Authors Note: So this is going to be more of a visit with the townspeople and less of a story with a plot. You have been warned. Also – I can tell that a few folks are still out there reading. Please drop a comment and let me know what you think. And let me know if you want to visit with anyone in particular…
Chapter II: Returning to Normal?
Heather came back from her reverie of the previous afternoon. Ellie had finished eating and gone to sleep. Jake was stirring in bed. Heather laid Ellie in her cradle and crawled under the blankets with Jake. She knew they only had a short time before the rest of the kids trooped in to get her and start the morning routine.
"It's so good to be back," Jake said softly as he warmed Heather up against the early winter chill. The previous night, they'd had a chance to talk. He had sufficiently admired his newest daughter, Eleanor. Heather had explained the circumstances of getting her tubes tied, and he had understood. With just a few words, it was as though they had never been apart.
They only had a few moments of quiet together before the patter of footsteps down the hall became too loud to ignore. They both rolled their eyes as Chip, Abby, Sadie, and finally E.J. piled into their bed, all the while being 'shushed' so as to not awaken baby Ellie in her cradle across the room.
"Daddy and I have to take Ellie and go into town briefly this morning. What would you think about a picnic lunch, and then some kind of family adventure in the afternoon? Providing that no one has gotten into mischief..." Heather said, fixing them with a classic Mom look.
Chip had the good grace to look at his feet and appear at least a little repentant. The girls chimed in with reassurances that they would be perfect angels, and would keep an eye on young E.J. to be sure he would do the same. Chip made a face, but didn't take the bait, fully aware that the twins were every bit as capable of thinking up mischief as were he and Brody, their transgressions just weren't quite as likely to make front-page news yet. He and Brody would settle that score one day...
Heather sent the older children downstairs to have breakfast with Aunt Eleanor while she and Jake got ready for town. Once Miss Ellie awakened from her nap, she was made ready as well. They all went down for a late bite of breakfast, filled Aunty Eleanor in on the plan for the day, and quickly left for Jericho.
Heather needed to see nurse-midwife Kim Jackson to be cleared after her C-section. Little Eleanor just needed a routine well baby visit to make sure that she was growing and developing properly. Heather was delighted to have Bonnie as the nurse who checked out Ellie and gave her a clear bill of health. Bonnie had shown an aptitude and desire to study nursing shortly before the bombs when others were being trained as EMTs and Paramedics. Elizabeth Summers had recognized the need to teach new nurses and had developed around Bonnie an on-the-job practical nursing course so the medical center would never run short of them. Once normalcy was fully returned, these graduates could be grandfathered in as LVNs, or gives credit toward classes and experience under their belt towards becoming an RN. Bonnie was one of the best students they'd had in the program. They also passed the idea on to other towns across the New Republic.
When Bonnie wasn't studying or at the medical center trying to fit in extra clinical hours, she and Dale Turner had been spending time getting Gracie Lee's Store up and running again. Gracie Lee had up and retired, leaving both the store and the living quarters above to Dale and Bonnie. (Gracie had apparently seen things developing there even more quickly than they had). In light of this new wrinkle in his life, Dale had felt compelled to propose to Bonnie (after first asking Stanley for his blessing). Of course, Bonnie said 'Yes', and the much needed renovation of the living quarters commenced soon after.
In the meantime, Gracie herself was not unlucky in love that spring. She had been spending time with Oliver Wilson: Initially, in order to conduct business, then to reminisce about their youth. Soon they found they didn't even need an excuse anymore. The number of Jericho weddings was quite record-breaking, but the one that took place between the town crank who had formerly been a POW-MIA, and the confirmed bachelorette gossip who ran the local grocery quite took the prize for least expected. Fortunately for those involved, ignorance was bliss. They were happy as they set up their new household and paid no attention to the naysayers.
The other surprising wedding had taken place between Jake's best friend Stanley and Uncle Sam, the tax lady. They now knew her name – Mimi Clark, now Mimi Richmond for more than four years – and they knew her to be quite reasonable, and a surprisingly attentive mother. As her feelings for Stanley developed, apparently so did her biological clock. Their first child, a son named Clark to honor her family, was born shortly after the first anniversary of the bombs, a daughter names Elizabeth (for Stanley's mother) and called Betsy arrived two years later, and another son named Chester just a few months ago. No one was sure where the name Chester had come from, but Stanley had liked it, and Mimi seemed unable to tell him no. He had finally found the woman of his dreams, had his sweet little family, and nothing could slow him down.
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Once their business in town was finished, the Green family made their way back to the ranch to collect the older children. Eleanor, hearing about their plans, had taken it upon herself to pack them lunch. Both Jake and Heather encouraged her to join them, but Emmett was home during the day (a rare occurrence), so she opted to spend the afternoon with him instead.
As Jake drove back toward town, the children clamored to know where they were going and what the afternoon adventure would entail. Instead of telling them, Heather told them the story of a different December afternoon many years earlier, during a year that had a great deal of snow starting before Thanksgiving.
