. I didn’t mean them….”

Michael smiled and shook his head. Norma smiled, also. “Those two are a pair. Always feuding and fussing, but deep down, they really love each other. This is only one of the strange family relationships you’ll see in this department. The Beaubier twins are another….. Think you’ll be up to it, dear?”

I smiled myself. “I can’t wait. They’re all fascinating people.”

Michael laughed aloud. “I like your spirit.”

Elizabeth came out of Snowbird’s room then. “Snowbird and I have made up. We’re going to try to get along better for the sake of the team, as well as for our family.”

Snowbird appeared in the doorway just behind her. She was attired in her beautiful costume, even to the sky-blue cape and tiara. “Am I ready to be discharged now, Michael?”

“You are indeed, Narya,” Michael spoke happily. “Remember to call me when you get back to Yellowknife.”

“I shall,” Snowbird promised. Then, she looked at each of us in turn. “Thank you for all you have done for me. All of you. Fare you well.” She walked gracefully down the hall, and opened the door. We all moved to the open doorway in time to see her shapeshift into her magnificent snowy owl form and soar into the sky. Within minutes, she was high over Ottawa, heading north.

Michael and Norma turned to me then. “Well, Leta, you’ve just treated your first patient in Department H. How does it feel?”

“Just wonderful.” I was eager. “And there are sure to be more to come. Thank you for hiring me, Michael. And I’m pleased to meet you, Norma.”

“See you early Monday morning, dear,” Norma spoke kindly. “Eight o’clock sharp.”

“I’ll remember.” As if I could forget.

Liz was waiting in the hallway. I stopped short. “Liz! I just remembered. How am I going to get back to Edmonton? I don’t have any transportation! Guess I’ll have to see about booking an Air Canada flight.”

Liz smiled mischievously. “Get your stuff.”

“All right.” I went to the break room where I had found that Judd had kindly left the nurse’s bag that I had left on the Omnijet, as well as my clothes from yesterday. I changed from the borrowed scrubs into my flowered t-shirt and capris. I left the scrubs folded on a chair. Then, I rejoined Liz.

“Now how about my Air Canada flight?” I asked.

Elizabeth smiled mysteriously, “Stand next to me.”

I did so. “But what is this?”

“Have you ever been teleported?” Elizabeth asked.

“No….”

“Then, hold on---!”

POW!

In the next second, Elizabeth and I were in the living room of Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather’s rented house in Edmonton. It was two hours earlier there, and earlier in the morning. A sleepy-looking Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather stumbled into the living room to greet us.

“Hi, Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather! It’s so good to see you again!” We hugged. Then, I noticed someone else in the room.

It was Philip, asleep on the couch under a blanket, with his head on a pillow.

I looked questioningly at my uncle and aunt.

Aunt Heather spoke. “Philip had some vacation time coming. Walter granted it to him. He’s going to be spending it with us.”

Could this vacation get any better? It would.

“Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather, I guess you know I accepted the job at Department H. Or I was accepted. Well, anyway, I start in the Medical Department at 8 o’clock on Monday morning. I’ve already met Norma Kilbride. She looks like she’s going to be a great boss.”

“She’s a real tower of strength,” Uncle Mac said. “Been there ten years. The place couldn’t function without her.”

Oh, the things I was going to learn.

I turned to Liz. “Thanks for the teleportation.”

“You’re welcome.” Liz spoke happily. “You’ll have your hands full with this bunch. My foster-sis Snowbird alone will give you more business than you can handle. But you’ll be up to that challenge.” She kissed me on the cheek. “Maybe we can get together again before you leave Edmonton.”

“I’d like that.” I was delighted.
“See you. Bye, everyone!” Elizabeth smiled, then disappeared from sight.

I turned to Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather. “I’ll have to go back early, I’m afraid. Just to get my stuff and prepare to move to Canada. Oh, my God!” I stopped short. “Where am I going to live in Ottawa? I don’t know the city….”

“That’s easy,” Uncle Mac said. “Your Aunt Heather and I have been talking about this. You can move into our apartment. Now that Wolverine’s moved out, you can have his old room.”

