Chương 107

Barlow stood up first, taking the bourbon bottle with him.

"I'm gonna sleep," he said.

"We roll out at eight." He nodded once at Louis and left the room. The rest of them sat for a moment.

"Shall we celebrate?" Gladice asked.

"Since we are all alive and about to be rescued?"

"I think we should," Willa said. Savannah nodded.

"I'm in."

"Let's have some air," Louis said.

"Light a fire."

"Good idea." Angelique stood up.

"I will get us blankets." They went out to the back deck together. Outside, the air was cool and dry. The sky had cleared, and stars showed above the trees. The mountains were dark beyond the deck. Gladice built a small fire in the stone pit and lit it with a lighter. Angelique brought blankets from inside and spread them over the deck chairs. Savannah sat in one and stretched her legs out. Donya took another and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.

Willa sat cross-legged on the deck itself, her back against one of the chairs. Louis sat between Angelique and Gladice. The fire started. A little heat reached his legs.

"Tomorrow," Savannah said.

"Don't feel real."

"It always does," Gladice said. She leaned forward to warm her hands.

"Until it doesn't." Donya looked at Louis.

"Do you think we will make it?"

"Yes," he said. Willa smiled at him.

"Optimist."

"I have to be," he said.

"Otherwise I wouldn't be here. Besides, my father is not the kind to promise extraction and then leave us hanging."

"Still," Angelique said, "I will be glad when we are on the boat."

"Me too." Gladice waved smoke away from her face.

"I am done with this country."

"Any of you ever been on a carrier before?" Louis asked. The others shook their heads. Savannah leaned forward with her elbows on her knees.

"What's that like?"

"Big." He looked into the fire.

"Bigger than you think. The flight deck alone feels like a small city. The noise never stops. People everywhere. Planes taking off and landing like clockwork." He smiled a little.

"You can stand at the railing and watch the ocean go on forever." Donya smiled.

"I would like to see that."

"You will." Gladice yawned and stretched.

"I'm already planning the welcome-home party." Angelique laughed.

"Of course you are."

"What?" Gladice grinned.

"We will have survived a war zone. That deserves champagne."

"I think we should have a beach day first," Angelique said.

"Sun. Sand. No clothes."

"Sold," Gladice said.

"To both." Savannah shook her head.

"Y'all weird."

"Thank you," Gladice said.

"We try." Willa shifted on the deck and looked up at the stars.

"What happens after?" Louis looked up too, then back at the fire.

"We will stay together. The house in Beverly Hills has plenty of rooms."

"Big enough for a princess, a future president, a genius, a soldier, a gang boss's daughter, and a woman of Allah?" Angelique asked. He smiled.

"Bigger." Donya looked at the others, then back at the fire.

"I never thought I would have any of this. I was thinking of going back to my family in Chicago. But now..." She shook her head slightly.

"I don't know."

"You don't have to decide now," Angelique said.

"You can take your time." Donya nodded.

"I know. It is just... strange. To have choices." Savannah crossed her arms.

"Choices ain't always what people make them out to be." Gladice laughed.

"You say that now. Wait until you are living in a house with indoor pools." Savannah snorted.

"I'll believe that when I see it."

"Then you will see it," Louis said.

"I promise." Savannah held his gaze for a moment, then looked past the fire again. Willa leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes.

"Maybe we can get a dog," she said. Stolen novel; please report. Gladice laughed again.

"A dog? Really?"

"Why not?" Willa raised an eyebrow.

"I've always wanted one."

"Then you can have one," Louis said.

"As long as it doesn't chew on my shoes."

"I will train it," Willa promised. Angelique rested her hand on Louis's knee.

"You spoil us."

"Isn't that the point?" She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. For a while they were quiet. Louis heard the fire and the small movements of the others around him. The night grew colder. He looked at the faces around the fire and thought of the coast, the boats, and the house in Beverly Hills. Safety was still far away. For the first time in days, he could imagine reaching it.

"Louis." Donya spoke softly.

"Can I ask you something?" He turned his head.

"Of course." She hesitated, her fingers twisting the edge of the blanket.

"Do you think Allah brought me to you?" Louis thought for a moment.

"Why do you ask?" She looked at the fire.

"When you fell in the forest, I prayed. At first I thought I could carry you. I thought if I loved Allah enough, if I was good enough, if I was brave enough, then strength would come. It didn't." She swallowed.

"But when I could not do it alone, everyone came. And I thought... maybe this was a test. And maybe I was meant to learn that I cannot do everything alone. And maybe you were the lesson." Louis said, "Donya—""No." She looked at him then.

"Please let me say it." He closed his mouth. She took a shaky breath, then steadied herself.

"I sat there in the rain and I kept thinking, this cannot be where it ends. I cannot lose you now, not after everything. And then the drone came. And they came. And now we are here. Together." She shook her head.

"I don't understand how Allah works. But I think I understand what he wanted me to see. And I am grateful." Willa looked up. Gladice did not make a joke. Angelique watched Donya without interrupting. Donya kept her eyes on Louis now.

"You asked me who Allah was," she said softly.

"I don't remember," he said.

"Because you were feverish. That's alright." She gave him a small smile.

"I know you did not know what you were saying. But I have not stopped hearing it." Her voice steadied.

