Grant Us Mercy 7 Read online

“It’s not that.” Blake scratched at the beard he wished he could shave. “It’s the guns. We can’t use them.”

  “Paranoid are we?” Brent said, but with a chuckle.

  “Well, paranoid it may be, but that’s what has kept me and my family alive.”

  Brent grunted. “I can shoot a bow, too. It’s just not my preferred weapon.”

  “We will be discussing all of this tonight, but I will keep you in mind.” Blake turned away, wanting to see his family. Funny how being stuck indoors made him want to leave, but now even an hour apart he felt empty without them.

  “I meant what I said. I owe you.”

  Blake stopped and faced Brent. “You don’t owe me, but if you feel the need to repay, repay it to your family and to the community.”

  Blake nodded and then quickly made his way to Arland’s tent. He didn’t want to be detoured from seeing his family again.

  ****

  The constant chatter started to overwhelm Kris. The buzzing inside her felt like it had when she first met Arland’s community after being locked away with only her husband and son for so long. She couldn’t help but think Blake had rubbed off on her.

  Speaking of her husband, he slid into Arland’s dwelling, his eyes immediately finding hers. They had that same wild look but settled as they rested in her gaze. He needed space, too. It was close to lunch anyway, a good time to excuse themselves.

  “I think we have it down now. What do you say, ladies?” Kris said, interrupting their gossiping chatter. That’s the part of this meeting with the girls she didn’t like. They always had some gossip to share like little meddling birds stirring up trouble.

  “The majority of it, I believe.” Laurie stood, giving Kris an appreciative glance.

  It was nice having a kindred heart in Laurie, and as Lexi stood as well, she felt the same about her.

  “How about we take a lunch break?” Kris said, rising with Mercy wrapped against her. She grunted with the effort. Her little girl was getting heavy. It wouldn’t be too long until she walked, but even then there would still be the need to carry her from place to place.

  Kris didn’t mind. In truth, she didn’t look forward to not having Mercy strapped to her. In these uncertain times, having her daughter so close brought her comfort. She kissed the top of her head, a shock of red hair peeking out from her beanie.

  Mercy kicked her legs and pumped her arms, babbling like she had so much to share with her mom.

  “She is going to be a beauty. Look at her hair. It’s even redder than yours,” Lexi said.

  “And her eyes! They are greener than Blake’s.”

  Blake came over to them and pulled off the beanie to reveal the mop of red curls. “This is my favorite. Just like her mom’s.”

  “I think her mouth and nose look like mine.” Tucker stood and wiggled his way into the circle.

  “I think so, too.” Kris kissed the tip of his nose and hugged him close to her. Sometimes she wondered if it was hard on him when Mercy got so much attention. When it came to it, though, he seemed more jealous if Mercy gave others more attention than she did him.

  That never happened though. Mercy gurgled and reached out for her brother. “Bubba, Bubba.”

  “That’s right. I’m your brother.” He gently swiped a finger down her nose like he always did, sending Mercy trilling with glee.

  Kris glanced at Blake, seeing the joy in his eyes. Moments like these meant everything to her, and right now, she didn’t want to share them with others.

  “Thank you for your hospitality, Laurie. Lexi.” She nodded to them and started turning her crew toward the door.

  “Blake, do you have a minute to discuss the hunt?” Arland asked right as they made it to the exit.

  Blake’s eyes went wide before he turned. Kris knew he needed the break as much as she did. “Arland, would you mind if I fed him first? You should hear his tummy grumbling,” Kris said, forcing out a light laugh.

  “Of course.” Arland nodded.

  “I’ll be back after lunch. Maybe we could check the traps as we discuss it.”

  “Sounds good. I know this is a late lunch, but I appreciate you working so hard on the shelter. Tonight is going to be fun.”

  Kris watched Arland. There was something he wasn’t saying aloud, and she wondered what he had up his sleeve. The man wasn’t one to keep things a surprise. Then she saw the way he glanced sheepishly at Laurie who watched him from beneath lowered lashes. Oh...

