Page 91 of Mayflower

“Little, sweetie, you should take a break, check on others.” I love hearing Little read, but he is exhausting himself with all that he’s doing.

Of course, Little argues. “I want to read one more chapter.”

“You need to eat, then you can return and read more to Rave.”

“But it’s an important chapter, Maddy. Jonathan Seagull is about to break away from the nitwits.”

I roll my eyes. “Where did you learn that word?”

“Somewhere. One more, Maddy? Pleasepleaseplease?”

“One more,” I agree softly.

As I listen to Little read, I start preparing the disinfecting solution and the clean bandages to change Raven’s hands into. Little stumbles over long words and takes long pauses when he tries to figure out the complex ones.

And when he stops reading, I glance at him.

His chair is almost touching the bed. His brows are furrowed, his pointer finger glued to the page as he reads, “For the ass…” He sniffles and cocks his head, trying to figure out the next word.

“Ass…” he says again, stalling.

I grin and try to keep from laughing out loud, thinking of the word he’s trying to figure out. Assimilation? Ascending?

“Ass…” he says again, his face almost red from concentration.

That’s when I look at Rave, and my heart skips a bit.

His eyes are open, and on me, a weak smile on his lips.

“Little,” I whisper.

“I got it!” he says, determined. “This is a tough one. Ass…”

“Sonny! Raven…”

I slowly step toward the bed, a smile forcing its way to my lips as I gaze at my favorite icy blue color.

Rave blinks slowly, his lips parting, his voice low and weak when he says, “The number of times I heard the word ‘ass’ could’ve raised me from the dead.”

I laugh. Little jumps out of the armchair with a squeal. And we lean over Rave’s bed and grin at the man we both love with our whole hearts.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey,” Rave answers softly.

“You are back!” Little says excitedly.

It’s only a matter of time before happy tears start spilling down my cheeks.

31

RAVEN

Zion finally gets a breather. It’s been two weeks since the attack, but there are no more sporadic revolts.

Shepherd and his men got hundreds of others to join him to clean up the streets. Women are cooperative, wary of the guards, but they are on Shepherd’s side. And the children… Well, the children are learning what’s right or wrong. They follow an example. But it’s easier to follow smiles and kind words than punches and scowls.

Sonny is the leader of the new generation. I’m so proud of the little dude. When he is not at the guest pavilion, he’s at my place. Yeah, yesterday, I finally talked Dr. Hodges into letting me go home.

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