“Well, I give you my word: I won’t let anyone take you away from us,” said Mercury.
Georgie blinked fast as she attempted to keep frightened tears from spilling down her round cheeks. “Okay, we’ll try really hard to keep up with you and to be really good.”
“I need to speak with the adults—all of you. Over here. Gemma, would you stay with the kids?” Imani asked. Gemma nodded, and then Imani turned and marched several yards, with the adults following her.
“What is it?” Mercury asked.
“The kids need to stay here. They’re terrified—again—and this is one terror too many in a long list of what they’ve already been through to survive. Stella, you don’t think this is our permanent place?” Imani said.
Stella nodded. “I still have the feeling that we’re not staying here, but I can’t tell why.”
“Then what’s the point of dragging three exhausted, traumatized children into town? I’m one hundred percent against it,” Imani said firmly.
Mercury let out a long breath. “I can’t say I disagree with you. Would you want to stay here with the kids?” she asked Imani.
“Absolutely.”
“Stella?” Mercury turned to her friend.
“It would definitely be easier to get in and out of town without kids. Anyone who wants to stay with the truck and wait for us to come back should stay,” said Stella.
“I should go to Madras with you,” said Ford.
“Yeah, thanks. We seriously won’t know our way around without you guiding us,” said Mercury.
“No problem. I’m more than willing.” He smiled at Mercury.
“I refuse to remain here.” Karen’s thin lips disappeared as she pressed them into a colorless line.
“Karen, no one is excluding you,” said Mercury.
“Well, good.” Karen’s face looked pinched as she refused to meet Mercury’s gaze.
“Okay, so, that’s settled,” said Mercury. “Let’s tell the kids and Gemma.”
They rejoined the four young people, and Stella smiled at the children. “Change of plans. We decided it would be best for the kids to stay with the truck while just a few of us check out Madras.”
“You’re leaving us?” Georgie clutched her brothers’ narrow shoulders.
“No!” Mercury quickly explained. “Or at least not for more than—” she glanced at Stella.
“Two nights,” Stella said. “No matter what, we’ll be back to check in no later than the next morning.”
Mercury nodded. “Yeah, and if we decide to leave, we’ll leave then. Together.”
Imani put her arm around Georgie’s shoulders. “I’m going to stay here with you.”
“So will I,” said Gemma.
“When are we leaving?” Karen asked as she picked at the hem of her cardigan.
“Now.” Stella spoke firmly. “Or as soon as we put on coats and get our backpacks together.”
The group worked silently and quickly. Even the children helped, though as they struggled to pull Ford’s heavy backpack from the bed of the truck, Gemma stepped in.
“Hey, Ford can’t carry this.” The teenager fisted her hands on her hips as she faced Stella and Mercury, who were slipping on their own backpacks. “I don’t even like the fact that he’s up and walking around. Are you sure he needs to go with you?”
Ford opened his mouth to respond, but Stella beat him to it. “Yes. Ford must come with us.”