Kyle Pratt - Through Many Fires

“What are you thinking?” Lisa asked.

I’m thinking I have no idea what to do about Sheriff Hoover. But he didn’t want to say that, so he smiled and said, “I’m thinking, is there any food in this house? Is anyone else hungry?”

With help from Maria he made it down the stairs from his bedroom to the dining room. There they ate and talked about family and home for several more hours. Only when the power failed, leaving the full moon as the only light, did they go to bed.

Caden woke to crowing. He looked at the window and mumbled, “It’s still dark you stupid rooster.” He had grown up on this farm and knew that roosters crowed when they would, but it still annoyed him. After more crowing he knew there was no going back to sleep, so slowly he slid his legs from under the covers and sat on the edge of the bed. He turned the knob on the lamp beside him and, as light filled the room, remembered the power had been out. The clock blinked on the nightstand.

Out of habit he looked for Maria. While he never actually slept with her, for the last two weeks they had not been far apart at night. With a smile he recalled that, as the evening waned, his mother suggested Maria share the room with Adam.

Carefully he stood looking down at his bandaged leg. Painful, but bearable. He hobbled toward the bathroom. By the time he got downstairs, he noticed a fire in the living room woodstove. When he limped into the kitchen his mother was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee.

“You’re up early,” he said sitting across from her.

“You’ve been away from the farm too long. Someone has to feed the chickens and pig.”

“I’ll help.”

“It’s already done.”

“I’ll help tomorrow.”

She reached back to the counter. “Your father got this after his leg operation.” She set an antique, carved, wooden cane on the table. “It’s been at the back of the closet for years, but I figured you might use it.”

He thanked her.

Still looking at the cane she said, “I pray Trevor is all right,” tears welled in her eyes, “and Peter and Susan.”

“I’m sure Dad is fine, he’s a survivor and Peter is a cop. He’s in shape, trained and armed. Neither of them would let anything happen to Sue. Still, I should probably head up North Road and look for them.”

“No,” she said firmly. “Two days ago I feared you were dead and then yesterday I got you back. I can’t lose you again. Your father is a survivor and so is Peter. If they are alive they will come home. If they are dead,” her voice choked, “then no one should risk their life to find them.”

Caden wanted to argue, but creaking stairs and floorboards announced someone coming. Maria entered wrapped in a robe and looking disheveled. “Adam’s still sleeping, but…well, I thought roosters crowed at dawn.”

Mother and son grinned as Maria sat at the table.

As the first rays of sunlight peeked above the eastern hills, Lisa joined the rest of the family at the breakfast table.

His mother cooked eggs and bacon and asked about Caden’s plans for the day.

“I’ll go talk to Hoover. I need his cooperation if I’m going to be a liaison for the governor.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “Good luck getting him to cooperate with you. He has a looong memory.”

Caden shrugged. “I’ve got to try. Then I’ll go to the armory. Also, I need to meet with the county commissioners and the emergency manager.”

“Sounds exciting. Does anyone want more coffee?” Lisa stood and walked toward the pot.

Caden held up his cup, but looked at his mother. “I might be late getting back.”

“Do you need me to come along and,” Maria smiled, “help you get in and out of the car and up the stairs.”

Caden would have welcomed her company, but the day would be boring for anyone who tagged along. “No, I think I’ll just hobble along with my cane.” He didn’t want to leave the three most important women in his life alone on the farm, but was equally certain that they were safer together. Maria can shoot straight and Lisa can aim a car. He grinned at his own dark joke.

After breakfast he dressed in his uniform, complete with tattered pant leg, and limped toward the car with Maria at his side.

“Why don’t you and Sheriff Hoover like each other?”

“When I was in high school his little sister, Debra, had a crush on me.”

“It’s got to be more than that. What happened? Did you….”

“I did nothing,” he said a bit too harshly. “Well, almost nothing.” With a big sigh he continued. “She was two years behind me in school and flirted with me off and on for years. On the night of my graduation there was a party at a friend’s house. He let us know there would be ample beer.”

“Your mom doesn’t seem like the kind who would be okay with that?”

“My parents didn’t know.”

“Oh, this is going nowhere good.”

Caden nodded. “Beer, high school grads, loud music and then Debra shows up. I’d had one too many by then, which in those days was two or three. Debra started flirting with me again and we ended up making out like only half-drunk high school kids can. At the moment Debra took off her blouse in walked the newest deputy on the force, Hoover.”

Maria smiled. “You were so busted.”

“He arrested everyone at the party, even his little sister, but according to him it was my fault she was there. Hoover accused me of inviting her, said I had seduced her and offered her the alcohol.” Caden leaned against the car. “I had to call Dad to come get me out of jail.”

“You were both young.” Maria opened the car door. “You’re older and wiser now and, I suspect, Hoover is also.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Good luck and happy Valentine’s Day.”

The drive into town gave Caden time to think. How come women always remember things like Valentine’s Day and men never do? What should I do? Get her a card or flowers? How do you find such things at a time like this? He shook his head and vowed to do something.

As he passed over the creek on the way into town the two red-headed teens were again along the bank, but this time with a net and what looked like a fish trap.

When he saw the Hansen city limit sign, his thoughts turned to Hoover. He was a stern man, probably still is but, Maria is right, he is too smart to hold a grudge for over a decade. But by the time Caden walked into the office he still didn’t have a plan.

From behind his desk, Hoover looked down at the torn pant leg and bandage. “What happened?”

“Lisa accidently shot me with buckshot.”

Hoover grinned. “I always liked her.” He chuckled and then asked, “You going to be okay?”

“Yeah, she mostly missed.” Caden looked Hoover in the eye. “Have you got a couple of minutes? We need to talk.”

“Shut the door and sit down.”

When the door was closed Hoover said, “What does the new military liaison need?”

Caden sighed, but decided not to respond directly. “You were elected to be the Sheriff of this county. You know the people because you’ve lived here since I was a kid. I can’t and don’t want to replace you.”

He nodded.

“I want this county to be a safe place because my mother, sister, and…well other people who are important to me live here. You kept this place safe.”

“Thank you. I did my best.”

“There is something I wanted to ask you about. I’ve been told that there were bodies hanging at the blockade by the lake?”

“I don’t answer to you, mister military liaison, I answer to the people of this community and…well, I kept as many of them safe as I could.”

“What was done is apparently not a secret. I’m asking why. Help me understand.”