“Don’t worry about it, Steve. I can probably do it myself.” Mike stood and moved the coat tree to rest at the end of the sofa. It was still close enough to kitchen table that he was able to sit on that side of the table if he wanted to eat there.
“That’s not the point. She’s the nurse, not you and not me.” Steve crossed his arms. “I gave you the can of bread—”
Cole stepped between his sister-in-law and Steve. “Look, Jenna did this as a favor. She’s not obligated to do anything else. As for the bread, we just used valuable supplies on your friend. I think we’re more than even. You are free to leave any time you want if you don’t like this arrangement.”
“I can handle this myself, Cole.” Jenna gathered her supplies, sending a glare at Steve, then Cole.
“I know you can but you shouldn’t have to.”
Steve sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Okay, fine. I guess I’m not used to how things are yet. I had appendicitis and was treated like a prince in the hospital. The nurses were kind and thoughtful.” He glanced at Jenna.
Jenna donned her jacket and mittens, shaking her head. Ignoring Steve, she addressed Mike. “Don’t worry. I’ll check on you tomorrow. If you feel that something’s wrong, it’s okay to send for me.”
Mike nodded. “Thank you, ma’am.”
Steve opened his mouth as if he was about to protest again, but Cole locked eyes with him and the other man blinked. “Uh, yeah. Thank you, Jenna, uh … ma’am.”
Cole grabbed the can of bread and followed Jenna back to the house.
Chapter Two
“Hunter, could you see if your dad is awake? If he is, tell him breakfast is ready.” Elly drained the boiled potatoes, catching the water in another bowl and letting the potatoes sit while she stirred a bit of shortening and flour together in the cast iron pan she had previously rehydrated beef jerky in. The roux picked up bits of brown from the jerky and when it was bubbling, she added the water she’d drained from the jerky along with a little bit of the potato water. A generous sprinkle of pepper created a gravy that wasn’t half-bad, if she did say so herself.
“Sure.”
Hunter returned after a few seconds. “He’s still sleeping. Should I wake him?”
Elly shook her head. “No, I’ll set some aside for him. He was exhausted last night.” She doubted thirty seconds had passed from the time Cole’s head hit the pillow and he fell into a deep sleep.
“Yeah, I know. It was bad enough with the snow and hauling the deer, but those guys showing up didn’t help anything.” Hunter took a stack of plates and a pile of silverware out and set them on one end of the counter. They usually ate buffet style because the table wasn’t large enough for them all to sit around at once. Every meal, a few people had to move to a card table set up in the living room.
“It sure didn’t. I’m not too thrilled about them staying here, but the injured guy, Mike, seemed nice enough. I’m still haven’t decided about Steve.” Elly opened two large cans of pears. The kids loved the fruit and even though they were running low, she couldn’t deny them the treat. “Where are the little ones?”
“Jake and Piper are making sure they wash-up and get dressed. They seemed like they were totally back to normal.” Hunter shook his head, grinning. “A few days ago, they looked on death’s door, now they’re goofing off. Even Jake was getting a little impatient with Lucas.”
Elly chuckled. “It takes a lot to get him riled, but I’m happy to hear they’re feeling better. They had me really worried.” She put a spoon in the bowl of pears. “And speaking of worried—how’s Sophie?” She was almost afraid to ask. The young woman had been spotting for days now. Jenna said she hadn’t lost the baby yet, but it was the ‘yet’ on the end of her sentence that worried Elly.
Hunter sighed, but smiled. “She said the cramps stopped and so far this morning, she wasn’t spotting.”
“Is she coming to breakfast or are you taking her a plate?” Jenna had recommended as much rest as possible for Sophie while she recovered from the same flu virus practically the whole group had caught.
“No, she was almost dressed and sent me ahead. She’s starving.” He laughed. “We better get a plate set aside for my dad now before she fills hers up.”
“Hey, I’m eating for two!” Sophie came from the hallway, her hand resting on her slightly rounded belly.
Hunter laughed and pulled out a chair for her. “That is the absolute best sentence I’ve ever heard in my life. Have a seat. I’ll get you a plate.”
