But it still irritated him that she walked so slowly.
Route Thirty-seven East was to the right. Jon started looking at house numbers, but they were only in the 2000s.
“It’s miles from here,” Ruby said. “We’re never gonna get there.”
“You know how many miles we’ve walked to get here?” Jon asked. “Close to two hundred. More probably, with all the detours we made to get food. So what if it’s another mile or two? Keep walking.”
“And what if I don’t?” she said.
“Fine,” Jon said. “Don’t. Stand here for the rest of your life. I don’t care. I’m finding forty-four fifty-two with or without you.”
“You’d do that?” Ruby cried. “Leave me here, standing all alone, not knowing a soul? That ain’t honoring me.”
Jon stared at her. The past few days they’d gotten along so well. Jon knew the rules and he obeyed them. Ruby lowered her guard in return. They’d talked about growing up, what their lives had been like before.
But now she was the Ruby he’d forced out of Sexton. The Ruby who’d made it clear that she hated him. The Ruby he’d had to threaten with eternal damnation to make her listen to him.
“Cut it out,” he said. “Go or stay. It’s your choice. But I’m not standing here one minute longer.” He turned away from her and began walking.
He got a three-minute head start on her, but then she caught up with him. She was panting from exertion, and he stopped to let her catch her breath.
“It’s not that much farther,” he said. “Look, there’s thirty-two hundred.”
“I’m coming,” Ruby said. “But I ain’t talking.”
“Fair enough,” Jon said.
It took another twenty minutes before they reached the 4000s. By the time they got to the 4200s, they were in nearly deserted country. It took another ten minutes to reach the 4300s. By then the only houses were decrepit-looking trailers.
“I like White Birch better,” Ruby said. “Kind of scary out here.”
“You’re right,” Jon said. “Okay. Forty-four thirty-eight. Matt’s should be one or two houses down.”
“What kind of people live like this?” Ruby asked. “All alone, no neighbors?”
Jon thought about Ruby’s family’s apartment: six kids and three adults sharing four rooms. He understood that Matt and Syl got to live in their own home because Matt was a courier—not quite a grub, if not a claver.
“That’s it,” Jon said, pointing to Matt’s home. “Come on, Ruby. We’re here.”
Ruby held back. “Maybe you should go in first,” she said. “Give you folks a chance to say hello.”
“You’re my folks, too,” Jon said, certain that if he left Ruby alone, she’d run away. “Let’s go.”
He could see lights in the house, so he knew someone was home. His hand shook from exhaustion and nerves as he knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” Syl yelled from inside.
It had been three years since he’d heard her voice. For a moment he was fourteen again, and Syl was the girl who’d stolen his brother from him.
He took a deep breath. “Syl, it’s Jon,” he said. “Let me in.”
Syl opened the door. She pointed a gun at him until she realized it really was Jon. Then she put the gun down and raced into his arms.
“Jon!” she cried. “Come in. I don’t believe it. How did you get here? Is everything all right?”
“Everything’s fine,” he said. “Syl, this is Ruby. We got married a couple of weeks ago.”
“Married?” Syl asked. “Well, I guess Miranda was your age when she got married. Oh, what difference does it make? Come in. Hi, Ruby. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Wait. I’ve got to put the gun away.” She carried it out of the hallway and then escorted them to the living room. The furniture was shabby, and the house had a faint formaldehyde smell. But Jon saw one of Gabe’s trucks in the corner of the sofa, and he knew he was home.
As though to prove it, Gabe walked slowly into the living room. “Syl, people are talking,” he said as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
“Gabe, it’s me,” Jon said. “And Ruby.”
It took a second, but then Gabe raced over to Jon. Jon picked him up and swung him around. “Oh, Gabe,” he said. “Gabe.” He kissed Gabe on his head and his cheeks and swung him around again.
Gabe clawed his way down. “Who’s that?” he asked, pointing at Ruby.
“You remember Ruby,” Jon said. “She was your…” He stopped before he said “grub.” “Your friend,” he said. “Remember? You played tag with her and she made your meals?”
Gabe stared at her. “She’s not Ruby,” he said.
“Don’t be silly,” Jon said. “Of course she is.”
“No, Mr. Jon, actually I’m not,” Ruby said. “This little one never saw me before in his life. My name is Opal Grubb. Ruby’s my sister.”
“Her twin,” Jon said, thinking back on the conversations he and Ruby had had. “The one your father couldn’t tell apart sometimes.”
“I have no idea who you are or what’s going on,” Syl said, “but I think we’d all be better off having this conversation sitting down.”
Jon held on to Gabe, who seemed more than happy to sit on his lap. Ruby— No, Opal took the chair opposite them. Syl sat with Jon.
“Where’s Mommy?” Gabe asked. “Mommy said she’d come take care of me.”
Jon had dreaded this moment for weeks. But he knew he had no choice. He held his little brother tightly, hoping Gabe could feel his love.
“Gabe, do you remember how Val used to be in the house every single day?” he said gently. “And then one day she wasn’t there anymore? Do you remember what your mommy said when you asked her where Val was?”
Gabe nodded. “She said Val was gone. Maybe she was dead. She’d never come back.”
“That’s what dead means,” Jon said. “It means someone will never come back. Gabe, your mommy is dead.”
“No,” Syl murmured. Jon nodded almost imperceptibly.
“She wanted to come, Gabe,” Jon said. “Your mommy loved you so much. But sometimes things happen that can’t be helped.”
“NO!” Gabe screamed. “I want my mommy!”
“Gabe, I’m sorry,” Jon said, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”
Syl slid over and took Gabe from Jon. “Gabe, listen to me,” she said. “Do you know how long a week is?”
Gabe shook his head.
“A week is seven days,” Syl told him. “Remember yesterday when we were counting? Why don’t you count to seven, Gabe? Show Jon how smart you are. Use your fingers, and count to seven.”
“One,” Gabe said, holding up a single finger. “Two. Three. Four. Six. Seven.”
“Almost,” Syl said, lifting Gabe’s middle finger. “Five, then six, then seven. Seven’s a pretty big number, isn’t it?”
Gabe nodded.
“Two weeks is fourteen days,” Syl said. “See, I’m counting to seven, too.” She held up seven fingers. “Your seven fingers and my seven fingers, that’s how long you’ve been here, Gabe. Two weeks. Fourteen days.” She lifted Gabe’s hand to her mouth and kissed it, then let him relax his fingers.
“They’ve been the hardest fourteen days of your life,” she said to Gabe. “And today is the worst day you’ve ever had, maybe the worst day you’ll ever have. Your mommy is gone, Gabe, and you must feel so sad and angry and scared.”
Gabe began to cry.
Syl held on to him tightly. “You should feel sad,” she said. “You won’t see your mommy again. And you should feel mad. Jon said that was Ruby and he was wrong. And maybe you’re a little mad at Mommy for not being here. But I don’t ever want you to feel scared. Matt and I love you so much, Gabe. You’ll always have a home with us. Jon loves you and Miranda and Alex love you. Jon?”