Indivisible Line (2 page)

Her father had allowed her to work here as an assistant, trusting she had enough knowledge to help with common illnesses within the tribe. The absence of a full-time physician was the driving force behind the tribe’s decision to finance her medical degree. After she graduated, she would be expected to serve the tribe in return. Being a doctor had been a lifelong dream of Sarah’s, so she accepted that her education came at a price.

Lily knew how she felt, but she never understood Sarah’s acceptance and dedication. Sarah loved her father, and despite the constant urge to spread her wings, she wasn’t planning on leaving. She was proud of her heritage. While she understood the town’s limitations in terms of growth, she hoped that, one day, she could help usher in acceptable changes to keep its people moving forward. With that goal, she could embrace what was being asked of her and serve her tribe.

In this day and age, children left the comfort of home to be on their own. Sarah never felt the need to do that, though. Being a doctor was what mattered most to her. She knew that once she qualified, she would be instrumental in helping the town in moving forward.

The one consideration that took the luster out of her ideal existence was her dreaded marriage to Trimble. Sarah still hadn’t lost all hope that her father would realize what a gargantuan mistake it would be to push forward with his plan. She hoped to persuade him to allow her the freedom to choose when the time was right, but for now, she’d go with the flow.

You don’t have a backbone. You’re letting him run your life,
the little voice in her head nagged.

“Oh, shut it. Papa’s sick, and aggravating him is the last thing I’m going to do. For now, I’ll concentrate on getting my degree. When he sees that I’ve succeeded, I’m sure he’ll ease up on me.”

You sound so sure your plan will work.

It would. It had to. Using her continued medical services as a bargaining chip, she’d be able to convince him that an arranged marriage wasn’t necessary.

Will it work?
It was a constant, nagging question that surfaced whenever uncertainty started creeping into her thoughts.

These days, boredom was her constant companion. Trimble’s brush with a black bear had been the most action she’d seen all month. He’d sustained deep gashes in his back that had required several stitches. Other than that, it was most often cases of the flu, infections, and routine checkups. Sitting and waiting for patients to come meant endless hours of unproductive time. Her job had its rewarding moments, but the downtime seemed endless. Sarah longed to get some action, an honest-to-goodness hard day’s labor. But what could be expected from her small town of Beaver with its population of just one hundred thirty-six? Thanks to pregnant Leonor Kassi, the head count would be increasing soon. Funny how one birth could send the dull and sleepy town into an excited frenzy.

They had a running joke around Beaver: “Your business is everybody’s business.” Truth be told, there was nothing people didn’t know about each other. If you slept, pissed, or attended the tribal meeting, it was common knowledge. Despite the open spaces Alaska had to offer, it seemed like the residents of their little town were all crammed together like sardines.

Hours later, the walkie-talkie on the desk crackled, signaling an announcement from Kenny, the town liaison. Everyone called him Jack, the nickname stemming from his multiple functions in the tribe. Not only was he their town spokesman, but he also could see to plumbing needs or even fix any electrical problems. A town as small as Beaver required everyone to multitask in order to survive within the limited confines of their land, and Jack did an admirable job of living up to his name. Fairbanks was a half an hour away, but it was the nearest big city they could rely on for important supplies, postal needs, and a connection to the outside world.

The clinic’s radio sounded—it was their cheapest but most reliable means of communication. Certain areas, such as the town hall and the clinic, had access to phone lines, and there was one cell tower on the outskirts of town. They didn’t need additional towers. No one could afford cell phones with their meager incomes anyway. The tower had been built for the tourists and hunters, who happened to be their number-one source of income.

The Gwich’in’s, also known as the Caribou People, were still dependent on the caribou, which were a vital source for food, clothing, and tools. The animal still held a sacred place in their spiritual beliefs and was a source of guidance in their traditions. The caribou was used for both their livelihood and sustenance.
 

Fishing came third on the list of income generators. Beyond that, there was nothing much their town had to offer, in particular to outsiders.

Many were opposed to letting the tourists in, but the need to survive won. So they opened the Caribou Hunting Expedition Company to assist avid hunters and provide them with a safe hunting environment. Much of their business came from repeat customers, and word of mouth didn’t hurt. The income brought much relief of their financial woes. Now that it was the peak of the summer hunting season, it was the best time to attract tourists and let them spend their savings for the thrill of a lifetime.

Trimble worked for the expedition team, acting as the guide, driver, and gofer. This not only made him more popular amongst the female population but also a precious asset to their town’s booming business. As was to be expected, everyone loved the idea of Sarah and Trimble together. A marriage between the most popular guy and the soon-to-be doctor seemed ideal. Well, she may not have agreed, but there was no sense in worrying about something beyond her control. She’d cross the bridge once she got to it. Defying her father’s arrangement wasn’t something she had the nerve to attempt just yet.

“Sarah!” the radio blared, pulling her thoughts back to the here-and-now. She snatched the transmitter from the table and pressed the button.

“What’s the matter, Jack?”

“We’re showing a movie in the auditorium in fifteen minutes. I don’t think you want to miss it,” Jack teased from the other end of the line.

“What is it?” Sarah pulled herself up and walked to the window. Glancing outside, she noticed a storm brewing from the north. There was a chilled bite to the wind sneaking in through the little gap in the window. She slammed the window down, making the foundation shake a little.

“
Underworld: the Awakening
,” Jack’s excited voice announced.

He didn’t have to say another word. Sarah grabbed her jacket, which had been hanging over the back of her chair, and hurried to lock the clinic. She hoped that Dr. Ancheta would be able to make his rounds to their town soon so she could have a chance to spend some time with Lily and smooth over their argument.