Jenna entered the house just as Elly put the bowls of potatoes and gravy on the counter. “How’s Mike’s hand this morning?”
“A bit better. His fever is down, and he said his hand didn’t hurt as much. The antibiotic upset his stomach a little though.” Jenna took a plate. “Is it okay if I start? I’m famished.”
“Sure, go ahead and eat while it’s hot. The others are on their way.” Elly scooped a generous helping of potatoes and ladled gravy over it, setting the plate on the back of the stove to stay warm for Cole. They were out of foil but she upended a bowl over it like a dome. “I better take a plate to Joe too.”
Jenna shook her head. “It’s okay. He said he was going to come over to eat. I popped in to check on him on my way back to the house.”
The rest of the group—excluding Cole—ate in the kitchen while Piper, Jake and Joe opted to eat in the living room. Speculation about the two men down at the other end of the row of cabins dominated the conversation.
“I don’t trust them.” Sean stabbed a potato, forking it into his mouth with a shake of his head.
Elly didn’t comment, but she shared Sean’s sentiment, if only because of Steve’s erratic behavior last night. One second calm and friendly, the next, dark and suspicious. Cole had fallen asleep before she could discuss it with him and so until she had, she kept her opinion to herself.
Jenna shrugged and turned her fork to saw a potato in half. “They were friendlier today. Steve even offered me a plate of some kind of canned hash. I have to admit, it didn’t smell half-bad.”
“You didn’t take it?” Elly scooped a spoonful of pear juice out of a small dish beside her plate. The adults all had one piece of the fruit and served Lucas and Zoe two pieces each. Their earlier antics had subsided as they ate. Elly noticed that they ate with a singular focus unusual in kids—at least from what she remembered from before the virus.
“I thought about it.” Jenna chuckled. “But, it wasn’t a very big can of hash to split three ways, and Mike needs to eat so he can heal quickly.”
Sean shook his head. “You’re helping them for free. The least you could do is take a meal.”
“Sean—I wasn’t expecting payment. I helped because that’s what I do.” Jenna slanted her husband a glance and Elly looked away, uncomfortable with their more and more frequent arguments.
After eating the last bite of her pear, she tilted the bowl and drained every last drop of juice. She would have scorned canned pears a year ago, but now they tasted like sweet nectar from the gods. While Sean had sounded harsh, Elly found herself once again agreeing with Cole’s brother. “You know, Jenna, I understand your altruism, but Sean has a point. You have a valuable skill. In the coming days, you could barter it for things we need. It would be a good idea for all of us to learn skills that can be used as a form of currency if we meet more people.”
Hunter nodded. “That’s a good idea, Elly. I don’t know what I can offer but I’ll think of something.”
“I know about foraging in the wild, but only around here. Cole mentioned heading out to Nevada. Does anyone know anything about growing food out there?”
Sophie looked at Jenna, who was also basically the chief gardener.
“I don’t, but I guess I can learn.” Jenna looked uncertain, her brow furrowed as she caught Elly’s eye. “Has Cole thought this through?”
Surprised to be asked as if she knew Cole’s every thought, Elly threw her hands up and shrugged. “It only came up for the first ti
me last night. I don’t think Cole has decided anything yet.”
“Who died and put him in charge?” Sean grumbled as he rose and put his plate in a bin of hot, soapy water Hunter had prepared before the meal. He turned. “Dinner was good, Elly. Thanks.” Then he stalked from the room.
Stunned at the anger in Sean’s initial outburst, Elly could only nod at his compliment, but he had already turned his back and she doubted he’d seen it. Cole and Sean always had a bit of a prickly relationship and it puzzled her. She had no doubt Sean would give up his life for his brother without hesitation, and Cole would do the same. It was the small stuff that drove a wedge between them—little things such as when to hunt, what project was the best use of their time and even what would be the priority on any particular day. It all came down to power. Cole had it and Sean didn’t.
It wasn’t that Cole had ever claimed to be in charge—he just naturally fell into the role. If Sean wanted to be the leader, then he needed to start acting like one. That’s all there was to it.
