White Fox Bay - Emma's Story - Chapter 4

Emma was just finishing her second cup of coffee when she heard a knock at the door.

She glanced at the clock. Nine o'clock, right on time.

She'd been looking forward to spending the day with Nicole and her family. After several days of unpacking, settling into her new house, and getting her classroom ready, the idea of spending a day outdoors sounded wonderful.

She opened the door to find Nicole standing on the porch, smiling.

"Morning! Ready to pick some blueberries?"

"Absolutely!" Emma replied, reaching for her backpack. "I've got water, lunch, bug spray, and a couple of containers. Am I missing anything?"

"Sounds like you've got everything. Come on, I'll introduce you to the family."

Emma followed Nicole down the steps and stopped.

Parked in front of her house were two ATVs.

"Oh!" she said, looking from the machines to Nicole. "We're going on those?"

Nicole laughed. "Of course! Did you think we were walking?"

"Well, no. I just assumed we'd be taking a truck."

"We could, but we'd have to leave it at the end of the road. The ATVs will get us right to the berries."

A man standing beside one of the machines grinned and stepped forward.

"I'm David," he said. "You must be Emma."

"Nice to meet you."

"And these are our two troublemakers," Nicole added, gesturing toward the children.

"I'm not a troublemaker!" declared a little girl with dark braids.

"That's Molly," Nicole said. "She's six. And this is Ben. He's eight."

Ben gave Emma a shy smile.

"Are you the new Grade Two and Three teacher?" he asked.

"I sure am. Are you going to be in my class?"

He nodded. "Grade Three."

"Well, that's wonderful! I'll already know someone on Tuesday."

Ben looked pleased, although he tried not to show it.

A shaggy black-and-tan dog had been sniffing around Emma's front steps. He suddenly bounded over and pushed his nose against her hand.

"And this is Buddy," David said. "He figures he's coming too."

"Figures?" Nicole laughed. "He'd follow us whether we invited him or not."

Emma scratched the dog behind his ears. His tail wagged enthusiastically.

Nicole handed her a helmet.

"You ever been on an ATV before?"

"Once or twice," Emma replied. "But it's been a while."

"Well, you'll be riding with me. Just hang on when we hit the rough spots."

Emma climbed onto the seat behind Nicole and adjusted her backpack. David helped the children get settled on the other ATV.

"Everybody ready?" Nicole called.

"READY!" Molly shouted.

Buddy was already trotting toward the trail.

The engines started, and a moment later they were heading away from the houses and into the bush.
Emma smiled as the cool morning air brushed against her face.

This was certainly a different way to spend the Sunday before Labour Day.

David followed on the second ATV with Ben and Molly, while Buddy raced ahead, his tail waving happily behind him.

They travelled along the gravel road for a short distance before turning onto a narrow trail that disappeared into the spruce trees. The trail twisted and turned through the bush, climbing over rocky ground and dipping into shallow hollows.

Emma quickly discovered that riding on the back of an ATV was considerably bumpier than she'd expected.

"Doing okay back there?" Nicole called over her shoulder.

"Just trying to keep all my teeth in my head!" Emma called back.

Nicole laughed and slowed slightly as they bounced over another rough patch.

The forest opened up here and there, revealing stretches of low blueberry bushes, patches of colourful moss, and smooth grey rocks. In the distance, Emma caught glimpses of the sparkling blue water of the bay.

Every so often, Buddy disappeared into the trees, only to come bounding back onto the trail a few moments later. He seemed to know exactly where they were going.

After a while, Nicole pulled over at a rocky clearing and switched off the engine. David stopped beside them, and the sudden quiet was almost startling.

"How much farther?" Emma asked, climbing off and stretching her legs.

"Not far," Nicole replied. "There's a good patch just up ahead. We picked here last year, and the berries were fantastic."

"Are there lots this year?" Emma asked.

"That's what we're about to find out!"

Molly jumped down from the other ATV and ran toward them.

