Page 99 of Forever After All

He hadn’t thought about the lasting effects of the attack. A tent flap separating Jess from danger like that didn’t make him happy either.

They both stayed busy until sundown, and they made good progress on the things they’d planned to do on their return trip. At least the time wasn’t wasted.

When they finished dinner, Jess disappeared into her tent and came out with a blanket over her shoulders. The chill of winter hadn’t relinquished its hold to spring yet, and the nights were harsh.

She handed him a blanket too, and he took it, moving to a seat closer to her beside the fire. They sat quietly for a few minutes, watching the crackling and sparks in the fire against the darkness that surrounded them.

Linc stared at the flames wondering why he’d used them so irresponsibly in the past. Fire had its purposes, but he’d wielded it all wrong.

“I need to know about Ava,” Jess finally said.

Linc pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Stella’s phone number. He put the call on speaker before she answered.

“Hey! You okay?” she said in greeting.

“We’re fine. I’m out on the Red Canyon Trail with Jess. Any update on Ava and the baby?”

Stella sucked in a breath before answering. “She had the baby.”

“She did?” Jess asked in a high-pitched voice. “Is he okay? Is she okay?”

“Ava’s fine. She’s shaken up, but she’s physically fine. The baby is stable for now, but he has quite a few medical issues to work through.”

Jess rested her hand over her mouth, so Linc picked up the conversation to give her a few minutes to herself.

“Did Paul make it back in time?”

“He did, but no one has been allowed to see the baby yet. He’s in the NICU.”

“I don’t know what that is,” Linc said.

“Intensive care for babies,” Stella explained.

Linc hung his head. “What are the doctors saying? What are the odds?”

“They keep saying they don’t know yet. They’re still trying to make sure he stays stable.”

“Does he have a name?” Jess asked.

“They said his name is Ronald James. They want to call him Ron.”

The firelight lit up Jess’s smile. “They named him after Mr. Chambers.”

“Yep. And James is Paul’s middle name. I think Ava struggled a lot with that one because she loved the man who raised her too. But Paul missed out on Ava’s life, and she’s grateful Paul gets to see her kid grow up.”

“It’s a good name,” Jess said.

“Agreed.” Hopefully, they’d get to meet the little guy soon.

“Paul is gonna pick things up around here for Jameson and Ava. He’s interviewing four more hands in the morning. People are coming in looking for seasonal jobs.”

“Good. We need all the help we can afford,” Linc said.

“We’ll handle it,” Stella said. “Times are testin’ us, but we’ll make it through. You two say your prayers. We need ‘em.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Linc said. “Will you keep us updated?”

“I sure will. You two just stay safe out there.”

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