“Evie packed as many things as she could find into the bag: baby clothes, diapers, blankets. She found a few canisters of dry formula and bottles that hadn’t even been unpacked yet. She put that baby in a little carrier on her chest. Bundled them up and headed here. Walked all the way in the blizzard somehow.” She stood and walked to the kitchen. “She wouldn’t let her go at first. Nico and Rae took her by the fire. Got her pack and coat off. I went and made some formula, and then she fed her. She went right back to sleeping on her chest. It took Nico a few tries before he convinced her to close her eyes too. She looked haggard. She had ice on her eyelashes, and couldn’t stop shaking. Finally she slept. When she woke she told us the whole thing. I still remember when Nico got to hold the baby. That look in his eye, like he thought she was going to stay for good. They would take care of the baby together. It broke my heart. I knew she came here for a reason, and I agreed to help her.”
Antonia had zoned off far away out the kitchen window over the sink. It was easy to believe she was right back there on that snowy night when Evie returned. Suddenly a hollow footfall could be heard echoing up the basement stairs slowly and carefully. She suddenly turned her head to the side, back towards them.
“Eventually the formula ran out, and we went to goats milk or cows milk. When it took just fine, that’s when she left again, like I knew she would. She could see it in Nic’s eyes too. That hope. She could never give that to him. Now she keeps her promise and comes back every month,” she finished just as the basement door opened up and Lizzy walked in, arms full.
She was teetering at the top of the stairs, trying to maneuver her elbow to close the door without dropping the food. Jack got up from his seat, and went to help her.
“Here. I got it,” he said, closing the door for her. “Can I take some of that for you?” he asked, looking at all of the things she held against her chest. She stole a quick glance to Antonia.
“Oh, no,” she said, taking a few stuttering steps back then catching herself and heading to the kitchen. “I’ve got it, but thank you so much!” She flopped her forearms on to the island’s countertop, and started offloading ingredients to its surface. “I wasn’t sure how much you need so I got a dozen eggs, a dozen potatoes, and a bag of flour. I didn’t see any butter down there, but when I went to the dairy, wouldn’t you know, they were just about done with a fresh batch.” She took a mason jar full of the creamy light yellow spread from the pocket of her long, tan colored cardigan, and placed it gently next to the rest.
“Thank you, Lizzy. I’m sure that’ll all do fine. Now, I’d like to get right to work. Could you take our guests out to the stables, and find Evie for them? They should be talking with Wyatt.”
Just then the side door banged open, and Wyatt came charging in. A huge grin on his face as he went right over to the table where the bat and ball still laid. He picked them right up.
“Shit! You gotta a deal, Evie!”
From the commotion of him storming in they didn’t even realize Nico and Evie were right behind him.
“A bat and a ball, huh? That’s all it takes?” Nico said, chuckling to himself.
His mother walked over to him, and grabbed the bat from his hands as he wound up to swing it in the house. “No, that is not all.” She wagged a finger at Wyatt, then Nico. “And you know better than to swing this around in the house. You’ve only been doing it for twenty years,” she said, walking back to the kitchen and laying the bat against the wall by the door.
“Alright, Toni. Sorry.” He looked just like a child who’d been scolded.
Antonia walked right back to him, and slapped him in the back of the head. “And I can smell Brooks’ smoke on you. I know you’ve been doing it.”
“Ow, Toni. Alright.”
“You have watch at the gate tonight, knock it off,” she said, heading back to the kitchen.
Wyatt turned, and opened his mouth, but saw Rae had just walked in and was giving him a pissed off look, and he shut it real fast. Just then, there came a muffled sound from the back of the house. Charlie looked at Cara and Jack in wide eyed confusion. Then it came again. A little roar, but nothing from an animal they’d heard before. A squeak of a door opening had them craning their necks towards the back of the hallway. Little, loud slaps on the hardwood, coming closer and closer. Then it stopped. Evie walked over slowly to line herself up in the path of the hall, as everyone else stood still. She planted her feet, then clenched her fists, bent at the knees- and roared.
