But it was something to work for, if mere survival wasn’t enough of a challenge these days.
In spite of their weariness everyone was up early the next morning, and they pushed hard to reach the valley refuge. At his first sight of it Lewis found himself impressed, not just with how quickly the townspeople had managed to build shelters, but with how well they’d gotten everything organized for long term living. It took away a bit of the sting of losing their town.
A crowd of over two hundred people were waiting for them, where the road gave way to a trampled dirt path beaten between it and the valley refuge hundreds of yards away. At the front of them stood Matt, Sam, and the rest of the Larson family. Including a weary-looking Terry, who must’ve been released by the military to return home. Most of the shelter group was also there, including Lewis and Trev’s families, and the friends and families of all the other volunteers.
At the refuge itself hundreds more townspeople were watching with interest, and a few more trickled along the path to join the reunion. It looked as if work had come to a standstill, and things were well on their way to becoming a celebration.
While most of the crowd waited Matt trotted up the slope to meet them coming down the road, with Sam hurrying at his side. Lewis quickened his pace to meet his friends while Jane followed close behind, starting with handshakes. That quickly turned to hugs, as well as exclaiming over the progress of their pregnancy and Sam insisting they both feel the baby kick.
“Where’s Mayor Tillman?” Lewis asked once that initial reunion had settled into comfortable silence, as the volunteers caught up to them and they all started down the slope to where the welcoming party waited.
His friend’s smile slipped. “Just Mrs. Tillman, now. As soon as she learned the blockheads were leaving she formally resigned. From what I hear she went to bed right after, and has been sleeping ever since.” He shook his head in sympathy. “She’s not young, and the weight has been crushing her for a long time now. I think she held on longer than she had strength, out of sheer determination.”
Lewis nodded. “She pulled us through hard times. Once the world rebuilds itself and the thriving community of Aspen Hill starts building statues of their heroes, hers will have to be first.”
“Absolutely.” Matt sighed. “Although the hard times aren’t over yet.”
“Yeah. I don’t envy the new Mayor the task ahead.” His friend flinched slightly and Lewis paused. “You’re the new Mayor, aren’t you?”
“Somehow.” Matt gave him a slightly pained look. “There were a dozen better candidates, but nobody seemed to want it.”
Sam made a displeased sound and poked her husband in the side. “There were no better candidates, and everyone wanted you.”
“Well you’ve got my vote next election.” They reached the crowd at the turnoff, families rushing forward to greet their loved ones returning home from war. Lewis quickly hugged his friends again, then nodded towards his own family. “Excuse us. I see Dad’s up on his leg already, even if he’s got it well splinted and he’s using crutches. I’d better make sure he’s not overdoing it.” He smiled crookedly. “And while I’m at it I haven’t seen everyone in a long time. Time to keep the reunion going.”
“You bet.” Matt glanced over at the other volunteers. “I want to greet everyone else too, once their own reunions have settled down a bit. But I was wondering if I could run something by you first.” Something about the way he said it suggested he intended more than just asking for advice.
Lewis had a feeling he could guess what his friend wanted. “Sure.”
“Good, more time to catch up!” Sam agreed, briefly hugging Jane and standing up on tiptoes to kiss her cheek before stepping back. “Maybe you can introduce me to the new people.” She started towards where Deb, Grant, and the handful of other escaped prisoners who’d joined them were waiting awkwardly at the edge of the crowd, looking out of place. Jane reluctantly joined her.
As their wives walked away Lewis followed his friend a short distance from the impromptu celebration. “What did you need?”
Matt waited until they were well out of earshot but even then fidgeted, reluctant to start. Lewis let him take his time, until finally his friend blurted. “You did a great job defending the town while I was gone. Better than I could’ve.”
He knew where this was going. “I take it you don’t want to run the town and lead the defenders at the same time, do you?”
The taller man laughed and ran a hand through his blond hair. “Are you crazy? I just got done telling you what the stress of the job did to Catherine.” he sighed. “No, I don’t. I’m tired. I don’t know if I have it in me to spend another winter running myself ragged trying to convince people to defend themselves, and picking up the slack when they won’t. Besides, Sam and the baby need to be my priority now. I plan to ask Chauncey, Lucas, and George to help me with my duties as Mayor so I can still find time for them.”
“And you’ve got me lined up as a replacement to suffer through that instead?” Lewis gave him a strained smile. “I’m not sure I want the job again either. I never really did. And I’m not sure I did as good as you think. I wasn’t the best leader, and I focused too much on raiding the enemy rather than defending anything.” He shrugged. “Besides, I’ve got my own family to prioritize.”
Matt gave him a helpless look. “Someone has to do it.”
“Someone does,” Lewis agreed. “But I think you’re looking at the wrong cousin.”
The two of them glanced over at Trev, who’d just finished returning Sam’s hug and was introducing her to the town’s new members. Although from the way he fidgeted it was obvious he was looking for an excuse to break away and see his family, and only his sense of responsibility for the escaped prisoners held him back.
“You don’t want it, but you’d fob it off on him,” Matt said flatly.
Lewis shrugged again. “Before the blockheads got here and turned everything on its head he was feeling a bit down. All the projects I’d started while he was gone were mine, and he didn’t really feel like a part of any of them. He jumped on the apiary as something he could call his own, but that’s not really enough for him. Maybe this will be a role he can settle into.”
Matt nodded slowly. “You have a point. And he would do a good job with it.” He nudged Lewis in the ribs. “He’s a lot more personable than you.”
He nudged his friend back. “Should we go give him the good news?”
“Nah. Let’s give him some time to enjoy his freedom first.” Matt’s grin widened slightly as he looked back that way. “Speaking of which, what’s the deal with him and that brunette sticking to him like glue? Are they… ?”
Lewis felt his smile fade. “No,” he replied. “Not right now. Maybe never, after what she went through.”
Realization dawned. “Ah.” His friend looked away. “I heard a bit about what the blockheads do to their prisoners. I wasn’t thinking.”
A brief, uncomfortable silence fell, until Lewis clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Come on. Back to the reunion.”
Trev had missed his family, but he hadn’t realized just how much until he saw them. It felt like a weight lifted off his chest more and more as he threw his arms around his mom, dad, Linda, and Jim in turn, then crashed Lewis and Jane’s reunion to give his aunt, uncle, and Mary crushing hugs as well.
He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he shed a few tears, and he was far from the only one.
Jim stayed glued to his side as everyone talked over each other, asking for news and details of the time they’d spent apart. It wasn’t a completely unfamiliar sensation after his time with Deb, and he didn’t even mind his little brother pestering him for details about the fighting.