Renewal 5 - an Untimely Fall by Jf Perkins Read Free Book Online Page B

everyone. It’s clear to me that we’re going to face a hard winter. We need food, we need blankets, and you men will have to tell me for sure, but it looks like we’re going to need building supplies. Oh, and something for heat, since we can’t build a fire in this dry old barn. How we’re going to cook, I don’t know. David, figure it out.” Mom punctuated her speech with broad gestures and an almost military demeanor.
    I could see the mildly shocked reaction from Lucy and Kirk, but even more surprising was the fact that Dad and Arturo took it in stride. It was an early lesson in the power that women wield. Juannie, on the other hand, seemed prepared to argue, but she didn’t have the first idea about how to survive, and slowly yielded the floor to Mom.
    “You’re right, Beth,” Dad said. “We need that stuff. I guess we’ll start by trying to fix the car.”
    Mom was taken off guard by the easy agreement, and looked almost disappointed. Dad told me later that she was wound up for a big argument, and he had learned years before that the only way to win was to agree immediately. “Keep that in mind, son.”
    Dad and Arturo seemed relieved to have a job to do. They opened the barn doors for the extra daylight, increasing the swirling wind inside the barn, and began poking around under the hood of our old station wagon with flashlights. Arturo’s leg was obviously hurting, because he stood in one spot, leaning heavily on his new cane, while Dad did all the work. Mom had the rest of us setting up the tents right next to the hale-baled northern wall and creating a neat stack of the rest of our supplies. By the time we had our weapons lined up against the wall near the door, Martha strolled into the barn, bundled in a red winter coat against the frigid wind.
    “Hello, everyone. I thought you might want to come up to the house for some supper. We don’t have much, but we’d be happy to share.”
    “Thank you, Mrs. Carroll,” Mom said. “I was about to suggest dry cereal for dinner. I don’t know how we’re going to cook.”
    “Oh, I think George has some ideas he’s just dying to share. We’ll get you fixed up.” Martha said with her quiet little smile. “Just head on up to the house when you’re ready.” She took a moment to wave at the children, and turned back out the barn door, taking tiny steps as if she expected to hit an icy patch on the worn dirt path.
    Two minutes later, Dad shouted, “Found it!” He pulled a wire out of the engine compartment, and held it proudly, like a trophy. It was an ignition wire with a badly frayed section about 4 inches from one end. “Must’ve taken a bullet,” He said.
    “Well, that was easy,” Arturo said. “All we need now is an ignition wire and we’re good.”
    “After supper. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
    Mrs. Carroll’s idea of not having much was similar to the idea of country mile, because the table was loaded with food. We all scuffled into the tiny dining room and, with the friendly urging of the Carrolls, we stacked in shoulder to shoulder around the table. Martha was practically singing with excitement at having company, and George smiled indulgently at her cheerful antics.
    Mom smacked Tommy’s grabbing hand away from the fried chicken, telling him to wait until everyone was seated. George was the last to sit, looking at his strange new family as he folded his hands into a prayerful pose.
    “Dear Lord, thank you for all of our many blessings on this cold evening. We have our home, we have our food, and we have our new friends, who You have given us in this time of hardship. Bless this food, and bless us all in the days to come. In Your name we pray... Amen.” George finished his simple blessing and gestured with a large spoon. “Dig in, folks.”
    The room was quiet for fifteen minutes, except for the sound of clinking china and utensils, as we shoveled the home-cooked meal into our hungry gullets. Finally, Juannie