“And you can carpool to work with Mac and me every day,” Aunt Heather added.

So, two problems were solved.

But there was one more problem left. Philip.

“It’s going to be hard, having a long-distance relationship with Phil,” I sighed. “I mean, with him in Vancouver and me in Ottawa.” I knew from personal experience that long-distance romance relationships almost never work out.

Uncle Mac smiled broadly. “Well, this is the best surprise of all. Walter Langkowski is adding a small chemistry lab to Alpha Base. It’s going to take four weeks to set it up. But the good news is that he’s going to put Philip Maltby in charge of it.”

So, Phil and I would be apart for only four weeks. But in the meantime, we’d text and Facetime every day. And maybe I could fly out to see him or he could fly to see me. Or maybe with Liz’s help….I smiled mischievously to myself. Who knew?

Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather were smiling fondly at me. I smiled back.

Uncle Mac put out his hand. “I haven’t told you the name of our team yet.”

I waited.

“It’s Alpha Flight.” He put out his hand. “Welcome aboard.”

Alpha Flight. What a beautiful name.

Then, I turned and walked over to where Philip was sleeping.

I knelt beside him. Then, gently, I kissed him on his sleeping cheek.

Our second kiss.

But not our last.

Chapter Text

EPILOGUE
It wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be. I mean, packing up and moving to Canada for my new job. My parents had always known that I would be leaving the nest sooner or later. As it happened, it just was sooner.

My mother was predictably a little tearful but was mollified when she learned that I was going to be moving in with Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather, and that they would be keeping a special eye on me. At least, I wasn’t going to be living alone in a foreign country.

But how to explain my new job to them?

Uncle Mac had sworn me to secrecy. I remembered his evasiveness about his work in Canada, and now I understood why. How could I explain to my parents that I was going to be working with extraordinary but possibly dangerous people?

So, I went with the cover story Uncle Mac had concocted.

“It’s an occupational health job with a government agency.” In a way that was true. “I can’t say any more than that. You’ll have to trust Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather that it’s really all right.”

What could my parents say? I would be twenty-three in six weeks. No longer a minor. The best I could do was assure them I would be safe.

In the end, my parents accepted that. And Ottawa wasn’t really so far from New York. “I’ll come visit whenever I have time off. And I’ll bring Philip.”

Well, at least, my parents were happy about Phil. I had told them everything I knew about him. That he was my age. That he was the third of five boys. That he was a brilliant chemist who had graduated early from high school and college. And in a few weeks, he would be the head of the chemistry lab at the same complex where I worked. I even showed them the cell-phone picture I had taken of him in Uncle Mac and Aunt Heather’s Edmonton backyard. Finally, my parents were impressed.

“He sounds like a nice boy, dear,” my mother stated now. (Isn’t that what mothers always seem to say?)

“Well, he sounds better than some of the boys you’ve brought home,” my father stated. (How many fathers have said that?) ”Yes, bring him down on your next visit.”

Phil would make a good impression, I knew. He was kind and polite. And if he needed a reference, Dr. Walter Langkowski would certainly supply it.

Just before I left for the airport, my mother kissed me goodbye. “Just stay the same sweet Lee-Lee you always were."

Lee-Lee. My baby name. I would make sure no one in Alpha Flight knew it!

And I wasn’t really the same sweet little Lee-Lee I had been less than a week ago. In that short space of time, I had met some rare and amazing people. I had bandaged the arm of a brave dwarfed man, who ran right back into a fire fight because his job wasn’t finished yet. I had felt the pulse of a demi-goddess who had put her life on the line to save others even though she risked that life because she could not bleed. I had seen a strange sibling rivalry between two powerful young women over the love of a man they both thought of as a father. And the others? What problems did they have? Well, I would find out on Monday, when I would start work in an unusual infirmary. Norma Kilbride would take me under her experienced wing, I knew.

And as my Air Canada flight from New York to Ottawa left the ground and lifted into the air, I was reminded of another time I had taken a flight. One that saved the life of a demi-goddess.

What challenges lay ahead of me now?

Well, one thing for sure. I was eager to find out.

Well, Canada, once again – here I come!

This time, for good.