"I'm going to pick the most!" she announced.

Ben rolled his eyes. "You always eat them all."

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

David grinned. "Well, let's see if we can get a few into the buckets before they're all gone."

Emma laughed as she reached for her backpack. She was beginning to think this might be one of the best Sundays she'd had in a long time.

The blueberry patch was even better than Nicole had promised.

Low bushes covered the rocky ground, their branches heavy with small, dark blue berries. Emma had never picked blueberries before. They seemed to stretch as far as she could see.

"Wow! There are so many!" she exclaimed, crouching beside a particularly promising bush.

Nicole smiled. "We usually come out a few times before the season is over. I like to freeze enough to last through the winter."

Emma dropped a handful into her container, then popped one into her mouth.

"Oh, these are good!"

"Better than the ones from the grocery store, aren't they?"

"Much better!"

A few feet away, Molly was sitting cross-legged among the bushes, carefully examining a handful of berries before stuffing them into her mouth.

"Molly!" David called. "Are you actually putting any in your bucket?"

"Yes!" she replied indignantly.

Ben leaned over to inspect his sister's container.

"She's got about six!"

"Seven!" Molly corrected him.

Everyone laughed.

Emma was enjoying herself immensely, although she was beginning to understand why Nicole had warned her about the black flies. They seemed particularly interested in the back of her neck.
She swatted at another one.

"Do they ever leave you alone?"

"Eventually," Nicole said with a grin. "Usually when it gets cold enough that you don't want to be outside anyway."

"Wonderful. Something to look forward to."

Nicole laughed and passed her a small bottle of insect repellent.

As they continued picking, the conversation turned to school. Nicole told Emma a little about the children in their class, the activities they enjoyed, and some of the things she'd learned from working with them over the years.

Emma was glad they'd have the chance to work together. Nicole knew the children, their families, and the community in a way Emma couldn't possibly hope to after only a few days.

By the time their containers were beginning to fill, Emma had stopped noticing how much her knees ached from crouching.

She was too busy enjoying the sunshine, the conversation, and the steady plink of blueberries dropping into her bucket.

They had been picking for nearly an hour when Buddy suddenly stopped sniffing around the bushes and lifted his head.

His ears pricked forward, and he stood perfectly still, staring toward a patch of trees farther along the hillside.

David noticed immediately.

"Buddy! Come here."

The dog hesitated, then trotted back to David's side.

"What is it?" Emma asked.

David pointed toward the trees.

"Looks like we've got company."

Emma followed his gaze. At first, she couldn't see anything unusual. Then something large and black moved between the bushes.

"Oh my goodness! Is that a bear?"

"Sure is," Nicole replied, standing up for a better look.

A black bear was wandering slowly through the blueberry bushes, occasionally lowering its head to feed. It seemed completely unconcerned about the people watching from a distance.

Emma stared in amazement.

"I've seen bears before, but never one just wandering around picking blueberries!"

"Well, they're pretty good at finding the best patches," David said with a grin. "Unfortunately, we seem to have picked the same one."

Molly stood beside her father, watching with great interest.

"He's eating our blueberries!"

Ben laughed. "They're not our blueberries, Molly."

"Well, we were here first!"

Nicole chuckled. "I don't think the bear cares who got here first."

Emma couldn't help laughing, although she kept a careful eye on their unexpected visitor.

"Should we be worried?" she asked.

"No need to panic," David replied, "but we're not going to hang around and bother him either. We'll give him lots of room and find another spot."

They gathered their containers and began making their way back toward the ATVs, keeping Buddy close beside them.

Emma glanced back once more. The bear had settled comfortably among the bushes and was still eating, apparently delighted to have the blueberry patch to itself.

"Well," she said as they reached the ATVs, "that's something I won't forget anytime soon."

Nicole smiled.

"Welcome to blueberry picking in the North!"

As they climbed back onto the ATVs, Molly looked toward the distant bear one last time.

