Читать книгу Dangerous Hilarity: The Great Adventures of the Jackson Twins, Their Family and the Dogs in Their Lives, A Novel for Teens and Young Adults and All Those Who are Young at Heart - Sioux Dallas - Страница 8

Chapter One

No happier dog could be found anywhere. Galena was a strong, healthy German Shepherd, larger than the average dog of her breed. Galena was brown and tan standing a full twenty-six inches at her shoulder which was two inches more than the usual size. She loved her humans and felt that she lived with the greatest family, especially her twin boys. She loved the girl, and the adults, but the boys were special because they had grown up together.

Galena’s family was the Jackson family of Fairfax, Virginia. Dr. Herbert Jackson worked for the U. S. Government in the Department of Interior. There was Mrs. Irene Jackson, fourteen year old Anna Maria, who was a high school freshman and twelve year old identical twins, Thomas Harrison and Timothy Michael, who were in the seventh grade. Great boys who made good grades but were mischievous, especially Tom.

Two days before the Christmas holiday, Herb Jackson rushed home with good news. At least he thought it was stupendous news and hoped his family would be as thrilled as he was. Herb came bounding through the front door, bringing a chilly wind with him. He hurriedly shut the door and hopped around on one foot while taking off his rain boots that he had needed that morning. He was so eager to share the news that he could hardly get his gloves and overcoat off. He placed his boots on a mat in the hall closet, his gloves and his rain hat on a shelf and hung his coat on a hangar.

“Hey! Where is everybody?” he called excitedly. “Everyone in the den for a family conference. Hurry. Hup! Hup!”

Galena, feeling the excitement, was running around Herb jumping up to his face and barking. Her tail was wagging so hard she almost lost her balance. She seemed to be saying, “Me, too. I’m family, too.” The familiar expression on Galena’s face was an open mouth and bright, sparkling eyes making her look as if she were laughing.

“Quiet girl. Yes, you can stay.” Herb rubbed her neck and ears and patted her shoulder while he waited impatiently for his family to gather.

Irene came running in from the kitchen with a large, dripping, wooden spoon in her hand. “What is it? Is something wrong?” she asked worriedly. She had grabbed up a dish towel and now put it under the dripping spoon that she had been using to stir the homemade potato soup. She sank down on the couch, relieved to see that Herb was all right.

Galena put her paws on Irene’s knees as if to comfort her. “Yes, I love you, too, but be a good girl and lie down.” Irene used the back of her hand to wipe her curly, blonde hair off her sweaty forehead. Her hazel-green eyes were anxious and slightly amused. She loved her husband and her children, but at the moment, she thought her husband was acting like one of the children. Her bow-shaped lips curled in a quiet smile. Her fair complexion was slightly flushed from cooking over a hot stove. Galena stretched out at Irene’s feet then jumped up when she heard the twins clomping down the stairs.

The twins were running, skipping stairs and landed with a thud at the bottom. Tim nearly tripped over Galena who was jumping up at him and barking. “What is it?” Tim shouted as he took Galena’s collar and led her into the den between him and Tom.

“Tell us quickly. Is it a Christmas surprise?” Tom shouted.

“It had better be good. I’m in the middle of finishing a research paper for history class and it counts as one-third of our grade for this semester.” Anna spoke around a pencil held in her teeth as she clutched a large open book against her chest. She dropped to the floor with her knees bent and her ankles crossed. Galena promptly came and plopped down with her head and a paw on Anna’s lap.

Anna looked up at her six feet two inch daddy and thought he was the handsomest man in the world. His light brown hair was naturally wavy and his green eyes were snapping with thrilling excitement. He was pacing back and forth and running his fingers through his hair. He had run his fingers through so much that his hair was standing up in spikes.

“Please. Everyone. Quiet. Pay attention.” Herb grinned and drew himself up as if he were proud of what he was going to say. “I have been requested to take a two to three year assignment to” he hesitated for suspense--

“Nome, Alaska. What a marvelous experience it will be for all of us.” he finished with great enthusiasm.

There was a stunned silence so sharp it almost hurt the ears. “Don’t everyone speak at once,” Herb joked. “I know I’m hitting you with unexpected news, and it will take time for us to think about it and talk it over.” He began to look uneasy as the silence grew and he looked from one stunned face to another. “It’s a great honor to be chosen for this special assignment.” He looked worriedly at his silent family. “Well, someone say something.”

