Page 84 of Beacon

One of the guards on duty aims a rifle at us, but before he can fire a warning shot, someone else calls out and starts waving from up on the guard post.

Jackson. He’s evidently recognized us even in the unfamiliar vehicle.

They’re opening the gate, and Jackson is jumping down to greet us as Mack pulls the truck slowly through the gate. He stops far enough in for them to shut the gate behind us before he climbs out too.

Jackson is there waiting, grinning and hugging Mack like he’s a long-lost brother. Then he starts striding around to my side.

“Anna’s not getting out,” Mack calls. He sticks his head back inside to tell me, “Don’t get out yet.”

“I’m not,” I say, laughing and only slightly impatient. He’s still being careful with me, and he’s afraid the trip was too hard on me after my injury. In all truth, I’m not feeling my best. I’m not simply exhausted. I hurt all over. So I’m not tempted to defy Mack’s instructions and jump out without his assistance.

I do roll down my window so I can talk to Jackson.

“You okay?” he asks, his longish wavy hair as wildly rumpled as ever. “You’re not sick, are you?

“I had a, uh, minor injury a couple of weeks ago.”

“She got shot,” Mack announces, climbing back behind the steering wheel. “Jumped right in front of a bullet to save me.”

“It just grazed me on my side. I’m really okay. Not quite up to par yet, but fine.”

Jackson appears relieved by my clarification and looks like he’s about to ask for more details. But I’ve thought of something else now.

“How’s Ham?” I ask in a quieter tone. “Is he?—”

“He made it.” Jackson is grinning again. “Not sure how ’cause it was pretty bad, but he pulled through. He’s here. You can go see him when you get inside. He’s still not able to get up and about much, but he’s gonna be okay. Been in a damn good mood considering, but that might be because of all the coddling he gets from a whole string of pretty girls who visit him.”

I giggle at this.

“I’m gonna jump on the back and ride in with you. Faith will be thrilled to see you both.”

Mack waits until Jackson has climbed onto the back, and then he drives slowly up the curved gravel driveway.

About halfway to the house, Jackson starts shouting, “Faith! Faith, get out here!”

He’s really bellowing, but I’m not sure whether Faith will be able to hear him from the house.

She does. After a minute, the front door opens, and Faith steps outside with a very small girl in her arms.

Molly is over a year old now, and she has her mother’s strawberry gold hair and her father’s intimidating scowl.

She’s scowling now as Faith bursts into excited greetings. Passing the girl to Jackson, who’s jumped off the back of the truck and jogged over to her, Faith runs over as Mack gets out of the car.

She launches herself at him in an uninhibited hug, and my throat gets a little tight as I watch.

Mack is smiling in his old way as he says a few words to Faith and then walks around the truck and opens my passenger door. He carefully helps me slide out of the tall seat, and he keeps his hands at my hips as I straighten my legs and test that my knees don’t buckle.

I feel rather pathetic, but I don’t fall.

He’s checking my face in concern.

“I’m just tired. Really. I’m not going into a decline.”

“Okay. You better not.” He leans down to kiss me briefly, and then he finally steps aside to let me hug Faith and then Jackson.

Mack is watching bossily so neither one of them hugs me as tight as I might want.

Then I finally get to say hello to Molly, who doesn’t remember me. It doesn’t take long for her to start giggling and playing with my hair, so I consider the interaction a success.

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