Days of Love and Blood

completely different person. “Guess what I got for you?”
    “What is it?”
    Cooper reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small triangular stone which looked like it had been recently polished.
    “A real Indian arrowhead,” he explained. He held it up to Ronan but when my son went to reach for it, Cooper pull ed it away. “Uh-uh. First y’have to promise me somethin’.”
    “I promise.”
    Cooper laughed. Another first.
    “Boy, ya didn’t even hear what I need you t’promise.”
    “What?” Ronan’s eyes never left Cooper’s fist as he waited for him to reveal the precious item once again.
    “Two things. You have to promise me that you will always keep it safe. Can you do that?” Ronan nodded his head. “And ya have t’promise me that you’ll always remember who found it.”
    “Did you find it?” Ronan asked. Cooper shook his head.
    “Cameron found it. This is Cameron’s arrowhead. And it was very special to him. So ya have to take good care of it.”
    “Who’s Cameron?”
    “He’s the guy who found the arrowhead. Can ya promise me those two things?” Ronan exaggerated a nod with a hopeful smile. “Okay, say it. D’ya remember?”
    “I promise to always take good care of it.”
    “And?”
    “And this is Cameron’s arrowhead.”
    “Good.” Cooper opened his hand and ushered his gift in Ronan’s direction who carefully picked up the item to examine it. “I’m gonna ask ya later on who found that arrowhead, s’make sure ya remember.”
    “Cameron! Okay, thank you!”
    “Now go put it somewheres safe.” Ronan ran from the kitchen and I could hear him bouncing up the stairs to his room. Cooper leaned back in his chair with a satisfied grin but it didn’t last long. As soon as he looked up to me his facial expression changed back into something slightly more appealing than a scowl. I was going to ask him who Cameron was but thought better of it.
    “How about a cold can of ginger ale?” I asked as I swung the refrigerator door open. Before he could respond I had already popped the top of the can and placed it in front of him, holding one for myself.
    “Thanks.”
    I pulled out a notepad of lined paper from one of the drawers and a pen from the built-in writing desk that my father had installed in the kitchen for convenience. Sitting next to Cooper, I casually threw my legs up on the empty seat on the other side.
    “Let’s make a list of things they need and places we should go. I know of a few things, but you’ll have to help me with the rest.” I felt compelled to give him some element of control. It was the only way he seemed to feel comfortable.
    We spent the rest of the afternoon discussing what we would need for each house and where we could find it. He never changed his flat tone with me but once in a while he would wrestle with a hangnail on his finger and look up at me with a curious face as if he needed the excuse. If I happened to meet his eyes he would quickly look away. I wondered what was going on inside his head. I was tempted ask about his past and who he had lost but it would be a mistake. If I did, I might lose this new friend. Besides, I didn’t want him asking me about Ritchie.
    A friend.
    I considered him a friend.
    He didn’t bother me about my grief; I didn’t delve into his pain. We accepted this. It was unspoken - unsaid - yet we both understood and respected this needful boundary. Our old lives were gone. Who we are - we became only a few months ago, and that was all we needed to know.

    I spent the next few days at home, working on the house and the garden. Cooper took our notes back to the Fielding’s to discuss it further with Solomon and Brigham. We planned to make a raid in one week and hopefully bring a few people along for the ride.
    I also asked Cooper to bring the offer of hot showers and a washing machine. A number of people came and went from my house after that. Marianna brought her two boys , Jeremy and Jonah, and Ivy came for a repeat shower. Gretchen and Jayde eventually made their way over as well as Solomon, Brigham, Johnson and Tasha, plus several others I had not formally met until then. Some of them asked to do a small load of laundry. I wanted them to do big loads. Even Cooper decided to act on the opportunity.
    A young girl with thin hair and a gangly appearance showed up one evening. I wasn’t sure if she was a girl or a young woman when I first looked at her, somewhere in between. Her name was Cassie. She was