Chapter 23 Lissa #3
“Why don’t you try using apple juice as a natural sweetener?” Lissa said. She’d had success. Apples grew in the wild, were easy to juice, and sweet on their own.
The next thing she knew, she’d given several other tips and met half a dozen new people who seemed friendly.
Ten minutes after the kitchen had swallowed Cam, two almost familiar-looking young men entered the cafe dining room and sat nearby at a table for two.
Both were blond, but resembled Cam around the eyes.
They kept sneaking glances at her and whispering.
She shifted several times and tried to ignore them. Too bad she hadn’t brought a book.
Cam returned, carrying two heaping bowls of pale orange ice cream. He turned to sit but stiffened. The bowls clattered as he dropped them on the table, his eyes fixed on the rude men.
“Who are those two? They keep looking at me.” Lissa kept her voice low as he slid a bowl of ice cream in front of her.
He sat, a closed expression on his face, one she hadn’t seen before except around Dolores. He didn’t look around. “Three tables over?” At her nod, he said, “Jed is on the left. Nate’s on the right. My brothers.”
Lissa tried not to be obvious about staring but watched them with her peripheral vision.
Across from her, Cam exhaled. “I’ll be right back.” He pushed back from the table and crossed the floor, stopping a few feet away from where his brothers sat. “Nate, Jed. It’s good to see you. Would you like to meet my girlfriend?” His voice was gruffer than usual.
Both men stared at her. They looked at each other and got up, returning with Cam. They gave her curious looks. She stood and shook their hands.
“You’re not what I expected.” Immediately, Nate covered his mouth, his eyes wide.
Cam laughed. “I see you haven’t changed. You still have foot-in-mouth syndrome. Please sit.” Cam’s brothers dragged chairs over and squeezed around the table. “I’m guessing Dolores didn’t give a stellar report after her visit.”
“Mom visited you?” said Nate, his hand dropping as his eyebrows rose. “She failed to mention that.” He frowned. “She hasn’t been home much in the last few weeks. We seldom know where she is anymore, other than with a few of the old guard, like the Blakes and the Laviolettes.”
“She okay?” said Cam with a frown. He spooned up a bite of his ice cream. “They’re kinda rough.”
Jed shrugged. “We don’t know. Aiden’s death hit her pretty hard.
” He looked around, as if suddenly noticing all the eyes on their conversation.
“Maybe we could meet up sometime soon to talk about what happened on that patrol. We’ve heard conflicting stories.
” His eyes were sad. “It doesn’t have to be right now,” he said, glancing at Lissa and the bowls of ice cream.
Cam squeezed her hand. “It’s okay for Lissa to hear anything. We don’t have secrets.”
Warmth filled her. Jed pointed to a table with four chairs in the corner. “Why don’t we sit together over there?”
Lissa and Cam grabbed their ice cream and moved to the larger table with his brothers.
Cam retold his account of the patrol where Aiden had disappeared.
She squeezed his hand and wiped tears from her eyes when he told of how they’d found Aiden’s body.
She’d heard it earlier this week over dinner, but to hear Cam speak of it to his brothers, both with tears in their eyes, made it more powerful.
When Cam finished, Jed’s voice was thick. “It wasn’t your fault. No matter what Mom says, it wasn’t. I never blamed you.”
“We think Aiden was mixed up with the Blakes too,” said Nate. “There was more to his disappearance than wandering off. Least, I suspect there was.”
“Do you have any idea why Aiden might have left the patrol? Or what he might have had in his pack?”
Jed shook his head. “He was always running errands for Mom, but I doubt she knows anyone outside the walls. She’s lived inside xTerra for over thirty years.”
“The Blakes moved here when I was ten. They might still have ties to the outside world.” Cam rubbed the back of his neck.
Nate was quieter than Jed, and Lissa felt his eyes on her several times.
Each time she met his gaze, he’d smile and duck his head, his cheeks turning pink.
He reminded her of a shyer version of Cam.
Neither of the brothers was what she’d expected.
Lissa finished her ice cream and sighed. It had been amazing.
Just before they called it for the evening, Robin appeared at the edge of the table, a blonde woman in tow. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to introduce someone. We just have a minute before we meet Elizabeth and Ella, and then we’ll leave you to your family dinner.”
Lissa turned to the newcomers with a smile.
“I’m Kat,” Robin’s friend said, holding out her hand. Lissa shook it.
“Councillor Griffiths,” said Cam with a nod.
Lissa had heard the name before. “You’re married to Ryan, right?”
Kat nodded, curiosity alight in her friendly eyes. “I don’t know if I want to know, but what has he done?” Her smile showed it was a joke.
Lissa turned to Cam. It wasn’t her story to tell, but he’d mentioned more than once that he wished Lewis’s family knew about their connection.
That it felt strange and uncomfortable to be unknown, like their relationship had been a secret.
She raised an eyebrow, and he inclined his head, giving her permission.
“Did you know Ryan’s grandfather was Cam’s surrogate grandfather? He taught Cam engineering and took him camping.” She squeezed Cam’s hand.
Kat shook her head, her voice becoming excited.
“I had no idea. I doubt Ryan does either. He feels bad that he didn’t see his grandfather more often, even though they were close.
It was a long trip to get here from Seattle, especially when his parents didn’t want to make the journey.
He’d love to hear stories about his grandfather sometime.
Maybe we can have you two over for dinner one night. ”
Cam nodded. “That would be nice, though we might only be here for another week. If Lissa’s cleared by the doctors, we’re headed back to Nebraska.”
From just inside the entrance, someone called Robin’s name, then Kat’s. The women turned to join their friends, but before she left, Kat said, “Why don’t you two come for dinner this Wednesday.”
Lissa raised an eyebrow toward Cam, who nodded. “Six?”
“Perfect,” said Kat. “Ryan will be excited. I’m glad you told us about the connection. I can’t wait to tell him. See you on Wednesday.”
Cam and his brothers continued to talk for another half hour. Lissa’s mind wandered, but they seemed to be having a pleasant visit. Cam had missed his brothers, so she didn’t interfere, even when she grew tired.
She stifled a yawn. Then one escaped.
Cam smiled as he stood. “We should be going. It’s been a long couple of weeks. Would it be okay if I stay in contact?”
Both brothers nodded, and they exchanged hugs before the group broke up. Cam helped her thread her sore arm through the arm of her sweater as they made their way back toward his bunker. Lissa was quiet as they walked back in the cooling twilight.
She stopped when they reached the entrance. “xTerra isn’t what I expected. If we had to live here, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen.” Cam had family, she might make friends, and sharing her knowledge might be satisfying.
Cam pulled her to him and kissed her, leaving her insides mushy. He made her feel loved. “Wherever we are together can be home.”