By the time they arrived at Riverside Park, the children knew the story of their parents' engagement, and a little bit about Jake being ill that weekend. This year had been very mild thus far, with no snow in the forecast. The well-bundled children tumbled out of the vehicle and scrambled in all directions, each with his own agenda. Since none left her line of vision, Heather allowed the frenzy to continue while she brought out the picnic lunch.
The children returned one at a time. First Chip, drawn to Jake like a moth to the light. The boy showed his father the treasures he had found. Shiny rocks, a branch that promised to make a good slingshot. Jake admired them appropriately. Young E.J. arrived next, laying his pebbles out on the bench and then cuddling up against Heather. He hadn't quite gotten used to the fact that he wasn't the baby of the family any longer. Abby returned next, a handful of fall wildflowers in her now grimy hand. Finally, Heather had to call Sadie down from a tree where she had climbed up as far as she could.
The children were cleaned up from their adventures and seated around the picnic table to enjoy the lunch Eleanor had packed. The children filled Jake in on recent events with rapid-fire statements shouted between bites of ham sandwich and potato salad. The children usually used their manners during meals, but Heather and Jake allowed them free reign while they all became reacquainted. They laughed and joked. Jake teased the children until they shrieked with giggles.
Soon enough, the afternoon shadows of early winter began to show themselves. Jake organized a race to the end of the park and back, then the whole family piled back into the older minivan Jonah had procured for them the year after the bombs. The children had warm baths (Jake refereeing the boys in the hall bathroom and Heather overseeing the girls in the master bath), then joined Eleanor and Emmett for a delightful dinner they had made during their afternoon together.
Uncle Emmett had been busy professionally since shortly after his arrival in Jericho, especially when it had become known that he was a qualified judge. Turns out, he was the only judge remaining in the region. Rogue River, which had been the county seat and home of the hospital and courthouse, was still uninhabitable. The erstwhile residents were scattered to the wind, either relocated to live with family or no longer living, from the best they could tell. The last they'd been seen was on busses, heading toward FEMA camps.
So, Emmett Green had presided over every kind of case from the adoption of Courtney and Cassidy by the Stevens family (as well as the adoption of many other bomb orphans) to petty crime cases to the occasional murder case from all around the western region. Johnston had set him up with an office and an assistant in city hall.
One case, which was of particular interest to the citizens of Jericho, involved three of the uniformed Marine imposters who had arrived with the tank in the early days following the bombs. Apparently, they had not taken Johnston's advice regarding mending their ways and were reported to a Jericho Ranger a few months later for plotting to overthrow the town leadership. Johnston was outraged at their stupidity.
The tip was good and the evidence solid. He met with Emmett and Jake to discuss possible outcomes of a trial. His first and strongest inclination was to hang them for treason, if not chronic stupidity. Emmett's response was a bit more calculated. Given the tremendous number of casualties in the recent bombs, and the vast acreage that was currently considered a hot zone around each of the bombed cities, weren't there unsavory jobs that no one else would want to do, but that these and other serious offenders could be tasked with under supervision? The hot zones could be slowly cleared with less risk to upstanding citizens. If the prisoners survived their work assignment, they might be given another opportunity to live in society.
Johnston patted Emmett on the back. "I like the way you think, Brother," he commented. "There just isn't enough food to justify keeping prisoners in jail while they do nothing, and hanging them all does seem a bit extreme. Jake, will you look into the practicality of that plan and make it work? It's been months since the bombs, and I'm frankly surprised that we haven't needed such an option before this. Further, if we can make it work here, we need to pass the idea out along the HAM channels, because surely everyone else is going to be in the same boat soon if they aren't already!"
Jake had made a few calls and found a clearing team tasked with mopping up the outskirts of Denver and pushing in the perimeter. They were happy to have a couple of extra hands along to help with the job.
Emmett signaled that the trial could begin, the prosecuting attorney painted the very grim picture of the short interaction between the three men and the members of the town if Jericho. By the time the defense was ready to present, there really wasn't much to say. The men somehow felt they were smarter than the folks for whom they had been assigned to work. So their mind numbing plot had been to reposition themselves closer and closer to Johnston. Once there, all 3 would quietly dispose of Johnston and the 3 of them would take the leadership of Jericho in a new direction. They were quickly found guilty of treason to the New Republic, and kept in the town jail until the clearing team collected them the following week. Since that time, several dozen offenders in the region and several thousand nationally had been sentenced to mop-up in the hot zones.
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The co-op had taken on another function shortly after the bombs. Once they had gotten settled back into their home, Miranda Stevens had gone through her basement looking for Skylar's outgrown clothing that might be useful for Courtney and Cassidy. Along the way, she found plastic totes of maternity clothing, baby, toddler, and little girl clothing, each marked by size. With all of the marrying and baby-making she had observed in the short time they had been home, she was certain someone would be interested, even if things were a bit out of date.