Hunter washed the dishes after breakfast and set them in a rack to dry. Everyone had gone off to work on various tasks. Elly had taken the kids into the living room to give them some lessons in reading and math. He chuckled as he remembered Lucas’s grumbling, but Zoe had been eager. She had gone to preschool, but not a real school. Of course, that would probably never happen now.
Jake took off to shovel paths to the other cabins and to the animals and Piper had joined him. They were also going to clean pens the best they could. Straw was running low for bedding, but feed was a bigger concern. His dad had brought some back with him so at least there was enough for a few more days. They would have to find some more soon or they would have to ration the little left. At least the horses were good at pawing through the snow, but it was so deep now, even that was difficult for them now. He hoped they were getting enough to eat.
The interior of the island had a few clearings and he considered taking all the animals there for a few hours of foraging. He and Jake could take a few shovels and clear some of the snow away to allow the horses, goats, and chickens to get to the dead grass and weeds beneath it. With no fences Buddy would be in heaven herding the goats. He must have had some training before Hunter had found him or else he was just a natural, because when the goats were out, Buddy’s demeanor changed. He was suddenly a working dog, alert and watchful, nipping any goat that strayed beyond his perceived boundaries.
With the dishes done, Hunter found Sophie in one of the storage cabins. She had insisted she was tired of lying around in bed, and was going go through the bolts of fabric he and Cole had gathered and cut and sew a few diapers. That was one item they had not scavenged, although he was pretty sure they could find some warehouse and get a lifetime supply of disposables—but it would be good to have some cloth diapers on hand too, just in case.
“Hey, Soph, do you need a hand?”
She turned from looking at a bolt of soft, pink flannel, her eyes shining. “Look at this! Isn’t it pretty? Feel it.” She stepped towards him, bolt extended. He pulled off his glove and dutifully touched the cloth.
It was soft, he’d give her that, but was she implying the baby was a girl? Did women know these things? He didn’t care if the baby was a boy or a girl, but maybe Sophie wanted a girl deep down. Before he voiced any opinion, she turned and found a satiny soft bolt of sky blue material. “And this one. I want to make a blanket but can’t decide which to use.”
Out of his element, Hunter shrugged. “Use both.” What difference did it make? The baby wouldn’t care.
Sophie gave him a wide smile. “You’re a genius, Hunter. I can make the blanket out of the flannel and use the blue stuff for the trim.”
He wouldn’t turn down a compliment and grinned. “That’s what I was thinking…about the blanket I mean, not that I’m a genius.”
“Here, take these two. I’m going to grab a few more things.” She handed him the bolts, and turned to add a package of needles, threads, scissors, a thing that looked like a bracelet but with a cushion on it, and box of pins, putting those items into a basket slung over her arm.
After leaving her to sew, bored, Hunter put the dishes he’d washed earlier away in the cupboards. Free time, once something used to watch videos on Youtube, or to click away on social media, now made him restless. He couldn’t just sit around. In the other room, Elly was giving Zoe basic reading instruction while it sounded like Lucas was helping his little sister.
Sean and Joe had gone back there to check out some of the parts Hunter had brought back in the fall. Sean thought some of them would turn out useful in some way. Hunter was going to join them soon, but he wanted to speak to his dad first.
As he put the last dish away, he heard the door to his dad’s room open. After a brief stop in the bathroom, his dad appeared in the doorway of the kitchen.
“What time is it?” He yawned and rubbed the back of his neck.
Hunter glanced at the clock on the wall. “Just after ten.”
“What? Half the day is gone! I have to go see how Steve and Mike are doing. And go get the deer I stashed, and—”
“Relax, Dad. We can drive over tomorrow to get the deer. We have fish for dinner tonight. And Jenna checked on the guys. They’re fine.”
Twisting at the waist, his dad sighed. “I suppose we can wait until tomorrow then.”
“Is your back bothering you?” It had looked like his dad was trying to work a kink out.
“Eh, just a little sore. Every muscle in my body aches, but I’m fine.” His brow knit. “What about Joe?”
“He’s better too.” Hunter hedged on this. While the older man had said he was feeling better and had shown up to breakfast, he hadn’t looked well to Hunter. He was gaunt and had coughed a lot. “He even ate here this morning.”