“B-b-b but, Dad,” Tim wailed, “it would mean leaving our friends and our home and our school and ---”

“Everything,” Anna finished weakly.

Tom looked as if he had been punched in the stomach. “No!” he shrieked. “I want to go to winter camp with our scout troop. We’re going to learn how to survive in winter weather and how to find directions with a compass.”

“My French class is planning a trip to Paris and it’ll be during my birthday. We’re doing fund raising activities to help pay for the trip. Oh, I have my heart set on going and I’ve been working hard to earn money for it.” Anna moaned.

Irene began speaking so low they could hardly hear her. “I’m working with my Sunday School class to adopt a family for Christmas. I also promised to work with the Chamber of Commerce for our Main Street Art Festival next March.”

“Well, we’re not leaving tomorrow,” Herb snapped, disappointed that his family didn’t feel as he did. “I’ll have to leave in a couple of months, but all of you can wait until the school year is over and then join me in Alaska.” He looked imploringly at them.

Everyone was silent, looking at each other and absent-mindedly petting Galena as she went whining from one to another sensing the distress in the atmosphere.

Herb dropped to one knee in front of Irene, taking her hand and imploring. “Honey, just think about it. Our children will have an opportunity to see a lot of their own country and meet a variety of people. I’m sure you’ll find ladies doing interesting, worth while things in Nome.” Herb was beginning to worry that his family could not be persuaded to join him in what he considered a fabulous opportunity. He jumped up and continued pacing.

Irene took a deep breath and spoke haltingly. “I don’t -- really know. Part of me is as excited as you are and part of me is --- cringing at the idea of such a move and all that it involves. We’ve lived here for sixteen years and have so many friends.

“What about Galena?” Tom knelt by the dog hugging her against his side.

“What about Galena? Well, I guess she’ll have to stay here with someone we trust if they’re willing to keep her for us. She’s lived here all of her life and, I’m not sure, at her age, that she could make the adjustment.” Herb answered without thinking.

“Oh, no!”

“No way!”

“Absolutely not!”

The three children spoke as one.

“Honey, you might as well suggest leaving one of the children behind. You know they will not go off and leave Galena behind. I don’t like the idea either.” Irene spoke firmly. “She’s been with us since she was three months old and the boys were two years old.”

“Yeah, Dad. She’s one of the family,” Tim choked out.

“What kind of work would you be doing, Dad?” Tom questioned with a disturbed expression.

“I’ll have a team and we’re supposed to investigate to see if there is natural gas under the tundra and maybe coal. There’s no oil on the western side of Alaska, but scientists feel they’ve found evidence to support the theory of natural gas. I’ll be working with the environment in many ways for the Department of Interior. There are no roads into Nome because of the snow and constant freezing. We would have to drive to Fairbanks and fly into Nome. Once we get there, we’ll find many good roads in the city.”

“Is it a done deal?” Tom frowned

“I won’t be fired if I don’t accept the assignment, if that’s what you’re asking. I repeat, it’s an honor that they considered me. The job will mean a promotion and a much better retirement fund. That’ll come in handy with three of you going to college.” He gave a nervous little laugh. “I have to be honest. I’m very excited about the opportunity.”

“Nah. No kidding. You could have fooled me,” Tom spoke facetiously.

Irene got up and started toward the kitchen. “Dinner’s ready. Cheeseburgers and potato soup. Why don’t we eat and have another talk later.”

Anna asked the blessing and ended with, “and give us the wisdom to know what is the best thing for us to do.” The meal was eaten quickly with a lot of excited babble, sometimes all trying to talk at once. The children finally agreed to learn more about Alaska and make a decision later--but only if Galena was included. Everyone carried their own dirty dishes into the kitchen. Anna and Irene quickly had dishes done and the room cleaned while the boys carried the trash out. The family then gathered in the den to watch a National Geographic special.

“Let’s go to bed and sleep on this. There’ll be time to do more talking after we’ve absorbed information about where our home would be.” Irene fluttered around like a disturbed bird as she encouraged her family to go to bed.