by Brad Manuel
The adults cleaned the camp area, balling up the tablecloths as promised, and throwing them in a trash can down the street. It made little sense to use a trash can no one would ever empty, but old habits die hard.
The Dixon tribe was enthusiastic about their new friends, and fell asleep with hopes of a stronger tribe when they left New York City.
The New York group went to bed with full bellies for the first time in months, each putting a bottle of water on their nightstands before drifting off to sleep.
34
Todd woke up early the next morning, sunlight streamed through the window of his second floor room. He was in a king bed with Emily on sheets he hoped were fresh. The air was cold in his room. He rolled over and quickly jumped into his clothes. He snuck outside and into the adult’s RV parked in front of the hotel. John sat at the small dining table with a paper cup of coffee. He did not look like he had slept.
“Well older brother,” Todd asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “What’s the plan?”
He doctored his coffee with sugar and milk, and sat down across from John.
“I’d like to leave today, but I respect the priest’s request. I can wait. Besides, aren’t you and Emily headed down to Ellis Island today?” John had a smartass smile on his face, mocking his brother for having to follow his wife’s wishes. Despite the teasing, he envied Todd for still having a wife.
“Today I am going to play it casual. I’ll make breakfast, if the New York people come, they come. They know we’re here. Emily, Melanie, the kids, and I will leave for our trip at around ten. Anyone who would like to come can join us. We’ll do a big stir-fry or something easy for dinner tonight. It will be an open ended invitation.” He sipped his coffee. “No pressure.”
“We can leave on Sunday and still be in Hanover by 4 or 5pm. It’s getting warmer. I bet the roads are clearing.” John looked exhausted. “I’m worried about what I will find up there. I’m losing my mind, knowing Greg is there alone. I worry more that he isn’t there at all.” He lowered his head. “I don’t sleep much anymore. I’m having trouble keeping it together.”
Todd looked at his brother, unraveling with each passing day. “Wake your sons, take the Suburban, and leave. There’s no reason for you to wait on Bernie. Put chains on the tires, drive slowly. Go, find my nephew. We’ll meet you up there.”
A woman spoke from behind John. “You should go, John. We can handle everything from here.” Solange stood in the doorway of the bedroom. “We will see you in a few days.” She smiled at him. She did not want him to leave, but she knew it was the best thing for him.
“I’m leaving you a little light on the muscle if both Matt and I go. Even Craig has been a big help.”
“I made it through a few months in Raleigh without you. Emily is strong, Solange is strong. Peter and Melanie can help. Take some food and get out of here.”
“I’ll get Matt and Craig.” John stood up and put on his coat. “Should we come back here if we find him? Should we meet in Boston?”
“We’ll come to Hanover on Sunday. I know we aren’t going to stay there, but maybe it will be a nice break for us. We’ve been on the road for almost two weeks. Let’s get up there, take over a few houses, figure out what our future holds. We can always swing through Boston after Hanover.” Todd stood and gave John a hug. “Go find Greg. I’ll see you in two days.”
Solange stepped forward and gave John a hug as well. “Be safe.” She said, kissing his cheek gently.
He nodded to both of them, a tear fell down his cheek before he opened the trailer, and went to get Matt and Craig.
“So, it is up to us.” Solange said to Todd.
“Yep.” He replied, sitting down to finish his coffee. Todd jumped back up. “You know what? Let’s give him the animals or the U-Haul. Well, I guess the animals.” Todd ran out of the trailer as Matt, John, and Craig walked towards the SUV.
“Take the animals.” Todd said to them. He held out his hand to shake Matt’s. “I’ll see you in a day, Matt, you too Craig. Help me hitch the chickens and goats to the SUV.”
“Are you doing this so the New Yorkers can’t take them?” John asked. “Or to lighten your load?”
“A little of both. It will be one less thing I need to take. Solange is grabbing this morning’s eggs. If they don’t want to come, we might give the New Yorkers the second RV. The rest of us can squeeze into one and tow the U-Haul. I like the option of going in one vehicle.” Todd was babbling, trying to ease his brother’s conscience as well as talking himself into the intelligence of his plan.
