Page 87 of The Hardest Part

Cookie woke the camp for breakfast. They all ate in reflective quietude, then lined up the wagons to set off on the last leg of their journey.

After Taghee, Hawkes, and Tyndall on horseback, Coulter’s wagon, the coop filled with chickens, was first. His. Elijah’s.

Levi called out their names one by one.

“Archer, Jacoby, Keough, Lewis, Quigley, Mathers, Clary, Wilson, Shepard, Edwards.”

And each of them answered the same.

“Ready, Gantry.”

Walker stood beside him. “Take good care of my girls, ya hear?”

“You already know I will.”

“Heh.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “That I do.”

“Are you sure you won’t come with us?”

“It ain’t for me to go. Never could stay in one place for too long.” Josiah winked. “But don’t worry none, I know where to find ya.”

“Papa.” Hugging him, Lucy wept.

Fallon kissed the old man’s face.

“Abisha’i,” she choked in a whisper.

Goodbye.

Jake closed the cover of Levi’s journal.

Arien, with Kellan and Tanner on either side of her, adjusted the pillow behind her back, her mouth hanging open. “You can’t do that to me, Jake.”

“Do what?”

“End the story like that.” She was making these funny motions with her hands, like a hamster running in one of the spinning things. She’d probably be bouncing on her toes if she could. “C’mon, I know there’s more.”

“They followed the river and found the mountain,” he said, teasing her. “You’re living on it.”

She stuck her tongue out at him.

Victor had Arien on strict bedrest until the babies were born. He, Emily, and Billy came by now and then to keep her company, watch movies, and tell stories.

“I know all those names.”

“They’re the OG, pretty girl.” Tanner slipped his arm around her, tucking Arien beside him. “Didn’t I tell you, everyone in Brookside either came from or married into one of those families?”

“Yes, I know that, but he’s leaving out parts.” She palmed her husband’s cheek, but Arien was looking at Jake. “Was the old man, right?”

“About what?”

“Did Levi have twelve sons?”

“He did.” Grinning, Jake bit into his lip with a nod. “Six with Lucy and six with Fallon.”

“Damn.” Her eyes bugged out. “And what happened to Eli?”

“You’re married to his great-grandsons.”

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