Author's Note: Okay, so I know that everyone has seen the Tuck Everlasting preview with the song that goes, "Thinking over, thinking over…" It's a great song, right? Well, it's by Dana Glover, who is a really amazing singer and songwriter. I just bought her CD, Testimony, and I can't stop listening to it. It is really good. No, I do not work for the advertising company responsible for promoting Miss Glover. I only wanted to share this wonderful music with Tuck Everlasting fans. Go out and buy that CD! You won't regret it! Now, on to the story.

Chapter Nineteen: Miles

It didn't take Winnie long to put the pieces together, but when she did, there was definitely a change in her demeanor. Jeremiah even noticed the difference and smiled when she laughed out loud at the prospect of seeing the Tucks again.

Soon, however, her mood shifted slightly and she was suddenly very weary thinking of the distance to Patterson. By then, Jeremiah said that they had about ten miles to go. Winnie sighed and her stomach echoed the sentiment with a large growl. Winnie blushed and refused to look at Jeremiah, but he didn't say anything, only reached into his bag to remove a small bundle covered in cloth. He pushed aside the cloth flap to reveal a large hunk of bread and held it out for her to take.

"Oh, no. I've already taken your water. I can't take your food, too." She looked into his eyes. "What will you eat?"

"I've survived on less than this. Even when I had nothing, opportunities were given to me to eat and drink and take shelter."

Winnie thought that sounded very noble and accepted the bread gratefully, though she made him keep half of it. They ate in comfortable silence as they continued down the road to the east. The bread gave Winnie much needed energy and she felt that she might actually be able to make it all the way to Patterson.

"So, where do you live?" Winnie finished the last of her bread and looked at Jeremiah expectantly.

Jeremiah finished chewing the piece in his mouth and folded the rest in the cloth to put back in his bag. "I live wherever I am."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I don't really have a permanent home. I stay with friends and kind strangers and sometimes I just sleep outside...in the fields." Jeremiah smirked at Winnie and she laughed. "Where do you live?"

She sighed. "I lived in Treegap."

"And now?"

"And now…I don't know. I guess that's what I'm trying to figure out."

He nodded. "I know what that's like."

"Do you?" Winnie was suddenly very anxious to know someone who felt the same as she.

"Yes. I had to work through that years ago. It's hard trying to decide where you belong…and who you want to be."

Again, Jeremiah had given Winnie too much to think about and they fell into another companionable silence as they continued alongside the road. Hours passed and the day grew hotter. However, Jeremiah shared more of his water with her, so the heat didn't affect her the way it had when she was thirsty. The two talked about many things, including the Tucks. Winnie smiled as she told Jeremiah about each of them individually, remembering all of the events that had taken place during the time they were together. He listened patiently and did not interrupt as she rambled on.

By early afternoon, the heat of the day was becoming unbearable, so Jeremiah suggested they take sanctuary in the shade of a grove of trees. Winnie leaned against the trunk while Jeremiah sat across from her on the grass.

"How much longer do you think?"

Jeremiah rumpled his nose and thought for a second. "Probably only two or three miles now. We should be there in an hour or two."

Winnie glanced up. "That soon? Really?"

"Looks like it." He studied her face for a moment. "You seem worried."

"Oh, no, it's just that…" Winnie faltered as she tried to describe what she felt. How could she explain the nervous pit in the bottom of her stomach at seeing these people again? They hadn't laid eyes on her in over six years. Would they be happy that she had come after her? What if they had grown to like their life without her? The thought of the Tucks moving on with their lives and forgetting her brought tears to her eyes and she struggled to brush them away without Jeremiah seeing them.

Of course, he did see them, though, and a worried look came over his face. "What's wrong?" His voice was soft and honest, like his eyes. "Are you afraid to see them?" Winnie nodded as she dug through her pocket to find his handkerchief. She dotted her eyes with it and tried to collect herself.

"It's just that I haven't seen them in so long. I'm afraid that they won't be glad to see me."

"Of course they will be."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because families don't stop loving each other. They are always glad to see someone they haven't been with in a long time."

The words may have given comfort to someone who was actually looking for their family, but as Winnie was aware, the Tucks were not her blood relations. Another tear trickled down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly before another could follow. Finally she swallowed and forced herself to stop crying. She put a smile on her face and looked up at Jeremiah. "Thank you," she said and handed him his handkerchief.

"Oh, no, it's yours," he said, returning her smile. "You never know when you may need it again."

Twenty minutes later, the two rose from the protection of the tree grove and began walking along the main road again. As they made their way further east, Winnie could feel Jeremiah looking at her from the side. She blushed and turned her head to face him. She must have had a strange look on her face, because he burst out laughing. Winnie stopped where she was and placed her hand on her hip. "What are you laughing at?"

Her stance only made him laugh harder and soon they were both standing on the side of the road with hands on their bellies, each of them barely able to breathe. Winnie didn't even know what she was giggling at, only that his laughter was infectious. Finally, Winnie was able to collect herself and glared at him amicably. "So, what was so funny really?"

Jeremiah smiled and tried not to laugh again. "It was nothing."

"Obviously not. Tell me what it is. I demand to know."

"Oh, you demand? Well, in that case, it was your face."

Winnie was shocked. "My face? What's wrong with it?"

"Well, there's nothing wrong with it. You're sunburned, is all."

Winnie gasped slightly, and her fingers rose to touch her flaming cheeks. They felt warm, but without a mirror, she couldn't tell how much damage had been done. "Oh, no, is it that bad?"

"It doesn't look bad. Really." Jeremiah tried to give her a sympathetic glance, but she could tell that he was trying not to laugh.

"Okay, give it up. I must look like a tomato."

Jeremiah burst into a grin, but refrained from laughing. "Well, maybe just a little bit."

Winnie smirked and began walking again. She could hear Jeremiah chuckling behind her and tried to ignore it, but she couldn't help the small smile that appeared at the thought.

The time passed rather quickly with Winnie traveling at such a quick pace. After about an hour and a half of walking, Jeremiah pointed out a few buildings on the horizon. "There's Patterson," he said.

As they approached the town, Winnie could see that it was much bigger than it appeared to be from the road. It wasn't quite as large as Maple Bend, but would definitely trump Johannesburg. Just the thought of traveling through that small, dusty, uncaring town gave her shivers. This will be better, she thought. Miles is here. Jesse is here.

"Do you know where this man Miles McCormick has his shop?"

Jeremiah nodded. "It's been a few months since I last saw him, but it should be in the same place. Come on, I'll show you."

Winnie made him stop quickly before entering the town so that she could replace her respectable shoes and return the socks to their rightful owner. When she was satisfied that she looked all right, she allowed him to continue. There was nothing that she could do about the filth or the sunburn or the rumpled clothing. She could only hope and pray that Miles and Jesse would not turn her away when they saw her. No, Winnie, she thought. You mustn't feel that way. Surely they wouldn't be so cruel.

Jeremiah led her through the town until they reached a small open building beside a woodworking shop. There was a man with black hair working with a horseshoe in the front. Winnie's heart gave way to disappointment, but Jeremiah spoke up. "Excuse me, sir, but is Miles McCormick around?"

The man started to speak, but was interrupted by a deep voice from the back. "Depends on who's asking."

Winnie turned toward the voice and her heart jumped straight up into her throat. There, standing right in front of her, looking exactly like he did six years before, was Miles Tuck.