“Alright,” Samuel grinned down at her. Austin moved closer now that she had stood up. “This is my friend, Austin,” Samuel explained to Izzy as he looked down at her. “He’s going to help us find your family.”
“Nice to meet you Izzy,” Austin said. “What’s your mom and dad’s names?”
Izzy pursed her lips and thought for a second, trying to come up with an answer for Austin’s question but coming up short with a disappointed shake of her head.
“No worries,” Austin replied, giving Izzy the reassuring smile that he used on his son when he was feeling nervous or uncomfortable. Austin was much more natural with children than Samuel so, as a result, the young girl quickly feeling at ease around him as well. “Do you want me to lift you up so you can help us look?”
“Okay,” Izzy agreed, allowing Austin to pick her up and hold her against his hip, balancing her weight with the rucksack on his back. Samuel smiled at the moment; glad they could do something to help the little girl. Now they just had to find her family.
“What’s your last name?” Samuel asked as an idea came to him, wondering what to shout into the crowd. Izzy had given them a vague description of her family, but having a name to call out would be extremely helpful.
“Harvey.”
“Great,” he replied. “We’ll find your mom and dad, don’t worry, Izzy.”
Samuel started shouting into the crowd for Mr. or Mrs. Harvey, his eyes scanning the group in front of him. No more than two minutes had passed by before a blonde-haired man wearing glasses caught his eye, the man’s relief visible as he noticed Izzy in Austin’s arms to Samuel’s side.
“Look there,” Samuel said to Izzy, “is that your dad?”
“Dad!” Izzy called out with excitement when she figured out where Samuel was pointing. “Mom!”
The man, followed by a blonde woman and a young teenage boy, started pushing through the crowd toward Samuel and Austin. Putting Izzy back down on the ground, Austin smiled at Samuel, thrilled that they had managed to reunite the family.
“Izzy, sweetheart. Are you okay? We were so worried. Where have you been?”
As Izzy threw herself on her mother, Samuel and Austin stepped to the side somewhat to give the family room. It was a touching moment, all four of them hugging one another and smiling, a feeling of pure joy in the swirling sea of grief and torment that surrounded them.
After a minute the father stepped back and let his children and wife embrace without him, turning to face the two men who had saved his daughter. Tears filled his eyes. “I can’t thank you enough,” he said, shaking each of their hands in turn. “Don’t know what we’d have done if you hadn’t found her.”
Samuel smiled. “We’re just glad we could find you.”
“Are you local? Do you live around here? Do you need anything at all?” Mr. Harvey asked.
“We’ve just come across the bridge,” Austin answered. “Heading up north toward Poughkeepsie to find my family.”
“Do you have children?”
“One,” Austin smiled, “a little boy.”
“He’s very lucky to have you,” Mr. Harvey gushed. “Honestly. I don’t know what to say. Just thank you, thank you so, so much.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Yeah really,” Samuel continued, “we’re just glad she’s safe now. You’ll take care of yourself, won’t you Izzy?”
“I will,” Izzy nodded, looking up at Samuel and Austin from her mother’s arms. “Thank you.”
Samuel and Austin both knew that was their cue to leave. Austin’s husband and son were waiting in Poughkeepsie and they had to keep going until they completed that journey and made another family whole again. Turning away from the family on the serivce road, the two men fought their way back into the crowd and onto quieter streets. They were out of New York for now, but there was still a long way to go.
Chapter 17
“Do you think they’ll be okay?”
Austin looked over at Samuel and smiled, pleasantly surprised by how much the interaction with Izzy and her family had affected him. “I’m sure they will be,” he replied, “they’re a whole family again, that’s enough to keep them going.”
Samuel nodded. He was incredibly proud to have been able to reunite the young girl with her family. It was moving to see her go from a frightened child hidden underneath a road sign to one with a beaming smile on her face. He often found it hard to connect with family men due to his own upbringing and how little affection was shared within his close family. But the few conversations he had shared with his father following Trident’s collapse had started to change that in some ways.
Samuel had always longed for a better relationship with his parents. At times he had blamed them and their strange marriage for keeping him from finding a partner. But his sister had never had any trouble there, so Samuel knew he had to take some of the blame himself. It had always been harder for him in a way though. Jessie had never struggled with forming friendships and relationships, while Samuel found it difficult to get comfortable with certain people. He was often misunderstood and that pushed him into a life of loneliness.
His vow to become a better person in this new, post-currency world wasn’t just him deciding to help other people more. Samuel also wanted to better himself and allow himself more opportunities in life, instead of being held back by his fears and reservations. Family was important to him and he wanted one of his own someday. Everyone he crossed paths with seemed to have someone else to care for beside themselves. He wanted that responsibility, too.
“How old did you say he was?” Samuel asked Austin following his sentimental train of thought. “Your son?”
“He’s almost seven. It’ll be
