Chapter 7

Meeting The Family

C.B. radios have gone out of style in the last couple of decades. Since cell phones came out most people don’t see the point. Cell phone coverage kept getting better and better and C.B. sales kept declining. That was too bad. Us country boys who grew up in the sticks kept the C.B. alive. When you went to town we used cell phones like anyone else. Out in the field or the woods, if you wanted to keep in touch it was walkie talkies or a C.B. radio. Channel 16 was the Evans Family Channel. We monitored that whenever something was going on or someone was out hunting and we needed to get a hold of them.

“This is Pablo looking for entry at the backdoor. I am plus one on vehicles and am bringing guests.”

No response. That is not good. Someone should be on duty watch with a radio.

“Once again this is Pablo looking for entry at the backdoor. I am plus one on vehicles and am bringing guests for dinner.”

“Sorry about that delay Pablo, Kumquat reads you and I’ll meet you at the gate.”

The little code words were from when we were growing up as kids. My family called me Pablo Picasso ironically, because I had no artistic talent at all. Eventually it was shortened down to just Pablo. My little brother, who is five years younger, used to want to hang out with my friends and followed us everywhere. Of course it was annoying at the time so when he begged us for a nickname of his own to use on the radio we dubbed him Kumquat. A weird fruit to match up to a weird child. He wore it as a badge of pride now and everyone got a laugh out of it.

Backdoor, meant that I was not coming from the road and I told him plus one so he knew there was supposed to be two vehicles. One of the scenarios we worried about was one of us getting trapped or captured and being forced to bring a bad group back to the homestead. My use of guests was simple code for new people that were okay. If I had used visitors instead, the whole family would have been put on alert. I drove forward after the contact and saw my little brother standing at the large back gate to mom and dad’s property.

Now I say little brother, but that guy is five inches taller than me, and since I have lost the weight, quite a few pounds heavier. I was upset about one and pleased about the other.

“Good to see you brother. Momma was starting to get a little worried. We haven’t been able to get a hold of you. You need to know first off that daddy passed on. Momma is a little in denial and just taking care of the grandbabies trying to get past it, so be careful of what you say.”

“I am sorry to hear about dad. Once I knew how bad this thing was and heard he was sick I was afraid this might happen. He was getting up in years.”

“Who do you have with you?”

“Remember my neighbor Widow Allie?”

“Feisty old lady who yelled at me.”

“That’s the one. I have her, the youngest daughter of hers Stephanie and Stephanie’s three kids.”

“That might actually help momma. Someone close to her age to talk to and more grandbabies to smother with love.”

“They are good people so I decided they should come down and be safe. I am going to bunk down with them camping style in the barn for tonight. I will catch up with everyone in the morning after some rest. We have a lot we need to talk about and some decisions to make.”

“Sounds good brother, everyone else is asleep at the house. I have watch until sun-up and then everyone will take turns. I will let them know you came in when I head up to the house.”

“Great, by the way. Ran into three drunken idiots about five miles back that put a hole in my windshield and almost killed me. I took the guns I saw away from them, but be careful just in case. They were shooting at any light they saw so be careful with your light.”

“Okay. See you in a few hours.”

I had the girls follow me and we parked the truck and Betsy in front of the old barn. Pops at one time ran a few cows, pigs, and goats around his ten acres. Now however, only the goats were left. He decided the others were too much work. He kept the goats because in his words, “Son, goats are just about the world’s most perfect farm animal. They mow the lawn, eat about anything, taste good, and provide milk. I also don’t have to watch them as carefully as other animals.” Dad was a strange one sometimes. This meant though that there would be empty stalls to set up tents in.

I introduced Stephanie’s kids to the goats, Puffball, Jabberwocky, Big Mamma, and Benjamin. While they played with them in the lantern light I set up two tents quickly. I then ushered Widow Allie and the kids into the larger one and told them that I would either be in the other tent or bunked in the back of the truck if they needed anything. I promised to introduce them to everybody in the morning. I needed some sleep. I was not as young as I used to be. I drifted off with thoughts of everything that needed to be done running through my head.

I woke up in the back of the truck as the sun started to shine into my eyes. It took me a minute but the events of the past weeks and last night brought me fully awake. I decided that I better get up to the main house and say good morning to Momma before she came looking for me. It was always better to be proactive. First though is to get our guests up and get them ready to meet everyone else. I went back into the barn and was not at all surprised to see widow Allie already up and ready. Stephanie was next to her blinking the sleep out of her eyes and the three kids were whining just a little bit due to the early morning.

