Uprising by Shelly Crane Page A

of him. My heart wants to burst from my chest and the annoying tears come again. He wraps his arms around me, lying us back on our backs. I nibble my cheese and drink my tea through the straw, as ordered.
    I tell him the whole story. About the Lighter tricking us and then the next one with his filthy talk, about Phillip. Not even leaving out the part where Cain and I had to lay wrapped around each other to keep warm. I know he won’t be jealous of that and I want to be completely honest with him.
    Always.
    So I even spurt out about how Cain kissed me in the coffee shop that day, to save me from being discovered and questioned.
    “Cain has apologized to me for it so many times,” I explain. “I just want to be completely honest with you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. It was wrong of me to keep it from you.”
    “Sherry, the man saved your life. Twice, now it seems. I can’t be mad at him. Or you. I owe him everything.”
    He tells me how lucky I am. How dumb I was for thinking I could handle things on my own, without him and he hopes I’ve learned my lesson this time, that we’re a team. Always. Then he whispers that everything will be fine, he’s happy I’m ok, he was so worried about me, he loves me. I drift off to sleep somehow at more peace than I ever would have thought imaginable.
    We will get them back. We will.
     
    After what I can guess is a couple hours I wake up and Merrick is looking at my leg, rewrapping it with care and looks up to see me watching him. He finishes quickly and comes to lay on his side beside me, leaning on his elbow.
    “How do you feel?” he asks.
    “I’ll feel better when we get on with the plan to get the kids back.”
    At first I thought he’d argue with me about the word ‘we’, me implying I’m going too. He doesn’t, in fact, he reacts as though that’s the best news yet.
    “Great. Let’s go warrior,” he says smiling and lifts me up in his arms.
    He doesn’t carry me but sets me down to my good foot, letting me lean on him. What’s up with him? I thought for sure I’d have to fight him to let me keep my dignity and hobble myself in there to meet the others. I look at him questioningly.
     
    I know you don’t want me to carry you out there in front of all of them, do you?
     
    He smiles a knowing smile with a raised eyebrow as he speaks. A smug he knows me smile.
    Cute.
    I realize what he’s doing. He’s letting me get some of my dignity back from my breakdown earlier. He knew I wouldn’t want him to carry me like some broken rag doll. He’s already done that more than enough lately when I had no other choice.
    Now I do.
    Just when you think you can’t love someone more. When you think they can’t possibly know you more than they already do...
    “Nope.” I smile back and we leave our room, hobbling.

    Everyone is already there, either in the kitchen door way or stacked in the commons room. Everyone looks eager and anxious. Some have coffee in hand, others have biscuits or crackers. Some have all three.
    No one seems to be particularly interested in me but Danny, Ryan, Cain, Miguel and even Josh who are watching me the whole time with anxious eyes. Well, I guess that is a lot.
    Everyone else is glued to Jeff, who is giving what I can only describe as a battle decree.
    “Thank you. I know how bad you want to pick me up and carry me,” I whisper to Merrick as he navigates through scattered people sitting cross legged on the floor.

    Yes. I do. And it’s killing me watching you struggle needlessly, but I know you need this. Even if you are just being stubborn. He cuts his eyes sideways to peek at me and smiles. I’m gonna go get you some breakfast. Sit here.
     
    He brings me beside Danny who takes my hand to settle me beside him on the couch. Ryan gets up to take the chair arm instead so I can have his seat. Danny pats my leg and gives me a look, like ‘how can you keep doing this to me’, then props my leg up on his knee and I’m shocked to