Talk around the table rose as everyone tried to decide what to order. It was nice not having to worry about money. Michelle’s lawyer contact helped her get the funds we needed throughout our journey. No one made a fuss about using it, so I didn’t either. I had enough to worry about. Besides, that’s what she was meant to do.
While eyeing the baked lasagna on the menu, Gabby nudged me under the table. I looked up to see her unfocused gaze. “One of them just changed direction,” she mouthed. Both Luke and Clay caught it, but no one else paid it any attention. “Maybe the rain?” she whispered hopefully, her eyes focusing again on the menu. She didn’t look up again, but I could tell she monitored the progress of whoever had caught her attention. We ordered, and most of the adults conversed or entertained the children. I kept a close eye on Gabby.
She reached for Clay’s hand. He wrapped both of his around hers and tilted his head. That finally caught the attention of Grey.
“What is it?” he asked softly, looking between Clay and Gabby. The table grew quiet, even the boys. Michelle hugged Aden to her side. Jim placed a gentle hand on top Liam’s head.
“Someone’s changed their direction,” I said.
“A complete turn,” Gabby added.
“With all this rain, we should be fine,” Sam assured the suddenly tense group. But we knew all it took was one of them to catch the scent and send word.
“Have any others changed?” Nana asked.
“I thought the rest looked like the same inconsistencies they’ve been doing since the beginning. Remember how I said it looked like a net? Several have changed directions moving toward a central point,” she frowned. “They are doing that in six areas. We seem to be in the middle of one. The areas are huge though, several states. Big nets to catch little fish.”
“Do we need to move?” Grey’s eyes lacked their usual humor.
Gabby shook her head slowly. “I’m not as worried about their nets as much as I am the one closest to us. About a mile now.”
The Elders shared a look. The waitress came to ask if we needed any refills. Jim asked for a double of whiskey and two kiddie cocktails. Aden gave Jim a cautious smile.
“That’s close, but with the rain, we don’t think they could track us even if they were right outside the door,” Nana said. Thunder boomed to punctuate her point. “Gabby, keep us updated. Sam, grab everyone’s room keys and gather our things in my room. If they reach the parking lot, we’ll all go there.”
Sam stood and left. The waitress delivered the whiskey and kids’ sodas. Jim pushed the sodas to the boys and the whiskey to Michelle. It was then I saw her pale face and worried looks at the boys.
“Nana,” she said. “Call Mary and Gregory. You’re right. It’s safer.”
Nana nodded sadly. I’d wondered when she would send them away and thought her foolish for keeping them with us this long. But I did understand. How could you let go of someone you loved so much?
Michelle took a small sip, and Emmitt commented, “I guess I’m losing another shirt.” It did the trick. Some color came back into her cheeks.
She leaned over and kissed the top of Aden’s head and asked if they could play tic-tac-toe together. He eagerly turned over his placemat.
I could see the exact moment we were out of danger. Gabby took a deep calming breath and removed her hand from Clay’s. “He’s close, but stopped moving,” Gabby said.
“Probably holing up out of the rain,” Clay said. That man’s voice did serious things to a girl’s insides. Gabby caught my stare and grinned at me knowingly.
“If he clears out before check out tomorrow morning, we’ll see if we can book the rooms for another night. It will give Mary and Gregory enough time to reach us,” Nana spoke directly to Emmitt. Michelle continued to play with Aden but took another sip of whiskey at the news.
A few minutes later Sam rejoined us just in time for our food. I dug into my meal and looked forward to staying there another day.
* * * *
Stuffed from dinner even with Aden’s help with dessert, I willingly followed everyone back to Nana’s room where we all grabbed our things. The Elders agreed it would be best if they spread themselves throughout the rooms in case we needed a quick warning to leave. Grey and Carlos roomed with us, Sam stayed with Gabby, and Nana with Charlene and Thomas since their room adjoined to Michelle and Emmitt’s.
Feeling awkward, I closed myself in the bathroom to get ready for bed. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, then stared at my bag. If we needed to leave in the middle of the night, I wasn’t about to run out into the storm wearing sleep pants. I grabbed some clean clothes and changed. When I emerged, I saw the rest had the same idea—except for Luke. When he saw me, he smiled, pulled off his shirt, and lay back with an arm across my pillow. An open invitation to my favorite spot to sleep.
I crawled into bed and gave into a dreamless night.
* * * *
The morning brought better news. Grey greeted me with a smile saying, “We’re here for another day.” Then he made the news sweeter saying, “Carlos and I are going back into our own room. It’s a good thing you’re a solid sleeper because he snores.” He looked at Luke who grinned and seemed undisturbed by the news.
We went to breakfast and listened to everyone else’s plans for the day. Michelle wanted to take the kids to a movie —early showing of course—and Nana wanted to shop for some snacks to pack in the cars for everyone. Grey claimed Carlos just wanted to watch cable all day. Carlos’ only reaction to that was a long look at Grey. I had a feeling it was Grey who wanted to watch cable all day. Gabby said she had schoolwork she wanted to focus on for a few hours. I envied her belief that life would continue as normal once we found Peace. I wasn’t about to tell her otherwise.
Sam looked at Luke and me. “What about you two?”
“Nothing that involves driving,” I said.
Sam smiled. “Well, Grey will be here if you need anything,” he said, looking first at Gabby then at me. “I think I’m going to tag along with Winifred.”
* * * *
Luke and I ended up walking with Emmitt and his family to the movie theater. The kids picked out a new cartoon for everyone to see. Luke and I got our own popcorn to share. It felt weird going to a movie, but Gabby had assured us there was no one close. And there wasn’t anything else to do but wait until Mary and Gregory came for the kids.
So, I sat back and enjoyed the show, laughing—really laughing—for the first time since the dreams started. Luke surprised me by cupping my chin and pulling my attention from the screen. Before I knew what he intended, his lips met mine in a kiss so mind-numbing and brief that I blinked at the screen for several minutes afterward. When I looked back at him, he watched the screen with a tiny image of the movie reflected in his eyes.
Not knowing what to think of the unexpected kiss, I went back to enjoying the movie, as I threaded my fingers through his. Every once in a while his thumb would smooth over the back of my hand.
After the show, we all walked back to the hotel. Everyone else was going to lunch, but the popcorn from the theater ruined my appetite, and I felt the tug of a dream. So, Luke and I walked back to our room.
Instead of giving into the dream, I decided to take a shower and warned Luke it would be a warm one just in case he thought I was taking too long. I hadn’t enjoyed the last time I fell asleep in a hotel bathtub.
Stripped down and letting the water run, I looked at myself in the mirror. I still desperately wanted to Claim Luke and wished I was brave enough to walk out there just as I was to try to tempt him. But I wasn’t. The scars on my arms bothered me. They were from a desperate time in my life that I really didn’t want to think about. The one on my stomach was just stupid. What really bothered me was my weight. I’d gained a little but not enough to look appealing, in my mind. Every time I pictured myself bare in Luke’s presence, a scene from Les Misérables—the old one, not the new—interposed itself. It was the part where Uma Thurman pulled back the covers to offer herself as payment to her landlord. Thin and sickly, she’d disgusted him. That’s what I envisioned. A grand gesture and an epic failure that would leave me crushed.