“Uh, Mom? Can I talk to you for a few minutes?”
“Of course.” Allex plunged her dirty hands into the bucket of water by the gate, rinsing off the lingering grime and wiping them on her worn jeans. Tom walked back to the house they shared with the missing colonel to give her and her son some privacy.
“What’s on your mind?”
“We want to move,” Jason said, getting right to the point.
“Move? Where?” Alarm laced Allexa’s voice.
“Here, into town,” he replied. “It’s getting more and more difficult and time consuming for all of us to keep going back and forth every day, even with the gas shipments coming in now. Amanda is working at the laundromat daily, Jacob has school, and you seem to keep me busy with odd jobs. Can you help us find suitable housing?”
Allexa breathed a sigh of relief, fearing he had wanted to move further out. “Did you have any place in particular in mind?”
“We would both like something on the lake and close enough for Jacob to walk to school,” he replied. “I’m a little concerned with the proximity of the water for Jacob though.”
“I know with his autism he hasn’t always comprehended certain dangers. He’s been doing better with that though, hasn’t he?”
“Yes, he has, Mom, and I think if we gave him more freedom, he would do even better, yet… I worry.”
“I understand. Let’s go to the town hall and look at the housing map.”
***
Allexa, the emergency manager and reluctant deputy mayor of Moose Creek, flipped on the light switch and looked over the enlarged map that took up a good portion of the wall in the silent meeting room. Many had died over the early winter, yet not as many as anticipated. Even so, many houses were now vacant again. With the loss of half the crops from the early snow, food was scarce and starvation was common, and with that came illnesses. Her sons, Eric and Jason, still lived outside of town, leaning heavily on the remainder of her long term storage and the greenhouse to keep the seven of them fed.
“I think Ken and Karen’s place is too far out, so is the Misko’s.” She looked closer at the map and the eraser marks. “Jason, it looks as if there’s a place three lots down from me.”
“Why is it empty?”
“The mother and one child died over the winter, and the remaining teenager moved in with another family.” Allexa remembered the incident. The young teen girl, Alden, had come screaming across the frost crunchy grass two months ago when her mother and brother wouldn’t wake up. “Let’s go look at it.”
***
“Tom, I’m placing Jason’s family three doors down from here,” Allex said, starting the electric oven to bake bread.
“Sounds fine to me. Do you think Eric will move into town too? I sure wouldn’t blame him if it meant getting your bread more often. That always smells terrific!”
“Since Major Kopley and the colonel convinced General Jameson that it would be beneficial to the military for Moose Creek to have regular shipments of diesel for the big generator it has made life easier. I’m still not sure how they did that, but many things, including baking, are easier for everyone now.”
Allexa put two loaves in the oven and set the timer, then stood gazing out at the peaceful lake shimmering in the sunlight.
“You miss Jim, don’t you?”
“Of course I do. Everyone does,” Allex retorted. “He did so much good for the town before he left. Not only getting the regular diesel deliveries but basic foods now too. Flour, sugar, salt, oil, and rice are available for everyone at the Inn in the food distribution room. Although it might be sporadic, it’s still better than nothing.”
“We sure could have used those deliveries three months ago. We would have lost fewer people. Better late than never I guess,” Tom said. “We didn’t seem to suffer much. I mean you and I.”
“That’s because I dipped into my long term storage, mainly for wheat and rice. That’s why I stored what I did, Tom, you know that. And you also know those supplies are running not only low, they are nearly exhausted. I never thought any disaster would last this long, or that there would be so many to care for,” Allexa said, her voice drifting away in thought.
“We’re okay, though, right?”
“As long as we can get our gardens in and producing, we will all be okay, yes. And as far as Eric moving into town, I really don’t know.” A heavy rumble vibrated through the house and rattled the windows. “NO NO NO!!” Allexa cried out, dropping to the floor to keep from falling. “Not another earthquake! I don’t know how much more of this I can take!”
“Allex!” Tom rushed to her side. “What’s wrong? We’ve been having these tremors for months. I thought you would be used to them by now.”
“I’ll never get used to them, and it’s getting to me,” she said, standing and pulling out of Tom’s concerned grip. “I’ll be fine.” She walked out of the house and up the driveway, not looking back and leaving Tom to tend the bread.
Walking took Allexa past Bradley’s Backyard, the town community garden. Someone had recently plowed and disked the two acres. All it needed was to be raked and planted. Harold Wolfe was working on a section, putting his seed plants in the ground. Instead of making her smile, she felt nothing. Further up the road and around the bend was the cemetery. Bright blossoms caught her eye and she lingered over the flowers she had planted eighteen months earlier at the grave of Sister Doris. Allexa sat on the cold, hard ground and let the tears flow, silently sobbing for not only the loss of the kind nun, but for all her losses over the last two and a half years.
“Mom?” Eric said gently.
Allexa lifted her head from where it rested against her knees, tears still streaming down her face.
“What’s the matter? Tom said you seemed upset.”
She put her head back down and mumbled, “I just need some alone time, okay?”
