“That is something we can figure out in Bethesda. Right now, let’s keep the question to ‘Are we joining up with the Nomads?’”
“Well,” says Daphne, rubbing at her shoulder, “I for one would love to be off the road. But we do need to discuss the rest soon. I’m okay traveling around with the Nomads for a bit, but it’s not ideal for the kids. They’ve lost everyone they know. They need structure and stability.”
That’s true. We have to find a place for the kids first. Again, my mind goes to the poor kids who died in the hurricane. The guilt I still feel for not helping Liz get them to safety before the gym collapsed.
“Daphne’s right,” I say. “We have to make the kids a priority.”
“What if we find another settlement?” Taylor asks. “If the Keys weren’t safe, maybe another settlement nearby will be.”
I glance at Jamie. We never told Taylor everything about Fort Caroline.
“We can also ask some of the Nomads if they want tomakea settlement,” Taylor adds. I know she’s especially talking about Jamar, who she’s grown close to over the last few days. She also very clearly doesn’t know how much work would be involved in such a thing. Like us, by the time she showed up in the Keys, most of the hardest work had already been done.
Daphne reaches out and rubs Taylor’s shoulder in a motherly way. “I love that idea, hon. But it’s hard to start something from scratch. Maybe your idea of finding another settlement is better.”
We discuss back and forth for almost two hours until we’ve started repeating ourselves and Rocky Horror finally calls for a vote.
“Let’s make this a quick one,” he says. “All in favor of taking onthe nomadic lifestyle, raise your hands.”
Kelly’s, Taylor’s, and Rocky Horror’s hands go up instantly. Amy’s follows shortly after. I look over at Jamie. He seems to be wavering back and forth like I am. Then he gives me a slight nod and raises his hand.
That’s all it takes for me to make my decision, and my heart feels a little lighter. Jamie was trying so hard to distance himself from the people in the Keys—the people sitting by this fire, even—but he’s willing to risk it now. Maybe he’s turning a corner and allowing himself to have some hope.
Cara and Daphne are the only holdouts, but as soon as I raise my hand, Cara’s goes up, too. Though she looks less sure than I feel.
Daphne rolls her shoulders and head, touching her sore arm before finally raising it as well.
“Okay,” Rocky Horror says. “We’ll head out with them tomorrow.”
“We’re going to have to find another vehicle,” Cara says. “We can all fit in the RVs with the others at first, but it’s going to be too cramped to stay like that for long.”
“We’ll find one on the road,” Kelly says. “Maybe a school bus.”
With our decision made, we turn in for the night. Jamie and I make the unspoken decision to sleep a little farther from the others than we usually do. Maybe there’s more to discuss, but I’m worried he’s trying to unpack whether we made the right decision. Something I don’t want to talk about. He attaches his sleeping bag to mine and pulls me close against him. Not even the pain in my arm and hand is enough to distract me from how good it feels to be next to him.
To feel him next to me. Feel his hands on me.
“How is your arm?” he whispers as one of his legs wraps around mine and pulls me tighter against him. I’ve noticed his hands not touching it. His fingers graze up my thigh, hip, side, shoulder, then just float over my injured arm before finding somewhere else to land.
“Fine,” I say. It still hurts, but I have no intention of whining about the pain. At least my leg aches from the rain have gotten noticeably less annoying. Jesus, I’m a mess. I have to stop injuring myself.
“Are you sure?”
I kiss him, biting at his lip. “Yes.” I use my other hand to prove the point and he buries his face against my neck to smother his gasp. He rakes his teeth against my skin but then gently takes my injured arm, and the pain is sharp and instant. I suck air through my clenched teeth. He leans away from me as I clutch my arm to my chest.
“I’m sorry, are you okay?”
“Yes,” I whisper, but the pain has taken me out of the moment. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”
He scoffs and puts his hands to my cheeks. “I’m always going to worry about you.”
“That’s very sweet, but I’d rather you worry about this.” I slip my good hand back into his underwear, but he grips my wrist.
“Hold on. You don’t have to pretend you’re okay if you aren’t.”
“Why not? I’m so good at it!” I try to kiss him, but he pulls away.
“No, you aren’t. I can tell when you’re lying, remember? And I spent several weeks with you after you stepped in a bear trap. I know what your face looks like when you’re in pain.”