Solange emerged from the animal trailer with a basket full of eggs. She came over and hugged Matt and Craig. “Take care of your father, and say hello to your brother from me.”
“Will do.” Matt said. “You’re going to like him. He’s the serious one.”
Solange laughed.
John backed the Suburban to the animal trailer hitch, locked the ball down, and pulled away towards the George Washington Bridge.
Solange turned to Todd. “Your wife is going to be upset he left without saying goodbye.”
“She’ll get over it.” He turned to go back into the trailer, then paused and looked over his shoulder “At least I hope she will.” There was concern in his voice. “I need more coffee. You?”
“Always.” She said.
They sat at the dining table, drinking coffee, and thinking about their day.
“What made you trust us that first day in Richmond? Why did you get out of the car? It was just me and Emily standing next to the RV. What was it that worked?” Todd was trying to figure out what he could do to make the last few people in the NYC group trust him.
“I did not trust you. I had three guns in the car, a pistol on my lap and two shotguns on the other seat. That is why I did not let you come with me in the car. Once I met you, spoke to you, I knew I was safe. You give off, I believe you call it, a good vibe.”
“You had guns?”
Solange nodded. “Would you like to know my other secret?” Solange sipped her coffee. “That was my car. I drove the Mercedes at school. I came from a very wealthy family. When I took the Matisse and said it would remind me of my father, it is because he had a Matisse hanging in his home study.”
Todd’s mouth dropped open a bit. “No way.” he muttered as an impulse.
“I was a princess, not literally, but I was a spoiled princess from Ecuador. My father’s favorite. I lost a lot during El Encantado. My family, my country, my money is all gone.” She sipped and looked at Todd. “I have found a new family, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure I do not lose it. We are leaving tomorrow after services. If Sal is not here, that is Sal’s problem.” She put her paper cup down on the table. “You are a good person, Todd.” She reached across the table and put her hand on top of his. “You have a good heart. I will make sure we use our head tomorrow. These people know the plan, they know where we are going, it is up to them to decide what to do. I will make the hard choices if we need to make them. I know you could, but it is not your nature to make the evil decision.”
Todd nodded because she was right. Todd was too ‘nice’ to make a hard decision like leaving people. He appreciated her honesty and her strength. “Today we will check out the sites, and tomorrow we leave at noon.” He replied.
“Bien.” She said, patting his hand before standing up.
“I am going to wake the children. They have been watching too much television. It is time they learned how real futbol is played.”
Solange opened the door to the other RV, and found the kids watching a DVD. “No more television today. Put on your clothes, we are playing soccer before breakfast. We are playing soccer after breakfast, and then you are going to see the Statue of Liberty.”
“Ahhh, no, come on.” They whined in unison. “Just one more show. Please?”
“No, come outside. You have been watching too much television. Today is an outside day. I will give one dollar to anyone who can score
a goal against me.”
Brian was on to her. “We don’t use money anymore.”
“Don’t be so sure.” Solange lied.
The kids reluctantly put on their outside clothes. Casey and Jackie wanted to be on Solange’s team, girls against guys.
“That’s not fair without Craig and Matt.” Jacob complained.
“We can take them. Don’t worry about it.” Jay was always the optimist and perhaps a bit overconfident in his skills.
Todd watched from the RV window as Solange brought the kids into the street. There was soon screaming, yelling, and laughter. A warm wind brought spring weather, and while it was chilly, it was not as bitter as the previous day. The sun shone down 59th street from the east.
Todd made French toast from the leftover dinner bread. He liked the combination of carbs, protein, and sugar to give the kids energy for the long day of sightseeing. It also allowed him to conserve most of the eggs for the new people.
The RV door opened, and Emily walked in. “Where is the Suburban? Did John drive down to pick up the other people?”
“He left.”