"I hope he leaves some for next year!"

Everyone laughed.

After leaving the bear to enjoy its blueberries, they followed another trail to a clearing overlooking the water. Nicole knew of a second patch nearby, and fortunately, this one had no unexpected visitors.

They spent another hour picking before David announced that it was time for lunch.

"Good," Emma said, straightening up and stretching her back. "I think I've discovered muscles I didn't know I had."

Nicole laughed. "You'll feel them tomorrow, too!"

They spread a blanket over a patch of dry ground near the ATVs and unpacked their lunches. Nicole had brought sandwiches, bannock, apples, and a large thermos of tea. Emma contributed some cookies she'd picked up at the store the day before.

Buddy immediately settled himself beside the blanket, watching every bite with great interest.

"Don't let him fool you," David warned Emma. "He had his breakfast before we left."

Buddy rested his chin on Emma's knee and looked up at her with enormous, hopeful eyes.

"He's very convincing," Emma said.

"He's had lots of practice," Nicole replied.

As they ate, Emma looked out across the water. Small rocky islands dotted the bay, their spruce trees standing dark against the bright blue sky.

"It's beautiful out here," she said. "Do you come this way often?"

"All the time," David replied. "Fishing, picking berries, just getting out for a ride. There's always something to do."

"We bring the kids out whenever we can," Nicole added. "They've been coming with us since they were little."

"I caught a really big fish last summer!" Ben announced.

"It wasn't that big," Molly said.

"It was!"

David held his hands about two feet apart. "Well, it gets a little bigger every time he tells the story."
Ben grinned.

Emma laughed. She was beginning to see how much the family enjoyed teasing one another.

"Do you miss living in the city?" Nicole asked her.

Emma thought for a moment.

"I've only been here a few days, so maybe it's too early to say. But I don't think I'll miss the traffic."

"Well, we don't have much of that," David said.

"Unless there's a dog sleeping in the middle of the road," Nicole added.

"Or somebody stops to talk to somebody else," David said. "Then you might have to wait a whole five minutes."

Emma laughed again.

After lunch, they packed everything away and loaded their containers of blueberries onto the ATVs.

On the ride back to White Fox Bay, Emma found herself feeling much more comfortable on the back of Nicole's machine. She even managed to enjoy the bumps.

By the time they reached her house, she was pleasantly tired, a little dusty, and carrying a generous container of freshly picked blueberries.

"Thank you so much for inviting me," she told Nicole. "I had a wonderful time."

"Anytime," Nicole replied. "We'll have to get you out fishing one of these days."

Emma smiled.

"Sure. As long as there aren't any bears in the boat!"

David laughed. "No promises!"

Emma waved goodbye as the family headed home, Buddy trotting happily behind the ATVs.

She carried her blueberries inside, already looking forward to telling Katie and Annie about her adventure over dinner that evening.

By six o'clock, Emma had showered, changed into clean clothes, and was feeling considerably less dusty than she had when she returned from blueberry picking.

She put some of her freshly picked berries into a container, grabbed a light jacket, and headed next door to Annie's house.

Katie was already there when she arrived.

"Emma! Come in!" Annie called from the kitchen. "We're just getting everything ready."

Emma stepped inside and immediately smiled. Annie's house had almost exactly the same layout as hers, but it felt completely different. Books filled the shelves, colourful cushions were scattered across the sofa, and several plants crowded the windowsills. It was cozy and comfortable, with the unmistakable feeling of a place someone had made their own.

"I love your house," Emma said. "Mine still looks like I've just moved in."

"Well, I've had two years to collect all this stuff," Annie replied. "Give yourself time."

A reddish-brown dog with a white chest emerged from beneath the kitchen table and came over to investigate the visitor.

"Oh, hello!" Emma said, bending down to scratch his ears.

"That's Rusty," Annie said. "He adopted me about a year ago."

"Adopted you?"

