Mandy Allison Scott picked up after her four children who were finally napping in their beds. She had pinto beans cooking in the crockpot, and mississippi mud cookies cooling on the counter. Jeremy wouldn’t be home for at least three hours from the auto shop, she had plenty of time to take a relaxing bath.
The phone rang as she walked past it to the bathroom. When she picked it up she could hardly believe who was on the other end.
“I’m coming home for a visit.” Rodney said as he drove on the highway out of the city towards Hamches. “How has everything been since I was last there. Any exciting news?”
“I heard Samika was dating Jack again.” Mandy teased as she giggled.
“Oh not again!” Rodney groaned out loud.
“I saw them at the church picnic, manning the ice cream station together.”
“What did Mother say?” Rodney was unsure he wanted to know what his mother had to say of her only daughter dating a Scott boy.
“You’ll have to ask her.” Mandy said suddenly deciding to stay out of it. “Jeremy and everyone here is doing fine. Martin is going to ask Quita to marry him I think, if he can get up the courage.”
“I don’t think he wants to face her father.”
“Who wants to ask Mack Rider for his daughter’s hand in marriage?” Mandy shrugged. “Oh.” she stopped and remembered, “And Aaron died.”
“What?!?” Rodney was shocked.
“He was tracking down some vampires up North, we never did get an exact location. He wasn’t alone either. Buddy was with him, and four others. No one came back. The last word we heard was that these vampires seemed to be stronger than the others somehow. Aaron said they seemed to be able to take attacks longer and survive.” Mandy relayed what she knew.
“What were they using against them?” Rodney pulled off the road so he could concentrate on what Mandy was saying.
“Sun bombs, Holy water, Garlic granades. They had the blessed weapons from Pastor, I mean, Father Ascott. They’re lost now, and Ascott is so old, in his nineties. I just don’t think he has it in him anymore, all he does is sit in his wheelchair and stare at the sky. No one has seen him speak a word since the stroke.” Mandy almost sounded hopeless.
“What about Buddy’s kids?” Rodney asked.
“Well Brikkan and Brie Anne are training every day to join the fight, but Buddy Jr…” Mandy leaned against the wall in the hallway and glanced in the room of her sleeping kids. “He took it so hard. I caught him one time after church, after everyone had gone to the pot luck, praying at the alter. He was praying for the strength to carry on, to become what his father wanted of him. He didn’t even know I was there.” Mandy sighed. “I’ve been praying for him ever since. For his own peace of mind and strength to carry on.”
“Have your prayers been answered?” Rodney pulled back on the highway and headed once again towards home.
“I haven’t seen Junior since that day. He’s only fourteen though, he’ll bounce back.” She watched her youngest daughter sleep.
“I’ll talk to him while I’m there.” Rodney stated. “I know what it’s like to have your dad die on a raid.”
