“I’m glad,” Mom said. “I’m glad Julie’s well again.”
“You know this scheme of Alex’s,” Dad said. “And you know I don’t approve. Lisa’s distraught, and Jon isn’t much better.”
“I know how upset Jon is,” Mom said, “but he’ll get over it in time.”
“He’ll have to,” Alex said. “We’ve waited too long as it is.”
“The convent is ninety miles away,” Dad said.
“We’ve walked farther,” Alex said. “And in worse weather.”
“That may be,” Dad said. “But in this case it isn’t necessary. There’s the van in the garage. With two five- gallon gas cans.”
“Are you crazy?” Matt asked. “We’re supposed to give away the van? That’s our way out of here, Dad. We don’t hand that over to strangers.”
“Alex found the van,” I said. “And the gas.”
“You were with him,” Matt said. “He couldn’t have found them without you. They’re as much ours as his, and our need is greater.”
“You should be ashamed of yourself, Matt,” Dad said. “Julie’s just a child.”
“So is Jon,” Matt said. “That didn’t stop you from leaving.”
“Stop it,” Mom said. “Both of you. Now.”
Alex has never heard that tone from Mom. It’s probably been years since Dad has.
“Alex, are you absolutely determined that you and Julie are going tomorrow?” Mom asked. “You know how much we’ve come to care about you. In spite of that you’re going?”
“Yes, Mrs. Evans,” Alex said. “First thing tomorrow morning.”
“After Julie is settled in, what will you do?” Mom asked.
“There’s a Franciscan monastery in Ohio,” Alex said, and Matt snickered.
“Matthew, stop that right now,” Mom said.
“Mom,” Matt said. “I’m not a child anymore.”
“Then stop acting like one,” Mom said, turning away from him. “So your plan is to go northeast for ninety miles and then make your way across Pennsylvania to get to Ohio. That’s hundreds of miles.”
“We made it from Texas here,” Alex replied. “I can make it from New York to Ohio.”
“It won’t be the same,” Dad said. “The farther north, the fewer people.”
“It’s summer,” Alex said. “It’s warmer. I’ll do it.”
“Fine,” Mom said. “It’s your choice and we’re not your parents. Julie’s the one I’m concerned about. Why not drive to the convent and return the van on your way to Ohio?”
“What makes you think he’ll bring it back?” Matt said.
“He’ll bring it back,” I cried. “I know he will.”
Everyone stared at me.
“I trust him,” I said, my voice shaking. “We can trust him.”
“Alex, will you give us your solemn word that you’ll bring the van back once you’re certain Julie’s all right?” Mom asked.
“I’m not accepting his solemn word,” Matt said. “It’s not good enough. These are our lives we’re talking about. If Dad won’t look after Miranda and Jon, then I will.”
“I’ll take Alex and Julie,” Dad said. “I’ll drive them to the convent and then Alex and I can drive back.”
“You’ll use up all the gas,” Matt said. “The van’s got to be a gas guzzler.”
“Couldn’t Alex take one of the cars instead?” I asked. “Matt’s or Mrs. Nesbitt’s? They’d get better mileage, and we’d have the van if we need it.”
“That’s a great idea, Miranda,” Dad said. “Five gallons in a car will get us farther than ten gallons in the van. We’ll use one of the containers and leave the other one here for an emergency.”
“That seems fair to me,” I said, glaring at Matt. “Alex can use his half of the gas and we’ll keep my half here.”
“How do we know the cars are still working?” Mom asked.
“You didn’t keep them tuned up?” Dad asked. “All these months and you didn’t run the engines?”
“It was stupid of me,” Mom said. She looked stricken. “Hal, I didn’t think. I’m sorry.”
“I thought I could count on you,” he said to Matt.
“Well, I thought I could count on you,” Matt replied. “I guess we were both wrong.”
I hated this. I hated every moment of it. These are the people I love most in the world and the ones I depend on the most. “Maybe the cars still run,” I said. “We won’t know until we try. And if they don’t, then Alex should take the van. He can have my half of the gas. Maybe Dad’ll find some more gas on the drive back.”
“If the van is all you have, Julie and I can’t take it,” Alex said. “We’ll go by foot. We’ll find bikes along the way, maybe another car. We can manage.”
“No,” Mom said. “The air is awful, and Julie shouldn’t be out in it any longer than necessary. Hal, if you drive Julie and Alex, when do you think you’ll get back? Tomorrow night?”
“Maybe,” Dad said. “Or Wednesday afternoon. That way we could make sure Julie’s settled in. And there’s no way of knowing what the roads are like.”
“Lisa and Gabriel can stay over here,” Mom said. “If they’ll feel more comfortable.”
“No, they’ll be fine,” Dad said. “Charlie will look after them. Maybe Jon could spend the night.”
“Then it’s settled,” Mom said. “And I don’t want to hear another word out of any of you.” She glared equal time at Alex and Matt.
“Miranda, would you like to come along?” Dad asked. “I’d love your company, and I’m sure Alex and Julie would, too.”
“Yes,” I said before anyone had a chance to say no for me.
“Is that a good idea?” Mom asked. “Ninety miles. That seems so far away.”
“Please, Mom,” I said. “I never go anywhere. You let Matt and Jon go all by themselves to the river. I’ll be in the van with Dad.”
Mom hesitated. “Alex, would you mind?” she asked.
“No ma’am,” he said. “I think it would be easier on Julie if Miranda was with us. On Hal, too.”
“He’s right,” Dad said. “It would make losing Julie hurt a little bit less.”
“You’ll be back by Wednesday?” Mom said. “You and Miranda?”
“I don’t see why not,” Dad said. “Maybe even tomorrow night.”
Matt shook his head. “It’s a bad idea,” he said.
“I’m not sure it’s a good one,” Mom said. “But all right. Miranda can go.”
I got up and hugged her and then I hugged Dad. As I broke away from him, my hand touched Alex’s.
Alex and I will be together, I thought. We’ll see that Julie is safe together, and then he’ll know he belongs with me.
Chapter 14
When I got to Dad’s this morning, I found Lisa in a state of hysterics.
“How can you take her from me?” she was screaming at Alex. “Hal, don’t let him. I’ll hate you both if you take her away.”
Gabriel, who doesn’t need much excuse to get going, was screaming almost as loudly.
“I don’t want to go,” Julie said. “Alex, don’t make me go.”
Alex yelled something in Spanish at her, which shut her up. Charlie picked up Gabriel and soothed him. Dad held Lisa, stroking her back until she calmed down.
“She’ll only be ninety miles away,” Dad said, which used to mean “We can visit on weekends” but now means “That’s not quite the end of the earth.”
“She’s the only person who understands,” Lisa said. “The rest of you just pretend to. Julie knows what I’ve gone through not knowing what happened to my parents, my sisters.”
