Safe In The Rancher's Arms

Six

Drew struggled to stay focused on the conversation ping-ponging around the large conference table. Every man and woman in the room was a friend of his. And they were all well-respected members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club. At Sheriff Nathan Battle’s request, the informal group had convened to discuss the coordination of cleanup efforts and the utilization of volunteers now that the county had been designated a disaster area.

Nathan looked as if he hadn’t slept at all. Drew himself had awakened at 3:00 a.m. to a cold, empty living room. The fire had long since burned out, and Beth was nowhere to be found. He’d dragged himself to his bed and managed a few more hours, but he’d been up at first light, eager to get into town and assess the situation.

The trouble was, though he was here, all he could think about was Beth. He’d left the keys to the truck he had promised her with the housekeeper. And Allan was supposed to be at Beth’s place at 10:00. But even so, Drew felt a churning in his gut that told him he was more invested in Beth’s situation than was wise.

Forcing himself to concentrate, he was startled when his buddy Whit Daltry whispered in his right ear.

“I helped rescue Megan’s daughter, Evie, from the daycare center yesterday. It was chaos. All those terrified parents and kids. I can’t imagine what Megan was going through.”

Drew muttered softly in return. “I thought you and Megan were mortal enemies.”

“Very funny.” Whit rubbed two fingers in the center of the forehead as if he had a headache. And he probably did. “Things change, Drew. Especially now.”

The talk at the table had moved to an even more sober topic. Funerals. There would be a number of them over the next week. Fortunately, the mortuary and Royal’s three main churches had sustained only minimal damage.

Drew spoke up at one point. “Jed and I would like to donate $100,000 to start a fund for families with no insurance.” One by one, people jumped in, offering similar amounts as they were able. A representative from social services suggested designating a point person to triage which needs were most urgent.

Shelter would be the first priority. And then cleanup.

The enormity of the task was mind-boggling. Drew looked around the table at Royal residents he had known since childhood, people who pulled together in times of trouble. The town had never faced a catastrophe of this magnitude. But together they would rebuild and help the helpless.

The building in which they sat, the Texas Cattleman’s Club, was an icon in Royal. Built in the early 1900s, it had served as a gathering place for movers and shakers, primarily ranchers whose families had owned their property for decades. Though once upon a time a bastion for the good ole boys, the club in recent years had moved into the twenty-first century.

Despite opposition from the old guard, the club had begun admitting female members. Not only that, the TCC had opened an onsite day care center. Times were changing. The old ways were beginning to coexist with the new. Both had something to offer.

As a historical and social landmark, the TCC was an integral part of the town’s identity. Fortunately, the main building had survived the tornado, but downed trees had damaged many of the outbuildings. Broken glass and water damage seemed to be the worst of the problems.

Gil Addison was on his feet now. “I think I speak for everyone in this room, Nathan, when I say that we’ll do whatever it takes, for however long it takes. As each of you leaves in a few moments, my assistant will be at a table outside taking volunteer sign-ups for shifts on various work details. I know most of us will have some personal issues to deal with, but I appreciate whatever you can do for the town. Because we are the town.”

Applause broke out as the meeting ended.

Jed ran a hand through his hair and turned to Drew. “I brought work clothes with me. What if you and I grab a bite of lunch and then I’ll stay here while you go get Beth?”

“Sounds like a plan. Do you think Kimberly will want to help, too?”

A funny look crossed Jed’s face. “I don’t think she’s free this afternoon.”

Drew felt as if there was something going on there, but he had too much to juggle on his own without sticking his nose into Jed’s life. He was just glad his brother had been in Royal and not Dallas when the tornado hit. It felt good to have Jed’s support at a time like this.

On the way out, Drew paused to speak to friends: Stella Daniels from the mayor’s office, who was playing a key role dealing with the media, and Keaton Holt, who co-owned and ran the Holt Cattle Ranch. Everyone’s demeanor was the same. Grief, determination, and beneath it all, a pervasive sense of loss. The tragedy had stripped away a semblance of security and left them all floundering.

Drew signed up for a shift later in the day and spoke briefly with Nathan, reporting the damage to Beth’s home. When he finally made it to his truck, he waited for Jed to grab his things. “I think I’ll take a pass on lunch,” he said. “I want to catch Allen, the inspector, if he’s still around and hear the report on Beth’s house.”

