“How far down you think it’ll be?” Ruby asked. “That big number.”
“We’ve made it this far, we can make it a little farther,” Jon said. “Come on, Ruby. Think how excited Gabe will be when he sees you.”
“I don’t know, Mr. Jon,” Ruby said. “Maybe it’s not that good an idea, him seeing me.”
“Ruby, please,” Jon said. “We’ve got to get there, and it’s going to be dark pretty soon. Matt will feed us, and we can clean up and get some sleep. All right?”
“Don’t matter what I think,” she grumbled, but she began walking again.
She’s shy, Jon thought. She’s scared of meeting people she thinks of as clavers. She lost everything—her home, her family—and now she’s meeting her new family; naturally she’s reluctant.
But it still irritated him that she walked so slowly.
Route Thirty-seven East was to the right. Jon started looking at house numbers, but they were only in the 2000s.
“It’s miles from here,” Ruby said. “We’re never gonna get there.”
“You know how many miles we’ve walked to get here?” Jon asked. “Close to two hundred. More probably, with all the detours we made to get food. So what if it’s another mile or two? Keep walking.”
“And what if I don’t?” she said.
“Fine,” Jon said. “Don’t. Stand here for the rest of your life. I don’t care. I’m finding forty-four fifty-two with or without you.”
“You’d do that?” Ruby cried. “Leave me here, standing all alone, not knowing a soul? That ain’t honoring me.”
Jon stared at her. The past few days they’d gotten along so well. Jon knew the rules and he obeyed them. Ruby lowered her guard in return. They’d talked about growing up, what their lives had been like before.
But now she was the Ruby he’d forced out of Sexton. The Ruby who’d made it clear that she hated him. The Ruby he’d had to threaten with eternal damnation to make her listen to him.
“Cut it out,” he said. “Go or stay. It’s your choice. But I’m not standing here one minute longer.” He turned away from her and began walking.
He got a three-minute head start on her, but then she caught up with him. She was panting from exertion, and he stopped to let her catch her breath.
“It’s not that much farther,” he said. “Look, there’s thirty-two hundred.”
“I’m coming,” Ruby said. “But I ain’t talking.”
“Fair enough,” Jon said.
It took another twenty minutes before they reached the 4000s. By the time they got to the 4200s, they were in nearly deserted country. It took another ten minutes to reach the 4300s. By then the only houses were decrepit-looking trailers.
“I like White Birch better,” Ruby said. “Kind of scary out here.”
“You’re right,” Jon said. “Okay. Forty-four thirty-eight. Matt’s should be one or two houses down.”
“What kind of people live like this?” Ruby asked. “All alone, no neighbors?”
Jon thought about Ruby’s family’s apartment: six kids and three adults sharing four rooms. He understood that Matt and Syl got to live in their own home because Matt was a courier—not quite a grub, if not a claver.
“That’s it,” Jon said, pointing to Matt’s home. “Come on, Ruby. We’re here.”
Ruby held back. “Maybe you should go in first,” she said. “Give you folks a chance to say hello.”
“You’re my folks, too,” Jon said, certain that if he left Ruby alone, she’d run away. “Let’s go.”
He could see lights in the house, so he knew someone was home. His hand shook from exhaustion and nerves as he knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” Syl yelled from inside.
It had been three years since he’d heard her voice. For a moment he was fourteen again, and Syl was the girl who’d stolen his brother from him.
He took a deep breath. “Syl, it’s Jon,” he said. “Let me in.”
Syl opened the door. She pointed a gun at him until she realized it really was Jon. Then she put the gun down and raced into his arms.
“Jon!” she cried. “Come in. I don’t believe it. How did you get here? Is everything all right?”
“Everything’s fine,” he said. “Syl, this is Ruby. We got married a couple of weeks ago.”
“Married?” Syl asked. “Well, I guess Miranda was your age when she got married. Oh, what difference does it make? Come in. Hi, Ruby. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Wait. I’ve got to put the gun away.” She carried it out of the hallway and then escorted them to the living room. The furniture was shabby, and the house had a faint formaldehyde smell. But Jon saw one of Gabe’s trucks in the corner of the sofa, and he knew he was home.
