Martha by Phillipa Nefri Clark

Author:Phillipa Nefri Clark [Clark, Phillipa Nefri]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B07S7ZB1R7
Published: 2019-05-30T14:00:00+00:00

9

Friends Forever

1985

Nothing, but nothing Martha had ever experienced prepared her for this. The Lofoten Islands in Norway was the destination she’d expected when she’d planned this remote trip, but here she was, miles further out on a small fishing boat. She did, after all, know its owner, who was inside getting hot mead to warm their hands as much as their stomachs as they closed in on the anchor point.

Aksel.

Martha couldn’t help smiling. They’d met in Ireland in her local pub when he took a year away from work to discover the world. His stories of life in Norway, the endless sea and incredible sky, was enough to send her looking for places to stay. How he’d teased her about what she considered icy conditions when the wind off the Atlantic Ocean shook her cottage.

“Visit me. And shop first for proper clothing. I’ll make a list.”

And he had. The holiday was two years in the making, and the journey itself challenging, with transport from plane to train, bus to foot, and boats.

Ten people were along tonight. Or was it day? This time of year they looked the same, so far north. It was cold in a way Ireland wasn’t. Not always wind or snow, but a deep coldness that cut into you. Martha shivered and tucked her scarf in a bit more. The boat was an hour from land and the sea quite choppy, but she didn’t care. She loved the ocean as much as she always had, despite nearly losing her own life in it once, and losing her mother to it.

“Are you English?” A soft female voice made Martha turn. The woman beside her was younger, a classically beautiful face with strikingly sad eyes.

“Australian, actually. But I live in Ireland.”

“I’m Elizabeth White. My husband is somewhere around. He loves the sea.” Elizabeth smiled.

“So do I. And you are English.”

“I’m afraid the accent gives it away every time.”

“And a lovely one it is.” Aksel returned, handing Martha a steaming cup. “There’s plenty inside, Mrs White, which is where I just saw your husband.”

“I might join him then. Nice to meet you…”

“Martha. Martha Ryan.”

When Elizabeth disappeared inside, Aksel dropped a kiss onto Martha’s forehead. “Alone at last.”

“Apart from ten other tourists and your staff.”

Aksel shrugged. “Drink up. And, you might want to turn around, but don’t drop your cup.”

As if she would do such a thing. Martha turned to look over the side of the boat. And gasped.

Above her, the black sky morphed into a thousand moving colours. A curtain of a million stars hosted the light show, a slowly moving kaleidoscope of green, blue, and gold. Swirls and waterfalls of colour filled the sky.

Joy and delight and terror mingled inside Martha until she began to cry soft, silent tears that almost froze as they fell from her eyes. Aksel surrounded her with his strong arms and gently tilted her face this way, then that, to take in every detail of the Northern Lights. Aurora Borealis at its finest.

“I…oh, Aksel.”

He chuckled.

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