“Excellent. And Sophie?”
“Stir crazy. She snuck over to the supply cabin and got material.” Hunter grinned. “She’s going to sew diapers today.”
That comment elicited a grin and chuckle. “Oh yeah? Wow. I still can’t believe I’m going to be a grandpa soon.”
His dad appeared fit and healthy, not at all like a grandpa except for the touch of gray in his dark hair. Before, he’d always gone to the gym and had been in good shape, but now, the months of hard work and lack of junk food had benefitted them all and his dad was no exception. He was probably as fit as he’d ever been in his life.
Hunter wiped the small counter beside the stove, cleaning up a few drops of gravy. “Yeah, I’m still a little freaked out I’m going to be a dad.” Just saying the words aloud made his heart pound. He shook off the trepidation. “Are you hungry? Elly set aside a plate for you. It’s staying warm on the back of the stove.”
“Starving.” He moved over to the stove and took the plate, releasing it immediately with a faint curse. “Damn. It’s hot.”
“Here.” Hunter whipped the dishtowel from his shoulder and held it out to his dad. “Want some tea?”
Carefully carrying the plate, his dad sat at the table. “Sure. Hey, could you hand me a fork?”
Hunter handed him the fork and poured hot water into a cup, digging out the least used looking tea bag and dunked it in the water. “Sorry. It looks pretty weak, but Jenna said there’s some dried mint we can add to it.”
“No, save it for later. This is fine.” He took a bite of the potatoes. “Mmm…it sort of tastes like hash.”
“Yep.” Hunter sat opposite his dad. “Hey, so tell me about your hunting trip. Anything exciting happen?”
Shrugging as he swallowed, his dad took a sip of the tea and said, “Other than the actual hunt, not really. Didn’t see anyone other than the group that Steve and Mike were with. Why?”
“Oh, no reason. Just wondered if you had seen something. It sounds like you covered territory we hadn’t yet.”
“I did. I was further southwest than we’ve been, but other than an empty barn, I didn’t see much except snow. A lot of snow.” He chuckled.
“I spent the night in the barn, found the feed and then came back here. But that horse of yours saved my butt. I don’t think I’d have found the barn without Red.” He stirred the tea and took a sip.
“Yeah?” Hunter smiled. “He’s a great horse.”
“Anyway, other than almost getting lost, it was pretty uneventful.” He scooped up a forkful of potatoes and stared at it for a moment as though lost in thought before eating it. After he swallowed, he went on, “I think the worst thing was how dark everything was. Being on the island, we expect it, but for some reason, I didn’t count on it being so dark on the mainland. I still expected to see the orange glow in the sky from streetlights, or the beam of a car’s headlights coming down a road. I want to say it was unnatural, but actually I guess it was completely natural like it hasn’t been for a couple hundred years.”
Hunter nodded, his throat tightening when he thought of the baby. What kind of life would his child have? What if having a baby was a huge mistake? He cleared his throat and scratched at a ragged cuticle on his thumb. “Uh, Dad, do you think it’s a bad idea to have a kid now? This baby won’t know anything of the world before.”
His dad scraped his fork over his plate, getting the last mouthful and ate it before he replied, “I think this baby will do just fine in this new world. You’ll be a great father and Sophie will be a fantastic mother, so there’s no worry there.”
Hunter bit his lip to hide his pleasure at the comment. “Sophie’s super excited. With her own family gone…I don’t know…she just wants this baby so badly.” He did too, but he was almost afraid to think it, let alone say it. It was as if saying it aloud would curse the precarious pregnancy.
“And she’s okay now?”
“Jenna thinks so, and she’s nearing four months along. Jenna said the due date would be around the beginning of July.”
“That’s a good time of year.” His dad sipped his tea. “Sophie deserves to have some happiness after all she’s been through.” He drained the cup and stood, taking his plate to the sink and washed it, setting it in the rack to dry. “You and I…we’ve been lucky. We’ve been spared most of the devastation. If only Trent…” His dad trailed off and glanced out the window across the flat expanse of ice as far as the eye could see on this side of the house.
Invasion: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Novel (Sympatico Syndrome Book 3) Page 2
