Days of Love and Blood

included.”
    “I figured. Me and Cooper, I assume.”
    “And Johnson and Tasha. It would be an overnight trip, maybe even three days. I can take care of Ronan.”
    “If we did that, I’d want you to stay at Ivy’s house with Ronan. Not here, by yourself.”
    “No problem.”
    “Man, I want to take another nap,” Cassie said while stretching her arms above her.
    “Are you feeling okay?”
    “Fine. Just tired lately.”
    I called Solomon an hour later and he informed me that the idea was already passed by Cooper. We would leave the following morning and bring my camper and Johnson’s truck.

    I arrived at Ivy’s house the next morning with Cassie and a very solemn Ronan.
    “Mom, I don’t want you to go,” he said as he stepped out of the camper.
    “Oh, baby. I’ll be right back.”
    “You’re going to be gone for too long. Please, Mommy, don’t go.” His face wrinkled and his mouth puckered before opening into a wail. He shook as the tears came and I wrapped him in my arms.
    “Sweetheart, it’s just this one time. You know Mommy can take care of herself, baby. I would never let anything happen to me. Do you know why?” I pushed him back and wiped away his tears with my thumb. He shook his head and sniffed a few times. “Because I am your mother. I am the mother of Ronan and I will never give up. I would never leave you. An army couldn’t hold me back from my son. I promise you. Do you trust me?” He nodded yes but his face still held onto the fear of impending separation. I picked him up and sat down at the picnic table with him on my lap and rocked him back and forth.
    “Hey, big guy.” Ben sat down next to us at the table. Aside from him, no one else was in the yard. They were still sleeping away the morning or doing chores in the back. I looked around for Cooper but couldn’t find him. “Hey, did you hear?”
    “What?” sobbed Ronan.
    “I heard that Brigham made a real, live tree fort yesterday. He only just finished it after you left. The boys have already seen it. They’re having breakfast inside now and then they are going to play king of the castle in the fort after. Are you going to play with them?” Ronan looked up at me with wide eyes.
    “Can I, Mommy?”
    “Of course you can. As long as someone goes with you. Why don’t you go inside and find Jeremy and Jonah.” He kissed me on the cheek and scampered inside to find his friends.
    “Thanks, Ben.”
    “No problem. I felt bad.”
    “I saw you leaving my house yesterday.”
    “Yeah,” he sighed. “Sorry about that.”
    “Don’t be,” I said. “But listen, Cooper and I - we’re trying to keep things private. Do you know what I mean?”
    “I think so. I mean, I do. I just don’t understand it.”
    “You don’t have to,” I replied.
    “I know. But I still wouldn’t mind having a friend. Can you understand that?”
    “Sure,” I laughed.
    The screen door banged shut and we both looked up to Cooper standing on the front porch. He leaned against the railing with a shotgun slung around his back and his jaw jutting out. His eyes could have placed a bull’s eye on Ben’s head.
    “Have - uh - be safe on your trip,” Ben stuttered. He stood up and walked away with his hands in his pockets and I made my way to the porch.
    I could see Cooper’s chest rising and falling when I reached him. I stopped with my hand on the door and spoke without looking at him.
    “He knows,” I assured him. He quickly looked away and I made my way inside.

    After packing weapons, s ome extra food and clothing, I sought out Ronan to say goodbye one last time. I never actually said the word. I never would. But I held him tight and kissed the top of his head several times before tickling his grip away. I didn’t want him to see me cry and I turned away from him.
    “If anything happens,” I began.
    “I know,” Ivy said.
    “You keep him safe.”
    “I’ll treat him as my own.”
    “Don’t let him forget me.”
    “I won’t have to,” she sighed. “You’ll be back.”
    I nodded and threw my arms around Ivy. I made the hug quick and simple so that no one would suspect a mild breakdown. The last thing I needed was a lack of confidence from my new peers. Without turning around, I jumped into my R.V. Cooper already had the camper started, sitting in the driver’s seat. I sat down next to him without questioning his decision to captain.
    Ronan wasn’t the only one upset. The fear of leaving Ronan motherless had hit me that