Finally she chose:
RUTH MERCER
SHE CARRIED THE STORY UNTIL SHE FOUND A WAY TO GIVE IT BACK.
Noah stood beside Anna while the markers were uncovered.
Eli stood several feet away.
He was fifty years old now.
His hair had gone mostly gray.
He looked smaller than Noah remembered.
Older.
Human.
When Noah finally walked toward him, neither man knew what to say.
Eli opened his arms uncertainly.
Noah stared at him.
Then he stepped forward.
The embrace lasted only seconds.
It did not erase twenty-seven years.
It did not need to.
Some reunions were not endings.
They were permission to begin.
Lily wandered over to Colter.
She was wearing boots this time.
Purple ones.
With lights.
Tess had kept her promise.
“You’re leaving today?”
Lily asked.
“Soon.”
“On the motorcycles?”
“That’s usually how motorcycle convoys work.”
“Where are you going?”
“Hopkinsville.”
“Why?”
“Family there needs help fixing a house.”
“Do you stop for everybody?”
Colter smiled.
“We try.”
“What if nobody runs into the road?”
“Then we enjoy the ride.”
Lily considered this.
“You should still pay attention.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Anna approached on a fully healed ankle.
“I hear you’ve been receiving instructions.”
“Extensive ones.”
“Lily has management experience.”
“I noticed.”
Anna looked toward the motorcycles.
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You already did.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You stopped for my daughter.”
“You walked into those woods.”
“You stayed.”
Colter looked at Lily.
“She did the hard part.”
Lily nodded solemnly.
“I lost my shoes.”
“You mention that frequently.”
“They were good shoes.”
Anna laughed.
Then Colter’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
MAE.
He answered.
“Hey, kiddo.”
“Dad, are you still in Kentucky?”
“Last I checked.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m driving down.”
Colter straightened.
“What?”
“You said your ride has another week.”
“It does.”
“Well, I took four days off.”
There was hesitation in Mae’s voice.
“I thought maybe I could meet you.”
Colter smiled.
“You hate motorcycles.”