Jed nodded. “I’ll give you a rain check. Say hi to Beth for me...and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

* * *

Beth felt a trickle of sweat roll down her back. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, with temperatures reaching the lower eighties. That was Texas for you. A veritable smorgasbord of weather. For the first hour, she had been banned from the house while the inspector, hardhat in place, went over the structure with a fine-tooth comb.

At last, he permitted her to enter. He took her around, pointing out spots that would require repair. Fortunately, the foundation was intact. That was a huge relief.

Beth put her hands on her hips and frowned. “So if I had to sleep here, I could?”

Drew’s buddy frowned. “Well, in theory, yes. But it should be a last resort. You’d be breathing in bits of insulation and maybe mold in the short term. I wouldn’t recommend it.” He clicked a few more times on his hand-held tablet and pursed his lips. “I should be able to get you this report by tomorrow morning. If you call your insurance immediately and give them my contact info, we can get the ball rolling. Hopefully, you’ll be near the front of the line.”

“Thank you for coming.”

He climbed in his car and lowered the window to say goodbye. “It won’t be so bad. To a layperson, this might look daunting, but a professional carpenter will have you back to rights in no time. I’ll be in touch.”

As the inspector drove back down the driveway toward the shared road that had been a bone of contention between Beth and Drew, she wondered for a bleak half second if she should simply sell her land to Drew and relocate. She’d poured what little capital she had into making a go of Green Acres. It would take months to recover from this setback. Maybe it would be smarter to look for a small house in town.

She had worked at the bank before. It wasn’t her passion, but it paid the bills.

As she stood there pondering her options, a second vehicle arrived, this one an ancient green Pinto with a muffler that was shot. The car shuddered and snorted to a stop. Beth’s stomach clenched. The last thing she needed today was a run-in with her deadbeat brother.

The car door opened and Audie stepped out. He weighed barely a hundred pounds sopping wet. Numerous jail sentences over the last ten years had hardened him. Mostly B&E, with a few disorderly conducts and a handful of public drunkenness thrown in. Audie had his mother’s alcoholic tendencies. Unfortunately, she’d let him drink his first beer at age twelve. It was a wonder he wasn’t already dead from liver failure.

Audie had been in and out of rehab repeatedly. But apparently this last time had produced some success. Though Beth found it difficult to trust anything he said, Audie had supposedly been clean for six months now.

Beth had done her best to rise above the stigma of her upbringing. Hanging out with her brother didn’t help matters. But as much as she hated his behavior and his lack of backbone, she couldn’t ignore the fact that he had a wife and child.

Angie, Audie’s bride of four years, was a cheerful woman-child with less street smarts than most kindergarteners. What she saw in Audie was anyone’s guess. The baby was small and sad-eyed, but as far as Beth could tell, little Anton was healthy. Angie had picked out the decidedly non-Texan name. She liked having three As in the family.

Angie and Anton remained in the car, so that meant this visit was business and not pleasure. Beth’s stomach knotted. She had called her brother to check on him only this morning and gotten his answering machine.

When she made no effort to approach the parked car, Audie ambled in her direction. “Hey, sis.” When he smiled, the usual sly calculation in his gaze was missing. He appeared clear-eyed and sober. “Looks like the house is okay.”

She raised her eyebrows, incredulous. “An entire section is gone.”

He shrugged. “Still standing. Our apartment is toast. Thought we might stay with you for a while.”

“Audie....” She struggled for words. Bringing in a homeless stranger would be an easier task than dealing with her sibling’s personality.

“C’mon,” he said, slinging an arm around her shoulder. “We’re family. You wouldn’t let a baby sleep on the streets, would you?”

Feeling boxed in and frustrated, Beth evaded his grasp. “There are shelters set up in town.”

“Those are for people who don’t have relatives to help out. I got you, babe.” His snickered reference to an old song didn’t amuse Beth in the least.

“I’ll have to get repairs done. Construction debris is no place for a child.”

“We can stay out in the shed. It has electricity and a sink. And a utility shower.”

It was clear that Audie had made up his mind. Beth knew from experience he would continue to harangue her until she gave in. Perhaps she shouldn’t stay in Royal at all. Sometimes the temptation to move far away and make a new start was compelling. This setback in her fledgling farm endeavor might be a sign.