“Good morning everyone. Who wants some breakfast and to meet some new friends?”

After exchanging pleasantries and with the formidable Allie’s help the whole group was soon hiking the 200 meters up to the main house. I could see Momma waiting on the back porch along with my sister Jillian. That was not good, what were they up to that they were waiting for me to show up with the guests. I could see the grin on my sisters face.

“Good morning brother. Benji said you had brought a girl home to meet momma and I just couldn’t wait to see her.”

Oh so they were going to try and tease me huh, well two can play at this game.

“Good morning momma, good morning Jillian. I did bring home a young lady that I desperately want momma to meet. I have known her for years now and my feelings can no longer be denied. Momma, Jillian, I would like to introduce you to widow Allie. The widow finally agreed to run away with me.”

Before I could even hope to see the look on their faces as I introduced the widow instead of Stephanie I was knocked forward by a solid thump to the back of my head.

“Quit being cheeky young man. It is a pleasure to meet the lady who raised this rapscallion and his family.”

Another good joke of mine ruined by a powerful woman with no sense of humor. Oh well, at least they thought my pain was funny. All four girls, widow Allie, Momma, Jillian, and Stephanie started laughing. I just rubbed the back of head ruefully and glanced over at Barry Stephanie’s oldest. He had a look on his face that struck me as hilarious. It was both man I know what you are going through and feel for you combined with a better you than me look. We shared a short moment of bonding over these crazy female’s behaviors.

“All fun aside momma, Widow Allie, her daughter Stephanie and her children need a place to stay. I said that we could put them up.”

“Well of course they are welcome here. I can’t believe you made them sleep in the barn last night Mark. They are our guests what were you thinking?”

“Momma I did not want to wake anybody up.”

“Enough sass from you young man. Allie if you will step inside and help me get breakfast finished that would be wonderful. Jillian you go down with Stephanie to the barn and help them bring their belongings up to the house. Stephanie you and Allie will share the room next to mine. Jillian, you and Roberto will move down into the lower guest room. All the kids can have a slumber party in the last guest room together. Mark since you like the barn so much you and Benji can bunk out there until we decide what else we are going to do.”

How in the heck did I end up being the bad guy? Nothing to be done about it, when momma speaks it is law.

“Yes momma, I will find Benji and let him know. After breakfast I need to meet with Benji and Roberto and after we have a little talk I think the adults need to get together to discuss a few things.”

“Yes, yes Mark, if you think it is necessary.”

She was not even paying attention to me anymore. It was like I had become invisible. Stephanie, Jillian and the kids were walking towards the barn and momma and Allie were headed to the kitchen leaving me bewildered on the back porch. Roberto came out the back door right after the ladies went in.

“Hiya Mark, you are looking a little confused.”

“Well Roberto I think your wife and my momma just made new best friends and left me out here in the cold. In fact, I don’t even know if they remember that I am here.”

Roberto just laughed. He had married into the family but was treated like anyone else. He was an orphan without a family of his own when he married Jillian and was adopted into the Evan’s clan. We just treated him as another brother who just happened to like my sister.

“Let’s go find Benji and make one more turn around the property and talk before we head in for breakfast.”

Roberto and I made small talk and caught up on inconsequential family doings while we looked around for Benji. We found him soon enough at the front gate with binoculars looking down the front drive.

“Hola Benji, what’s going on?”

“I am not sure actually. There is a group of people congregating around the Smith house. At first I thought they were zombies attracted to some noise, but now I am not sure.”

Well that sounds ominous. I motion for the binoculars and Benji hands them over. When I look through them I see several “people” surrounding the Smith house like Benji said. However, unlike the couple that I have run across these “people” seem to have a purpose.

“How long have they been there?”

“I first noticed lights in the Smith House around 5 a.m. then people started to show up not much longer after that. I just assumed that some zombies had been attracted to the light or to some noise the source of the light was making. When it started getting lighter after the sun came up I started questioning my reasoning. The people over there seem coordinated in their movements. I mean I don’t know what they are doing, but they seem to be doing something on purpose. I did not want to go investigate without backup and letting someone know what was happening.”

“Good call little brother, I am going to go tool up with Roberto. Then I will go with you to check it out while he stays and holds the fort down.”

“Don’t take too long. Whatever they are, I think as it gets lighter they may notice our place and come investigate. I would rather deal with them away from the house than here.”

“Amen to that.”