Chapter 8

It was a glorious night and we woke in the morning in each others arms. She stretched. "I'm deliciously sore, Husband. It's your fault. Thank you." She grinned wickedly. "The gossip about your ability 'in the sack' was not exaggerated. I am very happy to be Missus Mark Dillard." I kissed her and that developed into more than a kiss.

We finally got out of bed and wandered into the bathroom. I had heard that showering with the opposite sex is fantastic. I found that showering with my wife was highly erotic, too! I had to go to my old room and bathroom for my grooming items and some clothes. I didn't mind. I said, "I'll move my stuff later today, if I have the energy."

I was back in "our" bedroom when I said that. Pat grinned at me. "You don't have to wear clothes for my sake. I like you naked."

"I don't think Dad would be interested in looking. Get dressed, my adorable hussy. We need some breakfast to rebuild our energy." We dressed and walked out arm in arm.

Dad was in the kitchen with coffee. We went to the pot and I poured one for Pat and then one for me. Pat said, "Have you had breakfast yet, Dad?"

"Not yet. I was waiting for you love birds to get out of your nest." He grinned.

Pat said, "I'll cook while Mark helps."

I grinned. "Yes, ma'am."

She grinned back. We worked together to fix a grand breakfast which, due to the hour, would also be lunch. As we ate, we talked. Pat said, "I want us to look for some nice people to join us. We need more people and a few skills. Having a doctor in our valley would be nice.

"I have thought about it and there must be survivors who would appreciate a place like this and would, with training, help us defend it. I think enough time has passed for the survivors who aren't bad people to surface. Unfortunately, it means that the bad guys have had time to band together, too."

Dad was nodding. "You're right. We have consolidated this position well but we would have to give it up without a fight to a large group bent on taking it. It's a lot to lose. So, Missus Dillard, how do we go about finding these nice people?"

Pat smiled at being called, "Missus." She said, "I think we need to look around Dalton and maybe up to Chattanooga. We know there are people around Ellijay but they are as elusive as we are. Someone has to take the lead in making a contact. It's a risk but I would like to put up a sign in Ellijay calling for a meeting to meet for the common defense right after Christmas.

"I think the twenty-eighth would be good. It's a Wednesday for what that's worth. If you agree, let's make some signs to post after we pick a place for a meeting in Ellijay. If that works, we could consider Dalton next. The mall is an important draw for Dalton even though it's on seventy-five and that draws some bad folks as we know."

We talked it over some more but Dad and I agreed with my wife. We would go to Ellijay in the morning to pick a place and prepare and set out signage. We spent the rest of the day taking our ease. Pat had a few bruises from her kidnapping and our love making. At one point during the day when we were alone, she said, "I know I have some sore spots. I want you to give me some more tonight."

I feigned horror. "You'll wear me out." She kissed me hard. "Yeah, and you love it!" In that, she was completely correct. Neither of us was widely experienced sexually but we were enjoying "catching up" and getting to know each other's body. We touched a lot that day.

The three of us prepared supper. After eating, Pat and I went into our room and made love until we were both exhausted. It was glorious.

We woke at a more normal time in the morning. We did shower together again though I don't think we saved water. We enjoyed washing each other and fondling body parts. We did get clean and cut off the water. We dried off and dressed. Dad had gotten up and started the coffee. He was sitting outside when we poured coffee for all three of us and took him his. It was a warm day with bright sun shining to provide just enough marginal warmth to sit out. We didn't stay out long but went inside to prepare a light breakfast. Pat said, "Dad, let's take your truck. I can sit in Mark's lap." She grinned.

He responded, "I guess that would work. We can find supplies for signs in town but we can't forget our guns." We nodded at his words. After washing dishes, we drove into Ellijay.

We went to Walmart first though planned for the eventual meet to be at Hardee's on the corner of US 76 and GA 515. It was a well-known point. There was a couple there and Dad went up to them. They were a man and woman in their forties. Dad said, "Hi. I'm Dan Dillard. We live east of here." At his prior whispered instruction, we were heading for the arts area for construction paper and markers to use to make our signs. Dad continued, "That's my son, Mark, and his wife, Pat. We are making signs for a meeting. I hope that some people will meet to find out if we can help one another at times. We are thinking to meet next Wednesday morning at Hardee's."

They nodded. The man spoke, "I'm Tom Morgan."

The woman said, "I'm Linda Davidson. We're together now. Having a meeting sounds good. We'll come. Tom and I have had a scare last time we went to Canton. There is more there and in Dalton but there are some bad people out, too."

"Mark and Pat had gone to high school together but lost touch while in college. They met again after the Day."

Linda said, "They are married? Who married them?"

Dad smiled. "They married themselves. We got a copy of the vows and they recited them in the living room including exchanging rings."

She said, "That sounds romantic."

Tom said, "We could do that, Linda. It would make us more formal though no less real."

Dad jumped back in. "We thought we would get people in contact. Some projects are too big for a couple. We could help one another. We might band together for protection on trips to Canton and Dalton. There are a lot of good people but the bad ones are worse since there are no cops and they know it."

Dan, do you have a cell phone?" Tom asked.

"Yes, reception is getting spotty though. With all the hills, CB doesn't work well either." Dad gave him his number and got Tom's back. We came up to them and shook hands all around. They were looking for some clothes and went to that area. They waved as they left later.

Dad said, "That was promising.

"How many signs do you think we need?"

Pat said, "I think one here, one at Lowe's, one at Ingle's, one at Dollar General, one at the courthouse, and a few at other places around everywhere including gas stations. I would guess fifteen or twenty. We have plenty of paper, markers, and duct tape." We put together an assembly line using different thickness markers starting with the thickest one we could find.

We put together sixteen signs and taped one to the front of the Walmart. We went along to every place along 515 that seemed likely to catch a number of people. We proceeded through East Ellijay and into Ellijay taping our last sign at the courthouse. I said, "I don't think anyone has been here since the Day but I can't think of anywhere else to put a sign."