But in the same instant, she thought of Drew. And of her friends and neighbors in Royal who faced a long road ahead. This corner of Texas was all Beth had ever known. Though her memories of growing up weren’t entirely positive, Royal was home. Audie would always be her brother, no matter how hard she tried to tell herself they were nothing alike. They shared DNA and a difficult past.

Audie had made different choices in life than Beth had. Poor choices in many instances. She felt no real compunction about letting him bear the consequences of his actions. But she couldn’t turn her back on an innocent child and a waiflike woman with no common sense at all.

“Fine,” she said. “Have it your way. You can stay. But you’ll have to bring in some kind of camp stove and a mini fridge.”

“Why didn’t you take care of that?” he asked.

“I’m not staying here,” she said evenly. “Drew Farrell has invited me to Willowbrook Farms for as long as it takes me to get the repairs done.”

Audie frowned. Apparently he had assumed Beth would be responsible for everything. “Well, that’s convenient. Seems like you always have men hanging around to look after you.”

The implication in his voice and in his words made her furious, but she wouldn’t let him see that he could get to her. Keeping her expression bland, she lifted an eyebrow. “Audie...”

“Yeah?”

“For once in your life, try to think of someone other than yourself. If this turns out to be too uncomfortable for Angie and Anton, please be a man and find a solution.”

“Easy for you to say.”

She refused to let him make her feel guilty. “I’m leaving now.” She headed toward the green Pinto to greet her nephew and sister-in-law. But before she got there, a familiar dark truck turned off the highway and approached the house. Well, this day just keeps getting better and better. Grim-faced, she watched Drew Farrell park and get out of his vehicle.

He lifted a hand as he approached. “Has Allen already come and gone?”

She nodded. “I’m surprised you didn’t pass him. It hasn’t been that long.”

Drew stopped short, seeing Audie and the car. He held out a hand. “I’m Drew Farrell. Don’t believe I know you.”

Audie wiped his palm on his jeans before returning the gesture and shaking Drew’s hand. “I’m Audie Andrews, Beth’s brother.”

Beth knew Drew well enough by now to see that he was surprised. But he hid it well. “I suppose you’re checking up on your sister.”

Audie seemed nonplussed, possibly because the notion of worrying about anyone other than himself was foreign to him. “Um...yeah.”

“Did she tell you what happened?”

“You mean the tornado?”

Drew smothered a smile, exchanging a quick look with Beth. “Not just that. Obviously the farm took a direct hit. But we were trapped in the storm cellar overnight. The car pinned us inside.” The vehicle in question still sat in a forlorn heap. Beth wondered if it was worth anything as scrap metal.

Audie’s eyes shifted from Drew to Beth. “You two must be kinda close.”

“We’re neighbors.” Drew’s wry smile dared Beth to disagree. “I had come over to discuss a few things with Beth when the sirens went off.”

“And now she’s staying at your house.”

It was hard to miss the insinuation. Beth’s cheeks burned with humiliation. There were about a thousand places she would rather be right now than in the midst of this awkward confrontation.

Drew ignored the provocative statement and returned his attention to Beth. “What did Allen have to say?”

“He hopes to have his report to me by tomorrow morning. The foundation is sound. He says the other stuff won’t be as bad as it looks to repair.”

“That’s great.”

“It is.”

Surely Drew was confused about her lack of enthusiasm, but she was barely holding it together. Her nerves were shot. Dealing with Audie always had that effect on her. She grimaced as she faced her brother. “I have to go now. Make yourself at home.”

Drew gaped. “They’re staying here?”

Audie cocked his head toward the car. “I’m between jobs at the moment. Our place in town was trashed by the storm. But we were only rentin’ anyway, and it’s the end of the month. Beth is going to let us bunk down out in the shed. It’s in pretty good shape. We’ll be fine.”

Beth noticed he didn’t bother to mention that he’d been fired from his last two places of employment for showing up drunk.

Drew seemed baffled. This unfortunate intersection of the haves and the have-nots illustrated more than anything else the gulf between Beth’s world and the Farrell empire.

She interceded, hoping to end the regrettable interlude. “I have to go, Audie. Drew and I are volunteering in town this afternoon.”

Excusing herself, she went to say hello to Angie and Anton and then returned quickly to Drew’s side. “Shall I follow you?” she asked.

