More tears were shed, and many had tried to reason with the pair that traveling was unwise. The protests were light as the pair carried an unshakable resolve to do what they felt had to be done. Bernie carried a .44 Smith and Wesson, and his shotgun was loaded in the backseat.
Jimmy wished Sharon and Bernie good luck, hugging Sharon before she left. He didn’t know what else to say. He still felt responsible for both Bob Campbell’s and Tom Bauer’s deaths. Ken had tried to absolve Jimmy from his guilt, telling him that if Tom and Bob had been in his situation that Jimmy would’ve been the first to go back and try to rescue them. That had helped because Jimmy knew it to be true. Still, he had cried when he’d hugged Sharon, the guilt burning his insides like flaming gasoline.
Julie had tried to comfort him, joining him and the others at the side of the Toyota as it began to back away. She slid alongside him and hugged him around his waist with her right arm. They stood there in silence, watching the car disappear beyond the pines as it slowly drove away. Julie stood there for a few moments, Jimmy’s tears falling freely down his cheeks. She released him, turned, and kissed him gently on his chin. She returned to the house, walking slowly up the stone-lined driveway and up the concrete steps. Jimmy dried his eyes, lit up a cigarette and walked aimlessly until the Camel began to burn between his fingers. He felt terribly conflicted as he’d watched Sharon and Bernie drive away. Who knew what they were headed back to? No one could venture a guess. Yet Sharon had driven away carrying a horrible grief with her. The Toyota had taken much of that awful sense of loss away, along with the two travelers. There was no denying that.
Which was why Jimmy felt the way he did.
A few cars passed by heading toward Sally’s place. Somehow they’d managed to make it here in spite of what was happening in the outside world. The loaded vehicles gave Jimmy hope; if they could make it here, maybe Sharon and Bernie would make it back to Crown. He walked down the narrow road kicking gravel, his thoughts again turning to Paula. He opened his cell phone and saw that nothing had changed; even if the towers were working he doubted he’d get a signal. He cursed to himself. He desperately needed to know how she was. He felt too far away, helpless to do anything except keep her in his prayers and hope that she was all right.
Thinking about Paula snapped him out of his self-inflicted gloom, and he began to analyze their present situation. Ken had informed everyone that there would be an adults only meeting in the back yard just before lunch. Cindy, who was dressed in a black concert T-shirt and baggy black trousers, had made it very clear that she planned on attending the meeting. Bill wasn’t out of bed. Somehow he was able to sleep in that oppressive heat. He’d pitched his battered yellow tent in the middle of the back yard, where it was roasting in the bright sunshine.
His bald head emerged from between the zippers just after eleven.
“What’s for breakfast?” he asked, stretching.
“Look who’s up?” said Jimmy. “Breakfast is over, man. You slept through it. How did you do that? It must be over a hundred degrees in there.”
“I took a couple of pills last night. I had trouble sleeping,” said Bill, wiping sleep from his bulging eyes. “What’s up for the day? Are we gonna go fishin’?”
“Maybe this evening,” Jimmy said. “We’re going to have a meeting here in about half an hour. If you’re hungry there might be something left over from breakfast in the kitchen, I don’t know.”
“A meeting?” asked Bill, who stood barefooted in a sweat-soaked white T-shirt and a pair of rumpled Bermuda shorts, his hairy legs glowing in the sunlight. “That’s a good idea. We need some rules around here. I think rule number one is to get some food in Bill’s belly.”
Jimmy winced as Bill patted his stomach; his hair was wet and stood out in tangled spikes. Jimmy could smell last night’s beers on Bill from five feet away. His eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot; his face was puffy and dark with razor stubble. He looked like hell, and Jimmy stepped away as Bill shuffled up to the back door and into the kitchen.
Glen Putnam and Pete Donnelly appeared from the side of the house carrying a picnic table which they set down in the shade under the maple. Others emerged, carrying lawn chairs and arranging them in a circle in the grass. Wordlessly, Jimmy pitched in, gathering up patio chairs from the deck at the front of the house and carrying them to the back yard and placing them with the others.
