Love (Alaskan Bush People Story)

Forever

Bear POV

After the show on the boat with Birdy and this guy, I thought about the girl I had met in Gustavus. She had said she liked to climb trees and start fires. She was a very pretty girl. She would love to live in the bush with me. I could howl as she could howl back. We had talked about going hunting together. On each hauling job, I had hoped we would go back. It took almost three months. We were delivering goats to a local family. We had 1 adult goat with 2 babies and it took us all morning to get them on the boat. We finally got them on the boat and had them settled. We took the 4-hour boat to Gustavus. Each second felt like a thousand years. We pulled into the harbor as we got the goats ready to go to ashore. Bam, Matt, and Gabe went to take the goats to their new home as I walked down the street to the library. Their she was. The only thing that was different was her hair color, it was purple.

Anastasia POV

It was a normal day at the library as I restocked shelves and cleaned the counter. Each day I waited for Bear to return. He told me his name as he walked away with his brother. I never told him my name. I lived on the outskirts of town in a small cabin in the woods, no running water or electricity. Most of the night I would sit by the fire by myself. My parents died when I was a teenager. My father taught me everything I know about living in the woods. I had one drawback, I loved to die my hair different colors. My parents never approved of my habit. My parents had died because of a bear attack. My father had shot the bear but it only wounded the animal. My mother and I ran but I had gotten away. My mom had fought off the bear with her gun but the bear ripped her throat open. One last shot rang out as dad shot the bear to the ground. I watched as my parents died trying to save me. I ran as far as I could until I came across the next town to find a clinic for help. My life had changed when I moved from a small town in Northwest Alaska to Southeast Alaska. I had found a home in Gustavus. I saw him looking in the window and smiled at him as he came through the door. "Hi, I didn't realize you were here." "We just got here." "I also wanted to ask what your name was. You didn't tell me the last time you were here." "My name is Solomon but my family calls me Bear because I'm so extreme." I laughed at his comment.

"I wanted to invite you to my family's land an hour outside of Hoonah." "I would love to. I'm off next weekend and I could just drive my boat there." "That sounds great. I will see you next weekend. I need to get back to the dock to make it home in time before dark." "Okay, I will see you then. My name is Anastasia by the way."

Bear POV

I walked out of the library to meet my other brothers back at the boat. I couldn't wait till next weekend to see her again and for her to meet my family.

A Week Later

I was waiting for Anastasia to come into the bay. Her boat came into view as my excitement grew. She parked her boat out by the Integrity as she came in on her skiff.  Her blonde hair was blowing in the wind as she tied up the skiff and ran to me. She kissed me.

I finally bring myself back to reality as I hear Anastasia scream with another contraction. Something was wrong but Grace was not here. She had gone into town picking up medical supplies for her medical cabin. She wanted a place for her medical practices. Lacy knew what the problem was because she had learned how to be a midwife for Grace when she has a baby. I was holding Ana as the pain was increasing. Lacy walked in the room "I know Grace isn't here but I had been taking lesson and I think I can do it." I was starting to worry that we don't have another choice. "Do it now before I lose my wife."

Lacy POV

I gathered all the supplies needed for a C-Section. I gave Ana the morphine. It took effect as I started cutting. There was more blood than usual. I was having a hard time seeing the baby. Amelia was standing by to take the baby. I finally got the baby out as I was trying to save Ana. I was doing everything I could to stop the bleeding but it never stopped. Grace burst through the door trying to save her. Grace started with CPR but nothing was helping. She checked Ana pulse: flat.

Bear POV

Grace and Lacy were trying to save my wife. I could see the sadness in Grace's eyes. I knew she had died in my arms. All of the blood that had come from her body was on the bed and floor. Amelia walked in with my baby, it was alive. I walk over to her as she hands me the baby. "You have a baby girl." I tear up as I looked at her. She had Ana's eyes. They were so brown I couldn't see her pupils. Grace cleans up the floor. "You may not want to watch me clean her. When we bury her, I will come get you." I nodded as I walked outside with my new baby.

It took an hour to get her body ready to be put in the ground. Bam and Matt had built a casket as the it was laid in the ground. "I don't want anyone to say anything, I just want her to be put in the ground as we celebrate our newest addition to the family. I'm calling her Anastasia Marie Brown, after her mother." Nobody said anything as Gabe lowered her into the ground and started filling the hole with dirt. When he finished, we all walked back into the main cabin. I handed Ana over to mom as I ran through the camp. I needed to fell the wind in my hair again. I stopped by a creek and just broke down.

I had lost my wife. I had a new baby girl. Two very different moments to happened at the same time. It had rocked my world. I was scared about raising her on my own but, I knew I would have help. All of my brothers and their wives. My sisters were great help along with mom and dad. I ran back to the house as the family was all gathered around. Rainy came over to hugged me. She just hugged me and didn't let go. The only reason I had this baby was because of my wife. I would have a part of wife live on forever in our daughter.