"He started showing up on my porch every evening. Eventually, he decided it was easier to just move in."

Katie laughed. "Sounds like he knows a good thing when he finds it."

Rusty wagged his tail, apparently agreeing.

They settled around the kitchen table, where Annie had prepared a pot of stew, fresh bread, and a large salad.

"So!" Katie said, reaching for the bread. "Tell us everything about your blueberry adventure!"

Emma laughed. "Well, I went blueberry picking, got bounced around on an ATV, was nearly eaten alive by black flies, and met a bear."

Katie stopped with her fork halfway to her mouth.

"A BEAR?"

"An actual black bear. Just wandering around eating blueberries."

"You're kidding!"

"Nope. Apparently, we were competing for the same patch."

Annie smiled. "Well, at least you didn't have to fight him for them."

"I considered it," Emma said solemnly. "But he looked like he had more experience."

Katie burst out laughing.

Emma told them about Nicole's family, Molly's determination to eat every blueberry she picked, and Buddy's enthusiasm for the entire adventure.

"Now I want to go!" Katie declared. "I haven't even been out of the community yet."

"You'll have plenty of opportunities," Annie assured her. "Just wait until someone invites you ice fishing."

Katie's eyes lit up. "Oh, I'd love that!"

Annie raised an eyebrow. "We'll see how you like thirty below."

They laughed and continued eating.

As the conversation turned to school, Emma asked Annie what her first year in White Fox Bay had been like.

"Honestly? A little overwhelming at first," Annie admitted. "I thought I was prepared. I'd taught before, and I'd lived in the North. But every community is different. It took me a while to find my feet."

"What was the hardest part?" Katie asked.

Annie considered the question.

"Probably learning that I didn't have to figure everything out on my own. There are people here who know far more about this community and these kids than I ever will. Once I learned to listen and ask questions, things got a lot easier."

Emma nodded. She'd already begun to appreciate how much Nicole knew about the children and their families.

"And the best part?" she asked.

Annie smiled.

"The people. Definitely the people."

Katie leaned back in her chair.

"Well, I think we're off to a pretty good start. We've been here less than a week, and we're already having dinner parties."

"Don't get too excited," Annie replied. "Tomorrow night you'll both be staring at your lesson plans wondering what you've forgotten."

"Thanks for the encouragement!" Emma laughed.

After dinner, they shared the blueberries Emma had brought, along with some vanilla ice cream Annie had tucked away in her freezer.

By the time Emma headed home, the evening sky was beginning to darken. She waved goodbye to Katie, who was heading back to her own house, and walked the short distance to her front door.

It had been a wonderful day, from the excitement of the blueberry patch to the easy conversation around Annie's kitchen table.

And the best part was knowing she was beginning to make some real friends in White Fox Bay.

On Monday morning, Emma decided to spend a couple of hours at school making sure everything was ready for Tuesday.

She'd promised herself she wouldn't spend the entire holiday in her classroom, but there were still a few things she wanted to finish.

By ten o'clock, she had arranged the books on the reading shelves, organized the last of her supplies, and checked that everything was ready for the children's arrival.

She stood in the middle of the room, looking around with satisfaction.

"Well," she said to herself, "I think we're ready."

"Talking to yourself already?"

Emma turned to find Mary Ann standing in the doorway, holding a mug of coffee.

Emma laughed. "Just giving myself a little encouragement."

"Nothing wrong with that!" Mary Ann replied, stepping inside. "I thought I might find a few teachers here today. I came in to finish some paperwork myself."

She looked around the classroom.

"This looks wonderful, Emma. You've certainly been busy."

"Thanks! I think I've finally got everything where I want it. Although I'm sure I'll change half of it once the kids arrive."

"Of course you will. That's what classrooms are for."

Mary Ann pulled out a chair and sat down, resting her coffee on the table.

"How are you feeling about tomorrow?"

"Pretty good, actually. A little nervous, but mostly excited. I've taught Grade Two and Three before, so at least that part is familiar."

