The Gathering (11 page)

Sam smiled and looked to his left at Scott Forrester.

"I thought you were taking up the rear flanks, Bud?"

"I was until Ginny Flores and her group started in.
 
‘So… who are you going to dance with, huh, Scott?'
 
Spare me."

Sam laughed.

"Who
are
you going to dance with?"

Scott shifted on his horse.

"No one probably."

Sam looked at his best friend and shook his head.

"You're gonna tell me that not one girl has gotten to you?
 
Are you sure you're not gay?"

Scott tried not to, but felt the smile cross his face and shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, Red."

Sam looked ahead.
 
He realized that he had been so preoccupied with his own obsessions that he had never asked Scott about what he wanted.

"I'm sorry, Man."

Scott looked over at Sam.

"For what?"

Sam looked back.

"I haven't exactly been a best friend to you lately.
 
You listen to me drone on and on about Sara, but I never listen to you about anything you might want to tell me."

Scott looked down at his horse.
 
He thought to himself that he would love to tell Sam about the girl he wanted, but he didn't think it would go over well.
 
So he raised his head and took off his hat, again wiping the sweat from his brow with his arm and putting the hat back on.

"Red, if I wanted to tell you something I would.
 
But thanks for the apology, as unwarranted as it is."

They exchanged a knowing look that only best friends do.
 
They were brought back to the train when they heard the sound of hooves approaching.
 
Sam turned and saw his brother, Corey, riding towards them.
 
He often marveled at how much they looked alike.
 
Corey's hair was a bit shorter and he was thin, as opposed to Sam's larger build.
 
But if Sam had not grown the van dyke he now sported, he would swear they were twins.

"Hey!"
 
Corey shouted.

"What's up, Little Brother?"

"You guys ok?"

The two older boys looked at each other and smiled.
 
The last few hours they had been asked that question so many times they had lost count, but they took it in stride.
 

"Yup, we’re fine,” Sam answered.

Corey looked at Scott, who was rubbing the back of his neck.
 
Scott finally noticed that Corey and Sam were both looking at him.

"I'm fine, just a little headache, probably from the sun.
 
I'm delicate you know."

Sam laughed.
 
Corey smiled and shifted in his saddle.

"Can I ask you guys a question?"

"Sure."

"I like this girl…"

Scott groaned and Sam laughed.
 
Corey looked around and stopped talking.
 
Sam could see that Corey thought they were laughing at him.

"No, go on Corey.
 
It's not you."

"No, Corey," Scott said.
 
"It's not… go on."

"Oh, well, I like this girl, but I can't tell if she likes me."

Sam looked over at him, but said nothing, as he wasn't the one to give advice.
 
Scott finally sighed.

"Alright, have you spoken to this girl?"

Scott said this to Corey, but looked directly at Sam, who managed to avoid Scott's stare.

"A few times, but she usually gets into a fight with her brother and it never really goes anywhere."

Sam looked over at Corey again.

"You like Rachel Levine?"

Corey's mouth dropped open and he tried to talk, but he felt his face go red.
 
Sam shrugged.

"She's cute.
 
She does like to fight with David though."

Scott nodded the turned back to Corey.

"Look, Corey, when the time feels right, go ask her to dance."

"But what if she says no?"

Scott shook his head.

"What if she does?
 
Yeah, man, it sucks, but there are a lot of pretty girls at the Gathering.
 
Besides, she might say yes."

Corey looked shocked and Sam laughed.
 
He was again struck at how young Corey seemed at times.
 
Corey and Chelsea were only a year apart, but she seemed so much older than he did.
 
Sam's mother had often commented on how girls mature faster than boys do and Sam could see that when he looked at his brother and sister.
 
Corey shook his head.

"Yeah, my other problem.
 
What if she says yes?"

Scott dropped his face into his gloved hand and shook his head.
 
Sam smiled.

"Then you dance with her."

Corey nodded his head as he thought about that.

"Yeah, yeah, I guess you're right."

Scott looked back over at Corey.