  Could there finally be the wedding they had all been waiting on?

  She could barely hold the words in until they made it to their shelter.

  “Is Arland finally going to propose?” she asked Blake quietly while Tucker entertained Mercy.

  Blake shrugged like it wasn’t the biggest news in the community. Men. She sighed and turned back toward finding something to cook them. Stocks were starting to run short. Well, at least in their exposed supplies. They had more buried beneath them in case of emergencies.

  After a few minutes, she couldn’t stop herself from pushing the issue. “These are our friends. Aren’t you excited that they could be making such a wonderful decision?”

  Blake glanced at Tucker and then met her eyes. “It isn’t our business what they do or don’t do.”

  “I’m not gossiping. I am genuinely excited for them.” She shoved her fists into her hips, annoyed that Blake gave her that superior look.

  He smiled that smile he only had for her and pulled her into him. “You know, I can’t resist you when you get all hot and heavy,” he whispered in her ear, sending a rush tingling down her spine.

  Her annoyance faded and she instantly forgave him. “I really am excited for them. They should have this.” She pulled him even closer.

  “Oh, Krista. No one else has this. We are one of a kind.”

  Kris laughed, a release of joy that made both her children look toward her.

  Tucker picked up Mercy and carried her over. “We want to be a part of the family hug, too.”

  With her arms around her family, Kris felt like life couldn’t get better. A shiver went down her spine, and though she fought the thought, it came. Usually, when everything felt so right, it meant something awful waited right around the corner.

  ~3~

  Blake shared Kris’s thoughts even though they hadn’t discussed it. He felt the tension in the first community meeting while gathered in the new Hub. He watched everyone carefully, particularly those who liked to cause discord. Except, no one acted out as he had expected. That fact caused his tension to remain, even as everyone filed out into the late night to walk excitedly back to their own shelters.

  Since talking with Arland after lunch, Blake felt a little edgy. Obviously something else was on the man’s mind, but all he did was discuss the hunt. What was going on with Arland? Why hadn’t he told him? He was starting to hope Kris’s gossip was right, and that it was only a personal matter between him and Laurie. Arland knew where he stood on that, though.

  Kris intertwined her fingers in his, her other hand soothing Mercy who cooed herself to sleep while snuggled in her wrap. “I think that went well, don’t you?”

  He nodded. “Everyone seemed genuinely excited and open to all of the ideas.”

  “Then why are you so tense?” she whispered in his ear.

  He looked down at her, scanned the almost empty shelter, and nodded toward the door. “Tuck, let’s go.”

  Tucker quickly said goodnight to Ethan and then caught up with them, grabbing Blake’s other hand as they exited the new gathering place.

  Tucker yawned. “I’m tired.”

  “It’s a late night,” Kris said in that sweet way when she was proud of their son. “You did so well with the young kids, Sweetie.”

  “They’re good kids,” Tucker said in a grown-up manner.

  Blake squeezed his hand. “You’re a good kid.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” Tucker said, smiling up at him. “Do I get to go on the hunt with you?”

 
“You heard him. He said no children.” Kris kept her voice light.

  “I know. I just thought...” Tucker shrugged.

  “Soon, Champ. Not this one. It won’t be a lot of fun slugging through the deep snow.”

  “That’s why we made snowshoes,” Tucker said like it was common sense.

  “Too true.” He let go of his hand, sent Kris ahead, and squatted down next to Tucker. “I need you home with Mom and your sister. I need to know that they are safe and protected.”

  “I know, Dad.” He looked at his mom and sister walking in the moonlight toward their shelter further out from camp. “I worry about them, too. Sister is still too little. She’s going to have to learn fast.”

  Goosebumps broke out along Blake’s skin, and it wasn’t from the cold. “Do you want to tell me more?”

  Tucker blinked his eyes and shook his head. “I’ll stay and protect them, Dad. You can count on me.”

