she’s gone right now.”

“Who’s Jenna?” Angel asked.

“Oh,” Balto said, “Sorry, Jenna is… she’s my mate.”

“Oh,” Angel said, “and she’s gone? Where to?”

“She went with her family to Applegate. I know it’s not very far, but… well, Jenna hardly ever gets to leave Nome, and the kids went with her, so I’m sure they’re having a good time.”

Angel smiled.

“She’s awful lucky.”

Balto didn’t know what to say.

“Well,” Angel said, “would you look at that, we’re back at the barn.”

Balto nodded.

“Hey… uh… Balto?” Angel said.

“What is it Angel?” Balto said.

“Since… since I’m going to be leaving soon and… well, if you don’t have anything better to do…. would you like to come inside…. and…and talk.”

Balto smiled at her.

“Sure,” he said.

They both walked into the barn.

Chapter 5

Balto woke up the next morning.

He sighed and smiled.

Then he looked around, and stood up very quickly.

“Where am I?!” He thought.

He looked down, and watched, as Angel rolled over, a smile on her face.

“Oh no!” Balto thought, images of the two of them last night flashing through his mind.

He stumbled backwards.

“How?” He thought. “How could I do that?”

He watched her sleeping, horrified at what he’d done.

“Have I completely lost my mind?!”

He turned, and ran out of the barn.

Balto was laying on the porch.

He felt horrible.

“What am I going to tell Jenna?” He thought. “And what’s she going to do?”

Balto thought back to the events with Trinea.

“God,” he thought, “how could I do something like this, especially after that?”

Balto tried, but he couldn’t remember ever making a conscious decision to do what he’d done, it just kind of… happened.

Balto felt like he was going to be sick.

“Balto?”

Balto opened his eyes, and saw Angel standing at the steps.

He stood up.

“Balto,” she said, “what… what happened between us last night…”

Balto cut her off.

“Was wrong.” He said.

Angel nodded her head.

“…Yeah.”

She sighed.

“Well, look, I… I don’t want you to get hurt over this, so…. I’ll keep it quiet, as far as I’m concerned you went home last night, okay?”

Balto nodded.

“Is this the answer?” Balto thought. “Can I really live a lie?”

“Thanks.” Balto said quietly.

Angel sighed, then turned and walked away.

Balto sighed and covered his head with his paws.

“And Jenna’s supposed to be coming home today.”

He sighed again.

“This isn’t going to be good.”

Balto walked toward Jenna’s to think.

Luke lived, not a mile from Jenna’s home, so it didn’t take long.

When he came in view of the house, he saw that the sled was back, and Rosy was leaving the house on her bike.

“Great,” Balto thought, “looks like I can’t hold this off any longer.”

He walked slowly through the gate.

Who am I kidding?” He thought, as he climbed the steps. “I can’t tell her, it’d tear her apart. She’s better off not knowing. I’m not going to make a habit out of this.”

A little more confident than he had been before, Balto stopped at the door.

“It’ll be better for both of us,” he thought, “she’ll never find out about this, after all, Angel said she’d keep it quiet, and no one else knows…”

Balto didn’t’ like the idea of keeping secrets from Jenna, but…

“It’s better for both of us…” He tried to reassure himself, but… it didn’t work.

He scratched on the door.

Sheae stuck her head out.

A smile slid across his daughter’s face.

“Hey dad!” She said.

Balto smiled a little.

“Hey, how was the trip?”

“It was good.” Sheae answered.

“It sucked!” Likea yelled from inside.

Sheae rolled her eyes.

“He’s just saying that ‘cause he met a girl there and had to leave her there.”

“A girl?” Balto thought. “It’s not that time already is it? Gosh, they grow up so fast.”

“Shut up!” Likea yelled.

Sheae turned her head.

“Why don’t you come over here and make me!” She yelled.

“Kids,” Balto interjected, “knock it off. Do you know where your mother is at?

“Yeah,” Sheae answered, as she fought an unseen force, that was trying to drag her away from the door. “She went to see Kodi and Dusty.”

Balto smiled, as Sheae lost the battle, and was pulled inside the house.

“Kids.” He thought.

He turned and walked towards the gate.

He froze when he saw Jenna walking up the street, headed for the house.

She was almost skipping, she looked so happy.

“No,” Balto thought, “I definitely can’t tell her now.”

He walked over and met her just outside the gate.

“Balto!” She said.

Jenna ran over and nuzzled him.

“I missed you!”

“Yeah,” Balto said, “me… me too…”

If Jenna noticed is downcast attitude, she didn’t show any sign of it.

“So,” She asked, “what were you up to while I was gone?”

“Oh… not much,” Balto said.

“Well I’m glad to be home…” Jenna said, nuzzling him again.

Balto really wished she wouldn’t do that, it made him feel even worse than he already did.

“… next time we go somewhere, you’re coming with us, or I’m not going. That week felt like a month, a year!”

“You can’t do this,” Balto thought, “but… but she’s so happy.”

Jenna smiled again.

“Likea is a little upset right now, he met a girl there, and I think her name was….”

Balto sighed.

“Jen….”

He stopped, and hung his head.

How do I say something like this?” Balto thought.

Jenna saw the change in his demeanor, or rather noticed it for the first time, and stopped, her smile disappeared.

“Balto?”

He looked back up at her.

There were tears in his eyes.

Jenna looked concerned now.

“What is it Balto?”

He sighed again.

“I… I don’t even…. I… I love you so much…”

He had to stop there.

Jenna looked extremely concerned.

“Balto… I.. I love you too, what’s wrong?”

“Here goes…” He thought.

Balto sighed.

“Jen…na, while… while you were gone, I… met this dog, a.. a female, named Angel.”

“Yeah,” Jenna said, “so what?”

“Well…”

He started crying then, and was unable to finish.

Jenna could tell now that something was seriously wrong.

“I.. I never meant for… well….”

He took a deep breath.

“Just do it!” His mind screamed at him.

“Jenna, I spent last night with her.” He said quickly.

“Well you did it.” He thought.

Jenna didn’t say anything, didn’t even move.

Balto watched, as a single tear welled up in her eye, and rolled down to her nose.

It would be the first of many.

She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but nothing came out.

“God Jenna,” he said, “I’m… I’m so sorry, I….”

“No…” Jenna said.

Balto stopped.

Jenna took a step back, a look of shock, of disbelief on her face.

“You… can’t be meaning…. That….”

She started crying then, and had to stop.

“that… that you….”

She looked at the ground.

Balto sighed.

“How?” She said, “how could you….”

Balto hung his head.

Sheae stepped out of the house then.

“Hey mom, dad,” she said, walking toward them. “What’re you guys talking about?”

Jenna lifted her head.

“Honey, go back in the house.”

“Mom?” Sheae asked, as she saw the tears on her mother’s face. “Are.. are you okay?”

“Sheae, I said go back in the house!” Jenna yelled.

Sheae took a step back in surprise.

“Mom hardly ever yells at me….” She thought.

Sheae turned and walked back into the house.

Jenna looked back at Balto, and then back at the ground.

“What else do I say?” Balto thought. “What else can I say?”

“Jenna I…”

He stopped; there were as many tears on his face, as there were on Jenna’s now.

“Jenna, Luke… Luke’s expecting me for a trip today… but…. but I… I want to stay here with you…”

Jenna looked back up at him. The tears were still there, but the sadness wasn’t, it had been replaced with… anger.

Jenna’s eyes burned holes into his head, and this time it was he who had to look away.

“No.” she said.

“What?” Balto asked.

“Go with Luke.” Jenna said.

“But…” Balto started.