Bill had emerged from the kitchen looking glum, holding a large Tupperware bowl brimming with cereal. He sat down at the picnic table, watching with disinterest as the others went about their work. “This sucks,” he said. “Why didn’t you wake me up?” he asked Jimmy, shoveling a spoonful of cold cereal into his mouth.
“I was busy,” snapped Jimmy, causing Bill to quit chewing and stare back at him. “Sharon Bauer left this morning.”
Bill simply nodded and resumed chewing. “Wake me up next time,” he said with his mouth half full. “You know me; I hate to miss a meal.”
Jimmy left him there, milk dribbling down from the corners of his mouth. He was angry about Bill’s attitude, especially his inability to comment on Sharon’s sudden departure. He fumed because he knew this was Bill’s way. Like a spoiled child, he cared little for anything that didn’t affect him directly. Jimmy walked back inside the house, through the empty kitchen and joined a group which had congregated in the living room. Jimmy saw Julie, her back to him as she stood next to the stone fireplace on the far wall. She had changed into shorts and a sleeveless blouse, her legs toned and tanned, and her long brown hair cascading down her back. She held a coffee cup and was visiting with two young men Jimmy recognized but didn’t know. They hung on her every word, unaware that anyone else was in the room. Jimmy smiled and took a seat next to Patty on the couch. She sat alone at the far end of the room, paging through a ragged magazine.
“How are you, honey?” she asked, patting his knee.
“I’m okay,” said Jimmy. “It was tough to see Sharon and Bernie leave,” he added. “I hope they’re okay.”
“We’re all praying for them,” Patty said. “They had to do what they had to do. It was a terrible thing. That poor girl. But God has a time for all of us…”
Jimmy nodded and quickly changed the subject. “Thanks again for breakfast. That was incredible. You might have missed your calling, Patty.”
“Oh, it was nothing. I enjoy it. Besides, we’re all going to need our strength. There’s work to do—quite a bit of it, according to my husband. I don’t know what to think. How do you feel about this wall he wants to build? Don’t you think that it’s a little much?”
Jimmy shook his head. “No, I’ve been thinking about that. I think it’s a good idea. Ken’s right. We’ve got a good crew of men here, and we can probably finish it in a few days. There’s nothing wrong with being proactive.”
Patty nodded, her face somber. “Well, it’ll give everyone something to do. I just hate the thought of spoiling this lawn. I’ve tended it for forty years. I know—I’ve got to let go. It’s just difficult.”
Jimmy patted Patty’s hand and then he gave it a firm squeeze. “I understand,” he said. “I hate the thought of cutting down any of your beautiful trees.”
Julie noticed Jimmy on the couch and suddenly plopped herself down next to him on the arm. She stretched her arm over his shoulder, careful to avoid the spot where the bandage was visible. The two guys at the fireplace were watching with obvious envy, shaking their heads.
“Feeling better?” she asked.
Jimmy nodded, feeling his stomach muscles tighten at her touch. He felt as if all eyes in the room were on the two of them now. She smelled of lilacs and caressed his shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“I’ve got to start getting ready for lunch,” Patty said. “Julie, would you mind finding Brenda and joining me in the kitchen? I just want to have everything ready to go just as soon as the meeting’s over.”
“Sure, Patty,” Julie said with a smile. She gave Ji
mmy’s shoulder a little squeeze. “I’ll see you in a bit,” she said to him with a quick wink. She eased off the couch and walked out through the French doors and onto the porch. A few seconds later the screen door groaned and slapped smartly shut behind her.
“She’s got eyes for you,” Patty said quietly with half a smile.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Jimmy groaned.
“I think I can do that,” whispered Patty. “Do you know that she’s pregnant?”
Jimmy’s jaw dropped. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You got me there,” he said quietly. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, and don’t you say a word to anyone. Brenda made me promise that I wouldn’t tell anyone, especially you. Nobody knows. Brenda found out by accident; she found the little test kit in Julie’s bathroom yesterday morning.”