Drew’s gaze went from Beth to Audie and back again. “We can change our plan,” he said, his expression troubled.

“It’s not necessary. I want to go into town and do something useful.”

A long silence stretched to thirty seconds. Maybe more. For once, Audie kept his mouth shut. Finally, Drew’s shoulders lifted and fell. “Okay, then. We’ll stop by the ranch to grab a bite to eat and drop off the clunker. Then we’ll go.”

Perhaps it escaped Drew’s notice that his version of a clunker was several notches above Audie’s car.

Beth wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, wishing she had thought to bring water. “Goodbye, Audie.”

He nodded. “Thanks for letting us stay.”

Beth took Drew’s arm. “Let’s go.”

When they were out of earshot, he opened her door and muttered beneath his breath. “Are you sure we don’t need to do something for them? They’re your family.”

She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath, settling her hands on the steering wheel. “Audie always lands on his feet. He’s the perfect example of give him an inch and he’ll take a mile. Don’t worry about them. They’ll be fine. I swear.”

Turning the key in the ignition, she made her wishes clear. “It’s getting late.”

To her dismay, Drew stood at her window for several long seconds. He must think she was a heartless bitch. But for the life of her, she didn’t have the energy to explain why Audie was a barnacle on the ship that was her life.

The truth was, he was worse than a barnacle. Barnacles didn’t actually do any damage. But Audie wreaked havoc in his wake. Even sober, he was an opportunist and a liar.

Without another word, she raised her window, turned on the air conditioning and spun gravel as she shot down the drive and onto the road. Her eyes burned with tears. She swallowed hard, blinking them away. She refused to let Drew see how much her brother upset her.

Drew couldn’t possibly understand what it was like to crawl out of a dismal past and reach for something cleaner, something better. Was that a crime?

The thought of Audie staying at Green Acres outraged her, despite the fact that the house was ripped apart and vulnerable. She knew there was a good chance that before she managed to eventually evict him, he would steal anything worth pawning. It had happened before...far too often.

Angie would never know. She was so clueless, it never occurred to her to ask where Audie got the money he spent so recklessly. And Beth wouldn’t say a word. Because she had been Anton once upon a time. A helpless child at the mercy of a parent too selfish and irresponsible to make sure she was safe.

The only way to cope at the moment was to compartmentalize. This afternoon, she and Drew were going to offer assistance where they could. In the midst of tragedy they would extend a helping hand. If Drew wanted to talk about Audie, Beth would deflect the conversation.

Seven

Drew followed Beth back to Willowbrook, wondering what in the hell was going on. Beth had never mentioned Audie, but now that Drew thought about it, she had alluded to her family not being close. Maybe her brother was the only family she had. Clearly, the two of them didn’t get along.

Was she embarrassed for Drew to meet Audie? Maybe she thought Drew was the kind of man to pass judgment on others. He knew full well that he was a very fortunate guy. He’d been born into a loving family, one with considerable financial assets. Though his parents had retired early and moved to Padre Island, all of the Farrells were a close-knit group, even the cousins and aunts and uncles.

As he parked and got out of his truck, Beth was already hurrying up the front steps. By the time he reached the kitchen, he found her talking to the housekeeper, who was quickly setting out lunch.

Suddenly starved, Drew sat down and dug into a thick corned beef sandwich. The afternoon would be more about physical labor than the morning had been. Breakfast was a long time ago. Beth seemed equally hungry, but she barely glanced at him as she ate.

She finished before he did and gave him a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Blotting her mouth with a napkin, she stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I want to freshen up for a moment before I leave. I’ll see you back here tonight.”

He caught her wrist. “It doesn’t make sense for both of us to drive. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

Not a muscle in her body moved. She stared away from him. Beneath his thumb, her pulse was rapid. “Fine. If you’re sure.”

Releasing her reluctantly, he nodded. “I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes.”

She disappeared, leaving him to ponder the odds that she would actually wait for him. Maybe she was upset about dealing with her brother. Families could be complicated. Most likely, Audie’s unemployment made things worse.

When Drew stepped out onto the front porch two minutes ahead of his deadline, Beth was perched on the top step. Despite the heat, she was wearing faded jeans that would protect her legs. A yellow cotton sunhat perched on top of her head. Her long, blond curls were tucked up in a jaunty ponytail. She smelled of sunscreen.

