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/> I’m not sure I believe this mission is going to be the last time we will have to do something like this. If we are successful, there will be other times where my skills will be needed by the Carson Alliance. I don’t have any love for either Carson or Mills, and I don’t want to be used for the rest of my life.
Riley may want to avenge her father’s death.
When it comes right down to it, I know I will do anything and everything she wants, including involving myself in a war I don’t truly understand. Both organizations are really out for one thing, and that’s profit. The fact that they’re going about it in different ways isn’t something I care about.
“Galen?”
I glance over my shoulder at Riley. She’s kept her distance, allowing me to do this on my own, but I’ve been standing here motionless for a good ten minutes, and it’s time to move on.
“I’m ready,” I tell her as I take one final look at Amelia’s grave.
Riley takes my hand as we walk away from the small graveyard and back toward the property where I grew up. All the structures I remember are gone except for the barn, which is falling apart. I stop near the door and peer inside.
“Do you want to go in?” Riley asks.
“I’m not sure how safe the structure is,” I tell her.
“It’s stayed up this long,” she says with a shrug.
We go inside.
Other than the corrosion of everything around me, the barn looks like it did the last time I was here. Some of the tools that were hanging on the wall have fallen to the ground, but many are in their proper place. The tractor is rusted, and its tires flat. It never ran well when it was in peak condition, and I’m sure it is useless now.
The loft where we stored the hay looks to be intact. The ladder leading up to it isn’t missing any rungs. I walk to the bottom of the ladder and kick at the few strands of straw on the ground. There are footprints underneath, and I recall watching my sister play here while I worked.
“Amelia loved being in here,” I tell Riley. “Her favorite day of the year was when we’d bring in the hay to store the bales for the winter. We always pulled one out and made a big pile of it in the center of the barn. She’d jump from the rafters into the hay, and she’d end up pulling bits from her hair for days afterward.”
“You had a good childhood.”
“For a while, yes.”
“Those are the times you should remember.”
“At least I can remember them now.” I squeeze her hand and smile at her.
“I’m glad we could stop here,” Riley says. “It’s nice to see where you grew up.”
“Want to see the best part?”
“Sure!”
“Come on,” I say as I start up the ladder.
Riley follows after me. After checking to make sure the floor is still stable, I take her over to the window and show her the view.
“I farmed the fields out there,” I tell her, pointing to the valley. “Right at the foot of the hill.”
“What did you grow?”
“Wheat, mostly. Some field corn. We used to do soybeans, but they didn’t do well without a lot of irrigation. When that became too expensive, we had to switch to other crops. See over there?” I point to a smaller plot near where the house used to sit. “We grew vegetables there. Squash was my sister’s favorite.”
“I’ve never had squash,” Riley says.
“I’ll have to grow you some.” I smile at her, place my hand on the side of her face, and kiss her softly.
“All this talk of vegetables has made you horny,” she says. “I’ll have to remember that.”
“Being around you makes me horny. I don’t think anything else is required.”