“No, it’s not okay, but if that’s what you really want, I’ll leave.” He took a few steps away.
“Wait,” Allexa said. She stood and faced her oldest son. “I’ll walk back with you.” Wiping her face on her sleeve, she took a deep breath and pulled herself together, knowing that emotional outbursts like this were not a good example to set.
***
“Jason told me about moving into town. They’re packing now. I think it’s a great idea.” Eric paused, picking up his patrol bike to walk. “Mom, I know you have depended on us to watch over your house and everything, but I think Rayn and I should move to town too.”
“Why?”
“With the security team down by four now, I’m on patrol every day and Emi is in school most days. That leaves Rayn and Alan alone a lot and that makes me uneasy.”
After the murder of Ken and Karen and then the disappearance of the colonel and Cpl. Perkins, the leadership of security had fallen heavy on Eric. They were technically under martial law, and Eric, though not officially in the military any longer, was the senior officer in town, with only Staff Sgt. Frank Sanders and Specialist Tony Ramirez, and of course his wife Rayn, as real military. Art Collins had supplied a few of his men on occasion, though as quiet as town was, Eric rarely had need of them.
“I understand. Have you thought of some place you would like?” Allexa thought them moving into town might solve another issue she was facing.
“Actually, my rounds take me to the west end of town and there’s a bigger house on a couple of acres just past the ball field that’s vacant. We would technically still be outside of town, and close enough that Emi could walk to school if she wanted, though she loves riding her own ATV.” Eric chuckled, remembering his mother giving Emilee the purple ATV for her thirteenth birthday the previous July. “And it puts Rayn between town and The Resort, in a much safer location.”
“I think I know which place you mean.”
“With that much room and the town
’s power, I was thinking of starting a hatchery and egg farm. Rayn loves the chickens and it would give her something productive to do, and I think it would be beneficial for the town too.”
“I see you’ve thought this out. That house isn’t far from here. Let’s go look at it now.”
***
The yard was heavily overgrown with two years of weeds, fallen branches, and general natural debris.
“You’ll need your uncle’s riding mower to get this mess cleaned up,” Allexa said, making her way up the winding gravel driveway.
Eric frowned. “Yeah, it’s worse than I remembered.” Then he perked up. “But look at all the outbuildings! I won’t have to build any new structures, only fix up what’s already here. Enough buildings for the hatchery, a coop, even my brewery!”
“Let’s see what the house is like first,” Allexa said, stepping up onto the covered concrete porch and pushing the door open.
They wandered through the vacant four bedroom house, looking in closets and cupboards.
“Do you know what happened to these people, Mom?”
“No. So many just left town after the first earthquake compromised our power. It seems all these people took were their clothes. Everything else is still here. Maybe they planned on coming back for the rest and then didn’t or couldn’t,” Allexa said. “Even all the dishes and pots and pans are still in the kitchen.” She closed the cupboard and moved to the next room.
“Furniture looks in decent condition. Only thing is one bedroom upstairs with some water damage from a broken window,” Eric said.
“I hope you realize the upstairs will be near impossible to heat in the winter. You should consider not using it. Otherwise, I think it would be a good house for your family.” Allexa closed the closet she was looking in. “When do you want to move?”
“I’ll bring Rayn over here this afternoon and see what she thinks.” Eric looked out into the backyard. “We’ll need to get a garden area worked up soon to get any kind of a harvest.”
“Have you planted my garden yet?” Her garden. The thought was going to take some getting used to.
“No I haven’t. Why bother if we’re not going to be there to tend it?” Eric commented, and then studied his mother. “Are you thinking of moving back there?”
“Actually, I am.”
“Tom isn’t going to like that, you know.”
“It doesn’t matter what he likes, Eric. It doesn’t matter what anyone likes or doesn’t like. It’s my life, and I’ll live where I want. And right now I want to go home,” she said with a hitch in her voice.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“Tom, I’m going to help Eric and Rayn pack their things to move. I’ll be back in a few hours,” Allexa announced.
“Great. I think it’s a good idea for everyone to move into town. Is there anything I can do?”
“Yeah…don’t be angry when I move out.” She knew this moment would come and felt the sooner they dealt with it the better.
“Exactly what do you mean by move out? I know it’s been awkward with you and me living in the same house without Jim here, but I don’t think anyone finds it inappropriate. Do you want to move in with one of your sons?” Tom frowned, thinking about the big house feeling empty.
“No, Tom. I want to move back to my house.” Allexa sat on one of the wooden kitchen stools and sipped her coffee. “I miss my house. I miss my cat. I miss my life! And I really need to be by myself for a while.” A tear slipped down her cheek.
“You miss the colonel that much?”
“No. Yes.” Allexa sighed. “Look, sure I miss him. You have to understand, our relationship is very complex. Although our affection for each other is real, I think that in part, it developed to help me get past Mark’s death. I’m past it now, and Jim is still my close and dear friend, but he is and always will be married to the military. That will never change, and it’s a big reason he isn’t here now.” She took another sip of coffee. “I don’t know how to explain this, other than I want and need to go home now.”
