Page 71 of Refuge (The Wanderers 2)

Chapter 20

Ariel slept hard for several hours, even though it was the middle of the day. She’d been exhausted. They all had. Even Tarin hadn’t slept well the night before worrying about them and alone in the apartment.

“I’d like to go check on Grecia,” she told them after yet another shower and putting on clean clothes. “I’m worried about her.”

Tarin came up behind Ariel and wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll take you to her. She’s staying with Jeremy.”

Ariel twisted her head around to look at him. “Jeremy Waiton? The guy you work with?”

“That’s the one. Two other guys were living with him until they recently moved to another post to help with the farming there. He has a three-bedroom apartment with just himself. Willa spoke to him this morning and he agreed to take in Grecia and her baby.”

Ariel wasn’t surprised Tarin was in the know. He hadn’t slept as long as the rest of them. He’d been out for a few hours attending a meeting, bringing them back food, and apparently catching up on the gossip.

She smiled. “I’m glad. Jeremy needs people around him.”

“We have to brief the council on everything that happened last night,” Kester said. “We’ll meet you two back here later?”

“Yes.” Ariel kissed them both, lingering over their lips before following Tarin out the door.

A few minutes later, they were at Jeremy’s door, knocking softly. Ariel didn’t want to wake the baby if she was sleeping.

When the door opened Ariel realized no one was sleeping. They couldn’t possibly be asleep over the crying.

Jeremy’s hair was sticking up in a few places, indicating he’d been running his hands through it. “Come in.” He stepped back.

Tarin slapped Jeremy on the back. “You look haggard, man.”

Ariel glanced at Jeremy, wondering if the crying was getting on his nerves already. Babies cried, she’d learned since joining The Wanderers. This would never work if he was stressed about it. She turned her attention to Grecia next and hurried toward the woman.

Grecia looked a hundred times better than she had earlier that morning. Ariel hardly recognized her. Her long, thick, dark hair hung in waves down her back to her butt. It might have never been cut. She wasn’t the one holding the baby though. Another woman Ariel had never met was, and Ariel assumed it must be Cora.

Grecia looked close to tears, wringing her hands in front of her. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she kept glancing at Jeremy. She gave Ariel a wan smile. “I’m so sorry.”

Ariel frowned. “What are you sorry about?” She pulled the woman into her side for a hug.

“I can’t get her to stop crying, and I’m making Jeremy’s life miserable, and I’m a guest here, and…” The tears fell in earnest now.

Jeremy stepped closer. “You’re not a guest, Grecia.” He glanced at Ariel. “I keep trying to tell her she’s welcome here and to make this her home. I don’t own this apartment. But she thinks she’s upsetting me.”

He looked upset, so Ariel wasn’t surprised. Or maybe stressed was a better word.

Cora was bouncing up and down, trying to get the baby to settle. She paced into one of the bedrooms away from them which cut down on the volume marginally.

Ariel didn’t know a thing about babies. She’d never even seen a young person until she joined The Wanderers three months ago. She was gradually growing accustomed to children and babies, but she had no idea how to make them stop crying.

Suddenly, the noise stopped and Cora came to the doorway and eased it closed.

Grecia was silently sobbing. She buried her face in her hands. “I can’t do this.”

The rest of them all closed ranks on her. Ariel rubbed her back. Tarin set a hand on Ariel’s shoulder. Jeremy looked like he was about to panic.

“Let’s sit.” Ariel guided Grecia to the couch and sat next to her, leaving the men to sit in the armchairs. She continued to rub the woman’s back.

Grecia drew in a breath, but her lip was trembling. “I’m such a mess. I don’t even know what to do with myself. I’m in shock.” She glanced around. “You all are so nice, and I’ve never in my life met nice people, and I didn’t expect it. I thought I was going to die last night, or if I’d lived the baby would die, or if it had lived, someone would sell her without me ever seeing her. I never let myself believe for a moment I would get to touch her or keep her or love her. I still can’t believe she’s a girl.”

She sucked in another breath and kept talking. “She’s so precious, and I don’t know anything about how to take care of her, and she won’t stop crying, and I’m imposing on Jeremy.” She covered her face and started sobbing harder.

Ariel pulled her into her side, hugging her. “You’re tired, and you just gave birth. It’s perfectly natural for you to be emotional. And your life just flipped upside down.”

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