Page 32 of Her Wicker Guardian

“I have to go to work.” She points toward the driveway. “I go.”

Then she points toward the house and yard. “You stay. Shannon stays.”

I understand enough.

“Rachel go.”

“Yes.”

I look toward the road. I know the moving machines that carried the women here can carry Rachel away too, but I don’t know where they go once I can no longer hear them.

I point toward Rachel, then toward the road. “Back?”

Her expression changes.

“Yes. I come back.”

I wait.

Rachel looks up at the sun. It is still low above the trees. She traces its path higher with one hand, then lowers that hand toward the other side of the yard.

“Later. I come back.”

I follow the path of her hand.

Sun moves. Rachel comes back.

“Later.”

“Yes.”

“Rachel back.”

Her lips part, and she is quiet long enough that I wonder if I used the words wrong. Then she says, “Yes. Rachel comes back.”

Something inside me eases. Her answer does not make the waiting disappear, but now the waiting has an end.

Rachel notices. “Okay?”

I think I understand this one. “Okay.”

Her smile is small. “I’ll be back.”

Shannon lifts her coffee. “And I’ll try not to break him.”

Rachel looks at her. “Please don’t.”

“Him, I’ll be careful with.”

Rachel laughs, adjusts the bag on her shoulder, and looks at me. “Later.”

“Later.”

She walks toward the front of the house, and I follow for three steps before stopping.

Rachel told me to stay. I stay.

She looks back once from the corner of the house and gives me a small nod before disappearing.