Chapter 56

Friday

JOSH AND JAKE made three more scrounging missions that week.The missions were relatively short ones,and they headed east instead of southwest.They were also successful missions,and they now had all of the parts necessary to rebuild the old cars.In between their other activities they had also met with Father Jackson,and plans were in place for both a wedding and a pair of baptisms.On one of their missions,they’d visited two Walmart locations and stripped them of toiletries for men and women.Claire had been overjoyed with the bags of makeup and soaps they’d handed her.

“The women of three valleys are in your debt,”she’d said.

“Assuming this stuff isn’t too old to be of any use,”Jake said.

“We’ll make it work,”she had said.

When they entered the café,they saw that most of the tables had been pulled together,and there were several people sitting at them whom they didn’t know.

Claire was seated at the head of the table.Josh walked up to her.“I see our little group has grown.”