Not sure who else to approach, Miranda spoke with Heather after church that week. Heather's mind started churning. So far, donations had been a spare blanket here, an extra coat there. But the town really didn't have a thrift store beyond Gail Green's Lost and Found Cupboard (Heather giggled at that memory). The co-op only took up a portion of the old Montgomery building, another room or 2 could easily hold used clothing, and household goods, for that matter... Heather thanked Miranda for the brilliant idea and told her that a plan would be in place within the week for her unused items.
While she was packing things up to go to the co-op, Miranda mused over the larger family they might have had, then happily concluded that they had just the right family. The girls were doing very well, especially considering what they had been through. They had already met several times with Eleanor Green, and would continue to do so. Skylar, having blossomed during their absence, was delighted with the little sisters they never knew she wanted, and was quite independent now.
Sharon Green Brady had visited the co-op soon after it opened to collect things for her family. She noticed several wedding dresses that had been donated, and realized that they were the only option for the many new brides in town. With her fashion designer education, she had learned to sew and to remake articles of clothing. She started by volunteering to remake a couple bridal dresses, and quickly found herself in great demand in altering clothing (most town residents and all the refugees had lost weight since the bombs), as well as in sewing new articles of clothing for special occasions. Jonah and his crew were encouraged to seek fabric stores and liberate as many patterns and bolts of fabric as they had room for. They were stored in yet another room of the Montgomery building along with the donated fabric stashes and patterns of several of the town residents. Sharon worked from home to begin with, then found herself overwhelmed with requests for simple things that did not really require her skill level. She discussed the situation with Heather, and soon the call was put out to the residents and refugees looking for seamstresses. Several volunteered, some bringing sewing machines with them, and some using machines that had been donated. A workshop was set up in yet a different room of the Montgomery building. Those interested in learning to sew were offered classes one afternoon each week.
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Skylar, Bonnie Richmond, Dale Turner, Allison Hawkins, and the others who were in the graduating high school class the spring following the bombs did not have a college option available since they had universally closed down due to the bombs, EMP, and war. Some graduating seniors enlisted and went off to fight, but not as many were needed since it was more of a psychological strategy than a physical one.
In light of this, Jericho and nearby towns decided to teach as many things as they could to whom ever was interested. Elizabeth Summers already had Bonnie and several others in an on-the-job nursing program. Heather was teaching a mixed group of graduates interested in teaching and parents who had been homeschooling and wish to continue. It turned into a great group, because the benefits of each could be discussed. Gil Bennett had several local students, 2 from Cedar Brook and one from New Bern to shadow his Vet Med practice, helping him along while they got a taste for the job. Both Allison Hawkins and Skylar Stevens signed up for internships in city hall, since politics and the law interested both of them. Uncle Dennis taught mechanical engineering and physics classes, Mark Norton taught chemistry, and Bob Brady taught math and accounting classes. Johnston would start teaching college-level history and government classes once he retired.
Olivia Brady, who had graduated high school in New York and had been taking journalism classes in college. After the trip from New York to Jericho via horse drawn carriages, She remembered her early love of horses and decided to pursue it. She started with the cohort of students working with Gil Bennett. She found that she really wasn't interested in learning all of the chemistry, anatomy and physiology. Neither was she interested in pigs, cows, or any of the other animals. Only horses. She discussed her dilemma with her parents, who turned to Jake and Heather. In the long run, she had been ensconced in the ranch hand quarters at Green Ranch, learning the day-to-day care of horses, breeding considerations, etc. She was in heaven. After working with the crew, she grew to know Owen McCall beyond the passing acquaintance of their mutual childhood time spent at the ranch. The closer they grew, the more they had in common. Soon they were dancing together at the Friday night ranch parties, and generally became inseparable. They were married the following spring. When Wes and Joanna retired, Owen and Olivia would oversee the ranch.
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Marian Frederickson, busier than usual with Jericho being the hub of information for the rebellion, had enlisted the full-time help of Darcy Hawkins the spring following the bombs. Now that Jake had been elected mayor and Johnston planned to retire, Marian quietly announced her own retirement plans as well. When Jake took office in January, Darcy had been well trained for the position and knowledgeable on the population of Jericho. Of course, Marion would remain available to answer questions…
Johnston, anticipating his retirement, remembered that E.J. had spent time with the children after he retired. He was delighted with the Ranger Cadet program, which was going strong and had been replicated in many towns. But he thought now of the younger children anxiously awaiting their twelfth birthdays in order to join. Beyond school and chores, there was little to occupy this demographic. He considered his target population. His bright grandsons Brody (8) and Chip (7). Also to consider were Hunter Bennett (8), cousins Bernadette (8) and Julie (10) McCall, Claire Summers (10), and Kirby Young (10). He was sure that more kids would come out of the woodwork. He thought he'd call his program Ranger Scouts, and teach the basics that used to be covered in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Camping, cooking over an open campfire, foraging. He also wanted to instill in the kids the love of history he had always enjoyed. He anticipated many stories around the campfire. He had discussed his ideas with Gail, who thought it was a great idea and offered to help when she wasn't otherwise occupied watching Tracy and Joy. He had asked permission to hold meetings at Scout Ranch. Which was closer to town than Green Ranch. The parents were enthusiastic and offered to help as needed.