Tom nodded and walked away.
***
“I brought along some of the bins Jim and I used to transport things from our road trip,” Allexa said, pulling the items out of her car. “I really don’t know how much you have that needs to be moved though.”
“Jason is here to help with the heavy stuff and brought a trailer,” Eric said.
“What do you need a trailer for? There’s furniture already there,” Allexa said.
“There’s the crib, Emi’s twin bed, our bed…” Rayn started to list items.
“Wait… your bed? Don’t you mean my bed?” Allexa turned to her son. “And what do you expect me to sleep on?”
“The beds in the new house are either twins or double. We’re kind of used to the queen now,” he grimaced as it dawned on him what his mother was saying. “You really are moving back here?”
“Yes I am. This is my home. I’m willing, even happy to share some things with you two, but not everything.” Allexa took a deep, controlling breath while looking out the window. She turned back to them. “Did you know that if you pushed two twins together you get a king bed?” That comment caught Eric and Rayn by surprise. “You will have to make adjustments on the sheets and blankets, though, because you can’t take mine. That house is pretty much turn-key. It has everything you need, just like this one did when I asked you to take care of it for me.” It was a not so subtle reminder of their agreement a year earlier.
After they realized what they faced, and what his mother had done for them, the mood lightened and they all spent the afternoon packing clothes and sorting out canned goods. Tufts rubbed against her legs looking for attention.
“After I rototill the garden, which I will try to get done tomorrow, you can take it and use it to work up an area at the new house,” Allexa offered. “Is there any gas left?”
“Not much. Sorry.”
“That’s okay. I can get more from the township supplies. I’ll need to anyway for the generator, which you won’t need since you’ll be on the town grid, and I’ll definitely need it for water.”
They walked out to the greenhouse, Rayn balancing baby Alan on her hip. Allexa saw the miner statue pouring water into the pond and looked away.
“Once you get tilled up come back for some of your plants. I know you started enough for me too. I’m going to put two tomatoes over at Tom’s for him and then the rest of mine I’ll plant here. Are there peppers too?” She looked around.
“Yes,” Rayn said, moving aside some of the prolific tomato plants to show the pepper plants. “May I have some of the herbs?”
“Of course. I’ll help you dig up rootings of whatever you want over there, Rayn. Most of what’s here are perennials and easy to share.”
***
After the others left to take the load to the new house, Allexa wandered through the quiet and empty rooms of her home. She started the generator to use the vacuum in what was the nursery, and started a load of sheets to wash. The queen bed was still in the TV room, so she tipped the mattress against the wall, then the box spring. The simple metal frame was light enough for her to carry into the now clean room and set it back where she had had it. Dragging the box spring was easier than the mattress, and soon all was as she wanted it and the way it used to be.
She hung the freshly washed sheets on the clothesline and draped the comforter over a line to air it out. She swept the kitchen and mopped it, then sat in the rocker with Tufts in her lap, a warm spring breeze wafting through the open windows, and she felt content for the first time in many months.
***
Journal Entry March 5
It’s been a week since I moved back home. Home. What a comforting sound that has to me. This is all so familiar, even the loneliness, and that’s okay because it’s more of an aloneness now.
Tufts has been wandering from room to room. I wonder if he’s looking for Chevas. Maybe I should take him to Eric’s for a visit with the dog. Odd, or maybe not so odd, how those two animals have become such close friends. With no other animals around, they have only each other…and Matilda and Bossy.
***
“Rayn?” Allexa called out, opening the front door to her son’s new house. Chevas came skidding around the corner emitting a loud and gentle “Woof”. The dog sniffed the cat carrier Allexa set down, and danced happily, her tail wagging unrestrained. Allexa unzipped the door and let a grateful Tufts out to play. They sniffed noses and Chevas licked the cat’s face. Tufts responded by giving the dog a clawless swat. They scampered away to find a sunny spot to sit.
“Hi, Allex, it’s good to see you,” Rayn said, walking into the front room. She set the baby down on the gleaming hardwood floor and he crawled to Allexa, sat, and reached to be picked up. “Come and see what we’ve done.” Allexa lifted Alan and deftly set the baby on her hip, following her daughter-in-law from room to room. The dining room table glowed from recent polishing and the kitchen gleamed. The layer of dust and grime had been scoured away, windows sparkled, and the floor shined. Rayn had put up new curtains too. The house had a lived-in look and Allexa was pleased they were settling in so well.
“Emilee has claimed one of the bedrooms upstairs for now. She understands she will have to move down here into Alan’s room during the winter, unless Eric and Jason can come up with a method of heating for her,” Rayn said, setting water on the stove to heat for tea.
“I was wondering about that. She’s a teenager and I’ve no doubt she wants her own space. I can remember always having to share a room with my sister until she moved out to get married.” Allexa thought of the letters that her sister and she were now sharing. Everyone looked forward to the occasional mail-call the nuns held.
The Journal: Martial Law Page 11