As though to prove it, Gabe walked slowly into the living room. “Syl, people are talking,” he said as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
“Gabe, it’s me,” Jon said. “And Ruby.”
It took a second, but then Gabe raced over to Jon. Jon picked him up and swung him around. “Oh, Gabe,” he said. “Gabe.” He kissed Gabe on his head and his cheeks and swung him around again.
Gabe clawed his way down. “Who’s that?” he asked, pointing at Ruby.
“You remember Ruby,” Jon said. “She was your…” He stopped before he said “grub.” “Your friend,” he said. “Remember? You played tag with her and she made your meals?”
Gabe stared at her. “She’s not Ruby,” he said.
“Don’t be silly,” Jon said. “Of course she is.”
“No, Mr. Jon, actually I’m not,” Ruby said. “This little one never saw me before in his life. My name is Opal Grubb. Ruby’s my sister.”
“Her twin,” Jon said, thinking back on the conversations he and Ruby had had. “The one your father couldn’t tell apart sometimes.”
“I have no idea who you are or what’s going on,” Syl said, “but I think we’d all be better off having this conversation sitting down.”
Jon held on to Gabe, who seemed more than happy to sit on his lap. Ruby— No, Opal took the chair opposite them. Syl sat with Jon.
“Where’s Mommy?” Gabe asked. “Mommy said she’d come take care of me.”
Jon had dreaded this moment for weeks. But he knew he had no choice. He held his little brother tightly, hoping Gabe could feel his love.
“Gabe, do you remember how Val used to be in the house every single day?” he said gently. “And then one day she wasn’t there anymore? Do you remember what your mommy said when you asked her where Val was?”
Gabe nodded. “She said Val was gone. Maybe she was dead. She’d never come back.”
“That’s what dead means,” Jon said. “It means someone will never come back. Gabe, your mommy is dead.”
“No,” Syl murmured. Jon nodded almost imperceptibly.
“She wanted to come, Gabe,” Jon said. “Your mommy loved you so much. But sometimes things happen that can’t be helped.”
“NO!” Gabe screamed. “I want my mommy!”
“Gabe, I’m sorry,” Jon said, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”
Syl slid over and took Gabe from Jon. “Gabe, listen to me,” she said. “Do you know how long a week is?”
Gabe shook his head.
“A week is seven days,” Syl told him. “Remember yesterday when we were counting? Why don’t you count to seven, Gabe? Show Jon how smart you are. Use your fingers, and count to seven.”
“One,” Gabe said, holding up a single finger. “Two. Three. Four. Six. Seven.”
“Almost,” Syl said, lifting Gabe’s middle finger. “Five, then six, then seven. Seven’s a pretty big number, isn’t it?”
Gabe nodded.
“Two weeks is fourteen days,” Syl said. “See, I’m counting to seven, too.” She held up seven fingers. “Your seven fingers and my seven fingers, that’s how long you’ve been here, Gabe. Two weeks. Fourteen days.” She lifted Gabe’s hand to her mouth and kissed it, then let him relax his fingers.
<
br /> “They’ve been the hardest fourteen days of your life,” she said to Gabe. “And today is the worst day you’ve ever had, maybe the worst day you’ll ever have. Your mommy is gone, Gabe, and you must feel so sad and angry and scared.”
Gabe began to cry.
Syl held on to him tightly. “You should feel sad,” she said. “You won’t see your mommy again. And you should feel mad. Jon said that was Ruby and he was wrong. And maybe you’re a little mad at Mommy for not being here. But I don’t ever want you to feel scared. Matt and I love you so much, Gabe. You’ll always have a home with us. Jon loves you and Miranda and Alex love you. Jon?”
“I love you, Gabe,” he said. “You’re my brother. I’ll always love you.”
Syl stood up, still holding on to Gabe. “I think you should go back to bed, sweetie,” she said. “You can keep crying as long as you want, just as long as you remember how many people love you. All right?”
Gabe nodded.
Syl kissed him. “Who’s the best boy in the whole wide world?”
“Me,” Gabe mumbled.
