Isolation , Jones, Nathan [top 20 books to read TXT] 📗

quick but heartfelt kiss, she reluctantly stepped away. “I'll try to be back quick, so we can get on with preparing your birthday party.”

Hal laughed and looked around at their friends and the kids. “I don't know, I think it might be fun to join Borden's celebration. You guys can trot out the cake and sing the song before we go, or when we get back.”

“Okay.” She hesitated, looking at him. “Do you think we should pack up to where we'll have utilities and everything?”

He thought it over for a second, then shrugged and gave her a lopsided grin. “I don't know, it's kind of fun to rebuild back to where we were from scratch.” He nodded toward the camp. “But we can talk about this more later.”

It sounded like he might be leaning towards leaving, or was undecided either way. Which was fine, since she supposed she was too.

They'd all have to discuss it at length, get everyone's opinion and see what everyone planned to do, before making any decisions.

Chapter Sixteen

Celebration

Nick was carrying Tallie on his shoulders as the group walked into the Norsons' yard after Gorstrom's speech. But he paused there and set her down to play while he looked out at the houses, the garden, the outhouses, and all their other projects.

He'd thrown himself into backbreaking work these last few weeks to make it all happen, and just a few hours ago he would've been standing here looking at everything they'd accomplished with pride.

But now?

A garden was a garden, sure, and no amount of technology or amenities was going to make it much better. But the dugouts were ugly, slapped together things, at best with a bit of scavenged carpet but more often with tarps for flooring. Practically prehistoric living conditions.

Same with the outhouses, and the solar-heated tanks for the showers Hal wanted to build, and all the rest of it. Part of him didn't want to abandon this place after all the work he'd done here, but as a consultant he was more than familiar with writing off an incomplete project when the client flaked on payment and he'd just be wasting his time.

This wasn't a life he wanted for his children, for Gen if their relationship went the way he hoped, and Billy, and Ellie and Hal and his siblings and all their friends.

It seemed absurd to think that anyone else would want to stay here in these dingy hovels scraping in the dirt to survive, when someone was offering them a chance to have power and running water and reliable sewers and even internet.

How could anyone not want to jump at that chance?

Gen urged Billy to run off and join Tallie playing in the yard, then came over and wrapped her arms around Nick, joining him staring out at the yard. “It looks a lot uglier than it did this morning, doesn't it?” she murmured.

It was good to know he wasn't the only one whose mind had gone in that direction. “We worked hard for it, but we're mostly amateurs and it shows,” he agreed.

She sighed. “At the same time, Billy's grandparents aren't likely to abandon this place no matter what challenges staying here presents, and I'd hate to take him away from them without a good reason. Not when we've gotten so close, and they've done so much for us.”

Reality crashed home, and Nick felt himself deflate slightly as the prospect of helping rebuild a society where his skills actually had some value slipped away. “Yeah,” he agreed. “I have to consider Ellie and the kids, too. I have the feeling she'd jump at the chance to get back in her element with something like Gorstrom's rebuilding effort, but if she chooses to stay it would complicate things with the kids. I couldn't take them away from her, even if it might be better for them, and I don't want to leave them behind either.”

Gen hugged him a bit tighter. “Well maybe when we talk things through with everyone, we'll be able to come up with a good solution everyone can be happy with.”

“Maybe.” They'd have to wait for Ellie to get back before they could really discuss the matter anyway, and in the meantime if they did decide to stay, they should probably keep going on the work to be done here.

Speaking of which, Hal was making his way over, wearing his tool belt and looking all business. “Ready to get back to roofing?” he called to Nick.

Nick nodded and gave Gen a quick goodbye hug, then stepped away. “Let's get to it.”

✽✽✽

One of the things Ellie liked about administrative work was that in moments like this, time usually didn't drag. Granted, that was because she was usually rushing to put out one fire after another and didn't have time to kick up her feet and be bored, but still.

Even considering that, the afternoon flew by as she got the quarantine camp sorted out and made sure everyone got the vaccine who needed it. And that wasn't even the end of the job that needed to be done, either.

Just like with the town, Gorstrom got up on one of the sentry perches to give a speech as soon as everyone had the vaccine. Then she wanted to see the town and the camp's supply stockpiles to judge what they needed, and oversaw unloading more stuff, especially much needed medical supplies and nutritional supplements, from the convoy's semi trucks.

And then she wanted Ellie and the other camp leaders to start canvassing both the main and survivors' camps, to see how many thought they might be interested in relocating to be part of the rebuilding efforts. Which was still a delicate task since she had to keep up the usual precautions until they were sure the vaccine had taken effect.

Before Ellie knew it, it was almost time for the town's celebration. Not to mention Johnny was arranging a celebration for the camp as well, which she felt obligated to at least