He touched her shoulder briefly. “Let’s go. Where would you like me to drop you?”

Beth shot him a sideways glance as they climbed into the overly-warm cab of the truck. “I’d like to check on Megan at the animal shelter.”

Drew cranked up the A/C, wondering if Mother Nature realized that it was October. The temperature was supposed to be winding down. “Are the two of you friends?”

“Recent friends.” Beth’s gaze was pensive as she stared through the windshield. “When I first moved to the farm, it felt lonely at night. Megan helped me adopt a sweet puppy. His name was Gus. Half cocker spaniel, the other half pure mischief. I built a fenced-in enclosure, but he got out one day. One of my customers ran over him.”

Without thinking about it, Drew reached across the small space that separated them and touched her hand. “That sucks. I’m really sorry.”

She didn’t look at him, and she moved her hand. “I felt so guilty.”

“You shouldn’t. That’s what puppies do. They get loose. And run out into the road. Sometimes it doesn’t end well. Did you ever think about getting a second dog?”

“For about two seconds. Love can’t be transferred automatically, you know. I loved Gus. But maybe I don’t need a pet. I’m having a hard enough time taking care of myself.”

She said it matter-of-factly, and now Drew was the one who felt guilty. Here was a woman who had battled long odds to pursue a dream. But he’d overlooked her hard work and dismissed her modest success in his single-minded determination to safeguard his horses and his business.

From Beth’s perspective, he must have seemed like an arrogant jerk. He chewed on that unpalatable bone until they pulled up in front of Royal Safe Haven. The animal shelter was located near the hospital in an industrial area of town.

Beth scanned the premises. “It looks like they’ve been spared.”

“It’s hard to believe, because the hospital lost an entire wing. But it was the oldest section, so maybe it wasn’t up to modern codes.”

The grounds of the shelter were covered in tree limbs and foliage and debris carried in from parts unknown. But the single story brick structure appeared solid.

Megan McGuiness, the owner, greeted them with a harried expression. “Thank God. I hope at least one of you is here to lend a hand. People have been dropping off strays all morning.” The green-eyed, curvy woman was pale beneath her sprinkling of freckles. Her straight, bright red hair framed her face in tangles.

Beth hugged her, despite the assortment of stains on the other woman’s clothing. “Drew is committed to a work detail in town. But I can stay for a while.”

“Bless you.” Megan arched her back and winced. “The animals went nuts. Clearly there was no way to get them all in a storm shelter. I’m grateful we escaped the worst of it.”

Beth turned to Drew. “I still want to see the damage in the rest of Royal. And help if I can. But I’d like to stay here with Megan for a couple of hours. Would you mind coming back to get me?”

“Of course not.” He focused his attention on Megan. “Is there anything you need in terms of supplies? Anything I could round up in town?”

“Some tarps would be great, but I have a feeling those are going to be scarce as hen’s teeth. Still, I’ll take what you can get. And a roll of twine.”

He grinned. “Beth can text me if you think of anything else.”

Megan’s smile turned sly. “What I really need is adoptive homes. How would you feel about taking a couple of cats, Drew?”

He grimaced. “I’m allergic to cats.”

“They’re barn cats. You have a barn. It’s a match made in heaven.”

Beth held up her hands when Drew blanched. “Don’t look at me,” she said. “My house is barely standing. It’s no place for an animal right now.”

Drew gave in with good grace. He and Megan had gone out once about a hundred years ago, so he cared about her...though more as a sister. “Fine. Two cats. No more. I’ll send one of my guys to pick them up this afternoon if I can find anyone who’s not working cleanup.”

Megan went up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”

He rolled his eyes. “Flattery doesn’t work on me. I’ve already agreed to the deal. You don’t have to oversell it.”

Beth chuckled. “You’d better run, Drew. The last time I was here she had two iguanas and a python. I think you’re getting off easy.”

* * *

Beth smiled at her friend as Drew drove away. “I should have already asked. How is Evie?” Beth had met the four-year-old when Beth had adopted the puppy. Evie’s precocious charm had won her over immediately.

Some emotion flickered in Megan’s eyes. “She’s good. She’s fine.”