“You’re kidding me,” Jimmy said, knowing that Patty would never kid about such a thing.
“Nope,” whispered Patty. “I had to tell you. I’m sure you understand why. I don’t know her that well, but Brenda told me that Julie and her boyfriend ended things in no uncertain terms. I don’t mean to be a gossip. Julie has no idea that Brenda even knows about it. Be careful. That’s all I wanted to say.”
“Thanks,” said Jimmy, holding his hand over his mouth like a football coach on the sidelines. “You know that I’m still in love with Paula. I’m not interested in Julie; she’s just a friend. Trust me, I’ll be careful.”
“I knew that,” whispered Patty. “It’s written all over your face.”
“Really?”
“I didn’t live to be this age without picking up a few things along the way. I’ve seen the way you look at Paula. I’ve also seen the way you are with Julie. The trouble with girls like her, and I’m not passing judgment, is that she sees you as a challenge. You’re not fawning over her like all of these other young men. She’s quite the looker. And she’s head over heels about you, and why not? You’re the most handsome man here, besides my Ken,” she said with a girlish giggle.
Patty tapped his knee and stood up, holding her finger to her lips. Jimmy nodded, blushing slightly with Patty’s comment. Patty turned and walked away toward the kitchen. Just as she disappeared, Julie walked into the room followed by Brenda. She gave Jimmy a wide smile, pointing to the kitchen. Jimmy smiled back and nodded.
And Jimmy was left alone with his jumbled thoughts.
They congregated in the back yard under the cool shade of the elm tree. The temperature had already topped eighty and was steadily rising. A slight breeze ruffled the leaves. Jimmy waited in the house until Ken had everyone assembled; then he walked out the back door and took a seat next to Cindy and Bill. Julie sat with Brenda and some of the other women at a picnic table. She said something to Brenda, and they both laughed. Cindy gave them a cool stare. Ken stood with his back to the house, the group sitting patiently as if he were about to give a performance. All of the adults were there except for a few of the women who were tending the children down by the lake.
“I just want to start this meeting by telling all of you how happy Patty and I are to have you here,” Ken said in a booming voice. “It wasn’t easy getting here, and I wish I could say that we all made it. What happened last night was a terrible thing, and while I’m not going to dwell on it here, we need to learn from that experience and prepare, just in case we encounter a similar situation.”
Ken paused. “I’m not sure what’s going on outside of these woods. None of us are. All we can do is assume that things aren’t any better and will deteriorate as time goes on. I’ve spoken to quite a few of you about this, and it seems that everyone is in agreement. We need to build a wall around the property, and I propose we begin right after lunch. I know it’s going to be a big job, and even with all of us working together, it might take as long as a week to complete. The wall will offer us protection and will deter others from the outside who might attempt to take what we have. Does anyone object?”
Everyone was quiet and most were shaking their heads. And then to Jimmy’s horror, Bill stood up.
“Uh, excuse me?” he asked. “Some of us might have medical conditions, like myself, and can’t be expected to do any wall building. I’m under doctor’s orders; I’m not supposed to lift anything over twenty pounds.”
Jimmy groaned. “Sit down, Bill,” he whispered.
Ken didn’t miss a beat. “Of course,” he said. “I should have said that everyone physically capable to help will be asked to work on the wall. Does anyone object to that?”
This time no one did. Ken quickly scanned the crowd and moved on.
“We have plenty to eat. But being as there are so many of us here, we want to ask everyone to bring all food items to the shed. I think share and share alike is the phrase I’m looking for. Patty asked that we do this because it’ll make things simpler. She’s putting a team together to help with the meals and we’ll all eat at the same time. Breakfast will be served at seven, lunch at noon. And dinner will be served around five, give or take, of course. Does anyone object to that?”
“Seven?” asked Bill, not bothering to stand up. “That’s pretty early,” he muttered.
