Chapter 39: Little Surprises

After I give Saul another welcome home present, where he shows me how much he has missed me. We settle back and talk.

"Saint Louis was not what I would have thought of as big city." Saul says. He has his arms wrapped around my shoulders and breathes in my hair. I am sprawled across his body with my legs wrapped around one of his. I have my chin tucked into his neck. "Oh I mean there were big buildings and wide streets. But I don't know I thought there would be more. More people and shops and lights and all the things we don't have here. it wasn't like that."

"Something change. Even more, Saul dearest, I think we have to remember the world your have read about in books is gone. Long gone." I say and kiss his throat. "We are a new history."

"A new history. huh. I like that." he says and rubs his cheek in my hair.

"Yes. Now tell me about the people of Saint Louis? The city is dead but there are still people living there. That could be important." I prompt him.

"What do you want to know?" he leans away from me so he can look down at my face.

"Tell me a bout the Nightingales? Who are they?" I ask.

"Oh they were Hospital workers and the like. As far as they tell it. Their founders didn't want to leave those hospital patients alone to evacuate. So the stayed. They were the ones who saw us enter the hospital and knew where to look for equipment. Only much of it needed electrical power to run it. Or was too big to move. They said they would keep looking."

"You must have made an impression on them." I smile up at him and brush the stray strains of his hair back.

"I'm not sure it was all me. One of the ladies seemed quite taken with Holliday. I really thought he was going to stay. But when time came he give her kiss on the cheek and climbed into the Hummer like the rest of us. I guess his is not over Annie." Saul frowns at that thought.

"Well any of us be over Annie?" I mutter to myself. "And now It is my turn."

"I don't think we can stay in bed all afternoon." Saul says as he unwraps his arms and crawls over to the window. He lifts the shade and frowns. "I just got home. And it is like I was never gone."

"Funny," I say with an impish grin and add. "I just got home and nothing is the same. I wonder which of us has had the better journey?" My amusement fades as I remember for me nothing is even close to the same.

"You did," He laughs at me then breaks off as he sees my face. "Oh love, I see now, I got to go back home." Saul returns to me and puts his arms around me again. I pull him into a tight embrace.

"It is all right Saul." I murmur into his shoulder. "I am fine. Now we should unpack your stuff." I say and release him from my hug. Saul sighs and lets me go but not before letting his hands linger on my face as he takes on last kiss.

"Unpack?" He looks doubtful at the idea.

"Sure, You are home, you get to unpack." I say in a chipper tone ... We spend the afternoon talking and packing and unpacking. Repacking. Saul wants me to have the herbs even though I keep telling him I have no idea how to use most of them. He admires the new clothes that Godiva made for me. As we are close to the evening meal there is a knock on the door.

"Yes, who is there?" Saul calls out.

"Diva." She answers and pushes the door open.

"I brought Nev. She said that Nimrod is to look at her."

I had completely forgotten about Nev. Thankfully Saul is unfazed by her arrival and invites them in.

"Saul dear, you didn't really get a chance to meet her before, but this is Nev. One of our new girls," Diva beams at Nev.

"How do you do, Nev?" he politely shakes her hand. Her eyes go wide with awe, as she is overwhelmed by his chivalry.

"Nimrod is not back from the council meeting," I tell Godiva.

"He was right behind me," Godiva says, looking smug at being the first to know when Nimrod is coming home.

"Tea then," Saul says in that robust tone of something to do.

"Tea would be fine," She smiles him and puts Nev in one of the chairs at the table.

I hear singing, a man's tenor. Nimrod is home. Saul gives me a startled look, then smiles too. The two of us are beaming like idiots. Godiva giggles into her hand.

"I will make some room," I say as I start to remove the packing production that is spread out over all the chairs and the table.

"And thank you for the new outfits, Godiva. They are marvelous." I add over my shoulder.

"Oh you're very welcome, my dear," she lights up even more. "You're easy to work with."