Conflicted Home (The Survivalist Book 9) by A American (learn to read books TXT) 📕

more so this time because of all the excitement about the forthcoming weddings. I sat at the table with the kids, delighting in their infectious happiness. These kids were always happy. Despite the loss of Bobbie, Jace and Edie were doing well. Maybe it was just a fact of the new life. That loss was inevitable. Maybe so much had happened to them that it just didn’t affect them the same. But sitting here at a table with bowls of steaming goulash, they laughed and fidgeted in their chairs as they ate.

I asked about their bows and arrows. Little Bit said she was the best shot, of course. And of course Jace disagreed with her. But I talked and played with them at the table. I looked around to see Thad and Mary sitting together, along with Fred and Aric. Miss Kay and Jess were also at their table. Mel was sitting with Jamie, Danny, Mike and Doc. Perez was also at the table.

The old man sat with Miss Kay and Dalton and Ian at another table. All the talk was about tomorrow. Even the kids were talking about the wedding. I was beginning to wish I’d never brought it up. But it was a good thing. I was making people happy. Adding a bright spot to our world.

I got up from the kids’ table, tickling Jace and Little Bit as I did and getting ear-piercing squeals from them. Carrying my bowl into the kitchen, I bumped into Mike coming out the door. He asked about the ice. “It’s at the house. What the hell are you up to?”

He gave me a wicked smile. “Oh, dude, you’re going to love it. I promise, no bullshit, really.”

“Well, it’s at the house when you need it.”

“Can we go get it real quick? I need to get it back to my place.”

I shrugged, “Sure. Let’s go.”

“I’ll meet you at your place with the truck,” he said as he clapped his hands and headed for the door.

I told Mel I was going home, she said she’d be along shortly with the girls. I headed back to the house and Mike was already in the driveway when I got there. He had the old man’s Hummer and was pulling a couple of large coolers from the back of it.

“Let’s put it in here,” he said as he slid one onto the porch.

I went into the house and started carrying the containers out. Some just released their ice into the coolers, while other containers simply had to be tossed into the cooler because we couldn’t get the ice loose. Mike promised to return the containers.

“That’s all of it,” I said as I dropped the last piece in.

Mike looked into the two coolers, “That’s perfect. It’ll be awesome.”

I still didn’t know what the hell he was up to and asked, “The old man know what you’re up to?”

“Sorry, bro, this is top secret, need to know only kind of shit.”

I waved him off, “Whatever there, Cloak and Dagger.”

Mike quickly left, eager to complete whatever sort of skullduggery he was up to. I was now alone in the house, and I didn’t feel like going back to Danny’s, so I just flopped onto the couch. I stretched out and closed my eyes, intending to relax until Mel and the girls came home. And I must have really relaxed. Because I was out when they came through the door. Mel was complaining it was dark and called for someone to turn on a light.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. My head was a little thick and it took me a minute to realize what was going on. Getting up, I said, “Sorry, babe. Guess I fell asleep.” And I clicked on a lamp.

“You girls get ready for bed,” Mel said as she closed the door. “That means take a bath!”

“Ah, come on, Mom. Do I hafta?” Little Bit asked.

“Yes, you do. You’re not wearing that pretty dress tomorrow unless you do.”

“Okay,” she grumbled as she headed down the hall.

“What are you girls wearing?” Mel asked.

“I have a nice pink dress I’m going to wear,” Taylor said.

Lee Ann held her hands out and said, “This.”

“Uh, no you’re not. Find something nice to wear,” Mel replied. With a groan, Lee Ann headed towards her room. Mel looked at me and said, “I can’t believe she hasn’t picked anything out yet.” Then her eyes narrowed and she asked, “What are you wearing?”

I looked down and said, “I guess, not this?”

She shook her head. “No. Not that. I’ll pick something out for you.” Great, I thought.

Once everyone was cleaned up, me included, we went to bed early. Tomorrow would be busy and I was already tired. Climbing in under the sheet, I asked Mel, “What are you wearing tomorrow?”

“I’ve got a cute little outfit picked out. I need to get up early so I can get ready.”

“Don’t wake me up,” I replied.

The morning came quickly and I was awakened by a sound I hadn’t heard in a long time. A hair dryer. I looked at the bathroom door; it was closed, but I knew Mel was in there getting ready. I decided not to bother her and instead went out to the kitchen. Our chicken flock had been growing. So much so that Kay was starting to talk about culling them some. Chicken would be a nice addition to the menu. But in the meantime, they were producing incredible amounts of eggs.

We had all the eggs we wanted. And eggs in all their varieties were usually available for breakfast. And with the addition of the recent supplies, I was able to whip up a batch of breakfast burritos, kind of. If you call scrambled eggs in a tortilla a burrito. What I would give for some cheese. But it must have been enough, because it wasn’t long before the girls were rising from their beds with the aroma in the air.

As they ate, I went to check on Mel.