“I know, where did he go, and why did he take the animals?” She poured herself a cup of coffee, walking up behind him and giving him a one armed hug with a kiss on his cheek. “It was nice to sleep in a king bed with you again. Last night was almost like a vacation.”
He turned around and hugged her face to face. “I know.” He kissed her on the mouth, and they enjoyed a husband and wife moment. “John, Matt, and Craig left for New Hampshire. They took the animals, and we’re meeting them up there tomorrow.” He told her quickly, like he was ripping off a bandage.
There was a stunned silence. “That seems to me it should have been a group decision, not a Todd and John decision.” Emily stepped back from their hug with an angry look on her face.
“He took his truck, I asked him to take the animals. I don’t want to get into an argument. Would you ask someone’s permission if Jay or Brian were alone in Hanover, and you wanted to go after them? John leaving to rescue his child is not a ‘group’ decision. He woke up, and decided being five hours away from Greg for another day because some woman wants to have a church service was not in the cards. He offered to stay, I told him to go. He deserves to be selfish about this one.”
Emily’s shoulders sagged, and she dropped her head, closing her eyes. She let out a sigh. “You’re right, I’m just upset he’s gone, that we’re separated again.” She looked up at him. “I heard Craig’s door open and shut this morning, but I didn’t’ want to get out of bed. I wish they had waited to say goodbye, that’s all.” She sipped more of her coffee and sat at the table. “It’s only one day, we’ll be fine.”
Todd’s cinnamon-sugar French toast made the RV smell delicious, despite Hubba’s attempts to make it otherwise.
“Let’s stick to our schedule. We go down to the Statue of Liberty. We try to get over to Ellis Island, we have a fun day in New York City. Solange wants to run the kids around. She says they have been watching too much TV.”
“Well, she’s right there, but we’ve been kind of busy.” Emily was preoccupied thinking about John. “I’ll go out and cheer them on. How long before breakfast?” She clipped a leash on Hubba, not because he would run away, but because it was the only way she could get the dog to come outside in the morning.
“Ten minutes? I want to get a crust on the French toast. I have two pans baking.” He walked over to pull on his coat. “I can watch the kids too.”
The couple exited the RV with their dog, walking to the soccer game. Brian ran over, red faced and panting. “Solange owes me three dollars.” He ran off again.
Melanie was awake and watching the game. She ambled towards Todd and Emily. “I was lazily watching from my bed. Did John take the animals and go somewhere?”
“He went to New Hampshire to find his son. He couldn’t wait another day. Todd asked him to take the animals to help us out.” Emily watched the game while she told Melanie, hoping her nonchalant attitude would play down the magnitude of the comments.
“I’m surprised he lasted the full week in D.C., let alone another day here. I would have left the group a week ago. Good for him.” She walked towards the RV. “I need some of that coffee.”
35
Craig slept in the third row bed. Matt and John drove quickly towards Hartford, Connecticut. Once they got onto a highway, they drove as fast as the conditions allowed. The snow was dangerous, but the chains on the tires gave enough traction for a safe 60 miles per hour.
“We have a decision to make when we get to Hartford.” John told Matt. “We can drive towards Boston and check to see if Greg stayed at Hightower, maybe consider looking for survivors, or we can skip Boston and drive directly to Hanover, doubling back to Boston from Hanover if we don’t find Greg up there.”
“I’m still not sure what’s going on. Why did we suddenly jump in the car and drive to Hanover? I thought we were waiting until Sunday.” Matt envied his youngest brother, sleeping in the back seat bed.
John could not take his eyes off the road, he was driving too quickly over the ice and snow, but he wanted to look at his son and let Matt see the sadness in his father’s face. “I couldn’t wait, I’m sorry. I miss my son. I can’t take not knowing if he is alive. If the snow was that low in New York, there is a good chance it’s melted up in New Hampshire. Maybe we can get through. It’s a sunny day, the snow will be slushy, easier to manage.”
