Chapter 26
Despite how she tried to rest, it was nearly impossible.
A half dozen times, she woke to the sound of Bella talking in her sleep, reliving the horrors of her childhood.
Other times, the peaceful sound of crickets outside threatened to drive her insane.
The more they talked, the more she wondered if they were a warning that something was coming.
Until she was certain the homestead and villagers were safe, Veronica wouldn’t be able to sleep.
Two hours before the sun rose, she grabbed her coffee cup, dumped in the ingredients, and slipped out of the room.
Dressing as she crept down the hall, Veronica made her way to the front door.
She didn’t need the coffee to be hot, just some water to mix the caffeine in with her system.
Strapping her shotgun across her back, Veronica tucked her hunting knife into her boot and stepped carefully across the front porch.
Setting down the cup on the railing, she sat on the steps to tie her boots just as the sound of approaching footsteps made her pause.
Looking up, she saw her mother coming around the edge of the wrap-around porch, still in her nightgown with a steaming teakettle in her hands.
Mauve smiled at Veronica as she dumped the steaming water into her daughter’s coffee cup.
“I thought I would have the morning to myself, and I didn’t think anyone else would be up yet.”
Mauve smiled. “Well, I’ve never really been one for sleeping in much. Besides that, Conner got up about half an hour ago, and you know as well as I do that the boy has never been able to miss that loose step in the hallway. It gets me every time.”
“There’s going to be a lot to do. So, you should probably try to get a little more sleep before we get the day started. It’s not even going to be just today. That’s going to be rough. It’s probably going to be pretty busy for the next few weeks.”
“Like I said, I don’t really get a lot of sleep anyway.”
Veronica sighed. “I know, but I also know how busy we’re going to be over the next few weeks, and I just think it’d be a better idea to get a few extra hours today.”
“Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to sleep anymore today.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not like I’ll be able to get my sleep, knowing what my kids are getting ready to do. I’ve already been up most of the night praying for the safety of both of you. A few extra hours of rest at this point isn’t going to do me any good.”
Immediately, Veronica cringed, knowing her father hadn’t been able to keep the plan to himself.
Luka wouldn’t tell Mauve unless he thought she would be okay with it.
That knowledge alone was hard to believe, but she had to trust her father.
No matter what, Mauve was still her mother, and she respected her.
Plus, the woman had gotten up to make her children coffee and see them off despite her obvious disproval of their plan.
It was the only way that Mauve would believe Veronica.
They had to do more to protect the farm.
Conner had to see what the world had become with his own eyes.
Even if she didn’t want to believe what Veronica had told them, no one would question Conner.
That extended past her parents to the townsfolk as well.
Veronica had done a wonderful job of alienating herself from the locals, but Conner was beloved and respected among them.
If he told the elders they needed to do more to prepare, they would jump into action.
She didn’t care if they painted her as the villain in their stories as long as they were alive to keep telling them.
She could live with the gossip; she couldn’t live with herself if she knew they were in danger and did nothing to stop it.
Any resources they could get their hands on would be valuable to the villagers and local farmers.
There were three large cities within fifty miles of the mountains they called home.
If they could move fast and stay out of sight, they could map out several more scouting runs with more numbers.
Two horses and riders couldn’t carry much, but a fleet of five or six with a wagon could be a game changer.
“I really wasn’t trying to keep any secrets from you, but I just thought it would be better if fewer people knew what we were going out to do. I just thought it would be best if?—”
“There’s no need to explain yourself to me. I know sometimes you think I’m a fool, but I’m really not. I know exactly what the rest of the nation has become since the power went out.”
“I don’t understand why you’re trying to pretend this is no big deal, then.”
“Look, I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but there’s no reason to pretend the world isn’t in trouble right now,” Mauve said. “I might be oblivious to some things, but I know for sure that whatever Bella has gone through in her life, that child obviously needs a lot of stability.”
“You’re saying that you’re doing this for her?”
“I can see the girl has been through hell. There’s no denying she has seen and gone through things that no one her age should have ever gone through. I’m only pretending it’s no big deal for her sake. If I have to stay positive and upbeat for Bella, then that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“I don’t even know everything she’s been through, but I know she has been a lot of help to me since we met. There’s a lot of good in her,” Veronica said.
“I can see it as much as I see the good in you. If she needs someone to stay positive and keep her hopes alive for a better future, then I will gladly make the sacrifice and give her what she needs.”
She was genuinely touched by her mother’s words.
It was as if she were seeing Mauve in a new light.
They’d always had different views on things.
On the rare occasion they did see eye to eye, Veronica was often left wondering if she was wrong anyway.
Now, they had come together for another purpose: the survival of their family and their friends.
The woman’s eyes darted to Veronica’s shotgun strapped across her back.
While she didn’t like the idea of using it, she wouldn’t hesitate to take someone down if it meant protecting herself or Conner.
“Are you sure you’re going to have enough ammo for this trip?” Mauve asked.
Veronica nodded. “I’ve got at least a dozen shells in the bag on my bike. I feel like we were into more trouble than that, then hoofing it on foot will be a better choice.”
“Just promise me that you’re going to be careful out there. I can’t imagine the type of people that are trying to take what doesn’t belong to them, and I don’t want to see anything happen to the two of you. Make sure you are watching out for each other.”
“We will. Conner should already have the horses saddled and ready to go. I told him we were going to leave before dawn. Bella has no idea what we are actually doing.”
“Don’t you be worried about that girl while you’re out there. You should stay focused on what you’re planning on doing, and I’ll take care of things here. Neither Bryson nor Bella need to know what is actually going on.”
“Thank you for that. I just think it’s for the best if neither one of them does.”
Mauve nodded. “I agree with you. You two better just hurry back to us. I hate that you just got here and you’re leaving again so soon.”
Making her way down to the barn, Veronica continued to reflect on the conversation with Mauve.
She knew Bella was in good hands with her mother while she was gone.
The woman would make sure the young girl stayed busy and happy to keep her mind off of the fact that Veronica was gone.
Hopefully, Mauve knew what she was signing up for.
Bella could be high-strung and stubborn, just as any girl her age was prone to be.
There was more to Bella, though, than met the eye, and she hoped Mauve and Luka could see that. Bella just needed a place she could call home and a family who cared. For that, Veronica knew she’d brought the girl to the right place. The homestead was perfect for Bella and Veronica both.