AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“If you hadn’t joined me, I’d probably still be there.”
“I think Dad is the one who got us all to leave.”
“Maybe. But you showed up when I really needed you to. And you brought food.”
J.T. laughed. “I couldn’t leave you out there alone.”
“And that’s why I’ll always pick up the phone.”
“If you got your ass back here like Great Grandmother Esty wants you to do, I wouldn’t have to call you.”
“I’m considering it.”
“Good.”
“It’s just that I really hate cows.”
J.T. smiled. “I’m not that fond of them myself. But we are cowboys, after all.”
“Born and raised.”
“No matter how far away you go. You’ll never be able to get away from it.”
Chapter twenty-nine
"Are you complaining?"
Even though J.T. knew he’d be waking up soon, he fell into a deep sleep until the alarm on his phone woke him. He took a moment, then got up and went slowly up the stairs with the big flashlight. The rain wasn’t as loud on the roof as it had been, and the wind wasn’t howling anymore.
When he came out of the bathroom after emptying the first bucket, he saw a light coming up the stairs.
“Joey?”
“Yeah. Sorry. Did I scare you?”
“What are you doing up?”
“I thought you could use some help.”
He looked at her as she came up to him. “You’re supposed to be sleeping.”
“I know. I can’t sleep. It’s too dark and too quiet. I think it’s the absence of ambient noise that bothers me so much. Without the wind and the pounding rain, it’s even quieter.”
They emptied the rest of the buckets together, then went downstairs to the living room. J.T. put another piece of wood in the woodstove, then turned to her. “Come sit on the couch with me.” He sat down, and after a moment, she sat next to him. “So you haven’t slept at all?”
“I don’t think so.”
J.T. picked up a pillow and set it on his lap, then patted it. “Lie down.”
She looked at him. “I’m fine.”
“Just lie down, Josephina. You need to get some sleep. I’ll keep the monsters away.” She laid down and put her head on the pillow. J.T. then pulled the blanket over her. “There you go. Close your eyes and try to relax.”
“You need sleep, too.”
“I can sleep sitting up. Now, stop talking.”
Joey rearranged the blanket and closed her eyes, then opened them again and looked at him with a small smile. “Will you sing to me?”