"It's the community that's new," Mary Ann said.

"Exactly. But everyone's been so welcoming. I spent yesterday blueberry picking with Nicole's family."

Mary Ann smiled. "Oh, that's wonderful! Did you get lots of berries?"

"Quite a few. We had to share the patch with a bear, though."

Mary Ann laughed. "Well, I hope you let him have his share!"

"We decided he could have the whole patch. Nicole knew another good spot."

"That's usually the best arrangement."

Emma sat down across from her.

"Nicole's been a huge help already. I'm really looking forward to working with her."

"She's excellent," Mary Ann said. "She knows the children and their families, and she's very good at what she does. You two will make a strong team."

Emma nodded. "That's what I'm hoping."

Mary Ann took another sip of coffee.

"One thing you'll discover pretty quickly is that things don't always go according to plan around here."

Emma grinned. "I'm a teacher. I'm fairly sure that's true everywhere."

"Fair enough!" Mary Ann laughed. "But here, you might have half your class away for a few days because their families are out on the land. Or someone might arrive halfway through the morning with a younger sibling in tow. You learn to be flexible."

"I can manage flexible."

"Good. And remember, if you need anything, just ask. Nicole, Daisy, the other teachers, me—we're all here to help."

"Thanks, Mary Ann. I appreciate that."

Mary Ann stood up and picked up her coffee.

"Well, I'd better get back to my paperwork. And don't stay here all day. It's your last day of freedom!"

Emma laughed. "I was actually planning to go for a walk with Katie this afternoon."

"Good! Enjoy yourself. We'll see you bright and early tomorrow."

After Mary Ann left, Emma took one last look around the classroom.

The blue chairs were tucked neatly beneath the tables, the bookshelves were stocked, and the bulletin boards were ready.

She switched off the lights and closed the door behind her.

There was nothing more she needed to do today.

Tomorrow, the children would finally arrive.

Emma had just finished making herself a sandwich when someone knocked on her door.

It was Katie, wearing a light purple jacket and carrying a small backpack.

"Hey! Are you ready to go?

"Sure! Where are we going?"

Katie grinned. "No idea. I thought we'd just wander around and see what we find."

"Sounds like a plan. Give me a minute to grab my shoes."

A few minutes later, they were walking along the gravel road, enjoying the warm September sunshine.

"So, are you all ready for tomorrow?" Emma asked.

"I think so," Katie replied. "I've rearranged my classroom about six times, changed my first-day activities twice, and made enough lists to wallpaper my house."

Emma laughed. "Sounds about right."

"I know I've taught before, but somehow starting at a new school makes me feel like I'm doing everything for the first time again."

"I know what you mean. At least we don't have to worry about learning how to teach and learning a new community at the same time."

"Exactly! One new thing at a time, please."

They continued along the road, passing a few houses where people were enjoying the holiday. A couple of children rode past on bicycles, calling out cheerful hellos.

As they approached the community hall, they noticed several people chatting outside. A pickup truck was parked nearby, and an ATV stood beside the building.

"There's the community hall," Katie said. "I wonder what kinds of things they have going on there."

"Probably all sorts of things. Nicole was telling me how much happens in the community throughout the year."

"We should find out. I'd love to get involved in something outside of school."

"Me too."

Farther along, they passed the firehall, its bright red doors standing out against the surrounding buildings. A couple of dogs were wandering along the roadside, apparently with nowhere in particular to be.

One of them, a friendly brown-and-white fellow, trotted over to investigate the newcomers.

"Hello there!" Katie said, bending down to greet him.

The dog wagged his tail enthusiastically, accepted a scratch behind the ears, and then continued down the road as though he had important business elsewhere.

Emma laughed. "I'm beginning to think there are almost as many dogs as people here."

"And they all seem to know exactly where they're going!"