"Corey, why don't you ride back and make sure everything is ok."

Corey looked at him and nodded.

"Ok."

Scott and Sam watched him ride to the rear of the wagon train.
 
Scott looked at Sam.

"I know I gave you crap about the chin fuzz, but considering how much the two of you look alike, I'm now reconsidering.
 
Good move."

Sam again smiled and looked out towards the west.
 
He hadn't told Scott, but when they were attacked, he hadn't thought about Sara.
 
Instead, he saw a girl with black hair and dark eyes.
 
He had begun to question whether or not his feelings for Sara were real.
 

14

The St. Paul's wagon train moved slowly towards the Fail and Grant Turner could now see the immense turrets of the castle.
 
He saw the green and gold flag waving in the breeze, the grand bronze unicorn rising to the sun as it waved alongside the Stars and Stripes.
 
He smiled, knowing that Alia made sure that the Stars and Stripes would always wave and that all children were taught the history of America and the other countries from before the War.
 
Ellen Turner was now sitting with her husband and staring at the flag as well with a wistful look in her eye.

"It is beautiful."

Grant looked at his wife, her brown hair against her olive skin.

"Hmm, that it is."

She smiled for a moment then looked at Grant.

"I meant Lia Fail, Grant."

"Oh, did you?"

She smiled and turned, pulling herself back into the wagon as Grant laughed.

A rider came from the left of his wagon.

"Mr. President?
 
There are wagons coming from the east of us."

"What is the flag they wave, Mr. Garrett?"

Reginald Garrett took binoculars from his saddlebag and raised them to look at the approaching convoy.
 
He could see the blue and white flag with a giant Star of David blowing against the breeze.

Garrett lowered his binoculars.

"It looks like Bethel Israel, Sir."

Grant smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, Garrett.
 
Please let everyone know that we'll be at the Gathering in about ten minutes."

Garrett smiled and nodded as he rode towards the rear of the train, yelling out their eminent arrival.
 
Grant Turner looked over at his son, who was intently staring at the impending village.

"You alright, Son?"

Ian, startled, turned and looked at his father.

“Uh, yeah…I’m fine."

"You look nervous?"

"Me?
 
Nah, I'm fine."

"Are you going to ask her?"

Ian Turner almost fell off his horse.

"Ask who what?"

"Ask Kaley Stark to marry you, of course?"

"I…wha…I…"

Grant eyed his son, who had turned a bright crimson, and smiled.

"Is that a yes or a no, Ian?
 
We didn't drag Father McMahon all the way out here for nothing."

Ian started to get upset, but took a deep breath.

"I’m not even sure she feels that way about me, Dad.
 
I mean we just danced and talked a little at the last Gathering.
 
That hardly dictates undying love.
 
Besides, I know for a fact that Father McMahon came for the beer."

Grant laughed and snapped the horses on towards the now visible gate and the vision of Alia Stark and Sean Lantry.

"Well, Son, you have a week to figure it out.
 
Ellen, I can see Alia and Sean."

Ellen Turner popped her head back out from the wagon's cover.
 
She strained to see and then raised her hand and waved excitedly.

Alia and Sean walked to the wagon as it stopped just outside the gates.
 
Grant Turner jumped down and without thinking ran to Alia and picked her up in a giant bear hug.
 
Laughing, he spun her around, until he remembered the protocol.
 
He put her down and began to apologize.
 
Alia shoved him.

"Oh, please, Grant."

Ellen Turner again popped out of the cover and jumped to the ground, grabbing Alia and hugging her.
 
When she was done she turned to Sean and grabbed him as well.
 
From around the corner came Rebecca, who jumped up on the wagon just as Hannah popped out.
 
The girls had been friends since they were five years old and relished their time together at the Gatherings.
 
Their squeals made Ian cringe as he dismounted his horse and walked over to say hello to Alia and Sean.
 
The squealing continued, causing Jerry and Liam to jump out of the wagon and run over to the group.
 
Jerry walked up to Alia.