The three of them looked at her, their mouths had dropped open a bit.
“What in the hell?” Cara whispered.
Then, the tiniest, little gasp was heard.
Evie kneeled down. “Little beast.”
A squeal of “Ee-ee” sounded, followed by rapid pitter patters, and like a blur, a toddler came running out, arms stretched to Evie. She jumped on her, wrapping her arms around Evie’s neck. Evie wrapping hers around her entire little body.
Evie turned to the three from the block. “This is-“
Jack interjected, finishing with a breath of disbelief, “Emma.”
CHAPTER 12
Firelight
Dinner was strange. Strange in the fact that it was normal. It was a meal the three of them didn’t think could be possible anymore. One with all the food groups, real food groups, not school lunch food groups. The Ranch had meat and dairy, vegetables and grains, water and wine. And it all came together in a very normal way: a family dinner. That’s what they all were to each other. Each farming family and neighbor, came together at this place, at the table. Apparently, they did every night. Each person worked all day at their post, shift, or livestock. Cleaning, prepping, hauling, or watching. Each person was relied on for something. Each person carried their own weight. Granted, everyone assumed that’s how it was every where now, and how it should’ve been before. But there, at the ranch, it was evident they all wanted to do it, not just for themselves, but for every other person there. It became very clear why Mac was a part of this community. And it was clear why they wanted her to be.
Jack watched as Mac bounced the little girl on her knee. She gnawed on a muffin saved from the block, eyes widening every time she got a bite with chewy, reconstituted dried apple in it. She sipped goat’s milk from an old worn red plastic cup with a cowboy riding a bucking bronco, lasso spinning overhead. Every now and then her little hand would sneak over and snatch a gnocchi that had been fried in butter, covered in the rich gravy from the venison stew off Mac’s plate, and they’d all laugh. Everyone who lived there, save for those on watch were at the table. They all drank wine, and told stories. Funny ones of before, and strangely funny ones from after.
At first, the block three just assumed they ate extraordinary dinners like this every night, but as the plates emptied and the group started to thin out and they all went about their business, it became clear it was a celebration of Mac’s return. As each person left they walked over to her and slapped her on the back, put a hand on her shoulder, or rubbed the top of her head playfully. They were glad to see her. It meant she was still alive.
“Okay. Okay, wait,” Wyatt said loudly to Cara as they still sat at the table. “So this asshole charges Evie, she flips his ass, and she still comes all the way out here to help you?”
Cara smiled a bit and took a big breath. “Well, when you put it that way, we all sound like a bunch of assholes.” She looked over at Jack and Charlie.
“She did break my nose though,” Charlie said attempting a joke, though Mac’s eyes shot over to him.
“Well, I can see that,” Wyatt said, circling around his eyes at the bruises. “But it sounds like you all deserved it! She should’ve got the better of all your noses.” He let out an infectious laugh which everyone joined in with ease, aided by the wine.
Mac smiled as she looked at Emma’s face. The little girl’s giant smile, and big giggles as she laughed at everyone laughing, made them laugh harder. It was easy to forget how the world was here, bu
t it seemed to be just like that at the Block too. Perhaps too much so at the Block, and that’s why they were in the position they were in now.
Emma leaned into the space between Mac’s shoulder and neck, and nuzzled her little head, tucking it right under her chin. She brought the little girl in even closer to her, wrapping her arms around her, and she let out a tiny yawn.
“Alright, piccolo amore,” Antonia said sweetly to her. “It’s time for a bath and bed.”
“I’d like to do that tonight, Toni,” Mac said, though it was tinged with a bit of questioning. “I’ve got a few more things I brought of hers.”
