“Arthur, can we come with you and your sons?” Shawn asked with a pleading expression. “We’ve had four people shoot at us just today. Someone shot my mom yesterday when she went to the diner to try to get some food. She was sick, but wouldn’t let me go. When I saw people coming into the trailer park, we took off.”
Giving a long sigh, Arthur looked around and saw a car fly through an intersection, heading east toward the interstate. “Shawn, you come with us, I’m the boss and you learn how to work,” Arthur finally said.
“Yes sir,” Shawn cried out and turned to the go-kart. “Beth, give me Lucas,” Shawn said, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.
“That’s a baby?” Arthur cried out, letting the AR go.
“Yes sir. His mom lived next door, but died four days ago,” Shawn said, taking the bundle.
Moving over, Arthur pulled the blanket back to expose a small face, but the skin was cool. “Shit, the baby’s cold,” Arthur said, letting Nicole’s bottle go. Grabbing his shirt, Arthur ripped the snap buttons open and took the baby out of the blanket as Nicole started crying.
“Nicole, I only have two hands, baby,” Arthur panted, seeing the baby boy wasn’t much older than Nicole but wasn’t moving much. He thrust Lucas into his shirt and buttoned up the bottom of his shirt, then grabbed the blanket from Beth and draped it over his chest, tucking it under the sling.
Lucas felt the warmth from Arthur’s chest and tried to burrow in. “I had him wrapped up,” Shawn gasped with wide eyes.
Arthur turned and saw Shawn was on the verge of tears. “Son, you didn’t know and were doing your best,” Arthur told him, holding Lucas to his chest with his right hand and grabbed Nicole’s bottle with his left and put it back in her mouth.
When Nicole started drinking, “Get your stuff and bring it to the truck,” Arthur said, walking off. “We are in the open and that’s bad.”
“What about my go-kart?” Shawn asked, grabbing a backpack and picking up Beth.
“Leave it, we’ll find you something that doesn’t make so much noise,” Arthur replied over his shoulder.
The other little girl ran across the parking lot and around the go-kart to stop in front of Arthur. “Can we come?” she asked, clasping her hands.
“Um, I thought you were?” Arthur said, turning to Shawn.
“I don’t know her,” Shawn confessed, looking around.
“Car, nine o’clock,” Kirk said and Arthur turned to his left and saw another car go through the same intersection. It was going much slower, but heading toward the interstate.
“Come,” Arthur said, moving into a jog back to the store. When everyone was inside, Arthur closed the door as Lucas started moving around, getting warm against his chest.
“Shawn, you know how old Lucas is?” Arthur asked.
“Four months,” Shawn answered, putting Beth down. “I had to babysit him a few times so his mom could work.”
“How old are you and Beth?” Arthur asked as Nicole finished her bottle.
“I’m fourteen and she’s five,” Shawn answered as Arthur turned to Kirk.
“Kirk, get Nicole and burp her just like I taught you,” Arthur said. He didn’t want to let him, but Lucas was still latched to his chest hair. Very gently, Kirk pulled Nicole out and put her on his chest, patting her back.
Turning to the little girl, “And you are?” Arthur asked.
“I’m Vicki,” she said very anxiously. “Please let us come. People are shooting and chasing me when I go out to look for food.”
“Why are they chasing you?” Pat asked.
Clearly confused, Vicki shrugged her shoulders, “One man thinks I have a little cat,” Vicki told him and Pat just cocked his head. “He keeps yelling he wants my little pussy,” Vicki explained. “The other two just chased me and shouted for me to stop.”
Arthur felt his face flush as anger flooded his system and so did Lucas, burrowing into Arthur’s chest at the added warmth. “How many are with you, Vicki?” Arthur asked.
“Three more,” Vicki told him, clasping her hands in front of her. “Please,” she moaned, bouncing on her toes. “I’m scared.”
“Okay, how old are you and the others?” Arthur asked and Vicki flew at him, throwing her arms around his waist.
“Thank you,” she wailed out.
Dropping his hand down and stroking Vicki’s nasty and nappy brown hair, “Shh, it’s okay,” Arthur said softly as Nicole let out a loud long burp. Kirk and the boys laughed and then everyone joined in.
Vicki looked up with a dirty tear-streaked face. “I’m ten, Jodi is seven, Robin is two and Pam is a six-month-old baby.”
Hearing baby, Arthur wanted to just go home as he looked out the windows. “Where are they?”
“At the daycare. We are out of food, but we have formula for Pam,” Vicki answered, still holding on to Arthur.
“Shawn, can you drive a car?” Arthur asked, hearing Lucas cooing under his shirt.
“Yes, sir. I drove the work truck at the salvage yard I worked at,” Shawn told him.
Pulling Vicki off his waist, “Can you show us where the others are if you ride with us?” Arthur asked.
“Yes, sir,” Vicki nodded.
“Let’s go,” Arthur said, grabbing Vicki’s hand and leading them through the store. When they reached the storeroom, Vicki gave a gasp seeing Donald at the door.
Never breaking his pace, “He’s with us,” Arthur told Vicki. “Kirk, Pat, Jim, put your packs in the back with the dogs,” Arthur said, opening the back up.
“Shawn,” Arthur said and Shawn turned. “Passenger seat and get a bottle ready for Lucas.”
“Have one,” Shawn said, heading around the Blazer with Beth.
Taking Nicole from Kirk, Arthur just held her as the boys threw their packs in
