Page 19 of G8
F8 whooped. “So did T8! This calls for a celebration!”
“Where?” P8 asked.
“At the hospital. It’s a custodial position, but I’m not complaining. It’s a start.” He pointed to T8. “Did you get on at the lumber yard?”
“Yep,” the man proudly confessed. “I start tomorrow.”
“Same here,” N8 told them and turned to G8. “How about you? Any luck at the sheriff’s office?”
“Already started. I even got to get in some target practice.”
“With a gun?” F8 asked.
“Yep. Sheriff Biggs said I’d have to go through a lot more training, but so far he’s pleased with what he’s seen.” He jerked a thumb in Ingrid’s direction. “We had to pause when she showed up with the babies.”
K8 turned to P8. “Anything on your end?” She tapped her chest. “I put my application in at a few more places today. Hopefully one of them will pan out.”
P8 shook his head. “Same here. After the road construction crew moved on, I’ve been hoping to find something else.”
“Do the kids have names?” N8 asked, bringing the topic back around to the newcomers.
F8 and K8 broke up laughing. “We seem to be doing everything bass-ackwards,” F8 stated. “What are the babies’ names?”
“And how do you tell them apart?” T8 added. “They look alike to me.”
“That’s because most babies look pretty much alike,” Ingrid confessed. “I got confused at first, but once you get to know them better, it’s easy.” She patted the back of the infant lying on her shoulder. “This is Sl8. That’s spelled S-L and the number eight.”
“Like our names have an eight,” F8 noted.
“But because these boys are second generation, I guess that’s why they have two letters instead of one, like you do,” Ingrid explained.
“Who’s this little fellow?” P8 questioned.
“That’s Cl8. C-L-eight.”
“What’s an easy way to tell them apart?” N8 pressed.
F8 threw up a hand. “Hold that. We got company pulling in, and I don’t recognize the sound of the vehicle.”
T8 immediately turned off the lights inside the lodge. “All right, everyone. Take your positions. F8? You and K8 might want to show Ingrid and the babies the back pantry until this is over.”
Ingrid shot G8 a worried look, but he nodded to reassure her. “It’ll be okay. Go, and try to keep them quiet.”
F8 tugged on the woman’s arm. “Come on.”
P8 handed the other infant to K8, who followed the other two women to seek shelter.
10VIOL8
“Let me handle this,”G8 said as they peered around the window frames.
“By yourself?” T8 challenged. “Forget that!”
“What if they’re armed?” P8 suggested. “Shouldn’t we stay inside, just in case?”
“Maybe a show of force might deter them,” T8 suggested.
“Hell with that. We need to call the sheriff,” N8 proposed and turned to go into the office where their only phone was located. T8 held out a hand to stop him.
