Cadence of Love by Willow Brooke Page A

She laid the contents out on the seat and organized them, explaining each item. She pointed to another brown plastic package. “This here is pound cake. Unfortunately you got the lemon flavor. It tastes like Lemon Pledge.” She pointed to another packet, and smiled. “You have the good spicy crackers to go with your cheese. Now this you have to try.” She ripped open each pack, squirted a dab of the cheese spread on one of the round veggie crackers, and handed it to her. She made one for Alaina before popping one in her own mouth. “See? That’s good stuff, huh?”
    “Yum! It is good.” Elizabeth’s face lit up.
    “Wow, I am surprised. It is pretty good.” Alaina smiled, loving how Alex was distracting Elizabeth from everything going on.
    “Okay, you got a good one, girl! Look, here is a packet of applesauce. And here, this is like Kool-Aid. Watch, you dump it in the canteen like this.” She poured the powder in and shook it up, handing it back to Lizzy. “Now, the most important thing about an MRE is that after you are done, you have to chew the gum. See here in your napkin package? There is a little bottle of hot sauce, spork, knife, napkin, salt, pepper, sugar, creamer, an instant coffee pack even though it isn’t enough for a cup, and these little gum squares. The gum squares keep you from getting constipated. MRE’s will lock you up for a month if you don’t chew this.”
    Alaina watched as Elizabeth sat intently listening to everything Alex was saying until she finished and burst out in giggles. “That’s funny! It’s poo gum like the poo chocolate momma has given me before!”
    “Yip, same thing. Okay, your food should be hot.” She pulled the meal packet out and opened it, handing it to Lizzy. “Here you go, sweetheart. You got the beef stew. This kind is the best.” She winked and stepped away, letting Elizabeth dig in.
    “Thank you, Ms. Alex. This is yummy!” she said over a mouthful of food.
    “You’re welcome, Elizabeth.” Her cell phone beeped and she flipped it open, getting her soldier face back on. “Okay, ladies, we are going to go for a ride. Lizzy, you can eat on the way, okay?”
    “What’s going on?” Alaina asked.
    “Nothing. Let’s get moving. We can talk later.” She closed up everything and helped gather up the spread of food. After Elizabeth had buckled in in the back seat, she handed it all back to her to finish. She stayed sullen, so Alaina didn’t push or ask any more questions. She hopped in the passenger side and waited until they were down the road to glance at her again. She seemed to be in deep concentration about something, so Alaina opted to save all conversation until they reached their destination.
    About an hour later, they pulled onto a dirt road off the highway. About ten miles down that road another turn was made, and then another, placing them in the deep confinements of the forest. A small cabin came into sight, and Alex parked the truck in front. She turned the engine off and removed the keys, finally turning to Alaina. “You two stay here for a minute and let me check a few things. I will be right back, okay?”
    Alaina nodded, unsure what was happening. Her mind whirled with different scenarios, but told herself the woman had protected them this far, she might as well trust her. “Okay,” she answered, hearing the uncertainty in her own voice. Alex hopped out, reaching down to her ankle. When she stood back up a pistol was in her hand, and she cocked it back before easing toward the establishment. She walked around the building cautiously, darting her head back and forth to examine the entire area. When she disappeared around the back, Alaina held her breath. A few minutes later she reappeared through the now open front door and waved for them to come in.
    “Okay, Liz, let’s go in.” She unfastened her seat belt and stepped out to open the back passenger door to help her out of the tall ride.
    “Where are we?”
    “I don’t know,