THIRTEEN FOR DINNER

Twenty-seven

TWENTY-SEVEN

       Mike surprises me by showing up at the carriage house at four with Quillan. Emily and I have brought the cargo and I’m ready to head out in the early morning shower when Mike tells me to go back upstairs informing me he will be taking my place. As much as I would love to go dive into that soft feather mattress I have a stronger desire to deliver the cargo with Quillan.

            “It’s alright,” I say. “I’m used to it.”

            “It’s not alright,” Mike argues. “It’s dangerous Avery. I for one will not put you at risk.”

            Quillan sighs and runs his hand through his hair, “Let her decide what she wants to do, Okay?”

            “Oh that’s real good advice coming from someone who didn’t even ask her if she wanted to play your little game.”

            “Mike!” I try interrupting before he goes and blows our cover and the whole time travel incident. “We can talk about this later, we are wasting precious time.”

            “Yes we are,” Emily interjects softly. “Perhaps you are not aware Mike Griffin, but your sister is one courageous woman. Why I don’t think there is a single fear that could survive should it try to force itself inside her. So don’t go instilling them where they don’t exist.”

            Mike is speechless and before he can recover, Emily closes the door on us and we slip out into the drizzling rain. We haven’t taken more than five steps before I feel the little hand in mine again. I look down at her and she smiles at me. There’s no fear in her face this time and I know her little belly is full and she just has the experience of a lifetime sleeping in a grand bed, on a mattress, with clean sheets and blankets.

            “What’s your name?” I ask quietly, trying to keep my voice low.

            “Hope,” she whispers back.

            “Is that your momma up there?” I ask referring to the older woman.

            “Naw, that’s my grandma. My momma done ran away a month ago. She’s waitin’ for me to come to her.”

            My heart burns with fear for this little one. She still has a long way to go before reaching the northern states. Once I deliver her to the conductor all I can do is pray she will make it safely to the arms of her mother. I squeeze her little hand and smile back at her.

            We make good time, reaching the outskirts of town and rendezvousing with the conductor who will take the cargo from here. I squat down and give Hope a hug. “Tell your momma hello for me,” I say forcing back my tears. She smiles and begins to walk away, giving me one last look before disappearing from my view. Once they are out of sight Quillan turns to Mike.

            “Look, you may not be happy with the situation you’ve fallen into but a lot of lives are at stake here besides mine. You may care nothing about helping me and I can understand that but a stupid slip of the tongue like you did in the carriage house can be catastrophic. You want to take Avery back to 2012 with you, then get your act together!”

            “Just making sure I’m not carrying her back in a body bag.” He bites back getting way to close to Quillan’s face. “You have a knack of putting her in extreme danger.”

            “And you have a knack for keeping her crippled by her fear so she will continue to depend on you like she does.” Quillan gives it right back. “I was with her when she was pounding on the wall like a crazy woman hoping you’d come to the rescue.”

            “I tried, but you didn’t let me, now did you?”

            “She doesn’t need the walls you build around her Mike.”

            “Yes she does!” Mike is heated and pretty much yelling now. “I’m all she has now Quillan, if I don’t look after her no one will.”

            His words stab into me like daggers and the minute they fly from his mouth I know he regrets saying them. His demeanor softens, “I’m sorry Avery but you know it’s true.”

            I don’t know that it’s true for sure, not yet anyway and I won’t accept it until I get some kind of letter or something confirming that her body was found. Quillan looks at me as if he wants an explanation but right now I don’t have the courage I had a few minutes ago so as usual my best defense is to run away from the situation. I haven’t taken two steps before he pulls my arm, turning me to face him.

            “What’s he talking about Avery?”

            “Nothing, I say finding an interesting spot in the grass to look at. “He’s got his facts wrong is all.”

            Quillan doesn’t let go of my arm, he just stands there disarming me with his penetrating gray eyes.

            “Her mother has been missing since Hurricane Ruby came to shore over two months ago. She was in Florida taking care of her mother-in-law when it hit. It was a category five and the small home Mrs. Cooke lived in was destroyed. She was too sick to evacuate so Avery’s mom told her they were going to ride it out. Avery hasn’t heard from her since.”           

            His words are like a punch in the stomach and I am mad at him for telling Quillan that. He’s using that as a ploy to win an argument.

            “Is that true?” Quillan’s eyes search mine.

            “No! The phone lines have just been out is all. It’s probably still a mess down there. I’m sure when I get back home there will be tons of voicemails from her worried about me. I’m not dead, but I can’t phone her either. It’s the same thing.”

            Mike and Quillan exchange looks and I swear if they bond over something like this I will hate them both for life.

            “We have an hour till sunrise,” I say pulling free from Quillan’s arm and start making the walk back to the estate.