Still, Travis hesitated. It broke Eve’s heart that he often went hungry and without because he placed Cammie’s—and Eve’s—needs above his own. He of all of them needed regular meals. In the last year, he’d hit an enormous growth spurt, going from an average height of five foot six to nearly six feet. And it was obvious that he was undernourished. His tall, lanky frame showed his thinness. With adequate nourishment, he’d be a broad, much thicker . . . man. It was hard to envision him as an adult, but in fact, he’d been forced to grow up and mature much too fast. He had knowledge and experience of the evil in the world that most adults never gained.
If it was the last thing Eve did, she was going to ensure that they had a good place to live, or at least an adequate place, and food so Travis and Cammie ate regularly. Even if it meant going without herself.
“Eat,” Eve prompted gently. “There wasn’t room to pack it all anyway. No sense in it going to waste. Eat as much as you can stomach because as I said, we’re going to be on the move for the next several days, and we’ll have to eat when we can and sparingly so we stretch the food as far as possible before we have to buy more.”
“Do you want anything?” Travis asked as he rose.
Eve started to shake her head. The thought of food made her nauseated when her thoughts were in turmoil over what they faced for the next days. But she also knew that she couldn’t very well convince Travis of his need to eat if she refused to eat herself.
She forced a smile in Travis’s direction. “That would be nice. Just make me a sandwich. There are two cans of pop left in the fridge that I couldn’t fit in the suitcase. Why don’t we drink those before we head out?”
There was still enough of a boy in Travis to be happy over the “treat” offered to him. Her heart ached at the idea that something as simple as a sandwich and a can of soda would be a luxury often denied them.
“What do you want on yours?” Travis asked as he headed toward the kitchen.
“Oh, one of everything,” Eve said with a smile. “We may as well splurge tonight since we can’t bring the rest of the food with us. Cammie, what about you, darling? Are you feeling up to eating something more than the crackers you’ve been nibbling on?”
“Can I have another grilled cheese?” Cammie asked around her thumb.
“You betcha,” Travis said with an indulgent smile. “I’ll heat the pan while I make my and Evie’s sandwiches. Then we’ll all eat together on the couch and wait for the storm to pass. That sound good?”
Cammie nodded vigorously.
“Trav, make sure you eat plenty,” Eve reminded. “Don’t waste it, and you need to eat good.”
He grinned. “Don’t have to persuade me. I’m starving!”
Eve sat back, savoring the brief moment of normalcy. It was easy to pretend that they weren’t in a run-down trailer living hand to mouth or in constant fear of discovery. For the space of a few stolen minutes, they could be a typical family enjoying something as simple as a meal together.
Eve committed the moment to memory, knowing that the coming days would bring them uncertainty and upheaval. And she prayed for the strength not only to survive but to be strong for her siblings. They needed her. She was the only constant in their lives and they were the only constants in hers.
CHAPTER 11
EVE roused from sleep and panicked as she realized that they’d all fallen asleep on the couch after eating. Travis was leaned over against the arm, his head lolled to the side. Cammie was nestled in Eve’s arms and draped across Eve’s body.
She lifted her watch but couldn’t see the time in the darkness. At least it was still dark and they hadn’t slept through the night. She strained to listen for the sounds of rain, but quiet had descended. It was almost eerily quiet. No sounds of frogs or crickets that usually permeated the night.
The air was thick, the humidity so thick it was hard to breathe. She shifted, trying to get a better look at her watch. Cammie stirred in her arms and Eve carefully laid her to the side before reaching for Travis’s arm.
“Trav. Trav,” she said a little louder. “We have to get up and get moving. It’s stopped raining and I don’t know how long we slept.”
After eating their meal, they’d relaxed, listening to the rain beat against the tin roof and the wind rattling the windows in the trailer. Realizing the storm wasn’t just a brief cloudburst of rain, Eve had suggested they try to get in a little sleep. She hadn’t intended to drift off, though. She’d wanted Cammie and Travis to rest for the trip ahead and the long days of walking, but she’d wanted to limit it to an hour at the most.
Travis stirred and then immediately sat up, his hand going to Eve’s.
“Sorry, Evie. I shouldn’t have fallen asleep like that,” he said in a regretful tone.
“Shhh, you needed it,” she said. “But if you can help me with Cammie, we can be on our way. She needs her shoes and the shorts and T-shirt you laid out for her.”
Travis got up and reached for Cammie, who was still half asleep. She muttered a drowsy protest but clung to Travis’s neck as he carried her to the bedroom to get her ready.
Eve stood, pushing away the heavy veil of fatigue as she mentally prepared herself for what lay ahead. No matter that they’d led this life for the past several months, she still wasn’t used to it. She still couldn’t shake the fear that uncertainty brought. She was in way over her head. She wasn’t qualified for this, but then who was?