"Drink some of this, Forrest." Annie McIntyre held a cup of broth to her friend's lips. He leaned his head up and sipped it.
"Shouldn't you be going home?" He rasped. "Ain't right for no fifteen year old kid to be out this late."
"You're only three years older than me, Forrest. You've got no right to call me a kid. Besides, you're sick. There's no one else to take care of you. Hal's gone home for the night."
"Jack can."
"I love your brother, but we both know Jack is an idiot. And anyway, he went to sleep hours ago."
"Shouldn't you be taking care of Gabriel?"
"He's at home with my daddy. Come on, drink some more."
Forrest obeyed. They both startled as they heard the door to the station slam open downstairs. Annie looked at Forrest and set the cup of steaming broth down on the side table. She pulled the shotgun from under his bed.
"I'll go see who that is."
Annie crossed herself and said a small prayer for safety before she crept down the stairs slowly. She nearly dropped the gun.
Howard Bondurant stood near the door. Bedraggled and wartorn, in a uniform that looked as though it had once fit him, but now swallowed his tall, gaunt frame, and looking so much older than his twenty one years, Annie still thought he was the best thing she had ever seen.
"Howard Bondurant! You scared me half to death!" Annie put the shotgun on the bar and threw herself into his arms. He stood for a moment, and then hugged her back.
"Annie."
"Thank God you're home!"
"Annie. Is it really you?"
"It's me."
Howard hugged her harder.
"Oh, God. It is you. You smell like heaven."
Annie smiled and stood back from him. "We heard your battalion..."
"They did. I'm the only one left," Howard answered stoicly. "I don't rightly know why."
"I'm happy you're back. Can I make you some coffee?"
"No, thanks. Where is everyone?"
"Jack is asleep. And Forrest is in his room. He's been sick with the Spanish flu, but he came through it. He's going to be alright now."
"And Momma and Daddy?"
Annie looked at the floor. Howard chewed at his lip and waited for her to give him the answer he knew he was going to get. Annie tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She opened her mouth to answer, but someone else did it for her.
"They're gone, Howard."
Annie and Howard both looked in the direction of the voice. Forrest was leaning on the bannister and sweating with the exertion of coming down the stairs . Annie rushed to him.
"Get back into bed!"
"Momma and Daddy died. We buried them four days ago. Well, everyone else did. I was upstairs. I was..."
Howard sniffed once, and then stormed back through the door.
"Howard!" Annie started to follow.
"Let him go, Anne. He needs to grieve. And you need to get home."
"Fine. But you go back to bed and sleep. I'll be back tomorrow morning."
Forrest just turned and started back up the stairs.