Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,34

lesson. One shared with me by a kindred soul,” I answered.

“And what did he teach you?” Maverick asked. He looked haunted, but accepting, of my story; the ghosts in his eyes seemed to seek me out and comfort our mutual losses.

“That endings can be beautiful,” I whispered.

That night we both watched over the weak woman. When she woke up, Maverick held her hand while I braided her hair. We talked about everything and about nothing. She mostly listened to our sleepy voices, her throat too constricted to contribute to the conversation.

The next morning, Patrick brought breakfast and a change of clothes. He smiled sweetly at me, but other than a pleasant ‘good morning’, no words were exchanged. I briefly wondered if they were mad that I didn’t make them breakfast, but I knew that, regardless, I was needed here.

Maverick and I didn’t speak much to one another except when the Walker woman was awake. Otherwise, he kept a stoic expression and gripped her hand. He seemed to be someone well acquainted with death; he anticipated her needs while her body deteriorated. It was amazing and humbling to watch someone so young (he couldn’t be much older than me) be so familiar with death. He knew what she needed and gave himself willingly to her.

The next night, we took turns sleeping in the hall on a makeshift pallet and just before sunrise, he quietly called me into the room. I knew it was time.

Heat rolled off her skin in waves, making me sweat. I imagined Elliot with us, whispering to her while she let go. The monitors eventually beeped, forcing us to acknowledge her passing. We let it ring through the clinic, neither one of us able to turn it off. The finality of it seemed too real. Too painful.

The Black family buried her in their family cemetery. It was a quick and quiet ceremony. Neither Maverick nor I knew enough about her to give a thorough, memorial service. Instead, we only stared silently at her body wrapped in cloth while Patrick, Jacob, and Kemp lowered her gracefully into the ground.

Maverick and I never spoke of the woman again, but something between us changed that night. A bond formed between us that only an experience like that could forge. The night she was buried we both watched the sunset, paying an unspoken homage to Elliot. Just as it got dark, he gripped my hand, and we both said goodbye to the ghosts that haunted us.

Chapter Fourteen

After her death, Maverick asked me if I would like to be a nurse at his clinic, but I politely declined. I didn’t think it would be possible for me to be there and not think of the sad woman that died trying to better her life.

The guys mostly let me keep to myself. Almost hourly, my tablet rang. I hadn’t spoken to Josiah in a little over a week, and he was getting more and more desperate. It was a side of Josiah I didn't previously know. Usually, I was left pining for him, but this change in dynamic was jarring.

I made myself busy by cleaning the house and preparing their meals. I found new things to do daily, but I rarely left the home except to collect groceries. On the fourth day of my saddened state, I made fried chicken and set the table silently; the guys observed me, and even Huxley looked at me with slightly less disdain.

When we all sat down, Kemp piped up. “Ash, have you given any thought to what job you’d like in the town?” He spoke with uncertainty and looked down at his plate, seemingly afraid to meet my eyes.

I observed them all openly and noticed how unsettled they all seemed, especially Jacob. I felt ashamed that my somber mood was affecting them so intensely.

“I was considering talking to the General Store. I noticed that they had a vacant bakery section. I wouldn’t mind selling baked goods there.”

Cyler perked up at this, excited by my ambitions. “Really? Ah, babe, you’d be great at that!” he boomed while the rest agreed.

“Do you need anything?” Kemp asked thoughtfully.

“I might need to purchase baking supplies from the Galla province,” I said.

“Well, make a list of what it is you need, and I’ll make sure you are given it,” Cyler said happily. I smiled at his enthusiasm. They each started talking over one another and making suggestions about what I should do.

After dinner, Patrick invited me upstairs to play games with them.