  Blake brought him into a hug, missing the days he could scoop him up and put him on his shoulders. The kid had grown too fast, and he wanted to hurry his sister? Blake would stop time if he could, just to get more time with him at exactly this age.

  “I’m a lucky guy, you know that?” He stood and ruffed up Tucker’s hair.

  “Yeah, I’m pretty lucky, too.”

  Blake had forgotten the tension on that walk home, but in the middle of that night it woke him with remnants of a dream fading from his memory. Trouble was coming.

  “You okay?” Kris asked, lightly touching his face.

  She fed Mercy as she did every night around this time. His daughter ate almost as much as he did, or at least as often. His stomach growled, but not for the freeze-dried food or jerky, but for fresh meat. Except, the idea of a hunt left a bad taste in his mouth.

  “Yeah, just...” He didn’t want to worry her and had nothing to back it up anyway.

  “You worried about the hunt?”

  How did she read his mind like that? It didn’t annoy him. In fact, it only verified what he had said the other night: they were one of a kind.

  “I don’t want to leave you.”

  She reached over and took his hand, bringing it to her lips. “I don’t like you gone from us.” She sighed. “It’s important for the community and for you. As much as we will miss you, we’ll be fine. We’ll be busy starting the work and school stations, and the community will ensure we are safe.”

  Blake thought for several minutes, long enough he didn’t know if Kris had fallen back asleep or not.

  “I’m going to ask Butler to stay with you,” he whispered.

  He didn’t like the idea of her being on the outskirts of the community alone, without protection...well, at least more than a boy could muster. Tucker wasn't an ordinary boy, but he was still not a full-grown man by far.

  “That’s a bit uncomfortable...” she said with a yawn. “Maybe Lexi could come, too. That would be better.”

  “I’m sure she would if asked.” He hadn’t thought about Butler being there without him as uncomfortable, but now he saw it from a different angle. He trusted his friend with his life and never would have thought it unseemly to have him watching over his wife and children. Yet, Kris had a point and a perfect solution.

  Having the matter settled allowed him another hour or so of sleep.

  They had decided to head out on the hunt within a day in order to take advantage of the break in the weather. He would tell the others they would leave tomorrow. He wanted to sleep next to his family for one last night before heading off to a cold camp.

  The sky had barely lightened when the need to move hit him. He grunted as he rose from the bed. He didn’t like getting old.

  “Are you leaving today, Dad?” Tucker asked from next to the fire.

  “Tomorrow. What are you doing up so early?”

  The boy shrugged and poked the fire into flames. “It was cold.”

  Blake moved over next to his son. “You know you don’t have to shoulder this all yourself.”

  “I’m fine.” He smiled, though strained. “I thought I’d get some target practice in.”

  “How about you come to check the lines with me. Maybe we can stir up something.”

  “Okay! I’ll get everything ready.”

  “Ready for what?” Kris mumbled in her sleep-filled voice.

  “Sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to wake you and sister.”

  “Mercy is sleeping, and I would rather you wake me up than leave without me knowing.”

  “Dad is taking me with him to check the lines.”

  “That’s nice, Sweetie.” Kris yawned and snuggled back under the covers.

  Blake took a few steps to help tuck her back in. “Get more rest, Krista. You need it.”

  “Thank you.” She gave him an air kiss. “Be safe, both you. Love you both.”

  “Love you,” Blake said and kissed her forehead.

  “I love you, too, Mom. We always return to each other.”

  “We always return to each other,” Blake and Kris repeated.

  Once he and Tucker were outside the dwelling and in the frigid, early morning air, he took in a deep breath. Tucker copied him and looked up with a wide smile.

  “It’s good to let Mom sleep in, right? She has to wake up a lot at night to take care of Sister.”

  “That she does.”

  They followed the path out into the woods. The deep trench had the snow line up to Tucker’s hips. How long had it been since they had this much snow at such a low elevation? Blake once again wondered why this year had to be a record-breaking winter. All of this snow could have come many times during years of drought.