Sarah draped her jacket across her back and set out at a brisk pace toward the center of town, a quarter-mile stretch of shops, stores, the town hall, and a small eatery. It left a lot to be desired if you were a tourist. Aside from hunting, the town didn’t have much to offer. The stale appearance of most of the structures coupled with the raggedy storefronts added to the dilapidated look their downtown sported. Hardly the attractive atmosphere guests would clamor for.

She sighed and kept walking, head bowed low to block the lashing wind and the fierce drops of stinging rain from hitting her face. Upon reaching the town proper, she spotted a few people running to get into the auditorium to avoid the now pouring rain. She broke into a run as the first flash of lightning struck.

“Hey, glad you made it.” Jack greeted her at the entrance with a big smile and a brotherly hug.
 

She returned the embrace with fervor before shrugging off her wet jacket. “You had me at
Underworld
,” she answered with a laugh.

“Trimble’s waiting for you,” Jack said, holding the door open for her.

Sarah gave a mental groan, and her steps slowed as soon as she walked in. She did not relish the idea of putting on a show for other people’s sake. This was the time when she wanted to scream
to hell with your stupid tradition
, but of course, she never did. Her father’s wrath was something she could do without.

She glanced around, taking her time to wave to neighbors and friends. Trimble beckoned her to the spot he had saved for her toward the front of the auditorium. The entire town had showed up, just like a big reunion. Most faces she recognized, but a few unfamiliar people stood out. They must have been tourists aching to find something to do after hunting hours.

She caught sight of Lily on the opposite side of the first row of seats, staring ahead and trying her best to conceal her emotions. Whenever Sarah and Trimble had to make a show of affection, even though Lily knew it was to appease the elders, still made her sour. All Sarah could do was to keep the PDA to a minimum for Lily’s sake.

“Hey.” Trimble gave Sarah the customary peck on the cheek. That was the extent of their effort to maintain their façade.
 

Several giggles sounded from the seats behind them, but Sarah didn’t bother shooting glares that way. The kids didn’t know any better—none of them had to put on a show like this, ever. “Hi.” Her voice came out clipped. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her father watching them. He sat on the far side of the first row, next to Trimble’s father and mother as well as Mr. Vittrekwa, his closest friend.

Trimble, as if on cue, took her hand just when the lights dimmed. It was a show they had to put on for everyone’s sake. They both hated doing it, but there was no way to avoid it. Once the auditorium had gone dark, lights flashed from the projector in the back of the room straight through the makeshift monitor up front. Sarah lost no time in pulling her hand from Trimble’s grasp and inching away a tiny fraction, just enough to get some space without making her father suspect anything. As far as the chief was concerned, he had arranged a worthy and ideal union between two people.

“Who cares about being in love in the beginning?” her father had once said, sounding like an authority on marriage and all its intricacies. “You’ll fall for him before you even know it.”

Somehow, she doubted her father’s declaration, but she’d chosen not to argue.

Don’t you just love the scent of honesty? It makes me question your state of mind sometimes,
the stupid voice inside her head shouted at her.
And I’m not stupid. You are.

“Shut up.” The words escaped her lips before she could stop them. She cupped her palm over her mouth and slid down in her seat at once, hoping no one noticed.

“Sarah, what’s going on?” Trimble whispered.

“Nerves.” That was all she needed to say.
 

Trimble nodded in understanding. They rode the same waves, experienced the same doubts, and grappled the same fear of the fate they’d soon be facing together.

There was nothing wrong with Trimble. In fact, he was an attractive man. He was just not the man for her. One thing for certain, there’d be a lot of women who would question Sarah’s mental health if they knew she wasn’t attracted to her fiancé.

So, who’s the man for you?

She’d better seek Dr. Ancheta’s help as soon as possible. These voices were getting troublesome. The fact that she was answering them posed a bigger problem.

Who
was
the man for her? That was the million-dollar question.

Exactly
.

Not giving in to the mental taunting, she wouldn’t dignify the strange voice’s commentary with an answer. Instead, she focused on the screen and tried her best to concentrate. After all, movie showings, a new release in particular, didn’t come to their town often. This had to be a special arrangement Jack had made for all of them.
Bless his heart
, Sarah thought.

Chapter 2

The rude blaring of the alarm clock shook Sarah out of her sweet cocoon of sleep. Banging her hand down on the snooze button, she smiled at the remnants of the picture-perfect future her imagination had conjured.
 

Without opening her eyes, she basked in the sweet vision of her dream. It had been so vivid that she could almost believe it had been real. She’d seen herself as the head of the trauma department at Fairbanks General Hospital. Dressed in a starched, white lab coat over blue scrubs, she was racing to the ER to perform an emergency brain surgery on a car accident victim. Her elation in that moment did not come from another person’s misfortune. Instead, it had something to do with her pride in her contributions to the medical world. Her expertise, experience, and invaluable service meant saving the lives of countless people and forging avenues toward a better future. Yeah, it sounded like a dream all right, but it was her life-long aspiration, now well within her grasp. One more year, and the moment she’d been waiting for would arrive at last.
 

Except the picture was all wrong. She’d be stuck here in Beaver forever, instead of blazing a trail through the ER of a big hospital. Sarah sighed, feeling conflicted and hating herself for wanting more. Why couldn’t she just accept that her future included a husband she didn’t love and keeping her work confined to a small clinic?

The alarm went off again. This time, she slid the button all the way to the right, shutting off the snooze feature. Sarah took one pillow and placed it between her thighs, rolled onto her side, and studied the veins of old, chipping paint on the walls. God, she had been planning to repaint her room for ages, but after one month in Beaver, she still hadn’t gotten a chance thanks to her full schedule at the clinic. Despite the lack of demand for her services, her father had insisted that she make herself available for long periods every day.