Antonia looked at her with a bit of sadness, knowing where it meant Mac had gone to get things of hers. “Of course,” she gave them both a small smile. “I’ll go put the kettle on the stove, and warm up some water.” She rose from the table and headed to the back room behind the kitchen.
When he heard it was the little girls bedtime Charlie looked out the window and saw it had become dark. Dusk had come and gone without them noticing. The glow of the large fireplace and some candles lit the table. They never even really thought about them having a purpose beyond ambiance, but they sat obvious now, lighting the room in a warm glow.
Mac slid Emma off her knee and set her on the floor. “Come on little beast,” she said, slinging her pack over her shoulder and kneeling down to look in her sweet, little face.
“It’s bath time,” and she put her hands up in make shift claws and roared.
The little girl put her hands up too and roared right back with a giant smile on her face.
“I’m gonna get you, you little beast! Get to the bathroom,” she said, jumping towards her a little, and feigning clawing at her. She shrieked in delight and took a couple running steps towards the back room looking over her shoulder as Mac proceeded to chase her there.
Jack chuckled with everyone else at the scene. “I never would’ve thought I’d see Mac like that,” he said more to himself than the table.
Nico, two seats down, turned and gave him an unreadable look.
“Well kids, the party’s not over yet! Let’s hit the shop!” Wyatt hooted enthusiastically.
“The party’s over for you,” Rae said, steadying him a bit as he got up and wobbled. “You have watch in an hour.”
“No,” Nico said, poking the last gnocchi on his plate with his fork and plucking it off with his teeth. “I do.”
Lizzy turned and looked at him a bit confused, and Rae’s jaw tensed as she shot him a look. Wyatt on the other hand gave him a huge smile, walking over to him and giving his shoulders a rough squeeze.
“See! Little brother’s always got my back! Come on, let’s go!” he said stumbling out the kitchen door.
“You know, Nic. There comes a point where your ‘help’ is not helping. He just knows you’ll be there to clean up his mess for him, cause you always are,” Rae said seriously with a sad look on her face. Then she headed out the door following Wyatt’s trail.
Nico wiped his mouth on his napkin as he pushed off from the table and stood. Lizzy grabbed his hand as he went to walk away.
“You’re taking his shift?” she asked meekly looking at him.
He paused turning back to her and tilted his head thoughtfully. “He’s in no shape to do it. Someone has to.”
“But you have watch tomorrow night,” she said, her eyes going big as she looked up at him.
“Well, then Wyatt will just have to take that shift, for me,” he said and gave her a quick smile. He gave her hand a squeeze then leaned down and pecked her on the cheek. “I’m going to go talk to Richy about stuff to send off since I won’t be able to do it tomorrow before they go. I’ll be back at dawn.”
His hand slipped out of hers as he walked away. She set hers together on her lap, then he was off and out the door. The three from the block looked any where but at her in the awkward moment. The silence was only broken by the gruff snores of Brooks who was asleep at the far end of the table, head lulled to the side on his own shoulder.
Charlie slowly finished what remained of his glass of wine, looking up around the room to avoid eye contact. Jack fidgeted with his napkin in his lap, folding it around his hands. Finally Cara took a deep breath and pushed off from the table.
“Can I help?” she asked, starting to stack the remaining plates and utensils. “I’ll just bring these over to the sink then?”
Lizzy snapped out of her thoughts and plastered her sweet, little smile back onto her face, “Oh, no! No. I’ve got that. Go out back with the rest. They have a fire going at the shop and I’m sure they’d love the extra company.”
Charlie immediately rose at the invitation, and nodded at her. “Well, thank you very much for the incredible dinner.”
She gave him a smile and a nod. Jack got up, and echoed his thanks.
“Well, I’m going to help you at least get the dishes over there,” Cara said, carrying a stack of plates in one arm, a few wine glasses in the other, and headed over to the kitchen. The guys slowly walked behind her carrying their own and placed them on the kitchen island.
Lizzy jumped up from her seat. “Oh, really, that’s enough. This is my job. I do the dishes after every meal.”
