Chapter 8 - Nara's Choice
Winter arrived early.
Snow dusted the higher hills.
The cabin became warm and solid beneath Elias's repairs.
Then a young carpenter named Thomas Reed arrived from Tucson to help rebuild several storm-damaged structures.
Nara disliked him immediately.
At least she claimed to.
“He talks too much.”
Thomas talked very little.
“He smiles constantly.”
Thomas rarely smiled.
“He thinks he's clever.”
Elias watched Thomas repair a door while Nara stood nearby pretending not to watch him.
“Terrible man,” Elias agreed.
Nara glared.
“Don't start.”
Within weeks, Thomas and Nara were spending increasing amounts of time together.
Aayoka noticed.
Elias noticed.
Everybody noticed.
Nara apparently believed nobody noticed.
Then Thomas received an offer of work in Tucson.
He planned to leave.
Nara became unusually quiet.
Elias found her sitting near the creek.
“You're letting him go.”
“He has work.”
“That wasn't what I said.”
She looked at him.
“You've become annoyingly wise.”
“No. I've made enough mistakes to recognize one.”
Nara stared at the water.
“What if I care and lose him?”
Elias sat beside her.
“That happens.”
“Very comforting.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“That it won't.”
“I won't lie.”
She looked disappointed.
Elias continued.
“But losing people isn't the only thing that hurts.”
“What else?”
“Never letting yourself have them.”
Nara looked at him for a long time.
“You should listen to yourself.”
“I was afraid you'd say that.”
She laughed.
The next morning Nara stopped Thomas before he left.
Elias and Aayoka deliberately remained inside.
Nara returned an hour later.
Thomas's wagon remained outside.
Aayoka smiled.
Elias pretended not to.
May you like
Another person had chosen to stay.
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