  He tried to think like Kris, to think that everything happened for a reason, that everything was part of a huge design. It didn’t come naturally for him.

  “I was thinking that once Mercy can stand, we can make her a tiny bow with no arrowheads so it’s not too dangerous for her.”

  “You don’t think that’s too young?” Blake asked, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth at the idea of his daughter shooting a bow at a year old.

  “No. She’s going to be better than anyone else. Well, maybe not me.”

  “You seem pretty sure about that.”

  “Well, she’s my sister.”

  “That she is,” Blake said, wrapping an arm around his son.

  With a brother like Tucker, Mercy certainly would thrive. How could she not?

  ****

  Kris did her best not to think about Blake leaving, but the time came too soon. With all the time he had spent away on missions, she thought she would be more used to it, but she wasn’t. Since the day the CME happened, they hadn’t been apart for much more than a few hours...and it seemed something bad happened every time.

  She pushed her fear down, trying to stop the buzzing anxiety that filled her, causing her hands to shake and her mind wanting to scream out for him to stay.

  It didn’t help that Blake had his own misgivings. As much as he needed this time being active and productive, she saw him struggle to leave them.

  Tucker slipped his hand into hers, bringing her gaze to him.

  “You okay, Sweetie?”

  He nodded and turned his attention to Pastor Rob as he said a blessing over the men leaving for the hunt.

  Blake, David, Brent, and Kevin stood there geared up with heads bowed. They might be gone for two days or two weeks. It all depended on how far they had to travel to find game. Most deer traveled to lower elevations in the winter, but usually not too much lower than here. This year just happened to be crazy with deep snow.

  Everyone slapped the men’s backs and wished them luck as they walked over to say goodbye to their families before taking off.

  Blake caught her eyes. Even when others talked with him, he would respond, but never unlocked his gaze from hers. Her heart roared in her ears. How did he make her feel like a love-struck teenager after all these years?

  Mercy squirmed more and more the closer he came. Blake wrapped one a
rm around both Kris and Tucker and pulled them all into an embrace.

  “I can still stay if you want me to.”

  “Of course we want you to, we love you. Which is why we won’t ask you to,” she said, feeling the tears stinging her eyes. “Just promise that you will return to us safely.”

  “Yeah, no bullet holes this time.” Tucker elbowed him and tried to smile.

  “I will definitely do my best. We are bow hunting, remember?”

  “Well, no arrows in you either,” Kris said, forcing out a chuckle.

  “Okay,” Blake said, kissing her forehead. “You remember the protocols?”

  “Of course,” she said and rolled her eyes, but his protocols had saved their lives so many times, she really did keep them close to her. “We won’t need them, though. We’re surrounded by snow.”

  “That’s what I’m counting on,” he said before giving Mercy a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Daddy loves you. Be good for Mommy.”

  Mercy reached out. “Dada, Dada,” and babbled like she understood every word.

  “Sister says to look for the big deer with horns,” Tucker said.

  “Oh, did she?” Blake asked and looked at his son. “Did she say that or are you saying there is a new type of deer in these woods.”

  “Just saying...”

  “I miss beef, too, son.” He bent down next to Tucker. “You protect your mom and sister.”

  “Always, and we always return to each other.”

  Blake kissed the top of his head. “Yes, we always return to each other.”

  “We always return to each other,” Kris repeated in a whisper.

  As she finished the words, Blake pressed his lips to hers. A rush shot through her, and she wished she had enough gall to tell him to stay.

  He tore his lips from hers and turned without another word, a sure sign that emotions bit at his heart. Butler caught up with him, and she could see them talking all the way to the camp boundary.

  Tucker ran off to play, but Kris stood there, bouncing a whimpering Mercy, watching until her husband disappeared beyond the ridge.

  Goodbyes never sat well with her.

  “The best thing you can do is...” Laurie started.

  “Stay busy,” Kris finished and smiled at her friend. “Let’s get to work.”