“That’s right,” Syl said. “You’re the best boy in the whole wide world, and don’t you ever forget it.” She carried Gabe down the hall, and Jon could hear her singing a lullaby very softly.
“You all right, Mr. Jon?” Opal asked.
Jon wiped the tears off his cheeks. “We need to talk,” he said.
“Talk,” she said. “I’m listening.”
“Is Ruby all right?” he asked. “Where is she? Why the substitution?”
“Ruby took my place, that’s all,” Opal replied.
“And nobody there noticed?” Jon asked.
“All I did for those folks was scrub their floors,” Opal said. “The only parts of me they ever saw was the top of my head and the top of my rear. Ruby and I tried it out the day before the cops found me. No one knew the difference.”
“But you could have been sent to the mines,” Jon said. “You did that for Ruby?”
“I’m the older,” she said. “And a whole lot tougher. Ruby couldn’t handle none of that. Guess if you really knowed her, you’d know that. Course if you really knowed her, you’d have knowed I ain’t her.”
“She’ll be okay?” Jon asked.
Opal nodded. “They’re nice folks,” she said. “Never hit me once. Course I know how to clean a lot better than Ruby. But she’ll learn. She’ll be okay.”
“I’m glad,” Jon said. “I liked Ruby.”
“You got something else to be glad about,” Opal said. “Can’t see how we’s married, given you thinking you was marrying Ruby.”
Jon laughed. “You’re right,” he said. “I guess we’re not.”
“Not what?” Syl asked, joining them.
“Married,” Jon said. “Turns out we’re not.”
“How’s the little one?” Opal asked.
“He’s sleeping,” Syl replied. “It’ll hit him again tomorrow, but he’s all right for now.”
“You were great with him,” Jon said.
“He’s a great kid,” Syl said. “Spoiled rotten but really very sweet. Matt and I’ve tried so hard to have children. We feel like Gabe’s a blessing that fell into our laps.” She paused. “Matt wasn’t optimistic about Lisa’s chances, but we never thought she’d die. What happened, Jon?”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Miss Syl,” Opal said. “But could I have some water to drink?”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Syl said. “Come into the kitchen. I’ll find you something to eat.”
“That’s real kind of you, ma’am,” Opal said.
“Call me Syl,” she said. “Now sit down and let me get you something. How about some potato bread? Things are a little tight around here since I can’t work anymore and we have Gabe to feed, but there’s still more than enough. Here, some carrots. Jon, the glasses are over there. We have running water, thank goodness.” She sniffed. “You stink,” she said. “Your clothes are in your suitcase. Opal, you should fit in mine. If you don’t mind cold water, you can shower before you go to bed, and I’ll wash your clothes in the morning.”
“Thank you, Syl,” Jon said, handing Opal one of the glasses and sipping some water from the other. “Where’s Matt?”
“Working,” Syl said, putting the bread and vegetables on a plate, which she handed to Opal. “He left yesterday. He’ll be gone for a couple of weeks.”
“I’m sorry I missed him,” Jon said.
“Why don’t you stay?” Syl asked. “Opal can sleep in my room, and you can share Gabe’s.”
Jon swallowed a bite of carrot. “It’s not a good idea,” he said. “A couple of days ago I told some people my name and where I was from. I didn’t say I was going to Coolidge, but they might figure it out. It’s too dangerous for all of us if I stay.”
“Start from the beginning,” Syl said. “What happened to Lisa?”
“She killed herself,” Jon said. “She left a note taking full responsibility for stealing Miranda’s baby from the Stocktons. It probably would have worked except I came home. And Ruby ran away.”
“The cops picked me up, thinking I was Ruby,” Opal said. “And Mr. Jon here decided to rescue me.”
“We got married,” Jon said. “Well, I thought we got married.”
“We said our ‘I do’s,’” Opal said. “But we never did no consummating.”
Syl shook her head. “I liked Lisa,” she said. “She was easier for me than Laura. Oh, Jon, I haven’t said how sorry I am about Laura. You’ve really had a rough time of it. How are you doing?”
“I don’t know,” Jon said. “So much has happened. I don’t think I really understand it yet, that she’s gone.”
“She was my teacher,” Opal said. “She was a good woman.”
