We sat around the picnic tables in the glow of tiki torches. While we didn’t need to keep skeeters away, the light they offered was nice. Mel was at the end of the long table, scooping the stew into bowls and passing them down the line. Sarge took the bowl from Doc as he passed it, sticking two fingers in the stew when he did and handing it to Mike.
“Oh, that’s nice, real nice, Sarge,” Mike said, taking the bowl.
Sarge grinned. “Sorry about that, princess.” He flicked the soup on his fingers at him.
We chatted around the table as Mel and Bobbie were peppered with compliments on the stew. It was amazing what they could do with a little of this and that.
“Hey, guys, I got something we need to talk about,” Sarge said from his end of the table.
Everyone quieted down. “I guess everyone knows now we came across a National Guard unit from Eustis.” While Sarge was busy talking, Mike stuck his fingers in Sarge’s bowl. Little Bit saw him do it and giggled.
“We’re going to start working with them. We’re going to take the fight to the feds soon.” Sarge paused and looked at Little Bit. She covered her mouth, still looking at Mike. Sarge looked over at Mike, but he snatched his fingers from the bowl before the old man saw. Mike shrugged his shoulders. Sarge shook his head and went back to talking. Once he turned his head, Mike jammed his fingers back into the soup.
Cutting his eyes back toward Mike, Sarge continued, “Anyway, we’re going to be gone from here a lot.”
“What’s that mean for us?” Danny asked.
“Not much, really. I think you guys are safe here now.” Sarge picked up his spoon and stuck it in his bowl, hitting Mike’s fingers. Sarge looked over at him.
Mike slowly pulled his fingers out. “Oh, sorry, were you gonna eat that?”
“I am gonna eat that, numb nuts! You’re lucky it’s good or you’d be wearing it!”
Little Bit was holding her sides laughing. Mike smiled and winked at her.
“You gonna need any help?” Jeff asked.
Sarge looked at him. “Naw, not right now anyway. It’d be better if you were here, but believe me, if I get to where I do, you’ll know.”
Thad spoke up, “I don’t mean you no disrespect, Sarge, but I don’t want no part of playin’ army with you boys. I’ve had enough.”
“None taken, Thad. Honestly I don’t want y’all involved at all. You’ve got plenty to do here, and I think we’ve got enough help for what we’re going to do.”
Mel looked at me, sending signals with her eyes. I knew what she was thinking.
“I’m with Thad, Sarge. If you need me, let me know. Just do me a favor and don’t need me.”
“Morg, you’re the last guy I’d ask for help.”
The comment took me aback. “What? Do I smell funny?”
“Yeah, and your momma dresses you funny,” Danny quipped, causing the girls to all start laughing.
“You do smell funny, and you do dress funny with them Crocs you wear, but it ain’t that. You’ve got these girls to look after and that’s the most important thing there is.”
“I have to agree,” Mel said with a nod.
“We’re leaving early in the morning, taking the boat up the creek to meet with the Guard unit, so we’ll be gone most of the day tomorrow,” Ted said.
“You said that unit’s from Eustis?” I asked. Sarge nodded. “You guys gonna be doing any shootin’ an lootin’ tomorrow?”
“Don’t plan on it. We’re just arranging a care package for them.”
“Care if I ride along then? I have a friend who might be with them.”
Mel looked at him. “You just said you didn’t want to run around playing soldier.”
“I’m not. I think Vance may be up there and I want to see.”
She didn’t look a hundred percent convinced but relented. “Whatever, just don’t be gone all day.”
“We’re leaving early, so be ready,” Sarge said.
We cleaned up after dinner, a process with a few more steps than it had had in our past life. While we ate, a washtub of water was left on the fire to heat. Each person was responsible for cleaning their own dish, dunking it into the hot water and scrubbing with a sponge with some of the precious dish soap left. It was then rinsed in a five-gallon bucket of previously boiled water and dried. This kept down the possibility of illness and kept the camp clean.
Danny came up to me as I was dumping the tub. “You definitely going with them tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I want to go see if Vance is there.”
Thad walked up while we were talking. “You going tomorrow, Danny?”
“No, I’m gonna stay here. Got some things I want to work on.”
“Me too, I want to get the pigs fenced in on the river. Can you give me a hand with it?”
Danny glanced over at the small wire pen the pigs were in. “Yeah. It’s a good idea. We really need to move them.”
“When I get back I’ll lend a hand too. One of these days, we’ll have to put one of those porkers in Thad’s smoker.”
“Just say the word! I wish we would have brought Reggie’s smoker with us, woulda been nice,” Thad said.
“We could always go get it,” Danny said with a sly grin.
“You think that’s safe to try, going back there?” Thad asked.
“Only one way to find out. I say let’s do it,” Jeff said as he walked up.
“If you guys go, someone has to stay here. I’m not going and at least one of you has to stay,” I said.
“I want to go check on the house, so I’d go,” Danny said.
“Thad, what about you?” Jeff asked.
“Naw, I’ll stay here with Morg.”
“If y’all get back early enough tomorrow, we’ll go. If not, then the next day,” Danny said.
“Sounds like a plan. Take a look at my place too. I’m gonna turn in. You know that old fart is gonna be up at the crack of dawn,” I said.
“You wish. I bet you see dawn’s crack from the seat of that boat,” Jeff laughed.
We broke up, everyone heading for their cabins. Inside Mel was trying to get the girls settled down for bed, but she was running into a problem. The teenagers weren’t used to being told to go to bed at eight at night.
“It’s too early!” Taylor said dramatically, falling onto her mattress.
“There’s nothing else to do and we can’t burn these lanterns all night, so get some rest. You’ll be up early.”
“Why do I have to get up early? I want to sleep in,” Lee Ann whined, pulling a blanket up.
Mel threw her hands up. “One doesn’t want to sleep, the other wants to sleep in! I can’t win.”
“I want to go to sleep, Mommy. I’m tired.” Little Bit said, yawning.
After they all settled down, we said good night to the girls. Mel asked me to go sit on the steps with her. I turned the kerosene lantern down as low as I could and followed her outside.
As I sat down, I asked, “What’s up?”
She took my hand. “Nothing. Just feels like I never see you anymore.”
We looked out across the river. “I know, there’s so much going on. I don’t think I was ever this busy when all I had to do was work, but it sure seemed like it at the time.”
“I know. We used to say if we only had more time things would be better. Now all we have is time.”
I squeezed her hand. “Look at the bright side: no bills.”
“I’ll take the bills, if this is the trade-off.”
I laughed. “Yeah, me too. Bring on the bills!”
“I’m tired, can we go to bed?”
“Sure thing. I am too. Let’s go.” She stood up and stepped down a step, putting us face-to-face, and I wrapped my arms around her.
“As long as everyone is okay, it’s all okay,” I said and kissed her.
She wrapped her arms around my neck. “It’s all okay.”