Page 18 of Hero

Besides, having another woman around would only help. It would take a lot of pressure and responsibility off my shoulders.

I should want it, and it’s wrong that I don’t.

Digging out the last of the carrots from the soil, I snarl down at the dirt. There’s no reason to get worked up about this random idea. There aren’t any other women around, and there won’t be until we move.

Which we’ll need to do eventually.

I hate the idea of it for so many reasons. I yank up a carrot with more force than necessary and drop it into the basket.

A rustling in the trees behind me makes me freeze. I turn my head slowly to look, but I can’t see any motion.

I wait. Silent. Holding my breath. Then I hear the rustling again.

Very slowly I stand up, grabbing the basket and pulling my gun out of its holster. We haven’t seen any sign of that bear Zed said was lurking around a few weeks ago, so we assumed it had moved on. But maybe it hasn’t. Even though I’m armed, a bear is not what I want to encounter.

I walk backward until I reach the door of the house. I step in and close and lock it behind me.

“Me and Buddy are coming out now,” Rina announces. Between her and the dog, water is slopped all over the floor next to his bowl.

“I finished in the garden, so why don’t we stay inside?”

“But we were going to the shade!”

“I know you were. That’s what I suggested, but I thought of a better idea. Why don’t you help me get some of these vegetables ready to make a stew.”

She makes a face. “Stew isn’t very good.”

“I know it’s not your favorite, but it makes a little bit of food go a long way. And you can help me do some chopping if you want.”

“With a knife?” Her eyes are big and round.

“Yes, with a knife. You’ll have to be real careful.”

“I will.” The offer of the knife has suitably diverted her from her plan to sit in the shade with Buddy, so I let out a breath.

No sense in scaring Rina. There’s nothing she can do about the bear.

The poor animal is probably hungry, but a ravenous bear is the kind of danger we need to avoid.

Rina and I work on chopping vegetables for a stew, and Buddy collapses on the floor for a nap, exhausted from a long afternoon of doing nothing.

* * *

Zed comes home about an hour later. I’ve forgotten to unlock the door, so he gives it a tap after he tries unsuccessfully to open it.

Rina runs over to unlock it for her father, giving him a big hug and bursting out with a list of every single thing she’s done since he left for the river that morning.

Zed picks her up to hug her, but he meets my eyes over the girl’s shoulder. He wants to know why the door was locked, but I’m not going to tell him in front of Rina.

“Did you get a lot of fish, Daddy?”

“Just a couple of little ones today.” After giving Buddy a quick pet, he glances around the room, clearly looking for signs of trouble. “Everything okay here?”

“Yes, it’s good. I helped Essie make the stew. She let me chop vegetables, and I was very careful with the knife.”

“Good job. Do you want to run out and get—”

I give my head a discreet shake.

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