“You just woke up and couldn’t take it? I mean, I’m excited we are finally going to find Greg, but I don’t get it.” Matt looked out the window at the scenery racing by.
“I’m sorry if I’m scaring you or causing confusion. I was at a breaking point. I can’t sleep, I’m not eating as much as I should. I had to go.” He paused. “What do you think? Hanover or Boston?”
“Hanover” Matt said with confidence.
“Agreed.” John replied. “He’s in Hanover, you and I know it.”
Matt looked at his watch, double checking the time he read on the dashboard clock. “It’s only 7:30?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I didn’t get breakfast, Craig didn’t eat, we just hooked up and left. I’m not even sure I have clothes.”
“Don’t be such a wimp. We’ll find you some clothes up there. Grab some of the cereal from the box in the seat behind you. All Todd’s home cooking as made you soft. Time to toughen up, enjoy the adventure.” John teased his son.
“I’ll be okay.” Matt whined. “It’s just, I could have gotten some breakfast.” He reached behind his seat and pulled out a box of corn cereal. He looked for something else, anything else, and found only a bottle of water.
“Are we out of the breakfast shakes? I get dry corn cereal and water? Come on!”
“Soft, this new life has made you soft. Unbelievable.”
“I can tell this is going to be a fun ride. I hope there is food up there. Food that hasn’t gone rotten in the last 6 months, or burst from being frozen.”
“Soft.” John repeated. “Marshmallow soft.”
They reached Hartford in 90 minutes. After Philadelphia and New York, John believed there was little chance survivors stayed in the northern cities. Finding the New York survivors was a fluke, a mistake made by people who did not leave when they should have. As John drove further north, to colder cities, he assumed they were empty. What could keep a person in Hartford? The ocean was 200 miles east. “I’d have gone to Providence, if I stayed up north at all.” John thought to himself. “Being near water is a must.”
“Are we stopping?” Matt asked. It was the first thing he said since their breakfast debate. “You think anyone is here?”
“If we come through, honk our horns, maybe survivors will be ready for the caravan tomorrow. No, I don’t want to stop. We have a tough drive left, lots of turns and probably snow covered roads. I don’t want to wait and talk to any survivors. It will take too long.”
“So unless someone flags
us down or runs in front of the car…” Matt said jokingly.
“I’ll slow down and yell where we’re going, how’s that?” John said back.
“What’s going on?” Craig sat up, waking from the conversation. “Did you carry me from bed and put me in the Suburban? Where are we?” He was confused.
Matt turned around in his seat. “We left to find Greg. The rest will follow us tomorrow. We decided, as a family, that we waited long enough. It is time to get our brother. What do you think?”
“Awesome!” Craig yelled. “But what’s for breakfast?” He leaned over to look in the trunk area of the SUV. “Oh, never mind, I found a box of breakfast shakes.”
Matt glared at his father.
“Yeah, that’s where I put the breakfast stuff. Sorry about that. I knew we had it somewhere.”
Craig flipped Matt a milkshake.
John turned on the CD player. He respected Craig’s sleep time, but Craig was awake now so the music came on.
Two hours after Hartford the road became tricky with lingering snow. John was forced to reduce his speed. They hit patches of ice on overpasses and perpetually shady spots on the highway. Most of the time there was a single strip of clear road. John kept his right tires in the strip for traction. The snow, while a hazard, was soft and slushy. John was confident he could make it to New Hampshire, but it was going to take time. Towing a heavy trailer full of animals did not help his situation.
“We’ll make it, I just didn’t realize it would take us all day.” He explained as they passed a sign that read, ‘Lebanon – 21 miles.’
Matt slapped Craig on the back. “That’s where we’re going. 21 miles!” He rolled down his window and yelled. “We’re coming for you Greg!”
John slowed the Suburban to 35 miles per hour. “Probably an hour unless we hit a clear patch, or a bad patch.” John checked the fuel gauge. They still had over half a tank. He looked at Matt. “Give him another yell. Tell him it will be an hour.”
