Page 49 of Nomad

“Thank you.” Cann nodded to Bud before following Gael out of the room.

After a few minutes of awkward silence during which Bud found the pouring of coffee fascinating, Gael returned and entertained her with stories of his adventures in the wilds of Argentina when he was her age.

“When you come back across they’re going to grab you, but the guy who’ll take you into custody is a friend of mine. Likewise, the federale who will walk you across is a friend of Gael’s. You’re in good hands.”

“Bud…” Cann began. His first thought was to be scared for what would happen to her. Where would she sleep? Would she eat right?

“That’s the last thing you’ve got to worry about. Garland and I will be there to get her and bring her home. We’ll take care of her until you’re back.” He chuckled. “Garland’s already made her an appointment with the best obstetrician in Austin.” Brant paused. “You won’t be gone long. We’re lawyered up in ways you can’t imagine. If necessary we’ll tap Brand’s resources and you can’t begin to imagine how deep and wide that goes. Plus, this is a sympathetic situation to a hell of a lot of people. You’ll be a hero to them.”

“Jesus.”

“Yeah. Exactly. News people will be there so have that girl dress like a Madonna. Modest. Girl next door.”

“Thatiswho she is.”

“Then that’ll come across and people’ll be on your side. Havin’ the public on your side, well, it’s powerful. Don’t worry. You did a good thing. It was a stupid thing, but it was also good and you’re not gonna suffer for it if we can help it.”

“Thanks, boss.”

They sat on the sides of their respective beds, facing each other.

“When?” Bud said.

“Noon. Brant says for you to wear somethin’ nice. There’ll be TV cameras and he thinks the impression is important. Modest young mother-to-be.”

“What’s gonna happen?”

“They’re gonna take me into custody at the border.”

All of a sudden the full-blown reality hit Bud. She wondered where her head had been. Hadn’t she known that was what was going to happen? Cann had told her often enough.

“No.” She shook her head as her eyes filled with tears. She practically threw herself across the few feet that separated them and, before Cann knew what had happened, she was straddling him with her face buried in his neck, sobbing. Instinctively he put his arms around her.

“Shhh. It’s gonna be okay. Brant is gonna get me out.”

“When?”

“I don’t know when.”

She drew back and looked at him with puffy eyes that broke his heart and he realized that, sometime between the Mountain Dew vending machine and that moment, she’d started caring about what happened to him. “No more than three nights.”

He smiled, reaching up to wipe tears away with his thumb. “Yeah. No more than three nights.” He stood up and set her on her feet. “You need to get a good night’s rest. Tomorrow’s gonna bring a lot of havoc.”

He realized that he’d started caring about what happened to her as well. The last thing he’d intended was for the girl to get attached to a walking dead man.

She’d already had some rough breaks. Her mama died when she was too young to remember. Her old man had abdicated his role as parent. Her boyfriend had knocked her up and abandoned her. And, Christ, she was stuck with the name ‘Bud’.

It really wouldn’t be fair for her to grieve for him when he was gone. That was not what he wanted. The whole point was leaving nobody behind who cared one way or the other. Seemed like he’d fucked that up without intending to.

The next morning, when she came out of the bathroom, Cann was sitting there with a huge chocolate cupcake featuring a lit pink candle. Bud’s eyes lit with delight and darted between Cann and the cupcake and back again.

“Please don’t make me sing. ‘Cause I can’t. But Happy birthday.”

Bud’s eyes were still a little swollen from all the crying the night before, but that didn’t mean that there weren’t more tears.

Cann was baffled. “Hey. Hey. What’s the matter?”

“I never had a birthday cake before,” she sniffled.

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