One Week - By Nikki Van De Car Page 0,42

shakes her head no. Martha lays out a huge breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and fresh fruit, and I swear to God, it's the most delicious thing I've ever eaten. After days of pizza, train food, and McDonald's, I think I've forgotten what real food tastes like.

Martha only sits down after everyone is served, and even then she keeps jumping up to make sure Sally has milk for her tea, that Mandy has enough eggs to keep her protein up, that Herbert has his medication. No wonder the woman had to have a hip replacement. As we are finishing up, Herbert folds his hands and asks us what we plan to do.

“Um, we don't exactly have a plan yet,” I say, glancing at Jess.

“We're going to try to get to Chicago and explain who we are, so we can get our wallets and everything back,” Jess explains.

“But how are you going to get all the way to Chicago?” Martha sounds horrified. She looks pleadingly at Herbert, who sighs and reaches into his back pocket. He pulls out two hundred dollars in cash and holds it out to us.

“This should help make getting there a little easier,” he says.

“Herbert, Martha, we really—” Jess starts.

“We really can't take it,” I interrupt. “You have all done so much for us letting us stay here last night. We don't want to take advantage of your generosity.”

“But how are you going to manage?” Martha asks. “I'd feel terrible if something happened to you.”

“We'll manage,” I assure her. Jess sits back in his chair and doesn't say anything. “We will,” I insist.

Herbert shrugs and puts his wallet away.

“How are you going to get there?” Mandy asks, taking a bite of her pancakes.

“Well, uh…” I glance at Jess, but he gestures for me to go on. As if I have any idea. “We'll take a bus,” I say finally. “I know it will take a while, but we'll get there eventually.”

Mandy nods and pushes her chair back. She kisses Jacob on the head, and waves a hand for me to follow her. “Okay. Come with me, Bee.” She walks out of the kitchen and I hurry after her, though I have no idea what's going on.

She leads me into her bedroom and opens her closet. “Here,” she says, and hands me a pair of sneakers. “My feet grew when I was pregnant, and these will never fit me now. You should take them.” She glances at my wrecked feet pointedly. “You look like you could use them.”

It's such a small thing, especially after everything Herbert and Martha and Mandy have done for us, but somehow this last bit of kindness makes my eyes water. “Thank you,” I manage.

“Let me get you some socks.” She begins rummaging in her sock drawer, and I look out the window while I wait for my tear ducts to calm down. “You know,” Mandy says over her shoulder. “I think your father is pretty worried.”

My head jerks up, and my heart begins to race.

“I've watched him on those shows, and I think he's just trying to do everything he can to find you. You should at least call him to let him know that you're okay.”

“I…” My voice squeaks. I start to explain things to her, and then I look away. “I'll think about it,” I say.

Mandy gives me a level look. “You do that. Here,” she says, and hands me a few pairs of nice thick white socks. “I'll get you some band-aids too.”

I never get the band-aids, because Sally calls frantically for Mandy to come and see what's wrong with Jacob (he needs a new diaper) but it doesn't matter. I clutch my socks and shoes and walk downstairs to find Jess accepting a ride to the bus station from Peter.

“Martha's given us a truckload of snacks,” Jess says, holding up a huge brown paper bag full of crackers, nuts, and granola bars. “And I called Chicago Amtrak—they have our bags, and they say they'll hold them for forty-eight hours. If we can't make it from Nebraska to Illinois in two days, we don't deserve our stuff back anyway.”

“And I can take you whenever you're ready to go,” Peter adds.

I smile gratefully and say we're ready, but in fact I don't want to leave. Ever. I'm sure Mandy wants her house back, and I'm sure everyone wants it to be just the family already, but God, I wish this was my family, and that I could stay here. As everyone fusses