Page 137 of Last Light

Patty, the overbearing nurse, isn’t happy about this situation, but we ignore her grave warnings and do what we want. After greeting us, the dog is made to sleep outside the door.

I wake up the next morning before Travis does, and I have time to go the bathroom and clean up a little before he wakes up.

The doctor stops by to check on him almost the moment he opens his eyes, and Travis is grumpy and curt during the bandage-changing and examination.

“I can give you some aspirin and Advil,” the doctor says. “I’m sorry that’s all we’ve got. If anyone has anything stronger, they’re not sharing.”

“I’m fine.” Travis obviously isn’t fine. He still looks pained. In fact, he looks more uncomfortable than ever this morning.

“You’re not going to be able to travel for a day or two.” The doctor looks worried. “The caravan will be leaving this morning, but you won’t be able to go with us.”

“That’s okay,” I say. “We weren’t going to stay anyway.”

“He’s going to need more than just you to take care of him.”

“We’ll be fine,” Travis grits out.

“I can stay,” Mack says. He’s been lingering near the doorway since the doctor came in. “At least a day or two. Then Anna and I will need to start off for West Virginia.”

“What about Maisey and Jenna?” I ask.

“They changed their minds. They’re gonna stick with the caravan.”

That somehow doesn’t surprise me since the other two women didn’t seem as set as Anna on joining Maria.

The doctor seems to think his job is done, so he leaves.

Mack asks me, “Where’ll you be heading?”

“Oh... I don’t really know. We haven’t discussed it.” I turn to look at Travis. He’s watching me soberly. “Maybe we should... There’s a place in the mountains where we’d be safe for a while. Maybe we should go back to that house. At least until you’re back on your feet. Then we can figure out what to do.”

Travis nods at me and then looks at Mack. “In that case, we’ll be traveling in the same direction as you and Anna. So maybe we could go together. I’m not gonna be much good at keepin’ Layne safe for a while, so I’d be glad of the help.”

“Sounds fine to me. You sure you’ll be up to traveling in a day or two?”

“I’ll be ready.” Travis’s expression brooks no argument.

If it’s humanly possible to be ready to travel in two days, Travis will do it.

***

IT’S MIDMORNING BEFORETravis and I are finally alone again. The caravan has left, and we’ve said goodbye to Cheryl and the others from Meadows.

They’re heading for the mountain area damaged by the earthquakes. They have nowhere else to go, and that’s likely to be as safe as anywhere else they can get to.

Maybe they can find a neighborhood with a lot of houses in livable condition.

They’re going to try to set up a life there.

If Travis wants to join them eventually, I’ll be okay with that. And if we stay at the house, which I’d prefer, we’ll still be close enough to visit occasionally and make sure Cheryl and the others are okay.

While Mack and Anna go outside with the dog to get some food from our Jeep and check the perimeter for intruders, I stretch out on the bed beside Travis, reaching down to take his hand.

“You wanna do some more kissin’?” he asks, his voice thick and fond. He sounds better now that the crowd of people have moved on.

I laugh softly and lean over to press my lips against his. I don’t let them linger. “We can kiss more later. First I want to talk.”

“Okay. What about?”

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