"I thought I was supposed to answer you. Not with words. With staying. With choosing you. With protecting you. And if that is what Allah wants from me, then I will do it. I will be what I need to be." Savannah lowered her eyes briefly. Then she stood. Gladice glanced toward her. Savannah gave her a small shake of the head.

"I'm going to bed. Gotta be ready tomorrow." Nobody tried to stop her. She turned and went inside. Donya watched her go, then looked back at Louis.

"I do not think I met you by accident." Louis felt Angelique's hand settle on his shoulder.

"I prayed for guidance after they took me. I prayed in the basement. I prayed in the church. I prayed when the bombs fell. I prayed when we ran. And every time, somehow, I was moved closer to you." She looked down at her hands.

"I know how that sounds." Willa said, "Do you?"

"Yes." Donya looked at her.

"I know it sounds crazy. I know people say things like this and they don't mean it. But I do." She raised her chin.

"I am not asking for anything. I don't expect you to believe. I just wanted you to know." Louis nodded once.

"I know." She nodded back.

"Maybe I am frightened and grateful and confused. Maybe that is why I am saying this. But it is true. So I am saying it. I want to belong with Louis. With all of you." She hesitated.

"But I also want to follow him. And I think that is what I am supposed to do." Angelique kept her hand on Louis's shoulder. Gladice watched Donya. Willa said, "And you think following him is the same as following Allah?" Donya turned to her.

"I think that is how Allah speaks. Through people. Through events. Through the path that is put before you. And right now, the path goes with Louis."

"I am not the prophet," Louis said softly.

"I know." Donya smiled a little.

"But you are the sign."

"Maybe I am not even that," he said.

"Maybe we are just people who got lucky." She shook her head.

"No. It is more than luck. I know that now. Allah does not save people with luck. He saves them with each other. And he saved me with you." She looked around at the others.

"With all of you. And I am thankful for that." Gladice let out a breath and gave a small smile.

"Well. I can't argue with gratitude." Angelique leaned forward, elbows on her knees, her face lit by the fire.

"Donya," she said, "do you want him, or do you want something to believe in?" Donya blinked once, then held Angelique's gaze.

"Both," she said.

"I want him. And I want the purpose he gives me. And I think they are the same thing." Angelique held her gaze for a long moment. Then she looked at Louis.

"And what do you think?"

"Me?" He looked at Donya, then at Angelique. He did not answer right away. He thought of the megachurch, the way she had stayed with him in the forest, the way she had touched him, the way she looked at him now. He said, "I think she is stronger than she knows. And if she wants to follow me, I will do my best to be worth following." Donya smiled at him. Willa reached out and touched her wrist. Gladice grinned and leaned back in her chair. Angelique kept watching Louis and did not smile. Angelique turned to Donya.

"If you come in, you come in as yourself. Not as a follower." Donya looked at her.

"What if worship is part of who I am?"

"Then you will have to learn which part of it is love and which part is devotion. And you will have to balance them." Angelique's voice was calm but firm.

"We are not a church or a cult. We are just people trying to survive and live well. If you can do that with us, you are welcome. If you cannot, we will still help you. But we will not pretend to be something we are not." Donya lowered her gaze. Gladice leaned back in her chair.

"That sounded very princess." Angelique shot her a look. Gladice laughed. Louis turned to Donya.

"You don't have to answer now. You can take your time." She looked up.

"I have made my decision. I know what I want." He waited. She took a breath.

"I want to be with you, Louis. With all of you. And I will learn whatever I need to learn to be part of this." Louis looked at her and chose his words carefully.

"I don't want to ask you to be less than you are. If your faith matters to you, keep it. But if you stay with me, it will be complicated. It will be hard sometimes. And you will have to make room for more than me."

"I know." He looked at Angelique, Gladice, and Willa in turn. Angelique did not look away. Gladice winked. Willa watched Donya with her hands folded in her lap. Louis looked back at Donya.

"Then stay." Donya's breath caught. She looked from Louis to Angelique, then back again. Angelique gave a small nod. Donya's face broke into a smile. Gladice laughed.

"Welcome to the party." Donya laughed too.

"Thank you."

"Don't expect us to be nice all the time." Willa glanced at her.

"But we will take care of each other. That's the deal." Donya nodded.

"I understand."

"Good." Willa smiled at her. Angelique stood up and walked around the fire to Donya. She stopped in front of her. Donya looked up. Then Angelique bent and kissed Donya lightly on the forehead.

"Be careful with him," she whispered.

"Louis is not as strong as he thinks." Donya nodded. Her eyes were wet.

"I will." Angelique straightened up and went back to her chair. Louis watched Donya, who was staring into the fire.

"Come here," he said. She looked at him, then got up and walked to his side. He took her hand and pulled her down onto his lap.

"I'm glad you're staying," he said.

"Me too." She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.

"I was scared you would say no." He held her close.

"Never." Gladice watched them.

"This is getting romantic. I like it." Angelique sighed.

"Everything is romantic for you."

"Life's short." Gladice grinned.

"Might as well enjoy it." Louis kept holding Donya. He could feel her breathing, her heart beating against his chest. She smelled of woodsmoke and the damp night. He closed his eyes and just held her.