Since the other woman’s tone of voice indicated she didn’t want to talk further about her child, Beth backed off. “Tell me what to do. I know you’re overwhelmed.”

For the first time, Megan took a deep breath, her gaze sober. “Is it true that your house is badly damaged?”

Beth nodded. “My place took a direct hit. The fields are ruined. One corner of the house is a shambles. Drew and I were trapped in the storm cellar overnight when my car decided to land on top of us.”

“Dear Lord.”

“Yes. We were lucky. I still get shaky thinking about it.”

“Well, I can take your mind off your troubles, I guarantee. Come on inside and you can help me decide how to rig up some extra cages. I won’t be able to use the outdoor dog runs until I get help clearing everything the storm dropped on top of us.”

Within the walls of the building, chaos reigned. Dogs howled. Cats screeched. It was as if the animals realized that a disaster of epic proportions had swept the county. And perhaps they did.

When Beth voiced the thought, Megan nodded. “They understand, they really do. Dogs and cats are remarkably intuitive. Of course, right now most of them are cranky because their routines have been altered. But they’ll settle down soon. I hope.”

For the next couple of hours, Beth worked until her back was sore and her legs ached. Feeding and watering the clientele took a long time, not to mention finding places for the new residents displaced by the storm.

At one point, pausing to catch her breath, she leaned down and picked up a tiny puppy with matted golden-brown hair. He reminded her a lot of Gus. The little dog curled into her arms with what she could swear was a sigh of relief. Murmuring to her newfound friend, she stroked his ears. “If you don’t have a name, I’ll call you Stormy. I know...it’s cliché. But all the little girl dogs will think you’re cute.”

Megan returned from outside where she had been hosing out buckets. “Looks like somebody loves you.”

Beth’s heart turned over in a wistful flip of longing. “Do me a favor, Megan.”

“Of course.”

“If no one comes to claim this sweet fella, will you keep him for me? Until I’m back in my house?”

“I doubt Drew would care if you brought a dog home. He’s not allergic to those. The man has a Golden Retriever and a couple of Bluetick hounds.”

“All the more reason to leave Stormy here. Drew is already feeding and housing me. I can’t trespass on his good nature any further than that.”

Megan lifted an eyebrow. “You’re staying with Drew? I thought he was the big bad wolf trying to gobble up your farm.”

Beth held Stormy more tightly. “It’s not like that. When he saw that my house was going to need major repairs, he offered me a room. That’s all.”

Megan grinned. “And how many other homeless females has he taken in?”

“None.”

“I rest my case.”

At that exact moment, a horn honked outside, signaling Drew’s return. He carried in the supplies Megan had requested and glanced at Beth with amusement. “You both look like you’ve been dragged through a bush backward.”

“Some of us have been working hard,” she said.

He didn’t rise to the bait. “You ready to go?” He scratched Stormy’s tummy gently. The puppy practically rolled his eyes in ecstasy. Beth understood entirely. Drew’s big hands gave a woman naughty ideas.

Beth looked at Megan and handed over the small dog. “I’ll come back again, I promise.”

Megan tucked the pup under her arm and glanced at her utilitarian watch. “No worries. We’ve had lots of volunteers. Thanks for all you’ve done.”

* * *

Drew pointed the truck toward downtown. “You sure you want to do this?” The farther they drove, the more damage they witnessed. Beth stared in silence. At one point he saw a single tear slide down her cheek. But she didn’t wipe it away.

“How can it happen so fast?” she asked, the words heartbroken.

He understood that it was a rhetorical question. Though he had already seen the devastation yesterday and twice today, the senseless destruction still took his breath away. The random patterns of the storm’s fury played out much like what they had seen at Beth’s farm. Some streets were still impassable, cordoned off by orange and white barricades. Power poles had been tumbled like matchsticks.

But in the midst of chaos, here and there, a potted plant survived...a child’s bicycle, a glass shop front. Signs of hope in the midst of incredible sorrow. Drew pointed to a family of four sifting through what was left of their modest two-story home. “Everywhere I’ve gone so far, people have been amazing. They’re putting it in perspective. Grateful to have each other.” Left unspoken was the thought that not everyone had survived.

“Where are we going?” Beth asked, her voice subdued.

“The high school. They’ve set up a large shelter area in the gym. How do you feel about reading books to kids?”

“I have no idea. I’m never really around little ones very much.”