More Than I Thought

10

Time had flown by. Mark was now my husband, we'd taken our vows before our family out in the front yard surrounded by lightning bugs and the cicadas. It was a night I'll never forget. I'd also learned a lot more since we arrived. I could make potions to heal and harm, I touch an injury and heal it. Craig had gone after a moose and the moose had won. I had been writing labels when an overwhelming need to see Mark overtook me, I found him on the ground with his hand on a large tree root. He appeared to be in severe pain. I rushed to him, but as I put my hands on him all I could see or feel was Craig. I was seriously freaked out. So was Mark, we talked about it later and decided to keep it to ourselves. Mark told me the tree told him where Craig was and that he needed help. Grabbing Nick and D, he headed out with the bag of meds I'd packed and food I'd grabbed from Nan to bring Craig home. It wasn't until the following afternoon that they returned. Craig was strapped in travois made from their clothing and two pine saplings. Within a week he was up and moving. He should have been dead.

Rommie had come to Craig and me and confessed about what she had learned the day Rebecca had been turned over to the pack. She asked if we wanted her to leave, our NO was such a relief. She had been terrified of being sent away. Silly child should have known better, she was family. But from that day onward Rom doubled and even tripled her workload. No matter what anyone said to her it was as if she was terrified she would be put out. It caused her to work more and more by herself. This caused a problem of its own, she seemed to have forgotten how to work with others.

"Why can't I go alone again?" A supply convoy had been running every two months for the past year. And for the past year, Rommie had been raiding it.

"We need as much as we can get in one haul. Are you going to be able to carry multiple 50-pound bags?" Craig pointed out as Rom seemed to squirm and shift as she tried to go alone.

"Fine, but he better not slow me down." She stretched out as I began to spray her and Nick. "New scent?"

"Yep, it's spring and so I thought why not."

"Nice, can I get a couple of extras. Big boy here can sweat up a storm. Wouldn't want him to expose us because he reeks." She hikes her thumb at Nick while he sniffs at his pit.

"I don't stink. You're just intimidated by my manly aroma." Grinning like a maniac he grabs Rom putting her in a headlock.

"EWWW, when was the last time you had a bath?" Flipping around she puts him on the ground. "Too bad you didn't put as much effort into your fight skills as you do your aroma."

"My aroma is ode de natural, my fight skills are legendary." He reaches for her, she helps him to his feet, as we laugh.

"God save me now! This is gonna be a long long long mission", she's only marginally kidding. Reaching out Rom grabs Mark's arm, "Are you sure you don't wanna go instead of hanging around with that witchy woman"?

Mark laughs as he rubs my heavily pregnant belly, "With my witchy woman is the only place I ever want to be." Dipping me gently and giving me a passionate kiss.

"EWWWWWW, there are children here!" The squad has arrived. "When will you be back?" Lenny is now 10 and thinks that he is a big dog. Katie is forever having to take his ego down a few notches.

"Please tell me when you're due back? I want to schedule another spar session with Lenny."

"Now Katie, you don't need to hurt him."

"She can't hurt me, she's just a girl." Before anyone can grab her she lays Lenny out.

"Just a girl, huh?" Katie stands over him grinning. We laugh as she places her foot on his chest.