Don't Cry for Me

“Yeah, okay,” Mariah said, then breathed a sigh of relief when Quinn came back.

“Here,” he said, and dropped two pills into her outstretched palm.

Mariah downed them quickly. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Do you need to go to the bathroom before we leave? Like I said, it’s about an hour to the cabin.”

“I guess,” she said, but when she tried to stand, her leg went out from under her. Quinn grabbed her before she fell. “Damn it!” she muttered.

“I got you,” he said, and slipped an arm around her waist to walk her down the hall to the bathroom door.

“Can you make it from here?”

There were tears in her eyes. “Yes. Just wait for me.”

“Don’t worry, kid. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

* * *

By the time they said their goodbyes and he got her to the Jeep, the pain pills were having enough of an effect that she was feeling some relief. He put a pillow on the passenger seat before helping her inside.

“The Jeep’s shocks aren’t as good as the SUV’s, but if you sit on this pillow I think it’ll help.”

“You don’t need to worry about me,” she said, as Quinn reached across and buckled her in.

He was so close she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. What she was thinking was disconcerting in the midst of so much pain. Then he turned, and she found herself caught in his gaze.

“What happens if I want to worry about you?” he asked.

Longing washed through her. “I don’t know. I guess I can’t stop you, can I?”

Quinn’s pulse was racing. He was so close he could almost taste the kiss, but he wouldn’t go there. Not until she was standing on her own two feet and no longer dependent on him for her care. It wouldn’t be fair, and if he had a chance in hell of rebuilding this relationship they had to start on equal ground.

He winked to lighten the moment, then backed out of the Jeep and closed the door. By the time he got inside, she had her emotions in check.

“I know you must be exhausted, but this is the last leg of the trip. Once we get to the cabin you can sleep, relax and watch some TV, whatever you want.”

“I’m okay. The pain pills are kicking in.”

“Good. Next time, don’t wait so long, okay?”

“I won’t.”

She waved at Ryal and Beth, who were standing on the porch, then leaned back against the seat as he drove away.

“Your family is really nice.”

“Yeah, they’re pretty special, but they’re also nosy. You’ll probably meet more of them than you’re ready for over the next few weeks.”

She shrugged. “I’ll take my chances.”

“Just don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he muttered.

Mariah grinned. “Take a breath, Quinn. I’ve been fighting insurgents for almost five years. I’m not afraid of your family.”

The smile on her face was like a breath of fresh air. It was the first time since they’d left the hospital that he’d gotten even a glimpse of the Mariah he’d known before. It gave him hope that the rest of her was in there somewhere, waiting until it was safe to come out.

When they got back to the main road he turned left and headed up the mountain. Just a little bit farther and they would be home.

It didn’t take long for Mariah to notice the houses they were passing. Some were bunched together in twos and threes, and others were set so far back off the road all she saw was the driveway and the roof. A lot of them were in varying stages of disrepair. She knew what it meant to choose food over shelter.

Most of the vehicles she saw were up on blocks or were being stripped for parts. Children playing in their yards paused and waved as they drove past. A couple even gave chase until called back by a family member keeping watch from a nearby porch. It was obvious that the job market around here was weak.

Quinn caught the changing expressions on her face as they drove and couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking.

“I’m guessing this lifestyle is pretty foreign to you,” he said.

Mariah frowned. “The rural part, yes, but the obvious poverty, not so much. Some of my foster homes weren’t much better, and after I aged out of the system I was homeless. I would have gladly chosen any of these houses rather than sleeping in an abandoned building or a sewer pipe with a half dozen others just like me. In fact, these people are all better off than me. If not for you, I would be homeless again.”

“You never said anything about being homeless before,” he said.

She shrugged. “Why would I? We were too busy trying to stay alive to dwell on what I’d left behind me. I never thought I’d come back all messed up, or that I’d be right back where I started before I signed up. No, that’s not the truth. I have a ways to go to get back where I started.”

“And you have all the time you need to do it,” Quinn said.

She frowned then shook her head. “I can’t stay with you forever.”

“You’re not looking at this from the right angle. All you need to do is take one day at a time, honey. One day at a time.”

She leaned back and then sighed. “You’re right. As usual, I want everything put back together yesterday so I can get on with tomorrow.”

Quinn frowned. “If you think like that, then you forget to live for today.”

She’d never thought of life that way before. It was something to consider.

A short while later he began pointing out places of interest, and her focus shifted.

“My brother James and his wife live down that road,” he said. “They have two of the cutest kids.”

“Beth told me she’s an illustrator and Ryal makes furniture. What does James do?” Mariah asked.

“He farms a little tobacco, but his main job is with the postal service. He’s the mail carrier for all of Rebel Ridge and parts south.”

“I don’t mean this to sound prejudiced, but how come your family seems to have a higher standard of living than a lot of your neighbors?”

“I don’t know. There are plenty of others like us. We find ways to support ourselves knowing we won’t ever be rich, but we know how to be happy with what we have. The people on Rebel Ridge aren’t any different from people down in the city. Some are willing to settle for less, some aren’t. It’s just a fact of life.”

“Do you have a job you go to every day?”