Page 98 of Meet Me on Greenwood

I locked eyes with him. "Wouldn’t that be dangerous?" I whispered low enough to not alarm Susan.

He patted the pistol on his hip. "That’s why we have guns."

We’d traveled half a mile when we came across a few of the foreman who regularly worked on Houston’s property. Edmund tapped a woman on the shoulder, and she turned around. Her dress was slightly too big and she wore a coat that hung open. Her hair was in a tight bun, severe on her face that appeared wafer thin and malnourished. I didn’t want to know what she’d been through.

Susan went to her immediately, and the woman wept.

"Aunt Freida," Susan cried. "You left and didn’t come back."

"I know baby," Freida said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I am so sorry. I am so sorry for everything."

I stood apart from them watching, the reunion both healing and tearing me apart. This family had been through so much and now these two were all each other had. I almost felt guilty for being a spectator, but somehow, the acknowledgment of Freida, her gratitude, stirred something in me. She apologized for letting her niece down and didn’t make any future promises, and that was all Susan needed to hear. My throat constricted as I realized that was what I’d wanted from my own mother, to apologize for leaving me. I didn’t need explanations; I just needed her.

Houston reached out to squeeze my hand. He met my gaze with a knowing look.

"Come to join the fun?" Edmund asked, sidling up beside us. I dropped my hand and wiped a tear from my eye.

"Can’t let you have all of it," I said.

He leaned back with laughter, his teeth flashing in the little light that was available. "I am very glad you are here."

"Me too," I said.

We traveled another quarter of a mile to reach the spot where we were supposed to wait for the last passenger train.

"We will need to move quickly when we hear the train whistle," Houston explained. "There are patrols in these woods, but as long as we look like we belong on the podium, we shouldn’t receive any trouble. Can we do that?"

Freida looked unsure. "What if they recognize us?"

"We have a hat for you," he said, handing it to me. I pinned it to her head, then worked on buttoning her coat so she looked like someone who was traveling. Edmund handed her a bag. "It has a few rations and clothes."

Houston gave Frieda a small envelope full of cash, which she hid in her brazier. "There is more at your next destination," he said.

She looked between us, and then to Susan. "I can’t thank you all enough for what you have done."

"Thank us by living a good life, and taking care of this one," he said, tapping Susan’s cheek playfully.

Before any more could be said, the sound of an incoming train filled the air, putting us all on alert. "It’s time," Edmund said. "It is less likely that we will be spotted if we go in smaller groups. Freida, you’ll come with me. Susan will go with Houston. The rest will circle the perimeter and keep a look out."

I moved to follow Houston, but he stopped me. "Hang back this time and watch," he said.

I shook my head. "Not a chance."

He pulled me aside. "Come on. I don’t want to have to worry about you."I took off my rifle, and exchanged it for his pistol. "Then don’t. It makes much more sense for me to enter onto the platform with Susan. You will draw too much attention."

He sighed in a way that told me he was going to give in, but he didn’t want to. He clutched my hand in his. "If you see a flare, it means we are compromised, and you need to hold tight until one of us can retrieve you."

"Understood," I nodded.

He handed me a second gun. "This is your flare gun. It has a single shot. Use it if you are in trouble."

"If I am in trouble, I will use the pistol," I said, tucking the lighter flare gun behind my waistband near where I holstered the pistol. The setup was something my weapons instructor would lose his mind over.

Houston gave me a long look, before leaning down to kiss my forehead. "Don’t take any risks."

"I won’t," I assured him.

He nodded and Susan and I made our way to the platform.