“That’s some good work,” Cara said as she gently placed the clacking stoneware onto the countertop next to the sink. “I hated doing the dishes. I would have a week’s worth piled up in my sink before I’d force myself to do it. Sometimes I’d even consider just throwing them out and buying new ones,” she joked to the girl.
She smiled politely. “I don’t mind it. It’s nice and quiet. I also do all the mending here. I was a seamstress in the town over. On Main Street.”
“Another thing I’m horrible at. I never could sew. My mother signed me up for 4H when I was twelve and I was lucky to get out of there with the crooked tote bag I made, and a literal handful of puncture wounds from the pins and needles.”
Lizzy gave her a smile and let out a laugh. “What did you do before?” she asked as she put the stopper in the sink, and started pouring water from a large bucket she had pulled out from under it.
“Well, I uh-“ she cleared her throat and looked down at the beautifully tiled floors of the kitchen. “I was a mechanic,” she answered looking back up at her with a sudden expressionless face.
“Wow! I definitely know absolutely nothing about all that,” Lizzy said in awe.
Cara smiled politely at the girl, though her eyes began to search back and forth on the floor again.
“Again, Lizzy, the food was amazing,” Jack stepped over to Cara and gave her some friendly slaps to the shoulder. “You sure we can’t help you over here? We don’t want to hold you up?”
“Oh, no! Please. I’m fine! Like I said, I like the quiet.” She gave them all a look, then used her hands and a dish cloth to shoo them towards the side door. “Go on out there! Enjoy yourselves for the night. Before you have to head back. I’ll be out there for a bit when I’m done.”
They didn’t hesitate to take the opportunity to get out of there. They stepped on to the porch, and all three of them stopped in their tracks. They had no idea where they were supposed to go. They turned to each other about to ask if they knew, when they heard a knock on glass. They looked back to see Lizzy at the window over the sink inside. She was giving them a big toothy grin and pointing off to the right, at the back of the house. The three of them gave her a wave and headed down the steps, making a right when they hit one of the immaculate stone laid paths.
As they got closer to the back corner, an orange glow started to peak out from behind the house. They heard some low voices laughing and clinking of bottles. When they hit the open driveway, they saw they had two built in fire pits as part of the beautiful landscaping with just a bit of glowing coals to help light the way in the backyard, and a portable one like a big metal bowl, sitting in the driveway in front of the workshop. It was more of a four bay garage, one of the middle doors raised fully open. It stored tractors and Antonia�
�s wine making equipment on one end, but was now used mainly for gatherings and weapons storage. It was dark out, chilly, but no one seemed to mind. Lawn chairs were spread in a haphazard circle around the warmth of the flames. Some of the Ranch community, save for the ones on watch and the ones in bed already, were all gathered around out back, Wyatt was loudly telling a story about his days in college baseball. Swinging the new bat at an imaginary ball, Wyatt turned to them just as he finished his follow through on another swing.
“This new bat is a dream. I never thought I’d have one again, or at least so soon,” he said, flopping down into a chair next to Rae. “Cracked too many skulls with the other one. Should’ve known it would be its turn to crack at some point too.” He took a big swig of liquid from a clear bottle they were passing around.
They smiled at him, and Rae looked up from her chair. “Yeah, we know. We haven’t heard the end of the baseball bat’s lament since it happened,” she said, grabbing the bottle from him and passing it to the next person without taking a sip.
“What is that stuff?” Charlie asked as he sat down next to Henry.
Henry handed him the bottle, and he took a swig, coughing immediately. “Grappa. Made from the grape pomace after the wine’s made. Like a brandy.”
“Well, that’ll do the trick,” Charlie said, face scrunched after taking a shot. He held it out to Cara and Jack. Jack waved it away, but Cara tried a swig, then promised to never do it again.
Evangeline, Alone. (Book 1): Evangeline, Alone Page 18