As they walked, they talked about their lives before White Fox Bay. Katie told Emma about some of the hiking and camping trips she'd taken, and Emma shared a few stories from her previous teaching experiences.

It was easy conversation, the kind that made the afternoon pass quickly.

After a while, Katie grew thoughtful.

"You know, I'm really glad you're here."

Emma looked at her. "Why's that?"

"Because we're both new. It's nice having someone who's figuring everything out at the same time I am."

Emma smiled. "I was thinking the same thing."

Katie grinned. "Besides, Annie's been here for two years. She already knows everything."

"Everything?" Emma asked.

"Well, she certainly knows where to get ice cream."

"That's a pretty important thing to know."

They both laughed.

By the time they turned back toward the school, Emma realized how comfortable she was beginning to feel in White Fox Bay.

The roads and buildings were becoming familiar, and she was starting to recognize some of the faces she passed.

It was beginning to feel less like a place she'd just arrived in and more like somewhere she could imagine staying.

As Emma and Katie made their way back toward the teacher houses, they could hear children laughing and shouting in the distance.

The school playground was busy, even though it was a holiday. Several children were climbing on the play structure, while others were taking turns on the swings. A couple of bicycles lay abandoned beside the gravel road.

"Looks like everyone's enjoying their last day of summer vacation," Katie remarked.

"Can't blame them," Emma replied. "I remember how I felt the day before school started when I was a kid."

"Me too. Although I think I'm more nervous now than I ever was back then!"

They were just passing the playground when a little girl spotted Emma.

"EMMA!"

Before Emma could respond, the girl came running toward her, followed by two other children.

"Hi!" Emma said, smiling. "How's everybody doing?"

"Good!" the girl replied. "Are you coming to school tomorrow?"

"I certainly am!"

"Are you going to be my teacher?"

"Well, that depends. What grade are you in?"

"Two!"

"Then I guess I am!"

The little girl's face lit up.

"Yay!"

Another child stepped forward.

"I'm in Grade Three. Are you my teacher too?"

"Looks like it!"

Katie stood beside Emma, watching the conversation with an amused smile.

"You've only been here a few days," she whispered. "How do you already know everybody?"

Emma laughed. "Some of them came to visit me on Saturday evening."

Katie shook her head. "I've been here almost a week, and the only one who keeps visiting my house is a dog."

"Well, he probably thinks you're a very interesting person."

"Or he thinks I have food."

One of the boys looked up at Katie.

"Are you a teacher too?"

"I sure am! I'm teaching Grade Five and Six."

"My brother's in Grade Five!"

"Well, maybe I'll see him tomorrow."

The boy nodded seriously, as though this was important information he would need to pass along.

For the next few minutes, the children excitedly told Emma and Katie about their summer adventures.

One had been fishing with his grandfather, another had gone camping with her family, and a third proudly announced that he'd learned to ride his bike without training wheels.

Eventually, someone called from the playground, and the children hurried back to their games.

"See you tomorrow!" Emma called after them.

"BYE, EMMA!"

Katie laughed as they continued walking.

"Well, I think you're going to have a very enthusiastic class."

"I hope so! Although I suspect they won't all be quite so excited when it's time to do math."

"Probably not," Katie agreed.

They reached the row of teacher houses and stopped outside Emma's front steps.

"See you in the morning?" Katie asked.

"Bright and early!"

"Good luck getting to sleep tonight."

Emma grinned. "You too!"

Katie waved and continued toward her own house.

Emma stood for a moment, looking back toward the school across the road.

Tomorrow, the classrooms would be filled with children, the hallways would be busy, and the quiet school she'd spent the past few days preparing would come to life.

She thought about Nicole, Mary Ann, and the other staff members she'd met. About Annie and Katie, who were already becoming good friends. And about the children who had just run across the playground to greet her.

She still had so much to learn about White Fox Bay, but she was looking forward to every bit of it.

With a smile, Emma turned toward her house.

Tomorrow was the first day of school. And she was ready.