“I didn’t know you knew,” Jon said. “I never told Ruby.”
“I can figure things out faster than her,” Opal replied. “Miss Syl, I swear these are the best carrots I ever had.”
“Will you please stop calling me that,” Syl said. “Sister-in-law or not, you’re family.”
“I thank you kindly,” Opal said. “I think I’ll take that shower now. I don’t know that I ever felt this dirty before.”
“Follow me,” Syl said. “I’ll get you some clean clothes and a towel and soap. Jon, you wait here. We still have things to talk about.”
Jon looked at the carrots but refrained from eating another. He’d forgotten how beautiful Syl was, but she’d aged in the last three years, gotten even thinner. Matt earned decent money, but with Gabe in the house, Syl was probably eating less than she should.
Syl came back a few minutes later. “Keep eating,” she said. “You look starved.”
“I’m fine,” he said.
“All right,” she said, and began putting the carrots away. “It’s hard for Gabe. He’s used to a lot of foods we don’t have. But he won’t go hungry.”
“Will you?” Jon asked.
“Lisa put some money in Gabe’s suitcase,” she replied. “She must have known what she was going to do. Your friend Sarah wanted to go into town and wave her claver ID around at the market, but Alex wouldn’t let her. Sarah’s a nice girl, Jon. Very smart. Matt likes her a lot.”
“I like her, too,” Jon said. “I took Ruby with me—well, I thought she was Ruby—because she knew Miranda was my sister. The only way I could get her away from the cops was by marrying her. Only when I did, I had to turn in my claver ID.”
“Strange times,” Syl said. “They make us do strange things. Do you have plans, Jon?”
“I thought we’d go to that town Matt told us about,” Jon said. “The one Alex and Miranda went to. If they’ll let us in.”
“I think they will,” Syl replied. “Matt says they don’t care about people’s pasts. Everyone starts out equally. At least that’s the plan. They call it New Harmony. It’s in Kentucky, about seventy-five miles from here.”
“Seventy-five miles,” Jon said. “A couple of hours by car. Do you think Mirand
a and Alex will be safe there?”
“As safe as anyplace,” Syl said. “Matt and I will move there when he gets back. Alex took Miranda and the baby there, dropped Sarah off with her folks, and went back to New Harmony. When Matt finishes his last run, Alex will come back here and drive us. We were hoping you and Lisa would show up by then. Does Opal know about it?”
“Not yet,” Jon replied. “I’ll talk to her about it in the morning. Do you know how to get to New Harmony, Syl? Can you draw me a map?”
Syl burst out laughing. “Matt’s a courier,” she said. “The whole house is filled with maps. I’ll show you the route tomorrow. You can take the map. Matt won’t be using them anymore, thank goodness.”
“Night, Miss Syl,” Opal called. “See you in the morning.”
“I’m coming in,” Syl replied. “Jon and I are through here.”
“Thank you,” Jon said. “Thanks for everything, Syl. Thanks for loving Gabe.”
“You’re my brother,” Syl said. “And now Gabe’s my son. It’s easy to love both of you.”
Tuesday, August 11
Gabe was still sleeping when Jon walked into the kitchen early the next morning. He was surprised to find Syl there. “You’re up early,” he said.
“So are you,” she said. “Opal’s still asleep.”
“She’s exhausted,” Jon replied. “The trip was hard for her. I knew where we were going and why, but she came along because no one gave her a choice.”
“She has choices now,” Syl replied. “Not a lot, but more than she probably had in White Birch.”
“How many bikes do you have?” Jon asked. “I counted three in Gabe’s room.”
Syl smiled. “It was the bike room before Gabe moved in. Matt likes having spares around. He keeps an extra three in there.”
“And Alex is going to drive you to New Harmony?” Jon asked.
“That’s the plan,” Syl said. “Matt figured New Harmony will be thrilled to have a car. And Alex can’t return it to Sexton.”
“It’s a pretty big car,” Jon said. “It should fit all of you and a lot of your things, too.”
“We don’t have a lot of things,” Syl said. “Gabe’s trucks don’t take up much room. Jon, are you asking if you can take two of the bikes for you and Opal?”
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