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“Not thrilled with the way things went tonight. I’m sorry I kept you from stopping them earlier. I hope you can forgive me.”
“It was my decision to make, Cate. What happened here tonight was not your fault.”
Not reassuring at all. Now she hadn’t only pushed him into making an unwise decision, he planned to take the full force of the weight of that choice onto his shoulders. That only made her stomach clench tighter, but she forced a smile. “Nevertheless, it feels like it was.”
“Wish I could convince you otherwise.”
“These little ones must be freezing without their mother here to provide heat. I’d better get going if I’m going to get them placed tonight. I don’t think my brother would be thrilled if I brought them to his house.”
He chuckled. “I’m not sure my dog would be happy either, but if you need somewhere to keep them for the night, you can bring them to my place.”
“I’m going to head back to the park office and make some calls from there. Join me?” she asked.
His eyes searched hers, but she couldn’t guess what he was hoping to find there.
When Byron held the passenger door open, Becky slipped out of the vehicle and sank into the mud. Yesterday’s early morning snow had melted, leaving a mess behind. Her gaze took in her new surroundings as she steadied herself against the van. Their new home. A clearing in the midst of the woods. A large enough area for all ten cabins if they stayed there, but she knew they wouldn’t remain here long.
It was state land, which made it a temporary stop. Soon enough they’d move onto private land somewhere.
Reece wouldn’t buy a plot of land. He refused to do that. As far as he was concerned, land couldn’t be owned, so he would look for abandoned houses with acreage. At least that’s what Eunice told Priscilla she’d overheard from Reece and Byron. Becky preferred firsthand information, but that required greater risk than using Priscilla to get it for her.
Later that same night, she sat around the campfire with the rest of the group. Smoke blew in her direction, and she waved it off so she could breathe. Their community was together again, most of them having arrived at Loyalsock State Forest shortly before Byron and Becky got there. Coyotes called out to each other in the distance. Their calls sent chills running down her spine.
The hum of approaching vehicles caused her shoulders to tense until she saw two familiar campers. One for Reece, Dorcas, and their kids. The other for Byron, Eunice, and their children. The rest of them would stay in tents for now. Several men got to work setting them up.
“I’ve got your tent ready, Becky.”
Clarence. If she hadn’t given Zeke her whole heart, she’d have fallen for him.
“Thanks.” She stood and followed him to the semi-secluded area where she’d live for the time being.
He lingered instead of rejoining the group.
“Something on your mind?” she asked.
“You.” His smile was tinged with sadness. “Zeke is out of prison.”
“I know.”
“He’s not coming back.”
“How do you know that?”
He surveyed the area before meeting her gaze. “While Reece and Byron were away, I looked him up. He found God.”
“That’s not new. He talked to God all the time.”
“No. Zeke’s different. He was spouting off stuff about being born again and being washed in the blood. He’s not the same man he was back then.”
A gust of wind reminded her that she’d be sleeping alone in a cold tent tonight. She bit her lip. “I’ve been wondering about Ezekiel, but maybe Malachi can take his place. He’s his son. Our rightful leader if Zeke isn’t coming back.”
“He had many sons.”
“I was head wife. That makes my son the next in line.” Her mind flashed back to a time when she was content. Her child on her hip. The jade around her neck.
“Why was it all right for him to have multiple wives, but you won’t accept a new husband even now that he’s been gone for twenty-four years?”
“I tried, Clarence. We tried. They told me it was for the good of the community, so I accepted you. But we didn’t produce any children, so I stopped trying. If we were supposed to be together, God would’ve given us babies.”
