Chapter 36
As the days turned to weeks without any confrontation from the villagers or their beer-bellied leader, Sarah started to feel like everything was getting into a normal swing.
It had been four weeks since they had reached the homestead, but so much had changed.
The bathhouse had been finished within days and now was a favorite spot for not only Sarah but her mother as well.
The men had gone above and beyond in creating it.
From the skylight to the steam room, it rivaled some she had only seen in gyms. It was amazing what they could do without electric or power tools.
The twins had found a happy rhythm and routine with Connie, who adored working with them every day.
Between her father teaching them the ways of the homestead, Adam teaching them how to take care of themselves, and Connie teaching them everything a school might, they were destined to be incredibly well-rounded children.
Sarah knew their lives would have been incredibly different had they never crossed paths.
Despite how well everything was going, she still had the nagging feeling in her gut that they needed to head south to check on the others.
They hadn't heard anything from the villagers beyond the few who came to the homestead to trade with her parents.
The mayor hadn't again set foot on the land, nor had any of his men.
From the gossip that traveled to the homestead with the tradesmen, Sarah knew the mayor was still enraged over what he saw as direct disrespect.
She loathed the man with every ounce of her body.
Given the opportunity, she would have enjoyed exacting some martial law on him herself.
The nights were starting to get chilly as the adults gathered on the porch after the twins had gone to sleep.
They had done just about everything possible to be prepared for the harsh coming months.
While the weeks had been busy and full of progress, the only thing that remained out of stalemate was her relationship with Adam.
They had flirted and even gone as far as professing their feelings, but they still had almost no time together alone.
There was an understanding between the two, an unspoken bond neither was in a rush to define.
After all, they had all the time in the world.
Her heart raced as she looked out over the land.
With all of the adults there, there was no reason for her to procrastinate telling them what she was planning any longer.
She couldn't believe how nervous it made her.
She was a grown woman with nothing tying her down, so to speak.
Yet the obligation she felt to check on Meredith and the girls was deeply rooted inside her.
Sarah had to leave, and everyone she loved deserved to know it was coming.
Taking a deep breath, Sarah smiled at her mother before starting the conversation.
“I need you guys to know I’ll be leaving in a couple of days to head back south,” Sarah said. “Everything here is all set for you and the incoming winter months, and I made a promise to check back with Meredith as soon as I could.”
“We knew it was coming but didn’t realize it would be so quickly,” Adam said. “How long do you think you’ll be gone.”
“Honestly, I don’t really have any plans on how long I will be gone. I wish I could tell you for sure. I’d say it shouldn’t be more than a few weeks.”
“Well, do you think it’s possible for us to talk you out of it?” Henry asked. “I hate to see you go. You’ve seen what’s out there for yourself.”
Sarah chuckled. “No, not even a little bit of a chance. I have to go back to check on Meredith. I can’t break the promise I made to her.”
“Yeah, I know. I was only hoping there was a chance, but I completely understand the need to make good on your word. Plus, it’s nice to have the extra set of hands around here. It makes things a lot easier.”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, Adam is going to be right here the whole time to make sure everything is taken care of. He’ll be able to keep an eye out and help with anything you might need.”
“Why don’t the two of you leave her alone?” Connie chuckled. “She’s made up her mind, and she knows what she’s doing.”
“I just wish my daughter would take someone with her. It’s not safe out there.”
Sarah didn't want to have the familiar argument again with her father.
It was always the same thing, only the circumstances changed.
He hadn't wanted her to leave when she first went to Florida, either.
It had been her mother's insistence that had kept him home and forced him not to follow her and check in when she left.
Now, Sarah knew she needed a little of her mother's magic to help get her on the road.
It wasn't something that she could stop.
Sarah had to make sure the others were okay.
“Honey, just leave her be,” Connie said. “She’ll be just fine out there by herself. We’ve taught her everything she needs to survive, and she’s tough like you, Henry.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re welcome, dear. Just promise us that you’ll be safe and come back to us in one piece.”
“I promise I’ll take care of myself. Besides, I’ve learned everything from you.”
Adam chuckled. “You should really have a ton of faith in your daughter. She made it just fine getting up here, and I know she can do it again.”
“That’s right. She got all the way here from Florida and brought three wonderful things home with her. She’d going to be fine, dear,” Connie said. “Now, leave the girl alone so she can take care of the promise she made.”
“Fine, but I don’t have to like it,” Henry said. “I’d feel a lot better if there was someone going with her.”
“I know you don’t like it, Dad, but it’s only going to be for a few weeks, and then I’ll be home.”
“Okay, but watch your ass out there. These people are ruthless and don’t care how many people stand in your way.”
“I’ll be careful, Dad. You showed me what I would need to do to get by when this day came. Now, I’ll use everything I know. Just make sure you’re all keeping an eye out for our old friend, the mayor.”
Adam smiled. “I planned on it.” Adam smiled.
“Good, because I still don’t trust him not to come to try something, and since I won’t be here to protect you?—”
“But I will be here, Sarah,” Adam said. “I’ll keep a lookout for Mayor Smith and his goons. They won’t get onto the property without a fight; even if he does, I’ll put him down. Your family will be safe.”
Sarah was certain the closer it got to winter, the better the chance was that the mayor would show back up.
He likely wasn't prepared for the cold months ahead.
His people, though, were terrified into submission and would be asking about how he planned to get them through until the spring came.
A desperate man was a dangerous one. The faster she could get out of there and get back home again, the better.
It wasn't that she didn't trust Adam and her parents to keep things safe.
She would simply feel better if she was there to keep an extra watchful eye over things.
Two days later, as Sarah tightened the girth on the horse before climbing on, she heard the children running out to tell her goodbye before she saw them.
Connie yelled after them not to run around the horse, but her scolding did little to stop them.
Sarah was delighted they had all found their rhythm.
She was going to miss each and every one of them while she was on the road.
Despite knowing what she was doing, Henry went around and double-checked all of her gear before he finally circled back to the horse’s head and gave his nod of approval.
Sarah wasn't going to say anything to him about it.
She knew her father was just worried about her.
After giving her parents, the twins, and Adam an embrace and farewell, Sarah climbed into the saddle and set off down the road.
She couldn't resist looking back one last time as the farm disappeared out of view to wave at the children still waiting at the end of the driveway. Sarah’s heart already ached to be back with them, but she knew she had a job to do.
Pulling her father's compass out of her pocket, she headed south one last time.