Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Gradually, the room went back to normal with conversations starting again, yet Sophie noticed Matthew or Isaac kept Alex with them rather than letting him play with Leah or Freddie again.
Alanna moved to the couch where Gavin and Ginny had taken a seat after putting Leah back on the floor to play with the block. Sophie wished she could overhear what they were talking about. Alanna seemed to be tearfully apologizing.
She started to go over there to tell them Alex had done nothing wrong—he had barely touched her when she had started crying.
Jody took her hand, stopping her.
“Let’s go for a walk. I need to walk dinner off.”
“Okay, I just need to speak to Ginny and Alanna before I go.”
“Leave it alone.” Jody tugged her to her feet. Without giving her a chance to say good night, he ushered her out the door.
Sophie gave him a curious look as he closed the door behind them. “What’s the rush?” she asked. “I was just going to explain what happened. Alex barely touched her. I don’t know what set Leah off, but Alex didn’t hurt her. Alanna is upset, thinking he did—”
“No one is angry at Alex. Let’s take that walk. You need to loosen up your muscles.”
Blushing at the way he was looking at her, she went down the steps. Having never been in an inner circle of a family before, she assumed she was making more out of it than the weirdness she had felt.
“I shouldn’t have tried to say anything. I’m glad you stopped me. I forgot my place.”
Jody frowned at her. “What place?”
“I’m not a member of the family.”
They continued walking. Jody showed her the different areas of their mountain she hadn’t seen before. He took her into the building where Matthew and Isaac had their forge, where they made their fencing materials. Leaving the building, they walked until they had to go down a deep trail to where Silas kept the animals. Jody also showed her the storage buildings, which were like small grocery stores that held all of their supplies.
Sophie stared around the building in awe. “One thing’s for sure: we have an apocalypse, you guys are good to go for at least a couple of years.”
Jody laughed. “Maybe a year, with as many mouths to feed as we do. Silas intended to buy a couple of calves to raise to slaughter, but when Matthew and Alanna got together, he changed his mind.”
“Why?”
Jody took her hand as they left the storage building.
“Alanna gets too attached to the animals. It’s easier to buy from a farm that Silas goes to rather than upset her.”
“I saw her eating dinner—she’s not a vegetarian.”
“She’s not. She just doesn’t want any of the animals she named sitting on the dinner table.”
After showing her Moses and Matthew’s home, he took her to a small creek.
“This area is beautiful. I’m surprised no one has built their home here.”
Jody dropped down onto the ground near the creek. Taking his cue, she sat down next to him.
“We don’t want to spoil the natural beauty here. Freddie left each of us a section of land. This is Silas’.” Jody pointed to an area close to the road that led to the back road. “It extends to the main road.”
Sophie looked at him in surprise. “I thought the main house was Silas’.”
“No, the house belongs to Fynn.
“There’s another section that is undeveloped, which belongs to Ginny. She was building a house there when there was an explosion, and it was destroyed. Silas let Ginny have the land that would have been Leah’s if she had lived.”
“Who will get Ginny’s original property, then?”
“Silas will make the decision. It will go to one of the children when they grow older. The land will remain in the Coleman family regardless of whom he gifts it to.”
“Your family has made yourselves self-sufficient.”
“Which was our ancestor’s intention. Dad and Silas have turned down numerous offers to sell.”
“I’m glad. Places like this are hard to come by.”
Sophie watched curiously as Jody removed his shoes and socks, placing his feet onto the grass. “What are you doing?”
“Grounding myself. Have you heard of it?”
“I have. I’ve just never actually seen anyone do it.”
“The beauty is it’s not hard to do.” Reaching out, he took off her shoes and socks, then placed her bare feet back on the grass. “Now you’re grounded.”
They sat quietly. Sophie had never felt so relaxed. The night before and getting up early was catching up to her. She didn’t want to leave the tranquil spot, yet she couldn’t help becoming drowsy.
Jody stretched out his legs. “You can lay your head on my thigh,” he offered.
Sophie took his suggestion, feeling strange at the new experience of being with a man she didn’t feel uncomfortable with as she drowsily closed her eyes. Shifting into a more comfortable position, she then opened her eyes. Groggily, she thought the grass was bending toward her and Jody, as if each blade of grass was reaching for them. Thinking she was imagining what she was seeing, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.