Home Coming (The Survivalist Book 10) by A. American (ebook reader .TXT) 📕

“I’m just worried about her is all.” She pointed an accusatory finger at me. “If she gets hurt, it’s on you!”

“She’ll be fine. I promise.” What I meant was I hoped. Shit can go wrong in a hurry on a motorcycle. I’d just have to do my best to teach her how to safely ride it, then hope she listens and doesn’t do anything stupid.

“What are you doing today?” She asked, changing the subject.

“I’m going to get with Thad. Plus, we have to figure out where we’re going to store all that damn crap we brought back yesterday.”

“I’m taking the girls with Jess to town. We’re going to work in the gym where the wounded are. They need help and it’s the least we can do.” That surprised me. I didn’t know she was even thinking about such things. But it also made me proud to know they we’re all willing to help those that needed it.

“That’s really good. I’m glad to hear the girls are willing to step up to the plate like that. We recovered a bunch of medical supplies yesterday. Make sure you get with the old man and load that up for the trip to town. I’m sure they can use everything they can get their hands on.”

“Ok, that’s good. Because they’re already asking for people to bring in old sheets and towels to be cut up and made into bandages. So those will come in real handy.”

“When are you guys going up there?” I asked.

“I’m waiting on Jess. She said she’d come down when she was ready. Fred wants to go too but she’s dealing with morning sickness. It’s hit her pretty hard.”

“I think it’s great you guys are doing this. You’re not taking Little Bit, are you?”

Mel shook her head. “No. She’s too young. She’s staying here with Danny and Kay.”

“I’ll be around too.”

“I have to get the girls up, so they can eat,” Mel said and headed down the hallway.

It wasn’t long before I heard them voicing their complaints about being woke up. But it was all good natured and they all came filing out into the kitchen, looking like a sorry lot.

“Well, good morning!” I nearly shouted. “Glad you could join us!”

Taylor rubbed her face and yawned. “You’re one to talk. You’re usually the last one to wake up.”

“That’s only because I do more than all of you combined,” I replied with a smile. Lee Ann snorted in reply.

Little Bit came plodding down the hall, dragging her bear Peanut Butter behind her. She rubbed her eyes and climbed up into a chair asking, “What’s for breakfast?”

“I made biscuits and eggs this morning,” I replied.

Her face lit up and she asked, “Can I have honey with mine?”

Mel slid a plate in front of her and set the jar of honey on the table. Little Bit licked her lips as she spun the lid off. First, she dipped her finger into the jar and jabbed it into her mouth. Mel told her to use a spoon to get the honey and she laughed. Sticking a spoon into the golden goo, Little Bit drizzled it all over her biscuit and the plate and a little on the table. I watched her and couldn’t help but smile. She was covered in the sticky mess in no time.

It reminded me of a story from when I was little. My dad let me get honey all over my hands and face. Then handed me a cotton ball. From the way he told it, he got a really good laugh out of it. Mom, however, didn’t think it was so funny. Looking at Little Bit covered in stickiness made me really want to hand her a cotton ball to wipe it off. But she was a little older than I was when it was it was done to me and probably too smart to fall for it.

“I’m going to get with Thad and see about butchering a hog,” I said as I collected my gear by the door.

“Okay,” Mel replied. “We’re headed over to town in a bit and will be gone all day.”

“Dad,” Lee Ann called out. I knew what she wanted.

“Yes, kiddo. We’ll look at it in a little while.” She and Taylor shared a giggle, causing Mel to ask what we were talking about. “Oh, nothing. Just a little project for the girls.” But I wasn’t fooling her; she knew what was up.

I left the house and went over to Danny’s. He was out in the garden doing a little weeding. “Yo,” I called out.

He stood up and tossed a handful of weeds over the fence. “Yo. How’d it go yesterday?”

“We got everything we could carry and blew the rest of it up. Those Russians brought a lot of shit with them. They planned on being here a while. We found three alive and brought them back as well.”

That got Danny’s attention. “Brought them here?”

I nodded. “Yeah. They’re at the old man’s place. Hey, I’m going to get with Thad about butchering a hog. We’re out of pork and we need to make soap again.”

“I’ll help. I just have something to do first.”

“Cool. I knew you would. Let’s go up onto the porch. I got something else I want to talk to you about.”

We walked up to the porch and took a seat in the rocking chairs. Almost immediately, Miss Kay came out with two Mason jars of iced tea and handed them to us. “It’s hot out here and you two look like you could use a cold drink.”

Taking the offered glass, I replied, “You’re an angel. Thank you.”

Taking a sip of his tea, Danny asked, “What’s up?”

I rocked for a moment, then said, “I was thinking about Mom and Dad today. With all those Russians and Cubans gone, I was thinking of taking a couple of days and trying to get to their place. Check on them, maybe even bring them back here.”

“You want to do it by boat, take