Chapter 23
Louisa
It was fun telling Mark to stick it where the sun doesn't shine.
But seeing my mom and siblings safe in a little house on a quiet street in Bozeman is even better. Anyone from the compound wanting to mess with them will have a bigger police force to deal with here, and the spectacle will draw the attention of many more people.
I smile at Curly, who is conducting story time in the corner with all the kids ranging from ages three to 12. Jaxyn, Mira, Savanah, Caleb, Dustin, Mikey, Angel, and Evelyn are all in their pajamas, ready for bed, and excited at the idea of camping out on the floor until we can figure out the bedroom situation.
Ennis and Jake closely watch passing cars as they help Ellis and me unload and unpack.
Olivia and Wylie fill the pantry with food while Dani and some of the ranch hands bring in more furniture from the storage unit where Olivia and Wylie store donations.
Ellis comes up behind me as I watch the scene and slips his arm around my waist.
“You were amazing.” He kisses my neck, sending a shiver of pleasure down my spine.
“Thanks for not escalating the situation. I know you're still pissed.”
I squeeze the hand at my waist, and he shudders. “I was ready to kill him.”
I believe him.
“Ellis. We have to be careful.”
He turns me to face him. “Why don’t we tell the newspaper? Why don’t we go tell the sheriff? We should do all of those things and watch the whole compound crumble.”
I sigh. “It might. But they’d most likely cut and run if they’re under the spotlight. With a whole family leaving like they did tonight on the sly, they’ll have to take some time to strategize. We just have to focus on keeping everyone safe for now and getting more people out. One at a time. Or, nine at a time, but less clumsily. The more people we get out in one piece without the authorities getting involved, the better.”
Ellis sighs. “I’m just worried that the longer we wait, the authorities will be completely compromised. They might not help in an emergency if things get real ugly. What if the cops had conveniently not shown up when Orlyn took a shot at Wylie?”
I shrug. “I can’t think in what ifs. We just have to lay low and wait for the smoke to clear.”
“What do we do in the meantime?”
“We wait for them to find their way to us,” I explain.
“How do you know they will?”
“My mom found her way to me. That’s how I know.”
He nods so solemnly that it breaks my heart. “Ellis. I’m sorry for dragging you into this mess.”
My husband presses his forehead to mine. “I’m not. I love you.”
“I know you do. And there’s more. I don’t want to sell the farm and move to the city. Not yet.”
“You don’t?”
“I want to help you with the farm. And I want to keep close to Olivia, at least while Goldie’s still missing. I need to keep in contact, in case there’s news. And I want to be of help to her and to the rest of the family.”
Ellis presses a sweet kiss to the end of my nose. “Those are all solid reasons.”
“And there’s more.”
“What else, baby?”
“Because I love…Daisy.”
Ellis scoffs. “Daisy!”
“She brought me to you, didn’t she?”
“I suppose she did,” he concedes.
“And because I love you.”
My husband lets out a long sigh of relief. “I love you too, Mrs. Gates.”
This is exactly where I’m meant to be. With my family. With my best friend, and close by my brothers and sisters.
And most of all, always with my handsome farmer.
Just then, Olivia steps out of the pantry, looking as pale as a ghost.
I freeze, knowing in my bones that there’s news, and that it’s bad.
I meet her halfway across the small kitchen, with Ellis on my heels. “What’s happening?”
“We have to go outside for this,” she says, whispering, “The kids cannot hear this. Get your mom, too.”
I can’t fathom what this is all about.
Once the five of us are assembled on the front steps, Olivia shows me her phone.
On it is a text from someone whose name I recognize. It’s one of the older boys who was banished years ago. One of Olivia’s brothers, Zayden.
His message sends a wave of uncertainty and confusion over me.
Some hikers found Elder Trace’s body up in the mountains. Snow melt washed him down from wherever he died. Or, wherever he was buried.
I realize too late that my mother has been reading over my shoulder.
“Oh god. Mom, I’m so sorry.”
Truth be told, I haven’t spoken to the man in years, and I feel nothing.
“Oh,” is all she says. Her face gives nothing away. “So it’s finally over. At least we know.”
I’m so stunned at her reaction that it takes my breath away. “Sh-should we tell the children together?”
Mom shakes her head. “No. Not yet. Not tonight.”
“When?”
“When the time is right,” she says with an odd serenity.
I simply stare at her in disbelief. Mom spots the ring on Ellis’s hand, which rests on my shoulder. My left hand is entwined with his. She looks from his hand to mine and smiles.
“Congratulations, honey.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you?—”
“It’s fine, Louisa.”
She turns to Ellis. “You’ll take care of my daughter. And be a good father.”
“Yes, ma’am,” my husband answers.
“Good. Everything will be alright.”
She turns and walks away. I watch my mother sit on the floor with the children, joining them for storytime.
“Will it, though?” I ask.
Ellis pulls me back and fully wraps me up in his arms from behind.
“I’m sorry for your loss, baby.”
Olivia grabs onto my other hand, saying nothing, just squeezing. Letting me know she’s here.
“That’s a damn sad situation,” I hear Wylie say.
The loss is manageable. It’s barely a loss. Trace has 37 other children besides me and my siblings. Many of them just surviving for lack of attention and resources.
What’s unknown is what this means for the people we left behind.
For now, all I can do is lean into the steady, unmoving wall that I came to trust in a few short days.
I close my eyes, breathe, and feel the love and support all around me.
That’s enough to get me through. Because I simply know that it will.
THE END
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