Ken ignored him. “Good. That will keep us all on equal ground. The next thing I want to cover is the bathroom situation. As you all know, the house only has one bathroom. The septic system can’t handle everyone using it. I’m not going to call it off limits; I just want to ask all of you to use the outhouse as much as possible. I’m sure you understand. The same goes for the tub. If we can use the lake for cleaning up, it’ll also save on the septic system. Sorry, but that’s just the way it is.”
Jimmy waited for Bill to grumble about that; thankfully, he didn’t. He thought that everything was going well and that most, if not everyone, was in agreement with what Ken had proposed. Ken looked calm standing in the sun. Although he was just past sixty, he was trim and fit. With his full head of hair, Ken could’ve easily passed for a man in his forties.
“Okay,” Ken said, his features growing serious. “The last thing I want to bring up is something I’m going to want some feedback on. You’re all here on good faith. We all need to be able to trust one another as we work together in our little community. What I’d like to suggest is that we adopt some sort of charter. We need to lay out some ground rules. God forbid we run into a situation where we have to ask someone to leave, but we need to plan for that eventuality. The same goes for others who might yet arrive here. I don’t want to turn good people away, I’m sure none of you would want that. Still, we should select a committee to draw up some guidelines.”
Ken paused and held his hands out, obviously waiting for someone to comment. Jimmy was surprised to see Cindy jump to her feet.
“You mean elect,” she said, her voice cracking.
“Right,” said Ken.
“Good,” said Cindy, her black hair hanging in her eyes; she swept it back and continued. “Mr. Dahlgren is right. We need to have rules, and we need to enforce them. We also need to remember that we live in a democracy. This is still the United States.”
“Sit down,” called a man’s voice from the back.
“I thought this was an adults only meeting,” said another.
A few people laughed at this, and Cindy turned and glared at them with blazing eyes.
Jimmy felt his blood begin to boil. He was ready to jump to his feet, but Ken caught his eye and stopped him.
“That’s enough of that!” he said in a stern voice. “Cindy is one hundred percent correct. This is America. An election is exactly what we need, and we should have one as soon as possible, within the next few days. What do you think, Cindy? Will three people be sufficient?”
“Five,” answered Cindy, as if she were challenging everyone at the meeting.
“Five it is,” said Ken. “Is three days okay with you?”
“Absolutely,” Cindy replied, returning to her seat. Jimmy put his arm around her.
“Thank you, my dear. Does anyone els
e have anything to add to that?” Ken asked, pausing for nearly ten seconds. “Good. That’s all I have. Until we elect our committee, I want to remind everyone that I’m in charge. If I hear of anyone getting out of line, I won’t hesitate to show you to the door. I don’t want to do that, but I certainly will. We’re all in this together, and the most important thing is for all of us to get along.” Ken paused again, letting his comment sink in. “Okay, we’re going to break for lunch now. At one o’clock I want everyone to bring their foodstuffs to the shed here. Patty will take care of them. After that we’ll begin on the wall. Everyone willing and able will be asked to help build it. There will be plenty of other things that need to be done, and Patty will take charge of anyone physically incapable of the wall detail. My point is: everyone will have something to do. That’s all I have. Thanks again. I think we’ll do this again tomorrow, same time, same place. Now, let’s get some lunch.”
Ken turned and walked into the house. Following close behind was Bill. Jimmy could only shake his head.
“You were great,” Jimmy said to Cindy. The two of them had remained seated as the others filed up to the house.
“Thanks. Apparently you and Ken were the only ones who thought so,” said Cindy, her face still scarlet and her head hanging down.
“What you said carried a lot of weight,” Jimmy said. “This is America.”
Cindy shook her head, and Jimmy could see that she was crying. He was suddenly angry again. He would find out who had interrupted her and give them a piece of his mind.
“Excuse me,” said a woman in a flowered blouse who was kneeling down next to Cindy. Jimmy recognized her as one of Patty’s friends but he couldn’t remember her name. “I just had to tell you this, young lady. You said exactly what I was thinking. I was just too afraid to speak up.”
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