50

Amos seemed hardly able to comprehend what Chase had to tell him. Would he even survive the trip to Gagnon? Mom still sat at his bedside. She’d eaten her supper in the room and tried to feed Amos a bit of cooked apples. He didn’t take much.

Even through the pain and mental haze, Amos accepted Chase’s word that what they were about to do offered hope and promise.

“We’ll leave tomorrow night—around midnight,” Chase told him.

“The three of us,” Mom said. “Right?”

“Come on, Mom. You can’t be serious about that. You’re as bad as Mel.”

“Well, you can’t stay with him—you’ll need to get right back here. He needs to have someone with him, Chase. Someone he knows. We’ve become close friends. And I want to go.”

Amos had closed his eyes. What would he think about dragging her along? Chase huffed. “You’ll need to get permission from the boss.”

His mother smiled. “How are we getting there, son?”

“Assuming it’s we, I’m working on it. I met a funny guy called Shorty who owns a hearse. That’s how I got to Gagnon when I was injured.”

“Kind of morbid—putting a sick man in a hearse.”

“It may be our best option. He’ll be more comfortable than if we try to move him in a livestock truck.”

“All right. Whatever you say. So you’ll make the connection from the command center tonight?”

Chase smiled. “No need for that. I just made it. Waiting for a response.”

She shook her head. “Wonder of wonders.”

“I need to talk to Mel. You OK? You need anything?”

“A couple of the young men have been helping me. If you see Michael or Joseph, ask if one of them can come in about an hour from now. I’ll go to my room and get a few hours’ sleep.”

“OK.” He bent to kiss her cheek. “I can’t believe you talked me into taking you. You’re stubborn. You know that?”

“Where do you think you got it from?”

Chase left for his room. But he slowed his pace. “God, is this the dumbest thing I’ve ever done? I planned on waiting a while.”

He found his door open and Mel resting in a chair, her eyes closed. He left the door cracked and knelt in front of her just to watch her.

After a minute, she opened her eyes and smiled. “Hi.” She blinked and sat up. “How’d it go?”

“Between the pain and the codeine, I’m not sure he understood everything I told him. But he knows what we’re planning.”

She wiped her eyes. Worry swept over her face, but she didn’t argue about the plan. “What did you want to talk about?”

Chase didn’t answer. He only looked at her.

“You’re scaring me.”

He reached to take her hand. “I don’t want to scare you, Mel. I want you to trust me. I need you to know I never want to be apart from you. And I think there’s a way I can show you.” He paused.

“I’m listening.”

He kissed her hand before he rested his head on her knee and closed his eyes.

She ran her fingers through his hair. “Chase?”

He lifted his head and looked into her dark eyes. “Marry me. Tomorrow. Before I leave. Then you’ll know I’m coming home. There’s no way I’d let anything stop me from getting back to my beautiful wife.”

She breathed in. He couldn’t read her expression. Shock? Doubt? Then she tilted her head and smiled.

“Tomorrow,” she said. “Yes.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “It’ll be a great day. The best day ever. I love you, Melody.”